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

As its name suggests, "The Feast of the Gods" is a gathering that only the gods are permitted to attend.

These banquets, which have no set principles regarding the host deity or the timing of the event, often have no specific purpose and are simply held for unrestrained revelry. In fact, this is true for most of them. Although the gods are completely devoid of emotions like homesickness, they will still gather the celestial beings to chat and drink together.

Among the invited gods, some would chat casually, discussing the current situation of their "familias" and exchanging information. The "Feast of the Gods" was also a social occasion, quite important when one wanted to inquire about the situation inside and outside the city, or to get closer to a particular faction.

"I am Ganesha!"

"yeah--!"

Loki walked through the long corridor to the spacious hall, where a god dressed like the building itself, with an elephant's head and a human body, was giving a speech at the banquet on the stage. This man, also known among the common people for his elephant-head mask, was Ganesha, the host of the banquet, possessing dark skin and a strong physique. The surrounding gods cheered for his extraordinary voice.

Depending on the size of the host god's "familiar," the banquet's content and setting will vary drastically. The "Ganesha Familiar" has an exceptionally large membership, and its power ranks among the top in the city. They've utilized considerable manpower and resources, making the venue extremely lavish.

A giant crystal chandelier-shaped magic stone lamp illuminated the hall brightly. The dishes laid out on the tables were made with delicacies ordered from all over the world, including ingredients native to the labyrinth such as meat-flavored fruit. The gods, dressed in magnificent robes like nobles, enjoyed the buffet, while members of the Ganesha Familia acted as waiters, distributing glasses of wine to the gods.

"Look at this, it's truly an unprecedented spectacle!"

Loki stomped his shoes loudly as he walked around the venue, which was "generally harmonious except for a few particularly lively areas."

She, who rarely appeared at banquets, quickly attracted the attention of the other gods, causing them to gossip about her.

"Oh dear—, Loki's here—"

"The goddess of regret has arrived just in time—"

"Hey, that's enough! Stop talking bad about Loki!"

"You're all going to die soon."

"But Loki is wearing a formal suit...!"

"The end of the century is here."

"But then again, this flat-chested look is really quite extreme."

"No, it's no breasts."

"I've never seen such a sheer cliff before."

"Idiot, that's the good thing!"

Okay, I've memorized your faces.

You're all dead when I get back.

She smiled slightly at the group of gods who were laughing hysterically, and they immediately moved in unison, leaving the venue as quickly as possible. Loki spat, called out to a waiter, and rudely downed his glass of wine in one gulp.

Gods are generally very difficult to understand.

Those who descend to the mortal realm in pursuit of entertainment are always carefree, appearing quite strange to most mortals. Reckless as they are, they can easily provoke others, just as they did before, and their attitudes can change remarkably quickly.

"But speaking of which, I haven't seen the little dwarf... Is it just a rumor?"

Loki, who had no intention of attending the banquet, came purely on a whim.

To be precise, she happened to hear today that some poor goddess whom she considered a thorn in her side was shamelessly preparing to attend a party.

If she didn't come, fine, but if she did... she was going to make a good laugh at her pathetic, miserable state, unable to even afford a dress. Loki was hatching this plan.

She suppressed an irrepressible wicked laugh and strolled casually through the hall.

"Oh, Loki, isn't that Loki?"

"Um?"

As she moved through the throngs of gods, a voice called out to her.

Looking over there, she saw a slender, handsome man with crescent-shaped eyes smiling at her.

A prince of a rich country. That's the impression he had.

This deity always wears an innocent smile, and her long, flowing blonde hair, which must be the envy of many women, reaches near her neck. She has a slender, medium build, with long, delicate hands and feet.

Dressed in the same formal attire as the others, he showed no fear whatsoever, and naturally and generously struck up a conversation with Loki, asking, "How about we have a chat?"

"Oh, Dionysus. You've come."

"Yes, it's rare to have a banquet, so I came to gather intelligence as well. After all, my [Familia] isn't as strong as Loki's, nor is it as extraordinary as some people."

The god named Dionysus answered with a smile on his face.

His refined manners were truly exemplary of the upper class. Among the gods who half-jokingly imitated the nobility, he alone stood out.

His gestures were so noble without a single flaw, and his expression was calm and composed; instead, his eyes, like glass beads, seemed to be able to see through the other person's thoughts.

A god not to be underestimated, this was the impression Loki had of him without authorization.

"Hey Loki. Long time no see. How have you been?"

"Oh... Deemit, you're here too."

"Yes, we've been talking about it."

The woman holding the glass and smiling is a voluptuous goddess.

The hair draped behind her back is a fluffy honey color, and the corners of her eyes are soft and slightly curved. Just like her appearance, the temperament she exudes is also very gentle.

Those enormous breasts looked as if they would fall out of the ripped dress at any moment. Forced to witness something he had no body of, Loki managed to maintain his expression and not let it twitch.

In many ways, Demeter, who has a carefree personality, is too broad-minded to allow Loki to harbor even the slightest aversion to her.

"Loki, how are your kin doing lately? I hear about your kin's (children's) activities every day. Are they all alright? You haven't been overworking them, have you?"

"Oh, my kids are all very healthy. In fact, they're so energetic, I'm afraid they might fall and hurt themselves... How's Demeter doing?"

"My 'family' has also received a lot of care from many people, which is truly appreciated. We harvested a lot of vegetables the other day, and we'll share some with Loki and the others next time."

"Oh, thank you!"

[Demeter Family] is a commercial family that grows and sells vegetables and fruits, etc.

They own a large amount of farmland outside the city, and most of their harvest is sold on the Orario market.

"The wine served at the banquet is made from grapes from Demeter, isn't it? I'm quite particular about wine, and I must admit this wine is indeed very delicious."

"Heh heh, thank you, Dionysus."

"Huh, really!"

Upon hearing Dionysus's enthusiastic praise and Demeter's shy smile, Loki immediately grabbed a waiter and offered him a taste of the wine.

The moment it touched my lips, a rich, fruity sweetness danced on my tongue. The aroma, reaching deep into my nasal cavity, was simply exquisite. It was truly delicious; even Loki, a wine lover, silently praised it.

"So, how's Dionysus doing? I haven't heard any big news lately."

"My [familia]? You could say it's neither good nor bad. I've tried my best to prevent it from declining."

"Honestly, you've been changing the subject the whole time. Dionysus, you're so cunning."

According to the guild that manages adventurer information, the Dionysus Familia is considered a mid-tier force in the Labyrinth City. Although they have several members recognized as having a Tier 3 rating—[Ability Value] LV.2—they haven't made a particularly noticeable impression, perhaps because they haven't achieved any significant feats in the dungeons.

This may be largely due to the fact that God (He) is more thorough than other factions in preventing information leaks.

"Didn't Loki just finish his expedition? Did he gain anything? If you'd like, could you share some of your experiences in the dungeons with me?"

"You don't say anything yourself, yet you have the nerve to ask people like that?"

Loki looked helplessly at Dionysus, who skillfully dodged the question, and the three chatted for a while afterward.

Then, it seemed a ball was scheduled, and some people resembling a band began to appear in a corner of the spacious hall. Some impatient gods took the lead and began to dance strangely. As usual, Ganesha, the chief god who occupied the stage, frequently proclaimed that he was Ganesha, and occasionally spoke about serious topics, but no one was listening anymore.

"But speaking of which, Ganesha's banquet is as lavish as ever. Needless to say, the food was amazing; I reckon almost all the gods of Orario were there."

"Ganesha seems to have to gather everyone to assist with the Monster Philia. He'll probably have to be generous. In other words, he wants everyone to absolutely not interfere with the celebration on that day."

"A celebration, huh... Ganesha really listens to the guild."

The annual large-scale event will be held in a few days.

The event was claimed to be sponsored by the guild, but in reality, it was only with the full assistance of the Ganesha Familia that this grand performance, presented by tamers and ferocious monsters, was able to be successfully held.

"By the way, Loki."

"Oh?"

Dionysus, maintaining his smile, suddenly looked at Loki.

Will Loki attend the celebration?

"Um……"

It was a rare and grand event, Loki considered for a moment.

This is an event that only happens once a year, and perhaps she could take one of her lovely children to watch it… With this thought in mind, she replied to Dionysus:

"I think I might go, why are you asking?"

"No way, really? I bet you're up to something this time!"

"Hey, wait a minute, what do you mean by that?"

"Hey, wait a minute, let me explain! I thought Loki wasn't interested in the celebration. After all, I know how outrageous you are in the Celestial Realm, and I can't help but make wild guesses. If I've upset you, I'm willing to apologize."

"What?! I'm so annoyed by that..."

Loki complained, but he did not completely deny Dionysus's words.

This is because when Loki was still in the heavens, he was a notoriously troublesome figure who thrived on chaos. Although she now focuses all her attention on her familiars and has become much more tactful, she can still understand what Dionysus is trying to say.

She glared at Dionysus with her crimson eyes, clearly displeased.

"So, what about you? Will you go to the festival?"

"...Well, I don't think I'll go. I have some things to take care of that day."

Dionysus replied with his unchanging smile.

"Oh, really?" Loki, losing interest, stopped looking at him and was about to have another glass of wine when a scene suddenly caught her eye. "Oh?" she exclaimed, looking at it again.

There's a red-haired goddess, a silver-haired goddess, and a little goddess with her jet-black hair tied into twin ponytails.

Loki grinned. She downed the wine in one gulp and roughly wiped her mouth with her arm.

"Well then, Dionysus, Demeter, I must take my leave now. Let's talk again next time!"

"Okay, sure."

"Heh. See you another day, Loki."

Loki turned his back to them, his toes pointing toward the goddesses he had spotted.

"Hey—! Fifi—, Freya—, you little dwarf—!"

"..."

Dionysus watched Loki's departing figure in silence.

He kept his eyes on Loki until the figure disappeared into the crowd.

"What mischief are you plotting now?"

A voice called to him.

Upon hearing Demeter's question with a smile, Dionysus turned his head and then put on a wry smile.

"Why are you putting it so harshly, Demeter? When have I ever had any bad intentions?"

The goddess continued to smile at him.

"Because something always happens when Dionysus makes that expression."

■

"—Gah!"

A powerful blow cleaved the "Dragonfly Monster" in two.

The dragonfly-shaped monster became a victim of the sharp, slender sword. As the enemy, whose body was as large as a one-handed sword, turned to ashes, Ais turned around, causing the sword to flash repeatedly.

The flying dragonfly monsters were simultaneously cleaved in two and turned to dust, as the swords and blades, like threads threading a needle, precisely destroyed the magic stones one by one.

Ais moved forward directly.

She pierced through the haze formed by the swirling dust, closing in on the last remaining monster.

"Aa ...

The large, imposing monster "Berg Bear," which had been waiting in full force, roared and swung its thick, furry arm down at Ais.