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

"Ugh!?"

“Wa ...!”

"...!"

Although Riveria had gone hunting before, she had never targeted her own kind. Whenever someone groaned with blood splattering everywhere, she would frown with distress. But she couldn't let the other side use "magic" now. She mustered her strength, controlled her fingers which were almost out of control, and drew her bow, firing arrows in quick succession.

"Princess Rivera, the arrows have already...!!"

"Oh no...!!"

At this point, the quiver was empty.

Aina's exclamation made Riveria blame herself for not noticing the remaining number of arrows, but it was too late.

The enemy knight, having completed his incantation, prepares to cast a "spell" from his mount.

"Loki, give me the javelin."

"Here it comes~"

However, Finn's code of conduct does not allow this to happen.

Loki, who was in charge of carrying the luggage, handed Finn the javelin. Finn took it and threw it with lightning speed.

"Ughhhhhh!?"

The shot precisely shattered the elven knight's wand and even knocked him off his horse.

It also caused a "magic explosion" – a self-destruction due to uncontrolled magic.

Flames and strong winds from behind sent the elven soldiers sprawling face-first into the dust. Faced with flying splinters of wood and dust, Riveria and the others had to raise their hands to shield their faces.

Unlike acquired "magic" obtained through "divine grace"—which involves learning one's own unique magic by stimulating potential—innate "magic" is quite difficult to control.

If the chanting is interrupted or fails, it can easily trigger a "magic explosion".

The cunning Finn intended to take advantage of this.

"you……"

"Didn't I say? Although I'm not good at archery, I'm quite confident in my javelin throwing."

Riveria was quite surprised by Finn's quick thinking, while Finn himself wore a relaxed smile.

That look was so infuriating!

At the same time, one has to admit that he is indeed quite reliable.

Rivera gave an unpleasant snort and turned her head away.

(...Although I hate to admit it, he was completely different from the dwarves I knew. Putting aside the goddess, he mustered up the "courage" to fight the enemy faster than anyone else in order to protect me and Aina.)

He's practically a little human warrior.

Rivera could only acknowledge his exceptional marksmanship.

Feeling somewhat unwilling, she stubbornly abandoned her bow and arrow and switched to "chanting" magic.

"[Snowflakes fall heavily, three harsh winters have passed—my name is Alfre!]"

The spell cast was [Ecstasy - Fimbulwinter].

The three blizzards mercilessly froze the knights and their mounts, causing some to fall from their horses and others to be frozen and unable to move, leaving the forest filled with cries of despair.

(This "magic" is truly amazing... I see, no wonder I've heard that... those who receive "divine grace" no longer use the "magic" passed down from their ancestors (elves).)

Given this situation, it's no wonder that magical races (like elves) would abandon common magic; at least, that's what Riveria thinks.

Compared to magic learned through "divine grace," ordinary magic is practically no different from a "toy."

Some of them may be quite powerful, but the incantations are too long, making them too time-consuming to use. More importantly, they lack variety and are prone to causing "magic explosions," so naturally no one wants to use them.

In contrast, acquired "magic" is tailor-made for oneself.

The compatibility and efficiency are incomparable to those of innate types, and in some cases, the power is even far greater, just like the scene that is unfolding before our eyes right now.

(Although I had witnessed it in the previous battle... its power was truly extraordinary. This wasn't due to any "blessing," but purely her innate talent.)

It is said that "magic" and "skills" obtained through "ability points" have similar effects on the same race, even if they differ in name. This is quite common.

However, Riveria's "magic" is on a different level.

This is her unique skill, equivalent to a "killer move".

Even Finn was secretly amazed when he saw her, and had to admit that Riveria Rios Alf indeed possessed the qualifications of a "Grand Mage".

Although the two family members did not speak, they did recognize each other at that moment.

"Seriously, what are you doing?! There are only four of them! Everyone, spread out and surround this area immediately! Climb up the trees and start shooting! We know everything about this forest, we have the advantage of terrain!"

Faced with the continued resistance from Riveria and her group, King Raphael, who had been watching from the sidelines, angrily shouted a tirade.

Finn's face darkened upon hearing his expert instructions.

Even though King Raphael was a perfect symbol of the elven people's bad habits and made people feel no liking for him, he proved to be far from stupid.

Under the king's command, the soldiers began to utilize the terrain, causing the battle to take a sharp turn for the worse.

Just as Finn was racking his brains trying to figure out how to turn the tide of the battle—

"Roar! Ro ...

Suddenly, this earth-shattering "roar" resounded.

"...?"

"That...that voice is...?"

Finn and his companions, along with all the elves, stopped what they were doing.

The scene fell silent as the trees shook uncontrollably, and then a tremendous explosion occurred somewhere in the forest.

From Finn's perspective, the enemy's rear guard knights, who were about to cast a "magic spell," were all blown away by the impact.

“Eh!?”

"That's... a 'dragon'!?"

Riveria and Finn couldn't help but exclaim because a "dragon" covered in dark green scales slowly appeared amidst the swirling sandstorm.

"A green dragon!?"

This giant dragon is over ten meters long and five meters wide.

Even though the membranes covering its wings were tattered, its hard, tree-bark-like scales remained intact. Its gaping maw, large enough to swallow a person whole, was filled with sharp teeth, and its green eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

"Tree Dragon".

The treasure guardian dwells in the "middle layer" of the underground city of a remote labyrinthine metropolis.

The dragons, possessing immense potential, are renowned as the strongest beings on the floor, and are also incredibly powerful monsters.

"This is outrageous! Father should have eliminated it a hundred years ago... Could it have had offspring?!"

King Raphael's eyes were filled with astonishment, and he was terrified by his own speculation.

This is a dragon that lost both its wings when it and its mother were burned by "magic," but ultimately survived and vowed revenge.

To avoid being discovered by the elves, it lived a life of hiding and hardship, and after a hundred years, it finally grew strong and healthy.

Just as King Raphael had predicted, the tree dragon roared at the stunned elves.

"Roar! Aa ...

"Wa ...

It used its claws and charges to send those hateful long-eared people flying.

Although the elves retaliated with a barrage of arrows and a last-minute "magic" attack, all their attacks were blocked by the dragon scales, which were far harder than those on the trees.

The archers and knights, pale with fright at the sight, were then swept away by the enormous tail that flashed by.

"All troops, retreat!! We will return to the capital and regroup with the remaining forces before launching another attack! Retreat! Retreat!"

Its ruthless destruction of everything, ignoring the towering trees along the way, resembled a natural disaster.

The trees were uprooted as if screaming in agony, and the scene was razed to the ground in the blink of an eye. Upon witnessing this, King Raphael immediately ordered a retreat.

As the panicked elven knights fled in disarray, King Raphael turned to Riveria and shouted:

"Rivia! You come here too!! This isn't the time for father and daughter to fight!"

"...!?"

Riveria trembled at her father's call.

The raging dragon before her was the embodiment of terror, and her heart was pounding at an unprecedented rate, just like Aina's, who was terrified and pale.

Now is definitely not the time for father and daughter to argue.

Listening to your father and returning to the capital is the wise thing to do.

(But... then...!)

—Would you easily give up on your "dream" if faced with mere fear?

Is this all there is to your longing to leave the birdcage and venture into the vast world?

This voice echoing in my heart reminds me that this moment is a watershed moment in my life.

If Rivera succumbs to fear and returns home, she will never be able to embark on her journey again. This does not mean she will be physically imprisoned, but rather that her mind will be controlled by her father.

She will forever be bound by the inner self that once succumbed to fear.

After that, they would constantly make excuses for themselves and never dare to cross the boundary between the forest and the outside world again.

Once you choose to give in, you can never recover; that's how fragile the dignity of an elf is.

Riveria will inevitably become completely subservient to King Raphael, forever remaining an innocent and naive girl until the end of her life.

She felt the sweat trickling down her neck as she stood in the awkward crevice.

However──

"Riviera, start chanting now, I'll take care of keeping that dragon occupied."

"!!"

The little people's words landed softly on Riveria's back.

Finn displays fearless "courage," leaving her behind and continuing to move forward.

"What are you hesitating about? Is this all the determination you have to go to the outside world?"

"...!"

"I have an ambition, a long-cherished wish to revive my clan. Therefore, I cannot fall here, no matter what."

—Aren't you the same way?

The little boy turned around, raised the corners of his mouth, and revealed an extremely arrogant and haughty smile.

"I'm entrusting my future to you. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

This is what "trust" is.

It is also a form of "motivation".

Faced with the dwarf's small yet enormous back, the elf couldn't help but clench his fist.

Then put the confusion behind you.

"Don't look down on us, little people!"

What an annoying guy!

What an incredibly bold and ambitious guy!

This is the [Family]!

This is what "companionship" is all about!!

I absolutely cannot lose!

Riveria thought this from the bottom of her heart.

To avoid embarrassment, she burned away her fear with her anger.