After Finn was done discussing his strategy, Riveria seemed considerably tense. Even though she hid it behind a calm expression.

Asahi got curious and asked her. ​​

"Mama-chan, what's the matter?"

Riveria clenched her jaw, looking more than just pissed. "Stop calling me that."

"I was just stating the fact. You looked like you aged a hundred years."

Riveria was sure she would look the same a couple of hundred years later, yet his words struck some nerve. She never tried those 'shiny' clothes or attempted to appear girly. Still, she was a woman. Age was their archnemesis.

'Were my worries that apparent?'

Asahi smirked. "Much more lively now. Care to tell what's bothering the young princess?"

She sighed. "I will be dealing with most of the waves on the next floor. Everyone will focus on guarding me while I prepare my spells."

Riveria poured everything out as if Asahi's words incited her to speak her mind. She was the type to bury her worries and appear strong instead of babbling out her worries.

"What's the big deal about that?"

He couldn't tell what the ruckus was about. Fomoires weren't that strong in his opinion. Any experienced level 3 adventurer could deal with them. Besides Ais, Finn, and Gareth wouldn't be overwhelmed so easily.

"Big deal?" Riveria said with narrowed eyes. "Thousands of Fomoire will rush for our flesh. Every time we had a line of shieldbearers, magicians, and archers to stop the fomoire. A ten-men party can't do that."

She came here because of Loki's big words about Asahi's might and his demigod story. She hadn't seen anything special about his skills, just brute strength. It'd be undeniably useful in taking down bosses, but how could he help them against a tide of goat demons? She was beyond stressed from the weight on her shoulders.

"Oi, I'm also here, aren't I? We'll blow them away with magic."

Riveria recalled Asahi's magic when she first met him and Nao on the 10th floor. Similar to Bete, she had thought of them as a newbie couple aspiring to be adventurers.

"Thank you," Riveria said politely.

For her, actions spoke louder than words.

Ryuu knew Riveria wasn't convinced. Out of all the high elves, only Rivera had a good character. The others had pride higher than normal elves.

"We're leaving now," Finn hollered, his Command Howl skill made his voice echo far away.

Alise, who had been silent because of the mask, nodded.

"You're so cute when you're silent," he said.

She just stared at him, her eyes stretched wider than usual. As everyone began to leave, Alise got up and stretched a hand for Asahi.

Asahi gently squeezed her hand. "Little firm with a touch of female softness. Not bad. Not bad."

Alise pushed down the mask, blushing lightly. "O-Of course, my skin is perfect."

"Ryuu's hand is much softer," he said and grabbed Ryuu's hand.

Holding the hands of two women, Asahi followed Finn and others. "Let's stay like this forever."

Alise and Ryuu speechless stared at his shameless excuse for touching them, but none of them tried to pull back. The warmth coming from his hand made their mind fuzzy.

(These poor lambs.)

Asahi chuckled at how right Klyscha was right now. If he tried to use his charm and showed them a little more pleasure, these inexperienced girls would stand zero chance. They will be seduced to his bed in less than a day. Fortunately for them, he believed in wholesome relationships more than the ones based on sex alone.

With hand in hand, the trio journeyed through the desolate lands of the 49th floor.

Ryuu was having a hard time. On one hand, she couldn't stop herself from reveling in the gentle warmth coming from his big hand. On the other, she wanted to pull back and let Alise become closer to him. The conflict made her head spin. Unable to decide, she concluded.

'It's just my hands, there is nothing dirty in that.'

Meanwhile, Alise didn't know how to feel about this. She felt like she was betraying her goddess's trust even though Asahi was the one who did everything. Despite the guilt plaguing her, she didn't want him to stop holding her hand and guiding her. She used to call out Ryuu for never letting go of a man who held her hand, yet she was being indecisive now.

'Astraea-sama never tried to stop Kaguya from flirting with Asahi.'

Her friend was half-serious about getting in a relationship with Asahi. For a former princess, her standards for a man were pretty low. Her goddess knew that, yet she let Asahi and Kaguya flirt.

'Is Astraea-sama dense?'

Finn's group stopped to scrutinize the surroundings for the monsters.

"There," Ais said, pointing to the south.

A sand storm was approaching, stirred by the rapid movements of the fomoire horde.

"Everyone, take your position," Finn shouted and gripped his spear.

Asahi chuckled and patted Alise's back. "Get as many as you can. I'll watch your back."

He could heal her with Phenex fire, or his life element. It was the perfect opportunity for them to get stronger.

Alise took a deep breath. This was the deepest she had ever been inside the dungeon. Instead of anxiety about the unknown, she was far more relaxed.

She slowly faced him and revealed a bright smile. "I'll be relying on you, Junior."

Her honest response surprised him a bit.

'Where is the tsundere?'

He turned to Ryuu, who was still clinging to his hand like a little girl. "You too. You can't get a better opportunity to gain excelia."

Ryuu bobbed her head. "Understood..."