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

"...What are you doing, Bell?"

I lay sprawled on the sofa, pressing the pillows I was holding to my head. Seeing my truly authentic "head hidden, tail not hidden" posture, the gods seemed to be mocking me, but I wasn't in the mood to reply.

I managed to run away from Miss Wallenstein again.

I don't know what exactly happened to cause that situation, the only thing I'm sure of is that it was all reality. Including the person I admire letting me lie on their lap as a pillow, and me, that big idiot, making a weird scream and running away as fast as I could, just like before.

Waa ...

"Did you...wet the bed?"

"No, that's not true!"

Normally I would have been extremely agitated and retorted, but at this moment I could only utter a weak voice.

The overwhelming shame and chaos made me disappear from that person's sight like a rabbit, and I don't remember where I ran afterward. When I came to, it was almost dawn, and when I came to, I found myself leaning weakly against the headquarters door, plopping down on the ground.

"Sigh. I don't know what happened, but you're such a sentimental child..."

This isn't sentimentality or the work of a celestial being. It's utter heart-wrenching pain.

I slowly got up, my ears still red, but anyway, I decided to have breakfast with the gods first.

I long to continue this painful struggle, but I have no choice. Only today, I truly wish I could temporarily forget about Miss Wallenstein… but I know it's absolutely impossible.

I don't know when I'll be able to thank and apologize to that person.

"By the way, Bell. Can I borrow that book from yesterday? I'm free until noon today."

"Okay, sure. That works."

It seems the goddess's work schedule for today starts in the afternoon. Besides her work with the Hephaestus Familia, she also seems to be continuing her work as a street vendor... Isn't she overworking herself?

I handed the fairy the book I had borrowed from Miss Seele, a book as thick as an illustrated guide.

"Oh, this book is getting weirder and weirder the more I read it...wait, what?"

The immortal stared at the cover for a while, then flipped through a few pages before suddenly stopping.

Immediately afterwards, the corner of her eye began to twitch spasmodically, as if someone had shoved a bill that had nothing to do with her in front of her.

Huh...? W-what's wrong?

"...Isn't this a grimoire?"

"Grind the vegetables?"

I repeated the words I had never heard before.

An ominous premonition had already manifested as sweat on my face.

"Th-what is that...?"

"Simply put, it's a mandatory book for learning magic..."

It felt like all the sweat glands in my body had opened up.

"I doubt you'd understand even if I explained 'development ability' to you. Basically, it's a book that only someone who has developed the rare abilities of 'magic' and 'mysticism' to their limits can write..."

—Unfortunately, I can understand it, God.

A person who has mastered two "development abilities"... in other words, is at least a member of a [Family] at level 3 or higher. This is a work by someone a million times more skilled than any random adventurer on the street...

It is likely the work of a person of the same profession as the legendary figure known as the "Sage," written with painstaking effort...

A crooked smile appeared on my face, and I froze.

"So that's why you learned magic... By the way, Bell, what's the story behind this magic book appearing here?"

"I borrowed it from someone I know... I heard it was someone who dropped it..."

"..."

"How much... approximately?"

"Equivalent to a Tier 1 item from the [Hephaestus Familia], or even higher..."

Crack! A fissure appeared on his petrified body.

"By the way, the effect will disappear after you've read it once. After that, it's just a heavy, (junk) weird book..."

It’s over.

This priceless book, brimming with "miracles" of teaching magic through external intervention, was not only stolen but also discarded after its use. Something worth tens of millions of falies, I swallowed it whole…

The headquarters fell into a deathly silence.

I've done something irreversible, and I'm filled with despair.

The fairy, her head bowed with a mask-like expression of suppressed emotion, quickly fetched a chair and carried it to me. She stood on the chair, placed her hands on my shoulders, looked down at me from above, and said:

"Listen up, Bell? You met the owner of the book by chance. Then you returned it to the owner before even reading its contents. So the book isn't in your possession, and most importantly, it's a magic book that's never been used in the first place... Let's just assume that's the case."

"How cunning of you, you immortal!"

How can you so casually try to destroy the evidence?

"Bell, there are many things in the mortal realm that are beyond words. I've seen it with my own eyes several times. Being kicked out of your home, starving and unable to afford even a potato ball, being locked in a ruined basement... being forced to shoulder enormous debts. The world is full of injustices."

"This was entirely caused by the gods themselves!"

And what was that last unlucky phrase?

What have you been hiding from me, you immortal?!

"In short, I need to explain this to the person who lent me this book!"

"Bell, stop it, you're too much of a germaphobe! The world is more capricious than God!"

"Please don't create memorable quotes at a time like this! Even if you try to hide the truth, it'll be discovered sooner or later!"

The dice have been rolled! Miss Seele will definitely ask me if I've read the book yet, and besides, no matter how many lies we tell, as long as the owner of the book shows up at the tavern, everything will be over!

Since things have come to this, all we can do is admit everything and pin our hopes on a "dogeza" (a deep bowing gesture).

I broke free from the gods' restraints and, holding a book in one hand, kicked down the headquarters door.

"Is Miss Seele there?"

"Oh, this isn't a young cat. Goodnight, cat."

At the entrance of the tavern "The Abundant Mistress," I struck up a conversation with a cat-woman who was cleaning.

I remember her as Miss Chloe, the shop assistant. She was wagging her tail behind her back and smiling at me with ill intent.

"What? What? You're looking for Seele without even saying hello? What are you trying to do so early in the morning?!"

"Please call Miss Seele over here!"

"—Meow! I-I know, meow!"

Startled by my aggressive demeanor and urgent shouts, Miss Roy jumped up. Perhaps sensing something was wrong with me, she hurriedly rushed into the shop. The clock on the door jingled.

Soon Miss Chloe peeked out from behind the door and waved to me.

I stepped into the store, which was still being prepared.

"Good morning, Mr. Bell. What's wrong?"

"Miss Seele!"

Miss Seele came running from the kitchen, seemingly in a hurry, carrying a wooden tray in her hand.

Seeing Miss Seele with a triangular headscarf over her light gray hair, I went up to her and explained the gist of the matter.

Miss Seele initially had a somewhat puzzled smile on her face, but as she listened, her eyes widened and her expression quickly changed... When I finished speaking, she gently looked away, just like she had done before.

"...You've really messed up this time, Mr. Bell."

"Seriously, Miss Seele—! You're talking like it's none of your business!"

That unnatural attitude made me yell. Are you trying to make me a scapegoat?

Miss Seele raised the tray in her hand to her lips, covering the lower half of her face, and looked up at me.

"Still not working?"

"It's super cute, but I still won't accept it!"

I blushed and flatly refused Miss Seele's plea.

This person is really quite the witch!

"Shut up, kid. What are you doing making a scene in someone else's shop so early in the morning?"

Just as we were exchanging questions, we must have heard a commotion. To our surprise, the shopkeeper, Aunt Mia, appeared. Despite being a dwarf, she was proud of her enormous size. She reached out and snatched the book from my stunned hand, flipping through a few pages to check the contents.

"It is indeed a grimoire... but well, since we've already seen it, there's nothing we can do about it. Kid, don't think about it anymore."

"Eh! But... but..."

"It's that person's fault. Why did he leave it in the shop? It's practically saying, 'Take a look.' Even if the kid didn't look at it, any adventurer would lie and say it's theirs to take a look if they found such a valuable magic book. That's just how these kinds of books are."

Just as I was rendered speechless by her inexplicably persuasive words, Aunt Mia snorted through her nose.

"When the book was lost, the original owner had already given up hope. For example, if a kid lost a wallet full of coins, you wouldn't think you could get it all back, would you?"

"this……"

That's how it is. There's no point in thinking about it anymore. Just consider it a gain and forget about it quickly.

Aunt Mia spoke frankly and nonchalantly.

Looking at Miss Seele beside him, she also had a troubled expression and a wry smile, her head tilted to one side.

I still seemed hesitant, my expression betraying my lingering doubts, and then… Aunt Mia glared at me fiercely. She said, “Men shouldn’t be so long-winded!”

The loud shout, delivered without any restraint, made me reflexively stand at attention, and I actually agreed with a "Yes!"

Watching Aunt Mia walk heavily back into the shop, I wondered if this was really a good thing.

I put my hands on my head, feeling a mix of emotions.

"...Uh, I'm sorry to have disturbed everyone. Well then, I'll take my leave now."

After a long pause, I said this and was about to turn and leave when Miss Seele took the basket from Miss Chloe, who had suddenly appeared and quietly approached me... and then timidly handed it to me.

"May I ask you to accept this today as well?"

"...I...I accept it."

I stammered as I accepted the basket she offered with both hands, accompanied by a shy smile.

I always feel so embarrassed at times like this, but Miss Seele really does seem so happy at times like this. It's different from usual; it's like her joy is just flowing out without any pretense... No, it's not that she's usually unhappy... How should I put it? I don't know how to express it.

I blushed and thanked her again, this time truly leaving the "abundant mistress".

After returning to headquarters, I put down my old magic book and put on my equipment in preparation for exploring the dungeon.

After I explained what had happened at the tavern to the deity, he gently told me to "be careful on the road" and saw me out.

(By the way, it seems we've run out of recovery potions...?)

Running down the main road, I suddenly remembered my inventory. I'd used up all my healing potions three days ago while exploring the maze. My left leg pouch was empty.

(I haven't gone shopping lately... should I just go?)

On my way to the dungeon, I decided to stop by a shop I hadn't visited in a long time.

The shop is located in a somewhat secluded back alley on the outskirts of West Street.

The detached house is located in a poorly lit and somewhat damp area, and a badge of the "Family" that resembles a fully grown human body is decorated on the house like a signboard.

"Excuse me—, good morning—..."

I peeked through the double wooden door and saw an orc woman selecting items from a display case inside the dimly lit shop. She noticed me and looked at me with her eyes half-closed.

Good morning, Belle. Long time no see...

Her monotone voice and drowsy expression made her look like she had just woken up, but in fact, she was always like this. She wore a skirt with a tail sticking out, and a somewhat unusual top with a short sleeve on the left wrist and a long sleeve on the right. She wore a glove on her right hand. She looked to be about the same age as Miss Eina, or a little younger, and finished her work, walking around to the counter at the back of the shop.

"Sorry to bother you so early. Is now a convenient time?"

"That's convenient, because if Bell leaves, there won't be any other customers... So, what do you want to buy today?"

She, who was sitting opposite me with the counter between us, took out the box she had stored inside and placed it on the table.

The wide box was neatly filled with test tubes containing various colored liquids.