Those gentle words settled into Ais's heart.
Ais knew that even if the story had begun differently, she still would not have stopped Bete in the tavern.
That was exactly why she could not honestly voice her apology.
And yet the woman had told her that this worry, this guilt, was something tender and precious.
It was because she cared that she thought about it so much.
"If that's the case... what can I do...?"
Ais wanted a definite answer.
"Since you already beat up the one who started it, I think that's enough."
The woman tilted her head slightly, as if recalling her own past.
Then she said earnestly, "Words of apology should only be said once in a while. Those words can only freeze a person's heart and build a wall between two people."
"If the fault isn't yours, then don't dwell on it too much. It will only hurt your relationship instead."
"......I don't understand."
Ais frowned slightly and admitted her confusion.
The woman showed no impatience at all toward Ais's slowness.
That boy had helped her husband and brought life back to their whole family.
The woman wanted to repay that kindness.
Even if it was only a small bit of advice, she wanted to bring Ais and Bell a little closer.
The woman said gently,
"Let me give you an example. Not long after my husband and I got married, something happened to him in the Dungeon. The treatment costs emptied out all our savings, and in the end, he was still left with scars."
Elixirs were not all-powerful. The fact that the mercenary had managed to endure long enough to make it back to the surface was already a miracle.
"My husband's companions were wiped out, and the God who granted him Falna was deeply shaken too."
That God had not been in the Lower World for long. He had only formed a Familia because he wanted to experience this new kind of life.
After the tragedy, He had planned to leave and return to Heaven.
But considering the mercenary, his wife, and his daughter, the God kindly chose to remain in the Lower World, preserving the Falna while moving on to a scenic city.
Even so, that kindness could not erase the nightmare that followed.
"No adventurer was willing to party with my husband. The knot of failure in his heart kept tormenting him, and he couldn't bring himself to set foot in the Dungeon."
Both the mercenary and his wife realized that if he kept trying to make a living through the Dungeon, he would soon be swallowed by malice and die.
The malice of monsters, the mockery of others, the darkness of the future, the grief of losing companions...
All of it pressed down on him and dragged him into the abyss of despair.
"Back then, all we could do was keep saying sorry... We would cry over the smallest things, and a single mocking word from a stranger was enough to wound us."
"I had no way to help him get back on his feet. Other than apologizing, I couldn't say anything else....."
As the woman recalled the past, tears welled in her eyes.
"....."
Ais did not know what to say.
The Dungeon brought wealth and fame, but it was also a terrifying place that had devoured countless people.
What had happened to the mercenary was definitely not some isolated case.
The woman pressed her lips together, then continued, "But one day, I realized something. If things went on like that, my husband and I would definitely end up separating."
"It wasn't our fault at all. It was all the Dungeon's fault. So why did we have to keep apologizing over and over again?"
That dispirited back, those lifeless eyes, those endless murmured apologies...
The woman remembered all of it.
Her instincts told her that if the two of them parted ways then, the mercenary would surely die in some forgotten corner.
She could not accept that ending.
Apologies would not help.
Prayers would not be answered.
All she had was a sincere heart devoted to her husband.
"So... I touched his scars and kissed them."
Whether it was guilt or sorrow, the woman cast it all aside.
If everyone else mocked that man, then she would become the one person who supported him.
If tragedy wanted to tear them apart, then she would bind them together in an even deeper way.
People are simple like that. It is because someone comforts them that they can keep moving forward, and because they have something to hold onto that they can ignite their fighting spirit.
"Later, I got pregnant and had to quit my job at the tavern, and my husband, pushed onward by responsibility, started crawling forward through all that mockery."
"It was a cruel way of doing things, almost like forcing him to stand back up... but at least the light returned to his eyes. He could eat on time, take care of his body, and live properly....."
A few tears slipped from the corners of the woman's eyes.
The two of them had both continued living as strongly as they could, and from that day on, neither of them apologized again over what had happened in the Dungeon.
"So if you feel guilty, then make it up to the boy in some other way."
"If it wasn't your fault, then don't be so sensitive."
"Comfort him when he's feeling down, help him when he's in trouble. If it's Sword Princess, there must be far more you can do than I ever could."
The woman gave her conclusion.
"......I think I understand."
Ais nodded thoughtfully.
Just then, a little girl walked over holding a bowl.
"Mom, I want more fried potato balls... Is Mommy crying?"
"No, I'm just talking with Big Sister."
The woman hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
The little girl looked up blankly at the blonde girl.
And at that moment, Ais arrived at her own conclusion.
"So, in other words... you mean I should have a child with Bell... right?"
"Big Sister's gonna have a baby with Big Brother?"
The little girl immediately lit up with joy.
"I want a little brother!"
"How exactly do you even arrive at that conclusion......?"
The woman let out a soft sigh and felt a little worried for the boy's future.
"But... let's just go with that."
You can't undo what's already been done.
That was how the woman consoled herself, letting Ais's thoughts run completely wild.
"Have a baby~"
"Little brother~"
The children thought a new playmate would be born soon and happily sang along.
"But......where do babies come from?"
Ais tilted her head and asked.
"Y-you should ask the boy...."
The woman replied with a smile.
The result was a bit extreme, but at least her intention had gotten across.
Amid the children's excited chanting, Ais slowly walked into the living room.
Some tea spilled from Bell's cup.
Before Ais could reach him, the woman spoke first.
"Dear, come help me take care of the children."
"Wait, I still have a lot I want to say to Little Rookie."
The mercenary waved his hand.
"De~ar~."
"I got it...... You two talk. I'll go help first."
At the woman's call, the mercenary hurried out of the living room.
"If you need anything, I can also..."
Hearing the little girl's giggling, Bell immediately realized things were going in a very bad direction.
If he ended up discussing that sort of topic with this innocent girl, the outcome would definitely be disastrous.
Bell stood with a smile, preparing to slip away as fast as possible.
But Ais was already standing in front of him.