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

After searching for a long time, no suspicious figures were found.

Ais climbed the tall tower alone, surveying her surroundings.

If Finn's prediction is correct, then the remnants of the Dark Faction, the Ikelos Familia, or something entirely different should appear on this Daedalus Road. Once they catch him, Ais and the others can crush the enemy in one fell swoop.

While the team members on the surface searched for clues with bloodshot eyes, Ais continued to act alone.

(That person shouldn't be able to show up...?)

Eccentric – Rives.

The red-haired woman relentlessly pursued Ais. Ais had initially held a sliver of hope, thinking that if she acted alone on this "Daedalus Road," the woman might try to make contact with her. However, she felt no intense pressure, not even a glance. It seemed the woman had no intention of leaving the man-made labyrinth.

As Ais frowned, something caught her eye.

"That is……"

The figure, dressed in strange, tattered clothes, disappeared into the depths of the narrow path, its hem trailing behind it.

The moment she caught sight of that figure, Ais pushed off the ground with both feet.

She flew through the air like a gust of wind, landed on the roof, and jumped again. After repeating this twice, she reached the path.

The buildings here are intertwined like an optical illusion, and the surrounding lights are dim. A broken magic stone lamp hangs precariously on the wall, maintaining its tilted position.

Ais kept an eye on what was above her head as she ran along a single path.

Soon a staircase appeared, and she jumped up to a high platform surrounded by blue sky.

(Gone...?)

As Ais looked around in this space, which was about the size of a small garden...

"Daedalus Road is really in turmoil today!"

"!"

An old woman's voice struck her ears.

Turning around, I saw a celestial being slowly appearing from the path Ais had just walked.

"They're always spying on people and openly chasing after the gods. They're just troublemakers."

"...Peneia, the goddess?"

The man had long, messy white hair.

Not only were his clothes tattered, but he looked poor from head to toe.

Ais opened her eyes wide as she faced Penea, a divine being who perfectly embodied the word "poverty".

Before Ais knew of the existence of the man-made labyrinth, she had already seen the goddess on her way to Daedalus Road.

The thing it governs is "poverty".

According to Loki, it's "the walking disease of poverty."

Perhaps because there was a hidden door, Penea, who had already discovered Ais following him, calmly walked out of the path and gave her a smile.

"Are you looking for something? Or are you trying to steal something? If you're taking advantage of the city's chaos, then you're really up to no good."

"..."

"At least say something! I'm condescending to speak to you! Seriously, you have such a pretty, doll-like face!"

The smile that appeared on her face, which resembled that of an old and depraved witch, suddenly turned into a shrill and angry outburst, just like a mother-in-law who was nitpicking at her daughter-in-law.

Although a self-centered god is often like this, this god's joys and sorrows are truly vivid.

Even under these circumstances, Ais couldn't help but feel that compared to the people of the lower realm who were always concerned about saving face, she was much more emotional and more "human."

"...Goddess Penea, what are you doing now?"

"Answering questions with questions? Ugh—how annoying! Loki's parenting skills are terrible! If I had a brat like you in my Familia, I'd kick you out right away! It's just that nobody wants to be my Familia!"

"...I came here to investigate...the recent...events. I thought...maybe I can find what I'm looking for..."

"Really? I was just taking a walk!"

"..."

How should I put it? They are very difficult to get along with.

Ais couldn't help but think that even if she weren't so clumsy with her speech, she probably wouldn't get along with this divine being in front of her.

Peneya did the same, snorting at her through her nose.

"...Has anything strange happened on Daedalus Road lately?"

"Strange thing? For example?"

"For example, what... suspicious person appears..."

"Maze Street (this place) is a slum, a cesspool in the city. It's full of stupid-looking guys like bandits who couldn't be adventurers—"

"...For example, monsters, or dark factions."

Ais interrupted her as soon as she said that...

Peneya's wrinkles twitched, and one of her eyebrows rose as well.

To avoid frightening the residents, Ais had never used these words directly before, but since the other party was a god, she decided to speak frankly.

"Do you know anything?"

Peneya, who has been part of this labyrinthine street for centuries, is the "Lord of Daedalus Road".

Perhaps she has grasped something.

Ais asked the goddess's grey eyes.

"I have no idea."

The goddess responded very quickly.

She wore the familiar smile that Ais knew so well.

That was a divine smile that the people of the lower realm could not fathom.

"I'm asking you, Fiora... what do you think of this 'Daedalus Lane'?"

"...?"

Ais was surprised by the question the other party asked in return.

She fell silent for a moment, but after thinking for a while, she looked around at the complex and bizarre maze-like street from the high platform where she was standing.

"...I find this place very strange. It's very complicated, like an underground city... It's the strangest place in the city..."

"Oh? And then?"

"And then... in the city, it's the poorest area..."

Upon hearing Ais finish speaking, which she found difficult to articulate, Penecia let out a clear sneer.

"If you ask me, this is far too much."

Huh?

Ais froze.

"Where can you find such a clean and beautiful slum? Yes, it's difficult to navigate here, with its ups and downs that make your legs ache, and you'll get lost without any signs (Ariadne). It's certainly inconvenient. But these are minor issues."

"..."

"A group of orphans, dressed in dirty clothes, running around laughing together. It's said that some goddess from who-knows-where is donating money to them... Anyway, this cesspool is full of things like compassion or mutual aid."

Peneya continued, dismissively:

"The whole of Orario is like this, it's so wonderful here."

"happiness……?"

"Those glamorous people will become even glamorous. Conversely, the overall atmosphere demands that everyone be beautiful and dazzling. It's suffocating for someone like me; how miserable must my life be?"

Humans, gods, and especially adventurers.

The old woman prophesied that there were too many people in the labyrinth city who harbored grand dreams and ambitions.

"The old days were better. In the era when monsters ran rampant, everyone was 'unfortunate'... and they shone brighter than they do now."

Upon hearing these words...

Ais felt a sudden throbbing in her chest.

The goddess narrowed her eyes as she reminisced, and Ais could not tolerate her heartfelt words.

"It's different from this utterly corrupt brilliance. Yes, that's called 'poverty.' How noble is a heart free of excess! People of the lower realms can only shine in 'harsh' environments. The poverty I govern is part of that."

"...!"

"I feel like I've talked to God (someone) about something similar before... I can't remember where or who it was."

Penea ignored Ais and continued talking to herself, swaying her shoulders as if she were having a good time.

"That's right, poverty can... be a little more."

Seeing the smile on her face...

Seeing the divine eye that dissects another side of truth...

Ais directly refuted her.

"That's not true."

"Um?"

"What do you mean it was better before... in the era when monsters raged and caused chaos... that kind of thing is absolutely impossible."

Her eyebrows stood on end.

It's hard to imagine that Ais would speak in such a strong tone.

Even Penea, who had only met Ais once, seemed quite surprised, her eyes widening slightly.

The existence of the monster is "poisonous".

The mere existence of a "monster" is itself "evil".

Even now. A "humanoid monster" has appeared, holding its breath and barely surviving in some corner of Orario. Just that, yet it has instilled such fear in everyone.

Ais had no intention of talking about justice.

But she was certain.

She firmly believes that the monsters roaming the earth are an irreplaceable "misfortune," and there can be no "happiness" in them.

Under the azure sky, time passed freely as Ais and the god gazed at each other.

After a while, the old woman's face lit up with a smile again.

"...Hehe. This is probably the difference in values ​​between gods and humans. It's quite interesting."

“!…”

"Alas, the gods are nothing but arrogant fools who think they know everything. To you children who struggle to survive every day, they must think we are completely wrong, or unreasonable."

That’s okay too.

That's how it should be done.

Penea finished speaking and looked at the girl who had talked back to her with affection.

As for Ais, her heart was filled with pent-up emotions that she didn't know how to express. She wanted to say something more and leaned out her upper body.

"────────────────────────Ahhh!?"

at this time.

It sounded like a young girl screaming at the top of her lungs; the monster's terrifying roar echoed through the sky.

「!?」

"Oh dear... Is that the sound of demons and monsters? Could it be that what you're 'looking for'?"

Seeing Ais stop moving, Penecia's smile deepened.

After glancing at the goddess with a smirk, Ais suppressed the burning anxiety in her chest, then turned away to escape her smile.