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

I greeted her good morning, while keeping a close eye on her outfit, and my cheeks flushed.

"Um, well... you look so cute today..."

Miss Ais's attire at this time was not the usual adventurer's outfit of combat clothes and armor.

A vibrant red embroidered maxi dress paired with a loose white blouse and a patterned vest buttoned up. This outfit complements her beautiful long blonde hair, making her look like a country girl.

Miss Ais, who was not only beautiful... but also seemed even more innocent and adorable, captivated me.

"Someone said this dress looks good and recommended I wear it... Does that seem weird?"

"No, no!? It's perfect for you!"

Seeing Miss Ais looking down at her clothes, I quickly shook my head.

Just as I borrowed a set of linen clothes, she also borrowed clothes from Mr. Cam's daughter to replace the adventurer's gear after being soaked in the rain for half a day. Seeing Miss Ais, who was as beautiful as a goddess, Mr. Cam's daughter seemed quite excited and chose lovely clothes for her.

When I praised her, she tilted her head slightly to the side, her cheeks blushing slightly... as if she were embarrassed and troubled.

—Thump! Her every move pierced my heart. Even though I was praising her, it turned into me clutching my chest and groaning. Miss Ais looked at me incredulously, blushing and trembling as a fool.

"Where are you going?"

"Ah, yes. It seems there's a festival in the village today, and I need to go help with the preparations."

Miss Ais noticed that I was going out alone and tilted her head slightly.

For the past three days, I've been staying with the fairy, spending almost the entire day in that room. As for Miss Ais, in order to protect us—or rather, because she couldn't find anything to do—she offered to "be a guard" standing at the door or wandering around the house. It's raining outside, so she can't go out either.

She was dressed like a pitiful village girl, but with a sword at her waist, which looked somewhat incongruous, or rather, rather frightening, and startled me and Mr. Cam's sons... But inside she was a genuine swordswoman, and looked quite stylish, leaving me speechless.

After explaining the situation, she nodded repeatedly and then said, "I want to go too."

"Uh, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I borrowed some clothes from someone and then had them treat me to a meal... I wanted to help out too."

Although she still lacked expression as usual, I was still happy to hear her say that.

We walked out of Mr. Cam's house together.

"It was dark and raining when we arrived, so we didn't see anything clearly... Actually, this village is quite large!"

"yes……"

The blue sky was reflected in the puddles on the ground. Miss Ais and I called out to the villagers coming and going and began to help with the preparations.

Because it was originally an elf settlement, "Aidas Village" is surprisingly large, surrounded by forests on all sides. Hidden by tall trees and the cliffs of the Bio Mountains, this mountain village is indeed not easy to find, and I think it is very suitable to describe it as a "Shangri-La".

Our news had probably spread throughout the village by now. After Miss Ais and I left Mr. Cam's house, we naturally attracted everyone's attention. Miss Ais, in particular, with her outstanding beauty, left the men speechless, and the married men had their cheeks pinched by their wives.

The excited aunties and children grabbed her and praised her repeatedly, which made her unusually troubled and at a loss, which amused me.

In the center of the village, where several houses stood side by side, tables and fire were set up in the square, and the venue was being prepared. Miss Ais and I asked some of the strong, robust uncles who usually seemed to be hunting for instructions, and then we went our separate ways to busy ourselves around the village.

"Um... I've always been curious, could you tell me what this is?"

The villagers of all races worked hard to prepare, and even the children all came out. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was evening.

While I was moving around carrying timber and ornaments, I saw something several times in the village.

It was a somewhat sinister object, emitting a dark, luster-like sheen, like obsidian.

It was about the size of my body, and it was set up like a stone tablet along the boundary of the forest on the outskirts of the village.

I asked what those black solid structures, which seemed to be protecting the village, were, and a nearby orc woman told me:

"Oh, those are... Lord Black Dragon's scales."

“—Huh?”

At first, I doubted my own ears.

The sky gradually turned the color of the sunset, as if it were bleeding. I thought I had misheard and couldn't help but waver, sticking my upper body out to the seemingly nonchalant aunt.

"You...you mean the 'black dragon'...the one from fairy tales, the one...!?"

"Yes, that's it. It's said that a long, long time ago, when it was driven out of Orario by the heroes and flew north, its scales fell into this settlement."

The auntie recounted a village legend about a long-lived spirit, a tale passed down through generations.

In the distant past, a legendary monster flew over this village, dropping scales...?

"Don't you find it strange that this village, surrounded by monster lairs, hasn't been attacked?"

“This…”

Just like how Miss Ais and I were attacked by "Happy," the fact that this village has never been attacked by a monster makes me feel really strange...

"These scales seem to frighten monsters, keeping them away. We're only able to live peacefully thanks to Lord Black Dragon."

The scales exuded the aura of a dragon king, or perhaps a fluctuation of power.

She said that the monsters, acting on instinct, sensed the presence of a monster far stronger than themselves and were too afraid to approach, which is why "Idas Village" was able to maintain peace.

Just as I was stunned, the woman closed her eyes, put her hands together in prayer, and paid homage to the black scales placed on the ground.

"...I know the sacrificial monster is strange, but what keeps us alive is not the adventurers, nor the gods... but this scale."

—And they were more afraid than anything else.

They fear that one day a brutal monster will break the silence and bring destruction to the world.

The residents of "Aidas Village" constantly feel the blessing and threat of that being. They are more afraid than anyone else of the black dragon's power being unleashed in the world. This is their greatest fear, which forces them to sacrifice monsters.

...a village where the belief in the Black Dragon is deeply rooted.

No, it's a village that worships monsters that are tantamount to disasters, praying that today's peace will continue into tomorrow.

Upon learning about the other side of the secluded "Aidas Village," I felt lost and bewildered.

This made me personally experience once again the existence of the calamities that the god Hermes had told me about.

Perhaps in other regions, we can also see the footprints left by the "Black Dragon"... the one-eyed dragon?

"Sigh, once Lord Black Dragon is gone, we won't do this kind of thing anymore..."

Seeing the woman clasp her hands together, offering a wry smile as she worshipped the monster's scales, I understood.

Learn the significance of the "Three Adventurers' Requests" undertaken by the labyrinth city of Orario.

Even today, the labyrinth city still has a long-cherished wish that must be fulfilled for the world.

"The atmosphere's getting a bit tense. Okay, let's get ready quickly."

"Ah...okay, okay."

Seeing the older woman look up and smile, I nodded reluctantly in response, picked up the half-moved timber, and started moving it.

After parting ways with the older woman and finishing my work, I stopped and looked around.

Dragon scales were scattered everywhere, and preparations for the festival were progressing smoothly. The village looked somewhat different from before.

"what……"

The work was mostly finished, and as I walked among the houses, I saw Miss Ais.

She was dressed as a village girl, standing with her back to me in front of a small stone house.

"Miss Ais?"

"..."

Miss Ais did not react to my approach, but stared into the cabin.

Inside the house were fragments of the dragon scales from earlier, and in front of them were offerings of food and other items... It seemed to be an altar, where the villagers probably prayed to the guardian spirit protecting their village.

Miss Ais, like me, seemed to have already heard the villagers talk about the origin and significance of this scale, and stared at it silently.

"It's like they're worshipping a god."

Seeing a part of the dragon's body being offered as a sacrifice and revered like a god, I whispered my immediate thoughts.

In an instant——

"That's not some kind of god."

Those words, sharp as swords, tore me apart.

"————"

Without turning her head, she spoke a low, chilling denial with her back to me.

I had never heard her voice so emotionally charged before, and I was speechless.

My heart pounded.

At that moment, I did feel fear towards Miss Ais, who had made the sound.

I don't know what her expression is right now; she's just frozen in place as if time has stopped.

"Let's go back."

"...Okay, okay."

After a time that felt like eternity, Miss Ais slowly turned her head.

I've seen that emotionless expression of hers many times now. This is the Miss Ais I know; she called to me in her usual manner and walked away from the cottage.

I was unable to move for a while. When I saw her stop and turn around, I quickly chased after her.

Walking alongside her, I stole glances at her profile, but to my surprise, Miss Ais's face, flushed red by the setting sun, remained unchanged. It made me wonder if the scene I'd just witnessed was an illusion, and the words I'd heard were merely a hallucination.

As a result, I couldn't ask anything.

*

As things were drawing to a close, I was worried about Miss Ais, but I still went to check on the fairy's condition.

I went to the house of Mr. Kam, the village chief, which was the largest of the several wooden houses located at the back of the village, and went to the room we were borrowing.

"Huh... Mr. Cam?"

As I opened the door and went inside, Mr. Cam's figure came into view.

The goddess was sleeping, and Mr. Cam stood by the bed, looking down at the young goddess who was emitting soft snores.

Hearing my voice, the old man with the cane slowly raised his head.

"Please rest assured, I did not do anything to the goddess."

"Huh! Ah, no, I didn't mean that... W-What's wrong?"

I asked in a panic, and Mr. Cam slowly turned his body towards me.

"I have been waiting for you."

The elderly human continued, speaking to my astonished expression:

"Mr. Bell, could you please give this old man a moment?"

Mr. Cam led me to his private room at the back of his house.

The room contained a bed, a table, and a chair, but very few daily necessities.

Although it has parchment bundles and quills like those in the village chief's room, it looks untouched and seems to have been unused recently.

"Cough cough...!"

"Are you...are you alright?"

Suddenly, Mr. Cam coughed.

I panicked and tried to call his daughter, but he stopped me.

"Please don't worry about it, I understand my situation."

He told me not to worry, and I looked confused.

His slightly thin frame indicated a medium build; he was about my height, or perhaps a little taller. Mr. Cam smiled at me, tossing his dull white hair. Although I was worried, I listened to him anyway.

The view outside the window turned maroon. A moment later, Mr. Cam took something off the shelf and placed it on the table.

It's a flame badge that looks old and is worn so badly that it's hard to see clearly...

"Is this... a [Family] badge?"

"Yes, I was once a servant of a goddess."