Adventurer's Guild Café: I Was Wrongfully Exiled by the Saint, So I Will Enjoy My Second Life with My Fluffy Friends - V 2.1 Chapter 3.11

Ares circled above the city for a while, then dove back into the dungeon.

We passed through one strange space after another, descending rapidly. Maybe I’d gotten used to it already, but riding on Ares’s back no longer felt scary. Strangely enough, no matter how strong the wind blew, there wasn’t even the slightest sense that I might fall.

“We’re almost there,” he said.

When I peeked down at his words, I saw a small, blue hole below us. Ares entered it.

Ah—he’s right. It was the underground lake we had just left not long ago.

A bunch of adventurers had gathered there, all with seriously worried looks on their faces.

They were all calling my name at once. I waved my arms wide to show them I was okay.

Ares gently descended again, landing on the small island. The floating sensation faded, and I could feel his feet firmly touching the ground. The group of anxious faces rushed toward me at once.

Even with a gryphon standing right there, they clearly didn’t care anymore.

“Kuuna-chan, thank goodness you’re alright!”

As soon as I was helped down from Ares’s back, Rouge-san hugged me tight.

“Geez, if you’d gotten hurt or something, Ruri would’ve killed me!”

“I’m fine! I’m really okay.”

She ruffled my hair, relieved, saying, “That’s good, that’s good.” Then Lulu and the others came running over and jumped up onto my shoulders.

“Rooon!”

“Piyo!”

“Sorry I left you behind like that.”

I didn’t even have time to bring them along. I went and had fun all by myself… now I feel kind of guilty.

“Hey, you perverted gryphon—where the hell did you take Kuuna, huh?”

Kiril-san snapped irritably.

“You haven’t changed a bit. Stay away. The taint Kuna purified from me might return.”

“The hell are you talking about, you pervy bastard? You were purring like a damn cat while she brushed you!”

“……”

A glint flashed in Ares’s eyes.

He lunged with his beak to peck Kiril-san on the head, but Kiril-san narrowly dodged with practiced ease.

“See? Told ya. He walks around with this ‘I am a majestic, sacred being’ face, but on the inside, he’s kind of a dumbass, right?”

“Kiril, just stop. I’m begging you.”

Gier let out a sigh and shook his head. Simon stepped in, trying to calm the two of them down with a “Now, now.”

Ares flapped his wings noisily, pushing everyone back.

“The only one I have opened my heart to is Kuna. Stay away.”

He looked over at me as I stood there flustered.

“Kuna.”

“Y-Yes?”

“I thank you for purifying my corruption.”

“N-No, I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”

As I said that, I think I saw the faintest smile on Ares’s face.

“One more thing. I’ll give you a token of thanks.”

“Huh?”

What else could he possibly give me?

“If you ever need me, call my name to this feather.”

With that, Ares plucked out a feather—plucked it. That looked like it hurt—and handed it to me.

The feather shimmered with rainbow colors. When I touched it, it felt a little warm.

“Raise the feather and call the name Aresor. I will come to you, anytime.”

“Th-Thank you so much!”

I can’t believe it… Ares, a divine beast, will come to me—just like that? Isn’t that… kind of a huge deal? I feel like I’ve just been getting stuff this whole time…

“Think nothing of it. I simply wish to see Kuna again.”

Ares said that with a softened expression. His words made me so happy, I squeezed the feather tight in my hand.

“I want to see you again too, Ares.”

“We will. Before long, I promise.”

Ares gave a nod, then spread his great wings wide and beat them with a powerful whoosh.

“Until we meet again.”

“…!”

He dashed across the surface of the water and soared high into the sky.

And just like that, the mythical beast, the gryphon, departed from the dungeon.