Chapter 119

With a powerful wave of my hand, I conjured a solid wall of ice, effectively blocking the fiery assault of the firebird.

Tsubaki, couldn't help but express her amazement at the versatility of my magic. We had fought side by side for some time now, and she had begun to witness the extent of my abilities.

Occasionally, Tsubaki would cast longing glances at my sharp claws, as if she desired to take a sample and use them for crafting.

Normally, I would not have minded, but there was something deep within me that hesitated at the mere thought of my body parts being considered mere materials.

I was certain Tsubaki had sensed my unspoken displeasure, for she never dared to ask.

"Focus," I sternly reminded her, smacking her lightly with my tail as she absentmindedly caressed my claws. Even though she knew I didn't appreciate it, her curiosity seemed beyond her control.

"Ahem, sorry," Tsubaki apologized, realizing her behaviour.

Without wasting any more time, I swiftly aimed and fired icicle spears towards the firebird, piercing it through, causing it to plummet to the ground.

Encountering a firebird on the 19th floor was a rare occurrence, but we pressed on, relentlessly delving deeper into the dungeon, slaying any monsters that crossed our path.

"Soon, I can begin testing," Tsubaki muttered while tugging the large backpack she had been carrying. Her tone indicated that she was eager to try out her weapons.

Meanwhile, a part of me sighed internally, realizing that this adventure didn't feel like a typical date. It seemed more like I had been summoned as an escort.

But not every woman desired a romantic outing with flowers and fancy dinners, and I had come to understand and appreciate that.

As we descended to the 25th floor, the deepest level I had ever reached, a sudden thought struck me. Had the ordeal with the Nightmare of the 27th floor been resolved? My preoccupied expression caught Tsubaki's attention, and she asked about the source of my distraction.

"Just remembered what happened during Denatus. Was wondering if it's all been resolved," I replied.

"Oh, that," Tsubaki responded nonchalantly, seemingly uninterested in the event. Ignoring my concerns, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out several large, heavy-looking weapons.

As I watched Tsubaki bring out one weapon after another, I couldn't help but be amazed by her incredible strength and endurance.

It seemed like she had an endless supply of weapons hidden somewhere until she finally found the one she was looking for.

She packed the rest of the weapons into a bag and handed it to me, along with an undine cloth. It was clear that she intended to fight on her own from this point onward.

"Just be careful," I said, knowing that I would support her with my magic from a safe distance. Luckily, Tsubaki had packed two undine cloths, ensuring that both of us would have an easier time in the water city.

The 25th floor proved to be much more difficult than when I had reached it on my own. It felt as though the difficulty had been scaled up several notches.

I had initially planned to lazily support Tsubaki all the way to the 27th floor, but I quickly realized that I needed to put my full focus into it, fearing what might happen otherwise.

I wondered if the previous ease was because of what was happening on the 27th floor that day.

I watched in awe as Tsubaki fought her way through hordes of monsters, displaying her brute force. Crack!! However, upon reaching the 26th floor, her weapon broke.

Reacting quickly, I surrounded us with a thick wall of ice, providing her with cover while she picked out her next weapon.

"Tsk, what a trash weapon. How did I end up making something like this," I heard her mutter, clearly frustrated with herself.

"Calm down, trial weapons are meant to break," I reassured her.

"Hmm," she replied, muttering some terms that I couldn't quite comprehend. They were probably smithing terms, I surmised.

We spent hours going through all the weapons in the bag. Most of them didn't break or even have a dent on them. Tsubaki seemed greatly satisfied with the conclusion of her weapon testing.

By the end of the day, we decided to stop at the 26th floor. I wasn't eager to go further since I wasn't certain if the monster Rex had been killed or if we had simply been lucky, given that it could move between floors.

Personally, I desired to reach the safety point of the 28th floor, but I wasn't confident enough to face the monster Rex alone.

As we resurfaced from the depths of the dungeon, darkness had already settled upon the world. With the weight of our dungeon bag filled with the spoils of our conquest—monster parts and cores—we sought solace and sustenance in a nearby bar.

"Puaah," Tsubaki let out a satisfied sigh after downing a few mugs of beer. "I feel refreshed," she declared, a hint of exhilaration in her voice.

Glad to see her rejuvenated, I replied, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thanks for today," Tsubaki expressed her gratitude. "I didn't think I would be able to finish everything in just one day."

"Well," I responded with a hint of amusement, "originally, it was meant to be a date, but I'm just happy to see you satisfied."

Tsubaki's cheeks flushed slightly, realizing her initial intentions for our outing had been overshadowed by her enthusiasm for testing her new weapon.

"Sorry," she apologized softly, her voice tinged with disappointment.

"Don't be," I reassured her. "That's what I like about you, even if you can be a bit of a tomboy at times."

Tsubaki snapped, taking offense at my remark. "Who are you calling a tomboy?"

"Relax," I quickly interjected, attempting to defuse the situation. "I was just joking."

"Really?" Tsubaki questioned, skepticism evident in her voice.

"Yes," I said, earnestly meaning my words.

A smile graced Tsubaki's lips as she ordered more drinks. "I won't lose this time," she declared, her eyes full of determination, trying to initiate a drinking competition again just like she did during Denatus.

"Bring it on," I accepted the challenge, a smile mirroring hers spreading across my face.

And so, we continued to eat, drink, and revel well into the night, lost in each other's company. As the hour grew late, I realized that it was my responsibility to ensure Tsubaki made it home safely.

She had lost the competition against me, simply because my resilience against ordinary wine prevented any drunkenness from taking hold.

Deep in thought, I pondered whether I should carry her to my familia manor or take her to the Hephaestus familia manor.

Taking her to her own workshop wasn't an option, and escorting her to the Hephaestus familia manor would undoubtedly invite hate from other interested parties in her.

"Sigh, I guess my familia manor it is" I muttered. Carrying her in a princess carry back to my familia manor.