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

"Alright, in any case, it's only proper etiquette for us to lend a hand..."

Just as Ais and Riveria were nodding in agreement, looking down at the boy...

As if deep in thought, the elven woman glanced sideways at Ais.

"...Ais, I need you to do something for this boy. To atone for his sins, I think this will be enough."

"What's up?"

When Ais asked, Rivera told her in a relaxed tone:

"Let him sleep with his head on your lap until he wakes up."

Ais blinked again.

"...Is it really that simple?"

"I can't explain it clearly, but at least you're here protecting him, so you shouldn't be obligated to do anything more... Besides, no man would be unhappy if you did this."

"I don't quite understand..."

"It's okay if you don't understand."

She looked up at Ais, her eyebrows lowered as if in a bitter smile. Ais pondered, "Is this really the right thing to do?" However, Riveria rarely said anything wrong.

"Hmm..." As she fell into thought for a moment with a detached expression, Rivera slowly stood up.

"I'm going back. Staying here will only get in your way. The two of you should be alone; that's the only way to put an end to things."

"Yes. Thank you, Rivera."

"Um."

After Ais thanked her, Riveria left.

This was already the "upper level." She knew that Ais would be safe no matter what, so she wasn't worried and thoughtfully left.

Watching her retreating figure, Ais gazed once more at the back of the fallen boy's head and bent her knees.

She bent down cautiously by herself.

*

(Let's see how things go next...)

As Rivera, carrying her staff and baggage, made her way through the dungeon, she thought of the boy and the face of Ais, whom she had left behind.

She instantly chased away the frog-like monster "Frog Archer" blocking her way.

(I hope things can develop in a positive direction...)

Rivera is very concerned about Ais's mental state.

Since coming into contact with the red-haired beast tamer, the girl has been unable to achieve a balance in her mind and body, and at one point she even drove herself to defeat the floor master alone.

Rivera believed she had cleared away the turmoil in her heart, but compared to usual, she still seemed a little unsettled. Even if it was only for a short time, Rivera, sensing Ais's inner turmoil, hoped that her contact with the boy would allow her to temporarily forget her inner troubles.

"Besides..."

Rivera subtly sensed that Ais's contact with the boy had caused a significant change in her. Rivera also felt a sense of anticipation, hoping that this might truly help to improve Ais's impulsive personality.

"...Well, it can't get any worse, can it?"

She murmured optimistically to herself, thinking: Surely the boy wouldn't just run away.

*

"..."

The weight pressing down on her slender thighs always felt somewhat novel to her.

Ais, who had the boy resting his head on her lap, quietly looked down at his face, which was now closed.

(...I feel a little embarrassed.)

It was only when she placed the boy's head on her lap that the naive girl felt a little shy.

The position she was in with him caused Ais's cheeks to flush slightly, and she gently shifted her body. The movement was light and gentle, so as not to disturb the sleeping white rabbit.

"..."

The monster attacked Ais and her friends several times, who were openly sleeping on their laps in the middle of the dungeon for everyone to see, but she only used a backhand swing without any impact force to take down the monster with a slash.

Ais continued to protect the boy, examining his body from head to toe.

016

"...Yes, I'm working hard."

The armor he was wearing seemed different from the light armor he had seen before.

However, the armor already bore scratches and chips, indicating it had been used roughly. He must have been fighting monsters in the dungeon every day. Ais silently counted all the marks left by claws and teeth, and guessed that must be it.

Seeing the boy's heartwarming efforts and his pure heart, her own heart gradually became transparent.

So white, so pure white.

Unlike herself, that pure and unwavering devotion seemed to have cleansed her heart. The lingering embers of darkness within her had completely vanished.

Even Ais herself didn't realize that her lips had parted.

The pure white rabbit gradually healed her.

Ais felt a little like touching him, her fingers gently stroking his rabbit-like hair and forehead.

"……Mother?"

After gently touching him for a while, the boy's lips parted.

Hearing that hazy murmur, Ais's shoulder swayed.

(...You don't have a mother either?)

The voice in my heart went unanswered.

His golden eyes lowered quietly.

(We're so alike...)

After realizing the inability to feel close to someone, and experiencing a slight sense of loneliness...

Ais gently brushed aside her white bangs and apologized.

"I'm sorry. I'm not your mother..."

As soon as she finished speaking, her sleepy, deep red (rubellite) eyes snapped open.

It took a while for those eyes to regain their luster, and they met Ais’s golden eyes as she looked down at him.

Their eyes met, and the boy fell silent, as if time had stopped. Ais gently touched his face again.

Ais combed his hair, touched his eyelids, and finally he slowly propped himself up.

Although she was a little reluctant to leave the warmth on her legs, she gave up.

He was still sitting on the ground and turned to face Ais.

"...A hallucination?"

"...It's not a hallucination."

The boy pointed at Ais with a blank expression, which made her a little unhappy. She raised her eyebrows slightly, making an expression that she wouldn't normally let anyone see.

Isn't it a bit rude of you to say that?

Ais, who was practically pouting, stared at the boy's face, having already gained a lot in such a short time.

(W-What happened?)

Her deep red eyes and golden pupils met for a moment, and seeing that he didn't move, Ais began to panic.

Had she done something wrong? Although she didn't show much expression, a childlike Ais was inside her, clutching her head and even jumping up and down in bewilderment. The white rabbit, who had been frozen like a stone, swayed her hair like long ears.

—Oh right, I need to apologize.

Just as Ais was about to speak after having this thought...

The boy's neck and above were visibly turning redder and redder. By the time Ais noticed his unusual condition, a ripe red apple had already appeared before her eyes.

The boy's beautiful, deep red eyes became a jumbled mess, like red worms.

Ais was starting to worry and was about to ask him in a panic what was wrong when the boy suddenly stood up.

then……

"—Aa ...

He did everything in his power to escape Ais.

"..."

Like a rabbit hopping away, the boy disappeared from the hall at that speed.

Ais remained frozen in place, with him lying on her lap, completely unable to move.

From somewhere came the sound of a monster laughing, "Guye! Guye!"

"...Why do you always have to run away?"

Ais felt like crying.

Side Story: Sword Oratoria 2 Afterword

This is the second installment in the spin-off series—although the number of characters is already quite large. Many characters who were supposed to appear in the main series have leaked their appearances in this game, which not only gives me a headache but also makes me deeply appreciate the difficulties of creating spin-off works.

Although these boys and girls are eager to appear, when they finally make their appearance in the main story, we hope that everyone can give them a caring look.

Changing the subject, while discussing the content of this episode, my editor and I somehow got quite engrossed in a conversation about a second installment of a horror action-adventure game featuring a large number of zombies. I'm terrible at games myself, so I just watched my friend play; however, I'm quite enthusiastic about looking at walkthroughs, so I'm inexplicably familiar with the story.

The game was divided into two parts: "Male Protagonist's Story - Outer Part" and "Female Protagonist's Story - Inner Part". It used a so-called Zapping System, which seemed to be that weapons and items not used in the male protagonist's story could be used in the female protagonist's story, and vice versa.

This game is also divided into the main story of the male protagonist and the side story of the female protagonist, and the story setting is shared, which ignited my desire to play it. I remember the two of us happily discussing and saying, "Let's equip the male protagonist with the weapons that the female protagonist hasn't used!" At that time, we had just decided that the fifth volume of the main story and the second volume of this side story would be released within two months of each other.

If you watch episode 5 of the main series and then episode 2 of the spin-off, or vice versa, you might just find yourself smiling knowingly.

I will be careful not to develop the main story with the premise that "every reader has read the spin-offs". At the same time, I hope to occasionally insert similar scenes into the story without leaving a trace.

Please allow me to proceed with my acknowledgments.

To the editors, Mr. Kotaki and Mr. Takahashi, thank you both for continuing to supervise the manuscript of this volume; I am truly grateful for your guidance. Whenever a work is published as a book, your suggestions and insights are always invaluable, offering new insights every day. To the illustrator, Ms. Haimura Kyotaka, your exquisite illustrations have made the work truly captivating, even surpassing the author's best efforts; I am deeply grateful. Furthermore, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to all those who have supported this work and to all the readers. I look forward to your continued support.

Goodbye then.

大森藤ノ

Side Story: Sword Oratoria 2 Illustration

Will Ais Wallenstein dream of a white rabbit as a bonus in the spin-off game Sword Oratoria 2?

The online translation is from Baidu Tieba

Translation Meow Pa Tear

I'm dreaming again.

Ais thought that ever since she met that adventurous boy, she had been having more and more dreams.

In this dream, young Ais and a snow-white rabbit appeared.

The rabbit was dressed in a unique way, wearing a yellow top, vest, and a cute toy knife. Its big, watery red eyes were adorable. Looking at the pocket watch hanging around its neck, the white rabbit said, "Late, late—," and hopped away on its two feet.

On the other hand, young Ais... shone her golden eyes at the white rabbit. 'Wait, wait, wait—!' she chased after.

She was probably around five years old. At this time, Ais was a wild girl who would scare anyone who only knew her as she was now. Young Ais ran around energetically and soon successfully caught the white rabbit.

"Great!" A shout of surprise followed immediately after the cheers. Young Ais, her face beaming with delight, grabbed the white rabbit's long ears. With both hands, whoosh! Whoosh! The rabbit was suspended in the air like prey, frantically waving its short limbs.

The person who had been watching Ais's true form from the outside finally moved. Unable to bear watching any longer—and feeling ashamed afterward—they approached their younger self, Ais. Patting her playful shoulder, they reminded her, "No, you can't."

Huh? I rescued the white rabbit from her pouting lips. I picked up the white fur in my arms, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort—and suddenly, I noticed something.

Hiss... hiss hiss

The white rabbit was afraid.

Trembling, the round, deep red Rubellite pupils flickered. The rabbit, letting out a mournful cry, burst through Ais's stunned gaze and slipped from her grasp with a snap. Then, with a 'whoosh,' it fled at full speed.