Firefly in the Dungeon

「Fragment VIII」Third Step, The Intangible String

"I was drawn, to this place, for I knows, that the reckless, desires, of those adventurers, will never, cease.

Yet, behind that, grandeur, polished with fame, I could see, nothing, but a fight, for survival. Both. . , for their own, life and, humanity, as whole.

Do the Guild, not deliberately, paint such an image, to attract people, so they could, throw their own, lives away, willingly?

Is it not, a desperate, act, to keep, enemy of, humanity, under control?"

Alice sighed with a tinge of bitterness. Cruel it might be, it was necessary because Orario needs people to do such a perilous job. Leaving her thought, she continues, "Adventurers, are similar, to knights, yet they are, bound not by, the illusory word, called honor. They seek, their own dreams, by fighting a war, not against, their own kind, but monsters.

For that, what do I seek, in this place, Goddess, mattered not. I am here, by my own, selfishness. A selfish, desire, to aid them, to conquer, the depth, of this Dungeon, and let them, grow, for the future. Alas, I find them, fight with blood, amongst themselves."

Unable to respond to the unexpected barrage of words coming from Alice, the Goddess was stunned in place. Naturally, the Goddess attention was, again, drawn toward the girl, and the girl in questions had a faint, sorrowful smile.

Meeting that single blue eye, and as the chilling night wind brushed pass, She shivered unexpectedly.

Shiver, not from cold but realization. Because within that gaze of a small being, a desire twisted enough dwelled deep, and the vortex that could engulf the Gods with madness is shown.

The Goddess however, did not retreat after witnessing it with her own eyes. Instead, Her curiosity soared. "A thought like yours is something that I had not anticipated, and it makes me curious. Who does I had this conversation with?"

"Alice, Silverlight." the girl replied softly.

"Alice Silverlight. . . Alice. . . So that was the name of yours." the Goddess mused for a moment. "Then, Alice, do you know about Familia?"

The intention behind that sentence is very clear to Alice, yet she was startled instead.

A straight forward invitation. . ?

. . . Since the Goddess asked her name, Alice had prepared several answer for the situation, and depending on how the Goddess would try to recruit her, she would decide the appropriate answer. But here is the problem; all of it was to be used for a round full of deceit.

It was as if one had anticipated that the enemy would attack trough the sea, putting all the defense there, only to find an army of cavalry on the land.

Supressing her own internal embarrassment, Alice answered, ". . . Nothing, beyond basic, understanding, I suppose."

"That is enough." the Goddess said. ". . . Would you like to become my Familia children?"

Without the time to think a proper question, Alice simply asks, "Why. . ?"

"Fufu~ Why indeed." She laughed softly, as a smile formed on that beautiful face befitting of a Goddess. "Why, after all this time, there is someone that piqued my interest to act more than just being an observer?"

Alice wasn't a fool. That someone mentioned is no one else but herself. Knowing that, she raised an eyebrow. "Observer. . ?"

"That I am currently." the Goddess nodded to Alice inquiry. "Unlike the Gods and Goddesses that descended into this world to create their own Familia and meddle with mortal life, I was here merely to observe, nothing more."

Such a pleasant coincidence. . ? Alice thought to herself.

She feels sceptical about everything that has been said by the Goddess beside her. It was too perfect, matching the kind of Familia she was looking for, and she couldn't see the truth only by listening.

A coincidence doesn't exist in the world where the Gods walks among us. Fate, what did you have in mind. . ? Yet before Alice's own thought drown her once again, she cleared all of it and throw them away.

Taking a deep breath, Alice asked. "Before I, decide my answer, Goddess, may I learn, your name?"

"Ah. . ,"

With a blank face, the Goddess finally broke the graceful image she had, but quickly replied with a stiff smile. "How embarrassing. . . I was fixated on trying to have you as my first Familia children that I unintentionally neglected a proper courtesy."

Clearing her throat, the Goddess placed a hand on the chest. "I am the last one that remained after calamity released into this world."

My name is. . ,

「Elpis」