Loki was completely stunned.
Right—there was still "Limb Regeneration," wasn’t there?
She had actually forgotten about that, and now, thinking back on her earlier outburst... did that make her look like a total idiot?
Yes, Loki, you really are an idiot.
If Loki had voiced that thought out loud, Finn definitely would’ve answered her with that exact line.
In truth, the moment Finn saw that scene, he already knew Ais would be fine.
After all, the person who created the Rune Stone enabling "Limb Regeneration" had met Ais and Riveria three days ago. If that person was now openly showing that image within the Familia, it couldn’t have been just to provoke them, right?
Anyone with half a brain would realize that didn’t make sense.
Still, the fact that many within the Familia had taken it seriously made Finn a little uneasy.
So before he completely lost his composure, he decided to shift the topic.
"Bell-kun, what else? I doubt that was the only message you brought."
Bell gave a slight nod. Glancing at the barely composed expressions across Loki Familia, he finally understood who carried the heaviest burden in their group.
He casually released the restraint on "Vanargand" Bete, then continued where Finn had left off.
"There’s indeed more. But compared to the earlier news, this next part probably won’t be so welcome for Loki Familia."
Finn’s curiosity deepened. He probed cautiously.
"Is it about Ais again?"
Seeing the faint smirk forming on Bell’s lips, Finn felt a growing sense of dread.
"Bell-kun, don’t make me guess. Just tell me directly."
Bell didn’t mince words.
"Earlier today, while I was running some tests and experiments on the 16th Floor, I happened to see the ’Sword Princess’ and Vice Captain Riveria. Since I was nearly done with my work, I decided to follow them back."
"On the way, I overheard their conversation. That’s when I realized... the ’Sword Princess’ has a reason—something that compels her to move forward."
"That’s when I first noticed two soul fragments deeply entangled within her own soul."
"I admit it—I triggered them purely out of curiosity. But what I didn’t expect... was that two souls from deep within the Dungeon would respond to those fragments. And that they would actually meet the ’Sword Princess’ face to face."
Most people wouldn’t understand the weight of those words.
But those who did—stared in shock, wide-eyed and speechless.
Loki’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Ais to still carry fragments of those two souls within her. Even more shocking—they were still alive, somewhere in the Dungeon.
She had truly believed they were long dead, buried in the Dungeon’s depths after all these years.
Finn, snapping out of his daze, let out a heavy sigh. He couldn’t hold back the question.
"Bell-kun, how did Ais react?"
"Well... the ’Sword Princess’ was understandably emotional. But with those two guiding her—and Riveria holding her back—she calmed down fairly quickly. However..."
"She said something, didn’t she?"
Finn could already guess what Bell hadn’t yet said. And that—was what gave him such a headache.
"Yeah. They asked the ’Sword Princess’ to move forward. To surpass them. They said they wanted to see her grow. So they made a promise."
"She would find them again—with her best friends, her strongest comrades—surpass them, and prove to them that the ’Sword Princess’ could live on."
"And so... she promised she would show them her growth."
It was a wish not unlike that of parents entrusting their hopes to a child. Finn couldn’t bring himself to criticize something that sounded so much like a final will.
But he knew this kind of promise would bring big trouble.
Ais had already committed many reckless acts in the past out of vengeance for the Black Dragon. And now, driven by this new purpose, her obsession with strength could grow even more dangerous.
There was no doubt—Ais would hunger for more power in the days ahead.
That might be normal for most adventurers. But for Ais... her pursuit of strength would likely cross the line into madness, far beyond the bounds of safety.
Bell could clearly see the burden Finn carried and understood the challenges he now faced. But in his heart, he wasn’t too worried.
"Captain Finn, this is a catalyst for the ’Sword Princess’—but it’s also an inhibitor."
"Bell-kun, what do you mean?"
The effects of a "catalyst" were obvious, but Finn couldn’t immediately see what the "inhibitor" part referred to.
"Then I’ll be blunt. Those two possess Lv.8-level power. From the soul’s feedback, I could feel their strength—it even surpasses that of the Corrupted Spirit’s Fetus."
"In terms of Ais’s current strength, unless she reaches Lv.9, there’s absolutely no way she could fight them. For her, the goal now is to prove she can survive a confrontation with them. That’s their expectation—so Ais will never let this chance to prove herself go to waste."
"Because this is her one and only opportunity. If she misses it, there won’t be another."
Bell’s explanation made everything click for Finn, easing much of the concern he’d been holding onto.
"I see. So by relying on Ais’s regard for them, this could push her to think more about her companions’ strength—rather than trying to prove everything on her own?"
If Ais cared about those two deeply enough, she’d approach this challenge with more seriousness. She’d focus on her companions’ growth, rather than just charging ahead alone as she used to.
But Bell still had a warning to give.
"Captain Finn, if this burden shifts onto your shoulders instead, it creates another issue."
"Someone among you has to keep up with the ’Sword Princess.’ Otherwise, knowing Ais’s personality, she’ll likely choose to fight alone rather than drag anyone else into it."
...Yeah, given Ais’s personality, that was probably true.
Finn could only sigh in frustration and admit it.
That girl—when it came to being stubborn, rigid, and dead set in her thinking—was more hard-headed than anyone else. Most of the lessons and guidance they’d given her had lost their effect the moment she got stronger. She was back to being a reckless child all over again.