After finally getting their hands on an Artifact, the dwarves were overjoyed. It was something they desperately wanted, but never managed to get since such items were only found inside ancient ruins. The only one in the elves’ homeland was considered sacred and, as such, they were forbidden from entering. Since the elves were their saviors who gave them a home to live in peace, away from their malevolent attackers, the dwarves couldn’t go search the ruin. But, now, they no longer needed to.

The short, muscular men enthusiastically worked on creating a magic weapon with their own two hands, but not a single one of their products, the fruits of their labor, came close. Even so, despite having nothing but failures, to them, it was a great leap forward. After all, these skilled blacksmiths had an Artifact before their eyes, which was much better than trying to recreate one from hearsay and stories. To a dwarf, having a completed weapon to study was better than having its blueprint.

As such-

“““DRINKS UP!!!!!!””” [Dwarves]

They decided to celebrate.

“BRING THE FOOD AND DRINKS!” [Dwarf]

“BRING EVERYTHING WE’VE GOT! IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE!!” [Dwarf]

Having a magic weapon to study was progress, though the blacksmiths hadn’t actually made any real progress. Still, once noon came, everyone moved to a building that served as a restaurant and threw a party.

“MORE WINE OVER HERE!” [Dwarf]

“DON’T FORGET THE ALE!” [Dwarf]

A lot of alcohol was served along with large quantities of dishes which mainly consisted of grilled meat, bread and vegetables. There were no insects or raw meat on the tables.

“Wine tastes better than ale!” [Dwarf]

“WHAT’D YOU SAY!?” [Dwarf]

“Simmer down, fellas, they both taste great… BUT BEER IS THE BEST!!” [Dwarf]

““I’LL KILL YOU!!!”” [Dwarves]

Unlike with the elves who could sense others’ feelings and, as a result, often spoke less than needed, the dwarves were loud. They were all really loud as they toasted, shouted and laughed at finally having a magic weapon and being one step closer to creating one. The word spread as more people showed up for the party, often bringing a barrel of alcohol with them.

“A TOAST TO FINALLY SEEING A REAL MAGIC WEAPON IN OUR LIFETIME!”

“US DWARVES WILL SOON FORGE ONE OURSELVES! WE’LL MAKE HISTORY!!” [Dwarf]

“Mithril and adamantium don’t seem to be the right materials.” [Dwarf]

“What if we used magic stones next? Cram them in a sword’s handle and craft it so that they’ll heat up the blade.” [Dwarf]

“Are you serious? That was already done long ago! It’ll just produce a cheap imitation, not a true magic weapon!” [Dwarf]

“It won’t give the wielder greater power or stop the sword from rusting.” [Dwarf]

“BWAHAHAHAHA!! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!!! I LOVE IT!!!” [Dwarf]

As many celebrated, others seriously discussed what they should try next to forge a magic weapon, though they still didn’t forget to eat and drink plenty. The lively and raucous mood was different from the elves’ festival that was surrounded by magic. However, that was because the elves could freely cast their signature magic and incorporated it into their daily lives. Dwarves, on the other hand, lacked such aptitude, but made up for it with superior physical strength, which was something Ryner was experiencing first-hand.

“Uggh, damn you’re tougher than you look…” [Ryner]

Sitting at a table surrounded by onlookers, the sole human was arm wrestling a dwarf. Currently, it was an even match with both sides trying to overpower the other.

“That human hasn’t lost yet!” [Dwarf]

“HAHAHAHA! NOT BAD, HUMAN!” [Dwarf]

“A mug that the human will last another ten seconds before losing!” [Dwarf]

“A barrel that he’ll last five!” [Dwarf]

As the one who brought the magic spear, he was, in a way, the guest of honor, which was why there weren’t any harsh glares at the moment. Still, those who approached him were only the blacksmiths that he met in the blast furnace. His opponent was, in fact, Dogur.

“Haha! You’re pretty strong yourself! Grr! I thought humans were weaklings that were all weaker than amazons!” [Dogur]

“Yeah, well, mhff, I think you’re stronger than me… Even though you’ve got a scraggly beard.” [Ryner]

“THE HELL YOU’D SAY ABOUT MY BEARD!!?” [Dogur]

“An opening!” [Ryner]

“Ah!” [Dogur]

The victor was decided in a brief moment.

“VICTORY!” [Ryner]

Ryner shouted as he raised both hands in the air after triumphing over his opponent in arm wrestling.

“HEY! THAT’S CHEATING!” [Dogur]

“And it’s sweeeet~, sweeeet~, sweet victory~!” [Ryner]

“STOP SINGI-!” [Dogur]

“SPONGES ARE AWESOME!” [Ryner]

“SHUT UP! YOU GODDAMN CHEATED!!! I’M NOT BUYI-!!” [Dogur]

“LIKE I CARE! A win’s a win! You owe me a drink! BRING OUT THE MILK!” [Ryner]

“N-no! I! I…!” [Dogur]

“Pay up!” [Ryner]

“I DON’T WANT TO TREAT A MAN TO MILK!!! AT LEAST ORDER BOOZE!” [Dogur]

The celebration continued as the dwarves tried to force Ryner to chug down alcohol since he was the only one drinking milk or water and refusing any alcoholic beverage. It was a strange and inexplicable sight for the dwarves that loved to drink. Some thought that he was actually still a child and only looked old because he was a weird human.

“I’m the best drinker back home! If anyone thinks they can outdrink me, come forth!” [Ryner]

“““THAT’S JUST MILK!!!””” [Dwarves]

Those who could understand what Ryner shouted proudly all screamed the same thing in perfect harmony.

“So? You guys look like you could use some.” [Ryner]

Ryner said as he literally looked down on them.

“““I’LL KILL YOU!!!””” [Dwarves]

“Teach this human a lesson!” [Dwarf]

“DON’T LOOK DOWN ON DWARVES!” [Dwarf]

“That’s physically impossible.” [Ryner]

“RIP HIS ARMS OFF!” [Dwarf]

“DROWN HIM IN BOOZE!” [Dwarf]

“Hey, wait! That’s a waste!” [Dwarf]

Incidentally, dwarven children also drink.

“The human ain’t half bad, even if he says strange things and only drinks milk!” [Dwarf]

“He brought us a magic spear! Let’s feast till we drop and then work till we drop!” [Dwarf]

“BUT WHY THE HELL DOESN’T HE DRINK!? HUMANS ARE CRAZY!!!” [Dwarf]

The improvised feast continued as food and drinks kept coming thanks to the hardworking dwarven women who were completely used to it. They easily carried heavy plates, bowls and barrels around, punched anyone who went too wild and made sure to eat themselves. The elevated party mood didn’t seem to stop rising and nobody was questioning why Ryner was among them, until the young dwarf, Malur, showed up.

“Why is the human still here!?” [Malur]

“Just shut up and drink, Malur!” [Dwarf]

“It’s too dangerous to let him get close to us!” [Malur]

Having grown up hearing tales of what his ancestors went through at the hands of the humans and the other races, Malur hated and, most importantly, feared Ryner. He wanted to kick the human out of their home before a tragedy happened. That was what his gut feeling was telling him. Everyone knew this and either partly, or wholly agreed with what he was saying, which was why no one really blamed him too much for his discourtesy towards a guest.

“Is he picking a fight with me?” [Ryner]

However, Ryner didn’t let it slide.

“Is the bearded brat, picking a fight, with ME?” [Ryner]

Rising from his seat, Ryner stared Malur down. The surroundings started growing silent as they felt the tension rise. Malur clenched his fists and swallowed audibly, both his saliva and his nervousness. The atmosphere around the sleepy-looking human had changed. It was as if a sleeping beast woke up and motionlessly stared at him, waiting to tear his throat out. Then, just as Dogur was about to step in to stop things from going sour, Ryner moved first. Before anyone knew it, he had pulled out of nowhere a black bottle of wine and slammed it down on the table. Then, using his bare hand like a blade, he chopped off the top part instead of pulling the cork out.

Right after, the strong smell of liquor wafted about. The nose of every dwarf in the room twitched as it detected that scent that was so dearly loved.

“R-Ryner, what is that?” [Dogur]

Dogur asked as he pointed at the bottle. It was a smell that was unknown to him, which meant that it was a type of liquor that he had never drunk before. Moreover, judging from the smell alone, it was definitely delicious. His sharp instincts as a dwarf told him so. They were right since it was a high class and exceedingly expensive wine that was made in a different world, in a country known for their alcoholic beverages. Although Ryner didn’t drink much, he made sure to keep some on hand because it was a useful luxury that could be used in different situations.

“This? This is my secret weapon.” [Ryner]

Bringing the bottle before his eyes, Ryner told him of his plan. Of course, since it was in the humankin language, those who didn’t speak it couldn’t understand what he was saying, which included Malur. The young dwarf watched, puzzled, as the human spoke to Dogur. During the whole time, he didn’t take his eyes off of the bottle. Finally, when it seemed like their conversation was over, Malur hesitantly asked Dogur.

“W-what were you talking about with that human?” [Malur]

He was on guard and ready to react if that untrustworthy human pulled any weird tricks, though his eyes were still on the bottle.

“Well…” [Dogur]

Dogur scratched his head and hesitantly spoke.

“It’s something called Azure that’s been aged for five hundred years. He said if you get down on your knees and apologize, he’ll give you this bottle for free.” [Dogur]

“I’M SORRY!” [Malur]

Malur instantly got down on his knees and apologized to the untrustworthy human to get the bottle of wine for free. He ignored his doubts, sacrificed his pride and succumbed to the temptation of alcohol, but it was fine. After all, nothing was more important that alcohol. Ryner nodded magnanimously and handed over the reward to the dwarf with sparkling eyes.

“HEY! THAT’S UNFAIR!” [Dwarf]

“WHY DOES THAT BRAT GET TO HAVE IT!?” [Dwarf]

“I WANT TO DRINK IT TOO, DAMN IT!” [Dwarf]

Unfortunately for him, pandemonium ensued as everyone rushed him to try and steal that bottle of wine. Inwardly, Ryner felt like he saw a glimpse of how dwarves were nearly driven to the brink of destruction.

Despite drinking copious amounts of alcoholic beverages, everyone merrily went on their separate ways to resume their work. Dwarves didn’t get drunk easily, so there was no problem. There was a bit of trouble every now and then, but all in all, it was a successful party.

Ryner had exited the underground city and was back in the forest, above the land and under the sky. For the moment, he left the magic spear in Dogur and his friends’ care so that they could keep studying it ravenously. In exchange, besides the promise he had managed to get out of them, he was given the spear tip that they had forged out of mithril as a gift of gratitude. It was a rare and priceless gift, but Ryner saw it as a nice souvenir. Then again, it was certainly inferior compared to the magic spear that was lent to the dwarves.

Even though it was a party full of brawny, sweaty guys that looked like bearded old men that loved to shout, drink and raise their fists, it was a pretty fun party, mostly because he was able to mess with them. After all, the dwarves couldn’t read his heart or see through his deception, unlike the girl walking next to him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” [Ryner]

Ryner asked Meirith who was fidgeting and glancing at him repeatedly.

“Um, well, h-here…” [Meirith]

Mustering up her courage, she finally showed him the item that she was clutching to her chest. It was a small, wooden sculpture of a dog in a sitting position.

“Had help, to make it.” [Meirith]

Meirith slowly explained to Ryner that she had asked the dwarves for help to make it since they were great with their hands. That was why she split up from him in the underground city. Looking closely, the small dog statue that was no bigger than the palm of a hand was modeled after Mi. Though brown and made of wood, it closely resembled the red and white puppy that followed Ryner around. Since Meirith could tell that the pup loved her master and that her master cared about her, she thought it would make a good gift.

“To say thank you. Show, gratitude, with own hands.” [Meirith]

Meirith said as she gazed into Ryner’s half-closed eyes.

“Thank you for saving me.” [Meirith]

The elven maiden clearly thanked him as she smiled sweetly. There was no lie in her words or her expression. She cared about her human savior and wanted him to be happy. More than anyone of her race, despite only meeting him a few days ago and having barely talked to him, she truly wished for his happiness.

Before Ryner could take the gift or say anything, someone showed up in a rather flashy way. Running towards Meirith and Ryner faster than a car, the person slid to a stop, tearing up the grass and kicking up the earth, which surprised the elven maiden.

“What are you, a hero? Show up more quietly.” [Ryner]

Ryner, who remained calmed, started complaining to the woman who stood right next to him after her grand entrance as he patted the dirt off his clothes.

“Shut up, Ryner.” [Riteinia]

The woman, Riteinia, smiled at him, but it wasn’t a sweet smile like Meirith. Though beautiful, she was anything but sweet.

“I’ve finally found you. Again.” [Riteinia]

Her sharp, golden eyes locked onto her target.

“This time, I’ll make sure you don’t escape before giving me a daughter.” [Riteinia]

“… Man, amazons have some serious issues.” [Ryner]

Along with Riteinia, all of the amazons who traveled the world with her also showed up. They were accompanied by a dozen elves who were in charge of bringing them down from Hossylei Nac. When they saw Ryner, their golden eyes shined and a ferocious smile crept up their faces. Some wiped their drool and others looked about ready to pounce on him. However, surprisingly enough, no battle took place as all of the amazons began to unpack the supplies that they were carrying with them.

Fires, grills and stoves were quickly set up, meat and vegetables were being cooked, and bread and wine were being distributed. So, right after meeting up with the golden-eyed women, another feast begun.

“I already ate.” [Ryner]

“Just eat more. There’s no harm in eating meat.” [Riteinia]

Unlike what Ryner had expected, the amazons didn’t want to fight him and started eating. Even Riteinia, despite what she had just declared, didn’t show any intention of pinning him down. Although her tone was still cold and her gaze could send chills down a man’s spine, she was behaving herself. So far, the Matriarch hadn’t tried to punch Ryner even once. She just sat next to him on the ground and ate a skewer of meat while watching the campfire. Sometimes, she would exchange a few words with Ryner in her usual harsh tone, but her actions weren’t like her usual self.

“Here.” [Riteinia]

Riteinia leaned over and presented a skewer of meat to Ryner. She held it in front of his mouth, and waited for him to take a bite. In short, she was feeding him.

“… What is this?” [Ryner]

“It’s meat from an animal I personally hunted. Don’t tell me you prefer bugs like the elves?” [Riteinia]

“I’m not hungry.” [Ryner]

“Take a bite.” [Riteinia]

“Poison doesn’t work on me.” [Ryner]

“It’s not poisoned, now eat.” [Riteinia]

“Seriously, what’s wrong with you?” [Ryner]

“Nothing! Eat!” [Riteinia]

The Matriarch of the amazons, who had never accepted any males that her group caught, was feeding a man. In short, it was a weird sight to see for those who knew her. Even so, no amazon seemed surprised. After all, the man was the one deemed fit to be called their Patriarch. Moreover, they were all harboring similar thoughts.

“Patriarch, you can have this too if you want.” [Amazon]

“No, like I said, I’m not hungry.” [Ryner]

“Patriarch, this grilled liver will give you energy.” [Amazon]

“Is no one listening to a word I’m saying? And stop calling me Patriarch.” [Ryner]

“Please, have this too. It’s my specialty.” [Amazon]

“Why the hell is your specialty a glass full of blood?!” [Ryner]

Watching the commotion was the group of elves who had gathered together. Among them was Meirith who kept staring at Ryner as amazons tried to approach him.

“Meirith, why do you care so much about Ryner?” [Elf]

“It was the same during the trip back.” [Elf]

“He saved us, but isn’t it a bit excessive?” [Elf]

Three women spoke to Meirith, asking about her feelings. They were among the seven that were saved from slavery and bore the scars in their hearts. As a result, friends, relatives and strangers were all exceedingly careful around them, treating them like glass. Even now, they could tell that their brethren were worried about them thanks to their power as elves.

“Do you think so?” [Meirith]

“Your Pulse is telling us so. There is no lie.” [Elf]

“I’m thankful towards Ryner, but, not as much as you.” [Elf]

“I hate humans. Ryner’s the only exception. Still, I don’t like him as much as you.” [Elf]

The three were puzzled, just like all of the other elves present, and asked as their representative. Thanks to their Sense, the unique ability of the elven race, they understood from the girl’s Pulse that she was attracted to the human. However, it wasn’t romantically, which would have been simpler to understand. Even so, she deeply cared for him, as if they were longtime friends, or family.

“Ena, Undiriel, Fiamma…” [Meirith]

Meirith called out their names without taking her eyes off of Ryner.

“What do you think of him?” [Meirith]

Hearing her question, the three looked at each other for a moment.

“I will always be grateful to Ryner for saving us. It’s thanks to him that we were finally freed from that hell before our minds were broken. Any longer and I would have lost my will to live. Even if we could escape by cutting off our consciousness, we couldn’t truly escape…” [Undiriel]

Undiriel spoke first, recalling her time as a slave in the process. Stuck in that secret room underground and forced to become a plaything, every day was hellish. She only managed to hold out thanks to a skill of her kind, which was the ability to cut off her consciousness. Although it wasn’t as useful as her Sense, in that horrible situation, it had allowed her to protect her mind by drifting to sleep at will. However, it could do nothing for her body.

Sensing Undiriel falling deeper into dark thoughts, the elves stirred. Fiamma moved first, putting her hand on Undiriel’s, which snapped her out of it. Sensing everyone’s worry, she quietly conveyed to them her gratefulness and that she was alright. After confirming so, Fiamma looked at Meirith and spoke next.

“I sense no ill will from Ryner, or unpleasant emotions, unlike that pig of a human that burned rather nicely. Though it irks me that the Elders let him enter the Forbidden Tomb… He is trustworthy, for a human. Do you disagree, Ena?” [Fiamma]

“Yes.” [Ena]

Since Fiamma could sense Ena’s disagreement, she called out to her fellow Traveler. The latter then gave her opinion on Ryner.

“He certainly did save us and judging from his actions and his Pulse, he’s certainly the most trustworthy human I’ve met. However, just like how we doubt him, he also doubts us. Even now, his Pulse is filled with vigilance and distrust. Such a man may possess dark secrets.” [Ena]

“He is our savior.” [Fiamma]

“That may be so, Fiamma, but I don’t think we should fully trust him, just to be safe. It sounds ungrateful of me, but what can I say, his Pulse isn’t disgusting to touch, but… It feels dangerous.” [Ena]

After hearing the Travelers’ thoughts, Meirith only said “Is that so” and quietly continued to gaze at Ryner. In her hands was the wooden puppy that she had failed to give to him.

After the meal, the amazons’ aggressive yet peaceful approaches didn’t stop. Everyone introduced themselves to Ryner and treated him rather respectfully. But, after a while, they decided that they had exchanged enough words. So, they started fighting him. However, it wasn’t a battle to the death. He himself agreed to it, saying that he needed some exercise. As such, a one-on-one sparring match was currently underway.

Still, for Ryner, sparring didn’t forbid the use of bladed weapons. That was why his opponent was swinging a sword at him. The amazon was a black-haired woman with brown skin. Her name was Silvania and she often served as the second-in-command because of her strength. Whenever Riteinia left on her own, she would act as the leader and carry out the Matriarch’s will. After sharing a meal with the golden-eyed women, Ryner had learned more about them, whether he wanted to or not.

“This is nice. A bit of exercise helps digest food.” [Ryner]

“Exercise? I’ve been trying to kill you from the start.” [Silvania]

Silvania said as she swung her sword at Ryner’s neck, which he dodged by taking one step back.

“It’s fine. I don’t get rusty easily, but I can still get rusty. This level of danger is good for getting back in shape.” [Ryner]

“I like the way you think, Patriarch! You’d fit right in with us amazons!” [Silvania]

“Stop calling me Patriarch!” [Ryner]

Ryner shouted as he diverted her blade with his hand and slammed his palm in her stomach. For some reason, Silvania was smiling. It was a wide smile full of bloodthirst. Moreover, her cheeks were red. The same could be said for the amazons watching their fight.

“Again!? How is he able to parry a blade with his bare hand?” [Amazon]

“The two aren’t using any mana to increase their power. It really is a pure physical skill.” [Amazon]

“No matter how many times I see it, it’s still unbelievable that a human can accomplish that with no magic.” [Amazon]

“He is no ordinary human. He’s our Patriarch.” [Amazon]

“That’s right. He’s our Patriarch… *Slurp*” [Amazon]

Although they had already witnessed his skills in the Blood Trial, they couldn’t help but marvel at his fighting prowess once more. Every time he would win a fight against someone, their tension would rise and the look in their eyes would betray their true thoughts. Then again, it wasn’t hard to imagine seeing as how they were blushing, fidgeting and drooling while looking at the human like hungry carnivores.

“… I’m getting excited.” [Amazon]

“W-what if we attacked him by surprise?” [Amazon]

“I doubt it’ll work. Magic restraining shackles would give us a better chance, but how to get them on him is the hard part.” [Amazon]

“Then, instead of restraining him, we could drug him!” [Amazon]

“That’s, that’s true! If this plan doesn’t work, let’s ask the Matriarch about it!” [Amazon]

However, they had a reason for holding themselves back around a male and that was to capture said male. Sadly, he was a powerful and slippery one that wasn’t charmed by their beautiful appearances. As such, after yesterday’s failure, the Predecessor tapped into her wisdom and had suggested to use a different approach. Instead of having over thirty women aggressively force themselves on him with violence, they would aggressively seduce him.

That sudden change in behavior was why Ryner thought they were acting strange. After all, they were being nice to him. As a side note, when Riteinia heard him say so, the urge to punch him welled up and she nearly succumbed to the temptation. To her, the whole act was humiliating, but she knew fully well that he wasn’t like the other men. Pinning him down, chaining him up and cutting his limbs off were impossible to accomplish. That was why she took the Predecessor’s advice and was now playing nice.

“(I will have you, Ryner, one way or another.)” [Ritienia]

Eventually, after about two hours, the spar was over. Ryner had fought against every amazon and although there were about thirty of them, each fight lasted less than five minutes. Seeing as he had worked up a sweat, an amazon offered him a towel that he used to wipe his face. When he gave it back to her, she walked off while hugging the sweat-soaked towel to her chest. The other amazons started glaring at her as if she had just snatched a prize from them. In response to their hostility, she glared back and hid the towel behind her back, ready for a fight.

Riteinia, who had fought Ryner barehanded and lost, was in a bad mood. After seeing the incident with the towel that had sparked a showdown, she went towards the clueless male and shoved an apple in his face.

“Hey, stop that!” [Ryner]

But, Ryner dodged it and no matter how many times she tried, she couldn’t stuff it in his mouth.

“Just eat it! The apple’s not poisoned!” [Riteinia]

“You know, even when you’re acting weirdly nice, you still suck at it.” [Ryner]

“You little…! Just why do you think I have to-!?” [Riteinia]

Just as the Matriarch was about to angrily snarl back, Ryner opened his mouth and sunk his teeth in the apple, causing her to go quiet. Then, he took a bite and started chewing the fruit.

“Well, free food is free food. So, thanks, I guess.” [Ryner]

“… Yeah.” [Riteinia]

The light green-haired amazon looked a bit stunned as she watched him walk away. After a few seconds, she turned her back to him and stared at the apple in her hand, more specifically, at the spot where Ryner just bit.

“… *Bite*” [Riteinia]

Strangely, even though she wasn’t hungry, she really wanted to see how the fruit tasted, so she took a bite as well.

“… Sweet.” [Riteinia]

Riteinia muttered so while wondering why her heart started beating faster after eating the same spot that Ryner just bit.

After eating, talking and fighting with the amazons for a few hours, Ryner was suddenly dragged away by Rosaminta, who had showed up out of nowhere.

“Over here, just a bit farther.” [Rosaminta]

Although Riteinia didn’t appear too happy and Meirith looked like she wanted to say something, no one could defy the wishes of the Gatekeeper. So, they couldn’t refuse when she asked if she could borrow Ryner for a bit.

“Where are we going? Or rather, why am I following you?” [Ryner]

“Because you like to stare at me from behind~?” [Rosaminta]

“… Ah, that’s true. That’s definitely true.” [Ryner]

“Fufufu, it’s good to be honest~.” [Rosaminta]

Rosaminta coyly giggled and walked while undulating her hips, even as Ryner rudely stared at her swaying butt. She wasn’t displeased by it, but rather, found it funny. Having had plenty of experiences with men in the old days, she knew when someone was looking at her with lust. Although the human behind her did seem attracted by her figure, the Gatekeeper could tell that he was only playing along with her.

“Come along. Once we’re there, you can do something even more amazing that just staring~.” [Rosaminta]

“Really?! Then let’s go! No, wait a minute, I heard that line before! That’s what they always say before leading me to a dark place with a bunch of thugs waiting for me!” [Ryner]

“Hahaha! You sound quite popular among the women.” [Rosaminta]

“(Really now, only this human talks to me like this.)” [Rosaminta]

While enjoying the light-hearted banter that she hadn’t experienced in a long time, Rosaminta took Ryner to a clearing. There was a lake there, which was quite small compared to the one where Hossylei Nac was located at. Still, in the calm background of green leaves and grass, the sparkling blue water was quite beautiful.

“There’s another lake in the forest. Nice… And? What are we doing here?” [Ryner]

After walking to the edge of the lake and admiring the view for a bit, Ryner asked his guide, but Rosaminta didn’t answer him immediately. The half-naked woman closed up on him and lifted her right hand.

“First, I’d like to apologize.” [Rosaminta]

A vine emerged from her elbow and wrapped itself around her forearm like a snake until it reached her index finger.

“I let Meirith lead you to the dwarves so that I could hold myself back. But, I really can’t anymore.” [Rosaminta]

“… Uh-huh. By the way, thanks for wanting to take me there. I was able to see something good.” [Ryner]

“You’re welcome.” [Rosaminta]

Rosaminta stood right in front of Ryner, who was watching her with his sleepy-looking eyes of different colors. Although he was talking to her casually, he was also getting ready for a fight.

“As thanks, could you do me one little favor?” [Rosaminta]

“Depends.” [Ryner]

The vine rose up and started swaying back and forth.

“I’m really sorry, but I’d like to taste it again.” [Rosaminta]

The green-haired woman looked at it dance while the black-haired man kept his eyes on her.

“Your energy.” [Rosaminta]

The plant-like creature that had lived for eons then told him about herself, about how she didn’t need to eat organic matter, but energy from other living things. Moreover, that she had eaten a tiny part of his energy before.

“Mind you, I don’t actually need to eat anything at all, but it does help me recover faster when I’m tired or wounded. Plus, it’s nice to snack once in a while.” [Rosaminta]

By using her vines, she could suck out energy from anything that came in contact with them. Those that she drained would feel weaker, then faint, and eventually die.

“I prey on men just like amazons. Maybe that’s why we get along so well. Elves, I’ve never eaten an elf because their kind doesn’t lust for me, but worships me. I couldn’t work up my appetite with that attitude. Also, they sort of believe in the same thing as me.” [Rosaminta]

Rosaminta told Ryner that she had fed on various males who came to the forest over seven hundred years ago. She told him that some became her lovers, but all of them turned into her food. They didn’t love her long, and she didn’t mourn their deaths either. Perhaps, it was simply in her nature.

“All of them happily wagged their tails when they saw this form, but when I stopped looking like a beautiful woman, they all tried to kill me out of fear. It’s a shame how weak my lovers were.” [Rosaminta]

The pale green-skinned, ageless creature that looked like a woman put her left hand on her cheek and sighed as she closed her eyes.

“… But, they were tasty.” [Rosaminta]

Opening one of her eye, she looked at Ryner.

“The energy of every living creature tastes differently. There were bland ones, tasty ones and delicious ones. Yours is… Exquisite.” [Rosaminta]

Since she began talking, he had only been quietly listening to her without changing his lazy expression. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking at all. But, there was no backing out now.

“That’s why, please let me taste your energy again.” [Rosaminta]

“… You’re asking instead of just sticking that vine on me. Does that mean you plan on eating a lot?” [Ryner]

The sleepy-looking male’s voice was calm and carefree. It was as if the fact that she could suck his life, that she had fed on his kind, didn’t shock him at all.

“That’s right. But, I won’t kill you.” [Rosaminta]

“And why do you want to eat me exactly? Is it because my energy is too good to pass up?” [Ryner]

“Yes, it’s just too good to pass up. Too good to resist. Even now, that’s all I can’t think about.” [Rosaminta]

The vine on Rosaminta’s right hand started growing longer. Its tip was pointing at Ryner like the head of a snake.

“But, more than anything, it feels… Right. Like it feeds not just my hunger, but my core, my soul.” [Rosaminta]

The Gatekeeper put her hand on her chest and gazed at Ryner with an earnest look. She couldn’t help but want his energy again, and something inside her forbid her from stealing it.

“… That just sounds weird. Hell, this entire conversation probably sounds weird for anyone watching and I’m gonna have to say no to being your meal.” [Ryner]

Sadly, her honesty didn’t do much good as her request was rejected. Even so, she threw in a half-hearted, half-joking attempt to change his mind.

“If you accept, I’ll do something amazing for you~.” [Rosaminta]

Rosaminta said seductively as she pushed up her large bosom with her left arm.

“By amazing, are you saying that you’ll do whatever I ask?” [Ryner]

“That’s right.” [Rosaminta]

“No matter what it is, you’ll do it?” [Ryner]

“Of course~.” [Rosaminta]

“Even if it sounds ridiculous?” [Ryner]

“That’ll just make it more exciting~.” [Rosaminta]

“Then eat away!” [Ryner]

For some reason, that half-joking attempt worked even though he showed no sign of desiring her. Although puzzled, Rosaminta couldn’t fight off her urges and pushed her doubts aside. For the moment, she decided to partake in the feast before her. Stretching the vine that had been waiting on her right hand, she slowly drew it closer to Ryner who raised his left hand.

The moment it made contact with his index finger, she began eating the energy of the human-like monster that had lived for eight hundred thousand years.

“Kyaa!” [Rosaminta]

She yelped and squirmed, much like the first time. However, since she was expecting it, the vine didn’t retreat, but coiled itself around Ryner’s finger.

“Mn!” [Rosaminta]

It slithered down his hand and wrapped itself around his forearm.

“Mnn! Haah!” [Rosaminta]

During the whole process, Rosaminta was blushing and fidgeting because of the energy that was being transmitted to her.

“(S, so deliciooouuss!)” [Rosaminta]

The feeling she was getting from eating his energy caused her voice to leak out and her breathing was getting rougher.

“(How can his energy taste so good?! And what is this? I, I feel like I know this taste from long ago…)” [Rosaminta]

Unable to properly stand up by herself, the plant-like creature staggered and ended up leaning on Ryner for support.

“Why are you the one falling when I’m the one being eaten? Actually, I’m starting to feel weaker. How much energy are you going to take?” [Ryner]

Though he held her shoulders and spoke to her, her mind didn’t register his words. Only one thought was running through her head.

“(M-more…! I want more…!)” [Rosaminta]

Staring at his face with foggy eyes, Rosaminta licked his cheek as she glued her body to his. From her left arm that was around his back, another vine grew and wrapped itself around the two. Moreover, four other vines sprouted out from her back and went to different parts of his body.

“Hey, is it just me, or am I losing more energy than before…? Yeah, I really am losing more energy!” [Ryner]

Perhaps growing too weak from having the Gatekeeper consume his energy, Ryner lost balance and fell down on his back, right into the lake. His clothes were soaked and his hair was getting wet. However, he couldn’t get up because he was bound to Rosaminta who was lying on top of him and eating his energy.

“Oi, stop it. I can tell, this is getting bad.” [Ryner]

“(It’s sooo goood! It’s driving me insane! This never happened before…!)” [Rosaminta]

The green-haired woman was trying to kiss him as she stuck her tongue out, but he continuously moved his face away and evaded her attempts.

“Stop that! And are you listening?! You’re going to kill me at this rate!” [Ryner]

“(Why, is this body getting so, worked up? It’s so hot…! I, I want to know what it’s like to have him…!)” [Rosaminta]

The pale green-skinned woman started rubbing her soft body that was pretty much clad in underwear against him.

“Hey, seriously, I’m going numb here! Stop it, damn it!” [Ryner]

“(I, I can’t…! I can’t resist! I want to feel more of him!)” [Rosaminta]

The blushing and panting woman finally went for his pants, but before she could do so, Ryner lost it.

“I TOLD YOU TO STOP, YOU FREAKING PERVERT!!!” [Ryner]

Using his life force to break free, he threw Rosaminta in the air. She ended up falling into the lake, raising a column of water as it splashed upward.

“Ugh, this is what you get for trusting sexy, half-naked beauties. They’ll suck up everything you have and leave you on the roadside for dead.” [Ryner]

Needless to say, after cooling off in the lake, Rosaminta reflected on her actions and apologized to Ryner for losing her head. She promised that she would uphold her end of the deal and fulfill any of his requests. Unfortunately, his request wasn’t what she was expecting, leaving her utterly unsatisfied. Moreover, despite having eaten so much of his energy, her appetite wasn’t quite sated. In fact, she wanted to have some more until he was completely empty. But, she couldn’t bring herself to kill him for a new, personal reason.

The Gatekeeper, guardian of the forest that hid the elves, dark elves, amazons and dwarves, now wanted a lover.

“Hm?!” [Evelyn]

Sitting on a sofa, Evelyn suddenly looked up and her back went rigid.

“Is something the matter?” [???]

Sitting in front of her with a low table in between them was a well-dressed man who looked at her worriedly.

“No, it is nothing. Please pay it no mind.” [Evelyn]

Glossing over her mistake, the red-eyed vampire smiled and resumed her act. Before the blonde-haired woman whose every movement was beautiful and elegant, the man was easily charmed. Blushing, his eyes kept going to her chest, but her black dress didn’t let him see anything. However, it didn’t hide its size nor could it stop his imagination from running wild. Evelyn noticed his stare, but didn’t let it show on her face and kept up her smile. She was in the middle of entertaining her guest with pleasant conversations since their business was done. After finding a good time to stop, the man, smiling ear to ear, left and promised to do business with her in the future.

For the sake of smoothly running Roseseed that had just been established, the vampire was putting up a good impression for the nobles and merchants that approached her. Besides managing the company, supervising the staff and engraving coins, that was what she had been doing for the last few days. Although they all annoyed her, she stomached it since it was for Ryner’s sake. Still, some of them were greatly infuriating since they approached her with ulterior motives, such as marriage. Resisting the urge to rip them in half was difficult. However, it was for Ryner’s sake.

“Ryner, what are you doing now?” [Evelyn]

With her thoughts turned towards Ryner, Evelyn couldn’t help but worry about him, mainly about the bad feeling that she got mere moments ago.

“Are you, getting close, to a woman…!!?” [Evelyn]

She started unconsciously scratching her left cheek, the new habit that she had gained. Sometimes, it was so bad that her cheek would start bleeding. Luckily, her regeneration allowed her to heal up the wound before anyone saw it.

“… But, it’s not my right to stop him. He can see any woman he wants… It’s also what I want… But…!” [Evelyn]

Muttering to herself, the vampire started to feel depressed. Ryner had gotten the attention of several women. He was more popular as a human than when he was a dhampir. Even in the kingdom that she currently resided in, the two princesses, Tiffany and Leila, appeared to be interested in him. Evelyn found it mildly irritating whenever she was called to the castle just because those two wanted to ask her about him.

“(What do you mean you want to invite Ryner to have tea with you?! I want to have tea with him too! Spar with him?! You think you can even win?! That’s just your excuse to touch him! I want to touch him too!)” [Evelyn]

However, for the sake of Ryner, and her own, she needed to keep working hard.

“… I need to rest in Ryner’s room!” [Evelyn]

So, with a strong will in her eyes, she left the room that was used to receive guests and walked down the hallway.

“(Please come back soon!)” [Evelyn]

For the moment, Evelyn decided to recharge a bit in Ryner’s bed.

Once Ryner returned with Rosaminta, he got swarmed by the amazons who quickly latched on to him. They asked him to teach them some of his moves, but he refused, though he did accept when they wanted to fight him again. The Gatekeeper, after bidding farewell, had left and was nowhere to be found. Her departure wasn’t a peaceful one though since she went and kissed Ryner’s cheek. The elves were shocked while the amazons were glaring.

Both groups rained down questions on the human, but no matter what they asked, he only said “I confessed to her and got rejected”. It was such an obvious lie that everyone felt more exasperated than mad. But, it was clear that Ryner had no intention of speaking the truth. The elves understood it from his Pulse and gave up. As for the amazons, they fought him more aggressively than before.

In the end, Ryner spent the evening talking and fighting with the amazons. Compared to their first few meetings, it was relatively peaceful. As should have been expected from a warrior race, they did manage to learn some of Ryner’s techniques after fighting him for several hours. They were mostly wrestling techniques though. Oddly, the golden-eyed women looked suspiciously happy adopting these new moves, especially the arm bar.

Once the sun had set and the forest turned dark, the group decided to head back to Hossylei Nac. Having returned to the city, the first thing Ryner wanted to do was check up on Mi. According to Meirith, a Traveler named Ninith was looking after the little puppy. So, when he returned to the giant tree that temporarily served as his home, he expected to see an elf taking care of Mi.

“Good dog, good dog.” [Elf]

“Me too.” [Elf]

Sitting on the ground were two elves who were excessively petting the pup.

“Ah, you’re back.” [Elf]

“Welcome.” [Elf]

They stopped their hands for a second and greeted him before resuming their display of affection.

“… Who are these two?” [Ryner]

“Ninith and, Itoca? Why?” [Meirith]

Meirith answered Ryner as she tilted her head, puzzled.

“I wanted to play with the puppy too.” [Itoca]

The woman called Itoca proudly declared as she hugged Mi to her chest.

“I can take care of her by myself.” [Ninith]

The other one, Ninith, said as she snatched the puppy from Itoca and hugged her.

“There aren’t any dogs here, so I want to spend as much time as I can with Honohono.” [Ninith]

“I want to play with Honohono too.” [Itoca]

“You’re calling her Honohono? Really?” [Ryner]

“It’s better than Mi.” [Ninith]

“Definitely better than Mi.” [Itoca]

Thinking back, on their return trip to Hossylei Nac, the two Travelers didn’t approach the dog, but stared at her a lot. As a side note, while Mi was being showered by affection, she didn’t look too happy. But, after enduring such treatment all day long, the poor puppy had long since given up and resigned herself to her fate. As Ryner wondered if he should just abandon the red and white canine or save her, Meirith tapped his shoulder.

“Um, Ryner…” [Meirith]

The girl looked left and right as if to make sure that no one was around, though it was pointless since Ninith and Itoca were watching her. Then, after taking a deep breath, she strongly gazed at Ryner.

“If, you have, free time. Come with me… Please.” [Meirith]

“Huh? Are you also going to drag me somewhere? I don’t want to. Rather, I want to sleep, or more like, I really just want to spend some time alone.” [Ryner]

“Important! Come please!” [Meirith]

Though Meirith grabbed Ryner’s sleeve, he easily shook her off.

“No, sleep is more important. Caring for my beauty is-.” [Ryner]

“IMPORTANT! COME!” [Meirith]

Seeing her first attempt failed and hearing him spout some weird excuses that he didn’t mean angered her a bit. Although she was being forceful, she believed that what she was about to show him would be good for him.

“Hey! You’re seriously dragging me away?!” [Ryner]

So, she tightly grabbed his arm and stomped towards her direction.

“I feel like getting dragged around by other people is all I’ve been doing today. Maybe I’m going soft.” [Ryner]

As they were sent off by Ninith who lightly waved her hand and Itoca who was waving Mi’s front paw, the two quickly left the tree. Outside, the elves who crossed their path incredulously stared at them, mostly because the human that they were wary of was being pulled along by the daughter of the High Elder. Meirith herself could feel their puzzled emotions, with some thinking it was amusing. However, she did her best to ignore them and focused on Ryner.

While being dragged by the arm, reluctance covered his face and he was lazily whining while yawning. But, thanks to her Sense, Meirith could understand his true feelings. At the very least, the human was at least willing to follow her, even if he didn’t show it. He didn’t want to, but he was making an exception for her. That was why she was hugging his arm and making sure that he wouldn’t slip from her grasp.

“Oh, this feels nice. You think your father would be mad if he found out?” [Ryner]

However, that meant that her chest was being firmly pressed against him. Furthermore, it was the first time that Meirith was so close to a male, which turned her cheeks red from embarrassment. Still, she didn’t feel disgusted by it. Ryner wasn’t harboring any repulsive lust towards her like the humans that captured her. As such, she endured her shame and just silently walked faster.

The place they were headed to was the very center of Hossylei Nac. There, huge trees were set at equal distances as if creating a circular wall. Going past them, the two could see a single, huge tree that was just like all the others in the city. However, it was not being used as a building. All around its base, where earth and grass formed land on top of its roots, there were things that Ryner hadn’t seen during his stay. Although they reminded him of the crystal pillars outside of the city, they were undoubtedly different.

“… Are these trees the important thing you were talking about?” [Ryner]

Crystal trees were growing there.

They weren’t the size of skyscrapers and measured around twelve meters in height. These plants didn’t look organic as they were composed entirely of white, transparent crystal. Their branches didn’t have any leaves, but that didn’t make them any less beautiful. With many of these crystal trees gathered together, Ryner believed it was the most attractive spot in Hossylei Nac.

“Yes. Important.” [Meirith]

Meirith led him to one of the crystal tree before letting go of his arm. The two of them were the only ones present. In the silence of the night, and with the trees gently reflecting the soft light of the glowing flowers, there was a soothing, solemn atmosphere. Perhaps, that was why Meirith no longer looked so flustered as she placed her hand on the trunk of the tree.

“This here, a sacred place. Maybe, as old as Forbidden Tomb.” [Meirith]

From where her palm touched, the tree suddenly began shining. The light slowly spread throughout the trunk like a wave.

“Trees of Beginnings. Watch.” [Meirith]

Once it dimmed, there was an elven woman inside the trunk. Wearing a green robe and with her long, golden blonde hair tied in a half-up style, she was happily smiling at them. But, when the woman bent down and spread her arms, the point of view started shaking and small hands could be seen stretching towards her.

“… My mother.” [Meirith]

From that, Ryner understood that what they were seeing was from the eyes of a child, specifically, Meirith’s eyes. It was a memory of her childhood. It was as if they were watching a video. Shown inside the trunk of the tree, the woman was hugging her child and saying something in a gentle voice. The giggling voice of a little girl could be heard.

“… Dad.” [Meirith]

Then, her father, Itham, appeared from the side. Unlike what Ryner had seen, the man wasn’t speaking loudly or exaggeratingly fretting over Meirith. In fact, he seemed like a different person as he hugged his daughter in his arms without making a fuss. Although a small smile hung on his lips, he appeared to be a calm and levelheaded individual.

“Trees of Beginnings, can hold, memories. And feelings.” [Meirith]

Meirith turned around and looked at Ryner, tearing her sight away from the happy family of three that was being shown. There were tears in her eyes and a small smile on her face. Her expression held melancholy as well as nostalgia.

“Pulse. Person’s life. All here. Even, when gone, still here. Everything. Proof that they existed, and that, they loved.” [Meirith]

Meirith took Ryner’s right hand and placed an item in his grasp.

“Because we love them.” [Meirith]

It was the wooden dog that she had made for him back in the city of dwarves.

“So, everything, is alright.” [Meirith]

She said with a gentle, loving smile. From her expression, it was obvious that she deeply cared about Ryner, but the reason was unknown. However, judging from the place she brought him to, the memory she showed him and the words she told him, he could hazard a guess. It might be that her empathic ability informed her of some personal details about him that he didn’t want others to know.

“Is this a gift for me?” [Ryner]

So, he decided to ignore everything that she had said and diverted the topic to the wooden dog in his hand.

“… Yes.” [Meirith]

Meirith didn’t rebuke his attitude, but her smile was clouded by sadness. She could tell. Her Sense told her. She had tried to touch a place in his heart that only those truly close to him could ever approach.

Ryner didn’t trust her.

Ryner was rejecting her.

He didn’t hate her, but he didn’t like what she was trying to do.

Because he didn’t like her power that could sense his deepest, darkest feelings. These emotions, this ugly, vulnerable side of him, were not something he wanted to show to strangers, acquaintances, or even his so-called friends. Ryner only entrusted these to those dearest to him and those he truly trusted.

“You shouldn’t have.” [Ryner]

“… I’m sorry.” [Meirith]

“Nah, it’s fine. Thanks.” [Ryner]

That was why, faced with this superficial exchange of gratitude, Meirith could only apologize and watch as he walked away while curiously looking around. Although she believed he would leave without waiting for her, Ryner had stopped in his tracks when he spotted something unusual. Before he knew it, his feet were leading him towards it.

In front of his eyes was a crystal tree that was pitch black.

“What’s this?” [Ryner]

“O-oh, that, um, Tree of Beginning also.” [Meirith]

Meirith answered his query in a flustered tone of voice.

“But, different. Doesn’t contain memories, or, feelings. Can’t. No Pulse. We, um, think it’s, dead.” [Meirith]

“Really?” [Ryner]

As if he was drawn by the black tree, Ryner put his hand on the trunk, and when he did, a soft light appeared just like with Meirith.

“H-huh?!” [Meirith]

While the elven maiden stared wide-eyed in surprise, the light rippled across the surface and once it dimmed, there was a person in the crystal tree. That person was a human woman with long, chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes.

“…” [Ryner]

And upon seeing that person, Ryner froze in place. His expression was a mixture of shock, delight, grief and fear. He was woefully unprepared when he saw her face again.

“… Big… Sister…?” [Ryner]

His big sister was smiling at him, just like always.

Outside of Hossylei Nac, a group had decided to make camp. The wagons were parked on the side of the road and tents, stoves and campfires were set up. The people of the caravan were all wearing a thick, brown cloak with a hood to keep warm as they ate, chatted or maintained their weapons. Among them was Hames, who sported a dissatisfied expression. Sitting at a campfire, he was talking to a group of similarly cloaked individuals.

“We could have kept going instead of stopping here. There was still time.” [Hames]

“You’re still on about that? Tomorrow, we’ll reach the swampland and it’s filled with dangerous monsters. Better to stop here and rest for the day.” [???]

A man who was in the middle of examining the blades of his two swords told him so exasperatedly.

“That’s right, Hames. If we rush it, we’ll just incur needless casualties. I can’t protect everyone at once, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.” [???]

Another one chimed in as he cleaned his large tower shield with a cloth.

“If it gets dangerous, just leave it to me! Me and my muscles will squeeze the life out of those mana beasts!” [???]

A third man, with an especially large build, confidently shouted so as he flexed his arms that were as thick as logs.

“Hmph, I guess being the student of the famous Molten Giant Gerard doesn’t make you an amazing person. As I expected.” [???]

The fourth person, a woman, said conceitedly as she looked at her reflection in a hand mirror.

“What was that?!” [Hames]

“Calm down. Even with that large mana pool, a musclebrain like you stands no chance against my superior magic… And looks.” [Hooded woman]

“You want to fight?! BRING IT ON!” [Hames]

“YEAH! THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING MUSCLES FOR BRAINS!” [Hooded musclebrain]

“Now, now, you three. No fighting. We have a big day tomorrow.” [???]

Before a fight could break out between the woman, Hames and the large, hooded man, a gentle voice stopped them. It belonged to another woman who spoke to them as if they were children.

“Isn’t that so?” [Hooded woman]

She then tried to include the last person sitting with them into the conversation.

“I’m sorry, but please don’t talk to me.” [???]

It was a rather unfriendly woman who was busy eating her meal, which consisted of a bacon and potato stew, bread and a cup of water.

“We’ll be fighting together tomorrow. Even if you’re only here to guide us, isn’t it better if we get acquainted?” [Hooded woman]

“I’ve no intention of doing so. The only reason why I’m here is because my darling has asked me to lead the way for your group.” [Hooded guide]

With her thorny words, the conversation quickly died out. In the awkward mood, Hames was glaring daggers at the guide, as if he wanted to murder her. But, he didn’t do anything and unhappily looked away.

“Do you think Hames is behaving himself?” [Gerard]

Inside his personal tent, Gerard was smoking a cigarette while lying in a bed. The blanket covered his legs only, so his naked torso could be seen by all. However, the only other person present was Lovel and she had already seen it plenty.

“Probably. He’s eager to fight, but I believe even that idiot can keep a lid on it and follow your orders.” [Lovel]

The short, blonde-haired woman spoke while putting her shirt back on.

“What worries me is the upcoming battle.” [Lovel]

“The new weapons will do their job.” [Gerard]

“On the battlefield, things rarely go according to plan. You should know that, Gerard.” [Lovel]

“… That’s true.” [Gerard]

Remembering some bitter memories, Gerard looked like he swallowed a bug. Lovel sat down on the edge of the bed with her back facing him. She held her glasses in her hands and spoke of her worries to the dark grey-haired man.

“In the worst case scenario, we’ll be surrounded by enemies and wiped out.” [Lovel]

“That’s nothing new. Hey, don’t worry. If things go bad, I’ll do something about it.” [Gerard]

Gerard rubbed her back gently to appease her fears.

“Let’s just do our job and go home. Like usual.” [Gerard]

“… Right.” [Lovel]

Feeling slightly better thanks to his soothing words, Lovel put on her glasses and tightened her expression. Once she stepped out of the tent, everyone would look to her for leadership. She could only show her weak side to Gerard and no one else. Standing up, the tanned-skinned woman with sharp, blue eyes turned around and faced her superior.

“For the First Order.” [Lovel]

She said with her back straight and her hand on her chest.

“For the First Order.” [Gerard]

Gerard similarly replied with a serious expression, though he stayed in bed since he was currently naked.

Inside an endless, dark space that contained nothing but wavering smoke and shadows, Ryner was standing alone.

“… Where am I?” [Ryner]

Wondering how he got here, he tried to recall the last thing he did.

“Let’s see, I saw dwarves, fought against amazons again, talked with Rosaminta, and went back to Hossylei Nac. Then, I… I followed Meirith. Went to some place with trees made of crystal. Then… Then…” [Ryner]

At that moment, Ryner remembered. When he saw the face of the woman he had called his big sister in the past, he quickly left the place while ignoring Meirith who worriedly called out to him. Afterwards, he jumped down from Hossylei Nac and swam to one of the islands to have some time alone. By coincidence, there was already a female dark elf present, but she hurriedly left the place after looking at him strangely.

“… Right. I fell asleep after meditating.” [Ryner]

“Correct.” [???]

Hearing that familiar voice, Ryner’s expression sharpened and his eyes grew cold. When he turned around to look behind him, he could see the person he was expecting to find in his dream.

“Alice.” [Ryner]

The woman with long, black hair that always wore a black dress would usually be taunting him and questioning his decisions while sporting a cold, confident smile.

“Took you long enough to realize you were dreaming.” [Alice]

However, she was currently sitting on the ground while hugging her knees with her back facing Ryner. No power could be felt in her figure. In fact, she looked rather lonely. Upon noticing her current state, Ryner’s expression softened.

“… You saw someone you didn’t want to see.” [Alice]

In front of her, as if there was a screen floating in the air, was what Ryner had just seen. It was a woman that looked a lot like Alice. Or rather, besides her hair and eye color, Alice looked just like her.

“… Yeah.” [Ryner]

It was the figure of their big sister in the black, crystal tree, smiling at them.

“… Big sister.” [Alice]

“Big sister.” [Ryner]

Ryner sat down next to her and also gazed at the beautiful woman with chestnut brown hair. He and Alice, who would usually be at each other’s throat, now peacefully sat together. Neither of them exuded the least bit of hostility and both of them had similarly listless expressions.

“… I won the game.” [Ryner]

“… I know.” [Alice]

“… I got back the Heaven’s Blade without fighting the elves for it.” [Ryner]

“… I know.” [Alice]

“… Keep your promise.” [Ryner]

“… Just tell me when you want those materials.” [Alice]

“… The elves were empaths. You knew that.” [Ryner]

“… Because you’re no good with empaths.” [Alice]

“… I see.” [Ryner]

During their brief conversation, their voices also contained no strength or edge. The game that was recently won, the promised reward for the winner and the trouble encountered by going into a city of empaths were spoken of with disinterest. It was as if none of it mattered at all anymore. These two monsters gazed at the person that had meant so much to them and that had shaped their very existence. For a while, they sat together. The air was heavy and melancholic, but peaceful. However, they couldn’t sit together forever. So, after what felt like hours, Ryner stood up. He turned around and walked away without saying anything.

It was time to go.

“Say…” [Alice]

But, Alice called out to him. While keeping her eyes on her big sister, she called out to her mortal enemy, and hearing her voice, Ryner stopped in his tracks.

“… Is it ever going to end?” [Alice]

The woman in black asked weakly, much like a tired child wondering when she could go home.

“When I give up.” [Ryner]

Ryner turned around and told her in a fatigued, but determined tone of voice.

“When will you give up?” [Alice]

This time, Alice faced him. Her red eyes with vertical slits clung to him, as if clinging on to a faint hope. Seeing her in such a state, Ryner smiled bitterly before answering her.

“When you kill me.” [Ryner]

“…” [Alice]

Alice’s eyes widened and her mouth moved to say something. But, no word came out. She looked down, shook her head and chuckled weakly.

“… Liar…” [Alice]

She whispered before raising her face and staring into Ryner’s eyes, a sad smile on her face.

“Liar.” [Alice]