After a long struggle, someone among the rescued women finally succumbed to fear and fled the area around the cave in a panic.
Once the first person ran, the rest began to waver. One after another, they followed her lead, escaping from that nightmare place.
Not long after they had left, the figures of Eriri, Frelia, and Arelis quietly appeared at the mouth of the cave.
A few seconds after they materialized, the Sword Maiden emerged from within.
Eager to see Eriri again, the Sword Maiden had wasted no time on her return. What had taken the rescued women nearly half an hour to traverse, she crossed in mere minutes.
Eriri and the others had followed her the entire way, appearing outside only seconds before she arrived.
The moment the Sword Maiden stepped out of the cave and saw Eriri, her bright eyes lit up, and she immediately ran toward her.
"Lady Eriri! I have completed the mission you entrusted to me!"
The Sword Maiden gazed up at her with eager expectation, yearning for praise and approval.
Eriri did not disappoint her. She raised her right hand and gently ruffled the girl's hair.
"Mm. You did very well."
"Hehe~"
Hearing Eriri's praise, the Sword Maiden's face broke into a pure, delighted smile.
At that moment, the High Elf Archer leaned in with a playful grin, raising her hand in greeting.
"Yo~ little one, we meet again~"
Beside her, Frelia didn't interrupt—she simply stood by Eriri's side with a gentle smile, watching the interaction with quiet amusement.
Hearing the High Elf Archer's voice, the Sword Maiden's cheerful smile softened into something more reserved. She straightened her posture and gave a respectful bow.
"My Lady, it is an honor to see you again."
After greeting her, she turned and bowed again to Frelia, who had not spoken, showing her equal respect.
"There's no need to be so formal! Just call me by my name," the High Elf Archer said casually, waving her hand dismissively. Then, as if remembering something, she lightly struck her palm with a fist.
"Oh, right! I never told you our names before. I'm Arelis, and this is my sister—her name is Frelia."
Arelis gestured toward Frelia, who stood beside Eriri with a serene smile.
"Lady Arelis, Lady Frelia!"
The Sword Maiden called out respectfully, still adding Lady before their names just as she did with Eriri.
Her reverence toward Eriri's companions was unwavering.
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she turned back to Eriri, looking flustered.
"Lady Eriri! I just realized—I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Seraphina, and I am fifteen years old!"
Her nervousness made Eriri chuckle softly. Reaching out, Eriri gently pinched the girl's cheek.
"Mm. I've always known."
Hearing that, Seraphina immediately relaxed, relief flooding her expression. Though Eriri had always treated her kindly, Seraphina couldn't help but worry about displeasing her in any way—that was something she could never accept.
Then Eriri's calm voice sounded again.
"Alright. Let's get to the main matter now. Since you've completed your first mission, it's time I assign you the ultimate mission."
"The… ultimate mission?" Seraphina asked, her clear eyes filled with curiosity.
"That's right," Eriri replied softly. "Completing this mission may take you quite some time. But once you do… you will be able to see me again."
When she first heard the beginning of Eriri's words, the Sword Maiden's expression remained calm, merely wondering what this so-called ultimate mission could be.
But when she heard the final part, her expression instantly changed.
"Are you… leaving me, my Lady?"
Panic flashed across her face as she instinctively grabbed Eriri's arm, terrified that Eriri might vanish right before her eyes.
"Yes," Eriri replied softly, "but there's no need to worry. This ultimate mission won't be difficult for you. Once you complete it, not only will you see me again, but I will also tell you many secrets."
She paused, her lips curving into a faint smile. "And more importantly… when the time comes, you'll be able to stay by my side forever."
Eriri's serene gaze rested on her, patiently waiting for her response.
The Sword Maiden's panic gradually faded. Taking a deep breath, she looked firmly at Eriri and nodded.
"I understand, Lady Eriri. Please tell me the details of this ultimate mission. I will complete it as soon as possible!"
"Very good," Eriri said approvingly. "Your mission is to hunt down the Demon King who is about to be resurrected—and then find a way to invade the Divine Realm and destroy the current order of the gods."
"Invade… the Divine Realm? I… can I really do that?"
Eriri's words left the Sword Maiden momentarily stunned. Even though she knew her current power was extraordinary, the thought of storming the Divine Realm itself seemed utterly impossible.
"Don't be afraid," Eriri said with a calm smile. "Have you forgotten what I told you before? Once you fully absorb the energy seed I planted within you, the so-called gods of this world will be no stronger than ants before you. Overthrowing the Divine Realm will be as easy as breathing."
Confidence radiated from Eriri's every word, and that confidence quickly spread to the Sword Maiden. Her earlier doubts faded, replaced by growing determination.
Meanwhile, the ever-restless High Elf Archer's eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing the mission's contents.
"That sounds really fun! Hey, Eriri, can I join Seraphina on this mission too?"
She grinned brightly, hugging Eriri's arm and looking up at her with eager eyes.
"Of course you can," Eriri said casually, nodding slightly. "In fact, you can gather others in this world to help you complete the mission as well."
To Eriri, this ultimate mission was little more than a game—and she didn't care in the slightest who chose to participate.
"Yay!"
The High Elf Archer jumped for joy upon hearing Eriri's approval.
She didn't bother asking for Seraphina's or her sister's opinions—she already knew that with her strength on their side, Seraphina would never refuse. And as for her sister, Frelia, she would unquestionably support any decision Eriri made.
Sure enough, just as she had expected, neither Seraphina nor Frelia voiced any objection.
Letting go of Eriri's arm, the High Elf Archer clapped Seraphina's shoulder with a grin.
"Seraphina, from now on, we're teammates in adventure~"
"…A-Alright, Lady Arelis!" Seraphina replied, still a little dazed, clearly not yet recovered from the shock of the High Elf Archer's sudden inclusion.
"Ah, since we're teammates now, you don't need to call me Lady! Just Arelis is fine!"
"But…"
"No buts! Trust me, it's fine!"
"Uh… o-okay, Arelis…"
"Mm-hm! That's more like it!" Arelis said, nodding in satisfaction.
Watching their cheerful exchange, Eriri smiled faintly before turning to Arelis.
"Arelis, since you're planning to team up with Seraphina, do you still intend to return with me?"
"Of course!" Arelis replied without hesitation, her voice full of excitement.
Although Arelis planned to adventure alongside the Sword Maiden, that didn't mean she intended to give up her long-awaited trip to the Saekano world. There was no way she would let go of something she had looked forward to for so long.
"Seraphina, I'll follow Eriri for a few days first. Wait for me in that human city. Once I return, we'll team up again—then we'll slay the Demon King and storm the Divine Realm together!"
"Alright!"
...
After parting with the Sword Maiden, Eriri decided to let Frelia and Arelis experience what it was like to use the World Gate themselves. Instead of opening a world rift right there to take them to the Saekano world, she brought them back to her villa near the Elven Royal Capital first.
Standing at the front entrance, Arelis eagerly opened the door. Before her, the mysterious and magnificent dimensional portal appeared once more.
This time, there were no delays. Taking a deep breath, Arelis stepped forward into the glowing passage.
Inside the World Gate, there was no sense of distance—two realities were separated by nothing more than a thin veil. The moment her eyes entered the portal, she could already see the scenery of the world beyond.
By the time her entire body passed through, she stood firmly on the soil of the Saekano world.
Before her stretched countless neatly aligned World Gates, each leading to a different realm. Like anyone seeing it for the first time, Arelis was left speechless in awe.
Frelia, who followed right behind her, shared the same astonished expression.
"So these are the World Gates connecting countless realms… Truly magnificent," Frelia murmured softly.
Then, suddenly, Arelis raised her voice with determined enthusiasm.
"Excellent! I've decided—after we finish the ultimate mission with Seraphina, I'm going to explore every world connected to this place!"
...
The arrival of Frelia and Arelis was met with warm welcomes from everyone in the villa. The lively High Elf Archer quickly bonded with the group, blending in effortlessly.
Meanwhile, the Sword Maiden had returned to the town where she had first registered as an adventurer and once again stepped into the Adventurers' Guild.
Compared to when she had left that morning, her appearance had changed drastically.
Her priestess robes were gone—replaced by a stylish sailor uniform. Black stockings wrapped snugly around her exquisite legs, and a pair of black round-toed shoes adorned her feet.
Her shining golden hair was tied into a fluffy braid that draped casually down her back, its end tied with a blue ribbon in the shape of a small bow.
Her old staff—destroyed in the goblin nest—had been replaced by a sleek black katana roughly 120 centimeters long, which she now held gracefully in her left hand.
This transformation, of course, was entirely Eriri's doing.
At just fifteen, Seraphina had yet to grow into the mature figure she would possess ten years later. Even her once-legendary curves were still only beginning to take shape. Her slim, delicate frame made her look strikingly youthful—and dressed in this new uniform, she exuded a vibrant, refreshing charm that Eriri adored.
Of course, the outfit wasn't merely aesthetic. It possessed several enhancements—never tearing, self-cleaning, adaptive sizing, and perfect temperature regulation, among others.
The katana she carried was no ordinary weapon either. Though it couldn't compare to Eriri's Universal Armaments, within this world it was undoubtedly an artifact—worthy of being called a divine blade.
Not that Seraphina needed it. With her current strength, she could defeat any enemy barehanded, and she had never even studied swordsmanship. For now, the weapon served more as a decorative accessory—precisely as Eriri had intended.
Still, if she ever took the time to learn swordplay, the blade could certainly amplify her combat potential.
Her appearance instantly drew the attention of everyone inside the Adventurers' Guild. Her refreshing new attire and youthful beauty made heads turn as she walked toward the counter.
Even as she moved, the surrounding adventurers couldn't take their eyes off her.
In a corner of the guild, two familiar girls were also staring at her intently—the young swordswoman and the mage who had once accompanied her to the goblin nest, and who, like her, had been saved by Eriri.
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