On the other side of the tunnel, another group of goblins suddenly surged out, pouncing directly onto the unsuspecting young mage and knocking her to the ground.
However, the Sword Maiden had no time to worry about what was happening behind her, for she herself was now surrounded by goblins.
Just as several of the creatures leaped past the young swordswoman, about to throw themselves upon the Sword Maiden, the entire cavern seemed to freeze in time. Every goblin stopped moving mid-action, suspended stiffly in the air.
Yet the terrified cries of the swordswoman and mage did not stop.
This made it clear that time itself had not stopped—rather, some unknown power had forcibly halted the goblins in place.
Seeing this eerie scene, the young swordswoman and mage—whose clothing had already been partially torn away but who had not yet been fully exposed—didn't have time to question what was happening. Terrified, they scrambled to retreat backward.
But both of them had been stabbed by goblin daggers, and the heavy loss of blood left them on the verge of collapse. They could only move with painful slowness, struggling to crawl away.
The Sword Maiden looked at the goblins frozen less than a meter away from her, her heart pounding so fast it felt as if it might burst out of her chest.
She had no time to think. Quickly, she moved behind the young swordswoman, slipping her hands under her arms to drag her free from beneath the goblin's weight.
After pulling the swordswoman out, the Sword Maiden rushed to the mage's side and repeated the same motion, dragging her away as well.
When it was all over, she collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, leaning weakly against the two girls.
The swordswoman's condition was grim. Her light armor had prevented the goblins from stripping her completely, sparing her from their violation—but only barely. If the mysterious force that froze the goblins had appeared a few seconds later, she would not have been so lucky.
Though she had escaped that fate, her injuries were severe. She was already on the brink of death.
The Sword Maiden wanted to cast a healing spell, but she was too drained to channel any magic at all.
As for the young mage, though she had been attacked slightly later, her condition was no better. The only advantage she had was that the goblins hadn't yet had the chance to violate her. Still, her robe and the back of her clothing had been completely torn away, exposing her smooth back and undergarments.
"I don't know why these goblins can't move, but we can't stay here," the Sword Maiden said anxiously, her voice trembling as she stared at the immobilized creatures, each frozen in twisted, grotesque poses.
The best course of action was to kill them while they were still immobilized—but none of them had the strength left to do so.
Worse still, she had no idea what had caused this phenomenon, nor when the goblins might start moving again.
The only thing she could do now was to escape this nightmare cave with her two companions as quickly as possible.
Acting on instinct, the Sword Maiden gritted her teeth and pushed herself up from the ground. Then, reaching out, she slipped her hands under the arms of the swordswoman and mage, trying to help them stand.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lift either of them.
"Forget it… You should run while you still can. Don't worry about us," the young mage said weakly, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. Her face was still frozen in terror and despair.
"No! I can't just leave you here!" the Sword Maiden cried, her voice shaking. Despite her exhaustion, she continued to struggle, desperately trying to pull the other two up.
Then—clap, clap, clap—a clear, crisp sound of applause echoed through the cavern, immediately drawing all three girls' attention.
Before any of them could turn toward the source of the sound, an impossibly bright light suddenly filled the dim cavern. In an instant, the darkness vanished—the entire cave became as radiant as if it had been bathed in direct sunlight.
Having spent so long in darkness, the sudden brilliance forced the Sword Maiden and the young mage to squint, shielding their eyes until, after several moments, they finally adjusted to the light.
When they opened their eyes again, they immediately saw three figures floating gracefully before them—Eriri, Frelia, and the High Elf Archer.
At that moment, Eriri was lightly clapping her hands together, a faint, approving smile on her lips.
The sight of her left the Sword Maiden and the young mage utterly frozen in awe, while the swordswoman—whose eyes had dulled moments earlier—suddenly regained a faint sparkle of life.
It took several seconds before the three girls could even begin to process what they were seeing.
"Are… are you a goddess?" the Sword Maiden asked with reverent hesitation, her voice trembling. The swordswoman and mage, meanwhile, stared at Eriri with open, fanatical adoration.
There was no need for anyone to explain. They instinctively understood that the sudden paralysis of the goblins could only be the work of this noble, otherworldly girl—their savior.
And in their minds, only a divine being could possibly wield such overwhelming power.
Eriri did not immediately respond to the Sword Maiden's question. Her serene, approving smile remained, but her hands moved slightly.
Raising her smooth right hand, she gave a gentle wave toward the three girls. Instantly, a surge of pure energy enveloped their bodies.
In the blink of an eye, the near-death swordswoman and mage were completely healed—their dagger wounds vanished, their blood restored, and even their torn clothing returned to its original state.
The Sword Maiden, too, felt her energy and magic fully replenished, her exhaustion replaced by renewed vitality.
"T-This…"
The swordswoman and mage stared at themselves in disbelief, exchanging shocked glances. Then, without another word, they both dropped to their knees before Eriri.
"Thank you for saving our lives, Goddess!" they cried in unison.
The Sword Maiden, realizing what they had done, quickly followed their example and knelt beside them, her gaze upon Eriri shifting from reverence to pure devotion.
"It's alright—you don't need to thank me. It was just a small thing," Eriri said casually, her tone soft yet distant.
Then, glancing around at the goblins frozen in place, she frowned slightly, her expression showing faint irritation.
A moment later—without even a gesture—the goblins disintegrated into fine ash, vanishing completely.
Along with them disappeared the corpses of those slain earlier… including the young spearman who had fallen before them.
The three girls gasped audibly at the sight, their awe of Eriri's power deepening further.
"Mm, much better without those filthy creatures cluttering the view," Eriri said with a satisfied nod. She then turned back toward the three girls. "You don't have to kneel. Stand up. I'm not the goddess you think I am."
At her words, surprise flickered across their faces—but the fervor in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
None of them rose. They remained kneeling, gazes filled with devout admiration.
Meanwhile, the presence of Frelia and the High Elf Archer at Eriri's side was entirely ignored by the three humans, as though their very existence was inconsequential.
Seeing this, Eriri didn't bother insisting. Instead, she offered a calm, simple introduction.
"My name is Eriri Spencer Sawamura. Just call me Eriri."
"Yes, Lady Eriri!" the three girls replied immediately, their voices filled with reverent awe.
Even if Eriri wasn't a goddess, to them, her status clearly surpassed that of any deity they had ever worshiped.
In fact, in that moment, the Sword Maiden found herself harboring an unshakable thought—perhaps it was time to abandon the temple's gods altogether and devote her faith to Eriri instead.
At that moment, the High Elf Archer—who had been standing quietly beside Eriri all this time—finally couldn't hold back her curiosity. She stepped forward and asked the three girls with a friendly smile,
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, my lady. Please, ask whatever you wish," the Sword Maiden replied respectfully. The young swordswoman and mage immediately nodded in agreement.
"After everything that just happened," the High Elf Archer began, her tone thoughtful, "do you still plan to continue as adventurers?"
Her question left the three girls momentarily speechless.
Remembering the horrors they had just endured, fear flickered across their faces once more. The swordswoman and the mage, who had nearly fallen victim to the goblins' cruelty, trembled uncontrollably.
The thought of facing goblins again—or any monsters at all—filled them with dread. Their courage had been completely shattered.
After a long moment of silence, the two girls exchanged a glance and finally spoke.
"I… I don't think I can continue being an adventurer," the swordswoman said softly.
"I feel the same," the mage added quietly.
"What a shame," the High Elf Archer sighed regretfully. "Being an adventurer lets you see so many interesting things."
Neither of the two girls replied. Before entering the cave, they might have agreed with her sentiment, brimming with dreams of adventure and exploration. But after today's nightmare, they wanted nothing more than a peaceful, uneventful life—free from monsters and fear.
Meanwhile, the Sword Maiden had remained silent, deep in thought. After several moments, she lifted her head, her blue eyes shining with quiet determination.
"I'll continue being an adventurer."
The High Elf Archer smiled approvingly. "Good eyes," she said warmly. She already knew of the Sword Maiden's tragic fate through the chat group's memory projections. Seeing her choose a different path this time genuinely made her happy.
"I understand your choices," Eriri said casually, glancing at the swordswoman and mage. "You two may leave now."
She paused briefly, then stepped forward and gently placed her right hand on the Sword Maiden's head.
"As for you," she said softly, "I have other plans."
The sudden gesture made the Sword Maiden's face flush pink, and her heart, which had just begun to calm, started pounding rapidly once more. She didn't know what Eriri meant, but in that instant, she silently resolved to follow whatever path Eriri set for her—no matter what it was.
The swordswoman and mage, hearing Eriri's words, grew anxious.
"Um… Lady Eriri," the mage said hesitantly, her voice trembling with hope, "may I serve you from now on? I'll devote my life to your service!"
"I would like that as well!" the swordswoman added earnestly. "Please, allow us to stay by your side!"
Though they no longer wished to live as adventurers, they desperately wanted to remain with Eriri.
But their wish was not to be granted.
"There's no need," Eriri said gently. "Go live your lives in peace."
Before either could protest, Eriri waved her hand lightly.
In an instant, both girls vanished from the cavern.
"Lady Eriri, they…?" the Sword Maiden asked worriedly, glancing at the now-empty space where her companions had been.
"You don't need to worry. I merely sent them out of the cave," Eriri said with a reassuring smile.
"I see," the Sword Maiden breathed in relief.
Then, recalling Eriri's earlier words, she asked curiously, "Lady Eriri, what kind of plans do you have for me?"
"There's no need to rush," Eriri replied, gently ruffling the Sword Maiden's hair with a soft smile. "For now, I just need you to do one thing."
"Please give me your command!" the Sword Maiden answered without hesitation, her voice filled with resolve.
Eriri's smile deepened, her eyes gleaming with quiet amusement as she prepared to reveal her next move.
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