Huge and Soft
Afterward, Ian's party rested one more day in the labyrinth before emerging outside. The dimensional gate that Aymdel had discovered still nagged at him, but in their current state, reaching it was impossible. Even after exiting the labyrinth, exhaustion overtook them, and they headed straight back to the inn. There was a mountain of tasks still to handle, but if they didn't rest now, their bodies wouldn't hold up.
Ian collapsed into bed and fell asleep as if passing out.
The next morning.
Knock knock.
The sound of someone rapping on the door finally roused Ian. His eyelids felt like lead weights.
"Ian..."
Shiro's quiet voice came from beyond the door.
"Ah, hold on..."
Ian threw on some clothes haphazardly and opened the door. There stood Shiro, not in the armor he'd seen in the dungeon, but in simple civilian clothes. Unlike her usual sturdy demeanor, she looked somehow small and fragile right now.
"Sorry for coming so early in the morning..."
Shiro averted her eyes slightly as she spoke.
"No, come on in."
"Yes..."
She stepped carefully into the room. The door clicked shut softly behind her.
"What's up at this hour?"
Ian asked cautiously. The party wasn't supposed to meet until late evening.
"......"
Shiro hesitated for a moment, then clutched the collar of her clothes tightly with both hands. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure.
"I... have something I really need to say."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter. He could even hear her swallowing hard.
"I'm... truly sorry."
Shiro bowed her head deeply. Her throat seemed choked; the next words didn't come right away.
"I'm... too weak..."
Her shoulders trembled faintly. Her eyes were reddening.
"I couldn't even protect you properly..."
She couldn't finish the sentence and dropped her gaze to the floor. Tears began to soak the ground beneath her. She was still dwelling on what had happened in the dungeon.
"It's okay."
Ian spoke as gently as he could to reassure her.
"It's not okay."
The immediate reply. Shiro slowly lifted her head. Her clear blue eyes were shaking. They held a mix of regret, self-blame, and desperate longing.
"Next time... I will..."
Her words trailed off. Then she clenched her fists tight.
"I won't let... that kind of situation... happen again... so..."
Her voice cracked. She bit her lip hard before managing to continue.
"So...!"
Suddenly, before she could finish, Shiro lunged at Ian. She tackled him onto the bed, throwing her arms around him. Her body trembled lightly.
"Please... hold me."
Tears streamed from her pretty eyes, trickling down her cheeks and soaking Ian's clothes. She buried her face in his chest and whispered in a voice almost breaking into sobs.
"I hate myself for being so weak. For putting you in danger... I can't forgive it."
Ian gently stroked her back. Her warm body heat seeped into him. Come to think of it, she'd often clung to him like this in the dungeon too. Ever since he'd held her once, she made a habit of seeking him out at bedtime.
Stroke... stroke...
Her trembling body gradually calmed under his touch.
"...You did this a lot in the dungeon too."
Ian whispered softly to her.
"Yes... I love it so much..."
Shiro replied shyly but firmly. Her voice was laced with tears.
"Now... I can't sleep without being by your side."
Now that he noticed, there were faint dark circles under her eyes. She really hadn't been sleeping. A faint smile tugged at Ian's lips.
"Ian..."
Shiro burrowed deeper into him. Her fingers gripped his clothes tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. Ian patted her back gently.
That evening, Ian's party gathered at the guild-run tavern. Karin was still nowhere to be seen, of course.
"Let's... start with the loot distribution."
Ian quietly laid out the items they'd obtained from the dungeon on the table. He divided everything as fairly as possible, splitting the divisible goods precisely in half and pushing each share in front of its owner. There were still plenty of unprocessed materials and gear left, but even just the cash would net each person at least 50 gold—more than enough.
"This is plenty for us."
Aymdel said, lightly patting the pouch that was her share. In truth, 50 gold far exceeded what a 4th-floor adventurer could earn in a single run. Thanks to the Treasure Rabbit.
"I'm satisfied too. Though it'd be even better if you kicked my ass once..."
Lidoem smacked her lips wistfully, teasing playfully.
"Then can we take the rest of the materials? There are some I want to use ourselves instead of selling."
Aymdel shrugged and added quickly.
"Of course. Take them without hesitation. We've got more than enough already."
Ian slowly turned his gaze to Shiro. She seemed uninterested, quietly fiddling with her glass.
"Then this gear would suit Shiro best."
Ian pulled out the equipment Maritia had used and placed it on the table. It needed work, but it was clearly better than what Shiro had been using.
"Pardon...? For me?"
Shiro looked up at Ian with startled eyes.
"Is that... okay?"
Ian chuckled briefly.
"Of course."
He added, "If Shiro survives, so do I."
Short and clear. Ian had learned that lesson to his bones in this labyrinth run. A strong tank meant the damage dealers could stay alive. And Shiro had risked her life for him.
This much investment was only natural.
Shiro's blue eyes wavered slightly. She bit her lip, then murmured softly.
"......Thank you."
Ian nodded in response instead of words. Then he pulled a green carapace from his bag and set it on the table.
"And this should go to Shiro too."
It was the mantis's carapace. When they'd reached the 2nd floor, the mantis was already dying, making it easy to harvest the materials.
"This..."
"Let's make a new shield out of it first."
Seeing Shiro about to refuse, Ian cut in quickly.
"It'll be way better than your old one."
"Thank you... for caring this much..."
Her voice was quiet, but it brimmed with sincerity. Ian nodded lightly. He said little, but his eyes were warm.
"When Shiro gets stronger... I'll feel better too."
But it wasn't over yet.
"Can I take this?"
The mantis blade remained. It was half-broken, but still usable.
"Yes. I can't be the only one getting stuff."
Shiro already had the sword Maritia had used.
"Good. Then we can sell the rest and buy food and potions."
With Ian's casual wrap-up, the group finished dividing the loot. The table cleared up, and the tavern's atmosphere loosened a bit.
"And... I have something to say about the next labyrinth run."
He looked back and forth between Aymdel and Lidoem. Truth be told, Ian wanted to team up with them again for the next expedition. The labyrinth wouldn't reopen for over two weeks, but there was much to prepare. With them, it would be far easier.
"What do you two plan to do?"
Ian asked, focusing on Aymdel.
She averted her gaze, looking a bit troubled.
"We'll... probably sit out the next one."
She gave a slightly apologetic smile.
"We made a good haul this time. We want some downtime for a while."
Adventurers often took months off after big scores like this. Ian glanced at Lidoem just in case.
But "Step on me once and I'll think about it." She pointed to her crotch.
Ian nodded slowly, as if he'd expected it. A hint of regret crossed his face, but he didn't show it much.
"Hmm... I see."
He thought for a moment, then looked back at Aymdel.
"Then... could you introduce us to a pathfinder adventurer?"
They'd need a reliable guide for the next run. He wanted to push at least to the 5th floor.
Aymdel pondered briefly, then replied softly.
"A pathfinder... Got it. But good ones are hard to find."
Most skilled adventurers were already in parties. Being solo usually meant they had issues or lacked experience.
"That's fine. We can manage."
As long as they were trustworthy, combat prowess could be secondary. Ian bowed his head lightly with sincerity.
Shiro quietly listened to the exchange.
**********
A few days later.
Ian headed to the guild to meet the pathfinder Aymdel had recommended. The moment he pushed open the guild doors, a familiar voice called out.
"Ah, Ian."
Aymdel waved cheerfully and stood from her seat. And in the chair beside her...
"...A rat?"
A large brown hamster sat there.
