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

Page 958

As Ryu made her way through the dark, murky labyrinth, she offered a self-deprecating smile to her fallen comrades.

The scenes I remembered came back to me.

As the adventurer (Ryu) remained vigilant and constantly on guard, the consciousness of the separated girl (Ryu) drifted back to the past.

Volume Fourteen Interlude: A Recollection of Justice

"I demand you correct this, Kaguya!"

That was something that happened in the past.

Liu was filled with indignation.

In a room of the "Garden of Stars," the headquarters of the Astrea Familia, located in a corner of Orario, she is having a conflict with a member of the Familia.

"Why should I retract my words?"

A beautiful young girl with long, straight black hair flowing down her back smiled sweetly.

Her island-style clothing and the hairpins in her hair told everyone that she was from the Far East.

The girl's words and actions were gentle and graceful, like a noble lady living in seclusion; she didn't take Liu's aggressive tone to heart at all, and maintained her smile by tilting her head slightly to show her.

"You say that for the sake of the greater good, we must sacrifice the minority? Is this the 'justice' that the goddess Astraea longs for? What's the point of peace gained through sacrifice?!"

Hearing these words from Ryu, who was younger than she was then and whose fastidious nature as an elf was evident in her words...

The girl named Kaguya first opened her crescent-shaped eyes, then narrowed them like a fox.

"You...you...you...idiot...you're so shallow it makes my legs go weak."

"Varied……!!"

"That's why you're called a useless elf!"

She changed her attitude faster than turning the pages of a book, snorted through her nose, and completely forgot about manners and etiquette.

Ryu was about to explode with anger when faced with a girl who mocked her in a way that made her furious with her drawn-out, infuriating tone.

Kaguya Gojou.

She is the Lv.4 and vice-captain of the [Asteria Familia], and is one of the top hand-to-hand combat experts among the faction's Japanese swordsmen. She and the then-rising [Gale] are rivals.

Kaguya doesn't like to talk about herself, but she seems to have a high status in the Far East.

Her bangs were cut straight across her forehead, and her long, waist-length black hair was as smooth as silk. When she put on a kimono and smiled slightly, she truly embodied the "Yamato Nadeshiko" of the Far East.

However, the moment she opens her mouth, her illusions are shattered.

Her words are unpleasant and lack class.

She sat cross-legged, unafraid of revealing her underwear, and complained of being hot even when there were men around, wearing only a bra. The elf Liu almost fainted when she saw this.

The One-Eyed Giant Master of the Hephaestus Familia—are these the only women in the Far East? Ryu almost cursed at her several times.

"I was also moved by the goddess Astraea and became utterly captivated by her. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen to settle here. That goddess's character is noble and dignified, worthy of admiration."

“In that case…!”

"However, the 'justice' of the goddess Astraea is different from its practical application in reality."

Ryu tried to argue, but Kaguya deflated her, saying, "Let me put it another way so you can understand, okay?"

"Don't think that with our limited strength, we can save everyone."

She spoke with a sharp gaze and a cold tone.

"Rion, you are very capable and worthy of being called my formidable rival. However, among this [Familia], you are the most naive one."

"Varied……!"

"I don't look down on you because you're an elf. What I mean is, your heart is the most fragile."

The sudden insult made Ryu's eyebrows furrow, and she wanted to grab Kaguya...

"If it's really as you say, then why did Shakti's sister, Adi, die?"

But those words made Liu stop in her tracks.

"Didn't she die right before our eyes? Killed by the dark faction with some random self-destruct device."

The labyrinth city was in its "dark period" at the time.

Led by the Rudra Familia, to which the Beast Tamer (Jara) belongs, various "evil forces" have risen, bringing destruction and lamentation to Orario.

The rampant bandits have shattered the city's order, turning it into a chaotic and sinful metropolis. The powerless people bleed and weep endlessly, while the brave warriors who try to stop the "evil" are also forced to sacrifice their lives.

"Look at the city, the crying hasn't stopped yet. People have sacrificed their lives and this is all we can do. What right do we have to shout about pure and flawless 'justice'?"

"...!"

"Save all living beings? You didn't save them at all, did you, you big fool?"

Kaguya touched the two small katanas tucked into her waistband and said disdainfully.

There was neither anger nor disappointment, only a cold indifference that proclaimed the stark truth.

"The 'justice' you talk about is nothing but a beautifully imagined 'ideal'. Everyone will be forced to make a 'choice' one day. Me too, and so will you."

The girl's dark eyes seemed to have lost interest in Ryu, and she looked away from her.

"I think you should try to learn more about this world."

Finally, as if mocking her, Kaguya left behind this harsh remark and turned her back to her.

Liu, who was thrown down, clenched her fists, powerless to do anything but clench them tighter.

She wasn't angry at Kaguya, but rather at herself for not knowing what to say in response.

"You two are arguing again, and it's really fierce."

At that moment, someone appeared.

As if passing by by chance, Captain Alexie peeked out from the corridor.

Upon seeing the red-haired girl enter the room, Ryu quickly looked away.

"It's good to express opinions and have a lively discussion, but I think you could lower your voice a bit. I was just passing by, so it was fine, but even the goddess Astraea heard it. This will only make that goddess more heartbroken."

"..."

"Okay, but Goddess Astraea might also say, 'It's okay for you two to have a heart-to-heart talk.' So, Kaguya won this argument? Rio, you're just too straightforward; it's really easy for people to find fault with your words."

Alexie joked as she smiled at the dejected Liu.

Ryu's gaze remained fixed on the floor as she spoke softly:

"I...cannot tolerate it. Even if I'm foolish, and Kaguya is right, I still feel that sacrifice shouldn't have been considered from the start... That would be like surrendering to 'evil forces.' It would simply be declaring one's powerlessness and forgetting to strive for 'justice'!"

As Liu spoke, her earlier emotions returned, and she spoke with great enthusiasm—

"Calm down, Leon."

"That's what Alexie said," and took Ryu's little finger.

The index finger and thumb tightly enveloped Liu's slender fingers.

Incredibly, this gradually made Ryu's mood transparent and clear.

It's always the same.

The girl named Alyssa always manages to calm Ryu's heart.

Ryu felt as if she had been sucked into the green eyes in front of her.

"...Alicie, did you hear what Kaguya said?"

"Oh, you mentioned letting go of some things? Did you hear me?"

"What do you think, Alexandra? Do you also think... sacrifice is inevitable?"

Before she knew it, Ryu had asked the question.

Alexie answered the question quickly.

She straightened her thin chest and said without hesitation:

"Of course, it would be best if everyone could be saved. I think Ryu put it better!"

Liu was completely stunned.

Because of the confusion that had arisen, it was so easy for them to receive affirmation.

In response to Ryu's blinking eyes, Alexie continued:

"But I don't know if this is the right thing to do."

“Eh…?”

"Because I don't believe that pursuing 'ideals' too honestly will lead to everything going smoothly."

On the contrary, it might come at a cost, causing even more sacrifices, she said.

Alexei does not deny Ryu's or Kaguya's views; this is not based on personal opinions, but rather on the principles of nature.

"I heard that when Kaguya was in the Far East, she experienced many different things. I think she must have seen a world that we can't even imagine, right?"

"...You mean...the political struggles in the Far East?"

"Yes, that's why Kaguya speaks so harshly... No, maybe she speaks that way to protect what's truly important."

The girl group leader seemed to be mindful of Kaguya's feelings and offered this advice to Ryu.

"I think there might not be a right answer. It all depends on what you do to achieve your wish and how much effort you put in. And then, when faced with an 'ideal' that cannot be achieved, what you can leave behind. Even someone as upright, intelligent, and perfect as me can only say this."

After rambling on about things in the latter half, whether seriously or jokingly...

With these assumptions in mind, Alexandra smiled.

"However, 'ideals' are very important, aren't they?"

Like a pure and flawless flower, graceful and charming.

"Even if it's just nice words, we should strive to achieve them, no matter how much ridicule or humiliation we suffer. Otherwise, we'll just become weak creatures who only know how to passively accept our fate."

At that time, Alexie's words and her straightforward eyes...

Liu still remembers it vividly to this day.

"If you never pursue your 'ideals' and only compromise, what you eventually gain will be very insignificant."

That's my opinion.

That's what I believe.

Alise said it with absolute certainty.

"I don't know if this is right or wrong, but I shouldn't give up. Because the 'ideal' I'm pursuing should be full of happiness."

"..."

"Therefore, the act of pursuing 'ideals' has its significance."

Every word Alexie said touched Ryu's heart at that time.

The single-minded pursuit of "justice" stirred up ripples in the heart.

"...What if someone actually achieves their 'ideal'?"