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

Because their own family members... the girl (Rine) and the others were murdered?

Of course, these are probably also one of the reasons.

But the biggest reason...

"Bell Crane..."

It was that boy.

The image of the boy standing with his back to the dragon girl, blocking Finn and the others, four days ago, remained vivid in his mind.

That scene caused a disturbance in Finn's otherwise calm and collected mind.

It even disturbed his mind.

"Hey, look..."

"Bell Crane... what's he doing here again? Is he here to hunt monsters?"

"As expected of a high-level adventurer, it seems they're even willing to steal guild bounties."

The residents of Daedalus Road, appearing in twos and threes on the street, interrupted Finn's thoughts. Their somber voices drew his gaze in one direction.

The person being stared at was a white-haired boy.

He walked with his head down, as if desperately trying to escape contemptuous glances and mocking whispers.

The reputation of "rising star" has been ruined.

It was caused by Bell Craney's own actions, not by anyone else.

That day, he claimed that the dragon girl was his prey and defended her, even "attacking" the adventurers who tried to kill her. In the eyes of the crowd, he was extremely foolish and confused.

Some say he is a profit-driven adventurer.

Some say his selfish behavior has plunged the city into danger.

Orario was filled with malice and condemnation. Because the "rising star" had originally driven the city into a frenzy, the disappointment was even greater, and it was only one step away from developing into hostility or malice.

Pathetic and foolish.

He did something that deserves no sympathy.

—If you could think like that, you would feel so much more relaxed.

"Bell Crane".

Finn called out the name as he weaved through the crowd, who were spewing disdainful insults.

The boy stopped and turned around, his deep red eyes filled with intense astonishment.

"Finn, sir...?"

Finn stopped in front of Bell, his gaze sweeping over him as he narrowed his eyes.

"You only have a dagger for self-defense, is that right...? That's quite convenient for this situation."

"!"

This criticism clearly embarrassed Bell.

Now, all the adventurers in the labyrinthine town are fully armed, for self-defense, so they can be prepared for any attack from the "armed monsters." Even Finn is wearing weapons and armor.

Among them, the boy in front of me wasn't wearing any armor, let alone battle clothes.

It was as if he was certain that the city was not in danger—that the "armed monster" lurking somewhere wouldn't harm anyone.

Seeing the boy waver to an absurd degree, Finn feigned a harmless tone:

Are you alone right now? Perfect, I'd like to talk to you alone.

People around them had been whispering to each other, and everyone was watching them.

Finn is the leader of the Loki Familia, who has done his utmost to protect the city, and the leader of the Hestia Familia, who is utterly selfish and self-serving. One is a champion of justice, the other a villain hated by everyone in the city. Finn's seemingly conversational attitude even drew reproachful glances from some people.

I want to have a "private conversation" without being disturbed.

Finn hinted to the boy, then asked again with a friendly smile:

What do you think?

"……I see."

Bell nodded stiffly.

The two headed into a back alley, and after walking for a while, they came to a dead-end alley cluttered with wooden barrels and crates, resembling a warehouse. There was no one else around, making it perfect for a conversation.

Bell had been casting a hesitant, unspoken shadow over Finn, who, unwilling to give him time to calm down, turned around and spoke first:

"Regarding your actions that day, I intend to turn a blind eye. The priority now should be resolving the current situation. I'd like to discuss something constructive with you."

Finn naturally looked up at the boy because of the height difference, while Bell looked down at him in surprise.

"You want to talk to me...?"

"Yes, do you know anything about those armed monsters that we don't? Furthermore, I think you have a clear understanding of the whole situation."

To be precise, even if it's not entirely speculation, Finn is "close to grasping" the full picture of the incident.

Therefore, this statement was a preemptive tactic used to break down Bell Craney's defenses and lower his guard.

It is a psychological tactic used to elicit intelligence.

"I think our conflict back then stemmed from a small misunderstanding. If we had been able to share intelligence, things wouldn't have turned out that way."

If Bell had made that choice, the situation would be different now.

And the "ending" will be different.

Finn must have already killed the dragon girl in front of the crying boy.

After obtaining all the useful information, he would definitely do so, from the perspective of a "hero".

The boy must have unconsciously grasped this point, which is why he's still tense, desperately trying to decipher the meaning behind Finn's words and actions.

Bell Craney may be called "the Fool," but he is not "dull."

"Besides, the situation is different now than it was then."

"...!"

However, the boy was still too inexperienced.

Finn's request so swayed his resolve.

If he wanted to uphold his beliefs for the sake of his "purpose," then he should have ignored Finn's voice and left when he first encountered him.

The essence of youth is presumably "goodness," a willingness to believe in the virtues of others.

This seemed to highlight the exact opposite of his own nature, causing Finn to smile self-deprecatingly.

"Bell Craney, if you know anything, please tell me."

"I……"

Finn stepped into the boy's heart.

In order to get the decisive "evidence" that he was associating with monsters, and the "true meaning" that Finn was seeking.

Just as the bewildered Bell was about to speak...

"Hey, little Bell! What a coincidence!"

"!"

The cheerful male god's voice echoed throughout the dead-end alley.

"Hermes...?"

"That's right, it's me, Hermes. Seeing you standing here motionless, are you lost? Or is little brother Bell also here on 'Daedalus Road' to gather intelligence?"

From behind Bell...that is, in front of Finn, appeared a handsome god wearing a feathered travel hat.

It was Hermes pretending to be passing by.

"Oh, it's the [Hero]. Are you busy discussing things?"

Seeing Hermes smile at him, squinting his orange-yellow eyes, Finn squinted back at him.

--It seems to be confirmed.

Uranus, the Hermes Familia, and Bell Crane are all in cahoots, protecting the "Armed Monsters."

"...No, it's all over, Hermes the God."

Although they failed to obtain "evidence," they successfully obtained "evidence" sufficient to establish the facts.

Since that's the case, Finn decided to quit while he was ahead. He judged that if he were to be greedy now, he might risk having his information stolen by this eloquent god.

Most importantly, he didn't want the Eye of God to see through his current thoughts.

See through his "inner thoughts".

"Bell Craney, do you have the 'key'?"

Finn walked past the disheveled Bell and, just before leaving the dead-end alley, posed one last question.

At first, he looked puzzled, but then he became nervous.

Bell seemed to realize the question was about the "Orb of Daedalus." And from his expression, it could be inferred that the boy didn't have it at the moment.

"It's nothing, if you don't know, just forget about it."

Finn wore a harmless smile and finally left.

He walked through the complex network of alleyways.

Finn did not return to camp immediately. He wandered around, pacing the maze-like streets in search of a deserted place.

In the winding alleyways, Finn found a dried-up, broken fountain and sat down there.

"……call."

As soon as I sat down, I couldn't help but sigh.

Finn would never utter such a sigh, which contained a multitude of emotions, in front of others.

Since the appearance of the "Armed Monsters," Finn has always maintained the demeanor of a commander. In order to quell the chaos in Orario as soon as possible, he has never had the opportunity to confront his own "feelings."

So even though he felt bad for the group members, he still gave himself some time alone.

Now, he needs time to break free from the position of regimental commander and re-examine himself.

"...I went to spy on Bell Craney, and even I was wavering."

He muttered to himself, and the words just slipped out.

Finn's heart was wavering.

The boy's actions just four days ago were not enough to shake him.

It's not a big deal to just hear what Ikelos said.

However, it was only when the two points were connected, bringing "a hypothesis" to the forefront, that Finn was truly shaken for the first time.

Finn is making a "dangerous conjecture".

Unfortunately, he himself has become convinced that it is true.

In other words, he speculated that the "armed monsters" might be "intelligent beings" just like humans.

They may possess emotions, "wisdom" rather than just intelligence, and form a community. Finn strongly suspects they might be beings capable of communicating with humans and possessing "reason."

Because once this assumption is made, the doubt is instantly resolved.

Whether it's the way the monsters protect each other during the battle in the labyrinth street, or Bell Craney's strange behavior of shielding the dragon girl, it's all there.

All these questions can be explained if the "monster" possesses a "mind" no different from that of a human.

(If my assessment is correct... then this is truly an absurd "abnormal situation.")

This cannot be told to Ais. She has become even more "unsettled" than Finn now.

We can't tell the group members either. It would cause irreparable chaos.

The "truth" that Finn is about to arrive at is so heavy.

(No wonder Uranus wanted to keep it a secret. If this were exposed, the world would "shake up." The labyrinthine city would never function as it once did.)