Chapter 274: Aria and Ais

After checking the rest of the white ash, Bell found more of the same unidentified liquid. That confirmed it—the strange substance was indeed the drop item from the Minotaurs.

The realization made Bell a little uneasy about his "Hydra Dagger."

The toxin was far beyond anything he'd imagined—even capable of altering monster drop materials.

'This poison really is something else.'

He recorded the entire phenomenon in his notebook for future study.

Bell scraped up the stones where the liquid had soaked in. The melted remnants would serve as ideal research material.

The only downside was the lack of viable experimental specimens.

The toxin's potency was so extreme that it even damaged the Magic Stones. Once those were compromised, a monster's body couldn't hold together, making it nearly impossible to retrieve an intact corpse for dissection.

With no other choice, Bell decided to bring the unknown liquid back for further analysis.

...

"Ais, did you hear what I just said?"

Bell blinked and turned toward the exit behind him. The Nine Hell was approaching, scolding the Sword Princess along the way.

"This time, your challenge to Udaeus was far too reckless."

"You pushed on without retreating, even after losing an arm—and still kept fighting, even to the point of sacrificing both your legs. Do you realize you were throwing your life as an adventurer away?"

Riveria's tone was sharp, her expression stern. It was clear she had no intention of going easy on Ais this time.

Head lowered, Ais stood silently, clearly dejected.

She couldn't even bring herself to look up.

The truth was, Ais knew she'd gone too far. She had been reckless in her challenge against Udaeus.

She glanced at her right arm—smooth, pale, almost glowing like a newborn's skin.

But she knew all too well: after years of intense training, her skin could never look like that naturally. This was a regenerated arm.

"Riveria, weren't the Rune Stones still incomplete?"

Riveria shot her a sharp glare for cutting in. Ais instinctively flinched under her gaze.

"I'm glad you remembered the Rune Stones. But next time, you should remember what you just said instead."

"Don't tell me you actually thought they were ready?"

'How can this brat keep growing older yet still act like such a kid?'

Riveria was proud of Ais's growth—happy to see the little girl from years ago grow into a poised young warrior capable of standing her ground.

But in some areas, Ais still hadn't grown up at all.

Ais kept her head down, clearly chastened.

Though she had risked everything to defeat Udaeus, she'd gambled away her life as an adventurer.

If not for the sheer luck of meeting the Rune Stone craftsman—if that person hadn't agreed to heal her—Ais knew she wouldn't have had any future to look forward to, even if she had taken that final step.

But Ais knew better than anyone—there's no such thing as "just happened to."

"Riveria, I was wrong..."

She didn't know the price Riveria had paid for her, but she knew apologizing now was the only right thing to do.

Seeing Ais admit her mistake, Riveria's expression softened slightly.

"There are some things you need to understand."

"This time, your decision was something both Finn and I approved. If something had happened to you, we would've been the ones responsible. Understand?"

She and Finn were both advocates for steady growth.

Still, even she could be moved by certain words—just like the last time, when something Bell had said had sparked a sudden desire in her to keep pushing forward.

But even with her passion reignited, she knew some things couldn't be rushed.

After spending so many years stuck at Level 6, she fully understood the truth behind 'haste makes waste.'

Chasing speed without caution could easily lead one into the abyss.

After finishing her scolding, Riveria let out a long sigh.

"I know you're acting out of urgency because of that woman, but you can't afford to be this reckless."

Ais bit her lip, unsure of how to respond.

"Aria..."

"What?"

"That woman... that's what she called me when she saw me."

"What!?"

Riveria's expression instantly darkened.

If the name "Aria" had come from that woman's mouth, then something was seriously wrong. Only four people should know that name—herself, Finn, Gareth, and Loki. How could the woman who attacked Ais possibly know it?

Could she be connected to the Spirits?

The only ones who knew Ais's identity—and the name "Aria"—were those affiliated with the Spirits.

'No wonder she tried to capture Ais.'

'From what Ais said, that woman mistook her for Aria. That means she likely doesn't know Aria disappeared. But if she knows of "Aria" at all, then maybe the real Aria is still alive, somewhere deeper in the Dungeon.'

Aria was Ais's mother. She'd been missing for many years.

Both of Ais's parents had vanished together, disappearing into the Dungeon without a trace.

There had never been concrete proof of their deaths, so they'd always been listed as missing.

But after so long, those familiar with the situation had come to believe they'd perished somewhere deep within the Dungeon. Ais likely believed the same.

Now, suddenly, a woman with ties to the Spirits had appeared—and mistaken Ais for Aria.

It was clear that she had never actually seen Aria before. But she knew of her.

And she had chosen not to kill Ais, opting to take her instead. That strongly suggested the woman was searching for Aria as well.

Which meant... Aria might still be alive, somewhere in the deeper levels.

Riveria forced herself to push down her rising thoughts. At last, she understood why Ais had been so desperate to challenge the floor boss. It wasn't just the provocation from that woman—it was Ais's need to know why someone like her would recognize the name "Aria."

"Let's head back for now. This isn't something we can decide on the spot."

Whether that woman truly knew about Aria or not, this was no place to talk about it.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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