Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

If this inference is equivalent to the truth, it can explain her relationship with that person.

In addition—

"Ah~ I can't help but fall in love with you."

"Ah~ I still couldn't help but fall in love with you."

These are the two sentences that person and the goddess said.

I did see that person's smile in the goddess.

And the warmth that embraced me. The dividing line between silver and light gray.

The questions that continue to arise to this day: The relationship between that person and the city's largest faction. The bodyguard and the title of honor. Unique. Irreplaceable.

That person vanished without a trace in this distorted world, and in their place appeared a goddess before me.

Could it be? Could it be? Could it be...?

I eventually came to an absurd, wildly imaginative, and absolutely unattainable conclusion: "Could it be?"

The existence known as the "Nameless Goddess Messenger" became the final piece of the puzzle, finally making me realize the "truth".

As the flashing memories and intelligence merged into one, I slowly opened my mouth.

"You are... Miss Seele?"

I called out her "real name".

"The goddess Freya is also... Miss Seele?"

And it overlaps with that person's "name".

“…………”

A girl who couldn't stop crying—

A beautiful smile gradually blossomed on her face.

The ten fingers that were originally gripping my neck gently touched my cheek.

Miss Herren squinted and stared down at me, who was temporarily unable to move, for a while before finally standing up.

She picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground and turned to leave. I quickly got up to catch up with her.

"……this."

"Huh... this, isn't this 'Goddess Blade'!?"

I was terrified when the dagger was handed to me.

The dagger Miss Helen just brandished was none other than the "Goddess's Blade," commissioned for me by the goddess Hestia. Even in the dim light of the room, I felt ashamed for not realizing it. I had a feeling that the dagger itself was acting strangely.

At the same time, something came to mind.

The gods and Lily once said that those who do not possess the "blessing" of the goddess Hestia cannot use this dagger; even if they do, it will only dull the blade. This means that even if one is struck several times by the dagger in this state, it will not cause a fatal injury to a high-level adventurer like myself.

In other words, Miss Herren never intended to kill me.

"...meaning you from the very beginning..."

...So you came to save me?

Miss Herren handed me the dagger and held it tightly in my hands.

The [hieroglyph] inscribed on the Goddess's Blade immediately awoke, emitting a blue-purple light.

She smiled gently upon seeing this.

"That's right, I never intended to kill you from the beginning—but rather to do so."

After speaking, Miss Herren seemed to want to offer her body.

She spontaneously fell towards the dagger in my hand.

“Eh!?”

The sensation of a blade piercing flesh. The warmth of the splattered red liquid.

In the blink of an eye, my hands and her clothes were stained red with blood.

Miss Herren collapsed weakly, and I quickly caught her.

"Why... what are you doing!?"

I knelt down, embraced her slender body with both hands, and questioned her loudly in astonishment.

The instant the dagger pierced her left chest, I tried to deflect the blade, but that was all I could manage. The blade, embedded in the lower part of her chest, continued to force blood to gush from beneath her flesh, slowly claiming her life.

As I pulled out the dagger and desperately tried to stop the bleeding, I saw Miss Herren, who was weakly resting her head on my chest, raise the corners of her mouth.

"This is the second time... I, who have always loved the goddess... have betrayed... the goddess..."

He seemed to feel both ashamed and pathetic of his own ignorance.

She gave a pitying, mocking smile.

"The important thing is... I've actually fallen for you..."

—This feeling does not come from others; it comes from one's own will.

That weak smile, like one of repentance, came into my wide-open eyes.

"Therefore I must... pay for this with my life..."

Seeing Miss Herren's pale face due to excessive blood loss, I used even more effort to stop her bleeding.

"It's not too late to get treatment!! As long as we hurry and find Miss Haici—!!"

Why did she act on her own initiative?! Why did she want to end her life?!

Thinking of the dragon girl (Winnie) who died in my arms, I gritted my teeth anxiously and prepared to pick her up.

"Wait, wait a minute..."

As I was about to get up, a slender little hand resting on my chest stopped me.

"I am about to... activate 'magic'... use the 'miracle' that... connects me with that person..."

"Link...!?"

"In that case...that person will...know everything...including your...current state."

Even as her breathing grew weaker and weaker, and she gasped for breath in pain, Miss Herren still managed to muster the last of her strength.

He began to explain to me, who was completely bewildered.

"But... I must make you understand that person's thoughts... feelings that only I know..."

She began to concentrate—the spiritual energy she possessed only within her body—and began to pray.

"...The unreachable staircase, the forbidden gate...Today, at this moment, I will defy the laws of heaven—"

A magic circle appeared centered on us.

It emitted a grayish light that wasn't quite silver.

"An empty soul, shallow desires..."

A quiet ripple appeared around them, along with a faint vortex of "magic".

The resulting small orbs of light reflected the moonlight falling from the stained glass, twinkling as they flew into the sky.

This ethereal melody sounds like a search for redemption.

Of course, this simplified chant cannot be compared to the chants of the sages.

However, her unique "secret technique" opened up a similar "forbidden zone".

"【I swear by the true name we exchanged... Descend upon the world, daughter of the gods—】"

Finally, the name of the magic was uttered from trembling lips.

"[The only secret method (Vana Seier)]."

The magic circle shattered instantly.

The fragmented gray light suddenly emitted a dazzling silver light like gemstones, and was gradually absorbed into Miss Herren's body.

「!?」

Held in my arms, she shone brightly like a fragment of the moon, while her whole body became extremely hot.

The erupting torrent of alien magic grew dimmer with time, and when the light faded, I was astonished to find that what I was holding in my arms was—

"────...Seele, Miss...?"

A girl with long, light gray hair.

I called out the other person's name in a daze.

The sound landed on the tightly closed eyes, and you could see the eyelashes tremble.

Then those pale gray eyes slowly opened and turned their gaze toward me.

"...My heart aches so much."

“Eh…?”

"I don't want to experience this feeling at all... and I can't bear it... even though I've already abandoned 'me (Seele)'... my heart still aches just as much."

It was Seele's voice, Seele's eyes, and Seele's presence.

These were not Miss Herren's words.

This is a connection with the goddess, known only to Miss Herren; it is the heartfelt message of "the real her".

"I only want you... but because of that, I've hurt so many important people... I feel like my heart is freezing. Even though I know everything that makes up 'me (Seele)' is 'fake,' I still feel like I'm going crazy!"

The indigo light filtering through the stained glass created a solemn and sacred space.

The meditation room looks just like the large meditation hall that "she" visited the other day.

Is the mournful sound lingering here the remnant of the goddess's heart?

Even though the goddess intended to abandon it.

Even though the goddess decided to perish.

Does "she" still linger in the subconscious?

"What I want most... no, what I expect is... what I 'desire' is—"

Listen to the voice seeking "".

I couldn't help but gasp.

Tears, the size of beans, welled up in his pale gray eyes and streamed down his cheeks.

"Please stop me! I don't want to be driven crazy by 'love' anymore!"

Then──

"She" spoke the unspeakable words on behalf of the goddess.

"Help me... Mr. Bell...!"

"!!"

I couldn't help but grip the frail shoulders I was holding tightly.

Willpower transformed into an impulse, making the heart burn with intense heat.

A surge of emotion welled up in my chest, ultimately transforming into a unique vow imprinted within me.

"OK."

Therefore, I spoke up with the answer I had already thought of.

Even if doing this will hurt you again! Even if it's the worst kind of "selfishness"! I will still save you!!

In order to convey my thoughts into "her" empty heart as much as possible, I shouted them out with all my might.

Although I have no idea how to do it, there is only one conclusion.

No matter how much she is insulted, no matter how much she is accused of being a vile and utterly despicable scoundrel (Bell Crane), he will never abandon "her".

I cannot, for my own selfish reasons, turn away that helpless hand seeking redemption!