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

"Other arrangements? Seele will be going too...?"

Liu was puzzled by this sudden announcement, so she changed her mind and asked again.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"We need to explain to those guys who are overprotecting this silly girl... our decision to hire you."

—Is this related to me?

Who are these "people who overprotect Seele"?

Sensing the bewildered look in Ryuna's eyes, Seele simply responded with a wry smile.

Even when Ryu asked again, Mia just waved her hand as if to say "Don't ask anymore" and didn't explain further.

"Honestly, this silly girl is much harder to deal with than you... We might as well just kick her out."

"Miya, I'm innocent!"

Faced with Mia's impatient expression, Seele began to pretend to cry and plead her innocence.

Liu, unable to keep up with the conversation, stood there bewildered and at a loss.

"That's all. I'd appreciate it if you could watch the shop for me and also let others know."

"……I see."

"By the way, although it's unrelated to what just happened, don't you dare damage anything in the shop. If I come back and find any damage... you'd better be on your guard."

Such an unreasonable demand again...

Faced with the dwarf who leaned in with his whole face and uttered harsh words, Liu couldn't help but show a helpless expression and nodded in agreement.

"I will remember that."

◆

That night.

After Mia and Seele left the bar, Anya and the others cheered "Yay!" and threw their aprons over their heads. The staff, usually treated like slaves, were overjoyed by the unexpected temporary closure. Seeing their delighted expressions, Ryu wondered to herself, was it really necessary to be this happy? Of course, Ryu's attempts to stop them were completely ineffective.

While Mia was out, a group of people held a small banquet at the restaurant in the separate building, indulging in a feast. The table was laden with the bar's signature dishes, meticulously prepared by the cat-people chefs (Mei and others), even tempting the guilty Ryu to take a bite. The owner will surely be furious afterward.

The drunk Anya and the others simply lay down in the restaurant and fell fast asleep.

Looking at the dozens of employees present, Ryu, the only one who wasn't drunk, gave up on the idea of ​​carrying Anya and the others back to their respective bedrooms, and in the end just took a blanket and covered them up.

After letting out a sigh, Ryu recalled how the Astrea Familia had also celebrated in such a lively manner, and couldn't help but smile knowingly as she slowly walked back to her bedroom.

The moonlight quietly streamed into the room through the window.

Ryu was assigned a single room in the building. Since she had only been there a short time, the room only contained a bed and a table and chairs. As for the weapons and the backpack full of tools, they were placed in the corner of the room.

Ryu, who had just fallen asleep, was peacefully embraced by the sleep demon.

Because of my adventurer's habits, I usually stay in a semi-conscious state when I rest, but for some reason I slept particularly well today.

Therefore, he should not wake up until "that time" comes.

The sweet aroma lured Ryu into a deeper, more peaceful sleep—

“──!”

The next instant, Ryu jumped out of bed.

As she opened her eyes, she banished her lingering sleepiness. She frowned and quickly covered her mouth and nose with her arm.

"This scent...it's 'sleep fragrance'!"

This is a tool used to hypnotize the target. Although the effect may vary depending on the materials and methods used, once the person falls asleep, they will not wake up unless special circumstances occur.

What horrified Ryu was that despite having acquired "abnormal resistance," she was still nearly hypnotized. This must have involved the use of extremely high-quality materials and was meticulously crafted by a highly skilled pharmacist—someone with a high level of proficiency in "blending." It's not hard to imagine that a large sum of money was invested in it.

Even now, Ryu's mind still seems shrouded in a fog, hindering her thinking.

"!"

Ryu shook her head to make sure she was conscious. She had to take action; she couldn't just sit and wait to die.

She took out two small katana hidden under her pillow.

(This couldn't have happened naturally...it was an enemy attack!)

There's no need to overthink this. The other side's target is most likely Ryū.

The pursuers are close at hand, and they are assassins who want to kill [Swift Wind].

If the enemy was monitoring the "abundant hostess" who was full of experts, they shouldn't have made a move so easily, at least not by storming the bar... Ryu, who made this deduction, hated herself for being so careless.

(I'm probably their only target... but I'm still worried about Anya and the others' safety.)

The interior of this three-story building is probably filled with sleep-inducing fragrances.

Even a skilled fighter like Ryu was nearly unconscious, let alone the other staff members in the bar. Fearing that the other side might take hostages, Ryu decided to act quickly.

She quickly put on her boots and quietly walked to the wooden door of the room.

(—Someone.)

As Liu's fingertips touched the doorknob, this thought flashed through her mind instinctively.

Without a doubt, the being that lurks in the darkness has approached the corridor outside this door.

Liu tiptoed and turned the doorknob.

With a "squeak," Ryu pushed open the door.

"...?"

Liu walked alone into the corridor, surrounded by endless silence.

No suspicious figures were seen. The only light in the corridor came from the pale blue starlight outside the windows. The wooden corridor, shrouded in darkness, was now completely silent.

--Nobody here?

The instant Ryu's question arose—

"────"

The shadows that clung to the ceiling fell silently.

In that shadow, there was only a pair of cat's eyes emitting a green glow.

And the sharp blade in the opponent's hand that emitted a cold light.

The shadowy figure forcefully extended its left hand, its five fingers almost embedded in the wooden board, while simultaneously kicking off with its large foot.

The attack was launched from Ryu's blind spot, directly above her head.

“──!?”

Following the warning from her instincts, Ryu jumped to the side.

Thanks to her leap, she narrowly escaped the sneak attack.

As the dagger pierced the air and plunged into the floor with a whoosh, Ryu, who had rolled to the side, also kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Sigh..."

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Liu's forehead. He quickly readjusted his fighting stance, and the shadow in front of him also slowly stood up.

The newcomer wore a deliberately low-brimmed black hood, a combat suit emphasizing lightness, and lace-up boots.

The cat-person assassin, with two small hills rising from her hood, wriggled her long, thin tail and shaped her cherry-like mouth into a form that symbolized joy.

"If you can just sleep and never wake up, this matter can be easily resolved."

Upon seeing the sharp, hidden sword held in the other's right hand, Liu gasped and said:

"Could you be... 'Black Cat'?"

Ryu's whisper only earned him a strange smile.

The assassin, whose upper face was covered by a hooded shawl, let out a sigh.

"It seems the assassination attempt has failed..."

The assassin gently released his weapon.

The dagger fell downwards following the laws of nature.

The next second, just as Ryu was feeling puzzled, "Black Cat" kicked the hilt of the dagger in mid-air with his boot.

「!?」

"From now on, we'll have no choice but to confront them head-on."

Ryu dodged the flying dagger. Taking advantage of the opening, "Black Cat" dashed forward, pulled a smoke bomb from her pocket, and threw it to the floor. It seemed she wanted to use this opportunity to confuse the enemy.

Moreover—

"【Let's have some fun】."

Just as the scene was filled with smoke, a faint singing voice could be heard.

(Chant!)

A brief incantation reached my ears; this was probably a super-short spell.

Is something approaching?

Ryu felt incredibly nervous as his vision was obstructed.

She drew two small katanas and assumed a fighting stance in the narrow corridor that could hardly be called a battlefield.

"Whoosh!"

(Behind you!)

The attack launched by "Black Cat" was completely unexpected by Ryu.

She bypassed the smoke and attacked Ryu from behind with her sword.

As Ryu was surprised at when her opponent had circled around to her back, she raised her kodachi, "Twin Leaves," to meet the attack.

however.

“Eh!?”

The small katana swung out with his left hand missed its target.

The slash easily severed the enemy's body—in an instant, the "Black Cat's" figure vanished like mist.

""phantom""

Glowing particles called "Magic Element" are sprayed into the air in place of blood.

Ryu's eyes widened in disbelief as the shadowy figure attacked again from behind.

"We succeeded."

Her lips, as she exhaled, curved into an alluring shape.

This is a "phantom magic" to confuse the opponent. The real "Black Cat" unleashes a high-speed thrust.

“Hmm!?”

Faced with the unexpected attack, Ryu responded with lightning speed.

She swiftly swung her right hand, turned to the side, and used another small katana to block the deadly attack from behind.

"!!"

A sharp metallic clang rang out immediately, and the resulting sparks illuminated their faces.

You can see Ryu's furrowed brows and the slightly parted lips of "Black Cat" hidden under his hood, which are trembling with surprise.

They blocked the attack and the two girls whose attacks were blocked, quickly creating distance between them.

"You can block this move too... That's why I couldn't stand Lv.4, even though I already used 'magic (my specialty)'."

“Hmm…!”

"However, I still managed to hit you."

The "black cat," whose form could barely be seen through the smoke, displayed bloodstains on its dagger.

The enemy's weapon had a blade stained light purple.