Earlier in the day.

Alise closed the door on Asahi's face and returned to her messy bed. Her face was as calm as opposed to her fists clenched until they were crimson red. She grabbed her pillow on the bed over and over. ​​

"Who does he think he is to order me around?"

He was strong… far stronger than anyone. But it didn't give him the right to call the shots here. She wanted to say that to Asahi, but her thoughts froze when he showed worries on his stupidly handsome face. Every word of retort got stuck in her throat as though she experienced a mind down state.

It wasn't fair.

"Why am I so agitated? Do I really like that playboy? What reason do I have for liking him?"

His kindness? His strong sense of responsibility? His nonchalant way of handling the greatest disasters? His… attractive face and body? Or the way he teased her that night, creating a coil of emotions each conflicting with the other. Her brain scattered in every direction to find the answer, only to stumble in a loop.

What did it even mean to like someone?

She loosened up with a sigh and rubbed her thumb on the pillow with marks of her tears. She hadn't shed a tear since the day she buried her father in the graveyard. He was a jovial man, working his best to sell goods to the villages and towns outside Orario.

That year, the bandits were rampant, killing and looting the merchants en route to other towns. The bandits had ambushed his goods outside the city and slew him and his guard friend.

Alise visited the Guild for help, but they refused to deal as they were short on hand. She couldn't let her father's death be in vain, so she decided to sell whatever she could and use the money to hire some adventurers to arrest those bandits.

The seven-year-old Alise looked up to the adventurers for their strength. They ventured into the deep dungeon to slew scary monsters… she never thought those adventurers would return on a stretcher with white clothes over their bodies.

The new case brought her Astraea knocking on her door. Alise dutifully revealed everything she knew about the quest she gave to the adventurers.

"I will give you justice."

Astraea fulfilled her promise. Alise couldn't believe how fluently Astraea and her Familia dealt with the bandit problem.

Astraea had revealed plans to send Alise to an orphanage, but she changed her mind later.

"Your resolve is beautiful. Would you like to join my Familia?"

She wouldn't have friends like Kaguya and Ryu if she didn't nod her head that day.

Fresh out of the bath, Alise stood before the mirror in just her black stockings. Her supple curves glistened with the star-shine of water running rivulets around the side of her lovely, juicy breasts and the subtle lines on her belly. Capped by pink, rosy nipples, her breasts weren't big enough to become a hindrance in the dungeon, or small enough to not even form a cleavage.

Just the perfect size for the perfect her.

Alise clapped her cheeks.

'I can't mope around today. It's time to put this Evilus matter under the bed.'

Bed? Alise brooded over how soft Asahi and Astraea's bed was compared to hers. The thought led her to recall her talk with her goddess, where she almost cornered her goddess, only to get blown by her statement.

"He is all over me?"

The mere thought sent a warmth fluttering down her belly. She once again examined herself in the mirror, comparing her body to Astraea.

'Astraea-sama is more attractive.'

Rather, her goddess had a ridiculously feminine figure and charm that attracted men and women towards her. There was no competition between a mortal and a bonafide goddess. It made sense for Asahi to be lovestruck over her goddess.

"Captain, you there?" Kaguya asked and knocked on the door.

"Yes!"

Alise turned to the door and puffed her chest before the black-haired princess from the Far East. Kaguya didn't bat an eye at her perfect, topless figure and made herself comfortable on the bed.

"The supplies are gathered. We're ready to head out."

"Nice work, friend," Alise finished with a thumbs up and reached for her armor tucked in a wooden box.

Kaguya's brow drew a frown. She wasn't buying this appreciation from Alise. Not when the narcissist captain lacked enthusiasm. Alise was most thrilled to put an end to Evilus' reign, even though their friend was unfortunate enough to not make it. Kaguya couldn't see a hint of that excitement in Alise's voice and gestures.

Alise had this same aura around her yesterday. Usually, Kaguya would've clenched her friend's shoulder and forced her to spit everything. Right now, the priority is the eradication of Evilus hiding in this second dungeon. She had a hunch this was related to the night Asahi walked out of Astraea's room. Alise's blushing before resembled her mother stuttering before her father. Well, unlike Alise, Kaguya's mother was stuck dreaming for her father inside her chamber, waiting for the day her old man pulls his head out of his mistress's skirt.

The fate of a typical mistress in the Far East.

"There we go. All done." Alise finished putting on her armor and gave a broad smile. "Now we wait for Asahi."

"Wait? Did he go somewhere on expedition day?"

'I'm going for a few hours. Don't leave for the dungeon without me or I'm gonna spank you in front of everyone.'

Asahi's teasing face surfaced in Alise's head, saying the humiliating words once again. Her smile twitched at the corners. "Y-Yeah. That little guy has too much courage."

Kaguya almost chuckled at how lively Alise became at the mere mention of Asahi's name. Alise recklessly charged in a fight with Alfia, the level 7 from Hera Familia. Seeing the same woman stuttering was a thought-provoking moment for Kaguya.

"Let's wait for Asahi-kun. We might need his strength if Evilus summoned another nightmare."

Alise silently turned to her mirror and balled her scarlet hair in her fists. After a long staring contest with her twin inside the mirror, she freed her hair and just brushed them.

"No ponytails today?"

"No."

"Can you manage them in a fight?"

Kaguya had trained to keep her grace. The Gojouno family's fighting style was all about killing with elegance and beauty as the shadow warriors of Amaterasu. Anything crude will shame their goddess.

"Of course. There is nothing impossible for me."

Kaguya shook her head. There was no need to worry over this narcissist friend. Love or not, she was going to be fine.

So they waited.