Progress through the Dungeon was remarkably smooth.
Lefiya couldn't quite understand it—how could a rookie adventurer's exploration be going this flawlessly?
The supposed "newbie killers," the Killer Ants, had their hard exoskeletons sliced open like brittle radishes under the direct strikes of that pitch-black dagger. Before the monsters could even react, the blade punched through their shells and ended them instantly.
The Purple Moths, which attacked from above while scattering a light dust of scales, didn't faze the boy either. Instead of panicking, he met them head-on.
It was as if the monsters were willingly throwing themselves onto Bell's dagger.
Remembering the grueling days of her own Dungeon training, Lefiya grew increasingly convinced that Bell Cranel was anything but ordinary.
Logically, she should've already signaled Finn and the others to clear the monsters along the path.
Seventh floor.
Eighth floor...
And even now, the boy remained completely unfazed, handling every situation with ease.
"I feel like I'm just a sparring partner…" Lefiya sighed.
She was beginning to understand Riveria's mindset—wanting to see just how far this boy could go, yet constantly worrying he might suddenly hit a wall and fall short.
"Isn't that exactly why they sent you?"
Bell split a Killer Ant's shell with a single chop and retrieved its Magic Stone.
"I never heard anything like that."
Her mission was to ensure the boy's safety and signal Finn and the others when needed. That was all.
"Ah, maybe Finn-san thinks you're an idiot, so he didn't say it outright."
Seeing the blond elf looking a little discouraged, Bell intentionally teased her.
As expected, Lefiya immediately puffed out her cheeks and fired back, "You left out the important word magic! Idiot!"
Loki's nickname "magic idiot" could be taken as praise—it meant her magic was exceptional.
But Bell's comment clearly implied she simply lacked common sense.
"Then answer me: Loki Familia has plenty of powerful members like Ais-san. Why send you as my guard?"
Bell hit the heart of the matter.
As a protector, a Mage like Lefiya—who needed to stand still to chant—was definitely not an ideal choice.
"...Are you trying to say Ais-san should've come instead?" The blond elf truly couldn't follow his reasoning.
"Lefiya-san, aren't you maybe a little too obsessed with Ais-san?"
"Wh—what?! Y-you—you—don't say strange things!"
Bell's remark set Lefiya's embarrassment ablaze.
While she waved her staff in flustered protest, the boy darted away like a nimble rabbit, effortlessly avoiding the golden yellow haired elf's attempts to grab him.
Bell ran for quite a while, casually slicing apart a Killer Ant that lunged at him.
"He stabbed through the shell with his right hand and stripped the Magic Stone with his left…"
Panting, Lefiya stared in shock.
Even without an updated Status, the boy kept learning about the monsters mid-battle, refining his movements again and again.
Watching him, Lefiya couldn't help but think: I really need to push myself harder…
No—more importantly—
Just how badly does he not want to get caught by me?!
"I... I'm not chasing you anymore. I was just pretending. I wasn't really trying to hit you... I can't run anymore..."
Bell turned at her plea and gave a small smile.
"Lefiya-san, you must be pretty high-level, right? Yet you can't outrun a rookie adventurer. No wonder people call you a magic idiot."
"?!"
Lefiya had been about to sit down and catch her breath. But the moment she heard that, she tightened her grip on her staff and shot back to her feet.
"I just wasn't serious earlier! Since you said that, don't you dare let me catch you!"
The golden-yellow-haired Elf's face darkened, several storm clouds seeming to gather over her expression.
"Lefiya-san?" Bell sensed something was off.
Under the pressure pouring from her, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. There was no doubt—this beautiful Elf was building up terrifying hostility. Bell swore he could almost see black miasma rising off her. He opened his mouth, ready to call a truce, when Lefiya began to mutter.
"He licked Ais-san's neck..."
"He grabbed Ais-san's chest..."
"He saw something he shouldn't have during the lap pillow..."
"The enemy... unforgivable, unforgivable..."
"?!"
Bell stared at her sapphire eyes, the fury inside churning like a raging ocean.
"Are you misunderstanding something?"
It wasn't even a misunderstanding anymore—the golden-yellow-haired Elf was letting her imagination run wild. With every mechanical "unforgivable," Lefiya's mind had already painted Bell as a vile scoundrel who had defiled the Sword Princess.
Finally, her wand creaked under her grip as she stomped forward, cracking the ground.
"Unforgivable!!!!"
"...!"
At the height of her rage, Bell Cranel ran faster than he ever had in his life.
...
The chase continued all the way to the tenth floor. In the grassland-like expanse there, the boy and the golden-yellow-haired Elf lay on the ground, one on each side, sprawled across the grass.
"Why... can you run like that..." Lefiya stared up at the high ceiling, gasping for breath.
"Lefiya-san is the one who... I shouldn't have called you a magic idiot."
Bell wasn't hurt, but he was drenched in sweat. If the monsters on the ninth floor hadn't been the same type as before, he would've been caught easily.
Their chase even drew Finn's attention. The Pallum captain, thinking the enemy had discovered Bell Cranel's presence and sent monsters after them, rushed over—only to see the truth and return to the front with a helpless smile, matching their pace and speeding up the formation's advance.
"So... why exactly did the Captain send me?"
As her delusions faded, Lefiya's anger vanished. She couldn't even remember why she'd been chasing that boy so desperately. She could only recall their earlier conversation.
"The reason is simple. I can't learn anything from you."
Bell didn't sugarcoat it and stated his guess outright.
"...Are you looking down on me? If I had any strength left, I'd smack you."
White mist drifted over the tenth floor, giving Lefiya's face a mysterious and vivid glow.
"I'm telling the truth. Basically, I wanted to make use of the Loki Familia, and your Captain noticed."
Bell said it casually, but Lefiya turned toward him, staring blankly.
"...You said make use of?"
"Something like that. Like having Ais-san come with us—even a little is enough for me to learn something."
"..."
Ignoring her stunned silence, Bell continued, "The Loki Familia really does have a good Captain. But honestly, if you can keep me safe and let me move through the Dungeon without risk, that's more than enough for me."
Lefiya lay on her side facing him, blinking repeatedly. This was a contest of wits between the Captain and the boy. Like merchants bargaining, no blades drawn, yet both minds were already operating at impossible heights.
Lefiya's sapphire eyes stayed fixed on his face.
Honestly... this just makes me look like an idiot. Try understanding a girl's feelings a little, you idiot.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/PinkSnake