Arianna walked toward their other team members, keeping her back to Cassis and holding onto a fierce hope that they would be all right. Right now, she wasn't in the headspace to think too deeply about everything. Her whole conversation with Cassis had been instinctive.

She wasn't okay, and she wouldn't be for quite some time. But she would be. Still, she was angry at him. Not because of the obvious things, like his wish, or the lies and the deception. No. She was angry because he wasn't perfect.

In her mind, she had put him on a pedestal. He was strong, protected people, usually knew what to do, even if he could be an asshole about it. But now she knew better. He was just as insecure as she was. He didn't know everything. He made mistakes.

She sighed, recognizing the feeling. Back then, when her father had been terminally ill, she had to acknowledge that he was just a man, not the infallible hero she'd imagined him to be.

This was similar. She was deeply disappointed that the version of Cassis in her head didn't actually exist. He was just a normal man who made mistakes. Damn her schoolgirl crush on him. She had thought she'd moved past that, that her love was mature. And it was most of the time, but it still hurt to see him disappoint her.

She knew they'd be okay once she got past her hang-ups. But the image of a desperate Cassis, on his knees, begging her not to leave, would stay with her. It reminded her that he was just a man, no matter what else he excelled at.

That was her problem. She would need some time alone to deal with her anger, sadness, frustration, and disappointment. She might even have to leave the neighbourhood for a bit. But for now, she had to focus on getting out of the dungeon.

Which was why she couldn't believe what she was hearing Faith and Bryce discussing behind a small mountain of gold. She couldn't see them yet, but hear them clearly.

"We should also try to gather three butterfly flowers," Faith said. "That way, we might get a reward when we leave the dungeon."

Bryce sounded doubtful. "But we haven't found any of those flowers yet. Who knows where they grow? We should just get out as quickly as possible. Even though we killed the boss, the other monsters here are still dangerous."

Faith's voice was determined. "No. We're going to gather the butterfly flowers. There's no other option."

Arianna heard her sigh. "He ordered me to make sure all objectives were completed. So… it's an order."

Arianna was finally rounding the small gold mountain as Bryce made a strangled sound. When she finally saw the two of them Bryce had grown pale, while Faith kept her gaze downward.

"Alright… we'll look for the butterfly flowers," Bryce choked out, then turned and stormed off in a different direction. Faith still didn't look at him, staring at the ground.

Arianna went up to her. "Hey… is everything alright?"

Faith whirled around, spooked. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked sharply.

Arianna blinked, taken aback. "I just came around the small gold mountain," she said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb. Then she softened her voice. She had never seen Faith like this. "Are you okay?"

Faith looked at her suspiciously, but then her mask crumbled and tears gathered in her eyes. "No," she choked out.

Arianna wasn't sure she was equipped to handle whatever was going on, but she couldn't just leave Faith alone. She rubbed her shoulder comfortingly, making soothing noises. Faith closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her stare was full of determination.

"Thanks. I needed that."

Arianna nodded. They all needed that, but she didn't say anything.

"It's just a small family fight. Uncle Dan and my dad… they don't really get along," Faith said, as if that explained everything. Maybe it did.

Arianna only met Keith this once but she found him creepy. She never wanted to be alone with him. Sure, men had flirted with her before in all kinds of strange situations ad in all kinds of strange ways, but Keith hadn't looked at her as if he found her attractive. He looked like he wanted to lock her up and possess her completely.

Arianna knew it wasn't good to judge someone solely by first impressions. Keith was an important man, with countless responsibilities. Maybe she was misinterpreting things. But her gut told her to steer clear.

So, she only nodded again when Faith told her that.

Together, they returned to the pedestal where they had first found the cleansing cat statue. Arianna showed Faith the armband she had discovered before the whole situation with Zaman and the wish and Cassis had happened.

Faith examined it, but, like Arianna, she had no idea what the armband actually was, or if it was more than just a piece of jewellery. They decided to give it to someone in the government to test once they exited the dungeon.

Soon, the rest of the team returned as well, including Cassis. When he saw her, he hesitated for a moment, uncertain, before squaring his shoulders and coming to stand at her side.

They didn't speak, didn't even look at each other, but Arianna could feel her tension easing slightly with him there. That made her angry. She shouldn't be so dependent on him that his mere presence calmed her.

As if reading her mind, he stepped to the side, giving her space. That didn't work either. She wanted him close. Haltingly, she brushed her hand over his arm, tugging him back into place without meeting his gaze. All these conflicting emotions were twisting her mind.

Thankfully, Bryce chose that moment to speak. "Alright, guys, good job. We found some things, but who knows what they're for. We'll give them to the scientists once we get out. But before we do, I'd like to finish the last objective: gathering three butterfly flowers. I have it on good authority we might get a reward if we complete all three objectives."

The group groaned, understandably reluctant. Arianna flinched when Cassis spoke.

"He's right," he said. "Arianna and I got a reward after completing all three objectives before. But it was also because our team was severely underleveled for the dungeon. The same applies here, so it's a good idea to check it out."

Arianna almost looked at him. Who was this man, and what had he done to the paranoid bastard who would have probably argued with Bryce just to spite him?

Cassis, as the voice of reason, brought the team back together, and they decided to go for it. They left the cave and returned to the area where they had started, since the rocky terrain near the cave had few flowers.

Immediately, they ran into monkeys and thunderbirds again. Arianna stayed back, healing whenever necessary, while Cassis took the frontline, fighting as though the monsters had personally insulted him. The rage he had spoken of, the one that lived inside him, drove his every move.

They continued through the forest until they reached a lake bordered by a breathtaking flower field. Every colour of the rainbow was represented in the petals, and some flowers even took the shape of giant butterflies. Arianna knew immediately that these had to be the butterfly flowers.

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Ines reached to grab one, and the petals transformed into a real butterfly the moment she touched the stem, flying away.

"Wha—" she started, but nothing else happened. What was going on? Walter saw the same thing when he tried another flower, and it too turned into a butterfly upon his touch. One by one, everyone attempted to pick a flower, all with the same result: the petals became butterflies and flew away. How could they possibly gather three of them if touching them triggered flight?

Then Arianna had an idea. She coated her hand in non-elemental mana and approached another flower. Ubau saw her and warned, "Don't bother, they all—"

He stopped mid-sentence when Arianna lifted the flower in her hand.

"How?" he asked, stunned.

Arianna looked at him, ready to explain, but the rest of the team came over. Zara whistled. "Wow, how did you pick that?"

"I just coated my hand in non-elemental mana," Arianna said with a small smile. "It seems the flowers activate the moment they touch your skin or maybe body. I'm not touching it directly. There's a thin membrane of non-elemental mana around my hand, like a glove."

With that, she placed the flower into her inventory and began gathering more butterfly flowers. She collected more than three, wanting to keep one or two for Irene, who would undoubtedly be curious about their abilities.

When she turned, everyone was watching, some shaking their heads, but no one commented. Arianna shrugged. At least now, they could finally leave.

[Congratulations! You have cleared the dungeon by killing the designated boss monster. Timer for dungeon break is reset.] [Congratulations! You have completed all three objectives. Reward gained: Title→ Pioneer I.]

Arianna blinked at the system message, still adjusting to the dizzy vertigo of leaving the dungeon and breathing air that had far less mana than the atmosphere inside. It had worked.

What kind of title was Pioneer I? She quickly looked it up:

[Pioneer I] Given to an awakener who forges new, better paths despite knowing of the old ones. Bonus: In dangerous or difficult situations, people will be more willing to follow you.

Arianna frowned. That was… vague. But the "I" suggested it could grow further.

Before she could process more, another system message appeared:

[Recorded in Avaria's Hall of Fame]

Damn. Arianna really hated that place. It felt like a violation that her struggles would be out there for everyone to see. At least from what she had gathered the Hall of Fame only showed the fights or moments where something important concerning mana happened. So her little talk with Cassis shouldn't be in the video.

[Congratulations! You have fulfilled the requirements for advancing to E-rank. Would you like to see your options?]

She barely had time to respond before surprised sounds came from her teammates. Faith even laughed, though it sounded forced.

"It worked! I got Pain Resistance (Basic). What about you guys?"

"Same," came from all around. Faith turned to her. "And you?"

Before Arianna could answer, Cassis said simply, "Same." She could only nod. Was she the only one, or was it just Cassis's paranoia again? She had no idea.

The quiet of their arrival didn't last. Soldiers, surrounding them the entire time, suddenly became more noticeable as some made way for Keith. He scanned them all, then spread a slow, oily smile, the kind politicians wore.

"You made it back. All of you. How… surprising." His tone suggested he had expected casualties. Then he caught himself and made the smile wider. "How very fortunate."

Walter grinned. "It's all because of Arianna. I've never been teamed with such a great healer."

The others echoed similar praise. Arianna felt herself blush but dared not move as Keith fixed her with a hungry stare.

"You seem quite the capable healer, Ms. Sloane," he said, smiling. To Arianna, it felt more like a predator preparing to pounce. "Would you like to work for the government?"

She couldn't even answer before Cassis stepped in, placing himself between her and Keith. "We prefer being independent of the government. That said, we are not against collaborating, as this recent dungeon raid shows."

Keith's smile dimmed slightly. "Of course. You've made that perfectly clear. But you can't fault a man for trying."

The tension rose just enough that Arianna's teammates instinctively closed in. Bryce even stepped forward, engaging Keith in a discussion about the dungeon, their new levels, and the rewards. Arianna finally exhaled and realized she had been holding her breath the entire time under Keith's stare.

Faith looked uncomfortable but spoke anyway. "I'm sorry. Please don't take it to heart. My father… he's a very intense man."

Arianna nodded wordlessly. What could she say? Your dad creeps me out? Not Faith's fault.

Instead, she chose to change the subject. "But it's really great, isn't? We stopped the dungeon break of an E-rank dungeon. We saved countless people."

As if on cue the system sent her another message.

[+ 10 000 CP for keeping an E-rank dungeon from breaking before the second wave]

Suddenly vertigo hit Arianna again. Her inner scale that had been balancing quite nicely for quite some time, shifted far too much towards the virtuous side. She was still in neutral territory but she would need to be careful.

A light pressure on her shoulder made her glance sideways. Cassis had touched her briefly to get her attention.

"Let's have them fly us home. We can go over anything else there," he said, emphasizing home in a way that made it clear he meant their house.

Arianna hesitated. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to be alone at their house right now. But all her friends were in that neighbourhood, and she could probably stay with someone else for a while if she needed.

"Yeah… let's go home," she said, her voice more confident than she felt.

Cassis's shoulders sagged just a bit, a subtle relief that she had agreed.

Faith added, "I'll take another flight home. I want to visit my sister first."

"Have fun, and say hello from me," Arianna replied.

Faith smiled. "I will. She thinks you're the best ever since she watched you in the Hall of Fame."

Arianna cringed. Those videos in the Hall of Fame painted her as some genius healer, as a hero. She didn't want to be a hero. Didn't feel like a hero. She was just desperate to save the people around her.

Finally, Arianna and Cassis were alone in the military aircraft, aside from a few soldiers quietly tending to their duties. The hum of the engines was almost meditative, giving her the space to breathe and think. She had summoned her water barrier around the aircraft again, making this flight as safe as possible.

At last she was ready to examine her new class evolutions. Her hands clenched nervously, feeling the weight of the decision. She still had six options, just like before. Some were familiar, from her advancement at level 10, but three were new, each brimming with potential. These felt like paths that could take her powers, her identity as a Warpriest of the Flow, to a place she hadn't imagined before.

Cassis didn't speak, only watching her from the corner of his eyes. She could feel his presence without looking, steady and calm, a grounding force even after the emotional storm earlier. She appreciated it, though she wasn't about to let him know how much.

Arianna took a deep breath and read through the short description of each choice.

Luremaster – A master of drawing attention, manipulating enemies, and controlling the battlefield through deception and baiting tactics.

High Priestess of the Flow – A revered healer with water affinity capable of channeling immense healing power, specializing in advanced restoration, including the reconstruction of lost body parts.

Sanctified Vanguard of the Flow – A warrior with healing and magic, fighting on the frontlines and able to heal and bless themselves and their allies, temporarily enhancing strength, speed and defence.

Flowbound Mystic – A fusion of healing and the arcane power of water, wielding blessings, healing magic and the raw power of water mana to aid allies and smite foes from afar.

Warpriest of the Flow (+1) – A combat-focused priest who seamlessly integrates healing, buffs, and melee combat, adapting to battle conditions with fluidity.

Celestial Battlecaster (+1) – A hybrid spellblade wielding healing and arcane magic in perfect harmony, unleashing devastating ranged and melee attacks while maintaining their healing capabilities.

Some choices had evolved, others had stayed the same. Arianna knew it was because of the actions she had taken from the last advancement to this moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to simply continue as a Warpriest of the Flow. She already knew the class, and it suited her well. But another option was tugging at her, a class that promised even more versatility. Was that good or bad? Should she focus on what she was already strong at, or venture into something new?

She didn't know. She needed someone to talk to. And the only person here was Cassis. No matter how things stood between them, she trusted him to give her honest advice about her class choices.

All interactions with him had been awkward since the dungeon, but for this, she needed his analysis. Before she could second-guess herself, she sent him a party invite. That way, their discussion would remain private, and she wouldn't have to worry about accidentally revealing anything to the soldiers.

The soldiers seemed to be minding their own business, but of course, Arianna's mind started imagining worst-case scenarios.

Oh no. She was getting as paranoid as Cassis. Though, thinking of Keith, she supposed Cassis had been right in this one instance.

Her eyes caught Cassis's when he suddenly lifted his head to look at her. She mimed speaking and tipped her head toward him. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

She knew things were still strange between them, but right now, she needed his expertise. He would have to suck it up. After all, he had promised her he would support her, no matter what she decided about their relationship. Well… now he could prove it.

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