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

Lily: "No, what are you talking about again?! How could I possibly do that...!"

Hestia: "You'll definitely come to compete, won't you, Artemis?"

Artemis: "Hmm, if you want war, then let's fight!"

Lily: "Oh?!"

Hermes: "As expected of the goddess of chastity, she takes the competition very seriously. Competing in flying allows you to accumulate distance and get closer to your destination at the same time—it's killing two birds with one stone! So, I'm counting on you, Welf. What kind of god would you be if you didn't accept this competition!"

"Ah, that's why I'm talking about these gods!" Welf sighed.

Hestia: "Hehe, let's go! Ready, go!"

Lily: "Seriously, we shouldn't have held this competition! It's all Lady Hestia's fault, all these dragons look so exhausted."

Hestia: "Well, there's nothing I can do about it! I didn't expect we'd be this far apart."

Lily: "There's no way around it!"

Hermes: "Alright, alright, Lily. It's true that we've accumulated quite a bit of travel time, so it's not a big deal if we can't move around today."

Lily: "Hmm—! If even Lord Helms says so…"

Hermes: "Sunset is approaching, and we're deep in the forest; monsters are sure to lurk there. We should make the fire burn even brighter than usual."

Hestia: "So you mean we need to collect more firewood? Okay, Bell, let's go together!"

Bell: "Ah, okay!"

Hestia: "Hehe, great~, now I can be alone with Bell......"

Artemis: "That's wonderful, Hestia!"

Hestia: "That's exactly what I planned, so why did you come along too, Artemis?"

Artemis: "Is it not allowed?"

Hestia: "No, it's not that it's impossible. In fact, I'd like to be with you too..."

Artemis: "Besides, I'd also like to act alongside Orion."

Hestia: "So! That's why! You're just not good at this kind of thing!"

Bell: "My Lord God, please calm down!"

Hestia: "Seriously, you've completely changed. Where did the person who was the chairperson of the committee for eliminating impure heterosexual relationships go?"

Artemis: "Really? If you ask me, Hestia is the one who's completely changed since she was in the heavens."

Hestia: "I'm just in high spirits because I'm in the mortal realm! I'm always in a relaxed mode back in the heavens~"

Bell: "That's not something worth making a big fuss about..."

Hestia: "Hmm? Bell, Artemis, there's a lake over there!"

Bell: "Speaking of which, I saw it from above when I was in the air; it looked like there was a huge floating island."

Hestia: "Okay! Let's go take a look over there!"

Bell: "God, God, what about the firewood gathering?"

Hestia: "You two, come quick!"

Artemis: "There's nothing we can do about it now, and Hestia seems quite happy about it. Let's go over there, Orion."

Bell: "Hahaha... I understand."

Hestia: "Oh~, that thing floating in the middle of the lake isn't actually a huge island after all..."

Bell: "The skeleton of a monster?"

Artemis: "Yes, it's probably the skeleton of a great pterosaur, no, it should be a loot item. The monster that left the ancient dungeon and came to the surface eventually died of exhaustion in this lake."

Bell "remained in that lake without being noticed by anyone..."

Hestia: "I think so. If dropped items that can be turned into valuable materials are discovered, they should be taken back on the spot."

Artemis: "Even if we found it, we probably couldn't transport it. No, in fact, we probably couldn't even get here. Although we arrived here from the air, this place is practically a secret realm. It's simply impossible to travel from the land and make this our destination."

Bell: "But, how should I put it..."

Hestia, who seemed to have become one with nature, ended up as the remains of a monster.

Artemis: "Yes, majestic and beautiful."

Bell: "Wow... Traveling is such an amazing thing! There are all sorts of breathtaking new discoveries and unknown beautiful scenery. If there are countless more sights like this, I'd love to travel with everyone again after this mission is over."

Artemis: "Yes, let's travel together again. Let's see for ourselves, together with Hestia and the others, this lower realm we love so deeply."

Hestia: "Artemis, you..."

(Hestia grabbed Artemis's hand in one fell swoop)

Artemis: "Ah, eh?!"

Hestia: "Alright, let's go, Artemis!"

Artemis: "Hestia?! What happened?"

Hestia: "I'm wading barefoot in the shallows, bathed in the sunset. This is a page from my youth—no, a memory of my journey."

Artemis: "I don't understand what you're talking about!"

Hestia: "Although I don't know what kind of mission awaits us, it would be a huge loss if we didn't enjoy ourselves a little now, Artemis! Although this is my and Bell's memorable first trip, it's also my and Artemis's first trip in the mortal realm."

Artemis: "Ah..."

Hestia: "It will become an important memory between us! A journey that will truly exist no matter how many billions of years pass. Even if it's just so we can look back on it with a smile someday, yes, we should enjoy it to the fullest!"

Artemis: "Heh heh..."

Hestia: "Ah, eh, ahhhhh—!"

Artemis: "Ahhh—!"

(Hestia and Artemis both fall down)

Bell: "God, Goddess! Lady Artemis!"

The two goddesses laughed.

Artemis: "This is outrageous! This is too much! You can't do this, Hestia!"

Hestia: "What could I do? I tripped! Artemis, you're better at sports than me, so you should have helped me out at the crucial moment!"

Artemis: "How could you say such a thing? Is this how you treat a goddess like that?!"

Hestia: "—Ugh! Ah~, you actually did that!"

Artemis: "Yes, I did it!"

The two goddesses laughed.

Bell: "The goddesses... are actually splashing water on each other. Haha, I wonder if their clothes will ever dry?... Goddess, Lady Artemis, if you don't restrain yourselves, you'll catch a cold!"

(Someone emerges from the shadows)

Hermes: "What a beautiful sight! This is more precious than any other view!"

Hestia: "Aha, Bell is coming! Artemis, prepare to attack!"

Artemis: "Hmm, leave it to me! Take this!"

Bell: "Eh, wait! Uh!..."

The two goddesses laughed.

Hermes: "Enjoy yourselves, Artemis! Rejoice, you chaste goddess adorned in glory! Forget sins, atonement, and missions for now. May this journey be an indelible mark on their hearts—"

A special short story in the short story collection, "Intermission Tea Party".

This is a translated version from Bilibili.

Translation: 1cho_1129

"Girl, or goddess?"

When asked about this at a certain "tea party," Ryu was puzzled.

The person asking the question seemed quite unwilling. Although it wasn't to the point of saying "I'm so sorry for causing you trouble" or "I will obey you unconditionally," at least they had given up and stopped arguing. They were ready to "settle" the trouble they had caused. In short, they adopted the attitude of a prisoner who said "Do whatever you want with me."

When faced with this question—Asteria, the goddess of justice whom Ryu still deeply reveres—she simply smiled.

"First, Freya."

For various reasons, Ryu, Astraea, and Freya, the goddess of beauty, held a "tea party".

"It seems that everyone, including many children in the lower realms and even most of the male gods, has some misunderstandings... Your personality is much 'better' than mine, Astraea."

Freya said this while sitting in a gorgeous pure white chair.

She brought a white porcelain cup to her lips to conceal the anger behind it.

"Oh, really? Compared to that wicked goddess who twisted the entire Orario for just one man, and who is also more straightforward in her love than anyone else, I am nothing, Freya."

"...!"

But Astrea, sitting diagonally opposite Freya, maintained her smile without any change.

Freya placed the cup on the saucer with exquisite force—the sound seemed to reach her ears, yet was barely audible—then she frowned noticeably and glared at Astraea.

Ryu, influenced by Freya's unrestrained divine power, unconsciously uttered a trembling voice, "Lady Astraea...!?"

At this time, less than five days had passed since the "Factional Wars" that had shaken Orario and even the entire Nether ended.

The venue was a borrowed rooftop restaurant.

On this rooftop, out of sight of anyone but the Babel Tower or the city walls, surrounded by a blue sky, Ryu and his two companions sat in a triangle around a white dining table.

"This was supposed to be an apology visit to 'Hill,' how did it turn out like this..."

Before the smiling goddess of justice and the displeased goddess of beauty, Ryu murmured to herself.

After the Hestia Familia led the faction alliance to a dramatic victory in the Faction War, and won back the tavern girl who said she "didn't want to be a goddess anymore," Ryu finally achieved a happy ending—as it should have been.

Specifically, the goddess who distorted Orario, plunging the entire labyrinth city into chaos, began a "reverse pilgrimage" (not a typo).

Centered around those who knew the "tavern girl's" true identity as the "goddess," Hill began visiting them one by one to apologize, sometimes enduring scolding, sometimes being slapped, holding a grand ceremony of atonement. Although it was merely a formality, the "goddess" had been openly exiled from Orario, and "she" was aware of her despicable actions, willingly accepting punishment. This ceremony of atonement was the form of "closure" offered by the "girl."

This concept of "settling things" also applies to Astraea, who is heading to Orario as reinforcements in the faction war.

After all, he had not only dragged Ryu, who was a member of the Astrea Familia, into this, but had even hurt her.

As the girl said this, she still insisted on having a meeting with Astrea after apologizing to Ryu.

"Following the rules in a wondrous place," Ryu temporarily set aside her stance and gave Hill a gentle smile. But... upon hearing Hill's suggestion, Lady Astrea not only didn't get angry or speak harshly, but instead clasped her hands together, seemingly happily replying to Ryu, "Then, shall the three of us have a tea party?"

A momentary look of relaxation crossed Hill's face, but she seemed to immediately sense something bad, her lips pursing into a strange shape (this was the first time Ryu had ever seen her make this expression). In the end, her bad premonition came true.

And so, before Ryu, the goddess of beauty, as if being mocked, cast a reproachful glance at the goddess of justice.

"You are more innocent than all the goddesses, what a cunning woman. I admit, your methods are very effective; I am indeed furious right now."

"However, wasn't it Freya herself who asked beforehand whether she wanted to attend this tea party as a 'goddess' or a 'girl'?"

"That's because it included the matter of apologizing to Ryu. I thought I should show the appropriate attitude when facing Ryu's main god. But your actual thoughts are clearly not 'girl or goddess,' but 'girl or goddess is fine.' Compared to you, even that hearth goddess seems much cuter."

"Hehe, after all... I also want to chat with 'Little Hill'."

On one side was Freya, who had forgotten her original intention of coming to apologize and was full of displeasure, while on the other side was Astrea, who just smiled lightly with ease.

Ryu was restless, unable to remain calm under the divine power emanating from both of them. Rather, it was as if they could actually suppress Freya and even describe her as "malicious" or "straightforward in love"! This was completely different from the main god she knew.

"Speaking of which, Freya... no, Hill, is it really appropriate to wear a tavern uniform while looking like a goddess...?"

"What could I do? I was in such a rush this morning, so I just came here in my tavern uniform. Besides, it's all because some goddess told me to attend this tea party in the guise of a 'goddess' that I ended up like this. If you have any complaints, go complain to your god, Ryu."

Despite her reluctance to speak, Ryu, who had always shown an attitude of escaping reality, finally brought up something that had been bothering her since the beginning of the tea party.

Freya was currently wearing the same uniform as Hill usually did—the uniform of the "Mistress of Abundance." Although she had removed her pure white apron, the new leaf-colored uniform accentuated her ample bosom. Her long, shapely legs were now crossed, a posture less one would consider inappropriate for a "girl" and more one that would tarnish Ryu's image of a "girl," prompting Ryu to consider offering a word of advice… But the proud and unyielding goddess, being in a place where no one could see her, didn't care about her image—or rather, she was completely disregarding it.

Since Astrea had to return to her current base, Swordcraft City, today, Freya moved this visit to the top of her list, as there was absolutely no time to spare for this 'tea party'.

The weather was clear. The climate was so warm it was almost unbelievable that winter had only recently departed; it wasn't even noon yet, and the warm sunlight streamed onto the rooftops. Yet, compared to such a bright and sunny day, Ryuta was already exhausting all his energy just to suppress a sigh.

"...If this continues, we'll be forcibly dragged into Astrea's rhythm and get entangled in it, so I'll make it clear first." Freya slowly furrowed her beautifully shaped eyebrows, lowered her legs that were originally crossed, and brought her slender legs under the table. She sat upright in a beautiful and captivating posture that Ryu had never seen before, looking directly at the goddess of justice.

"I'm so sorry, Astraea. It's all my fault for this boring infatuation that has caused you and your children trouble." Freya transformed from an arrogant and unruly queen into a humble and polite gentleman, frankly expressing her apology. Ryu knew that the 'girl' had bowed her head for all sorts of things, but witnessing her apologize in the manner of a 'goddess' at such close range was so impactful that she was almost speechless.