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

"Lily had been thinking about this before..."

After Bell and Hestia returned to the living room, Lily spoke to Welf and the others:

Why are all the [ability stats] displayed like this?

"Ah—, I'm curious about that too."

"Yes, yes, I don't understand either... why doesn't the goddess Hestia conceal her [ability stats]?"

"I...I believe this is the factional policy...isn't it?"

"Huh... there's a way to hide [ability stats]!?"

Starting with Lily's question, Welf, Mikoto, Haruhime, and other members who had transferred from other factions all chimed in with their own opinions. Seeing Hestia's astonishment—plus Bell's exclamation of "Eh!" followed by her frozen state—Lily and the others explained to the two the knowledge commonly known as "locking."

This is a technique used exclusively by the gods, capable of concealing the sacred text inscribed on the backs of their followers. By performing this "locking" action, one can prevent others from peeking at the followers' stats.

Not only Hephaestus, Takemikazuchi, and Ishtar, but even Soma, who dislikes trouble, concealed the [ability values] of his familiars, greatly shocking the little goddess who had only recently descended to the mortal realm.

"Oh, I see. No wonder I couldn't see the [ability stats] of those Amazon ladies on the street... I thought they had some kind of body paint job."

"Oh, right, Miss Eina also said that in order to prevent others from seeing your [ability stats], it's best to lock the door... So she wasn't referring to the door to the headquarters at home..."

"I'll ask Hephaestus and the others for advice next time..."

Lily sighed at the two clueless servants, ignored them, and walked over to Welf and the others.

"May I show Lily everyone's [ability stats]?"

"Oh, sure."

"Of course."

"Please look."

Lily asked the question she hadn't had a chance to ask before, and Welf, Mikoto, and Haruhime generously handed her the replacement paper.

Welf Crozet

LV.2

Strength: I 67→70 Endurance: I 50→53 Dexterity: I 78→82 Agility: I 36→38 Magic: I 57→61

Forging: I

倭·命

LV.2

Strength: H 133→134 Endurance: H 129→130 Dexterity: H 178→181 Agility: H 162→167 Magic: I 84

Abnormal resistance: I

Sanjou Haruhime

LV.1

Strength: I 8→9 Durability: I 32 Dexterity: I 15 Agility: I 23→26 Magic: E403→405

(Well, that's usually how it is...)

After reviewing the [ability values] that were not far from her own updated values, Lily returned the record sheet to Welf and the others.

Welf and the others also confirmed their [ability values], and then everyone looked at the boy.

Noticing his companion's silent gaze, Bell panicked.

He placed his left hand on his head and obediently handed over the replacement paper.

Bell Craney

LV.3

Strength: F 377→391 Endurance: F 389→396 Dexterity: F377→392 Agility: D 583→594 Magic: F 352→360

Luck: H Abnormal Resistance: I

““““…”””””

After seeing Bell's [Ability Value] update paper, Lily and the others were all speechless.

The proficiency level of the ability parameter has increased by more than 50 in total.

Bell's LV is higher than everyone else's, but his ability parameters have also increased the most.

Sure enough there is a problem.

Everyone has been fighting the same enemy monsters under the same conditions. While Bell may have more battles and more record-breaking scores, his progress is so great that it cannot be described as an error.

Every time Lily and the others heard about the boy's update value, they felt this incredible feeling, and today they felt the same way again.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

"N-I don't know?"

Welf groaned, holding the update paper in one hand, while Bell looked confused, seemingly unaware of the reason himself.

Being pointed out again by others for his unusually rapid growth made him waver as well.

"It's less about Lord Bell's personal talent and more like the effect of some special power..."

Lily didn't answer them, but murmured in a voice only they could hear, glancing sideways at her side.

Upon closer inspection, the young goddess was seen whistling poorly with her eyes closed, sweat beading on her forehead.

Lily glared at Hestia, then quickly exchanged glances with the other members of the group besides Bell.

It means: We must get to the bottom of this today.

"It's getting late, those who have time to shower can go ahead and take a shower."

Welf was the first to speak.

He turned his neck and shoulders dramatically and said, "Bell, you go wash up first."

"Uh, I took a shower at the Babel Tower facility after exploring..."

"I boiled bathwater again tonight. Since it's already boiled, please take a bath, Lord Bell."

Bell was still in a daze when his command immediately interrupted him.

The goddess Hestia was eager to interrupt, but Lily, who was standing in front of her, restrained her with a sharp look.

"But...can I go first? I feel a little embarrassed...and if we're going to shower, Welf can come along too..."

"I still need to forge iron."

"I also need to prepare the ingredients for tomorrow's breakfast."

"I...I need...I need my tail combed!"

Welf and Fate seemed to have rehearsed their moves beforehand, and then each headed to a corner of the living room. A bewildered Haruhime, clutching her tail, turned her back to Bell and awkwardly began grooming her golden fur.

"Lily has something to say to the goddess Hestia."

After Lily finished speaking, Hestia was glared at coldly and let out a timid groan.

Bell was coaxed into taking a bath alone, saying "Well, then...", blinking a few times, and then walked out of the living room.

As soon as the others disappeared, Welf and the others immediately gathered and surrounded the main god.

"Alright, Goddess Hestia. If you know the inside story of Lord Bell's 'growth,' please tell us. We must have you tell us today."

Lily spoke on behalf of everyone, pressing Hestia for answers with such force that she was momentarily speechless.

Surrounded and drenched in sweat, the main god finally seemed to give up and let out a long breath.

"You are all my family, it wouldn't make sense to hide this from you... I understand, I'll tell you."

"But you absolutely mustn't tell anyone, okay?" Hestia carefully instructed before revealing Bell's secret of "growth," her expression showing some annoyance.

So Lily and the others all learned about the existence of that "skill".

"Is it your heart, your aspiration...?"

Hearing Hestia say Bell's "longing" in person, Lily murmured in a daze.

This unprecedented "rare skill" that would affect "growth" shocked her greatly, and the skill's characteristics left her speechless.

--precocious.

—It maintains the effect simultaneously with feelings of longing.

—The stronger the longing, the greater the effect.

The effect of "skills" is greatly influenced by the feelings that Bell keeps hidden in his heart.

The boy's feelings for the girl he admires, Ais, become nourishment, allowing him to experience dramatic "growth."

"So, Bell fell in love with [Fiora], and that's why he grew so recklessly in order to catch up with her?"

"Love, fall in love...!? Yes, yes, perhaps that's a fair way to put it..."

"Lord Bell, the object of your affections..."

After hearing the summary of "Aspiration", Welf confirmed with Hestia. Haruhime stood there in shock, and Lily, standing beside her, could not hide her astonishment.

Bell Crane is in love with Ais Wallenstein.

This fact devastated her and left her heartbroken and distraught.

(Lily knew he was working towards a certain goal, but...)

From the moment they met, Lily had a vague feeling that the boy had some reason or purpose for exploring the maze so diligently.

But she never expected that it was all to catch up with the famous [Fiora].

Considering the boy's age, it's not surprising that he would develop feelings for or yearn for someone of the opposite sex... However, when Lily heard that Ais had saved Belle from the clutches of the Minotaur, which led to their encounter, her chestnut eyes still couldn't help but tremble.

"You...you didn't even tell Lord Bell?"

"That child doesn't know how to keep secrets. If anyone presses him about his rare skill, he'll immediately give himself away. In that case, it's better not to tell him about it at all… Besides, I'm not going to tell him about my feelings for Miss Warren!"

He ignored the conversation between Ming and Hestia.

It felt like my body and mind were separated, my emotions were constantly wavering, my hands and feet were frozen as if time had stopped, and my small chest was agitated by the intense emotions.

Lily, her heart trembling, couldn't help but say:

"H-Goddess Hestia... doesn't she care at all?"

She stammered as she asked.

Hestia must have also shown great affection for Bell, exceeding the bounds of a goddess's benevolence.

She couldn't help but ask the goddess, could she tolerate Bell's love for Ais?

"...It was Bell who decided to become stronger on his own. Seeing him like that, I really couldn't stop him."

She couldn't dampen her child's determination.

Lily was embarrassed when she heard Hestia say that.

"Besides, I will never hand that child over to anyone else. Who would willingly give him away like that? One day I will make Bell turn back...!"

Seeing the main god trembling as he revealed his ambition, Welf and the others couldn't help but take two steps back. As for Lily, this time she looked at Haruhime.

Seeing Lily's dependent gaze, the fox-girl, who was just as devastated as Lily, looked around with bewildered eyes and lowered her head.

She placed her hands, through her kimono, on her slightly protruding chest.

"I am a prostitute... I have no right to interfere in Lord Bell's love affairs."

"..."

"...No, but if it's just a concubine...no, to serve the emperor, I can still...!"

"Wait a minute!?"

Upon hearing the former trainee prostitute make a naturally shocking statement while blushing, the goddess flew into a rage.

"I'm so sorry!?" Haruhime covered her head with her hands and curled up into a ball. "Do you think I would allow it?!" Hestia pounced on her.

"Goddess Hestia!?" "Please calm down!?" Welf and Ming hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

"..."

Compared to the girls who were arguing all at once, Lily was left bewildered and lost.