He pulled up his pants while adjusting his black iron armor. He felt more relaxed now, yet still confused. Glancing over his shoulder, he decided to ask the pink-haired, pink-eyed girl who was kneeling on the ground.
"Excuse me, I think my memories are a bit muddled. Could you tell me your name and fill me in on what's going on?"
She grew worried, which showed clearly on her face. She was adorable and gentle; but before asking anything herself, she replied:
"My name is Abe, Master… your Guardian. You entered a fight with a paladin and struck him so brutally that you stopped responding to me." Her eyes grew glassy. "I thought you would never wake up again, so I decided to give you all my energy through our usual ritual."
She couldn't hold it in and began to cry, covering her eyes with her arms. The young man in armor grew a little nervous and tried to calm her down.
"H-hey, it's okay. Uh… Abe, calm down. I'm fine now, see?"
"Yes, but… I thought I would end up alone again," she replied, her body trembling slightly.
"There, there. It's all right. You helped me."
'Honestly, I don't understand anything that happened, but I don't think I should be cruel to her,' he thought.
Abe lifted her gaze. She wiped away her tears and then gave him a sad smile.
"That's what makes me happiest in the world, Master."
The young man smiled back before speaking again:
"Keep explaining where we are and why. I think those blows left me confused."
She answered with a worried expression:
"We have the same mission as always, the one you gave me. We descend into the Dungeon every day to search for the treasures the gods left behind before they died. Each day, more and more people disappear because there is no longer a source of life. And so that you do not fall into madness, I must pray to you and offer you my faith every day. If a single day passes without prayer, the world rejects you and you vanish. That is why I am your Guardian, Master."
"Disappear… literally?" the young man asked.
"Yes, that's correct, Master. But please don't be afraid. I hold unwavering devotion to you; you will never stop receiving my prayers."
"And how do you avoid disappearing like everyone else?"
"For that, I have this," she said, showing a dark bandage. "As a Guardian, I cover my eyes as a pact to avoid seeing the corruption and despair of the world. Only you are allowed to see my eyes, Master."
'Now that she mentions it, she really does have beautiful pink eyes. Her gaze is as intense as it is kind,' he thought, still looking at her kneeling before him.
The young man grabbed his head and walked a short distance away. He was confused and a little scared. He hadn't just died once—he could die again.
'But why? Why did I come here? If I was just going to die again, why bring me here in the first place?'
"Master, are you feeling all right? I'm very worried about your memories. It may be a side effect of your curse…"
Before he could answer, a bell rang throughout the entire kingdom, something that sent the birds scattering and turned the sky a brutal crimson.
"What the hell is this?!" the young man exclaimed, looking up at the sky.
Abe stood up, her expression turning deadly serious, and tied the black bandage over her eyes.
"Master, we have to leave now," she said firmly. "It's the call of the Dungeon. If we don't get there immediately, we'll die."
NOTE: This novel will be updated daily WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS, but for now I'll be uploading chapters very frequently throughout the day. ^^