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

Then she looked up—finally unleashing her pent-up emotions.

"Lily hates Lord Bell's indecisive personality the most!?"

She yelled at the top of her lungs at the astonished boy.

"It's decided! Lily is going to see the [Hero]!"

“Eh!?”

"To be able to discuss marriage with the renowned [Hero], not to mention the Lilliputians, everyone would be green with envy!! Strength, wealth, fame, that lord has it all!? Yes, I never dreamed I could marry such a golden turtle!!"

"Lily, Lily! Why do you seem to be sulking...?!"

No!

They were exchanging words back and forth... no, it was already like a young couple arguing.

Lily blushed and yelled at the flustered Bell.

"Finn Dim is handsome and amazing. Compared to the indecisive, playboy, incompetent, stupid, and utterly clueless about girls' feelings, he's thousands, even tens of thousands of times better!?"

"Goohoo!?" Then Lily's excited loud voice bombarded Bell, causing Bell's body to bend into a U-shape.

Comparing himself to Finn, who was far superior to him in both character and adventure, a huge rock of inferiority slammed down on his head with a loud "bang!!"

Lily suddenly turned around, her back to Bell, who was speechless and staggering.

"!!"

She flung open the door and ran out of the room.

"Lily!?"

Ignoring Bell's screams behind her, she rushed out of the headquarters.

Lily climbed over the iron fence through the back door and came to the brightly lit avenue at night.

Driven by her excitement, Lily rushed through the streets of Orario.

*

"—Rivia, I will be leaving headquarters tomorrow as scheduled. I'll leave you here to keep watch."

The Loki Familia's headquarters, "Twilight Mansion."

Within this complex of towers, also known as the "Elder's Residence," the leader's office is located atop one of the spires.

There was a floral carpet, a white stone fireplace, and a long, straight grandfather clock. The room, furnished with elegantly crafted furniture, was spacious enough that the walls were adorned with mural-style textile tapestries—portraits of goddesses clad in spears and armor.

Finn sat in his chair, processing faction reports and documents at his ebony desk, while informing Vice-Commander Rivera of tomorrow's schedule.

"...That's really unexpected."

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard you talk about your mission many times since we first met, so I'm not surprised now. But I've always felt that you weren't very interested in relationships, so seeing you taking such a proactive approach now is quite surprising."

Pei Cui's long, tied-up hair fell down her back. The beautiful elf gazed at Finn's profile and pointed out her question to him.

It means: I've never seen you so actively talking about marriage with someone from your own clan.

It also seems to have nothing to do with the mission; they seem to be enjoying it.

"...In the past, I didn't have the energy to care about other things, but lately I've started to feel that if I just pay attention to them, it shouldn't be a big deal to catch my breath. Besides...maybe one day I'll give my life for my [Family]. I've started to have this thought during recent battles."

"..."

"Of course, I have absolutely no intention of dying before I can fulfill my ambitions."

Finn, who had been smoothly wielding the quill pen, stopped and looked up from the document.

He uttered a few words from his heart: "Maybe it's because I'm getting old." He gave Riveria a wry smile.

The little adventurer from the dwarf race hinted that his actions, while seemingly proactive, also had a safe side, while a smile played on his lips.

"Most importantly... I met some outstanding people of my kind. At least my heart has been touched ever since then."

Finn closed his eyelids, as if recalling the scene when he first met the girl.

He leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face, and soon his blue eyes looked out of the room window at the moonlit street scene.

"Okay, I wonder if she'll keep the appointment?"

*

The night disappeared, the sun rose from the eastern sky, and morning arrived.

Adventurers had already begun heading to the dungeon, and the city was bustling with activity. Surrounded by the crowds, Lily walked listlessly down South Street.

"What on earth is Lily doing...?"

She looked down at the stone slabs and muttered to herself.

Last night, Lily ran out of headquarters and into the "Goblin General Store," asking the surprised shopkeeper to let her stay the night. So she spent the night at her old lodging. ... When the white-haired boy came running up looking for her, she pretended not to be there and asked the shopkeeper to let him leave.

Giving up on oneself is truly unsightly.

Did she hope that Bell would feel a little uneasy, worried... or jealous?

"How despicable!" Lily scolded herself, her expression darkening.

The problem lies with myself; I'm unwilling to face the annoying issues and choose to escape, refusing to confront my youth.

"..."

She really didn't dare to see the boy.

She didn't know how to face the boy when she returned to his side.

As she was thinking, Lily stopped in front of a shop.

It was the shop on the parchment note, the meeting place Finn Dimna had designated.

Lily had unknowingly wandered from the main road through the side street and arrived here. Thinking there was nothing she could do about it, she made up her mind. Actually, she had become somewhat resigned and didn't want to care anymore. She planned to go into the shop and looked up at the shopkeeper in front of her.

The designated store has a very small exterior.

Located in the southwest of the city, on the edge of the city near the city walls, this shop is like a secluded place, built in a narrow alley where it is not seen by the public, and is called "The Secret House of the Little People".

It seems they also run a liquor business.

"So Orario has shops like this... "

Lily glanced at the sign written in Common Tongue that read "No entry for anyone other than Dwarfs!", then opened the shop's wooden door with a "squeak..." sound.

The store's interiors have all been adjusted to a size suitable for miniatures; in other words, they are all very small.

Needless to say, the ceiling, walls, and interior height are all small, as are the tables, chairs, and other items, which are made like children's products from other races. Even though it's not yet noon, the store is already full of customers, and they, the staff taking orders, and even the owner, Master, standing behind the counter are all, just like the sign outside says, small people.

Because everything in the shop was small, these people blended in very naturally. However, if people of other races saw them, they would probably be astonished, thinking they were a group of children drinking, eating, and chatting happily. Even Lily, who was of the same race, found it somewhat unbelievable that the little people could sit on chairs with their feet on the ground.

Despite its unfavorable location, this tavern, exclusively for the dwarves, was surprisingly thriving—perhaps precisely because it was exclusively for them, the dwarves, often overshadowed by other races, would come here to rest. As Lily stood at the entrance, looking around, a clerk approached.

"Welcome! If you're alone, please sit at the counter... oh."

The little man, who seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the shop assistant's work, froze when he saw Lily's face.

Lily swayed her long robe and hooded jacket, initially puzzled, then exclaimed "Ah!"

"Lily, Lily Luca Erd!? [Hestia Familia]!?"

"I remember you are... Lord Luan?"

The little man pointing at her and yelling seemed somewhat familiar to Lily.

With large eyes, brown hair, and a handsome appearance like that of a page favored by the nobility.

Luan Esper.

He belongs to the Apollo Familia, which he fought against in the war game, and is a small-statured adventurer.

Because Lily and her Hestia Familia defeated them beautifully, the main god was banished from the city, and the Apollo Familia was forced to disband... It seems he has been hired by this tavern as a waiter.

Luan was first taken aback, then glared at Lily as if she were an enemy.

"It's all your fault! You've ruined me, turning me from an adventurer into a tavern employee! How are you going to compensate me?!"

"You were the ones who approached Lord Bell and the others, stirring up trouble and proposing the War Game! You have no right to blame us! ...Well, well, it was true that you used rather cruel methods."

I heard that after Lu An arrived there, he ran into trouble no matter which clan he went to.

The dwarf race is already prone to discrimination, and being a novice adventurer who hasn't leveled up yet, she seems to be less fortunate than third-tier adventurers like Daphne and Cassandra, despite having the experience of being a former member of the mid-tier faction, the Apollo Familia. No one tries to persuade her, and no one pays her any attention.

Even though he went to the faction to request to join, he was turned away because of the strong negative reviews brought about by his betrayal during the siege.

...His act of betrayal, broadcast live in the city, the truth behind the destruction of Troy, was actually Lily using her transformation magic, the Ash Woman, to impersonate Ruan. At the time, he was locked in a warehouse in the street and couldn't participate in the war game. Because the citizens were all focused on watching the final duel between the generals, it seems no one saw the moment Lily dispelled her transformation magic, resulting in this act of betrayal being attributed to Ruan Esper... directly causing his negative reputation.

Playing tricks and ambushing the enemy to reduce their strength before the war game is commonplace—in fact, on the way to the ancient city ruins of Shurim, Welf, Mikoto, and Ryu seem to be harassed by a mysterious thief—but even though it's for the sake of winning, Lily feels that she might have let Ruan down a bit.

"But after that, didn't Mih ask you about it? Lily also heard that you refused... Why didn't you join his [Family]?"

"Ugh... We were originally a core member of the Apollo Familia! How could we possibly join such a weak and debt-ridden Familia?!"

Upon hearing the short boy say that he had rejected the mercy of his crush, Lily couldn't help but glare at him coldly.

Lily wasn't unable to forgive the debt... but his arrogant rejection of others because of such trivial vanity made Lily feel that he was somewhat reaping what he sowed. The best evidence was Daphne and the others, yet he had willingly joined that weaker faction.

"So, would you like to join Lily's faction? Lily, could you please take a look at the goddess Hestia?" Lily suggested apologetically. "You owe us a much bigger debt! I'd rather die than accept that!?" She was flatly rejected.

When the bombshell of the faction's debt came up, Lily felt helpless and had no choice but to give up.

"...Someone must be waiting for Lily. Is Lily leaving?"

"Whatever you want!"

She ended the pointless argument, and Luan turned her head away.

Although Lily was a little annoyed by his rude attitude, she still walked into the store from the doorway.

She immediately found the person who had specified the store to wait for.

Because that person was at a table by the window in the corner of the tavern, where bright sunlight streamed in, attracting the whispers and glances of those around him.

"Hi, you're here."

Finn Demna, who was reading a small book meant for dwarves, also noticed Lily approaching and looked up.

Finn was wearing glasses; it was unclear whether they were for disguise or just regular glasses.

The garment looked quite fitting on his rational appearance—a childlike stature yet exuding maturity—allowing Lily to somewhat understand why he was so popular with female adventurers.

He smiled at Lily, and the shop immediately erupted in noise. Everyone else stared in astonishment at Lily, the renowned Level 1 adventurer, and the pride of her clan, the "Hero."

Lu An, who had originally had a harsh expression, was also frozen in place with his mouth agape.

Lily was embarrassed by the reactions around her, but Finn seemed unconcerned and continued:

"I didn't expect you to actually be willing to make the trip, and even come in person."

"...Since you're already skeptical, wouldn't it be better not to mention it at all in the first place?"

Perhaps because of what happened with Bell, Lily was feeling down. Even though she was the one who was supposed to go on the date, she couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.

Lily was startled as soon as she spoke, thinking "Oh no." Just as she was wavering, the first-level adventurer, whose status was far superior to hers, simply chuckled softly at her rudeness.

Bathed in the warm sunlight, her shimmering golden hair swayed.

"Shall we sit down?"

"..."

Seeing that the other person remained calm and composed, Lily didn't know what to say, so she could only obediently do as he said.

She pursed her lips and moved to the opposite side of Finn, sitting down in a chair across the table.

"This is the first time it's just the two of us face to face. Shall we start by introducing ourselves? I'm Finn Dimna, thank you for coming today."

"...Liliruka Erd."

Although they both knew each other's names, Finn still introduced himself according to etiquette.

Lily also gave her name, and unintentionally, she ended up going through the motions of a blind date.

Finn placed his glasses on the table, where a half-empty teacup lay. After the waiter, Luan, who had taken the order, brought over Lily's tea with an extremely complicated expression, Finn slowly began to speak.

"Alright, now that you've kept your promise, does that mean I'll get a good response?"

Finn didn't force her, nor did he use sweet words to pursue Lily. He simply smiled gently at her, and Lily lowered her head for a moment.