Rayish
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Chapter 138
🕑 Added 2025-05-28 09:34:23 +0000 UTCTheir footsteps came to a halt on the wide plaza in front of the Tower of Babel. Amid the bustling morning activity of Orario, the place resembled an anthill—alive with adventurers coming and going. Before them loomed a magnificent structure with architectural arches that seemed to brush the sky. At the base of the tower, a massive spiral staircase gaped wide, descending straight into the bowels of the earth—the Dungeon.
The clatter of metal boots echoed from adventurers descending the stairs, while others lingered above, checking equipment or sharing last-minute strategies before heading down. The air felt heavier here, as if the Dungeon itself emitted vibrations that seeped into one's bones. Shirou took a moment to observe his surroundings. The clinking of armor, the rustling of robes, and the cheers of adventurers formed a rhythm unique to the Dungeon's entrance.
Lefiya, walking beside Shirou, finally turned to him with curiosity she had held back since they left Twilight Manor. "By the way, Shirou," she said cheerfully, "what exactly are the two quests you picked up yesterday? That way, we can complete them while heading to the 25th floor."
Shirou gave a slight nod, one hand still holding the shoulder strap of his supporter bag. "The first one… is simple. They need Minotaur blood—probably for research or alchemy. I didn't ask for details." He shrugged casually.
"The second one," he continued, "is tougher. There's a request for coral from the Water City area. That means around the 25th to the 27th floors."
Hearing this, Aiz, standing to Shirou's left, lifted her head and asked softly but directly, "How much coral is needed to fulfill that quest?"
"Uh…" Shirou raised an eyebrow, then scratched his head with his index finger. "I… don't remember the exact amount."
Lefiya immediately leaned forward, her eyes sparkling as if she had found an opportunity to showcase her knowledge. "Usually, the full details are on the quest parchment! The required quantity, exact location, and sometimes even quality specifications are written there."
Shirou nodded in agreement and began lowering his supporter bag from his back. The heavy load produced a rough scraping sound against the fabric. "I stored both of them… in this bag. Let me check real quick—"
But before Shirou could undo the large buckle encircling the front of the bag, Lefiya quickly stepped in front of him and raised a hand.
"Wait!" she exclaimed. "Just stay still, I'll get them!"
Shirou blinked, slightly startled by her initiative. "Huh?"
Lefiya smiled as she crouched in front of the large bag, then swiftly patted its side. "Come on, just tell me where they are. I can find them myself. You've already done enough work this morning."
Hearing this, Shirou raised his hands in surrender, his lips curling into an amused grin. "Alright… in the third inner compartment from the top, on the right side. I put two rolled parchments there, tucked between spare cloth and a potion box."
"Got it!" Lefiya immediately opened the buckle with a click and rummaged through the bag, her nimble fingers moving quickly but carefully. Occasionally, the sound of rustling fabric or the soft scrape of parchment could be heard.
Aiz watched the scene silently, her golden hair glowing softly under the morning light streaming through the tower's arched entrance, contrasting with the shadows of the spiral staircase below.
Meanwhile, Shirou simply stood straight, watching Lefiya, who now looked like a little pirate enthusiastically searching for treasure in an adventurer's large bag. He found it amusing. She's way too excited… but well, that's Lefiya for you.
"Ah, found it!" Lefiya cheered as she finally pulled out two rolled parchments from Shirou's supporter bag. A light crack sound accompanied the parchments as they brushed against each other in her hands. She stood up, a thin layer of dust clinging to her skirt from crouching too long on the stone plaza in front of Babel.
"Here they are," she said, holding up the two scrolls like small trophies, one in each hand.
Shirou gave a gentle nod. "Go ahead and read them, Lefiya. I'm sure you'll understand the contents faster than I can."
Lefiya smiled proudly and unrolled the first parchment. The aged paper emitted a characteristic crrrt as it unfurled, its dark blue ink still clear despite slight fading at the edges.
"Hmm, this one…" she murmured, scanning the lines of text with sharp eyes. "The request comes from the Goibniu Familia."
"Oh?" Aiz turned slightly, her usually calm expression showing a hint of interest. "That's the blacksmith Familia I frequent," she said quietly. "Desperate, my sword… was forged by their smiths. The god Goibniu himself crafted it."
Shirou glanced briefly at the sword sheath hanging at Aiz's waist. Desperate—a weapon he knew held great meaning for her. Aiz rarely showed her emotions, but when it came to weapons, a sense of admiration and respect was unmistakable.
Lefiya continued reading quickly, then lifted her chin with a confident smile. "It says they need three kilograms of high-quality coral. It'll be used as a protective coating for their new armor."
Shirou nodded slowly. So it's not just any coral, but the kind with a strong structure and magic resistance… probably the type only found on the Dungeon's 25th floor and below.
Without further ado, Aiz raised a hand slightly and said flatly, "In that case, I'll handle that part. It'll also give me a chance to practice swimming further."
For a moment, Shirou's mind flashed back to an incident in Melen some time ago. Back then, Aiz had seriously attempted to learn swimming at a beach behind the inn. Though her determination was commendable, she had only managed to float for a few minutes before slowly sinking with her usual blank expression. Shirou, who had repeatedly rescued her while suppressing his own embarrassment, remembered it vividly.
If the coral is deep underwater and requires diving… will Aiz really be okay? He wondered doubtfully. But he didn't voice his concerns. Instead, he held his breath and kept them to himself. She must have a plan. Or at least… I'll stay close by just in case.
Lefiya, on the other hand, immediately turned to Aiz with sparkling eyes. "As expected of Aiz… always reliable! Even when it comes to underwater tasks!" she exclaimed admiringly. "If you're the one diving, the coral will probably surrender itself willingly!"
Aiz gave a small nod, seemingly unfazed by the praise. But Shirou noticed the faintest upward twitch at the corner of her lips—a tiny smile, perhaps.
Meanwhile, Lefiya eagerly unrolled the second parchment. "Okay, now let's look at the other quest…" she said enthusiastically. The sound of crinkling paper returned as she spread it under the morning sunlight.
Lefiya opened the second parchment carefully, as if unveiling a new chapter in a novel that might hold surprises. Her delicate fingers smoothed the edges before her eyes quickly scanned the lines of text. She nodded slightly, reading silently.
"The second request comes from…" She glanced up briefly before continuing, "The Hermes Familia. Oh—I know a few of them. Laurier, Asfi, even their scout, Lulune."
Aiz turned slowly. "What do they want?"
Lefiya lowered the parchment slightly and answered promptly, "Two liters of Minotaur blood… specifically from one in a state of rage. So not from one that's been instantly defeated, but one in full aggression."
Shirou touched his chin, then smiled faintly. "Ah, I remember this one. That's why I brought two large leather bottles in my bag. I prepared them to store the blood later."
Aiz frowned slightly, her face serious but curious. "But… what's the Minotaur blood for? Why does it have to be from an enraged one?"
Lefiya looked back down to read the fine print on the parchment. But as she reached the bottom, her face suddenly turned red, and her eyes widened. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.
"U-uh… the intended use is listed as… for… uhm…" She swallowed hard and tried to stay composed. "For… an aphro… disiac?"
Shirou raised an eyebrow, then turned quickly. "For what?"
Lefiya covered her face with both hands, hiding the rapidly spreading blush on her cheeks. "An aphrodisiac! A… stimulant!"
Shirou fell silent for a moment. "I had no idea monster blood could be used for… that kind of thing."
Aiz, who had seemed calm, suddenly appeared as if she remembered something. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she glanced to the left, toward the Dungeon's entrance, as if seeing something from the distant past.
"…Didn't… Bell carried a bottle like that once?"
Lefiya immediately straightened up. "Right… that time… the night we explored the residential area near the pleasure district?"
Aiz nodded slowly. "Yeah. That night, it was me, Tiona, Tione, and you, right? We were investigating an alternate Dungeon entrance. But Bell had just come out of the pleasure… district."
Lefiya suddenly stood rigid, her finger pointing accusingly at the air. "That human! He even—he even—spilled that stuff on me!!"
Shirou let out a small yelp, shocked. "Seriously?!"
Lefiya glared at Shirou, her expression half-annoyed, half-embarrassed. "At the time, I thought it was a potion or some kind of refreshing elixir… But it turned out to be—ugh, that!"
Aiz added calmly, "Back then, he also looked dazed. Like he had just snapped out of a… lively place."
Shirou quickly raised both hands to mediate. "Hold on. I'm sure Bell didn't mean to. I mean, he's an honest and innocent kid… maybe he just tripped or something, right?"
"He did trip!" Lefiya snapped, her cheeks still flushed. "But that's no excuse! I still haven't forgiven him!"
Shirou took a slow breath, trying to calm the mood. Then, in a slightly deeper tone, he said, "Now that I think about it… that bottle might have come from Hermes too. Maybe Bell was given it by Hermes back then… and now Hermes is trying to restock."
Aiz gave a small nod. "Logical. Hermes is… too liberal about such things."
Lefiya just exhaled heavily, looking up at the sky as if praying for strength. "I hate this quest."
Shirou patted Lefiya's shoulder gently. "Think of it as mental training. And… we'll make sure nothing spills this time."
Lefiya groaned softly, clutching the parchment as if she wanted to crush it. The sounds of other adventurers passing by continued to echo around them, but for a moment, the atmosphere among the three was filled with embarrassment, awkward memories, and a hint of suppressed amusement.
Shirou exhaled softly and looked at the two parchments now held by Lefiya. He crossed his arms and said calmly, "In that case… how about I handle the Minotaur blood collection? I'm used to dealing with them, and it'd be easier if I took care of it."
He looked at Lefiya with genuine concern, not out of doubt, but from a sincere desire to lighten her burden.
However, Lefiya froze for a moment.
Her mind drifted back to an afternoon two days ago, when she sat alone with Lady Riveria in the manor's backyard garden. The sun was setting, and the sound of falling leaves served as the backdrop as Lady Riveria, in her usual calm voice, offered a piece of advice:
Let him grow more enchanted by you. Show your beauty gradually, and let him unconsciously see another side of you. Men like Shirou… aren't quick to understand others' feelings. If you rush, he might not realize what you truly feel.
Those words had echoed in her mind ever since, and now, it felt like the perfect moment had arrived. In front of Shirou… in front of Aiz… and before the Dungeon, they were about to enter together.
With her chin slightly raised and eyes shining with determination, Lefiya suddenly stepped forward and raised her hand.
"I'll be the one to handle the Minotaur blood quest!" she declared loudly, her voice full of resolve.
Shirou was taken aback, while Aiz turned with a puzzled expression. "You?" she asked bluntly.
Lefiya nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I can do it!"
Aiz blinked slowly, then pointed at herself with a flat tone and slight confusion. "Like me…?"
For a moment, it seemed she wondered if her earlier offer to handle the coral quest alone had inspired Lefiya to do the same. But she didn't add anything else, leaving her words hanging in the air.
Shirou furrowed his brow, concern evident on his face. "But Lefiya… you're a mage who operates from the rear. Minotaurs aren't opponents to be taken lightly. Even if you attack one, wouldn't… your spells just obliterate it completely? We need its blood, not ashes."
Lefiya stared at Shirou with a proud and slightly mischievous expression, then placed a hand on her hip and said confidently, "Shirou, don't underestimate me. I'm almost level four, you know. Sure, my strength stat can't compare to yours, especially your SSS rank. But that doesn't mean I don't have a way."
Her eyes narrowed challengingly. "And who says I can't wound a monster without killing it? I have magic, and I also have a brain."
Aiz looked at Lefiya for a moment, then, with her usual blank expression, gave a slow clap. Clap… clap… A quiet but sincere praise, a subtle response to the admiration Lefiya had shown her earlier.
Shirou fell silent. He looked at the two girls standing before him—two comrades, two warriors who both wanted to prove themselves. He knew they were strong. He knew they wouldn't act recklessly.
But still…
If anything happens… I'll be on full alert. No matter what, I won't let them get hurt.
That thought settled in his mind, ingrained like a mantra he repeated every time before descending into the Dungeon's darkness.
