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

She felt that saying that would cause trouble for Bell, so she took back what she had said.

Eina once again adopted the attitude of a guild employee, intending to smile and tell him, "It's alright."

However, Bell preemptively continued speaking.

"It's...it's really serious! I think...no, it must be really serious!? The Kingdom of Lachia is attacking, even inside the city walls...!"

"Be, Bell?"

Bell seemed to know something and straightened his upper body, but when he saw Eina's dumbfounded look, he showed an "oh no" expression.

He seemed to have a secret he couldn't tell, swaying uncomfortably, then, without thinking twice, continued speaking with a burst of momentum:

"If you don't mind, just ask me to do it! I don't know if I can be of any help, but I'll be your bodyguard or anything else!"

Upon hearing Bell utter the word "bodyguard," Eina's eyes widened beneath her glasses.

"Miss Eina helped me a lot, so...!"

"...Thank you, Belle. But that's my job, you don't need to repay me, okay?"

Eina calmed down a bit and spoke to him in a persuasive manner.

Eina would ask Bell to talk to her about things because it was her duty as a guild employee.

She insisted that it was just part of her job and told Bell not to worry about it. Although she was happy, she still wanted to politely decline Bell's offer.

"—Protective gear!"

"what?"

Bell suddenly spoke.

"It's that protective gear! Miss Eina gave it to me! Please let me repay this favor!"

That was a long time ago.

At Eina's suggestion, the two went together to buy Bell's armor.

At that time, Eina gave him a piece of protective gear to use as a shield.

Indeed, that was not her job.

It was Eina's own meddling, but it was also a kind gesture without expecting anything in return.

"...I just can't do anything with you."

Seeing that Bell wouldn't look away and showed no intention of backing down, Eina conceded defeat.

She complained, but her expression was gentle as she smiled at the boy in front of her.

"Since you've put it that way, then I'll leave it to you. Please take good care of me, Belle?"

“Okay, okay!”

*

The sun disappeared behind the city walls, and twilight slowly appeared.

Eina, who was sitting at the window as a waitress as usual, saw Bell return from exploring the maze and head towards the money exchange, and she also stood up from her seat.

The two exchanged a glance.

"Excuse me, I'm leaving get off work now."

"Wow, you're up early today. You must be tired."

Eina chatted briefly with the staff while packing her belongings. Missia, struggling with piles of documents, stared at her anxiously, but Eina smiled and waved, telling her not to worry.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Bell."

"Oh, no. Then..."

"Okay, let's go. Uh... then could you please come with me home?"

"Okay, okay."

Eina met up with the boy who was standing outside the back door of the headquarters, and they began their journey home.

After that conversation, Eina entrusted Bell to be her bodyguard from that day forward, accompanying her.

After returning from the maze and parting ways with his companions, he would accompany Eina home.

"I'm so sorry, Bell. You just got back from the dungeon, and I'm already troubling you again."

"No, I got back early today, I'm not tired yet, it's fine."

"……Thank you."

Unlike usual, the footsteps of others around me overlapped with my own.

The streets, stained maroon, were bustling with adventurers returning from the dungeon like Bell. The streets were filled with demi-humans contemplating which tavern to enter, the crowd surging and jostling.

Eina and Belle carefully navigated through the crowd, making sure not to bump into anyone's shoulder.

(...I'm a little nervous.)

Although it wasn't quite that dramatic, she still couldn't help but notice Belle beside her.

Even though no deadline has been set, the thought of walking home with Belle every day from now on makes her feel a little itchy. She can't forget the existence of the mysterious stalker, but she also can't ignore the distance between them walking side by side.

At the same time, she was also a little concerned about how others perceived them.

Eina stole a glance at Bell's profile; he was looking at the road he was walking for the first time, seemingly finding it quite fascinating.

"——!"

All of a sudden.

Bell sharply turned to the rear.

Seeing that his mood had completely changed, Eina was startled.

"Be, Bell?"

"...Someone is watching us, probably."

“Eh…”

Unlike last night, she didn't notice anything at all.

While Eina was still stunned, Bell seemed to sense her gaze and put on a serious expression.

His deep red eyes scanned his surroundings without a care.

Eina's heart skipped a beat.

Seeing Bell suddenly transform into an adventurer, she felt a little uncomfortable on one hand, but also somewhat captivated by the sight.

(So ​​he can make that expression too...)

Although she had already witnessed it while watching the war game... seeing Bell fully embody the adventurer's side now still left her feeling unsettled.

After Eina gazed at him for a while, he quietly relaxed.

"I think that person is probably gone. Although it's also possible they're just hiding temporarily..."

"You...you can sense it, Bell?"

"Yeah, because people are always watching me, it makes me sensitive..."

"what?"

"N-nothing!"

Bell concealed the goddess's mysterious presence and his unwavering gaze, which had honed his senses, causing Eina to tilt her head slightly.

In short, it's almost certain now that someone is harassing him. What happened last night wasn't a misunderstanding; he really is being watched.

She was feeling a chill when suddenly the crowd around her changed direction.

Before Eina could even utter an "Ah," she was swallowed up by the crowd and almost separated from Bell.

But a hand quickly reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Are you...are you alright?"

"...Uh, um."

Bell finally managed to push his way through the crowd, and Eina answered him absentmindedly.

The sensation of fingers tightly gripping one's own hand.

Their hands were still clasped, which made her blush.

"Ah... I'm sorry."

Bell noticed Eina's expression and quickly withdrew his hand.

The warmth that had faded away left Eina with a lingering sense of longing, but seeing Bell's blushing and flustered expression, she found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

"Shall we go?"

"Oh, okay."

Eina called to him and walked forward.

Seeing the bodyguard, who was hiding his shame and acting somewhat clumsily but faithfully by her side, Eina smiled again.

What was initially a concern about the distance between their shoulders has now become something that makes Eina feel at ease.

*

"Hey, Eina. You seem to be in a really good mood lately, what's up?"

“…Huh?”

Two days later in the morning.

While working, Eina stopped what Missia said to her.

"You seem to be smiling more than usual, you're always chuckling."

"No, no way."

Really?

Eina took out a small mirror that the waitresses always kept under the window and quickly looked at herself.

Wearing glasses, her face was only flushed with a faint blush on her cheeks. Matching Eina's shy gestures, her reflection in the mirror was also playing with her bangs.

"You said last time someone was following you, has that been resolved?"

"Uh, to be specific, it's not resolved yet..."

"Then why are you so happy? Did something good happen?"

"Ugh..." Eina was speechless for a moment.

Eina herself was unable to give Missia a specific answer to her question.

She only wanted to know one possibility: that she had been enjoying Bell's company without even realizing it—to the point that it improved her mood.

Just as Eina was wondering how to answer, Missia seemed to notice something and turned forward, saying, "Ah."

"That's the dwarf leader from back then, I think his name was Duoduo Muer?"

"what?"

Eina followed the gaze of her friend, whose name she had just randomly memorized, and there stood Dorumur in the distance of the foyer.

He pursed his lips, first staring only at Eina, then turned and left.

He would usually find some reason to talk to Eina, but today... Eina found it incredible, watching his figure gradually disappear into the distance towards the entrance.

"He went back. Oh, and that elf was there too, and seemed to have the same feeling."

"You mean... Mr. Lewis?"

"Yeah, he stole several glances at Eina."

Almost every time Luvis visited the guild, he would strike up a conversation with Eina. Although it seemed strange and perhaps a bit much to think that she was missing her only once or twice, she couldn't help but tilt her head slightly.

When her friend kept bringing up the topic again, Eina was still gazing in the direction they had left.

"Then, today the entire squad was surrounded by a group of Minotaur, and we had to flee in disarray..."

"Heh...really, that's dangerous."