I first encountered Al Cranel nearly three years ago. It was shortly after he had successfully resolved the "Black Goliath Incident"—right around the time the moniker "The Banshee" began to cling to me like a curse.
"── What did you say? Repeat those words, human."
"Wasn't the death of your former party members simply a result of their own incompetence?"
Our first impression of each other was wretched. Hearing those words—which sounded like a direct mockery of my fallen comrades and brothers-in-arms—I felt a surge of murderous rage toward this boy who was younger than me. Those people had sacrificed their lives to ensure my escape, as I was the youngest and least experienced among them. And yet, here he was, labeling their sacrifice as mere incompetence.
I knew the name Al Cranel, the young hero of the Loki Familia. He was a boy who had received his Falna only a year and a half prior, yet he was already a certified Level 4—undeniably a figure of power and influence in Orario.
He had shattered world records as the fastest adventurer to level up three consecutive times. People hailed him as a transcendent prodigy, the most gifted adventurer in the history of the city. Our argument began at the Guild when an unrelated adventurer started hurlng insults at me, calling me the "Banshee." Al intervened, tossing those cold words of his on top of the man's insults.
I had been aware of his existence and admired his achievements from afar, but I never imagined he was such an insufferable man.
Adventurers always live on the edge of death. People die in the Dungeon, and they die on the surface; it is an inescapable reality. However, that never justifies insulting the deceased. I could not forgive him. The words of the boy standing before me were reckless and deeply offensive.
As I reached for my sword, driven by fury over the insult to my comrades, other adventurers held me back. Amidst the exchange of threats and challenges, we somehow ended up forming a temporary two-person party to enter the Dungeon together for a mid-tier collection quest.
To be honest, a part of me thought: I hope he dies. I wished for him to draw his final breath while screaming in resentment and pain.
But it didn't happen that way. Cranel did not die. The rumors of him being the most talented adventurer were pure, unadulterated truth. Despite gaps in his knowledge due to his short career, he possessed lightning magic that outpaced my own "Super Short-Index" casting. His swordsmanship found no rivals among the mid-tier monsters, and he performed Parallel Casting as if it were as natural as breathing. He was a genius who surpassed me in every way—to the point where he could be considered an entirely upgraded version of myself.
If Al had been at the tragedy of the 27th floor instead of me, perhaps everyone would have lived. As this thought crossed my mind, my anger withered, leaving behind nothing but a hollow sense of helplessness. I am weak. I loathe myself for being so fragile that I cannot protect anything. Why am I this weak? Why couldn't I protect my comrades? The answer was simple: because I lacked the strength.
"── Unfortunately, it seems I've stayed alive."
I don't remember how I responded to Al's words after we finished the quest, but I remember my reaction to his next sentence quite vividly.
"So── how about we form a party together?"
"Are you insane, human?"
According to him, he had now proven that he wouldn't die. And since no one else would agree to party with me anyway, he decided he would do it. How foolish, I thought then. Even if it worked once, a continued association with me would bring foul rumors to Cranel. Furthermore, Al stood to gain nothing from accompanying someone who was essentially a much weaker version of himself.
Most importantly, didn't he feel any revulsion toward me—the woman they call the "Banshee"? But all my logical questions were crushed by a single phrase from him:
"Shut up. We're just going to do it."
Since then, we formed a party multiple times. We dove into the depths of the Dungeon and survived together, until Al, at Level 5, became the fastest adventurer in the world once again.
───── It was actually enjoyable. At first, it was annoying and infuriating, but Al Cranel was the only person who didn't die in my presence. I felt safe with him.
As our time together grew, I realized those foul words he spat at the beginning were merely a rough, clumsy form of kindness to save me from the adventurers who were crowding around to insult me. I also understood that he was a man who recklessly pushed himself into danger far beyond even his innate talent.
Before I realized it, Cranel—the man who treated me as a normal person and an equal despite knowing my past—became a symbol of hope to me, just like the heroes in legendary tales.
I close my eyes, trying to escape this harsh reality.
A sweet dream, pleasant and fleeting. Whenever I close my eyelids, memories of the old adventuring days surface. I dove into the Dungeon countless times with Cranel before he became a first-class adventurer.
We faced the Green Dragon enhanced species in the Great Tree Labyrinth, and we fought the Amphisbaena alongside members of other factions in the Water City, Meren. Those were days of high-stakes adventure where even multiple lives wouldn't have been enough. Yet, only when I stood beside Cranel as he pressed forward with determination could I forget the fact that I am a ■■.
························ It was fun—so fun that it made me forget the bitter reality.
But those adventuring days did not last.
Cranel possessed the essence of a true hero. It took him only a year and a few weeks from receiving his Falna to reach Level 5 and become a first-class adventurer. He reached a summit that even talented adventurers cannot attain without years of effort. A divine genius, the best in history, he rose to become a core executive of the Loki Familia with unprecedented speed.
Once he reached the first tier, he occupied a position and held responsibilities befitting the strike force of the city's largest faction. There was no longer any justification for him to continue partying with a Level 2 adventurer from a small or medium-sized faction. ········· In truth, it was clear from the start that as a Level 3 Magic Swordswoman, I would be nothing but a burden to him.
If only I could go back, I wish I had never met him at all. If I hadn't, ────── I wouldn't have to endure such a painful dream.
If this world were one of the stories like the "Sacred Labyrinth Epic" or the "Argonaut," the "Hero" would have broken the "Princess's" curse and saved her.
But I recognize the cruelty of this world better than anyone. And more importantly── am I not the monster that must be slain by the hero?
───── Yes. So, wake up from this false, rosy dream.
"── Was it a dream?"
When Filvis woke up, she found herself in a bleak room devoid of any decorations befitting a girl her age. Today, if I recall correctly, is the day her god, Dionysus, will hold talks with the goddess Loki.
Until now, she had been haunted by nightmares of her dead comrades, but she had never seen a dream depicting such a bright past before.
Not a day goes by that I don't think: I wish I had met you before anyone else, before it was too late ── but reality wasn't like that. When we met, everything had already ended.
Instead of seeing such a dream...
"I wish I had never met you ── Al Cranel."
●○●○●
Whether the feeling is hostility or affection, what is required to stir another person's emotions is the "gap" or contrast. Emotions fade and vanish whenever they become monotonous and stable. Thus, it is essential to make them flow and shift—from hostility to affection, or from affection to hostility. Or perhaps... transforming feelings from happiness and hope into misery and despair.
This is why I praised Ais last time...
Since my goal requires raising the other party's level of admiration for me as a primary condition, an effective way to make them love me is to make them hate me first... or rather, to make them harbor negative feelings toward me.
For Ais, I can stir her jealousy. For Ryu, I can trigger her old traumas.
It's the "Gian in the Movies" theory; you must give a negative impression first, then create a gap and a shock by overturning that impression.
I believe they call it the "Gain-Loss Effect." Well, it's not a trick that works on everyone; some people have their first impressions set in stone, so I can't say it's always the perfect move.
The key is insight—knowing who stands before you.
For the gods, it's about drawing interest. For the Amazons, strength is the metric. The strings that stir their emotions vary by race and personal preference.
········ However, if the opponent is an Elf, this is the fastest and most effective method.
●○●○●
"The person who attacked Rivera... there is a high probability they are connected to that jewel."
"── And by the way, there is a 'Swordsman' you know well who is currently heading toward the 32nd Floor."
That suspicious "Jewel Fetus" that made me feel an unfamiliar strangeness. And that red-haired tamer, Revis, who called me by my mother's name, "Aria." I remembered Revis's words, which suggested she knew my past, and I involuntarily gritted my teeth.
The questions are endless, but I have no time to dwell on them now. I regained my composure and looked at the mage standing before me.
"It's dangerous. Sword Princess, please lend us your strength."
The battle at Rivera flashed back into my mind. After a moment of thought before the pleading mage, I nodded.
"I understand..."
This mage doesn't seem to be planning a trap, and I sense no malicious intent or hostility from him. Furthermore, I cannot remain a bystander to this series of incidents. Thus, I decided to accept the mage's request.
"I would appreciate it if you could move immediately. Is that acceptable?"
I hesitated slightly at the mage's request. I felt anxious about proceeding without informing my Familia members. I thought for a moment, then asked the suspicious mage as a test:
"Can you deliver a message for me? To my Familia..."
"Oh, yes, I understand. Fine, I'll agree to do that much for you."
Surprisingly, the mage agreed easily. I took out a magic tool (a Blood Pen) and a sheet of parchment that I always keep in my small pouch. I wrote the "Hieroglyphs" as proof that it was I who sent the report of this mission to the Familia. With this, I could feel a bit more at ease.
"First, stop at the city of Rivera. A collaborator is already waiting for you there."
He told me that as soon as I spoke a specific "password" in a certain pub, they would understand. While wondering about the identity of this "collaborator," I dashed toward the city of Rivera in the mid-tiers.
The city of Rivera is a "Safe Zone" in the mid-tiers, characterized by its ceilings lit by crystal clusters emitting a faint phosphorescent glow, and the presence of water bodies and trees that remind you of the surface. It doesn't stretch out randomly like the Upper Floors but appears as a massive, self-contained city.
I descended the wooden stairs leading to the pub built inside a cave, following the mage's directions. When I reached "The Gold Cellar," one of the many pubs in Rivera, I found an adventurer I knew well.
"Oh? Isn't this the Sword Princess?! What a coincidence to meet you here!"
"·········· Lulune-san?"
She was a dark-skinned girl of the Chienthrope race, wearing rogue gear focused on agility, sitting at the bar counter frequented by adventurers in diverse attire. It was Lulune Louie, the thief from the Hermes Familia.
Her eyes widened when she noticed me entering, then she waved her hands with a broad grin. She, too, had received a request from the same mage to transport the "Jewel" and had been attacked by the red-haired tamer, Revis.
Does her presence here in Rivera mean she is involved in this as well? While thinking about this, I sat on the seat the mage had designated next to her. The pub owner asked me:
"What's your order?"
"Jagamarukun with Matcha Cream flavor."
That was the "password" the mage had taught me. But as soon as I uttered it, Lulune, who was sitting next to me, fell off her chair with a deafening crash!
While I was startled by the sudden accident, Lulune was looking at me in shock with her mouth agape, appearing even more surprised than I was.
Uh... what's wrong? After Lulune regained her balance and sat shakily on her stool again, she asked me cautiously:
"Are you... the reinforcements?"
As I wondered what Lulune meant, a group of "Humans" who were gambling in the nearby seats and "Dwarves" who were cleaning their gear suddenly stood up and turned toward me.
I finally realized, after seeing their sudden change in demeanor, that the "collaborator" the mage mentioned was "everyone present here."
"Are you sure it's her, Lulune?"
"I-I'm sorry..."
From among the adventurers who stood up, a female adventurer with sky-blue hair and a single white streak stepped forward, her steps making a rhythmic sound.
She wore golden boots with a design resembling wings, a belt carrying daggers and magic potions, a white scarf, and silver glasses that suggested intelligence. This sophisticated beauty is the captain of the Hermes Familia and a famous magic item crafter in the city.
(The Brilliant Asfi Al Andromeda...)
She is a Level 4 adventurer, possessing genuine and significant power in Orario, and a rare magic item creator who possesses the "Mystery" skill—held by only five people in the city. Yet, as if aware of her fame, she showed no signs of surprise, but looked directly into my eyes with a gaze reflecting deep intelligence and a strong will.
However, the person who caught my eye more than anyone else was not Asfi, but a masked Elf wearing mostly green clothing. He hadn't moved from his spot, remaining leaned against the pub wall as if trying to hide.
His body was slender and agile, suggesting flexible beauty and latent power. From his stance, I guessed he was a swordsman. Furthermore, the magic energy radiating from his body betrayed that he was a first-class mage.
I couldn't see his face or expressions because of the mask, but his eyes, which I caught a glimpse of, were as sharp as a drawn sword—the gaze of a warrior who had navigated countless horrors.
(── He is undoubtedly strong, certainly stronger than Raul and the others. Perhaps he is first-class?) ── Is this person also from the Hermes Familia?
If that were the case, then the god Hermes, who succeeded in hiding such a powerful adventurer, might be a greater god than I had imagined. Strength always draws attention, and it takes exquisite intelligence to divert that attention away.
"No, she is not from the Hermes Familia. She is a 'Helper' just like you."
"── Sword Princess, please do not concern yourself with me."
Due to the use of some magic item, the masked Elf's voice sounded like the black-cloaked mage's voice—it was barely identifiable as the voice of a young woman—Ais felt as if she had met her somewhere before. Soon, a possibility crossed her mind.
She hadn't fought her as an enemy, but she felt a sense of familiarity. When there is someone who left a strong impression in her memory──
While Ais was lost in thought, Lulune, sitting next to her, cleared her throat to draw attention and began to speak:
"I believe everyone is present now, Asfi."
"Yes. Then, I shall explain the details of the mission once more ─────"
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Note: It seems Al possesses a nature similar to demons that feed on emotions....
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