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

"And...look at Lily's expression."

"He looks quite satisfied..."

"Yeah. Thanks to Nina, we didn't need to use a single recovery potion."

Even from behind, you could clearly see the joy written all over Lily's face.

Her backpack, crammed with luggage, swayed back and forth, and her steps were light as if she were about to leap up at any moment.

Nina and I exchanged a glance and chuckled softly.

"Gentlemen, enemy attack! It's the 'Hellhound' and the 'Fanged Lion Tiger'!"

Suddenly, Miss Ming's voice came from ahead.

The monsters that were just out of sight now emerged from the side opening in front of them.

"Lord Welf, Lord Life! Defeat the large-scale enemy directly! Lady Haruhime, Lady Nina! There aren't many enemies, so the Lilies should also earn some experience points here!"

"clear!"

“Yes, yes!”

Lily's expression changed instantly, and she decisively issued the order.

Lily drew her crossbow, while Haruhime held her fan. Nina, seeing me nod, caught up with the two. Ryu and I remained completely neutral. Just as Lily had said, this was a good opportunity for the team to gain experience points, so we simply watched the battle from the rear.

If anything really happens, I'll rush over immediately, but to be honest, I'm not worried.

Lily and the other three are all Lv.2, which is more than enough for this level.

Everyone has become stronger and no longer needs our help.

"Her magic seems to be comparable to that of royalty."

I stopped and gazed at Nina and the others as they fought. Just then, Miss Ryu walked up to me and stood beside me.

"When I saw that head of elegant, emerald-green hair, I had a vague feeling..."

"...? Miss Ryu?"

"No...it's nothing. She's a rare talent, and as a [Family], that's all we need to know."

A hint of awe appeared in Miss Liu's clear eyes, but she quickly shook her head.

All that remained on her face was a smile and friendliness towards her future partner.

"I really look forward to the day she officially joins the Familia."

"Um!"

I smiled and nodded.

Several more battles followed, but Lily and her friends defeated all the monsters, and the Hestia Familia successfully passed through the Middle Layer and reached the Upper Layer.

We easily reached what could be considered a safe zone and then returned to the surface.

"……Um?"

"What's going on? 'Adventurer's Avenue' seems really noisy..."

As for noticing the anomaly, that was after that.

After leaving the Tower of Babel and crossing the central square, our group headed northwest of the city to exchange money and report on the expedition mission, but we stopped in our tracks at the sight before us.

The flow of people on the main northwestern thoroughfare, "Adventurer's Avenue," was even more intense than usual.

It was as if people from the nearby main road had also poured in; the once wide street was now so crowded with adventurers and citizens that it was impossible to move an inch.

"Could it be some kind of god playing tricks again?"

"It does seem like they're just watching a show, but everyone looks quite confused..."

Listening to the conversation between Welf and Miss Fate, we had no choice but to continue on our way.

The closer they got to the guild headquarters, the more crowded and noisy the crowd became.

We were now unable to proceed normally. After making this assessment, we turned into the alley and took a shortcut, led by Lily and Miss Ryu, towards the Pantheon, which could be seen deep within the gaps between the buildings.

"Call the person in charge out here!!!"

"We demand the release of detailed information! This is our legitimate right!"

The clamor that reached my ears changed its appearance, gradually transforming into waves of sounds that resembled 'condemnation'.

(...I have a feeling that something is not right.)

Orario would never normally roar and become agitated like this.

Everyone's pace quickened unconsciously.

Then, Nina, who was sitting right next to me, began to turn pale.

"Nina? Are you...are you alright?"

"This feeling... could it be... that everyone in the 'school district'...?"

She seemed to have lost all interest in responding to my voice; I only heard a soft murmur slip out of her mouth.

There's no need to ask what that means anymore.

Because the answer was immediately presented before our eyes.

We followed Ryu as he climbed the wall and together we leaped onto the roof of the shop next to the guild headquarters.

The view from there left me speechless.

"We will absolutely not tolerate the guild's arrogant behavior!!"

"Absolutely not tolerable!!!"

What comes into view is people, people, and more people.

They were all wearing the same clothes—those all-too-familiar burgundy ties and white uniforms.

The entire front courtyard of the guild headquarters was flooded with students from the 'school district'!

"W-What's going on here!?"

"Are these all students from the 'school district'...?!"

Lily and Miss Haruhime were shocked.

And so am I.

Around the entrance to the guild headquarters, a few guild members and members of the Ganesha Familia could be seen. But their numbers were far too small to possibly block the group of students in front of them!

With the eyesight of a first-level adventurer, my pupils caught the view from the window.

As far as the eye could see, a group of adventurers stood there, mouths agape in astonishment, trapped inside the guild headquarters. And, there was the same fat, fairy-like guild master, whose expression was exactly the same as theirs!

Even the back door of the guild building was surrounded by students…! Miss Eina, is she alright!?

"We strongly protest against the forced seizure of school district property by the guild that deals in the hardest metal (Orichalco)!"

"Ooh o ...

Standing at the very front of the students was a human girl (who was holding a magic stone megaphone).

She wore an armband symbolizing her identity on her left wrist, and at her urging, the students' cheers rose and fell incessantly.

"This...could it be..."

"...'Student struggle'."

Miss Ryu murmured softly, and Nina, whose face was already deathly pale, continued the conversation.

We all looked at her, and saw her tightly clutching the uniform that symbolized her "school district" identity. Her emerald eyes, just like Miss Eina's, were fixed on the scene before her.

"When the magical powerhouse (Altina) extorted magical property from the government, and when Herringhoni was forcibly occupied while staying in the ocean kingdom (Desala), and when passing through the Empire, the other side even attempted to secretly poach Professor Leon... No matter where they are, as long as they are oppressed by injustice and tyranny, the students of the 'school district' will take the initiative to stand up and speak out, sparking a protest that can affect the entire society..."

"Y-you mean, it's Orario's turn this time...?"

Nina nodded tremblingly in affirmation, which made me swallow hard.

I do not understand the true meaning of the "demonstration movement," nor am I aware of the immense power it contains.

However, with so many students shouting in unison, faced with such an astonishing scene, I could never bring myself to say "it's no big deal."

How will things develop next?

Will something happen?

Or will nothing happen?

Overwhelmed by this oppressive aura, I uttered this question, and the answer to that question slammed into my ears the next moment.

The source of the sound was the demands that the students were making at that moment.

"We demand that the guild withdraw its decision to requisition the hardest metal!! If our demands are not met, we will indefinitely suspend clan recruitment and faction trials! Depending on the situation, the school district will completely sever ties with Orario!!"

"Eh... ...

Amidst the stunned silence of Lily and the others, Nina and I screamed, our cries echoing across the sky dyed red by the sunset.

Volume 20, Chapter 2: The Lion and the Sword Princess

"Heroes" are bullshit.

At least those guys' character flaws, and the corresponding level of violence, were utterly despicable.

That was before the two behemoths, the king of land and the overlord of the sea, had been defeated.

In the labyrinthine city known as the "City of Heroes," those guys acted with utter disregard for others, or rather, with a vicious and cruel attitude that was simply outrageous.

Anyone who dares to talk back will be punched away.

Even if they resist, they will be kicked away.

If you start swearing, you'll get smashed into the ceiling.

As long as you are weak, whatever you do is wrong.

The "heroes" who worship male and female gods as their main deities will never acknowledge the existence of the weak.

Whether they wielded swords, shields, or staffs, all of them had been subjected to the violence of those men and endured immense humiliation.

It is likely that every adventurer or warrior born at that time underwent such a baptism.

At that time, the labyrinth city was divided into only two categories of people: the families of gods and goddesses, and everyone else.

The difference in strength is so obvious that there is no need for any other classification method.

"Heroes" are bullshit.

Between the two factions of Zeus and Hera, the latter is essentially beyond redemption in terms of personality and behavioral norms. However, the god's followers always seem to cause some trouble first, followed by the goddess's followers' "hunting" time. To be specific, it's basically no different from a goddess discovering her god's licentious behavior and chasing him to the ends of the earth with a wild scream. Then, you and your companions are unjustly dragged into this catastrophe of struggle. Damn it, you can all just go to hell.

"Ten years from now, I'll take you as my husband."

The empress of the goddess's clan said with great interest as she deflected her own attack with her little fingernail.

I stood up, covered in blood, and spat out a curse through trembling lips. "I'd rather fucking marry that stinky cow (Mino)."

When I came to my senses, my body had passed through dozens of houses and crashed hard into the huge city wall.

"Very good. You and that wild boar are both."

I ignored the God's warning and prepared to rush forward to turn the tide (take revenge), but the heroes under the God's command shattered my will with a single roar.

My legs were twitching horribly, but even so I roared and swung my sword at them.

When I came to my senses, I was already lying on the side of the road, spitting blood, looking up at the sky that had been distorted by water droplets.

It's all this kind of nonsense.

I, along with the wild boars and dwarves—who are absolutely impossible to cooperate with—and the goblins and my fellow humans, were repeatedly kicked away. Either I angered those guys and got beaten to a pulp, or I challenged them and then suffered the consequences, getting smashed to pieces. The process varied, but the result was always the same.

"Heroes" are fucking rubbish.

"Even if you're not a mage, a mere 'hill' can be easily cleaved in two. Or is your sword just for show?"

The sounds of fighting monsters in the maze are so loud!

The gray-haired witch, who had annihilated her simply because she had passed by, told him this.

What's most infuriating is that the thin-armed witch picked up my sword and casually swung it with a strike powerful enough to cut through a mere 'hill'.

This guy isn't even a warrior, he's just a mage.