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

Page 807

The "Grace" completed by inscribing the true names of the god and the maiden tells the world: another new member of God's family has been born.

"Welcome to the Loki Familia. Now you're one of my members."

Rose.

The werewolf waitress, who was lazily waiting for someone to come to her door, looked up when she heard someone call her name.

Standing before her was an elven royal with unparalleled beauty.

Since they were able to stand at the window of the management organization (guild), the service girls themselves were naturally all beauties chosen from among thousands, but they still couldn't compare to her. This ethereal and jade-like elven royalty had been caught up in a storm due to the jealousy of a goddess, a story that was well-known in this labyrinthine city. Her shoulder-length hair was also a beautiful emerald color, like a gemstone, and when paired with the attire of a high-ranking mage, it even exuded a sacred aura.

Faced with such a captivating appearance, the young waitress was neither infatuated nor jealous, maintaining her languid attitude—no, she seemed even more impatient—and spoke:

"Welcome, Ms. Riveria Leos Alfre, Vice-Commander of the Loki Familia. May I ask what brings you here today?"

"Forget the stiff greeting, Rose. Besides, your tone and mannerisms don't match."

"The job manual requires us to deal with large factions this way. What can I do? If we don't meet the requirements, we'll get our salaries reduced, reduced!"

Seeing Riveria frown haughtily, the werewolf Rose toyed with her long, crimson hair and answered listlessly.

This is the "Guild Headquarters," located in the northwest of the city. Orario, without a king or lord, is essentially managed by this central organization. Whether now, in the past, or in the future, this will always be the heart of the labyrinth city.

"When I first saw you through this window five years ago, you were so innocent and naive, but now you've changed so much. I remember you were fourteen back then? Only your strong personality hasn't changed."

"I had just started working then, can we please not bring up old grievances from so many years ago?"

"For my long-lived race (elves), it's at most the same as what happened a month ago."

In the sunlit lobby, adventurers and staff came and went; Rose, dressed impeccably in her guild-issued black uniform, crossed her arms in a foul mood amidst the clamor of the crowd.

She raised her breasts, the only ones that surpassed Riveria's, and asked in a knowing tone:

"So what? You're not here to chat, are you? If you have any troubles, hurry up and deal with them. Dealing with you guys and the Freya Familia is exhausting."

As if to confirm her statement, some guild members peeked at them from behind the windows.

Rivera fell silent for a moment, then nodded and answered:

"Um... I'm here to register as an adventurer. I'd like to trouble you to help me with the procedures."

Rose looked surprised when she heard this.

"You mentioned adventurer login... but where is the most important person? Let me make this clear: you can't log in if you're not here."

"Here."

"Huh?"

"The new adventurer is here."

Following Rivera's downward gaze, Rose leaned out of the window.

She's right, there really was someone standing there.

A young human being whose height doesn't even reach the counter, still a child.

A blonde, golden-eyed girl dressed in simple clothes.

Rose's eyes widened. Despite her young age, her beauty was already comparable to Rivera's, and what was most striking were her golden eyes.

His eyes held a light of will that defied his outward appearance. It was a resolute gaze that a child shouldn't possess.

"I want to register this child as an adventurer."

"...Okay, okay, I'll take care of it for you."

Rose rudely agreed.

She seemed to swallow back what she wanted to say, adopting a serious expression that suppressed her reproachful gaze, and then prepared to complete the procedures with a businesslike attitude.

Can you write?

"..."

When asked by Riveria, the little girl nodded gently.

She stood on the platform used by the little adventurers, held the quill pen given to her in her small hands, and wrote on the parchment that others had prepared for her.

"...Wait! What you've written is sacred script; it must be written in Koine!"

「!?」

Even though she startled Rose, who was watching her fill out the form, the little girl, with Riveria's help, finally managed to fill out the necessary information on the registration form.

(Her name is... Ais Wallenstein. She's seven years old, right? Leave all other information blank.)

Place of origin is blank, background is blank, and all other items are blank, blank, blank... filled with silent, speechless blanks. Apart from age, almost no information is written down.

Rose frowned, but did not complain.

This is Orario, the labyrinth city, where every day outlaws hoping to get rich overnight in the dungeons, or people who have done bad things, come here. Guilds also welcome these potential dungeon raiders. If you were to interrogate each person who refuses to tell you about their past or experiences, it would be endless.

Aside from spies and infiltrators from foreign or other cities, anyone can become an adventurer. That's the rule of the labyrinth city. Rose skillfully stamped the parchment with her official seal.

"Advisors... it's obvious we don't need them. A large faction like yours wouldn't need our support."

"Yes, we'll teach you from here."

The guild has a system of providing dedicated advisors, mainly for newly established [Families] or novice adventurers; however, the [Loki Familia], as the largest and most renowned faction in Orario, does not need this service.

Just as Rivera answered Rose's confirmation, the blonde, golden-eyed girl, Ais Wallenstein, looked up at the face of the elven royalty.

"Is that it?"

"...Yes, the formalities are complete."

"Then I'll go."

Even Rose, who had just met the little girl, knew that her short sentence meant she wanted to go to the dungeon.

The little girl narrowed her sharp eyes and jumped off the stepping stone, trying to run away.

But Riveria was faster, reaching out and grabbing her by the back of her collar.

"Wait a minute, you idiot. You're planning to go to the dungeon with this gear?"

The little girl made a cute "gurgle" sound, coughed a few times, and then glared at Riveria as if she had seen a murderer, but a first-level adventurer would not be frightened by such a thing.

"Stepping into a labyrinth (dungeon) without preparation is tantamount to suicide. Frankly, you didn't even bring any weapons; what good will it do?"

“!…”

"Let's get your equipment sorted first. We need to gather all your weapons and armor."

Riveria was right; Ais was immediately rendered speechless.

Ais blushed with embarrassment and glared at Riveria, reluctantly doing as she was told.

"...Should we use the guild's supplies?"

"Okay, thank you for your help. It's perfect for a newbie who's never seen anything like it."

"I never imagined that one day I'd be providing beginner weapons to the Loki Familia. Little sister, please go with the person in charge to have your measurements taken."

Rose, who had been watching the two talking, interrupted, calling a female employee from behind the window to take Ais away. The human employee extended her hand to Ais, but the little girl didn't shake it, silently following behind like a doll.

"You can even write sacred script? Were you kidnapped from some kingdom? Or are you from an educational institution like a 'school district'?"

"Don't ask any more questions. That's all I can say."

"Oh... alright, it doesn't matter. To us, we'd much rather you guys find a way to deal with those dark faction people than some new adventurers."

"You've hit a nerve."

Neither of them looked at each other as they spoke. Their gazes were fixed on the little girl who neither smiled nor laughed. Rose and Rivera watched the retreating figure together, then changed their tone:

"So what? The biggest faction in the city (Loki's Familia) is letting such a young child carry weapons, is he trying to kill her in the labyrinth (dungeon)?"

"..."

"Are you really that eager to expand your faction's power? If so, I truly despise you."

"..."

"Even if that's what she wants, shouldn't you adults stop her?"

"..."

Once they were alone together, Rose immediately unleashed all the grievances she had been holding in her heart onto Riveria. These were the accusations of a guild member who had witnessed the deaths of countless adventurers over the years, and they were also the truth.

Riveria didn't answer. Rose glanced at her profile, which was trying so hard to show any emotion, and temporarily refrained from her accusatory words.

She had only just met that little girl.

In Rose's eyes, Rivera also seemed unable to grasp the appropriate distance between herself and the little girl.

"She'll die young if she does that."

Finally, Rose told her her intuition as a guild employee.

"To say she's courting death doesn't even begin to describe it. I've seen many different adventurers, but this is the first time I've seen that look in her eyes. If you don't keep a close eye on her, she's sure to lose her life."

In response to Rose's words, Riveria answered clearly:

"I won't let that happen."

She asserted that.

"This is why we exist."

She had been exposed to this kind of air.

When she was much younger, she had wandered into such a place by mistake.

As soon as Ais stepped into that area, she immediately remembered that feeling.

She felt the somewhat chilly air as she scanned her surroundings with her eyes.

Even underground, phosphorescence illuminates the surroundings. The light blue walls and ceiling indicate that this is the initial level of the underground labyrinth.

The first floor of the "Upper Level" of the dungeon.

Passing through the "Great Hole" and spiral staircase beneath the skyscraper facility (Tower of Babel), and then walking through a wide passage known as the "Path of Departure," Ais and Riveria found themselves in a corner of the labyrinth. It was just an ordinary, unremarkable passage.

However, Ais, who was walking in front, had a face that was extremely tense. One could say she was overly nervous. Her sharp eyes constantly searched for any sign of the monster.

"Relax your shoulders. Your breathing is too rapid. How can you be this tense before the battle even begins?"

Rivera watched from a few steps behind, completely ignoring what Ais was saying. Ais gripped the hilt of her sword tightly with both hands.

Those tiny hands were equipped with the straight sword "Child's Sword," issued by the guild. Originally a weapon for dwarfs, it was perfectly suited to Ais, who was less than 120 C-ranks tall. Her armor was the "Child's Leather Armor," also issued as part of the guild. This was also leather armor intended for dwarfs.

Ais walked step by step through the dungeon, her leather boots clattering.

She noticed her vision narrowing and began to feel breathless, finally realizing she wasn't breathing normally. Perhaps due to excessive tension throughout her body, she was very clumsy and unable to move freely.

(I want to become stronger.)

Ais didn't know if it was due to nervousness, excitement, or some other completely different emotional reaction.

(I absolutely have to become stronger.)

However, she understands that she is now standing at the "starting point".

(This is also to fulfill a long-cherished wish.)

The days when girls could claim to be ignorant children are over.

No one will protect Ais anymore. At least, Ais is absolutely certain of that.

She had to pick up the weapon that had terrified her before, wielding the blade while bearing its heavy weight.

(So I must—defeat the monster.)

Ais made a wish, hoping to gain power.

Ais bitterly recounted that she must become stronger.

The Loki Familia responded to her requests.