"....."
Faced with the golden-yellow elf's pleading, Bell hesitated.
To explain that hesitation, one first had to look at the state the two of them were in.
Bell wasn't wearing armor. He only had on a thin short-sleeved shirt, which was also why he couldn't give any of his clothes to Lefiya. As for Lefiya's blue-and-white outfit, the slime had melted several large holes through the front, while the sides and back were still perfectly intact.
Bell had no idea whether this was [Luck] looking out for her, or simply the result of Lefiya's habit of dodging.
In fact, as long as Lefiya stayed on his back, no one would be able to tell anything was wrong, aside from the white slime on her over-the-knee stockings.
But that required Lefiya to press her entire body against the boy's back. That was exactly why Bell hesitated.
"Lefiya-san, I'm not wearing light armor."
Bell hinted at the fact that this kind of contact would bring the golden-yellow elf an unprecedented level of embarrassment.
"I know. Don't say it out loud..."
Lefiya lowered her head slightly.
She knew the boy was being considerate of her.
He could say openly lewd things without batting an eye, and he was even chasing after some ridiculous harem, yet at a time like this, he actually hesitated. Was it innocent shyness, or gentlemanly consideration?
It was completely unfair.
Bell Cranel, this human, was always so unfair, no matter the situation...
"Hurry up and turn around. I don't want to stay here with you. If something really does happen like we said before, I'll hate it even more."
Lefiya urged the boy to turn around.
"But Lefiya-san, you..."
Bell was naturally happy to accept this unexpected intimacy, but he knew the golden-yellow elf's personality all too well. This would definitely trouble her.
"Ugh... I already said it's fine. Anyway, whether I'm carrying you or being carried by you, I'm already used to it."
Lefiya waved her hand with a pout, then continued, "Turn around before I change my mind. Otherwise, I really will hit you with my wand."
"I understand... Lefiya-san, I promise I'll get you home safe and sound."
Bell shifted his gaze away from the girl's bright red face.
He stopped refusing, turned around, and lowered himself.
Lefiya's footsteps were very light, yet they seemed to echo in both of their hearts. The girl's breathing was slow and clear, as if she were gathering her resolve.
The next instant, as weight settled onto his back, two soft sensations flowed toward the boy like ripples across water.
"Don't look back..."
Lefiya wrapped her arms around Bell's neck and pressed her whole body against the boy's back.
"Okay. I'm heading out."
Bell agreed to her request without hesitation, stood up, and walked toward the passage entrance.
That soft, rippling sensation spread gently, as if gathering all the warmth of spring.
Silence settled around Bell, leaving only the sound of his own footsteps and the girl's warm breath.
Bell left the training grounds and headed straight back to the main road. Before long, the two of them ran into other adventurers.
"..."
Since they had chosen to return with Bell carrying her on his back, Bell and Lefiya could only keep their current posture to avoid anyone noticing.
The two passed silently by the other adventurer parties, inevitably stirring their curiosity.
"Hey, those two just now. Wasn't there some weird slime on the girl's legs?"
"And he's carrying her through the Dungeon... Are they doing some kind of private play?"
"Doing that in the Dungeon? That's way too bold."
"Shh! That's [Little Rookie] and [Thousand Elf]! Those two were hugging and clinging to each other in front of everyone during the war game. They're beyond common sense, so rookies definitely shouldn't mess with them!"
"I-I see..."
The party, mostly made up of rookie adventurers, whispered among themselves.
Those careless remarks turned into a hell of shame that burrowed straight into Lefiya's heart.
"Lefiya-san, you're the one who asked for this. You can't lose your composure and get off my back now."
Bell reminded her softly.
There was no turning back for them anymore. If Lefiya panicked and tried to run, it would only end in disaster.
"Ugh... I know that. Whose fault do you think this is?"
Lefiya unconsciously tightened her arms around the boy, her complaining voice filled with embarrassed shyness.
The boy's warmth came through his thin shirt, soaking into her skin and stirring up an unimaginable sense of shame.
Lefiya was starting to regret her decision.
Taking the golden-yellow elf's personality into account, Bell deliberately chose a sparsely traveled side path after leaving the Dungeon.
"Lefiya-san, aren't you worried I might take you somewhere strange?" The stone-paved road was a little uneven, so Bell deliberately tried to distract her with conversation.
"I know you picked this road on purpose so people wouldn't see us."
Lefiya voiced her trust in him.
After spending so much time with him, she already understood that the boy would never intentionally do anything to make a girl sad or uncomfortable. This awkward situation was probably caused by the slime reacting with some material in her clothes, something even Bell hadn't expected.
Lefiya had just raised the corners of her mouth, but less than a second later, her brows knitted tightly.
"Huh...?!"
"..."
Bell was momentarily speechless.
Spring seemed to bloom in full, and from that gentle water's surface, a vivid flower seemed to emerge, bringing with it a different sensation.
Bell knew very well that no matter what he said right now, he would end up being the one at fault.
And yet, even though he stayed silent, he still couldn't escape the girl's accusations.
"Idiot, pervert, beast, lecher, permanently horny rabbit!"
Lefiya's voice trembled with a sob, as if she had lost all reason.
As the most prosperous city in the world, Orario had people around even on its side paths. Lefiya had no way to escape her current humiliation, so she could only drown everything out with curses.
"Sorry. I'll walk more slowly."
Bell apologized.
"Ugh, of course we need to hurry back!"
Lefiya couldn't bear it for another second.
What on earth had she been thinking earlier?
To actually believe this kind of contact would be fine, she was practically acting like a woman in heat!
"I understand. I'll run back right now."
Bell promptly changed his tune.
"Idiot! Don't bounce around!"
Lefiya hurriedly stopped the boy from moving.
It was the jolting just now that had caused her body to change. If this continued, she would definitely crawl under her blankets and never be able to look the boy in the eye again.
"Lefiya-san, you're asking the impossible."
Bell sighed softly.
"Ugh...."
A rush of heat flooded Lefiya's cheeks.
Although she wasn't as fastidious as other Elves and was far more open-minded, her current situation still went far beyond the limits of what she could accept.
She buried her head against the boy's shoulder and said in a spoiled, commanding tone:
"Shut up. Don't look, don't listen, and don't feel anything! Idiot, pervert, permanently horny rabbit!"