In this chaotic world, it all started when they found an elf girl

Chapter 243 This is how I can hold you in the palm of my hand

　Having resolved the crisis with the Flash Swallow, the group left the Water Maze and entered the twenty-eighth floor.

　A hint of disappointment flashed deep in Roy's eyes. He hadn't encountered Mary, and he wanted to thank those heretics. Last time, when he fell into the thirtieth level of the dense forest canyon and encountered the mutated floor master, Amphispina, if it weren't for the heretics' selfless help, he and the goddess Astrea would probably have died there.

　However, as long as they are in the dungeon, they will have a chance to meet again sooner or later. Now he needs to focus more on the expedition. Roy calmed his mind and looked ahead.

　A vibrant array of colorful flowers came into view.

　The twenty-eighth floor, officially named "Maze Garden," is the second safe floor after the eighteenth floor, "Maze Paradise," where no monsters will spawn.

　Passing through a passage made of pale blue stone walls.

　As the group stepped inside, they were greeted by a beautiful, colorful flower field. A gentle breeze blew, causing the flowers to flutter and a delicate, enchanting fragrance wafted through the air. "So beautiful!"

　The girls couldn't help but gasp in amazement. Although the view before them wasn't as spectacular as the eighteenth floor, the sight of flowers dancing in the air was beautiful and romantic. Tiony and Tiona had already seen the view here when they went up to the thirty-sixth floor with Ryu.

　Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily were seeing it for the first time. To be honest, Roy was also seeing it for the first time. Although his strength had long been up to par, he had been busy with things on the surface these days and hadn't entered the dungeon.

　On this floor, the number of adventurers is drastically reduced, far less than on the eighteenth floor, and there's no dungeon town like "Rivera Town." To conquer the Water Maze, one needs at least one LV.4 adventurer leading the way, or several LV.3 adventurers cooperating; there aren't many familias with that level of strength. Doing business here is also extremely risky.

　The safest floors aren't absolutely safe. "River City" has been destroyed over 300 times; this is the lower level, where unexpected events are even more likely. Doing business here would be counterproductive; the computational costs are on a completely different level.

　Starting from the first floor, they could continue fighting until the twenty-eighth floor without stopping. However, it wasn't necessary. Maintaining good condition in the dungeon was the priority, so they decided to rest for a day.

　They took a folded tent out of Lily's large backpack and set it up in an open space.

　Everyone performed their duties, and the division of labor was clear.

　Tiona and Tione gathered firewood to start a fire, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily set up a tent, Roy prepared dinner, and Ryu stood on high ground to guard against the enemy.

　Time passed quietly.

　The crystals on the ceiling gradually dimmed, and as night fell, a dazzling starry sky appeared, beautiful as a painting. The entire floor seemed to quiet down, and no other adventurers would come to cause trouble.

　Those who could come here were all influential figures in Orario. Exploring the lower levels was already exhausting enough, and no one wanted to cause any more trouble. The group gathered around the warm campfire, enjoying the dinner prepared by Roy—actually, food taken from their spatial rings that only needed slight heating. Food stored in spatial rings had an indefinite shelf life, making it indistinguishable from freshly made food.

　When it comes to food, Roy would never skimp on his own people; everything was meticulously prepared overnight by him and the goddess Astraea, including both Chinese and Western dishes. "So delicious!"

　"Commander, I love you!"

　The bold Amazonian girl confessed her feelings in a half-joking manner, her eyes filled with deep emotions.

　The girls, having expended considerable energy, wolfed down their food. The delicious flavors danced on their taste buds, especially under the silent night sky, which heightened their appetites. In the dungeon, even the Loki and Freya Familias rarely enjoyed such a feast. While other Familias teetered on the brink of death, these girls seemed more like they were on a spring outing. All of this was thanks to their amazing leader.

　From frugality to luxury is easy, from luxury to frugality.

　Having hung out with Roy, their appetites have become quite spoiled; it won't be easy to get them to eat dry rations again.

　Roy ate a soft bread and sipped hot soup, having expended a lot of energy in the encounter with the Flash Swallow.

　Since they were still on their long journey, everyone ate much faster than usual, quickly filling their stomachs.

　After eating and drinking their fill, the girls went into the tent to rest one by one. Due to limited space, they only brought one tent with them, so the girls squeezed together.

　"Commander, would you like to come in and sleep with me?" Tiony warmly invited Roy.

　"Tione, what are you saying?"

　"Lord Tione, men and women should not touch each other!"

　Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily behind him were shocked, but their shy eyes kept drifting towards Roy, as if they would let him in if he agreed, half-heartedly resisting and half-welcoming.

　Ignoring the cold glare from Miss Liu looking at him as a scumbag, Roy smiled and said, "I don't care. How about we share a bed?" Tione giggled and said, "Dream on!"

　The girls crawled into the tent amidst laughter and chatter, and soon their breathing became even.

　Only Roy and Liu remained by the campfire.

　The elven girl leaned against a large tree, seemingly resting with her eyes closed, but Roy noticed her long eyelashes fluttering slightly as she listened intently. Roy called out, "Miss Ryu."

　Liu slowly opened her sky-blue eyes, which were calm and still, reflecting Roy's handsome face.

　Roy raised his teacup. "Would you like some tea?"

　Liu looked utterly dejected. This was the lower level, and it was a wonder the other person had the leisure to do so. Despite her thoughts, her body remained obedient, and she lightly stepped onto the platform.

　Roy handed over the heated milk tea.

　Liu took the teacup, took a small sip, and the warm, sweet milk tea slid down her throat. The milk and tea used by Roy were of extremely high quality, and she could not taste any artificial flavoring. She liked it very much.

　The stone walls and crystals of the underground city are ultimately meant to simulate sunlight, not to actually generate heat. Once night falls, the temperature drops sharply, and having a cup of hot milk tea is something that many exploration-type members dream of.

　Roy said, "Come to think of it, we've known each other for over a year now. Time really flies."

　"Ok!"

　Ryu lowered her head slightly, stealing glances at Roy without leaving a trace. The memory of their first encounter flashed through her mind. Back then, Roy was incredibly weak. If she had been blinded by hatred and killed him with a single sword strike, there would be no Astrea Familia as we know it today.

　More memories flooded my mind.

　Ever since that day when Tione asked her a casual question, Ryu has become increasingly confused about her complicated feelings.

　As if possessed, Liu asked, "Roy, what am I to you?"

　Roy paused for a moment, looking at the elven girl.

　The firewood crackled and popped in the bonfire, and time seemed to stand still at that moment.

　When Liu realized the question she had raised, she felt a pang of regret and was deeply conflicted.

　Roy said calmly, "You are my teacup."

　Liu tilted her head, "What does that mean?"

　Roy held the teacup in both hands and smiled, "This way I can hold you in the palm of my hand."

　"That's utter nonsense!"

　Ryu's pretty face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe peach, the blush spreading to her two pointed ears, white with a rosy tinge, translucent and delicate. She didn't even realize it herself; the corners of her exquisite lips slightly turned up, revealing a hint of joy. The boy always found ways to please her. Other clan leaders needed to establish authority and maintain a superior posture in front of their members, but Roy mingled with his clanmates, joking when appropriate and never hesitant to be serious when necessary.

　Ryu was incredibly relieved that she hadn't competed with the other for the captain's position; otherwise, given her aloof personality, the atmosphere within the Familia wouldn't have been so relaxed and joyful. Time flew by as they teased the innocent elf girl, and four hours passed in the blink of an eye.

　Tiony and Tiona emerged from the tent to relieve Roy and Liu, and the two entered the tent.

　Although men and women are not supposed to touch each other, this is an underground city, and the rules on the surface are not followed. If Roy is injured or even dies because his physical and mental strength is not replenished, the girls will feel guilty to death.

　Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily slept together, Roy was on the side, and only Ryu was beside him.

　In the darkness, Ryu's face was flushed, and she said in a barely audible voice, "Don't you dare touch me, like you and Lady Astrea did." "Heh!"

　Roy gave an awkward yet polite smile. After all, he had "slept" with the other party's main god, and he wasn't surprised that Ryu knew about it.

　Ryu doesn't go out all the time, and there's a limit to how many people she can collude with in the dark factions.

　And when he was injured, fearing that the dark faction would continue to cause trouble, apart from Roy entrusting Ryu to go out and find the artificial labyrinth, the elven girl faithfully guarded the mansion and her fellow members.

　That period also marked the peak of Astrea's escort services, with her visiting every single day.

　But Roy caught the key phrase and grinned mischievously, "Miss Ryu, what do you mean by 'that'?"

　Liu's clear, bottomless eyes narrowed slightly.

　Roy chuckled, "Miss Liu, eavesdropping on others' beds is not a good habit."

　"Humph!"

　Liu was both ashamed and angry. Her small hand reached out like a venomous snake, grabbed Roy's soft waist, twisted it hard, and spun it 180 degrees, making Roy grit his teeth in pain.

　The power of LV.5 was enough to make Roy feel like he was dying of pleasure, filled with shame and anger; the girl was truly impolite.

　She was clearly so troubled, but the other person was so cynical. Sometimes Ryu really wanted to punch Roy.

　It's not uncommon for humans and gods to fall in love in the mortal realm. There are many divine couples. Gods are affectionate, but children in the mortal realm have short lifespans, so gods are willing to spend a hundred years for a child.

　If she really liked Roy, wouldn't that be considered stealing a man from Lady Astrea? Wouldn't that make her a shameful third party? Ryu buried her head in the blankets. Eight hours later, everyone's strength and spirits were fully restored, and they continued their expedition.

　The concept of time is blurred in the underground city.

　The people on the ground only felt about a day, but three or four days had probably passed on the surface.

　Just to be on the safe side, Roy asked Cassandra if she had dreamed, and the answer was no.

　That put Roy at ease.

　The team continued their breakthrough, advancing from the 29th floor to the 36th floor under Liu's leadership. They made it through without any major incidents, and as long as they avoided the Monster Feast, ordinary monster groups were generally no match for them.

　We arrived at the entrance to the 37th floor.

　A cold, gust of wind blew from the depths of the cave, its sound deep and terrifying. Gazing into the darkness, one felt as if their very soul would be swallowed up. The passage ahead seemed to lead to the abyss of hell.

　Everyone felt a sense of dread, even Ryu, who had explored the deeper realms.

　Exploring the 36th floor only requires a LV.3 adventurer party, while the 37th floor requires LV.4 and an ability rating of D or higher. Just one floor apart, the difficulty differs by more than tenfold—that's the terrifying nature of the deeper levels!

　Not to mention the rookies Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily, even Tione and Tiona, who were at level 4, were on edge. At the end of this corridor, a sense of danger was faintly emanating from them.

　If it weren't for Roy and Ryu, two adventurers whose abilities far exceeded the exploration standards, they would never have come here; it was far too dangerous. Roy said, "Let's check their status again!"

　"Ryu is unharmed. She cast a spell once, her mental strength is intact, and she has 90% of her physical strength remaining!"

　"Tione is uninjured, her mental strength is intact, and she has 80% of her physical strength remaining!"

　Lily had already provided a template, and everyone checked their status against it and replied one by one.

　Roy nodded slightly. "Go down!"

　After saying that, Roy took the lead and entered the thirty-seventh floor, with the girls following closely behind in formation.

　The first thing everyone saw was the towering white wall, more magnificent than the Wall of Sighs on the seventeenth floor, reaching a height of over a hundred meters.

　The official name of the thirty-seventh floor is the "White Palace," and its area is equivalent to four-fifths of Orario, so large that it is breathtaking. Ryu and Eina had described a rough vision of it to Roy and the others: five enormous circular walls make up this great labyrinth, one inside the other. The innermost wall is called the First Circular Wall, and so on, with the outermost being the Fifth Circular Wall.

　Inside the first circular wall are staircases leading to the next floor, which is also where the floor's master, "Udeos," appears. The central area is called the "Throne Hall."

　Following this were the "Knight's Hall", "Warrior's Hall", "Soldier's Hall" and "Beast's Hall".

　Its complexity is terrifying.

　The area is too vast, and many areas are extremely dangerous, and it hasn't been fully explored yet. One of the tasks assigned by the guild is to draw a map. This task can only be entrusted to the all-powerful Ryu; no one else possesses this skill, including Roy.

　They are currently outside the fifth circular wall, at the southernmost end of the floor, with the stairs leading back to the thirty-sixth floor behind them. Theoretically, they should never encounter the "floor master" lurking in the very center of the floor.

　“Keep moving forward, the target is the third circular wall!” Roy said, silently drawing his elven holy sword.

　Like everyone else, Roy was fully armed, wearing a Goliath vest and the Demon King's Armor, with Wind Chaser Boots on his feet, and epic-level equipment for his knee pads and arm guards, taking full advantage of his protective measures.

　Suddenly, a white mask appeared deep in the dimly lit corridor.

　This immediately caught the attention of Roy and his group.

　“It’s a skeleton sheep!” Roy said in a deep voice.

　Emerging from the darkness was a white mask with two twisted horns and two jet-black holes, its body floating in mid-air. It was shrouded in a white aura, like a death messenger from a fictional fairy tale, its skeletal form clad in black, wielding a scythe to claim lives. A skeletal sheep with potential abilities reaching LV.4!

　The sheep-shaped monster, which appears in the deep area, is about 140 centimeters tall. It has a face with two empty eye sockets and its body is made of bones, just as its name suggests. It frequently appears on this floor.

　call out!

　The skeletal sheep vanished instantly, like a whirlwind, disappearing into the darkness before charging towards Roy and his group, targeting the weakest member, Lily. The skeletal sheep's "leather (cloak)" wasn't just for covering its body; it blended seamlessly with the dimness of the floor, providing camouflage. This perfect integration created a near-invisibility effect, and combined with its terrifying agility and levitation, it moved silently, like the eerie clanging of bones, instilling fear in its prey as it crept closer, greedily devouring life. Adventurers had given the "Skeletal Sheep" another name: "The Death Hermit!"

　The sudden appearance of the skeletal sheep caught them off guard, and the girls were terrified.

　Roy was also startled. This agility was at least LV.4 A-level, and with the semi-invisibility effect, he didn't dare underestimate his opponent; he might be in trouble. *Bang!*

　The elven girl acted just in time, her Elven Radiance Dragon Staff striking the skeletal sheep with tremendous force, sending it flying. The sheep rolled on the ground for a while before its body stiffened and turned to ashes. A magic stone fragment fell to the ground, a size larger than the magic stone fragments from the middle and lower levels.

　Roy said, "Thank you, Miss Ryu!"

　Tiony, Tiona, and others also expressed their gratitude, saying they still needed time to adjust.

　Liu nodded slightly and silently switched places with Tiona, becoming the forward.

　"Here we go again!" Roy warned.

　Two more skeletal sheep appeared ahead, moving swiftly and unpredictably like a whirlwind.

　Liu greeted one of the skeletal sheep.

　Meanwhile, another skeletal sheep charged straight at Roy, its skeletal claws closing in on his abdomen.

　Roy narrowed his eyes and leaned to the left, and the skeletal sheep indeed changed its attack direction.

　But actually, this was a feint.

　Roy sneered, turned his body to the right, and swayed his opponent like kicking a soccer ball, then turned around and circled behind the skeleton sheep. He gripped the elven holy sword in his back and plunged the sharp blade into the skeleton sheep's back.

　The blade sliced ​​into the magic stone inside, making a faint sound, and the skeletal sheep stiffened all over.