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

"Ryu looks jealous right now."

Ryu's eyes widened.

"Am I... jealous?"

"Yes. I think the fact that Mr. Bell and Lady [Sword Princess]... Lady [Sword Princess] and Mr. Bell secretly trained together has made Ryu uneasy."

Liu was completely unaware that Seele had changed her mind and just stood there blankly.

--envy?

—What I mean to Mr. Craney, no, what I mean to [Fiora]?

Indeed, it feels like someone else is interfering with the adventurer you have high hopes for.

Just like we agreed, I don't want him to exercise with Ais.

The two of them trained alone from beginning to end, so Ryu knew Bell's character very well.

If Ryu hadn't misunderstood, she could say that her understanding of Bell was at the level of being the closest among the opposite sexes.

Because the time spent with him was taken away, that's why I feel jealous...?

"..."

This time, it was Ryu's turn to place one hand on her chest and fall into deep thought.

Seele continued to gaze at her calmly, yet somewhat forlornly.

Ever since the day Seele said those strange things.

Ryu has become slightly, just slightly, strange.

Specifically, she became distant when interacting with Bell.

Having trained together for dozens of days, Bell immediately noticed that something was off about Ryu—

"Miss Ryu, what's wrong?"

"Um, did I do something?"

"Is it because you trained with Miss Ais...?"

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again next time..."

—He said, looking very frustrated and sad.

This threw Ryu into a panic.

Indeed, she wasn't entirely without thoughts about his and Ais's training, but it was ultimately the will of the supreme god (Hestia), and as she said, they were in a situation where they "couldn't choose their methods." This wasn't Bell's fault. If she had heard the details of his and Ais's training, and his love story (or something similar), she might have looked stern, but he hadn't done anything wrong.

(This can't go on any longer)

Ryu attempted to improve the relationship quickly.

In order to at least return to the way things were before, Ryu actively tried to have a conversation during her morning practice.

"Mr. Crannie. By the way, may I ask..."

"W-What?"

"Although I have absolutely no interest whatsoever, not even the slightest bit..."

"Ha, ha?"

"What are your likes and dislikes regarding the opposite sex?"

Then, I don't know why I asked this question.

"Like...like?" Bell was a little flustered as he said this, but Ryu's slightly flushed cheeks were too forceful, so Bell could only blush and think seriously before answering.

"Um, the hairstyle... a little longer..."

"Um……"

"I like the hair color, it's blonde..."

"Um……"

"Um, and... speaking of races, are you talking about elves or something...?"

"I see... Hmm?"

A subtle atmosphere flowed in the space where the wooden sticks and the "dagger" intertwined. Ryumoto believed that Bell's ideal image of the opposite sex was Ais, but after hearing the last word "elf," she suddenly stopped moving.

Long-haired, blonde elf...

(—Me in the past!?)

A tremendous impact came crashing down!

Although Ryu has cut her hair short and had it dyed by Seele, she still had the look that Bell had described as her favorite until five years ago!

Ryu's face turned bright red in an instant, but then she entered a state of perfect tranquility, raising her eyebrows like a solemn ascetic.

"Mr. Crannie, please recover. I must punish you."

"Why!?"

"Please tell me you prefer a light, muted color for your hair! Not blonde, but a light, muted color!"

"What are you talking about!? Were you...you're not talking about Miss Hill—"

After stunning Bell with her lightning-fast wooden sword technique, rendering him unable to recall anything, Ryu finally escaped death. However, the situation was far from improving.

Since then, although Ryu tried to subtly redirect Bell's attention to Hill, she was utterly inept at this.

"How was the lunch Seele made yesterday?"

"Are you very concerned about Seele?"

"Ah, no, I don't mean that unique flavor..."

Ryu's seemingly nonsensical question left Bell flustered and ashamed of his clumsiness. While Ryu could choose to rely on others, she didn't want to. She didn't know why. But she wanted to keep this strange relationship with the boy confined to herself and Seele. At least Ryu knew clearly that if she allowed Chloe, Anya, and Lunova to run rampant, things would become a mess.

"...Mr. Craney. If possible, could you help with the shopping? With Seele..."

Therefore, while feeling apologetic, Ryu made sure to invite Bell at a time outside of the morning. Bell readily agreed, saying he wanted to repay her kindness for practicing with him all morning, and that he would definitely accompany her until they were ready to explore the dungeon.

Upon hearing the result of Ryu's desperate negotiations, Hill initially looked troubled, but eventually gave a wry smile, and the three of them ended up going out into the street together.

"Mr. Bell, look! These fruits are just like jewels!"

"Seriously...! Even though I don't come to the exchange very often... it seems just as good as the dungeon!"

Watching the two exchange innocent smiles, Ryu smiled back, standing a step away. Then she felt a dull ache in her chest. Ryu didn't know what it was.

Bell is growing up.

It was beyond Ryu's prediction, as if it had ignored the limits.

As his body, his "vessel," grew stronger, his "core," as Ryu had hoped, also underwent refinement. Seeing the "adventurer's expression" that suddenly appeared on his childlike face, as well as his mental growth, Ryu praised him on the surface, but became increasingly silent.

The commotion in the entertainment district, the "Beor Mountains" disaster caused by the Kingdom's army (Lakia), and hearing about these events afterwards, Ryu's heart began to stir. In particular, every time Bell and Ais were involved, Ryu's state of mind became confused and inexplicable.

—Ryu looks like she's jealous right now.

She still didn't understand the deeper meaning of what Seele had said that day.

Was he to be his "teacher" to train him?

Or is it the inflexible and troublesome "fairy" (elf)?

Or perhaps, maybe, just maybe...

While working at the tavern, Ryuin was scolded by Mia while lost in thought, but she still failed to reach the island she wanted to go to (answer).

When I came to my senses, I found myself thinking about things from my childhood more often.

When I came to my senses, it was as if my thoughts were in sync with my own, and my hair had grown longer.

"Do you want a haircut?" When asked this by her confidante (Seele), Ryu immediately answered "no".

In order to practice with the boy, she got up early and tied her hair up with a rope that was anything but sexy.

A fairy with hair long enough to be styled into a bun was reflected in the mirror and entered Ryu's field of vision.

“…………”

Ryu didn't delve into the meaning behind this gesture.

Perhaps she has been avoiding a deeper investigation.

So, in her place, Bell timidly shrank back one day.

He took something out the instant the morning practice ended.

"Um... Miss Ryu, this..."

"well……?"

Bell was sweating profusely as usual, and Ryu was panting heavily because he had become a Level 3 and rarely had the chance to hold back. As if without considering the atmosphere or mood, the boy handed it over at that very moment.

But for Ryu, who, like a boy, didn't understand the subtleties between men and women, and didn't even comprehend the word "young girl's heart," what she saw made her breath catch in her throat.

"A bow-shaped hair clip...?"

It is like a pure white symbolizing the heart of a fairy (elf).

It is paired with silver handicrafts that mimic the shape of wings.

Just as Bell was sweating profusely and his face was gradually turning pale because he had been waiting for a long time after he stretched out his hands but no one took them, Ryu, with her eyes wide open, finally took the hair clip in her hand.

With my trembling fingertips.

"Because, it seems that Ms. Ryu has grown her hair long... and also to express my gratitude for your usual care, I thought I'd try giving it to you."

"Because of me, I grew my hair long...?"

"Yes. Ah, since I chose it with Miss Hill, it's nothing strange, so it should be fine...!"

Even though he hadn't intended to ask, Bell gave such a flustered explanation. Ryu could only look down at the hair clip in her hand.

Just as Hill noticed it, Bell also noticed the change in Ryu's hair.

Based on this, he drew upon his past experience of pleasing the Supreme God by giving gifts, hoping to bring a smile to the face of someone important to him. So he went to discuss it with Seele. While keeping it a secret from Ryu, he battled his fear of causing trouble for others, and then mustered his courage.

Faced with Ryu, who had stopped moving in a daze and said nothing, Bell began to nervously twist his body again.

Liu remained silent, set the wooden stick aside, and untied the rope binding her hair.

To Belle's surprise, she tidied her hair with both hands and carefully tied on the hair accessory she had received.

Soon, there appeared a beautiful elf with her hair piled up, bathed in the light of dawn.

"……How about it?"

Ryu asked this question as her gaze involuntarily drifted downwards.

In the depths of the dazzling lights, the boy revealed what appeared to be the happiest smile.

"It's beautiful. Very... to the point that even I became very happy."

Seeing Belle blushing and laughing, Ryu subconsciously clutched her chest with her right hand.

At least for this moment, suppress that bittersweet, itchy feeling in your heart, and then speak.

"Thank you... Bell."

Am I laughing right now?

Was she trying to hide the warmth lingering on her face?

The boy before me was innocent and naive, like a real child, savoring the joy while smiling.

Ryu knows a lot about Bell.

That single-mindedness. That honesty. Even a touch of recklessness.

Places where there is no ambition, places where one is timid, and places where one should give up but refuses to.

A perpetually appearing confused smile.

A gentle heart that always wants to help others, no matter what.

Because things don't always go as planned, I always feel frustrated and awkward.

And the irreplaceable warmth when holding one's own hand.