Fourth: Guys, Do You Think I'll Survive?

The night grew colder, and the wilderness wind carried a biting chill.

Even cradled in First's palm, Ifrit still curled up slightly.

First noticed at once. The red glow around him deepened, radiating steadier, gentler warmth.

Under the combined effects of that reassuring warmth and her exhaustion, Ifrit's curled body gradually relaxed, and her breathing became increasingly even.

First carefully lowered the arm supporting her, completely shielding Ifrit with his body and blocking out the cold wind.

He remained silent, keeping his steps as steady as possible as he moved away from the mobile city sprawled across the horizon behind him.

After an unknown distance, the ground beneath his feet gradually changed from the broken terrain crushed by tracks into more primitive wilderness, while a faint sliver of dawn appeared at the edge of the sky.

First stopped. After confirming that the surroundings were absolutely safe, he willed it.

[Go home]

The next moment, the desolate landscape around him vanished, replaced by a hall filled with a sense of safety.

Second, Third, and Fourth, who had been waiting there, immediately gathered around, their faces full of urgency and curiosity.

First promptly raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, his burning eyes indicating the sleeping girl in his palm.

The three understood immediately. Their movements instantly became gentler, and they even unconsciously held their breath.

Only then did First slowly set the Calcification crystal platform carrying Ifrit onto the floor.

The others immediately gathered around on tiptoe, bending down to curiously examine the little girl their First had picked up.

The [Mental Chat Group] instantly came alive, though everyone instinctively lowered their voices in thought.

[First: Keep it down. Don't wake her...]

[Second: Such a small child...]

[Fourth: Woohoo! It's a tiny Ifrit! A living one! She's even smaller than she looked in the game!]

[Third: She looks a little cold. The temperature here might be too low for her. We should move her somewhere warmer and more comfortable.]

Third's suggestion immediately won the others' approval. Fourth's eyes darted around before he pointed toward a corner of the hall—

Several huge cushions that looked exceptionally soft and comfortable had been placed there. They were a certain "Ranger's" favorite resting spot.

The group exchanged looks and silently agreed, signaling for First to move Ifrit over there.

First gently picked up the crystal platform again, walked over to the cushions, and prepared to place Ifrit on them.

However, a new problem arose.

Who would hold her?

They could hardly leave Ifrit lying on that hard crystal forever, nor could they have First move her with his enormous lava hands.

Fourth volunteered himself, an eager expression on his face as he prepared to step forward.

But someone moved faster than he did.

It was Second.

Fourth's face immediately filled with question marks as he silently howled through the mental link:

[(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻ Second! Didn't you say we couldn't touch her directly?!]

Second glared expressionlessly at Fourth and snapped through the mental link:

[With how clumsy you are, what if you wake her up or hurt her? I'll do it!]

Second bent down and carefully observed Ifrit's sleeping posture, treating her as though she were fragile glass.

One hand carefully slipped beneath Ifrit's knees, while the other securely supported her back. She slowly lifted her off the crystal platform.

As she was moved, Ifrit faintly furrowed her brow in her sleep, seemingly sensing the change in surroundings.

Unconsciously, she rubbed her little head against Second's solid arms, seeking a more comfortable position. Her cheek even pressed against Second's chest...

Second's entire body froze for a moment, and a crack appeared in her usual composure.

She steadied herself and continued with slow, gentle movements, settling Ifrit onto the soft cushions.

Just as she was about to pull away, the sleeping Ifrit seemed to sense the departure of the source of warmth.

Her little hand unconsciously grasped through the air and happened to catch one of Second's fingers before she could fully withdraw it.

Second: "..."

She tried to gently pull free, but Ifrit held on rather tightly.

Second fell silent for a moment and did not force herself free again.

She sat down beside her instead, allowing Ifrit to hold on while awkwardly using her other hand to lightly pat Ifrit's back, imitating the motions she remembered for soothing a child.

First, Third, and Fourth watched the entire scene while holding their breath, their exchanged looks filled with disbelief.

[Mental Chat Group]

[Fourth: You might not believe this... but I actually saw the glow of motherhood on Second!]

[First: You might not believe this... but so did I.]

[Third: You might not believe this...]

[Second: Shut up!!!]

The three made zipping-up-their-mouths gestures. The hall fell silent, leaving only Ifrit's steady breathing.

For the first time, this strange space belonging to visitors from another world was filled with the warm, peaceful atmosphere of—

"home."

Within that rare moment of tranquility.

"Growl~~"

A rumbling sound came from Ifrit's sleeping stomach.

The people surrounding her all froze for a moment and looked at one another.

[Mental Chat Group]

[First: Is she... hungry?]

[Second: It's only natural. She's been through a whole night of turmoil since last night. This child probably hasn't eaten anything.]

[Third: Come to think of it... do you guys feel hungry? I don't feel anything at all.]

[Fourth: Is that the important part right now?! The important part is that we need to find food, fast! Where would the Vitality Hall have ordinary food?!]

[First: Isn't there anything edible in the nursery? I remember you planted quite a few things.]

[Second: Those are all plants with special effects, meant for talents. We aren't well-off enough in resources to use them up as ordinary food.]

[Fourth: Right, most of what I planted are permanent plants that can unlock talents...]

[Third: ...We're getting off-topic again. We need to find something to eat.]

Second glared at Fourth, who was always derailing the conversation, then gently slipped her finger from Ifrit's hand and pulled over a soft blanket to cover her.

She signaled for the others to follow her, and they quietly made their way to the nursery.

[Second: What do we do now? Is there really nothing here that can temporarily fill her stomach?]

[Fourth: I remember... there seemed to be a kitchen-like area in a corner of the second floor of the Vitality Hall? Should I go look?]

[First: It's worth a try, but we can't rely on that alone. How about I go out and return to the wilderness from before to see if there are any edible beasts or fruit?]

[Second: Good idea. We can also get a sense of this world's wild ecology and gather some intelligence.]

[Third: Then I'll head out too. The blizzard over there should have stopped by now. I'll see whether the snowfield has any local specialties.]

[Second: Mm. I need to head out as well and confirm the situation. At the very least, I need to determine whether the wilderness where I am is actually Kazdel.]

They settled on their tasks: First, Second, and Third would each leave the hall and head to their respective outside areas to search for food and gather information.

Fourth would remain behind, responsible for looking after Ifrit and searching the Vitality Hall for any possible food.

The three figures vanished one after another in faint flashes of light.

Fourth quietly crossed the center of the hall and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

He rummaged through the kitchen, but aside from finding drinkable purified water, he found no sign of food at all.

"Ah... just as I thought, there's nothing." Fourth sighed, somewhat dejected.

His gaze accidentally fell upon a machine beside the kitchen—a retro-style arcade cabinet, one of the facilities included in the Vitality Hall.

Fourth: "..."

His footsteps stopped of their own accord.

He looked around, confirming that he was the only one in the hall and that the little girl downstairs was sleeping soundly.

A tempting thought surfaced.

How about... just one round?

While Fourth was immersed in the arcade's pixelated world, Ifrit quietly woke up in the hall downstairs.

"Mmh..."

She sat up uncomfortably, clutching her rumbling stomach. When her little hand pressed downward, she did not feel the hard crystal she had expected, but soft, comfortable fabric instead.

She looked around blankly, her amber eyes widening in shock.

This was a vast space unlike anything she had ever seen. The dome emitted soft light from an unknown source, illuminating the entire hall.

Beneath her feet was a smooth, mirror-like floor. Several strangely shaped passageways lined the hall, and faintly visible beyond them were different scenes—

The entire space was frighteningly quiet, permeated by an unreal sense of alienation.

"W-where is this?"

Ifrit nervously looked around, her heart pounding.

What made her even more uneasy was that the enormous "monster" had disappeared.

"...Was I abandoned again?"

The relief Ifrit had felt after sleeping warmly immediately sank back to the bottom. Loneliness and fear surged over her like a tide.

"Growl~~"

Her stomach protested again, accompanied by a cramping pain she could not ignore. Ifrit curled up in discomfort.

And also...

Ifrit uneasily pressed her legs together, her little face flushing slightly.

She had already felt it when that huge thing carried her down from the high wall, but the situation had been too urgent at the time for her to say anything.

She anxiously scanned the surroundings, but saw nothing resembling a restroom.

Her gaze shifted to the passages on either side of the hall. Those unknown entrances seemed to conceal danger, making her hesitate to approach them.

In the end, her attention was drawn to the oval-shaped gate of light in the center of the hall, slowly rotating and giving off a soft glow—the dungeon entrance.

The light was not dazzling. Instead, it gave her a strange sense of security, as if it were calling to her.

Is that an exit? Can I return somewhere familiar?

With a trace of hope, Ifrit carefully approached the gate of light and tentatively extended one finger—

"Whoa!"

The instant she touched it, Ifrit only had time to let out a short cry before her entire body was sucked inside, vanishing from the hall.

Upstairs, Fourth, who was in the middle of an exciting game, faintly heard a sound from below.

"Hm? She's awake already?"

He put down the controls in confusion and walked down the stairs into the hall.

"Little fire dragon? Ifrit?"

No one answered.

He looked at the cushions where Ifrit had been sleeping. They were empty, with only a tossed-aside blanket left behind.

Fourth's heart skipped a beat.

He immediately rushed to the nursery. Inside were only strange plants growing quietly. No one was there.

He rushed into the workshop next. There were only cold machines and a forge. No one was there.

He ran down the stairs to the underground corridor and peered in from the entrance. The deep passageway was silent...

As room after room turned up empty, cold sweat gathered more heavily on Fourth's forehead, and his face began to pale.

He returned to the center of the empty hall and looked at the dungeon portal still slowly turning. A chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

At that moment, a faint light flashed.

Second appeared in the hall. She dusted herself off, her voice carrying a trace of fatigue.

"Phew... The air quality outside is terrible. It's all wasteland, and it doesn't look like there was any decent food."

"Fourth, did you find anything on your end?"

Fourth stiffly turned around, forcing a smile even uglier than crying onto his face.

"Guys, do you think... I can still survive?"

Second: "?"

A sense of foreboding instantly enveloped her.