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

Ota opened his eyes wide, Allen stopped moving, even Freya's silver eyes revealed astonishment, and the other members were all speechless with surprise.

Ais, who had left the renowned Freya Familia completely stunned, stared at the grass at her feet and continued to bow her head for permission.

"Heh...hehehe...!"

Freya was the first to speak up, as expected.

She pursed her lips and couldn't help but let out a chirping laugh.

Next to speak was Allen, who couldn't hide his frustration.

"Are you an idiot? What moron would choose to train with a rival faction? Forget it, I'm not going to argue with you anymore, just prepare to die."

Allen's scathing rebuke was entirely accurate.

Ais, who had raised her head, did not defend herself against his statement, but instead revealed her true feelings.

It wasn't directed at Allen or Freya, but at that martial artist.

"I can't lose again. No, I don't want to lose to that weirdo again... If I lose to her, I might lose everything."

"..."

"So... I want to become stronger."

Ais's speech was still too brief; those unaware of the existence of the man-made labyrinth and the strange creatures would find her words incoherent.

However, only the "enlightenment" contained within it is truly genuine.

"That weirdo...even Finn and his men couldn't beat her."

"..."

"Besides you, I don't know anyone stronger than me... stronger than Finn and the others. So I'd like to ask you for your guidance."

Allen's cheek muscles twitched. Even Ais could clearly sense it; it represented his murderous intent.

She knew it was a shameless request.

They knew that doing so might be tantamount to betraying Finn and his men.

But when Ais heard Bell say "I want to become stronger," she decided to abandon all conventions and constraints.

To conquer the man-made maze.

In order to defeat that strange man—Rives

(I also want to become stronger.)

She raised her head and ruminated on this will once more.

Recalling the purest initial intention when I picked up the sword, I return to my origin.

Seeing Ais's eyes, no one knew what the city's strongest adventurer was thinking.

However, unlike the other members, he accepted Ais's "resolve" with a calm and composed expression.

As if he were the only person in the world, he expressed his understanding towards Ais.

"Okay, I'll agree."

Then, there is a goddess <alone>.

A goddess who was observing also made a judgment on Ais's "actions".

"Goddess Freya!"

Allen and the other members exchanged glances.

It's obvious. She's helping the rival faction, considered one of the city's two giants, train in martial arts. There's no reason for her to give them benefits for nothing.

Allen's gruff tone was more agitated than trembling.

Ais was so frustrated that she felt extremely embarrassed.

However, Freya ignored Allen's reproachful look and instead looked back into Ais's eyes.

"Fiora? Let me clarify, your goal is to conquer the artificial labyrinth, right?"

"……Yes."

Freya's use of the term "artificial maze" startled Ais, but she quickly nodded.

The goddess's eyes must have already seen through Ais's lie. Freya's smile deepened as she looked back at Allen, who had raised an objection.

"Loki told me not to pretend to be calm, lest I be secretly plotted against without even realizing it. She also told me not to wait until the labyrinth city is gone before I regret it."

Freya continued speaking as casually as a breeze.

"Eren? I don't want to become an ignorant queen like Loki suggested. Or would you rather help me 'fight alongside' Loki's children?"

"...I'd rather die than do that."

"In that case, if this is the kind of 'help,' you can barely accept it, right?"

The words of the Supreme God silenced Allen, but anger lingered in his expression.

It exudes a fiery, cat-like temperament, as if it wants to scratch its owner's hand with its claws.

In the end, however, Allen said nothing more.

"Oh, are you willing?"

"If the goddess Freya grants the request... I think it wouldn't be unreasonable for an adventurer to agree to it."

Freya nodded in satisfaction upon hearing Ota's answer.

Just as Ais was holding her breath and anxiously waiting for a good answer, Freya suddenly leaned her upper body towards her.

"However, I can't do volunteer work."

"...!"

"After all, Allen and the others are right. So, you have to pay the corresponding 'price'."

When Freya brought her face close, Ais, caught off guard, panicked.

With her slender fingers touching her chin, the goddess lifted her gaze and narrowed her eyes.

"Let's forge a 'contract,' Fiora."

"contract……?"

"That's right. I'll lend you Olympia for training. In return, you'll owe us a 'favor'."

"..."

"Don't look at me so warily. Although I haven't decided when, where, or how I'll make you repay this 'favor,' I won't force you. At least, I won't ask for more than what you've asked for this time. I swear on my name."

Freya's sweet voice tickled Ais's ears.

Even the gods were mesmerized by her gaze, which pierced through Ais's eyes.

Ais couldn't fathom her thoughts. She had no way of knowing what kind of needs this small amount of "favor" could satisfy, since she had everything she wanted.

However, this is the corresponding price. It should be.

To resist the allure of the "Goddess of Beauty," Ais clenched her teeth and stared back at her.

"...Please don't involve the [familia]...Just consider it a 'favor' I owe alone..."

Freya smiled and nodded at Ais's barely audible words.

She released her slender fingers from Ais's chin, straightened her upper body, and gazed at Ais.

Without realizing it, Ais placed her hand on her neck.

She felt as if she had been fitted with a "collar" that could never exist.

Unbeknownst to many, a blonde, golden-eyed girl and a silver-haired, silver-eyed goddess forged a "contract" here.

"It's getting late, I have to go. Oh, I'm leaving it to you from now on."

"Yes. But, Goddess Freya...who should be her attendant...?"

"Let Herren come."

With one female member of the group by her side, Freya boarded the parked carriage.

As if she had lost interest in Ais, the goddess never glanced at her again and gradually disappeared outside the open door.

"...At your request, I will duel you with swords. Are you ready?"

"alright."

After Freya left, Otto, relieved of his duties as a follower, walked up to Ais and looked down at her. Ais, with her beloved sword, the Sword of Despair, at her waist, nodded without hesitation.

"Listen carefully, this matter is strictly forbidden to be mentioned to outsiders. This is a contract between that lord and the [Sword Maiden], and it must not become a subject of vulgar rumors. No information is allowed to leak out of this 'Battlefield'."

Ota, adhering to his rough-and-tumble leadership style, strictly ordered his members to keep the secret.

The members of the Freya Familia, who had been making a fuss and noise in confusion as soon as the main god was gone, stood at attention in unison, saying, "Yes!" and promising to follow orders.

Only Allen stood there, his back to Ais and the others, his expression revealing anger.

Otto spoke up to stop him, who had already turned around and was about to return to his residence.

"Allen, you have to join too."

"You're not allowed to order me around, you bastard. Go have your own fun if you want!"

Ota remained silent, watching the cat-man youth, who made no attempt to hide his foul mood, leave. Ais, realizing she had made an unreasonable request, felt quite embarrassed.

"But then again..."

Suddenly, at that moment.

O'Hara spoke in a tone different from his usual one.

"It's amazing that Finn and the others actually approved it."

"……………………………"

Hearing Otto express his sincere admiration, Ais quietly looked away.

Her forehead was covered in cold sweat.

—What should I do? I didn't tell them anything.

Illustration 52446

"Ais seems to have started her training."

Rivera looked down at the unfolded scroll—a letter addressed to her—and said this.

The location is the office of the "Twilight Mansion," the headquarters of the Loki Familia.

Two days have passed since they announced their alliance with the "Heretics". Thanks to the smooth handling of Raul and Anachidi and other members of the Second Army, the Familia is gradually moving towards unity, but only Ais has gone missing—but just now, Riveria received this letter.

"I was initially considering the necessity of Rivera's suggestion to exclude Ais from the battle because she seemed so downcast... but it seems she's cheered up now."

"And to choose a time like this for spiritual practice, he's completely reverted to his usual style, hahaha!"

"As expected of Riveria's mother—!"

"I did say a few words to her... but I really don't understand how she came up with the idea of ​​going to practice Buddhism."

Finn, Grace, and Loki spoke in turn, but Riveria just looked at the letter in her hand with a complicated expression.

The letter, written in inexplicably shaky handwriting, read, "Please don't come looking for me, I'm diligently practicing my secret cultivation," and contained numerous typos. The handwriting looked as if she had undergone extremely rigorous training, to the point that she couldn't even hold a quill pen properly.

Riveria frowned gracefully… but she'd heard from the guild's service lady, Missia Flott, that the letter had been taken directly to "Guild Headquarters" by the woman herself and sent by them. Although she said, "She was completely unrecognizable, looking utterly exhausted—" she figured she'd be alright. Riveria attributed it to her "too harsh" training. She must have gone into the dungeon.

"In short, this removes the last bit of unnecessary worry."

After saying that, Finn looked down at the table that had been moved to the center of the room.

Riveria, Grace, Loki, and other members present also made the same gesture.

Several maps and a "combat guide" listing various intelligence were spread out on the table around them.

Finn and his team were preparing to hold a "war council".

The members have recently heard about the collaboration with "Heretics," but none of them want to quit.

The Loki Familia are prepared to swallow poison and venture into the man-made labyrinth.

"During the surprise attack four days ago, Rivera drew up a map."