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

"Team leader~"

Missia, with tears in her eyes, looked up at her boss walking towards her as he approached. The slender-featured dog-man, as if to comfort her, handed her a steaming wooden cup.

"Thank you, team leader... Waaah, that scared me to death."

"Adventurers also risk their lives for their work. When danger affects them, it's impossible for them to remain calm."

Missia, who was holding the cup in both hands and sipping her drink, shrank back but still nodded slightly, indicating that she understood what her boss had said.

"I can only hear your voices. Is it another request about the 24th floor?"

"Yes, they say a lot of monsters have appeared... Does the team leader know anything about this?"

"The guild has received several similar requests in the past few days, concerning a significant increase in the number of monsters on the regular route of the 24th floor... However, since it has only been a few days, it seems that the higher-ups have not yet seen the reports."

Missia's superior explained that the guild had received similar intelligence, mainly from high-level adventurers who had repeatedly attacked the "lower levels" from their base on the 18th floor (Rivera).

He added that since this only happened recently, the guild has not yet confirmed that there have been any abnormal changes in the dungeon, nor has it taken the issue seriously.

In an office where most desks were empty, he adjusted his glasses.

"Judging from the appearance of that adventurer, the situation on the ground seems to be more serious than we initially thought. It seems we have to face this problem squarely."

"You're right, we need to submit a report to higher-ups immediately."

Missia jogged back to her desk, intending to copy the information from the parchment the man had just given her onto another sheet of paper for her report.

"Strange?"

But just then, she discovered that the power of attorney was missing.

"Flot, you didn't... lose it, did you?"

"No, that's impossible!?"

Her boss stood aside, looking like he had nothing to say to her, and Missia began to panic.

She lifted the mountain of documents from the messy desk with both hands, checking every corner to see if they were underneath, but she couldn't find them. She even lay on the floor to look around the desk, but the result was the same.

Her pink hair swayed, and a bead of sweat slid down her face.

"...This must be the work of the 'ghost'! I didn't lose it!"

Missia, who had gotten up from the floor, began to shirk responsibility and avoid her boss's gaze.

“What are you talking about…”

"Haven't you heard, leader!? The guild headquarters has been haunted for ages, and 'ghosts' appear there!"

Missia suddenly approached her boss, who looked suspicious.

"I've heard that several security personnel at headquarters have seen a mysterious figure appearing every night, shrouded in a long, black robe from head to toe! Some even chased after him to investigate, but the figure suddenly vanished at the end of the corridor!"

Missia used her entire petite body, gesturing wildly, and talked nonstop.

She desperately told her boss all the rumors she had heard.

"There's a theory that adventurers who died tragically at the hands of monsters turned into ghosts and remain lingering in our guild headquarters...! My request letter must have been taken by that 'ghost' too...!"

Her boss watched coldly as she spoke in a strange, incoherent tone, telling stories of "ghosts."

He didn't take those words to heart and sighed softly.

"Your gossipy nature has already caused a lot of trouble for your colleague (Zuer). Do whatever it takes to find the lost authorization letter for me."

"Team leader~ I didn't lose it~!?"

Missia was still making excuses, saying that she had indeed brought the power of attorney to her desk.

She chased after her boss as he turned to leave, crying and making excuses.

When Missia's cries came from the other side of the wall.

A shadow slipped out from the darkness at the front of the deserted corridor, far from the offices.

The dark shadow twisted and groaned, making a sound.

Then, as if dissolving out of space, a figure dressed in a black robe appeared.

"..."

Fels, a figure draped entirely in black, looks down at the parchment in his hand.

That was the power of attorney that Missia had lost. It was unclear when the "ghost" had gotten his hands on it, but he unfolded the paper and read through the words written on it.

"Could this be...?"

On the 24th floor, the number of monsters surged... The person selected a few points of information written on a piece of paper and spoke in a voice that was indistinguishable between male and female. Silence fell beneath the hoodie, as if someone was deep in thought.

Before long, Fels tucked the parchment into the sleeve of his robe.

"...We need to find a solution."

With a soft murmur, the man in black disappeared into the shadows once more.

The confidant of the god (Uranus), secretly acting without anyone knowing.

This happened two days after [Sword Girl] successfully defeated the floor master (Udeos) herself.

Sword Oratoria 3 Side Story Chapter 1: The Invitation of the Man in Black

So, are you saying that addiction is just a short-term symptom?

"Yes. Many children probably returned to normal after not getting to drink the divine wine, right?"

The sound of conversation could be heard coming from one of the rooms in the mansion.

It was dusk, just as the sun had disappeared behind the city walls.

Outside the window, the faint light of the sky could be seen, while inside, a half-elf woman and a goddess (Loki) were having a dialogue.

A guest was invited into the headquarters of the Loki Familia—the Twilight Mansion.

The venue is a reception room facing a narrow passageway. The interior is decorated in warm colors such as orange and furnished with several round tables, sofas, and armchairs. This spacious room, filled with antique music boxes and other collectibles, is often used by family members as a conversation room.

There are four people in the room.

They were Ais, Loki, Riveria, and a half-elf female visitor.

The visitor seemed to be an acquaintance brought by Riveria, apparently a guild employee. She wore glasses and a sharp black suit and trousers. Even Ais thought she was an intelligent and quick-witted woman with a pretty and refined appearance, and she appeared to be a little older than Ais. She was currently sitting on a fluffy, comfortable sofa.

She seemed to have something to ask Loki, the chief god, and she and Riveria were listening intently to Loki speak. The three of them sat around the table, conversing in serious tones.

However, Ais, who was sitting next to them, didn't listen to their conversation at all.

(Once again, the opportunity to apologize was missed)

She was curled up in an armchair, looking quite depressed.

She buried half her face in her knees, which were covered in a pure white pajamas, and her mood plummeted to rock bottom.

Feeling down, Ais recalled the events of last night.

After defeating the floor master (Udeos) on the 37th floor, on her way back, Ais encountered an adventurer lying on the road in the dungeon—the white rabbit she had been hoping to see again. This was the white-haired boy who had let the Minotaur escape when Ais wasn't looking, who had saved the Minotaur's life, but then hurt him in the tavern.

Ais protected the unconscious man from the monster's attack, unexpectedly gaining a great opportunity to apologize... but ended up suffering a crushing defeat.

The boy fled in a flash, the cruel reality severely impacting her. Just like their first encounter (with the Minotaur), the nightmare recurred.

—He ran away as soon as he saw me (Ais)!

—The white rabbit, whom I had finally managed to see again, ran away from me at full speed!

Devastated by a blow that words cannot describe as sadness, Ais was utterly dejected. Seeing her return to headquarters, dejected and forlorn, the other members, not to mention Tiona and Tione, were startled and at a loss for what to do, unable even to utter a sound to call out to her.

Only Rivera, who had been traveling with her before discovering the boy, asked Ais what had happened, so she gave a fragmented explanation.

"...It's gone."

"What?"

"He got away again..."

"……Oh……"

Seeing Riveria sway her shoulders and chuckle, Ais reached out and shoved her away with a thud.

Seeing Ais blush and puff out her cheeks, Riveria finally burst into laughter, much to the surprise of Lefia and the other elves. They had certainly never seen a high-ranking member of the royal family unable to suppress their laughter before; even Ais was seeing it for the first time.

(It's all Rivera's fault...)

Ais secretly cried alone, her face long and gloomy.

It's all Rivera's fault for telling her to let the boy sleep on her lap. The boy ran away because of her.

The rabbit must have woken up and found itself lying on the lap of a stranger (Ais), which is why it was so shocked and at a loss.

"It must be, it must be like this, it's all Riveria's fault." Deep inside, young Ais waved her hands—tears welling in her eyes—and cried out loudly.

Ais, hugging her knees, chose to regress her mind to that of a toddler and started acting out.

(...Is he afraid of me?)

It might really be like that... Once this thought takes hold, it's hard to stop. Ais confronts the doubts she's been desperately ignoring once again.

In the eyes of the general public, Ais was a fearsome "War Princess," renowned for her prowess. Perhaps he was trembling with fear after witnessing her tear the Minotaur to pieces in an instant. This reminded Ais of how she had sprayed the rabbit with his blood, leaving him covered in gore.

Negative thinking couldn't stop, creating a vicious cycle. Deep down, a tragic image formed in my mind: a fluffy, adorable white rabbit escaping from young Ais.

—He's terrified of me (Ais)!!

Ais let out a "whoosh" sound and became like a withered flower.

"Oh dear, Ais. How long are you going to stay so down?"

Loki stood up and spoke to Ais.

She seemed to have finished her business with the guest and walked towards Ais, who was slumped dejectedly in an armchair. Looking at her long, seemingly dull golden hair, Loki smiled wryly, "This is serious."

"By the way, let's update the [Ability Values], shall we? You haven't done it since you got back, okay?"

"……good."

The Supreme God seemed unable to bear it any longer and made a suggestion, which Ais slowly nodded in agreement.

With an unhealable wounded heart, Ais obediently followed the advice of the God.

"Hehe, it's been so long since I've ravaged Ais's soft skin...!"

"If you dare to lay a hand on me, I'll chop you up."

"Huh, really?"

Ais left the reception room, almost reflexively warning the lustful god—a reaction so lacking in emotion it truly startled Loki. As she left, she gave Riveria and the others a slight bow before having Loki lead her to another room.

This was an empty room, not too far from the reception room. Some unused tables and chairs, as well as spare weapons and items left over from the "Expedition," were crammed into this room. Loki took a chair out of the room, which had become as cramped as a warehouse.

Ais sat down on the chair, following Loki's offer, and unbuttoned the back of her loungewear (dress), revealing her upper body.

"Hmm—Ais can't take a joke these days, it's scary—seriously, what happened?"

"...No...it's nothing."

Loki dripped the blood of God (ichor) onto his exposed, snow-white back and began his work.

Ais's gaze darted away, avoiding Loki's question. She'd already been laughed at enough by Riveria, and she wasn't in the mood to reveal her true feelings.

The image of the boy—Bell's flushed face—replayed in her mind. From his neck to his ears, every inch of him was red, as if he had a terminal illness. Perhaps he was too wary of himself…that's why his complexion was so bad.

Loki's fingers waving on her back seemed indifferent, but Ais could not shake off her melancholy.

"...?"

Suddenly, the fingers that had been sliding down her back stopped.

Loki suddenly stopped, and Ais turned around to see that she was trembling.

Ais wondered what was wrong with her, when suddenly—the goddess raised her head and cheered loudly.

"Ais-chan Lv.6 is here! Aa ...

She followed her heart and screamed at the top of her lungs.

The resounding cheers from the main deity echoed throughout the headquarters, bringing a chaotic and noisy commotion to every corner of the mansion.

Facing the main god, who was jumping around happily, shouting "Yaho—!" like a child.

Ais, whose mind was filled with thoughts of her childhood, paused for a moment.