Eh… ehehe… I did it again, didn't I?
Yeah… it happened. *nervous laughter* It's honestly kind of scary how fast the word count flies when you're not paying attention.
I'M SORRY!!!
I swear I didn't do it on purpose. To be honest, I'm not even sure how this happened. Like, I had already split the chapter into two parts before writing. The second half had a little over four thousand words, and that's with the writing app I use always counting a bit higher than what actually shows up on Webnovel later. So I thought, okay, I'll just write this, this, and that, finish the chapter quickly, and we move on.
Then I started writing and thought, oh… what if I add a small emotional scene here? And after that I realized I needed to properly respond to that moment, otherwise the protagonist would look like a complete heartless idiot with no principles. So I wrote that. Then I looked at it and thought… well, since we're already here, maybe a little romance and some character development wouldn't hurt. One thing led to another and at some point I just went "ah, whatever, throw in a romance scene too." It didn't even make that much sense to include it, but at that point I was already deep in the hole anyway.
Then there was still another scene I needed to write with a different character, and somehow I ended up having the idea to add a small aura formation scene just to drop a sneaky little spoiler about what's coming later.
And when I finally looked at the word count again…
More than seven thousand words.
*screaming internally*
I said I was going to write something simple and quick just to wrap up this arc faster… and instead I ended up writing a completely unnecessary chapter that's basically just character moments and development with almost no action at all.
*sigh*
But well… it's done now.
So yeah, please enjoy this seven-thousand-word monster of a chapter after the final edits, and if you liked it, consider leaving a Power Stone at the end.
But go easy with the stones…
I already apologized.
///
— Ah! S-sorry! I mean- yes!
Caught completely off guard, Lili nodded quickly, stammering as she hurried to agree.
Seeing her reaction and finding it funny, Luki sighed.
— Everything's fine, I just don't like that sort of thing. You did well to endure it back there, I know you felt nauseous. — Luki murmured as he reached over and gently passed his hand through Lili's hair, ruffling it with surprising softness.
She stiffened slightly, her cheeks warming with embarrassment, but she didn't move away. If anything, she leaned just a little closer, quietly seeking the warmth coming from him. In the middle of all the chaos, fear and uncertainty, that warmth was the only thing that made her feel safe right now.
For someone who had almost died moments ago, that small comfort meant more than she could admit.
Besides... for two people who had been tossed through a battlefield by a tornado seconds earlier, they were strangely calm.
But Luki's mind refused to rest.
While his body leaned against the cold Dungeon wall, his thoughts kept circling back to what had happened. The Orcs with human-like eyes. The Wisp killed other monsters. The Silverback who fought with everything he had until death. And that entire wave of strange monsters still tearing each other apart somewhere behind them.
It was simple, just monsters, just another fight in a random part of the Dungeon.
And yet the simplicity of it all only made it worse.
Why were they fighting? Why were they killing each other? Why had that entire swarm moved toward him specifically?
Luki suspected the answer.
It was too convenient to be random. Everything that had happened until now felt like an ambush orchestrated by the Dungeon itself.
And honestly… why wouldn't it?
He wasn't from this world. His existence here was a mistake, an irregularity. An anomaly. Something that probably didn't belong inside the natural order of this place. Maybe the Dungeon sensed that. Maybe it rejected him the same way a body rejected poison.
Or maybe the opposite was true.
Maybe consuming him would allow it to change… to evolve into something new.
Or maybe he wasn't special at all.
Maybe this was simply how the Dungeon treated adventurers. Endless waves of monsters. Pressure without pause. Situations designed to grind people down until their minds snapped long before their bodies did.
If that was the intention… then it was working. Because something inside him felt wrong.
Luki lowered his head slightly, resting the back of his helmet against the wall. His stomach twisted in a way that had nothing to do with the impact from earlier. A dull nausea slowly crept up his throat, making him swallow hard.
Watching monsters die shouldn't bother him.
They were monsters. Things born to kill. Things that would happily tear him apart if given the chance.
So why did it feel like that?
Why did his chest feel tight every time one of them was crushed under his blade or smashed apart in the chaos? Why did the memory of those eyes keep returning to his mind?
No. It wasn't that he didn't know, he knew the answer, he just hated it.
The problem wasn't the monsters. The problem was the possibility.
The tiny, absurd, irrational possibility that some of them weren't just beasts. That behind those distorted bodies there might be thoughts… emotions… something that, in another context, could be called a person.
The idea was ridiculous! Fuck it if they could be people or not, monster or human, an enemy is an enemy, and a good enemy is a dead enemy.
And yet the moment that possibility entered his mind, it refused to leave.
Just imagining that some of those creatures might once have been something more than mindless killers made his stomach churn. His throat tightened. His body reacted with a disgust that was directed less at the monsters… and more at himself.
Because despite everything he had done to survive, despite the blood and violence that surrounded him now…
Luki still didn't have the stomach to kill people.
Even if those "people" looked like monsters.
And that realization sat inside his chest like something rotten, heavy with shame and helpless frustration he didn't know how to get rid of.
The thoughts that had surfaced refused to leave, circling endlessly inside his head as if trapped in a loop. The same memories repeated again and again, turning over from every possible angle.
His mind kept revisiting the scene, dissecting it piece by piece, perspective after perspective, like it was searching for something hidden inside it. Some explanation that would make everything make sense.
Then, in the middle of that chaotic spiral of thoughts, something clicked.
'My sword!'
His body tensed immediately.
Luki straightened from the wall and quickly looked down, instinctively reaching for his waist as if the weapon would still be there. His hand grasped nothing but air.
He checked again, on the back, on the ground, to the left or to the right, looking hopefully in all directions.
— No, no, no, no… where the hell is it?!
— L-Luki-sama…? What's wrong? — Lili asked, confused.
— My sword! I can't find my sword! — he blurted out, panic rising in his voice.
He grabbed the sides of his helmet for a moment in frustration.
— How the hell do you lose something that important?! Damn it, I must have dropp-
Then a memory resurfaced in his mind, as if the universe were playing tricks on him.
He remembered spinning rapidly in that tornado, being slingshotted out, and at that moment, he inadvertently opened his hand and let his sword go, where it was caught by the tornado and thrown far away, to the opposite side of the battlefield.
— Shit!
He pushed himself away from the wall and immediately started running back the way they had come.
— Luki-sama?! What are you doing?! — Lili exclaimed, startled as she was forced to move with him.
— I'm going back to get my sword!
— Are you insane?! We can't go back there! It's too dangerous! — she shouted.
— Sorry, Lili! But I can't just leave it there. That sword is important! — he answered quickly without slowing down.
— But Luki-sama, think about this! There are still monsters there! We barely escaped! — Lili insisted desperately.
— I know, I know!
— No, you don't! You're not thinking straight right now! — she shot back immediately, her voice trembling.
Luki kept moving.
— Luki-sama, please listen to me! That whole place is still a war zone! There are dozens of monsters there, maybe more! Even if the tornado scattered away, they're still alive!
— I just need a minute to grab it-
— And what if you can't?! What if they surround you this time?! What if another one of those strange monsters appears?! — she interrupted, her voice rising with panic.
He didn't answer.
— We were lucky! That tornado threw us all the way across the corridor. That's the only reason we got out alive! — Lili continued, almost pleading now.
— If we go back now… we're walking straight to death. Luki-sama, please… think about it for a moment!
He kept walking.
— It's just a sword! I know it's important, but it's not more important than your life! — she added quickly, desperation creeping into her voice.
Still no response.
— We can find another one! Adventurers lose equipment in the Dungeon all the time! That's normal! But if something happens to you because of this-
Her voice faltered for a moment.
— …then what was the point of surviving all of that just now?
Luki's steps slowed.
But Lili wasn't done.
— Luki-sama… please… I'm begging you… don't go back there. I… I don't want to die… I don't…
The words broke apart in her throat as panic tightened around them. Her hands clenched weakly against him as she forced herself to continue, voice cracking under the weight of it.
— I don't want to see you die either… please… don't go.
He finally stopped.
Silence filled the corridor.
His body remained tense, frozen in place as the conflict inside him became visible even through the stillness of his posture.
Inside the dented helmet, Luki's expression twisted back and forth in silence. His jaw tightened, then loosened. His brows furrowed, then shifted again. The urge to move pulled at him like a rope tied to his chest, while another weight held him firmly in place.
On one side stood Lili, a girl he had sworn to protect with his life, someone who had only recently opened her heart to him. Someone he came to truly love and cherish with all his hearth.
On the other was the Hestia's Blade, a gift, a favor born from both his goddess and the goddess Hephaestus, an item of inestimable value and even greater meaning. To Luki, somewhere deep in his mind, the blade had already become something inseparable from himself.
Both things were worth dying for. Yet now he had to choose.
The realization settled in.
Slowly, he turned his back on the direction of the battlefield and began to walk away.
For a moment Lili didn't say anything, almost as if she needed a second to believe what she was seeing. Then the tension inside her finally broke.
— Y-You're really leaving…? — She questioned as relief rushed into her voice all at once.
— Thank goodness… thank goodness…
Her fist's grip loosened slightly as the panic that had been suffocating her moments earlier slowly drained away.
— I thought you were really going to go back there… I thought you were just going to ignore everything I said and run straight into that mess again…
She let out a shaky breath that almost turned into a small, nervous laugh.
— Luki-sama, you idiot… you scared me so much…
He didn't respond.
But Lili didn't seem to notice.
— Seriously… what were you even thinking? Going back there alone… with all those monsters… you always act so calm, but then you suddenly do something reckless like that and expect me not to panic…
She shifted slightly in his arms, leaning a bit closer without realizing it.
— Still… thank you… really… thank you for listening to me.
Her voice softened, warmth slowly replacing the panic.
— I know that sword is important to you… leaving it behind… it must really means a lot that you, but-
He stopped walking.
Before she could finish the sentence, Luki suddenly crouched down and gently placed her on the ground.
The words died in her throat.
— …Luki-sama?
Luki crouched in front of her and gently adjusted her position, guiding her back until she was sitting against the cold Dungeon wall.
— Luki-sama…?
He didn't answer.
Silently, he reached for the bundle of cloth wrapped around her body and began loosening the knots that kept it tight. His fingers worked with quiet care, untying the fabric little by little until the layers slowly opened and fell aside.
The wrappings slid away, revealing Lili's thin, fragile body beneath them. Her arms looked weak, her posture light and unsteady without the support of the cloth that had been holding her together.
— Luki-sama…?
Still nothing.
Lili frowned slightly.
At first she assumed he was just focused on what he was doing. But the silence lingered longer than it should have. Something about it felt wrong.
A strange tightness began forming in her chest.
— Luki-sama…? — Her voice came out a little louder that time.
He didn't respond.
Lili shifted nervously among the loose cloth around her, the uneasy feeling spreading through her stomach like cold water.
— Luki-sama…? What… what are you doing…?
Still silence.
— Luki-sama…? — she tried again, her voice wavering.
Nothing.
Her eyes began to glisten with tears. Why? She doesn't know.
— Luki-sama… please answer me…
Her hands started fidgeting with the cloth around her, pushing it aside as she leaned forward slightly, reaching for him.
— LUKI-SAMA?! WHY AREN'T YOU ANSWERING?!
She began struggling weakly against the pile of cloth around her, trying to push herself forward.
— LUKI-SAMA!! SAY SOMETHING!!
Her eyes were already wet now.
— LUKI-SAMA!!! PLEASE!!
Luki remained completely silent.
Whether he was ignoring her or simply lost in his own thoughts was impossible to tell.
Her voice kept breaking through the corridor behind him, desperate and shaking, but he didn't respond. Not once.
Instead, he slowly stood up.
His gaze moved across the corridor, scanning the surroundings with sharp attention. The battered helmet turned left, then right, searching the shadows of the Dungeon walls as if expecting something to jump out at any moment.
'Nothing around… fifty meters, maybe more,' he thought.
'Unless a monster crawls out right under her, I'll still have time to run back. It should be safe enough.'
For a long time now, Luki had been feeling something strange surrounding him.
At first it had been vague, almost imaginary. Just a faint discomfort at the edge of his awareness. But recently it had been growing stronger… clearer.
Like a sense that had been asleep for years was finally waking up.
Everything around him within several dozen meters felt present inside his mind. The walls, the floor, the open space between them… all of it formed a strange map in his awareness. Not through sight, but through something closer to touch, a subtle sensation that told him what was solid and what was empty.
And somehow, in a way he didn't fully understand, he could almost perceive it from above.
Like a… divine sense. That thing in cultivation novels, but far weaker than the description says.
What he was about to do was stupid, dangerously stupid. But Luki trusted his instincts.
Those instincts had kept him alive this far in the Dungeon. If they had carried him through everything until now, then they wouldn't suddenly fail him today.
He crouched down again and returned to the pile of cloth around Lili.
This time he continued loosening and opening the bundle completely. The wrappings spread wider, leaving her body free from the tight restraints they had used while moving.
If something happened while he was gone, she needed to be able to move.
She probably wouldn't outrun a monster in her current condition. But even a few extra seconds could matter.
And if something happened to her because he had left her trapped in those cloth bindings, unable even to escape…
He would never forgive himself.
He was risking everything, he will take his sword back and leep her safe, but there were risks he didn't have the courage to take. Leaving Lili alone was dangerous, but he was confident that everything would be alright.
Even if the Dungeon interfered directly, summoning thousands of monsters after him or unleashing its own monsters on Lili, he trusted in his own strength that he could handle it.
Once everything was finally loosened enough, Luki stood again.
Without another word, he turned his back and began walking away. His mind was still tangled in thoughts.
But he hadn't taken more than a few steps when the scream behind him tore through the corridor.
— LUKI-SAMAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
Luki stopped.
Slowly, his helmet turned just slightly over his shoulder, as if he had only now truly heard her.
Behind him, Lili looked like she was about to fall apart.
Her frail body trembled uncontrollably, barely able to hold itself upright against the Dungeon wall. The thin cloth around her had slipped aside during her struggle, leaving her small frame exposed and shaking. Her eyes were swollen and red, tears pouring down endlessly, tracing wet lines across her cheeks as her breathing broke into uneven sobs.
— L-Luki-sama… p-please…! D-Don't go…! P-Please don't go…! — Her voice broke the moment the words left her mouth.
Her hands clenched weakly against the stone as her shoulders shook.
— I-I… I don't want to stay here alone…! I'm… I'm scared of the dark…! I d-don't want to be alone again…! N-not again…! P-please…!
Her voice cracked completely now.
— Luki-sama… p-please… don't leave me…!
She squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to stop the tears, but it didn't help. The sobbing only grew worse, tears spilling down in heavy streams no matter how much she tried to wipe them away with trembling hands.
Footsteps
Step by step, the sound of Luki's boots echoed softly through the corridor until he stopped right in front of her.
Without saying anything, he reached down and placed his hands on her trembling shoulders. His touch was firm but gentle as he guided her back down, helping her sit properly against the wall again.
She barely resisted.
Her body was still shaking as he carefully adjusted her position. He leaned her back against the cold stone, straightened her legs in front of her and placed her arms softly over her lap.
All the while, Lili kept crying.
The tears refused to stop now that they had begun. Her breathing came in broken sobs, shoulders shaking as everything she had been holding in finally spilled out.
Luki lowered himself in front of her and gently took her trembling hands. Turning them over, he placed them against his own, palm against palm. The difference in size was obvious, her thin fingers looked fragile resting against his rough, larger hands.
Without a word, his thumbs began to move slowly across the back of her hands in a calm, steady rhythm, a small gesture meant to soothe her and show that he was still there.
— P-please… h-hic… Luki-sama... D-don't… don't go… h-hic… p-please… — She sobbed between broken breaths.
Her fingers tightened weakly against his hands.
— I… I d-don't want… t-to… hic… be alone…
Luki said nothing.
He just kept holding her hands, gently brushing his thumbs across her skin while watching her cry.
Time passed, and when exactly, nobody knew; the two were too trapped in their own little worlds to notice.
Eventually, the storm of tears began to fade. The sobbing slowly quieted, leaving only small shaky breaths behind. Her eyes were still red and swollen, and her body trembled faintly, but the tears themselves had finally stopped.
Only then did Luki finally speak.
— Lili… — He called for her, sometimes, just saying a name is enough to convey everything.
But she didn't answer, instead, she turned her face away slightly, as if trying to hide what remained of her tears.
Luki slowly lifted one of his hands and gently placed it against her cheek, guiding her face back toward him. For a moment, he simply looked at her, really looked.
At the fragile lines of her face, the redness around her swollen eyes, and the sadness still clinging to them after crying so much for him. He held that sight quietly, as if trying to carve the image of her into his memory.
— Lili… — He called again, and this time she answered.
— …Luki-sama…
— Don't cry, I hate seeing you cry. You're much more beautiful when you're smiling. — he said in a calm, soft voice, soothing her.
His thumb brushed lightly beneath her eye, wiping away the tears that clung to her lashes
— So… smile for me.
Lili didn't react. Her gaze remained lowered while her shoulders trembled faintly, small sniffles escaping as if even that simple request felt too heavy for her right now.
Luki gave her a moment, watching quietly before speaking again, his voice gentler this time.
— Come on, Lili… just a little one. You don't even have to try that hard. I know you can do it.
His thumb brushed gently against the back of her hand again.
— Let me see it.
Lili hesitated.
For a moment her lips pressed together, uncertain, before she slowly tried. The result was… questionable.
The smile that appeared was crooked and shaky, her face still red from crying, her lips trembling as she struggled to hold it together. It looked less like a real smile and more like someone desperately trying not to cry again.
Luki stared at it for a second.
Then he nodded, as if seriously evaluating it.
— Hmm… yeah, that's definitely a smile.
— Pff…
She quickly looked away, clearly trying to hold it back. Laughing right now felt wrong, and yet the tension inside her had cracked just enough for the sound to slip out.
When she glanced back at him again, the smile was still there, but this time it looked far more natural.
— See? Much better already. That's the Lili I like to see.
He gave her hands a small, reassuring squeeze.
For a brief moment, Luki simply remained there, his hands still gently wrapped around hers before he finally spoke again.
— Lili… you know I have to do this.
Her smile vanished instantly.
— W-What…? No… — she shook her head weakly. — Luki-sama, you don't-
— You know I do. — Luki interrupted her, reinforcing his point.
Lili looked at him, hurt and confusion mixing in her eyes.
— Why…? Why does it have to be like this…?
Luki sighed quietly.
— That's no ordinary sword, you know that. And it's not just because it's a valuable gift or anything like that, it just means a lot to me, one way or another, and I'm not willing to let it go.
He paused for a moment before continuing.
— And more importantly… without it, how exactly do you expect me to get the two of us out of this Dungeon?
Lili opened her mouth, trying to respond, but no words came out.
Before she could find them, Luki continued.
— Lili… you're a strong girl.
She immediately shook her head.
— N-No, I-
— Don't interrupt me. — He said, not exactly harsh, but it was enough to stop her.
— You are. Whether you like it or not.
Luki leaned forward a little as he spoke, his tone calmer now, but no less firm. His hands remained wrapped around hers while his eyes stayed locked on her face, as if he needed her to truly hear what he was about to say.
— You survived alone in this world long before you met me. In a place far crueler than this Dungeon. As you said, you dealt with people who lied to you, betrayed you, treated you like dirt… and even so, you kept going. No matter how ugly things got, no matter how badly the world tried to crush you, you still moved forward.
— That's not something weak people can do. So don't stand there and tell me you're weak.
Lili tried to interrupt again, shaking her head.
— But I'm not-
— And you're not afraid of the dark either. — he cut in before she could finish.
His voice softened a little after that, though the certainty in it remained.
— And you're not afraid of being alone.
Luki exhaled slowly, as if he already knew how this sounded, yet chose to say it anyway.
— I know this probably sounds like the kind of cliché nonsense people say in stories… but you're never really going to be alone, Lili. Not as long as I exist.
His gaze softened slightly.
— Because your Luki-sama will always be with you.
Tears began to gather in her eyes again. This time they didn't explode out like before; instead, they simply slipped down her cheeks in quiet lines.
— P-Please… — she murmured weakly, her voice trembling as she wiped at her eyes. — Don't say things like that… It sounds like… like you're talking as if you're about to die…
Luki blinked at that.
Then suddenly he laughed.
— What? HAHAHAHA! Of course not. — He shook his head, the amusement lingering in his voice.
— I'm not dying. Not when I've got such a sweet young pallum waiting for me to come back.
For a second Lili froze completely, as a deer caught in street light.
Then a strange sound escaped her throat, something caught between a laugh and a sob.
— Y-You…!
Her face flushed bright red as she hurried to wipe her tears again, clearly overwhelmed and completely unsure whether she wanted to laugh, cry, or hide her face from sheer embarrassment.
Luki looked at her quietly.
He didn't look away, not even for a moment. His eyes stayed on her face, as if he was trying to engrave that expression into his memory once again — the fragile girl sitting in front of him, her eyes still red from crying but her smile slowly returning.
For a moment, he simply watched.
Then he gave a small, resigned smile.
— You know what… I just had an idea.
— Uhm…?
Without answering immediately, Luki reached up and grabbed the sides of his helmet. It was a typical metal adventurer's helmet with a narrow visor and a leather strap fastening it beneath the chin. He slipped his fingers under the buckle and loosened it with a quick tug before lifting the heavy metal piece off his head.
He placed it carefully on the ground beside him.
Then, without much ceremony, he grabbed the bottom of his chainmail shirt and pulled it up over his head.
Now he was left wearing only the dirty gambeson underneath.
— Luki-sama… what are you doing?
— Nothing. Just…
Before finishing the sentence, he lifted the chainmail shirt and gently slipped it over her head.
— Ah?!
He guided her arms through the sleeves, helping her carefully until the entire piece settled over her body.
The result was… absurd.
The chainmail shirt was enormous on her. It hung loosely around her small frame, the metal fabric draping down almost to her knees like an oversized dress. It looked like someone who wore size S trying on a shirt meant for someone wearing XL.
Luki stared at the result for a moment.
Then he completely lost it.
— PFFHAHAHAHA!
Lili's face immediately puffed up in outrage.
— LUKI-SAMA!! STOP LAUGHING!!
She puffed her cheeks angrily, looking like an offended little animal drowning in oversized armor.
Luki tried to control himself.
— S-sorry! I'm sorry! I just- I didn't expect it to look this-
He wiped his eye quickly.
— You look adorable.
Lili's face instantly turned bright red.
— T-THAT'S NOT A COMPLIMENT!!
Still chuckling softly, Luki leaned forward again and picked up the helmet.
First, he lifted the attached mail coif and carefully lowered it over her head, the mesh of metal rings falling gently around the sides of her face and shoulders.
Then he placed the heavy helmet on top of it.
It slid down slightly until it rested awkwardly around her head, the visor far too large for her small face.
Luki leaned back and admired the result.
Then he nodded with satisfaction.
— There we go. Now you actually look like a real adventurer. Just like you always wanted.
Lili hesitated for a moment before awkwardly lifting the visor. The metal felt heavy in her small hands, the oversized helmet shifting slightly over her head as she pushed it up enough to see him properly.
— Luki-sama… Why are you giving this to me? — she asked quietly, confusion still lingering in her eyes.
— To keep you safe while I'm gone.
For a second the words didn't seem to reach her.
Then her eyes widened, as if she finally remembered the reason for all this melodrama, it seems that Luki's gestures and affection were truly effective in making her forget her fear.
— W-Wait… gone? — Her voice rose slightly, panic creeping in as she hurriedly shook her head. — N-No, that's not right! Luki-sama, you should keep it! It's more important for you-
— No. — Luki cut her off immediately.
The firmness in his voice stopped her mid-sentence.
— I'll be fine. I can handle myself. A few idiot monsters aren't enough to take me down. — He smiled lightly, though there was a stubborn certainty behind it.
His tone shifted slightly, more serious.
— But if something happened to you because of something I did… I wouldn't forgive myself.
Lili froze, she couldn't find any words to answer. Even after everything that happened, she's still not used to this kind of thing, this kind of clear display of affection.
Then Luki suddenly added, pointing lightly at the oversized chainmail hanging around her small body.
— That said… don't get too used to it. That armor was expensive, I haven't even paid the first installment yet. So even if it's falling apart, I expect it back.
— Y-Yes! — She nodded quickly.
— Good. Then until I come back… take care of it for me.
Lili lowered her head, her arms slowly wrapped around herself, hugging the loose chainmail against her small body. The metal rings pressed against the fabric of her clothes, heavy and cold.
It was ridiculous, she knew it was just a figment of her imagination, perhaps because she was being so emotional, but for a brief moment, it almost felt as if Luki were still there, arms around her, protecting her exactly like he promised.
But imagination alone wasn't enough to erase reality.
— Luki-sama… I… I don't think I can do this. I'm scared. What if a monster appears…? — she murmured nervously.
— Then just shout my name. — He answered instantly.
— If anything happens, just yell for me and I'll come running to save you. — He said it again, with an easy smile, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Lili still looked unsure.
Seeing that, Luki sighed softly before reaching out again. He gently took her hand once more, their fingers naturally intertwining as he held it firmly.
— It'll only take ten minu- no, five minutes. I'll be back in less than five minutes. You can count it if you want.
— Count…? — Lili slowly raised her head to look at him.
— Yeah, as soon as I leave, start counting to five minutes. Can you do that for me?
— Five minutes…?
— Five minutes.
Silence settled between them.
It was madness. Complete madness.
After everything that had just happened, after the emotional storm where she had desperately tried to convince him otherwise… somehow, impossibly, he had managed to convince her instead.
Her fingers tightened around the chainmail.
Then, with deep reluctance… Lili slowly nodded.
— Well then… I should get going. I still have a semi-divine weapon to recover. And remember… it'll only be five minutes, alright?
— O-Okay… — Lili answered quietly, nodding.
— Great. Take care, Lili. — Luki gave her hand one last gentle squeeze before beginning to stand.
— W-Wait!
Luki paused mid-motion and looked back at her, confused.
— What is it?
Lili froze for a few seconds.
Her eyes shifted away as if she were searching for words that refused to come out. Then she quickly shook her head.
— I-It's nothing…! — she said hurriedly, her voice nervous. — I'll start counting like you asked.
— No, you won't. — Luki interrupted immediately, narrowing his eyes slightly in curiosity. — Now you're definitely going to tell me what that was. I'm curious.
Lili instantly turned her head away, the movement made the visor drop down with a soft clink, completely hiding her face inside the helmet.
— It's nothing, I swear! — Unfortunately, the helmet couldn't hide the unmistakable tremble in her voice.
— Lili… — Luki called again, his tone calm but very convincing.
She shifted awkwardly where she sat, fidgeting as if gathering the courage to speak.
Then finally-
— W-Well… I just thought… maybe… I could get a goodbye kiss from Luki-sama… like they do in those books… like... you know, the knight and... — With every word her voice became quieter and weaker, as if the strength was draining out of her.
At the same time the blush on her cheeks deepened dramatically beneath the helmet. She felt hot enough to start sweating, completely overwhelmed by the shame of having said it out loud.
Luki blinked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
But instead of laughing or making a teasing remark, he stayed silent. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel even more embarrassed.
'So that's what it was… I thought that after everything that happened in the bath she'd be a lot more assertive… but I guess deep down she's still shy and inexperienced when it comes to this kind of thing. Even though we've kissed before, she still gets embarrassed asking for another.'
His expression softened a little.
'And then I'm the one who was raising the red flag, right? Everyone knows that a goodbye kiss followed by a "see you soon" is the worst possible omen in a world full of swords and magic.'
Luki let out a resigned sigh and a small smile appeared on his face.
— Lili… — Luki called softly.
There was something strange in his tone.
Even though embarrassment still burned in her chest, the way he said her name felt almost hypnotic. Lili felt an irresistible urge to look at him, and before she realized it, she slowly turned her head, opening her eyes little by little.
Luki was kneeling right in front of her.
Without the helmet, his face was completely uncovered, his bright green eyes calmly watching her. A small, gentle smile rested at the corner of his lips, giving him an unexpectedly charming look.
Seeing him like that again reminded Lili of one of the many reasons she had fallen in love with him in the first place.
Then he leaned forward.
His face slowly drew closer.
Lili instinctively leaned back as he approached, her body retreating little by little on its own.
Thunk.
The back of her head lightly touched the stone wall, now there was nowhere left to run.
— Lili… — Luki called again.
He gently took one of her hands, bringing it between them and intertwining their fingers. All Lili could do was watch, her body moving almost on its own, as if she were completely at his mercy.
Luki then lifted his other hand toward her helmet.
She watched his fingers approach slowly. Maybe her sense of time was playing tricks on her… or maybe he was teasing her on purpose.
Clink.
The metal visor lifted and Lili's face was revealed.
Her cheeks were thin, her red eyes still swollen from crying. Faint tear marks traced down her skin, and loose strands of hair had fallen across her forehead.
Even so…
Somehow, she still looked very beautiful.
Luki leaned even closer until only a few millimeters separated them, their noses almost touching.
Silence settled between them.
The only sound in the narrow corridor was the quiet rhythm of their breathing.
But Luki didn't move any closer. He just stood there staring at her with a strange smile.
Lili stayed perfectly still, waiting anxiously for something to happen. She wanted it to happen… but for some reason he had stopped right at the best moment, almost as if he were deliberately making her wait.
Her heart began pounding harder, and when she couldn't endure the tension anymore, she finally opened her mouth.
— Luki-sa-
She never finished the sentence.
Luki suddenly leaned forward and sealed their lips together in a firm kiss.
Lili's eyes flew open for a brief instant.
— Mm—?!
The surprise only lasted a heartbeat before her eyelids slowly fell shut again.
For a moment the kiss was firm but simple, their lips pressed together while her mind struggled to catch up with what was happening. Her fingers tightened instinctively around his hand, the metal rings of the oversized chainmail shifting softly as her shoulders tensed.
Then Luki moved.
His lips shifted slightly against hers, tilting just enough to deepen the kiss. The pressure softened, becoming slower… gentler… yet somehow more intimate.
A quiet sound escaped her throat.
— Mmnh…
The moment her lips parted slightly in surprise, Luki took the opportunity. His tongue slipped past her lips carefully, brushing against hers with tentative curiosity before meeting her own.
Lili entire body stiffened for half a second. Then heat rushed straight to her face.
'W-Wait…!'
Her thoughts spun wildly, but her body betrayed her completely. Instead of pushing him away, her fingers tightened even more around his hand while a small, shaky breath escaped through her nose.
The unfamiliar sensation made her tremble.
His tongue moved slowly, exploring with calm patience, brushing softly against hers as if guiding her through the motion.
— Mm…
A quiet, embarrassed sound slipped from her lips as she instinctively responded. Her tongue hesitantly moved back, clumsy and uncertain, but trying to follow his rhythm.
The faint, wet sounds of the kiss echoed softly in the narrow dungeon corridor.
Ch… mm…
Lili's free hand slowly curled against his chest, gripping the front of his gambeson as if she needed something to hold onto to keep herself steady.
Her heart was racing so fast it felt like it might burst, meanwhile, her mind had completely stopped working.
All she could feel was the warmth of his lips, the slow movement of his tongue against hers, and the gentle pressure of his hand holding hers tightly between them.
For a few fleeting seconds… nothing else in the world existed.
— …mm…
— Haa…
The soft sound of their lips separating was followed by quiet, uneven breathing.
For a brief moment neither of them moved. Their faces were still very close, warm breaths brushing against each other. Lili didn't seem to realize it, but her body leaned forward slightly, as if instinctively searching for that warmth again.
Luki noticed, then a small, teasing smile slowly appeared on his face.
— So… did you like the kiss, my princess?
His tone carried a hint of playful pride, clearly referencing the romantic books she had mentioned earlier.
Lili's reaction was immediate.
She lowered her head quietly, shoulders shrinking as embarrassment flooded her face again. One of her hands slowly rose to her lips, touching them lightly as if she still couldn't believe what had just happened.
— …Mhm… — she murmured weakly, giving a small nod.
This was only the second time she had ever kissed someone.
But the first time it had ever been like that.
So intense. So warm. So wet.
And… somehow overwhelming in a way she couldn't properly put into words.
Watching Lili practically enter a small existential crisis over a single kiss made Luki feel a strange sense of pride.
After all, it had taken quite a bit of practice to reach that level.
Three kisses a day.
One after waking up.
One during lunch break.
And one before going to sleep.
Hestia was a very… demanding woman when it came to that kind of thing. Once she discovered how much she enjoyed kissing, she started asking for it constantly, like a teenager who had just discovered one of life's great pleasures.
Remembering that suddenly made Luki feel a little terrible.
Kissing another girl behind her back wasn't exactly something to be proud of. But the bridge had already been crossed, now all he could do was hope for the best later.
Still…
Enough stalling.
— Well. If you don't want anything else, I'm heading out now, and remember… five minutes. — Luki said, straightening slightly.
He gently rose to his feet.
Before leaving, however, he leaned down once more and placed a soft kiss on tip of Lili's nose.
The unexpected gesture made her freeze completely.
— I'll be back soon. — he said quietly, his voice soft and reassuring.
Then he finally turned away.
Without another word, Luki began walking down the dim corridor, his figure gradually fading as the shadows of the Dungeon swallowed him little by little.
Within seconds he disappeared into the darkness
Lili watched his silhouette fade into the darkness of the corridor.
— Luki-sama…!
Her voice came out before she could stop it. She instinctively stretched her hand forward, fingers reaching toward him as if she could still grab his sleeve and pull him back.
But before she could do anything, he was already gone.
Lili slowly lowered her arm, realizing that there was no other way.
Anxious, she wrapped both arms around herself, clutching the loose chainmail tightly against her chest. The cold metal pressed against her palms, reminding her of what he had said.
'Five minutes.' Her eyes trembled for a moment, as if the thought of that tiny space of time, and of the countless things that could happen in it, frightened her.
Then a small spark of determination appeared within them.
'Five minutes… that was nothing. Not for me, not for Lili!'
She had spent three entire months trapped underground waiting to see the sunlight again, what were five minutes compared to that?
Her fingers tightened slightly.
— Luki-sama… please be safe. — she whispered quietly.
Slowly, she lowered the visor of the helmet.
Clink.
The metal covered her face once more.
Lili then brought her hands together in front of her, intertwining her fingers tightly before bowing her head slightly, almost like someone praying. As if any god above might hear her.
— One… two... three... — she whispered softly.
…
Far away, deeper in the corridor, Luki walked alone through the darkness, tthe same path he had taken only moments ago.
With each step he took, the thin fog lingering along the dungeon floor seemed to grow thicker. The cold air pressed closer around him, creeping against his skin as if trying to send a chill down his spine.
And somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of combat echoed through the stone corridors.
Luki stopped.
For a moment he looked back over his shoulder, as if some lingering concern still pulled at him.
Then he quietly firmed his resolve and turned forward again, continuing down the corridor.
— Even if I have to kill a thousand… ten thousand… every single monster in my way… I promise I'll get us out of here. — He began to speak, whispering softly to himself, more as a way of reaffirming his promise once more than anything else.
His footsteps remained steady.
— Even if I have to give my life for it… I'll make this work. One way or another… it will work.
The distant sounds of battle grew slightly louder.
— Even if I have to kill those… things... even if it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth… even if I regret it later… — His voice began to falter at the end, as if he didn't want to think about it.
His gaze hardened.
— I have reasons to fight. Reasons stronger than any regret I might feel afterward. I. Will. Do it! If not for me then for she and for her, for that bright future that await us.
He took another step.
— And...
Suddenly Luki stopped.
The air around him grew heavy.
An invisible pressure hung in the corridor, like a silent presence watching from the shadows.
His eyes slowly shifted to the ground beside him, with suspicion, no, with certainty. Certainty that something was there, observing everything, reading every thought and planning thirty steps ahead.
Without noticing it himself, Luki's eyes faintly began to glow. A pale, intense shade of blue.
— …If anything happens to her… — He didn't finish the sentence.
The pressure in the air intensified.
The glow in his eyes brightened.
— …you won't want to see how this ends. — His voice was calm and cold, unlike anything he had ever shown before.
It was not the determination to make the impossible possible, nor the inexplicable cruelty towards anything that targeted his legs.
That wasn't a simple statement, it was a warning, in the imperative.
Luki had always been a calm and composed person. He never went looking for trouble and preferred to focus on living his life quietly.
But mama didn't raised a bitch.
If some idiot thought they could stick their nose where it didn't belong, then he'd show them exactly why he have a fist.
After a few seconds, Luki turned his gaze forward again, the glow in his eyes slowly faded and the pressure in the corridor disappeared as if it had never existed.
The message had already been delivered.
Now with a far more serious and determined expression, Luki resumed walking through the darkness of the Dungeon.
And this time, he wasn't turning back until he got what he came for.