Chapter 2 OX AND HARE SPECIAL TRAINING

The sky is covered in darkness.

The sun hasn't yet risen in the eastern sky, but the horizon is beginning to

lighten. It's that moment before dawn when you're not sure if it's night or

morning.

The city wall…I've never been up here before.

I woke up much earlier than normal this morning and climbed up to the top of

the wall encircling the city of Orario.

I'm standing on the northwest edge. Looking back inside over the city, the

view is absolutely breathtaking.

I can see the Pantheon, the Coliseum, buildings that are probably home to

large Familias, and other tall structures all at once. Even from this distance, I can

make out the minute details of the craftsmanship on each of them. Color me

impressed!

But of course, there's one that stands out above all the rest in the center of the

city: Babel Tower. Its sheer presence is almost overwhelming. Add in the little

houses filling the city blocks, and I know I will never get tired of standing here.

Looking up and down the main streets that separate Orario into eight pieces,

most buildings' lights are dim. It's almost like the clamor of the city is quieting.

One by one, specks of light go out as magic lamps are being shut off all over the

place.

And to think, I actually live in this metropolis! Shivers go down my spine and

my heart beats faster with excitement every time I remember where I am.

"Are you prepared?"

"Ah, y-yes!"

Her voice ringing like a bell in my ears, I turn around to face Miss

Wallenstein.

She's the reason I'm here right now. I'm going to learn how to fight.

She said that her Familia, Loki Familia, is going on an expedition in a few

days. So we don't have much time, but she'll work with me until she leaves.

That's why we decided yesterday to start training today.

"Sorry to make you come all the way out here…"

"D-don't worry! It's not a problem!"

Being a member of Loki Familia, this is something she isn't supposed to do.

If another member of her Familia finds out that she's training a member of a

different group in combat techniques, there will be major problems for sure.

That's why we've come all the way to the top of the wall—to stay out of

sight.

Thinking about it from her position, staying hidden and only meeting

occasionally is the only option.

As for why we're here so early, I need to go into the Dungeon like normal to

make money. So rather than train after a hard day's work, it makes more sense to

do this first.

"Well, um, Miss Wallenstein, what should I…"

"…Aiz."

"Huh?"

"Call me Aiz."

The second I realize she's telling me how to address her, I nearly fall over

backward.

"Everyone calls me that. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Eh, erm, um...No, I'm comfortable with that."

Why would I refuse? I say to myself with my hand over my mouth.

Something in her voice sounds like she'll be disappointed if I don't call her by

her first name.

My cheeks flush red. Of course, there hasn't been much time when I've stood

in front of Miss Wallenstein…er, Aiz, and not been bright red…

Anyway, hopefully I've been able to convey some impression of how strange

this situation is.

"…A-Aiz, what should I do now?"

"…A good question."

"Huh?"

Her voice is slightly heavy; how should I react to that?

Aiz's eyebrows fall as she puts a hand to her delicate chin. She looks like

she's trying to squeeze an idea out of her brain.

"I've been thinking very hard…since yesterday."

Her head snaps the other way as if her neck is on a spring, like a child being

scolded.

Where's all the grace and refinement she's always had?

This is…strange.

My idol, my Aiz Wallenstein, and the real person are drifting apart…

"…Can you show me your form?"

"Y-yes, sure."

I do what she said, working a light sweat in the process.

Taking my dagger out, and feeling a bit embarrassed, I take two or three

swipes at the air beside me as she watches.

She just stares at me, eyes following me intently.

"Do you only use your knife?"

"Eh... ?"

"The knife wielders I know use kicks and martial arts to fight."

Come to think of it, she's right. When fighting in the Dungeon, I rely

completely on my weapon. I can count on one hand the number of times I've

kicked or punched a monster.

I look down at my limbs for a moment before Aiz says, "Give it to me," and

takes the weapon out of my hand.

She strikes a pose; I guess she's going to show me an example?

"…Like this."

She's holding the dagger backward in her right hand, the blade coming out

from behind her pinkie, and her left knee is forward, foot hovering just above the

ground.

With her knee in midair, Aiz tilts her head to the side.

She puts her leg back down, and lifts it up one more time…again tilting her

head to the side.

"… ?"

"…"

Aiz lifts and lowers her knee over and over, and each time she tilts her head.

At this point, I can't hide my sweat or my confusion. It feels really awkward,

watching her like this. But she's giving me an example to follow. I should watch

as closely as I can.

Does she just…not have a clue…?

"Hm—"

—Was my last thought.

Aiz's body suddenly blurred, as though she'd taken hold of something.

"—Huh?"

Using her right leg to jump into the air with a smack, her whole body spins.

Completely ignoring the stunned sounds coming out of my mouth, she

extends her left leg, tracing an arc around her in the air.

Her miniskirt flutters; dark blue leggings up to her knees flash before my

eyes.

The instant her pale-white inner thigh flashes in front of my eyes—I'm

launched skyward.

"Ah—"

A high-speed spinning jump kick.

I'd been too close to the frighteningly fast kick of a top-class adventurer. I

both see it and don't as her foot hits me square in the chest and sends me flying

toward the edge of the city wall.

I can't react, can't defend, can't even scream, as my body slams into the stone

barrier with incredible force, my outstretched arms and legs hitting hard enough

to leave a full-body imprint behind as I collapse to the floor.

What the hell was that?!

She kicked me right out of my own body.

It takes all the strength I have left to lift my head up enough to get a look at

Aiz. Her face is expressionless as always, but it looks like this time her eyes are

a bit wider as she stares down at me.

…Yep, she's clueless…

The last of my strength gone, I manage to arrive at that one realization before

I pass out.

"Sorry…"

I'm only out for a few seconds. I wake up to Aiz's apology and a sad look on

her face.

I do my best to force a smile and tell her not to worry about it, but my chest is

in pain and I think I'm choking on my collarbone.

After that, we try a few more times through trial and error, but nothing feels

like it's working.

Seeing her face deep in thought after every failure, it feels like I might need

to make a rather uncomfortable exit.

Under a sky still waiting for sunrise, a very heavy mood descends onto both

of us.

"…Enough. Let us fight."

"Huh?!"

She's been silent for I don't know how long, before her head snaps up and she

speaks to me.

She stands, her hand firmly grasping the hilt of her sword.

I jump in surprise as she draws her sword and sets it down next to the barrier.

Then she turns to me, brandishing her sheath as a weapon.

"I can't teach as well as Reveria and the others…So I think this is best."

Suddenly, her aura is different.

She holds her sheath in one hand, taking a defensive stance. However, her

sheath and her sword have almost the same reach, so I can't let my guard down

for a second.

Goose bumps shoot out of my skin a moment before my muscles react.

I draw my dagger from its sheath tucked into the back of my armor and brace

myself, all in one fluid motion.

"Yes…That's good."

"… ?!"

"As you did just now, I want you to perceive as much as you can from what's

about to happen."

I'll have to learn from firsthand experience through sparing, as we fight.

That's what she's saying.

She's telling me to learn from the impact of blade hitting blade, from reading

each other's movements.

"B-but…I'm using a real blade, and you're…"

"It's fine."

Her rejection of my kindness is so swift and curt that I have to clear my

throat.

Showing sympathy to an under-armed opponent is a good way to get killed.

The seriousness in her eyes is screaming that at me right now.

She's overwhelming me with only a sharp glare and a blunt piece of wood.

"…"

"…"

The air between us is heating up; I could have sworn sparks were flying. The

night sky is still a dull black; the sun has yet to peek over the horizon.

Aiz doesn't even twitch. Neither do I.

Although in my case, I couldn't move even if I tried.

Visions of her advance assault me. It's a near-certainty that once she takes the

first step, I'll meet a strike that far exceeds my own speed and attack range.

The dagger in my sweaty palms has never felt so utterly useless.

"…You're afraid."

"?!"

"I think it's important for a solo adventurer to be afraid. But there is

something else that you are afraid of."

That's the one thing I didn't want to hear, from the exact person I didn't want

to hear it from.

With the same look of seriousness on her face, Aiz takes a step forward.

"I don't know what you are so afraid of…but at this rate, when you face it,

you'll only be able to run away."

She's right. Those words cut deep.

Damn it…My insides are burning up. Am I shy? Or indignant? I hope it's the

former.

I'm not sure why, but I feel like she hit the nail right on the head. The

ultimate indicator. For a split second, the roar of a certain bovine coming up

behind me shoots through my mind.

While I know it's not real, a twinge of fear floods through me.

What's this? Now my teeth are shaking? I have to get it together, fast.

Gripping the dagger in my hands as hard as I can, I take a step toward the

eyes that bore holes through my soul.

There's no time to think, so I just put all my strength into my muscles and go!

One more step, one more step—I'm taking the offensive.

"YAAAAAAA!!?!"

"That won't work."

—My feet leave the ground.

The sound of rending air reaches my ears. Next thing I know, I'm on my side,

reeling in pain. The rock floor feels hot, my body flattened atop it.

My ribs…hurt like hell.

"Ah…Ngh?!"

"You must never become reckless. That's something you should never do,

especially in the Dungeon."

I can tell she's trying to politely explain, but her words aren't reaching me.

I'd been mowed down.

I had my dagger too far out in front of me, and she hit my undefended side

with her empty sheath so quickly I couldn't even see it.

Well, I saw a bit of a blur. At least I think it was a blur…

I knew. I should've known.

I knew, but…

She is just so…fast.

"Can you stand?"

"...!"

The question is aimed at me from above, and I peel myself slowly but surely

off the floor and get back up onto my feet.

I can't breathe. My side hurts too much. I want to cry so bad, but no. I will

not cry here, not now.

I clamp my front teeth down on my lip and turn to face her again.

"You aren't used to feeling pain…"

"Hnggh—?!"

"But you must not be afraid of it."

Another strike.

A frontal blow to my midsection at tremendous speed. I can see where the hit

happened, but I can see my feet too…I'm flying backward again, aren't I?

Wham! The back of my head hits the stone floor. No air is going into or

coming out of my lungs.

"Can you stand?" There's no pity in her voice. Somehow I manage to roll my

body to the side and get up without choking.

"Being solo in the Dungeon means you can't leave any opening, ever. Keep

your eyes open and sharp."

"!"

"Better."

"Hnff?!"

I thought I'd dodged that one, but she changed course.

This time she takes my knee out from under me. Next thing I know, I'm

practically kissing the floor, my face burning red.

By the way, I've been wearing my light armor this entire time. And still, this

pain—!

"Can you stand?" Those cold words again. I can feel blood trickling out of

my nose as I once again climb to my feet.

"Just try to follow my attacks for now. Learn to read your opponent."

"Tch—?!"

"Like that."

"Buh?!"

An upward swing, and then another side sweep.

But my dagger is always a step behind. Well, it gets to the right place, but her

sheath just speeds on by, on its way to nail me again. Pretty sure I spun around in

midair at least once that time.

"Can you stand?" Her magic words. I'm up again.

"…You're not good at blocking, are you?"

"—?!"

Hit hit hit.

An absolute flurry of I don't know how many flashes. There's no way out! I

can feel small explosions erupting all over my body as her sheath connects over

and over again.

Slam! I fall to my knees, the impact echoing around me as the dust clears.

I can't stand. It's a miracle I didn't face-plant on the stone floor again.

I can hear my ragged breathing again, weak and pathetic…

"We top-class adventurers often say that many adventurers are pulled around

by their own status."

"Eh..."

"Everyone depends too much on their blessing. Ability and technique are

different things."

She's looking down on me. It sounds like a lecture. It's painful, but I force my

eyes open and look back up at her.

She speaks slowly, as she's trying to give me information she'd learned

herself.

"Technique and strategy. You lack both."

"…!"

"These things will stay with you, even if you lose your status. Such things…

are all I can teach you."

She breaks eye contact with me for a moment, before looking back at me

even more intensely than before.

"You have difficulty defending, so we'll focus on that. The goal of this

training is for you to read my attacks, and defend. This way might be painful for

you, but it will stay with you, I think. And I think…you will get closer to your

goal."

She says all of this at once, looking straight into my shocked eyes.

Her golden eyes shine with sincerity as they peer into mine.

I try to make some kind of response—or any kind of sound—but nothing

comes out. Aiz takes a step back and stands there, as if she's waiting for me to

get up.

"Can you still stand?"

"…Thank you!"

She stared directly at my weakness, and accepted me. I have to say

something.

This time spent training with her may be short, but I can't waste a second of

it.

Using every fiber of my being, I force my kneeling body back up onto my

feet.

I continue taking blow after blow from her sheath until the sun finally pokes

its head out from the far-off eastern skyline.

Up, down, left, right—any direction he looked, his vision was filled by rugged

dungeon walls covered in all sizes of rocks.

Despite the extremely high ceiling, the walls always looked like they were

closing in. Boulders jutting out of the walls could fall at any moment, their

overwhelming presence looming in every direction. Sources of light were scarce

and unreliable, making every shadow ominous.

Of course, the footing wasn't smooth, either. The path here was an uneven

gravel trail that made simply walking forward a challenge.

A cave, a mine, a deep shaft.

Many words came to mind while traveling through this level of solid rock

with no pattern in its layout whatsoever.

"A long time has passed since I prowled this floor…"

The seventeenth floor of the Dungeon.

Ottar, an animal person of unusual size, continued his solitary quest on the

floor, a floor typically used by Level Two adventurers.

Passing under one of the lantern-like luminescent rocks, the man's impressive

frame emerged from the shadows.

He wore only light armor for protection. Despite being able to wear full-body

plating, he chose to wear only enough armor to protect his vital points.

On the other hand, each piece of armor he did have was incredibly thick. It

looked almost as though he had shields built into his body. Whether or not his

equipment could be categorized as "light" armor, even he didn't know.

He carried an extremely large and durable bag over his shoulder. It was

stuffed to its absolute limit, on the verge of bursting.

Then again, I'm not sure how long it's been since I was in the Dungeon at all.

Ottar's powerful steps made his body shake as he walked. However, where

there should have been a small tremor or two in his wake, the man's feet didn't

make a sound. An ominous, silencing aura followed his every movement.

His was a presence that could not be ignored, could never go unnoticed.

No monsters appeared before him, almost as if they were getting out of his

way in fear.

…Jealous, huh?

His eyes and ears might have been busy scanning every nook and cranny of

his surroundings, but Ottar's mind was on his recent conversation with Freya.

She'd asked him if he felt jealous.

He'd responded with complete honesty at the time. No matter what happened,

he would never doubt Freya's love for him, and would continue to serve and

worship her.

The Goddess Freya's love was like a wind embracing the world.

Even if someone reached out to catch it, they would fail. Her love would

envelop them like a soft breeze, but the moment they thought her love was

theirs, it would slip through their fingers.

Wind could not be contained. It was no one's possession. It could not be

stopped.

Above all, wind sought no companion.

Wind chose a direction on a whim and drew its own path under the sky. If it

should find a traveler on an open plane, it would smile and go to embrace him.

But as soon as the traveler turned to face it, the wind had already moved on.

At the same time, the wind was fair.

It brought the good fortune of a cooling breeze to everyone it passed.

Sometimes, it was harsh; other times, gentle. It could flow down from the

north, or waft up from the south.

It would always whisper in your ears as it blew by. Wind never stopped. Wind

was eternal.

As long as Ottar and the other children were on this earth, no matter where

they went, the wind would always reach them.

The fact that I'm here now, is that the answer?

What if the wind had a sky to go home to? A sky that the wind yearned for?

As a person of this world, all he could do was look up at that sky.

If looking up at it from far below triggered a petty emotion from within, then

yes, it very well could be envy.

Envy and jealousy were sides of the same coin.

Childish…

A painful smile broke through his hard, emotionless exterior. This would have

been very surprising, if anyone had been there to see it.

In truth, he had accepted this the moment he agreed to follow Freya's

command. The wind had blown past him.

Keh! A single laugh filled with self-mockery echoed through the cave.

"…Hmm."

Ottar stopped walking.

The two boar ears sticking out of his black, thin, almost frame-like helmet

twitched in response to something up ahead.

His feet changed direction to the source of the sound. Sure enough, not far

from the tip of his boots, the red-black head of a bull emerged from a hole in the

wall that had been hidden between two boulders.

"Mmroooo…!"

"There you are."

The bloodshot eyes of the beast found their new prey: Ottar.

Minotaur. A large-category monster with the body of a muscular man and the

head of a bull. This one stood even with Ottar—perhaps even slightly taller.

Starting with their height, the two combatants had a lot in common.

This was the reason Ottar had been prowling a level of the Dungeon filled

with monsters far below his own level.

He was here to catch one of these violent beasts.

"Mmmmmrrrrrgh…!"

The Minotaur was getting excited.

A landform was in its grasp. This natural weapon found within the Dungeon

itself was shaped like a stone ax.

The edge of the weapon was covered in a crimson liquid. Either it had just

finished off an adventurer, or it had covered the ax with its own blood. Ottar

couldn't see any damage on the beast itself.

This is the one, Ottar thought as his rusty eyes narrowed.

Reaching for his belt, Ottar let the bag over his shoulder fall to the floor with

a loud thud. Along with the sound of the ground cracking on impact, metallic

jangling sounds also echoed.

The sound of the crash was as good as a starting whistle for the Minotaur. It

squinted its eyes as it charged headlong at Ottar.

"Mrroooooooooah!!"

The beast's strides hit the ground with such force that fragments of broken

rocks flew backward in its wake. The Minotaur held the ax high over its head

with one hand as it closed the distance.

Faced with a charging Minotaur roaring loud enough to make the walls shake,

Ottar didn't bat an eye.

Holding his pack upright with his right hand, Ottar let his left arm hang

loosely. He waited, unarmed, for the imminent arrival of the Minotaur.

The instant that the Minotaur planted its foot—hard enough to leave a small

crater—in front of Ottar to strike, the massive man calmly raised his left arm.

"Mrooooh…Mroa?!"

"…Well done. You've been chosen."

Ottar blocked the stone ax completely.

In fact, it was the ax that took damage. The blade cracked, bits and pieces

falling to the floor.

The Minotaur had put all of its weight into that attack, only to be blocked by

Ottar's armor-lined arm.

While the armor itself had to be considered, this level of Defense was

otherworldly. Ottar stood flat-footed on impact, but his massive body didn't

budge. Without taking a defensive stance, he had taken the Minotaur's attack

head-on.

Ottar looked like he was a gigantic tree, rooted to the spot, as he delivered his

appraisal of the Minotaur.

It might have been instinct, but the Minotaur took one, then two steps

backward, its eyes shaking in fear.

It had learned a little too late that the creature in front of it was even more of

a monster than it was.

"Groh… ?!"

"You are welcome to try again. If not…"

Ottar's penetrating gaze made the Minotaur freeze in terror.

Ottar watched as the stone ax fell from the Minotaur's limp fingers, and got

an idea.

He reached behind his waist. Keeping his eyes locked on the Minotaur, Ottar

grabbed one of the twin swords strapped to his belt—a greatsword, really—

pulled it out, and tossed it in the Minotaur's direction.

"…Uwwa?"

"You demonstrated good technique. Now use this."

With an eerie charm that would've unnerved anybody watching, the Minotaur

cocked its head in confusion at the hilt that was thrust at it.

Its eyes jumped nervously between Ottar and the sword over and over again,

before it timidly reached out and took hold of the hilt.

The Minotaur's fingers carefully wrapped around the handle, and then it took

a firm grasp.

On my life, Mistress Freya, I will not hold back.

Freya had said it herself: She'd left the boy Bell's growth in Ottar's hands.

As he had replied in that conversation, there was only one way for him to

grow. Freya gave him the order, knowing full well what could happen.

This Minotaur would fight Bell.

The path Ottar was preparing for Bell was a cruel one, full of thorns.

…These might be more than mere preparations.

Up until this point, Ottar had encountered many Minotaurs, but felt them

unworthy.

And all to remove the last chain within the boy's soul. To bring out the

"glow" that Freya desired.

For Level One adventurers, defeating a Level Two monster like the Minotaur

was next to impossible. Due to the difference in pure strength and ability, a

Level One adventurer would have to have a death wish to even challenge one of

them. Despite this, Ottar had given his chosen Minotaur a weapon.

Ottar's "guidance" was so severe, it bordered on tyranny.

Ottar had to admit a faintly absurd emotion had taken root in his heart. He

had been forced to think about a boy named Bell.

Was he, perhaps, trying to erase the boy from Freya's sight?

Ottar asked himself that question, and answered with a resounding no.

Should the boy die, there was no doubt that Freya would pursue his soul. She

would be willing to go all the way to the heavens to hold him in her embrace. If

she weren't, she would never allow Ottar to put him into such a dangerous

situation.

At this point, it didn't matter if Bell lived or died. No matter what happened,

the goddess of love would be waiting for him.

This was not jealousy.

This was a trial.

If you're worthy of her love, survive this.

Ottar wanted proof that Bell was deserving of special treatment. Proof that he

was right for Freya.

He didn't care if he lost her affection. He was willing to accept that all of her

love would go to Bell alone.

However, he refused to allow someone unworthy of her attention to dirty the

name of the goddess he worshiped.

Now that you have her attention, it is your duty to prove yourself worthy. It

was this emotion that drove Ottar.

"Mroooaaaah!"

"…Correction. I'll have you use the weapon correctly."

Ottar easily deflected the Minotaur's first errant swing of the greatsword.

In order to prepare the beast in front of him for its role, Ottar was prepared to

"train" it and fully intended to do so.

The sound of swords clashing echoed, flashes of sparks from steel colliding

with steel erupted for hour upon hour.

All for Freya.

Ottar simply followed orders to the best of his ability.

"Mr. Bell, why are you a mess before going into the Dungeon?"

"Ha-ha-ha…Well, you know, this and that."

I weakly laugh off Lilly's question to reassure her.

Somehow I've made it through two days of Aiz's pulverization…I suppose I

can call it "intense training."

Lilly gives me a look like she knows I'm hiding something, and I can't blame

her. The way my body looks now, she probably thinks I was run over by

stampeding monsters or something.

But I can't tell her the truth. I don't want to tell her. I don't want her to know

just how unbelievably uncoordinated I am.

I couldn't block a single strike. Not one. And now I'm an absolute wreck.

I knew going into these training sessions that it would be foolish to think I'd

get better right away…But to come away every time no better than a breathing

punching/kicking bag, what confidence I had is gone.

I knew I wasn't that strong, but I didn't realize just how far I have to go.

There's her level, and then there's my level. There's still enough distance

between us to make my head spin just thinking about it.

I walk into the lobby of Babel Tower alongside Lilly, feeling slightly

depressed.

The lobby is absolutely massive. The floor is covered in large circular

patterns of deep blue and white. But the most beautiful feature of the lobby has

to be the stained-glass windows made to look like flowers that line the walls.

Many adventurers are here now, either on their way into the Dungeon or

coming out of it. By the looks of it, most of them are, like us, about to head

down into the labyrinth. However, there are some who look like they've been in

the Dungeon overnight.

The contrast of the smiling, happy battle parties and the slouching,

downtrodden battle parties is very striking.

The amount of loot adventurers bring back from the Dungeon tells all.

Nodding slowly to myself as Lilly and I make our way through the crowd, I

promise myself that we won't look like the depressed ones at the end of today.

It's a problem we all share, and nothing to scoff at. Nothing at all.

"Lilly's sorry, Mr. Bell, for making you carry Lilly's things when you're so

tired."

"Don't be, it's my fault I'm tired…and anyway, I can still carry an empty

backpack."

Lilly looks back at me with a very apologetic expression as we descend the

first stairwell leading to the Dungeon entrance, her shoulders sinking. I crack a

big smile and jump up and down a few times, saying, "See? So light!"

We've switched places—or at least that's how we're dressed right now.

Basically, I'm carrying Lilly's bag, so I look like a supporter.

Meanwhile, Lilly's not wearing her usual cream-colored robe, but a sturdy￾looking leather jacket on top of lightweight clothing. The icing on the cake is

that she's wearing my protector like a sheath across her back, the baselard

sticking out of it…so she looks to everyone else like an honest-to-goodness

adventurer.

Why are we putting on this façade? To keep Lilly's existence a secret from

Soma Familia.

Of course, Lilly is using her magic to disguise herself, but at her height and

carrying something as distinct as that oversized backpack of hers, anyone with a

good brain in their head might be able to connect the dots.

Prums, being one of the shorter races of people, don't usually carry bags

almost twice their own size. The same goes for children of other races.

We're being extra careful, and that's why we came up with this act.

"And we'll switch out soon anyway, no need to worry about me."

Since we're just posing as each other's role, we need to be out of sight before

we change back. The best spot seems to be right before the tenth level,

somewhere on the ninth floor. The fog on the tenth floor is another bonus; we

don't have to worry about other parties of adventurers catching a glimpse of us

by accident.

We divide up the loot evenly for the return trip so that things don't look that

strange when we get back to the top.

Only a few days have passed since Lilly's "death," so I think going a little

overboard to protect Lilly's identity is just about right.

"Mmm…Lilly is in debt to Mr. Bell, and so recent, too. Lilly feels bad doing

this to Mr. Bell…"

The tone of Lilly's voice falls, almost to the point of pouting as she spoke.

The wolf ears on top of her head fold down, tips below the base.

I laugh helplessly and take another look at her.

For me, the baselard is a short sword, but it suddenly looks a lot bigger

strapped to Lilly's back. That realization makes me smile. The hilt of the

baselard is sticking out from under long, ash-colored hair. With eyes like golden

harvest moons, she must have decided to try to be a lycanthrope today, a

werewolf.

The long hair was such a change to her usual image that I didn't recognize her

at first. Kind of like going from an energetic, prankster type of child to a mature,

book-loving, almost royal appearance.

A few other things here and there are different, too; she's completely different

from the Lilly I'm used to.

"Ah, um…what, is it a bit too much?"

She must have noticed my eyes. She's looking up at me, a bit unsure of

herself as her voice quietly shakes.

I don't know if she's talking about her adventurer outfit or the werewolf

transformation, but I just smile and shake my head.

I tell her that she doesn't look strange at all.

"You just look so different…a fresh look, maybe? Actually, I think you look

pretty cute."

"R-really?"

"Yeah, you look good like this."

She nervously looks up at me before her eyes start to twinkle with happiness.

Lilly turns back to face forward, but her wolf ears perk up and I can see a tail

swishing back and forth under her skirt.

I don't think I meant to, but seeing how Lilly responded to my compliment,

seeing how happy she is, makes the corners of my mouth curve up without my

even thinking.

I feel like I've got a cute little sister. And that feels…nice.

I'm watching all the adventurers who pass by us…Maybe we look like

brother and sister to them.

"A hare and a wolf…"

"Wolf and bunny…"

"The rabbit is the supporter…Oh, I wonder if he'll get eaten."

"Emergency food supply in a last-resort scenario…how miserable!"

"Scary, scary. Can't judge adventurers just on looks and status, now can ya?

Better keep my guard up."

…This is weird.

Why do I feel like I'm being insulted?

Whisper-whisper. I can hear all of you, right here, you know?

I've never felt this kind of kind gaze from adventurers—it's like I'm the

center of attention in a pity party.

Especially the remark of that male elf a second ago. What did he mean by

"how miserable"?

At least my smile is carrying me through this, but a new question jumps into

my head as I take another look at "adventurer" Lilly.

I open my mouth to ask her. I can tell she's still in a really good mood just by

looking at the side of her face.

"Hey, Lilly. You can't upgrade your status anymore, can you?"

"What's Mr. Bell talking about?"

"…You know, since you can't go to Soma Familia, you can't meet up with

your god, right?"

Careful not to be overheard; I lean close to her ears as I speak.

It's impossible for Lilly to go anywhere near Soma for the time being.

Therefore, the status on her back won't change.

As an adventurer, not being able to update my status would be a death

sentence. I imagine it's the same for supporters, too. As I go to deeper floors, the

monsters get stronger, which means it's more dangerous…

"Aren't you worried?" I ask her with concern in my eyes.

"To tell the truth, Lilly is a little worried…but it's probably fine. At the very

least, Lilly's okay for now."

"R-really?"

"Yes, Lilly is good at finding ways to deal with monsters…After all, Lilly

hasn't had a status update in almost half a year now and been okay."

"H-half a year?!"

Her words throw me for a loop.

I don't think I need to spell it out, but without a status update, she won't get

stronger after everything she's been through. All the times she's taken a hit,

fought a monster—it's all been meaningless. Talk about high risk, no reward.

Lilly grimaces when she sees the shock on my face and explains.

"To get a status update in Soma Familia, Lilly had to make quota."

"Wha…isn't that… ?"

"Yes, it's Soma's…condition."

According to Lilly, Soma doesn't do many status updates for anyone at first.

It seems strange to me, but it sounds like he only does status updates on an

"as-needed" basis. He commits all of his time and money to his one true passion,

making wine. So if someone like Lilly isn't making money for him, it's a waste

of his time to make her stronger. Without money from his adventurers, he can't

make wine.

On top of that, his Familia is quite large. To update all of their statuses

probably takes a very long time and would have been a real pain…

So with all that in mind, he apparently announced, "Once you meet your

quota, I'll have a look at your status."

"So Lilly, you couldn't update your status without making a certain amount of

money?"

"Not quite, Mr. Bell. Lilly didn't want to stand out."

"Stand out?"

"Meeting the quota regularly means that that person has skills. Lilly can't

fight, and everyone knew that. So if they saw Lilly making her quota, they

would get suspicious."

"Ah…" The sound escapes me before I can stop it. That's what she was

getting at.

So in that case, Lilly…

"Actually, Lilly made enough to pay the quota every time, but Lilly never

turned it in. If Lilly carried money, that would give her away. Not being able to

update Lilly's status was a sacrifice Lilly made to hide what she was doing."

Even going to those member meetings was just to keep up appearances.

She says that she updated her status a few time after she learned her magic,

but not even once over the past six months.

Not updating your status out of concern for what others in your Familia will

think… ? That Familia is broken.

I'd known that she was alone over there, but hearing this lets me know just

how alone.

With such a meager status, she must have been able to survive day after day

in the Dungeon only because she'd grown up in such a cruel environment.

She's made it this long because of her intelligence and strategies. The

confidence to go into the Dungeon armed with only those, knowing your status

would never improve, had to be the result of that strange upbringing.

I feel my face tighten into a frown.

"Do you despise her after all?"

"Eh?"

"The Lilly who fooled everyone and anyone. Lilly's a monster in disguise…"

Almost as if she can foresee where the conversation is going, Lilly changes

the subject.

Her golden eyes don't even glance at me. She just keeps looking straight

ahead.

Her voice is so soft. I can't say anything back.

"Lilly hates adventurers. With the exception of Mr. Bell, Lilly still carries a

grudge…an intense loathing of them."

"..."

"No matter what Mr. Bell thinks of it, Lilly has no intension of apologizing

for anything she's done…and has no remorse, either."

That's a lie.

Something inside me knows that she isn't telling the truth, but alas, I can't say

it.

I can see the stern expression on her face as she voices her harsh emotions.

Without much of a pause, she starts right back up again.

"Would Mr. Bell despise this Lilly after all?" she asks one more time, not

breaking stride.

Her voice is normal now. Her eyes look like they're facing forward…but

something's…does she notice?

The wolf ears on top of her head won't sit still. They're twitching, almost out

of fear.

Blinking rapidly, I let words build up in my mind before releasing them.

I know it's not the time for a smile, but it just kind of comes out of me as I

speak.

"…It's hard for me to despise people who can't be honest with themselves, I

think."

"Eh?"

Her feet stop, and her head whips to face me.

"It's okay, Lilly. I like who you are, so I can't despise you, let alone hate

you."

It's just how I feel.

To help her wipe away any concerns or misgivings she might have, I give her

the honest truth.

I didn't know Lilly's gaze could be this strong! It feels like she's looking clear

through me as her face turns red. The wolf ears that were folded down and

shaking suddenly perk up.

I'm startled. Lilly's tail is going crazy under her skirt.

I may look calm on the outside, but inside, I'm absolutely bewildered. Lilly's

eyes are still on me, her cheeks a rosy pink as she shrinks away.

"Asking Mr. Bell what he means would be…a stupid question, wouldn't it?"

"Huh?" Before I can ask for a clarification on that, she's already started

walking again.

Just looking at her from behind, I'd say that she's in an even better mood than

before.

Did I cheer her up? Before I know it I fall behind and rush to catch up.

"Mr. Bell's voice rings clear in Lilly's heart."

Her voice is always soft.

I try to ask her a few more times, but she won't tell me a thing. Vaguely

sulking behind her, I run through our conversation silently in my head.

"Hyaaaaa!"

"Giiii!"

Little demon monsters—imps—fly at me, shrieking at the top of their lungs.

Their bodies are black from top to tail. A small horn sticks out of their

oversized heads, their bodies small by comparison, giving them an unbalanced

look. But they're capable of pulling off quick, sharp movements that I would

have never thought possible just by looking at them.

Their tails whip around, following their bodies' twists and turns, the little

hooks on the ends flicking back and forth.

"!"

Coming at me side by side, they look like they're hopping up and down in

midair. I arm myself with the Divine Knife and the baselard as I face them down.

I sidestep toward the right-hand imp.

Now they can't attack me at the same time, and the one in front of me is in

the other one's way.

This is as good as one-on-one. Brandishing all sorts of claws and teeth, the

first imp comes up to my face with its right arm held high.

"Giii!"

"Much. Too. Slow!"

—This is nothing compared to the speed of her kicks!

It's planning to take a swipe at my face with its claws, so I swing the Divine

Knife up to meet them.

The instant my eyes see the flashing purple arc of the blade, not only does the

imp lose its claws, but the severed fingers of its right hand go flying.

"Ge, Gii?!"

Amid the imp's sharp screams of pain and surprise, I keep my momentum

going by sending my body into a full spin.

I've seen so many flashes of blond hair that the form has been pounded into

my mind. It's about time I tried doing her move myself.

Spinning over my right leg, I slam a powerful spinning jump kick into the

monster in front of me in one swift motion.

"Higya?!"

"?!"

My left foot hits the light monster square in the chest and violently sends it

flying backward.

And straight into the other imp just behind it. That imp manages to make an

aerial recovery after its fingerless friend smashes into it, but I'm already going

into my next attack.

Tucking my right arm behind my back, I thrust the baselard straight forward!

"Gigi?!"

My strike impales both of them.

Both bodies convulse in their death throes.

Silver liquid and guts drip out of their wounds, and their bodies'spasms make

the hilt of my blade shake.

"Mr. Bell! Behind you!"

—I know!

Lilly doesn't have to warn me. I can feel the presence of another monster

coming at me.

Widen your vision. Don't leave any openings.

I let go of the baselard as I spin to greet the newcomer, readying my knife in

the processes.

Going on the offensive, I jump at the new imp, slashing with both blades

once.

"Gee—!"

"Whoa…Nice one, Mr. Bell."

Legs. Body. Head.

I jump through the monster; all three parts of its body hit the ground as I land

a meder beyond.

I'm already scanning the area, looking for more. There are still many black

shadows in the fog. Their numbers haven't gone down much.

Lilly picks up the baselard for me, and I jump straight at the shadows in the

mist.

We're on the tenth floor.

The floor on this level is covered with grass, and its rooms and hallways are

wider than any level I've seen so far. I can't tell where it's coming from, but a

thick, white fog fills the air everywhere I look.

Choosing a particularly spacious dead-end room as our base, Lilly and I are

working this floor of the Dungeon today.

This is my opportunity to use what Aiz has taught me over the past two days

in battle against real monsters.

After getting through that life-or-death situation, it's my duty to use what I

learned from her and try harder.

"HYAAAAAAA!!"

Lilly and I are currently fighting against a swarm of imps. These little

monsters are far more common than orcs down here.

They use sheer numbers as a weapon—I feel like I'm getting nowhere against

them, no matter how many I take down.

Imps are clever. They might look like goblins, but there is one big difference

between the two: these little bastards are smart. They know how to use a

strategy.

They never attack a target one at a time; they swarm in packs. As a group,

they are a serious threat. Unlike other groups of monsters I've fought before,

these things have a plan. It's actually kind of impressive.

And on a floor where a big white cloud gives them constant cover, it's said

that a pack of imps is more feared than even the gigantic orcs that wander

around.

"Gii!"

"Hnh!"

I definitely agree. They're so fast that if I block an attack with my protector,

they're already retreating back into the fog by the time I launch a counterattack.

It's enough to make my mouth twitch in frustration.

Then they use the fog to sneak up on me from any and all directions. That's

how I know imps are clever. They spread out and work as a team.

If I move somewhere that they can't surround me, they start clicking their

tongues and shrieking at me from behind the cloud. There are eight of them, for

now. More and more are coming.

A battle party of adventurers wouldn't have much trouble, but as a solo

adventurer, these guys are tough to take on.

"Hyahii!"

"Hiii…"

"..."

The moment I set my feet, they spread out like a net around me.

I can see their shoulders shaking as they all laugh at me from beyond the fog.

The ring of imps is drawing closer and closer. Landing on the ground, they

make their way through the grass, licking their lips like mad wolves on the hunt.

I can hear everything.

If I had faced this last week, I probably would have panicked.

I might have accepted the fact I'd take a hit or two and tried to force my way

out of their net.

However—

"Mr. Bell being looked at like food makes Lilly a little…annoyed!"

I'm not alone now.

Her voice comes from outside the imp ring.

An arrow suddenly slices the air from behind their backs.

"Gyya?!"

"—?!"

Lilly's arrow hit one of the imps in the back of the head. The sneak attack

sends a wave of surprise through the remaining monsters.

Monsters aren't the only ones who can use the fog as cover. Lilly had hidden

herself temporarily and gone undetected by the imps.

They're clever, but there is a limit to their intelligence. On the other hand,

Lilly and I already had a plan for this, as well as experience in working together.

We're the stronger party.

So this is what teamwork feels like. It feels good.

My turn!

Now's my chance. They're still trying to find where the arrow came from.

I slice an imp that was gawking at the golden arrow that split its comrade's

head in half.

But I don't stop there. The monsters are all on the ground—easy targets for a

flurry of kicks in all the confusion. Now is not the time for mercy.

"SHYAA!"

"—! Lilly!"

I catch a glimpse of them just as I finish off the imp that took her arrow.

Two of the remaining imps break away from the group and make straight for

Lilly.

I may have been yelling out to her, but she doesn't flinch. A smirk on her lips,

she calmly reaches inside a fold of fabric in her top and pulls out a small pouch.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Flick! Lilly flips open the pouch and releases a small cloud of powder. The

imps fly right into it and immediately start hacking and coughing.

Koff! Koff! The sudden purple dust cloud permeates through their bodies, the

imps coughing so hard that they fall out of the air.

Purple Moth Scales. A drop item.

Lilly just used a poison grenade made from these scales.

It's fast-acting, unlike the purple moth's scales by themselves, and is strong

enough to poison smaller monsters on contact.

—Clever girl! Looks like she wasn't lying about being able to handle

monsters!

Lilly taking a quick step back is my cue to spring into action.

I make eye contact and give her a little nod, to let her know I'll take it from

here.

I can't help but smile a little.

"All right!"

I take a deep breath and hold it as I jump into the cloud of purple dust. Then,

slash.

Using both of the shorter blades, one in each hand, I slay both imps without

taking a breath.

The only ones left now are…

"…Mr. Bell, something a little bigger is here!"

"!"

A small tremor shakes the room. I know what it is immediately.

An orc. I've had dealings with this type of pig-headed monster before.

Standing close to three meders tall, the beast is coming toward us bare-handed.

Of course there are still a few imps around, but they look like minions waiting

for the boss's command as I get a better feel for the surroundings.

There's a bad bat above me. It's a black bat–type monster with sharp claws

and a really distracting scream. It's enough to make me feel dizzy in combat.

The remaining imps on the ground take to the air, their tails between their

legs, and join their allies behind the fog.

"So many…"

"Yes, it's very rare that this many types of monsters gather like this. What

should Lilly do? Lead the orc away?"

Lilly set her backpack down on the grass and loaded an arrow into her

crossbow as she made her suggestion.

I squint my eyes as I think it through.

With the fog in the way, I can't tell exactly how many of each monster there

is. Except for the orc, anyway. I don't feel comfortable telling Lilly to leave my

side when I don't know what we're up against…

I return both of my knives to their sheaths, and shake my right wrist.

"Mr. Bell?"

"Heh-heh. I might be relying on this a bit too much…"

I smile and nod to let her know what's coming. I think she gets the message

because she quickly scrambles out of the way.

Now I have a clear shot.

With the various cries and shrieks of the monsters ringing in my ears, I raise

my right arm and take aim.

"FIREBOLT!"

Bolts of scarlet flame carve their way through the sea of fog, wiping out

everything in their path.

"Can I ask you something, Lilly? Do you think I'm depending on my Magic

too much?"

Holding a sandwich in my hand, I ask Lilly for her opinion.

After clearing out most of the monsters, we decided to take a rest. So we've

come back to the first room on the tenth level. The stairs connecting to the ninth

are behind me.

This is the only room on the lower tenth that doesn't have any fog. Since the

chances of a sneak attack are much higher everywhere else, I think it's safe to

say that this is the least dangerous room on this level.

I'm eating the usual lunch from Syr as I wait for Lilly's answer.

Now that I think about it, Syr's handmade sandwiches are always a little

strange. The more I chew, the more new and exciting varieties of bitterness come

to the surface.

She tried something new again today, but it tastes like a swamp…It's rude of

me to think that, so I better keep chewing to make up for it. But honestly, I'm on

the verge of tears.

My lunches are getting scarier and scarier every day.

"Hmmm…Lilly doesn't think it's a problem…Mr. Bell's Magic is very easy

to use, too…"

Lilly tilts her head from side to side, as if sloshing the ideas around in her

head, while holding a modest-sized piece of bread in her hands.

Her lips wrap around the bread whenever she takes a bite; it's very cute.

Taking her last bite, she wipes her mouth with a napkin before continuing.

"Because it's easy to use, it might be easy to get in a habit of casting it. But

rather than depending on it, Lilly thinks it's become one of Mr. Bell's basic

maneuvers."

"Well, when you put it like that…"

It lined up pretty well, actually.

Firebolt is Swift-Strike Magic.

Each Magic has a spell you have to chant to activate it…so basically, there's

nothing you have to save up.

For me, Magic is like a punch or a kick that I don't use as often. Maybe it's

just another technique for me to use in combat.

"Lilly thinks about it like this. Mr. Bell's Magic is very effective, but its role

is much more limited than other Magic."

"Um…and that would be… ?"

"As a finishing move."

The moment she said that, I immediately think of the picture of a certain hero

on page one of a Tales of Adventure book.

A young elfish warrior summoning a blizzard to face down a fearsome beast.

"Magic is the ace up the sleeve. You could even call it a last resort, because if

it's powerful enough, Magic can take down an enemy at a level higher than the

caster. Mr. Bell's Magic is very easy to use, but it might be limited to a role as

the killing blow."

Sure, I can use it like nobody's business, but that doesn't mean it's all that

powerful.

Blow for blow, it's nothing like the kind of Magic Lilly's talking about.

I make a timid face as I listen to the rest of Lilly's explanation.

"Since the Magics with long trigger spells are more powerful, they have the

ability to bring the caster back from the edge of defeat. They're a way to perform

miracles."

So if you turn that around…

"My Magic is too weak to do that… ?"

"No, no. That's not what Lilly's saying. It's the idea of quality over quantity,

or quantity over quality. Mr. Bell's Magic is formidable…At least for Lilly, a

magic that can be cast suddenly is much scarier than one that is more powerful

but takes time. Mr. Bell's 'Firebolt' is scary because it can't be avoided."

Lilly smiles as she finished.

I guess she's trying to say that my Magic is plenty intimidating as it is now.

It's just that the impact of each strike lacks the power of other Magics.

So if I were to face a particularly strong monster—something with very high

Defense—then my Magic won't be as effective as other offensive magic would

be.

Well, yeah, Magic isn't perfect. I know that anyone can find a downside to

any Magic in the book…

I don't know if it's because I've fantasized about Magic since I was a kid, but

realizing the weakness in my own…I feel, I don't know, sad somehow.

Lilly must have read the disappointment on my face because when I look up

at her, she's all smiles.

"Mr. Bell, oh Mr. Bell? Lilly thinks Mr. Bell's Magic is one of the better ones,

okay? No spell, lightning speed, but it's growing very fast, too. That Magic is

ahead of the pack."

"... ?"

"It's very difficult to use Magic that requires time to cast. Does Mr. Bell think

that monsters will wait for someone to finish the incantation? And since those

Magics can't be used very often, they can't grow. Magic has to be used for it to

get more powerful; the status won't change."

So if the caster doesn't have a chance to use their Magic, their Magic Skill

won't improve.

In that case, with a little time and effort on my part, my Magic could become

many times more powerful than it is now, if I use it frequently.

"As Magic Skill increases, so do the effects of each spell. Lilly knows this

because her Magic changed as her Magic Skill went up. It has nothing to do with

combat, but it could do more things."

Lilly's magic, "Cinder Ella," has a limit to how much it can change the

overall shape of her body. For the most part, she can only change to look like

other short races or children of taller ones. Apparently she gained the ability to

copy different types of clothing as her Magic Skill went up. However, she needs

an example to copy for it to work.

Turns out her clothes right now are the result of her Magic (although she said

that the effect ends if she takes a hit).

I take a long, hard look at my hand.

Thinking back, the size and power of the flaming bolts have gotten much

thicker and stronger since the day I first cast Firebolt.

"Back to the original question: If Mr. Bell is depending on his Magic too

much, or not. Since Magic gets stronger the more it's used, Lilly doesn't think it

can be helped. Mr. Bell's Magic could be considered a close-quarters combat

technique, and he might neglect the others if he uses it too much, so it is

difficult…But Lilly thinks Mr. Bell is doing okay as he is."

Lilly's very convincing, so I give her a firm nod.

It's the opinion of the one person who's spent the most time with me as an

adventurer.

"Mr. Bell's Magic element may be simple, and its power average, but its

potential to grow makes it great. Be confident, Mr. Bell."

I blush a little as she flashes her teeth in a big smile.

Thanks to Lilly's seal of approval, I feel a lot better about my Magic.

Actually, to tell the truth, I feel relieved.

I say a quiet "Thanks" before standing up.

"Up for some more prowling?"

"Yes. Lilly will support Mr. Bell wherever he may go."

That's a strong way to say that…All I can do is smile.

The two of us work together, giving our all against the monsters of the lower

tenth after that.