When Felicity mentioned needing to return temporarily, Oleg expressed understanding. Surprisingly, Seele offered to accompany her.
The two walked together along the street.
Felicity noticed Seele seemed somewhat awkward. When Seele noticed Felicity's gaze, she turned her face away, cheeks slightly flushed.
So cute.
Just as Felicity was about to show her auntie smile, Seele suddenly turned back. As if having made up her mind, she took a deep breath and said quietly:
"...I'm sorry."
"..."
This girl is just too adorable.
Felicity showed a shocked expression.
"What's that look for! I can properly apologize too, you know!"
Seeing Felicity's expression, Seele's pretty face turned even redder. She exclaimed as if in flustered anger.
What a textbook tsundere.
Felicity couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. Patting Seele's shoulder, she said with a smile:
"It's fine, I forgive you."
"I don't care whether you forgive me or not!"
Seele deliberately rolled her eyes in feigned helplessness, paused for a moment, then awkwardly changed the subject:
"...You seem quite capable, but don't appear skilled in combat. Regarding that Stellaron matter, if what you said is true, feel free to ask if you need my help with anything."
Felicity blinked, rested her chin in her hand and thought for a moment before speaking seriously:
"I need your help right now."
"You're really not holding back... Go on, what is it? You'd better not be messing with me." Seele said helplessly.
"Well... I came down through the transport pipeline. While sliding down was convenient, the problem is... how do I get back up?"
"...Did you not consider that at all when coming down?"
Seele sighed, holding her forehead. She had guessed Felicity might be somewhat eccentric, but never expected to this extent.
She glanced at the pipeline - pitch black with no end in sight, and without maintenance for over a decade. If any parts came loose and caused a collapse, it would be even worse.
Thinking about it, Felicity was really lucky to dare jump down from such a place and not get hurt.
Was she completely unafraid of death?
"There's no going back up this way. We'll have to find another route."
"But this is the only way down I found."
Felicity and Seele stared at each other.
Seele was both annoyed and amused by Felicity, about to say something when a cheerful voice rang out.
"Aha~ This is when old Sampo makes his entrance!"
The two immediately turned to see Sampo standing not far behind them.
Sampo clasped his hands together, wearing an ingratiating smile:
"Hahaha, Sister Feli, we meet again."
"You dare show your face before me?"
Felicity raised an eyebrow slightly, speaking with some surprise.
She had beaten Sampo up, and he had taken the opportunity to run away when they encountered Fragmentum creatures. Felicity thought it unlikely she'd see Sampo again.
Never expected him to seek her out like this.
"Haha, why wouldn't I dare show myself before Sister Feli? Unless I unintentionally did something to offend you?"
Sampo somewhat guiltily averted his eyes, laughing awkwardly,
"See, I'm coming to find you openly and honestly."
"Sampo, what scheme are you plotting now?"
Seele's tone was unfriendly, not letting her guard down just because Sampo knew Felicity.
"I'm innocent, Miss Seele! I wouldn't dare cause trouble in Wildfire territory. I just finished delivering goods to Natasha and happened to hear about Sister Feli here. Sister Feli helped me up on the surface, and I, Sampo, never let friends who've helped me suffer - that's all."
Sampo quickly waved his hands in explanation.
"Are you saying you know a way out?"
Felicity keenly detected the implication in Sampo's words, immediately showing interested expression.
"...This is actually quite interesting."
To have the nerve to hide alone in the snowfields outside Belobog, venture alone into the Fragmentum's range, maintain connections with both the Overworld and Underworld, and even know about a passage that had been sealed off for over a decade.
Was he really just an ordinary person?
Felicity felt she needed to retract her earlier conclusion and reconsider Sampo.
"Yes, yes! As expected of Sister Felicity, so perceptive! Then without further delay, please follow me!"
Sampo's eyes lit up, immediately revealing a brilliant smile as he quickly nodded and slightly turned to make a "this way" gesture.
The gentlemanly motion seemed oddly out of place on him, but Felicity didn't mind, simply nodding lightly before taking a few steps forward.
"You're just going to trust him like that?"
Seele was momentarily stunned, speaking with some surprise.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures."
Felicity shrugged.
"...Good luck then."
Seele frowned but didn't stop her, instead giving Sampo a warning glare before snorting coldly:
"Don't let me discover you have any ulterior motives. I'll be watching you."
"Of course, of course, rest assured! As I said before, Sampo would never let down those who've helped him out."
Sampo grinned in response.
Sampo did indeed know a path to the upper levels, though it wound around so much that it took a long time before they saw the end.
The other end of the passage was also within the Fragmentum's range, likely discovered by Sampo after the Silvermane Guards stationed there had withdrawn.
"Hehe, sis, this little path is my secret route. If possible... please don't casually mention it to others. I promise I can help you with one more thing unconditionally - no reservations, completely free!"
As soon as they exited the passage, Sampo chuckled while making his request to Felicity.
"Fine."
Felicity readily agreed. She hadn't planned to tell anyone about this passage anyway, and getting a free support point out of it was just an added bonus.
She pretended to glance casually at Sampo, trying to detect any other emotions beneath that ingratiating and cunning gaze, but found nothing.
No matter how you looked at him, he just seemed like a smooth-talking petty thief.
It seemed she really didn't have the protagonist's talent from novels - that kind of insight to understand someone just by looking at them was too overpowered.
Felicity shook her head with a sigh, paying Sampo no further mind as she turned and headed toward Belobog's interior.
What Felicity didn't notice was that only after her presence had completely left the Fragmentum did Sampo finally let out a relieved breath.
"Damn... since when did the Astral Express have an Emanator?... Whatever."
Though his tone carried a complaining note, his face maintained an expression of anticipation and delight, like a reader who had accidentally stumbled upon an absurd novel, curious about how the story would unfold.
"Well then, let the show begin."