I sat on the bed, wondering if I had done something wrong. Did I make Karen angry? Why did he want to sleep separately from me?
Was it because I had lied before—saying I was still afraid of Sally's ghost stories—so I could cling to him while sleeping, and he was still upset about that? Karen had never lied to me.
(Did Karen start to hate me…?)
Just thinking about it made tears spill out. If Karen really hated me, what would I do?
Karen had indeed said that since we were still growing up, we should wait until adulthood before sleeping together. But because we ended up sleeping together every time, I had forgotten what he said—maybe because I didn't want to take it to heart.
I remembered how, every time we stayed at a new inn, Karen would ask if there was a room with two single beds, and the answer was always no. And because of that, I had secretly felt happy and smug.
Should I learn to sleep alone? But lying alone in bed feels so lonely. Doesn't Karen feel lonely too?
I like Karen. I want to be with him all the time. I even want to kiss him. There were several times when I wanted to confess to him, but every single time, before I could say even one word, Karen would change the subject.
I believe Karen likes me too—so why does he act like this? Is his liking different from mine?
No, that's not right! Karen must have his own reasons. I shouldn't think like this! I trust Karen… yet I still couldn't stop the tears.
Just then, the bathroom door opened. Karen came out after finishing his shower.
When I came out, I saw Lina sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, tears streaming down her face. She stared at me blankly, her eyes completely unfocused.
I rushed to her side at once, knelt down in front of her, and took back everything I had said earlier.
"Lina, I'm sorry! If you don't want to, then forget it. I won't say it again, and I won't do it again. I'll sleep in the same bed with you every day, okay?"
Lina roughly wiped away her tears, shook her head, and said through her sobs,
"...No. I will… sleep… alone…"
Her words shocked me. What had she been thinking while I was in the shower? Had she accepted my explanation? Was she really willing to sleep alone?
I grabbed both of her hands and asked her seriously,
"Lina, look me in the eyes and tell me—are you serious?"
Her lifeless eyes met mine. Then she slowly nodded.
"Mm. I know… you're doing this… for my sake. I'll… do my best. …But I have… one question."
I thought she might change her mind, but since she was serious, I wouldn't push it anymore. And whatever her question was, I would answer it.
"I'll answer you honestly."
"You… hate… me…?"
Before she could even finish, I answered immediately.
"I don't! I would never hate you—never! Not even if I died!"
I tightened my grip on her hands. Lina's eyes gradually returned to normal, and a smile slowly appeared on her face.
"Mm! Me too!"
I smiled back at her. Thank goodness. I had been terrified that a crack might form between us—I was worried sick.
Then Lina looked at me shyly, and I looked back at her in confusion.
"Karen… could you let go of me? I want to take a shower."
Only then did I realize I had been holding her hands the whole time. I quickly let go and stood up to give her space.
"Ah—right. Take your time. No rush."
After that, we spent the night peacefully. I must have been too tired, though—normally I wake up before Lina, but today she was the one who woke me.
Later, we found the entrance on the rooftop of the mall. Level 96 was a commercial district, though I didn't see any phone shops—there were plenty of tablets and computers instead.
The next level was also full of shops, all selling construction materials: basic cement, steel, and sand, along with decorative stones, wood, and plants.
Level 97 was a building materials district. It had pretty much everything, but since we didn't need anything, we left quickly.
The next level was a massive factory area. We saw the manufacturing and processing of large and dangerous items, with heavy machinery and chemical substances everywhere.
The place was enormous, so we rode the motorcycle around to search for the entrance. After several hours, we finally found it by a river.
Level 98 was an industrial district—clear at a glance, just like the rest.
The next level was meant for relaxation and entertainment, and what stood before us was an amusement park.
When we walked inside, it was a standard theme park at first—there were roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, and many other attractions.
That was when I noticed a bulletin board with a map. It displayed the entire layout of level 99 along with explanations.
The amusement park was located in the south. It also included a water park with slides of all shapes and sizes. Swimsuits and float rings could be rented, and there was even a hotel available for guests.
To the west was a seaside resort area. It was filled with greenery, clear and transparent seawater, and houses built over the surface of the sea. Diving equipment and small boats could be rented for underwater exploration, and fireworks were available as well.
Next, to the north, was a snowy mountain lodge. The lodge was built at the peak of the mountain, and visitors had to take a cable car to reach it. There was also a large open-air hot spring. Ski boards could be rented for skiing.
Finally, to the east, was a riverside camping ground. Camping equipment and barbecue tools could be rented there. Nearby stood a mountain, and its summit was a perfect spot to watch the sunrise.
(I should come back and play here with Lina someday.)
After that, we found the entrance at the point where all four areas connected.
Level 99 was a tourism area. With so many activities meant to relax the body and mind, staying here for five days and nights wouldn't be a problem at all.
Then, we arrived at level 100.
I turned around to look—just as before, there was nothing but the statue of the Goddess of Fate.
I wondered if that criminal god still remembered what I had asked for. It had only been a few days, so she probably hadn't forgotten… right?
"Karen, that's the face of the Goddess of Fate. I remember that only Braves can come here, right?"
Lina pointed at the statue's face as she spoke, then stated something shocking.
As a Brave… I really had made it here.
"You are right…"
"Ho ho ho, welcome, Karen and Lina."
Suddenly, the criminal god's voice rang out. Her timing was perfect—but why did she sound so high-pitched?
I deliberately turned my head, searching for a presence that didn't exist, and Lina did the same. Then I asked,
"Who are you? Where are you?"
"I am Tess, a disciple of Lady Timeos, the Goddess of Time. I resides within the statue of Lady Fatelis, the Goddess of Fate. You may call me Lady Tess."
"…"
I was speechless after hearing her introduction.
This criminal god didn't mention that she was imprisoned for committing crimes at all—and on top of that, she wanted us to call her 'Lady.'
We stared at her in silence. She must have realized the awkward atmosphere, because she quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem—enough bragging. I have something for you, as a reward for your first visit here."
Thank goodness she remembered what I had asked for.
Even though I already knew what the reward was, we still had to go through the process.
"What is it?"
"It's Dungeon Passage Magic. With this magic, you'll be able to freely teleport between the levels of this dungeon. From level 1 to level 100—it'll only take an instant."
"How do we use it?"
"Just think of the level you want to go to. That's all. Once you receive the magic, we'll say goodbye."
Two spheres of light emerged from the statue and entered Lina's body and mine. As before, there was no particular sensation.
"Alright, until we meet again. Bye-bye!"
Was this criminal god in a hurry to reincarnate or something? She said goodbye so easily every time.
"Wait! I have a question!"
Lina called out to her, and the Crime God responded impatiently.
"Hurry up. What is your problem?"
"I heard that only Brave can come here. Doesn't that mean Karen is a Brave?"
Being named directly made me panic. I grabbed Lina's shoulders in surprise and made her look at me.
"Me!? Lina, why would you think that?"
"Because Braves are all male."
I understood Lina's reasoning. This wasn't sexism—aside from the first generation of ten Braves, every Brave from the second generation onward had been male.
I quickly tried to argue back.
"But La…Lady—Tess—never said I was a Brave, right?"
I really didn't want to say the criminal god's name, but I couldn't call her "criminal god" in front of Lina either.
"…So you really aren't?"
Lina still looked unconvinced. Finally, the criminal god stepped in to explain for me.
"…R-right. I've never heard that only Braves can come here, either."
"I see. Then I have no more questions."
For some reason, Lina looked relieved.
Why was she happy? Did Lina not want me to be a Brave?
"Then I'll be leaving now. As a final gift, I'll let you see my true appearance."
After saying that, a woman with long red hair emerged from the statue of the Goddess of Fate. She was quite beautiful.
She waved at us, then ascended upward and disappeared.