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

They could be said to be children who share the same bad habits as themselves.

Thinking this, Loki couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

"Although I'm curious why you initiated this conversation... let me introduce myself first. What's your name?"

The boy smiled and answered:

"Finn... my name is Finn Dimna."

The time when gods first descend to the mortal realm is the most difficult.

Loki himself said this.

In this respect alone, she is incredibly lucky.

The reason given was that she "won the grand prize".

It's like making a fortune as soon as you place your bet on roulette at a casino.

This is how Loki and Finn met.

After exchanging greetings, they went to the village tavern.

"Your name is Finn, right? How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen years old. It's been four years since I left my hometown, and I believe I've trained my body and broadened my horizons. Now I can defeat monsters on my own, so I think it's time to make a contract with a god."

Inside the bustling restaurant, Loki and Finn sat at a two-seater table and introduced themselves. To be precise, it was only Finn introducing himself.

On the table lay fried beans and herb-roasted fish, along with an unexpectedly large number of empty wine bottles for lunchtime. For Loki, who was penniless, this meal was naturally paid for by Finn. As for the goddess who drank so heartily without any restraint, she could only say, with great emotion, "Hmm~! Such a casual taste! I didn't expect that wine from the lower realms could be so addictive~!"

"What? Did you really choose me based solely on 'intuition'?"

"Yes, my thumb started to ache slightly when I saw you. During these four years of wandering, I've come to trust this intuition very much."

"Oh~ it really is 'intuition'~? Does that mean you've taken a liking to me?"

"That's right, you could say that. My thumb tells me that joining forces with you will allow me to soar to new heights... a shortcut to achieving my ambitions."

What a fearless little creature!

Loki ate the snacks with his drinks without much ceremony, he thought to himself.

But she didn't feel the slightest displeasure.

The reason is that Loki was quite satisfied with the little man in front of him.

The young man appeared gentle and refined, but his arrogant demeanor was so infuriating that it made one grit their teeth in hatred.

Furthermore, his frankness in expressing his desire to use the gods to achieve his ambitions is also admirable.

"I'm talking about Fen baby."

"Just call me Finn. Seriously, what kind of name is that? It gives me the creeps."

"Hehehe, then I'll call you Finn, okay? Finn, what are your ambitions?"

Faced with this question, Finn straightened his posture and told the truth.

"I want to... revive the Lilliputians."

Despite being in a noisy tavern, this declaration, so out of place with its surroundings, was spoken clearly and decisively.

"The dwarves need light, they need a new hope to replace the goddess Fiana."

"Pfft, hehehehehe... So you want to be that hope, is that it? Do you even understand what you're saying?"

"That goes without saying, I'm determined to become a hero of our time."

Looking into those unwavering, azure eyes, Loki struggled to suppress his laughter.

These words always sound like such nonsense to others, and are simply regarded as absurd daydreams or unbelievable tales. Loki wanted to retort, "What nonsense are you spouting in the remote countryside of the lower realm?" but just laughed it off.

However, the goddess could see at a glance that Finn's determination was genuine.

Thanks to this little man before him, Loki couldn't help but wonder if all the inhabitants of the lower realm were such ridiculous, such foolish, and such dazzling beings.

—It's amazing that someone so small could harbor such lofty ambitions.

Loki glanced at the spear leaning against the table and a smile appeared on his face.

"So, do you have any specific plans? If you keep saying you want to be the hope of your clan, but you don't actually have any plans, that's really disappointing."

"I've already thought it through. I want to accomplish my 'great feat' in the 'center of the world'."

Finn immediately shared his planned ideas.

"I will become a first-class adventurer in the renowned labyrinth city, gaining an unshakeable status and reputation... and dominate it as the strongest [Familia]."

"I see, so it means they'll try to climb the ladder."

"That's right, I'll make good use of you, and I believe it's a good suggestion for you too."

Finn negotiated based on self-interest.

The gods can thus gain excellent subordinates, while the children can use the gods' factions to realize their ambitions.

Seeing Finn speak his mind so frankly, Loki felt even more favorably toward him.

This also includes his enormous, unbridled ambition.

"Let our [Familia] stand atop Orario... no, let's ascend to the pinnacle of the world! How about that? Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Loki understood that this alluring talk was just Finn's "reverse psychology," but she couldn't help but smile up as if drawn to the smile in front of her.

"This is so interesting~~"

If you're going to do something, you should strive to be number one. This is a saying that even a certain god once said.

If you want to create the strongest [Family], finding a kid who is ambitious, talks nonsense about grand dreams, and whose stories are so exciting to listen to, to be your first Familiar would be the most suitable choice.

(But if we're being careful, choosing this little person as the first member of the [Family] is probably the worst possible strategy.)

Humans, orcs, elves, dwarves, Amazons, and dwarves—

Leaving aside mixed-race individuals, among humans and the five sub-human races, the dwarf race is recognized as the weakest.

In terms of physique, they are inferior to humans; in terms of magic, they are not as good as elves; and in terms of strength, they are completely incomparable to dwarves. The only advantage of the dwarves is their eyesight, which is nothing compared to the orcs' superior five senses. If they were to encounter Amazons, who live only for the instinct to fight, they would be no match for them even if the sky were to fall.

Even when considering the "increase in ability value" after granting "favor", the results are largely the same.

At least for the first family member, the dwarf race would not be considered at all.

Generally speaking, people tend to choose the human race, which is mediocre but full of the most possibilities.

It would be even better if we could find a dwarf who could solve all the problems in the early stages with brute force alone.

If you have a lot of patience, you can choose the Elf, a magical race with an unpredictable personality but top-notch strength.

As for the orcs, they are more stable than the humans; and if the Amazons can be subdued, the situation will be the same as getting the dwarves, providing the best starting strategy.

In this competition (game) of managing the Netherworld faction, the gods dedicated to it would certainly call Loki's current choice "foolish" if they witnessed it.

For both the main god and the clan, the first step in establishing a new clan is such a crucial "watershed moment".

(But—this kind of thing can't be measured by worldly standards.)

When faced with criticism from other gods, Loki's response was to grin and make faces at them.

Abilities? Compatibility? The best way to start?

This is not important at all.

The truly foolish ones are the critics.

Being in the lower realm means you should cherish every encounter.

Because once you miss it, you can never get it back.

If a god were to encounter such an interesting child and then choose to let go without showing interest, then he would no longer be worthy of being a god.

Because, look.

The young man before me was still so dazzling and radiant that it was almost impossible to look directly at him.

Just as Loki was feeling incredibly excited and determined to make a pact with him, Finn suddenly stretched out his hand, gesturing for a moment to say "wait."

"Loki, if you agree to let me join your Familia, I hope you can promise me a few things first, otherwise this proposal will be dropped on the spot."

"Hmm? What are the conditions? Tell me."

Urged on by Loki, Finn held up two fingers.

"I have two conditions for your exchange. The first is, as I said before, that you must help me revive my people; the second condition is that you do not obstruct my decisions."

"Are you trying to obstruct your decision?"

"Yes, I know what I'm doing in this regard. Also, after joining the Familia, I believe I need to discuss things with you... But to achieve my long-cherished wish, I will stop at nothing."

So, what exactly does it refer to?

Just as Loki was about to ask that question in return—

"Oh, Finn! You're here again?"

A waiter approached the seats where Loki and the others were.

This girl, who is less than 110cm tall, is a dwarf like Finn.

The girl had shoulder-length chestnut hair and adorable, watery eyes like a chipmunk. Her sweet appearance completely evoked a protective instinct in anyone. Looking at this girl dressed casually in an apron, Loki couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh~ so cute~ so adorable~!"

Finn smiled gently at the girl of his own kind.

"Hi Melissa, I'm bothering you again today. Also, I hunted a wild boar in the countryside and will bring some over later."

"Wow~ Thank you, Finn! The shopkeeper will be so happy... Oh? Have you found the god you've been searching for?"

"That's right, I've finally found a god worthy of me."

After hearing Finn's answer, the girl named Melissa rolled her eyes at him.

"Look at how arrogant you are... God, please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart. Finn, despite being a dwarf, is rather conceited."

Melissa timidly looked up at Loki.

"Don't worry, don't worry, young people are just immature, I won't take it to heart." Loki waved his hand in response, and the girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and put on a smile again. Her reaction was like that of an older sister who was worried about her younger brother, or like that of a girl who was concerned about the "opposite sex" she had her eye on.

"That being said, Melissa, you're always particularly arrogant towards me, aren't you? Besides, before you criticize my ambitions, have you fulfilled your own wishes, my petite fellow countrywoman?"

Faced with this sarcasm that implied "Have you grown taller?", Melissa's cheeks immediately flushed red.

"Ugh, how annoying! I'm clearly older than you!"

Melissa, clutching the tray, huffed and puffed as she retorted loudly, but Loki saw only two equally righteous people; the scene resembled two precocious children bickering. Incidentally, Loki couldn't help but smile like an auntie when he blurted out, "Little girls are quite charming too~"

"Hey Melissa, someone wants to order!"

"Oh dear! Please enjoy your meal, gentlemen. Excuse me!"

After being reprimanded by the store manager behind the counter, Melissa quickly turned and left.

"Don't let her appearance fool you, she's actually one of our restaurant's star waitresses." After Finn finished his introduction, Loki, who casually responded with an "Oh~", noticed something keenly.

That was the look in Finn's eyes as he watched the girl leave.

"Hehehe, Finn, do you have a crush on that girl? She just mentioned that you've been to this shop a lot. I bet you're just having designs on Melissa...!"

Loki revealed a lecherous old man's face, ready to seize the opportunity to make fun of Finn—

"Yes. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I think this feeling could be called 'first love'."

However, Finn frankly nodded in agreement, causing Loki to blink.

Even now, his gaze is fixed on the busy waiter, and his profile shows a gentle smile. It doesn't look like the expression of a teenager in puberty at all. It's more appropriate to describe his reaction as that of a father or older brother.

The same applies to Finn's previous explanation. He objectively examined his own feelings and admitted that this was the attitude of "first love," which was perhaps a bit too nonchalant.

Because Finn showed absolutely no signs of naivety, Loki lost the motivation to continue teasing him.

If this is a child deliberately pretending to be mature, it might evoke feelings of care and concern.

Unfortunately, Finn's reaction was less a display of maturity and more a composure bordering on the old.

(...Are all the inhabitants of the lower realm this optimistic? Please don't tell me that's really the case~)

Although Loki complained inwardly about this trivial matter, it turned out that she was worrying unnecessarily.

It's simply that this little human is too special.