Immediately after the dungeon ceiling collapsed from Gramos's charge.
Rumble rumble rumble…
Amidst the rising dust, Sierra and Edric barely managed to regain their senses.
"Ugh…, seriously…, what in the world was that…."
"Sierra? Are you there?"
"Edric…?"
Sierra clutched her dizzy head, feeling the impact of being thrown to the ground.
Edric approached Sierra, pushing through the dust.
"Edric, wh-where are Emil and Chris?"
Sierra urgently asked him about their companions' whereabouts.
"This isn't the time! Sierra! Let's go—!"
Edric ignored her words and grabbed Sierra's wrist.
"H-hey? E-Edric!"
"Run! That guy might chase us again!"
"But the two of them—!"
"They're on the opposite side! There's nothing we can do for now! Let's get out and call the professors first!"
"..."
If they were that desperate, couldn't they just use the bracelet?
Just as Sierra was about to say that, she noticed her empty wrist.
'Ah, I lost it….'
It seemed to have broken or fallen off from the recent impact.
But Edric still had his bracelet on his wrist.
'If Edric uses his bracelet to leave now…'
Then they could inform the professors more quickly.
Pounding footsteps!
"Just a little…! Just a little further…!"
But Edric didn't use the bracelet; he just ran towards the light.
"..."
Why wasn't he using it?
The reason was clear.
If he used the bracelet, he would be disqualified and wouldn't get any points.
"H-hey…! Edric…!"
"What—!"
Sierra carefully called out to Edric, who was running desperately, still holding her wrist.
"Let's get out quickly using your bracelet now. And call the professors."
That's what she was going to say.
'...'
But Sierra hesitated for a moment.
'What if Edric loses points because of me for no good reason…?'
Would she have given up practical points in such a situation?
'...'
Sierra fell into thought for a moment.
And then.
"Edric—!"
"What?!"
She concluded that if it were her, she would have used the bracelet.
"Escape right now with the bracelet you have—! Or I'll use it…!!"
It was then.
Rumble rumble rumble—.
A vibration similar to the one felt when the ceiling collapsed earlier began to resonate in the cave.
"Huh, wh-what…?!"
"Damn it! What now—!"
The two, who had been running fast, sensed something amiss and stopped.
And as soon as they stopped, fearfully.
Crack…, crrrack….
"Huh…?"
"Oh no…."
Cracks began to appear beneath their feet.
"Run—! Just run no matter what—!!"
"Uh, unh!"
At Edric's signal, Sierra began to run after him.
There was no time to talk about the bracelet now.
Edric even let go of Sierra's wrist, focusing solely on running.
As they ran aimlessly.
"Good—! Just around that corner and soon—…!"
It was the moment Edric exclaimed that, glancing at the map in his haste.
Crumble rumble rumble—!!
The cracking floor collapsed.
"Huh…?"
"Ah…!"
The hole in the floor spread at a terrifying speed, and its impact reached the two as they ran.
And Sierra, who was behind the two.
Stumbled—.
Ultimately, caught in the aftermath, she fell into the hole.
'H-have to grab a hand….'
Sierra extended her hand even as she fell.
It was still fine.
Because the collapse had stopped right in front of Edric.
If Edric reached out his hand, she could still grab it.
However.
"Gah…!"
Edric, his face filled with fear, didn't move.
Crumble rumble rumble—!!
Again, a massive dust cloud enveloped the surroundings.
Edric covered his face with both arms and bowed his head.
And a moment later.
As the dust settled.
"O-oh no…."
Edric, his face pale, stared at the pit where Sierra had fallen.
He could have grabbed her.
That thought suddenly flashed through Edric's mind.
But he didn't grab her.
Why?
When he asked himself that question, the answer quickly emerged.
Emil and Chris's whereabouts were unknown.
If Sierra also disappeared here.
Everyone who knew of his disgraceful behavior just now would be gone.
That momentary desire stopped his action.
"I have to…, I have to call the professors…!!"
But Edric, having collected himself, ran back towards the dungeon exit, his face deathly pale.
No matter what, he didn't truly wish for the three of them to die.
"Is anyone there—!!"
Edric urgently shouted as he ran to call for people.
I ran without hesitation.
My arms and legs, back and chest, stomach and waist.
Even my neck and face.
My body was covered in large and small wounds everywhere, bruised, and some bones were even fractured.
Still, I ran.
Throb, throb…!
My whole body was screaming.
It was screaming for me to stop and rest immediately since I was alive now.
But I ran.
Because nothing else came to mind except running right now.
'Sierra…!'
Why was I running so desperately?
And why was my heart pounding so loudly?
I couldn't understand.
Was it simply because Sierra, unrelated to my plans, got involved?
So, was I feeling guilty and running to save her?
If it was about saving, there were perfectly fine professors and students available.
Why was I specifically running?
My body was already a wreck, and I didn't know what help I could offer.
"Is this it…!"
But I ran to her.
And I arrived.
A large pit.
The floor that had collapsed from Gramos's charge a moment ago.
This must be the dungeon's lower level.
An area where more dangerous monsters appeared than on the upper levels.
Even if I went down, I didn't know if Sierra would be alive.
However.
Crrunch…!
Without hesitation, I threw myself into the pit, sliding down the steep wall, raising dust as I descended to the bottom.
I took out a scroll I had brought for emergencies from my pocket.
And ripped it in one go.
Hummm….
The light magic recorded on the scroll activated, illuminating the path.
'Please…!'
After that, I pushed through the collapsed rubble, moving forward.
Towards the spot where Sierra had fallen, as Edric had described a moment ago.
Simply hoping she was alive.
"Screech—!"
"Hiss—!"
Soon, monsters blocked my path.
"Get out of my way…!"
I bared my teeth and pointed the sword I had brought at them.
"Ugh, ugh…."
Sierra opened her eyes.
"Ugh, it hurts…."
What greeted her upon opening her eyes was an intense pain radiating from her back.
Thanks to the pain, her mind quickly awakened, and Sierra, with her eyes open, looked around.
"Ah…, I fell, didn't I…."
This was a big problem.
That thought came first.
'No bracelet…, and my leg….'
The pain started from her back and ended intensely at her ankle.
At a glance, it looked red and swollen, possibly broken.
In other words, escaping via the bracelet was impossible, and moving on her own was also impossible.
Snap….
"H-eek…!"
Just then, a sound came from nearby, and Sierra let out a small shriek.
"..."
She looked in the direction of the sound, staring silently for a moment.
Was it a monster?
Given it was the dungeon's underground, it wouldn't be strange for a monster to be there.
"..."
But no further sound was heard after that.
It was probably the sound of something breaking from the collapsed rubble.
'I'm scared….'
Then fear quickly enveloped Sierra.
The dungeon's underground, where she had fallen after the collapse.
She had lost her escape bracelet and couldn't move due to her injured leg.
Moreover, it was dark in front of her, and monsters might appear.
Or she might be crushed to death by further collapse.
'Edric…, yes, Edric must have gone to call the professors…'
Sierra simply tried to compose herself, recalling her companions who remained above.
"..."
However.
"Damn it…, *sob*, ugh, what is this…. *sob*…"
Finally, tears burst forth.
Wiping the falling tears with trembling hands, she lowered her head.
No matter how much she tried to calm down, she was scared.
"Quickly…, quickly, someone…."
With the thought that she might die, all sorts of things popped into her head.
Sierra simply prayed for rescue to come quickly.
And then.
Snap…!
"H-eet…!"
Again, a sound was heard.
"..."
Was it the sound of rubble collapsing again, like a moment ago?
She stopped crying, held her breath, and looked in the direction of the sound.
But nothing was visible in her dark vision.
Just then.
Snap…!
"Screech—!"
As the sound was heard again, Sierra screamed and snapped her head down.
Something was there.
This was definitely a sound made by something moving.
It must be a monster.
She thought so.
"Si-erra…."
"...Huh?"
But what followed was an unexpected voice.
A faint, cracking voice, but definitely one she had heard somewhere before.
"Sierra!"
The voice drew closer and closer to her.
Snap…! Snap…!
"Sierra…! *Gasp*, are you safe…? Are you there…?"
Perhaps having heard her scream, the approaching voice called out to her even more urgently.
Only then did Sierra realize the voice's identity.
"Emil—!! H-here…! *Sob*, I'm here—!"
"...Th-thank goodness."
Hearing her voice, Emil mumbled as if relieved.
And then.
Rip…!
A sound of something being torn was heard.
Hummm—.
Soon after, light magic illuminated the space in front of the two of them.
"Sierra…."
"Wahhh—! You came…! *Sob*, thank you, thank you, Emil—!"
As Emil appeared, Sierra's tense heart relaxed, and she burst into tears.
And she urgently extended her hand towards Emil.
Grab—!
Emil grabbed the hand she offered.
"...Huh?"
At that moment, Sierra sensed something strange.
"Emil…?"
The strength she felt in his hand was weak.
And most of all, his hand was incredibly rough and trembling.
She even felt a sticky liquid different from water, and soon after, the smell of blood wafted to her nose.
"Sierra…, your leg, it's injured."
Emil, who had approached, immediately checked her condition.
But Sierra didn't respond to Emil's words.
She spoke to him with a flustered expression.
"Injured, you say…? Emil, you're the one…."
Emil's condition, as he appeared, was a chaotic mess, on a completely different level from hers.
"Can you get on my back? First, put your arm over my shoulder…."
But Emil, ignoring his own condition, hurriedly helped Sierra up.
"E-Emil…! Are you okay? What in the world is this…."
"Don't worry about it. Let's just get out first. I'm more alright than I look."
"..."
And Emil finally got Sierra onto his back.
He began to walk back the way he came, with her on his back.
'More alright than he looks, he says… that's totally not true….'
His back, carrying her, trembled noticeably.
But the hands supporting her held on tightly with all their might.
Immediately after being carried by him, Sierra realized.
Emil wasn't enduring with physical strength right now.
He was enduring with sheer willpower in a state where it wouldn't have been strange for him to collapse long ago.
"Emil…! I-I'm fine, so you should lean on me…."
"You barely even got on my back earlier. Your condition isn't good either. Just be quiet and let me carry you."
"But…."
Stomp, stomp….
Emil moved his legs vigorously, as if telling her not to worry.
As if his body, covered in wounds and trembling, would never give up.
"Emil…."
Faced with his stubbornness, Sierra finally gave up and buried her face in his shoulder.
"Thank you…."
"What?"
"For coming to save me…. Thank you, Emil…."
"..."
When she first saw Emil, she was so surprised by his condition that she had forgotten to thank him, and now she did.
The path they walked, with her on Emil's back.
Along that path, quite a few monster corpses lay scattered.
'To search for me even in this state….'
Why had he gone to such lengths?
She felt both confusion and gratitude.
After all, thanks to Emil, she had quickly escaped that terrifying moment.
As they walked along.
"See, didn't I tell you?"
"...Huh?"
Emil broke the silence and spoke in a light tone.
His voice also carried a sense of relief compared to when she first heard it.
"That I'm not that weak."
"..."
Saying that, Emil looked back at her and smiled playfully.
"...Seriously, what."
At that, Sierra also let go of her worries and let out a small laugh with him.
"But you were right about being a fool."