Even though Ryu unexpectedly found this clear pool of water and felt happy...
Shouldn't these two things combined bring me the joy of being able to return to the surface early and participate in the festival?
But why did it turn out this way?
Sitting on the ground, Noah occasionally glanced at the elf who was staring blankly not far away, considering the feasibility of leaving her there unattended. But the result was disastrous...if nothing happened, it would be fine, but if something did happen to the other party, Riveria would definitely hang him up and beat him.
So, he should just wait patiently.
Noah wasn't entirely unaware of where the other person's depression came from...after all, he wasn't some slow-witted blockhead. Girls are definitely concerned about the difference between men and women. How could they pretend nothing happened when a man was on top of them like that?
Girls, in particular, mature earlier than boys. Many seven or eight year old girls become obsessed with fairy tales about princes and princesses, and by the age of sixteen, some are even getting married and having children.
Although elves have a longer lifespan than humans, Noah felt that they understood everything they needed to understand. Unless it's an old freak that only exists in fairy tales, someone who would beat you up if you touched their hand.
...Yes! It should be at least at the level of a certain high elf!
However, judging from the fact that this elf did not scream, roll around, or slash around with a knife after being hugged by him last time, and being tackled by him just now, but remained basically calm, the other party should be a relatively open minded. He supposed she would come to her senses soon.
The 18th floor was a floor surrounded by rocky cliffs, it was one of the few safe floors in the Dungeon. Although monsters still respawned, they didn't attack adventurers as frequently or proactively as they did on other floors. They were dwelling in various corners of the 18th floor.
The terrain of the entire floor was roughly composed of wetlands in the north, lakes in the west, and forests in the east and south. In the central grassland scattered with countless crystals, there stood a towering central tree, and the hollow at the base of its roots was the entrance to the 19th floor. Adorning this bright scene was a giant crystal located above the central tree, which brought day and night to the Dungeon with a light intensity similar to that on the surface but with a time discrepancy.
Now, Noah was watching those changes...
Although it was a completely enclosed Dungeon, the vast space and changing terrain caused a gust of wind to blow through the air. Although the warmth of the sun was absent, the cool, humid air blowing on him made Noah, who had trained and taken a cold shower, feel comfortable, and he slowly squinted his eyes.
Noah didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt a little tired.
"Um?"
While Ryu was agonizing over her troubles, she glanced at Noah for the thirtieth time and found him lying on the grass. Her eyes widened in surprise.
In this situation and in this place, can you sleep? You seem so carefree. Doesn't that make me, who's here alone and troubled, look like a clown?
For a moment, she forgot even the shame and turmoil in her heart, and Ryu leaped up from the spot as lightly as a bird.
Ryu charged toward Noah.
However, before she even reached Noah's side, when she was still about ten meters away, Ryu took in the sleeping boy's face and unconsciously slowed down. Beneath his soft, silver hair, which swayed gently in the wind, his long, delicate eyelashes trembled slightly. The gently flaring nostrils, the tightly pursed lips, and the slightly pale skin after being washed all unconsciously drew the elf's gaze.
In Ryu's eyes, what appeared before her at this moment was not a swordsman who could take on the Floor Boss alone, but a cat rolling around and sleeping in a haystack under the warm winter sun. She couldn't see any of the calmness or composure he had when he was sober, which even made Ryu feel a sense of pity. This made her instinctively move closer, squat down, and quietly watch while resting her chin on her hand.
Then...
Those eyes suddenly opened, locking onto her.
"What are you looking at?"
After a silence lasting more than ten seconds, with only the sound of the wind...
"Ah!! You! Don't come any closer!!"
Seeing Ryu, who jumped five meters away like a startled rabbit, clutching her chest and clothes with a wary expression, Noah was speechless.
Is it really necessary to hug your chest? Would I make a move on someone with such a flat chest? You can doubt my character, but you absolutely cannot doubt my aesthetic sense, okay?
"Hey! What's with that look you're giving me! Are you thinking something really rude?!"
Seeing that the elf reacted quickly, Noah blinked. He knew that looking away at this moment would be tantamount to admitting defeat, and that taking the initiative to attack was the right choice!
"Miss, do I need to remind you? The person who spied on me before, saw me naked, and just now secretly watched me sleep, wasn't it you?"
Sure enough, Ryu was immediately struck as if by an icy wind...her cheeks froze instantly, and she lowered her head sheepishly, burying her face in her chest... Oh, sorry, she didn't have any chest to bury her face in. Although her expression was obscured by the mask, Noah could clearly see that the crimson color spread from her fair cheeks to her pointed ears.
"That, that, that was just an accident."
Her expression, as if she were about to melt on the spot, made Noah's heart flutter.
"An accident? Is this something that can be resolved with just 'an accident'? I never expected you to be such a reckless elf!"
For a proud elf, this could be considered the most serious slander!
"What do you mean!!" Ryu naturally clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth, but she still couldn't break free from the whirlpool in her heart.
"If you think you can resolve everything with a simple 'accident,' then you can leave and just pretend nothing happened. After all, you are a member of the famous Astraea Familia of Orario, while I am just a rookie level 1 Adventurer. Everyone will only believe you!"
"Enough!"
Ryu, who had completely erupted, raised her head and, with a loud shout and reddened eyes, stopped Noah from continuing.
"I will take responsibility for you!!"
....
Without a doubt, this was a bold declaration, akin to a confession. Normally, Ryu was certain that after saying such a thing, she would immediately faint or run around like an idiot. But at this moment, she felt no hesitation or doubt, only determination!
This unwavering determination didn't come from the fragrance on her body, but from the deepest sense of mission within her heart. That's right, a sense of mission! A sense of mission to protect the women of Orario, and indeed all pure women in the world, from his person.
Although they had only met a few times, Ryu had already confirmed that Noah was far too dangerous for women. Noah may not have had any intent, but his very existence was a threat to female chastity! Whether it was his hair, his eyes, his valiant figure in battle, or his endearing sleeping face, especially that comforting fragrance...
Good heavens! How can something exist in this world that is filled with advantages, seemingly designed specifically to capture women! That's too dangerous!
If this guy were left out, he would definitely attract a lot of women... No, he was already a danger in the Loki Familia, which had many female members! Even l Lady Riveria might be captured and defiled by him! Even if Noah hadn't made a move on women now, could he guarantee he wouldn't in the future?
Therefore, in order to protect the women of this world, I, Ryu, must step forward without fear of sacrifice! This was a quality of being an elf, and also a responsibility bestowed upon me by the Astraea Familia...
While Noah was still reeling from the blonde elf's sudden and provocative answer, he was almost too shocked to understand when he saw Ryu's resolute and fearless expression, as if light were shining down on her.
Huh? What happened? Why does she suddenly look like she's ready to sacrifice herself for world peace?
He felt that when he fought the Demon King, his momentum wasn't this strong.
"Take responsibility? How are you going to take responsibility? Go back to your Familia and marry me?"
Noah thought that if the elf gave a positive answer, he would simply reply, 'I saved you, you saw me naked, and now you want to marry me? You get all the good things in the end!'
What a joke! Noah was very confident in himself! If he was somewhat malnourished before, after receiving the Falna and treatment from Airmid, and after these days of exercise, he was now almost perfect from head to toe! Noah believed that while some women might dislike his type, no woman could possibly say he was bad! Even disregarding his qualifications, just based on his cooking skills and appearance, he was a handsome man!
However, the elf, who had just been brave and fearless, blushed instantly upon hearing about marriage. Not only did circles appear in her eyes, but steam sprayed from her head, literally creating white mist.
"Get married? How can that be! Of course, I should return to my homeland with you, cleanse our bodies under the moon, and make a vow before the Great Tree before we can get married. Before that, we shouldn't even hold hands..."
Noah was too lazy to even comment on Ryu's pathetic state, where she had just been so righteous, only to have her defenses easily broken. Because he had more to complain about...
"Is this some kind of antique view of love from some fairy tale?"
Okay, Noah admitted his previous understanding was wrong. This was hardly an open minded elf... she was clearly an extremely conservative elf! Almost instantly, Noah decided to stop teasing her.
I can't afford to mess with this kind of woman.
"Huh?!"
Ryu almost glanced around to see if any of her fellow Familia members were hiding in the shadows, laughing.
A conspiracy! It must be Kaguya and Noah teaming up to play a trick on me! Otherwise, how would Noah know the evaluations my companions gave me back then?
However, Ryu didn't find any other girls from the Astraea Familia. Come to think of it, today was the first time Ryu had met Noah since they parted ways in the Dungeon, and it should be the same for the other girls. Even if Alise was clueless, she wouldn't stoop to teaming up with a complete stranger to play tricks on her.
So, Ryu could only look at Noah again. Then she noticed a hint of evasion and guilt in his eyes.