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

Its roar hit me head-on.

"--babble!?"

It was nothing serious, not even an attack, just a threatening growl.

However, the primal screams of the predator, driven by its threatening instincts, snapped my will to act, easily forcing me to stop.

A state of utter terror.

"Luga!"

The silverback ape's intimidation is real.

The fierce roar that erupted so close at hand unearthed buried memories.

What was awakened in his mind was "the Minotaur".

The raging bull's roar, still piercing the depths of my ears, has vividly revived, making me unable to move forward.

(—Ooh, ah.)

I was forced to stand on the wrong path.

The enemy before me. A monster I can't handle right now.

A symbol that overlaps with despair (the Minotaur). I feel an urge to flee.

The person behind the monster. Someone important who is now the only one I can protect. A delicate little hand that accidentally let go. I must help her.

(How scary—)

Fear and a sense of duty. Cowardice and a sense of mission. Conflicting instincts and emotions battling each other.

(How scary—)

An irresistible impulse can easily succumb to a small sense of responsibility.

(How scary, but—)

even so.

(—I'm a "man"!)

My last shred of male dignity wouldn't allow me to back down.

Go ahead.

Go quickly.

go!

We absolutely have to go!

You can't abandon the "girl" and run away! Aa ...

"—Ughh ...

I mustered all my courage and roared.

Just like trying to drive away the fear inside me, I forced my whole body to take action.

I faced the silverback ape and kicked off with both feet.

"Gahhhhh!"

The silverback apes launched an attack.

Faced with an arm dragging a chain that tore through the air like a club, I could only act on instinct.

I snapped my neck, lowering my head as much as possible, and the sweeping left fist narrowly missed my head, swinging empty air. I drew my short sword. A golden opportunity.

Aiming at the enemy's unsuspecting left chest, I delivered a fatal blow as I brushed past him.

"!"

however.

With a clang, the mournful sound of metal echoed all around.

The left hand, which should have been wielding the short knife, suddenly jolted, and a heavy impact pierced through the wrist.

The weapon was deflected. The blade couldn't penetrate the pure white bristles, scattering a shower of silver particles.

—The blade is worn down!

A surge of electricity coursed through my body. Seeing the shards of blade scattering everywhere, my face twitched uncomfortably. My attack was utterly ineffective against the silverback ape!

The sight that came into view left me speechless, and in the next instant, my body floated into the air.

"babble!"

The silverback ape grabbed me with its huge hands and slammed me against the wall.

The impact to my back was so severe that I stopped breathing for a moment. My eyes widened to their limit.

"Gurgle...!"

The monster's hideous face was right in front of me.

No way! Before I could even think, the silverback ape bared its fangs and opened its gaping maw. My expression twisted with fear.

"Bell!"

If this continues, I'll be killed...!

Hearing the cries of the immortals, I twisted my body desperately. As I struggled to escape my opponent's restraints—my fingers touched something.

I was startled and looked down to see a magic stone lamp mounted on the wall.

There was no time to think. I reached down and took the magic stone lamp from the wall. I operated the fist-sized magic stone device with one hand and turned the brightness to maximum.

I shoved the magic stone lamp, which had become so bright in my hand that I couldn't open my eyes, into the monster's eyes!

"Chirp chi ...

The makeshift flashbang made the silverback monkey scream. It blew its eyes and took several steps back.

The thick fingers gripping my shoulder disappeared, and I fell to the ground with a thud.

I endured the pain in my body. Before the fairy, who came running with a mournful face, could say anything, I had already grabbed her hand and fled for my life again.

"Bell...?"

"...!"

An indescribable sense of regret welled up inside me.

No matter how much courage I muster, I cannot protect the gods.

I am too weak to protect this person.

Cowardice, poverty, weakness, frailty, timidity, insignificance, obscurity, gentleness, baseness, fragility.

The mocking words I thought I had accepted easily resurfaced like an old ailment, tormenting the depths of my heart.

The orc youth's voice, and the word "minor character" that Miss Wallenstein had also heard, lingered in my mind.

Same. Just like back then.

The feeling of being weak is so frustrating.

"Woohoo ...

"!"

The howl of a wild beast.

The monster's furious roar echoed throughout Daedalus Road.

The enemy continued their relentless pursuit.

(If this continues...!)

They'll definitely catch up again. There won't be a third time.

What should I do...? What should I do?

What should I do to protect and help the gods...?

“——”

A simple answer, not exactly a flash of inspiration, rolled out of my mind.

A simple conclusion: a decent solution that even someone as weak as myself can come up with.

There is no need to protect it.

As long as the gods can be saved, that's enough.

"Hey, hey, Belle, what's wrong...?"

Seeing that all my emotions had vanished, and with an expression of understanding on her face, the immortal asked me, her breathing erratic. Her tone sounded as if she were worried about something.

I didn't answer the deity's question; instead, I turned right when I reached the crossroads in the passageway.

Ahead lay a gentle, continuous downhill slope. After traversing the entire length of the blackened stone slab path, a tunnel appeared—a narrow underground passage, with slivers of sunlight peeking through from its deeper exit. It seemed that passing through here would lead to the adjacent residential area.

Without a word, I let the deity enter the tunnel first. The deity, pushed forward, turned around in surprise.

Then, I slowly slid the iron gate that blocked the entrance.

"Bell!"

"...I'm sorry, God."

The iron fence was completely closed, creating a cold boundary between me and the gods.

With a heavy expression, I managed to squeeze out the words of apology.

"Please, deity, just keep moving forward like this."

"You're telling me to leave... so what are you planning to do?"

"...I need to lure that monster away to buy some time."

I am too weak to protect her, so there is only one way that can absolutely save her.

Bait.

While I was distracting the silverback apes, the immortals fled to a safe place.

Having probably understood my true meaning, the immortal stood there in astonishment.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Please, God. Just this once, please listen to me."

"No! I won't allow it, I absolutely won't allow you to do that! Open the door, Bell!"

"immortal……"

The deity shook his head, refusing to accept my request.

She clung to the iron bars that her petite frame couldn't possibly pry open no matter how hard she struggled, and desperately called out to me. I knew she was genuinely worried about me, and I felt so happy, yet so sad.

There's no time. I knelt on the ground, raising my gaze to the level of the gods, and then pleaded:

"Gods... I don't want to lose my family again."

"...!"

I am not so arrogant as to dare to persuade the gods.

So, I told her the truth directly.

Even at this critical juncture, he's still talking about his own situation—what happened before he came to Orario and before he met the gods.

I lost my grandfather, my only family member.

My grandfather was killed by a monster. I heard he left the village on business, and was attacked as soon as he left. I wasn't there at the time and couldn't do anything about it; I could only learn about his death from the villagers.

I still remember the sense of loss I felt then. I still remember the emptiness and pain in my chest.

I think that from that time onward, a corner of my heart began to yearn for the presence of family.

"I'm terrified, terrified of losing my family... terrified of not being able to protect them."

I came to Orario because I longed for a fateful encounter. This is no lie. To solidify my bond with my grandfather, and to prevent that bond from severing, I followed that person's words and pursued that encounter.