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

My defenses crumbled in just a few seconds, and the surfaces of my shoulders, feet, sides, and wrists began to be exposed to the onslaught of the 'whirlwind'.

As for why I was able to keep dodging direct attacks, it was entirely thanks to a miracle and intuition working together to dance a waltz called chance.

I thought it was in front, but it was to the side; I thought it was to the side, but it was above me; I looked up at the sky, and it turned out to be facing me!

It's completely different from what we were just talking about!

Already moving at an outrageous speed, this fierce 'wind' propelled Miss Ais's speed to a level beyond the realm of common sense!

(Even faster than Miss Ryu!!)

Compared to her being known as "Swift Wind," which in my opinion is synonymous with speed, Miss Ais is definitely a cut above the rest!

—Just when I could do nothing but tremble, a slash suddenly came down from the upper left of my field of vision.

Just as I managed to deflect the attack with my dagger, Miss Ais stopped in her tracks for some reason and stared intently at me.

Her beautiful golden eyes narrowed slightly... no, they turned into white eyes, and she just stared at me like that.

"Are you thinking of someone else?"

"Huh!? Oh no, um, how...how did you know!?"

"Intuition. Not paying attention... won't do."

The two were extremely close at this moment, like swords facing each other.

At this close distance, where I could feel even their breaths, even with Miss Ais staring at me pitifully through the scabbard, before I could even feel ashamed, I was already sweating profusely. Even though I hadn't done anything wrong, I felt my stomach suddenly clench.

I felt even the 'wind' wrapped around her supple limbs was angrily rebuking me, which startled me so much that I quickly nodded repeatedly and then got back into position.

We parried their weapons and retreated before engaging them again.

This time I faced her head-on with full force, but the process was almost exactly the same.

Faced with Miss Ais's "Gale", I could no longer be complacent. At this point, I could no longer even call it defense; I was just continuing an ugly resistance.

(And it's not just the speed! The power of each strike is also vastly different from before—!!)

The power and impact contained within the scabbard, shrouded in air currents, were no less than, and perhaps even greater than, the great hammer wielded by the dwarf.

To think that one could perfectly deflect that force was simply a pipe dream, and even to deflect that fleeting sword light was a pipe dream.

Even the defensive technique Miss Ais taught me—the side-striking technique to deflect weapons—I can't seem to put into practice now. One wrong move, and my entire body, which is currently attempting to defend itself, will be swept away by the violent gust of wind.

Every strike she lightly unleashed was so fierce that, compared to mere hand-to-hand combat and evasion, my defensive capabilities paled in comparison, making me no different from a leaf drifting aimlessly in a storm.

Such a powerful hurricane could only be completely withstood by someone as strong as the city's strongest (Mr. Ota)!

If this weren't a scabbard, but the original weapon—the real sword—what would it be like?

"Ugh, gurgle gurgle gurgle!?"

My fears soon came true.

I finally couldn't resist any longer. My body succumbed to the high pressure of the 'storm,' and my feet were lifted off the stone pavement.

After a chilling feeling of floating, I was blown away beyond the battlements.

"Danger."

“Eh!?”

—The instant before.

Miss Ais, who should have blown me away, caught up with me with absurd acceleration and reached out her hand to me.

She grabbed my wrist and then threw me back onto the city wall.

Instead, her body leaped over the battlements and plummeted from the massive city wall.

"Miss Ais!?"

Seeing Miss Ais heading in the opposite direction of the city, and Orario falling to the outside, I was horrified and rushed to the wall, leaning my whole body and face outwards.

The next instant after he leaned out...

"ah."

"what?"

Whoosh! A shadow darted upwards across my field of vision, and a shockwave struck me squarely on the forehead.

It's Miss Ais.

It probably used the power of the 'Gale' to kick against the wall and fly back easily... Then, seeing me peeking out, it subconsciously swung its sword from its sheath, and finally opened its eyes wide.

Having taken a solid blow to the forehead, my consciousness immediately went dark.

(...They haven't caught up at all...they're still far behind...)

Just like on a sunny day, Miss Mei and Miss Haruhime would hang their quilts out to dry on the balcony railing.

Powerless, I slumped against the wall, feeling as if I had been dried out by the sun, experiencing firsthand the chasm between my dreams and reality, letting go and allowing my consciousness to drift away.

I could faintly hear that person's slightly apologetic and embarrassed voice in my ears.

"Are you okay?"

This even makes me feel nostalgic.

The soft touch and warmth spreading from the back of my head felt like a long-forgotten memory.

Her slender fingers gently stroked my bangs, and I felt a slight itch.

The silvery whispers that landed on my cheeks instantly soothed my mood.

When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a blue sky and Miss Ais looking down at me with a worried expression for about three seconds.

My consciousness returned to normal in an instant.

"Whoa!?"

I fled from Miss Ais's thighs, which were resting on my lap, as if I had been electrocuted.

Miss Ais murmured "Ah".

After rolling around a few times on the stone floor, I got up from a distance, kneeling on one knee.

Needless to say, my shame overwhelmed me, and I was already blushing and panting despite having just regained consciousness.

Exactly the same as before! Fight, knock out, then get a lap pillow.

I'm already a Level 1 adventurer!

I haven't grown at all! I haven't improved at all!!

"……hehe"

Just as I was screaming "Ughh ...

Miss Ais, who had been staring intently at me, smiled gently.

"Bell has gotten stronger... but he hasn't changed at all."

Ugh! The words of my crush pierced my heart.

"Clearly you've become stronger"—this sounds like a veiled statement, which only adds to my unnecessary distress!

Seeing me clutching my chest and struggling in pain, Miss Ais tilted her head in confusion.

"Shall we take a break?"

“…………”

Miss Ais gently patted her thigh to indicate her presence, and I quickly shook my head like a rattle drum.

This time, Miss Ais gently patted the spot next to her, and I silently moved closer. It was practically a replica of the previous scene.

Ever since training began, I've been traversing between heaven and hell at the speed of light. Thinking I should at least get revenge—though I don't even know what I'm fighting—I sat down cross-legged next to Miss Ais in a rather unladylike manner. Then I placed my hands on one ankle, hoping it would make me look a little more manly.

Miss Ais sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, just like before.

Then she brought her face close to her knees, peering at me from below.

"..."

"..."

"...Um, that."

"What?"

"Is there something on my face...?"

"No."

"Th-then, why...starting from just now..."

"I'm just watching you."

Under the watchful gaze of the clear winter sky, Miss Ais whispered these words.

The gentle aura emanating from her was something I had never felt under the bright spring sun when we first met.

As her beautiful golden hair reflected the golden light, she smiled gently once again.

Her profile was so captivating that my face couldn't help but burn.

I couldn't help but mutter to myself.

"Miss Ais..."

Things have changed.

The rest of that sentence was never recorded.

I probably haven't changed much.

But I always felt that Miss Ais had changed.

I don't know exactly what happened, nor do I understand why I think that way.

But her gaze and smile made me think that way.

"Me, and then what?"

"Ah, no... it's nothing!"

"?"

I snapped back to reality and quickly brushed it off.

I always feel that this is nonsensical, and I'm also quite ashamed to think about such things.

Miss Ais looked puzzled and seemed to want to ask for clarification, so I quickly changed the subject before she could speak.

"Oh, right! Speaking of which, the 'Urban Sports Festival' seems to have already started! Miss Ais, your Loki Familia will definitely be participating, right!?"

"I was definitely startled at the time, but... we probably won't be able to participate."

"Eh?"

The topic shift was quite abrupt, but this answer really made me widen my eyes.

"Because it will clash with the 'Expedition' event."

"...! The Loki Familia, are they going on an 'expedition'?"

"Yes. We started preparing a long time ago..."

I widened my eyes slightly, but quickly understood; after all, upon closer inspection, it wasn't really that strange.

Just as we, the Hestia Familia, are forced to complete the mandatory mission of the "Expedition," the Loki Familia, as the largest faction in the city, must also challenge the depths of the labyrinth.

The last time the Loki Familia launched an "expedition" was about eight months ago. That was around the time I defeated the Minotaur and advanced to Level 2. After all, so much time has passed, and as the captain, Mr. Finn should be thinking about carrying out mandatory missions soon.

(Wait, but wouldn't this put the "Urban Sports Festival" in crisis...?)

Just as I was surprised by the unexpected information, and at the same time had a premonition that dark clouds were gathering over Orario.

"And then... although the expedition is imminent, I've already finished packing up here... so there's still a little time..."

This time, Miss Ais hesitated, carefully choosing her words while timidly observing my reaction.

"...I can still spend two more days training with you...oh?"

"!!"