Confessions [Pt 2]

As the girls gathered together, they looked at their other team member—the Undead Summon.

This one was an Archer, and while it was lightly equipped, most likely for speed, its abilities had managed to surprise every girl who watched it.

The Undead covered all their blind spots and ensured they never got attacked while dealing their damage.

Its role as a Support was perfect.

"Kwii… Kwii!" Snow hopped closer to Alicia, brushing past the other girls.

Of course, everyone had to recognize how cute her actions were, despite the fact that she shunned the rest of them.

"Am I the only one who feels like Snow doesn't like me?" Belle broke the silence with a somewhat innocent grin.

"Haha! You're not." Trisha responded, sheathing her blade.

Upon hearing this, Alicia instantly responded with a panicky tone.

"No, that's not it at all! She's just frustrated since she isn't able to properly hunt in this place." Her protests were greeted by surprise.

"Really?"

"Yeah! It's why Snow contributes very minimally to the Raid."

When she first got Snow, the goal was to Level her Up as fast as possible so that she could become an indispensable asset to the team.

However, after not being able to properly Level Up even once since they started the entire Raid, it was clear that the standards for a grand Beast to advance to the next Level was different from theirs.

Snow needed more powerful prey. Right now, however, she wasn't getting that.

As such, her role was reduced to playing the supporter or Alicia's defender.

'I'm sure she'll play a more active role once we go further down the Floors.'

For now, though, Snow was pretty much on standby.

"She did help me stun enemies so I can kill them, though. I guess that counts as helping." Alicia laughed.

"That's totally helping!" Trisha interjected.

"Yup! Totally agree!"

The three girls laughed at each other and one another, causing the previously awkward atmosphere to soften up between them.

"We should start advancing." Alicia said, pointing at the Archer, who was already in front and patiently waiting for them.

"Ah, yes… let's go!" Trisha smiled, running behind Alicia as they made their way forward.

The only one not moving was Belle.

Her narrowed eyes showed something akin to rage—perhaps frustration.

'Anytime I try to use [Grand Charm] on those two, that Undead looks at me with an intense aura. Is it aware… of my abilities?'

Belle gulped a little and clenched her teeth in even more annoyance.

When the group division happened, and she ended up with these two, she had her plans to enact.

'I was going to use [Grand Charm] to make them weaken the Monsters while I finish them off.'

As a result, she would gain a much higher Level than the two of them.

Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan.

Not only that, but Alicia even managed to rake in more kills than her thanks to the aid of her Grand Summon.

It all ended up being a mess.

'And it's not only because of the Undead…' Belle stole a glance at the rabbit who hopped right beside Alicia.

'She says the thing is only in a bad mood due to not being able to fight, but I don't believe that.'

The rabbit was clearly wary of her, and Belle could tell due to how she treated her.

'Maybe I should—'

As soon as she had the thought, Snow turned back and gave Belle a dangerous look.

It was almost like a warning—telling Belle not to even try anything she would regret.

'Eeep!' It caused Belle's heart to skip a little.

The rabbit then gave a smug smile and returned her gaze forward. Her actions couldn't have annoyed Belle any more than they did.

'That stupid thing! Is it threatening me?!' She pressed her fingers on her palms so much that they whitened.

As she gritted her teeth and glared at the rabbit, she suddenly heard two voices.

"Belle, come on!"

"We have a lot of ground to cover!"

Alicia and Trisha called out to her, and almost as if her previous expression was merely an illusion, Belle flashed her innocent smile.

"A-ah, sorry! I guess I spaced out!"

She chuckled nervously and jogged to her female allies.

"Jeez… you have to be careful next time."

"You can't be so vulnerable in a Dungeon."

The two girl seemed genuinely concerned about her, but Belle wasn't buying it.

She simply kept up her facade and walked with everyone—

knowing fully well that the gaze of the Undead Archer and the Grand Summon would never leave her.

It was too stifling.

********

"Mind if I tell you guys a little secret of mine?"

After battling another round of Monsters, Trisha spoke up and looked at the two others who neared her.

"Yeah, sure."

"Spill."

Trisha smiled, almost blushing as she looked very mortified by what she was about to say.

"I've always sort of been jealous of the both of you."

As soon as she said this, both Alicia and Belle expressed surprise—no, downright bewilderment.

Her confession came out of the blue.

"What? Really? Why?"

Trisha chuckled at the question, looking at the two as if they were being silly by asking her that.

"Seriously? I mean looking at things from my perspective, there's a lot to be jealous of." Trisha shrugged.

"The both of you are so pretty and social. Plus, you are pretty popular with the guys. For me… it's a bit different."

Compared to the prim and proper girls before her, Trisha was a rough outlier.

She was a tomboy who had well-trained muscles.

It was already obvious who the guys would prefer among the three of them.

"The worst part is… when we arrived in this new world, I thought to myself, 'This is it! My moment to shine had come!'"

All those times she spent training, instead of taking care of her skin or socializing like the rest of her peers… she would be rewarded for them in this place.

"But… I was wrong." Trisha leaked out a sad smile as she looked at the two ladies before her.

"Even when it came to power, the both of you still came out superior."

Trisha highly doubted that either of the girls had trained for even a day before their arrival at H'Trae.

Yet… YET…!

"I couldn't beat you in strength either."