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

(I hurt him again...)

Ais could sense that Bell was afraid of "something".

She couldn't quite grasp what that "thing" was, but the scar was probably so deep that it had become a psychological trauma that couldn't be overcome by ordinary methods.

Ais felt guilty, thinking that she had spoken too bluntly and had touched on the psychological trauma that was unconsciously tormenting the boy. Why was she so clumsy with her words?

Perhaps Bell just doesn't want to hear Ais talk about herself like that.

I don't want to hear her say that she is "cowardly".

Perhaps he always wanted to shout that he wasn't a coward at all.

Seeing Bell, who was putting on a brave front in front of her... Ais couldn't help but feel this way about the young boy suffering from misery and shame.

"...Um, let me tell you? What I meant by 'cowardice'...uh, that's not what I meant."

Ais didn't want the boy to show that kind of expression, so she took the initiative to explain to him.

She wanted to convey her feelings to clear up his misunderstanding, like gently patting his head.

"I don't think you're bad or shameful... I said yesterday that maintaining a 'timid' personality is really important..."

Hearing Ais's broken, stuttering, and unusually emotional tone, Bell raised her lowered head.

She wanted to express her feelings to those deep red eyes that swayed with her emotions, but she just couldn't get the words out properly.

Ais felt anxious about her clumsy speaking skills, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"...Although we shouldn't confuse timidity with caution,"

Ais remembered what Finn, Grace, and Riveria had said, and began with an opening remark.

"However, being afraid of certain things can sometimes save the team, especially in dungeons."

"..."

"Those who are fearless are often the most dangerous."

Just like herself. She continued with her innermost thoughts, slowly telling Belle, who was listening intently.

"So, don't feel ashamed because you're timid... embrace this natural instinct, okay?"

"Miss Ais..."

"I hope you don't forget that."

Ais conveyed her feelings to Belle, whose eyes were wide open, and continued speaking.

It's like re-examining yourself, who stands opposite the boy, yet at opposite ends of the spectrum.

"Because that's who I am."

"what?"

"I caused Riveria and the others a lot of worry... and I also harmed Tiona and the others, affecting my companions as well. Once I become unable to feel anything, I think... I'm probably not an adventurer anymore, but a monster."

Realizing that she had been so focused on pursuing power that she had numbed herself to fear, Ais lowered her eyes.

Ais, reflecting on everything that has happened so far, and clinging to foolish feelings about her own inability to change herself, tells him:

"You can't become like me."

Her gaze fell to her feet, and she said with self-consciousness.

The sound escaping from her own throat sounded somewhat distant, and a thin shadow covered Ais's slender shoulders.

She kept Bell out of her sight and looked down at the stone slabs of the city wall.

"—No, nothing like that!!"

However, a loud voice coming from in front of her interrupted Ais's thoughts and shook her vision.

"Miss Ais saved my life! You absolutely cannot be like a monster!"

Ais looked up in surprise and saw Bell thrusting his upper body toward her.

He desperately tried to express his true feelings to Ais.

"You were so cool when you saved me! Just like the heroes I read in stories when I was little, and so handsome too! It made me want to be an adventurer like you! That's why I did this... ah, no! How should I put it...!?"

Bell talked on and on, but what came out of his mouth seemed to startle him. His face turned redder and redder, and he began to speak incoherently.

As for Ais, she blushed upon hearing the boy's heartfelt praise and respect.

Her sincere and straightforward words made her eyes widen, and she felt her cheeks gradually burning... At the same time, she thought to herself: This child is just like her in the past.

Two rosy clouds rose on Ais's cheeks, and she slowly parted her lips.

My eyes lit up as I listened to my mother tell stories.

I dream of the existence of heroes.

The boy before me awakened tender memories of my childhood.

A small warmth was ignited in my cold heart.

"Thanks……"

Just like before, Ais felt healed by the white rabbit and smiled.

Bell was stunned for a moment when he heard the words of thanks. Then he became shy at lightning speed, looking around as if he couldn't look Ais in the eye.

However, in the end, Bell seemed happy that Ais had smiled, and smiled back shyly at her.

"...Continue, let's continue training."

“Okay, okay!”

Just as Ais was feeling a little shy, the eastern sky began to change.

The distant mountain ridges began to glow with a reddish light, and the dim sky was about to be tinged with the colors of dawn. Ais gazed at that beautiful scene, then raised the sword sheath she had lowered.

Bell responded energetically, and the two resumed training.

(...there has been an improvement.)

Ais switched her consciousness back to the expression of [Sword Maiden], and narrowed her eyes as she watched Bell's actions.

Although he still couldn't completely block the scabbard strike, the boy no longer charged forward recklessly. His expression was like that of a possessed demon vanishing, now able to discern the distance between himself and his opponent, desperately chasing after Ais's attacks and sliding his dagger into them.

Perhaps his words conveyed to Bell, because he no longer rushed forward without thinking.

Successfully guiding her with words brought her immense joy, as the person responsible for providing the guidance.

—It's done.

Because Ais is not good at conversation, she is especially happy when she succeeds, and the little self in her heart (Ais) raises her hands to express her happiness.

So, without realizing it, she used a little too much force.

The scabbard swept across so fast it was almost invisible.

“Puhuh!?”

"ah."

Ais, overconfident, struck Bell directly in the side of his face. He let out a cry and fell sideways.

The boy collapsed onto the stone floor, his body going limp and losing all strength.

He completely lost consciousness.

"I...I did it again..."

"I messed up again." Ais muttered to herself, then hurriedly ran to Bell's side.

I made such a mess without even realizing it. I have absolutely no experience in guiding others, so I really don't know how to handle things properly.

Ais knelt dejectedly on the stone floor and began to diligently care for the boy who was lying on his back.

however.

She noticed something by chance.

"This is……"

The boy, with his eyes tightly closed, seemed to be asleep and unconscious.

Ais had a strong sense of déjà vu about the scene before her.

About a week ago, the boy suffered from mental exhaustion on the fifth floor of the dungeon and also fainted like this.

That's right—just like the time when I did what Riveria said and let the boy lie on my lap, only to scare him away!

That day, Ais was run away by Bell, and her face turned red as she solemnly protested to Riveria.

The beautiful and erudite high elf had the audacity to say, "Any normal man would like that," and "Isn't it your approach that's wrong?" The memory of that moment was vividly etched into Ais's mind.

In reality, Ais was just being teased by Rivera, who was desperately trying to suppress her laughter—but she believed it to be true.

grunt.

Ais made an unconscious sound as she slowly approached Bell.

She wouldn't give up so easily. Even in a place like this, Ais displayed her stubborn "unyielding personality," declaring that she would defeat Riveria and the White Rabbit, and that this was a battle for revenge.

We can't afford to fail again this time.

Ais gently lifted Bell's head and placed it on her kneeling thighs.

"Um……"

The boy's weight pressed down on his thighs, just like back then.

Ais, who had let the boy lie on her lap, felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as she felt uncomfortable again.

The eastern sky quietly and slowly turned white.

At the juncture of the azure night sky and the crimson morning sky, under the beautiful and dreamlike colors of the sky, Ais casually stroked the boy's forehead and cheeks with her fingers.

Sure enough, doing this felt like a cleansing of the soul. Ais looked down at the innocent sleeping face and smiled.

The parents who lulled me to sleep when I was little probably felt the same way.

She listened to the pleasant heartbeat and kept stroking the white rabbit's hair.

Ais forgot her original purpose and fully enjoyed the time she spent with her lap as a pillow.

"Um……"

After a while, the boy's eyelids trembled.

Ais snapped back to reality, stopped stroking, and hid her hands behind her waist.

She looked tense—or to others, just a blank expression, observing the boy's reaction.

Ais held her breath and watched the boy, only to see Bell open his eyes and slowly wake up.

"Huh... Whoa!?"

Then, with a scream, it fled from the lap pillow.

Seeing Bell jump up and run away as soon as he grasped the situation, Ais was dejected.

Is it true, as Riveria says, that I did something wrong...?

Ais remained in the lap-pillow position, her mood plummeting. Bell, on the other hand, huddled in a corner of the city wall, her back pressed against the low wall, her face flushed as she screamed:

"Why, why are you making me lie on your lap?!"

Bell asked, her tongue completely tied, and Ais thought, "Oh no," and quickly came up with an excuse.

You can't exactly say it's because you're unwilling to accept defeat to Riveria and want to avenge it.

Hmm—, hmm—, Ais thought it over and over.

"...Because lying on someone's lap...my strength recovers faster..."

Then she looked away and gave a lame excuse.

Bell looked very suspicious.

"……sorry."

Ais lowered her gaze and sincerely apologized.

She stopped kneeling, sat on the stone floor, and apologized for her lie.