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

"...?"

The humans vanished from her sight, and the dragon girl, her eyes wet with tears, wore a puzzled expression.

Enveloped in silence, it timidly looked around before slowly standing up.

It braced its sore feet, braced its hands against the maze walls, and began to move along the walls.

Then, a loud cracking sound was heard.

Behind the dragon girl, who was dragging her body along, a crimson bird appeared from a side passage leading directly to the main road, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. The monster "Firebird," which was over two meters long, had bloodshot eyes and opened its massive beak.

The heat emanating from behind made the dragon girl stiffen, and the strange bird floated in the air, locking onto its target.

地狱犬

Faced with a flamethrower that far surpassed the Black Dog's output, Thin Legs tried to kick the ground, but it was too late.

The intense flames burning deep within the bird's beak illuminated the dragon girl's face as she turned to look back, just as she was about to launch—

"——Guye!?"

—I let the Goddess's Blade flash by.

He sprinted and then leaped, slashing and cutting the firebird in two with a blue-purple blade of light.

The flames that were about to be launched exploded in mid-air like fireworks, and at the same time, the monster that had been split in two by the "magic stone" turned into dust and was blown away. As huge sparks and dust filled the sky, the dragon girl fell to the ground with a thud, and I landed on the ground as well.

(...Sigh, really...)

I messed up.

Looking down at the 'Goddess Blade' I was holding in my backhand, I lowered my head and sank into despair.

After leaving the scene, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. I turned around from the dragon girl's blind spot to look behind her, and when I saw the firebird about to attack it, I couldn't help but rush out.

Seeing the monster... no, "she" standing frozen in fear, my feet involuntarily started to move.

(In this vast underground city, she was all alone...)

I can understand that she was afraid of humans because she was wounded by them.

However, even monsters of her own kind attacked her without any reason.

I know I'm overthinking things, and reason is screaming at me to stop. But my hand has already done something foolish.

I grabbed a handful of my bangs with my left hand, which wasn't holding the dagger, and walked towards the stunned Dragon Girl.

She looked up at me in a similar posture to before.

Fear, wavering, and confusion. But that wasn't all; she also cast a slightly dependent look my way. My palms sweated, and after a long moment of frustration—I gave a helpless laugh.

There's no other way.

No matter so much.

I can no longer kill this girl.

"It's okay, don't be afraid."

I knelt on one knee, at eye level, and smiled at her with my eyebrows lowered.

The dragon girl seemed to understand what I was saying, and her eyes widened.

Even if you subdue a monster with strength and pain, you wouldn't be stupid enough to talk to it. I can't worry about that now; my gaze swept over the other's injured body.

My shoulder and left foot, which may also be fractured, were badly injured. I took out a high potion made by the Mih clan from my leg pouch.

Upon seeing the test tube containing the unknown drug, the Dragon Girl, who was slumped against the wall, was startled.

"It's alright, this is a recovery potion (elixir) —"

"A magic potion...?"

—She spoke.

Deep within my ears, I've heard the sound of my common sense collapsing for what feels like the umpteenth time.

I didn't expect her to answer; I only spoke to her to put my mind at ease. Now, all I can do is give her a forced, fake laugh.

Worried that the potion wouldn't work on the monster, I nervously dripped the potion onto my lacerated shoulder. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched the wound heal quickly, leaving only traces of bleeding, she, on the contrary, seemed quite surprised.

While high-grade elixirs can heal broken bones... I've heard that haphazardly restoring bones can cause leg deformities. Whether it's "magic" or an item, it must be done according to proper healing methods and procedures, otherwise it will leave lasting damage. I don't know the correct treatment method, so I can only forcefully tear the hem of my fire spirit protective garment to use as a bandage, binding it along with the dagger sheath to my thin leg for immobilization.

After roughly treating her lacerations and pale, bluish-white body, I remained kneeling on the ground, our eyes meeting.

The dragon girl, with her long, flowing blue-silver hair, seemed quite panicked. She clasped her hands together in front of her slightly protruding chest, her eyes with normal pupils swaying, and her lips repeatedly opening and closing.

Seeing her exposed chest, I barely managed to keep my cheeks from burning, thinking: she's definitely different.

It's just a hair's breadth away from "Happy"—the hideous humanoid monster—seen during the mountain accident in the Bio Mountains a few days ago. Even its appearance, so different from ours, is so beautiful that it gives off a sense of mystery.

Alien monster... Alien girl.

Its presence, neither human nor monster, made my throat feel a little stiff.

"—Quick, find them! They shouldn't have gone far!?"

at this time.

A rough voice reached the passageway where we were.

The dragon girl's shoulders twitched, and then her body, which had just calmed down, began to tremble again.

Seeing her terrified expression and hearing the approaching, rapid footsteps, I widened my eyes and reflexively took off my fire-element protective garment and covered her with it.

I completely concealed my pale, bluish skin, and at the same moment, the armed adventurers appeared.

"Hey kid, have you seen a dragon girl (Vivel)?"

I was standing by the wall in the passageway with my back to them when four men and women walked toward me, shouting loudly.

I had a gut feeling that something was wrong.

I instantly understood the relationship between the injured girl and the adventurers, and I couldn't help but want to protect her.

The girl's entire body was covered, which would immediately arouse suspicion. I gripped her slender, still trembling hands beneath the red cloth, racking my brains for a solution.

Time seemed to slow down. Listening to the adventurers' excited, heavy breathing, I felt sweat dripping down my cheeks—then I saw the empty test tube in my hand and had a sudden inspiration.

I decided to take a gamble, as if I were putting on a once-in-a-lifetime performance, and said:

"Never mind that! Have any of your elixir companions been attacked by firebirds and burned?"

I kept my eyes fixed on her leaning against the wall, and pretended to be flustered as I shouted back loudly.

Empty elixir test tubes, a convulsing body beneath a fire-element protective robe, and remnants of the exploding firebird flames all around. The adventurers deduced what had happened and seemed to frown.

My genuinely anxious tone seemed to have worked; they clicked their tongues at my desperate plea and turned to leave. They didn't want to get involved in trouble; they were eager to find out where the rare species was and ran off.

I was relieved to know that the adventurers were completely gone.

"Finally..."

"We made it through." I whispered, lifting the fire spirit protective garment. The dragon girl peeked out timidly, like a small animal.

Those adventurers would never have imagined that I, a fellow adventurer, not only didn't kill the rare species, but also healed it with elixirs. I saved the monster—if someone had seen that, I wonder what would have happened to me?

No, I don't even want to think about it.

The girl was still afraid of the departing adventurer's shadow, and as I faced her, I almost couldn't help but sigh.

"Uh...can you move?"

I stood up and reached out my hand to her.

If she, as a dragon girl, stayed here, she would continue to be hunted down by adventurers. Without a doubt, she would die a gruesome death.

She glanced at my outstretched hand and then at my face... and nodded gently.

She timidly reached out her hand and placed it on top of mine. I grasped her slender, shockingly cold hand and pulled her up.

She was about 150cm tall. I had her put on a fire spirit protective robe and put on a hood to hide her true appearance. Then I had her lean on my shoulder and start moving.

(I can hear the sounds of fighting... I can only head that way, and then figure out a way out...)

I got separated from the temporary team, and I couldn't find my way around this floor by myself.

I headed in that direction, likely listening to the sounds of fellow adventurers battling firebirds near the main routes, probably on behalf of other adventurers. Next, I'd have to compare the makeshift floor map Lily had shoved into my hands and figure out the way to the 18th floor… and preferably without being discovered by anyone.

I supported her injured foot, protecting her, and sincerely hoped they wouldn't encounter any terrifying monsters. In case of an emergency, I would simply pick her up and run.

As soon as I spotted enemies like the bear-beast (Berg Bear) and the giant beetle (Crazy Beetle), I used quick-attack magic (fire and lightning) to drive them away. The alien girl, attacked by humans and monsters, stared intently at my profile.

He had just seen her amber eyes, wet with tears, when she lowered her head and let out a sob.

Soon, she leaned against me, burying her face in the crook of my shoulder and the base of my neck. The warmth of her breath and the sensation of her sobbing—even though we had to stay tense in the maze—made me blush.

So delicate, and so soft.

The girl's body, just like her appearance, made me blush. I felt deeply that I was not qualified to be a human or an adventurer.

Did I save this dragon girl because she's beautiful? Did I lend a helping hand because her appearance is as dignified as a human's? If so, then I'm truly beyond saving.

Even if my grandfather saw me now, would he praise me for saving the girl?

...Only this time, I think he will be speechless.

My behavior is just so contrary to common sense.

They actually saved the monster.

"…………Thanks?."

The next moment, she murmured.

I was startled and looked down to see a tearful eye looking up at me.

With her head slightly tilted beneath her bright red hoodie, she truly evoked in me an indescribable feeling—the warmth that arises between humans.

The dragon girl stared uneasily at me, who was frozen in place.

The innocent, childlike words and actions dissolved all my entanglements at that moment, and I smiled bitterly.

"It's fine."

To reassure her, I smiled at her again, and she smiled back at me.

I hugged her, who had closed her eyes and was leaning against me, and made up my mind.

Determined to protect her, who smiles just like us.

The problem is... how am I supposed to explain this to Lily and the others?

After wandering around for a while, we finally found the proper route to the 19th floor.

Holding a simple map in one hand, I moved forward, hiding from adventurers and monsters, until I reached the exit on the 18th floor, which was filled with crystal light.

"—I'm serious, the monster spoke!!"

"Why won't you believe us!?"

We climbed up the passageway connecting the 18th and 19th floors, and peeked out from the tree hole (cave) of the giant central tree. We saw the townspeople (Rivera) and adventurers gathered on the grassland in front of the entrance.

In front of the group, a male and a female elf were shouting.

Hearing their panicked description, I was startled. I glanced to my side and saw the dragon girl clutching her slashed shoulder, looking fearfully at the two elven adventurers.

"Hey, recommend a hotel to these two guys, a place where they can sleep soundly with a pillow."

"Perse, we're telling the truth! The monster really is...!?"

No one, including Mr. Perth, the town's magistrate, believed the incredible story of a talking monster.

Taking advantage of the commotion caused by the elven adventurers, we quickly escaped from the tree hole.

"Lord Bell!"

Are you alright?

"Really, I'm so worried about you."

"Everyone……"

I left the giant tree root without attracting much attention, but the members of the Hestia Familia noticed me and came over.

Perhaps hearing that I had gotten separated from the temporary party during the adventurer's quest, Lily, Miss Fate, and Welf took turns showing concern for me and expressing their relief.

"...? Lord Bell, who is that...?"