Nightmare did not show any agitation or disappointment upon hearing Greg's words.
She simply sat there quietly, her emerald eyes watching Greg with the stillness of a calm pond.
"This is merely a gamble on my part."
The ethereal voice echoed in Greg's mind.
"To place the remnants of hope upon a single person is, in itself, the greatest uncertainty. I have neither the right nor the desire to forcibly interfere with your choices and your path."
She paused, and a look that seemed almost like relief appeared on her feline face.
"If the day truly comes when my greatest fears are realized... then you and I shall simply face the end together. At least, on the road to the underworld, we won't be lonely; we'll have each other's company."
After saying this, Nightmare stopped looking at Greg, as if she had truly laid down a heavy burden.
She leaped lightly off the rock and walked over to the warm bonfire. Finding a flat, dry patch of ground, she gracefully curled her body, tucked her head into her front paws, and wrapped her tail around herself.
Within a few breaths, a soft, steady purr began to sound.
Her posture and the sound were no different from a house cat comfortably napping by a fireplace in winter. There was no trace of the deity who, moments ago, had been discussing the grand topic of the world's survival.
Greg: "..."
He looked at the black cat who had instantly fallen asleep, momentarily speechless.
Was this Goddess's mindset a bit too... peaceful? Or rather, was she just completely checked out?
But on second thought, maybe this was for the best.
He was honestly terrified of those plots where characters are shoved into a furnace for the sake of "the world" or "the people."
Being able to hold the power of choice himself, even if he chose to just lie flat, gave him a sliver of peace of mind.
However, that peace of mind only lasted for a few short seconds.
He suddenly slapped his forehead, his expression crumbling. "Crap!"
He had been so busy discussing world-ending events with this washed-up Goddess that he nearly forgot the immediate crisis right in front of him!
The maid, Allie!
That ruthless woman who said she'd charge into the dungeon to hold a living funeral for him if she didn't see him within a week!
According to his original plan, he intended to take advantage of the dead of night to risk leaving the dungeon. He wanted to avoid the people and places in the academy that might trigger a death CG and sneak off to find Allie to calm her down first.
But now?
After bickering with the Goddess for so long, it was likely past midnight outside.
If he set out now, the time was too tight, and the risk would skyrocket.
"I'll just have to wait until tomorrow night..."
Greg sighed helplessly, feeling that plans could never keep up with changes.
Tomorrow was the Placement Exam. The academy would be crowded and full of prying eyes, making it inconvenient to move during the day. He could only delay for one more night.
Hopefully, Allie... would have a bit more patience?
Though, based on his understanding of that maid, that hope was very slim.
Since things had come to this, he might as well sleep.
He walked to the other side of the bonfire and found a relatively flat patch of ground, slightly away from the damp rock wall, and lay down.
The only thing beneath him was his academy jacket, which barely served as bedding.
Through the thin fabric, the damp, cold chill unique to the dungeon seeped in unceremoniously. The jagged pebbles were clearly felt even through his clothes.
"Tsk, this godforsaken place..."
Greg shifted uncomfortably; it was both bumpy and cold.
He stared at the faint outlines in the darkness at the top of the cave and made a firm resolution: once these immediate messes were sorted out, he definitely had to find a way to upgrade his living quarters!
Sleeping on stone slabs every day—not even a waist made of iron could take it.
With his thoughts in a mess and the environment uncomfortable, sleep was hard to come by.
Greg kept his eyes open, listening to the faint crackle of the bonfire, the eternal flow of the underground river, and the steady purring of the black cat beside him.
Tomorrow... is the Placement Exam.
One of the major plot points in the original work.
Victoria and Silvia would show their talent during the exam, establishing their status in the academy.
And Princess Lilith would also engage in a fated duel with Victoria during the exam, which would trigger the start of her romance route.
"Please, let nothing go wrong..." Greg prayed silently in his heart.
After all, his entire future depended on that gray-haired heroine being able to clear the game step by step.
...
"A reward? There's no need for anything so troublesome. You... well, you just need to keep supporting Her Highness Lilith like this."
A deep, gentle male voice, tinged with a hint of a helpless smile, seemed to still be echoing in her ears.
The morning light filtered through the expensive magic crystal windowpanes of the princess's dormitory, softly spilling into the room.
Lilith slowly opened her eyes amidst the soft velvet bedding.
Her ruby-like eyes were a bit misty at first, reflecting the sky outside that was gradually brightening.
Then, the words from last night's dream clearly surfaced.
"Ugh..."
Lilith let out an indecipherable groan and suddenly pulled the soft silk duvet up, covering her entire head. She then rolled back and forth on the spacious bed like a silkworm trying to wrap itself up.
"Dammit! Why?! Why on earth did I dream about that guy?!"
Her voice, filled with embarrassment and annoyance, muffled through the covers.
After rolling around several times, she finally threw the covers off with a whoosh and sat up abruptly.
Her flame-bright long hair was a mess from her sleeping position and the recent rolling. A few rebellious strands stuck up, while others clung to her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from the heat and agitation.
Even with messy hair, even wearing only a silk nightgown, and even with the lingering daze of having just woken up, the young woman's face was still breathtakingly exquisite, like the most gorgeous rose in the morning light.
But at this moment, this rose was troubled by complex emotions.
She hugged her knees, resting her chin on them, her ruby eyes staring blankly at the sky outside as it turned pale.
"Wait..."
A thought suddenly broke into her mind, making her eyes widen slightly.
"Could it be... that everything that happened yesterday was just my own delusion?"
As soon as this thought appeared, it spread rapidly like vines.
"After all... that person is Greg Sass!"
She whispered, as if trying to convince herself.
"That arrogant, rude, stupid, and shallow noble brat who was kicked out by his family! How could he possibly... make me feel like... he's interesting? And save me? And say those kinds of things? And roast such delicious meat?"
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
She even started to wonder if she had been under too much pressure lately.
Or... was it caused by reading some weird novel?
"Yes, that must be it!"
Lilith nodded vigorously, as if she had found the perfect explanation.
"I didn't leave the dormitory at all yesterday, let alone go to some dungeon! Everything was my imagination! A dream! Yes, just a very realistic dream!"
She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like the strange weight in her heart had finally lifted.
If it was a dream, then everything made sense.
Those contradictory feelings, those unexpected conversations, those... details that made her feel a little bothered were all just illusions woven by a dream.
Just then—
With a soft creak, the bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Layla, the intellectual and composed maid wearing glasses, walked in gracefully, carrying a basin of warm water.
Seeing the princess sitting on the bed in a daze with messy hair, she smiled slightly, placed the basin on a nearby silver stand, and spoke in her usual steady and gentle tone.
"Good morning, Your Highness. How did you rest last night?"
As she spoke, she skillfully wrung out a soft silk cloth soaked in the warm water.
"However, Your Highness, even if you have a new friend, getting so excited that you neglect basic etiquette... looking like this in the morning might lead to being disliked, you know."
Layla's voice wasn't loud, and her tone carried the typical respect and consideration of a maid.
But to Lilith's ears, it was nothing short of a thunderclap!
"Friend"?!
So those experiences from yesterday really weren't a dream after all?!
Rate on N.U.
