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

"...Bell?"

Winnie stopped and looked back.

The sounds of fierce fighting that had reached her ears ceased. The worry that had been weighing on her mind now transformed into a growing unease. Winnie stood there blankly, holding the invisibility cloak. After a moment's hesitation, she began to slowly walk back along the route she had taken to escape.

"Bell...a god?"

Winnie walked cautiously along the complicated path. She pressed the dragon's single wing against her body, pressed her hand against her thin chest, and walked along the wall like a lost child rather than a monster.

Around the corner, she might bump into those cold, golden eyes that were fixed on her. Stepping onto the street ahead, perhaps that terrifying, silvery sword would sever her head. Just as the shadowy space whispered its imagined scenarios in her ear, making her breath tremble…

A figure appeared behind Winnie.

“──!?”

As Winnie turned around abruptly, a hand reached out and covered her mouth.

Then her slender waist was pulled towards the other person, and she received a warm embrace along with her single wing.

(Winnie, keep your voice down.)

(Ah... Bell!)

Upon hearing the white-haired boy whisper in her ear, Winnie felt completely exhausted, but at the same time, she felt relieved.

But she immediately noticed Bell's condition. His clothes and armor were battered and stained with blood. The boy's face also betrayed his pain and exhaustion.

Just as Winnie was speechless, Bell said "Let's go" and took her hand.

"Be, Bell..."

"I'm sorry, just bear with it a little longer, Winnie."

Bell apologized, her voice trembling with emotion, while keeping a watchful eye on Ais's shadow.

He gripped Winnie's hand tightly, and as he brought his mouth close to the eyeglasses on the glove, he suddenly looked up.

The blackened stone pavement, the wide crossroads, and the red-lined road signs (Ariadne) on the wall. The long-held sense of déjà vu finally materialized into a clear outline, gently knocking on the door of memory.

(Oh, I see...)

He finally remembered.

They would naturally think that having seen it before is a given.

Bell once walked this road.

At the time, I was with Hestia, being chased by the "Silverback Ape" on the day of the Monster Festival.

Bell, reflecting on his actions, couldn't help but chuckle self-deprecatingly at what he was about to do, and asked Hestia:

"Immortal... is there a secret passage nearby?"

"Huh? Ah, uh... there are some, but they don't reach Fels and the others; they'd take a longer route..."

Please tell me how to get there.

Bell asked a confused Hestia for directions.

The two followed her directions and eventually came to a wide, dead-end alley. Belle, as instructed, pushed a stone slab into the wall, which opened, revealing a shortcut. Belle let Winnie go first, then handed her something.

"Bell...? This is...?"

"Yes, you can use this to talk to a deity. She will always watch over you..."

Bell removed the only eye crystal from the gauntlet and put it into Winnie's hand.

"Bell, you..."

Hestia on the other end of the crystal was first taken aback, then fell silent.

"Follow this road, I'm going to stay here for a bit."

“Eh…?”

Winnie's eyes were also filled with astonishment, and she swayed uncomfortably.

"Bell, what are you going to do?"

"I want to talk to Miss Ais... She will definitely come."

"..."

"You'll be fine if you listen to the gods. Don't worry, I'll catch up with you right away."

How could anyone possibly catch up?

Once you give up the eye crystal, you will lose the goddess's guidance and be unable to find Winnie's location.

Bell wore a gentle smile, masked by a lie, and patted Winnie's hair.

Hestia listened to their conversation without saying a word. Bell was grateful that she had understood his thoughts.

Winnie stared blankly at Bell, who gently nudged her.

"Go ahead."

Winnie entered the cave and disappeared behind the closed secret door.

Those amber eyes remained fixed on Bell until the very end. The door slammed shut, and he pressed his forehead against it.

(This is the second time...)

I'm such a despicable person. I couldn't beat Ais, and I realized I couldn't protect Winnie, so I drove Winnie away, just like I did with Hestia.

I am still a cowardly, incompetent, and weak adventurer.

(I remember, back then...)

When cornered by the "silverback ape," Bell fondly thought: "I really hope to see Ais again." It's ironic how that contrasts with his current situation.

Bell was laughing; he found the whole thing really strange. No, perhaps the strange thing was his own mind.

Not long after, a sense of presence appeared behind him with a "thud," and Bell slowly turned around.

"Bell..."

Ais stared intently at Bell. She must have seen Bell let Winnie go; her eyes held a reproachful glint. Bell tried to force a smile, but instead managed a defeated one.

The only way Winnie escaped was through the entrance that Bell was now guarding behind her.

Ais didn't know where the exit of the secret passage was, and had no choice but to force Bell to move aside.

This will buy us time for Winnie to escape.

Moreover, Ais now has no choice but to deal with Bell.

Yes, he wouldn't let Ais ignore him.

"Get out of the way."

"I won't allow it."

"What do I have to do to get you to move aside?"

"As long as Miss Ais is willing to listen to me."

"..."

Ais lowered her gaze again and closed her eyes.

Then, she resolutely swung her sword.

Bell, who had been smiling, pursed her lips and raised her weapon at Ais as she approached.

*

On a dark and gloomy road.

"..."

"...Go right ahead, Winnie."

"..."

"...and then just keep going straight."

"..."

"..."

"…………immortal."

"……What's up?"

"I don't want this..."

"..."

"I don't want this, to be separated from Bell...! Bell is lying...!"

"..."

"Bell is always willing to save me, and I'm happy about that, but no! I don't want Bell to get hurt, I don't want him to cry!"

"..."

"I haven't done anything to repay Bell yet!"

"...I won't stop you."

"what?"

"Because I understand, I used to be just like Winnie."

"Am I like a god...?"

"Yeah, right? You know, Bell is such a liar, isn't he? He knows he's weak, but he always pretends to be strong and tries to look cool. He's clearly scared and wants to run away, he clearly knows he can't beat his opponent..."

"..."

"Even now, I really don't want to fight like this with the girl I admire, it's so upsetting..."

"Why...?"

"Because that child can't stand by and watch a girl in trouble... no, he can't stand by and watch his family die."

"family……?"

"Yes, it has nothing to do with humans or monsters. Winnie, that child truly considers you a beloved member of the family."

"...God, I'd better not do this."

"Um."

"I want to go find Bell."

"Um."

"I want to repay Bell's kindness."

"Are you mentally prepared? I mean, prepared to say goodbye to Bell forever... which means possibly dying."

"Well, this time—it's my turn to help Bell."

"...Alright, go ahead."

"Thank you, God."

"Winnie".

"What's up?"

"You've become stronger."

*

The slash struck him viciously.

Empty test tubes lay scattered at his feet; the elixir was gone. Bell had lost count of how many times he had nearly collapsed. He had endured countless attacks, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit, but Bell persevered and brandished his dagger.

"...!"

Even with his knees nearly buckling and him almost collapsing, Bell stood up. Not only did he refuse to move aside, but he also boldly launched an attack. Ais gasped, but she showed no mercy. The trajectory of her sword, accompanied by the whistling of the wind, left Bell battered and bruised.

A high-speed kasaya slash. Unstoppable.

Blade strike. Strike from the side to deflect it off course.