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

When people learn that some monsters are not just endlessly repeating "violent battles" with humans, but are capable of "rational communication," they will likely feel confused or disgusted and repulsed.

The adventurers, who should be slaying "monsters," will find their swords dulled as a result.

They would then be defeated by the monsters, resulting in casualties.

The world will be shaken. That's how serious things are.

(However—none of this matters.)

Those monsters can understand human language, or they can communicate rationally.

This was a trivial matter for Finn.

Because the "monster" must be "extinguished".

His will remained untainted in the slightest.

Like Ais, Finn will kill monsters without hesitation.

Because he knew that no matter how special the "monster" was, such a creature would only "poison" humanity.

As a "hero" admired and longed for by all, he understands that the only path he can take is to slay monsters.

"...That kind of thing isn't important, that's how it should be...but why am I so restless?"

A murmur escaped from his lips.

To that statement, he inwardly scoffed: You know perfectly well enough.

Finn fell silent.

Finn had long been aware that he was a "manufactured hero" and had this perception.

Finn's consultation with the gods to obtain the title of "Hero" is a prime example. It was both a means and a process he employed to gain the fame he desired. Of course, Finn's actions never betrayed this title, consistently demonstrating both conviction and strength. He believed he had worked tirelessly to become a truly deserving and recognized "Hero."

However, all of this was planned by Finn.

It is a figment of Finn's imagination, created over many years.

In other words, Finn may not be a hero, but a "treacherous villain".

(so……)

So, when Finn saw Bell Craney's "foolishness," he wavered.

The moment Finn pieced together all the information and revealed the full picture of the complex and intertwined events, "noise" arose. He simply let it happen.

He thought: "Heroes" should not be artificially created, but rather exist in response to circumstances.

"Hero" or "brave" may not be something one can simply choose to be, but rather something born out of the expectations of the masses, completely devoid of ulterior motives or calculations. Perhaps only those who, driven by cries for help, longings, and tears, open the final door through their own will and step onto the stage are qualified to do so.

And the actions taken by Bell Craney...

However, these weren't tears of "humans," but rather the snot and tears of "monsters"—

“!…”

Thinking of this, Finn shook his head.

This was futile thinking, or at best, dangerous speculation. But he couldn't stop.

(Is this a sign of inferiority? Am I "envying" Bell Craney?)

What the boy showed Finn...

It refers to things like youth, naivety, and ideals.

Those were the things Finn had always abandoned and lost.

Finn has always been extremely calm and insightful in facing reality, weighing many things on a scale to make choices.

He's grown up and seen the world. That sounds nice, but in reality, it's about accepting the world and admitting defeat. That's how he feels.

Finn wasn't always "Finn".

Finn also had a youth like the boy (Bell)... no, presumably even younger, more impetuous, and stubborn.

At that time, he greedily absorbed knowledge, desperately adopted a mocking attitude, and tried to change the Lilliputians' status. Even if he was just staying in the small village and garden where he was born, Finn was indeed fighting against "the world" at that time.

Now, Finn is trying to bring about change by accepting the world.

It's not about shouting ideals, but about fighting a reality that secretly harbors ambition. And this fight is based on reason without ruthlessness.

Finn used the word "ambition".

The word "ideal" will never be used.

Even if you're thinking it in your heart, you won't say it out loud.

Because he was aware that for himself, this "manufactured hero," the word "ideal" was merely a tool to inspire or motivate others, and should never be taken seriously.

Both my past self and my future self are correct.

He was certain he hadn't done anything wrong.

However, when he confronted the boy who was protecting the dragon girl, he felt that he was being very superficial.

For Finn, a realist, Bell's "foolishness" was laughable. In fact, Finn would never make such a mistake.

It should be like this.

Or perhaps that's why?

That is why Finn was so deeply shaken and attracted.

"I understand... this feeling is..."

It wasn't admiration, jealousy, or inferiority.

It's dazzling.

Finn thought Bell Crane was very respectable.

The boy did something he could no longer do, which gave him this feeling.

"...This is really troublesome."

It's better to have shallow emotions like inferiority complex.

In that case, Finn could simply accept it, let it go, and move on.

"And... I was influenced by him."

Thinking about this proves that Finn cannot ignore Bell Crane's existence. Finn is disappointed in him even though he is convinced it's "foolish," yet he also finds him dazzling. Finn thinks this about himself is utterly ridiculous.

A smile that wasn't mockery appeared on his face.

"Fin... Finn? It really is Finn Demna!?"

at this time.

The childish voice that echoed all around immediately transformed him back into "Finn".

He stood up and looked in the direction the sound came from; there stood one of his own kind.

The other person was not only a dwarf, but also a child. He was a head shorter than Finn and was a little boy with naturally curly brown hair.

Finn responded with a smile, then ran over with a bright smile.

"[Hero], hero of our race! I... I have always supported you!"

The boy's clothes were hardly clean; he was probably an orphan.

The little boy looked up at Finn with longing eyes.

"I've always wanted to be a little person like you!! So, um...!"

This is exactly what Finn is looking for.

It is the result of his fighting as a "hero" to revitalize his race.

However, at this moment, Finn felt a sense of emptiness... perhaps because his heart was still wavering.

"That's a great honor. Hearing a young member of our race say that motivates me to take on more risks and challenges, and to continue fighting with honor as a member of our race."

Finn gave a model answer.

A clear, untroubled smile appeared on his face as he perfectly executed the way he had done hundreds of times before in dealing with his own kind.

Finn shook off the melancholy from his earlier embrace and successfully played the role of the "hero" his people wanted to see.

This man was capable of all this, to a pathetic degree.

"ah……!"

Finn's efforts paid off; the little boy's cheeks flushed, and a joyful smile blossomed on his face.

Perhaps just being able to speak with Finn was enough to move him; his eyes shone like a sky full of stars.

"I... I'm short, weak, and slow. The other kids in the orphanage often make fun of me, but every time I hear about your adventures, I feel emboldened! And when the Loki Familia returned victorious from the 59th floor, everyone looked at the little people with new respect, saying how amazing they were! I felt so happy! And—!"

Finn smiled wryly as he watched the children of his own kind excitedly waving their arms and shouting.

"Osin! What are you doing? Come back right now!"

Then, another voice came.

Humans, canines, and half-elf children dressed in similar clothing appeared; they were probably from the same orphanage. Even disregarding the dwarfs' size, the three of them appeared to be the older ones.

Orphans of different races came to the little boy named Osin.

"Ray, look! It's Finn, it's the [Hero] himself!"

"Huh? [Hero]...?"

After Osin introduced Finn to everyone, the human boy stopped and stared in disbelief. The other two reacted similarly.

However, the boy named Lai was about to speak when he pursed his lips and remained silent.

I was actually happy to see a Level 1 adventurer, but I just couldn't get excited right now.

Finn thought he looked like that.

Seeing his friend's reaction, Osin tilted his head in confusion.

"...Osin, don't wander off alone. You should know that a lot of adventurers have gathered in the Labyrinth Street (here) now... The escaped monster might be right here on the street."

After uttering his last words with a pained expression, Lei reached out to grab Osin's arm. The dog-woman and the half-elf child, hearing the boy's words, also paled.

At this moment, Osin stopped moving. He first lowered his head, as if something was troubling him, then raised his head as if struck by lightning and shouted at Finn:

"Tell me! Finn...you won't end up like your older brother...like Bell Craney, right!?"

This problem was completely unexpected for Finn.

His wide, blue eyes held a rarely revealed astonishment.

The boy's words sounded like a plea for an end to the betrayal.

Of the three stunned children, the boy named Ray contorted his face and thrust his upper body forward.

"Hey, Osin...!"

"Because that's what everyone's saying! They're saying that the older brother hurt other adventurers because of money!"

"...!"

"They say it's all because of Big Brother Bell that the monster escaped, leaving everyone still worried and afraid!"

The little boy, tears welling in his eyes, cried out.

It was as if they harbored a grudge against Bell Crane.

Faced with his angry attitude, the human boy was unable to retort.

"Bear Grylls is no different from those thugs who refuse to walk down Daedalus Road!"

"Hey... take that back!"

"Ray!?"

The human boy angrily reached out to grab Osin. The dog-woman screamed and, together with the half-elf child, stepped forward to break up the fight.

The human boy's expression suggested that he didn't even know what he was angry about.

Judging from his expression, he seemed unaware of his own feelings and didn't realize why he had such a tearful look on his face.

Bell Craney likely had dealings with these orphans. At least they were close enough that the orphans opened their hearts to the boy.