Chương 61: Chapter 59 – Loot!

"Chelsea... do you want to run a quick labyrinth?" Chelsea mocked Adriane under her breath. The team had been in the dungeon for over a week and finally had made it to the final boss monster. Her eyes drifted over to Adriane, leaning against a wall casually, arms crossed with a proud smile on her face. The labyrinth trembled around them. Dust rained from the cracked stone ceiling while deep groans echoed through the cavernous chamber.

Massive glowing roots pulsed through the walls like veins, their blue light flickering erratically as the boss stumbled backward. The Guardian Treant let out a roar that sounded like an entire forest collapsing.

"Again!" Chelsea yelled. Prince William slammed his tower shield into the ground directly in front of the creature just as one of its enormous branch-like arms came crashing downward. The impact shook the entire chamber. The prince grunted through clenched teeth, boots grinding against stone as he absorbed the blow.

"Now!" he barked. Fiona launched herself forward instantly. The einherin looked less like a person at this point and more like an angry siege weapon. Her massive maul carved upward into the Treant's leg with enough force to crack the wood explosively apart. Bark and glowing sap erupted outward. The creature staggered. That was all Chelsea needed. She launched herself into the air and with a hard push of her wings, she angled herself into a sharp dive at the boss.

She drove the spear directly into one of the glowing weak points embedded in its chest. The boss screamed. Vines exploded wildly throughout the chamber.

"Ivy!" Chelsea shouted. The elf already had both hands raised. Wind magic swirled around her in spiraling currents while fire gathered at the center. Her hair whipped violently behind her as she compressed both elements together.

"Jetflare!" The projectile screamed across the room like a miniature comet before slamming directly into the wound Chelsea had opened. The resulting explosion rocked the chamber. The Treant reeled backward.

"Bea!" William shouted.

"Shut up! I'm already doing it!" Bea called back cheerfully. Golden healing magic surged across the battlefield in ribbons of light, closing cuts and bruises almost as quickly as they appeared. Chelsea felt warmth rush through her body as the ache from exertion in her arms vanished instantly. Gods, Bea was good at healing. The Treant let out another deafening roar before suddenly slamming both arms into the ground.

"Oh no," Chelsea muttered. The floor erupted. Massive thorned roots burst upward throughout the chamber in chaotic waves. Prince William immediately threw himself toward Ivy, raising his shield over her as roots exploded around them. Fiona simply hacked through hers with brute force. Chelsea attempted to dodge… A root speared upward and caught Chelsea beneath the chin, punching through her skull in a spray of blood before erupting out the back of her head.

"Chels!" Ivy shouted. The world… went… dark…

"No fucking way." Bea's voice dragged Chelsea upward out of darkness. Chelsea groaned softly. Everything hurt. Her body felt heavy. Like super heavy and her limbs all felt wrong.

"What's going on?" she mumbled. Her eyes slowly opened. Everyone was staring down at her. Ivy looked horrible. The elf's face was streaked with tears, eyes swollen and red like she had been crying for a decent amount of time. The moment Chelsea's eyes focused on her, Ivy sucked in a sharp breath.

"Ch…" Then she immediately broke down again. Ivy practically collapsed over Chelsea, arms wrapping around her tight enough to hurt. Well. More than Chelsea already hurt.

"What's wrong?" Chelsea asked weakly. Nobody answered immediately. Adriane stood nearby with an expression Chelsea couldn't quite place. Angry. Relieved. Terrified. Her eyes looked slightly red too, though Chelsea wisely chose not to comment on that unless she wanted to go back to sleep.

"You were stabbed through the brain by a root," Adriane explained flatly. Chelsea stared at her.

"I what?" William let out a shaky laugh somewhere behind Adriane. The prince looked exhausted. His armor was cracked in multiple places and one arm hung limp at his side while Bea lazily healed it.

"It was rather horrific," he admitted. Chelsea slowly looked around the room. The boss chamber was a disaster. Broken roots and splintered wood littered the ground while glowing fragments from the defeated Treant still drifted faintly through the air like dying embers. Then she noticed the massive ornate chest still sitting in the middle of the arena. Oh right. Loot.

"Apparently," Bea complained while shaking her head, "your weird demon bullshit allows you to survive things that would absolutely kill the rest of us."

"You sound jealous," Chelsea rasped up at her. Bea shrugged. Ivy finally lifted her head enough to glare down at Chelsea through tears.

"You died! You stopped breathing!" Chelsea smiled weakly despite herself. Honestly, seeing Ivy this upset over her did something strange to her chest she absolutely did not have time to unpack right now. Adriane crossed her arms tightly.

"You were dead for almost a full minute." Chelsea's smile faded slightly.

"Oh." That explained the reactions. William rubbed his face tiredly.

"Frankly, I was under the impression the labyrinth run had just completely failed."

"Fiona tried to cut the root out of your head," Bea added. Chelsea slowly turned toward the giant einherin. Fiona looked away immediately.

"It was stuck," Fiona muttered defensively, playing with the still bloodied dagger awkwardly.

"You were already dying!" Ivy made another distressed noise and grabbed Chelsea again. Chelsea carefully patted her back.

"Okay," Chelsea said softly after a moment.

"New team rule. Let's avoid future brain impalement."

"Wonderful suggestion," Adriane replied.

"Should have been on the team rule from the start." Chelsea slowly pushed herself upright with a groan. Bea immediately moved to steady her while muttering healing magic under her breath. The lingering dizziness faded slightly. Unfortunately, the exhaustion remained. A week. They had been trapped in this damned labyrinth for an entire week fighting, sleeping on stone floors, rationing supplies, and nearly dying every couple of hours. Chelsea looked toward the chest again.

"I still want the loot." That earned exhausted laughter from almost everyone.

"Of course you do," William sighed. Chelsea pointed weakly toward it.

"We kill terrifying ancient tree monster. We get compensation." Bea walked toward the chest first.

"If she gets stabbed through the brain again while opening this thing, I'm leaving her here."

"I'll stand back," Chelsea replied while attempting to stand. Her legs immediately failed beneath her. Ivy caught her before she could hit the floor. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Maybe the brain thing was worse than I thought." Bea approached the chest first, one hand glowing faintly with healing magic while the other hovered cautiously near the lid.

"Go ahead," Chelsea urged weakly from where Ivy was still helping support her. Bea snorted and finally lifted the lid. Golden light spilled outward across the chamber.

"Ooooh," Chelsea whispered. Inside sat four items resting neatly against dark velvet lining. The first was a long black scepter capped with a crimson crystal. Veins of ember-like light pulsed beneath the surface of the metal like flowing magma. Ivy's eyes immediately locked onto it.

"Oh!" Chelsea sighed dramatically.

"The fire mage spotted the fire stick."

"Shut up," Ivy replied quickly. Bea picked up the scepter first.

"Well this thing sucks for me." She handed it carefully toward Ivy. The elf took it slowly, and the crystal immediately brightened in response. Heat rolled outward across the room in soft waves.

"Oh that's definitely yours," William said immediately. Chelsea focused slightly while inspecting it.

"It amplifies fire magic." Chelsea pointed triumphantly.

"Fire stick." The second item was a silver ring set with a pale blue gemstone. William inspected that one.

"A defensive trigger item," he muttered thoughtfully.

"It nullifies a single incoming attack if activated within one second before impact." Chelsea stared at him.

"That sounds really good." Chelsea said. William looked almost guilty accepting it. The group decided as a whole that he deserved it. He sighed but slid the ring onto his finger. The third item was a pair of dark leather boots reinforced with golden threading along the sides. Unlike the others, they looked practical rather than extravagant. Fiona picked one up curiously. Chelsea tilted her head.

"Huh. Those don't scream labyrinth treasure." Fiona held them to Bea for inspection.

"They're made specifically for maiden classes." Chelsea immediately looked at her own armor.

"Mail primary," she muttered sadly.

"Tragic."

"You're not taking them?" Fiona asked.

"Nah. Those are yours." Fiona hesitated slightly.

"Chelsea, these are probably worth…"

"You're a maiden too," Chelsea interrupted.

"Plus you literally tried to cut a root out of my skull. That's friendship." Chelsea burst out laughing despite the lingering headache. Then Bea reached into the chest one final time.

"What the hell?" She pulled out a tiny treasure chest no larger than a deck of cards. Everyone immediately went silent. Then Adriane covered her mouth. William physically turned away. Fiona made a strangled choking noise. Even Ivy started giggling. Chelsea looked between all of them suspiciously.

"Why are you all reacting like that?" Nobody answered. Bea stared at the miniature chest for several long seconds before immediately bursting into hysterical laughter.

"Oh no." Chelsea squinted her eyes.

"What is it?"

"I absolutely cannot explain this to you. It's too good." Adriane was trying very hard not to laugh now too. William looked deeply interested in the ceiling. Chelsea pointed accusingly.

"You all know what this is."

"Nope," Adriane lied instantly.

"That was the least convincing thing you've ever said." Bea wiped tears from her eyes.

"Chelsea… please just trust me when I say you should keep that thing far away from Edgar and out of your pouch." She tossed it to Chelsea.

"Oh gods," Ivy whispered. Chelsea stared at the tiny chest in complete confusion.

"It's literally just a small chest." Nobody corrected her.

"Well now I definitely want it," Chelsea announced.

"You can have it!" William said immediately.

"Yes," Adriane agreed far too quickly. Chelsea grabbed the miniature chest suspiciously and held it up.

"I genuinely have no clue what's happening." Bea immediately started laughing again. After three days traveling to the labyrinth, a week trapped inside and another three days ride back, Chelsea finally… finally… got to experience the manor's bath properly. It was everything she had dreamed it would be. The enormous indoor bath filled the room with gentle steam while heated water lapped softly against smooth stone edges.

Someone from the manor staff had even scattered flower petals across the surface for some reason. Chelsea had no idea why rich people insisted on putting plants into perfectly good water, but at this exact moment she was too comfortable to complain. She had stretched herself completely across one side of the massive bath, wings fully spread behind her under the water while her tail lazily drifted through the water.

"I am never leaving," Chelsea declared dramatically.

"You said that ten minutes ago," Ivy replied.

"And I meant it ten minutes ago too." Ivy sat nearby with her knees pulled loosely against her chest, looking far more relaxed than Chelsea had seen her in days. The week-long labyrinth run had exhausted all of them. Fiona had nearly split herself open fighting a stone hydra, William had tanked enough damage to kill two small armies, and Bea had burned through healing magic so aggressively that she'd spent the entire ride home threatening to let the next person die "for variety."

Chelsea had technically died already, so she assumed she was exempt. The warm water eased the lingering ache in her body. Even after Bea's healing, she still swore she could feel phantom tremors from the root that had gone through her skull. Chelsea tilted her head toward Ivy. The elf looked peaceful. Pretty. Chelsea immediately shoved that thought into a dark corner of her brain. Nope. Not doing that again. Unfortunately, her brain had become increasingly uncooperative lately. Especially around Ivy.

Especially after waking up tangled together almost every morning for the past week in the labyrinth. Chelsea sighed and sank slightly deeper into the water.

"What?" Ivy asked quietly.

"Hm?"

"You made the weird thinking face again." Chelsea groaned softly.

"I'm trying to figure something out." Ivy leaned slightly against the edge of the bath.

"What kind of thing?" Chelsea hesitated. Then immediately regretted speaking.

"Would you ever be interested in one of the elf guys at the guild?" Ivy stared at her eyes furrowing deeper by the second. It wasn't shock exactly. More like confusion.

"What?" Chelsea asked. She suddenly felt very warm for reasons unrelated to the bath.

"I just mean like… hypothetically," she said awkwardly.

"There are a lot of decent-looking elf guys there and you're pretty and they probably notice that and…"

"I'm a sapphist." Chelsea stopped.

"A what?"

"A sapphist." Chelsea stared at her blankly. Ivy looked mildly surprised.

"You don't know what that means?"

"No? It sounds like a disease? If it is, I can get Bea to heal it." That startled a laugh out of Ivy.

"No," she said between laughter.

"Gods, no. It means I like women." Chelsea's brain stopped functioning.

"Oh." That explained several things. Actually that explained a lot of things. Chelsea suddenly became acutely aware that she was naked in a bath with Ivy. Her entire body heated instantly.

"Oh." Ivy tilted her head slightly.

"You really didn't know?"

"Nope." Chelsea looked directly upward at the ceiling.

"Completely brand new information." Now it was Ivy's turn to sound embarrassed. Silence settled between them for a few moments, broken only by the soft movement of water. Chelsea's thoughts became increasingly catastrophic. Because the problem was… That didn't bother her. Instead, all it really did was explain why Ivy never reacted much whenever men flirted with her at the guild. And unfortunately… Chelsea had started noticing something else recently. She herself didn't really care about the men either.

Sure, she could objectively tell when someone was attractive. William was handsome. Some of the adventurers at the guild were handsome. But when she tried imagining anything romantic… Nothing. Meanwhile Ivy smiled at her one time and Chelsea switched to manual breathing mode. Chelsea sank lower into the water until only her eyes remained above the surface.

"I think something might be wrong with me." Ivy immediately looked concerned.

"What? Why?" Chelsea debated throwing herself underwater permanently. Instead she sighed.

"Back on Earth, I always thought I was straight. Er… not… that word you said. I liked men." Ivy remained quiet. Chelsea appreciated that immensely.

"But now…" She struggled for the right words.

"I don't know anymore." That felt terrifying to admit out loud. The confession hung between them in the steam-filled room. Chelsea expected herself to panic. Or to feel shame. Or some horrible awkwardness. Instead Ivy just looked at her softly.

"Well," Ivy said gently, "you did also become a demon in another world." Chelsea snorted despite herself.

"I guess sexuality confusion isn't actually the weirdest thing happening in my life right now. She dipped her head, Probably not even top five." Chelsea laughed quietly at her own joke. Then sighed again.

"I just…" She rubbed at her face tiredly.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with this."

"You don't have to do anything," Ivy said softly.

"You're allowed to just… figure yourself out." Chelsea looked over at her finally. Ivy's expression remained calm. She was so patient. There wasn't any pressure or expectation. There was just understanding.

"This world is really confusing." Ivy smiled faintly.

"You did have a tree monster stab you to death three days ago."

"Fair point." The conversation faded after that. It didn't get awkward. There was just a comfortable quiet. The massive bath settled into silence again while steam drifted lazily through the room. Somewhere outside, Chelsea could hear faint evening insects through the manor windows. Chelsea stared at the water. Then at Ivy. Then very aggressively back at the water. This was fine. Everything was fine.

She was simply experiencing a perfectly normal amount of emotional confusion while sitting naked in a giant bath beside a very pretty elf girl who apparently liked women. This was a totally normal situation. Chelsea lasted almost three entire minutes before losing the fight against her own exhaustion.

"Come here." She mumbled. The words slipped out before she could overthink them. Ivy looked over.

"Hm?" Chelsea suddenly felt absurdly nervous. Not because this was romantic. Because it absolutely was not romantic.

"I just…" Chelsea awkwardly adjusted one wing in the water.

"The labyrinth sucked and I almost died and I'm tired." Ivy's expression softened immediately.

"Oh." Chelsea refused to acknowledge how gentle that sounded.

"So," Chelsea continued with forced confidence, "Can… Umm… I really need some sort of contact." Ivy stared, trying to understand what Chelsea meant. Then a small smile appeared.

"Emotional support cuddles?" She laughed.

"Yes." Ivy laughed quietly before shifting closer through the water. Chelsea's heart immediately began acting stupid. Nope. Nope, nope, nope. Friends cuddled. Ivy settled carefully beside her, and Chelsea hesitated only a moment before reaching out and pulling the elf closer against her side. This was comfortable. Dangerously comfortable. Chelsea immediately wrapped one wing around both of them like that somehow made this less intimate.

"There," she announced weakly.

"Of course," Ivy agreed, sounding deeply unconvinced. Chelsea rested her chin lightly on top of Ivy's head. Ivy relaxed against her almost immediately, her hand making small playful circles on Chelsea's stomach. And unfortunately… Or maybe fortunately… Chelsea understood what this feeling was. She had been fighting it for weeks. She decided to let herself be happy. To let herself have something. To have… Someone.