I was with my guild, the Amalgamated Thorny Roses. At that time, I was not yet the Guild Leader.

We were waiting outside a dungeon accompanied by a few members of a guild that no longer exists. It was quite far from the capital, nestled in a small forest.

While the Guild Leaders discussed strategies with the coordinators, I introduced myself to the allied guild members. "Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm Pyrolina."

The girl before me nodded with a friendly smile, the big hat atop her head swaying along with the motion. "I'm Laura. The pleasure is mine."

I had finally concluded all the introductions when, suddenly, a feminine voice from behind caught my attention. "Are you girls joining the dungeon?"

I turned towards the enthusiastic sound; a girl, apparently younger than me, stood there with her hands hidden behind her long, pure-white dress. Her crystal eyes as bright as the moon, and her smile serene; the specialized crafted purse holding her codex was the only contrast to her tones.

"Huh, yes," I replied, blinking at the unexpected, out-of-place girl.

"Can I join?" she asked.

"Huh... well..." I blinked once more, turning to the girl beside me in search of an answer. Laura glanced at me, matching my perplexity.

"I... think you should ask the Guild Leaders," she suggested.

"What's happening here?"

Before she could even do that, Laura's Guild Leader stepped closer.

"I'd like to join the dungeon," the girl in white replied, her voice and smile unchanging.

"Don't waste our time, girl. The rewards shall be split only between the two guilds present here. Get lost."

"I don't care about the rewards," she countered, smiling as usual, completely unfazed and unaffected by the Guild Leader's cold response.

"Huh?" He was just as confused as the rest of us.

"Then... why do you want to join?" my coordinator asked, frowning.

"Do I need a reason to want to join?"

"Um... well... yes?"

"Why would you even be here, then?" another one asked.

The girl in white, her smile never wavering, slowly shook her head. "But not all things happen for a reason, boy," she calmly said. "I may just happen to be passing by. Just as it could've happened that I spotted you all around this dungeon, and it may have happened that my curiosity was piqued. Or none of that could've happened."

The people stared at her with perplexed expressions, exchanging looks, unsure of how to react to the girl's uniqueness.

"Let her join, Leader," Laura's coordinator replied with a grin, breaking the weird silence that had fallen. "If she can help, that's good. If she can't, we'll just leave her behind. In the end, there's nothing to lose for us," he proposed before turning towards the girl. "Are you fine with this?"

She nodded. For once, even if barely and extremely subtly, her smile changed. "Yes. Not a problem at all."

Shortly after, we finally stepped into the dungeon. The exploration proceeded fairly smoothly. We even had time for casual chit-chat as we advanced.

"That is really a huge hat!" the girl in white exclaimed cheerfully as she approached Laura.

"Huh... yes," she replied, probably unsure whether that comment was a compliment or not.

"It really suits a mage!" the girl continued.

"Hm."

Laura seemed to ignore the girl.

"We should probably rest, chief," a member of my guild suggested to our Guild Leader, quickly changing the subject. "We've been going on for quite a long time now..."

"I also agree," my coordinator added. "But why is the other guild so keen to keep going...?" he then murmured, his voice trailing off to a groan.

"I'm also feeling pretty tired..." I confessed.

"Come on, come on," our Guild Leader replied, teasing, though I could tell he was just as fatigued. "Don't tell me you're already worn out."

"When I'll be the Guild Leader," I said, jokingly, "I'll make you work twice as hard. And I expect no objection."

He laughed. "I hope to be retired by then."

I sighed as I smiled. At that moment, my eyes drifted to the girl in white. "You don't seem tired at all."

Turning to me as she hopped, she shook her head. "When you feel tired, you should always strive to do more," she said, raising her finger. "That way, you can discover new energy within yourself you didn't know you had."

I scoffed. "That's a line of thought I might just adopt."

She chuckled softly in response.

Through chit-chats, we advanced further into the dungeon, eventually reaching a little arena; the room had an open roof, revealing a fascinating giant moon drifting slowly across the night sky. We had just dispatched the last monster when abruptly, behind our backs, groans and screams of pain erupted.

"What's happening?!" I whirled around, catching intruders rapidly approaching us with weapons.

As one of them began to cast a spell, my Guild Leader pushed me aside. "Stay back!"

He took the blow in my stead.

"Chief!"

The members of the other guild had turned on us.

"Why?!" my coordinator shouted right before getting pierced through by a spear.

"You still don't get it?" the Guild Leader laughed. "This was a trap all along! And this dungeon is your grave."

I lay on the ground, witnessing the scene as the blood of my comrades splattered and painted all around. I was exhausted, the only one left, and most of my spells were in cooldown.

Even so, I forced myself up. My hands were trembling, ready to do something. Even if sure to die there, I would've taken someone down with me.

But before I could act, the laments of their coordinators reached my ears. I turned toward the sound; he collapsed to the ground, creating a pool of blood beneath him, gushing from his neck and mouth.

"Watch out!" someone screamed, pointing his finger. "A monster!"

I followed the pointed finger with my eyes. It was directed... at the girl in white, who had just killed another attacker, her dagger gleaming with his blood.

"Hm? A monster?" she asked, looking puzzled, turning left and right innocently before returning her attention to the assailants. "Oh, you mean..." she then murmured, her smile turning into a wicked grin, "... me?"

All focus shifted to her. Spells flew her way, warriors closed in, and blades clashed. Yet... she was out of everyone's reach. Spells, blades, hands... nothing could graze her.

She twisted, she moved aside, she side-stepped, she hopped, and she even turned, letting her dress flow around her gracefully as if she were showing off in front of a mirror.

Her body? Swinging as a performer.

Her dress? Swaying like a dancer.

Her blade? Slicing like an assassin...

While nobody could hit her, never did she miss her mark. And she did so with a bright smile accompanied by a joyful giggle. She giggled a carefree sound as blood stained her pure-white dress. Undisturbed, undeterred. I even thought about helping her, but I felt like… I would only get in her way. And then, as the last of her enemies fell, as if performing for an audience, she bowed.

Slowly straightening up, she returned to her composed stance with her hands behind her back, looking at me and... Laura.

I hadn't even realized.

"You!" I glared at her.

She was sitting on the ground, her face drained of color, looking shocked. "I-I didn't know!" she blurted out, shaking her head as tears rolled down her face. "I really didn't know! I-I'm a new member! I didn't know they planned to do this!"

"It's true," the girl in white interjected, drawing my attention back to her. "She didn't know."

"How... do you know that?" I asked.

"A glance was all it took," she replied, her tone sounding completely different than earlier. "But you had your suspicions, didn't you?" she then asked Laura.

Laura dropped her gaze to the ground. "Y-yes... I thought it was odd that our numbers were so small, and the way we moved through the dungeon..."

"Hmm-hm," the girl in white hummed with a warm smile, stepping closer. "You are a smart girl," she offered gently. "You really shall go a long way."

"You... also knew?" I asked her, my eyes widening.

"Yes, I knew."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" I spat at her, raising my voice.

"Would any of you have believed a stranger?" she countered, her voice as soft as ever.

"I..." I gritted my teeth, and my eyes fell to the ground as my fingers curled into a fist.

"W-why did you join, then?" Laura stammered, trembling. "E-even knowing it..."

"Why, I'm interested in this dungeon, of course," she replied, tilting her head, her eyes surprised as if she couldn't believe Laura asked such a thing.

"Huh? But you said..."

"I lied, naturally," she said with a big smile, bringing her fingertips together. "Acting dumb makes others lower their guard. So... I acted like one," she explained, her voice low. "Were I to show my true colors, none of you would've allowed me to join. And I couldn't allow that... Well, I could've. But this was the easiest way."

Laura trembled even harder. "W-what are you truly after?" she asked, clutching her staff tightly. "What do you plan to do? Do you want to kill me, too?"

"Of course not," she chuckled. "As long as you don't attack me, that is. I'm just interested in an item within this dungeon."

"Huh?" I returned to the conversation. "How do you even know what this dungeon has to offer before entering it?"

"From the engravings," she replied, raising her finger. "This is an SSS-rank dungeon. That means we'll find three rewards at the end. The rewards for this one are: gold, a wooden ambo, and a magical item featuring wings. I'm interested in the latter."

I blinked. I just couldn't believe anything she was saying. Casting aside the rank, I didn't even know you could know such details beforehand.

"Well, shall we proceed?" she then questioned after a brief moment of silence. "Or would you rather rest a little?"

I was stunned. I was utterly stunned. "You… want to keep going?"

She tilted her head. "Hm? Of course. How else are we going to get out of this dungeon, otherwise?"

"B-but... everyone's dead!" Laura cried. "We're the only ones left! How are we supposed to finish this?!"

"So, you'd rather give up?" the girl in white asked, her tone now totally neutral. "To just accept the situation as it is?"

"I mean..." I interjected, looking down. "What else can we do...?"

She stood silent before stepping closer to me. "Even if it seems hopeless," she said softly, "you won't know how it'll turn out to be until you try. It's too soon to give up. And if you're both so sure you're going to die here... then why not do it while trying to survive? You might surprise yourselves," she reassured, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, our eyes meeting. "And how are you going to become Guild Leader if you don't make it out of here?"

"Become Guild Leader?"

She nodded with a warm smile. "I heard you earlier. You want to become Guild Leader, don't you?"

"I... I don't think I'm ready to become a Guild Leader..."

"That's fine. You don't have to be ready, you just have to feel ready. You'll survive, and you'll evaluate yourself. If you truly wish, when you're content with the strength you've reached, you can call yourself a Guild Leader."

"I..."

She released my shoulder, and moved away, picking up a little backpack from the ground; my fallen comrade's one, making it hers. "Come on, let's go to the next room. If we make it through, we'll rest, and with more confidence, move into the next one. One step at a time," she said with a smile, skipping toward the next area of the dungeon.

I glanced at Laura; she was still on the ground, just unsure as much as I was. However, taking a long, deep breath, I decided to follow the girl in white...

After a long corridor, we finally stepped into the next area; Laura followed close behind, too. The room was packed with monsters, rushing towards us the instant we entered.

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"W-we'll never be able to defeat them all alone!" Laura shouted, panicked.

I clenched my divine weapon, and took position. "We have to try..."

But as I was about to cast a spell...

"Huh...?"

I was completely unable to move.

"What's... happening?" I asked myself, still attempting to move my body. It just wouldn't budge. "Everything is... frozen?"

My eyes searched around for an answer.

"Wait, is this... a Distorted Mana Zone?!" I realized after a long moment. "So it really exists!"

My gaze fell on her, the girl in white.

"Did she do it...? But she didn't even cast a spell! Did she?"

Despite being still, her body moved imperceptibly, her posture that of a warrior poised to strike. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt of her dagger. She inhaled long and sharp breaths while her eyes stared down, unblinking as blood seeped out from their edges.

From the pocket of her dagger, thin trails of dark smoke wavered, extending out like threads toward each monster's neck.

She exhaled, her sweat splattering down on the floor.

She inhaled once more, her chest seemingly about to explode.

Finally, she clenched her teeth, and her arm moved.

Never had I witnessed a cleaner motion; the blade of the dagger came out in a blinding flash seeming to slash through purple nebulae and leaving trails of shimmering violet in its wake.

She severed the thread of black smoke, and simultaneously, as it died out, so too did the monsters; beheaded along, their blood gushing forth like fountains.

The entire room was cleared in the blink of an eye, and time snapped back to normality.

She exhaled, and turned toward me with a smile. "See?" she said, cheerfully, undisturbed by her own blood smearing her cheeks. "We can do it!"

"Y-...yeah..."

I was just too stunned to answer properly. I turned to Laura; she was next to me, whispering something.

"I'm scared..."

"Huh? Hey…" I called.

"I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared..."

The girl in white noticed her, and approached. "Oh, is something wrong?" she asked, leaning closer. "Did those monsters scare you?"

She pulled Laura into an embrace, allowing her head to rest against her chest. "There, there... everything is alright," she whispered as Laura continued trembling. "Just rest for a bit. You'll feel better afterward."

After that experience... we took a break.

"I can't believe she really fell asleep," I commented, watching Laura from afar as she rested on the floor, wrapped in a sheet.

I stepped closer to the girl in white, who was seated on the floor with her back against the wall, her arms draped over her knees, her eyes half-closed, her expression unreadable.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, sitting beside her.

She nodded with a soft hum, offering a tender smile. "Are you?"

"Hmm, let's see... pretty much my whole guild died, we might not make it out of here... Had worse mornings," I joked, earning a chuckle in response. Alas, I sighed right afterward, dropping my gaze. "Well, these things happen inside a dungeon... I knew, they knew... Still, I never thought it'd actually happen to me..."

"You're strong," she said, bringing my eyes back to her. "You'll move forward, and you'll become a strong Guild Leader."

"How can you tell?"

"I can," she simply replied with a nod. "You know? Divine weapons strongly mirror the soul of one's body, and their mind as well. I've met many on my journey so far, but you're the first I've ever seen with a whip as a divine weapon. I can tell... you're a strong, dominant woman; suited to be a leader."

A chuckle escaped me. "Your dagger mirrors you as well. I never saw someone move and slice as you do... You're a great assassin."

Her eyes fell to her dagger, smiling as she admired it. "May I give you a word of advice, miss?"

"Hm? Sure... My name is Pyrolina, by the way."

"Pyrolina... don't always trust what your eyes see."

I stared at her, blinking, unable to suppress a scoff. "You're a strange one."

She laughed softly at that. "Hm, you might be right on this one," she then murmured, closing her eyes, letting her head gently drop forward.

"What's your name, girl in white?" I asked her.

Yet, she didn't reply.

"Already fell asleep..." I whispered, admiring her; her breathing had already softened, and her body was relaxed. "That was fast..."

Not long after, I closed my eyes and drifted off as well...

... We all woke up around the same time. Stretching our bodies, and eating quick bites from our supplies, we then decided to push onward.

Room after room, we faced more monsters and puzzles, each of us doing our part. The girl in white was right, we were more motivated after what she showed us the day before.

Well, I was, at least... Laura was afraid of her, but she still tagged along.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Aren't you... afraid of her?" she murmured.

"Huh, well..." I glanced at the girl in white, fairly far ahead of us. "I'm... impressed, for sure, but I'm glad she's our ally and not an enemy."

Laura shook her head. "I'm scared..."

"Hmm..."

Unfortunately, I couldn't do much about that. So, I simply moved on. The mysterious girl handled most of the threats, and at some point... we could finally see it: the big red boss door. We decided to camp nearby to rest and gather our energy. Above our head, once again, a giant moon drifted through.

This room was particular; little bushes dotted the space, and we could use some to create a modest and cozy campfire. We sat around it, cooking and eating. The atmosphere, however... seemed kinda off.

Laura kept avoiding the girl, and I wanted to improve the situation, but I didn't know how.

What surprised me was the girl in white, who quietly started a conversation. "You know? In situations like this one, we all used to tell tales around the campfire. We would share our dreams, so that they'd outshine our fears, and hope for a better future."

"Oh, that seems nice," I commented. "What's your dream, Laura?" I asked, shifting my attention towards her.

She flinched, and looked away. "I... I don't know..."

"Ah, well... I'll start then," I said, clearing my voice. "I... I want to become Guild Leader... Now I'm sure of it..."

Clapping her hands, the girl in white beamed. "That's a wonderful dream! I'm sure you'll succeed!"

"What about you?" I asked with a nod.

The girl in white, for the first time ever... seemed flustered like a normal human being. She stared at the fire, scratching her cheeks, blushing as well. "One day, I..." she stammered, and I couldn't help but think she looked absolutely adorable with that unexpected expression. "I... I'd like to have a daughter..."

"Oh!" both me and Laura exclaimed in tandem at the answer. "That's a beautiful dream!" I then added.

"Y-you think, really?" the girl murmured, blushing even more.

"I do, absolutely!" I continued. "Do you already have a husband?"

She shook her head. "No... I'm not interested in having a husband."

"Huh..."

Even Laura was perplexed. "Um..."

The girl in white noticed our confused expressions. "Is that... strange?"

"Well... of course it is," I chuckled.

"How do you even plan to have a daughter...?" Laura asked her.

"I haven't thought about it yet," she replied, touching her chin with her fingertip. "But I don't want a husband. I just want a daughter."

I stared at her, blinking, until I burst out laughing.

"Are you listening to what you're saying?" Laura asked her, baffled, while I continued laughing. "Or are you actually planning to raise a daughter all by yourself?"

She simply nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"'Why?'... I mean, that'll be tough... And a child needs both parents," Laura replied as a little incredulous smile formed on her face.

"So you think I should find a husband?"

"Of course you should!" she scolded.

"Hmm... you might be right," she said, smiling softly. "I'll think about it."

Facepalming, Laura sighed, and I regained my composure. "You deserve to find a good man," I told her.

The girl in white chuckled. "I should probably follow the advice of such a strong Guild Leader."

This time, feeling a weird and unknown sensation wash over me, I was the one blushing. And after some more light-hearted chatter, we decided to call it a day...

... Finally, the time to defeat the boss had arrived.

Taking our time preparing ourselves, we crossed the door. An armored human-like monster stood at the center. As soon as we stepped into the room, its eyes flared with crimson light, and grabbing its scimitar, it dashed towards us.

I immediately reached for my weapon, but the boss was so fast I couldn't even react. Yet, the girl in white took a step forward, faintly raising her arms as the boss dangerously closed in.

"Watch out!" I shouted.

Before the blade could pierce her throat, the boss froze. Both stood perfectly still, unflinching, holding their gazes. She looked unbothered, almost indifferent by the edge pressing at her neck, standing tall and staring intently as though she were looking down on a plebeian from above a grand and majestic staircase.

Shortly after, the creature lowered its blade, and without hesitation, nor any logical explanation, directed it to its heart, thrusting it until it emerged from the back. It collapsed, the treasure room opened, and the dungeon was concluded.

Laura trembled.

The girl in white turned to us with a bright smile. "We did it. Come on, let's go," she said, hopping towards the treasure room.

Still partially shocked, with no words to offer save for the scared whimpers slipping Laura's lips, like those of a frightened puppy, from what we had witnessed... we followed behind. The last room was indeed filled with gold, a wooden ambo, and...

"Found it!" the girl quipped, waving a little pen with wings in her hand. She then stepped towards the room's teleporter, and turned to us. "Well, girls, it's been a pleasure meeting you. I truly hope your dreams come true! Bye, bye!" she said with a friendly little bow before vanishing.

"Hm..." I just murmured, unable to think about anything else for a moment. "Ah... In the end, I don't even know her name..."

"I... I'll also go," Laura followed.

"Huh? What about all this treasure? We have to go to the capital and ask for help to retrieve it. And what about the wooden ambo? Do you want to use it?"

She slowly shook her head. "No... you can have it all, I don't care... I just want to go home..."

With that, she slowly moved towards the teleporter, and disappeared as well.

I stood alone for a while. I used the wooden ambo, and I also made my exit from the dungeon. When I stepped outside, nobody was in sight. I headed back to the capital, but the walk back was so long that I found myself drained of energy right before the gate, and collapsed.

"Hey, are you alright?!" a guard approached me, sounding worried.

I pushed myself off the ground. "Y-yes... I'm just tired. I have something to report..."

"Take your time," the guard said, extending a hand to help me up. "What is your name, young miss?"

I looked up; a young man with dark hair stood before me. "I'm Pyrolina," I replied, accepting his hand. "And what is yours, young man?"

"My name is Vincent. Tell me, Pyrolina, what happened?"

...