The morning port town of Karnak was brimming with its usual energy. The sea breeze swept through the cobblestone streets, and spirited shouts echoed from the fish market. The sky stretched high above, a flawless blue without a single cloud. *—Seems like a waste to spend a day like this cooped up in a cave.* With that thought drifting through his mind, Tatsuya came to a stop in front of the Silver Wing Guild's Karnak branch. A week since his reincarnation. He was finally starting to get used to the air of this world. "[cold]You're late. What are you standing around for?" Ryune stood at the guild entrance. Silver-white armor, a blue mantle. A longsword at her hip. Her back straight, her posture utterly flawless. Her beauty was as perfect as ever today, drawing furtive glances from passing adventurers. "[gentle]Sorry, I took a wrong turn." *—Honestly, I was worried. I'm glad you're safe.* Her tone was cold, but the inner voice his skill picked up was the same as always. Tatsuya fought back the urge to laugh. "[serious]Today is slime extermination at Greystone Cavern. You've at least memorized how to hold a dagger, right?" "[gentle]More or less, the way you showed me." *—No good. His face says he hasn't got it at all. Well, worst case, I'll just protect him from everything.* Ryune let out a sigh. "[cold]Haa... whatever. Here's the request form. The job is simple. Defeat ten slimes that have spawned in the cave." He took the parchment. It clearly stated the slime extermination request and the reward amount. She was already walking off briskly. *—It's dangerous to have him behind me, so I should make him walk in front. If I keep him in my line of sight, I can protect him right away if anything happens.* (There she goes again.) As Tatsuya started walking, Ryune positioned herself diagonally ahead of him with a natural movement. Without looking back, casually. But she was definitely keeping Tatsuya in the corner of her vision. Along the way, they passed through the harbor and out onto the northeastern highway. The smells of fish and spices lined up in front of shops faded away, replaced by a mix of sea breeze and the scent of green grass. The cobblestones ended, giving way to a packed dirt road. "[serious]Slimes are weak, but their fluids are nasty. They dissolve cloth and skin. Absolutely do not touch them directly." "[gentle]Understood." *—He didn't maintain that armor yesterday. If he doesn't take proper care of it, he'll be in trouble when it really counts.* "[gentle]Um, could you teach me how to maintain armor later?" Ryune's feet stopped for a moment. "[surprised]...How did you know that?" *—Again. How does he know what I'm thinking?* "[gentle]No, just a feeling. I figured this is the kind of thing you have to do properly." Ryune was silent for a while, then quietly said, "[cold]Fine." That was all she said. And yet, the inner voice his skill picked up was—*happy*, of all things. Just then, Tatsuya's foot caught on a rock by the roadside. "Whoa!" *—Watch out!* Ryune spun around and grabbed Tatsuya's arm firmly. Despite her slender arms, the grip strength forged through knightly training stopped his fall. "[angry]Hey, watch where you're going!" *—Wait, what am I... It's not like it would've mattered if he fell!* Her inner voice came blasting through at full volume. "[gentle]Thank you." Ryune silently turned back around and started walking. The tips of her ears were just a little red. The entrance to Greystone Cavern gaped open wide. The limestone walls were white, and groundwater dripped from the cracked rock surfaces. Upon entering the cave, a chill air clung to their skin. As if the sunlight outside had been a lie, a dim space stretched out before them. "[serious]I'll hold the lantern. You keep watch on our surroundings." The lantern light illuminated the walls in orange. The limestone underfoot was wet and slippery, threatening to make them slide with every step. Tatsuya kept his hand on the dagger at his waist and advanced cautiously. That was when it happened. *Slither.* From the shadows, a translucent, jelly-like mass slid out. A slime. It closed in faster than expected, gliding over the wet stone. "[scared]Whoa!" Tatsuya's legs froze. But Ryune moved in an instant. The sound of a blade leaving its sheath. White steel tore through the darkness, piercing the slime's core with precision. Its gelatinous body collapsed, and fluid splattered with a *splash*. "[serious]Don't step forward. Understood?" *—He went pale from shock. Is this guy going to be okay?* Contrary to Ryune's calm voice, her inner thoughts were filled with worry. Tatsuya nodded with a wry smile. They pressed deeper into the cave. Slimes appeared from all over, but Ryune's sword let none of them through. Amidst this, Tatsuya began using his skill to anticipate her attention. *—Multiple sounds around the next corner. Three... no, four of them.* "[gentle]Ryune, please move a little to the right." "[surprised]Huh? Why?" *—But... well, I suppose I'll try doing as he says.* The moment she moved against the right wall, three slimes crawled out simultaneously from the left corner. "[surprised]What...?!" Ryune swiftly met the attack. After cutting down all three in under ten seconds, she turned around with a look of disbelief. "[surprised]How did you know?" "[gentle]Just a feeling." *—"Just a feeling," my foot. There's definitely something going on. But well... he's useful.* Tatsuya did a small mental fist pump. Right after that, Ryune slashed a nearby slime. Its fluids splattered dramatically, hitting Tatsuya square in the face. "Bwuh?!" "[laughing]Gross!" *—Pfft, it suits him.* Ryune's shoulders trembled as she stifled her giggles. "[sad]Please don't laugh..." "[laughing]I'm not laughing." *—I am, though.* Near the underground lake in the deepest part. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and the lake's surface reflected the lantern light dimly. There, Tatsuya and Ryune stopped in their tracks. By the shore of the underground lake was one large slime. Around it, eight smaller slimes swarmed. Their escape route was already blocked. "[cold]...That's a lot." Ryune's voice was tinged with tension for the first time. She readied her sword, channeled astral essence into it, and activated her magic blade. The edge glowed pale blue. "[serious]I'll handle the front. You stay back." *—I'll protect him, no matter what.* Ryune dashed forward. A single swing of her magic blade checked the large slime, and the returning stroke cut down two of the smaller ones. But in that opening, other slimes closed in on Tatsuya from the side. *—Behind you! Jump right!* His skill picked up Ryune's shout. Tatsuya leaped to the right just before she voiced it. "[angry]Tatsuya, to the right!" By the time Ryune shouted, Tatsuya was already in a safe spot. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment. *—He read ahead again... Just what is this person?* Tatsuya didn't answer that. Instead, he pointed behind Ryune himself. His skill had caught three slimes closing in from her blind spot. "[serious]Behind you!" Ryune spun around and cut them down. Their coordination was starting to click. The large slime extended a tentacle, but Tatsuya's voice allowed Ryune to sever it first. And then— "Haaaah!" The final blow. The azure blade pierced the large slime's core. Its gelatinous body collapsed, fluids scattering like a splash of water. The battle was over. Silence. The surface of the underground lake rippled gently. Only the sound of water dripping from the stalactites echoed with steady rhythm. "[sad]Haa... it's over." Ryune didn't answer. She clenched her fists tightly, enduring something. *—It hurts. It hurts, it hurts. But I can't say it.* Tatsuya noticed. From a gap in Ryune's right arm guard, a darkened burn mark was visible. The large slime's fluids had seeped in through the gap in her armor. "[gentle]Ryune, are you injured? Your arm." "[cold]It's nothing." *—It's not nothing. It hurts a lot. But I can't show weakness.* Her voice was calm, but her inner voice through the skill was a forceful rejection. In the dim light of the cave, her golden hair, disheveled by sweat and humidity, clung to her forehead. A part of her armor, nearly coming off, revealed a glimpse of her pale shoulder. Tatsuya was momentarily captivated, but quickly pulled himself together. They returned to the Seashell Inn. The innkeeper Marga called out energetically, "Dinner's fisherman's soup tonight!" but Ryune waved lightly and headed straight for her room. *—I can't reach it. I can't take off my armor by myself. It's embarrassing to call for help. But it hurts.* She was hesitating in the hallway. The inner voice of that conflict leaked all the way to Tatsuya's room. Tatsuya left his room and stood before the door to Ryune's room. *Knock, knock.* "[gentle]Ryune. Can I give you a hand?" A long silence. *—What am I supposed to say? Ask for help? Me?* The door opened just a crack. Lantern light spilled thinly into the hallway. "[whispers]...Please." A small, truly small voice. The first honest words he'd heard from her. When he entered the room, Ryune was sitting facing the wall. She had been trying to remove her right pauldron, but the pain had stopped her movements. Tatsuya approached wordlessly and placed his hands on the armor's fastenings. *Click. Click.* Only the sound of metal echoed quietly. A faint scent of sweat drifted from her golden hair. The armor came off, exposing her pale shoulder and arm. Chemical burn marks. Red, swollen, the skin cracked. *—He's seeing my body. But... for some reason, I don't mind.* Tatsuya soaked a cloth with the wound salve he'd bought at the "Azure Drop" and gently pressed it to the injury. "[scared]...Ngh." Ryune caught her breath softly. Tatsuya's fingers touched her skin directly. A damp, hot sensation. "[gentle]Does it hurt?" "[whispers]...A little." Her first honest reply. In the lantern light, the exposed curves of her pale arm and shoulder cast shadows. Tatsuya noticed his own hands trembling slightly and distracted himself by focusing on the task of applying the salve. Ryune's ears, though she faced the wall, were bright red. "[sad]A long time ago," Ryune suddenly began to speak, haltingly. "[sad]When I was still little, there was a girl I trained with. A girl assigned to guard duty... When we were attacked by monsters, I was so scared I couldn't move." *—Why am I talking about this? But I can't stop.* "[sad]My father told me never to show weakness. Since then, I... forgot how to rely on anyone." Ryune remained facing the wall the entire time. Tatsuya said nothing and secured the final bandage of the treatment. "[cold]You moved before my instructions today." "[gentle]Ah, yeah." "[cold]Why? Was it another 'feeling'?" Tatsuya thought for a moment, then spoke. "[gentle]Because I could tell you were trying to protect me. So I just thought I'd move in the same direction." *—That's not fair. This person... isn't fair.* Ryune didn't turn around. "[whispers]...I see." Silence flowed for a while. A quiet moment that conveyed more than conversation ever could. The next morning. Tatsuya and Ryune stood side by side at the Silver Wing Guild counter. Reporting the completion of their request. "[sad]Good work. Request complete, confirmed." The receptionist Maris wore her usual professional smile. But her inner voice reached Tatsuya. *—The vice-master personally collected yesterday's request records. Something's weird. But it's none of my business.* "[serious]Speaking of which, about yesterday's records." Maris's expression shifted slightly. "[sad]Ah, yes. Vice-Master Dorff said he needed them for the procedures. It's a bit strange, but I can't go against the higher-ups." *—He's plotting something, I'm sure. But getting on his bad side would be trouble, so I'll just play dumb.* Dorff was keeping the request