── The Loki Familia suffered no casualties during that battle.
When I learned that, a sense of relief washed over me despite my wretched position. I felt a profound comfort from the depths of my heart knowing that those I had attacked with lethal intent were still alive.
Good heavens, what a fool I am.
Even though I had been determined to kill them all in that moment, I breathed a sigh of relief when faced with the fact that I hadn't. Does this mean that, despite devouring Revis's magic stone and fully transforming into a monster, I still refuse to lose my identity as an Elf?
I don't understand myself. I cannot comprehend any of this at all.
── However, one thing remains certain.
I can no longer stay in the same place as Al Cranel and Lefiya, nor will I be permitted to. Since I have truly become a monster, I will undoubtedly continue to hurt others in the future. This tainted body lacks the right to remain by their side.
It was something I already realized. Therefore, this is the natural end I deserve. I will sever the last lingering traces of nostalgia in my heart. But, even so, just for once ──.
●○●○●
The Guild headquarters buzzed with activity; adventurers were reporting quest completions, while others came to exchange loot and magic stones for currency. While the staff worked diligently, many adventurers stood before the notice board, scrutinizing the available quests.
Surprisingly, the crowd included more Elves than usual. Lefiya, the orange-yellow haired Elf, stood there with a look of confusion on her face.
"(Are all of these people my kin...?)"
Several days had passed since her training expedition with Al in the deep floors. She had come to the Guild today seeking a simple quest before returning to the Dungeon, but she felt the number of Elves present was unnatural.
"The place is crawling with Elves."
Al spoke softly, seemingly sharing her sentiment. As they exchanged puzzled glances, the sound of something dropping echoed behind them.
When they turned, they found an Elf girl standing dazed, her bag having slipped from her hand. She was a young Elf with jet-black hair and ruby-red eyes, wearing elegant white combat attire that resembled a priestess's robes ── it was Filvis Challia.
Her gaze was fixed on Al and Lefiya.
"Lefiya ── Cranel ──"
She whispered their names, her glass-like features painted with shock. Then, she furrowed her brows and lowered her head.
"Lady Filvis ──?"
Lefiya called out tentatively, sensing the gloomy aura radiating from Filvis.
"── Excuse me, forgive me."
"Please, wait!!"
Filvis turned to flee, but Lefiya reached out quickly and caught her wrist. Filvis's body stiffened for a moment, but she soon surrendered and stopped, without trying to turn around or lift her head.
Lefiya was baffled by her behavior, but her instincts told her not to let go, so she tightened her grip. She felt that if she released her hand now, they might never speak again, yet she found herself unable to find the right words and remained silent.
"──"
Lefiya shot a pleading look toward Al. She felt that Al, who had known Filvis for years, would be better suited to talk to her, despite Lefiya's own good relationship with the girl.
However ──.
"Well, I'll be heading back. You two talk."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Even the despondent Filvis let out a sound of bewilderment at Al, who had already started walking toward the exit. Al left behind a short sentence stating that training was canceled for the day, then hurried away. The two were left alone, and an awkward silence settled between them.
●○●○●
Truthfully, I don't want to leave Filvis in such a depressed state, but it seems Lefiya was affected by Filvis's rejection more than I expected.
I can't take on the task of comforting her myself.
I don't want Lefiya's morale to collapse before the decisive battle, so it's best to leave them alone to talk. If things get complicated, I'll intervene later, but Lefiya, who possesses a heart full of purity and light, will surely be able to do something about Filvis's condition.
●○●○●
"Tell me, what do you think of this hair ornament? Does it suit me?"
"It doesn't."
In the crowded shopping street, Bete Loga was feeling fed up with Lena, who was puffing out her cheeks in mock anger.
In the end, Bete couldn't shake Lena off immediately and found himself forced to accompany her. He had given in to her requests to avoid causing a scene that might put him in an embarrassing position.
Lena clung to Bete the entire time and seemed overjoyed. She paid no mind to his blatant ignoring of her; instead, she used every moment to start a new conversation. This Amazon possessed incredible mental fortitude.
"── Damn it."
Bete sighed, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Although Lena held feelings of admiration for him, Bete could not fathom why. This loud Amazon girl belonged to a type of person he had never encountered before. She remained unaffected by the opinions of others and stuck to her will until the very end. In a way, she embodied the qualities Bete demanded from others, and that was precisely why he couldn't handle her.
"My goodness, if you keep being this cold, no girl will ever love you."
"── Shut up."
Bete replied indifferently, having lost even the energy to shout. Lena skipped behind him, her facial expressions constantly shifting. Bright, cheerful, and innocent. Like a small child, she was an unknown puzzle to Bete; no matter how many insults he hurled at her, she showed no signs of being affected. Because of his fear of this unknown, Bete tried to avoid her, but Lena wouldn't allow it, dragging him along with her boundless radiance.
"── Tch, tell me what you know about the 'Key' already."
"If I do that, you'll end our date immediately, won't you?"
"That should be obvious."
Bete answered sharply and firmly. Lena pouted with boredom.
── The "Key."
Days ago, a battle broke out between the Loki Familia and the remnants of the Evils (Dark Sects) in the artificial labyrinth, Knossos. The "Key" was necessary to open the Orichalcum doors scattered throughout that maze. Bete believed that Lena, who had been a subordinate of the goddess Ishtar—who was linked to the Evils—might have information about that key.
If not for this, Bete would never have accompanied her on a shopping trip that resembled a romantic date.
In the shopping street filled with luxury jewelry stores and products made from magic stones, Lena acted like a teenage girl despite her rough Amazonian nature. She picked up everything that caught her eye, asking Bete with a wide smile if the item suited her. To Bete, this was utterly ridiculous and annoying.
"Bete Loga, you really are a dry person. There's no harm in spending some time with me."
"I don't have time to waste with you. Tell me the location of the key, quickly."
While Lena grumbled, Bete responded with sharp disgust, but she didn't care and continued her advances.
"Look, a flower shop!"
Lena ignored Bete's words and pulled his arm, looking admiringly at a flower shop filled with vivid colors on a street corner.
"Let's go! Buy me something, Bete Loga!"
Bete sighed after losing hope of resisting and followed her, led by the arm. Lena stopped in front of a pot containing beautiful blue and light sky-blue flowers. A cluster of small, delicate flowers filled the pot; Lena stared at them for a long time before turning toward Bete.
"Bete Loga, do you want to know what my favorite flower is? You do, right?"
"I don't care."
"Then I'll tell you!! I love 'Forget-me-nots' very much, and I'd be so happy if I got some. I'd definitely fall in love with you all over again!!"
Lena kept stealing glances at him, increasing Bete's frustration as he sighed for the umpteenth time. This Amazon's behavior was provocative in every detail. While Bete was drowning in his annoyance, Lena looked at him with eyes full of longing and expectation.
"What are you doing here, Bete?"
The voice came suddenly from behind them. It was a voice he knew well, and the owner was the last person he wanted to see in this situation—even more than Tione, Aki, or Ais. Bete turned with a stiff, mechanical movement, like a gear that hadn't been oiled in an age.
He found a human girl named Anna wearing a flower shop uniform, looking exceptionally beautiful. Beside her stood a handsome man in elegant clothes ── as if they had just returned from a delivery mission.
"A.. Al ──"
"Is this... your friend?"
"Yes!! I'm Lena, Bete Loga's friend!!"
"Heh, I didn't know Bete had a girlfriend."
── Damn it, is this hell?
Bete broke into a cold sweat as he desperately tried to find a way out of this situation, but his mind had ground to a halt.
●○●○●
"──"
"──"
Even the usually cheerful Lefiya remained silent, and a heavy, charged atmosphere settled between the two Elves. They exchanged silent glances for several minutes. Although they did nothing to cause a stir, the sight of two beautiful Elves with somber faces caught the attention of other adventurers.
Lefiya could no longer bear the awkwardness and decided to speak, but Filvis beat her to it with a voice heavy with worry.
"Could you... let go of my hand now...?"
"Huh? Oh!! I'm so sorry!"
Lefiya apologized in confusion when she realized she had been holding Filvis's hand the entire time. When she carefully released her, Filvis hesitated slightly before slowly lifting her gaze toward Lefiya.
Lefiya's shoulders trembled; she saw in Filvis's eyes a melancholy deeper than before, with dark shadows of gloom. Lefiya held her breath while Filvis bit her lip and said in a sorrowful tone.
"I apologize, but I cannot tell you the reason. Just... don't come near me again."
Words and actions dripping with rejection. Lefiya felt as though her heart had been torn. It is natural to feel shocked when someone you consider a friend pushes you away. Tears began to well in Lefiya's eyes.
"Why..? Why are you saying this all of a sudden..?"
Lefiya asked in a trembling voice. Since the end of the battle in Knossos, Filvis had been avoiding her, but she didn't expect it to reach the point of outright rejection. Had something happened in that artificial labyrinth?
"If something is wrong, I'm ready to help you! So, stop saying these sad things... please."
"──"
Filvis's gaze wavered for a moment upon hearing Lefiya's words, but she quickly lowered her eyes.
"I..."
"I want to stay by your side more, Lady Filvis..!!"
Lefiya interrupted Filvis with a shout, her face contorted as if she were on the verge of tears. But these were not tears of sadness; on the contrary, her cheeks were flushed and she clenched her small fists tightly. This was an expression of anger.
Lefiya was angry with Filvis.
Lefiya still doesn't know much about Filvis, only scratching the surface of the past she carries. Yet she understands one thing. Filvis is suffering from something—something painful and cruel that prevents her from moving—and she is carrying this pain alone without telling anyone. This was what Lefiya could not accept.
To Lefiya, Filvis was a dependable role model and a friend of her own race. She felt frustrated that her friend continued to suffer alone without asking for help.
"If you don't want to talk about what happened, I won't force you... but, if you are truly in trouble, I want to be of help to you..!!"
Faced with Lefiya's direct gaze full of strong will, Filvis lowered her head slightly. Guilt, shame, and self-loathing battled within her, and her ruby eyes shook with uncertainty. When Lefiya saw Filvis's confusion, she smiled gently. Lefiya reached out toward Filvis, who seemed lost and unsure of what to do.
It was a warm smile that suggested safety.
"I don't know what you're carrying in your heart, but I'm here, and Mr. Al is here too, so everything will be alright!"
These words might have seemed like mere hollow comfort, but coming from Lefiya, they had a convincing weight that made Filvis open her eyes in shock. Lefiya's turquoise eyes met Filvis's ruby ones. Before the will of this young Elf, Filvis ── who was supposed to be the elder ── took a step back as if defeated by the intensity of that gaze.
"Trust me," Lefiya told the Filvis who was trying to isolate herself.
The circumstances Filvis carried might indeed be heavy. But Lefiya knew for certain that Filvis was a kind-hearted person, to the point of putting others before herself, and that she was incredibly spontaneous despite her appearance.
"(Wrong, you are wrong, Lefiya, I...)"
Filvis bit her lip and lowered her head. Lefiya's words made her happy, but she couldn't respond to them. ── Ah, and yet.
"You are so stubborn.. and such a troublesome girl.."
The words came out in a trembling voice. Were they directed at the girl in front of her, or was she addressing herself? Either way, the trace of darkness vanished from Filvis's face, replaced by features of suffering mixed with a sense of relief and clarity. Then Filvis took Lefiya's hand and spoke quietly.
"── My apologies, Lefiya."
"! No, it's okay, don't worry about it!"
Lefiya replied with a wide smile. Filvis softened her expression and smiled bitterly when she saw that face.
"── Thank you, Lefiya."
"Ehehe..."
Lefiya laughed sheepishly while scratching her cheek.
"(Lefiya, you of all people...)"
Filvis swore to herself; she who was tainted could not stay with Lefiya forever, but she would ensure that Lefiya never died.
●○●○●
A disturbing sound, like a wail, echoed through a dark corridor smelling of stale dust and rusty blood. In the underground passages near the slums, a massive body comparable to a large monster crawled with difficulty. It wasn't walking on two legs, but crawling on all fours; it was a huge beast with deep-red fur covered in blood.
It had a head like a bull with solid, twisted horns, and long fangs protruding from the upper jaw that looked sharper than knives. Its body was covered in thick muscles, with bare patches of fur scattered across its frame. Its limbs were thick and short but reflected immense power, and its claws digging into the ground were razor-sharp.
Most bizarre was its height, exceeding two meters. A massive body that could easily crush a human, and a wide mouth that could swallow a human child in one gulp. It was a Barbarian, a fighter-class monster that appears in the deep floors of the Dungeon. It was a monster so powerful that even a second-class adventurer wouldn't be guaranteed a victory against it.
And now it was fleeing desperately, drenched in its own blood. In its hazel eyes, expressions uncharacteristic of monsters appeared—they looked like human expressions. Loneliness, fear, and despair ── features born from deep negative emotions.
"Where... where is this place...?"
The beast's voice was filled with sadness, and no one answered. A monster among the Xenos who spoke the human tongue.
"Where are my comrades...?"
The poor beast that had lost its way used its night-vision eyes to search its surroundings, but nothing moved except ──.
"Hmm? You... are you one of the Xenos (Outcasts)?"
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
Due to things going sideways in Knossos, Al has spent the last few days acting quite mischievously (especially in inciting the Amazons).
List of people Al finds difficult to deal with:
Airmid (with her common sense)
Mia
Zeus
Apollo
Alicia
Lefiya (New)
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