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

If I keep chasing after Miss Wallenstein, will I one day be able to come into contact with such a powerful weapon? I vaguely imagine myself skillfully wielding the weapon in front of me.

At the same time, he stared longingly at the pure white dagger placed inside the glass window.

✟

"...How long do you plan to keep doing that?"

"..."

At the same moment that Bell was staring intently at the window of "a certain store".

Inside one of the shops, the red-haired, red-eyed goddess Hephaestus let out a sound that was both surprised and weary.

Dressed in her [Family] uniform, she sat at her desk, her voice directed at a round object kneeling on the floor with its head bowed as low as possible—no, it was the young goddess Hestia.

【Hephaestus Family】, Northwest Street Branch.

An air of confusion permeated the office on the third floor of this large brand blacksmith shop.

"Don't let my appearance fool you, I'm actually very busy!"

"..."

"Even if you stay quiet and huddle there like a worm, it will still make me lose motivation and reduce my work efficiency. Understand?"

"..."

"Are you listening, Hestia?"

"..."

"……well."

Hephaestus sighed as his little friend remained silent and in the same position the entire time.

all day.

This is the duration for which Hestia bowed her head to Hephaestus.

On the day of the "Feast of the Gods," Hestia begged Hephaestus to make weapons for the members of the Familia, but Hestia refused outright.

It wasn't that she wanted to boast, but the works of the superior blacksmiths belonging to the Hephaestus Familia enjoyed the highest reputation for quality even among their peers. Their prices were prohibitive, even for top-tier adventurers or members of their own familia. She was certain Hestia couldn't afford her own familia's goods.

Not to mention offering a discount out of friendship. For Hephaestus, the leader of the Familia, the indiscriminate dumping of weapons and equipment crafted with the blood and sweat of her members was the greatest taboo. She would never agree to it.

Hephaestus told Hestia that if she wanted to place an order, she should deposit some more money before coming back—implying that she should know her own limitations—and rejected her without hesitation.

However, things weren't that simple. Even after the banquet ended, Hestia, having been refused her request, continued to beg Hephaestus relentlessly. No matter how much Hephaestus tried to shoo her away, Hestia stubbornly persisted, leaving Hephaestus bewildered.

Since that's the case, let Hestia cause trouble until she gives up. Hephaestus decided to ignore her. She figured that if Hestia got hungry or something, she'd probably lose her enthusiasm and give up.

Two days have passed since the feast of Ganesha.

Hestia was still "begging" Hephaestus.

(What makes you so persistent...?)

Hephaestus looked helpless and pressed the corner of her eye.

For a fellow deity who maintained this kneeling posture even when feigning sleep, this was the only time Hephaestus could completely fail to understand her feelings. As an aside, Hephaestus was almost startled off the bed when she woke up.

Although Hestia has asked her for many favors before, this time is different.

How to describe it? She could sense Hestia's persistence, or a strong will similar to a desire.

"What have you been doing since yesterday? What's the meaning of this pose?"

"...Toshita seat."

"Toshita seat?"

"The ultimate secret is that as long as you do this, you will be forgiven no matter what you do, and you will be granted whatever you ask for... This is what Ah Jian said."

"Ah Jian...?"

"Takemikazuchi..."

Ah… Hephaestus recalled the appearance of the god she had a connection with. At the same time, she complained that the other person shouldn't have instilled such troublesome things in Hestia.

No, it's no use. Hephaestus sighed. She couldn't concentrate on her work. She put her quill on the corner of the table, left some documents waiting to be signed, and tossed the matter aside.

The last rays of the setting sun gradually faded as they streamed into the room. Night was approaching.

Hephaestus glanced out the window again, then quickly and carefully sat up straight, staring intently at Hestia, whose back was turned to her.

"...Hestia, tell me. What made you go to this extent?"

She gently ran her fingers over the blindfold that covered half her face and right eye, speaking directly to the other person.

"...I want to help that child!"

Hestia remained in the dogeza posture and answered excitedly.

"That child is about to change. Bell has found a goal and is running towards a treacherous path! It will be a dangerous path, so! I want the power to help that child! The weapon to pave that path for him!"

Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, not glancing at Hephaestus, as she continued to speak.

It is an act of God asking God for something. It is also a ritual of being honest and revealing oneself without reservation. It is about expressing one's heart in a way that can move God and proving one's sincerity.

"I always rely on that child for help! In fact, I've been supported by him all along! I'm that child's god, yet I haven't done anything that a god should do for him!"

Finally, Hestia managed to squeeze out a sound, her entire body tensing up.

"...I don't want to be unable to do anything for him..."

Although the words were so faint as to be almost inaudible, they were enough to move Hephaestus.

At that moment, she realized that Hestia's feelings were not at all hypocritical.

"...I understand. I'll make a weapon for your child."

Hestia opened her eyes wide and suddenly looked up. Hephaestus shrugged at her.

"If I don't agree, you'll keep insisting, won't you?"

"...Yes, thank you, Hephaestus!"

Seeing her best friend stand up—though perhaps due to the reaction force of kneeling for so long, she immediately stumbled and returned to a position with her hands and feet on the ground—and smile with flushed cheeks, Hephaestus sighed insincerely.

Hephaestus knew he was spoiling Hestia too much, but he was happy to help her now.

Compared to before when she was just lazy and stayed in her room, Hestia is much cuter now, which makes her smile.

"—However, let me make this clear beforehand: you still have to pay. No matter how many decades or centuries it takes, you absolutely must pay off this debt."

However, public and private matters should still be clearly distinguished.

The world-renowned Hephaestus Familia wouldn't work for free; Hestia, who ultimately relied on others' help, also had to pay the corresponding price.

"If you're truly prepared for that, then show me what it's like to be shattered to pieces." Hephaestus rose from her chair and walked unceremoniously toward Hestia, pointing her slender finger firmly at the tip of Hestia's nose.

"I...I know, and I will do it when it's my turn. Ah, of course, no problem. I will personally prove to Hephaestus that my love for Bell is absolutely genuine."

"Okay, okay, I'll look forward to it."

Hephaestus listened absentmindedly to Hestia's words, which were spoken with her eyes closed and her chest puffed out, and walked toward the wall frame fixed to the wall.

Several small iron hammers, polished to the shine of new, were displayed on a slender shelf.

"What kind of weapon is your child using?"

"Uh... a dagger?"

"Is that so?" Hephaestus said softly as she took the crimson hammer. She put the unadorned, purely functional hammer into her pouch.

She then walked to the transparent crystal box and unlocked it. From the several metal blocks—weapon materials—that sat firmly inside the box, she chose "Mithril," which emitted a silvery glow.

This is a refined metal (ingot) that is lighter and harder than iron, and much easier to forge than iron.

It is a superior metal that can be forged relatively easily even by a woman's slender arms, no, even by a "blacksmith without special strength".

"He... Hephaestus. Are you going to be the one forging the weapons?"

"Yes, need I say more? This is entirely a private matter between you and me. I can't involve the members of the [Family]."

A small "workshop" was set up on the first floor of this branch for forging operations. Hephaestus planned to forge weapons there himself.

Do you have a problem with that? Hephaestus glared at her fiercely with his left eye, which was not covered by a blindfold.

Hestia shook her head in surprise, her young face beaming with smiles.

"How could I possibly have any objections! I'd be more than happy to have someone like you, renowned as a divine craftsman in the celestial realm, making this!"

"Have you forgotten? This isn't the heavens. I can't use any 'powers' here."

According to the rules decided among the gods, the use of "divine power" is forbidden in the mortal realm.

Even though Hephaestus was the "Goddess of Forging" who created many divine artifacts in the heavens, in the mortal realm she was no different from children who had not received the "favor of the gods" or even an ordinary human being; she was just a craftsman.

"I don't care! There's nothing happier than having you forge weapons!"

"..."

Perhaps she had unwavering faith in Hephaestus's skills. Seeing Hestia unconditionally accept her techniques, Hephaestus couldn't help but frown and put on a stern face.

But to be honest, she was actually quite happy to hear that, and really annoyed.

"...I'm going to start processing this now, and you'll come and help. I want you to get to work properly from now on."

"Okay, leave it to me!"

To hide her embarrassment, Hephaestus gave Hestia a rude order to do something, then turned and walked away.

She walked toward the door, while Hestia happily skipped after her.

(...Okay, I have to meet the client's requirements.)

Hephaestus, now somewhat agitated, shifted her consciousness from that of the [Familia's] chief god to that of a blacksmith. The weapon Hestia desired.

A sharp blade that paves the way for adventurers.

We absolutely must create a work worthy of the name "Hephaestus".

(That's what they say.)

She traced her memories and obtained information about the person who would use this weapon.

Bell Craney. His race is human. He is a fourteen-year-old boy.

He was the only member of his friend's "family" and had only been receiving "God's grace" for half a month.

In other words, he is a complete "newcomer" among adventurers.

(Tier 1 equipment prepared for novice adventurers...)

To be frank, this is really asking the impossible.

Weapons that are too powerful can corrupt adventurers. Over-reliance on equipment hinders the user's growth and prevents them from fully utilizing the weapon's power. It's simply a matter of being unworthy.

That being said, making it carelessly would damage Hephaestus's reputation.

Hephaestus considered herself not only a god, but also a blacksmith. A natural craftswoman, she had no intention of finishing her weapons half-heartedly. That would have gone against her principles.

If you're going to do something, you should do your best to create the best work.

Therefore, she was caught in a dilemma.

(Let me think about what to do...)

She looked at the various works she had created so far and fell into deep thought.

Hephaestus glanced at Hestia, who was happily following beside him, and couldn't help but think to himself: My friend really knows how to ask people for trouble.

✲

It's been three mornings since the immortal left. He still hasn't returned.

After feeling a little lonely having breakfast alone in the empty hidden room of the church, I still prepared to go into the dungeon as usual that day.

Even if the gods aren't here, what I should do won't change. On the contrary, I should work hard to make money so that when the gods return, they can say, "Look, you've saved so much money!" to make the gods happy. I faced my reflection in the full-length mirror and cheered myself on.

I wrapped the leg with the elixir in it around my leg and shoved the dagger into my waistband. Finally, I slung the backpack over my armor, adjusted my gear, and said "I'm leaving" to the empty headquarters before reaching for the door.

(My foot has healed, and I hope to reach below the 5th floor today...)

Last time I recklessly stormed into the dungeon and suffered a terrible defeat, fleeing all the way back. This time, I want to redeem myself. Although I don't have concrete evidence, my [ability stats] have been significantly updated, so I shouldn't make the same mistake again. Just to be on the safe side, perhaps I should consult with my advisor, Ms. Eina.

As I planned my day, I set off from the basement. Stepping out of the ruined church, the crisp morning air immediately enveloped me. I ran through the alleyways, skillfully navigating several corners, until I reached West Street.