In the reddened corner of her eye, Ais met the gaze of a girl, and the scent of honey seemed to waft from her breath.
...She understood.
In Ais's inner world, the clarity that had always been in opposition to the black flames of hatred was completely ignited. Like a summer breeze soaring through the sky, it swept and spread, meticulously depicting countless scenes under the gloom.
Those were the eyes when Riveria reprimanded her, the warmth she felt when Loki harassed her, the praise she received during training with Finn, and the rough, deep voice of Gareth teaching her how to maintain weapons…
Ais thought her heart was filled only with hatred, but in reality, it had long been filled with other things that could not be ignored—the time and memories she had spent with the people around her until now.
I understand now. I get it now. It's clear.
Never before had the girl been so certain of the mission and meaning of her birth. She was still filled with hatred, but this hatred stemmed from the destruction and loss of important people around her.
Wield your sword but only so that those who matter will never again be harmed, taken away, or destroyed.
Not the other way around!
"Awaken..."
Just moments before the flames unleashed their full power, Ais uttered the word. The next moment, the magic existing within Ais was unleashed.
Wind.
A breeze began to blow through the air.
The clear air swirled and turned, transforming into a swift wind formed by magic. While the touch on the skin and the blowing of the wind through her long hair brought a refreshing and pleasant sensation, Olivas was chilled by it.
The moment Ais felt the wind enveloping her, she knew it was the power of Spirits, the wind of her mother!
My father's sword and my mother's wind have never left me.
I was never alone!
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion occurred, a giant spark appeared in mid air, and the scorching air wave formed a highly destructive shockwave that rushed outward! What blocked it was a wall of wind that shot into the sky like a storm!
No matter how strong the attack was, it was bound by the strong, clear airflow, and in the end, it could only be completely annihilated by the wind.
When Riveria arrived, she saw Ais standing with her sword amidst the blood soaked ground, her body enveloped in a gentle breeze that stirred her blonde hair, staring blankly at the sky.
"Ais..."
The girl turned her head and looked at the High Elf with her tear filled eyes, revealing a clear smile tinged with sadness.
"Riveria, I have never been alone…"
"...Of course you're not!"
With a helpless sigh, Riveria stepped forward and embraced the girl.
In the corner, Olivas watched the scene and couldn't help but bite his lip until it bled.
"Next time, I'll definitely teach you a lesson!"
But then, a hand slowly landed on his shoulder.
"I don't think we need to wait until next time."
"Huh?! Who the hell are you? You're asking for trouble, aren't you...?"
Upon meeting a pair of eyes, the crazed Olivas let out a shriek like someone being choked.
The smile then shifted to Noah's face.
...
In the cave leading upward, Noah, carrying Ryu on his back, slowly climbed toward the surface.
After Noah resolved the curse by creating a magical circuit resonance between the two through bodily fluid exchange and blood drinking, he took Ryu on their journey home. His intuition told him that Evilus was likely carrying out some operation on the surface at the same time.
However, Ryu was already exhausted before entering the Dungeon. After several fierce battles, she was seriously injured and could barely walk. She would fall flat on her face after taking just a few steps.
Therefore, Noah had no choice but to carry her to the surface.
However, what Noah didn't know was that Ryu's stumbling wasn't primarily due to physical weakness...
I... I actually threw away my first kiss in a moment of impulsiveness!
With her head buried deep in the boy's back, Ryu was now almost oblivious to the strange sensation of her butt and thighs being supported by strong hands.
Because, whether it was the slight swelling that lingered between her lips or the tingling pain in her neck, it all seemed to be silently rebuking her shamelessness.
—You've been bitten on the neck, what are you pretending for now?!
That was for healing!
—Healing? Does healing require kissing? Does it require sticking out your tongue? Such sophistry, is that something the Great Sacred Tree taught you?
Well, there's nothing I can do about it, after all, it was too, too...
—Too comfortable? I think it's just your true nature showing! Don't be fooled by your usual righteous and aloof demeanor; you're actually such a frivolous and unrestrained Elf in private!
No, I'm not!
In a state of extreme self loathing, feeling like she wanted to die, Ryu heard Noah speak for the first time since leaving the 18th Floor. Out of curiosity, Ryu forgot her inner turmoil. She leaned her head on Noah's shoulder, her eyes gazing at his profile.
"Isn't this a loss?"
Or perhaps, she was forcibly shifting her attention in an attempt to forget those emotions in her heart.
"A loss?"
"Yeah, you go through all that trouble to save someone, only to lose your first kiss. Isn't that a huge loss?"
Ryu suddenly opened her eyes wide with a "Hah?!" and straightened up on Noah's back.
"Are you kidding me? Is it such a loss that your first kiss was with me? Besides, implies it was your first kiss, but mine wasn't?"
Noah turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Ryu's chest in a blatant manner, revealing a complex look that was hard to describe as either pity or disgust.
"Well, if you think it's not a loss, then it's not a loss."
Upon hearing the sigh in Noah's voice, Ryu's rationality collapsed instantly, and darkness surged in her eyes.
As the saying goes, lies don't hurt, but the truth is the sharpest knife.
If Noah were to say that Ryu was not beautiful, or had any other physical flaws, the Elf would scoff.
But, the chest...
I'm still young!!
In the world of Elves, a girl of 20 or 21 is just a child! A young girl!!
What are your expectations of me?!
But just as Ryu reached the edge of her sanity and was about to go berserk, Noah's voice came again.
"More importantly, you don't like me and won't be with me. What's the point of giving me your first kiss if it's just a waste?"
Noah once told Ais that he could not imagine himself living with a woman forever. But that wasn't entirely true. It should be said that Noah had no concept of the existence of women at all. Although he occasionally admired beautiful women, it was no different from appreciating the moon or flowers.
No, even those who appreciate the moon and flowers know what kind of beautiful scenery they like, but Noah had never even thought about what kind of woman he liked.
After all, for a sword, there is only the distinction between enemy and ally, strong and weak. However, after spending time in Orario and having just unleashed his desires, Noah felt that he also needed to make some changes. Well, to put it simply, Noah decided to indulge in the pleasures of women.
Whether or not to start a harem, and what his preferences were, could be explored later, but one thing was certain now: he had decided to make the Elf behind him his own.
Does she like him?
Would an Elf with extreme germaphobia accept a harem?
These decisions were no longer hers to make the moment Noah made them.
Who told this guy to see him naked, take his first kiss, and be his victim? This was about his understanding of Ryu. Consider it payment for saving her two or three times. Well, he would make up for it with his whole life.
"I!?"
What makes you think I don't like you?
Why do you say I won't be with you?
I've already accepted the kiss, do I have any other choice?
A strange sense of grievance and resentment welled up in her heart, easily dispelling the anger in Ryu's mind. But when she instinctively tried to refute him, the words just wouldn't come out.
What should she say?
I just like you?
I just want to be with you?
With just a few words, the Elf's heart was gripped tightly, unable to extricate itself.
Her breathing was rapid, her eyes were glazed, and her expression changed several times, as if she were on the verge of exploding. Through the changes in breathing frequency and the tension in the muscles of her hands, Noah could clearly sense the inner turmoil in Ryu's heart.
How should he put it? He actually felt a little happy.
As Ryu clenched her fists, her face flushed, and she decided to voice her rebuttal, or rather, her confession...
"Um?"
Suddenly, Noah looked up at the sky, and his entire demeanor changed abruptly.
Although she couldn't see Noah's face, Ryu could sense that he wasn't looking at the dome of the rock cave, but at Orario.
"Huh? W-what's wrong?"
Distracted like this, the courage that Ryu had just mustered vanished instantly, and she even felt a lingering fear.
"Wind!"
There was no wind in the Dungeon, but Noah could clearly feel the rhythm of the wind.
Moreover, he subconsciously identified the source of the wind...Ais!
There must be something wrong...
"There's a problem up there! Let's go!"