"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 18

Here in the Kingdom of Levaris, the royal capital is known as Levaria. It’s the largest magical nation in the world and also one of the most prominent metropolises across the globe.

And the most famous landmark in Levaria is—the Levaria Dungeon, one of the most difficult dungeons in the world.

Its deepest floor remains unknown, though adventurers have managed to conquer up to the 70th floor thus far.

Currently, I was walking side by side with Eve.

“Onii-sama, it’s dangerous to stay close to me. A monster could attack us at any moment,” she warned.

“I’ll be fine. We’re still in the upper levels, right? I can handle monsters of this level.”

“If you say so.”

“…”

As always, I had no idea how to keep the conversation going. No matter what I said, she remained cool and indifferent.

“Lately—”

After a brief silence as we continued walking, Eve finally spoke.

“First, we’ll head to the fifth floor, and from there we’ll use a teleportation circle to reach the tenth. Onii-sama, if you’re going to turn back, now’s the time.”

“I’m fine. No need to worry.”

“I’ve given you fair warning.”

And so, Eve and I continued deeper into the dungeon. Once we reached the teleportation circle on the fifth floor, we channeled our mana into it—and in an instant, we were transported to the tenth floor.

The heat hit me first.

The moment we arrived, I was struck by the sheer intensity of the heat that filled the air. Each floor of the dungeon had its own unique characteristics, and the tenth floor was a magma zone.

“Onii-sama, you can use mana shielding, can’t you?”

“Of course.”

Eve and I immediately activated our mana defenses. Without shielding your body with mana, you’d be burned alive in seconds. Starting from the tenth floor, precise and advanced mana control became essential.

“A salamander,” she said.

“Looks like it,” I replied.

Smoke rose from its jagged back fins and snake-like tail. Its entire body radiated heat, and in the shadowed hollows of its hawk-like face, sharp yellow eyes flickered ominously.

The salamander had sensed us and began to approach. Eve’s hand was already on the rapier at her waist.

She drew her blade. The thin, elegant sword shimmered in silver, polished to a mirror finish, reflecting the surrounding light. Eve was known by another name—The Flashblade Princess. She specialized in skill-based combat, and in the original story, she would become one of the world’s strongest close-combat fighters.

“—I’m going in.”

She activated body reinforcement and high-speed movement. With just a subtle shift of her stance, she dodged the salamander’s fireball and closed the distance in an instant. Then, with precision, she struck its vital point—driving her blade through its heart. The salamander collapsed to the ground.

Her movements were like a graceful dance—every motion refined, efficient, and devoid of waste. Of course, she was incredibly gifted, but more than anything, her effort was extraordinary. Just how hard had she trained to reach this level? At only fifteen, her strength couldn’t be attributed to talent alone.

I could only watch in awe as Eve fought. The characters in this world all shared one thing in common: their courage to stand and fight, even in seemingly hopeless battles. Even when death was certain, they chose to move forward. I realized again just how much I loved this world.

“Phew… that should do it.”

Eve sheathed her rapier with a crisp clang. The strands of her golden hair fluttered slightly in the hot wind—there was something valiant in that image.

There had been five salamanders in total, but Eve had defeated them all in the blink of an eye. It was practically a warm-up for her. Still, something about her fighting style bothered me slightly. I decided to share my thoughts honestly.

“Eve, that was incredible!”

“It was nothing special.”

“That’s not true. Sure, you’ve got talent, but I can tell you’ve worked insanely hard too. It really shows in the way you fight.”

“…!”

At those words, Eve suddenly turned her face away. Huh? Did I say something wrong? Did I just step on a landmine? She looked noticeably displeased… Did I just ruin everything?

“Sorry. Did I offend you?”

“No, not really. But moving on—there are far more dangerous monsters ahead. Onii-sama, I still think you should turn back.”

As we spoke, it happened.

One of the salamanders that should have been dead suddenly sprang back to life and lunged at Eve, jaws wide open, attempting to swallow her whole. Its speed was monstrous. It had been biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

“Wha—?”

It was likely a special variant, with its heart located somewhere different from a normal salamander. It had played dead the entire time, and Eve hadn’t noticed. She tried to react—but it was too late.

“—Dark Lance.”

I immediately constructed a spell formula and fired Dark Lance, piercing the salamander’s head with pinpoint accuracy. This time, it was truly dead.

“Eve, rapier strikes are perfect for targeting vital points, but there are exceptions—like just now. Generally, it’s best to destroy the head. Though there are some monsters that can still move without one, it’s safer not to let your guard down until the very end.”

“Wait… that was dark-element magic? And so fast… I’ve never seen anyone cast a spear-type spell at that speed…”

“Ah.”

Eve looked at me with a gaze full of disbelief.

Crap. I messed up. I let a glimpse of my real power slip out—and gave unsolicited advice on top of it. Maybe… maybe I can still play it off?

As I scrambled for an excuse in my mind, Eve spoke again.

“Onii-sama.”

“Y-Yes?!”

To my shock, she leveled her rapier at my throat with clear hostility.

“—Who are you really?”