Isagi was carried back to the Garden of Stars on the backs of Riveria and Ais.
After the battle ended.
As always, the instant [Wolf's Repast] was removed, a massive amount of sticky, crimson blood spurted out. Subsequently, Isagi transformed into a small speck of light, drifting toward the Ghost Buddha that burned with ghostly blue flames amidst the white mist in the distance.
However, he did not stand up as he usually did.
It wasn't due to an issue with his mental force, but rather something more internal—perhaps it should be called "Heart Power"—that had been completely depleted.
[So tired].
It wasn't physical exhaustion, nor was it the feeling of being so drained that one's brain went empty and unable to think of anything.
Rather, it was a peculiar sense of "Void."
It was as if he didn't care about anything anymore, as if even his own existence didn't matter.
It was like those moments that occasionally occur from sleeping too much, where one lies in bed not wanting to move a single muscle.
Everything in the world had nothing to do with him.
Isagi blinked his eyes.
He barely even realized that the Pale King had been defeated by him once again.
So.
Ais, who had trotted over, carried the young man lying on the ground onto her back. Then, acting with practiced familiarity alongside Riveria, they dug out the Pale King's Magic Stone and collected the dropped materials, as well as the long sword that served as its weapon.
Immediately after, they began their return to the surface.
During this process, they also ran into Miss Heith, who had come running over. Everyone was stunned for a moment, seemingly not understanding why the other party was there.
Ais and Riveria pursed their lips, their faces filled with a guilty conscience, looking at a loss as if something had been discovered.
On the other side.
Heith had, of course, seen the victorious young man collapse in the Divine Mirror and hurriedly ran over—although theoretically speaking, with Isagi's current Level, lying motionless in the Upper Floors meant that ordinary [Monsters] couldn't possibly break his "Defense."
After all, the difference in Levels was simply too great. But she couldn't just let someone lie there forever, right!
So she hurriedly bid farewell to her Goddess and ran over, but she hadn't expected Ais and Riveria to be there too?
They came together?!
Crap!
What was this feeling of being a bit superfluous?!
Their thoughts were not in the same place at all.
For ordinary adventurers, the road back to the surface from the 12th Floor was actually quite long; it would take at least a few hours.
But Ais and the others walked very quickly, and moreover, they didn't even discover the existence of any [Monsters] along the way.
When they returned to the city, it was still deep into the night.
The light rain that had fallen all day had ceased. The squares were damp, appearing somewhat dim under the glow of the Magic Stone lamps.
They walked toward North Main Street.
On the way back to the Garden of Stars, the young girls all seemed somewhat silent, or perhaps lost in thought.
Ais and Riveria were still immersed in Isagi's battle just now. For the Elven Princess, it was more of an inconceivable shock at something she had never seen before.
And for Ais, it was a glimpse of something higher, grander—mountains and pavilions that had emerged from the clouds and mist, standing tall before her eyes.
Meanwhile.
Heith's mood was somewhat complex instead.
She recalled the reaction of those guys in her Familia after Goddess Freya turned off the Divine Mirror following the battle's conclusion.
Ottar wanted to go directly to the Dungeon—he probably wanted to go to the Deep Floors to search for that Goblin again.
Heith didn't know what was wrong with the other party either. Why would the [Pale King] appear in the Deep Floors? Perhaps, did it turn into a [Xenos]?
As a member of Isagi's team.
Heith also knew that intelligent [Monsters] capable of speech had appeared in the Dungeon. It was said that they were "[Monsters] with souls born by chance."
Many Xenos possessed scattered memories. Just like sleep-talking, they held memories of once fighting adventurers, or even being killed by them.
Could it be that the Pale King defeated by Isagi had reincarnated in the Dungeon?
Thinking of this, Heith couldn't help but wonder again: if Isagi continued to go to the Dungeon in the future and met that guy, what would happen?
That guy wouldn't suddenly become even stronger, right?!
For a moment.
It seemed she had discovered something incredible!!
Heith blinked, realizing a rather terrifying future, and then thought of those guys in her Familia, each looking somewhat "agitated."
So Lady Goddess intended to use the Astrea Familia as rivals.
Using rivals to stimulate the growth of Ottar and the others.
However, they wouldn't go looking for trouble with Isagi and his group right now—because of Levels. The proud warriors of the Goddess of Beauty would disdain using Level superiority to suppress their opponents and make the battle unfair.
But once Isagi leveled up to Lv.6, it would be hard to say. At that time, which side would she count as being on?
Heith felt heavy-hearted about this—
—
Deep into the night.
Isagi, having been sent back to the Garden of Stars by Ais and the others, had already fallen asleep in his bed.
For a moment, the boy's room appeared somewhat crowded. Ryuu, Lefiya, Tiona, and even Cecil had all run over.
The young girls who had gone to sleep early were awakened. After running over and learning of the situation, they all thought to themselves: So Isagi went to the Dungeon just now?!
Subsequently, the entire room fell into an inexplicable silence.
Everyone looked at each other, making the atmosphere on the scene appear somewhat awkward.
Logically speaking!
Riveria should drag Ais away right now.
Then Heith, followed by Ryuu and the others who had just woken up, would also return to their own rooms to sleep, and then tonight would probably pass like this—
Although...
A certain Elf girl was thinking about sneaking back over after everyone fell asleep or something.
But that is a story for later!
In short!!
Actually, Riveria also prepared to do just that. After all, it was the middle of the night, and staying in a boy's room—especially since she and Ais had originally "stalked" Isagi to the Dungeon! Before everyone reacted, surely they should run away first, right?!
However, Her Highness the Princess habitually thought—
[Isagi just defeated so many monsters in the Dungeon, surely the ring in his hand is fully "charged"? In that case, we can enter that Dark Hall again, right?]
It was indeed out of some kind of habit.
So subconsciously, she squeezed a bit closer to the boy's bedside, wanting to check the situation.
All of this was done out of instinct, without even thinking too much. The result was that Riveria, having just approached the bed, suddenly saw her vision go black. Then, her entire person practicedly fell toward Isagi lying on the bed.
"?"
[What on earth is Mama Riveria doing?!]
Even Ais widened her eyes in disbelief!
She thought this was way too bold—after all, there were so many people here!!
Then she subconsciously wanted to pull the other party up. As a result, naturally, she also followed suit and fainted instantly, becoming the second guy to fall onto the bed.
"?!"
Now, everyone was dumbfounded.
Ryuu had already realized that anyone who went over now would fall. Unless the Goddess was here, it was simply impossible to pull the others away!
So...
Goddess Astrea wasn't here tonight, but Goddess Artemis and Goddess Aphrodite were at home. Should she go call them?
But how to explain this situation!
Ryuu was already stupefied.
The result was completely unexpected. While no one was paying attention, Lefiya also quietly walked over, pretending to be incomparably natural, and became the third guy to fall onto the bed.
"?!!"
Next was Tiona.
The Amazon girl seemed to think it was very fun. With a "Yahoo!", she pounced directly. Imitating the others, she fainted on the bed in the blink of an eye. At the same time, she successfully caused Isagi, who was in a dream, to let out a small snore.
It seemed.
The sudden appearance of four guys had exceeded the "habitual" weight.
Immediately following that, even Cecil ran over somewhat curiously, and then silently and softly collapsed onto the bed as well.
"..."
"..."
Silence gradually became soundless in this spring night.
The originally somewhat crowded room was transformed in the blink of an eye, leaving only Ryuu and Heith looking at each other in dismay.
The Elf girl remained silent.
She simply stopped thinking about going to call the two young Goddesses to separate Isagi from the guys currently on the bed.
Instead, unwilling to show weakness, she chose to join directly!
It was just that there were too many people. Before her vision went black, Ryuu only felt that the bed seemed a bit too crowded.
And Heith, the final one remaining.
Facing the inconceivable scene before her eyes, she pursed her lips. She looked at the direction of the door, then looked at the bed, and silently went over to lock it from the inside...
The [Dark Hall] was far, far livelier than usual.
Among them.
Cecil, Heith, as well as Lefiya and Tiona were entering for the first time.
They had heard of this place, of course. But before, they either didn't have the chance or didn't think of running in to fight [Monsters] or anything. Now, they were all sizing up the ancient castle before their eyes with some curiosity.
And on the other side.
Riveria, Ais, and Ryuu were already familiar with the way.
Leaving aside the "awkward situation" outside at this moment.
After all, they were already in here, so what was the point of discussing that? The important thing now was to seize the time and begin the experience—
They didn't find where Isagi was.
But it didn't matter. Riveria and the others quickly led the other girls through the long corridor, arriving before that massive stone gate.
After pushing it open, the sky full of stars and the floating continent were displayed right before their eyes.
Riveria was a little excited in her heart at this moment.
Because.
Since Isagi leveled up, this was her first time coming to this [Dark Hall]. She wondered, would there be some changes here as well?
From a distance, looking at the continent floating amidst the myriad stars, it seemed there really were some slight changes...
Right?
Amidst her contemplation, a pitch-black Giant Eagle suddenly appeared and grabbed everyone in one go, subsequently flying toward the distance.
But what happened next wasn't what Riveria and the others were familiar with—being taken to the floating continent by the Giant Eagle, then slowly descending to encounter various [Monsters] they had never seen before.
Instead...
Before their eyes, it went dark again.
When Her Highness the Princess woke up inexplicably, she discovered that she seemed to be locked inside a prison cell.
At the same time, as if some movement came from above, a tiny ray of sunlight fell from overhead, and subsequently, a bunch of keys was thrown down.
____
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