However, before Hajime completely closed the door to the room and left, Yue stammeringly immediately revealed that she had been betrayed by the person she trusted the most.
Those words instantly left Hajime speechless for a while.
El who witnessed the situation thought that perhaps Yue's words reminded Hajime of the betrayal he experienced when falling into the Abyss.
The experience must have left a deep mark on him, shattering any trust he had in others.
Hajime, who seemed to have fallen silent for a moment, was probably wrestling with those dark memories.
The betrayal Hajime experienced may have changed the way he sees the world and the people around him, making him colder and less trusting of others.
"This kind of betrayal is indeed like a knife with a wound that will never heal," El muttered, sighing heavily.
Hajime, with a long sigh, rushed into the room where Yue was confined, determined to free her.
El realized that Hajime's decision to help Yue was not solely out of pity, but also perhaps because of the memories of the pain he had experienced, and a bit of empathy that was slowly rebuilding in him.
"Yup, that's how it should go. I'm really not interested in bloodsucking women anymore," El muttered. "I'm not their blood bag."
Suddenly, El's eyes filled with deep longing. "I'm starting to understand, the reason Master is more interested in watching is because this is apparently..."
Letting out a long breath, El tried to calm herself down for a moment, then stood up and walked towards the door, continuing to the next scenario, at least, that was the parable she made.
During his steps, El maintained his Selfless State, blending in with the surrounding nature, so that his presence would not be detected by Hajime or even the monsters around.
Arriving at the door, El found Hajime with a beautiful girl with wavy golden blonde hair, deep red eyes, and porcelain-white skin, with a shabby fur cloak covering her body.
The girl was Aletia Galdea Vesperitio Avatarl, or better known as Yue, the short name given by Hajime.
El paused for a moment, recalling the information about Yue in his mind.
Like a vampire, Yue had a pair of fangs. Although she was over 300 years old, her appearance remained that of a 12-year-old child due to the side effects of her immortality.
In the future, after being freed from Ehit's control, Yue gained the ability to change her body shape at will, transforming from a teenager into a mature woman.
In her adult form, she appeared as an extraordinarily beautiful young woman in her early 20s with a seductive body.
Despite her usually calm face, Yue always showed a gentle smile to Hajime.
Knock... Knock... Knock!
El knocked on the door with controlled force, just enough to produce a sound without breaking it.
If he knocked too hard, with the Dou Qi flowing inside his body equivalent to peak Dou Zun with 4 transformations, the door could crack instantly.
Coupled with attributes that focused on durability and strength, as well as various Passive Skills, his every move had the potential to have a huge impact on his surroundings.
With all these factors, it was no wonder that even a light tap from him could be a threat to the innocent door before him.
Of course, El realized that and knocked on the door as gently as possible.
The sound of knocking echoed, making Hajime and Yue immediately alert. With sharp reflexes, Hajime traced the source of the sound, then deftly pointed his gun at El.
El immediately recognized the weapon: Donner, a black techno-magical revolver that Hajime relied on in battle.
El smiled kindly, imitating Tanjiro's style, then casually asked, "Excuse me, may I ask? What floor is this? I honestly forgot to count because I was too busy facing the monsters on each floor of the maze."
His gaze remained calm as he looked at Hajime, who had just freed Yue from the iron cage that sealed her.
Hajime would immediately put on a wary expression. His fighting instincts honed in the maze made it difficult for him to trust strangers who suddenly appeared.
With a sharp gaze, Hajime kept Donner pointed at El and asked in a cold tone, "And, who are you?"
Hajime's eyes traced El's figure from top to bottom, assessing the man carefully. El's elaborate style of dress made him a little surprised, but he remained vigilant.
In the dim lighting, Hajime relied on his vision that became sharper even in the dark.
The figure of the man with long black hair in front of him looked so striking, with an androgynous face that leaned towards the beautiful side, it was unusual.
The man seemed to be wearing a layered yukata, white inside and black outside, with a long black haori patterned with leaves.
The man's body was also covered in a fur cloak that seemed to be from a two-tailed wolf monster, adding to the mysterious feel.
Yue, on the other hand, would look at El curiously. Although still leaning on Hajime due to her weakened condition after being sealed for so long, she could sense that El showed no hostile intentions.
However, due to her habit of rarely speaking, Yue just stared wordlessly, waiting for Hajime's response.
El maintained his friendly smile, even though he had inwardly predicted Hajime's reaction.
In a relaxed manner, El raised his hands slightly, showing that he had no hostile intentions.
"Ah, don't worry, I'm not the enemy. I'm just a stray who was too busy exterminating monsters to count the floors," he said in a light tone, still imitating Tanjiro's style.
El's eyes remained calm as he looked at Hajime, showing that she wasn't bothered by Donner's gunpoint.
However, in his mind, El kept analyzing the possible movements of Hajime and Yue, preparing to act if the situation worsened.
Hajime looked at El with a sharp gaze, still wary. Although he slightly relaxed the position of his weapon, he still maintained his vigilance.
El's friendly tone of voice and innocent demeanor made him a little hesitant, but his instincts as someone trained in the darkness of this nightmare could not simply be ignored.
"The one who got lost, huh?" Hajime frowned, considering El's words. "Getting lost in a maze full of monsters... that's quite suspicious."
El still maintained a friendly smile, bowing his head slightly like Tanjiro, trying to ease the tension.
In a soft voice, El said, "I understand that you're suspicious, but honestly I have no bad intentions at all. I just wanted to have a quick chat, nothing more."
El stepped forward slightly, keeping a safe distance, "I'm just lost and want to know more about this place, so if I may, I just want to hear stories from you two. I promise, I won't be a bother."
His gaze was full of sincerity, trying to show that he was not a threat. "I understand if you're worried, but honestly, I'm more interested in talking than fighting."
With that, El hoped to loosen the tension, giving the impression that his intention was simply to talk and nothing more.
Hajime still maintained his sharp gaze on El, despite slightly stretching the grip of his weapon.
He didn't trust easily, especially with the always dangerous situation around them.
"You're still too casual for someone lost in a place like this," Hajime replied, voice a little more tense. "But I'm not sure if I can just trust you."
On the other hand, Yue, who had been watching El closely since the beginning, did not feel the slightest air of hostility, even though Hajime's attitude was quite skeptical.
On the contrary, what Yue felt from El was a soothing calmness, as if his aura merged with nature itself, cool and calm like the morning air.