[Welcome, Argonaut!]

Vol.1 Ch.7: Rivira

The violet portal shimmered, and with a final burst of energy, Bell and Lefiya emerged, collapsing onto their knees in exhaustion. Their clothes were tattered, a testament to the intense battle they had just faced. Lefiya, still adjusting to the rigors of combat, bore the brunt of the damage. After a brief moment of catching their breath, their laughter erupted, a shared release of the tension that had gripped them throughout the ordeal.

"Insane!" Lefiya exclaimed, the excitement evident in her voice.

"Couldn't agree more!" Bell replied, the lingering adrenaline making their laughter contagious.

"And that fire magic thing? That was incredible!" Lefiya marveled at Bell's display.

"Thanks, Lefiya," Bell said, a genuine smile on his face. However, as their laughter subsided, Bell's eyes dropped, and a bashful blush painted his cheeks. "L-L-Lefiya?!" he stammered, hastily covering his eyes.

Puzzled, Lefiya asked, "What's wrong?" She stepped a bit closer, prompting Bell to turn his head.

"Th-They're showing!" Bell confessed, his embarrassment palpable.

"They're showing...?" Lefiya glanced down, realizing her clothes were practically in shreds, revealing her undergarments. Shocked, she squealed, shielding herself with crossed arms.

"D-Don't look!" Lefiya pleaded, and Bell promptly obliged, turning around. Panicking, Lefiya exclaimed, "Ah, what am I going to do?! I can't go back to the camp looking like this!"

Bell, always quick to offer a solution, suggested, "Hey, Lefiya... If you want, I can lend you my shirt. It only has a couple of tears, so..."

"O-Okay..." Lefiya accepted, blushing as she looked away. Bell removed his shirt, handing it to Lefiya. She put it on, finding it much larger than expected, and Bell's back remained turned, sparing him from witnessing the exchange. Unbeknownst to Bell, Lefiya, while adjusting the shirt, subtly brought the fabric to her nose, savoring Bell's scent. 'His scent, it's... Sweet,' she thought, managing to compose herself before facing him. "You can turn around now," Lefiya calmly stated.

Bell faced her, chuckling at the sight. "It's pretty big on you, huh," he teased with a warm smile. "Let's head back to the camp," he suggested.

"Y-Yeah..." Lefiya replied, the lingering blush on her cheeks telling a tale of more than just a torn shirt.

The two adventurers walked back to camp, only to realize that the night had fallen. As they entered the campsite, curious gazes met them, and soon enough, Aiz and the Amazon Twins approached. The peculiar attire of Bell and Lefiya did not go unnoticed.

"So... What were you two doing?" Tione asked, her tone carrying a mischievous grin.

"W-What do you mean?" Lefiya responded nervously.

"Hmm? Let's see, you followed Bell into the forest, stayed until dark, and came back, with torn clothes and wearing the rabbit's shirt. So, either two things happened: you two were sparring and fighting together, or had wild sex," Tione explained, eliciting intense blushes from both Bell and Lefiya.

"W-What?! Tione-san, me and Bell are just friends!" Lefiya exclaimed.

"And now you don't use honorifics with him, like you do with us, very suspicious~," Tione added, fueling the embarrassment.

Unable to hold back his laughter, Bell burst into chuckles. "Ha. Hahahaha! Sorry, sorry, it's just that... Seeing how Lefiya became so nervous made me laugh," he explained, regaining his composure. Bell then turned to Tione with a charismatic smile.

"Tione-san, me and Lefiya did not have sex; your first option was the correct one. We started sparring together, and after an hour or so, we tag-teamed on Floor 19, which is why we look so beat up," Bell clarified with soft eyes.