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

Instead of resorting to underhanded tactics or uttering countless words, it chooses to reveal its singular will.

Otherwise, how could we fight alongside the "monster"?

Annaquite focused intently on Finn's undisguised, genuinely determined blue eyes.

"..."

Her dark eyes, the same color as her hair, were indeed trying to "see through" Finn.

It is not disrespectful to look at those of higher or lower status with judgmental eyes; rather, it is a legitimate right that every member of an organization should have. It should be said that without this right, an organization would become stagnant and unable to grow and progress.

At this moment, Anachidi Otto's "gaze" was very close to the position of the band members.

You could even say she is the spokesperson for the other members.

The ordinary young man, Raul, kept switching his gaze back and forth between his beloved captain and the girl who joined the troupe at the same time. His weak appearance had become so silly that it was almost endearing.

"...I understand. In that case, I have no further objections."

Their eyes met for a moment.

Annaquite quietly sat back down in her seat.

This indicates that she has wholeheartedly submitted to Finn's will.

At the same time, starting from this point, the members' wishes gradually shifted to one side.

Since Annaquite has agreed with the leader's idea, they are also willing to understand.

Neither Finn and his group, nor Ais and her fellow first-rank adventurers, could move the group's emotions in this way. Only Anaquiti, who served as a bridge between the lower-ranking members and the elite executives, and was also the number one ranked member of the Second Army, could accomplish this.

(Bringing her, <Angie>, to our side was a great help... no, it should be said that we cleverly had her shuttle between the two sides.)

Although Finn would never show it, deep down he felt that "she had helped him out."

If leader Finn doesn't demonstrate clear resolve, Anaquity will likely sacrifice him for the sake of the other members. Being both excellent and "fair," she is highly likely to do so.

Although Anachidi Ottoman respects and has sworn allegiance to the faction's leadership, she can also resolutely confront Finn and others when faced with something unreasonable.

On the other hand, she is very smart.

She understood what the [Familia] needed to do now that the man-made maze conquest was imminent. In other words, it was to unite as one.

She made those remarks while testing Finn and trying to understand his will.

This can also be seen as Anachitty's question to Finn based on trust.

In the end, her skillful handling of the situation swayed the entire faction's opinion toward "unity."

"May I speak?"

Finally, the fairy Alicia raised her hand.

After Finn nodded in response, she stood up, placed her hands on her chest, and began to speak:

"My life... was saved by the 'Armed Monster'."

Her confession, which sounded like a repentance, stirred up an even greater commotion among the crowd than before.

She herself seemed to have no answer yet, her face filled with deep distress and entanglement.

The elves, including Lefia, who witnessed the entire incident, looked at her with concern.

"That wasn't a coincidence. Nor was it a spur-of-the-moment decision. That songbird, Siren, protected me with a clear will, disregarding her own safety... probably with feelings that could only be described as 'friendly.' Her eyes, that smile, still leave me bewildered to this day..."

All the members of the faction knew that although Alicia possessed the gentleness of an elder, she also had the qualities of an elf.She possessed a proud and fastidious nature. Yet, she showed emotions beyond mere disgust towards monsters.

The members of the Loki Familia were not so dull as to not understand what this meant.

"I don't want to admit it, it's hard for me to accept. But... I can't help feeling... that it was a noble act of sacrifice. I can't help feeling... that if we don't acknowledge her sacrifice, we will degenerate into 'monsters' that are more filthy than monsters."

Alicia carefully considered her words, and several times she couldn't speak coherently before ending her speech.

The moment she slumped back into her chair, a profound silence fell upon the crowd.

Even the other elves, who had been the loudest critics since the meeting began, all pursed their lips.

"...Although the order is reversed, let me explain the 'premise' that led me to this conclusion."

Faced with the silent band members, Finn began to talk about the current situation.

"To clearly distinguish them from other monsters, from now on we will call the 'Armed Monsters' 'Heretical <Zenos>. Due to their high intelligence, the 'Heretical <Zenos> have caused their companions to be hunted by the [Icelos Familia] on multiple occasions."

"!"

"For the 'Heretics,' the artificial labyrinth forces associated with smuggling monsters are also their enemies. I don't mean to say that the enemy of my enemy is my friend... but we share the same interests. And I believe that, in this battle, we can 'command' them."

"Commander, you mean...?"

"Yes, this collaboration is a 'one-off battle.' It's purely for conquering the artificial labyrinth... to win this battle that will determine the fate of the city."

What follows is merely the "superficial statement." But Finn's argumentation is extremely clever and ingenious.

After dropping the bombshell, he then explained the bigger picture, offering a priority order for compromise to ease everyone's psychological barriers. The members who had initially shown resistance softened their attitudes, proving that he had achieved his goal.

Finn explained all the necessary information, starting with the reason why the "heretics" had entered the surface. Except for the fact that the connection between the "heretics" and the ancient god Uranus had to be concealed to prevent chaos, almost everything else was reported truthfully.

At this point, Grace and Riveria spoke for the first time, as if to provide additional explanations for Finn.

"We're not asking you to give in to the monsters. On the contrary, we're warning you not to actually open your hearts to them."

"From now on, when exploring dungeons, being confused will be your downfall. We know this is asking the impossible, but you must separate this situation from the mindset of an adventurer."

Grace's words were primarily addressed to the male group, while Riveria's speech focused on the elves, and they gradually gained the understanding of the group.

Finally, Loki seized the opportunity to declare God's will:

"Well, in short, no matter what means we have to use, we have to win this war to avenge Linne and the others."

The words were concise, yet the effect was immediate.

At least after that statement, no one voiced any more blatant dissent.

"...The meeting is adjourned, but if possible, I hope you will think carefully and discuss it with others. Listen carefully, this is not an 'order,' but a 'proposal.' I hope you will think carefully about its implications."

Finn looked around at the faces of his bandmates again.

Finally, he looked back into the golden eyes of one of the girls in the crowd, and then told everyone:

"If anyone wants to leave, come to my office. I will not force them to stay. Although they must abide by the confidentiality agreement for the conversations here, that's all. I will respect your wishes. So—dismissed."

After saying these words, Finn left the Grand Dining Room with Loki and the others.

Illustration 51796

After Finn and the others left, almost all the group members remained in the main dining room, eagerly exchanging opinions.

They naturally had endless topics to discuss. Some group members who had been unable to express their opinions due to the atmosphere earlier also took this opportunity to vent their emotions.

Confusion, doubt, anger, hatred, and fear. These reactions are all valid, but none of them are the correct answers.

From the morning gathering until noon when Finn and the others left, and then as the sun set, even as the stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky, the debate about humans and monsters only intensified.

"This is the first time I've ever seen a [Family] with this kind of atmosphere... The way everyone's eyes are probably even scarier than during the 'Expedition'... Waaah..."

Raul staggered over, half-dead, and slumped into a chair. At the table sat Level 4 Anachiti and other members of the Second Army, as well as Tiona and Tione.

Just now, Raul was like a professional emotional dumping ground, having his grievances poured out by the lower-ranking members in an excited tone. Unlike Bert and others, he was trusted by the members because they thought he was "easy to talk to and complain about" (?). Despite being exhausted, he still listened carefully to what each member had to say.

He slumped onto the table, and Annaquite gently patted the back of his head a few times.

Her expression remained unchanged, as if she were rewarding him for his necessary duties, or as if she were saying "You've worked hard."

"By the way... what are your thoughts?"

"...To be honest, I don't care about anything, as long as I can get rid of those guys who killed Linne and Lloyd. Although I'm not happy about having to rely on monsters for help..."

Seeing that the group members were staying in the main dining room without even having lunch and were only focused on discussing, Lefia, Lakta, and other female members couldn't stand it anymore. Just as they were distributing sandwiches and light snacks to everyone, Raul looked up from the table and asked a question.

Koss answered his hesitant question.

Lv. 4 dog-man, also a member of the Second ArmyHe answered by crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"But...but Brother Kos! They're monsters! Aren't you scared?"

"Sigh, it's understandable to be scared. After all, we've fought against 'armed monsters' before... If that 'black bull' were to appear... um, I'd be terrified! I definitely wouldn't be able to relax!"

"But, given the captain's personality, he might have some ideas... No, perhaps a joint attack would be difficult... But we can only trust the captain, or rather, now is not the time to panic..."

Then, Lefia's roommate, Elfie, chimed in, "The Lv. 4 girl <human> Navi seemed to recall the 'Roar' from the labyrinth street <Daedalus Road>."He hugged his shoulders with a bitter expression. What Raul said still reflected an opinion that lacked firm conviction.

at this time……

"You guys, still talking?"

"Brother Bert..."

With his gray hair swaying, the werewolf strode across the large restaurant as he arrived for his meal.

While the other members stayed to continue arguing, he was one of the few who left early.

Even at times like these, Bert, who usually keeps to himself, didn't mock the team members exchanging opinions on the "Armed Monster" today. He rudely pulled up a chair and sat down, a table away from Raul and the others.

He glanced at Lakta, a fellow orc and rabbit-man.The girl hurriedly hid in the kitchen to prepare a simple dinner using the available ingredients.

"...Hey, Bert. What are your thoughts on 'Armed Monsters'?"

"Huh?"

At this moment, Tiona, who had been silently listening to the group members' discussion, spoke up and asked him a question.

Perhaps not expecting that she, with whom he was at odds, would ask for his opinion, Bert exclaimed in disbelief, while also showing a rare display of pure surprise.

"...Have you made up your mind yet?"

"Hmm... Everyone seems more troubled and angry than I expected, which surprised me. So I tried to think about it..."

The Amazonian twin sister, widely considered to be poor at thinking, sat cross-legged in a chair with her arms crossed. She closed her eyes and was still muttering to herself.

However, perhaps the "answer" hasn't changed, she opened her eyes and said cheerfully:

"I don't think everyone needs to be afraid of those monsters."

"!"

"Like Finn said, the 'Armed Monsters' have never hurt anyone, have they? Besides, I once saw one of them protecting a child."

Tiona described what she had seen, but didn't mention that the monster was the dragon girl <Vivel>.

Raul and the others were taken aback. As Alicia had said, the fact that "monsters protect humanity" was earth-shattering enough. Perhaps it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it "a contradiction of the world."

The surrounding group members naturally began to listen to the conversation between the cadres and others.

"I think fighting alongside those 'armed monsters'... I think they're called 'Heretics'? would be fine~"

Tiona said with a beaming smile.

As her soft, gentle smile left Navi and the others bewildered, Bert first looked dumbfounded, then turned to Tione.

She stayed in the grand restaurant, annoyed by her sister's pleas, and upon noticing Bert's gaze—she scoffed loudly.

"This is the captain's decision! So what if we have to fight alongside those filthy monsters? Of course we'll do it!"

"You really are consistent all the time..."

Seeing that Tiony had no doubts whatsoever, Bert was no longer just unable to bear it, but was looking at her with utmost respect.

Raul and the others were all just laughing dryly.

"So, whose side are you on after all this time? I thought you'd be the first to start swearing."

When Thione asked him this question, Bert replied dismissively:

"If being picky results in the destruction of the entire city, who would be happy about that? That's all there is to it."

"..."

"If you're feeling frustrated or want to kill monsters, just go to the dungeon and vent your frustrations after everything's over. Didn't the old man and woman say that we're 'adventurers'? That hasn't changed. Am I wrong?"

Bert only gave the simplest answer.

But his amber eyes seemed to recall "something" he had seen two days earlier during the battle in the maze-like street, making him particularly careful with his words. It seemed to be something like that.

His overly simplistic and irrefutable definition left the listening members speechless.

"It doesn't matter if those who keep complaining get out of the [Family], it's that simple."

"Trying to look cool again~ Thinking he's so cool~"