Beatrice 1

I tightly gripped the hilt of my sword.

Each step I took felt heavier, and the back of my neck grew cooler.

The silence was oppressive.

I could see Sera’s shoulders trembling slightly.

She had always been like this.

I could always tell when she was afraid, even if she tried to hide it.

From the time we were in the knight order until now, I had never missed a single tremble.

“You’re tense,” I thought.

My hand naturally rested on her shoulder.

Sera smiled faintly.

Her smile warmed a corner of my heart.

“Bea,” Sera whispered softly.

“This feels strange… The monsters…”

I nodded.

If this were a great labyrinth, monsters should be swarming everywhere.

But this place was different.

So far, we had only seen three monsters.

And they had all fled the moment they saw us.

Could this be related to Frostia’s awakening?

Or was Sia Kalt always like this?

“We don’t have enough information,” I thought.

As we passed by massive ice pillars, I couldn’t help but think.

After all, very few adventurers had ever returned alive from Sia Kalt.

Naturally, there was little information.

The ceiling was lined with sharp icicles, and the walls were covered in glittering ice crystals.

The sound of our footsteps echoed through the ice cave.

Sera’s short staff emitted a soft glow.

It was a sacred relic from the Order of Light, the “Oath Crystal.”

She had received it on the day she became a saint.

It was said to be a crystal formed from the tears of the first saint, hundreds of years ago.

On that day… Sera had to give up her dream of becoming a knight.

A day when I could no longer fight alongside her.

“This time… I swear…”

The light from her staff illuminated her pink hair.

She looked almost like a divine being, and my chest ached.

Our footsteps were cautious, but her eyes were filled with determination.

“This is the lower layer,” she said.

It took us two days to reach the lower layer.

The passageway widened, and the ceiling grew higher.

Then-

Chk!

Something long and icy protruded from the wall.

A Frost Centipede.

Known as a C-rank monster, but-

“This is…!”

I could feel an overwhelming energy, far beyond A-rank.

Instinctively, I drew my sword.

The instinct to protect Sera from any danger.

“No!”

Sera grabbed my arm.

Her eyes were pleading.

“This monster… It must be under the control of the flower.”

I snapped back to reality.

What was I thinking?

We didn’t come here to fight.

Especially not with Michel’s revelation…

“I’m sorry, Sera,”

I apologized, something I rarely did.

Around her, I didn’t need to pretend to be strong.

Not since we were children.

When I turned my head, the centipede was already gone.

But this was a good sign.

The appearance of an insect monster meant the flower was nearby.

“Let’s go deeper,”

Sera said.

Her voice was tinged with an unusual excitement.

As if she had finally found something she had been searching for.

We slowly made our way deeper.

The path began to branch out.

One path carried a sweet scent.

“That way,”

We exchanged a glance and nodded.

No words were needed.

Since childhood, our eyes had always been enough.

We followed the scent carefully.

Strangely, the sweet aroma made me less tense.

But I tightened my guard even more.

I had to protect Sera.

A vast cavern came into view.

Hundreds of insect monsters.

Logically, I should have been wary, but for some reason, I felt no fear.

Each of them emanated energy beyond A-rank, yet I sensed no hostility.

And…

“That…”

In the center of the cavern was a single flower.

For a moment, it felt like our eyes met.

Then, the flower began to glow.

“What is this…?”

The flower’s beauty was lethally captivating.

Ruby-red petals, a black stem, and crimson stamens that swayed like a snake’s tongue…

I stared, entranced, before snapping back to reality.

Its energy was as strong as mine.

Or perhaps even stronger.

For the Silver Hero to feel such intimidation…

I turned to Sera.

Tears streamed down her face.

She smiled with joy, and her staff glowed intensely.

The light from her staff flared brightly before dimming.

“Michel…”

Her prayer echoed softly through the ice cave.

Her figure was so divine that I caught myself holding my breath.

‘Sera…’

She had given up her dream of becoming a knight to become a saint.

But in this moment, her choice felt right.

And I…

I renewed my vow to protect her forever.

***

‘Come on! Evolve! Evolve!’ I urged.

But Cecilia didn’t budge.

Is it because she’s in her pupa stage?

But she had trembled when we were in the deepest layer!

Is there any sign of evolution?

‘Should I just keep waiting?’

Is there something else I need to provide?

More warmth?

Or more mana?

Then-

Gulp-gulp-gulp!

A Frost Centipede came crawling at an incredible speed.

Or rather, it was moving with urgency.

I had never seen a bug act so frantically before.

Gulp-gulp-gulp!

The centipede was explaining something in haste.

It seemed to be fleeing from something…

‘Is it dangerous?’

Nod-nod!

Phew…

Finally, something for me to do as the administrator.

Intruders in my love nest with the Mistress…

‘Butterflies!’

The Little Butterfly flew in first.

‘Tell all the insects in the labyrinth to gather around me!’

The butterflies quickly scattered throughout the labyrinth.

They usually flew sluggishly, but now they moved swiftly.

Bugs are so interesting when they’re being useful.

To detect the intruders, I focused on my Detection Radar.

But nothing showed up yet.

Maybe they haven’t arrived yet.

Mustn’t let my guard down!

‘Wider… Further…!’

I kept staring at the edge of my radar, concentrating.

『 「Detection LV10」 skill has leveled up.』

『 「Detection LV10」

「Domain Control LV1」 skill has evolved.』

『 「Domain Control」

– Dominates the surrounding area.』

‘Wow!’

My long-stagnant Detection skill finally evolved!

The radar’s range expanded massively, nearly doubling.

Thanks to this, I could now see almost half of the vast lower layer.

‘Since it’s called Domain Control, there must be more to it than just range…’

As I tried to test the new skill, two figures appeared at the edge of my radar.

『 ☆☆☆☆☆ 【Seraphina】 Human LV153 』 『 ☆☆☆☆☆ 【Beatrice】 Human LV178 』

‘Wow!’

If I had a heart, it would have pounded!

Seraphina and Beatrice!

The saint and the ace of the imperial knight order!

Heroes from the game!

They’ve finally appeared in reality!

Seeing familiar faces for the first time made me excited.

Seraphina looked just as she did in the game.

Wearing a pure white nun’s habit, with long, flowing pink hair.

True to her roots as a top-tier character!

Beatrice, however, looked different.

Instead of her imperial knight armor, she wore a shimmering silver armor, and her weapon wasn’t a longsword but a mysterious glowing one-handed sword.

‘What’s this? Isolation?’

Without the status window, I might have mistaken her for Beatrice’s sister or something.

And their levels were much higher than I expected.

In the game, I had only leveled them up to around 80…

But of course, they’re real people in this world!

‘Hey guys! Let’s be friends!’

Mmm…

But there’s something more important.

‘Why are they here…’

In the game, the heroes would conquer the labyrinth and claim rewards.

Could it be…

Did they come to defeat me?

‘No way! I don’t want to fight!’

I’ve been so good, killing monsters and saving humans from the Mistress!

Huh?

The Mistress?

‘Did the Mistress kill many humans…?’

Yes, that seems right…

But she’s not here right now.

And even if she were, you two wouldn’t stand a chance!

‘Why did they come?’

Do they know the Mistress is gone?

Still, I don’t want to fight!

‘What should I do?’

Hiding the bugs won’t work.

That might make them even more suspicious.

It’s better to act naturally, or even more peacefully.

Okay, let’s go with the usual sweet honey scent.

I began to observe the two carefully.

They walked slowly through the lower layer’s passageway.

Seraphina stopped, smelling the air, then looked around.

Beatrice gripped her sword tightly, on high alert, but Seraphina followed the scent.

‘Good…’

The bugs seemed to sense the mood and acted naturally as well.

Hundreds of insect monsters moved peacefully, which was almost surreal.

Finally, the two entered the cavern and spotted me.

‘Uh… Hello?’

Just then, the status window beeped.

『 「Radiance LV1」 skill acquired.』

『 「Radiance」

– Emits light.』

‘Oh!’

A strange skill appeared out of nowhere.

It felt like I was meant to use it right now.

I focused on emitting light, and my body began to glow.

‘Wow! I’m glowing!’

Then, Seraphina’s eyes welled up with tears.

Her lips trembled, and she raised her staff to pray.

‘Oh no! I didn’t mean to make her cry!’

Despite my panic, her tears seemed to be tears of joy.

Her expression was one of bliss, as if she had found something she had long sought.

Seeing her, I almost teared up too.

A saint moved to tears by my Radiance…

‘Michel… This skill must be a gift from you… Thank you…’

Seraphina’s prayer echoed through the cave.

I, too, silently gave my thanks.

Seraphina, Beatrice.

The first familiar faces I’ve met in this world.

I must make friends with them!