Chapter 20 : Wrath Of A Maiden In Love

Outside, in the kingdom of Orthosomo, a cataclysmic explosion shakes the earth. The terrified citizens brace for another disaster. The rumble is so powerful that the windows vibrate, and a shiver runs through the entire city. But suddenly, the dungeon tower, which dominates their horizon, begins to collapse on itself, stone after stone, until it disappears completely. A stunned silence falls over the city.

"That's impossible," murmurs a passerby. "The Aqualida dungeon… it's been conquered… but who could have done it so quickly?"

Another citizen suddenly recalls: "Novus Obris… they entered just a few hours ago…" Everyone then understands. Legends say that an S-rank dungeon collapses when it is conquered, but no one had ever truly believed that myth… until now.

Inside the dungeon, Elvaria looks around, her eyes shining with excitement. "Aley, look at this! The palace is rebuilding itself!" Her voice vibrates with contagious energy.

I join her, watching the majestic towers of the marble palace rise before us. "Indeed. This can only mean one thing. The divine artifact must be inside."

The last remnants of the ocean disappear, replaced by an infinite expanse of sky, leaving the palace floating alone in the void. There is nothing else. We step inside, the massive doors opening to reveal a long corridor resembling a church dedicated to an unknown deity, probably Orthos. Massive columns line the path, bathed in celestial light.

"The artifact must be at the end," I say, trying to control my excitement, though every fiber of my being burns with impatience.

Elvaria presses against me, clinging to my arm. "Aley…" she murmurs, her eyes glowing with a strange emotion, but I know what she's thinking. Her confession earlier… I haven't responded yet.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoes in my mind.

-Aleystria, your old equipment is behind the wall on the left. Break it.-

I stop and turn toward a marble wall. Something is wrong, an almost invisible imperfection.

"Elvie, step back a bit." I draw my sword but sheathe it immediately, preferring my fist for this task. Gathering my strength, I punch with everything I have. The wall explodes in a burst of dust and debris, revealing a secret room behind it.

"How did you know that, Aley?" asks Elvaria, astonished, as we step into the hidden room.

A Victorian outfit of extraordinary quality stands in the center. Black, elegant, with a long London coat, a pristine white shirt, and a bright red tie. It's the attire of an old noble warrior, but upon seeing it, something inside me resonates. It's much more than just clothing. This outfit feels like it has been mine for ages.

"This outfit… it's incredible," murmurs Elvaria, fascinated. The aura it exudes is unmistakable. An ancient, yet colossal power emanates from every fiber of the fabric.

I quickly change, feeling the strength of the outfit envelop me. "It fits me perfectly… It's like it was made for me."

As I step out of the room, Elvaria waits for me in the main hallway. She looks at me, impressed, and gives me a thumbs-up. "It suits you really well," she says with a playful smile.

We continue walking, finally reaching the end of the hallway. There, on a golden pedestal, is the coveted artifact: a jeweled headband, a treasure of inestimable value.

I approach slowly, raising my hand over the artifact. Before grabbing it, I take one last glance at Elvaria. She nods, ready to face whatever comes after we take the artifact.

Taking a deep breath, I close my fingers around the golden object.

A golden light floods the interior. In the tales, once an S-rank dungeon is conquered, divine light teleports you to the surface. So, I grab Elvaria in my arms to make sure we're both teleported to the same place outside, the headband still in my hand. Suddenly, an immense flash of light blinds us.

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"Gaah!" Elvaria suddenly screams, clearly in pain.

"What's happening to you?" I ask, worried, as her body trembles with agony. I still hold her in my arms, trying to offer some comfort.

"M-my head, argh!" she says, placing her hands over her ears.

Suddenly, her body stops trembling. She removes her hands from her ears and wraps them around me, hugging me. We're still bathed in this blinding golden light, so I can't see what's happening, but I can feel it. She's holding onto me with everything she has.

"Aleystria…" she suddenly says. Aleystria?! How does she know that name?!

"You remember something, Elvie—" The light disappears, and we're teleported outside, in the main square of the kingdom of Orthosomo, where the dungeon tower once stood… The dungeon tower?!

In front of me, where the Aqualida dungeon should be, there's only a pile of debris. And that's not the only surprising thing: nearly the entire population and adventurers of the kingdom are gathered around us, all stunned by our appearance. The crowd is so dense, it looks like a major event is about to unfold. Looking down, I notice Elvaria is still hugging me, eyes closed, smiling.

"Elvie, open your eyes, there are lots of people here—" but she doesn't move. Looking closer, I realize she's fallen asleep in my arms...

The king of Orthosomo, who had previously granted us a noble title in Aqualida, steps out of the crowd and approaches us.

"Tell me, by any chance, Aley and Elvaria, you didn't… well… conquer the Aqualida dungeon, did you?" he asks, feigning a smile, his voice trembling.

"That was… p-part of the reason we came, after all… we had the right to, didn't we…" I say in a shaky voice. Thinking back, that dungeon was pretty much the entire economy of the Aqualida continent, with the resources it held and the adventurers who came to challenge it.

At my words, the king's expression changes, shifting from astonishment to disbelief. Then, Varilis, the priest who helped me take down the angel, rushes toward me before shouting.

"It's unthinkable, no, it's incredible! Congratulations!" he says, a wide smile on his face. He extends his hand toward me, inviting me to shake it. But the problem is, I can't let go of Elvie, who's still sleeping in my arms. If I remove my hands from her waist, she might fall to the ground.

"Elvaria is asleep, Var… We can talk later…" I whisper, making sure no one else hears.

Var is about to respond, but he's interrupted by an enormous cheer that spreads throughout the capital, cutting him off.

"Novus Obris really did it, I told you!" shouts one of the citizens.

The whole city comes to life. Yet it was recently destroyed, and by conquering the dungeon, we've ruined their best source of income.

"Aley…" the king of Orthosomo suddenly says in a solemn voice.

"By completing this dungeon, you've added quite a bit of work for me, and you've also put our continent in a slight problem. However, I can't blame you. You saved my country from destruction just a few days ago. I still remember seeing you flying through the sky, fighting that horrible creature. And that last attack, when you split the sky and the sea… I could only stand in awe. So don't worry too much, I'll figure out the economy," he adds, a sincere smile on his lips. The king… he's really a decent guy, it seems.

"Ugh, what's happening?" Elvaria suddenly wakes up, still clinging to me. Realizing she was hugging me, she quickly pulls away, taking a few steps back, her cheeks flushed. I understand, it's true that being so close is a bit awkward...

But without warning, she throws herself at me again and hugs me even tighter, her arms squeezing around me, ensuring I definitely can't escape. She looks up at me, her green eyes shining, her red hair reflecting the sun above our heads.

"Aley, I love you. You still haven't answered me," she says, her voice trembling but insistent, her arms around me tightening more and more. She's not going to let me go until I give her an answer. Around us, the citizens who had praised us for our feat are now silent, very, very, very attentive to my answer, as if this is the event of the year.

"...He better say yes, in his place I would've said yes right away..." murmurs one of the citizens, all keenly watching my situation.

"Answer A-L-E-Y," Elvaria adds, becoming more insistent, her body pressing more and more against mine.

I lower my head and place my hand on her shoulders. Her eyes light up with a bright glow.

"Elvaria…" I say softly.

"Aley…" she says in turn, moving her face closer to mine, clearly trying to kiss me.

"Quick Step," I say. Yes, I just ran away.

I run through the kingdom, looking for the farthest place to hide. It's not because I hate Elvaria, no… in fact, I think I love her too. It's just that my heart was tearing my chest apart. I was too stressed. There were far too many people. We had just conquered an S-rank dungeon, a monumental feat. I just want to rest. It's all too much at once for me.

Suddenly, I hear shouts coming from the capital. Is it in danger?

"Aley! You coward! You big traitor, get back here so I can rearrange your face!"

Ah... I hear the voices of the citizens, all of them, young and old. They're all insulting me. Indeed, I just fled from Elvaria's innocent confession in front of them all. That must have made them angry.

But if they're looking for me, Elvaria must be searching for me too, right—

"Aley." A cold voice echoes behind me.

Oh no...