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

"Lord Bell is truly a lucky rabbit!"

"Well... in the end, I was the one who completely ruined the already slim chances of recruitment, so it really is..."

Lily leaned back in her chair, looking troubled. Miss Megumi glanced to the side, God gave his answer with his arms crossed, Welf offered his comments like an advisor, Miss Ryu agreed, and Miss Haruhime happily showed a bright smile.

Although I was still concerned about what was happening in the corridor, I still managed a wry smile as I explained why I couldn't honestly feel happy.

"Ultimately, considering that the Hestia Familia even defeated Ota and his group, given their current level of fame, this situation is actually more unnatural."

Miss Hill handed me a steaming cup of fragrant black tea, and I quickly accepted it after saying "Ah, thank you."

"That's true... but honestly, there are way too many kids here just for Bell-kun~"

"Well, after all, Mr. Bell is a Level 1 adventurer—he's definitely got the charm of everyone~"

"I don't want that kind of thing."

After the black tea was served, the God gulped it down in one go and let out a long sigh. Then,

"Hey, what are you doing here?!"

A thunderous roar echoed throughout the room.

Only now did we realize how startled we were, and we turned to look at the light gray-haired girl who had unknowingly blended in and was even casually brewing tea—or rather, Miss Hill, dressed in her tavern uniform.

"What's the big deal? Count me in too!"

"Of course not! Besides, don't you still have your job at the pub!?"

"Miss Helen and the others are working hard right now, so I sneaked out... and stopped by to check on them while I was out shopping♪"

Miss Haruhime, dressed in a maid outfit, was greatly shocked and kept muttering, "My job has been taken away...!?" Meanwhile, Lady Hestia was shouting angrily, but Miss Hill calmly dodged the question.

...Because of the need to protect Miss Haruhime and Miss Ryu, Master and the others have been stationed at the "House of Hearth". Perhaps for this reason, Miss Hill often comes to visit casually like this (of course, the guards on Master's side are basically easy for her to pass by just by looking at them).

The god was extremely dissatisfied with this.

According to the God, this is because if they are not careful, "she will expand her territory to this mansion."

It seems Miss Hill really longs to live in this mansion...

"Go back to your own lair!"

"Battle Wilderness has been seized by the guild. I can't come and go as I please now. Just let me stay here."

"What does this have to do with me?! I'll just go back to the tavern and sleep!"

"Even the annex is packed with Hyde and the others~! I've been sleeping in rotation between Anya, Chloe, Lunova, and Helen's little beds these past few days. It's so uncomfortable to have two people sharing one bed... Waaaaah."

"I already said, what does this have to do with me! Keeping you by Bell's side overnight is more dangerous than letting Aisha join the group!! Get back here, Hill—!"

"Why not just call him Lord Hill..."

Looking at Miss Hill and God arguing incessantly to each other, Lily sighed helplessly.

In the end, Miss Hill, who had been persistently insistent, relented and reached an agreement that she could occasionally stay overnight at the mansion.

Make an unreasonable demand first, then gradually make concessions...

I've heard Hermes say that this is a common tactic in negotiations.

Miss Hill may have intended to make this 'request' from the very beginning...

I gave the exhausted Goddess a dry laugh, while Lily and the others sighed and said, "How could Lady Hestia possibly argue with Lady Hill?"

"Hmm? Have you finished your tea?"

"Then I'll go to a bar. After all, Miss Hill... and Miss Haruhime have had a tough time."

Welf, who was standing nearby, was refilling everyone's cups as if it were none of his business. I took the white ceramic teapot from his hand.

Over there, Miss Hill and God were still arguing back and forth. "Thank you so much, Goddess!" "Aren't you a god yourself?! I still can't stand you—! Ahhh, don't hug me!" Meanwhile, Lily and Miss Life were trying to comfort Miss Haruhime, who was a maid...

Just because he's the regimental commander, he does nothing at home and acts all high and mighty. I absolutely don't want to become that kind of person.

"This is troublesome," Welf said. I waved to him and headed towards the kitchen.

Just as I was preparing the magic stone device for starting the fire, and was about to wash the cups that everyone had used—

"I'll help, Bell."

Miss Ryu, you've arrived.

She was wearing the casual loungewear she was used to seeing now, the hem swaying gently. She walked in as naturally as a bartender.

"Th-thank you, Ms. Ryu..."

"You're welcome. I'm new here, so these things should be done by me."

"No, that doesn't make sense..."

"At least that was the case when I joined the Justice Faction (Alizee and others)."

I struggled to suppress my surprise and finally managed to express my gratitude. Miss Ryu shook her head, a smile appearing on her lips when she mentioned Miss Alize and the others.

Then we divided the work and worked together. I was in charge of putting the kettle on the fire, while Miss Ryu started washing the containers.

We stood together naturally. Our shoulders were so close.

A woman's fragrance wafted from that beautiful blonde hair, making me slightly dizzy.

He and Miss Liu were alone together.

(...I'm so nervous)

No, let's tell the truth.

so awkward.

It's fine when Lily and the others are together, but as soon as it's just the two of us, we immediately start to feel restless.

The reason is also obvious.

"I like you."

"I like you..." refers to liking a man.

That brief declaration during the factional war.

That one sentence really got my head all messed up, and my heart was pounding.

The matter has been stalled until now, and I've used the lack of an opportunity as an excuse, hence the lack of progress. I haven't given any response yet.

Miss Liu, doesn't she care at all?

I forced my stiff neck to move and stole a glance, only to see that the beautiful woman remained calm and composed.

Rather, how should I describe it? She seemed very calm, even in a good mood.

(...As expected, this can't go on. Even if it gets even more awkward than it is now...)

It's time to put an end to this.

I whispered this to myself. Then I said goodbye to that selfish feeling of 'not wanting to hurt her' and made up my mind.

Just say it. You have to say it. Faced with her confession, give the answer you've already decided.

"Miss Ryu. Um—"

however.

"Please don't tell anyone, Bell."

My resolve was thwarted.

He was captivated by those empty, all-seeing eyes.

I stood frozen in place, looking like a fool who wanted to say something, while Miss Liu put down what she was doing, looked up and met my eyes.

"Hill failed to win you over. So I should suffer the same fate."

"...!"

"Don't worry about it, I understand."

After Miss Liu finished speaking, she added the following.

She narrowed her eyes slightly. In stark contrast, my face looked as if it were about to crack open.

My thoughts have definitely been seen through.

The day after I parted ways with Miss Hill at the Goddess Festival, this was the person who loudly questioned me when I was feeling melancholy.

She must have gently seen through my inner vulnerability. It was this vulnerable heart that almost caused me psychological trauma after rejecting someone's affection.

But I am a man. Even if some people say this is discrimination, that it has nothing to do with gender, I am still a 'man'.

The woman was the one who was injured, yet she's now protecting me. However, the thought of secretly feeling relieved under her protection is too shameful for me to accept.

I turned around, closing the already tiny gap between my shoulders, intending not to back down any further.

"However... please allow me to like you for a while longer."

Just like once before, she extended her slender index finger and pressed it against my lips.

I remember it was when I met her in the labyrinth street (Daedalus Street) while trying to rescue the dragon girl and the others.

My lips were pressed against his, my eyes wide open, and I recalled this inappropriate past like an idiot.

"The stubborn fairy has finally become frank. In that case, it won't hurt to be manipulated by this infatuation for a while longer. After all, a fairy's life is quite long."

Therefore, I hope to continue to immerse myself in this infatuation.

She pleaded so earnestly.

Faced with this plea, a man's ambition or dignity seem utterly insignificant, even laughable.

"May I?"

She asked.

It took me a while to awkwardly nod.

This is the only thing I can do.

"Thanks."

After saying that, she left.

Moreover, cups for the corresponding number of people were already prepared and neatly arranged.

I couldn't catch up. Even if I were slow to react, I knew I absolutely couldn't catch up at that moment.

Then, as if on purpose, the kettle on the magic stone artifact boiled.

I stood there stunned for a while before slowly turning off the fire.

What's the best temperature for brewing black tea? I've been clueless about that for ages.

He'd probably get kicked away by his master.

To be honest, I'd rather just get kicked away myself.

Even though I'm a man, I make the other person worry about me... No, that's not right.

Perhaps he was just being teased by an older sister?

I reached up and held my forehead, supporting my flushed and dizzy face, and only then did I realize that she had made "her own way of ending it all".

"……………………………………………………"

After leaving the kitchen, Ryu didn't return to the living room for some reason, but instead went to the hallway.

She strode forward with incredible speed, and after turning the corner, whoosh! she suddenly crouched down.

She buried her face between her knees, and her long, slender, fairy-like ears turned completely crimson.

"You've worked really hard, Ryu."

Just then, with a whoosh.

I don’t know when or where I started to hear their conversation, but Hill suddenly peeked out from the shadows of the corridor.

Hill walked to Ryu's side with a gentle smile on her face, while Ryu slowly raised her head, her face as red as her ears.

"Hill..."

"Are you feeling sad now? Or ashamed?"