The entrance to the western dungeon of Seiwa was bustling with noise, like a marketplace that never slept.
Beneath the massive stone arch, people came and went, a colorful crowd of adventurers surging back and forth.
Staff from the Adventurers’ Guild were busy at the entrance, registering each team and issuing passes.
The air was thick with the scent of spices and potions, mingled with the metallic tang of weapon maintenance oils.
Felyn stood in the crowd but hadn’t found a suitable party.
After all, he was still quite young and didn’t have many high-level sigils at hand, so no one wanted to team up with him.
Sigh… Looks like I’ll have to go into the dungeon alone.
Felyn leaned on the counter, chin in hand, standing at the Adventurers’ Guild front desk.
Lucia, the receptionist, hadn’t seen Felyn in a long time. She had thought he wouldn’t return after cozying up to the Claude family.
“Well, what can you do? People team up to hunt beasts. Naturally, they don’t want to bring an extra burden.”
As she spoke, Lucia handed Felyn a copper badge.
She no longer dared to pin the badge to her chest.
That Felyn guy was definitely not as innocent as he looked.
“But just now, someone who looks really strong was also looking for a team. You could try your luck.”
Lucia subtly gestured toward a girl sitting at a nearby table.
She wore a silver-white mask that revealed only the lower half of her face. Her thin lips were tightly pressed together, emotionless.
High-level sigil patterns were engraved on her breastplate, glowing faintly with her movements.
Slung across her back was a white sigil rifle, its sleek barrel flashing coldly under the light.
“She looks incredibly strong. Would she even team up with someone as useless as me?”
“Who knows? I think you’re pretty popular with girls. Maybe you’ll charm her too,” Lucia teased.
May as well give it a shot. Can’t get worse, Felyn thought as he forced himself to walk over and say hello.
“Excuse me, miss. I heard you’re looking for teammates. Do you think I might be a good fit? Don’t worry—I won’t drag you down. You can even keep all the loot. How about that?”
He couldn’t take down many monsters anyway. He was only here to pass the exam.
Bernice looked Felyn up and down slowly through her mask.
At this moment, she was like a completely different person. Gone was the usual cuteness—her every breath now exuded coldness, projecting an aura that warned strangers to stay away.
She nodded. Her armor made a faint clinking sound as she moved.
“Really? That’s great!”
Felyn hadn’t expected her to agree and quickly waved to Lucia to complete the team registration, afraid she might change her mind.
His copper badge was upgraded to a crystal badge, granting unrestricted access to the dungeon.
While registering, the masked girl stood very close to Felyn.
He suddenly caught a familiar scent.
For some reason, Bernice’s iconic black and red streaked short hair popped into his mind.
There was no mistake. That crisp, metallic perfume—nowhere else in Seiwa smelled like that.
She had to be Bernice.
But why was she acting like this now? Was she into that whole contrast vibe?
And why would she agree to team up with me?
Felyn didn’t want to think too much about it—he couldn’t quit now without facing a penalty from the Adventurers’ Guild.
Still…
So armor makes it impossible to wear padded bras, huh.
Bernice’s original size wasn’t exactly small, but the whole artificial bust thing, while visually eye-catching, always felt kind of off.
Now she was smaller—adorably so.
Felyn suddenly shivered. He noticed Bernice glaring at him sharply from behind her mask.
“Ahem… Bei… I mean, miss, you’ll be leading the way today. I’ll just follow behind. I’m not very strong, so would it be okay if we stick to the golden badge zones?”
Masked Bernice nodded.
Felyn and Bernice walked toward the dungeon entrance, but he couldn’t stop stealing glances at her.
He was just too curious.
Was that mask some kind of seal?
Was she the type who bounced around cheerfully one moment, then put on a mask and suddenly went full chuuni like, ‘O, my master, grant me eternal darkness’?
Bernice grew increasingly uncomfortable under Felyn’s frequent side glances.
Daiyi had asked her to be Felyn’s escort.
At first, Bernice thought Daiyi was just putting on a show, pretending to care about Felyn in front of her.
But after hearing the tone of Daiyi’s voice, Bernice sensed a deep anxiety from the high priestess of the Church of Truth.
She was genuinely worried about Felyn.
That couldn’t be. The rational young lady actually getting anxious over a man?
And that man just kept staring at a random girl’s breast, and now was sneakily checking her out again.
What a pervert.
“Felyn!”
A pink figure appeared from under an umbrella. Viloti’s boots clicked crisply on the stone path as she ran up to Felyn in a few quick steps.
Felyn frowned. “Viloti? What are you doing here?”
She was dressed in a deep blue robe today, white stockings wrapped under tall boots, gleaming under the sunlight.
Her usually icy gaze softened the moment she saw Felyn, a glimmer of joy flashing in her amber eyes.
“Father sent me to the dungeon,” she said, but her gaze never left Felyn.
That flicker of joy, however, instantly iced over when she saw the masked Bernice.
Who is this woman?
“Well, I’ll be off now. I’m teaming up with a powerful Lady.”
Viloti tugged on Felyn’s sleeve, tilting her head up with a pleading look in her eyes.
“Felyn, can’t I come with you?”
“No.”
“Why not?!”
“I’m going to the dungeon to observe beasts. Your objective is different, right?”
“It’s the same!”
Felyn tried to pry her hand off his sleeve.
“It can’t be the same. Haven’t you already taken this class properly? And you’ve already been accepted into the Royal Capital Academy—you don’t need these basic courses.”
After the incident in the fitting room, Felyn had seriously reflected on his relationship with Viloti.
Even if she didn’t know the terms of the contract, he had to keep his distance and stay alert.
Viloti gripped his sleeve tightly, refusing to let go.
“Felyn, do you hate me now?”
Her voice suddenly shrank to a whisper. “Is it… is it because you’ve already seen my body, so you’re not interested in me anymore?”
She lowered her head, her pink hair falling forward, hiding her drooping lashes. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her robe.
“What? No, no! It’s not like that at all!”
Felyn hurriedly denied it.
Besides, I didn’t even see anything! I didn’t do anything!
“Then let me come with you,” Viloti said, still clutching his sleeve. “I promise I won’t be a burden.”
Felyn panicked. He hadn’t expected Viloti’s guilt-tripping tactics to be so well-practiced.
“Viloti, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re here to help me, right? You can command your escort squad however you like, but Lord Silafiel might get angry.”
“Forget him.”
Silafiel’s gonna cough up blood at this rate!
“But he might blame me. I’m just a fallen noble. I’d rather avoid trouble.”
Viloti bit her lip and slowly let go of his sleeve.
Her lashes trembled slightly, like she was struggling to suppress something.
Felyn was right. Her father wouldn’t blame her, but if one of her escorts ran their mouth, Felyn would end up on her father’s radar.
“I understand.”
“Yeah… you do your best hunting today too, Viloti. We’ll be off now.”
This is for the best.
Out of the corner of his eye, Felyn saw Viloti still standing there. Her pink hair fluttered gently in the wind, and her slender figure looked especially lonely amidst the crowd.
Sorry. Just bear with it a little longer.
Your path leads to the stars and the sea, while I’m just a stumbling stone on the roadside.
You shouldn’t stop walking for someone like me.
Felyn and Bernice stepped into the dungeon entrance. The teleportation sigil began to activate.
“That girl likes you.”
Bernice spoke suddenly through her mask.
“She just doesn’t understand what liking someone means. She’s confusing dependence with affection.”
Moments later, Felyn and Bernice were transported into the dungeon.
“Ber—uh, miss, I’ll just follow your lead. I can carry things for you or whatever. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Understood.”
“I can carry things for you too, Felyn.”
Viloti’s voice suddenly came from behind, startling Felyn.
“Viloti?! What are you doing here?!”
“Why can’t I be here?” Viloti pouted, turning her head to the side.
Her pink hair swayed gently, reflecting the dungeon’s cool blue glow.
“Weren’t you here to complete your father’s assignment?”
“Exactly. And it just so happens that I’m going the same way as you.” Viloti put her hands behind her back and took two steps closer to Felyn.
“Here, Felyn—some water.”
Viloti looked at him with innocent eyes, holding the water bottle right up to his nose.
…
At the Adventurers’ Guild registration desk not far away—
“What did you say?!”
Adelina had just arrived when the escort captain, Elo, reported that Felyn had already gone in—with a masked girl and Lady Viloti.
“Felyn and Viloti are together?!”
Adelina’s mind instantly pictured Viloti shamelessly throwing herself into Felyn’s arms.
That shameless witch!
“Lady Adelina, what should we do?”
Adelina stared hard at the dungeon entrance, stomping her foot.
If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have wasted time doing my hair and makeup!
She’d been getting ready since 8 a.m. and lost track of time.
Damn it!!!
“Chase them!”
(End of Chapter)