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

*

The trickle of water dripping from the upper floors soaked the ground, but we kept our eyes glued to the "big hole."

I gazed up at it like a stone sculpture, and realized something, whispering:

"Repairs have begun..."

The large hole is undergoing structural restoration of the underground city. Although the extent is so small that it requires careful observation to detect, the crystal ceiling is indeed repairing itself little by little, and the cave is about to heal.

Judging from this situation, the repairs have only just begun.

It can be inferred that this "large hole" was dug not long ago.

In other words, "something" that dug this huge hole...

"...Is it still nearby?"

Mr. Perth's words made me feel like the temperature had dropped a few degrees.

Meanwhile, the adventurers were all ready to fight.

Everyone was on high alert, scanning their surroundings and gripping their weapons tightly; the atmosphere was extremely tense.

The unknown "something," the "abnormal situation" that could dig up the underground city's bedrock, might be on this floor.

In the labyrinth where only the sound of rushing water echoed, my eardrums vibrated.

Something cold also slid down my back.

"...This couldn't have been done by [Hurricane], could it...?"

"Even if 'magic' was used, it probably wouldn't have turned out like this... Rather than destroying the labyrinth, it feels more like something 'dug it all the way down' from above."

Nothing happened. After waiting for a while, the adventurers finally lowered their guard, and various speculations arose. It was clear that the atmosphere in the entire group had become very restless.

"If anything unusual happens in the dungeon, run away immediately." This is the ironclad rule for adventurers.

Mr. Perth, the team leader, frowned, unsure of what to do. Should they continue to achieve their goal, or leave this floor?

Everyone has a gut feeling that this is not an "abnormal situation" that can be ignored.

(...At a time like this, how can I...)

The reason is unclear.

But it happened suddenly.

In my mind, I pictured Miss Cassandra's expression, as if she were always afraid of something.

"...What should we do, Perth?"

"If it were a normal exploration mission, I would have already slipped away, but... there are other people who have separated from us. Even if we are to continue searching for [Swift Wind], I want to share information with them first."

As I listened to Mr. Perth and the others' conversation, I felt anxious.

Miss Ryu is very likely on this floor. If some kind of "abnormal situation" is lurking here, she will also be in danger.

Just when I was thinking that I had to find her as soon as possible...

"...?"

Is this... "Someone is watching me"?

The feeling of being sensitive to gazes makes me notice how others are looking at me.

However, I didn't have any bad feelings. ...And I'm not very good at describing it, but this feeling... I think I know it?

I snapped back to reality and looked up, and in the next instant...

"Hey, did you hear that...!"

"What is this 'singing'... Could it be [Swift Wind] singing... No, this is..."

"...'The song that echoed in the labyrinth'."

Hearing the beautiful melody, the orc brothers and Amazons forgot their current situation and listened in a daze. Mr. Perth also stared in disbelief, mouth agape, and uttered the name of the phenomenon that was widely circulated among adventurers.

I felt like I'd been electrocuted, and I ran out on the spot.

"...Hey! [White Rabbit's Feet]!?"

"I'll go take a look!"

I completely ignored the voices trying to stop me.

Even though I could feel someone rushing after me, I kept running.

Although I felt bad, I deliberately ran around in the corridor in order to get rid of Mr. Perth and the others.

They flee at the first sign of a monster, only attacking when faced with an unavoidable opponent, forcefully breaking through while the opponent hesitates. Sometimes they even leap over their opponents' heads, constantly dodging the battle.

(The "singing" is also moving!)

Seeing my reaction, "the other party" was also looking for a suitable place to meet.

Although the singing was intermittent, it remained beautiful throughout.

Like a tranquil waterside song on a moonlit coast, it guided me step by step.

Soon, I arrived at a cave with a pool of spring water.

Sitting on the crystal rock in the center of the spring, still humming a song, is a mermaid whose beauty is breathtaking.

"Mari!"

I called out the name of Marie, the "heretic" among the "mermaids".

The last time I saw her was during the "Enhanced Type (Moss Giant)" event, which was only two days ago.

Her long, emerald-blue hair, adorned with seashell and pearl hair ornaments, made her appearance exactly as I remembered. She was also wearing a seashell bra, which relieved me. Although I initially met her on the 25th floor, it seems she can move freely throughout the "Water City."

I didn't expect to meet her again so soon. I felt a little strange as I walked into the spring and approached her in the waist-deep water. I saw Marie turn around and press her hands on the crystal rock where she was sitting.

She suddenly lunged at me and hugged me.

"Bell!"

I embraced the girl who rushed into my arms like a child.

Although the soft touch of her body almost made me blush, I immediately noticed something.

"Mari...?"

My body is trembling...?

Sensing her fear, I was surprised and gently placed my hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong, Marie? What happened?"

"..."

To calm her down, I spoke as softly as possible.

Although I wanted to use Marie's power to find Miss Ryu, why did she call out to me on her own initiative? She even risked being discovered by the adventurers (Mr. Perth and others) to sing loudly.

Marlene lowered her head and remained silent for a moment, then her small lips trembled:

"In the Water City... there's something that shouldn't be here..."

Something that shouldn't be there...?

I was startled and immediately remembered the "big hole" from earlier.

Was the "something" that caused that phenomenon indeed lurking on the 27th floor?

"Mari, do you know anything? What exactly did you see?"

"I don't know... I don't know when it appeared, or where it is... It's something I've never seen before...!"

Marlene speaks in a more childlike manner than the dragon girl (Winnie), and she doesn't speak the human language very well. I could sense that her inability to skillfully describe what she was seeing was making her very anxious.

However, enough is enough.

The "something" that could frighten Marie so much is on this floor.

I tightened my grip on her shoulders and asked:

"Mari, I'm looking for someone. Have you seen an elf girl?"

"An elf...?"

"Uh, his ears are longer than mine, he carries a wooden sword, his face is definitely covered... and he runs very fast."

I listed all the specific information I could think of, and then told her:

"I want to see that person no matter what."

Marie looked up at my face for a long time.

After a moment, she nodded.

Then she immediately buried her face in my chest, her forehead burrowing into my chest.

"Because it's dangerous, that's why I didn't want to tell you, okay?" That's what she seemed to be saying.

"……Wait me a moment."

She moved slightly away from me, closed her eyes, and began to sing.

The once captivating singing voice suddenly transformed into discordant notes. It wasn't being sung to people, but rather a "song" that "bewitched" her own kind (monsters), a song unique to her. Mari could control monsters weaker than herself.

Just as ripples spread across the water centered on her, distant barking soon echoed from all corners of the maze.

Hearing her fellow monsters respond to her call and inform her of the news about the person she was looking for, Marie opened her eyes wide.

"Got it, Bell... over there!"

"Thanks!"

As Marie dived into the spring to start swimming, I climbed ashore and began to run.

Just like last time, I was guided by the "mermaid" as I made my way through the maze filled with water and crystals.

(I've met Miss Ryu... what should I do then? Ask her about the incident on the 18th floor? But there's an "abnormal situation" happening on this floor right now, do I really have time to ask her slowly? Mr. Perth and the other adventurers are also in danger...!)

A bunch of worries kept coming and going in my mind.

The things I absolutely have to do are making me anxious and upset.

That's when.

A powerful impact shook the entire floor.

"An explosion!? Here we go again!?"

The shaking of my body made me cry out.

The "explosion," which had been silent until just now, has come back to life.

Marie, floating on the water's surface, also twitched her shoulders. Ripples appeared in the current around her, demonstrating the immense force of the impact.

And this sound and vibration... were very close!

I followed the aftershocks and the sound that resembled crystal collapsing, and quickened my pace.

Marie seemed to be pointing in the same direction, her tail fin moving through the water guiding me.

A sense of foreboding crept up my neck.

I tried my best to pretend I didn't notice.

I turned the corner where crystal shards were scattered all over the ground and arrived at that place.

"...!?"

That place was devastated.

The ground shattered beyond recognition, and the collapsed crystal walls, like an avalanche, blocked the flow of water. In an instant, the water overflowed from the crack in the ceiling, forming a columnar waterfall. The destructive marks etched into the crystal labyrinth looked as if it had been heavily bombarded.

Whether it was the use of a prop or "magic," the scene before them was shrouded in mist, and from the depths emerged... a human figure.

Marlene, who had followed, quickly dived underwater.

I tensed up and stared at the person for a few seconds.

The drifting smoke gradually dissipated—

"──"