The elf smiled back at her, the muscles in her face relaxing, before she began to collect the loot still on the floor.
With a wave and a nod to the second supporter, Aiz watched Rakuta set to work as well.
“Nice, nice! Good work, Aiz! Need a potion? Or an elixir? How about one of your favorite sweet-bean-flavored potato puffs?”
“Why would she need a potion anyway? There isn’t a scratch on her.”
Tiona regained some of her usual cheer and walked out to greet Aiz with a big smile.
Ignoring the dig from her older sister, the Amazon knew that the perfect time to bring up Jyaga Maru Kun was when Aiz was tired and hungry after battle.
Aiz’s soft voice was a little bit higher than usual when she responded.
“Thanks, Tiona. I’m fine…but I want the last one.”
Grumble. Perhaps it was because she hadn’t eaten anything since before they took the rest, but the noises from Aiz’s stomach betrayed her.
However, the potato puff hadn’t been preserved all that well in their traveling supplies and looked to be on the verge of going bad. Her shoulders sank in disappointment.
“In any case, the monsters have been taken care of…What should we do now, Finn?”
The difficult battle behind them, Riveria cast her gaze down at the prum.
While they might not have explored every nook and cranny of the thirty-seventh floor, they had reached the entrance to the next floor at its center. Pressing onward meant going down to the thirty-eighth.
Danger and the unknown increased with every floor in the Dungeon. Considering their unsteady supply of items and the weapons they had used up, she sought the leader’s opinion.
“Hmm…Should we head home? This trip was more for fun anyway, so staying here long enough that we run out of food and have to go back home with empty stomachs would defeat the purpose. What are your thoughts, Riveria?”
She looked at him in agreement. The time to pull back had come.
The elf nodded when Finn continued by saying this was not an expedition with an overarching goal, so they had no reason to needlessly hang around.
“I will follow your orders, General…All of you, we’re returning to the surface!”
““Coming!””
Tiona and Tione responded in unison, and both supporters chimed in with a “Yes, ma’am!” and “Understood!”
With orders to go back to the surface, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they didn’t have to worry about Aiz’s unusual disposition for much longer.
Tiona wanted to lighten the mood—and have a little fun—so she changed the topic.
“But, you know, if Bete were here he’d be putting up quite a fuss right about now. He always tries to act like a big shot in front of Aiz!”
“After that night at the bar, we told him that Aiz flat-out rejected him once he sobered up. He was on the verge of tears, so depressed.”
“Ohhh?! I would’ve loved to see that! Why didn’t you tell me, Tione?!”
Tione had a serious look in her eyes for a moment as she looked to her younger sister, but she couldn’t hold back a small grin.
The two of them started having a bit of fun at Bete’s expense. On a side note, he hadn’t been invited to join the second journey due to Tiona’s cunning plan to keep him in the dark.
Tension was leaving the air around the battle party as the supporters collected the last of the loot.
But then, out of the blue…
“…Finn, Riveria. I’d like to stay behind, alone.”
Aiz spoke up.
Tiona’s and Tione’s heads whipped around in surprise.
She could feel their gazes, but her aloof expression remained unchanged. The only exception: her eyes looked more determined with each passing moment.
Normally, Aiz went with the flow. But now she was asserting herself—much more strongly than any of her allies had anticipated. Finn quietly looked up at her.
As for Riveria, she closed one eye and narrowed the other as she studied the human girl’s face.
“I don’t need any rations. I don’t want to cause problems for anyone. So, please.”
Aiz’s voice slowly but surely took on a pleading tone as she almost begged her allies to let her stay behind.
“H-hold on a sec! Aiz, you’re causing us problems just by asking! If you stay behind, I’ll be too worried to think straight!”
“I agree with Tiona. No matter how low-level these monsters are, I refuse to leave an ally alone down here. Too dangerous.”
Tiona couldn’t stay still after hearing Aiz’s desire and rushed right up to her. Tione cocked an eyebrow and added her opinion to the mix. Their words showed just how much they cared for the blond girl.
Aiz couldn’t say anything to alleviate the sisters’ concern.
“Why do you want to fight so much?”
The human didn’t have an answer for Tiona, who considered her a friend. All Aiz could do was quietly look at the floor the moment she saw Tiona’s sad expression.
Tiona’s concern was coming from the heart, and Aiz couldn’t reject that. A long silence fell.
Tiona, figuring out that the girl wouldn’t say anything, started stretching her body so that she could drag Aiz back to the surface by force if she had to. But first, she unloaded her thoughts like a verbal firing squad.
“It’s such a waste, Aiz! You’re so cute and lovely, why don’t you try acting more like a lady? How can you be losing to me, an Amazon, in fashion sense?”
“I…don’t care about that kind of thing.”
“Why not? Don’t you want a good, strong male…or at least some fellow you like, at least? Is that pretty face of yours only for show?”
“Stop telling others to do things that you don’t do yourself.”
Losing patience with her overreacting, Tione took another dig at her sister. Riveria sighed just a few paces away from them.
Then she turned back to Finn.
“Finn, I shall ask you as well. Please respect Aiz’s wishes.”
““Riveria?!””
The Amazonian twins couldn’t believe their ears.
Even Aiz was surprised, although she didn’t show it.
She had fully expected Riveria to refuse her request outright and possibly scold her for asking.
“Hmm…?”
Even Finn was intrigued by this turn of events and looked up at the elf’s beautiful face.
“This girl hardly ever makes a selfish request. I would like you to consider it.”
“The request of a parent looking after their child won’t sway me, Riveria. Tiona and Tione are correct. As long as the safety of this battle party is in my hands, I won’t allow it.”
“I realize that I am spoiling her…Well, then.”
Sighing again, Riveria turned to face Aiz.
She knew that the girl was making the others worry and couldn’t say another word in her defense.
While she didn’t know what was really unfolding in the human girl’s heart, she let her shoulders and face relax as she beheld her.
“I shall remain as well.”
The elf declared that she would serve as a supporter for Aiz.
Finn pretentiously put his hand to his chin as he stared deep into the elf’s jade-green eyes and nodded.
“Okay, I’ll allow it.”
“Ehhh, Finn~. Talk some sense into her~.”
Tiona was at a loss and objected.
Finn gave a half-smile before continuing.
“We won’t have to worry about the unexpected as long as Riveria is with her. Actually, we’re the ones that’ll have to stay on our toes on the way back up.”
“That’s only because I can’t attack and heal, General.”
There was a bit of a prickling in Tione’s tone, but she didn’t attempt to go against orders. She didn’t try to blame him, either; she just wasn’t happy about the decision.
Finn shrugged it off. The matter was settled—Aiz and Riveri
a would stay on this floor.
Lefiya and Rakuta must have sensed that something unusual was happening and quickly returned to the group with their bags full of loot.
“Miss Aiz, you are not coming back with us?”
“Yes…Sorry for being so selfish, Lefiya.”
“Then, um, ehh…I-I shall remain as well! I promise I will not hold you back! Please allow me to be your supporter!”
“Ah, in that case I’ll stay, too! See, isn’t that simple?”
“Didn’t the general say we’re low on food? Splitting with two people is doable, but splitting up enough food and water for four people? All of us will go hungry.”
““Awhhhhhhhhhhhhh…””
Lefiya’s and Tiona’s heads drooped in disappointment the moment Tione pointed out that very important fact.
It would be difficult for three people to remain on this floor considering the amount of food and healing items still in their possession. Aiz’s Desperate might still be in good shape, but the rest of their weapons had seen better days. It wouldn’t be a surprise if one of the blades cracked in the next battle.
A tearful Lefiya and Tiona said their good-byes.
Riveria watched the three girls’ conversation unfold from outside the group.
Finn slid up next to her.
“So, what was the real reason behind that suggestion?”
Riveria heard his quiet voice and glanced down to meet his gaze.
“You don’t expect me to believe you meant exactly what you said?”
“…Even if we were to stop the girl now, it would only delay the inevitable. No matter what action we take, something will happen. If she’s going to erupt one way or another…I’d rather have her explode under my supervision.”
“Now I got you.”
Finn laughed and closed his eyes for a moment. Upon reopening them, he looked sidelong at Riveria.
He seemed like he wanted to say something to the woman acting like a stern parent toward Aiz, but he just couldn’t find the words.
“While I doubt that that Tamer will show up, please be careful. I’ll leave all my magic potions with you…You’re the one that agreed to Aiz’s decision, so you’re responsible for whatever happens just as much is she is.”
“I am aware…And, my apologies. Thank you.”
She held the position of second-in-command in their familia and was one of the most experienced members, as Finn had alluded to. She thanked him and gave a deep nod. The prum pulled several vials of red liquid from his pouch and handed them to Riveria before she walked over to Aiz.
The two women watched the others prepare to leave. The group stepped away from them after a few minutes.
There was only one entrance to this room. They stood in the off-white archway and saw the rest of the party off as Tiona and Lefiya repeatedly yelled words of encouragement to Aiz.
“…Thank you, Riveria.”
Now alone in the room, Aiz spoke.
Riveria was standing next to the girl, but didn’t look at her. Instead, she gave a short but impassioned lecture.
“I do hope this is the last time, but what is done is done. Allow me to just say this: Do not force me to do too much.”
“…Sorry.”
Aiz felt exposed on so many levels when in Riveria’s presence.
It was completely different from how she felt in front of Finn or Loki, and also not the same as when she was with Tiona and the others. She couldn’t hide anything, close to being naked.
The elf’s small rebuke, as well as her own apology, made clear the bond between the two.
Although she couldn’t put it into words, Aiz felt a warmth with her that was different from the trust and camaraderie she had with other members of the familia.
“…”
The two stood in the dim room, not doing much of anything in the heavy silence.
Even the roars of roaming monsters were distant. None of them seem to be getting closer. An eerie, unnatural stillness descended around Aiz and Riveria.
The air enveloping their light armor and battle cloth was brisk. With the dim lights far above on the thirty-seventh floor’s high ceiling, the atmosphere was bone-chillingly cold.
The icy breath of the Dungeon swept past their necks.
“…?”
Thinking it strange that they were staying in one place, Riveria cast her jade eyes toward the human girl.
Aiz felt her gaze, but showed no signs of moving.
Just like before, the girl had no intention of exploring every corner of the thirty-seventh floor. Nor was she lying in wait for monsters to come to her.
She had a different reason for wanting to be in this room on this floor.
If she was right, then—
Aiz was deep in thought, breathing as slowly and quietly as possible. The time crawled by, with nothing happing, until…
A small, minute shake under the floor made its way through the soles of her boots.
—I knew it.
“It’s here.”
“What is?”
Aiz’s eyebrows fell as she took a defensive stance and scanned the center of the room. Even though Riveria had asked for confirmation, she felt it, too.
The ground shook again and again, even stronger than before.
“It could not be…”
The floor dipped in the middle of the chamber the moment those words escaped Riveria’s lips.
Then—CRACK!
The rock seemed to scream out in pain as a gigantic fissure opened in the floor.
The space shook even harder as the crevice expanded. New cracks shot out in all directions as far as they could see. A massive pitch-black body so large that they couldn’t believe their eyes rose from the crevice and stretched far above their heads.
Pieces of rock fell off the body one after the other, crumbling down in an avalanche of dust and soil. The room wouldn’t stop shaking. The noise was deafening, each echo a crushing blow to the ears until finally its emergence was complete.
Aiz watched the pitch-black monster rear back to face the ceiling hidden in darkness.
“—OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
The enormous being, so big that even the female-figured monster that appeared in Rivira couldn’t hold a candle to it, announced its birth with an equally tremendous roar. The overwhelmingly intimidating aura emanating from its body put that octopus-like creature to shame.
It could be nothing else but a floor boss.
The Monster Rex that resided on the thirty-seventh floor of the Dungeon.
Level Six, Udaeus.
“So then, three months have already passed…”
Monster Rex all had a predetermined respawn time. Once one of them was defeated, it would not reappear in the Dungeon until the allotted time had passed. At this moment, almost exactly three months ago, none other than Loki Familia had defeated this monster using its full combat strength. Now, Riveria looked up at it half in awe as the words slipped out of her mouth.
Physically, Udaeus was a skeleton monster, a spartoi that had just kept on growing. Every bone that composed its body was jet black. Just looking was enough to make an adventurer fear being sucked in. At the same time, they gave off an eerie and ominous sheen.
The beast itself was over ten meders tall despite its lower body remaining underground. The bones that made up its spine leaned forward, each of its many vertebrae swaying to and fro like they had a mind of their own. Its skull was adorned with two horns similar to an ogre’s and small crimson flames flickering like eyes in deep sockets that were otherwise pitch black.
An unusually large and thick magic stone sat protected by its sternum and rib cage in the middle of its chest.
The dark purple crystal sparkled exactly were the heart should be, but there were no organs to be seen in this floor boss.
�
�Riveria, don’t help me.”
Aiz stared down the monster she had known would appear and withdrew Desperate from the sheath at her waist.
It was the perfect chance for her to advance to the next stage.
She’d hit a wall in her growth and needed a bigger “container” for her excelia. To do that, she needed to defeat a tough enemy like a Monster Rex alone. It would be a grand accomplishment the gods themselves couldn’t ignore. Aiz would go beyond her own limit.
To become stronger, far stronger, so that she would never lose to anyone.
To leave her weak self in the past, to obtain even more power.
Aiz’s golden eyes looked up to her opponent’s face, overlapping her memories of the woman with bloodred hair onto the enemy before her.
“Aiz, do you seriously intend to do this by yourself?”
Riveria watched the girl advance and called out to her.
A vertical wave passed through Udaeus’s many vertebrae and ended in another ear-crushing howl. However, Aiz was unfazed. She kept advancing with her silver saber shimmering quietly in the darkness.
“I’ll be fine.”
Then she said with absolute confidence:
“I’ll end this quickly.”
The mountainous skeleton started to waver.
The presence of an adventurer within its striking distance unleashed its killer instincts.
All its bones rasped against each other as the girl faced down her incredibly strong enemy on what would soon become their battlefield.
The knight kicked off the ground and charged headlong into the ill-advised battle.
Aiz dashed straight toward the enemy.
Desperate, a weapon that had seen her through too many battles to count, was firmly in the grip of her right hand. Her eyes focused on the spartoi’s chest in a full-frontal attack.
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
Udaeus’s tremendous howl shook the chamber as she closed the distance in a flash.
Its burning, crimson eyes found the golden shadow. The long bones of its distorted left arm rose above its shoulder, preparing to bring them down on its foe.
The small shape was locked in its sights as it prepared to swipe her from the side.
“Awaken, Tempest!!”
Aiz activated the short trigger spell of her Magic with the monster’s attack bearing down on her.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria, Vol. 2 Page 18
