My life was a comedy where I always ended up flat on my face. The 15-coin debt to Ingrid, because of the fiasco at the fortified field, was another weight on my back, and Melina's song about "the barrier strippers" already had adventurers laughing in the taverns of Vaelor. My head was a whirlwind. Elara and Vespera messed with my feelings in ways I couldn't understand. Elara's shy glances, more intense after her regained memories, made my heart race like a wild horse. Vespera's teasing, softer since Infernia, still made me blush like a bonfire. Liriel, with her sharp sarcasm, left me lost, but today her gaze seemed more determined than jealous. To make matters worse, Princess Lyra sent another letter, with a passionate tone praising my "unshakable courage," while Thalira, the elven envoy, threw me looks mixing fascination and flirtation, causing Elara and Vespera to huff. Elowyn, with her druidic messages, sent me a carved vine cord, saying: "For your perseverance, Takumi." That only made my 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, 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, ring, and fragment in my backpack all glowed together, and Elowen said the Demon King's ritual was about to be completed. The danger felt like deafening thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay my debt to Ingrid and avoid more humiliation.
At the Vaelor guild, after the fight with the minions, Elowen summoned us for the final confrontation. "Kaelthorn is at the dark fortress," she said, with her mysterious aura. "He begins the ritual now. Attack at dawn." The guild gave us a mission: invade the fortress and defeat the general once and for all. Liriel grumbled, "A stinking fortress? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, clutching her staff, promised, "I'll use my spells carefully, I swear!" Vespera, with her bow slung over her shoulder, smirked, "The general? This will be interesting." I tried to sound firm: "No crazy spells, no crooked arrows, no succubus charms. Just finish him." They laughed, as if I were dreaming. Lyra sent a royal pendant as a "symbol of glory," and Liriel threw it to the ground: "Stuck-up princess!" Thalira, who joined us, said, "Your leadership is inspiring, Takumi." Elara muttered, "Why is she always so close?"
The dark fortress was a scene of twisted towers, cold winds, and an oppressive magical aura. Elowen introduced Nora, a human warrior with short hair and fierce eyes. "The strippers? Don't destroy my fortress!" Nora said, with a tone mixing seriousness and sarcasm. She explained that Kaelthorn was in the throne hall, protected by minions and a ritual altar. Melina appeared, strumming her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, catching everyone's attention. Elowyn touched my shoulder. "You lead with soul, Takumi." Elara and Vespera huffed, while Liriel kicked a rock: "Stupid 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 a few seconds before she collapsed, gasping. "Mana... gone," she moaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I felt my heart pounding. "Takumi, I... I wanted to..." she began, but the spell triggered a rune, releasing minions that attacked. Vespera, trying to help, used her charm but distracted Nora, who tripped over a minion. Her crooked arrow hit a column, which collapsed. "What a delightful mess!" she shouted, as Ylva pushed her aside — she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her wine glass. "Divine purification magic!" The light exploded but set the tapestries on fire, spreading smoke. I tried to strike a minion with my borrowed sword but slipped on ice, crashing and knocking over statues. Nora, fighting the minions, shouted, "You're a disaster!"
Kaelthorn emerged in the hall, clad in black armor and with flaming red eyes. "The Demon King will be freed!" he roared, activating the altar with the stolen items. Elara, still in my arms, murmured, "Takumi, have you ever felt... that we're in this together?" Her voice was soft, and my chest tightened. Vespera teased, "Getting cozy, Takumi?" Lyra, who accompanied the mission, said, "Your bravery is enchanting, Takumi." Elara blushed, whispering, "Why is she so close?" Thalira laughed, "Your chaos is almost epic." Elowyn, with a druidic glow, said, "You're stronger than you think, Takumi." Vespera snorted, "Another princess!" Liriel just rolled her eyes, sipping wine. Nora sighed, putting out the fire with a spell, but the tapestries were ashes. She found a scepter with markings identical to the ones on my backpack items, lying among the rubble. "Curious," she said, handing it to me. As I touched the scepter, it vibrated, knocking down more statues. Nora, irritated, said, "You'll pay for this." Our allies laughed, and Melina sang, "In the fortress, they strip the statues, the strippers fall into confusion!" Nora grumbled, "You're a plague!"
The fight with Kaelthorn was the fiercest yet. He launched dark energy blasts that I barely dodged. "You are weak!" he laughed, but Ingrid blocked a blow, giving me time. Elara, recovered, cast a weak spell that cracked his armor, Vespera hit an arrow squarely into his shoulder, and Liriel, with precise magic, purified his energy. The items in my backpack glowed, and I used the stolen scepter to counterattack, weakening Kaelthorn. Gunnar and Leif attacked with axe and spells, Thorne cut through minions like grass, Sigrid healed wounds, Sven tracked openings, and Freya shot precise arrows. Kaelthorn roared, summoning a wave of shadows that toppled pillars. "The Demon King will come!" he shouted. But with my last breath, I lunged, piercing his armor with my sword. Kaelthorn fell, screaming, "This isn't over!" His body dissolved into black smoke, and the altar exploded in white light. The fortress trembled, but the ritual was destroyed forever. My allies cheered, but I collapsed, the world fading. "Takumi!" Elara shouted, running to me. I felt hands grabbing me, voices echoing. "Stay... safe," I murmured, before everything went dark.
I woke in a white void — the same space from the start of my journey. No sound, no light, only infinite nothingness. "Dead again," I thought, sighing in relief. At least no debts, no chaos from Elara, Vespera, and Liriel, no snobby princesses, no Demon King. A voice echoed: "Takumi, you have a choice." An ethereal figure appeared, a goddess of gentle light, with a serene smile. "Reincarnate in another world, with a new life. Forget this chaos." A screen appeared, with world options: one of pure magic, another of advanced technology, another of eternal peace. My finger hovered over "accept," relief flooding me. No debts, no humiliation, no... them. But an image flashed in my mind: Elara's shy smile, Vespera laughing at a disaster, Liriel huffing over her wine. The void gripped my chest like a claw. "No," I murmured hoarsely. The goddess smiled. "Then go back to them." A light enveloped me, and the void dissolved into a swirl of colors.
I opened my eyes in the Vaelor inn, with Elara crying beside me, Vespera gripping my hand tightly, Liriel, eyes wet, murmuring something incomprehensible. "Takumi!" Elara shouted, throwing herself on top of me, hugging me as if I would vanish. Vespera joined, laughing through tears: "Idiot, don't scare me like that again!" Liriel, reluctant, touched my shoulder, her voice low: "Don't do that again, mortal." Their embrace was warm and tight, and I laughed, a mix of frustration and relief. Back to chaos, debts, sabotaged flirts, the Demon King whispering — but happy, more than ever. "I... came back," I said, holding them close. The guild paid 70 coins for the victory but deducted 50 for damages. 20 left — enough for a week at the inn. Elowen nodded: "The ritual was broken, but the Demon King still whispers. Be careful." Lyra, Thalira, and Elowyn, who were there, smiled, but the jealousy in the air was palpable. Elara murmured, "You're ours, Takumi." Vespera laughed, "Don't get used to it." Liriel just huffed but held my arm. My life was a nightmare, but it was my nightmare.