My life was a joke where I was the fool who always fell into traps. The debt of 10 coins to Corin, because of the fiasco at the market, weighed like a backpack full of stones, and Melina's song about "the market strippers" was now sung even by the guards of Vaelor. My head was a whirlwind. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel messed with me in ways I couldn't understand. Elara, with her shy looks that made my heart race; Vespera, with her teasing that made me blush; Liriel, with that jealousy she disguised with sarcasm — and Princess Lyra, with her sudden infatuation, still lingered in my thoughts, even though she was absent today, which was a relief. Every moment of closeness turned into a disaster. I wanted to understand these feelings, but with this group, it was like trying to solve a puzzle during an earthquake. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, and cord in my backpack glowed together, and Elowen said that the Demon King's ritual was somewhere on the horizon. Danger seemed like a distant echo.
At the guild, I found a mission that could save our wallets: "Investigate mysterious echoes in the Echo Cave, where a spectral guardian scares adventurers. Reward: 100 silver coins." It was the chance to settle the debt with Corin. Dragging Liriel from the inn was the same drama. "A damp place? Unworthy of a goddess!" she complained, holding her glass of wine. Elara looked nervous. "I'll use light magic, nothing over the top," she said, gripping her staff. Vespera, with her bow, smiled. "A dark mystery? This is going to be exciting!" I tried to be firm: "No crazy magic, no crooked arrows, no succubus charm. Just investigate." They nodded, but I knew it was all talk.
The Echo Cave, on the outskirts of Vaelor, was a labyrinth of shining walls that reflected every sound, turning whispers into thunder. Kael, the blacksmith, was at the entrance, looking for weapons lost by adventurers. "You again?" he grumbled before introducing Lyss, an explorer with messy hair who spoke as if the world were ending. "The strippers? I hope you don't destroy my cave!" she said, laughing. She studied the spectral guardian, who, according to rumors, protected something valuable, perhaps linked to the Demon King. Melina appeared, strumming her lute. "My new verse is ready!" she announced, attracting the attention of other adventurers. Without Lyra around, the group's jealousy was contained, but I felt the eyes of Liriel, Elara, and Vespera watching me, as if I could cause a scandal at any moment.
The investigation began, and chaos came quickly. Elara tried a light spell to illuminate the path. "Just to help!" she said. The spell glowed for a few seconds before she collapsed, panting. "Mana… gone," she groaned, falling into my arms. Her face was so close that my heart raced. "Takumi, I… I wanted to…" she began, but the echoes interrupted her. Vespera, laughing, used her succubus charm to lure the guardian. "Come, specter!" She enchanted half the adventurers in the cave, who ran after her. Her crooked arrows hit a stalactite, which fell, releasing glowing slime that flooded the floor. "What delicious chaos!" shouted Vespera, as a specter pushed her, and she seemed to enjoy it. "Liriel, do something!" I yelled. She raised her glass. "Divine purification magic!" The slime spread even more, clogging passages and knocking down stalagmites. I tried to strike the guardian with the borrowed sword but slipped on the slime, falling with a thud that echoed like thunder.
In the middle of the chaos, Elara murmured, "Takumi, I just wanted to say that…" but the dripping slime silenced her. Vespera, almost stepping on me, laughed. "I like seeing you like this, all clumsy." Liriel, irritated by the flirting, tried another spell, which only made it worse: the slime glued all of us into an awkward pile, with broken stalagmites around. "Mortals and their stupid crushes!" she huffed, but her jealous gaze was louder than the echoes. Adventurers in the cave laughed, and Melina sang: "In the cave, they strip the floor, the strippers fall into the confusion!" Lyss, with a sigh, used an artifact to disperse the guardian, but the cave was a mess, with passages blocked. In the center, I found an orb with markings identical to those on the amulet, scepter, sphere, and other items. When I touched it, it released a final jet of slime, worsening the scene. Kael huffed: "You are a plague."
We managed to disperse the guardian, but the cave turned into a dump. At the guild, we received 70 coins, deducted for the damages. We settled the debt with Corin, but Lyss charged us 10 coins for the destroyed stalactites. At the inn, I sat exhausted while Elara and Vespera argued over who "saved" the mission. "My light helped!" said Elara. "And my charm distracted the specters!" retorted Vespera. Liriel, sipping wine, huffed. "You're pathetic. I did everything." Elowen passed by, looked at the orb, and said, "Another clue about the Demon King's ritual. Be careful, strippers." She left without further explanation. At least Lyra didn't show up, but her absence didn't lessen the confusion in my head. The flirting, the jealousy, Melina's song — it was all too much.
When Elara and Vespera went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne now?" She shrugged. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she takes care of the rest." She took a sip. "Why? Planning to send me away?" She smiled, with a look that left me confused. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb. Those moments with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel — almost confessions, flirting, jealousy — stirred something in me, but always ended in humiliation. And more clues from the Demon King? My life was a nightmare, and I just wanted one day without being called a pervert.