Chapter 4

The eerie glow of the 51st Floor's cavern walls bathed the frozen battlefield in pale light. The air was still, aside from the quiet crunch of ice underfoot as Sitonai walked beside Alfia, arms behind her head.

She let out a dramatic sigh. "So, Alfia, mind explaining how you managed to end up falling all the way down here? Because unless you tripped over your own feet and tumbled for several kilometers straight, I really don't see how you ended up in the Deep Floors."

Alfia didn't answer immediately.

For a long moment, she simply walked, her gaze fixed ahead.

Then, finally—

"…I lost."

Sitonai blinked, then turned to her with interest. "Oh?"

Alfia's expression remained unreadable, but there was no hesitation in her voice. "I was part of a scheme. A plan to force Orario to grow stronger."

Sitonai raised an eyebrow.

Alfia continued, "We—the Evilus remnants—became a threat that the city had to overcome. I played the role of a villain, someone they had to defeat. Only through adversity does the weak become strong."

Silence stretched between them.

Then—

"…Pfft."

Sitonai's lips twitched.

Then she laughed.

"Oh wow. That's so chuuni. 'I, the great Alfia, shall become the shadow that forces the world to evolve!'" She put a hand to her forehead dramatically, her eyes flashing. "'Only by crushing me will Orario reach its true potential!' Kukuku!"

Alfia stared at her, deadpan.

Sitonai smirked, nudging her with an elbow. "Come on, did you really say something like that? Please tell me you did. I need this."

"…I didn't."

Sitonai pouted. "Tch. Shame. You really have that 'tragic final boss' energy going for you."

Alfia exhaled slowly, though there was no real irritation in her gaze. "Mock me if you wish. It was simply a role I had to play."

Sitonai hummed. "So, lemme get this straight—you willingly became the villain, lost on purpose, and then got sent flying all the way down here?"

"I wasn't 'sent flying,'" Alfia corrected. "I was simply in no condition to fight any longer after my battle with the Astraea Familia. I collapsed, and the Dungeon… swallowed me."

Sitonai tilted her head. "Huh. So, the whole 'evil villain defeated by the forces of justice' thing actually happened. That's gotta sting."

Alfia merely gave her a sidelong glance. "I knew the outcome from the start. It was never about victory."

Sitonai grinned. "Yeah, yeah, very noble. Very cool. Very chuuni." She stretched her arms. "But seriously—Familia? What even is that?"

Alfia's steps faltered for just a fraction of a second.

"…You don't know what a Familia is?"

Sitonai blinked at her. "Should I?"

Alfia scrutinized her.

'She did say she was from a different world...'

She knew Sitonai was strange. While she did say that she was from a completely different world, she still believed that the fact that Gods came down from Heaven was common knowledge, like how the grass was green and the sky was blue. But for her to not even know something as basic as a Familia?

"…A Familia is a group led by a god or goddess," she explained. "A god grants their blessing—Falna—to mortals, allowing them to grow stronger. They are the foundation of Orario's strength."

Sitonai's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, wait, hold on. A literal god gives people their power?"

Alfia nodded.

Sitonai folded her arms, deep in thought. "Huh. That's kinda weird. Back home, you had to sell your soul or something to get powers like that."

Alfia gave her a flat look.

Sitonai waved a hand dismissively. "Not important. So, you're saying every adventurer gets their abilities from a divine being? No exceptions?"

"That is the foundation of the system."

Sitonai let out a low whistle. "Wow. That explains a lot."

She wasn't sure what was stranger—the fact that gods were casually handing out power, or the fact that she, someone who was technically supposed to be a divine spirit, didn't have any of those abilities.

Alfia glanced at her. "You're not surprised by the existence of gods."

Sitonai snorted. "Of course not. I've met gods, and beings close enough. They're a pain."

Alfia raised an eyebrow.

Sitonai simply grinned.

Alfia didn't press further.

Instead, she simply continued forward, making a note of yet another mystery surrounding this girl.

Sitonai rocked back and forth on her heels as they walked, still grinning from their earlier conversation. "So, you played the villain, lost on purpose, and now you're stuck down here with me." She hummed. "Not a bad story, classic, but not bad. Pretty dramatic. But that brings me to my next question."

Alfia didn't react, but she could feel the girl's eyes on her.

"…How did you lose?" Sitonai asked, curiosity clear in her voice. "You don't seem like someone who'd just roll over, even if you planned on losing."

Alfia remained silent for a moment.

Then, in a calm voice, she answered, "I was technically overwhelmed."

Sitonai's ears perked up at that.

"The Astraea Familia," Alfia continued, her tone even. "They fought with a conviction that exceeded my expectations. It was never a question of strength or magic—it was their will that carried them through."

Sitonai raised an eyebrow. "You mean they just wanted it more?"

Alfia's gaze lowered slightly, as if recalling the battle. "It wasn't so simple. Their unity, their drive, their belief—it turned the tide of the battle. No matter how much magic I wielded, they refused to fall."

She exhaled, her voice quieter. "And in the end… my body reached its limit."

Sitonai blinked, tilting her head. "So it wasn't that they overpowered you—you just couldn't keep going?"

Alfia nodded. "My body has never been strong. My illness—" She paused, then corrected herself. "My condition meant that I had always fought knowing I had limited time."

She closed her eyes briefly. "I knew I wouldn't last forever. I simply lasted long enough for them to claim their victory."

Sitonai didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she looked at Alfia carefully, as if reassessing her.

"…Man," Sitonai finally said, crossing her arms. "That really is chuuni."

Alfia sighed. "Of course you'd say that."

Sitonai grinned. "But I gotta admit, it's kinda cool. 'The villain that burns too brightly, only to fall to the next generation!' You're like a final boss that shows up later to give cryptic advice to the hero."

Alfia gave her an unimpressed glance.

Sitonai smirked. "Though, I gotta ask—do you think you really lost?"

Alfia blinked at her. "What?"

Sitonai shrugged. "I mean, from what you're telling me, you wanted them to win. You were playing the villain to make Orario stronger, right? So, technically, didn't you win?"

Alfia's steps slowed slightly.

Sitonai gave her a knowing look. "Just saying."

Alfia didn't respond right away.

Instead, she simply continued walking, the faintest ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.

Sitonai noticed but didn't comment.

For now.

Sitonai hummed as they walked, letting Alfia's words settle in. The idea of someone deliberately setting themselves up to lose was already weird enough, but something else stuck with her.

She tilted her head. "So… what did you mean when you said your body reached its limit?"

Alfia didn't answer immediately.

Sitonai didn't let up.

"You also said you've 'never been strong' and mentioned an illness or something," she continued, glancing at the older woman. "What's that about?"

Alfia exhaled softly, her gaze still fixed ahead. "…It's exactly as I said. My body has always been weak. I was born this way."

Sitonai blinked, not expecting such a blunt answer.

Alfia continued, "Even with magic, even with years of training, I have never possessed the endurance of others. My condition has always been my greatest limitation."

Sitonai frowned. "…That sucks."

Alfia glanced at her. "It is simply a fact."

Sitonai huffed. "Yeah, well, it's a pretty crappy fact." She folded her arms. "So, what? No cure? No magic miracle fix? Nothing like an all-cure elixir or something like that?"

Alfia shook her head. "None that I have found."

Sitonai clicked her tongue. "Tch. What kind of fantasy world doesn't have a cure for something like that? Lame."

Alfia raised an eyebrow. "Are you disappointed?"

"Obviously," Sitonai said. "I thought this was one of those settings where if you worked hard enough, you could overcome anything."

Alfia closed her eyes for a moment. "There are limits to effort alone."

Sitonai pouted. "Boo. I like it better when people get to punch fate in the face."

Alfia actually let out a small breath of amusement at that.

Sitonai smirked. "Still, it's kinda impressive. You made it all the way down here with a body like that?"

"It wasn't by choice," Alfia reminded her.

Sitonai waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah, but still. You're way tougher than most people would be in your position."

Alfia remained quiet at that.

She didn't consider herself 'tough.' She had simply done what was necessary.

But hearing it phrased like that…

It was an odd feeling.

Sitonai, oblivious to her thoughts, simply sighed. "Well, guess that means I gotta do all the heavy lifting, huh?"

Alfia gave her a sidelong glance. "You already seem eager enough."

Sitonai grinned. "Damn right I am. But still…" She peered at Alfia. "You're sure there's no way to fix it?"

As a Divine Spirit, or rather something like a Divine Spirit, she had abilities that could be considered healing, ranging from her abilities from Louhi and Freyja, or using her personal skill Kamuy Yukar.

Alfia nodded. "I have long since accepted it."

Sitonai pursed her lips, as if she didn't like that answer.

But she didn't argue.

For now.

Instead, she simply turned her gaze forward. "Hmph. Guess I'll just have to carry you then."

Alfia sighed. "I can walk on my own."

Sitonai smirked. "Yeah, yeah. But don't blame me if I princess-carry you later."

Alfia ignored her, continuing forward.

Sitonai just grinned, filing that idea away for later.

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A/N: Don't worry she ain't going to die.