My life was a comedy where I always ended up face-first on the ground. The 10-coin debt to Freya, because of the fiasco at the training field, was another weight on my back, and Melina's song about "the barrier strippers" was already making adventurers laugh even in the taverns of Vaelor. My head was a whirlwind. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel tangled my feelings in ways I couldn't understand. Elara's shy glances, now more intense after regaining her memories, made my heart race like a wild horse. Vespera's teasing, softer since Infernia, still left me red as a bonfire. Liriel's jealousy, hidden behind sharp sarcasm, left me more lost than ever. To make things worse, Princess Lyra sent another letter, filled with passion and praising my "limitless courage," while Thalira, the elven envoy, gave me looks that mixed curiosity and flirtation, causing Elara and Vespera to huff in annoyance. Elowyn, with her druidic messages, sent me a vine-carved necklace saying, "For your determination, Takumi." That only added to the emotional chaos. Vespera's kiss at the Moon Festival still lingered, with her avoiding my gaze, while Elara hesitated to speak. I wanted to understand what I felt, but with this group, it was like trying to read a scroll in a hurricane. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, diadem, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, bracelet, ring, bracelet, medallion, ring, pendant, cord, bracelet, fragment, cord, scepter, pendant, necklace, bracelet, bracelet, and cord in my backpack all glowed together, and Elowen said the Demon King's ritual was drawing near. The danger felt like distant thunder, but today, I just wanted to pay off my debt to Freya and avoid more humiliation.
At the Vaelor guild, after the chaos of training, Elowen sent us to a forgotten cave in Vaelor, indicated by the bracelet, to retrieve a relic tied to the Demon King's ritual. "Kaelthorn seeks this relic," she said, her aura mysterious. "Be quick." The guild gave us a mission: find the relic and avoid magical traps. Liriel grumbled, "A damp cave? Unworthy of a goddess!" Elara, gripping her staff, promised, "I'll use magic carefully, I swear!" Vespera, with her bow slung over her shoulder, smirked, "Relics? This is going to be fun." I tried to sound firm: "No crazy magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just grab the relic." They laughed, as if I were dreaming. Lyra sent a royal ring as a "symbol of hope," and Liriel threw it on the ground: "Spoiled princess!" Thalira, who accompanied us, said, "Your persistence is fascinating, Takumi." Elara muttered, "Why is she always so close?"
The cave was a scene of damp tunnels, with stalactites gleaming under magical light and runes pulsing on the walls. Elowen introduced Ylva, a human explorer with brown hair and sharp eyes. "The strippers? Don't wreck my cave!" said Ylva, with a tone mixing seriousness and sarcasm. She explained that the relic, an enchanted stone, was on an altar protected by traps. Melina appeared, plucking her lute. "New verse ready!" she announced, drawing the attention of adventurers who followed us. Elowyn touched my shoulder. "You lead with courage, Takumi." Elara and Vespera huffed, while Liriel kicked a stalagmite: "Stupid princesses!" The air was heavy, jealousy flaring like fire.
The exploration began, and chaos came quickly. Elara tried a light spell to reveal traps. "Just to see the path!" she said. The spell shone for seconds before she collapsed, panting. "Mana… gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close I could feel my heart racing. "Takumi, I… I wanted to…" she began, but the spell triggered a trap, releasing magical darts that flew over us. Vespera, trying to help, used her charm, but distracted Ylva, who dropped a torch. Her crooked arrow hit a rune, which exploded. "What a delicious mess!" she shouted, while an adventurer shoved her, and she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her wine glass. "Divine purification magic!" The light exploded but set the dry moss ablaze, filling the air with smoke. I tried to deflect the darts with my borrowed sword but slipped on a puddle, falling with a thud that knocked down a stalactite. Ylva, watching, shook her head. "You're a disaster."
In the middle of the chaos, Elara, still in my arms, murmured, "Takumi, have you ever felt… like you can't protect anyone?" Her voice was fragile, and I felt a knot in my chest. Vespera teased, "Getting cozy, Takumi?" Lyra, who was accompanying the mission, said, "Your bravery is enchanting, Takumi." Elara blushed, mumbling, "Why is she so close?" while Liriel, her eyes burning with jealousy, shouted, "Focus, mortal, or you'll burn down the whole cave!" Thalira laughed, "Your chaos is almost poetic." Elowyn, glowing with druidic light, said, "You're stronger than you think, Takumi." Vespera scoffed, "Another princess!" Liriel kicked Lyra's ring. "Stupid princesses!" Ylva sighed, extinguishing the fire with a spell, but the stalactite was in pieces. She recovered the enchanted stone and said, "Curious. It bears ritual markings." When she touched the stone, it vibrated, shaking loose more rocks. Ylva, irritated, said, "You'll pay for this." Adventurers laughed, and Melina sang, "In the cave, they strip stalactites, the strippers fall into confusion!" Ylva grumbled, "You're a plague!"
We returned to the Vaelor guild with the stone but left the cave damaged. They paid us 50 coins, minus the repair costs. We cleared the debt with Freya, but Ylva charged 10 coins for the stalactite. At the inn, I sat exhausted while Elara and Vespera argued over who "messed up less." "I only used one spell!" said Elara, her cheeks red. "And I only shot one arrow!" retorted Vespera, avoiding my gaze. Liriel, sipping her wine, mocked, "You're pathetic. I did everything." Elowen appeared, examined the stone, and said, "Another piece of the Demon King's ritual. Kaelthorn draws nearer. Be careful, strippers." She left without further explanation. The air grew tense, with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel exchanging jealous looks, and the words of Lyra, Thalira, and Elowyn only made things worse. "What's going on, Takumi?" asked Elara, her jealousy obvious. Vespera muttered, "Nothing, just spoiled princesses."
When Elara and Vespera went to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne right now?" She shrugged lazily. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying but takes care of things." She took a sip. "Why? Trying to send me away, mortal?" She smiled, her gaze leaving me confused. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, diadem, key, cord, ring, stone, necklace, bracelet, ring, bracelet, medallion, ring, pendant, cord, bracelet, fragment, cord, scepter, pendant, necklace, bracelet, bracelet, cord, stone. Vespera's kiss, Elara's memories, Liriel's jealousy, Lyra's letters, Thalira and Elowyn's flirting, Ylva's debt — my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.