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

She asked first, then took the kettle down from the shelf.

As Nazha prepared to brew black tea, she slowly answered:

"At first, she was like Bell... no, far more timid than Bell... although I think she's become closer to us lately... but she always maintains an optimistic attitude towards certain other things..."

"Optimistic?" Hestia asked in return.

"I'm not very good at describing it... but I think it might be something like 'fate' or something similar..."

"Fate..."

"She would say things that were obviously lies, which sometimes confused me, but... like when my favorite teacup broke, for some reason, she was more upset than anyone else..."

Mihe didn't sit down; he just stood and listened to her without joining the conversation.

"So, she's an incredible girl. It's like she lives in a different world from us..."

"..."

"As for Daphne, she's a girl who speaks her mind, so... this makes Cassandra even more insecure and more timid..."

The steaming kettle made Nazha sniffle. "But even so, I still really like them. They're what the gods call a 'double act duo'..." she smiled.

"In other words, she's a girl who's always troubled and has a perpetually melancholic, sour face..."

"Her overall aura is indeed a bit gloomy, but... isn't that a bit of an overstatement, Nazha?"

"Ah, but she seems to be more cheerful when she meets Belle..."

"What?! What?! Could it be that even that girl wants to attack Bell?!"

"I don't think she had those kinds of thoughts..."

Clang! Hestia stood up with a sound.

Naza spoke with a woman's intuition, including placing the brewed black tea on the table, including the Mihena cup.

"I'm quite surprised that a girl like that can work as an adventurer..."

"Cassandra may look like that, but she must be strong inside. The girl's smile is so radiant that even I can't help but be mesmerized by it."

"..."

"Ouch! Nazha! Why are you pinching my flesh! It hurts...!"

"I don't think now is the time for Mih to be infatuated with someone else~"

While watching the crosstalk performances by other factions, Hestia took out fried potato balls as a snack and ate them without any interest.

"...Hmm? Is he a visitor?"

"I'll go open the door..."

When the doorbell rang at the mansion, Nazha stood up from her seat.

Hestia and the others waited for a while, and then Nazha returned with a letter.

"It seems to be a letter from Lily Luca... saying that an adventurer has been commissioned by her on the 18th floor..."

"A letter from Miss Supporter? I don't think that stingy girl would spend so much money on a letter..."

When commissioning others in the same trade within the dungeon, you'll likely be charged more than the market rate. Frankly, it's taking advantage of your vulnerability. And if you're a high-level adventurer with access to safe floors, the consequences are even more severe.

Hearing that Lily, who was meticulous in financial matters, was willing to use the [Family] badge and document, and even send a messenger from the 18th floor, which anyone could easily travel to and from with just a little time, Hestia joked, but in her heart she had a bad feeling.

"...Someone's formed a party to hunt down the elf lady at the tavern!? They want to join the hunt to try and stop it!?"

"What's going on, Hestia?"

"I...I'm totally confused too..."

Hestia was taken aback by the sudden news after reading the letter.

To make it acceptable for outsiders to see, the text avoids direct language, and mentions that they encountered "enhanced species" and that the "expedition" was halted midway.

Hestia reread the letter two or three times, and after handing it to Mih and the others, she was speechless.

"What on earth happened in the dungeon...?"

Remembering the last part of the strategist's (Lily's) letter, which said that just in case—in case Ryu gets caught—please send reinforcements to the 18th floor to help her escape, the goddess could only murmur to herself.

*

Although a battle (unexpected) occurred during the rest period, the [Swift Wind] subjugation team was fine and resumed operations.

Under Perth's instructions, the group searched each floor and left guards in front of the passageway before finally stepping into the 24th floor.

The group had already spent a lot of time and entered the second day. The adventurers, who had initially been full of fighting spirit to kill the legendary bounty target, had begun to become lazy by this time.

"Hey, stop dawdling, let's go! Who knows what [Gale] might do next!"

"Calm down, Tucker. Rushing in too fast and missing clues is what makes you a pig. But okay, I'm starting to get a little tired of this too, I won't deny it..."

The voices of those who were anxious and those who weren't came through, but Cassandra ignored them and asked Lily:

"Excuse me, Miss Lily... could I borrow a floor plan?"

"Oh, you need to borrow it again?"

"Yes, this time I'd like to borrow a room on another floor. ...Sorry."

Surprise filled Lily's round, chestnut-brown eyes as she took out a floor map from her backpack.

Cassandra already had another map in her hand, and then she took a new one.

"What exactly has Lady Cassandra been doing from just now until now...?"

"I...I don't know either...She's been looking at the dungeon map..."

As Cassandra tucked the healer's staff under her arm and her gaze fell on the unfolded parchment, Haruhime, Chigusa, and the others whispered among themselves.

The person involved was completely oblivious to them, staring intently at the map.

Moreover, he had a tense expression on his face and was sweating profusely.

"Be careful, Cassandra, you might fall!"

Daphne's advice went in one ear and out the other.

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Cassandra discussed with Perth and the others whether to halt the expedition, but as expected, they didn't take it seriously and the effort failed. Now, all she could think about was "I can only rely on myself," and to prevent the "prophecy" from coming true, she was trying to absorb as much information from the floor as possible.

In an effort to find any other clues, she stared intently at every corner of the map, almost trying to see a hole through it.

"Although I expected it, it still took some time..."

"However, we're only a short distance from the 'middle level.' If Lord Ryu is in the 'Great Tree Maze,' he should be able to find one or two clues..."

The conversation between Ming and Lily brushed past my ears.

Upon hearing this, Cassandra shook her head inwardly.

(No...that's not right.)

[Swift Wind] is not here.

The place where the fairy who promised to become the leader of destruction lured the adventurers who had been chasing them was not here.

The prophet of tragedy knew that the "promised land" where destruction was about to visit was not this "maze of great trees".

The "prophetic dream," masquerading as a nightmare, once whispered these words to Cassandra:

--【The azure waters have turned into a river of blood, and the alien creatures rejoice in its presence】.

—【The lower reaches of the Styx will wash away the overflowing remains, returning everything to Mother.】

(Of the seventeen lines of "prophecy," three lines mention locations. Among them, the fifth and sixth lines in the first half, which compare with the current situation and mention specific locations...!)

【Azure water flow】.

The lower reaches of the River Styx.

The places these terms represent.

That's right, in other words—

"What—an explosion!?"

"The impact came from below... Was it the 'lower level'!?"

—There is no other possibility but the “Water City”.

The tremors from the ground and the sounds of bombing sent shockwaves through the adventurers.

Cassandra's breath caught in her throat as the "lower level" map she had been studying for so long trembled in her hand.

The girl realized that "that moment" had finally arrived.

The realization that the "prophecy" has begun to take effect has been realized, and the opening bell has already rung.

Cassandra's lips trembled slightly.

"Guys, let's go!"

At Perth's command, everyone rushed out.

Whether they were impatient adventurers or tense individuals like Bell, they were all drawn away by the intermittent shockwaves of the explosions. Cassandra ran behind, her heart churning with unprecedented unease, desperately trying to suppress the rapid pounding of her heart.

Several footsteps echoed in the passageway that began on the 24th floor—a cave covered in crystals.

The adventurers ran up the long slope leading down and plunged into the exit where a pale blue light shone.

What comes into view is the "Great Fall," where beautiful emerald blue water cascades down, along with a large void formed by crystal.

For people like Bell or Cassandra, it was a second visit to the "New World," expanding its breathtaking scenery.

"An explosion... Whoosh! Here we go again!"

"Is it [Gale] causing trouble?"

"The impact came from somewhere lower down... It seems the incident occurred on the 27th floor."

Starting from the 25th floor, the "Water City" features a "Giant Waterfall" that runs through all floors up to the 27th floor.

There are three large caverns formed by the great waterfall and the vast waterfall pools that resemble lakes, stretching down like steps. From the cliffs where they currently stand, the adventurers look down at the 27th level, the end of the "Giant Azure Waterfall," far below. Among them, Perth squinted his right eye, which was not covered by an eyepatch.

There was a gray mist there, unlike the spray of water.

And the crystal pillar, which was struck so violently that it sank into the waterfall pool like the tip of an iceberg.

He estimated that the target was on the floor where a lot of water was splashing and the floor had become foggy and white.

"Judging from the explosions just now, it couldn't possibly have been caused by a monster! It's most likely the work of adventurers, or more precisely, possibly [Swiftwind]! We need to carefully select the teams heading to the 27th floor! Those who aren't selected, stay here and watch this passage!"

"Woo woo woo!"

Following their leader's (Perth's) instructions, the adventurers bravely raised their swords, guns, or axes.

The once lazy and listless thugs have become incredibly pragmatic. With the [Swift Wind] hunt about to begin, they are all shouting excitedly at each other.

As for Bell and the others, who were a step away from the group, they quickly formed a circle and began to discuss.

"It's about to begin. We need to find Lord Ryu before the other adventurers."

"Yes. I need to ask her what exactly happened."

"I know that, but... what exactly happened with that explosion that lasted until just now? The impact was incredibly strong! Could it really be that the elf used 'magic'?"

Lily, Bell, and Welf were talking, but Cassandra didn't join them. She kept glancing at the passageway behind her that led to the 24th floor, but then shook her head vigorously.

She cut off her indecisive thoughts and told herself that there was no turning back.

In the short span of eighteen years of life, haven't I already tasted many bitter experiences and learned that such naive ideas are ineffective for my "precognitive dreams"?

Everything starts now; let's see how they perform from here on out.

To avoid the "prophecy," Cassandra vowed that from now on, only success was permitted, and failure was not an option.

Meanwhile, her rapidly beating heartbeat almost made her nauseous.

"Regarding our future actions, Lily also finds the 27th floor suspicious. Lily, we should try to join the elite team and make contact with Lord Ryu—"

"Excuse me, excuse me!"

Cassandra interrupted Lily, who was at the center of the team, with an air of authority, and straightened her upper body.

"We probably don't need to go to the 27th floor...? It's not very convenient for so many people to move around together...!"

Although there are still many parts of the "precognitive dream" that are not yet clear, Cassandra has a general idea about the "location".