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

He wears an eyepatch over his left eye and has a fierce, villainous face that is more menacing than anyone else's. He is physically strong and can be said to embody the "adventurer = thug" formula. He is also a Level 3, and his strength is genuine.

He was also the boss of Rivera town and had a wide intelligence network. Lefia and the others came to visit him because they wanted to rely on his intelligence network.

Perth sat in a chair in front of the acquisition station hut, carefully polishing his clubs, axes, and other weapons.

"She asked me to keep a shield for her and told me not to lose it. It's rare to see her give me such repeated instructions."

"A shield...?"

There is a warehouse in Rivera Town where adventurers can temporarily store their equipment.

Adventurers don't need to bring spare weapons that take up space in their inventory back to the ground; they can simply store them in the warehouse and retrieve them for use on their next exploration.

Perth owns a warehouse in town, which he uses to make a fortune. From afar, one can see strange scythes and large, broken bows scattered throughout the cave deep inside the hut.

"Yes, that's it."

Perth took out the armor that Ais had entrusted to him for safekeeping and showed it to Lefia, who was tilting her head.

This is a piece of protective gear with a greenish luster, and its surface appears to have been scratched and is now pitted and uneven.

Although it's beautiful, it's not good enough for high-level adventurers. Even from Lefia's perspective, its performance is too poor—it's practically equipment for novice adventurers.

How could Miss Ais have such a thing...? Lefia looked up, puzzled.

"Um, did Miss Ais say anything? We want to know where Miss Ais went..."

"Hmm~ Where did [Fiora] go...?"

The giant human stood up and looked down at Lefia, stroking his rock-like chin with one hand.

Moreover, he revealed a malicious, tantalizing smile.

"Just hearing the sound of my favorite coins might remind me of something~?"

“…………”

When she heard that the other party was clearly demanding a fee for information, Lefia's expression twitched.

"Spit it out right now, you bastard."

"Oh, I'm sorry, please forgive me."

As soon as Bert grabbed his clothes and acted tough, Perth immediately gave in.

As Rafia was sweating from his rapid change of expression, he confessed what he knew.

"Those guys hanging out with [Sword Girl] seem to have bought some meat (trap items) and camouflage for feints and diversions."

"The flesh and blood you mentioned, is that the kind used to lure monsters...? So, the place Miss Ais and the others went to is...?"

"A grain depot?"

Bert continued speaking after Rafia.

Flesh and blood stimulate the monsters' appetites, luring them to where the flesh and blood are placed. Camouflage cloths can be purchased in colors that match the specific floor, blending seamlessly with the maze's landscape to deceive the monsters' eyes. These two items are frequently used when venturing into the food depots—the dungeon supply spaces that provide nourishment to monsters—where monsters tend to congregate throughout the floor, to avoid fighting large numbers of monsters.

Lefia and the others already knew which floor Ais and the others were going to, and now they finally knew where their destination was.

Phil Weiss felt there was no need to stay any longer and left the cabin. Before leaving, Bert also turned and left. "You bastard..." Bert groaned softly, pressing his neck as Bert was released by her.

"That bastard dares to ride roughshod over me. Of all the Loki Familia, I hate that werewolf the most. Hey, Thousand, I'll give you money, go beat him up."

"It's impossible..."

Perth whispered to Rafia, but she refused.

No matter how she thought about it, she would only get a beating in return, and Lefia didn't want to go to her coffin prematurely.

"Oh, right..."

Soon, Perth raised his neck.

He looked in the direction Bert had left, where Phil Weiss stood alone further ahead.

Are you teaming up with the Banshee?

"what?"

Lefia turned around, and Perth frowned when he saw that she seemed unaware of the situation.

"Is 'The Wraith'... Miss Philweis's nickname?"

"No... that's what we adventurers call it. The elf has a different, more formal nickname."

Another nickname that the adventurer gave himself.

There is also the ominous aftertaste of the "death angel".

Lefia felt a chill run down her spine. After hesitating for a moment, she asked tremblingly:

"Miss Philweis, has something happened...?"

Lefia looked up at Perth beside her. He glanced at Phil Weiss and then began to talk about her.

"All the guys who teamed up with that elf... are dead."

「!?」

"Only that guy was left, and no one, whether from his own faction (his own people) or from other factions (outsiders), escaped unscathed."

Lefia felt a shock as if her heart had been gripped directly.

Just as she was speechless, Bert shook his animal ears, stopped, and turned around.

"Do you know about the 'Nightmare on the 27th Floor' that happened six years ago?"

"Yes, I've heard people say that... that many adventurers died in that accident."

"Yes, that's right. Back then, there were still a few members of the Dark Faction clinging to life. They framed a squad from the Powerful Faction on the 27th floor, wiping them all out in one fell swoop."

The Dark Faction. By the time Lefia joined the Loki Familia, this group had already been wiped out, but she had still heard about their notorious reputation several times.

Some say they are a group of people who oppose order.

Some say they are an extreme group led by evil gods (the gods) who crave chaos.

They were the "evil" apostles whom the guild declared to eradicate completely, and who, together with many of their [familias], were eliminated.

Among the many evil deeds repeated by the dark faction, the most heinous is said to be the "Nightmare on the 27th Floor".

They deliberately leaked information about suspicious activity in the dungeon, luring countless groups of adventurers to a certain area on the 27th floor. Then, all members of the dark faction went out in a suicidal "monster delivery" at the cost of their lives.

Not only were there monsters lurking throughout the entire floor, but even the floor master was caught in the crossfire, leading to a chaotic battle between friend and foe, a scene resembling hell on earth. When the other adventurers arrived a step too late, they found only a blood-soaked, red-black dust desert, countless mountains of corpses, and hordes of monsters devouring and chewing on the bodies. The attacked adventurers seemed to be fleeing in all directions, and the same horrific scene could be seen in every corner of the 27th floor.

This incident, in which both the powerful faction under the guild and the dark faction caused countless casualties, became known as the "Nightmare" and continues to be told to this day.

Philwis Sharia was one of the few survivors of that incident.

Looking at Phil Weiss standing in the distant square, Perth said:

"She seemed to have escaped death and barely made it back to this town... At that time, her face looked like a dead person."

He seemed to be recalling what he had witnessed back then, and he squinted his eyes.

"Some have lost their companions, some have become crippled... I've seen many adventurers, but this is the first time I've seen someone with such a terrible complexion."

Ragged clothes, blood-stained black hair.

His face was pale and bloodless.

No one wanted to get close to her as she walked slowly, dragging her body along.

It's like searching for a dead companion, yet it feels as if you yourself are the living dead.

It is said that the girl wandered aimlessly around the town.

"And then, from that day on, she was practically cursed. Any team that got involved with her would eventually kick the bucket."

"..."

"We adventurers know very well that when a person is down on their luck, they will continue to be down on their luck, but... because it was such an ominous sign, the word spread very quickly, saying that teaming up with that elf would mean certain death."

According to him, Phil Weiss managed to pull herself together after the incident, but tragedies continued to happen around her.

Sometimes it's the team making a wrong judgment, sometimes it's encountering an abnormal situation, and sometimes it's teammates fighting amongst themselves.

In a total of four incidents, all the teams that traveled with Phil Weiss perished.

She was always left alone.

"Then, as I just said, some people started calling her by nicknames, and many people regarded her as a jinx."

The Elf of the Cursed Squad – "Banshee"

They believed that the mournful cries (shouts) of the spirits who had been lamenting since the day of the "nightmare" had brought forth the victims and a new "death".

From then on, adventurers avoided and loathed this girl who seemed to be bewitched by death (the devil).

Even members of her own faction, the "Dionysus Familia," didn't know how to get along with her as their leader and kept their distance from her.

Philvis Sharia, who has attracted attention among her peers, is now a well-known solo adventurer in Rivera.

"However, I probably can't stand this kind of reputation... Anyway, you guys better watch out."

After offering his advice with a shrug, Perth returned to his cabin.

Lefia stood frozen in place, watching Philweis's profile, who had her back to them, alongside Bert, who had heard the whole story. She stood near the plaza railing, perched on the edge of a cliff, her crimson eyes seemingly gazing into the distance.

Lefia thought to herself.

How much pain must she have felt when she lost her companion in that "nightmare"?

Perth said that at that moment, she looked like a bloodless dead person.

Precisely because she is an elf with a strong sense of self-esteem, the pain is even more intense... Did Filiweisi feel ashamed and desperate for herself for not saving her companions and living a miserable life alone?

As an elf herself, Lefiya couldn't help but tremble all over just by imagining herself in the same position, and she felt the same way.

—Don't touch me!

That excessive reaction might have stemmed from her fear of her own misfortune.

If a series of unfortunate events befall her, isolating her both physically and mentally...

If she had forced herself into a state of loneliness because she felt she had failed to save many adventurers and had watched them die...

Although these were just speculations, they almost crushed Lefiya's heart.

The image of Philvis's face, now an empty shell, and her solitary figure, with even her companions (familiars) keeping their distance, flashed through her mind. Lefia felt a tightness in her chest and followed Bert, who was walking forward.

When she reached Phil Weiss, who was waiting in the square, she slowly turned her head.

Now that Lefia knows about the other person's past, she doesn't know what to say.

Just as Rafia walked over, puzzled, Bert suddenly leaned his upper body close to Phil Weiss and raised the corners of his mouth.

"I don't know the details, but in short, you abandoned your companions and shamelessly eked out a living, didn't you? That's disgusting."

He laughed at himself and the speechless Lefia standing to the side.

"How dare you mess with adventurers? Wouldn't it have been better if you had just died back then?"

"Mr. Bert!!"

These words were tantamount to reopening old wounds for the young girl. Lefia was furious, feeling that Bert was bullying the weak even at a time like this... However, Phil Weiss herself did not retort.

The previous argumentative attitude disappeared, replaced by a calm smile.

"You're right."

That smile was completely unsuitable for her beautiful face; it carried a sense of self-mockery and self-harm.

"On that day, I was unable to go to the afterlife with my elders (comrades) of the clan. I am living a shameful life, and it is as ugly as can be."

Phil Weiss admits that she failed to help her companion in his time of need.

She continued speaking to Bert and Rafia, who had stopped moving:

"You've all heard the rumors, haven't you? So, are you going to part ways here? I might end up killing you all too."

Her threatening tone was self-destructive.

Bert squinted and clicked his tongue.

"People like you infuriate me the most, acting like you've seen it all."

After he finished speaking with a sneer, he walked out of the square alone, leaving Philvis and Rafia behind, as if he had nothing more to say to her.