Puppet Master in the DanMachi World

And that was less than halfway done.

The ritual could not be paused midway, making it an enormous challenge for Ming Ge.

"Hang in there, Ming Ge."

Meitellia clenched her fists, her eyes full of worry.

The ritual glimmered with light, and Riveria's gaze was equally solemn.

The moment it ended, Ming Ge collapsed straight to the floor.

"Suppression level, 100%!!"

Alfia murmured, then noticed Ming Ge's exhaustion.

She instinctively rushed forward, moving so fast that Meitellia and Riveria could not perceive her at all.

She had surpassed the speed of sound without causing a sonic boom.

She caught Ming Ge before either of them could, then her whole body trembled.

"Gasp..."

She had merely caught him. At most, his cheek had fallen against her chest, yet her body went limp and she fell to the ground, becoming Ming Ge's cushion.

The inscription magic itself had little effect. The main issue was that the inscription process had heightened her tactile nerves.

She lay blankly on the floor, feeling Ming Ge's presence. For a moment, her mind went completely blank.

"Ming Ge, Sister!"

Meitellia cried out and ran over to help Ming Ge up.

Only after Ming Ge's body had moved away did Alfia recover.

"He should have exhausted his mental strength."

Feigning calm, Alfia said, "He has already prepared for this. I'll perform the next ritual and restore his overtaxed mind."

Ming Ge had created two sets of rituals.

One was Inscription Cluster Magic, while the other was a foolproof recovery spell.

Once this step was completed, it would minimize the aftereffects of mental exhaustion.

After Alfia completed the ritual, Ming Ge's complexion improved considerably.

"He's a good person—the one who gave us hope... Bless you both."

After carrying him to a room in the basement and arranging him in a more comfortable position, Alfia looked at the sleeping Ming Ge and said this.

"Sister?"

Meitellia looked at Alfia in surprise.

Seeing the look in Meitellia's eyes, Alfia felt somewhat uncomfortable, her gaze flickering slightly.

"I see."

Meitellia let out a soft laugh, though it was unclear what she was laughing about.

It was definitely not the smile of someone who had been "acknowledged."

Alfia's first impression of Ming Ge had not been bad. She had quickly recognized his abilities afterward and accepted his help.

Back then, Alfia had already begun to accept Ming Ge, so Meitellia was not surprised by this.

Then what exactly was Meitellia laughing about?

For some reason, Alfia felt irritated.

Ming Ge's Charm

"What are you laughing at?"

Forcing herself to calm down, Alfia looked at Meitellia and asked.

"Nothing... It's just that Ming Ge really is charming, after all."

Meitellia said with a light laugh.

"Charming?"

Alfia did not understand what Meitellia meant.

"When I first found Ming Ge, he was like a prince in distress, constantly drawing my heart toward him."

Meitellia smiled. "It seems Sister is the same."

My heart was drawn to him?

What a joke.

From the day I was born until now, the only person I have truly loved is you...

Alfia thought, but did not say it aloud.

"You mustn't lie to yourself."

Meitellia gave a meaningful laugh, irritating Alfia even more.

"Setting that aside, that guy truly possesses talent rarely seen in this world."

As if changing the subject, Alfia said, "And unlike the fear people feel toward my talent, his talent is closer to 'greatness.'"

If heroes were those who accomplished great deeds that even the gods admired, and brought salvation—

Then he was a pioneer in the field of magic.

His future was even more worth anticipating than that of the female hero who had stood beside the first hero, Argo.

Even heroes had their limits, yet the aspirations of the frail boy before her were beyond the imagination of even a modern-day hero like Alfia.

This was the first time that Alfia, feared by the world and called a "monster of talent," felt inferior to someone else.

In terms of talent alone, Alfia undoubtedly surpassed Ming Ge.