Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

The girlish unease befitting her age, coupled with fidgeting with her hands in front of her chest, always evokes a sense of pity.

Miss Ais looked up at me with trepidation.

"No, is that not allowed?"

"I'll do it, please let me do it, just leave it to me!!"

Facing Miss Ais, who looked up at me pleadingly, I responded as if answering a question prematurely.

Faced with something so incredibly cute—no, more like someone you just want to protect—I blushed furiously and swore my loyalty like a knight. Even if God were here, he'd probably be disappointed in me, thinking, "Your thinking is too simplistic, Bell-kun," but it's okay!

When someone you admire comes to rely on you, it would be a lie to say you don't dance for such a joyous occasion!

Of course, I couldn't jump up; I had to sincerely accept the task. But at that moment, I was so excited and joyful that my voice rose.

"So, Miss Ais! What kind of adventurer's request do you want my help with?"

Excited, I asked—and Miss Ais, with a somber expression, mumbled the answer to me.

"To exorcise the ghost that has moved into the big house."

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"This, this is..."

The sky was shrouded in darkness; it was night.

The cracked, dark walls and broken windows on the upper floors gave the place a desolate appearance, as if telling everyone that no one had lived here for a long time. Several split, withered trees spread out around it, like the fingers of a witch.

It is being built here now, under the uncertain darkness of an impending rain.

This is the place they were talking about, the big house.

"Is this the big house that girl mentioned?"

"Yes, this is the location for the adventurer's quest."

The person who submitted the request to Miss Ais seemed to be a very young human girl. It seems that Miss Ais encountered her by chance while walking down the street.

"Adventurer, please deal with the ghost that has appeared in the large house."

A stranger, an ordinary, young girl, whom I'd never met before, said that an ominous shadow had appeared in that child's secret paradise. It was a shadow like a ragged, black-clad ghost.

Because of her position as a first-class adventurer, and noticing that Miss Ais didn't readily accept adventurers' requests, she seemed to feel sorry for the frightened girl. In order to fulfill an informal request that didn't go through the guild—in short, a personal request—she went to the scene to investigate—and, as the rumors circulated in the city, failed. Not only did she fail to uncover the true form of the 'ghost,' she reportedly retreated directly from the large house before her. Thus, the story spread throughout the city: the Sword Maiden's failure in handling an adventurer's request alone.

The location is in the northwest of the city. It's a remote residential area with ruins stretching out. In fact, it's the same area where our Yuan Da headquarters, the "Hidden Room of the Church," is located. I see. It might actually be just right as a playground for children.

Even so.

"Um, why come at night like this? The atmosphere would be better at midday."

The client said that the ghost wouldn't appear until nightfall.

Miss Ais, looking up at the large house, already looked tense. "As expected, Miss Ais is a bit off-key, not naturally so," I thought somewhat rudely, before turning back to the front.

"So, did it really happen?"

"Hmm. When I went inside, I saw a dark shadow coming from the upstairs corridor."

As she said this, Miss Ais pointed to the big house, right there.

On the third floor, a black shadow dressed in tattered clothes appeared like a ghost by the window.

"——————"

A shadow, seemingly appearing out of thin air, flashed past the window.

The raindrops began to patter on our shoulders, and we both froze.

Miss Ais's face turned deathly pale instantly, while my face twitched.

Difficult, could it really be true?

"Let's go."

"Hey, Miss Ais, your face is already deathly pale. No, let's go."

Together with Miss Ais, whose face was pale and looked rather tragic, I headed to the haunted house.

I opened the door, whispered "Good evening—" and then slipped inside.

(Wow, it really is like that, that's the feeling inside.)

Once the two old doors in the front foyer are closed, the empty hallway is immediately enveloped in darkness.

Spiderwebs covered the ceiling, and the sight of the goat's head specimen hanging on the wall left me speechless with astonishment. What should have been a beautiful statue, now missing half its face and an arm, only added to the eerie atmosphere of the surroundings.

As I held up the portable magic stone lamp I had prepared beforehand, I thought to myself, "If I come alone, I might back down."

Miss Ais, standing nearby, had already drawn her sword and was rapidly changing the direction of her body.

"Um, Miss Ais? So, you are indeed afraid of ghosts?"

""

"Um, but weren't you not afraid of monsters?"

Faced with this unspoken affirmation of being so nonchalantly vigilant about its surroundings, I raised my question very seriously.

Miss Ais said nervously.

"Ghost, can't be cut!"

Eh.

Faced with that incredibly serious expression, which seemed to be sweating profusely, I almost collapsed to my knees.

"Bell, aren't you afraid of ghosts?"

I was speechless when I saw Miss Ais looking at me with trembling eyes.

No, well, it would be a lie to say I wasn't scared at all, but I was far more afraid of monsters that attacked with murderous intent. As soon as I entered the horizontal cavern of the maze, it was like UGYAAAAA, and so on.

It's precisely because she's someone I admire, and someone who far surpasses me, that I can't accept it; it's too complicated.

"Should we go to the third floor where the shadowy figure is?"

"Wait, wait a minute. If we're going to investigate, we should start from one end of the building. It's better to leave the core parts for last. That's what Riveria said."

But have you ever seen a first-level adventurer act so cautiously?

I was sweating profusely as I followed Miss Ais's instructions and went up to the second floor, which I hadn't been able to fully investigate last time.

(But what exactly was that black shadow? While it could simply be a person dressed in tattered clothes, the fact that it appeared out of nowhere is undeniable. Isn't it actually a ghost?)

Outside the window, a torrential downpour began. Although I still couldn't completely shake off this thought, suddenly, my right sleeve was gripped tightly.

"Oh, Miss Ais?"

"No, we can't be too far apart, so, so..."

Was she feeling shy? Her face flushed red, and my heart pounded as I looked at Miss Ais, who was muttering softly.

At a time like this, I was too careless. But didn't I make a huge profit on this trip?

Being relied upon by Miss Ais brought us closer, and I could see her adorable side, just like any ordinary girl.

(Then, I was suddenly hugged, something like that)

With a wry smile, I unleashed my wicked imagination, and just then...

A huge bolt of lightning struck down from the sky.

「!?」

Upon hearing the deafening thunder, Miss Ais swiftly raised her sword while gripping my arm tightly.

A soft body pressed tightly against mine. My elbow brushed against her chest, past her bra, and a delicate fragrance wafted from her blonde hair.

Wow, does this mean my delusion has become reality?

"Ouch! Miss Ais is so strong—Ughh ...

The next instant, the power of Lv.6 acted on my weak Lv.3 body, causing me to let out a cry of pain!

Ah, the first-level adventurer's serious arm strength is ohh ...

I was so naive.

Enjoying contact with Miss Ais is a hundred years too early, no, it's far too early for a Level 3!

After that, investigating the haunted house, I was subjected to severe physical and mental strain.

If a rat crosses the corridor, Miss Ais will react at lightning speed. If she senses any noise, she'll raise her sword. If thunder roars again, the same thing will happen again. If she grabs me again, I'll be violently swung around. In short, I was almost killed by Miss Ais.

The "unknown" known as the "Ghost" makes even a first-class adventurer, who should remain unmoved in the face of unusual situations, overly sensitive, causing her actions to become excessive. However, it's likely all for naught; she hasn't even utilized a tenth of her potential for dungeon exploration. Furthermore, I'm hardly a partner to the person I admire; I'm not even qualified to be her supporter—a fact I deeply regret.

I'm the only one injured; I'm almost torn apart.

Soon, we finally arrived at the innermost room on the top floor of the house.

"Well, there's only this place left to investigate since then."

"Okay, let's go."

Beside me, covered in wounds and with a trembling voice, Miss Ais looked nervous.

She reached out her hand and slowly opened the heavy wooden door.

The sound of wood being crushed came from the ground, and what appeared behind the door was...

It was such a sight that one could easily mistake it for a "devil's feast."

"!!"

The large, windowless room was bathed in a crimson glow by a giant cauldron. Placed in the center, now heated by the flames, the bright red liquid bubbled silently. Unfamiliar magic circles and candles littered the floor. Around it lay large containers connected by various pipes, and the bones and flesh of some animal, almost like sacrificial victims.

Faced with the scene before I lost my job, I even forgot the pain in my body and gasped along with Miss Ais.

What kind of ritual is this?

Could it be that a mysterious cult is planning to summon a demon from pure imagination...?

I inadvertently recalled an ancient myth that I knew was a work of fiction.

Miss Ais was perhaps thinking about something similar, her face turning pale.

And then, right after that.

From the darkness of a room deep within the ritual chamber… a 'shadow' flickers.

"——"

Suddenly, a ghostly silhouette appeared.

It is neither human nor monster.

Before our eyes, which seemed to have frozen in place, emerged from the darkness as if from nothingness—white bones without flesh or skin, a 'skull'.

"Hoo-hoo ...

My loud screams became the trigger.

Along with Miss Ais, who turned around with all her might, I also turned around with all my might and ran out as fast as I could.

With our backs to the skull, eyes fixed straight ahead, we decided to run away.

"Let's blow it!!"

"Eh, wait, Miss Ais, wait a minute—arm!?!"

As she activated the 'magic,' she gripped my hand tightly.

Together with the irrational Miss Ais, I unleashed Gale Force and escaped from the haunted house.

"call……"

"What's wrong, Ferros?"

"It's alright. Although I assume you know that I set up a magic workshop in a deserted place outside my secluded retreat, it was discovered by others. We have to move it to another location."

Pantheon, underground.

In the "Prayer Chamber" where Uranus, the chief god who governs the institutions, sits, the magician Feros, swaying in his tattered black clothes, sighs.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at his left and right arms, now living skeletons, before turning his gaze back to the paper he held in his hand.

"Oh my, it's quite unusual that you read love letters, Uranus. What happened?"