My life was a comedy where I always ended up face-first on the ground. The 15-coin debt to Hilda, because of the fiasco in the swamp, was another weight on my back, and Melina's song about "the tree strippers" was already making adventurers laugh even in Vaelor's taverns. My head was a whirlwind. Elara and Vespera tangled 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 left me red as a bonfire. Liriel, with her sharp sarcasm, left me lost, but today her gaze seemed more thoughtful than jealous. To make things worse, Princess Lyra sent another letter, in a passionate tone that praised my "epic courage," while Thalira, the elven envoy, gave me looks mixing fascination and flirtation, making Elara and Vespera huff. Elowyn, with her druidic messages, sent a carved stone amulet, saying, "For your strength, Takumi." That only increased the emotional chaos. 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, orb, tome, 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, and medallion in my backpack all glowed together, and Elowen said the Demon King was about to awaken. The danger felt like a deafening thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay my debt to Hilda and avoid more humiliation.
At the Vaelor guild, after defeating Kaelthorn, Elowen warned us that the Demon King was manifesting in a cursed ravine. "He's using the items you carry," she said, with her mysterious aura. "Face him now." The guild gave us a mission: to invade the ravine and stop the Demon King's awakening. Liriel grumbled, "A filthy ravine? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, clutching her staff, promised, "I'll use my magic carefully, I swear!" Vespera, with her bow slung over her shoulder, smiled, "The Demon King? This should be interesting." I tried to sound firm: "No crazy spells, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just defeat the enemy." They laughed, as if I were dreaming. Lyra sent a royal pendant as a "symbol of glory," and Liriel threw it on the ground: "Stuck-up princess!" Thalira, who accompanied us, said, "Your leadership is magnificent, Takumi." Elara muttered, "Why is she always so close?"
The ravine was a scene of dark rocks, with black smoke rising from the ground and pulsing runes on the walls. Elowen introduced Torin, a human warrior with worn armor and determined eyes. "The Strippers? Don't destroy my ravine!" said Torin, in a tone that mixed seriousness and sarcasm. He explained that the Demon King was at the center, channeling the items from my backpack. Melina appeared, strumming her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, drawing glances from allies. Elowyn touched my shoulder. "You lead with soul, Takumi." Elara and Vespera huffed, while Liriel kicked a rock: "Idiotic princesses!" The atmosphere was tense, with rivalries burning like a bonfire.
The battle began, and chaos came quickly. Elara tried a containment spell to block the runes. "Just to weaken 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 felt my heart pound. "Takumi, I... I wanted to..." she began, but the spell stirred the runes, releasing shadows that attacked. Vespera, trying to help, used her charm but distracted Torin, who tripped on a rock. Her crooked arrow hit a stalagmite, which collapsed. "What a delicious mess!" she shouted, as Hilda shoved her—and she seemed to like it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her wine cup. "Divine purification magic!" The light exploded but ignited the lichens, spreading smoke. I tried to hit a shadow with my borrowed sword but slipped in a puddle, falling with a thud that sent rocks tumbling. Torin, fighting the shadows, shouted, "You're a disaster!"
The Demon King appeared, a colossal figure with flaming eyes and glowing claws. "The items are mine!" he roared, pointing at my backpack. Elara, still in my arms, murmured, "Takumi, have you ever felt... that you can't stop the inevitable?" Her voice was fragile, and I felt a knot in my chest. Vespera teased, "Getting intimate, Takumi?" Lyra, who had joined the mission, said, "Your bravery is enchanting, Takumi." Elara blushed, muttering, "Why is she so close?" Thalira laughed, "Your chaos is almost legendary." Elowyn, with a druidic glow, said, "You're stronger than you think, Takumi." Vespera snorted, "Another princess!" Liriel just rolled her eyes, sipping her wine. Torin, sighing, put out the fire with a spell, but the lichens were reduced to ashes. He found a cord with the same markings as the items in my backpack, fallen among the debris. "Curious," he said, handing it to me. When I touched the cord, it vibrated, knocking down more rocks. Torin, irritated, said, "You'll pay for this." Allies laughed, and Melina sang, "In the ravine, they strip the stones, the Strippers fall into confusion!" Torin grumbled, "You're a plague!"
With a joint effort, Torin, Hilda, and Leif weakened the runes. I faced the Demon King, dodging his blows. He laughed, "You are insignificant, Takumi!" But Elara, recovered, cast a weak spell that threw him off balance, Vespera landed a surprisingly accurate arrow in his shoulder, and Liriel, with a precise spell, destroyed the altar. The Demon King roared but crumbled, leaving an echo: "I will return." We went back to the Vaelor guild with the cord, but the ravine was damaged. They paid us 50 coins, minus the deductions for damages. We paid off the debt to Hilda, but Torin charged 10 coins for the lichens. At the inn, I sat, exhausted, while Elara and Vespera argued about who "messed up less." "I only used one spell!" said Elara, cheeks red. "And I only shot one arrow!" retorted Vespera, avoiding my gaze. Liriel, drinking wine, mocked, "You're pathetic. I did everything." Elowen appeared, examined the cord, and said, "The Demon King was banished, but his essence remains. Be careful, Strippers." She left without further explanation. The atmosphere was heavy, with Elara and Vespera throwing jealous looks, and Lyra, Thalira, and Elowyn's words only making things worse. "What's going on, Takumi?" asked Elara, jealousy clear in her tone. Vespera muttered, "Nothing, just stuck-up princesses."
When Elara and Vespera went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne now?" She shrugged, with a lazy smile. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she takes care of things." 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, orb, tome, 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, medallion, cord. Elara's memories, Lyra's letters, Thalira and Elowyn's flirting, the debt with Torin—my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.