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

In Orario's current situation, helping the "heretics" is tantamount to making enemies of all the Familias in the city.

The silence that entered the room gave me the illusion that my heart was being slowly crushed.

Let's draw a clear conclusion now.

At this moment, the goddess Hestia calmly stated the key point.

"Should we help the 'heretic' or not?"

"...!"

I looked up abruptly, but the deity ignored me and looked at each of Welf and the others.

Before anyone could speak, I called out to the deity's profile:

"God!!...This matter should be handled by me alone..."

"Bell, this isn't just your problem anymore. The moment you, as the leader, took action, it became a problem for the entire Familia. You can't say such irresponsible things."

The deity's words sounded like a reprimand for my attitude as the group leader, which almost made my heart stop.

I became unable to move, the deity stopped looking at me, and asked Lily and the others again:

"Let's make a choice: do we stand with the 'heretics' and live a life of shame, or do we stand by and watch them die, returning to our old, ordinary lives?"

These two options were once before me. Back then, I was caught between Winnie and the Loki Familia, forced to choose one. This time, the goddess's words were a question asking for everyone's choice.

—I don't want everyone to choose either path. This is my cowardly, honest opinion from the bottom of my heart.

Memories of the labyrinthine street and a sense of transgression intertwined, disrupting my thoughts; just as I stood motionless like a condemned criminal—

"Hestia, the goddess."

Welf raised his hand.

"Could we add another option?"

"What is it?"

"We handled everything perfectly, sent the heretics (those guys) back to the dungeon, and we weren't slandered or despised."

At first, I didn't understand what he meant and was speechless.

Welf was laughing, and the god smiled as if he understood everything.

"Please look."

With his fiery red hair swaying, Welf drew his short sword from its scabbard at his waist.

"This is the 'Demon Sword,' and there are three more in the workshop."

"Seeing you holed up in the workshop the whole time... I knew that was the reason."

Upon seeing the azure sword blade appear, Lily seemed to have already guessed it, and she sighed dramatically.

"Because I know exactly what I have to do, and I know time is limited. To save those 'heretics'... Yes, I can't be stubborn anymore. If I don't do this, it's impossible to surpass the adventurers in the city."

I still can't move, this time it's purely because I was too shocked.

Welf explicitly told everyone that they needed to save the "heretic."

"Bell, why are you making that weird face?"

"Because...because!!"

Seeing Welf's suspicious look, I finally couldn't help but shout it out.

"I abandoned everyone and recklessly rushed in alone!! As a result, the [Family] got into trouble and made life difficult for everyone!! I thought... everyone must hate me..."

I couldn't help but ask the questions I was afraid to ask, venting my suppressed emotions.

I'm sorry. Although an apology alone isn't enough to earn forgiveness, I'm truly sorry.

As I struggled to continue, Welf spoke first:

"Bell, I told you before, don't apologize."

This sentence awakened my memory.

--Isn't that what family/kinship is all about? Supporting each other.

—Give me some more trouble, or I'll lose face.

It was in this room, during the mandatory mission to escort Winnie to the 20th floor, that Welf said these words to me. Thinking back on it now, a strong sense of emotion wells up inside me.

"But if I could say something to you, I'd say... don't leave us behind again this time, okay?"

"Lord Bell, you did nothing wrong. As for why, no matter how troubled we were, in the end, I and everyone else would have made the same choice. ... You just stepped forward earlier than anyone else."

Welf grinned, while Miss Fate beside him narrowed her purplish-blue eyes.

I was speechless. This time, Miss Chunji quietly came to my side.

"I was so sorry that you had been suffering all this time. I should have conveyed my feelings to you in detail."

"Haruhime, Miss..."

"Thank you for saving Lady Winnie. Haruhime is truly delighted."

Miss Haruhime's eyes welled with tears, but her smile bloomed like cherry blossoms, and she spoke...

These images, in my mind, overlapped with the expressions of joy and tears that Mr. Reed and his companions wore when they hugged the sleeping Winnie and thanked me.

"—Seriously, they're all such pushovers!! Let me make this clear, Lily is different from you all! Lily is still firmly against helping monsters!!"

Lily watched me talking to Welf and the others, and then stared at Miss Haruhime, as if she couldn't do anything about it, and she shouted loudly.

She first turned her head to one side, then slowly opened her eyes and looked up at us.

"However... since this is the result of the majority vote, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Lily..."

"Lily... doesn't want to abandon Lord Bell, nor does she want to see Lord Bell stand by and watch others die."

--I (Lily) have long been used to living a life that can't be seen by others.

Even surrounded by disappointed gazes, there was nothing to fear. The little girl smiled at me like a tiny sunflower.

"..."

Since that day I betrayed so many people and things, I haven't dared to look you in the eye until now. Only now do I look at your faces. Lily, Welf, Miss Mikoto, Miss Haruhime.

She... Miss Seele was absolutely right when she told me.

I have lost some things, but I still have things around me that I will never lose.

I felt a tear roll down one of my eyes.

How many times have I been saved by everyone?

How many times have I felt this way?

It's so wonderful to meet everyone and become family with them (family).

"I'm sorry... thank you."

I pressed my burning nose with one arm and squeezed out those words in a hoarse voice.

"...Then it's decided! We'll all help 'the heretic'!"

The goddess, who had been gazing at us with gentle tenderness, cheerfully announced, thus dispelling the atmosphere of deep emotion. Everyone responded to the goddess's divine will with smiles and nodded.

"Lily, let me state upfront that the situation hasn't improved at all. Needless to say, other adventurers are trying to get ahead of the Loki Familia... This is even harder than conquering the 'Deep' dungeon."

"So that means if we manage to do that, conquering the 'deep layers' will be a piece of cake."

"Don't get too cocky."

Welf smiled, and Lily gave him a cold glare.

The two bickered as usual, restoring the usual atmosphere to the Hestia Familia.

"To say that our opponent is qualified to fight us... is probably a bit too strong."

"For Lady Winnie and the others, I am willing."

Miss Ming and Miss Chunji both showed resolute expressions.

Everyone has united as one and determined the direction to move forward.

"Alright, Bell, gather your energy first. Say something to everyone, and do it loudly."

Welf turned around and gave me a bold and fearless smile.

The immortals also joined in, and immediately became overjoyed.

"Great idea, Welf! Since we're going to do it, let's all form a circle!"

"What?! Lily feels so embarrassed about this..."

"Hmph! Miss Supporter, this is the command of the Supreme God, you can't disobey!"

"Always putting on airs like a supreme deity at times like this...!"

The fairy's smug expression and Lily's complaining made Miss Ming and the others laugh.

I'm not going to cry anymore.

I wiped my face and ran to the group of people who were gathered in a circle.

The goddess Hestia first extended her arms, and then everyone followed suit, overlapping their hands in the center of the circle.

I did the same.

"Well... um."

For a moment I hesitated about what to say, but I quickly made up my mind.

My fellow members of the [Family] watched me with smiles, and I nodded in response.

An owl perched on the back of a chair gazed at us, and I called out with heartfelt emotion:

"We must help Winnie and the others!"

"Okay!!"

The incessant rain has stopped.

*

"We will join forces with Bell Craney and his team to advance into the 'Man-made Maze'."

In the city's underground sewers, there are partially destroyed horizontal pits connecting to wells.

Fels addressed the assembled "heretics" members.

"Adventurers... the Loki Familia has probably already figured it out, but we have no other choice but to invade Daedalus's legacy. Although invading through the underground passages leading out of the city is an option, that route is likely a one-way street. The Loki Familia must have already sent people to guard it, and if we are ambushed, we are no match for them."

"You said you'd join forces with them, but is that even possible? I don't think we can adapt to changing circumstances..."

"If Bell Craney and the others accept the contents of the letter I sent, we will be able to contact them sooner or later. For now, I hope you can trust me and their decisions."

What will happen to those who got separated from their families?

"We'll have to send out the 'secret signal' ourselves. We'll risk being discovered by the adventurers to call out to the others and head towards Daedalus Road together."

Upon hearing this plan that would determine the fate of themselves and their fellow citizens, the singer Rei, the gargoyle Gross, and the other "heretics" all raised questions. Fels answered fluently, responding to each one.

While everyone continued their discussion, only Reed looked down at his feet with a sorrowful expression.

Winnie noticed his expression.

"Reed...? What's wrong?"

"No, it's just that I've been relying on Little Bell and the others for help... I feel like I'm always causing them trouble."

"I'm ashamed to face them," the lizardman whispered from between his fangs.

"Reed, I understand how you feel, but Uranus cannot act openly, and there are very few people we can rely on. We can only ask the Hestia Familia for help..."

"Kid, I know, I know perfectly well... but..."

"Reed."

As Fells and Reed were talking, Winnie reached out her hand.

She touched Reed's arm with her fingers, as if gently pinching the lizardman's crimson scales.