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

"You're all here."

"The goddess Hephaestus..."

Hephaestus approached them from behind, her boots clicking.

The boy turned to look at the goddess. She stood beside him, gazing at the pale sky and the young man sitting quietly in the foreground, squinting her left eye.

"Bell Craney, can I take care of this?"

Can you leave me alone with that blacksmith?

Upon hearing Hephaestus's words, Bell first widened his eyes slightly, then nodded.

He accepted the goddess's words, ceded the place to her, bowed in acknowledgment, and left the rooftop.

As the boy's footsteps faded into the distance, Hephaestus walked up behind Welf.

"The soldiers of the Kingdom of Lachia have been handed over to the guild."

"..."

"The guild is currently questioning them about their invasion route, etc. It seems the traitor allowed them into the city on the condition of starting a war. We just don't know if their aim is wartime profits or if they have other motives..."

Hephaestus stood beside Welf, who was sitting cross-legged, and gave a business-like report.

She didn't turn her face to the young man, but instead gazed at the city sky ahead, and said:

"I heard that the guild plans to demand a ransom from the Kingdom of Lachia. If they don't accept it, they will banish the soldiers to the wilderness in a while."

Upon hearing about the soldiers, his father, and his grandfather's future fate, Welf said softly, "...I see."

The two stood side by side, temporarily surrendering themselves to the pale dawn sky.

"...Do you think I'm wrong?"

As the eastern sky gradually brightened, Welf spoke slowly.

Is it a mistake to decide to abandon one's own bloodline and create a weapon that surpasses "Krozo's Demon Sword" with the ultimate goal of achieving the highest?

He didn't raise his face, but asked the goddess with his head down.

"Hmm...who knows?"

"..."

"Tsubaki is right. Children have a limited lifespan, and they really have to pay any price to reach the realm of the gods."

Hephaestus told the truth.

"However," she said to Welf, who remained silent, "..."

"Welf has Welf's beliefs, right?"

"……Yes."

"Then don't doubt yourself, because nothing is more fragile than an empty block of iron."

Then the Goddess of Forging turned to Welf and smiled.

"Gods, we always hope that your willpower can turn the impossible into the possible, just like the moment when the children who are called heroes overcome despair."

The gods earnestly hope that the children will transcend truth and divine wisdom, and that they will see sights never before seen.

The goddess gently told Welf that they knew of Welf's potential with other children.

"...I will catch up with you in my own way."

Following the advice of the gods, Welf stood up after a while.

He looked back at Hephaestus's face and said his unwavering resolve.

"Is simply catching up enough?"

"...I will pursue you."

Seeing the Forging God squinting his left eye, which wasn't covered by a black eyepatch, with interest, Welf smiled too.

Hephaestus smiled like a mother pleased with her child's growth, and then stretched out her arms.

She placed her hand on Welf's head and stroked his red hair.

"—What are you doing?!"

The sudden movement froze Wilf for a moment, then he blushed and quickly swung the hand away.

"Oh, you don't like this?"

"I... I'm not that age anymore! This kind of thing is better suited for Bell and the others!?"

"Hehe, I really like Welf's adorable, big-brotherly personality, don't I?"

"~ ...

Seeing Hephaestus chuckle softly, Welf blushed.

He acted like an elder brother in front of Bell and the others, but he was so pathetic in front of the goddess.

Damn it! Welf covered her burning face with one hand. The smile that appeared on her upright face with her red hair and red eyes stunned Welf for a moment, and she cursed herself.

Most importantly, his embarrassing silence made Welf realize his feelings for her once again.

Chun is right. Welf does indeed regard Hephaestus as a goddess, a blacksmith—and a woman, and he holds her in high esteem.

Initially, the goal was absolutely to catch up with the ambition and objectives of this forging goddess. Welf was determined to reach... no, to surpass the supreme weapon she had created.

Then, after getting to know her again and again, my feelings for her gradually changed.

It's not complicated; Welf is the same as Bell.

Awe quickly turned into longing, and longing into adoration. First, he became fascinated by Hephaestus's weapons, and then he was drawn to her divine personality as the one who forged them.

It wasn't as sweet as a romantic relationship, nor as reserved as a deep affection.

Rather, it is a more naive, dreamy, and passionate emotion.

(Let's just say...)

Perhaps it's just an occupational hazard, he thought.

The young blacksmith pressed his still-warm forehead with his palm and looked at the goddess's smiling profile.

"...And what about you?"

"?"

Gazing at the rising sun in the east, Welf, who always advocated an eye for an eye, crossed his arms and turned his face away to tell her:

"That woman... Chun said that you've felt very lonely ever since I left."

Hephaestus was taken aback at first.

Then he immediately sighed.

"...Really, that kid is such a blabbermouth."

Hephaestus was neither shy nor flustered, but simply complained to the faction's number one free spirit.

Her straightforward admission made Welf, who had retaliated in a small way, feel embarrassed, or rather, resentful... In any case, he was a little angry to learn that Hephaestus didn't see him as that kind of person.

Upon reflection, Welf realized that he had become somewhat complacent after hearing Tsubaki's words and felt like he really wanted to die.

"Yes, I did feel a bit sentimental after Welf left; the kids have left the nest to be independent again."

"Is that so..."

Hephaestus, standing beside him, spoke in a gentle tone. Welf, too embarrassed to look at her profile, turned to face her and massaged his brow with his right hand.

"I would never say this to the children of my faction... but Welf is no longer my 'Family Member,' so I'll tell you anyway. I actually took special care of you back then, didn't I? I was really looking forward to seeing you grow up."

But then, Welf heard her honest words, saying that she had once placed expectations on him, which made him panic again.

This was probably the highest praise she could give as the Goddess of Forging. A mere craftsman would tremble at such excessive honor.

Welf turned his head away, blushing. Hephaestus, unaware of his feelings, gave him a mischievous look.

"I was thinking of rewarding you if you could produce something I could appreciate... What a pity!"

When he saw the red-haired, red-eyed goddess give him a mischievous sidelong glance with her left eye, he really got angry this time.

Welf, overwhelmed by his emotions, shouted:

"Is it still effective now!?"

"what?"

"I'm asking you, if I can produce a piece of work that makes you cry, will I get a reward?"

Welf's aggressive attitude, his face turning as red as his hair, caused Hephaestus to unusually back down, agreeing to his request: "Uh, well, if you can do it."

Welf, having accomplished his atrocities and broken the pact with the other factions of chief gods, blushed even more and said:

"Then! If I can create weapons that you will appreciate, please be my friend!"

He said it aloud.

Welf, disgusted by the pounding of his own heart, suppressed his shame and gazed at Hephaestus before him.

Faced with her once-in-a-lifetime confession, the goddess was initially speechless—then covered her mouth and couldn't help but laugh.

"What... what do you take other people's determination for...!?"

"Hehe, hehehehe...!? I'm sorry, but it's just too funny...!"

Seeing the goddess laughing so hard she was shaking with embarrassment, Welf was so ashamed he wanted to bang his head against the wall, and was groaning as...

Hephaestus wiped away the tears that had accumulated in her left eye with her finger and smiled at him.

"Because I haven't heard that phrase in a long time."

Huh? Welf froze. Hephaestus continued:

"Former members of the group... even the blacksmiths said the same things as you, and came to woo me."

Upon hearing this, Welf froze completely, and the Goddess of Forging narrowed her eyes at him.

"You got beaten to it by your seniors?"

I really want to die.

This time, Welf really wanted to just die.

He felt an urge to jump off the roof.

(That's how these blacksmiths are...!?)

Including himself, these blacksmiths only knew this kind of tedious, roundabout craftsman's confession. Welf blushed and held his head.

Seeing the child nearly faint from shame, Hephaestus chuckled softly with delight.

She quickly and quietly changed her expression.

"However, not a single child has done it so far."

This made Welf look up.

The goddess with a provocative smile was right in front of him.

"Can you do it?"

The Goddess of Forging, her red hair swaying, stared intently at him, and her words made Welf gasp.

Then Welf accepted her challenge head-on, laughing boldly and fearlessly at her.

"That suits me perfectly."

He wanted to forge a weapon that surpassed the "Demon Sword," reach the highest realm, and then make the goddess before him submit.

The target has been increased again.

The dawn sky shone on their faces, and the young man and the goddess smiled at each other.

"Okay... don't talk about dating me yet, you should find a good partner sooner rather than later."

Seeing that Welf had fully returned to normal, Hephaestus seemed quite satisfied, raising one arm and stretching.

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Welf stopped what he was doing.

"Although you're a bit stubborn, you'll definitely find a good partner."