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

Fels looked at the chessboard placed in front of the altar and asked a question, to which Uranus answered.

Although his expression was unreadable, the magician in black kept a straight face and remained silent, then shook his black hoodie as if he were sighing.

"The 'heretics' have all been safely returned to the Secret Realm. No one has died in the commotion on the surface."

"yes."

After Fels finished his report, he looked up at the azure eyes that resembled the Uranusian sky.

"Of course, we haven't yet proven the significance of the 'heretics'. None of their problems with humanity have been solved, and the road ahead remains long and arduous."

"This incident might just push them further away from their dreams," the black-clad magician said decisively.

"However, there were also clear gains."

Upon hearing the old man's words, Fels nodded.

"I'm afraid I can't forgive the god Hermes, but... I will choose the same path as him, Uranus."

The tone that rang out was filled with a variety of emotions.

The immortal fool, stripped of his flesh, placed this statement in the bursting flames of the torch.

"I will also bet everything on that boy."

*

"Miraculous survival of a rising star!", "Adventurer who bravely fights monsters alone"... They really know how to adapt to changing circumstances.

Looking at the unfolded scroll, Welf sighed in annoyance.

"What does it matter, Lord Welf? Now everyone's misunderstanding about that person is cleared up."

"The people on the street have stopped giving us dirty looks. Although you all seem to still feel a little guilty... I believe that this guilt will dissipate sooner or later."

Upon hearing his young companion read out the headlines of the newspapers circulating in the city, both Ming and Chunji spoke to him.

The members of the Hestia Familia have completed their mission and are finally free from the tense atmosphere of each day. Perhaps this has brought a backlash, as everyone puts down their burdens and gathers in the living room of the headquarters.

"The adventurers who followed Lord Bell or Lily haven't seemed to reappear since that incident."

"I was mentally prepared to have all my money stolen... but in the end, they didn't break into my house."

Lily peered out the window of the large room, and Hestia, sitting on the sofa, followed up with a message.

After sending the last few "heretics" to the "artificial maze" and finally getting everything sorted out, Lily and the others returned to their base camp (headquarters), only to find that the mansion's doors and windows had been vandalized and destroyed—in fact, they hadn't.

Although there were signs of intrusion and ransacking inside, there were no signs of looting or theft, and the faction's main assets remained untouched. It was as if some incredibly powerful [familia] was helping to protect them from theft.

"Now I can go back to my old life..."

"...I'm afraid...that's not quite right to say it that way."

Lily only got halfway through her story before asking him to continue.

The two girls slowly turned their eyes around the living room, searching for the dragon girl's former appearance.

Thinking of the departed girl and the lost warmth of family, even Lily couldn't hide her loneliness.

A moment later, everyone's eyes in the living room were focused on Chun Ji.

"Are you alright, Haruhime?"

"...I'm fine, we'll meet again."

Hearing the God's concern, Chun Ji smiled serenely.

"Because we made a promise."

Seeing the fox-girl gently embrace Xiaozhi, Ming and the others narrowed their eyes.

Everything is over, the worries have vanished, and hope remains.

A tiny, fleeting sense of fulfillment came as I visited this small "family".

"Next, it'll be Bell's turn..."

Welf's voice echoed in the living room where the boy was no longer present.

The girls looked at each other, then Lily asked Hestia:

"Goddess Hestia, Lord Bell..."

"……Um."

Hestia looked away from Lily and gazed up at the ceiling.

The goddess narrowed her blue-tinged eyes and murmured softly:

"That child also today—"

*

The wind is blowing.

That was the morning breeze flowing from the azure eastern sky.

Bell stood calmly on the towering city wall, feeling the cool breeze, gazing at the spot.

Gazing at the city center... the white-walled giant tower.

Soon, as the morning glow shone brightly in the clear sky, her long golden hair swayed.

A girl came to the boy's side.

"Miss Ais...?"

"Hmm... Good morning."

"...What brings you here?"

"Because I don't know why... I always feel that as long as I come here, I will see you."

"Is that so..."

"Um."

"..."

"..."

"Miss Ais."

"?"

"Could I ask you for some more advice on combat techniques?"

"...That kind of thing has happened?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

"...You're so cunning."

"……sorry."

"..."

"..."

"……Can."

"……May I?"

"Hmm...you have the same eyes."

"?"

"It's the eyes I always see when I look in the mirror."

"..."

"Ah...but...you're not as strange as me, your eyes look prettier, uh..."

"……puff!"

"...What are you laughing at?"

“S-Sorry!”

"..."

"..."

"I...have other things to do, so I don't know when I'll be able to..."

"I understand, it's alright... thank you."

"Won't."

"..."

"..."

"Miss Ais."

"What's up?"

"I... really want to become stronger."

“…I see.”

"Yes."

"I'm leaving now."

"OK."

"...See you next time."

"……good."

Golden dreams vanished on the other side of the morning glow.

This time, however, Bell did not watch the girl's retreating figure as she walked away.

Always keep your eyes on the front.

Aim at the towering, majestic white-walled towers that reach into the clouds—and the underground labyrinth that lies beneath them.

Aim for the dungeon where there are agreements and the outcome of battles awaiting you.

"..."

He clenched his throbbing little finger, carefully feeling the pain of the still-healing wound.

Bell offered his vow once more to the radiant dawn, then turned his back on the place of their promise—

So the boy will once again—run away.

Postscript to Volume 11

Andomeda finished it in two nights.

Wild magic tool technician. (Note: The original text "野のアンドロナージ" is taken from "野のアストナージ")

That's what Andromeda is like.

I think the one who worked the hardest in this episode was Miss Omnipotent.

I used to train in track and field.

One day, the coach said to me and another teammate, "You two are like Tom and Jerry." I think it's because my teammate and I specialize in long-distance running, and we would break away from the group in the later stages of the race, chasing each other (I should be Tom).

The final 100 meters of the track and field race, the final sprint. Before my eyes, powerful arms swinging, long strides, the soles of shoes kicking high into the thighs, a receding figure. Even struggling with my last ounce of strength, my opponent was still leaving me further and further behind. That scene was a complete nightmare; in fact, I still sometimes dream about it, drenched in sweat in bed. That teammate, Jerry, was, at the time, a competitor to me.

Jerry and I had a good relationship in our daily lives; we would even eat together. However, on the day of the competition, the first thing I would do was look for Jerry's name on the schedule. Once I found out that he was going to compete in the same event as me, I felt an intense urge not to lose to him. I think that feeling was very strong at the time.

Competing with Jerry, I was influenced by him, determined to catch up with him, feeling resentful when I lost, and then striving to achieve results. From what I can tell, I think Jerry definitely helped me grow in some ways.

A competitor can also be a good friend.

I'm not sure if I can call her a formidable rival in a cool way, but I believe that having someone like that in life constantly gives you new goals. The "Heretical Child Arc" starting from episode nine is, in essence, just an attempt to introduce that fierce bull (the female protagonist) and formidable rival… that's a bit of an overstatement, but in short, I really wanted a competitor to appear. After writing what's equivalent to the third episode of the main story, I made up my mind: the protagonist's rival is that fierce bull, and there's no other choice.

Hopefully, he can continue to chase and play with the protagonist in the future.