Chapter 4

The fleeting sensation of floating and the dizzying nausea were similar to what I had experienced in the past. Only, compared to the teleportation spell the Apostles, including Loa, had used before... somehow, it felt a bit rougher?

Maybe it’s because of Maro’s personality.

"Here we are."

I opened my eyes with a blink. When I realized, we were in the middle of a forest.

The dense forest covered the sky, which should have been clear, and the air was dull and heavy. A thin black mist hung in the air, making visibility poor and breathing difficult.

...This is not a pleasant place.

Naturally, there were no spirits here except for Maro, and it was the complete opposite of the clear and bright Sacred Bell Forest.

"Hmm, I intended to bring us right in front of the cave, but perhaps my power has dulled from lack of use. We ended up a bit off. The cave should be nearby, so let's walk around and look for it, you two."

"Okay!"

Following Maro’s instructions, we wandered through the forest in search of the cave entrance. Eventually, Rais stopped and said, "Isn’t that it?"

In front of us was a large hole in the rock wall, big enough for even the tall Rais to pass through.

The darkness inside seemed to stretch endlessly, and I could feel something ominous breathing within. A chill ran through me, and I instinctively felt a sense of dread.

"Yes, it’s definitely here. This must be the ‘Cave of Nightmares.’”

...Wol must be here.

Somehow, I can sense his presence in this direction.

"The cave is dangerous. We need to proceed cautiously while searching for Wol’s presence."

"...Don’t stray too far from me, Sue."

"O-Okay."

With the lamp Maro provided in hand, we entered the dark interior of the cave.

Maro, perched on my shoulder, was the main guide, but Rais was leading the way. The faint orange light from the lamp I held in one hand softly illuminated Rais’s black hair, which seemed to blend into the darkness.

The walls of the cave were slick and slimy, and warm droplets occasionally dripped from the ceiling.

The footing was very poor, and I nearly fell several times... in fact, I had already stumbled three times.

"S-Sorry."

"Don’t worry about it."

Each time, Rais quickly supported me.

Even though he was walking ahead, it was as if he had eyes in the back of his head. Every time I lost my balance, his arm would always reach out to steady me.

Maro was surprised by his "superhuman reflexes," and if a spirit calls someone "superhuman," it must be quite exceptional.

Rais also showed remarkable skill in other ways. When a small snake slithered toward my feet, he chased it away before I could react. When a swarm of black bats surrounded us, he dispatched them with a swift sword technique. When I shivered from the cold, he immediately asked Maro if there was something I could wear.

His attentiveness... was it a bit overprotective?

Was he focusing too much on me?

"Hey, Rais. I’m not that weak, so you don’t need to worry so much...?"

"If something happens to you, it will be too late. This level of caution is necessary."

"No, it’s too cautious..."

I won’t get seriously injured just from falling, and even if we put aside the snakes and bats, I definitely don’t need something to wear. He was being too attentive.

"You tend to take risks when you’re not careful. Remember when you chased away the demon from me? I can’t trust you."

"But, you were the one taking risks first!"

"Haha, you two really are a great pair."

Maro laughed, saying, "Just as I heard." When I asked who told him, he replied, "You two are famous among the spirits."

What is that?

I’ve never heard of it!

"It’s not a strange story. Just that your close relationship has spread a bit. The queen said you confessed to each other and pledged eternal love in the Sacred Bell Forest..."

"Even the Spirit Queen is involved!?"

My anguished voice was absorbed by the cave, but Rais didn’t seem particularly bothered. The information wasn’t wrong, but it felt a bit off.

...I need to send a letter to the main association when we get back and have Loa impose a gag order.

"Speaking of close relationships, it’s like the siblings in that picture book. The brother held the sister’s hand and walked in front, protecting her. Well, you two aren’t siblings, but..."

"...Should we hold hands?"

"H-Hold hands? No way!"

"Okay."

Why does he sound a bit disappointed!?

Holding hands with Rais... well, lately, we’ve done it at home and when we go out, but it’s embarrassing with Maro around.

"Sue, considering safety..."

"You’re surprisingly persistent, aren’t you!?"

Maro laughed at our exchange, and thanks to him, our spirits didn’t sink even in this uneasy situation. Maro seemed to have a natural big sister personality, always looking out for us and bringing up cheerful topics.

Like Fei’s failures.

Or embarrassing stories about Fei.

...Actually, in this incident, Fei, who has been blamed for nothing and only had his secrets exposed, might be the biggest victim.

"Hmm... Wol seems to be in this direction."

"I think so too."

We could faintly trace Wol’s presence.

I had hoped we would find him safely...

"Bad. The demon’s aura is getting stronger."

Maro’s words fell into the endless darkness of the cave.

As we moved deeper, the oppressive and unpleasant atmosphere grew more intense. Wol’s presence became harder to detect, and it felt to me as if Wol was weakening, which filled me with fear and anxiety.

---I want to find him, as soon as possible.

But I couldn’t rush ahead and burden Rais and Maro, so I suppressed my eagerness and silently stepped on the damp ground.

"...Walking in the dark like this reminds me of the festival we went to together in your territory."

"Ah... the Harvest Festival?"

If the conversation had stopped, Rais suddenly brought up a memory from the past.

Maro had started focusing on finding Wol, so I spoke softly, not wanting to disturb him, and exchanged memories with Rais as he walked ahead.