After she had defeated Goliath and the monsters and Nano and the others had finished crying over her, Lefiya forced open the passage to the next floor with help from Aiz and the rest of the rescue party. Then they all went down to the eighteenth floor together.
Lefiya’s exhaustion was extreme, but the 7th Squad’s fatigue was far more severe. To give them enough rest before returning aboveground, they headed to Rivira.
Apparently, the 3rd Squad had also been out of contact, which was the one remaining issue, but that turned out to be a needless concern.
“So why are you here?”
“Ah-aha-ha-ha…”
Lefiya turned a dubious eye on the human boy she’d encountered in Rivira—Bell Cranell, wearing a worn, tattered, school-provided combat uniform.
Apparently, due to some strange turn of events, he had been passing as a student and accompanying the squad of dropouts.
The hume bunny she had passed in the courtyard of the Guild Headquarters had been Bell.
The 3rd Squad, who had gone into the Dungeon first, had retreated to the safe point immediately on Bell’s judgment, apparently without incident (though they had apparently been chased by the same Goliath that Lefiya and the 7th Squad had defeated).
Evidently, he had permission from Balder and the teachers to disguise himself and infiltrate the School District—if he hadn’t, Lefiya would absolutely have beaten him to death with her staff while censuring him as the worst sort of pervert and enemy of all people who took out his desires on students—but apparently they had undergone an adventure of their own before Lefiya and the 7th Squad arrived. She couldn’t help getting annoyed when she saw how the half-elf girl in the 3rd Squad kept glancing over at him with flushed cheeks.
“Can you not lay your hands on my juniors, you perpetually rutting rabbit!”
“I didn’t do anything! I didn’t! So please don’t ask them what that means, Ms. Aiz!”
“And when we crossed paths at the Guild, why did you shriek when you saw me?! How rude! I should burn you now!”
“Noooooo! I’m sorry! But you do kind of scare me, so it was just on reflex!”
As they watched Lefiya growl and Bell wail, the students in the 7th and 3rd Squads were flabbergasted. The members of 7th Squad, who only knew the more mature Lefiya, were especially stunned.
Meanwhile, Tiona watched the two of them from a little ways away.
“It’s nice how Lefiya really cheers up when Argonaut’s around,” she said with a cackle.
Aiz and Tione smiled as well.
Leon watched over them all fondly, seeing them with expressions appropriate for her age.
After a planned day’s rest in Rivira, the 7th and 3rd Squads were escorted back to the surface.
Gareth and Ganesha Familia, who stayed behind, had restored most of the routes, so the return was quick and smooth.
Their long little expedition finally drew to a close.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Welcome back, Lefiya.”
When she returned and completed her report, Balder smiled and even commented about finally seeing the true Lefiya again.
Alisa had hugged her over and over, too.
After that, the 7th Squad completed their Dungeon practical without issue and earned all their credits.
That also meant the end of Lefiya’s term as an instructor.
When she left the School District, the 7th Squad members tearfully promised to join Loki Familia. Nano clung to Lefiya while weeping, and Miliria had tears in her eyes as she took her hand. Lefiya felt their reaction was a little over the top, but she couldn’t deny feeling a bit moved as well after serving as a teacher of sorts for them.
Cole cried as well, the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes as he smiled and thanked her.
Luke looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he instead chose to declare, “I will definitely catch up to you. I’ll become an even more amazing adventurer than you are.”
“I’ll be waiting. But I’m not going to lose.”
Lefiya smiled and cheered him on.
And with that, Lefiya went home to Loki Familia.