"Oh, there's a hideout here."
At the end of a small hole that one had to crouch to enter, there was a cozy hideout that seemed suitable for lodging. It was furnished with beds, sofas, tables, and chairs.
"Shall we sleep here today?"
Indeed, we had been exploring for quite some time, so I had no objections.
"Why would there be a place like this inside the dungeon?"
"Probably, it was prepared by the vampire for their own use."
"A vampire?"
"Yes, a vampire named Judite. She's the creature that rules this dungeon."
"There's someone like that here? Can we just use it without angering the vampire or anything?"
"It's probably fine."
As she said this, she sat down on one of the beds.
Well, if Agetha says so, I'll trust her.
"Hey, Kiska. Come over here. I'd like to talk to you more."
"Oh, uh… sure, I don't mind."
As she asked, I obediently sat down beside her.
"Hey, Agetha, don't you find me creepy or anything?"
I suddenly brought up something that had been bothering me.
"Why would I?"
"Well, you see, I have silver hair, and it's considered a bad omen."
Because of this hair, I had been persecuted by the villagers since I was a child. Silver hair was a characteristic of the despised Alcus people. So, anyone who saw my hair would react unfavorably.
"Really? I think it's cool."
"Cool…?"
"Yeah, silver hair has an otherworldly and beautiful quality to it."
"Is that so…"
Agetha was the second person, after Namia, to compliment my hair.
"But I guess I think that way because I'm from another world."
"From another world…?"
"Yes, I came from a different world."
Came from another world. I had never heard a story like that before.
"You don't believe it?"
"No, I believe you."
"Haha, I thought you would say that, Kiska."
With that, Agetha leaned in closer to me, as if to rest her weight on me. The odd closeness in our distance might be because she was from another world. Perhaps in her world, this level of closeness was considered normal.
"Shall we have a meal?"
Saying that, she took out some monster meat from her Item Box.
After that, Agetha served a homemade meal. While it couldn't be anything too fancy due to being in a dungeon, it was still incredibly delicious.
After finishing the meal, we decided to rest early, considering we must be tired. However, there was only one bed.
"You should use the bed, Agetha. I can sleep on the sofa."
"There's no need for that. You can sleep with me in the bed."
"That's a bit too much, don't you think?"
So, I ended up sleeping on the sofa while Agetha used the bed.
For now, if I could secure her cooperation, we might have a chance at escaping this dungeon. It was embarrassing to be relying so heavily on the girl's power, but compared to her, I felt utterly powerless. So, I had no choice but to continue relying on her.
"Hmm…?"
As I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, I noticed there was weight on my waist. Opening my eyes, I found Agetha sitting on my waist.
She had an innocent expression on her face.
"Hey, what are you here for?"
My words were interrupted.
Agetha kissed me.
"Hey, Kisuka, would you touch my heart and feel how it's racing so fast?"
Saying that, Agetha took my hand and pressed it against her chest.
The sensation was soft, but I couldn't fully savor it.
"I love you, Kiska."
"…Huh?"
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you…!! I love you!"
"Wait, I don't recall doing anything to make you like me."
"What are you saying? Kiska, you saved me, didn't you?"
"Saved…?"
"Yeah, I was sealed in the depths of the dungeon for a very long time. I waited alone for hundreds of years. I thought a prince would come to save me someday. So, I granted skills to those who ventured into the depths of the dungeon. But it didn't work. There were countless people to whom I gave skills, but they all, without exception, broke down on the way and never made it this far. Only you, Kiska. No matter how many times you died, you came all the way to me."
I see. So, she had given the "Save & Reset" skill to others before me. And I was the only one who had made it this far.
"I've been waiting for so long. Waiting for the prince who would awaken me."
As Agetha spoke, her expression was rapturous, like that of a love-struck maiden.
"Yes, Kiska. You're my prince."
Saying that, she kissed me again.
"I love you, Kiska."
Then she began to undress.
After this, I knew what was going to happen without thinking.
"Stop…!"
I shouted reflexively.
"Why…?"
"I don't see you that way."
It was difficult to say, but I knew I had to be clear.
"Too bad. But it's okay. I love you, so it doesn't matter."
"I can't be with you like that."
"Why…?"
"I have someone else I love."
"I see. But it's fine. If you can love me as the second, I'll be satisfied."
Saying that, she tried to get closer to me.
It was in that moment.
I had a flashback. Thoughts of my beloved Namia, and the men who had mistreated her.
It was ugly. Agetha seemed just as ugly as those men to me.
"Stop!"
Before I knew it, I was pushing her away forcefully.
"Kyaa!"
She was pushed and tumbled off the sofa.
"Oh, sorry."
My head had cooled down, and I quickly said that.
Even if I wanted to reject her, there must have been a gentler way to do it.
"I-im sorry. I might have gotten ahead of myself too…"
However, she pretended not to mind and gave a shy smile.
After that, we both returned to our sleeping places and lay down.
For now, I could think of it as a peaceful resolution.
It was awkward, but I needed her help to get through the dungeon. I had to change my feelings by tomorrow.
After sleeping.
"…Huh?"
I was in a state of shock.
It took me several seconds to process the scene in front of me.
Because—
When I woke up, there was Agetha's lifeless body right in front of me.