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

Page 40

"The concept of a 'familia' itself isn't particularly strange... except..."

"only?"

Miss Eina frowned, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, but finally made up her mind and spoke:

"This is just my subjective impression, but I feel that the adventurers of the Soma Familia have a different atmosphere than adventurers of other Familias. It feels like they are constantly arguing among themselves, and they seem to be pursuing something like madmen..."

"..."

"It's not that they're burning their lives for some reason, how should I put it, their feeling... In short, they're risking their lives, everyone belonging to that [Family] is."

Miss Eina spoke to herself, a puzzled expression on her face. I could only feel confused myself.

The more I learn about the organization's background, the more confusing things become regarding Lily...

"Basically, I approve of you hiring that lady as a supporter."

"Huh, is that okay?"

"Yes. Indeed, there are some suspicious aspects to the Soma Familia, but the factional conflict that Bell is worried about will absolutely not happen. Considering the personality of the god Soma."

In other words, he agrees with Lily's opinion.

"As long as you're careful not to upset the other members, you'll be fine. And personally, I really hope that you, who are acting alone, can find support or form a team as soon as possible, so I'd actually like to advise you to hire her."

"Miss Eina..."

"Then it depends on Bell's thoughts. Ultimately, it should be your decision and you take responsibility for it."

...Of course.

It would be incredibly disrespectful to treat Lily by simply following other people's conclusions. I need to think things through and make my own decision. I'll reorganize my thoughts before giving my final answer.

"I've also tried looking for supporters without a familiar, but I still haven't found any. The supporters who were available before have all joined their respective familiars."

"I'm sorry," Miss Eina said with a wry smile. "We once discussed whether or not to hire a support person, and perhaps she's been keeping it in mind ever since."

"People without a family probably wouldn't bother going into the dungeon. The pay also varies depending on the contract partner, and they should be able to find safer and more lucrative jobs."

Being without a family means not belonging to any family, and therefore not receiving "God's grace (Pharna)"... [ability value]. In other words, physical abilities are no different from those of an ordinary person.

However, there are also races like dwarves who rely purely on strength or elves who can use magic, who are just as formidable as monsters in their battles, so it's impossible to generalize.

Thinking about this, I suddenly wanted to ask about a question I had asked Lily during our conversation that had been bothering me.

"Miss Eina. Is the profession of supporter shunned by adventurers?"

"...Well, professional support staff might have a rather low social status. I think you probably already know why..."

I remembered Lily saying that she was just a mover.

Is that really the case? I used to have some admiration for the image of adventurers, but now I'm almost disappointed.

"Generally speaking, supporters are people who are weak. Even when a top-tier [Family] is [upgraded], it's usually a lower-level adventurer who takes on the role."

However, in this setting, it's a good opportunity to observe the labyrinth explorations of senior members, which also serves as a learning experience. Although the job involves carrying luggage, following others to floors where one's own abilities are not yet effective allows for firsthand experience of unknown territory—the power of powerful monsters, and more importantly, the tactics of the elite members of the [Familia].

"Not everyone can become infinitely stronger simply by receiving 'God's grace.' It's related to aptitude, and the mental fortitude to stand fearlessly before monsters also plays a role. There are many who can defeat low-level monsters, but are helpless against stronger opponents."

"..."

"To put it bluntly, these down-on-their-luck adventurers will become professional supporters, so... well, maybe they're more likely to be looked down upon."

The atmosphere became slightly heavy. Miss Eina's displeasure was evident from her expression, and I felt bad that she had to say those things.

So that's how it is. Lily's self-deprecation might be because everyone labeled her as a loser. That includes being ostracized by her "familia."

...It's really upsetting.

What's wrong with me? Even though it's not my problem, I feel restless and uneasy.

An urge to tear my hair out surged within me, but I mustered my self-control and got up from my seat. If I stayed any longer, I feared I would sink deeper into this state.

"Thank you, Miss Eina. I will take this as a reference."

"Yes. You're welcome anytime. You really need to come talk to me about these kinds of issues, right?"

Miss Eina smiled gently, and I thanked her again.

After stretching my body slightly, I turned towards the door.

"Huh... Bell?"

"What's up?"

"What happened to your dagger?"

"Huh?" I replied blankly when I heard the question that came out of nowhere.

Miss Eina, who was about to get up, stared at my waist with a surprised expression.

"dagger……?"

I reached my hand to my waist.

The short sword is still there.

The pouch containing the magic stones is still there.

Hestia's Blade is still there.

...However, only the scabbard remained.

"..."

Where the hilt should have been, there was nothing but empty air.

With a whoosh, my face turned deathly pale at an alarming speed.

Seeing me frantically searching around my waist, Miss Eina's face showed a "no way" expression.

—The Blade of Hestia is gone.

My face turned ashen.

"I...I lost it—"

●

I walked in the back alley.

Compared to the bustling shopping streets that stretch out along the main avenue, this narrow street is quite different.

Looking up, the sky, cut out by the brick houses, was just as long and narrow.

The path, viewed from below by orange-tinged clouds, appeared somewhat gloomy. The sun was about to set. Black cats gathered in the haphazardly constructed junkyard, their golden eyes fixed on me. Meow—. They ran away.

Tap tap tap, the sound of tiny footsteps rang out.

I walked along the complex route, which was more like a maze than a dungeon, with my usual pace. After turning several corners, the building I was looking for finally appeared.

An old shop standing alone in a somewhat open space. Whether it's truly an old shop is unknown, but it has that atmosphere.

On the detached house built solely of wood, a sign with its lettering worn away and barely visible leans to one side.

I opened the door and stepped into the shop. A dry, metallic chime rang out.

"Oh, it's you again."

"Thank you for your help."

A goblin with a white beard and bald head looked up from the free newspaper. He wore a red-dyed hat, but I knew perfectly well that it was completely bald underneath. I said nothing and placed the unsheathed knife on the counter.

"Oh, the things you brought this time are quite special..."

After adjusting my glasses and carefully examining the dagger, the shopkeeper said, "Wait a moment," and got up to leave. Watching his round figure disappear into the depths of the shop, I gazed at the countless antiques displayed inside. Seeing the various gemstones displayed in the glass cases, I sighed in admiration.

Surprisingly, the goblin shopkeeper returned very quickly.

It's rare to see him with a stern face.

"What is this thing? Did you pick it up from that junkyard over there?"

"Varied……"

"No matter how much pressure or pull I apply, I can't cut anything, and there's no special force involved. And although I'm not entirely sure, this knife itself is inanimate."

Looking down at the black dagger on the counter, the goblin shopkeeper seemed unsure what to do. After stroking his beard, he surprisingly concluded, "In short, it's a complete piece of junk."

"It's really rare that you would fall for something like this."

"P-Please wait a minute. How is this possible...!"

"Even if you say that, I can't possibly sell this kind of thing to my regular customers... If you're willing, I'll find a place to display it. How about thirty fares?"

"...I'll come again next time!"

"Alright, alright, I look forward to your next shipment... But those scribbles that look like earthworms crawling... I feel like I've seen them somewhere before..."

My shoulders trembled as I slammed the shop door shut.

I stepped back into the path, making a much rougher thumping sound than when I came.

Thirty fares? Does that mean it's the same price as any of the potato balls sold by the vendors?

Stop talking nonsense. This is a blade that can easily slice through a monster's hard shell. It should be a top-tier weapon so valuable that it could build three mansions and still have money left over.

"Has the shop owner finally developed dementia?" I wondered. "But when I visited him a couple of days ago, the price he gave me was very satisfactory. Could he have lost his mind in just one day?"

His judgment is impeccable. Guild staff simply can't compare.

In this city, I don't know of any appraiser better than him.

(Why……?)

I looked at the dagger I was holding in my hand.

The blade was completely devoid of luster. The belly of the blade was covered from tip to tip with intricate, complex engravings, blending seamlessly into the shadows of the dark alleyway. Utterly black.

Is this supposed to be a corrupt, dark color? Something doesn't seem right.

At that time, it clearly had a sharp blue-purple luster, and even drew a trail of light in mid-air.

(As long as it has the signature of [HOαιτοS]... I need a scabbard...)

If irrefutable evidence is presented, even if it's junk, the shop owner should be willing to buy it at a high price.

A scabbard. I need a scabbard. Looking down at the lifeless black blade, I came to a conclusion.

I had no choice but to change the reservation, even if it meant taking some risks, I had to contact that person again...

"Excuse me, Seele, I'm sorry to have trouble you with my things."

"Well, it doesn't matter, but... Ryu, do you usually take this kind of route?"

"Yes. As long as you know the route well, taking this route can save a lot of time. It's not as inconvenient as you think, Seele."

That's not what I meant...

Someone was approaching. An elf and a human. Both were carrying paper bags. Through the openings, I could see they were stuffed with apples and other fruits and vegetables. I looked away and quickly concealed my dagger in my sleeve.

While surprised that anyone would actually use such a deep path, I naturally passed by them.

"—Stop right there, you over there, Palum."

An unyielding tone came from behind me.

I froze on the spot. Then, a cold sweat broke out on my back.

Why did she call me? Impossible! An unbelievable thought flickered in a corner of my mind.

"Can I see the dagger hidden in your sleeve?"

I was utterly astonished.

"Uh, Ryu?"

"……Why?"

"That dagger looks a lot like something belonging to someone I know. If it's convenient, could you let me confirm it?"

What kind of terrible eyesight is this? I really want to swear.

In this darkness, the blade was also black. Even Palum, with his excellent eyesight, had difficulty seeing it clearly.