"Reichnart!" Mel shouted, and ran towards the noble.
"Are you hurt?" she asked as she ran up to him.
"It's okay." he replied smiling.
"Healing waters." Mel began to heal his wounds with magic.
As soon as he recovered, he looked at us while I was still hugging Raphtalia
"I think we should run."
"No, we need to go somewhere else." I said, remembering that basement.
We went back outside, and headed towards the basement Raphtalia had stopped in front of.
"That bastard kept the demi-humans in the dungeon… That's where he tortured them." she said in a sad tone.
"Raphtalia, where are you from…" I didn't let Naofumi finish speaking and hit him in the shoulder.
"Seriously, sometimes you're so stupid! Match 2x2 and you'll understand." I told him.
He looked at me rubbing his shoulder, but then something seemed to dawn on him.
Raphtalia simply nodded.
"Yeah, I was one of them." She said.
We started to descend silently, and I couldn't help but feel Raphtalia's emotions changing, I felt sorry for her.
As we descended, we were met by many rooms with bars.
Raphtalia stopped at one of these rooms, I didn't say anything, I just silently walked up to her and hugged her.
After she calmed down a bit, we went deeper into the dungeon, where we found one of the surviving beastmen.
Without thinking, I froze the hinges and pulled the door towards me, tearing it out.
"There's another one!" we heard Mel scream, to which we immediately ran to her, and I tore the door out again.
After Mel healed her wounds, we walked further and saw another beastman shackled in chains.
He looked at us, and Raphtalia immediately recognized him.
"Keel!?" she exclaimed in shock, and this was the signal to tear the door out.
She immediately ran up to the boy.
"Keel, why are you here?"
"Who… are you…" he asked
"You were brought here too? I'm so glad you're still alive," Raphtalia said, who was on the verge of tears.
She took out her sword, and in one move, she cut the shackles that were shackling this boy to the wall.
"Sisters, who are you?" the wolf boy asked her.
"Have you forgotten? It's me, Raphtalia." she told him.
"Raphtalia… That's a lie, you can't be her!"
Well, yes, the current Raphtalia is unrecognizable, so he can't be blamed for not recognizing her.
Raphtalia didn't listen to him, but simply approached him.
"Get away!" he shouted
"Do you remember, we went swimming and you almost drowned, then Sister Sadina saved you, and how you ate poisonous mushrooms, your stomach hurt, you writhed in pain, but asked me not to tell anyone, and when I suggested rebuilding our village, you were the first to support me. I was so happy about that!" Raphtalia said, listing their shared memories.
"Raphtalia… Is that really you?" he asked her.
She rushed over and immediately hugged him.
"Thank you, I'm grateful that you're alive!" she told him.
"Who are they?" the boy asked, looking at us.
"They're my friends."
"Friends?" he asked.
She nodded and looked at us too.
"The one with the shield, his name is Naofumi, he's a bit gloomy, but a kind guy."
"Hey." he clearly didn't like how Raphtalia described him.
"The girl with the wings, this is Filo, she's a Factorial who took human form, she's like a daughter to Naofumi."
"Hello." Filo said.
"And the one next to her, her name is Melty, she is a princess, but don't worry, she is not like most of her kind, she is very kind and compassionate."
Mel simply nodded to him.
"And the last one, the one with horns and blue hair, is my adopted older sister Ganyu, she has been taking great care of me all this time."
The boy immediately jumped up, but he couldn't keep his balance, and almost fell, but Raphtalia caught him.
"I am grateful to you for taking care of Raphtalia's sister." he said.
"No need, in my place everyone would do the same." I said, although I knew it was a lie, but from my artistic experience, that is usually what is said in such situations.
Afterwards, the boy started coughing, and Naofumi came over to treat him.
"So the Shield Hero really does exist? Kh..."
"It's okay." Raphtalia said, patting his back.
"Yes, but it's not just him, I'm also the Bow Heroine." I answered him, to which he also opened his eyes.
"But isn't it..."
"I'm an exception, the system that exists in this world doesn't affect me and doesn't give me anything." I told him.
"Lifana, she would be glad to meet you." - the boy said sadly
"Kil, where is Lifana? She too..." - she did not finish, as he looked away.
Raphtalia immediately jumped up and ran.
"Raphtalia!" Keel shouted after her as she ran away.
"It's okay, I'll look after her." I told the boy.
"Thank you." I simply nodded and followed Raphtalia.
I found her in one of the rooms.
She was standing in front of a skeleton, I walked up to her and hugged her. Which was the signal for her to start crying.
Her sobs echoed throughout the dungeon like a mournful howl, but I didn't care, I wanted to comfort her, but I knew that such wounds would take time to heal.
I felt the others approach us, and Raphtalia stopped crying.
She sat on her knees and clasped her hands together.
"Sorry it took so long."
"Let's give her a proper burial." I said, placing my hand on Raphtalia's shoulder.
She simply nodded at me.
I asked Filo to find something to wrap the skeleton in, and after a few minutes she returned with a cloth, which I wrapped the bones in.
Taking them, we headed for the exit.
When we left, the streets were in chaos, with half-humans besieging the local lord's estate.
"The half-humans started a rebellion to bring you back. Tell them you're okay." Naofumi said, looking at Reichnart.
He simply nodded.
"Naofumi, Raphtalia and I won't be gone for long, I think we'll be back by morning." I told him, to which he nodded.
"Mel, I think you should go untie your sister, and don't worry, she won't do anything, but just in case, take Filo with you." I told the girl.
"Okay." She replied.
Raphtalia and I left and headed into the forest.
"Raphtalia, will you hold me?" I asked, to which she nodded and took the bundle from me. With caution, as if she was holding a child, from this sight, I felt my heart ache.
I started to take off my clothes, and turned into a Qilin, I crouched down so that Raphtalia could climb on me, but before that, she folded my clothes and took them with her.
I don't know how long I ran, but I stopped when I saw a large lake, on the shore of which stood a large tree, and the moonlight made this landscape even more beautiful.
Raphtalia got off me, and I turned again, and immediately got dressed.
Without thinking twice, I dug a hole, where Raphtalia carefully placed the remains of my friend.
"Sorry for not being able to protect you. Lifana, I hope you are in a better world now." - Raphtalia said, holding back tears.
It was my turn.
"I didn't know you, but judging by how Raphtalia took care of you, you were a kind girl. I'm sorry that we couldn't get to know each other." - I said, to which Raphtalia smiled sadly.
Having buried the grave, Raphtalia and I stood a little longer in the rays of the moonlight and headed back.
But before that, I looked back at the lake where Factorial was, like Filo, but much bigger.
I could tell from her look that she was inviting us to talk.
Well, the plot went a little differently, but we still met her in the end.
Returning to the others who were already waiting for us.
I looked at Naofumi.
"Someone wants to talk to us."
"Who?" he asked.
"You'll see." I told him.
And I showed that we were going to this meeting now, even though it would be annoying, but this girl has no leverage over me, and I am stronger than her. So I wonder what she will say