The phosphorescence dyed the walls a sickly pale green.
In the silence, a sudden crackling sound echoed.
"…It's a War Shadow."
Lefiya spoke with a complicated expression, as if recalling something unpleasant.
A shadow slid out from the wall.
Its entire body was pitch black, as if drenched in dark paint, shaped vaguely like a human. But on its cross-shaped head, an eerie circular mirror was embedded.
"This is your first time fighting one, right? You should be careful," Lefiya warned despite herself.
War Shadows were incredibly fast, and new adventurers often struggled against them.
"Thanks for the concern." Bell drew his dagger and stepped forward.
"Ha—don't get the wrong idea! I just think it'd be a hassle if you got knocked out, that's all! It's not like I'm worried about you!"
While Lefiya was trying to justify herself, Bell had already closed in on the monster.
A barrage of rapid, monotonous stabs shot toward him.
What sliced through the air wasn't a blade, but sharp, pitch-black fingers.
Bell immediately understood where the monster's strength came from.
Pure speed. Pure force.
The War Shadow's arms were long and thin, its many spike-like fingers making it hard to judge its attack range.
But that was all it had.
"...What—?!"
Lefiya's eyes widened in shock.
Bell was using a close-range dagger. Under normal circumstances, with such overwhelming pressure, there shouldn't have been enough space for him to break into a position to counterattack.
Lefiya had expected the fight to become a stalemate due to his weapon disadvantage.
Instead, the boy simply stepped back, caught the War Shadow's opening as it chased him, and ended the fight with a single strike.
"To actually turn the monster's speed against it… is this really how a rookie adventurer fights?"
"Let's keep moving, Lefiya-san." Bell quickly retrieved the Magic Stone.
"Ah… alright."
Lefiya was stunned by the boy's efficiency. "Don't tell me… you're also from the School District?"
Bell frowned. "School District?"
"It's nothing. It's just—you seem really good at fighting, for a new adventurer."
"Probably because this monster was too weak."
Up to now, Bell had only faced powerful enemies that were difficult to defeat. The War Shadow's combat ability was decent, but its attacks were painfully simple. Aside from those terrifyingly fast stabs, it had no techniques whatsoever. To Bell, the thing was barely more threatening than a scarecrow. Even goblins that relied on ambushes were tougher.
He didn't realize that his casual remark had stabbed right into Lefiya's pride.
"Too… too weak? When I was Lv2, I…"
The golden-yellow-haired elf shut her mouth, cheeks instantly turning bright red as she realized she was about to spill her embarrassing past.
Lefiya had reached Lv2 in the School District and only joined Loki Familia a year later. Even then, she had still been defeated by a War Shadow. Starting from the sixth floor, monster spawn frequency increased drastically. For Lefiya—who needed to stand still to chant—these fast-moving, unpredictable shadows were practically natural predators.
Bell understood what she meant and asked, "Lefiya-san, can't you chant while dodging?"
Ryuu's resolute figure flashed across his mind. He remembered Riveria chanting large-scale destructive magic while running as well.
Bell had assumed that all Elves possessed this innate talent.
"Hm..."
Lefiya deflated like a punctured balloon, visibly losing all her strength. "Parallel chanting is incredibly difficult. I've been practicing for ages and still haven't mastered it."
She pressed her lips together and added, unwillingly, "Maybe I just don't have the talent…"
Not only when she first entered the Dungeon—even now, Lefiya still hadn't mastered parallel chanting. At best, she could complete a spell while moving very slowly. Riveria's evaluation was that "her spirit and heart are still immature," so Lefiya trained in meditation every single day.
Bell glanced at the elf beside him. Her expression was covered in gloom, her deep blue eyes locked on the floor, and her hands trembled slightly as they held her staff.
Resentment.
Those feelings filled Lefiya completely. Such a pure soul—pure to the point of being almost endearing.
"Lefiya-san, let's keep working hard together," Bell said to encourage her.
"..."
A small spark lit inside Lefiya's heart, but it was immediately crushed by guilt and self-loathing.
"This isn't something that can be fixed by 'working hard'…"
Stop.
You can't say something like that to the boy who's trying to comfort you.
She knew it in her heart, yet the words spilled out anyway.
"If effort alone were enough, I wouldn't still be here."
Day after day, year after year, Lefiya had pushed forward with earnest sincerity. And yet she remained the same timid girl who always needed saving. Nothing had changed.
She wanted to be someone who supported others. But the truth?
Lefiya was nothing more than a pathetic burden.
"Without talent, you can't catch up to her!"
Why was she saying this to him?
How could the cheerful girl she used to be speak such cruel words to a boy who was trying so hard?
"Please don't say things like 'do your best.' Everyone knows that already, but they're still powerless."
How awful.
The instant the words flowed out, endless self-loathing surged through her.
She could never say such things to her familia companions.
And they shouldn't be directed at Bell Cranel either.
A hardworking, determined boy like him—she would only hurt him.
"I… I'll get someone else to take my place."
The moment Lefiya turned around, tears burst from her eyes like falling rain.
"...?"
Bell caught her by the arm.
He couldn't let her leave like this.
"I'm sorry… I just… I got carried away. Please forgive what I said earlier…"
Trying to apologize, Lefiya forced her usual smile, tears soaking her beautiful face.
She had to run.
Once her tears stopped, she would come back and apologize again.
But Lefiya's timid escape never happened.
The firm, warm grip on her arm kept her rooted in place.
"Lefiya-san."
Bell looked at her profile, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly.
"I like your slightly pointed ears. They suit you perfectly—you're as beautiful as a flower."
"?!"
"Wh-what are you talking about?!"
Even when teased by the Amazoness sisters, Lefiya's cheeks had never burned this red. Even her ears, the very subject of his words, blushed like delicate floral ornaments—just as the boy said.
"Please have more confidence, Lefiya-san. You're not only beautiful, but strong. I didn't see it myself, but if Finn-san brought you on an expedition, then you must have cast some truly powerful magic."
Anyone could figure it out with a moment's thought. That clever Pallum captain would never bring along a burden.
"I… my magic is just borrowed from others…"
Lefiya lowered her head.
Summoning magic. She sacrificed two segments of chanting and spent extra mental energy to use her comrades' spells as her own trump cards. The only reason Finn had taken her on the expedition was undoubtedly because of this magic.
"Borrowed or not, it's still yours." Bell looked into her deep blue eyes, reaffirming her worth.
"...That doesn't make any sense. I can't accomplish anything on my own."
Lefiya didn't understand. Why did she always spill her deepest thoughts in front of this boy?
"Forming bonds—that's proof of your efforts, isn't it? If no one trusted you, who would risk their lives to protect a Mage?"
"..."
Lefiya was left speechless.
Her magic required a full understanding of the chant and its effects. Without the necessary bonds with her comrades, it would be nothing more than an empty shell.
Bell paused briefly, then continued, "Effort matters. Look at me—every skill I have was borrowed from my grandfather's friends. After training since I was small, I turned those skills into my own."
His ability to defeat the War Shadow with ease came not from talent, but from years of accumulated effort.
Lefiya had no rebuttal.
In the faint phosphorescent light, the boy's gaze shone brilliantly.
"Lefiya-san, if anyone mocks your timidity, or if you ever feel inferior, I'll be the one to praise you. I'll remember how you are right now, and even if the change is tiny, as long as you take one step forward, I'll praise that progress just like I am now."
"So please, work hard together with me, okay?"
Like comforting a little sister, the boy gently patted Lefiya's head.
"..."
It was completely unfair. How was she supposed to argue after hearing something so encouraging?
The golden-yellow-haired elf silently nodded.
And the moment her tears stopped, an unexpected warmth settled softly in her chest.
...
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