Maryuu gently stroked Akira's hair, her fingers running through his silvery locks with the tenderness of an older sister. Her voice lowered to a soft murmur. "Tired, Akira?"
Ever since Evilus had started causing trouble again, she hadn't been able to spend any private time with her beloved junior.
The thought stirred something dangerous in her heart. She wanted to take a hammer and crush them all.
"I'm just a little sleepy. Don't worry, Maryuu-nee." Akira mumbled groggily, his breath warm as it brushed against her stomach.
That hot puff of air made Maryuu's normally calm heart stir with an unfamiliar sensation. A pink hue crept across her cheeks as she subtly adjusted her skirt, loosening the tight fabric clinging to her midsection so the others wouldn't notice.
Ryana, now sporting a high ponytail instead of her usual triple-braid style, crouched down beside them. With a gentle smile, she poked Akira's cheek. "He's completely relaxed, huh? So cute…"
She shifted closer, resting lightly beside Maryuu as if basking in the same warmth Akira radiated.
Watching this scene unfold, Ryuu and Kaguya exchanged a glance. The fire of confrontation had vanished from their eyes, no more contempt, no more tension. Only quiet reflection remained.
Kaguya pulled her sleeve up and whispered under her breath, "For the sake of Alise and this peaceful scenery, I'll let it go this time."
"What kind of logic is that?" Ryuu puffed her cheeks, clearly not convinced but unwilling to escalate. "Seriously, you're impossible…"
But their bickering didn't continue. The tension between them dissolved, replaced by a shared sense of peace.
Satisfied that their hearts had been calmed, the other girls leaned back-to-back and relaxed. Lyra, arms folded behind her head, shut her eyes and sighed.
"I can't do anything with you lot…"
The forest was peaceful. So peaceful, in fact, it made one forget they were still deep underground in the Dungeon.
The light of the glowing crystals overhead danced across the mossy floor, its warmth soaking into everyone's skin and hearts alike. It was a different kind of light from the surface.
Like healing rain washing away exhaustion and pain.
Even the distant cries of monsters echoing in the depths seemed less threatening, almost soothing, like birdsong in a secluded grove.
"Man… This floor really is something else." Lyra muttered lazily, perched on a high branch. "If there weren't any monsters, I could seriously see myself living here."
Though gods couldn't descend to this floor, this quiet forest could make a fine secret base.
"Great idea." Noin chirped, her short, dark-brown hair bouncing as she raised a hand in agreement. "Let's do it."
"It really does feel like paradise." Ryana, resting against Maryuu, nodded. "If I die, someone bury me here, alright?"
"Eh?" Ryuu froze, caught off guard by the sudden, casual request.
Ryana wasn't joking, her voice was far too sincere. As if that cracked the dam, everyone else began chiming in.
"Instead of building a house, let's just make a tombstone." Lyra grinned. "A peaceful death in this forest? Not bad."
"I want one too."
"Then we'll need to carve beautiful tombstones."
"Yeah, it wouldn't be so bad, sleeping here forever with all of you."
Even Maryuu, Iska, and the soft-spoken elf Celty joined the banter.
"Stop it, all of you." Ryuu said sharply. "What are you saying!?"
Leaping down from her perch, Lyra waved her hand dismissively. "Relax, Ryuu. We're just joking, well, half-joking."
After all, if she had really wanted to make a move on Akira, she could've done it long ago. But the thought of losing her chance someday or the regret that might come later…
Sometimes, it was better to act first and think later, especially if the alternative was regretting it forever.
"Adventurers don't get to pick when they die." Ryana said quietly, a wry smile tugging at her lips.
Ryuu clenched her fists, her frustration rising. "I know that but…"
She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to accept the casual way they talked about death, as if it were already waiting for them.
Kaguya's sharp eyes narrowed. "Oh? What's wrong, elf girl? You afraid of dying?"
"That's not it." Ryuu snapped back, her voice wavering slightly. "I just think it's… weird, that's all."
The argument threatened to spark again, but before it could erupt—
"Let's not, alright?" Noin interjected gently. "Even if you don't think about the Dungeon or Evilus, people die eventually. It's just a fact."
"Yeah, yeah. We're just saying we want to rest in a place we love. That's all." Iska added, nodding firmly.
Despite the comforting words from her companions, Ryuu couldn't shake the unease gnawing at her chest.
Is it because we're in the Dark Age?
Why did it feel like everyone had quietly accepted that death was inevitable?
Why had no one spoken of peace, of survival?
She muttered, her voice low, "Even if it's true, isn't that kind of thinking too reckless?"
Akira said nothing. By this time, he had already slipped into a deep sleep, Maryuu's soft thighs cradling his head like the most peaceful pillow in the world.
After all, as a cheater, he didn't need to worry about this kind of problem.
But after hearing Ryuu's trembling voice, Akira couldn't remain silent any longer. He opened his eyes, slowly sat up from Maryuu's warm lap, and faced them.
"Okay, Ryuu. Don't worry." He said gently.
He looked around at all the girls, meeting each of their gazes. With his chin resting thoughtfully on his hand, he continued in a calm tone, "Whether it's death or anything else, I'll make sure you all stay together for a lifetime. One hundred years, two hundred years and if that's not enough, ten thousand years."
"Just like Astraea-sama. Though by then, maybe you'll all be sick of each other."
As he said this, Akira smiled brightly. His golden-twilight eyes shimmered with an otherworldly glow, captivating everyone present.
The girls unconsciously gulped.
It should have sounded like a joke but behind that brilliant smile, there was an irresistible gravity, an intensity that made them all feel as though they were standing before something divine.
What's going on?! What is this pressure?!
Alise scratched at her head, her lips twisting into an awkward grin. "R-Really now? That's some serious stuff to say so casually, isn't it?"
The words weighed so heavily that even Alise couldn't help but give Ryuu a nudge to say something, anything, to break the silence.
"A-Ah? Y-Yeah… I mean, it's not strange to want to stay with your irreplaceable friends forever…"
Ryuu stumbled over her words, flustered beyond comprehension. She just wanted to live with everyone, but not in this eternal vow kind of way.
"R-Right! Totally normal." The others chimed in hastily, desperate to divert the mood away from Akira's surprisingly grand declaration.
In response, Akira chuckled softly, then leaned back into Maryuu's arms, his eyes turning once more to the glowing crystal ceiling.
The girls exchanged glances and sighed in relief. They were happy, of course they were. But if something were to happen, none of them wanted to shackle Akira to them forever.
After Ryuu's words had finally come through clearly, Alise turned back to her with warm, fond eyes.
Ryuu frowned at the sudden gazes being directed at her. "…What is it, Lyra? What's with that stupid smile?"
"It's nothing. I was just thinking, 'Wow, who knew this elf could say such cringe-inducing lines?'" Lyra teased, letting out a mischievous giggle.
Kaguya exaggerated a sigh, throwing her support behind Lyra. "Honestly, even among elves, I've never met one as stubborn and hard-headed as you. Your fossilized brain is beyond saving. What a shame."
"Oh shut up, Kaguya! Are you mocking me again!?" Ryuu's face turned red with embarrassment as she slammed her fists on her thighs.
However, she didn't notice that Kaguya's voice had lost its usual edge. Her teasing tone was surprisingly gentle.
The others around them burst into lighthearted laughter.