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

Ais hesitated, but Chun helped her finish the sentence, speaking decisively.

"Back then, I even laughed at the name the gods bestowed upon you, thinking the nickname 'Sword Maiden' was truly ironic."

"..."

"At that time, all I wanted to know was when you would break."

Chun lifted her gaze from the sword, a smirk appearing on her upturned lips.

She said that until a few years ago, the girl was a dangerous and vulnerable being, like a sword with a chipped blade that kept fighting.

Inadvertently, Ais remembered Loki always telling her, "If you run with your body leaning forward, you'll fall down eventually."

Ais recalled the Lord God's advice and looked into the right eye of Chun, who was standing in front of her at that moment.

"But you've changed."

At that moment, Chun smiled gently.

“Eh…?”

"What I mean is that you've become more worldly-wise. Although people still say you're like a doll, your expression has become gentler."

As if trying to see through everything with her single eye, Chun squinted her right eye and pointed it out.

As for Ais, her expression turned melancholy upon hearing this.

Ais was also aware that she was no longer "a sword".

The fact that others pointed out the changes in me fully proves that I am no longer like I used to be, able to fight relentlessly for my long-cherished wish.

Her determination to fulfill her long-cherished wish gradually weakened, which worried her greatly.

The battle with Otto and the Freya Familia, and the boy's breakthrough of his limits flashed through Ais's mind, and she couldn't help but speak.

Do you think... I've become weaker?

She asked Chun this question.

Ais meant that if she was no longer a sheathed sword, was she no different from a beast with broken fangs?

"They must have gotten stronger, their level is constantly improving."

That's not what I meant!

Seeing the half-dwarf laughing heartily, Ais unusually emphasized her words.

He was shaken by being described as a doll with an expression devoid of emotional change.

(I……)

Have I given back to the past?

Looking at the boy's back, she was reminded of her father and realized she was almost immersed in happiness. This made her anxious, unsure if this was the right thing to do.

Seeing Ais with her eyes lowered, Tsubaki repaired the sword for a while, then closed her eyes and smiled.

"Perhaps it has lost its sharpness, but to use a sword analogy, it has found its sheath."

Seeing Ais raise her head, a smile lingered on her lips as she continued:

"Protected by the scabbard, the sword does not need to be kept sharp at all times. And once it encounters an enemy that must be killed, the protected sword can be drawn again and shine."

Just as a blade needs a sheath to be stored away, Ais, who uses herself as a sword, also needs a place to rest.

Chun gazed at the girl and clearly told her:

"In other words, they're companions."

The sound of practicing large sword swings rang out.

With a buzzing sound, the massive, silver-like blade slicing through the air. Bathed in the phosphorescent, starlight-like glow cascading from the building's dome, a brown-skinned girl swung her long, flowing skirt as she performed a sword dance.

"Hmm~, it's not like using the Great Twin Blades (Ulga)~"

Tiona held up the indestructible greatsword "Roland's Blade" and tilted her head, saying that it didn't feel right when she used it.

The Amazonian girl wanted to get her hands used to her new weapon for dealing with larvae, so she practiced swinging her sword alone on the edge of a giant rock on the east side of the campsite, where she could see the entire forest.

She tested the entire attack stance with incredible speed, leaving only afterimages.

The brown, supple limbs were warm and slightly red.

Sweat streamed down her slender waist and navel. "Phew—" Tiona finally let out a breath and wiped her face with her arm.

"Didn't I tell you to get some rest?"

"Ah! Grace."

A dwarf called out to her in a helpless tone.

Grace walked towards them from the direction of the campsite. Tiona, with her greatsword slung over her shoulder, retorted:

"But I just can't calm down, I always feel very excited."

"...Was it because of that adventurous kid we saw on the road?"

"Um!"

Tiona nodded happily when she heard Grace say that.

Grace was part of the follow-up group and wasn't with Tiona and the others, but she had heard Finn mention what they had seen on the way to the 50th floor. The girl in front of her was usually full of energy, but now she was even more lively, which made Grace sigh.

He didn't know who that kid was, but he was sure to cause trouble. Grace really wanted to complain to Finn and the others about that young adventurer.

"He's really amazing!? He's like a hero in a fairy tale, going on adventures and facing challenges—!"

Tiona, unaware of Grace's inner thoughts, spoke to him excitedly.

"Knowing full well that the opponent was stronger, he still dared to fight! And he even won!!"

Tiona smiled happily, her cheeks flushed, as if she were talking about her own story, then looked up directly above.

She looked up at a place higher than the dome that stretched out countless phosphorescent rock pillars.

It's like watching the distant upper floors where the boy once fought.

"No matter what happens tomorrow, no matter what kind of enemy appears, I will fight like that boy! ...And then, I will protect Ais and Lefia."

Tiona looked up and squinted at the star-like brilliance of the ceiling above the building.

Seeing that the girl wasn't particularly competitive and had no doubt that everyone would come back alive, Grace smiled.

"Looks like I was worrying about this little girl for nothing..."

He chuckled bitterly to himself and reached for the great axe slung across his back.

Tiona stared at Grace in disbelief as he raised an axe, which also possessed a neutral attribute, and struck a pose towards her.

"I'll play with you for a bit, come here."

"May I!?"

"This is to let you cool off a bit, then you need to go to sleep right away."

Seeing Grace's relaxed smile, Tiona returned the composure with a broad smile.

She brandished her greatsword and in the blink of an eye, she was testing her sword against the dwarf.

The stirring sounds of metal clanging against metal replaced the lullaby, constantly vibrating in the girl's ears.

"Don't drag Miss Ais and the others down, you can't..."

There are words to read.

Lefia knelt alone in the tent, muttering to herself.

Having been selected as a member of the team to attack the floors yet to be reached, I found myself deep within the unknown and harsh labyrinth, where I had to cover Ais and the others.

Lefia closed her eyes and meditated, reminding herself like a mantra that she must exert her full strength tomorrow.

"...We cannot fail...We cannot fail tomorrow."

However, the content of the meditation has deviated from spiritual unity, and the incantations with a curse-like quality only add more pressure.

Her whole body was so tense and stiff that her heartbeat could almost be heard.

"Are your shoulders too tense?"

“Ahh!?”

Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulders.

Lefia screamed, startled, and jumped up, quickly turning her head to look behind her.

"Miss Tione!? When did you arrive!?"

"Hey you, at least be a little more careful..."

Tiony, who had entered the tent alone, stared dumbfounded at Lefia's reaction.

While Lefia's heart was still pounding, Tione had already sat down next to her.

"Miss Tione, what brings you here...?"

"Hmm—because my body has been burning up, I originally wanted to swing a weapon like that little sister (idiot)... but since the leader asked me to, I'll come over."

Seeing her combing her long black hair with her fingers, Lefia tilted her head, and Tione suddenly turned her head and brought her face close.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Ah, um... I was meditating, telling myself I can't fail tomorrow..."

Lefia lowered her head hesitantly, knowing that she was not strong enough to enter the deeper areas. Facing a Level 1 adventurer, she naturally spoke softer and softer.

Seeing her junior's eagerness to succeed, Tione sighed, moved closer, and pinched Lefia's cheeks between her hands.

“Eh…?”

"Lefia".

"W-What is it!?"

The sudden action made Lefia blush, and Tione gently cupped her red cheeks.

"Didn't Ais say on the 51st floor that we would protect Lefia? So you can just relax and act all high and mighty."

Feeling the warmth of her hands on her cheeks, Lefia was speechless.

Like an older sister comforting her, Dione continued to whisper in front of her:

"And then, what helped us was..."

"...My 'magic'."

Tione smiled upon hearing Lefia's reply.

Finally, Tione hugged Lefia with a slightly lighter touch than he would his younger sister (Tiona), saying, "Watch me, watch me~", and patted her head all over.

Lefia blushed, but Tione's words and the warmth from her skin made her feel much more relaxed in her shoulders.

She blushed shyly, and the two of them laughed and joked like best friends. She said, "It tickles!" laughing and twisting her body. She lost her balance and, "Ouch!" they both fell down.

With their thick golden hair and black hair scattered on the cloth-covered floor, Lefia and Tione lay on their backs, looking into each other's eyes so close to each other, and both chuckled softly.

"If you feel uneasy, I can sleep with you, okay?"

"This... this... uh, is it really okay?"

"Of course, I couldn't sleep well at all because I slept in the same tent as Tiona. She talked in her sleep and kept moving around."

Tione leaned in and pressed her forehead against Tione's, causing Lefia's cheeks to flush red, and she laughed again.

She was prepared to step into the unreached floor for the first time tomorrow, but for now, she would forget about it.

In order to be able to laugh and joke together like this again in the future, Lefia told herself that she must complete her duties tomorrow.

"How about we sneak into the commander's tent? If I can use the commander as a body pillow, I think I'll be in top form for the battlefield tomorrow!"

"This...this might be a bit inappropriate..."

"I'm doomed... I'm doomed."

Large tents set up at the campsite.

Inside the tent assigned to a few male members, Raul was more nervous than some elven mage.

He sat on a chair in the corner of the tent, his legs trembling. The others, who were playing cards to relax, looked at him with concern. Now, the men and women in this tent, except for Raul, were all members of the guard team assigned to defend the camp.