My life was a comedy where I always ended up face down on the floor. The debt of 15 coins with Astrid, because of the fiasco at the temple, was another weight on my back, and Melina's song about "the statue strippers" already made the adventurers laugh even in the taverns of Vaelor. My head was a whirlwind. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with my feelings in ways I couldn't understand. Elara's shy glances, more intense after her memories returned, made my heart race like a wild horse. Vespera's teasing, softer since Infernia, still made me blush like a bonfire. Liriel's jealousy, hidden behind sharp sarcasm, left me more lost than ever. To make things worse, Princess Lyra sent another letter, with a passionate tone praising my "indomitable strength," while Thalira, the elven envoy, threw glances mixing fascination and flirtation, causing Elara and Vespera to huff in annoyance. Elowyn, through her druidic messages, sent me a pendant of carved leaves, saying, "For your determination, Takumi." That only made the emotional chaos worse. I wanted to understand what I felt, but with this group, it was like trying to read a scroll in a hurricane. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, diadem, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, bracelet, ring, bracelet, medallion, ring, pendant, cord, bracelet, fragment, cord, scepter, pendant, necklace, bracelet, bracelet, cord, stone, cord, ring, amulet, fragment, pendant, and stone in my backpack all glowed together, and Elowen said the Demon King's ritual was happening right now. The danger felt like a deafening thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay off Astrid and avoid more humiliation.
At the Vaelor guild, after the search for the altar, Elowen sent us to an underground chamber where Kaelthorn was beginning the ritual. "This is your last chance," she said, with her mysterious aura. "Stop him." The guild gave us a mission: invade the chamber and interrupt the ritual. Liriel grumbled, "A damp chamber? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, gripping her staff, promised, "I'll use magic carefully, I swear!" Vespera, with her bow slung over her shoulder, smiled, "The ritual? This will be interesting." I tried to sound firm: "No crazy spells, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just stop the ritual." They laughed, as if I were dreaming. Lyra sent a royal bracelet as a "symbol of courage," and Liriel threw it to the ground: "Spoiled little princess!" Thalira, who joined us, said, "Your leadership is inspiring, Takumi." Elara muttered, "Why is she always so close?"
The chamber was a scene of black stone, with pulsating runes and a glowing altar at the center. Elowen introduced Leif, a human mage with long hair and sharp eyes. "The strippers? Don't destroy my chamber!" Leif said, with a mix of seriousness and sarcasm. He explained that the altar was already active, with Kaelthorn channeling energy. Melina appeared, strumming her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, attracting glances from allies. Elowyn touched my shoulder. "You lead with heart, Takumi." Elara and Vespera huffed, while Liriel kicked a rock. "Stupid princesses!" The atmosphere was heavy, jealousy flaring like wildfire.
The battle began, and chaos followed quickly. Elara tried a containment spell to block the runes. "Just to stop the altar!" she said. The spell glowed for seconds before she collapsed, gasping. "Mana... gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I could feel my heart pounding. "Takumi, I... I wanted to..." she began, but the spell destabilized a rune, releasing a wave of energy that knocked down pillars. Vespera, trying to attack, used her charm, but distracted Leif, who tripped over a minion. Her crooked arrow hit a column that collapsed. "What a delicious chaos!" she shouted, while Bjorn pushed her aside, and she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her wine cup. "Divine purification magic!" The light exploded but set the tapestries on fire, spreading smoke. I tried to hit a minion with my borrowed sword but slipped in a puddle, falling hard and knocking down stalactites. Leif, fighting the minions, shouted, "You're a disaster!"
Kaelthorn, in the center, laughed, his red eyes glowing with dark energy. "The ritual is complete!" he shouted. Elara, still in my arms, murmured, "Takumi, have you ever felt... that you can't change fate?" Her voice was fragile, and I felt a tightness in my chest. Vespera teased, "Getting intimate, Takumi?" Lyra, who had joined the mission, said, "Your bravery is charming, Takumi." Elara blushed, murmuring, "Why is she so close?" while Liriel, her eyes burning with jealousy, shouted, "Focus, mortal, or you'll burn the whole chamber down!" Thalira laughed, "Your chaos is almost legendary." Elowyn, with a druidic glow, said, "You're stronger than you think, Takumi." Vespera scoffed, "Another princess!" Liriel kicked Lyra's bracelet: "Stupid princesses!" Leif, sighing, put out the fire with a spell, but the tapestries were ashes. He found a fragment with the same markings as the items in my backpack, lying among the debris. "Curious," he said, handing it to me. As I touched the fragment, it vibrated, knocking down more stalactites. Leif, irritated, said, "You'll pay for this." Our allies laughed, and Melina sang, "In the chamber, they strip the stalactites, the strippers fall into confusion!" Leif grumbled, "You're a plague!"
With a joint effort, Leif and Astrid, who had arrived to help, deactivated the runes. Kaelthorn escaped, but the ritual was interrupted. We returned to the Vaelor guild with the fragment, but the chamber was damaged. They paid us 50 coins, minus deductions for damages. We paid off Astrid's debt, but Leif charged 10 coins for the tapestries. At the inn, I sat exhausted while Elara and Vespera argued about who "messed up less." "I only used one spell!" Elara said, her cheeks red. "And I only shot one arrow!" Vespera retorted, avoiding my gaze. Liriel, drinking wine, mocked, "You're pathetic. I did everything." Elowen appeared, examined the fragment, and said, "The ritual was delayed, but Kaelthorn hasn't given up. Be careful, strippers." She left without explaining further. The mood was tense, with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel exchanging jealous looks, and the words of Lyra, Thalira, and Elowyn only making things worse. "What's going on, Takumi?" Elara asked, visibly jealous. Vespera muttered, "Nothing, just spoiled princesses."
When Elara and Vespera went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's sitting on your throne now?" She shrugged, with a lazy smile. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying but handles the rest." She took a sip. "Why? Want to send me back, mortal?" She smiled, with a look that left me confused. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, diadem, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, bracelet, ring, bracelet, medallion, ring, pendant, cord, bracelet, fragment, cord, scepter, pendant, necklace, bracelet, bracelet, cord, stone, cord, ring, amulet, fragment, pendant, stone, fragment. Elara's memories, Liriel's jealousy, Lyra's letters, Thalira's and Elowyn's flirting, the debt with Leif — my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.