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

The shopkeeper accepted the gold coins from the bar, which were worth more than the drinks, without even raising an eyebrow. Even though the other party was a young-looking girl, the shopkeeper, acting merely as an information broker, calmly stated the fact that it was in accordance with the price.

Lily's transformation at this moment was a precaution, to ensure that no one knew that the Hestia Familia was tracking information about the "talking monster".

The shop owner silently wiped the glasses. Lily thought that since that was the case, she was about to ask him to introduce her to any customers who might know something when—thump!—someone plopped down in the seat next to her.

"I know some information about the 'talking monster,' though it's just a little bit."

The newcomer was a dog-human girl, dressed in what appeared to be a light battle cloth and lace-up boots, with a wheat-colored complexion.

She seemed to have been eavesdropping; her animal ears twitched, and she smiled at Lily nonchalantly.

Lily frowned.

"【Muddle】..."

"Oh, you know my nickname? I thought it was buried by the other adventurers (guys), completely unknown... But seriously, I really hate that name. Don't you think those gods are going too far?"

When Lily mentioned the other person's title, she initially looked surprised, then immediately launched into a long, affectionate conversation with Lily. She crossed her supple legs and said, "Shopkeeper, mead."

"【Hermes Familia】..." Lily murmured, naming the girl's faction. Thinking she couldn't worry about that now, she asked, "So, what information were you just giving me?"

"Hmm~, I've lost so much gambling lately that I'm broke... I can barely even afford the drinks here."

The other person grinned broadly and made a circle with their finger.

Lily, with her elfin beauty twisted in a crooked gesture, clicked her tongue and slammed the small bag full of gold coins onto the bar.

The dog-girl wagged her tail, tucked the money into her bosom, and began to speak cheerfully:

"Well, it's not really any big deal of information. There have been rumors before that people heard voices in places where there are no adventurers. Some people heard several people talking in a certain place, and for a while, there were rumors in the lower areas that they heard songs echoing through the labyrinth... And then there are people like you who want this kind of information."

"..."

"I heard that everyone else ignores the rumors, but those people inexplicably keep clinging to them. Not long ago, they even posted high-priced offers for information in other taverns."

The girl's gaze instantly fell upon a stack of authorization forms in the corner of the wall.

"What about the identities of those people?"

"Well, I can't grasp that at all... I'd like to know that too."

"I accepted the commission too," the other party said, and the atmosphere completely changed.

She narrowed her eyes, a cold smile appearing on her face, and leaned closer to look at Lily's face through her hoodie.

"I've never seen you before... Which faction do you belong to? You're an elf, yet you seem to be quite comfortable here."

The dog-person brought its face close and sniffed at Lily, who was once again taken aback. At the same time, Lily also smelled the same scent on the dog as she did on herself.

This woman is definitely a thief. And not some petty thief like Lily, but the real deal.

She witnessed firsthand that Mud Dog (her rival) was well-known in the underground world and, due to his faction, also had some reputation as a freight carrier.

The other party was probably also tracking information about the "talking monster," and Lily's inquiry about the same information aroused her suspicion, leading her to spy on her.

Lily didn't trust the Hermes Familia as much as Bell and the others. They had only recently arrived in the city and probably hadn't fully grasped how suspicious this self-proclaimed neutral faction was.

As long as there's profit to be made, they can be Lily's enemies or her friends. This is the insight Lily gained after living for fifteen years and experiencing all the hardships in Orario.

(Although we didn't get any useful information... just knowing that there are other people besides us tracking the "talking monster" is good enough, right?)

Lily knew when to stop and silently stood up from her chair.

"Oh dear, you're leaving already? I wanted to talk to you a little longer."

Ignoring the cheerful voice behind her, Lily left the tavern.

however.

(...I'm being followed.)

She left the tavern and walked down the back alley, sensing someone following her.

There's one person, most likely the thief. He's a high-level adventurer; you can't shake him off using ordinary methods.

Lily could only rely on transformation magic and items. She wandered aimlessly through the dark path, taking out a stinky bag tied tightly with rope from her bosom—the "Strong Stinky Bag"—to prepare.

Back then, I encountered similar situations several times while working as a thief.

The thought of how much time it might take to deal with this opponent dampened Lily's spirits—but she thought it was much better than being chased by that ridiculously armed elf in the tavern—and she rushed into the side path.

The sun rose high in the sky, shining brightly.

The sky was cloudless, and in Orario, as summer was about to officially begin, the sun was a bit too hot, making me instinctively lift my shirt. The Dragon Girl—gazed upwards at this sun and blue sky.

All the immortals have gone out, while Miss Chunji and I stayed behind at the mansion.

Winnie noticed the sun that had sunk the previous night—a source of light floating in the blue sky—and expressed a strong desire.

She said she wanted to go outside.

"What is that...?"

In the courtyard of the "Hestia Familia" headquarters, "Kamakuri-kan".

Winnie stared intently at the sun that was absent in the underground city.

While she was still in surprise, Miss Haruhime quietly approached her from behind.

"That's called the sun... it's Grandpa Sun."

"Mr. Sun..."

Miss Chunji looked up at the blindingly bright sky and told Winnie with a smile, she murmured softly.

Dungeons, which are isolated from the sun, are usually quite cold. Of course, there are exceptions, such as monsters that breathe fire on some floors and volcanic areas.

Monsters could not possibly know the warmth of sunlight.

"...So warm."

Winnie squinted as she looked up at the sky, then smiled.

That smile was innocent and pure, and her amber eyes seemed a little moist.

I stared at her profile from behind, and when I opened my eyes wide, Winnie turned around, her long, silvery-blue hair swaying.

"The surface of the earth is so beautiful!"

That really didn't look like a monster.

Her innocent and radiant smile was brighter than the sun.

Although we were supposed to stay behind, my real job and Miss Chunji's job was to take care of Winnie.

We must be careful not to let her run outside; we must take good care of this girl who knows nothing about the surface of the earth.

"Bell...it's so nice, so warm. Can we take this off?"

"No, no, Lady Winnie!?"

"Uh, um! Just bear with it, okay?"

Winnie clutched the fire spirit protective garment near her neck with both hands, whining and trying to take off her clothes. I and the flustered Miss Chunji tried to stop her, since she was naked under the robe.

After the gods went to gather intelligence, I asked Miss Chunji for help to wipe the bloodstains off Winnie's body. The girl was still a little afraid of Miss Chunji, and she worked hard for a long time before finally managing to get the dirt off.

We tried to get her dressed... but failed.

This was the only thing Winnie refused to do, or rather, she was very wary.

Having no other choice, we had to make her continue wearing the Fire Essence Protective Garment as she had yesterday.

(Even though she's a monster, she's still a girl... I hope she can open her heart to Haruhime and the others.)

Her slender legs and chest, barely visible beneath the hem of her long robe, honestly left me unsure where to look... and she had absolutely no sense of shame. Add to that Miss Haruhime, who always wore a maid's outfit at the mansion, and the two of them left me completely bewildered.

"Bell, what's this?"

"This is called a magic stone lamp, like the phosphorescent (lights) that illuminate dungeons..."

"And what about that one?"

Winnie didn't want to go back to headquarters. She skipped and hopped in the sunlight, swinging her feet, which had completely healed overnight.

This courtyard is surrounded by the mansion on all sides, so there's no need to worry about anyone peeking from the outside. For this girl, who has nowhere to go not only in the underground city but also on the surface, this is her only little garden.

Winnie seemed to find it strange, gazing at the corridor facing the courtyard with sparkling eyes as she made a new discovery, her cheeks flushed, and she repeatedly grasped my arm.

"Lady Winnie, would you like to have some food? You didn't have breakfast this morning."

"...Have a meal?"

"Uh, I mean, eating... Winnie, you haven't eaten anything since yesterday, right? I'll eat with you and have something to eat?"

"……Um."

Upon hearing Miss Haruhime's suggestion, Winnie looked up at me uneasily. I smiled at her with my eyebrows lowered, and she nodded slowly. Miss Haruhime went to fetch the wicker basket from the veranda, and the three of us sat down together on the lawn in the courtyard.

"……tasty?"

"R-really?"

"Um……"

"Those are rice balls made by Master Ming! Would you like to try this fruit?!"

Seeing Winnie quietly eating the dish made by Miss Haruhime herself, Miss Haruhime felt as if she herself had been praised, and happily perked up her fox ears.

Winnie secretly observed Miss Chunji, whose face was beaming with joy.

Since the bear-like creature (Berg Bear) eats honey clouds from the 18th floor—as well as flesh and blood (traps)—I don't think there'll be any problem letting her eat what we normally eat... but I did consider the worst-case scenario of having to run to the pantry, so I'm relieved. Miss Haruhime seems to have the same thought as me.

She smiled as she watched Winnie devour the fruit, and secretly reached out to touch her, but Winnie dodged away immediately.

Seeing Winnie lean against me, Miss Chunji looked dejected.

"Hahaha……"

She seemed to still be a little wary of Miss Chunji.

However, after Miss Haruhime gently wiped her body, and with a few other things happening, I felt that Winnie had already opened her heart to her a little.

After the meal, Winnie began to shake her face and body in sync with Miss Chunji's thick fox tail. The dragon girl reached out to touch the tail with great interest, but then quickly withdrew her hand.

Seeing her like this, Miss Haruhime chuckled softly. She sat on the grass, waving the tail that extended from her long skirt, teasing Winnie like she was a child.

(They look like sisters...)

Miss Haruhime, who was so surprised yesterday, is now trying to get closer to her.

Seeing Haruhime trying so hard to accept this girl... to accept her as a monster, that kindness made me so happy.

Perhaps it is because Miss Haruhime was forced to experience all sorts of circumstances throughout her life that she became so gentle.

"Hey, Bell, don't you have any elixirs?"

"Uh, you mean the recovery potion (elixir)? I left that leg pouch in my room, I didn't bring it with me..."

"Hey, that smells really nice, like the fruit we just ate."

Winnie kept trying to talk to me.

Perhaps drawn by the warm weather, or perhaps because she'd gotten to know us better, her expressions were much richer than yesterday. She started laughing out loud, and, I don't know if it was just my imagination, her speech seemed much more fluent.

No—I'm probably not overthinking it.

Putting aside her previous taciturn nature, this dragon girl is becoming increasingly articulate—she can use the human language at an astonishing speed. Through our conversation, she has indeed made rapid progress.

It doesn't feel like studying... How can I describe it?

(Although she looks like a girl... she's still a monster after all.)

I answered Winnie's question with a wry smile, while inside I felt confused.

She spoke very clearly, and her appearance was almost indistinguishable from that of our human race. Only her pale blue skin and scales, which proved her monster identity, made me face reality.

The red stone set on her forehead shimmered in the sunlight.

"Bell, Bell."

Then, Winnie, who was laughing and trying to hug me, was teasing me.

She tried to grab me, and her hand swayed unintentionally in mid-air—sharp nails extending from her fingertips grazed my arm.

"!"

I wasn't wearing combat gear or hand protection, and three lines were drawn on my arms where I had rolled up my sleeves to avoid the heat.