"How much further must that fallen spirit torment my kin before she's satisfied?"
Riveria's face darkened as she spoke through gritted teeth.
The story of Filvis's past had already been revealed to the upper-tier adventurers through the eye crystals.
Though some pitied her tragic history, now that she had become an enemy—and with the evil dragon wreaking such devastation—no one was willing to plead for leniency.
All the adventurers could do was pray, while the powerless civilians could only hope.
Hope that the valiant warrior in the sky could defeat the evil dragon and save Orario.
Witnessing that scene, even Lefiya, who had been closest to her, couldn't bring herself to utter words like "show mercy."
"Lefiya, have you steeled your resolve?"
Loki approached her side.
Her expression was neither flippant nor solemn—just a gaze filled with affection for the innocent elven girl.
That's right.
I must make my resolve, too.
This was something I decided before setting out tonight.
Lefiya's thoughts returned to dusk earlier that evening.
Loki had used "Filvis might still be alive" as the catalyst to pull her out of her despair.
"But think carefully, Lefiya."
At the time, Loki had spoken with grave seriousness. "If Filvis truly is alive, what will you do? Will you turn a blind eye to the evil she's committing, or sever this cursed bond... The choice is yours alone."
From the start, Lefiya had no intention of running away.
She confronted her own heart honestly—and found her answer.
This was the resolve she had forged before departing.
Regardless of her personal feelings, this was for Orario. For all who lived here.
And for Filvis, too!
"—Arrow of liberation, bow of sacred wood. I am the master archer."
Golden motes of light gathered, illuminating the resolute face of the golden-haired elf.
Riveria watched her with a complicated sigh.
"—Take aim! Fairy sniper. Pierce through! Arrow of certainty!"
Lefiya raised her staff.
"—Arc Ray!"
Pouring every ounce of her magic into it, the golden arrow shot skyward like a cannon blast, streaking toward the roaring evil dragon!
With a thunderous boom, the golden arrow shattered into fragments!
The evil dragon remained unharmed—not even glancing away from Eiji for a moment.
But in Filvis's eyes, that familiar magic was reflected.
For a brief, dazed moment, she froze.
Amid the brilliant golden light, she seemed to see that innocent girl—the very model of an elven ideal.
Then, she let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Eiji watched silently.
There was no saving Filvis now.
As a monster, she had endured endless torment and the lashings of her own pride.
To be precise, Filvis as a person had died that day—in the nightmare of the 27th floor.
Eiji glanced downward.
"I can't betray her resolve."
He raised both hands.
Two golden swords of light manifested before him.
Aiming for the magic stones of the corrupted spirit and Filvis, the golden sword shot forth like a flash of light!
The golden blade transformed into a streak of brilliance!
The evil dragon roared in fury.
The corrupted spirit shrieked in terror.
From Eiji's actions, they sensed genuine, unmistakable killing intent!
He was determined to annihilate the evil dragon—even if it meant sacrificing Filvis as a hostage!
A massive magic circle abruptly materialized before them.
It was an ultra-long chant spell the corrupted spirit had prepared over the past few minutes, kept in standby.
She would block that strike with this magic.
Then escape with everything she had!
The corrupted spirit made up her mind.
After sacrificing so much to finally return to the surface, she absolutely refused to be trapped in the abyss again. As long as she could flee, there would still be opportunities!
"—Swift as Lightning!"
But in the blink of an eye.
Like a spark flashing by.
The speed of the golden sword suddenly surged, dazzling as a beam of light.
Before anyone could react, that streak of brilliance had already bypassed the magic circle and reached her.
Rrrip—!
The corrupted spirit's face twisted in disbelief.
A gaping hole had been torn through her chest, her final magic stone vanishing from within.
"Gyaaaaaaaaah————!!"
A scream filled with such bitter resentment it could haunt nightmares echoed across the skies of the labyrinth city.
Then, the evil dragon's eyes gradually dimmed, its life force rapidly dwindling to nothing.
Its colossal body plummeted from the sky, crashing onto the earth like a meteorite.
Eiji descended slowly from the sky, landing atop its back.
The corrupted spirit's avatar had already vanished.
The pigmentation of the evil dragon's form was rapidly fading, its massive body dissipating into black smoke bit by bit.
Only a single, relieved smile remained imprinted in Eiji's vision.
The pure white elf vanished without a sound.
This was true death.
Filvis, who couldn't die even when her own magic stone was shattered, had finally found release through Eiji's hand.
A thick layer of black smoke dispersed, merging into the sea of flames and the wind.
"May you find happiness in your next life."
Eiji silently offered his blessing.
The Divine Mirror now reflected only the image of a single human boy.
The people below flushed with excitement.
"Oooooooohhh!!"
"We won! We've won!"
"Sniff... my child's vengeance is finally fulfilled!"
"That's wonderful, Lily!"
"Yes, Lord Bell!"
Cheers soared into the heavens.
Ais, Finn, Bell, and others cast looks of relief or admiration his way.
"You truly are the finest!"
Freya licked her parched lips with a seductive tongue, her gaze growing increasingly fervent as she watched the boy surrounded by Loki Familia.
"I refuse to believe it! After all these years of planning—Guh!"
Dionysus screamed in madness, only to be swiftly knocked unconscious by Loki's punch.
Amidst the jubilant laughter.
Only Lefiya stood silently, staring at the spot where the evil dragon had vanished, gripping her staff tightly with both hands, her shoulders drooping like a fledgling bird.
Human growth is always accompanied by loss.
...
Several days later.
The inferno that had engulfed the city was finally extinguished through the combined efforts of all adventurers.
Nearly half of Orario had been destroyed by the evil dragon, with casualties beyond counting and economic losses exceeding tens of billions.
At the southeastern edge of the city.
The Adventurer Cemetery was located at the very edge of the city. While everywhere else had been reduced to ashes, this place had strangely remained intact.
Lefiya stood before a freshly erected tombstone.
Written in the common tongue was the name Filvis, though there was no body—only the wand and shortsword Lefiya had retrieved from the dungeon, items Filvis had always wielded. With these, she had built a cenotaph without even the clothing of the deceased.
For days on end, she had not spoken a word, to the point where Ais and the others nearly thought she had withdrawn into herself again.
Before long,
the sound of footsteps approached from the side.
A white flower appeared before her eyes. The visitor placed a bouquet each before the graves of Filvis and the others nearby, like Line, mourning their fallen comrades.