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

What are you doing?!

Welf and Bell caught up with the man running wildly through the streets, and they both shouted in unison as soon as they opened their mouths.

After running around wildly for a while, her excited emotions finally calmed down, and she shrank back apologetically.

"I'm sorry... my body started moving on its own, I couldn't help it..."

"Don't smash a cake in the face of a god just because you can't resist!"

"This is disrespect, a serious crime!"

The screams of Welf and Bell made Life look dejected.

They were right. Ming wanted to reflect on her rash actions, but the burning emotions in her chest made her hands and feet tremble.

"I was negligent; I still have much to improve... But! My body just wouldn't cooperate...!"

“…”

"I just really want to smash something into Takemikazuchi's face...! I can't control myself, I'm beyond saving!?"

“…”

"Ah, how I regret it! I regret it so much!"

Finally, he landed on all fours, his fists pounding the stone floor.

Bell and Welf stood directly in front of her, looking down at her with indescribable expressions. "What's going on?" The girl's strange behavior in the middle of the road attracted the curious gazes of the surrounding demi-humans.

Ever since they were in the Far East, there had been some signs of Takemikazuchi's attitude towards women. However, because they lived in a shrine and had little opportunity to interact with others, no such scene that would drive her to the brink of madness had ever occurred within Mikoto's field of vision.

However, after arriving in Orario, Takemikazuchi became more sociable than before, and the thought that the same scene was repeating itself every time she went to the dungeon made her restless.

Mikoto knew that this was dissatisfaction with Takemikazuchi's unscrupulous words and deeds, as well as his own personal jealousy, and he berated himself for being so pathetic and despicable.

She felt embarrassed and was on the verge of tears.

"Uh, um... Miss Ming."

"What should we do next?"

Seeing the girl devastated after defeating the gods with a cake, Bell politely called out to her, while Welf went straight to the point.

Ming stared at the stone slab with moist eyes, then suddenly straightened his upper body and stood up unsteadily.

"Bake the cake as ordered...and then apologize."

She answered in a barely audible whisper.

I have to apologize to Takemikazuchi, but if I see him again now, I don't know what I will say or do.

Fearing the complex emotions swirling within her, she took a step forward, her spirits low.

Under the worried gaze of Bell and Welf, she returned to headquarters alone, feeling utterly dejected.

*

At dusk, the setting sun casts a sunset glow behind the mountains.

In the heart of the city, as adventurers return from the dungeon, a dilapidated house in the western district stands beneath a maroon sky.

Deep in a back alley, poorly lit and far from the main road, this shop, located in a sparsely populated area, uses a faction emblem in the shape of a human figure instead of a sign. The shop's name, written in the common language Koine, is "Azure Pharmacy"—[Mih Family].

Inside the shop, crammed with shelves, the adventurer party was purchasing the shop's prized "Dual Potion" and other items. Behind the counter, the dog-woman Chienthrope said "Thank you..." and watched the customers leave. Then, as if taking their place, two girls entered the shop through the double wooden doors.

Two adventurers, equipped with weapons and armor, called out to Naza, the dog-person standing behind the counter.

"We're back."

"I'm...I'm back..."

Short hair and long hair, upturned phoenix eyes and drooping triangular eyes. The two girls standing together create an interesting contrast; one speaks clearly, while the other greets him timidly.

Naza, with her eyes half-closed as if she were about to fall asleep, greeted them with a smile.

"You're back, Daphne, Cassandra..."

Hearing her call their names, Daphne and Cassandra—two former Level 3 adventurers of the Apollo Familia—walked to Naza's counter and placed bags full of gold coins on the table.

"Here, today's dungeon revenue, maintenance fees, and everything else have been deducted."

"I'm so sorry, thank you..."

"No, no, we're already from the same clan..."

After Nazha accepted Daphne's bag and thanked her, Cassandra said, swaying her long hair.

[Mih Family] Nazha, the only member of the group, wagged her tail.

"Thanks to Bell and the others who became famous for their war games and became our product spokespeople... cough cough, I mean, they helped promote our products, so we got more customers. But with the two of you around, it's still very helpful."

Naza grinned and took out some juice from an empty bottle and flask to treat the two of them.

"But you really don't regret joining our [Family]...? We also owe quite a bit of money."

"When you hear about an outrageous amount like 200 million Faris, all other debts seem like a small matter."

Naza's prosthetic arm, "Agateram," made a chirping sound. Daphne shrugged while drinking her juice, her phoenix eyes gazing into the distance.

Daphne and Cassandra attended the initiation ceremony of the new Hestia Familia, but upon seeing the "200,000,000 Fali" debt exposed in broad daylight, they immediately gave up. After a roundabout process, they finally joined the Mih Familia. They had already "converted" and were now Naza's official companions, as well as servants of the chief god Mih.

Cassandra, who originally wanted to join the Hestia Familia, seemed a little disappointed.

"Besides, the god Mihe is of noble character. If we are in this god's faction, I think it wouldn't matter if we joined."

"I'm glad you said that, but... you can't fall in love with him, okay?"

"No way."

"Hehehe..."

After exchanging a few jokes, Daphne said, "Oh, right," and looked behind Nazha, behind the counter.

"What are they doing?"

Through the open door, you can see two handsome men sitting across a table in the living room.

One was a handsome young man with long, dark blue hair tied back; he was Mihe, the main deity of Nazha and her friends. Although he wore a tattered gray robe and dressed in shabby clothes, his refined features made him look like a noble young man.

As for the other one, it is the male god Takemikazuchi, who ties his black hair into a bun on both sides of his ears.

"Let's just talk about trivial things..."

Naza uttered a sharp remark, then handed the shop over to Daphne and the others to manage, before heading towards the kitchen.

As she moved around the headquarters-cum-store, the two male gods in the living room continued their conversation.

"That's how it is."

Takemikazuchi explained what happened to him during the day.

After being knocked down by the cake, he told the whole story to the god who was friends with the goddess Hestia and belonged to the poor alliance, and asked him to discuss the matter.

Takemikazuchi said he didn't understand why fate was angry.

"..."

Mich, who had been listening silently, closed his eyes and exhaled sharply.

The male god opened his eyes, looked at Takemikazuchi who was asking him why the girl was angry, and clearly told him:

"I don't understand at all."

"Right?"

Bang!! Daphne and Cassandra, who were watching what was happening behind the door, bumped their heads into a pillar.

Upon hearing the dull thud, both gods looked completely bewildered. Cassandra rubbed her throbbing forehead, while Daphne beside her muttered, "What's wrong with them...?" Mih and Takemikazuchi, despite being gods, were so oblivious, much to their frustration.

"That's why Hestia and the others can't stand you..."

"Nazha?"

Nazha, who was making tea in the kitchen, carried a tray into the living room.

She half-ignored Mihe's gaze and placed the teacup in front of the two of them.

"That child... has such a pitiful life."

"Well……"

"If you really don't understand... I won't ask you to be more careful, but..."

Feeling uneasy under Nazha's gaze, Takemikazuchi shifted his upper body slightly.

The dog-woman glanced at Mih as if thinking of her own fate. "What's wrong?" The question from the supreme god made her sigh, and her eyes turned back to Takemikazuchi.

"Please think it over carefully and accept her feelings..."

Upon hearing what the child said, Kenji paused for a moment, then crossed his arms over his chest.

The steaming black tea on the table reflected his solemn expression.

On the day of Takemikazuchi's celebration.

Ming started baking a cake early in the morning in the mansion's kitchen.

After yesterday's disastrous incident, she tried several times, but unusually failed repeatedly, tormenting Belle and Welf's stomachs who were helping with the taste test. She slapped her frustrated face with her hands, trying to cheer herself up.

A strong will means banishing yesterday's events from your mind and focusing on cooking.

"Um, Lord Destiny... my secret meeting with Takemikazuchi yesterday was... that..."

"It's alright, Lady Haruhime, I didn't take it to heart."

"No... my life, that was..."

"I didn't take it to heart!"

She didn't even glance at Chun-hime who came to the kitchen, and buried herself in cooking.

Hearing Ming's stubborn reply, the fox-woman girl showed a somewhat apologetic expression and left.

After Bell and the others told Hestia and Lily, who were puzzled, about what had happened, they remained silent, showing no concern for Takemikazuchi and simply observing how things unfolded.

Free yourself from distractions and follow the recipe of "The Abundant Mistress" to bake the cake in the oven, then decorate it with candies and fruits... and the beautiful cake is complete.

This large, continental-style cake, adorned with tiny berries, is hard to believe was made by a Far Eastern people.

"It's finished, but..."

Looking at the finished product, Ming couldn't help but think of the troubles she had temporarily forgotten while focusing on cooking.

Ming stood idly in the kitchen until it got dark and the celebration was about to begin, then he packed the cake plates into boxes and started moving them.

She walked out of the mansion, holding the box in both hands, avoiding the crowd so as not to drop the cake, and headed to the headquarters of the Takemikazuchi Familia.

Walking listlessly down the dimly lit street lit by magic stone lamps, feeling embarrassed, he soon arrived at his destination.

This old communal housing complex, which used to be his home, is located on a narrow street in the northwest ward. It is currently inhabited by Takemikazuchi and five other members of his troupe. They seem to be ready, as light shines from the living room window.

Unsure of what expression to make, she could only say, "Excuse me..." and walk through the front door. Following Far Eastern etiquette, she took off her shoes. She was a little surprised that no one came out to greet her, but she still walked into the narrow and short corridor.

He stopped in front of the living room, then made up his mind and opened the door.

The next instant, a "snap!" sound was heard.

“—Huh?”

She had just heard a crisp sound when colorful confetti, ribbons, and flower petals rained down on her head.

Life stood frozen in place, bathed in a rain of brightly colored confetti.

"You're finally here."

"Welcome, life."

What greeted me was applause and words of welcome.

Sakura, Chigusa, and the other three members of the Takemikazuchi Familia, even Haruhime, were there, all smiling at the stunned Mikoto. Looking up, they saw a celebratory ball from the Far East—the Kujutama—hanging from the ceiling.

The room was decorated with various magic stone lamps and artificial flowers, and the table was full of sumptuous dishes, among which the fried potato balls were particularly prominent.

I was practically treated like the main character, and my life was thrown into chaos as I held the cake.

"W-What is this...? Isn't today supposed to be a celebration for Takemikazuchi...?"

"That's one of the purposes... but the main purpose today is to bid you farewell."