As those still-wailing guys were dragged away by the Military Police like dead pigs, the narrow alleyway finally fell quiet.
Lili remained sitting on the ground.
The massive backpack behind her was like a small mountain, pressing down heavily on her spine and digging painfully into her shoulders.
Her cheek stung with a burning pain; it was probably swollen.
Her knee was also seeping blood, sticking to her pant leg. Even the slightest movement brought piercing agony.
However, she didn't move.
After all, she was long used to this kind of pain.
Moreover, compared to the physical pain, what she cared about more at this moment were these two girls who had suddenly stepped in to help her.
Lili raised her head, her gaze passing through the dancing dust to land on them.
The black-haired one... wore an eerie-looking Hannya mask on her face. She had a petite figure and looked to be fourteen or fifteen at most.
A red ribbon was tied around her waist, and she wore a crisp, black short hunting suit.
That kick just now. It was so fast that not even a shadow could be seen, directly kicking an adult adventurer two heads taller than her into the ruins.
This explosive power was simply inhuman.
As for the other one. That silver-haired girl.
She looked even younger, and even somewhat frail.
Her long silver hair was tied into twin-tails, and her eyes were quietly closed. In her hand, she also held a candy apple wrapped in oil paper.
With this appearance, even if placed in the safest park in Orario, she looked like the kind of little sister who would have her candy snatched away by bad kids.
Quiet, gentle, and harmless.
But Lili remembered very clearly.
—Just yesterday, on the Sixth Floor of the Dungeon.
At that time, her luck was absolutely terrible. Right after she finished collecting Magic Stones, she ran into a swarm of Killer Ants.
Those red, hard-shelled monsters were a rookie's nightmare—swarming in packs and knowing no fatigue.
She was already running out of breath at the time. Just as she was falling into despair, she happened to see them walk out from a corner.
In that moment, she admitted that her little brain as a despicable Supporter had formulated a wicked idea. Better them than her.
She wanted to intentionally lure that swarm of Killer Ants toward them to buy herself time to escape.
Unexpectedly.
She only heard a crisp cling.
The three Killer Ants charging at the very front were instantly and neatly severed in half, as if sliced by invisible threads.
The visual impact of that scene was too strong, so much so that Lili slinked away dejectedly.
She didn't expect to actually run into them again today, in a place like this.
Thinking of this, Lili couldn't help but shrink her neck, her eyes darting back and forth between the two.
Although she didn't see any weapons.
But judging from the reaction of that Ganesha Familia squad leader just now...
Lili, who had mingled in Orario for so many years, understood all too well.
The Familia behind these two girls was absolutely not simple.
They were so strong that even the Ganesha Familia, known as the "Labyrinth City Military Police", had to give them some face.
Thinking of this, a wave of sourness suddenly welled up in Lili's heart.
They were equally adventurers.
Making a living in this city called Orario.
Why could the gap be so massive?
Every day, she had to struggle in the quagmire of the Soma Familia, scheming back and forth.
Risking her life to scavenge in the Dungeon for a few Magic Stones, only to hand over every single Valis she earned, living like a rat that could not see the light of day.
The other party, however, had backing that could make the Military Police turn a blind eye even if they caused trouble.
This was probably what it meant to be the same kind of person but with a different fate.
"Phew..."
Lili gently let out a breath of stale air, as if trying to exhale that little bit of sourness in her heart along with it.
There was nothing to be envious of. This kind of thing happened every minute and every second in Orario.
Envy was useless; surviving was what truly mattered.
The most urgent matter right now was to quickly get away from these two dangerous individuals. Otherwise, if the old score from before was brought up, it wouldn't be as simple as just a slap.
Gritting her teeth, Lili propped her hands on the ground, attempting to stand up.
But the moment she exerted force on her knee.
A piercing pain made her leg give way, and her entire body tilted to the side.
That dead-heavy backpack became the final straw that crushed her.
Thud.
Lili slumped back into the muddy water in a sorry state, splashing a few drops of dirty water onto her already filthy hooded sweatshirt.
"Are you alright?"
"I... I'm fine."
Facing Inaba Tsukuyo's concern, Lili's voice was a bit tight, carrying a trace of deeply ingrained inferiority.
"I'm really fine... Thank you for your help... but I... am leaving."
Saying so, Lili tried to struggle a bit more.
The result, of course, was futile.
"Look at you, your leg is hurt."
At this time, Onigawara Rin also leaned in. Crouching in front of Lili, she reached out her hand to support Lili's arm.
"Look, it's bleeding. If dirt gets in and it gets infected, it'll be troublesome."
"There's no need!"
As if she had been burned, Lili violently swatted her hand away.
The movement was rather large, causing all three of them to freeze for a moment.
"Lili... Lili can handle it herself."
Lili realized she had been too emotional, terrified that she might have angered the two of them.
She lowered her head, tightly hugging her knees with both hands.
She didn't want to owe favors.
Especially not to people who so obviously looked like upper-class individuals.
That was a debt she could never repay.
"Lili really... doesn't have any money..." Lili quietly added.
Hearing this, Onigawara Rin awkwardly retracted her swatted hand. Scratching her hair, the expression beneath her mask was somewhat helpless.
"Who wants your money..."
"Besides, do you really not remember us?"
The moment those words came out, Lili's face instantly turned pale.
"We saw each other in the Dungeon."
"The Sixth Floor! That time with the Killer Ants!" Onigawara Rin continued.
Now, the situation became utterly awkward for Lili.
It was as if she had been stripped naked and thrown into the snow; she was so ashamed she wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
To have such a dishonorable past exposed right to her face.
"Um..."
"That..."
Lili opened her mouth to defend herself, only to find she couldn't think of an excuse at all.
Was she supposed to say it wasn't intentional? Give me a break, neither of them were fools.
"At the time, you wanted us to help you lure the monsters away, right?"
Lili bit her lip and ultimately gave up resisting.
"...Yes..."
"I'm sorry..."
Although this apology probably wasn't worth much.
"That's true."
"After all, it's the Dungeon. Who isn't just trying to survive?"
"Everyone relies on their own abilities."
"Tsubaki-san told us about this."
But unexpectedly, Onigawara Rin wasn't angry. Instead, she stood up carelessly.
"But then again, your escaping skills are quite something. We originally wanted to see if we could catch up to you, but we didn't see a trace of you the whole way."
Was this... a compliment?
Lili was somewhat dazed, looking up at this strange girl wearing a ghost mask.
The other party had no intention of pursuing the matter, not even showing the slightest bit of anger.
Was this kind of tolerance a form of apathy? Was it because they were strong? So strong that they simply didn't care about the petty schemes of a little rat?
This realization inevitably deepened the sourness in Lili's heart.
But this was fine too; she no longer had to worry about being in danger.
"Let's not mention the past anymore."
Onigawara Rin probably just had a very straightforward personality. Without noticing Lili's emotions, she waved her hand and turned the page on the matter.
"The question now is, injured like this, can you make it back alone?"
"I can."
"Lili gets injured often; she's already used to it."
This time, the answer of Lili the liar was the truth.
Getting beaten was a common occurrence for her in the Soma Familia. She had suffered far worse injuries than this. As long as she wasn't dead, she still had to crawl back up and work.
"Used to it?"
Onigawara Rin frowned, the gaze beneath her mask carrying a hint of confusion.
Even though she also frequently got injured.
But this little one...
"What do you mean 'used to it'? How old are you to be used to this kind of thing?"
"If this kind of injury isn't treated properly, it will leave lingering problems in the future."
Lili did not answer.
How old was she?
Fifteen years old.
In this city, fifteen was no longer considered young.
Some people were already renowned powerhouses at fifteen, such as the girl known as the [Sword Princess].
Some people, at fifteen, were still being trampled in the mud for the sake of a few coins.
The joys and sorrows of people were not interconnected.
Lili clenched her jaw, stubbornly not making a single sound. Using the wall, she slowly propped her body up bit by bit.
"Do you really not need help?" Onigawara Rin couldn't resist asking one more time.
She genuinely couldn't stand to watch this.
Although she usually had a careless disposition and hadn't lacked armed conflicts in her original world, where getting injured and bleeding was commonplace.
But this was different.
This little one looked far too miserable.
Her entire body was so dirty it looked like she had just been fished out of a mud pit. Half her face was swollen like a steamed bun. From her walking posture, one could tell at a glance that her knee was severely injured.
The crucial part was those eyes.
Those chestnut pupils were filled with alienation.
"No need... Really no..."
Lili didn't even turn her head. Her muffled voice carried a resoluteness eager to cut all ties.
"Um... Thank you again."
"If there's a chance... although there probably won't be any chance..."
She seemed to want to say some pleasantries, but as the words reached Lili's lips, she felt that her destitute appearance making promises of repayment was simply a joke, so she just shut her mouth.
She tightened the straps of her backpack. Dragging that injured leg, she hobbled toward the exit at the other end of the alley.
Her speed was surprisingly not slow.
That was an instinct honed from running for her life over a long period.
As long as she could still move, she had to run—the further, the better.
Onigawara Rin stood in place, watching that tiny back figure appear exceptionally frail beneath the sunlight, like a stray cat abandoned by the entire world.
Subconsciously, she wanted to step forward and chase after her. At the very least, she wanted to help bandage her up.
However.
Before Onigawara Rin could take a second step.
A hand gently rested upon her wrist.
Onigawara Rin froze and turned to look back.
She saw Inaba Tsukuyo still keeping her eyes closed, shaking her head slightly at her with a tranquil expression.
"Tsukuyo?"
Onigawara Rin was somewhat puzzled, her brows furrowed so tightly that even the Hannya mask skewed slightly along with them.
"Why are you stopping me?"
"Walking out like that, what if those bastards from that Familia come back? Or what if her wounds worsen?"
"Besides..."
Onigawara Rin pointed at the puddle of blood on the ground that had not yet dried.
"Looking at her, she doesn't seem used to it at all."
"She's just forcing herself."
"I know."
Inaba Tsukuyo's voice was very soft, yet it carried a sense of lucidity that saw through the affairs of the world.
"My 『Mind's Eye』 can see it."
"Her breathing is erratic, her heartbeat is fast, and her muscles spasm with every step."
"She is enduring agony unimaginable to ordinary people."
"Then why are you still..."
"But, Rin."
Inaba Tsukuyo released her hand and slightly turned her body sideways, facing the direction Lili disappeared in—although only an empty street remained there now.
"The passersby said she was a member of the Soma Familia."
Tsukuyo's words caused the retort on the tip of Onigawara Rin's tongue to be forcibly lodged in her throat.
Soma Familia.
This Familia name was also the Familia those guys from earlier belonged to.
At the time, Onigawara Rin even felt that since Tsubaki-san said they were all children of the same Main God, how could they not even be considered companions?
Until today.
When she saw with her own eyes how those burly men brutally beat a little girl from the same Familia to death's door over a few Magic Stones.
That level of ruthlessness was absolutely unlike how one treated a companion.
"I know that's the Soma Familia..."
Onigawara Rin's voice lowered, sounding somewhat stifled.
"But precisely because of that, I want to help her even more."
"How is she supposed to survive alone in there?"
Onigawara Rin was a straightforward person; once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't turn back.
In her eyes, drawing a blade to help upon seeing an injustice was a matter of course.
Who cared which Familia it was.
"We can help her once, but what about the next time?"
Inaba Tsukuyo gently sighed, her eyes slowly turning toward Onigawara Rin.
"We helped her this time, and she still refused your help. It's not just because she doesn't want to owe favors."
"It's even more so because..."
"She is afraid."
"Afraid?"
"Afraid that if we continue to help her..."
"When she returns to her Familia, all of this will turn into persecution against her."
"Those people will resort to beating others over a few Magic Stones."
"Then, if they find out she can obtain help from us..."
"Do you think this is saving her, or harming her?"
Onigawara Rin was stunned.
She opened her mouth, but found herself entirely speechless.
She had only thought of the immediate pain and of pulling that girl out of the mud to wash her clean.
Yet she had forgotten.
That girl still had to return to the mud.
As long as she was still a member of the Soma Familia, and as long as she couldn't leave that environment.
The kindness of outsiders was sometimes the sharpest blade.
"Moreover..."
Inaba Tsukuyo paused, her tone carrying a rare trace of seriousness.
"Tsubaki-san also said."
"In Orario, the boundaries between Familias are very distinct."
"Our intervention this time, although a courageous act for justice, could also be considered interfering in the internal affairs of another Familia."
"The reason that Military Police captain let us go just now was clearly out of respect for Kami-sama's face."
"But this doesn't mean we can unscrupulously interfere with other Familias."
"If we go too far, it will instead bring unnecessary trouble to Kami-sama."
"Especially with that kind of mud-pit-like Familia."
"If we were targeted by those mad dogs..."
Inaba Tsukuyo did not finish her sentence.
But Onigawara Rin already understood.
She subconsciously touched the Hannya mask on her face. The icy sensation cooled her heated mind a little.
That's right.
Although Kami-sama was very strong and very good to them.
This was not a reason for them to casually cause trouble for Kami-sama.
They had only just arrived in this world and had barely established a foothold.
If, for the sake of a complete stranger, they dragged the entire Familia into that disgusting quagmire...
Onigawara Rin fell silent.
She lowered her head and looked at the tips of her toes. Her boots were still stained with the wood splinters scattered when she kicked apart the crates earlier.
That stifling feeling in her heart did not disappear; instead, it grew even heavier.
Was this what growing up meant?
Even knowing clearly that it was wrong, even knowing clearly that that girl was suffering in there.
Yet she could only watch.
She could only weigh the pros and cons, and then choose to stand idly by.
This feeling... it was truly unpleasant.
"Rin."
Seemingly sensing her companion's depressed mood, Inaba Tsukuyo stepped forward and gently patted Onigawara Rin's shoulder.
"It's not to say that your kindness is wrong."
"Wanting to save someone is never wrong."
"It's just that..."
"There are some things that cannot be solved relying solely on momentary hot blood."
"The shackles on that girl cannot be broken by a single bottle of medicine or a single intervention."
"If she herself doesn't find a way to escape that mud pit, or lacks the determination to thoroughly shatter that cage."
"No one can save her."
Onigawara Rin raised her head. Through the eyeholes of her mask, she looked at this girl in front of her who was a few years younger than herself.
She was clearly blind.
She clearly looked soft and frail.
But at this moment, Onigawara Rin felt that Inaba Tsukuyo was far taller and grander than herself.
That calmness, that rationality, that lucidity that saw the essence through the phenomena.
Indeed.
It was exactly as she said.
In this grand crucible of Orario.
Sometimes, living itself was already a war.
The joys and sorrows of people were indeed not interconnected.
That girl carried that massive backpack, hobbling back to that hell step by step, forced to toil for the sake of a living.
Meanwhile, they could focus entirely on growing stronger under the protection of Kami-sama.
The chasm between them was so deep it induced despair.
"Hmph..."
Onigawara Rin ultimately still let out a somewhat unconvinced snort, as if trying to expel that pent-up frustration in her chest.
She took a fierce bite of the candy apple in her hand.
The sugar coating shattered, the sickly sweet taste exploding in her mouth, but it could by no means suppress the bitterness welling in her heart.
"I get it."
"You're right, Tsukuyo."
"I'm still too green."
Onigawara Rin turned around, turning her back to that already empty alley entrance, no longer looking at it.
As if as long as she didn't look, that sense of powerlessness would diminish just a bit.
"Let's go."
"The air in this garbage place reeks."
"We'd better head back quickly."
Inaba Tsukuyo did not speak.
She only nodded gently and once again followed Onigawara Rin's pace.
The silhouettes of the two were stretched long by the midday sun.
One black, one white.
The wind blew past the alley entrance.
It swept up some dust, swirling it around the spot where Lili had fallen just a moment ago.
That puddle of blood that had long seeped into the crevices of the stone slabs was quickly covered by the footprints of pedestrians, becoming blurred and indistinct.
Just like the countless tragedies that occurred every day in this city.
In the end, all that was left was an inconsequential sigh.
____
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