Journey to Planar World

The chance encounter with Ryuu Lion left an odd feeling in Charlie’s mind. He walked leisurely across the grassy expanse beneath the crystalline sky.

”It’s a bit unexpected that Ryuu is on Floor 18. Shouldn’t she be working at the Hostess of Fertility?”

”If I recall correctly, the freelance adventurer Hermes invited to help rescue Bell was supposed to be Ryuu. For some reason I don’t know, Hermes changed his choice to me.”

Charlie had anticipated changes in the plot. Like the butterfly effect, his presence in this world, even without actively interacting with the protagonist, was bound to alter something.

”Whatever, there’s no point overthinking it. Let’s just say it’s how fate works. Even if Hermes didn’t invite Ryuu, that perverted elf still came to the Dungeon for her own reasons.”

”Maybe today is the anniversary of her friends’ deaths? So she decided to visit their graves? Who knows.”

Charlie ultimately decided not to dwell too deeply on Ryuu’s affairs. At its core, the only reason for his initial interest was… her extremely revealing fashion.

Her tight, thin shirt clearly highlighted her slender, flawless figure, even slightly accentuating her not-so-small breasts. Her ultra-short shorts were barely different from underwear.

With Ryuu’s appearance, it would be a lie to say Charlie felt nothing. He was a man, after all. Moreover, he wasn’t an inexperienced virgin like Bell. He had memories and experiences from his previous life that allowed him to appreciate a woman’s charm.

”Huuuh… What am I thinking?” He shook his head, trying hard to banish the wayward thoughts. ”It’s improper to objectify a woman as a sexual fantasy.”

”Such a pity I’m blacklisted by the Ishtar Familia.” He lamented inwardly with a touch of regret. Charlie recalled the Elf Onee-sans in the Entertainment District who had served him so satisfactorily.

But then, the face of a girl with blonde hair and golden eyes flashed in his mind.

”Forget it! I have a girlfriend now! As long as I’m in a relationship, hiring prostitutes is betrayal. That’s called cheating.”

Not wanting to be a scumbag who hurt Ais, Charlie resolved to forget all his fond memories of the Entertainment District.

”I wonder how Ais would react if she knew I’d visited the Entertainment District? Would she get angry? Or just stay silent and expressionless as usual?”

He imagined Ais’s doll-like face, which rarely showed emotion, trying to picture how she’d react.

What Charlie didn’t realize was that if Ais truly found out and confirmed he had hired prostitutes, it wouldn’t just spark ordinary anger. It would awaken the deeply buried yandere side of the Sword Princess—a possessive, obsessive side ready to do anything to fully claim and protect the one she loved, uncontaminated by others.

Sighing, Charlie tried to dispel the dangerous thoughts from his mind.

”Did I eat something bad to come up with such crazy ideas?” He muttered to himself, feeling a bit foolish. ”Telling your girlfriend you’ve fooled around with prostitutes? No sane man would do something that stupid.”

Shaking his head, he chuckled at the absurdity of his own thoughts.

Determined to clear his mind, Charlie decided to truly explore Floor 18.

Normally, he was always accompanied by women—whether Aishia and Est, the two spirit girls who refused to leave his side, or goddesses like Astraea and Aphrodite. Even walking the streets of Orario, he often ran into other beautiful girls. This solitude felt strange but also calming.

He wandered without a clear destination, letting his feet guide him.

”No wonder Floor 18 is called the Under Resort. This place is truly beautiful.”

Charlie climbed a tree and sat on one of its branches, gazing at Rivira, the town built above a lake on a distant cliff.

Looking up, the ceiling was filled with brilliantly glowing crystals in two colors. A large white crystal at the center resembled the sun, while the surrounding blue crystals mimicked a starry night sky.

The effect was so mesmerizing and lifelike that Charlie almost forgot he was deep underground.

”This world never ceases to amaze me.”

After lingering in the surreal beauty of Floor 18 for a while, Charlie gracefully leaped down from the branch.

”That’s enough for today. I’ll wander a bit more, then head back.”

He continued his exploration, strolling through Floor 18.

About ten minutes later, after pushing through dense bushes, an entirely unexpected sight greeted him.

Charlie arrived at the edge of a lake far from Rivira or the adventurers’ camp. Its surface was like a perfect mirror, reflecting the ceiling’s crystals so clearly it created the illusion of a starry galaxy.

But the beauty of this artificial galaxy wasn’t what caught Charlie’s attention. His focus was drawn to a silhouette in the middle of the lake.

A girl.

She stood waist-deep in the clear water, her slender, pale back facing Charlie. Her long, wet blonde hair clung to her skin, its ends touching the water’s surface. Droplets dripped from her hair, creating small ripples.

”Ais?”

Her name slipped from Charlie’s lips in a surprised breath.

Sensing someone’s presence, the girl turned, her movement sending ripples through the water.

Indeed, it was none other than his girlfriend, Ais Wallenstein.

Her golden eyes widened slightly, reflecting the same surprise. Reflexively, her slender arms moved to cover her body, shielding her breasts, which fit perfectly in Charlie’s hands. Her pale skin, almost glowing under the crystal light, was flawless and smooth like polished marble. Water droplets slid down her slender curves.

But as her eyes recognized Charlie, her initially startled expression softened. Without hesitation, Ais lowered her arms.

She let Charlie see her fully—without a single thread covering her beautiful body. The clear lake water only partially obscured her slender form, her narrow hips, and her mesmerizing long legs.

”What’s Charlie doing here?”

Ais’s voice broke the silence, calm and clear like the lake water around her.

But to Charlie, whose vision was enhanced by Six Eyes, a subtle detail didn’t escape him: a faint, almost imperceptible pink flush warmed her pale cheeks. It was a rare sign of shyness from Ais.

Taking a deep breath, Charlie tried hard to keep his gaze on Ais’s face, though the temptation to admire the view below her neck was strong.

”Just getting some fresh air.” He replied lightly, hoping his voice didn’t sound hoarse.

Ais’s brows furrowed slightly. She tilted her head, showing genuine confusion.

”Getting fresh air? Why does air need to be ’found’? Isn’t air everywhere?”

It was the first time she’d heard the phrase. To her, air was always present, not something to be sought. She didn’t understand why someone would do that.