AI: Artificial Isekai

I warp to Erysis' location, her and Nexen's bedroom. She is sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed and cradling her knees close to her chest.

"Told you it was a bad idea."

Her gaze lifts up. "It's not that, Lucius. I thought I knew what you were, but you... You changed our world for the better. You solved hunger, want, everything. You made us all immortal, for Goddess' sake. You destroyed the Empty Maw and came back with another solution to dungeons. Came back to a world that spurns you. But that isn't important... How can I treat you as another person?" She groans in utter frustration, unable to arrange her thoughts any further. "I don't know what's wrong with me... And you are acting like nothing's different, like we are your friends, like we are equal."

"Are we not?"

"How can we ever be..."

"I was wrong."

Erysis finally looks at me in surprise. "Huh?"

I offer her my hand. She hesitates, but takes it in the end, her own trembling in my tight grasp.

"You need to see."

I lift her up and warp us back. As we sit back down, the projection resumes in silence. They see my singular purpose, but everyone is too engrossed in the process to comment on my occasional snacking throughout. Then they see the dungeon's long-awaited response.

Khi whispers under her breath, "What the fuck." Mutely echoed by the others, with Rak'Na worriedly glancing to the elf.

A squelching stomp focuses them back to the scene before them.

As they watch me encroach upon its mind with sadistic glee, I share my findings, "With the veil eventually lifted, I could remember what I saw—insatiable craving. For freedom, for death... for love. Twisted and vile. A reflection? ...Ultimately useless."

They see us talk, just like it's Elisa and me. Then they see that it's not her, and it's not me. They see my wrath manifest.

I add further insight, "I was only vaguely aware of what I was doing. An unconscious part of me was also altering my mind, trying to counteract the dungeon's own manipulation to... questionable results."

Erysis turns to me, her eyes betraying another maelstrom of uncertainty beneath. "Was that monster's reaction real?" The vitriol in the word 'monster' clues me in that she did not mean the generally used term.

"Partially. You'll see me fully succeed at the end." I make an exaggerated surprised face and bring my hands together in front of my mouth, silencing it. Erysis turns back to the projection. I detect her heart beating faster and faster.

The footage starts skipping forward, showing my interaction with the boss through a frantic flail of zipping and zapping around, showing my slow descent into madness as my efforts turn from righteous conquest to desperate escape. It's hard for me to judge what everyone is thinking, but it's not happy thoughts. Of that, I am more than sure.

After an unknown amount of time, spliced into a barely comprehensible collage, they see me at my lowest, ready to give up. The only way out.

My creative liberties show them what I experienced just yesterday, embracing death, my final attempt at arranging the pieces of my mind into a configuration that could work against the dungeon, and the last remaining vestiges of what I once was rejecting my end.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

That last spark of refusal leads to something more, a realization learned through blood, pain, and love.

Just like that, I am back, as if I was never gone. A cocky grin on my face, a relaxed stance that oozes nothing but confidence, Lucius the Adventurer.

Erysis shoots me a funny look when I giggle to myself while facing death incarnate.

Rak'Na snorts when the All-Encompassing sneezes, starting to silently chuckle.

Nexen watches with determination as I dismantle the monster into pieces.

Khi is staring at the dying devourer with restrained rage, her lips holding back a snarl.

When I wink at the camera and put my sword through the core, the projection ends, causing the whole room to figuratively let out a long-held breath.

"You can probably guess what happened right after," I say. "But for the uninitiated, I fulfilled a promise I made to myself. I told Elisa I love her."

The elf in question says, "You have zero tact, dummy."

Rak'Na snorts again, starting to audibly chuckle this time. After a breath in, she says, "Won't have any lack of entertainment with you back, Lucius, that's for sure." After regarding Elisa for a moment, the sovereign flicks a hand, bringing in a procession of bottles and glasses, whose location she is apparently quite familiar with. The contents of the bottles is, naturally, alcohol. "Double the cause for celebration."

I reluctantly say, "Brief celebration."

The beastfolk sighs dramatically, handing me a perfectly chilled beer at the same time. "Can't you put away a couple of hours for your dearly missed friends?"

The bottle is cautiously accepted. "Very well." What can I say, I am laughably easy to guilt. And bribe.

Everyone else grabs one of the drinks that poured themselves, but the celebratory mood is nowhere to be seen.

I take a small sip and say, "Rather than a celebration, it's like we're laying me to rest soon." Then I shift my eyes between them in mock suspicion, lingering on Elisa the longest, earning myself a small smile.

Elisa looks at Rak'Na and inclines her head, motioning to the sovereign. The two women excuse themselves, with Rak'Na smacking Khi with her tail when she moves past her to leave.

Khi jolts a little from the action. "Nexen, could I speak with you over there?" She points at the door out. ...Real smooth.

Nexen nods and finishes his drink in one gulp, grimacing after. Don't go near any exposed flames. He squeezes Erysis' forearm and stands up, leaving with Khi.

It's just me and Erysis. She's staring into her untouched glass.

"I wouldn't drink that," I say. "Elisa's tastes are too rugged for most."

A tear flows out, eventually followed by another. "I feel like I lost my friend again."

"You didn't. I'm right here."

"I know. It's just... I don't know." Erysis refuses to meet my eyes. I issue a command, startling her. She finally looks at me. "What is that!" Her breathing gets faster, erratic. Her eyes dart around, interacting with her neural interface. To no avail. "Make it go away."

"Do you think we are equal now?"

Erysis gets angry, her reddened face twisting into a scowl. "This is not funny."

"No, it's not. We now both have the capacity to do the exact same thing. Do you think my opinion of you has changed due to that?"

The anger is replaced with regret instantly. The tears start flowing freely.

I stand up and quickly sit next to her, pulling her into an embrace.

Erysis weakly whispers, "I'm so stupid."

"Mmm, a little bit." She makes a sound between a sob and a laugh. "We both are. Are you glad that I'm back?" I feel her nod against my hold. "I really missed you while I was in the dungeon. All of you. And I'm also glad that I get to see you again, get to spend time with my friend. My first friend, together with Nexen. Do you think anything I said was a lie?" I feel her softly shake her head.

After a few seconds, Erysis lets go and lifts her gaze to meet mine. "I'm sorry, Lucius. Can you forgive me?"

"Do you think you need an answer to that question?"

A small smile forms on her lips. "Nothing to forgive?"

I smile back. "Nothing to forgive."

"Elisa really has a type, huh."

"She really does."

Erysis looks at me for a moment more and then embraces me again. "Don't do that again."

"I promise."

Turning to the snooping Khi and Nexen, peaking behind a cracked door, I wave for them to come back in. Nexen and I switch places. It's now his turn to get squeezed a touch too hard by Erysis.

I feel Khi's gaze searching for my attention. When I give it, I see some of what Erysis felt hidden within. The beastfolk recalls what she saw, and what she just witnessed. The uncertain feelings disperse into nothingness.