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

The dwarf laughed.

As if only now could he forget all his worries, a warrior's smile appeared on his face.

"...What a savage, smelly dwarf."

The elf couldn't help but roll his eyes.

On the one hand, he was utterly dumbfounded by that absurd and unparalleled strength.

"Pfft! Hahahaha! Alright! Let's fight side by side!"

The dwarves responded with laughter.

The three, who were "teaming up" for the first time, all felt their hearts racing with excitement.

The demi-humans launched an attack against the roaring monster through seamless cooperation.

"Wow, that's amazing..."

"They worked seamlessly with Brother Grace..."

The miners, who had been lying on the ground, were helped to their feet by the elders (dwarves) of the village (Lonsa), and their attention was also drawn to this scene.

The dwarves, allied with the strongest in Lonsa, and supported by elves. Whenever Might roared, Courage echoed, and songs resounded around them. The battle was both fierce and magnificent, like a chapter from a fairy tale.

This scene clearly shows a group of people working together.

"...Ah~"

Covered in wounds and still bleeding from his nose, Yugur secretly shed tears.

"Indeed, it would be better for Big Brother to stay 'there'."

Because he was smiling.

It was a refreshing and bold smile, not the resentful one from before.

The aloof and taciturn miner of the past is no more.

The dwarf whose blood boiled in the "fiery battle" was the real "Grace Landrock".

"—Go! Go! Big Brother Grace!!"

When Yugur came to his senses, he had already closed his eyes and was sending out a message of support.

Facing that back view that simultaneously conveyed a mix of emotions, including fervor and desolation, he pushed forward forcefully through a shout.

In response to his younger brother's support, Grace raised his right arm.

"Ughh ...

"Gah!?"

The dwarf threw a powerful punch with all his might.

The power was so great that it cracked the scales of "Lemton" and even bent its huge body.

The three pairs of compound eyes looked menacing, but in addition to anger, there was also a hint of anxiety. Faced with these prey that were smaller than itself, the monster received a warning from its instincts.

Perhaps realizing it was at a disadvantage, the monster prepared to make a hole in the wall in order to escape.

"You wish!"

Riveria would naturally not let her opponent succeed.

She mustered her last bit of mental strength to launch one last bombardment.

"[Ecstasy: Fimbulb Winter]!!"

The fierce blizzard froze the ground, walls, and "Lemton" completely.

Although its power was far less than at its peak, allowing the monster to escape being turned into an ice sculpture, it still temporarily halted its massive movements.

At the same time, Grace and Finn rushed forward.

"Dwarf! Pierce it!"

"!!"

The dwarf roared from the side.

Once the dwarves saw clearly what the other was holding tightly in his hand, they immediately understood.

Without exchanging glances with Grace, Finn charged forward first.

He thrust his spear with all his might towards the very center of the enormous body.

"~ ...

With its scales pierced, "Lymton," whose flesh had been stabbed by a spear, began to struggle in pain.

When it went berserk, it shattered all the ice blocks that bound its body, and countless shards of ice flew into the air.

Located inside the mine, bathed in dreamlike ice crystals falling from the sky, Grace leaped high into the air in one go.

Prepare for ignition at the same time.

As if switching places with Finn, he threw a heavy punch at the wound pierced by the spear—and shoved the "dwarf explosive" he was holding into it.

"Die! Aa ...

The next second, a red flash shot out.

An explosion then occurred.

"────────────────────────────Hiss!?"

Finn grabbed Grace's hand in an instant, managing to break free at the last moment, and "Lymton," with its compound eyes engorged with blood, exploded from the center of its body.

First came a loud bang and an impact, then the giant snake, which should have been trapped in the frost, was engulfed in flames.

Even the most resilient monster would perish if its body were blown in two like this. After struggling for a while in its death throes, the giant beast, frozen and then burned, was crushed into a pulp by the falling rocks.

The cave could not withstand the repeated impacts, and the ceiling collapsed.

The annihilated monsters vanished amidst countless falling rocks, bringing this fierce battle to a close.

Grace could no longer walk and collapsed to the ground, but he closed his eyes contentedly with a smile on his face.

Finn, standing beside him, and Riveria, who was behind him with her wand down, both wore the same expression.

The "Lemton" that caused the mine collapse has been defeated.

But the problem lies after that.

The collapse didn't just stop when it crushed the monsters; Finn and his group were almost buried alive as well.

Under Loki's frantic, almost screaming instructions, the already exhausted Riveria once again used "magic," casting a first-tier attack spell (Ecstasy: Fimbulwinter) to create an "ice palace" around her, accommodating everyone present and blocking all the falling rocks until the rescue team arrived. Later becoming the city's strongest mage, she looked back with a wistful gaze, lamenting, "Actually, I almost died from exhaustion on the spot," and "Our adventure almost ended there."

Rivera, her long staff raised, her eyes bloodshot and utterly devoid of any royal bearing, struggled to stay upright; Aina continued to feed her elixirs of spiritual power, and the moment she saw the light from the outside world streaming in, she naturally fainted. At this point, she was no longer just mentally exhausted (mind down), but mentally depleted (mind zero).

As the literal meaning suggests, the elven royal, who had been brutally violated beyond his limits, slept for three days and three nights. During this time, Aina was so worried that her mind was in turmoil, and even Grace and the miners felt quite guilty about it.

"If the elves find out about this, they'll probably hunt us down to the ends of the earth."

Not just you, but us too—that's the conclusion Finn reached by forcing a smile.

In short, all the miners were rescued and their lives were saved. The villagers of Lonsa regarded Finn and the others as their saviors and celebrated for three days and three nights (the feast continued even after Riveria regained consciousness).

Despite their poverty, the dwarves held banquets in a lavish manner, opening and sharing all their treasured wines. Loki was pulled to drink by a short, bearded old man, while Riveria and Aina, looking somewhat bewildered, had a great time. Finn, meanwhile, was laughing happily.

After some hesitation, Grace went to thank Finn and Riveria.

"Thanks to you all... Yugur and I were spared from death."

"This has slightly changed my opinion of the elves and dwarves."

“…Thank you.”

Faced with Grace's clumsy attitude, Riveria turned her face away without any honesty, while Finn simply raised a hand in response.

Later, as if deep in thought, Grace remained alone in the distance, drinking alone in silence.

After everyone had drunk and celebrated to their hearts' content, the banquet finally ended the next morning—

"Big sister, are you leaving?" "Huh?"

"I'm sorry, because we have dreams we want to achieve."

This is in front of the cave leading to the surface.

All the villagers of Lonsa came to see Finn and the others off.

Looking at the two dwarf sisters who were reluctant to part, Riveria patted their heads and gave them a gentle smile.

"...Grace, you..."

The two groups of people present were Finn and his party who were preparing to leave, and the dwarves who had come to see them off.

Grace was not among the former.

After becoming the center of attention, Grace, who had kept her lips tightly closed, finally spoke.

"I...I won't leave the village...I still can't go with you."

He avoided Finn and the others' gaze and gave his reply.

Moreover, the answer was far more hesitant than when they first met.

"For my hometown, I..."

Seeing his older brother's reaction.

The younger brother (Yugul) stepped forward as if he had decided to do so from the very beginning.

"Brother Grace, please go with these people! Embark on the journey with them!"

Grace's eyes widened in shock.

The other underlings seemed to have been prepared as well. The next second, when Grace was completely taken aback, they shoved a bag full of travel supplies into his hands and said the following words as a farewell.

"I heard what you said in the steam room, brother! It's all my fault for not being quick-witted enough to realize your true thoughts before I did!"

"Yogur, you..."

"Even if you're gone, it's okay. We'll take care of things in the village from now on, so you must fulfill your dream!"

Stop talking nonsense! How could I abandon you all? Grace, who was about to rebuke his underlings who were still only half-baked, whether as dwarves or miners, was hesitant to speak.

However, Yugul seemed to have already seen through Grace's thoughts and continued to refute:

"Didn't you see how we stood up to fight that giant serpent monster!?"

"!!"

"Even without you, Brother Grace, it's okay! No, we'll become so strong that we can manage even without you! So, Brother, you don't need to keep putting yourself through this!"

The young dwarf, overcome with emotion, shed tears. He sniffed and continued shouting:

"You will become a dwarf more famous than the elves and dwarves over there, and make us proud of you!"

Inspired by Yugur, the residents of Lonsa also began to voice their opinions.

"That's right! Go ahead!"

"Stop pretending to be a grown-up and carrying all sorts of burdens, you little brat!"

We will support you!

"Boss Grace, you have to do your best!" "Okay!"

Whether they were older dwarves or children like Nalu and Noru, everyone, regardless of age or gender, encouraged Grace with words of encouragement.

Seeing the scene before him, Grace's mouth, which was covered by his beard, twisted slightly. Although he didn't burst into tears like Yugur, he was also trying his best to suppress the feelings that welled up from the bottom of his heart.

"...You bunch of bastards, face reality! The problems facing the village can't be solved by sheer force. If I leave, how do you plan to survive...!?"

"Ah, about that matter."

Loki suddenly interrupted from the side.

The goddess, who had been watching with a sly grin all along, finally "revealed the answer" after Finn nudged her with his elbow and teased her, "You're so mean."

"With this goblin around, the village's problems can be considered completely solved, right?"

"……What!?"

Grace stopped in shock and let out a loud scream.