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

Ryu knows too many things to count.

Having come to know the vow that was so desperately cherished and unwilling to break its promise, and having occasionally looked up at the stern profile of that person high above, Ryu also came to know what desolation truly meant.

This is the true nature of the "jealousy" that Seele spoke of.

Where did that unfinished emotion, like that of a naive young girl, go?

Ryu has reached the end of "maybe".

We've finally arrived.

(I was attracted to him.)

Just like the hair accessory I received, the sound of wings echoed deep in my ears.

The tender buds of pure white flowers took root deep within Liu's heart.

Then, the guilt of betraying her confidante (Seele) bound her hands and feet like lead.

Even so, Ryu still couldn't untie the ribbon.

I like him.

In the deserted courtyard, Ryu gazed up at the blue sky, which was cut into the shapes of buildings, and murmured to himself.

From that day, from that moment on, there was no turning back for Liu Leon.

—While reminiscing about the days that marked the beginning of everything.

—While immersed in the clear stream of a labyrinthine passage that shakes memories.

Liu snatched the boy's lips and shed tears.

Season 4 Blu-ray Bonus: Ryu's IF Route "The Fairy's Branch History" Part 2

This translated version is from Bilibili (https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv24073473).

Translation: 021-5-F09

To Bell, Liu Leon was an incredible woman.

Pure, dignified, and powerful.

And upright.

Unable to condone injustice and unfairness, she stood resolutely on the opposite side of violence and irrationality, extending a helping hand to Bell and his companions countless times. Seeing that figure wielding a wooden sword, moving like the wind, weaving beautiful songs, Bell thought of the phrase "messenger of justice" countless times.

It does not tolerate evil, does not violate righteousness, and is not familiar with filth.

The so-called pure and innocent fairy refers to Ryu.

But since their morning workouts alone began, as their conversations deepened, Belle realized that she was not just an elf with obsessive-compulsive disorder about cleanliness.

She is very strict and lacks tact.

—To borrow her words, he always went too far.

Being overly serious or pedantic in one's daily life can invite criticism.

However, the occasional smile that graces her lips is so beautiful it's captivating.

Even though she adheres to the right principles, she is not entirely incapable of making mistakes.

She confessed that her hands had been stained with the sin of revenge.

It's not without its flaws.

— Rather, it's more accurate to say that the clumsy parts are still clumsy in the end.

When Seele failed to prepare lunch, Ryu prepared a charred black sandwich instead, leaving Bell speechless and even making Ryu's own ears turn bright red.

She wasn't the kind of perfect, fastidious elf.

She was a pure, dignified, and powerful fairy, with a touch of darkness beneath her righteousness. She also possessed an endearing clumsiness that couldn't help but bring a smile to one's face. Her heart, like the color of her eyes, was azure, clear, and noble.

Bell respected Lurie as much as she respected him.

What Bell finds incredible about her is what happened after the war game with the Apollo Familia ended.

When Ryu learned that Bell and Ais had been training, she beat him up under the guise of being his morning exercise instructor, and then started acting a little strange from the next day onwards.

Their attitude towards Bell also became very cold.

Bell was disappointed, thinking that his childishness had angered her, but even so, Ryu's behavior was still very strange.

While trying to mend their visibly strained relationship, she posed strange questions about Bell's preferences and Seele's. Each topic seemed off-topic and utterly disorganized, leaving Bell completely bewildered. One day, Mia, who seemed to be constantly monitoring Bell's morning exercises, even sighed, "How clumsy!" This only confused Bell more.

As the days went by, Bell noticed that Ryuru's hair had grown long.

Even Bell himself was surprised and noticed it very quickly.

Ryu's hair grew very quickly, and her demeanor changed in just one week, leaving people somewhat bewildered.

Whenever he saw a different side of older women, young Belle would be easily led by the nose. "Is this what Grandpa meant by the appeal of older women?!" This silly idea, which was a little off but not entirely wrong, popped up brilliantly.

Then immediately, Bell made a decision.

I want to give Ryu a gift.

Just as he had felt joy when he gave a gift to Hestia, Bell now wanted to receive a smile from Ryu.

Bell is determined to express his gratitude to her for listening to his request to accompany him on his morning training every day, and for rushing to his aid whenever Bell and the Hestia Familia are in danger.

Bell also asked Seele to help him choose a gift, and then prepared a silver hair clip shaped like wings. Faced with Seele's teasing, "Aren't you going to give me a gift~?", Bell frantically searched and then bought knight and elf jewelry from a certain craftsman and gave it to her. Neither the gifts given to Ryu nor Seele were bought with money earned by Bell, nor with the income from the [Family].

Bell was nervous, but he still smiled and said that this way their relationship could go back to how it was before.

Belle has no doubt about the good relationship between Ryu, who, though strict, gently protects him.

then.

"Thank you... Bell."

it's beautiful.

It's as beautiful as making yourself happy.

He conveyed this message to her, who was dressed beautifully with her hair styled in a bun.

Ryu smiled.

She stood before Belle, who wore an innocent smile, pressed her hand to her chest, and in the clear glow of the morning sun, her smile, tinged with sadness as if she were about to cry, blossomed into a beautiful one.

(——————)

That smile was etched into his deep red eyes.

Facing another high ridge.

Atop an excessively high mountain, another pure white flower-like smile bloomed, and Bell's words, consciousness, and time were all taken away.

Although the sounds emanating from Bell's chest were almost chaotic, this foolish attempt immediately ended in failure due to the nature of a teenager.

His soul will not betray "longing".

If he were to waver at the slightest smile, then he wouldn't be "Bell Crane".

That pure white heart cannot tolerate impurity, and a transparent soul will never break its vow.

and so.

From that day on, Bell and Ryu's relationship appeared calm on the surface, but it remained twisted underneath.

To Bell, Liu Leon was an incredible woman.

It's so incredible it makes you want to itch with excitement.

I don't know why she looked so pained or sad.

As if she didn't want Bell to notice, she started glancing in this direction more and more often.

However, Bell is very sensitive to gazes. He can definitely notice even a fleeting glance from Ryu when she's out of sight.

Why was she looking at me like that? Realizing that she wouldn't answer even if I asked her, Bell could only pretend that I hadn't noticed anything.

Bell is no longer a little boy.

However, they haven't become adults yet.

Had he hurt Ryu, or become a burden to her? Bell was troubled by this. It seemed that Ryu was being led by the nose by the boy's innocence, but in reality, it was Bell who was being manipulated.

Bell had considered consulting Hestia, Lily, or Welf. However, when he recalled the day Ryu first styled her hair up, the way she placed one hand on her chest, Bell simply couldn't bring himself to do it. Bell felt he couldn't casually tell anyone about her noble bearing.

Therefore, Bell sought out Seele for advice.

The only thing I can do is discuss it with her, the one who understands Ryu the most.

Seele answered in this way.

"Mr. Bell, what do you intend to do?"

Almost coldly, the girl with thin, dull-colored hair refused to let Belle pass the right to judge to someone else.

They only seek Bell's own answer.

She stared intently at Bell's face.

Or rather, it's like not missing a single change in color, peering into the soul itself.

At the same time, she smiled with a touch of melancholy, like an older sister looking at her younger siblings or a mother protecting her beloved child.

Bell was unable to provide an answer on the spot.

He had no idea what was "correct" for Ryu or what the "right answer" was.

You could say they were completely lost and went in the opposite direction.

So one day, unable to maintain the status quo any longer, Bale, while putting on a clumsy performance, half-jokingly opened his mouth.

I'm stronger than before, and Ryu has been working very hard, so let's temporarily stop our morning training—that's what I said.

Liu cried out.

"don't want!"

She immediately leaned out, panicked.

"...I don't want to irresponsibly abandon you, who is still growing..."

As if the words were cobbled together, Ryu said this.

"Please allow me to continue..."

Bell was at a loss.

Unsure of what to do, and realizing he had unintentionally hurt Ryu, Bell racked his brains but his actions were neither the "right answer" nor the "correct one." They simply stirred Ryu's emotions. Bell regretted it. However, the more he regretted it, the less able he was to act.

Bell was thinking about Ryu more often now.

Shortly after that, with no solution to the problem, Bell experienced a major turning point.

Heretic

An encounter with the Dragon Girl.

Loss and desolation.

The realization that hypocrites become fools.

Besides his longing, his promise to the Dragon Girl and the others, and his renewed battle with his worthy rival, were also etched into his soul.

The boy started running again.

We have no choice but to start running.

As Ryu gazed at Bell's retreating figure, now imbued with a new vow, she pressed her hand to her chest once more.

It was as if they were lamenting their own powerlessness.

It's like feeling lonely and desperate as the distance between yourself and Bell gradually shrinks, and by the time you notice it again, you've already been overtaken. It's like the grayness gradually widening the distance between yourself and Bell.

"I'm sorry, Bell... I couldn't help. I couldn't stop [Fiora]."

"Miss Ryu has already lent me her power. There's no such thing as being unable to help... that's not true at all."

After the battle in the labyrinthine town ended, Ryu, who reunited with him in the courtyard of the bar, apologized to him in this way.

Along with her tied-up, long hair, Ryu lowered her head.