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

"That day, Seele seemed to chase you all the way outside the shop, but you still didn't run into her, right? When Seele came back looking so worried, Ryu... that little elf girl almost went out with a real sword. It took me a lot of effort to stop her."

As someone who loves elves, it seems I've misunderstood them.

(So ​​that's how it is... She was actually willing to pursue someone like me...)

After hearing these words, my heart slowly warmed.

I thought to myself, I hope that one day I can really repay her.

"...Kid."

"yes?"

"There's no point in being an adventurer if you're not trying to be cool. At the beginning, all you have to do is fight for survival. Showing off won't get you anywhere."

I opened my eyes wide.

Aunt Mia was also at the bar at that time. Perhaps she had already seen through my scheme?

She grinned.

"The one who can still stand on two legs at the very end is the winner. Who cares about looking ugly or anything? The one who comes back safely, I'll give him a grand feast. See, that's what a winner is, isn't it?"

Mia, Mom...!

"Stop making that disgusting face. Okay, stop getting in our way. Get out, get out."

My body was turned around and I was shoved hard from behind.

Although I had stopped breathing halfway, my heart was still filled with gratitude.

Only now do I feel that the stubborn gloom that lingered in the corner of my heart has finally been swept away. The words of that orc youth from the Loki Familia have now become pure fuel.

Do what I can right now as quickly as possible, don't overexert myself, and then fight desperately to survive.

The policy has been perfectly formulated.

"Kid, I've given you so much advice, don't you dare kick the bucket, understand?"

"No problem, thank you for your guidance!"

As I rushed out of the store full of energy, I accidentally shouted, "I'm going out!" which made my face flushed the whole time I was running down the street.

✟

night.

A bright moon hung in the sky, casting a dark veil all around. In a corner of the forest, faintly illuminated by the moonlight, the clear and resonant cry of an owl blended gently with the subtle rustling of leaves.

The tranquil birdsong drifted through the forest, carried by the night breeze, and danced crisply overhead across the grassland, but at one point, the sound was blocked.

Huge wall.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a city wall; it was thick, high, and sturdy.

The walls, built of massive stones, let in light from the inside that repels darkness, and the overflowing clamor easily drowns out the sounds from the outside.

The labyrinth city of Orario.

It has existed since the time before the gods descended, and is one of the world's leading metropolises, as well as the world's "only" labyrinthine city.

The city, surrounded by city walls, forms a perfect circle. The outermost part is dominated by tall towers and high-rise buildings, which are the most eye-catching, while the buildings become shorter as you move closer to the center. Every corner of the bowl-shaped city is filled with particles of light—the light source of magic stone lamps—shining and dazzling like a sea of ​​stars.

In the heart of this vast city stands a white-walled skyscraper that reaches straight into the sky.

Looking around Orario, no building could be found taller; its colossal shadow, piercing the darkness, exuded an overwhelming aura of power. This tower was the first thing visitors to Orario would see, and it would temporarily capture their attention.

Orario is centered around the skyscraper "Tower of Babel," which serves as the "lid" for the dungeon. True to the city's name, the city flourishes with the maze (dungeon) as its starting point.

Orario possesses dungeons, a feature that attracts more adventurers than any other city or nation. These dungeons are the source of ferocious monsters scattered across the continent, known as the world's three great mysteries, where the "unknown" slumbers, untouched by anyone. And the "unknown" draws many adventurers with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, willing to risk their lives.

Of course, many adventurers are driven by greed. The endless supply of magic stones and loot from the ever-evolving monsters can create immense wealth, while defeating powerful monsters like heroes in a story can bring fame. The fickle gods of Orario find this amusing and praise their honor; disregarding the adventurers' will, their reputations can spread throughout the world in the blink of an eye.

It is called the excitement of the unknown, the wealth of the world, the glorious honor, and the power.

This city has everything.

As a result, a large number of people, fascinated by this dream, gathered here—among them perhaps some eccentric individuals seeking a fateful encounter.

"The hottest city in the world".

That's what people call Orario.

"Ah, isn't that Takemikazuchi, the representative of the penniless [Family] over there? Hey—fushishi."

"Ah, isn't that Takemikazuchi, the guy with the perpetually gloomy face? Hey—fushishi."

"Those two damned bastards...!"

Therefore, inevitably.

It's only natural that these "gods," who crave the unknown and seek entertainment even more than adventurers, would flock to the world's hottest city.

Within a certain venue.

It is hard to imagine that there would be so many gods forming a large group like a crowd.

"Yo ho."

"Oh, it's been so long! Hundreds of years!"

"Hmm, it's been four days."

"Ah—, it's been so long—. You've changed so much too—"

"Excuse me for interrupting you, but this is the venue for the 'banquet,' isn't it?"

Above these strange-sounding, eccentric gods, a building overlooks them.

In the vast city of Orario, studded with countless points of light, this building stands out. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say it's extremely bizarre.

A giant statue with an elephant's head sits cross-legged in a spacious area surrounded only by white walls.

The statue must be at least 30 meters in size. Its imposing, upright posture, awaiting the admiration of all, is renowned for evoking a strange and profound emotion in those who see it. At this moment, it is illuminated by countless large magic stone lamps.

Don't be surprised. This is a genuine building.

The handsome god Ganesha, with his dark skin and muscular physique, suddenly had an idea and spent all of his [Familia's] savings to build this enormous facility.

This is the headquarters of the Ganesha Familia, "I am Ganesha."

It was very unpopular with the members, who always entered and exited the building reluctantly. Incidentally, the entrance was located in the center of the crotch of the person sitting cross-legged.

"What is Ganesha doing?"

"Ganesha is pretty cool, buddy."

Dressed in formal attire comparable to that of nobles, these handsome and refined men chatted and laughed as they slipped between their legs. Each and every one of them was a god.

He is a guest of honor at the "Feast of the Gods" hosted by Ganesha today.

The so-called "Feast of the Gods," in essence, is a gathering held by the gods who descended to the mortal realm to meet. There are no rules about which god hosts it or on what day. Which god decides to hold the feast, and which god decides to attend. This reveals the capriciousness and unrestrained nature of the gods.

"Thank you all for gathering here today! I am Ganesha! I am so touched that so many of you fellow countrymen have come to this banquet! I love you all so much! I'm sure you all want to catch up, but as is customary this year, the celebration will be held in three days. I would like to ask your [Family] to provide assistance in this regard—"

Unlike the building's exterior, the lobby's interior decoration presents a dignified style.

On the grand stage, Ganesha, dressed in a giant elephant mask and indistinguishable from the surrounding buildings, was delivering a banquet address in a deafening voice. The surrounding gods, long accustomed to this, ignored Ganesha's speech and continued their own lively conversations.

The event was a standing-room party. Long tables covered with pure white tablecloths were laden with various dishes, and fresh fruit emitted a cool, refreshing aroma. Waiters bustled about in the hall, where footsteps echoed, while a band prepared to perform by the wall; perhaps a dance party would follow soon.

A quick glance around the bustling venue revealed that almost all the gods of Orario were present.

The number of invitations sent to the "Feast of the Gods" depends on the manpower that the organizer's "Family" can mobilize, so the number of participants will vary depending on the size of the organizer.

The Ganesha Familia is one of the most prominent Familias in Orario, and therefore all the gods residing in this labyrinthine city were invited.

Hestia was one of them.

"Hey! Waiter, bring the footstool over here, quick!"

“Okay, okay!”

Amidst the clamor of voices, Hestia commands the Ganesha Familia members, who serve as waiters, to engage in a battle with all sorts of dishes.

Because of her physique, she couldn't reach the food on the inside of the table.

"(Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!)"

"..."

Hestia packed the dishes that seemed to last longer into the insulated containers she had brought. The young waiter, witnessing this, wore a speechless expression.

Since it was a standing meal (free of charge), she had no intention of being polite. The Hestia Familia was several times poorer than any of the gods' factions here. As long as it reduced Bell's burden, Hestia didn't care about saving face and was prepared to cut every penny she could.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that she wasn't wearing luxurious clothes or formal gowns, but rather casual clothes that seemed rather formal, which she had used to get away with it.

"Hey, here comes the loli with huge breasts."

"So she's still alive."

"You wouldn't believe it, that guy works really hard at his job in the North District shopping street. He even gets his head patted by customers while he's a vendor."

"As expected of the Loli Goddess...!"

Of course, this drew a lot of attention. She didn't talk to any of the attendees, but only focused on monopolizing the dishes on the table. Coupled with her distinctive appearance, she quickly became the focus of the gods' attention.

Hestia knew she was being ridiculed, so she decided to pretend she didn't see it unless someone caused her trouble. She didn't forget to toss some food into her mouth, chewing with her round cheeks.

"What are you doing...?"

"Ugh? Hmm!"

A weak, exhausted voice came from Hestia's side.

She turned her head and saw a fiery red hairstyle and a bright red dress.

Her delicate yet angular features revealed a strong inner will. Even the precious metal earrings adorning her ears paled in comparison to her fiery beauty.

What was most striking about that beauty was the black leather cloth covering half of her face.

The beautiful woman, wearing a large eye patch over her right eye, looked down at Hestia with a surprised expression in her left eye.

"Hephaestus!"

"Yes, it's been a long time, Hestia. I'm glad you've been well. ...I'd be even happier if you looked a little more presentable."

After sighing, Hephaestus looked up at the ceiling, her waist-length hair gleaming brilliantly. Under the illumination of the magic stone light on the ceiling, the thin red hair shimmered as if mixed with sugar.

Hestia thought to herself, "That hair is so beautiful every time I see it," and ran happily to her side.

"Oh, that's great! You really came. It was the right decision to come here."

"What? Let me make this clear from the start, I won't lend you another Fali."

"That's so rude!"

On the contrary, Hephaestus gave Hestia a rather impolite look and spoke to her in a sharp tone.

Hestia's divine friend, who lived under someone else's roof before she met Bell, was Hephaestus.

Even though the two had a long-standing friendship, Hestia's lack of organization of a Familia and her lack of intention to work since moving to Orario had already caused Hephaestus's confidence in her to plummet.

Even after Hephaestus finally lost his patience and kicked her out, Hestia still needed Hephaestus's help with everything. Sometimes she was short of money, sometimes she couldn't find a job, and sometimes she had nowhere to shelter from the wind and rain; in short, it really gave her a headache.

Hephaestus, who was very loyal to her friends, was unwilling to indulge this little god friend, but she could not shut her out and let her starve to death on the streets. At that time, Hephaestus really went to great lengths.

As a result, providing Hephaestus with the hidden room in Hestia's church and finding her her current job were all arrangements. The only thing Hestia accomplished on her own was getting Bell to join the Familia.

Although Hestia pretends to be very mature in front of Bell, she is actually a hopeless person who can't do anything.

"Do I look like a god who would do that kind of thing?! Although I have indeed asked Hephaestus for help many times, I'm doing alright now thanks to you! I'm not going to be a freeloader to my best friend these days!"

"You were clearly eating a free meal just now."

"Ugh... no, it's because there will be leftovers anyway... rather than throwing them away and wasting them, I might as well make good use of them—that's all..."

"Oh—oh—, I really admire your stingy spirit. Seeing you like this, I'm so moved I can't stop crying."

"Gurgle...!"

Seeing Hephaestus's disdainful look, Hestia groaned in resentment.

Just then, a knocking sound was heard.

The crisp sound of shoes hitting the floor came from behind Hephaestus.

"Hehe...you two still have such a good relationship."