Betrayed, I Met The Demon Lord

Chapter 92 - Quest In The Burning Dungeon, Part 10

"Say, Arnolt. Have you seen Van?" Unicus asked, his eyes sweeping over the camp with a hint of curiosity.

"Hmm... Nah. Haven't laid eyes on the kid since we settled. Almost forgot he existed," the dwarf replied, taking a hearty bite from the game he'd roasted earlier, gripping the cooked meat by the bone.

"Hmm..." Unicus hummed softly, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Relax, Unicus," Arnolt said, glancing at him with a dismissive wave of his hand. "The kid carried that oversized backpack like it was nothing. This forest is crawling with C-Tier monsters, sure, but they're nothing he can't handle with that fancy armor. Even that snobby elf admitted as much earlier."

"I'll...!" A feminine voice suddenly cut in, startling the two men.

Both turned to see Sylva standing behind them, her silver hair shimmering in the firelight. She stood stiffly, her hands clasped in front of her, her expression determined.

"I'll look for him," she declared, her voice steady but her posture a little too rigid.

'He went into the forest earlier... Perfect. This is my chance to tell him what he needs to know about his father... I just wish Vaelthir had fallen asleep sooner,' Sylva thought, her gaze briefly flicking to her elven butler, who snored softly in his sleeping bag nearby.

"Ah? You sure, Sylva?" Unicus asked, raising an eyebrow at her sudden outburst. "Arnolt's probably right—there's nothing to worry about. The kid's got that armor—"

"It's alright!" Sylva interrupted, her voice rising slightly. "This is a C-Rank forest, and he's only F-Rank, right? Even with that armor, someone should check on him. It's better to be safe."

Arnolt and Unicus exchanged a brief glance.

"...Well, if you insist," Unicus said with a small shrug and a warm smile. "Just make sure you take care of yourself out there."

"Heh. Good thing that noble brat has someone thinking about him," Arnolt chuckled, his tone innocent but unfiltered as he tore another bite of meat.

Sylva froze mid-step, her face flushing a deep crimson.

'NOOOO! DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT!!!' she panicked internally, stealing a quick, nervous glance at Unicus. 'What if... what if he thinks I ACTUALLY like Van!??! What if everyone thinks I do?!'

"T-then... I'll... I'll go," she stammered, her voice cracking slightly as she hurriedly spun around. Her movements were stiff and awkward, the heat rising in her cheeks as she practically bolted into the forest.

Unicus watched her go, his eyebrow raised in mild confusion. Turning back, he caught the sly grin spreading across Arnolt's face.

"What?" the dwarf asked, feigning innocence, though his chuckling betrayed him.

Unicus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You really don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you?"

"Ah, quit your whining," Arnolt replied, waving a greasy bone for emphasis. "The whole party knows that kid's got the hots for ya. You'd have to be blind not to notice."

Unicus frowned, clearly unamused. "She's young, Arnolt," he said firmly, his tone carrying a subtle warning. "It's probably just admiration. And I'd rather she didn't dwell on it. And..."

Arnolt's grin faltered slightly as he noticed Unicus's hand rising to his face, his fingers brushing the golden ring on his finger. The firelight cast a warm glow on the band, its gentle gleam at odds with the sorrow etched into Unicus's expression.