“Ubeup!”


    “Ubbeup!”


    Lemon and Apple, were biting on Shadow’s tentacles like a gag. They became quiet, but big cheers poured out from the surrounding elves.


    <em>-Waaaaa!</em>


    The joyous cheers of realizing that the battle, which almost cost them their lives, had finally ended.


    However, I still had work to do.@@novelbin@@


    I poked Lemon and Apple with my finger and told them to follow me, then headed toward Lydia and Benny.


    “Miss Lydia. Benny. We still have one more task toplete.”


    “Yeah. It’s rescuing the owner Eve, right?”“Well, if we’vee this far, it’s practically over.”


    “Benny. Do you know?”


    “What?”


    Benny, who fought a battle almost to the point of exhaustion with Tania. Perhaps exhausted from casting magic like crazy, she was tattered, but in front of me, she must be pretending that she was okay, trying to show off.


    And it was the same for me.


    I pretended to put my arm around Benny, half-copsing as I whispered into her ear.


    “I feel like I’m about to die from exhaustion… At this rate, even if Benny does something, I won’t be able to resist, right?”


    “Eh.”


    At that moment, Benny’s purple eyes opened wide, and her tongue extended between her sharp teeth to moisten her lips.


    “…What’s with that highly expectant expression? If you actually do something naughty, you’ll enjoy everything you can beforeining to Ellie?”


    “Will you actually enjoy it?!”


    “You have to, to not feel wronged when you die, right?”


    “…Well. If Ellie really hits you with even one proper hit, your body and head will just separate as is.”


    I added with a sly smile towards the trembling Benny.


    “I handled not just a couple of Mentee-ss, but tens of them all at once. And that was without any stealth, straight up. Since then, it’s been just a spoonful, but I got involved in battles with high-level adventurers and Mentor-ss heretics.” ?


    “Ah… You fought so well that Ipletely forgot. Jonah had just defeated the second-floor Floor Guardian and became a third-floor adventurer, right?”


    “Even that Floor Guardian, I was the one who defeated it alone just a few hours ago.”


    “…Why did you defeat it alone?”


    “When I hit it once, its eyes rolled back and it started attacking only me.”


    Since Benny joinedter and didn’t know how I fought in the Labyrinth, I shrugged at her.


    “Well, for the details, you should ask Miss Lydia… You see, up until just now, I was pretending to be fine. And this is a pretense I have to keep up until I sessfully rescue Miss Eve.”


    “Sseuup. Alright. How can I help?”


    “It’s simple. Please cast a pain-suppression spell, and if you could loan me Shadow for a bit, that would be enough.”


    “Wait a moment.”


    Benny, having recited a short incantation, tapped my forehead. At the same time, the sensations throughout my body dulled, and the pain that had been gnawing at me felt distant.


    After the battle ended, I naturally let go of Benny as if parting from a hug to acknowledge her effort. I felt a bit regretful, but I can’t hold only one person, can I?


    While Shadow sluggishly crawled over after answering Benny’s call, I lightly embraced Lydia this time.


    No, that was my intention.


    Our chests naturally pressed together. As I felt the hope of humanity within, my body spontaneously began casting a chaotic spell.


    <em>Squish.</em>


    I pressed my face against Lydia’s chest and rubbed it a couple of times before finally opening my mouth.


    “Ttyoottye…”


    “Uh?”


    “Ah, that’s not it. I’d like to borrow Miss Lydia’s strength just in case of any battles toe.”


    “Alright. Just leave it to me.”


    Perhaps because she did many chivalrous deeds today, Lydia looks exceptionally satisfied and nods confidently.


    After dropping from her body with a heart full of regret, I gave a light gesture to Shadow, who was staring nkly in this direction.


    Understanding instantly, Shadow released the shackles bitten by Lemon and Apple, then puffed up its body into a cushion-like shape.


    Only after confirming that the countless eyes sprouting from the flesh were quietly closing their eyes did I climb on top of it.


    And then I gently petted it.


    “Thank you.”


    <em>-Grrrr.</em>


    Shadow seemed exhausted as its crying sounded weak, but perhaps pleased with my touch, it struggled and raised its body.


    Alright, this should be fine.


    Wouldn’t the Elf King (not) mounted atop a fearsome monster that cannot be described in words be a perfect exit?


    I straightened my back, attempting to appear solemn, and lifted my head. Then, my gaze met Rosemary, who was making aplicated expression in front of Tuberose.


    “Umm, well, Rosemary saw it from the side, so you know, but this is…”


    “…Thank you for stopping my Mother’s rampage.”


    “Huh?”


    Even if she didn’t me me, I thought it would be hard for her to send warm nces. Anyway, isn’t this tantamount to killing Rosemary’s mother?


    But Rosemary sincerely expressed her gratitude to me.


    “Are you, uh, okay?”


    “To be honest, I’m not okay. But my sorrow should end with me. My Mother clearlymitted a mistake and has received her rpense. As her daughter, shouldn’t I handle the aftermath? I still have my fellow elves and the Cradle Tradle Company left.”


    “…Thank you for saying that.”


    Rosemary, instead, shows me respect. Seeing her trying to stay until the end despite her own difficulties, I decided.


    “I’ll leave all the Cradle Trading Company’s work and the cleanup here entirely to Rosemary.”


    “Huh?”


    Rosemary’s eyes widen at the sudden promotion (?). Since she was supposed to be the sessor of the Cradle Trading Company from the beginning, there should be no significant friction during the session process.


    I patted Rosemary’s stunned shoulder twice and then turned my body away.


    “Wait, just a moment! What…huh?”


    Rosemary, who had been trying to hold me back, saw the elves who hadte-marched behind her and realized


    that dealing with this matter is not so easy.


    Later, the Guild will investigate how One Who Devours the Twilight somehow became involved, so for the next few days she is going to have a hard time.


    iming my share will have to be done after all this hardship is over.


    “Let’s go.”


    As I muttered to myself and lightly tapped my side, Shadow quietly crossed the floor.


    Following behind were Lydia and Benny, and Lemon and Apple pretending to have their mouths zipped.


    Leaving behind the gazes and silent salutes of the elves’, who had noticed we were about to leave, we finally exited the banquet hall.


    When we came out the door, the first thing we saw were the corpses of the two guards who had just moments ago been energetically blocking Lemon and Apple.


    “Tsk. It can’t be like this all the way to the first floor, can it?”


    “Since they were open for business, if that were the case, the Guild or the Temple’s forces would have immediately sent support.”


    “Hmph. No support came, so the lower floors are intact. Should I be happy about this….”


    Sighing, I headed back down the stairs we had climbed so far on Shadow.


    As Lydia said, the scenery bes more intact the further down we go. It seems like some soundproofing magic was used, as we couldn’t hear any noise from above.


    We arrived at the first floor receiving puzzled looks from the calm staff and customers. Did she say Eve was underground?


    But no matter how much we looked around, we couldn’t find a way downward. There must be some kind of secret passage.


    …And Rosemary would know this well.


    Did Tuberose prevent any possible retaliation by bestowing utility upon her daughter at the final moment?


    I never intended to get angry with Rosemary from the beginning, but Tuberose’s momentary judgment is excellent.


    She must have had various ns to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.


    However, we don’t need to blend in here.


    The first floor is bustling with numerous customers. Let’s send Lydia, who among us is still rtively intact to look around.


    <em>Kwawng!</em>


    As if she had been waiting, Lydia, filled with aura, stomps the ground with her feet.


    Cracks spread out all over the floor, and the gazes of so many people are collectively focused on her.


    She gave a beaming smile towards the fear and horror-filled gazes.


    “Alright! The Cradle Trading Company’s operations for today end here! Dear customers, please leave quickly!”


    “…It’s problematic if you act like this here. I’ve heard rumors that Lydia is a righteous adventurer, so why are youmitting such brutish acts?”


    “Ask someone above for details.”


    After responding briefly, Lydia shifted her stance again.


    <em>Kwa-aang!</em>


    The cracks in the floor deepened further as one by one, many of the guests began to leave.


    Of course, the gazes directed this way were not exactly favorable…but there was no adventurer with the courage and skill to dare stand before Lydia.


    They, too, would understand when tomorrowes and when they learn about what happened in the banquet hall today.


    Only after confirming that the guests and staff had backed away did I poke Lydia’s back firmly.


    “Miss Lydia, shall we attempt a sincere downstrike?”


    “Yeah.”


    Nodding, Lydia lifted her greatsword, which was asrge as her own stature.


    The exact same stance as the strike she exhibited with the iron-armed missy. However, the aura contained within it has considerably weakened. It doesn’t even resemble a pir; at best, it merely wraps around the greatsword.


    But its power was still not to be underestimated.


    <em>KWAAAAANG!</em>


    A thunderous sound close to an explosion. The basic defensive and preservation magic woven into the solid ground crumbled in an instant, revealing the floor below.


    The underground was decked out with all kinds of devices, just as expected.


    Considering Tuberose’s objectives, it wasn’t a trap that threatened our lives, but if we had tried to force our way through, it would have been quite difficult.


    Although we skipped everything.


    Through the swirling dust, I looked down, eyes fixed. And finally, I found it.


    Eve, her limbs bound in thorny vines, was trapped in a ce that resembled a ss tube.


    I ordered Shadow to swiftly break the ss tube and sever the vines.


    Perhaps because she had regained her freedom without knowing how, Eve, as always, exuded an imposing aura, yet bore an awkward expression that contrasted it.


    I yfully lifted the corner of my mouth towards her.


    “I never thought you’d be hiding in a ce like this. Haven’t you missed me, Miss Eve?”


    It’s taken me too long to say this.