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

Phil Weiss sprayed out a mouthful of saliva.

Her fair skin instantly turned bright red.

Witnessing the surprise attack of their own Loki Familia's proud vanguard (attacker), the other members exclaimed in unison, "Oh!" Lefia was startled to see Phil Weiss's face turn pale.

"You, you Amazonian, ask someone who's interested in you the first time you meet them?!"

"Oh dear~, it's not a big deal~. Let's talk about love to get closer!"

Phil Weiss raised her voice, but Tiona's smile remained, and she spoke to her affectionately.

Seeing the obviously disheveled state of her fellow girls, Lefia was terrified.

(Miss Tiona is amazing...! I put in so much effort back then...!)

About two months ago, in order to catch up with Ais who was heading to the 24th floor food warehouse, Lefia, Bert, and Philvis formed a three-person team, and the hardships they had endured back then came back to mind.

Seeing that Tiona had broken down the other woman's defenses without saying a word, Lefia looked at her with a mixture of fear and respect.

"I-I want to join the conversation about love too! Uh, when it comes to the person Miss Philvis often hangs out with... is it Dionysus!?"

"Lefia!!"

"Oh~, you like immortals~"

"Well, isn't that common among the [familia] whose divine status (personality) is high?"

"We must not miss this opportunity!" Lefia thought to herself, trying her best to keep up with the conversation; her meddling made Phil Weiss blush and shout loudly.

Tiona and Tione said nonchalantly, and then they couldn't stop talking.

The girl group members immediately became interested and started chatting enthusiastically about relationships between men and women.

Ais was left stunned.

"Then, what about you guys! Before you start asking others all sorts of questions, you should talk about yourselves first!"

"I like the leader!"

"Well—I don't really understand what it feels like to like a boy, but I do support a younger adventurer brother! Hehe—"

"I like the leader!!"

"I don't have that kind of person in my life... Ah! But, I really admire someone...!"

"I like the leader!!"

"Tione, you're so noisy—"

Leaving behind the incessantly calling out Tione, Tiona beamed with joy, while Lefia stole a few glances at the bewildered Ais.

"Where's Angie? Raul is always with you, isn't that him?"

"Yeah, right."

"Hmm~, within the [Family]... is it still the leader?"

"So cute and handsome, it's unfair! If I could, I'd really like to hug him tightly! *drooling*"

"Tione—, put down that fist you're raising high—"

The topic gradually spread to others, and everyone chatted more and more enthusiastically in the unique atmosphere of a group of girls.

Perhaps it should be said that, as expected, most people expressed their admiration for the faction leader and made their way through the bustling maze streets at night.

"Where is Narnie?"

"Uh, I..."

Even a human girl who starts a conversation about love can't escape Tiona's probing questions.

She swayed her tied braid, adjusting the position of her glasses as she answered:

"...I like Brother Bert."

"Huh!? You're kidding, Lina!"

"Line's taste is just awful! During the last 'expedition,' didn't that stupid wolf say something like 'following along with weaklings is a waste of time'?"

Upon hearing the unexpected answer, the Amazon sisters vehemently refuted it.

Despite their objections, Linne blushed and smiled shyly.

"I think Brother Bert... well, he's very handsome... and very gentle."

"What?! Impossible! Absolutely impossible—!"

Seeing a hint of sweetness on her younger sister's face, Tiona, who didn't get along with Bert, solemnly protested.

Lefia and the others all wore wry smiles, and finally turned their anger towards the blonde, golden-eyed girl.

"And what about Ais?"

"...I don't have that kind of partner..."

"There must be someone you care about, right? Tell me, tell me!"

"I……"

Tiona, smiling, urged Ais to speak, but Ais didn't know how to begin. The other members were all very interested in the topic of "Sword Maiden," and Lefia was diligently eavesdropping. The group, in a friendly atmosphere, dragged the exhausted Philweis into the conversation, chatting away non-stop.

The girls forgot their original purpose and enthusiastically discussed topics that should be typical of their youthful years.

★

“Huh!”

Bert sneezed, drawing the attention of the group members.

"Do you have a cold, Bert?"

"That's for the best, Finn. Ha! It's probably some nobody talking nonsense about me."

"It's the commander who's been trembling since earlier!"

"No, I don't know why, but I've been feeling a chill."

"I bet it's Tione or someone else causing trouble again..."

The voices of Finn, Bert, Raul, and Grace echoed continuously within the tunnel-like passageway.

The location is underground in the sewers. While Loki leads a faction of female characters to explore "Daedalus Road," Finn and his male faction investigate the underground sewers that are scattered throughout the city.

About ten low-ranking members, along with Raul and others, formed a formation carrying portable magic stone lamps.

"I heard that the god Njord met that strange man in this underground sewer... but that was more than five years ago, right? I don't think there would be any clues left."

"Yes, Bert and Loki have already investigated this place once. When Ais and the others were involved in the food warehouse incident, Tione and I also investigated it. We did encounter a few man-eating plants, but that's about it."

"Since you already know, why did you even come, Finn?"

"The methods for finding people are different from those for finding monsters. Also, this time I plan to focus my investigation on 'Daedalus Road'... which is the underground waterway near the southeast of the city. If we can narrow down the originally vast area of ​​investigation, we might be able to find some clues."

Finn answered Grace and Bert's questions fluently.

The dwarf leader, armed with a long spear, stood in the center of the group, his blue eyes cautiously observing their surroundings. The other members, fully armed and prepared for a potential battle, were doing the same. They didn't want to miss a single unusual detail, displaying a focus no less intense than when exploring the labyrinth.

Listening to the sound of flowing water underground, the group moved forward in the dark passage.

"!"

"Bert, what's wrong?"

Bert stopped shortly after stepping from the southern part of the city into the southeastern district where Daedalus Road is located.

Not only him, but the other orcs also reacted, twitching their noses.

"That pungent, foul smell... it's from a man-eating plant."

Upon hearing this answer, Finn's expression changed.

He immediately reorganized the formation, with Bert leading the change of course.

The toes of the metal boots point towards the "old-style sewer".

The group passed through the ancient double iron gates and proceeded across the stone bridge. The continuous sound of footsteps seemed to be urged on by something, and the intervals quickened.

after a little while.

"...A hidden staircase?"

Ahead of the dead-end alleyway, which was off from the waterway, they found a set of steps with an opening in the floor.

The stone slabs show signs of sliding to the side, proving that the "lid" was usually closed. It is very wide and large enough that even the long, slender body of a carnivorous plant could easily pass through.

"There wasn't even a trace of them before... but this time we found them all at once."

Something's fishy. Hearing Bert say this in a low voice, Raul and the others realized the true meaning behind his words and began to create a tense atmosphere.

Finn and Grace narrowed their eyes and directed everyone to go down the stairs.

The group followed a stone passage with a structure distinctly different from the underground waterways, guided by the lingering scent of the monster—and finally discovered it.

"A metal door..."

"This luster...could it be 'orogen'?"

Raul stood there, stunned, and then Grace spoke up from behind him.

It was a metal block that was well over three meters tall.

Within its pristine, silvery sheen, there was the brilliance of a crimson jewel.

Before the speechless Loki Familia stood a massive doorway.

Side Story: Sword Oratoria 7 Chapter 2: Labyrinth Trap

Crack! Crack!

The sound of breaking clods of earth came from the depths of darkness.

With a single swing of the hammer, the pile was driven deep into the ground. The excavation work continued unabated.

"Could you do me a favor, little brother Baka?"

"...Don't get in my way, Thanatos."

Inside the tunnel, dimly lit by a glass lantern, the handsome man spoke to the figure digging tirelessly.

The human man named Baka didn't turn his head or stop working.

His bangs covered one eye, and the other eye was sunken and lifeless, his expression gloomy. There was no doubt, this was the person in the portrait Ais and the others were looking for.

"I don't have time, even talking to you like this is a waste of time... God (Thanatos), please understand our suffering from not being able to live forever, the completion of the 'work' is a long way off..."

"It seems the Loki Familia is almost here regarding this matter."

Baka, who had been muttering incantations like a lifeless corpse, paused his work upon hearing this.

Sanatos stared intently at him, a smile playing on his lips as he carefully chose his words:

"It's not always convenient to let them keep peeking around, and if we don't find a way to deal with them, raising funds will become difficult...maybe. I hope we can invite them in and let them rest peacefully in the darkness forever."

Facing his silent back, the god forcefully uttered a decisive sentence to him:

"If this continues, we might not be able to finish building our ancestors' 'maze'!"

The man's hands went limp and fell to his sides.

Baka slowly turned around, staring at Sanatos with his dim eyes.

"What should I do...?"

"I want to use a mechanism, but only you guys can use that, right? Could you please step in and do it?"

"...Do you intend to harm our 'work,' Sanatos?"

"What if we get wiped out? Wouldn't that be a huge loss? What are these agencies planning to do? Isn't it for this kind of situation?"

"..."

"Please, come on."

Baka remained silent, turning his gaze away from the god's squinting smile.

"...Call me when it's time."

He nodded reluctantly, looking like he was finding it troublesome.