Amid the rustling and bustling of morning activity, Akira slowly opened his eyes. A trace of fatigue lingered within them. With effort, he supported his body and sat up from his sleeping position.
Just the night before, he had lain there alone, thoughts surging within him like turbulent tides. After a prolonged period of silent self-adjustment, he had finally managed to calm his heart and drift into a restless sleep.
By the time he awoke, the other three who had shared the tent with him had already disappeared. Akira lifted the curtain of the tent gently and stepped out into the open.
Outside, the scene was already lively. The members of the Familia were busily packing their luggage, preparing for the descent to the next floor of the dungeon.
Akira moved toward the place where his toiletries were placed, bent down to pick them up, and squatted nearby to begin his morning wash.
Not long after, Akira returned and placed the utensils neatly back on the table.
Alise appeared, holding breakfast in her hands. She looked at him and teased, "Finally awake? It's rare for Akira to sleep in like this. Let me guess—not used to sleeping in the dungeon yet, right?"
She placed the food down with a soft chuckle. "It's okay. I was just like you when I first came down here."
"...That's right." Akira murmured after a pause, taking the breakfast.
He was silent for a moment before answering.
Can I say it was because of unfulfilled desires last night?
Alise walked over lightly, hands resting behind her slender waist, and leaned in close to Akira's face.
She observed him carefully, quickly picking up on the subtle signs of fatigue still etched into his expression.
Her tone turned gentle. "Are you alright? If you're still tired, you can rest here for half a day. We brought plenty of supplies this time, so there's no need to push yourself."
Akira felt a warmth bloom in his chest at her concern, but he still waved a hand dismissively, smiling. "No, really, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. Give me a moment, and I'll be good as new."
He sat down and began to eat his breakfast.
Seeing his persistence, Alise refrained from pushing further.
Instead, she plopped down next to him, propping her chin up with both hands, swaying her body side to side as she watched him eat with unblinking curiosity.
After a few bites, Akira noticed her staring and asked with a smile, "What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Hehe~ Nothing! I just got charmed again by how handsome you are." Alise beamed and reached out to ruffle his hair.
Looking at her lovely face, Akira chuckled. "Is that so? As expected of me. Even the perfect captain can't help but fall for my charm."
They exchanged grins until Alise huffed, "Even if you flatter me, I won't give you any benefits, you know. Well... maybe we can talk about it when we go back."
Just then, a voice filled with resentment broke their romantic exchange.
"Stupid Captain! Quit fangirling and come help me pack! And you too, Akira!" Kaguya's exasperated shout rang out.
As they turned to her, a ghostly image of a wrathful demon seemed to loom behind her, sending a chill down their spines. The two immediately snapped into action.
"Yes, ma'am!" They chorused.
...
After viewing the majestic Waterfall, the group continued their descent.
On the way to the next floor, Akira and Lyra served as temporary supporters, waiting for the front line to exhaust themselves before rotating in.
Ahead of them, the girls were locked in fierce combat with the monsters that surged forward endlessly. The clang of steel and cries of battle echoed through the cavern.
Taking advantage of a momentary lull in the fighting, Lyra approached Akira silently, as light and graceful as a cat.
She leaned in close and whispered, "What we did last night... I think Asta found out."
"Huh!?"
Akira's eyes widened in panic as he glanced at Asta, who was calmly cleaving a monster in half with her axe up front.
Akira immediately ducked his head close to Lyra's ear and whispered anxiously, "That's why I told you not to do that kind of thing. This is bad enough already if people find out."
"Hehe~ Okay, okay. I didn't think we'd get caught." Lyra said teasingly, patting his waist. "Besides, even if someone did find out, what's the worst that could happen?"
She shrugged as if it didn't concern her in the slightest.
Akira sighed in surrender. "Haah... whatever, I give up. Do what you want."
Just then, Noin's sharp voice rang out from ahead. "Hey, you two! Stop slacking off with your supporter work."
A stuffed bag flew through the air.
Akira quickly reached out and caught the bag in one smooth motion, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I got distracted."
Nearby, Celty began to slow her pace. Holding her staff, she turned to look at the pair curiously.
"Is there something wrong with this stretch of the dungeon? Why are you two whispering so much?"
Her innocent question struck like a pebble in a still pond.
One by one, heads began turning from the front line, glancing back with curiosity.
Akira stiffened. Especially when he noticed Asta's face—though concealed beneath heavy armor, her exposed eyes weren't hidden by her usual mask. She avoided his gaze, and her cheeks seemed faintly flushed.
So it was true.
Sighing silently, Akira replied, "Nothing. I was just discussing something with Lyra about the potential floor boss up ahead. You know... Amphisbaena."
"Ah, is that so?" Celty nodded. "Don't worry. We've faced it a few times already. We'll be fine."
With that, the curiosity in the group faded. The others returned their focus to the trek ahead, uninterested now that the mystery had turned mundane.
"Really? That's a relief. The sooner we beat it, the faster we can reach the safe zone." Akira replied with a smile.
Just then, a group of metallic crabs skittered into view.
"Alright, break time's over." Ryuu reminded gently. "The monsters are here."
With fluid precision, the Astraea Familia moved into action.
Akira and Ais were about to step forward to help but it was clear that the others didn't need their help.
With Ais's specialized monster-slaying abilities complementing their tactics, they simply stepped back and returned to supporting roles, watching in awe as the battle unfolded before them.