A WORLD WITHOUT YOU
While crossing Central Park beneath the white walls of Babel, Lilly came to a sudden stop.
“Our balance is all off…” she muttered.
Hearing her strange outburst, Welf, the frontline fighter, turned around as did Haruhime, the combination sorceress and supporter.
“What do you mean, Li’l E?”
“Is something the matter, Lady Lilly?”
“No, I was just thinking…How did we ever manage to reach the lower floors with a party like this?”
The Goddess Festival had ended without a hitch, and Lilly’s party was ready to resume their regular forays into the Dungeon. Lilly was hoping to reach the eighteenth floor as usual, but on their way over, something occurred to her.
Welf on the front lines, Mikoto in the center, and two supporters. Haruhime had a level-boosting spell up her sleeve, but it still felt like something was off. It would normally be a tall order for a party with this composition to get through the first few middle floors, let alone reach floor eighteen. Lilly and her companions had really been pushing their luck lately, hadn’t they? Come to think of it, what kind of strategist would put together a party like this?
If only there were, say, a second-tier adventurer who could be the core for their party, then Lilly would have no complaints…
…What am I thinking? We don’t have anyone like that.
Lilly corrected herself. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Lilly might have been Level 2 now, but in terms of combat ability, she was still far behind Welf.
…I did well to get to Level Two, didn’t I?
It was all thanks to the powerful adventurers she had teamed up with lately—Aisha, Ouka, and Daphne among them. They went all the way down past the lower floors, into the depths…
…Wait, why did we go to the deep floors again?
Lilly raised her head and surveyed her party. Welf was there. Mikoto was there. Haruhime was there.
Nobody was missing, and yet Lilly felt like there was a gaping hole right in front of her.
“Lady Lilly…?”
Lilly had clammed up. Mikoto tilted her head questioningly.
It felt like Lilly could hear something in the back of her mind. Like a fist pounding on a door, begging to be let in. She clutched her head, and that was when it happened.
“Ms. Supporter! Ms. Supporter! Are you looking for an adventurer?”
She swore she heard a voice.
“An adventurer in need of support has come to buy your services.”
She spun around, but there was nobody there. Of course there wasn’t.
It was a hallucination, as was the smile she thought she saw.
“L-Lady Lilly? Are you all right?”
“What’s gotten into you, Li’l E?”
Her friends were worried, but Lilly couldn’t say what was wrong.
“Lady Lilly…Why are you crying?”
Lilly hadn’t realized until it was pointed out to her. From the prum’s chestnut-colored eyes came a stream of tears. She wiped them away, but still, they came, even though there was nothing to be sad about.
“Just some dust in my eye,” she said. “Let’s go.” She urged her party members on.
But the sound in the back of her mind didn’t fade.
And Lilly felt that a part of herself was weeping, searching for a treasure that she just couldn’t find.
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