"Kiska, do you know where to find Demon King Zoga?"
"I do."
"I see. Then we'll split up here. Kiska, go find Sage Nyau. We'll handle Demon King Zoga in the meantime."
"Got it."
Reflecting on it now, I realized I’d never actually run into Nyau inside the dungeon before, so I had no clue where she was.
When I asked Ageha, it turned out she had a general idea of where the Sage might be, so she pointed me in the right direction.
After parting ways with Ageha's group, I headed toward the area she’d indicated.
"Uuugh, where is everyone!?"
I spotted Sage Nyau from a distance, her face pale with anxiety as she searched the dungeon corridors.
I felt a strange wave of nerves.
Given what had happened in the previous timeline, I couldn't help but feel a lingering resistance to facing her.
Well, it’s not like she remembers anything, I told myself. I should just act casual.
"Yo. So this is where you were hiding."
I approached her with a casual wave.
"Ah! Finally, I found someone—oh, it's just Kiska. The most unreliable one of the lot..."
"Hey, don't just look at someone and call them unreliable."
"But Kiska, you're the weakest of everyone."
"I mean, you're not wrong, but still."
Was she always this prickly?
She’d been so sweet in the previous timeline... Well, there was no denying she was still incredibly cute.
"Anyway, let’s go. The others are waiting."
"Wait! Everyone else is already together?"
"Yeah, more or less."
I nodded, though a prickle of guilt stung me. I was essentially deceiving her; the reunion she was imagining didn't exist.
"In that case, we have to hurry! Kiska, lead the way!"
With Nyau in tow, I began the trek back toward Ageha.
"Hey, Nyau."
"What is it?"
"By the time we get there, there's a good chance the Demon King will already be dead."
"Really? Is Lord Hero Eligion fighting him right now?"
"No, not him."
"Huh? Then who's going to defeat the Demon King?"
"Ageha."
"Ageha?"
"Hero Ageha. Unlike Hero Eligion, she's the True Hero."
"Um..."
Nyau’s expression was one of pure bewilderment.
Well, of course it was.
I’d tried to explain things beforehand so she wouldn't panic when she finally met Ageha, but I knew it was a lot to swallow.
"It's hard to believe, I know. But it's the truth. Just... be ready for it."
"I—I understand."
She nodded, though she clearly still looked confused.
I suppose that was the best I could do for now.
"Look, sorry. I wish I could be of more help to you, but things might not go that way this time."
"Hmph... Nyau doesn't need your help anyway."
"Fair enough."
I let out a wry chuckle.
It was true; Nyau was leagues stronger than I was. It was only natural she wouldn't need me.
Sage Nyau followed Kiska through the dungeon.
They walked in silence. To Nyau, Kiska was someone she’d only just met, so she didn't feel any particular urge to strike up a conversation.
"Ah..."
Nyau froze as she spotted a monster.
A Headless Mule.
With her magic, a monster like that should have been an easy mark. She readied her Rod and began to chant a spell.
Thud.
A strange sound echoed behind her.
What was that? She turned her head.
"KUGOOOOHH!!"
A second Headless Mule stood there, letting out a piercing roar.
Apparently, another one had been lying in wait.
This is bad! Panic flared in Nyau’s chest.
At this distance, dodging was impossible. She instantly pivoted her mana, preparing to switch to Healing Magic so she could at least survive the strike and rejoin the fight.
Suddenly, a weightless sensation overcame her.
In the next heartbeat, she realized Kiska had scooped her up.
While holding Nyau securely in his arms, Kiska manipulated his sword with his free hand, effortlessly cleaving through the monsters one after another.
It seemed that with Kiska’s strength, monsters of this caliber didn't pose the slightest threat.
Relief washed over Nyau, and she allowed herself to go limp in his arms.
As she looked up at his face, she found herself thinking that his eyelashes were surprisingly long.
"Nyau, are you okay?"
The battle finished, Kiska gently set her back on her feet.
"Yes... thank you. You saved Nyau."
If Kiska hadn't been there, she would have certainly been badly hurt. She made sure to offer her sincere thanks.
For some reason, Kiska lingered for a moment, his hand drifting to her hair as if reluctant to pull away.
"Good," he said. "I'm glad your cute face didn't get any scratches."
He gave her a small smile and finally stepped back.
"Uh... yeah."
Nyau managed an awkward response, but a thought suddenly seized her.
Wait... did he just call me cute?
Suddenly, she could feel her heart hammering against her ribs.
Wait, why is my heart racing over something like this?
He’d just helped her a little and given her a simple compliment. To someone like Nyau, such things should be trivial.
She knew that, yet the pounding in her chest only grew more violent.
She had no way of knowing the reason why.