Melissa's Guilt

The following day.

By the time I woke up, Melissa had alredy cooked breakfast. She has also prepared some daily necessities for me, along with a new set of clothes.

I freshen up and try on the new clothes. The clothes looked pretty generic, but they were soft to touch and pleasant to wear.

I join Melissa for breakfast, and while we eat, we discuss a little about the lower floors.

"You are lucky that your opponents were weak! Most others don't have such luck!" Melissa sighed.

She was feeling guilty, as she was the one who got me caught in this situation. If I had faced tougher opponents in my ascension, I might have lost my life already, and she would have become a murderer!

I notice her emotions and pat her hand that was on the dining table.

Her hand was trembling.

She looked up at me, tears appearing on the corner of her eyes.

"It's ok." I console her.

"You must have had a solid reason to choose me, and even if I had died, I wouldn't have blamed you for my death."

As the personification of overconfidence, if I were to die some day, under any circumstances, I wouldn't blame others! I would blame myself.

Cause others cannot kill me, only I and I alone can kill me!

But Melissa doesn't need to know my exact thoughts. All she needs is a little push and that she had done the right thing by choosing me as the next Climber from our World.

Melissa seemed convinced by my words as her guilt reduced exponentially. She wiped the tears in her eyes, and smiled.

"Yes, I had a very good reason to chose you!"

"You know that our world is still new to the Infinity Dungeon, but we already have a safe shelter on the 10th floor. Our world is already on its way to the peak!"

"When I was given the chance to choose our next Climber, my immediate thought was to choose someone who is close to me! As becoming a Climber is the best chance for anyone in our world! I wouldn't want someone close to me missing this chance because of my choice!"

I nod, accepting her reason. Becoming a climber has lots of benefits.

First, you can open up your path! And opening up your path is the first step in any child's dreams to becoming something more.

Second, even though it is possible to open your path outside Infinity Dungeon, there aren't many opportunities for your path to growth!

Also, opening up a path outside the Infinity Dungeon is random, and you wouldn't have a chance to choose your path!

Infinity Dungeon provides just that! Opportunity to grow, and a chance to choose your own path.

There are other benefits such as improvement in environmental quality, exposure to a wider world, and the chance to work for your home world, but these are minor benefits.

Seeing me nod, accepting her reasons until now, Melissa's smile turned sweeter as she continued.

"Out of those who were close to me, my parents are too old and rigid. They don't even know about Infinity Dungeon even though our world has publicised it's existence 20 years ago."

"As for my little brother, he's just 10 years old this year. Still playing around with his friends. I don't have many relatives that I'm close to. So the only ones left are the neighbours I'm fond of."

"Again, the middle aged folk are too rigid, so I've got choose someone young. After eliminating all these things, I'm left with 5 choices! You and your friends!"

"They aren't friends. They are my subordinates." I correct her.

But she just smiled and waved my serious comment away into the dustbin.

"Out of the five, you are the most mature. I figured you are the one with most knowledge about the Infinity Dungeon and that you had the highest chance of reaching tenth floor. And that is why, I've chosen you."

Melissa suddenly stopped. Her smile had faded, as a serious, but vulnerable expression appeared on her face.

"You really don't blame me, right?"

I nod. Melissa's explanation was so long that I finished my breakfast already.

I get up, and walk towards her under her trembling gaze.

I hug her.

Patting her back, I say.

"You look so ugly when you are like this. Smile a little, let the Dungeon see how beautiful you are!"

Sister Melissa is really beautiful. She was the first beautiful girl I've seen in our small village, and thus, I've decided she is the most beautiful girl in our world.

Seeing the most beautiful girl so vulnerable because of her own actions, I couldn't help but show some care.

I suddenly hear a giggle.

Melissa was giggling like a young and naive little girl looking at me. This woman, who was just 5 years older than me, a 16 year old, was giggling like a 10 year old.

In my eyes, the surroundings have suddenly brightened, and the monotone light of the 10th floor had turned a deeper shade of happiness.

"I never knew you are such a player." Melissa hit me lightly with her small fist.

"Big sister is excited to see how many naive girl's hearts you will break!"

I roll my eyes at her. But it seems that her guilt towards me had been permanently erased from her heart.

Now that we have finished breakfast, and have become closer than before, Melissa literally dragged me out to give me a tour around the headquarters.

I personally wouldn't have put up with such behaviour, but since it was the most beautiful girl, and my sister, who was dragging me, I let it slide.