Chapter 9: Ryuu—The Story Continues...
The green-haired elf watched with tense eyes the silent gray-haired goddess standing on the ruins, along with Ottar and the Gulliver Brothers standing beside her.
Tugging at the complicated-looking Keyaru beside her, Ryuu's desire to leave this place grew stronger.
"Miss Ryuu, Lord Asmodeus's departure seems to have made you lose your senses!"
"The commotion from a god's return is so huge that probably all adventurers in Orario are rushing here now. And at this moment, you... Orario's famous wanted criminal, the Gale, emerging from here—as long as the Guild isn't stupid, they'll know who's best to pin the blame on..."
"After all, rather than offending Freya Familia, wouldn't it be better to put the blame on a powerless little elf?"
After Keyaru's explanation, Ryuu clearly realized the situation too...
A dead end...
The adventurers' encirclement had probably already formed by now.
And inside the circle, there were only Freya and her Familia, plus Ryuu and Keyaru.
Given the shrewdness of that "pig" in the Guild, the choice was all too obvious!
"That's why I said Asmodeus is such a troublesome god!"
"He left gracefully and handsomely, leaving behind this headache-inducing unsolvable dead end!"
Frowning deeply, Keyaru desperately tried to think of a way to break the situation. But at that moment, the gray-haired goddess who had remained silent stepped elegantly in her high heels to where the two stood.
"That basement that imprisoned you..."
"If you go further down, there's a secret passage only I and my Familia members know about!"
"Leave from there!"
"The passage extends all the way to the Hero's Bridge in southwest Orario. Coming out from Hero's Bridge and heading west a bit further, you'll find the Traveler's Rest and Merchant's Inn..."
"As that guy Asmodeus said, have a good night's rest!"
After explaining everything, Freya returned to stand beside Ottar and the Gulliver Brothers.
Remembering something, the green-haired elf showed a trace of struggle in her expression, before finally trotting over to Freya and whispering:
"Syr, aren't you leaving?"
The goddess's oppressive gaze made the elf retreat a step.
But Freya simply stepped forward slowly and ruffled Ryuu's hair.
"That guy Asmodeus taught me quite a few things..."
"Golden hair really does suit you better after all!"
Freya whispered in a voice almost inaudible to Ottar and the Gulliver Brothers, then her expression became extremely imposing.
"Loki Familia, Ganesha Familia, or the Guild or Hephaestus Familia?"
"Do you think they can make this goddess flee like a sewer rat? Do you agree?"
"Ottar, Gulliver Brothers?"
As if representing them, Ottar stepped forward at this moment, his voice filled with the pride of Orario's top adventurer.
"I will use the sword in my hand!"
"To carve a smooth bloody path for you!"
Freya nodded in satisfaction, no longer looking at Ryuu and Keyaru. Protected by the Gulliver Brothers and Ottar, she strode away from the spot, marching toward the encirclement formed by Orario's adventurers...
"Syr..."
Ryuu murmured softly, her eyes finally firming with determination. She quickly dashed to Keyaru's side in her boots and, disregarding Keyaru's wishes, picked him up in her arms.
With light steps, the green-haired elf leaped down from the crater formed by Asmodeus.
Her sharp gaze swept across the room that had imprisoned her and Keyaru.
"Miss Ryuu, over there!"
Keyaru pointed toward a slightly raised floor tile.
Almost instantly, Ryuu trustingly moved to the spot and violently kicked away the stone tile.
A secret passage illuminated by magic stone lamps suddenly appeared in their vision.
"Mr. Keyaru, hold on tight!"
"I'm going to run at full speed now!"
Hearing this, Keyaru, who was being carried princess-style, immediately wrapped his arms around the elf's slender, soft waist.
The subtle warm sensation made Ryuu's expression stiffen slightly, but understanding the situation, she didn't bother to scold Keyaru. Her green boots heavily stamped on the ground, and using the reaction force, the green-haired elf swiftly dashed into the secret passage...
Streaks of light flashed by...
The tremendous footpower of a Level 4 adventurer made the wooden-supported passage tremble and shake.
Mud splattered everywhere...
Keyaru, his eyes gleaming, spoke softly:
"Don't you think we look like a chaste young couple eloping awkwardly under the siege of evil enemies now?"
Thanks to the acute perception of a Level 4 adventurer, Ryuu clearly heard Keyaru's words through the endless wind during her high-speed sprint...
Her pointed elven ears turned red at an unmistakable pace.
But Ryuu wasn't yet the type of useless elf who would become powerless when teased. Still possessing her adventurer's spirit, her shy reaction was limited to her ears turning red...
Her fair, fragrant small hand snaked like a venomous serpent to Keyaru's abdomen and carressed his undefined abs with her long nails...
...
The end of the secret passage was an abandoned underground warehouse.
After scanning the surrounding abandoned containers and confirming there was no danger, Ryuu gently set Keyaru down.
Only...
The moment he was set down, the young man stood at attention respectfully!
Ryuu's earlier education had made Keyaru understand that high-level adventurers who knew human anatomy well had countless ways to make people taste irresistible pain.
In short, the young man didn't dare act recklessly before this Miss Gale now!
For some reason, Keyaru's compliance instead made Ryuu feel somewhat displeased.
Kicking Keyaru's butt with her calf, Ryuu said coldly:
"Act normal, Mr. Keyaru!"
"Your behavior makes me feel like you're brewing some bad idea again!"
Unable to advance or retreat, the troubled Keyaru simply squatted desolately on the ground, his appearance making the green-haired elf's mouth twitch.
It was as if she was some bad elf tormenting an innocent young man!
After a moment of silence, the socially awkward Ryuu didn't know how to handle the situation, but fortunately Keyaru stood up on his own.
"Let's go, Miss Ryuu!"
"I'm penniless, so I'll have to trouble you!"
"An elf who's always relied on others can now be relied upon by others... This must be a wonderful experience for you, Miss Ryuu!"
Ryuu's blue eyes flickered in the dark warehouse. She didn't understand... how Keyaru knew about her previous lifestyle...
Relying on Alise...
Relying on Lady Astrea...
Relying on the recently-met light—Syr...
But now, Keyaru was telling her that she could be relied upon by others too...
Looking at Keyaru's seemingly younger, tender face compared to hers, the green-haired elf suddenly felt a strange sensation.
Not having experienced this feeling before, the elf didn't know what it meant, but Ryuu knew... her story with him would be long...