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

Mr. Dorumur extended his large hand, and I smiled at him, shaking his hand tightly.

Lily and Welf also shook hands with the other dwarves.

"Alright, enough of this tedious talk, right? Now that we're out of danger, let's have a drink and liven things up!"

"Sister Aisha? What are you talking about...?"

"That big guy caused the planned itinerary to change, and the 'expedition' had to be stopped halfway through. Who could resist having some fun?"

Miss Chunji was startled, while Miss Aisha gave her a smug look. Hearing this, the dwarves' eyes lit up, while the elves were dumbfounded.

"You Amazonian, trying to get the wounded to drink..." "I'll oblige!"

"Great, let's start the feast! Get ready! I'm going to open every single bottle of wine in town!"

"No, you can't do this, Lady Aisha! Drinking in the inn town (Rivera) where prices are inflated is a recipe for bankruptcy! At least wait until we return to the surface...!"

"Don't be so stingy, Riko! Didn't we bring back the treasure from the 'lower level'?"

"That's a completely different matter!! I mean, you actually wanted to use Lily's treasure to pay for the drinks?! How could Lily possibly allow that?!"

"It's going to turn out like this again..."

"Hahaha..."

Seeing Lily and Welf also running to join in, making the scene even more lively, Miss Daphne sighed, recalling the scene on the first day of the expedition, while Miss Cassandra let out a dry laugh.

I smiled wryly and quietly left the large room alone.

I might be a little afraid of being caught in the crossfire, but first of all, the townspeople helped us, and I want to tell everyone that Mr. Lewis and the others' injuries have improved.

Stepping out of the inn built using the cave, one finds that the 18th floor has entered the "daytime" period.

The large crystal ceiling, resembling blooming chrysanthemums, radiates a warm, sun-like glow.

"Oh, [White Rabbit's Paw]! I heard you ran into a really tough monster! Such bad luck on your first 'expedition,' what a bolt from the blue!"

As soon as I stepped out of the hotel, Mr. Perth, the head of the town, immediately grabbed me.

A smile appeared on the menacing face behind the blindfold as he slapped my shoulder forcefully. He spoke without restraint, yet I couldn't help but respond with a wry smile, perhaps due to this boss's endearing nature.

"Tell me some stories from your expeditions! As long as you provide a topic to talk about, I'll treat you to drinks, okay?"

"Ah—then let's have a banquet together..."

"Okay, let's do it this way! Leave it to me!"

I made this suggestion, thinking that Miss Aisha and the others would be very pleased; just then…

"Perth, Perth!?"

An orc adventurer ran up to us.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"...He's here."

"What?"

"Murder! A colleague has been murdered outside town!"

The news they brought made Mr. Perth and me widen our eyes in surprise.

"Hey, wait a minute, wasn't this caused by a monster?"

"No, it's a person! I even saw the killer!"

The other person's panicked description of what they saw made me uneasy.

I've come across someone else's death again... A chill ran down my spine from my shoulders to my neck, and my internal organs made a sickening noise, as if they were about to twist into a ball.

"Who did you say you saw?"

My face turned pale, and Mr. Perth, who was beside me, asked sharply.

The orc adventurer hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, his face ashen:

"It's [Gale]..."

--Huh?

At that moment, I couldn't understand what he was saying, and I stood there blankly.

The townspeople told us this clearly and loudly:

"It was that wanted criminal on the blacklist... that 'Swift Wind' who did it!"

Postscript to Volume 12

In a certain popular manga, my favorite move is "Fire Earth Slash".

This concludes the twelfth episode, ushering in a new chapter.

As originally planned, this episode was supposed to delve into the story of the tavern elf. However, since the protagonist returned to his starting point in the final chapter of the previous episode, the author was eager to see how much he had grown. Therefore, the original plan was urgently changed, and permission was granted to write this so-called "very dungeon-like" story. Although this episode is a "detour" in the context of the still-long story, I am very fortunate to have been allowed to write this part of the story.

As the author, one thing that truly pleases me is seeing the characters experience moments of genuine "change" and "growth." Regarding the storyline, I certainly conceived of each character's plot development and growth, but in this twelfth volume, the protagonist finally lets go of the author's control, demonstrating a leap forward. To borrow a line from the work, "even the gods couldn't have imagined it" might be apt. I can't help but feel that this wasn't intentional on the author's part, but rather proof that these characters have life within the story. I hope so. It's unbelievable that someone so weak at the beginning has become like this.

If I had to point out a flaw, it would be that the protagonist's growth is a bit excessive, and I hesitated about how to write the female characters' reactions to him. Especially the Amazonian elder sister; it was really difficult to get her to tone down her arousal. Initially, she started pushing the protagonist down without a word, which made me rush to make corrections. At that moment, my gaze drifted further, and I felt that the characters truly had life of their own.

This time, there are no divine intrigues or scheming; it's a pure, unadulterated story with a strong dungeon flavor, which the author clearly enjoyed writing. It's a simple adventure through a labyrinth, encountering ferocious monsters and adorable girls, unfolding a fantastical plot. Although there were challenging moments, it felt like rediscovering one's roots alongside the protagonists, which made me very happy.

Now, allow me to move on to the acknowledgments section.

To Mr. Kotaki, who lent a helping hand when I was struggling with my thoughts, to Editor-in-Chief Kitamura, to Ms. Yasuda Suzuhito who took time out of her busy schedule to create beautiful illustrations, and to all the other stakeholders, thank you all for your help once again. I am deeply grateful. And to all the readers, it just dawned on me that this series has already exceeded twenty books. Thank you all so much for your continued support. I will strive to improve even further and continue to present wonderful stories to you.

I hope to see you all again in the next episode. Goodbye.

大森藤ノ

Illustrations for Volume 12

Volume 12 Bonus: The Adventurer's Testimony

"Aa ...

Below the 25th floor, "Great Fall," lies a waterfall pool resembling a vast lake. Bell is wielding his gleaming dagger, creating countless flashes of light. A swarm of iguza, swallow-like monsters, attack the slashing barrier with astonishing speed. The labyrinth's currents separate the boy from his teammates, including Lily, leaving him to face the iguza, renowned as the "fastest in the lower levels," alone.

The life-or-death battle between adventurers and monsters is in full swing.

—Behind this scene.

"...What's going on?"

A group of high-ranking adventurers witnessed the entire incident.

"White-haired boy (human)... [Rookie]... no, it's [Rabbit Foot]."

Before the passageway leading to the 24th floor, lies the entrance to the 25th floor. The adventurers stood on the cliff face, which offered a panoramic view of the massive void in the center of the building, staring in astonishment at the scene hundreds of meters away.

They were Lv.3 high-level adventurers who were attacking the "lower levels" from their base in the inn town (Rivera). In other words, they were a group of veterans. They had just arrived at the 25th floor and were determined to reach more floors today. Just as they were about to start their challenge, they stumbled upon a boy fighting with a flashing swallow, which left them dumbfounded.

"If you encounter a Flash Swallow, you must drop your belongings and run away." This is a well-known saying among high-level adventurers.

However, Bell ignored this ironclad rule and launched a bizarre campaign called "head-to-head confrontation," which made them look away.

"To deal with Flash Swallow, we didn't even have a shield, just one weapon..."

"That's perverted..." "There's a pervert..."

"I've seen Fiora train like that..."

"That's insane..."

When the adventurers were compared to the "War Maidens," who were considered monsters by their peers, they immediately reached a consensus.

"I'll head back now..."

"Yeah, I just feel like I've lost my motivation... or rather, I've lost my confidence..."

The adventurers had barely arrived when they quickly became discouraged and headed back the way they came.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, they were spared from approaching this place where the unprecedented "enhanced species" had appeared.

Of course, they also didn't witness the comedy that followed between the boy and the mermaid.

Later, Bell was rumored to be a "freak who fought a fifty-round battle against a Flash Swallow".

Side Story: Sword Oratoria 9 - Prologue: The Elf's Memory

The Taiwanese version is from the Kingdom of Light

Image source: Otonashi

Scan image: Wind

Input: kid

There was a country called the Kingdom of Lachia.

It was a monarchical and military state located in the western part of the continent. Its actual form of government was the "Family," the "Ares Familia," established by the chief god Ares and his retinue. Soldiers and officers were all combatants who had received "blessings," and under the divine will of Ares, the god of war, they had been engaged in countless battles, large and small, since ancient times. In the past, they had conquered many other countries and cities, expanding their power through aggression.

And the Kingdom of Lachia has begun a new wave of military operations.

—The army of the Kingdom of Lachia launched an attack on Orario.

This militaristic nation's spearhead is aimed at Orario, renowned as the "center of the world." The army's crimson banners flutter in the wind, and the sound of countless military boots approaches the city protected by massive city walls.

The city's management organization (guild) issued a mandatory mission order, dispatching multiple factions affiliated with the city to fight against the enemy. This included the name of the city's largest faction (the Loki Familia).

Thus began the war between invaders and adventurers.

"Wa ...

however……

"Commander—, as planned, Mr. Grace single-handedly wiped out the entire cavalry unit—"

"Tell him to continue the pursuit. Although I feel bad for Grace, the enemy still has plenty of men to replace him."

"Commander—! Following orders, I destroyed nearly three retreating units—!"

"You've worked hard, Thione. But my instruction was for you to relay orders, not to put you on the field."

However, the battlefield was witnessing a one-sided offensive by the Orario army.

Far to the east, in the open wilderness, the battlefield echoed with ceaseless, agonizing screams. The Loki Familia deployed their forces in a location that offered a panoramic view of the battlefield, watching firsthand as the Raja army crumbled and fled.

Orario, through the bounty of its dungeons, has gathered the world's strongest adventurers. In this age of gods, where quality is valued over quantity, they are naturally not going to be defeated by a kingdom (Lachia) whose maximum [status] is no more than Lv.3. Unlike the enemy's sorrowful expressions, Orario's adventurers show no sign of tension, and even appear lazy and unhurried.

"Everyone's busy resolving the conflict with the Evils, why did the kingdom (Lachia) choose this time to attack?!"

"They don't care whether it's convenient for us or not."

"This must be what the gods mean when they say 'bad at choosing the right time'..."

An attack from an enemy nation is a serious matter. As the largest faction in the city, the Loki Familia has a duty to participate in the war. The Trickster badge serves as a substitute for the battle flag, effectively lowering the morale of the enemy forces.

Tiona, who was assigned to be a messenger, Anachiti, a cat person, and Navi, a human, sighed and smiled wryly at each other as they diligently moved between the various factions.

"—[Volley of Fire Javelin]!"

On the main battlefield, countless rockets were tracing arcs as they bombarded the enemy.

It was Lefia, wielding her staff in a fighting stance. She unleashed a wide-area artillery spell, directing the enemy's main force, which had completely fallen for Commander Finn's trap and was advancing.

The cannon fire produced a deafening roar, tearing through the ground, sending soldiers flying, and scattering horses. A single "magic spell" nearly routed the entire enemy army. Both sides, including the Orario temporary alliance comprised of multiple "familias," looked with trepidation at the elven girl standing on the hill.

"Lefia, that's going too far. The goal is to force them to retreat, which will allow us to completely annihilate the enemy."

"I'm sorry, Miss Alicia... It's probably because I usually deal with monsters in dungeons, so it's a little difficult for me to control my strength..."

"No choice... Follow the commander's instructions and prepare for the next shot."

The spirit senior, Level 4 Alicia, who perfectly relayed the firing timing to her, looked troubled, causing Lefia to hang her wand dejectedly. The city's strongest mage (Riveria) was forced to switch to rear support due to overwhelming firepower, and Lefia's artillery barrage erupted on the battlefield, creating countless balls of sparks.

This is a concrete example of "emphasizing quality over quantity".

A single skilled mage can cause hundreds of troops to collapse with a single "spell".

That scene was a nightmare for the Kingdom (Lachya) army.

"Eek! Captain~~, that pink elf (girl) from Orario is here again...! Ah... she's doing 'Parallel Chanting'~~~...!!"

"Retreat! Retreat—!? This place is about to fall—!"

With its high-speed mobile turret and Lv.3 range, it traverses the battlefield unrestricted, unleashing massive "magic power" to bombard any location. On this day, the "Pink Elf" became synonymous with fear for the soldiers of the Ares Familia.