Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 54: The natural thing

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The location remained on the eighteenth floor.

The cool scent of grass filled the air, accompanied by the soft gurgling of water nearby. Blue crystals, growing in clusters, emitted a gentle light that painted the surrounding trees and leaves in a serene azure hue.

Ryuu led Izzy steadily through the woods, following a path naturally woven by intertwining tree roots and crystals.

As Izzy had suspected earlier, Ryuu was well-acquainted with the terrain of this area. Even in the dense forest, she skillfully avoided the monsters that roamed nearby.

Along the way, Ryuu continued to collect small, delicate white flowers that grew naturally in their surroundings. These flowers, unique to the dungeon, were unfamiliar to Izzy, but their shape and pattern bore a striking resemblance to white lilies.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they passed through a narrow tunnel formed by arching trees and emerged into a quiet cemetery.

The clearing was small, encircled by slender trees and radiant crystals. From above, soft beams of white light cascaded down, illuminating the space where several wooden cross-shaped tombstones—held together by ropes—stood solemnly in neat rows.

"…Actually, every so often, I ask for leave from Mama Mia to come here and lay flowers for them," Ryuu admitted softly.

Even if Izzy hadn't brought her along this time, she would have come here alone before long.

With a quiet reverence, Ryuu gently placed the white flowers she had gathered in her arms before each of the dozen or so graves. From her bag, she took out a bottle of wine, pouring a small amount onto several specific graves in turn.

"I know a little about the Astraea Familia, Ms. Ryuu," Izzy said, breaking the silence. "It's not wrong to cherish the past, but the past is just that—the past. At some point, we have to let it go."

He didn't merely watch from the sidelines but had also collected several white flowers along the way. Now, he knelt beside her, placing the blossoms at the graves in turn.

"Of course, I'm not suggesting you abandon your hatred," he added. "But I think it's worth considering yourself more. Living in the present and looking toward the future is important. What do you think?"

"Mr. Izzy, do you think a filthy, shameless elf like me—driven by hatred and foolish enough to chase vengeance—has any chance of a good future?" Ryuu asked, her tone bitter and self-deprecating.

Izzy, however, simply laughed and shook his head.

"All you've done is something that's right and proper. How does that make you filthy or shameless?"

"Right and proper?" Ryuu tilted her head slightly, her expression puzzled.

"Yes, proper." Izzy's tone was calm but firm. "Debts must be repaid, and murder must be atoned for. That's as just and natural as the sunrise."

"When those people raised their weapons to harm others, they should have accepted the risk of being struck down, even by unconventional means."

"Forgiveness," Izzy continued, "is something noble heroes from fairy tales can afford to offer. But before they meet those heroes, someone has to pave the way for them, don't you think?"

In this world, thousands of years ago, true heroes roamed the land. They created epics with their blood and bravery, driving back the monsters that had once ravaged the surface, confining them to the dungeon. Every child grew up hearing their stories.

But heroes were not immortal. Time eventually claimed them as well. The most widely accepted belief was simple:

—The heroes ascended to heaven.

Since ancient times, it was said that a person's soul ascended to heaven after death.

Ryuu, understanding the weight of his words, quickly grasped the implication behind Izzy's reasoning.

Her sky-blue eyes widened, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Her thoughts were a tangled mess, spinning in all directions, making it impossible to focus on any single idea.

"Well, these are just my personal ramblings," Izzy finally said, breaking the silence. "Miss Ryuu, please take them as you will. But I must ask—stop speaking or even thinking poorly of yourself. That's a bad habit..."

With those parting words, Izzy placed the last white flower in his hand before the grave and straightened up.

"Bad habits... huh..."

Ryuu murmured softly, snapping out of her trance. She watched as Izzy finished decorating all the graves with the pristine white flowers they had collected.

Her usually clear, composed eyes softened, and her typically calm demeanor seemed to melt, giving way to a faint, gentle smile.

As radiant as the white flowers surrounding her—or perhaps even more so—her lips parted slightly.

"Mr. Izzy... Thank you for comforting me like this. I will keep your words in mind."

"You're welcome."

---

Izzy's heartfelt words seemed to have the desired effect.

After leaving the clearing, Ryuu's mood was noticeably lighter. For the first time, she actively engaged him in conversation, sharing many thoughts and stories. The two wandered around the eighteenth floor together, exploring its serene beauty.

That evening, after a brief discussion, Izzy and Ryuu decided to spend the night in Rivera Town.

Though the cost of lodging was steep, it was far preferable to sleeping in the wild—especially considering neither of them had brought a tent.

The present-day Rivera Town was said to be its 327th iteration.

Despite being located on a safe floor, it remained within the dungeon's labyrinth and thus constantly faced the threat of monster invasions.

Although adventurers above Level 3 were stationed there to provide protection, the town was inevitably destroyed during abnormal situations. Each time, it was rebuilt by returning adventurers, thriving again and again.

In Rivera Town, money solved most problems.

Though the innkeeper appeared suspicious of Ryuu's secretive demeanor, he ultimately decided not to ask any questions.

If one were to wonder why, it was likely because Izzy had paid far too generously.

---

The next day, Izzy focused on keeping tabs on the movements of the [Loki Familia].

From the chatter of adventurers in the town, he learned that Goliath, the Lord of the 17th floor, had been spawned by the dungeon the previous night.

To advance beyond the upper levels, adventurers would inevitably have to confront this massive foe. With a potential ability value of Level 4 and defenses rivaling Level 5, it was no small challenge.

Given the circumstances, Izzy figured it was best to let his "familia" handle the problem.

Once they took down Goliath—the boss blocking the path—they could clear the way for others to pass.

Why not let the big guns handle it? After all, they were all part of the same familia, so there was no reason to sweat the small stuff.

Ryuu raised no objections, finding the plan sensible. Hitching a ride on this "shortcut" worked perfectly fine for her.

Fortunately, the Loki Familia seemed to have already packed their gear and were preparing to return to the surface that very day.

Upon realizing this, Izzy couldn't help but feel a moment of pity for Goliath.

The poor floor boss was likely one of the most pitiful creatures in the dungeon.

Born only to be annihilated shortly after, Goliath never lasted long.

More often than not, it was either obliterated by a powerful familia on an expedition or slain by adventurers stationed in Rivera Town.

Its unfortunate spawn point—directly blocking the path to the safe floor—left no room for negotiation. If Goliath didn't die, no one could proceed.

Such was the grim fate of the guardian of the 17th floor.

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