“After I finish this quest, I’ll finally confess to him.”
…
“Eluka, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up with the healing magic—I can barely hold on!”
“Oh, oh!”
Eluka snapped back to attention, clutching her magic wand and injecting a surge of magical power.
“[Healing]!”
The dazzling magic circle materialized in an instant, filled with vibrant vitality. A beam of green light merged into the armored man standing before her.
“Haa!”
Revitalized, Rod let out a hearty yell, swinging his blood-stained longsword with a gleam of sharpness, slashing down fiercely at the turbulent lake surface beneath him.
The lake was violently torn open, revealing a gigantic beast lurking beneath the dark waters.
It was at least twenty meters long—a massive black fish covered in cold iron-like scales and fierce bone spurs. Its head was protected by a tough exoskeleton, and a sharp single horn pointed skyward from its forehead, radiating an unnervingly beautiful menace.
This was the apex beast, Lake Master of Beipole Lake, the horror king!
Even after three years as an adventurer, having faced countless terrifying monsters, Eluka’s legs still felt a bit wobbly at the sight of this monster.
“Am I really not suited to be an adventurer?”
While her magical spell was in mid-cast, Eluka absent-mindedly twirled a strand of hair, her gaze complicated as she watched the man in front of her clash with the Lake Master again and again.
Rod.
Nicknamed the Iron-Blood Knight.
He became an adventurer three years ago and, like a soaring dragon, achieved Level B at an astonishing speed within those short three years.
He already had a small reputation in Bairland.
And she, Eluka, was Rod’s childhood friend—and secretly harboring a one-sided love for him.
“I became an adventurer because I liked him… but now, I’m still scared…”
“Eight years of secret crush, yet I don’t even have the courage to confess. Am I too useless?”
“Maybe Rod will hate me for being so useless?”
“Does he think I don’t deserve to stand beside him?”
“What should I do…?”
Today, Eluka was still lost in her tiny little girl troubles.
But her worries weren’t only these.
“Now!”
Rod, pushing the Lake Master out of the water, issued another command.
“Use magic attacks quickly!”
“Y-Yes!”
All her distracting thoughts instantly vanished. Her instinct, honed over three years, prompted her to swing her wand and begin conjuring magic.
“Goddess of ice and snow, please…”
“Explosion magic!”
Someone else was even faster.
Right beside Eluka, a stunning woman with notable features and a notably ample bust—likely a powerful mage—seemed to have been ready all along. She shot her spell with impressive speed, skipping the chant entirely.
A fierce blaze blotted out the dark clouds overhead. The intense heat vaporized a large chunk of lake water in an instant, breaching the hardened scales of the Lake Master.
“Nice job, Tia!”
Seeing the beast’s defenses pierced, Rod’s face lit up with joy, praising her. Then, seizing the moment, he stabbed his sword into the massive, charred wound on the Lake Master.
“Groar!”
The Lake Master let out a deafening roar, thrashing wildly.
Lightning flashed, heavy rain poured down.
But everyone could see: this terrifying apex beast was at its limit—just making one last desperate stand.
Because Rod’s sword had struck precisely into the beast’s heart.
From tomorrow, after slaying a Tier-1 monster, the fame of the Iron-Blood Knight Rod would surely skyrocket in Bairland.
At Level A, his wealth and reputation would dramatically increase!
No wonder he took on this quest.
But Eluka didn’t feel particularly happy.
She carefully cast a sidelong glance at the woman named Tia and muttered under her breath:
“Thanks to her, but did he have to say nothing to me?”
It’s so unfair.
Just because I’m not good at attack magic, I can’t be of much help in scenes like this?
But I’m your childhood friend, aren’t I?
“I’ve liked you for so long…”
Eluka took a deep breath, trying to suppress a surge of inner feelings.
“Die!”
Meanwhile, Rod fiercely thrusted his sword as the Lake Master finally stopped struggling.
He pulled out his sword, watching the beast sink into the water, blood dyeing the lake red, and the large fish corpse with a white belly floating up from the deep crimson.
“Finally done.”
Rod dispelled his levitation spell, landing on the carcass with a sigh of relief—and a faint smile.
After defeating this apex beast, his achievement points would be enough to upgrade to Level A!
Once at Level A, both wealth and fame would surge massive!
Adventure was worth it.
“You two did well.”
Rod looked up and grinned generously:
“The magic was spot-on, and today you both really saved the day.”
“Mu… mostly thanks to you,”
Eluka looked down shyly, blushing.
“Honestly, R-Rod, you’re amazing…”
—It seemed he still noticed me after all.
A warm feeling spread in Eluka’s heart.
“Ah, you’re bleeding!”
Before she could savor that sweet moment, she heard Tia’s concerned voice.
Tia flew over to Rod, worriedly inspecting his arm wound.
It was a scratch from a bone spur during the fight, she said.
“Haha, just a minor injury, really no big deal.”
“But you gotta treat it soon, or it’ll get infected.”
Tia chided gently, then took out a fragrant handkerchief, carefully wiping and bandaging Rod’s bloodied arm.
“You might be careless, Rod, but you should take care of your body. Otherwise, the one who cares about you will get sad.”
Rod couldn’t help but look touched: “Tia, you’re so gentle. It’s really nice to have a teammate like you…”
Tia’s cheeks reddened slightly: “It’s just what I was supposed to do. But with Rod around, I always feel safe no matter what.”
“……”
Seeing the two of them so lovey-dovey, Eluka nearly snapped her magic wand in half.
What are you two doing, deepening your comradeship right in front of me, the healer? Just let me heal your wounds, it’s not that hard during a fight! Isn’t it common sense?
And Tia, you—you’re supposed to be patching up, but your chest is basically pressing against Rod’s arm. Were you doing that on purpose? Showing off or what?
“Wish I had something to punish this bitch,”
Eluka inwardly cursed with envy.
But that was just a wish.
Because she’d always been seen as a soft, adorable, kind-hearted girl by Rod.
Good girls don’t entertain evil thoughts.
No, they just can’t.
Right? Or is that true?
……
“Huh? Did I just hear something strange?”
Rod, who was soaking in the lovely maid service, suddenly looked serious, glancing around.
But the pounding rain and steam from the explosive magic just cast blocked his view—nothing was clear.
“Hey, don’t move! I’m still wrapping this,”
Tia scolded.
“It’s probably just your imagination, Rod. The Lake Master is already dead, there’s no strange sounds. Two apex monsters at once? Nah, that’d be territorial madness. They’d fight each other before we even get involved.” (Tia)
