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

But if it were her, perhaps Eina had thought that way.

The adventurer I was laughing and joking with until yesterday, my irreplaceable friend, shouldn't have died like this.

For the first time, Eina confronted the death of someone close to her.

☆

It was as if the separation from Maris was the catalyst.

All the adventurers under Eina's command have died.

Even the higher-level adventurers who succeeded them did not return after going to the 'middle level'.

It's probably best not to get too emotionally involved with adventurers.

Eina now correctly understands the true meaning of what her boss told her.

An overwhelming sense of loss tells the story. Many guild employees, led by their superiors, have probably experienced the same, or even greater, shocks countless times.

(I am……)

Before feeling sadness, Eina was consumed by regret.

I'm a dungeon exploration consultant. Isn't there anything else I can do for adventurers?

Is there nothing more I can offer them?

—It caused their deaths.

Such thoughts lingered in Eina's mind.

"That's arrogance, Zul."

It was as if they could see right through Eina's thoughts.

This was said by a veteran werewolf woman among the hosts.

"There are safer jobs available, yet those guys still become adventurers. For money, for fame, and for the thrill of the 'unknown'... those idiots, we can't help them at all."

"Rhodes, Miss..."

"Even if they don't 'take the risk,' they still act on their own... No matter how much we warn them, it's all in vain."

While fiddling with her long red hair, the werewolf host spoke impatiently. On the completely unused desk, Eina, who had been sitting motionless in her chair like a puppet, slowly raised her head.

Even in Eina's eyes, which were filled with a sense of helplessness, one could still sense a hint of regret in addition to her anxiety on her profile.

"This job is so tough..."

On another day, in the office where only the two of them remained, Misia's eyes were filled with tears, and tears fell drop by drop.

On the table was a completely cold serving of black tea for two.

The adventurers she was in charge of also died.

"No matter who it was, none of them came back... No matter how strong, how handsome, or how gentle they were... none of them."

"Misia..."

Even from an outsider's perspective, it was clear that she had feelings for that adventurer—or perhaps even a little crush on him—Misia, head bowed, her small body trembling, a few tears falling onto her thighs.

Eina had never seen such a vulnerable side of her, who was always so cheerful.

"Hey, Eina... can I sit over there?"

"...Okay, fine."

Missia bent down and sat on the sofa where Eina was sitting, and began to cry.

As if to embrace Eina, she buried her face in Eina's shoulder, trying to suppress her sobs as she let out a whimper.

Eina, who held her tightly, also shed tears that day.

Thanks to Misia, she was finally able to cry as she mourned the deaths of Maris and the others.

☆

After that, as countless people died and days were spent in mourning, Eina came to understand.

That is, "adventure" will lead adventurers to their deaths.

A moment of carelessness and arrogance, curiosity, or even the courage to face great undertakings can become the scythe that reaps their lives. In Eina's mind, "adventure" is synonymous with recklessness and brute force.

(It's very hard, very hard, huh?...but)

I once wanted to keep my distance from the adventurers, just like the other receptionists and staff.

However, Eina did not do so.

Seeing Maris and her companions among the adventurers she encountered as an advisor, she did not shy away from their sorrow but confronted them directly.

(If it's left unattended, it will become even more difficult.)

When I first joined the guild, the initial excitement and anticipation I felt transformed into a sense of mission.

While her colleagues, and even Misia, wore smiling masks and kept their distance from the adventurers, Eina took the initiative to step forward.

"Well then, Mr. Louis, that concludes our lesson for today!"

"Waaah... Miss Eina, it's about time I got a break...!"

They proactively held lectures, thoroughly absorbing all kinds of knowledge about the dungeon into their bodies, showing no mercy to anyone, whether they were novice lower-level adventurers or higher-level adventurers who had taken over from other leaders.

They won't be allowed to take any "risks".

Driven by this thought, Eina did everything she could for the adventurers. Even when facing promotion, she meticulously prepared the team and devised various strategies.

Sometimes, they would even personally offer adventurer requests to trusted adventurers, embarking on dungeon explorations alongside them despite the inherent dangers. This was because they wanted to experience firsthand the threat of dungeons that could kill adventurers.

"Mr. Dolme, all of this is wrong! Let's start over!!"

"Spare me, little Eina!?"

Even the employees who initially showed displeasure were speechless in the face of Eina's unwavering determination. And Missia also began to change.

At least she was no longer just doing it out of a transactional way, but rather, after discussing with Eina, she began to consider what she could do for the adventurers. Her boundless cheerfulness gradually returned. Eina was pleased with this.

Time has passed since then.

By the time I noticed, Eina was already taller than Maris.

She also cut off her very long hair.

The body that Maris envied, which was described as "well-developed," continued to grow, constantly approaching the appearance of an adult.

And so, in the spring of my fifth year working in the guild—

☆

"—I want to become an adventurer!"

Eina encounters a young man who aspires to become an adventurer.

"...What? Let me check. You're a new adventurer. Did I make any mistakes during registration?"

"Yes!"

With white hair and deep red eyes, he looked almost like a rabbit.

Faced with the enthusiastic boy who nodded repeatedly, Eina, who was greeting him at the window, gave a slight, wry smile.

Following the business process, after filling in the necessary information on the parchment, her gaze swept over the registration application form.

His name is Bell Craney. He is human, just like Maris, and even younger.

Having already seen many young people like this boy who volunteered to be adventurers, Eina's face darkened for a brief moment, but she quickly put on her usual employee smile and completed the formalities.

After telling the boy to come back tomorrow, she went back to her office.

"That guy will die young. There's no doubt about it."

"Miss Rhodes"

"You know he has no future, don't you, Zul? You've been working here for years."

"Did you see it from beginning to end?" the werewolf host asked Eina, half-jokingly.

Anyone who has worked in a guild for years will understand. Is this adventurer promising, or the opposite?

Even in Eina's eyes, the boy couldn't be expected to achieve great things as an adventurer. At the very least, her body sensed his lack of 'capacity.' When the senior receptionist pointed out the crucial point, he couldn't even utter a coo.

"What kind of consultants does he want?"

"That... is a women's support group, and their race is fairies."

"He wants fairies, right? Sophie, why don't you go?"

"Forget it, taking in adventurers who won't live long is just a waste of effort."

The beautiful female employee, who had been busy with administrative tasks, refused further negotiations with an extremely indifferent attitude.

"Miss Rhodes, Miss Sophie, I don't think we should jump to conclusions like that."

As soon as Eina, unable to bear it any longer, voiced her objection, the werewolf host said "Well then" and smiled.

"Should we take a gamble? How long can that boy hold out?"

Upon hearing the suggestion to gamble on the boy's future development, the hosts, who were taking a break, reacted in unison.

"Then I'll bet six months." "I'll bet two months." "Half a month, please—"

"If you're going to participate, bring the gold coins to me!"

"Everyone, this is so careless!!"

Eina was outraged when her colleagues started gambling with the werewolf host as the bookmaker.

Although she understood that the gamble was a joke meant to distract from the adventurers' deaths, a kind of solace in their style, she still couldn't accept it. Hearing Eina's shout, Misia, who was still at the window, turned around in disbelief.

"Even so, Eina, you still think that boy isn't suited to be an adventurer, right?" the receptionists shrugged, teasingly. "It would be terrible to gamble for over a year and then lose," they said.

Perhaps if Eina were to agree here, everything would come to an end.

However, Eina, who prayed for the adventurers' safety more sincerely than anyone else, would not agree with even a joke.

"—Okay, in that case, I'll become his chief advisor!"

Let that boy live and show you what kind of arrogance Eina has.

"Wait a minute, Zul?"

"You, didn't you still have the job that the higher-ups were forcing on you? You shouldn't have the spare capacity to take charge of adventurers, right?"

"If it's just one person, I can take care of them! Besides, even though I'm mixed-race, I'm still a fairy!"

There shouldn't be any problems, she reassured the receptionists.

Things had gotten this far, and no one could stop Eina. "If I win, then this kind of gambling should never happen again!" she said, leaving the office. She was a candidate to become the head of the juvenile division.

Eina vowed in her heart that she would never let that boy die.

Eina volunteered to become a candidate to be the advisor in charge of the teenagers.

(Even though I said those things yesterday...)

The next day, Eina, having calmed down, was walking down the corridor of the guild headquarters.

Although I reflected that I had been a little too enthusiastic and impulsive, I did not intend to retract my statement.

Let the adventurers survive and show you! From now on, we will continue to support the adventurers and cheer them on.

As she recalled the vow she made after meeting Maris, Eina laughed.

Carrying three very thick textbooks for the lecture, she finally arrived at the interview room and knocked on the door.

"--ah"

Eina smiled as she looked at the boy with wide eyes standing in front of the open door.

"From today onwards, I will be your advisor. I am Eina Zur. Please take good care of me from now on."

BD Bonus Novel BD5 Short Story: Blue Flame

The online translation is from the Kingdom of Light

Image source: uiop031

Translation: pdapanda