My life was a comedy where I always ended up face-first on the ground. The 10-coin debt to Leif, because of the fiasco in the underground chamber, was just another weight on my back, and Melina's song about "the strippers of the stalactites" already had adventurers laughing even in the taverns of Vaelor. My head was a whirlwind. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with my feelings in ways I couldn't understand. Elara's shy glances, more intense after recovering her memories, made my heart race like a wild horse. Vespera's teasing, gentler since Infernia, still left me red as a flame. Liriel's jealousy, hidden behind sharp sarcasm, left me more lost than ever. To make things worse, Princess Lyra sent another letter, with a passionate tone praising my "immortal courage," while Thalira, the elf envoy, threw me looks that mixed fascination and flirtation, making Elara and Vespera huff in annoyance. Elowyn, with her druidic messages, sent me a cord of carved moss, saying, "For your resilience, Takumi." That only deepened the emotional chaos. I wanted to understand what I felt, but with this group, it was like trying to read a scroll during a storm. The amulet, scepter, orb, tome, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, diadem, key, stone, pendant, and countless other items in my backpack were glowing together, and Elowen said the Demon King was ready to rise again. The danger felt like a deafening thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay off my debt to Leif and avoid further humiliation.
At the Vaelor guild, after interrupting the ritual, Elowen warned us that Kaelthorn had fled to a poisoned swamp, where he planned to summon the Demon King. "It's now or never," she said, with her mysterious aura. "Find him and end this." The guild gave us a mission: hunt Kaelthorn in the swamp and prevent the summoning. Liriel grumbled, "A stinking swamp? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, gripping her staff, promised, "I'll use magic carefully, I swear!" Vespera, her bow slung over her shoulder, smiled, "A villain in a swamp? This will be interesting." I tried to sound firm: "No wild magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just defeat Kaelthorn." They laughed, as if I were dreaming. Lyra sent a royal ring as a "symbol of triumph," and Liriel tossed it to the ground. "Stuck-up princess!" Thalira, accompanying us, said, "Your determination is magnificent, Takumi." Elara muttered, "Why is she always so close?"
The swamp was a scene of thick mud, twisted trees, and toxic mist that burned the eyes. Elowen introduced Hilda, a human tracker with black hair and watchful eyes. "The strippers? Don't destroy my swamp!" Hilda said, her tone mixing seriousness and sarcasm. She explained that Kaelthorn was in a hidden altar, protected by minions and poisonous magic. Melina appeared, strumming her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, drawing glances from allies. Elowyn touched my shoulder. "You lead with soul, Takumi." Elara and Vespera huffed, while Liriel kicked a root. "Idiotic princesses!" The air was thick with tension, jealousy blazing like fire.
The hunt began, and chaos followed fast. Elara tried a purification spell to neutralize the mist. "Just to clear the air!" she said. The spell glowed for a few seconds before she collapsed, gasping. "Mana... gone," she moaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I felt my heart race. "Takumi, I... I wanted to..." she began, but the spell stirred the mud, releasing magical vines that trapped Hilda. Vespera, trying to attack, used her charm but distracted Bjorn, who sank into the mud. Her crooked arrow hit a tree, which toppled over. "What a delightful mess!" she shouted, as Astrid shoved her, and she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her wine glass. "Divine magic of purification!" The light exploded but set the moss ablaze, spreading smoke. I tried to strike a minion with my borrowed sword but slipped in the mud, falling with a thud that knocked down branches. Hilda, fighting off minions, shouted, "You're a disaster!"
Kaelthorn appeared, clad in black armor, his eyes glowing red. "The Demon King shall rise!" he roared, lifting a glowing rune. Elara, still in my arms, murmured, "Takumi, have you ever felt... that the end is near?" Her voice was fragile, and I felt a tightness in my chest. Vespera teased, "Getting cozy, Takumi?" Lyra, who had joined the mission, said, "Your bravery is enchanting, Takumi." Elara blushed, whispering, "Why is she so close?" while Liriel, eyes burning with jealousy, shouted, "Focus, mortal, or you'll burn the whole swamp down!" Thalira laughed, "Your chaos is almost mythical." Elowyn, with a druidic glow, said, "You're stronger than you think, Takumi." Vespera huffed, "Another princess!" Liriel kicked Lyra's ring. "Stupid princesses!" Hilda sighed and used a spell to extinguish the fire, but the moss was already in ashes. She found a medallion with markings identical to those on my items, half-buried in the mud. "Curious," she said, handing it to me. When I touched it, it vibrated, knocking over more trees. Hilda, irritated, said, "You'll pay for that." Allies laughed, and Melina sang, "In the swamp, they strip the trees, the strippers fall in confusion!" Hilda grumbled, "You're a plague!"
With a joint effort, Hilda, Astrid, and Leif weakened the runes. I faced Kaelthorn, dodging his strikes with my sword. He laughed, "You're weak, Takumi!" But Elara, recovered, cast a faint spell that unbalanced him, Vespera shot an arrow (miraculously straight) that pierced his armor, and Liriel, with a precise spell, shattered the rune. Kaelthorn fell but swore, "The Demon King will return!" We returned to the Vaelor guild with the medallion—but the swamp was devastated. They paid us 60 coins, minus damages. We cleared the debt with Leif, but Hilda charged 15 coins for the burned moss. At the inn, I sat exhausted while Elara and Vespera argued over who "messed up less." "I only used one spell!" Elara said, her cheeks red. "And I only fired one arrow!" Vespera retorted, avoiding my gaze. Liriel, sipping wine, scoffed, "You're pathetic. I did everything." Elowen appeared, examined the medallion, and said, "Kaelthorn is defeated, but the Demon King remains a threat. Be careful, strippers." She left without further explanation. The air was heavy, with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel exchanging jealous glares, and the words of Lyra, Thalira, and Elowyn only making it worse. "What's going on, Takumi?" Elara asked, jealousy obvious. Vespera muttered, "Nothing—just some stuck-up princesses."
When Elara and Vespera went to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne right now?" She shrugged with a lazy smile. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying but handles things." She took a sip. "Why? Want to send me back, mortal?" She smiled, her gaze making my thoughts spin. I looked at the glowing items—amulet, scepter, orb, tome, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, diadem, key, stone, pendant, and countless fragments. Elara's memories, Liriel's jealousy, Lyra's letters, Thalira and Elowyn's flirting, Hilda's debt—my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.
That night, I dreamed of the Demon King, a gigantic shadow with blazing eyes. "You've only delayed the inevitable, Takumi," he said, laughing. I woke up drenched in sweat, with Elara sleeping beside me, holding my hand. "You were restless," she murmured, without opening her eyes. My heart pounded. Vespera, on the other side, watched silently, while Liriel, sipping her wine, muttered, "Mortals and their stupid dreams." The ruined swamp, the glowing medallion, and the looming threat of the Demon King weighed heavier than ever. The victory over Kaelthorn felt small compared to what was coming.