"Alright, kiddos—crisis pow-wow time!" Loki's voice echoed through the big room. "How the hell're we s'posed to scrub this stink off our damn banner?"
The four of them were gathered in the captain's office early in the afternoon. Loki sat casually, legs crossed atop Finn's large table. Riveria leaned against a bookshelf to the side, Gareth sat on a stool against the wall opposite the high elf, and Finn himself was seated behind his desk.
"Our fallen deserve burial before anything else." Riveria said softly, her jade-colored eyes dropping to the floor. "Vengeance can wait."
"The blame's ours," Finn murmured, resting his folded hands on the desk. "We left Line and the others exposed. We were scattered, slow to act… I should've seen it coming."
"We got cocky, an' folk paid for it." Gareth added grimly. "If that lad hadn't stepped in, the toll'd be worse."
"Arghhh, enough already!" Loki snapped, digging her fingers through her hair in frustration. "I greenlit that op, dammit. Their blood's on my hands too! You think I get to sit pretty and dump it all on you?"
She dropped her hands to her crossed legs, her expression hardening. "We grieve, sure. But sittin' on our asses ain't honorin' nothin'. Evilus is still crawlin' 'round down there—and," Her face got dark as she opened her eyes, scanning the trio with her crimson orb, "we're gonna crush those bastards for what they did."
A beat passed as the demeanor in the room shifted. The time for mourning had passed and they didn't have a single moment to waste. The three senior adventurers exchanged quiet looks and then straightened up.
"Not that it helps much now," Finn began, elbows on the table, fingers interlocked thoughtfully, "but if Valletta's telling the truth… the official name for that labyrinth is 'Knossos.'"
"A second dungeon right beneath our feet," Riveria mumbled, turning her eyes to Finn. "And I can already say—we should leave this place alone."
"Indeed." Finn nodded with a light sigh. "It should be as large as the entire city of Orario, reaching depths near the middle levels of the Dungeon at least."
"Whole damn city and no one noticed?" Loki grumbled, pressing her palm to her forehead. "What the hell were Ouranos an' Ganesha doin'? Sleepin' through the whole mess?!"
"And that snarl of a dungeon wasn't the only thing we had on our plates," Gareth leaned forward, his voice low and grave. "Orichalcum doors, cursed weapons, creatures, Demi-Spirits… and that damn witch Valletta still breathin'."
Finn let out a slow breath, fingers tightening. "They're tough already. But inside that place? They've got every advantage," he muttered. "They won't fight us topside. They've got no reason to."
"And based on Ais's report," Riveria said evenly, "there were seven crystal orb fetuses—each one designed to become a Demi-Spirit. Four have been destroyed. Three remain."
One was killed by Ais on the 50th floor, another on the 18th floor—which, according to Lefiya, from her discussion with Thanatos back in Knossos, was an incomplete Demi-Spirit. The third was killed on the 59th floor by them, and the fourth by Rex in Knossos two days ago, both complete Demi-Spirits.
"So now they're just sittin' back, waitin' it out," Loki muttered. "Why start a war when they can just sit pretty? And if those three freaks hit us all at once—'specially with that Firestorm or Meteor Swarm ya talked about—Orario's boned."
After all, no barrier could cover the entire city. Even Riveria's barrier could only shield something as large as a city block at most, and at that scale, it couldn't withstand powerful magic attacks of the Spirits level.
'I will destroy Orario.'
That was the ultimate goal of the creatures belowground and the remnants of Evilus under Thanatos's control. And they would succeed if the Demi-Spirits fully matured and reached the surface.
"Anyways, we gotta get our asses back in Knossos and take care o' those bastards," Loki declared, her eyes sweeping over the three leaders.
"Aye," Gareth grunted. "Sittin' here jawin' won't change a damn thing."
"There's only one way back in," Finn added, leaning back in his chair. "The key Valletta used to open those doors. And right now, our only lead on that key… is Ishtar."
Loki groaned, throwing her head back. "Tch… anyone heard a damn thing from Hermes?" she grumbled, throwing a look around the room. "Or's he still out there playin' cloak-'n'-dagger with his favorite courtesan?"
The others exchanged looks, then shook their heads in silence. No messages. No sightings. Hermes had promised to 'handle' Ishtar while they focused on the Evilus threat in Daedalus Street—but days had passed, and not a single word. Either he was neck-deep in his investigation, or something had gone wrong, and given his track record, they leaned toward the former.
"Figures," Finn muttered. "That leaves only one other connection to Goddess Ishtar—Lord Soma."
It was no secret that the Soma and Ishtar Familias had grown close recently through their trade of Soma wine. Whether that connection ran deep enough for Soma to know about Ishtar's dealings with Knossos was unclear. Still, if they wanted answers—or an entry point—they might need Rex's help once more, despite all he'd already done for their Familia.
"Oh, great. My husband's our last hope," Loki snorted sarcastically. "We're really scrapin' the bottom o' the barrel now, huh?"
The trio collectively chose to ignore the word 'husband', knowing Loki's tendency to speak without seriousness—though a lingering feeling told them otherwise. Before Riveria could respond, a knock came at the door, followed immediately by Bete entering uninvited.
"Your boy's awake." he announced gruffly, eyes locked onto Loki perched on the table. Instantly, her face brightened.
"Rexey~!" she hollered, vaulting off the table and bolting out the door, damn near knocking Bete over on her way out.
He stared after her briefly before turning towards the three leaders. "Someone gonna make sure she don't act up? Cause I ain't going."
"I'll go," Riveria said, pushing off the shelf and adjusting her posture. "I had business with Airmid anyway."
"Don't ask about Ishtar yet," Finn said. "Let him get his bearings first."
"That's not a necessary reminder, Finn." Riveria replied coolly, eyes locking with his in a measured glance. "I'll be back within the hour."
By early afternoon, Northwest Main Street—commonly known as Adventurers Way—bustled with adventurers and merchants, filled with the usual lively chaos. Loki and Riveria stood at the less crowded side counter within the Dian Cecht Familia's sprawling medical facility. Opposite them stood the silver-haired healer, Airmid Teasanare staring at them with an expressionless face.
"C'monnn, just lemme see 'im!" Loki whined, leaning over the counter like a desperate fangirl. "Real quick—one second, two tops! Pleeease?"
"No," Airmid responded firmly, unshaken by Loki's antics. "The patient needs rest. They just woke up—I won't allow visitors yet, especially not you, Loki."
"Gah!" Loki coughed in exaggerated despair. "How could someone so damn gorgeous say such heartless things?" she moaned, clutching her chest like she had been stabbed. "What did lil' ol' me ever do to deserve this, huh?"
"No matter how many times you beg, my answer remains the same," Airmid said with finality. "If that's all, I'll see you out."
Before Airmid could dismiss them entirely, Riveria intervened. "Were you able to discover anything more about the dagger?" she asked, shifting the conversation towards the cursed weapon that had claimed Line and the others, retrieved by Ais herself.
Airmid's expression darkened as she slowly shook her head, a weary sigh escaping her lips. "Between healing your Familia, removing the curse afflicting Braver, and stabilizing Mr. Rex, we've barely begun examining it," she admitted, her voice growing tense with frustration.
"But I must say, there's something profoundly unsettling about that dagger. The curse it holds was so potent that even the combined strength of the Supreme potions from both Dian Cecht and Panacea Familias could only slow it—not cure it—and that despite each potion costing a staggering one hundred fifty million Valis."
Her small hand clenched visibly, recalling the struggle. "In this world, only my magic can fully cleanse such a curse, and even that requires an extraordinary amount of Mind…"
She then raised her left hand, glancing down at the white bandage around her forearm that Riveria hadn't noticed earlier because it blended with her skin. "I even tested it on my own body later," Airmid added, almost offhandedly and before she could continued, Riveria's brows drew together as she spoke,
"You… tested it on yourself?" She asked, unsure she heard correctly.
To Riveria's horror, Airmid nodded casually. "Not even protective accessories or magic items could resist the curse," she continued calmly, causing the high elf's discomfort to grow.
Riveria could only stare at the doll-like girl, who suddenly seemed far more terrifying than before. Testing a cursed weapon on oneself was dangerous enough. But one capable of causing Finn—a first class adventurer and one with the most powerful mind in Orario—such agony and nearly taking his life bordered on insanity. The high elf could only wonder briefly if Airmid's dedication had crossed into reckless obsession.
"No way to defend against it, and nearly impossible to lift except by your magic," Riveria said, deliberately changing the subject. "A powerful curse indeed…"
Existing equipment and items were entirely ineffective, both for protection and restoration. But what worried Riveria even more was the possibility that more of these cursed weapons existed. The sword used by the creature Revis against Ais and Finn, the abandoned dagger now before them, and even the weapons wielded by Tione's attackers—all had inflicted this dreadful curse with just a grazing strike. This meant the enemy likely had someone crafting these sinister weapons.
"For a hexer to craft cursed weapons of this caliber… their power must be immense—beyond our imagination," Airmid mused, picturing an ominous figure. "...or they're guided by madness,"
Riveria couldn't agree more. There was a chance these Evilus remnants had all the cursed weapons they desired. Entering Knossos without a plan would only lead to further sacrifices. If they returned, not only did they need one of the keys, but also a solution for these cursed weapons.
"About the anti-curse I ordered," Riveria asked, "do you think you'll be able to craft it?"
"It'll be difficult," Airmid admitted with a slight nod, then, unexpectedly, a faint smile crossed her lips, "but now we have help from an alchemist superior to both myself and Durlan. So it shouldn't be an issue."
Riveria raised an eyebrow curiously. "An alchemist superior to Dea Saint and Panakeia?"
Airmid nodded, excitement subtly showing in her eyes. "He's so well-read and skilled that he easily helps us solve formulas we've struggled with. His work bypasses trial and error entirely; his formulas are always perfect. He can determine a potion's effect at just a glance and even created an alchemical base Lord Dian Cecht himself called a 'deus ex machina' for healing potions! If he says he is second in the Alchemic world, I wouldn't dare say I am second and Durlan wouldn't claim he is first. He is—!"
Catching herself, she realized she was rambling, Airmid blushed slightly and looked down. "Apologies for going off."
Riveria allowed herself a faint smile as she observed Airmid's subtle enthusiasm. 'Who is this mysterious alchemist that could stir such admiration from the usually reserved healer.' She wondered.
"With his help," Airmid became serious again, "we'll definitely defeat this curse."
Seeing the delicate girl express such confidence, Riveria nodded solemnly. "We're counting on you."
At that moment, both women sensed something amiss. Glancing toward where Loki had stood earlier, they found the goddess had vanished, and their faces darkened simultaneously.
Airmid immediately bolted away, startling everyone in the room, while Riveria maintained a composed walk until out of view, at which point she quickened her pace gracefully. She caught up to Airmid just as she turned the corner toward Rex's room, which Riveria had previously visited with the other executives to leave flowers.
There, Loki stood rubbing her hand and licking her lips as the elf Durlan inserted a key into the door's lock.
"Durlan!" Airmid called sharply, drawing their attention. "What are you doing!?
"Ah, Airmid," the elf greeted calmly, "Goddess Loki said you gave permission—" He paused upon seeing Riveria standing behind the shorter girl and swiftly dropped to one knee. "It's an honor, noble lady. To what do I owe your presence?"
Before the high-elf could speak, Loki suddenly grabbed his hand, twisted the key, and swung the door open. Durlan nearly stumbled from the sudden motion, but he caught himself.
"MY REX—" Loki shouted, charging into the room but abruptly stopping.
"He's resting, don't—!" Airmid began, rushing forward but halting as she peered inside.
Riveria and Durlan followed suit, gazing into an empty room with an open window, white curtains billowing softly in the breeze. It was a peaceful sight that was suddenly broken as pressure filled the air.
"How dare he ignore my words and leave while being critically injured…" she growled, hair seeming to float slightly with anger. "REX MAGNUS LAPIS!!!" she roared furiously.
—✦—✦—✦—
Unlike every afternoon, the Adventurer Guild wasn't that busy today, and Rose found herself standing in her booth, stuck in her thoughts. Like always, most of the adventurers and common folk in the guild were either chatting with each other or crowding around the message board. With her fellow receptionists talking among themselves—Misha and Eina beside her for example.
That never bothered her. Just standing there quietly, keeping to herself while her mind went on and on about the books she had read. Sometimes imagining how the novel she was reading would continue from where she left off, sometimes picturing a future so different from the actual story that it would either leave her disappointed—or even more excited—when she got home to continue reading.
Other times she would imagine herself in scenarios that would never exist, or eavesdrop on conversations she had no business listening to with her werewolf ears.
That was how she spent her time—calm on the outside, mind wandering somewhere else—and it never bothered her before. For nearly ten years working here, it never bothered her.
But suddenly… it did.
Standing there, listening to the two girls beside her, Rex's voice echoed in her mind.
"And please, try putting yourself out there. Make more friends."
The words kept repeating for days now, and it annoyed her. It wasn't the first time someone told her that, like her parents, so why was it his words that suddenly got under her skin?
Well—mainly because he was the first person she had gotten that close to in decades. If you didn't count her parents constantly begging her to get married before thirty—which she didn't plan on entertaining—Rex was the only one she had a genuine relationship with. And for someone so 'outgoing', he seemed to understand her situation deeply, like he was her.
'Does he think I have no friends beside him?' Rose scoffed internally.
It annoyed her, the way he talked to her like she was some lonely introvert who only had her books. She didn't think she was. She had friends. Just… not ones as close as Rex. And what made it worse was that threat he threw in afterward:
"If you don't, I'm revoking your right to be my bro."
"Bro?" she muttered under her breath, barely audible. 'He's saying it like that would be a punishment for me.'
And the fact she stuttered in shock back then still annoyed her.
'ARRRG!' She clenched her fist at her side, resisting the urge to pull her hair out. 'Why did I stutter!?'
She knew why—but it was so cringe she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. But she wouldn't. She liked living way too much to kill herself over that. At least it was in front of only that guy, and no one else.
"—and I told her that if she doesn't watch her mouth, I'll stick my arm so far up her ass I'll turn her body into a little puppet for me."
'Um… what?' Rose side-eyed the pink-haired human woman, who sometimes spoke so crudely she sounded almost like a certain amber-eyed Chienthrope.
"Misha, keep your voice down," Eina mumbled calmly, trying to rein in her friend, who was still complaining about some adventurer she had to deal with.
"Yeah, you're right. I can't use that language at work—"
The conversation continued on, and Rose listened silently. But now, she found herself more invested than she'd ever been before… and bored of standing alone with her thoughts.
That hadn't happened before.
Well—maybe sometimes. But now… now she really wanted to talk to someone.
'Ah, Rex…' she sighed, closing her eyes. '…I hate that I got close to you.'
If she hadn't, she would've just kept living her life like she always had. Not worrying about stupid stuff like being 'lonely' at thirty.
'What happened to not getting close to adventurers, Rose?' she asked herself. 'And worse, it was… him.'
A guy who would definitely be rotting in the deepest prison under Ganesha if she ever decided to give up his secret. A stalker. A former assassin-slash-mass murderer who somehow managed to reach Level 5 without once stepping foot into the Dungeon.
Level 5!
Do you know how mad that is? How many people did he kill? For how many years? Since he was born?
'…Wait, how old is he?'
She suddenly realized—she didn't know.
'He should probably be older than me. Thirty? Thirty-one?' He acts like a teenager sometimes, but he definitely gives off the vibe of a chill thirty-year-old. And she liked it.
'Is that why I got close to him?'
Well, being handsome was definitely a reason. She is a woman after all. But that shouldn't be the only reason. Yeah, he's good-looking—but not that good-looking. She sees elves and other Chienthropes and werewolves every day who are definitely better looking—and with a much better personality than his. So why?
Rose tried to think back to the first time they met. He was so different compared to now.
It was a month ago, during one of the usual afternoon rushes, when he came in with the Blue Papilio wings. It felt so… odd, talking to him. She couldn't place why, but now looking back she noticed why. He kept looking around the guild, his ears twitching at even the slightest pitch change—though he didn't seem to notice it himself. It was like he was paranoid.
Like he was in a whole new world.
'Was that when he just left his job as a killer and entered the mundane world?' she wondered, thinking back. That would explain his paranoia. 'The next time he came in with an Infant Dragon drop, saying killing it as a level 1 normal stuff… Like he was trying—and failing—to blend in as a low-level or something…'
The more she tracked how their relationship had progressed, the harder it became to pinpoint when they became actual friends. Was it when he started casually saying jail-worthy things to her? Was it when she stared seeing him like one of those Male Lead from her novels? When she was comfortable cursing in front of him.
But whatever the moment was… she knew now. He was the closest person she had, apart from her parents. It would be a shame if he died.
At that thought, she suddenly noticed they hadn't seen each other since their outing three or four days ago. Still, she decided not to worry. He survived being a killer for 30 or so years. Surely he knew how to survive. Besides, he had gone longer without coming out of the Dungeon before, so worrying was pointless.
But if he did die… wouldn't she just go back to being by herself?
"Misha seems like a cool girl. Try asking her out sometime."
She glanced at the pink-haired girl, who was now complaining about something else.
"If you don't, I'm revoking your right to be my bro."
She could almost see him flipping her off as he backed out of the guild door like some kind of ghost.
'…' She sighed audibly, quickly glancing at the two girls, but they didn't notice. 'Ok, so how should I ask?'
This would be the first time she asked someone out. Even though she had been asked out by plenty of guys and girls, she had no clue how to do it herself without being awkward.
'Next thing I know, I'll be stuttering like a fool.' She suddenly remembered the time she stuttered to Rex because of a simple sentence—causing a shiver to go down her spine. 'Nope. Not happening.'
She glanced at the duo, not feeling confident asking them out when they were together. She knows how girls are, and though she doubted Misha and Eina were like that, it's not like she knew them deep enough to be sure, and her paranoia didn't allow it. She would just wait for one of them to be alone, and if afterward they wanted to talk shit behind her back, she wouldn't care.
And as if Lady Luck was smiling down at her, Eina was called to the back, leaving Misha by herself.
'…' Rose decided to wait a while—and then Misha went to talk to someone else, leaving her dumbfounded. 'The girl's too popular.'
But thankfully, an adventurer walked up to the gray-haired male elf Misha was talking to, drawing his attention and leaving her by herself once more.
'Okay, let's do this,' she thought, opening her mouth—then closing it—clearing her throat, tucking her tail between her legs—literally—and finally called out, "Misha."
She tried to keep her voice calm. It worked. Though the way the pink-haired girl froze like she was about to be reprimanded was a bit disheartening, she didn't think too much of it.
"Y-yes?" Misha answered, stepping a few feet closer to Rose.
"If I remember correctly, you're off this Saturday, am I right?" Rose continued, keeping her face neutral.
*Gulp.*
Misha audibly swallowed and nodded. "Yes," she squeaked, the shift leader's serious tone making her want to cry. 'Please don't tell me to cover someone. Please don't tell me to cover someone. Please—'
"Do you have anything planned on that day?" Rose asked, hoping her voice didn't crack.
As for Misha, she felt the dream of lazing around in her apartment shatter at that question. She wanted to lie. She really did. But Rose's calm face and golden eyes that seemed to glow didn't allow her to.
"No…" she replied truthfully.
"Hmm…" Rose nodded. "Then would you mind hanging out that day?"
Silence.
Misha blinked and looked around. No one was close enough to hear, so there was no one to confirm if she heard that right. Shaking her head, she turned back to Rose with a smile.
"Could you repeat that?"
'I'm cooked!' Rose screamed internally. For the first time, she felt like Rex's lingo was appropriate. 'Why!? Rex! Why did you make me ask her!'
Though she was panicking inside, she kept her face calm. There was no point backing down now, so she repeated herself.
"I want to hang out with you this coming Saturday."
Silence. Then—
"YOU WHAT!?"
The entire guild fell silent at the human's roar, and Rose almost fainted from the sudden attention. She knew she was screwed. But then Misha smiled at everyone, casually waved them back to what they were doing, then grabbed Rose by the hand and pulled her toward the back and into one of the appraisal rooms.
She closed the door behind them and turned to the 'calm' Rose.
"You… you want to hang out?" Misha asked again, still unsure she heard right.
"Yes." Rose nodded.
Misha stared. Then tears flowed down her cheeks.
'Oh yeah. I am definitely cooked.' Rose closed her eyes in resignation.
"I do," Misha replied.
"…You what?" Rose opened her eyes, spotting the pink-haired girl wiping her tears away with her forearm.
"I always wanted to hang out with you, Rose, but you always have that resting bitch face that makes it hard to get close," she mumbled while crying.
"I see…" Rose didn't think that was appropriate to say straight to someone's face, especially someone you barely know, but kept her comment to herself.
"Finally, you saw me, Rose." Misha smiled beautifully, like Rose had just proposed to her. "And I will definitely hang out with you next week Saturday."
Suddenly, Misha opened the door and reached out, grabbing Eina—who was walking back to her desk—by the neck and pulling her into the room. The elf blinked in confusion at being manhandled and, when she noticed Rose, she deflated.
Her ears slanted down as she looked at the ground. "What did Misha do?" she asked, as if it was already expected.
Not caring that her best friend clearly had no trust in her, Misha asked, "Eina, do you have anything to do this Saturday?" It was both of their days off that Saturday and the only reason they aren't hanging out is because...
"I already told you I am—"
"You have nothing to do this Saturday," Misha said, cutting her off.
"But I have a meeting with Bell-kun—"
"Your boyfriend can wait," Misha cut her off again.
"B-B-Boyfriend?" Eina's face turned red. "No, we're nothing like that. I-I mean, do we look like we-we're going out—"
"Shut the fuck up." Misha silenced her, the elf closing her mouth immediately as the human's pink eyes met her emerald ones.
"You're going to find your boyfriend. You're going to cancel your meeting with him on that day. And you're going to hang out with me on Saturday. Ok?"
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Eina shouted, saluting like a soldier.
Misha smiled at that, then turned to the silent Rose with a grin. "You won't mind an additional person, right?"
"I won't," Rose shook her head quickly. 'Who the fuck is this? This is not the Misha I know.' She felt like she was seeing a whole new side of both girls.
"YES!" Misha roared. "We're going to hang out together as three girlfriends! FUCK YEAH—"
The door was pushed open and Rehmer appeared, the Guild Section Leader. His eyes said everything that needed to be said.
"I was talking to Misha about cursing at an adventurer and Eina got pulled into it," Rose said quickly, taking a shot in the dark.
"Misha, to my office," Rehmer said, turning to the pink-haired girl. "Now."
"O-Okay si-sir…" Misha followed after him, then turned back to the two with a huge grin, only to straighten up fast when Rehmer glanced back.
"Return to work, you two," he said to the two remaining. "It's gotten busy."
"Let's return," Rose said as she walked ahead of the elf, forcing a smile down.
'See. I knew I had friends~.' She laughed internally. 'Kukukuku! Rex, I am going to remove your bro privilege now.'
[Author's Note: How was the chapter? I know, I know. Where is Rex Magnus Lapis Beifong Senju, the Red Dragon of Infinity? What is he doing? Why isn't your—yes, YOUR—glorious king in this chapter? Well, simple.
I wanted to try something new. That's it. The first part was kinda needed because I wanted to show Loki's side, and Rose's part… well, it just kinda came to mind. Like I said already—I wanted to try something different. To test the waters. Mainly because I wanted to write a chapter-length perspective that isn't the MC. I've been told to do that for over 60 chapters now, so I decided—Fuck it. We ball.
And I chose Rose specifically because, well, we know her the most. Like, of all characters except Rex, I feel like she's the one that has been fleshed out the most on screen. And it also felt like it would be good to show the contrast between world-ending stakes of the Higher-Rank Familia and the strong adventurers and personal, quieter struggles of the normal mundane mortal.
Also because she was a female. That too. Wanted to test out writing from a female perspective, but I don't feel like I wrote it any different than I would've if she was a man so... I don't know if that worked out.
Hope it was good and wasn't a waste of time. Just think of it as a character progression for Rose. A side story. If you didn't enjoy it, I apologize. This is how us authors learn. From the mistakes of others, and by trying out new things. And if it fails? Well, we change.
This chapter was pretty long—4000+ words. 4400 without author's note, I believe. Anyway, thanks for listening to my TED Talk. And if you have any ideas for my novel, let me know~Bye-Bye~\(￣︶￣*\))]