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

A genuine sense of loss permeated my entire being.

"Let's go!"

Lai turned his back to me and entered the orphanage. Fina and Xiaolu glanced at me and followed him silently.

The church door slammed shut, as if slamming a rejection in front of me, who was unable to move an inch, as if saying, "You are not allowed to step into the church," and "You are not allowed to come back."

I was almost drowning in immense heartache and devastating grief. I was so weak that I collapsed, like a doll with its strings cut, and my lower body went limp as I knelt down.

Maybe this is the first time I've ever felt so frustrated.

The sky, covered by thick clouds, looked down upon my pathetic state.

"...Mr. Bell?"

Then, there was a click.

The door I thought would never open again opened, and someone walked to my side.

I slowly looked up and saw Miss Seele standing in front of me.

"I was just discussing with Ms. Maria and the others whether we could leave Daedalus Road to seek refuge."

There is a small garden with a few flowers and plants planted a little distance from the entrance of the orphanage.

I sat on the brick bench and listened to Miss Seele speak.

"Because something like that happened in the labyrinth town... it would be very dangerous if the monster reappeared."

I heard from Miss Liu that Miss Seele recently took leave, apparently to discuss her future with the orphanage director, Ms. Maria Martell. According to Miss Seele, she also traveled with Ms. Maria to the other orphanages in Maze Street, urging everyone to seek refuge elsewhere.

It's said that in the past few days, Daedalus Road has been the busiest place in the city, filled with a dangerous atmosphere. It's understandable that they're worried that this place might become a battlefield again.

Whatever the reason, part of the problem lies with me, and that fact weighs heavily on my mind.

"If I were to ask you what's wrong... that would be incredibly tactless of me."

"..."

"Lay and the others are forcing themselves, either remaining silent or putting on a brave face... but I think they probably don't know how to face it themselves."

Miss Seele, wearing the white dress I'd seen before, kept talking to me, who refused to speak.

She faced forward with a smile, not pressing me for details. She should have known what bad things I'd done…

Seeing that she looked perfectly normal, I couldn't help but ask:

"You really aren't going to ask anything..."

"If you want me to ask, then I'll ask, okay?"

Seeing Miss Seele's sweet smile, I said, "Uh, no..." without finishing my sentence.

"What are you confused about?"

Confused, aren't you?

Am I confused?

No... I've already decided what to do.

I have made my decision to help the "heretics," to help Winnie.

At that moment, my scales tipped to one side. I would definitely lend a helping hand to Mr. Reed and his companions, who were still in danger. Even if it meant going against many people and things in the future.

Even if those I cherish, like Ray and his group, show me hostility, I will not change.

So this isn't confusion... it's the fear of being isolated and helpless.

"You seem quite troubled... but I think it's better not to keep it to yourself, okay?"

“!…”

"Doesn't Mr. Bell still have his [Familia] companions?"

Miss Seele's words gave me a jolt.

I don't care. Although I'm scared, and I'm almost trembling with fear, it's my own decision. I don't care if they throw stones at me; I have to accept it.

But everyone... their companions in the [Family] are different.

Before I left headquarters, I overheard them talking in the living room. It was Shinsengumi and Miss Fate.

It's all my fault that they also suffer from the disappointment of the public.

I was almost heartbroken.

I don't regret making that decision, and I can't regret it. Although I think this way, I'm almost overwhelmed by self-blame.

It was the same with Ms. Ryu, and it was the same with Ms. Ais. I…

"...I'm afraid to hear what they think."

I could no longer bear it and said this.

"I acted on my own initiative and caused trouble for everyone... I'm afraid to hear what everyone... to hear what Welf and the others think of me..."

The pathetic confession that spilled from my mouth made me wish I could just disappear.

Just as my extreme self-loathing made me hang my head, Miss Seele held my head in her hands.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry."

She pulled my head like that—my weak and powerless body couldn't offer any resistance—and I fell to my side.

That is, I placed my head on Miss Seele's lap, who was sitting next to me.

"Huh?! Wait a minute—!?"

"You once let me lie on your lap, this is a return gift."

I completely forgot all my inner turmoil and panicked, wanting to jump up, but the hand on my head stopped me.

My cheeks sank into the soft touch of her thighs, and I blushed instantly.

"What return gift? Miss Seele forced me back then...!?"

"Hehe! Is that so? Then let me force you one more time."

Miss Seele seemed unable to suppress a smile as she spoke to me and began to stroke and comb my hair.

"—Don't be afraid, don't be confused. Although you may feel disappointed, there are still some things around you that will never change."

Hearing her voice suddenly become so gentle, as if she were giving me earnest advice, I stopped what I was doing.

My gaze was drawn upwards, and there was Miss Seele's smile right in front of me.

It was the same loving gaze she gave the sleeping children in the orphanage.

I changed the position of my entire body, including my head, and lay back on the bench.

I raised one knee, and our eyes met.

Miss Seele looked at me and gently placed a hand on my eyes.

"I... admire you for your continuous driving."

"what?"

Like a murmur, a whisper so small it leaks out with the breath.

After the hand that was blocking my view was removed, Miss Seele blushed and smiled brightly at me.

"...I meant Mr. Bell is more charming on his own!"

A broad smile encouraged me not to be gloomy.

I opened my eyes wide, then propped myself up on Miss Seele's lap and looked back at her.

Her unwavering smile eased my tense emotions.

"...I feel like I've been getting a lot of encouragement from Miss Seele lately."

"Hehe, how about a hug next time?"

"N-No, that's alright!?"

Miss Seele teased me at the end, making me blush bright red, then I relaxed completely and gave a wry smile.

The sky was still covered by dark clouds, but my heart seemed to have brightened a little.

*

"I told you to get them out of Daedalus Road right now! How many times have I told you this?! And you still expect me to do it myself!"

Seeing Guild Master Loiman Madil sweating profusely and spitting as he shouted, Finn Dimna, the leader of the Loki Familia, calmly replied:

"If we retreat, which clan do you plan to leave here to guard the area?"

"Of course it's the Ganesha's Familia! This is the will of the god Uranus!"

"But I heard that Ganesha suffered heavy losses during their campaign, and their main forces were unable to move, isn't that right?"

"That's still better than you guys. I don't trust you! That day too, you dared to disobey standby orders and act on your own…!"

Finn and Lloyd were talking on a relatively secluded section of Daedalus Road, a road that had been reduced to ruins four days prior after a battle with a monster. Guild staff were busy with repairs and reconstruction, and members of the Loki Familia were on guard; people were coming and going.

Near the ruins destroyed by the dragon girl (monster), the obese elven guild master, his belly jiggling, aggressively berates the leader of the dwarf (Palum) faction.

"Let's stop playing cat and mouse, Leuman."

Finn looked up at Loyman with his shrewd blue eyes.

"What your guild cares about is the entrance to the dungeon hidden below... Am I right?"

"...!"

"We also obtained some information from the god Ikelos, just before he was handed over to the guild. — This included the existence of the 'artificial labyrinth'."

The chief god of the Ikeros Familia, who had been banished from the city and had since departed, was captured by the Loki Familia. At the time, the god answered their questions with a malicious smile. Finn brought this up, lowering his voice to say the words "artificial labyrinth."

"I understand that you want to monopolize the information on the 'artificial labyrinth' and prevent it from leaking out, but we also need to consider the situation. Other [Familia] have also vaguely sensed that the labyrinth town (here) might be connected to the underground city."

Seeing Lloydman momentarily speechless, Finn continued:

"Loiman, things have come to this point. Put aside the gains and losses and think about it. Even the Ganesha Familia has been defeated by those monsters. Who in the city can suppress them?"

"...You guys didn't catch them either! If it weren't for that failure, we would have been... by now!"

"I can't deny that, but we'll definitely deal with them next time. We already have a grasp of the enemy's strength."

After Finn shrugged, his entire demeanor changed, highlighting the key point:

"We obtained the 'key' to the 'artificial labyrinth' from the god Icelos... Once we find it, I will give it to you."

"!"

"In return, we hope you will allow us to operate here. For the sake of the residents who live in fear every day, we, like the guild, want to speed up our efforts to defeat the monster as soon as possible."

After listening to Finn's suggestion with a probing gaze, Lloydman spoke:

"Any progress on the investigation into that maze?"

"Well, I had Grace and Tiona try to dig through the walls made of super-hard metal (adiazon), and we finally got in. But once inside the cave, we encountered a door made of the hardest metal (ostrichite), which was impossible to break. Destroying the super-hard metal structure was also time-consuming and laborious... We don't know what's hiding in the 'artificial labyrinth,' so I decided it wasn't worth the unnecessary destruction. I don't want to bring trouble to the surface."

"...I need all the information related to the 'artificial labyrinth.' Like the structure you've currently identified, or the location of the hardest metal doors, etc. Can you guarantee you'll report everything to me?"

"Sure, no problem."

After hearing Finn's explanation, Lloydman proposed a deal, and after a while, he nodded.

"Alright, I'll agree to your conditions. I'll persuade Uranus, the god of the sky... But! Don't even think about doing anything behind my back! If you try anything funny, I'll cut all ties with you immediately!!"

Lloydman gave a final warning, and Finn smiled and said to him, "I promise you."

After snorting, the guild leader left Finn's presence with his personal guards.

Soon, as if replacing him, the elven royal vice-captain, Riveria, who had been giving instructions to the members, arrived.

"This is really a headache... that guy is still the same as always."

"Haha, while I wouldn't trust Lloydman, I do trust him. He's good at using incentives, so he's easy to understand."

Rivera sighed at her bloated compatriots, and after listening to the conversation, she asked Finn:

"Is this really a good idea? I can accept the information about the 'artificial maze,' but you're also agreeing to give him the 'key'?"