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

She was tasked with holding off Ais, but was defeated due to the difference in their abilities, and only served for three minutes.

"I only have [Fiora]..."

"...Miss Ryu?"

"Only her..."

Ryu seemed to feel extremely remorseful about this.

Helplessly, I blame myself and feel regret.

It was as if only the Sword Princess—only those who yearned for Bell—didn't want to admit defeat. Though it was only a slight glimmer, Bell saw what appeared to be tears of regret in her pale eyes.

Bell couldn't even comfort her.

Bell didn't know why Ryu had that expression, nor could he understand why she had those feelings for Ais. He was also afraid that he might unintentionally do the same thing again and hurt her.

At the same time, Bell realized for the first time that Ryu was a 'woman'.

Not an older, stronger, or more shrewd former adventurer, but a "person" with vulnerabilities and weaknesses, just like myself. Definitely not someone who doesn't need help.

At that time, it seemed as if Ryu would easily crumble if you just pressed it with one hand.

Bell's troubles increased.

I simply said nothing and hugged her slender body tightly; the warmth would melt her heart.

However, this is not allowed.

So Bell came to the store again and gave her the potato balls he had bought.

Although most of them were eaten by the playful Anya and the others, Ryu gave Bell a slight smile.

Her smile reassured Belle, but she was immediately uneasy about whether she would become depressed again.

Knowing that Ryu is strong, Bell is even more concerned about her vulnerable and lonely profile. Bell hopes that Ryu can show her calm smile again, just like before.

Before he knew it, Bell could no longer leave Ryu unattended.

It's too late to turn back.

In this state, Bell experienced an "awakening".

Therefore, the 'bomb' was also planted.

As an adventurer moves to a new battlefield, he is also concerned about the heart of an elf boy, creating a comically unbalanced situation.

When [Hurricane] is identified as the murderer, Bell's body, mind, and heart are depicted in a complex spiral.

It was chirping.

My heart is beating.

We must go and save her.

Bell was so determined.

Whether as her master, a fairy who hides both strength and weakness, or a woman she cannot ignore.

and so.

and so.

so--.

Bell couldn't resist her lips for a moment.

Because if she were refused under such extreme circumstances, she would truly break down in her vulnerability.

Because Belle's intuition told her that she couldn't let her lose hope of living.

If we could discuss it with the chief god (Hestia).

If I could discuss it with my sister (Lily).

If we could discuss it with my brother (Welf).

If the blacksmith partner could say something encouraging like "Don't run away," perhaps something would change.

If this were ground.

If it was forced at a harvest feast.

Perhaps Bell will hurt each other, then cough up blood, clutch the flower of longing, and utter words of rejection.

However, this is a dark and lonely underground place where one feels powerless, and the warmth shared between the two is everything.

The sound of a heartbeat transmitted through skin pressed against skin was sharper, crueler, and more insane to Bell than any weapon at that moment.

I can no longer deceive myself.

For the past few months, rather than looking forward to it, who have I been thinking about the most?

Unable to let go of her feelings, the scales tipped in her heart.

The boy, finally understanding what she was worried about, regretting, and pursuing, accepted those lips.

In the stillness of time, I chose 'her'.

The flower of hope has withered.

Such hallucinations would appear deep within me for some unknown reason, and then disappear.

It felt like a fleeting moment, yet also like an eternity, and finally it was over.

As Liu slowly parted her lips, tears continued to stream down her face.

Then, Belle, who had slightly opened her eyes, also had a tear roll down her cheek.

Ryu realized the different meanings behind each other's tears.

Liu stole the boy's dreams.

Just like what my confidant said one day: stealing someone else's love.

She was not a holy fairy, but rather seemed like a despicable witch.

Ironically, in this place where there were only two people, he relentlessly pursued the boy, driving him into a desperate situation.

Ryu firmly believed this.

Ryu didn't consider the fact that the boy had been thinking about who he was thinking about all this time, which led him to make this decision, and that it was also the boy's own "choice." She just arrogantly insisted that it was her own fault.

Tears fell like raindrops from her empty, blue eyes.

Even in her deep red eyes, water droplets continued to fall silently.

Unable to resist, Liu gently moved her face closer again.

With trembling lips, as if wiping away tears from a boy's cheeks, she scooped up the water droplets.

Time and time again.

It's like a sacrifice. It's like an endless cycle of atonement.

The boy, who looked like a tearful doll, closed his eyes tightly after a moment, gritted his teeth, and then wrapped his arms around Ryu's body as if to entangle her.

Ignoring the mess her left arm had made of the black cloth, she hugged Ryu's limbs tightly as they sat opposite her.

Ah, hot breath flowed from the fairy's lips.

Even his fingers ached as the boy's left hand sank into Ryu's left ribs.

The boy seemed very angry. It was as if he was throwing a tantrum, as if he was apologizing, as if he was vowing never to let go again, and as if he wanted to break Liu, he hugged her tightly.

It's like a younger brother who's arguing with his older sister and then hugging her for no reason.

However, this was not the case. Ryu's feelings for him were neither affection nor teacher-student love.

It is a feeling called "love".

It is a longing called "love".

Therefore, Ryu didn't know whether she should feel pain or joy at the embrace.

All I knew was that I couldn't tremble with joy.

So Ryu, while shedding tears, wrapped her arms around the boy's body.

The tangled mess of emotions shattered any semblance of reason, and Ryu offered her lips as if kissing the boy's ear. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ryu murmured repeatedly, unable to bear the guilt, her voice trembling as she apologized. The sobbing boy channeled his strength into his arms, embracing the fairy's exposed heart, along with Ryu's body, even more tightly.

The gap between the two disappeared.

The realm disappears and becomes one forever.

If this continues, we may make a mistake.

But Ryu is more fastidious than anyone else, and the boy is more innocent than anything else, and both of them are immersed in guilt. There's no room for them to make any more mistakes now.

Ryu, still weeping as she pressed herself against the boy's slender body, let out another fiery sigh.

Darkness enveloped their two lonely bodies.

The light from the campfire cast overlapping shadows.

A clear, blue stream flows beside me, whispering tales of compassion.

Let us overlap and merge here until the moment our lives end, indulging in sweetness as we come to our final moments.

Let us not give our hearts and souls to anyone else, and never give them to anyone else. Let us exist forever in a paradise that belongs only to the two of us.

(Are you kidding me?)

Liu raised her eyebrows, rejecting the compassion within the labyrinth.

(It was me who took his virginity.)

I am already a sinner.

It is an elf that does not deserve to be called an elf.

I must spend my whole life making it up to him.

Therefore, we must not let him die here.

We will absolutely not let him follow in the footsteps of Alicia and the others.

Ryu harbored her beliefs within her heart.

It was an unprecedented, resolute will that arose after falling into this "deep layer".

(guard.)

The fastidious and pure fairy possessed a noble chivalrous spirit more than anyone else.

Just like the story passed down among fairies, "The Guardian Belial".

(I will always—)

I stole his dreams.

So even if it's foolish hypocrisy, even if it's an ugly self, we must uphold this vow.

This is not an oath to the sword and wings of justice, but Ryu's own vow.

From that moment on, Ryu became the "guardian of the boy".

"Hasn't this a firm decision?"

Upon finally arriving at the "Other Shore of Light," seeing Ryu quickly turn his back on her, the little Laila spoke in a helpless tone.

"I'm sorry, Layla, everyone. But I have to go back. I have to take responsibility for taking his virginity!"

"At least look over here when you talk, you idiot. I was going to give you a little push, what's with this?"

"Why are you turning your back to us?" she continued.

Liu reluctantly stopped and turned around.

Standing in the darkness before his eyes were ten memorable girls.

Friends who were important then and remain important now.

【Asteria's Familia】

Liu is on the dark side of this shore, while they are on the bright side of the other shore.

The boundary between the living and the dead that exists between dreams and illusions.