Chapter 34: A Betrayal and a Revelation
Bell advanced through the dungeon, Lili's bag heavily laden with crystals. He had taken down several monsters that day, perfecting his use of Eternity Cryostasis to immobilize his opponents before finishing them off. But suddenly, a shiver ran down his spine: Lili was gone.
Scanning the surroundings, he noticed black smoke emanating from a strange object on the ground. Monsters, attracted by the unhealthy aura, quickly converged on him. Bell then understood that he had been trapped.
He drew his weapons and adopted a defensive stance, activating his Ethereal Vision to anticipate their movements. However, the monsters were too numerous. He found himself surrounded, oppressed by the growing number of enemies.
"Lili..." he whispered, his gaze dark.
As he was about to cast Eternity Cryostasis, an explosion rang out, and the monsters around him fell to pieces. A slender figure emerged from the dust: Aiz Wallenstein.
Bell looked up, out of breath but grateful.
"Aiz-san? Thanks... I have to go!" he called out hastily before running off again.
Aiz, still calm, stood there, her sword dripping with monster blood. She watched him disappear into the depths of the dungeon.
"Bell..." she thought. "Since the minotaur, I haven't seen you again. I wanted to talk to you..."
His gaze became thoughtful.
On the other side of the dungeon, Lili had come across her usual tormentors. The adventurers cornered her in a dark alley of the labyrinth.
"So, Lili the gnome, did you try to double-cross us again?" one of them said with a cruel grin.
They snatched his bag and crystals without mercy.
"That's still not enough. Bring more next time, or it will end badly for you."
Before leaving, they gave her a few blows, leaving her on the ground, out of breath and her body aching.
As they walked away, a low growl rang out: a giant ant monster was approaching, attracted by the noise. Lili, injured and exhausted, clung to the wall, terrified.
"Is this how it ends for me...?" she thought, her gaze resigned.
As the monster raised its massive mandible to strike, an explosion of ice erupted, immobilizing its legs.
"Lili! Don't move!" a familiar voice shouted.
Bell came running, his face lined with fatigue but resolute. He swung his dagger, striking the immobilized monster with precision.
In a few calculated movements, he smashed it to pieces.
Lili, trembling, looked at Bell without understanding.
"Why...?" she whispered.
Bell gently lifted her up, dusting her dirty clothes off.
"Because you are my supporter.
No matter what you do or what you hide, I won't let you down."
Lili's eyes misted over, but she quickly looked away to hide her emotions. Bell, however, said nothing more, but he discreetly activated his Ethereal Vision. This time, he noticed a color of sincerity timidly emerging through that of deception.
As they left the dungeon together, Bell thought, "Maybe there's still a chance to free her from her chains..."
For her part, Lili, walking behind him, murmured to herself: "Why... Why is he so different from the others?
Chapter 35: Bell held out a hand to Lili, helping her up despite her injuries. But instead of thanking him, Lili stared at the ground, her expression torn between confusion and anger.
— "Why... Why did you save me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Bell frowned, surprised by the question.
— "You are my supporter. It's normal that I protect you."
Lili's head snapped up, her eyes burning with a strange frustration.
— "Is that really why? Or is it because I'm a girl?" she asked, a mixture of bitterness and defiance in her voice. "Maybe you want something in return... like my body?"
Those words hit Bell hard, leaving him speechless.
— "W-what? No! That's not it at all!" he cried, stunned.
Lili stared at him, searching for a trace of deceit in his eyes.
— "Then why? Why do you want to help me so much? Everyone has always abandoned me... so why do you refuse to let me down?"
Bell took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
— "Because I saw a person suffering, I saw myself in you trying to survive," he said with disarming sincerity. "And I want to help him. Not because I want something in return, but because... I think that person deserves to be free."
Lili stood there frozen, her lips trembling slightly.
— "Free yourself?" she whispered, as if the words had struck a chord.
Bell nodded, his gaze serious.
— "Yes. You are a prisoner of your family and your situation. But I think you can get out of it, if you really want to."
Lili looked away, troubled by the simplicity and purity of his words. She was used to people looking at her with contempt or lust, but never with such compassion.
— "What if I don't want to?" she asked softly, almost as a challenge.
Bell smiled slightly, shrugging.
— "Then I will continue to protect you until you change your mind."
A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the distant echoes of the dungeon. For the first time in a long time, Lili felt a glimmer of hope pierce the veil of her despair.
Chapter 35: The Assault
Bell crept quietly through the shadows of Soma's mansion, his breathing controlled despite the intensity of the situation. He knew that every second counted. His plan relied on an effective diversion, and he had already stolen several jars of Soma's prized wine to sow chaos. Now, the familia members, deprived of their precious beverage, turned on each other, shouting and arguing violently.
Meanwhile, Lili, disguised to avoid being immediately recognized, made her way to the room where Soma resided. The tension was rising, but she kept repeating Bell's words to herself: "I'll be there as backup. Face your deity."
Lili entered the great hall. Soma sat calmly, holding a glass of his divine wine. His impassive face showed neither anger nor surprise at the chaos that reigned in his mansion.
— "You dare to come back here, Liliruca Arde," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Lili fell to her knees, begging:
— "Soma-sama, I beg you, free me from this familia! I no longer want to be your tool, nor that of your adventurers! I want to be free!"
Soma raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on the frail figure kneeling before him.
— "Free?" he whispered. "Why should I grant you that? You have never shown any loyalty to me or my familia."
— "Because I don't want to be a prisoner of this chaos anymore!" she replied vehemently.
Soma was silent for a moment, before handing Lili a bottle of his divine wine.
— "Very well," he said finally. "Drink. If, even under the influence of this wine, you are still able to say that you want to be free, then I will set you free."
Lili hesitated, trembling at the thought of succumbing to the hypnotic influence of this wine. But thinking of Bell, of his courage and his confidence in her, she took a deep breath and grabbed the bottle.
Meanwhile, Bell was facing about ten members of the Soma familia who had surrounded him in an inner courtyard.
— "So it's you, the white rabbit, who dared to sow this chaos here?" Zanis, the captain of the familia, growled, an evil smile on his lips.
Bell, armed with his daggers and using his Ethereal Vision, quickly analyzed the movements of the enemies around him. He knew he wouldn't be able to face them head-on, but he had an idea.
— "Yes, it's me," Bell said calmly, a smirk on his face. "You seem to enjoy your wine. Too bad it's so easy to steal."
Zanis, furious, ordered the attack. Bell skillfully dodged the blows, using his spells to keep his opponents at a distance.
— "Firebolt!" he shouted, launching several bolts of fire in rapid succession, forcing the enemies back.
However, their numbers were increasing. Bell felt the pressure mounting, and he understood that he had to use Eternity Cryostasis to buy time.
— "Eternal ice, which soothes and protects, surround me with your immaculate breath... Cryostasis of Eternity!"
An icy wave spread around Bell, forming ice barriers and temporarily freezing several of his opponents. But Zanis, stronger and more agile than the others, broke the ice and charged Bell.
Bell stepped back, quickly merging with Cryostasis for a more powerful spell.
— "Blast Firebolt!"
A burst of fire lit up the courtyard, scattering the remaining adventurers.
Back in the room, Lili, her hands shaking, took a sip of Soma's wine. The sweet, heady intoxication quickly crept into her mind, but she gritted her teeth, fighting the euphoria.
— "I…" she stammered, her words wavering. "I want… to be free."
Soma, for the first time, seemed slightly surprised.
— "Even under the influence of my wine, you persist?" he said, intrigued. He put down his glass. "Then be it. I release you, Liliruca Arde."
At that moment, the door to the room opened abruptly, and Bell, covered in dust and slightly injured, entered.
— "Lili, are you okay?" he asked, looking at Soma with a wary look.
Soma raised his hand, indicating that he did not intend to intervene further.
— "Take her, adventurer. But know that you have sown a disorder that could have consequences."
Bell ignored the warning, reaching out to Lili.
— "It's over. Come with me."
Lili, with tears in her eyes, grabbed his hand and left the mansion with him, a new chapter in her life beginning.
To be continued