Yet, events did not unfold with the calm Lixuman had anticipated.
When he lifted his head, a figure had been standing beside him for an indeterminate amount of time, silently observing the First-Level Elemental Magic Compendium under the soft glow of his staff.
"Caw, caw, caw!!"
Startled, Lixuman emitted the unrestrained sound of his skeletal form. He snatched the staff from the wall and instinctively put distance between himself and the newcomer.
It was none other than the purple-armored warrior who had severed Pound's horn.
"…Sorry, did I startle you?"
After a moment of silence, she spoke.
"N-no…" Lixuman shook his head. He merely wished to leave. Any danger here paled beside the threat of lingering near this humanoid tyrannosaur. He even contemplated retreating to confront the Lizardman King on the fifteenth floor rather than remain beside her. Should his skeletal nature be revealed, she could dismantle him twelve times over.
He gripped his staff, cautiously heading in one direction. She silently followed.
He turned left; she mirrored his movement.
…Cursed, had he been marked?
He halted; she halted.
Turning, he saw her casually polishing her sword.
"Is there something you need?"
"My magic item is broken. Borrowing your light," she replied.
"And your cleric companion?"
"Not a companion—probably dead."
Her words, delivered at thirty-six degrees of calm body temperature, carried an icy finality.
"I have a light-providing magic item. Would you like it?"
Lixuman retrieved the device from his pack and extended it to her.
"…Thank you."
Iru took the item and pressed the button.
Click!
The device shattered into pieces in her hand.
"…Impressive strength," Lixuman muttered, glancing at her hand—surely strong enough to crush his skull as easily as he might crush a nut.
"So, may I hire you?" he asked.
"No, I am—"
"Check if this money suffices."
He opened the pouch, revealing an immense pile of coins.
"Hiss—"
"If you don't mind."
Lixuman acquiesced to the power of capital. This sum alone could sustain an ordinary person for a lifetime. Initially, he had intended to refuse, but with such generous remuneration, refusal would seem conspicuously evasive.
"Wonderful. I am Iru Mantilde," she introduced herself. "I will ensure your safety, rest assured."
She removed her helmet, revealing cascading violet hair that shimmered with an almost ethereal hue. Most striking were her eyes—twin amethysts beneath lavender lashes, unearthly in their brilliance. Her flawless complexion resembled exquisite porcelain, while a sapphire earring on her right ear radiated subtle magical light, a testament to its quality.
Her beauty was not merely superior to humans—it was otherworldly.
"You should put your helmet back on," Lixuman forced his gaze away from her face.
"Why?" she asked.
"You are far too beautiful; looking upon you makes me feel shameful."
"…."
Though women seldom reject compliments, she seemed slightly amused, though she did not don her helmet again.
Silence fell between them as Lixuman served as a living lantern, following Iru's guidance through winding passages. She carried a sketchpad, meticulously drawing a map with precise, clear lines.
After some time, her voice broke the silence.
"We've explored enough for now. Let's take a short rest."
"Understood."
Iru led him to a small cavern, igniting a campfire.
"Do you know where this is? No floor in this dungeon looks like this," Lixuman asked, puzzled.
"You didn't know, yet managed to arrive here?" Iru asked, astonished.
"I fell while fleeing a special Lizardman King from the fifteenth floor," he explained honestly; no need for secrecy.
"Fortune or misfortune, hard to say," she murmured. "This is a hidden special labyrinth."
She continued to roast the meat from her recent hunt, seasoning it and offering a skewer to Lixuman.
"…I'm not very hungry."
"Suit yourself."
Iru ate heartily, unselfconsciously enjoying her meal. Lixuman felt a long-lost pang of hunger watching her.
After finishing, she wiped her mouth with her cloak, retrieved a cup.
"Water?"
"Oh, yes."
With a wave of his hand, a stream coalesced and filled her cup.
The two remained silent.
After eating, Iru removed her heavy armor. Lixuman respectfully averted his gaze. Once she had stripped the armor, she meticulously cleaned and maintained it. He glimpsed her physique, driven by curiosity alone; beneath the armor, her attire remained intact.
Her stature exceeded 1.7 meters, legs long and sculpted, muscles firm and well-defined. Armor concealed much, yet her figure was elegant and proportioned. Lixuman silently apologized to the imaginary "Gold Barbie" he had conjured in his mind.
Seated cross-legged by the fire, she focused on her task with patient diligence. Lixuman positioned his staff, its gem glowing brighter, and observed quietly.
"Ah, thank you," Iru smiled, glancing up.
He nodded and returned to the stone wall, conserving his energy.
When they resumed exploration, Iru had donned her armor again, and Lixuman resumed his role as a living lantern.
"Don't stray too far; danger may arise today," she warned, pulling him close when he drifted. The force felt less human—like a dragon's claw hooking him forward. Lixuman's respect deepened.
"ROOOAAAR!!"
A skeletal tiger leapt from a corner, pressing down with lethal immediacy. But a purple-armored hand seized its neck.
Snap.
Its spine broke effortlessly.
"Don't worry. I will keep you safe," Iru said, turning to Lixuman.
Damn—it was heroic to the point of overwhelming. Had he been female, he likely would have already fallen for her.