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

"--wait for me!?"

I will definitely come.

I will definitely come to save you.

I will absolutely—take it back.

Facing the back of the figure swallowed by the dark vortex—facing my younger self, who had lost everything and was clutching the sword he had left behind.

Ais made a vow.

The next moment.

A surge of white light flooded the field of vision.

◆

"..."

Golden eyes slowly opened.

Ais, waking from her dream, suppressed her wavering emotions and blinked a few times.

There were no accumulated water droplets in the eyes.

Only a thin veil covers the view.

Ais continued to lie on her side, quietly wiping the corner of her eye.

"...?"

As consciousness gradually becomes clearer with the increase in visual clarity.

She heard snoring from someone else.

Looking over, I saw the boy lying on his back with his eyelids closed.

He was sleeping soundly, basking in the warm sunlight.

Ais blinked a few more times, and seeing his expression, a smile bloomed on her lips.

The two were inexplicably far apart, which Ais found incredible. She remained lying down and slowly moved her body closer to them.

The two lay side by side on the stone ground.

A sleeping face, more innocent and carefree than when awake, is right beside me.

Ais quietly reached out her hand, as if to touch a treasure.

She touched Bell's cheek; it felt so warm.

The boy's body heat was transferred to me through his fingers.

He was probably dreaming too. "Grandpa, please forgive me..." Ais pressed his cheek as he talked in his sleep.

Ais smiled.

Just like when I was a child, carefree.

She squinted, looking at the gentle white hair that was the exact opposite of the darkness in her dream, and kept stroking it.

Ais had a nightmare, but her mood had now returned to calm.

A white rabbit, carrying its young, left the dream.

Under the blue sky, the tender moments that should have been lost long ago embrace Ais in this instant.

◆

The setting sun lingered, reluctant to disappear.

The sunlight, about to sink below the distant horizon, dyed the city a maroon color.

A fierce sword fight unfolded on the city wall bathed in the fiery glow of the setting sun.

A boy and a girl crossed paths several times.

It was dusk, nearing nightfall.

A pair of eyes looked down on the two fighters from the place closest to the sky in the city.

"I'm very happy that you can help me bring out that child's brilliance..."

The image of the blonde, golden-eyed girl who used a sword sheath to knock the boy away was reflected in her silver eyes.

"But if the distance is too close, it will cause a headache."

Seeing the girl holding the boy's hand and helping him stand up, she murmured in a slightly jealous tone.

"Not to mention trying to interfere with that child's trial... that's unforgivable."

Her silver eyes narrowed.

"Allen".

"exist."

A clear soprano voice called to the short young man waiting behind her.

"It doesn't matter if we have to use force, just go and 'warn' her."

"Yes, ma'am." The young man with a cat tail and cat ears bowed respectfully.

◆

Things started to get a little strange.

Ais, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, wielded her sword, thinking to herself.

"Bell! You were completely thrashed just now, are you alright!?"

"I...I'm fine!?"

On the city wall, besides Ais and Belle who are still working hard to exercise as they always have, there is also a little sister goddess.

A few hours earlier, after what they called a training nap, Ais and Belle realized they had been fighting all day and needed to take care of their bodies. So they went down the city wall and came to the city, wanting to fill their stomachs first.

So the two of them went to the potato ball stall that Ais loved to eat, and unfortunately ran into the little sister goddess... no, the main goddess of Bell, "Hestia".

The young goddess, who was working part-time, was furious when she saw the two men casually running in to buy potato balls. Her own family members were completely oblivious to her presence.

It's understandable that members from other factions who are on good terms would react this way when they act together, but it also seems to carry a hint of personal resentment.

In short, after Ais explained their relationship and Bell tried his best to persuade them, Hestia finally agreed to their request and reluctantly allowed them to continue training.

However, the condition for the exchange was, "Starting today, I will also observe your training process."

The young goddess, who had become the guardian of the boy, followed them to the city wall in order to find out how her beloved familiar was being treated.

(Goddess Hestia...the chief god (Loki), it seems like something was mentioned about her...?)

While Ais was fiercely fighting Bell, she glanced at Hestia in the corner of the city wall.

The beauty of the goddess wavered between that of a little girl and that of a young woman. Her black hair was tied into twin ponytails with azure hair ornaments matching her eyes; she was petite, but had a very full bust.

"Hey! You went too far!?" Hestia raised her hands in protest against Ais, her breasts bouncing bouncyly with her movements.

Seeing the way the breasts swayed, Ais remembered Loki complaining about "that stinky, big-breasted, potato-ball-like girl...!" and vaguely sensed their toxic relationship.

She thought to herself, "Now I absolutely cannot tell Loki and the rest of the [Family] about my training with Bell."

“Guuuu!?”

"Are you okay?"

"I...I'm still okay!!"

Bell failed to block Ais's sword and almost fell, but he immediately pulled his upper body back up and got into a fighting stance.

He was more determined than ever before, and more on edge than usual.

The best evidence is that the boy has never fainted once since that young goddess came to this city wall.

As if he couldn't lose face in front of her, Bell stubbornly engaged in a mock battle with Ais.

"Keep it up!" he shouted Hestia's encouragement, relentlessly pressing Ais's attacks.

Ais felt a warmth in her heart, but only smiled faintly as she continued to unleash even more ruthless sword strikes with a serious expression. She and the boy engaged in a fierce exchange of blows with their desperately swung daggers, increasing their speed even further.

The sound of weapons clashing echoed through the sky.

As the evening clouds drifted by, the sky seemed to forget the passage of time, soon turning into a vast, dark night.

"...Let's stop practicing here for today."

"No, thank you so much..."

Ais looked up at the moonlight overhead, put down her sword sheath, and Bell finally relaxed.

Despite being covered in wounds, the boy did not lose consciousness. He looked like he might collapse at any moment, but he managed to hold on. Ais squinted at him as she prepared to begin her journey home.

"Good job, Belle! Ouch~, you got beaten up so badly, it's actually quite satisfying to watch!"

"Um, you, deity... don't let my appearance fool you, I've at least been trying..."

"That was ruthless! Now we know Miss Warren never had any feelings for you, yeah! There's no mistake!"

As Ais sheathed her beloved sword (the Sword of Despair) that was standing to the side, Hestia ran over and patted Bell's back several times with a smile.

Seeing Ais brutally defeat her familiar, she initially shouted angrily, "Hey—!?" or "How could you do this to my Bell—", but as the training progressed, for some reason, her voice became calmer and calmer.

Seeing Bell completely defeated and covered in wounds—no, it was Ais who had defeated Bell and covered in wounds—Hestia was actually quite pleased.

Seeing that the goddess was in such a good mood, Ais tilted her head and looked into the city from the low wall that reached her chest.

As night deepened, the dazzling magic stone lamps illuminated the city's nightscape, welcoming adventurers returning from the labyrinth and showcasing a scene of prosperity.

The thought of exercising from morning till night made Ais a little overzealous. Although she had told Tiona and the others beforehand that she might not eat dinner today, perhaps Riveria or someone else would nag and ask what she had been doing.

Ais quickly prepared herself and led Bell, who had been wounded by the God's words, away from the place.

They walked up the stone steps and into the city walls.

After descending several flights of stairs and exiting through the gate at the bottom of the city wall, you arrive at the Northwest Back Street on the edge of the city.

"Um, a deity? Now that we're outside, shouldn't we be able to let go now...?"

"What are you talking about, Belle? This isn't like the main street, it's very dark. Please hold my hand tightly so I don't fall."

Under the vast night sky, the three walked down the street.

In contrast to his taciturn self, Bell and Hestia were chatting and laughing together.

Ais—heard the whispers that came from her own feelings as an adventurer.

"..."

She stood beside Bell and Hestia, who were laughing and joking, only glancing around at their surroundings.

This was a rather wide back street, but there was no one else around, making it seem very deserted.

Conversely, it's too quiet.

The presence and presence of ordinary people abruptly ceased, and the surroundings were sealed off in darkness, gloomy and devoid of light, relying solely on the starlight and moonlight for visibility. Not only were there no magic stone lamps, but even the buildings themselves emitted no light.

Looking towards the roadside, the unique columnar magic stone lamps appeared to have been struck by a blunt object and were shattered on the ground.

(—Someone is watching us.)

A backstreet where no one has been, a deliberately created dimly lit street corner.

Ais noticed someone's gaze, and her sharp eyebrows shot up.

Beside him, Bell was holding hands with the main god. He was still shy, but when he saw Ais's profile, he stopped breathing for a moment.

Then, as if suddenly snapping back to reality, he looked around.

Just as the boy noticed the strange situation, Ais stopped in her tracks, staring intently at a corner of the street.

“——”

"!"

“Wow!”

As soon as Ais stopped, Bell quickly followed suit and stopped as well. Only Hestia, who hadn't noticed anything, let out a gasp when she saw the two of them suddenly stop.

Ais's golden eyes were fixed facing forward.