Chapter 30 – Ais, as Pure as a Blank Sheet
The 18th floor of the Dungeon was a unique sanctuary—a safe zone that stood apart from the rest of the treacherous depths.
Unlike the other levels, this one didn't naturally spawn monsters under normal conditions.
That didn't mean it was completely danger-free, of course. In certain circumstances, monsters could still force their way in. But most of the time, the area remained calm and safe.
That tranquility gave birth to something rare within the Dungeon: a settlement.
Over time, adventurers had built a makeshift town here—an emergency hub with rest areas, trading spots, and temporary markets. It served as both a haven and a midpoint for deeper expeditions.
Naturally, the prices were absurd. Even a piece of bread or a bottle of plain water could cost a hundred times more than it would in Orario.
On the flip side, Magic Stones and monster drops sold here fetched a mere fraction of their usual price.
That imbalance created an opportunity—enterprising merchants who shuttled goods between the surface and the 18th floor, turning massive profits by exploiting the price gap.
"I still can't believe it… a place this beautiful exists inside such a dark, dangerous world."
Unlike watching it in an anime, witnessing it firsthand left Shin Akira speechless. His eyes sparkled as he took in the serene scenery.
It was like a living miracle—a stark contrast to the savage chaos of the Dungeon. A literal oasis hidden deep underground.
"I thought the same when I first came here."
Lefiya spoke with a surprisingly senior tone.
Though she looked sweet and young, she was a level 3 adventurer from Loki Familia, someone who had already explored the deeper floors. In terms of field experience, she definitely outranked Akira.
"Um, Lefiya-san? That pool you mentioned earlier—where is it?"
"Just past that small forest over there."
"Thanks a lot~"
Without wasting a second, Akira dashed toward the forest.
During the battle, he hadn't cared. But now that it was over, he couldn't ignore the discomfort of his blood-soaked, sticky clothes and the pungent stench clinging to him.
He needed a wash—badly.
Fortunately, he'd stashed a fresh change of clothes inside his Shadow Realm.
After his embarrassing arrival in this world—drenched and naked with no spare outfit—Akira had learned his lesson. The moment he had money, he bought several extra sets to avoid future humiliation.
After pushing through the underbrush, he found it—a crystal-clear pool hidden deep in the trees.
Akira didn't stand on ceremony. He stripped down and jumped in, letting the cool water wash over him and rinse away the blood.
Floating in the calm water, he felt peace wash over him.
It's been forever since I could swim like this… not even in the High School DxD world did I have time to relax like this. Finally...
Snap—
The sound of a twig breaking jolted him back to reality.
From beneath the surface, eight shadowy figures slithered up like silent guardians, ready to strike. But Akira gave no command.
Let's see who it is first…
Sometimes, waiting was better than drawing your sword right away.
"Lady Ais, no! You can't go any closer!"
Lefiya's voice rang out in panic from behind the trees.
Akira froze.
Moments later, a familiar golden-haired girl stepped out from the woods.
"…Lady Ais?"
"Yes."
She replied calmly, but that only made things more unsettling.
What the hell is she doing here...?
"No! You mustn't look, Lady Ais! It'll taint your purity! You absolutely cannot see!"
Lefiya rushed forward and stood in front of Ais, shielding her view of the pool with her entire body like a human curtain.
As a devout Ais fan, Lefiya couldn't bear the idea of her idol forming some kind of… "connection" with a random guy.
"But why, Lefiya? Why can't I look?"
"Because… he's a man! He's bathing! You can't see him, Lady Ais!"
"But haven't we bathed together before?"
"That's different! We're both girls! He's… he's a guy!"
"So what's the difference?"
"I… that's…"
Anyone witnessing this scene would be stunned.
Turns out, Ais Wallenstein was genuinely innocent—like a pure white sheet of paper. Outside of battle, she had almost no understanding of male-female dynamics.
"Lady Ais," Akira called from the pool, "bathing together like this… is usually only done between couples. Or married partners."
"…I see. My apologies."
Hearing his explanation, Ais nodded, turned around without hesitation, and began walking back.
Lefiya let out a deep sigh of relief and quickly followed, terrified something even weirder might happen next.
Only now did she realize—her idol, someone she admired so much, was surprisingly naïve about the world.
It made her feel responsible… like she had to protect Ais from these sorts of situations.
Though in truth… Lefiya herself wasn't exactly "experienced" either. Just slightly less clueless.
As the two disappeared from view, Akira could only hold his forehead and groan.
"…What kind of weird event was that?"
Splash.
After making sure all the blood had been rinsed away, he climbed out of the pool.
A shadow warrior emerged with a towel, which Akira took and began drying off.
Soon after, another shadowkhan approached with a full set of clean clothes and shoes.
They really were the perfect attendants—efficient, silent, and loyal.
Within minutes, Shin Akira was fully dressed again. The shadowkhan vanished once their duties were done.
"Ais-san! Lefiya-san!"
In a small clearing at the edge of the forest, both girls were waiting for him.
"That was… fast?"
Lefiya blinked in surprise.
"You were only gone a few minutes. Are you done already?"
"I just rinsed off the blood. I'll save the proper bath for when we get back."
"…I see."
As a girl, Lefiya couldn't fully relate… but chose not to say anything.
From the moment Akira stepped out from the trees, Ais had been staring at him—her gaze unwavering.
"Lady Ais," Akira said, "to be honest, I don't really know how to make someone stronger. But if you don't mind, I could teach you a few training methods."
"…Really?"
Her eyes lit up with pure excitement. She looked at him like he was offering a precious treasure.
That reaction made Akira feel a bit pressured. It was like disappointing her would be a crime.
"First off—for adventurers, the fastest way to grow stronger is by raising the stats granted by your Falna."
"But… my growth's slowed down a lot. Even after that long expedition, my stats only went up five points."
"Then let me ask you something, Lady Ais… do you know why your growth has slowed down?"
His question caught her off guard.
Not just her—Lefiya froze too, completely unsure how to respond.
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