DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

"Ais, am I dreaming? I can't feel any pain when I pinch my cheek."

Riveria murmured.

Ais: "Because you pinched my cheek, Riveria, it hurts..."

[The Mighty] Ota tried to speak several times, but hesitated each time. Finally, it was [The Goddess's Chariot] Allen who said:

"Those two elves, are they from your clan?"

Finn: "Ah, yeah, I guess..."

The level 1 adventurers saw a total of six people:

Aisha, lying unconscious on the ground, is the most normal person to be found dead.

Another person who had collapsed and fainted was a boy covered in blood.

The fox-girl Haruhime, dressed in a kimono, knelt respectfully on the floor, letting the boy rest his head on her lap.

The young elf girl, Lefia, dressed in tattered clothes, sat beside the boy and carefully massaged his legs.

If the above scenarios were already unusual, the behavior of the other two female elves was even more perplexing—

Alicia and Ryu are taking turns kissing the unconscious boy.

Before you come in, fellow adventurers: We've seen it all, what haven't we seen?

Now, all they can say is: We've never seen anything like this before!

"hiss……"

Someone seemed to gasp, and their impression of the elves underwent a subtle change.

"That elf, it looks like [Swift Wind]?"

Finn, the only one still able to think rationally, stared at Ryu, thinking to himself, and just then, Alicia finally deigned to look up.

"Eh, Princess Rivera, when?"

Riveria took a deep breath and said coldly, "...Alisia, I think you should explain your behavior."

Her Highness the Princess was worried about her people, but when she met you, she found you and another female elf forcibly kissing the unconscious boy!

"Elf swearing," how did the elves become like this?

"I...I...I was just saving people, I definitely didn't take the opportunity to kiss Shirou!"

Alicia blurted out in a panic, "Ryu, is that right?"

“...My name is not Ryu, there is no elf here with that name.”

The green-haired elf girl spoke in a voice ashen with despair.

After realizing that Princess Riveria had witnessed her actions, Ryu chose to escape reality and remain defiant: "Who is Ryu? I've never heard of her before. My name is Alyssa, because only Alyssa would do something so stupid..."

"No, you are [Hurricane] Rurion, and Alyssa has already passed away."

The level 1 adventurers were internally complaining.

Just then, Ais suddenly began to shake violently.

"Ais, what's wrong with you?"

Finn, noticing the girl's unusual behavior, asked.

"No, it's okay..."

Ais spoke expressionlessly, but a tremendous distance was churning within her.

The girl then realized: Isn't this my (self-proclaimed) master?!

Master, what exactly is the relationship between you, my gentle sister Alicia, my former rival [Hurricane] Ryuen, and my lovely junior Lefia?

Wait a minute, Sister Alicia is also a swordsman. Are you trying to steal your master's swordsmanship in this way? Sister Alicia, how despicable you are!

As my master's most senior disciple (in my own opinion), I absolutely will not allow such a thing to happen!

Wait a minute, what if Master wakes up now and recognizes me in front of Riveria? That would be...

Finn: "Ais, are you really okay? Your body is shaking a lot."

At this moment, the cat-man Allen spoke up: "What nonsense is this? I don't understand it at all, but as long as people are alive, our mission is accomplished. Let's go, boar. Leave the rest of the trouble to those nosy guys from the Loki Familia."

"……Um."

[The Goddess's Chariot] left without looking back. [The Mighty One] hesitated for a moment, then turned and left as well, pondering how to recount the story to the "client" who had sent him to the dungeon to rescue people.

Finn glanced at Ryu, and combining that with the recent intelligence on [Swift Wind], he immediately made a guess:

"I see, it was Mia, the owner of the 'tavern,' who commissioned them to rescue people..."

[Swift Wind] Ryurion is currently staying at the "Abundant Mistress" tavern, and the dwarf owner of that tavern has a deep connection with the Freya Familia, which is an open secret among the major Familias of Orario.

The reason why Freya Familia came here has been figured out. As for Ishtar Familia, they should be here to rescue [Riege] Aisha. And that fox girl, is she a member of Ishtar Familia or just a passerby who got caught up in it?

Alicia alone might not be a match for Goliath, but with [Gale] and [Rie] by her side, defeating Goliath shouldn't be difficult. So how did it end up in such a miserable state? And what's with the monster corpse at the entrance of the huge room?

After his initial shock subsided, Finn began to think.

The remains of Black Goliath were no longer at the scene. After the monster's magic stone was dug out or shattered, the monster's body would gradually turn to ash and dissipate, leaving only the dropped items. This lack of information hindered Finn's thinking.

Meanwhile, after the other outsiders from the other clans left, Riveria suddenly collapsed to the ground: "Why, why would a noble elf become a criminal who harms children!"

Alicia's frantic explanations only made things more confusing; Liuxin, heartbroken, fled from reality; Ais, gripped by fear of the terrible future; and Riveria, heartbroken by the depravity of her people.

The scene suddenly became chaotic.

Bert: "What a crazy bunch of women, and they're from my clan too. This is terrible."

Finn: "Ahem, anyway, let's get back to the ground first..."

50

Chapter 50 Alicia Levels Up

The Loki Family Residence, the Twilight Mansion, the Library.

"I see, so that's how it is..."

Riveria's feelings were complicated. Her emerald hair was wrapped around her fingers again and again, and her right foot, wearing white sandals, kept tapping lightly on the floor.

Monsters delivered, baby dragon, labyrinth earthquake, anomalies, Black Goliath...

After taking Emiya and the other wounded to the hospital, Alicia returned to the Loki Familia and was pulled aside by Riveria to the library, which served as her office, for a private conversation. After a period of calm, Alicia finally regained her composure and recounted everything that had happened in the dungeon.

"Emiya Shirou..."

Riveria murmured the boy's name. This wasn't the first time she had heard of him. Not long ago, she had learned about the child from Raul and Lefia, and had even discussed it with Finn.

"A super genius no less than Ais," was how Riveria and Finn judged the boy's potential at the time, but now it seems their thinking was too conservative.

Powerful and agile, a truly versatile projection magic; archery skills that even the elven archer Alicia would envy; swordsmanship that surpasses even the [Sword Maiden], transcending the realm of mortals; overwhelming attack power capable of slaying a young dragon even at a higher level…

All of the above is already astonishing enough, but what makes Riveria even more bewildered is the super-domain enhancement ability that the boy displayed during the Black Goliath extermination battle.

With only a level 1 character, he single-handedly killed over a hundred monsters with potential level 2 abilities. This feat cannot be described simply as "genius".

Normally, a level 1 adventurer only needs to defeat a level 2 Minotaur or Tiger Claw to achieve enough to level up. As for defeating more than two level 2 monsters at once, that's completely impossible and would only be seen as a joke.

To fight hundreds of monsters far above one's level alone—if Riveria didn't believe that Alicia would never lie to her, she would never have believed such a fantastical story.

Furthermore, there is something Riveria cannot accept: the "ritual" by which the boy received enhancement.

“Alicia, are you really sure that child was born through…that…”

The elven princess spoke with great embarrassment, and a blush spread across her beautiful face.

"Yes, it is."

Alicia's face was even redder than Riveria's, like a ripe crystal apple, so luscious it looked like it could be squeezed for water.

The memory came flooding back clearly, and just recalling that moment gave Alicia a feeling of being electrified.

She kissed the boy impulsively, just so everyone could survive. Looking back now, wasn't that the act of a nymphomaniac?!

But the child responded, and his strength surged again after that kiss.

How does Shirou really see me? I originally wanted to be that child's "older sister".

My thoughts are getting more and more chaotic, Your Highness Riveria, what should I do...?

After the battle, the more Alicia recalled what had happened, the more she felt that something was wrong with her.

"My guess is... Shirou-kun... can gain an stat boost by kissing an 'elf'..."

Alicia whispered, a sorrowful thought echoing in her heart:

"Ah! I actually said such a thing in front of Princess Riveria, I am truly, truly deserving of death!"

Feeling deeply ashamed that she had defiled the noble princess, the devout female elf only wanted to commit suicide immediately and then dig a hole to bury herself.

"Cough cough..."

Riveria coughed to cover her embarrassment: "Are you sure? Why is it with the elves... with... with..."

The princess was so ashamed that she couldn't utter the word.

"The shy Princess Riveria is so beautiful."

Alicia felt that electric, tingling sensation again: "No, no, thinking like that is extremely disrespectful!"

Because Alicia has a strong racial attachment to the "elf" identity, or rather, she actually has hidden racist tendencies. Subconsciously, Alicia believes that elves are the most superior race, so she unconsciously assumes that the boy's skills are related to elves.

"There were fox spirits and Amazons around at the time, but Shirou-kun didn't seem to be interested in them..."

Alicia reasoned in this way.

Alicia explained softly, secretly observing Princess Riveria's flushed face. For some reason, a strange feeling was growing within her.

She continued, "It could also be other intimate acts besides kissing, right?"

Riveria couldn't help but cover her face.

Although she is nearly a hundred years old, under the protection and care of the female elves, Her Highness has never been involved in anything related to romance.

Although Riveria knew the relevant knowledge, it was all from textbooks. This was the first time she had ever heard her people speak of such "shameless" things firsthand.

Moreover, this skill, which targets elves, inevitably made some connections to Riveria.

After all, the most famous elf group in Orario is the Loki Familia magic force led by Riveria, and Riveria herself is the one who best represents the elves in the Labyrinth City and even the whole world.

After hearing Alicia's description, Riveria felt as if the boy possessed a skill called "Elf Slayer".

Now that the Garden of Purity and Gale have fallen into his clutches, could it be that in the future, she, the Nine Demon Princess, will also become his target?

Riveria's face flushed.

Because of Alicia's unreliable speculation, Riveria was completely misled.

"No, don't."

Alyssa cried out in despair, "Princess Riveria, please don't show that expression in front of me!"

Alicia believes that Shirou must have a strong desire for the elves, even to the point of awakening skills for it.

So, as a young man who is an "Elf Slayer," how could he not consider Princess Riveria as a target? She is the great Princess Riveria!

If the boy dares to ignore Princess Rivera's charm, Alicia will definitely not let him off... Hmm, wait a minute, this sounds like encouraging him to make a move on Princess Rivera...

Due to the prolonged exposure to the red heat, the elven girl's mind became somewhat confused, and strange images began to appear in her mind.

"No, I can't imagine that scene, it's... utterly disrespectful..."

Alicia tried to suppress her growing delusions.

Something strange is awakening within me; my loyalty to Lady Riveria seems to be beginning to change...

"Ahem, Alicia, in any case, let's keep the child's information a secret for now, and don't spread what happened that day."

"Yes, it is."

The elven princess and her loyal subjects tacitly stopped their conversation.

"Lord Loki, please help me upgrade my abilities."

After leaving Princess Riveria's library, Alicia took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down, and then went to find the god Loki.