I woke the next morning to an odd weight pressing down on my chest. My limbs felt sluggish, but it wasn't from fatigue or depleted mana. As I stretched, my hands brushed something soft on either side. I turned left—Yura. Right—Shina. And lying directly on top of me? Hera.
I blinked slowly.
How the hell did I not notice this? I'm not exactly a light sleeper. Did they use magic? That was the only logical explanation—because there was no way I wouldn't have noticed three girls invading my personal space like this. My brain scrambled to assess the situation: Shina curled beside me, my hand awkwardly placed against her waist. I pulled away gently. Yura, ears drooped, was blushing even in her sleep. And Hera? Hera was practically draped over me.
"You women need to wake up. You're lying on a man in the morning," I said flatly, my voice louder than usual.
The response was immediate chaos. All three shot up with various levels of horror and indignation.
"This is all Hera's fault!" Shina said, blushing furiously. "I wasn't about to let her try anything indecent!"
Right. Can't let the new girl take the lead in this bizarre competition.
I raised a brow. "So this was your idea, Hera?"
She turned her face away, mumbling something incoherent.
"Don't listen to her!" Yura and Shina clapped their hands over Hera's mouth in perfect sync.
"Let me guess—she was about to spill something she shouldn't."
The guilty expressions were answer enough.
"Either way, this isn't proper behavior for a bunch of adventurers about to explore a dungeon," I sighed, herding them out of the tent. "Get ready—we're going diving."
Once alone, a memory surfaced.
Flashback
The rooftop of my old home, warm beneath us. Joutu sat beside me, spinning an engagement ring between his fingers—the same ring I helped him pick out. His girlfriend had cheated with his best friend. He hadn't spoken much since.
"I guess we really can't trust women out here, Shiro. They do whatever they want," Joutu said bitterly, his eyes following the arc of the ring as he hurled it into the pond behind our house.
"You've still got me and my little sister," I replied, rubbing his back. "We'll always be here."
That was when I made a silent vow: I won't trust a girl, not fully. I won't let them control my heart or break it.
End Flashback
The yawning mouth of the cave loomed before us, a dark void that swallowed the light. Yura conjured a floating orb of light, taking the lead. I mirrored her spell, letting them walk ahead while I watched the rear.
We made our way deeper into the earth, the walls gradually narrowing before opening up into a large chamber with a massive, ancient door. Embedded in it were two stones—one pitch black, one brilliant gold.
"What are these?" I asked, pointing to them.
"They're enchantment stones. They amplify magic gear," Yura explained. "Looks like these need light and dark magic to open."
"I've got nothing for either," Hera admitted, frustrated.
"I can't fuel both sides either," Yura added, turning to me with a clear expectation in her eyes.
Of course. I placed my hands on both stones and channeled mana—first dark, then light. The stones pulsed and the door slowly creaked open, revealing a radiant vault filled with gold, relics, and—
"Golems," I muttered, as twenty armored constructs began breaking free from the walls.
"Stay back. Earth golems are weak to water," I said, drawing my twin swords and snapping them into a spear. I spun it, gathering a vortex of water and launching it at the nearest cluster. Two golems crumbled instantly.
I vaulted into the air, landed on another, and cleaved it down the middle. "Oh water, bring forth disaster and swallow my enemies—Tsunami!" I shouted, unleashing a wave that disintegrated four more.
I continued tearing through them until the room fell silent. When I turned, the girls were frozen, mouths agape.
"What? They're weaker than that first green-ranked golem," I said, reverting the spear back into twin blades.
We scavenged the treasure chamber, filling our bags with gold and enchanted items. But just as we prepared to leave, a suffocating energy enveloped the room.
No... why here? I froze.
Black smoke billowed from the far side of the chamber. Three forms emerged—Devourers. One was a Minotaur like before. The second was a grotesque Cyclops with a gleaming gem for an eye. The third… a hovering, sinister mermaid with a malevolent aura.
"You three, go! Get to Kyoko!" I shouted.
"We're staying," Yura said firmly, drawing her bow. Shina and Hera stood beside her, ready.
I gave in. "Fine. Let's end this fast."
I blasted a fireball at the Cyclops and dashed at the Minotaur with Shina. We severed its legs and I finished it with a clean decapitation.
The mermaid launched water magic, but I conjured a shield in time. Yura's arrows soared past me, splitting midair and piercing the mermaid. The Cyclops hurled a boulder—shattered by my magic-enhanced kick.
Yura sliced it mid-leap. I landed a final blow with a downward slash. Shina stunned the mermaid with lightning, and Hera sealed her in with earth magic.
"Good job, girls. Looks like you've all leveled up," I said, giving a thumbs-up.
The cavern trembled.
"It's collapsing!" Yura shouted.
I reacted fast, channeling magic into my palms. I visualized a portal—a way out. The air warped and shimmered, and a glowing doorway appeared.
"Go!" I commanded. We ran through, escaping just as the cave caved in behind us.
Outside, we all paused. The girls were panting, but staring at me in disbelief.
"I… I learned a new type of magic today," I muttered, slumping against a tree. "Space and time…"
I called Kyoko, who landed nearby. "We're heading back. Trip's over. What about you, Hera?"
"She's coming with us," Yura and Shina replied in unison.
What?! They invited her without even asking me?
I sighed. "Well, guess things are gonna get more complicated."
As we took off on Kyoko's back, I glanced back at Hera. "Should a princess really be leaving her people?"
"I hold the title, but my older sister will take the throne. She's better suited for it. I gave up that life for this one," she answered.
I almost asked Then why call yourself a princess? But I let it go as Exium appeared in the distance.