Celebration Party
The night after the sun sinks completely into the western mountains.
With a flood of magic stone lights that rivaled the shining stars above,
Orario showed why it was called the city that never sleeps. And now it is
even more noisy and dazzling than usual, no doubt because the influence of
a certain "war" has not completely disappeared.
Centered on a total of eight avenues, there were endless shouts, screams,
and cheers.
Facing the adventurers and gods who were eating, drinking, and laughing,
the taverns served out their proud wine and meals without any reservation,
making the city even more lively.
The "Mistress of Plenty" where we are is also among them.
"Then, let's celebrate the victory in the war game - cheers -!!"
"Uh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ! !
Following Lady Hestia's slogan, countless cups clinked together loudly.
The store was filled with people, people, people, plus many gods and lords.
Tonight, the Harvest Tavern was booked by the [Hestia Familia] and other
closely related factions.
Needless to say, it was a celebration party for the war game.
"Did you drink it, [Little Rookie]~~~~~!?"
"Well, this is just the beginning...! Speaking of Mr. Molder, my current title
is [White Rabbit Swiftfoot]..."
"Idiot!! If you don't drink it now, when will you drink it!?"
Thick arms wrapped around my neck, and as soon as I answered in a
squelched voice, the breath already smelt of alcohol hit my face.
Mr. Mold, whose face was red, still grabbed me, and then raised his right
hand holding the cup high.
"We defeated that [Freya Familia] oh oh oh oh!!"
""""yeah------! !
Hearing Mr. Molder's rough and loud voice, Mr. Guyer, Mr. Scott, Mr.
Porus, the residents of the Labyrinth Hotel Street, and even dwarves like
Mr. Dormu of the [Mani Familia] all cheered together.
This has just begun, but the atmosphere among the many adventurers who
contributed to the "Faction War" is already high.
I know exactly why they are celebrating so much.
After all, such a "great achievement" has been achieved, and this must be
understood.
"The defeat of the largest faction in the city (Freya Familia)" which is as
famous as [Loki Familia]. I heard that the whole world outside the city is in
a commotion, and I have never seen Mr. Porus, the veteran adventurer and
boss of the Labyrinth Inn Street, look so happy.
Everyone who fought has the right to bask in the glory they fought for.
...It just feels like it's a little too much.
"I'm treating you today!! After all, the money stolen from [Freya Familia] is
as much as a mountain~!! Just eat to your heart's content! And drink to your
heart's content!!"
"Uh oh oh oh!"
"As expected of Porus!"
Mr. Porus and Mr. Molder were both very proud of the rewards of the war
games, which were the assets of Freya Familia, and they spent money
lavishly. I looked at Mr. Porus and the others drinking wine and looking
very excited, and smiled bitterly. At this moment, "With that kind of
behavior, the bounty will be spent very quickly. It's not hard to imagine how
worried they would be immediately."
"Ah...Mr. Reeves."
"Don't worry about them. Let's savor victory at our own pace. Allies of the
fairies."
Mr. Reeves, the goblin, came over and handed over a glass of goblin (Alf)
water with ice.
I felt a little itchy and touched it lightly with my cup.
I am not mature enough to be intoxicated by the wine of victory, but...now I
can also share the joy with those who have fought.
"The food is ready, nya~!"
"Wine! Not enough wine, meow~!"
With the help of Mr. Reeves, I got rid of Mr. Mold's group, and then I saw
the catman clerks passing in front of me in a very busy manner.
Today's "Hostess of Abundance" layout is different from usual, taking the
form of a standing meal.
The chairs are all put away, creating a space with a sense of openness—or
rather, only this form can accommodate everyone.
Although the participants were only factions closely related to the [Hestia
Familia], this was not the case. For example, there were also residents of
the Labyrinth Inn Street and others. Among the people who fought together
in the war game, people who have had a close relationship with us, and
gods, all came here. This is probably how it feels. Leaving aside the
meetings attended by the gods, it is probably rare for so many members of
different factions to come and go.
"Sakura-san, Chigusa-san, and Asuka-san. Thank you very much for
coming to War Games to lend a helping hand!"
"No, you said it before! It's better to say that I couldn't help at the critical
moment... I'm very sorry!"
"Ah. After all, we were just chopped down at the command of [Laurel
Escaper]."
"Wait a minute! Don't sound like I'm the killer, okay! I haven't been
completely chopped up by the [Black Demon Sword]!!"
"Little Daphne, calm down~!"
When I came to [Kenyu Thunder Familia] to express my gratitude, Ms.
Chigusa waved her hands in panic, Mr. Sakura expressed her unwillingness
with a bitter look on her face, and Ms. Daphne on the side looked like she
would spit out the wine at any time and shouted. Voice. Seeing Miss
Cassandra desperately comforting her, I struggled to hold back my smile,
and then looked to the side.
"Um, Miss Naza, Master Mihe... where is the broken prosthetic hand...?"
"It doesn't matter... we also got the reward (money), which should be
enough to make a new "Silver Arm"..."
"Although I still can't pay back the previous debt, it doesn't matter. It means
the positive and negative balance out. No, since I helped my friends (Bell),
I should be considered to have made a lot of money."
Miss Naza, who had the cuffs tied on her right hand side, and Mih-sama
both showed a steady smile.
I heard before that her "silver arm" was broken in War Games, but now that
I heard them say that, I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Before, I
even thought that if it didn't work out, I would just hang out in the dungeon
until I earned enough money to pay for the prosthetic hand.
"Although it makes me uncomfortable to give money to Armed and the
others... but Mih-sama is right, the rewards are already abundant. Not to
mention I have [upgraded] to Lv. 3."
"Eh!? Really!?"
"Yeah. So congratulate me. ...But since I can't fight monsters, I can't be of
much use."
Obviously the [Experience Points] gained during [Level Upgrade] will be
halved!
According to Miss Naza, there are many other people who have achieved
sublimation, mainly Miss Samila, Miss Reina and other combat prostitutes.
In addition to the compensation and reputation of the war game, "huge
results" were also obtained in this aspect.
The unexpected news took me by surprise, and I realized once again how
outrageous the opponents I had fought against were.
"Bell Crane? There's no need for you to circle around and say hello, right?"
"Ah. After all, you were the most seriously injured and you still fought to
the end."
"Stop wandering around and sit down firmly!"
"Uh... But I still want to say thank you to the people who helped us and say
'thank you'... After all, that battle was so powerful."
I gathered my inner feelings and turned them into words to seriously answer
Lord Hephaestus, Lord Takemurei and Miss Tsubaki. Saying hello is not a
moral act, but to convey my inner thoughts.
Seeing me like this, Lord Hephaestus looked at me kindly at first, then
frowned suddenly and said to me, "Then let Hestia do it! She is the main
god!". Powerless, I couldn't help but return to "Yes, yes!" and stood up
straight.
I said goodbye and left the smiling Master Jian Yulei and the others, and
then walked over to the others to say hello.
Among this large group of mostly adventurers, there was no sign of Miss
Eina.
It seems that people from the management organization (guild) are not
suitable to participate in this kind of gathering of adventurers or factions. In
addition, Lord Hermes and the others are not here either. The other side did
not come because they were not directly involved in the war game. Instead,
they sent expensive wine and the message "Enjoy the victory party!"
In addition to Lord Hermes and the others, there are also Mr. Ferros, Mr.
Finn, Miss Tiona and Miss Tione... people who are not here also helped me
a lot.
"Ais, too. She cheered for you until her voice became hoarse! Her voice is
still very strange now, and she says she's embarrassed to see you! So when
her voice gets better, she'll go find Agno-kun!"
...Miss Tiona also told me this about Miss Ais's situation.
Thanks to these people, this scene is possible, and this must not be
forgotten.
It seems that I still cannot be complacent in thinking that this is a victory
achieved only by ourselves.
"I didn't expect that I really defeated [Freya Familia]. I still can't believe it!
Could it be that when I woke up, I found that everything was an illusion...!"
"Please don't say anything unlucky, Mikoto-sama! Lily has been walking on
a tightrope, going back and forth between hell and underworld about four
times!? Never again! Lily will never do that again. It's such a thing!!
Absolutely, absolutely, never do it~~~~~~~~!!"
"Please, please calm down, Lily-sama!"
After saying hello, I walked back to the table in the middle of the tavern. I
saw Miss Ming who was still immersed in excitement, Lily who was doing
ultrasound (crazy), and Miss Haruhime who was trying her best to comfort
her, all talking.
Even though she won the war game, Lily was still suffering from the
"nightmare of death battle" every night lately, but today she seemed to hate
herself for not being able to get drunk. She has been avoiding alcohol since
the incident with the "Holy Wine", but now she is probably thinking in her
heart, "How can I go on without drinking!" "Bar.
"Chew, Chew... Muha! After all, that battle was so awesome! I really risked
my life, thinking that I would win no matter what!"
Kami-sama extended his hand to the food as if to strike first and nodded,
which made me smile a little deeper.
Yeah, but that's right, I can understand what Lily said.
If possible... I don't really want to recall it.
The fact that I was beaten into rags, pieces, or covered with bruises by the
strongest man in the city (Mr. Ota) seemed to have left a shadow on my
mind. Specifically, the smile on his face is now twitching reflexively...
"Well, that's not bad..."
"Not okay at all!!"
Welf ignored Lily's entanglement, took a sip of wine, and then looked to the
side.
"...Why is the loser here too?"
Lily and we, who were determined not to look over there, also followed
Welf's gaze.
As it turned out, there were little human quadruplets holding large plates
and lots of wine bottles.
"What's wrong with just serving?"
"What's wrong with mere humiliation?"
"This shame will never be forgotten."
""""Unforgivable Bell."""
"why me!?"
Four identical voices overlapped in the same tone, making me complain as
if I were still "Bell Crane of [Freya Familia]".
The four Gulliver brothers, or Mr. Alfric, are still wearing scary sandcolored helmets and armors, with white aprons over them, and are doing
"service" work.
No, it's not just Mr. Alfric and the others—it's the entire [Freya Familia].
"The end and reward of the loser, this is our sin... The slave of the dinner is
a foregone conclusion. Huh, huh, huh, the many eyes gave me an
unbearable humiliation. I also escaped from the holy kitchen...! ...No, it
can't be done?"
"No—. We already have enough manpower in the kitchen—. Speaking of
which, this tavern is too weird, almost as tired as the "Battle
Wilderness"—"
Afraid of the black goblin who was full of anger and acting extremely
suspiciously, Mr. Hegney's plea was easily rejected by the therapist, Miss
Hayd, who moved the plates with vegetables on her arms smoothly.
Although Miss Hayd looked very skilled, her eyes were just like those seen
in the "Battle Wilderness"... well, how should I put it, it was the eyes of an
extremely tired old man.
"Oh my, working is so easy compared to usual~! Even if it's just a little bit!"
"That's right! Thanks to the slaves in my hands, I'm a little, really - a little
better than usual now, meow! All the lost dogs of Ola Ola, go to work for
meows!"
Miss Runoa and Miss Chloe snickered, happily looking at Mr. Alfric and
Mr. Hegney who were busy around... Well, that's actually what happened.
[Freya Familia] happened to bear the responsibility of forced labor during
the celebration party of the faction alliance that won the war game.
After learning that [Freya Familia] had actually been disbanded, Miss Mia
took the opportunity to drag the members - especially the full-bellied
Cinderellas like Miss Hayd - into the tavern as hard laborers. No, to be
precise, they should be forced to join this. According to her: "That stupid
goddess did things unscrupulously, and the Familia (idiots) beat my stupid
girls here so badly. You have to pay me good compensation!"
It seems so.
It's natural that Miss Mia has this kind of personality, but to be able to
command tough warriors and first-level adventurers without any scruples...
She's really powerful. The full-bellied Cinderellas other than Miss Hayd are
all busy in the kitchen. Although I can't see it here, I must be pretty good
there. By the way, the men's uniforms are not ready yet, so all the male
members, including Mr. Hegney and the first-level adventurers, are wearing
their usual combat uniforms. Only the female members are wearing new
uniforms that symbolize the "Mistress of Abundance". Leaf color uniform.
The strongest faction (Freya Familia) actually worked as a store clerk, and
people in the store had mixed reactions.
Or like Welf, he feels exhausted, or he feels afraid.
Or, like Mr. Mold and the others, they were immersed in pleasure with a sly
smile on their faces.
After all, they are a family of the God of Beauty. The female members
(Miss Hayd and others) are all beautiful in appearance. Their attitude of
serving others makes many people feel happy, but once they want to take
action, they will be subdued immediately. Therefore, even the drunk Mr.
Porus They all remind themselves not to cross the line. So much so that
they were sweating coldly while maintaining a look on their faces, which
was really dexterous.
"——What are you staring at with that squinting look on your face, you
filthy thing? What a terrifying creature. Just go ahead and blind your eyes
and fall into hell, you sexual beast."
"I don't have a lustful look! I don't have a lustful look!? So, how about you
put back that murderous aura that seems to kill people with your sight, Miss
Helen...!"
Immediately afterwards, an indifferent voice that chilled my heart
penetrated into my medulla oblongata. I noticed the other person's true face
without looking at her face, so I called her name as soon as I turned around.
The long gray hair that covers the right half of her face, and her face that is
still beautiful despite the extremely cold air.
Miss Helen, who fits the term "Witch's Apprentice" very well, was forced to
wear the same tavern uniform as Miss Hayd and others, and stood directly
behind me.
She usually wears clothes like a black dress, but now the cute new leafcolored uniform she is wearing looks very fresh and charming - I don't have
this kind of calmness at all. Sweat is flowing down my neck, and my cheeks
are twitching, and she is Under the suppressed eyes... he finally managed to
squeeze out a smile.
"Hai... Miss Helen is also very suitable, right? This outfit..."
Immediately, Miss Helen's eyes opened wide and swish~~~.
His face turned red as if he could hear this sound effect.
"The obscene beast! The obscene beast! The obscene beast!!"
"Why!?"
"I didn't expect you to look at my miserable look with dirty eyes, please
stop it!! Oh, why do I have to dress like this...! Let's not mention it Sir, how
could I be suitable... !
"We lost because of your betrayal. Isn't it natural that we should be the first
to receive the punishment? Don't worry about it and work hard, Helen—"
"Haide...! Wuwuwuwu~~~~~~~~~wu!!"
My screams fell on deaf ears. Miss Helen pulled down the hem of her skirt
which was by no means short, desperately trying to cover her slender feet
wrapped in black pantyhose. But she was ruthlessly abandoned by Miss
Hayed. Miss Helen wanted to glare at the red-haired colleague, but failed in
the end. She couldn't refute a word, she could only blush and tremble.
Miss Helen, who was considered a "traitor" among the faction, seemed to
be pardoned thanks to her master's words. Although she was pardoned, Ms.
Hayd and the others still believed that she "should accept the punishment
well-", so it is said that she was first forcibly arranged to be the clerk of
"The Rich Mistress".
Since she is a "goddess attendant" who rarely appears in front of people,
curious eyes have been focused on her since just now. Mainly, the male
idols are the main ones praising, "Here comes the cute scene of the iceberg
type yandere girl!" ...
"Sure enough, it's all your fault!! It's all because people like you are still
alive!! Show me your shame!!"
"Ehhhhhhhhhh!?"
Miss Helen shook her long hair, which was now tied back, and approached
her with tears in her left eye, making me cry out as hard as I could.
Holding the cutlery (fork), she felt like she was coming to forcibly die with
her, and then she was dragged away by Miss Hayd, saying "Okay, okay, it's
time to go-", but after that, she still stared at her with a murderous look.
Hold on to me.
"I still think this person made the wrong choice... He cares too much about
whether those guys are drunk."
Welf held his face with one hand and looked sympathetically at me, who
was turned pale by this series of things. He sighed, and then, "Okay, isn't
that pretty good? Besides 'looking after stores', those guys are also useful in
other places."
"Yes, that's right! After the war game, Haruhime has been stared at~! If
[Freya Familia] hadn't followed her to 'protect', I don't know what would
have happened!"
Miss Samira, the combat prostitute, said with a smile, and Miss Rena, who
is also a female warrior (Amazon), also danced and talked.
That's exactly what they were referring to - Miss Haruhime's "level up".
"After all, as soon as the 'Level Upgrade' was made public in the war game,
assassins from nowhere were sent here every day. That's why I said not to
expose it, stupid fox."
"Ahhhh~~. I'm so sorry...!"
Miss Aisha's golden hair and whole head were rubbed all over, and Miss
Haruhime shrank into a ball.
In the war game where the entire city was watching, Haruhime-san used the
[Multiple Hammer] many times, so her "level up" has become a wellknown fact. Although it is only for a period of time, the foul magic that can
raise the level by one level is really true. No one can ignore it... various
things such as abduction, kidnapping, or trading. Malice and turmoil are
gathering towards Miss Haruhime.
Miss Ming and I, as well as Miss Ayesha, Miss Samira and the other
fighting prostitutes also took thorough precautions... At this time, the ones
deployed as "guards" were the [Freya Familia].
"This is all fate... The fox of mercy will be pushed to the altar of sacrifice.
The cause of disaster arises because of us, so it is our fault to cut off the
spiral of cause and effect..."
"What are you talking about?"
Mr. Hegney, who was passing by, muttered something quietly, causing Welf
to roll his eyes and look over.
Well, this is saying, "Miss Haruhime was targeted because she fought with
us, so we must take responsibility to protect her." perhaps...
"Um, Mr. Hegney? By the way, how many times did Haruhime-san
encounter danger...?"
"I'm not sure... Hedin and I have been alternating surveillance... and I have
defeated them seventy-one times, and this is only what I have mastered."
"Alas!"
It was less than a week after the end of the war game. Even though it was
an attempt, the number of attacks was already quite alarming, which made
me let out a strange noise.
This made me realize once again how powerful Haruhime-san's "Level
Upgrade" is, and then I realized that Orario is indeed a very restless place.
But, the forces outside the city probably had a hand in it...
"...Samira-san and the others are the same, and so are you, Mr. Hegni.
Thank you very much for protecting Haruhime-san."
"Hmm... don't be so solemn, I'll be embarrassed."
Mr. Hegney is now basically unable to use that strange set of words to form
sentences in front of me. His cheeks turned slightly red and he looked away.
"And... if you want to thank us, don't thank us. Go and say it to that adult.
This is what that person asked us to do."
Even without following his gaze, I knew who he was looking at.
That was the "girl" with light gray hair who had been the busiest in the
tavern since just now.
"Xiao Xi'er~! Can I have another piece of this tomato pie~?"
"Okay! Lord Demeter~!"
"Little girl Hill, please have some more wine~!"
"Okay! Lord Njord—!"
""Xiao Xi'er~! Come over and pour us wine~~!""
"Woo~~~! I know!!"
Miss Hill was busy running around, and the gods and adults attending the
celebration made requests again and again. She seemed to be looking up to
the sky at any time, and even responded with some self-deprecation. Seeing
this scene, Lord Hephaestus smiled evilly and seemed to be deeply happy,
while Lord Jian Yulei and Lord Mihe showed bitter smiles.
The "God of Beauty" who distorted the city is no longer here.
She has already left here. Now it has become like this.
Perhaps because of the side effects of the large-scale powerful "Charm",
almost no one among the residents of the lower world seems to remember
what happened before and after Orario became a "Hakoniya". In other
words, only a few people including us know that the "goddess (Freyasama)" is the "street girl (Ms. Hill)".
At the same time, the true identity of Miss Hill was spread among the gods.
Nowadays, the Labyrinth City no longer needs to be afraid of the threat
posed by "Charm", but only the gods will come to tease Miss Hill with an
indifferent expression. Although Lady Hestia, the representative of the
alliance of factions, allowed "Miss Hill's existence", it seems that this level
of humiliation is deserved.
Miss Hill accepted this.
She has apologized to many people so far, listened to many complaints -
and seemed to get slapped on occasion - and is now being punished.
It is said that many people, mainly the goddesses, think this level is too
light, but... that person no longer has status, reputation or even wealth.
Then you should not repay it as a "goddess", but as a "girl".
The same goes for the people of [Freya Familia]. In addition to having to
obey Miss Mia, they should also work in this tavern because they want to
minimize Miss Hill's burden.
As a loyal family member, I want to share this punishment together.
"Ciel~~~~~~~!! Where is my brother, nya!? We must have a good talk
today, nya! Then we will officially become a family, nya!"
"Hmm... on the roof, right? He should be monitoring the surrounding area
to prevent bad guys from getting close."
"I know, nya! Then, nya has to go to my brother's place, so I have to run
away, nya! Help me do nya's work too, nya, Ciel!"
"Eh!? Aniya, wait! I've reached my limit too! Please, really wait, Aniya!?"
Miss Aniya da da da—! The ground rushed out of the store, and then there
was a bang bang from the ceiling! This sound of footsteps that didn't sound
like a cat at all was followed by another sound that didn't sound like a cat's
meow at all.
Like "Don't come closer!" or "Don't hug me!" or "Onii-sama~", that's how
it feels.
The sound immediately became more and more distant. It was probably two
cats chasing each other along the roof.
Because of Miss Hill, Miss Aniya has also completely regained her vitality.
Everything is back to the way it was before, such a good thing has not
happened, but... the "Plenty Tavern" is gradually regaining its former daily
routine.
"...Ms. Hill, do you want me to come and help?"
Seeing that she was too busy, I couldn't even smile bitterly, so I tried to ask,
"No, Mr. Bell. Didn't I make an appointment with Mr. Bell to spy on me?"
He was immediately declined by Miss Hill.
"I can't be a 'good boy'. If it weren't for Mr. Bell, I might become a 'witch'
who does evil. So you have to keep watching me try hard, okay?"
An appointment has been made.
My knight (Odd) sir.
Miss Hill said so.
She laughed happily.
Just like a real girl who has nothing to do with the goddess.
...I must protect this smile.
Just like the agreement made with the heretics (Benny), this is also an
agreement that can never be broken. It is a hypocrisy (selfish desire) that
only belongs to me.
In the tavern, which was completely dyed in the color of a party and was
still very lively, unconsciously, Miss Hill and I were looking at each other
and smiling, just like the day we first met.
"——That's right, Mr. Bell!! Mr. Hill is shady and troublesome, much more
troublesome than Mr. Warren, so we can't spoil her!!"
"Goooh!?"
At this moment, Kami-sama bumped into her from the side, and I hugged
her body tightly in desperation.
"Mr. Hill, please pay attention to me!! Mr. Bell is not your Odd, but mine!!
Mr. Bell!! Although this child is easy to deceive, if you still dare to seduce
him, be careful of me! Let's purify it again—!!"
God-sama, who clung to me like a child clinging to its mother, didn't call
the goddess (Freya) by her name, but judging from the fact that he called
her "Hill" in front of her, there was still a lot of meaning in it. Malice. His
tone is the same as that of a gangster.
Seeing Lady Hestia's smile showing off her victory, even Miss Hill looked
angry.
"Cough, cough... God, God-sama, Miss Hill is also reflecting on it, so you
shouldn't say that..."
"You're so innocent (sweet), Bell-kun! Even more innocent (sweet) than
azuki bean butter-flavored potato balls! This Mr. Hill is basically no
different from the most incredible final boss!! As long as there is a chance,
she will definitely You will snap your fingers or something, and then the
fierce man from before will attack!! You will also be abducted!"
"Ahaha. How is that possible?"
"Haha. I mean--ah, my finger slipped."
Kami-sama's powerful speech made me laugh, and at that moment, there
was a snap.
Miss Hill, who was all smiles, snapped her fingers beautifully.
"——New dishes are here. I kept you waiting for a long time."
The next moment, the wild boar giant stood in front of us as if it had
teleported.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? How dare you actually attack..." Are
you kidding me, Mr. Fierce One!?"
"————————(Puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff
puff puff puff puff puff puff puff puff)!!"
"Bell-kun ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"
The moment a giant rock-like body appeared in front of me holding a tray,
my consciousness sank into darkness as fast as I could. Mainly because of
the continuous flashbacks of nightmares such as one-hit kills (violent
beatings), baptism (violent beatings), and infinite death matches (violent
beatings).
"What are you doing, Lady Hestia!?"
"Lord Bell, you rolled your eyes and foamed at the mouth!?"
"It's completely turned into a psychological shadow!?"
"B-Sir Bell--!?"
After Lord Kami's scream, I seemed to hear the screams of Lily, Miss Ming,
Welf, and Miss Haruhime, but I couldn't confirm it as I fell to the ground.
"Oh, Mr. Bell, this is serious! He's not breathing anymore! I'm here to
provide artificial respiration!"
"Don't even think about succeeding, you bastard——!! As expected, you
have no remorse at all, Hill!"
"F-Frey--Sir Sir! Never kiss such a dirty thing! This, the worst sin, must be
borne by me, the sinner...!!"
"Helen, don't worry. After all, there is a therapist here—. Okay, Bell—come
and give me a kiss—"
"You too, what do you want to do with such indifferent expressions!? Mr.
Welf, please burn this witch and her gang to pieces!!"
"how could it be possible..."
I convulsed and passed out in disgrace, not knowing what happened next.
What commotions took place, what battles there were, I have no idea.
"How long are you going to sleep, idiot."
"Gubohu!?"
When I woke up, a merciless impact hit my cheek hard.
After I noticed that I was kicked with the toe of someone's shoe, I woke up
forcefully and straightened my upper body abruptly.
Then I looked hard to the left and right, and immediately noticed a pair of
pupils looking down at me.
"Ah, Master..."
"Get up quickly. Don't burden me anymore, stupid rabbit."
As usual, Master made me feel inexplicably reassured, and at the same time
I looked around with trepidation.
The celebration party is not over yet, Mr. Porus and the others are having an
unknown number of toasts.
After passing out, a considerable amount of time probably passed.
I was placed against the wall, with only Master beside me...
"Uh... why would Master, um... take care of me? Things like that...?"
"Because I have been judged to have the most neutral attitude toward you.
Stop causing trouble, idiot."
neutral...? What does it mean? It must be a mistake, it must be cruelty...
"What are you thinking about, you guy?" Then I received another kick, and
it was painful for a while. At this time, I discovered something belatedly.
The master's face, as beautiful as a woman's, was covered with wounds.
"Th-this... what's going on with these injuries...?"
"The officers (Alan) and the members (Hayed) did it. They just accepted the
punishment of discrediting that gentleman."
"Eh!?"
"I started to fight back from the second move."
"Hey..."
"I am willing to accept the first attack, but there is no reason for me to
allow the subsequent attacks as well."
Well...very likely. If it is Master. Then the scene gets intense and turns into
a fight to the death (Battle Wilds)...most likely.
Although they were hidden from view by the armor, Mr. Alfric and the
others also suffered a lot of injuries. So that's what happened...
(But...that's right. Thanks to Master for being here...)
Thanks to Master... Mr. Hedin, who did not hesitate to arouse the hatred of
the [Familiar] and stand up even if he was injured, we were able to win the
war game.
Of course, there is more to the victory than this, but without this person, we
would have lost, and we would not have been able to save that person.
"...Master, thank you very much. Thank you for helping us."
"Don't get me wrong, idiot. I'm just using you. I'm not helping."
"Even so, thank you very much."
I was still sitting on the ground, and Master was still standing there.
We leaned against the wall and watched Lady Hestia and the others making
a fuss in the middle of the tavern, as well as Miss Hill who was involved in
it.
Looking at the man who was still forced to obey the unreasonable orders,
but with a smile on his face.
"After all, if it hadn't been for Master...Miss Hill wouldn't have smiled like
that."
We didn't look at each other, both of us were looking at the person, and
there was a brief silence.
Soon, the master sneered.
"Stupid rabbit."
Very slightly, really very slightly.
It seemed to me that a fairy was laughing, but I couldn't confirm it as I
stared ahead.
It's just that Master seemed to be unable to stand me and left the wall he
was leaning on.
"I'll become stupid if I'm with you. I'm leaving."
"yes."
"Don't break the agreement (oath) you made with her."
"...yes."
After saying that, the master shook his long blond hair and walked towards
the kitchen.
That painful and difficult battle is now finally over in a real sense.
I had this feeling.
"Have you got the wine? Let's hear my majestic scene next!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
The banquet of adventurers and gods is not over yet. They had not yet
tasted the afterglow of victory, and headed by Mr. Mold, they were still
drinking wine and laughing loudly.
It looks like... it's going to last until morning.
I looked sideways at the adventurers and gods who were still indulging
themselves, and stood up slowly. At this moment, "Bell."
A cool voice came.
I turned around and saw a goblin standing there. He was not wearing a
tavern uniform, but a traveling outfit.
"Ms. Liu..."
She must have just returned to the tavern. Her figure made me widen my
eyes, and then my empty-colored pupils asked softly.
"Can I borrow a moment of your time?"
"Ms. Liu, is there no problem now? That...'Kami-sama' side..."
We left the "Mistress of Plenty" and walked a few steps until we came to an
alley.
The laughter in the pub and the noise on the avenue gradually faded away. I
thought about my words and then asked the figure from behind.
"Yes. I have said goodbye to Lady Astraea."
Miss Liu stopped and turned around.
For the "Faction War" a few days ago, Miss Lyu's main god, Astraea, came
over.
In order to say goodbye to the goddess who no longer belongs to Labyrinth
City—or to escort Lady Astraea to her current base—Miss Lyu left Orario
for a while.
Together with the second generation [Asteria Familia].
This is the final willfulness and the end.
She said so strictly abiding by etiquette, so she protected Lord God and the
others and accompanied them on their final journey.
Maybe she won't come back. I had thought this before, so now I was
relieved to see Miss Liu back, but at the same time, I couldn't help but ask
one thing.
"Is it really okay? If you don't go back to Astralia-sama..."
Lady Astraea's "favor" is still engraved on Miss Lyu's back. No matter how
painful the past was, this person is still a righteous family member and
should still be able to follow the goddess.
If I were in Miss Liu's position, my heart would definitely be shaken.
If I must separate from Lady Hestia.
If I could, I would definitely choose to be with God.
"Well, that's good. I gave up on 'justice' once. I only cared about myself and
stayed away from Astraea-sama. Now if I want to join again, it would be
too selfish."
"B-but! That is!"
"Moreover, Lady Astraea has established a new shelter. She has a new
family that admires her."
I couldn't help but lean out. At this time, Miss Liu showed a steady smile
like an elder sister comforting her younger brother.
"And I have also found a new place to stay. For example, Hill and the
others, and your side. This is my choice, Bell. I want to stay here."
"Ms. Liu..."
"I want to stay with you who saved me."
She did not stop to look back on the past, but chose the "future", Ms. Liu
said clearly.
Her hair, which had always been dyed.
Her undisguised golden hair, which has now reached her back, seems to
indicate her answer.
"Besides, this is not a separation of life and death. We can meet again if we
want to. We have also agreed to write letters to each other starting today."
——The bond between Astraea-sama, me, and Alize and the others will not
disappear.
Ms. Liu summed it up by glancing gently at her back where the goddess's
divine blood resided.
The profile of her face revealed at this moment was something I had never
seen before.
There's not a hint of haze on it. Not at all confused. This is a matter decided
by Miss Lyu and Lady Astralia.
So I decided not to interrupt.
Therefore, there is only one thing I should say.
He straightened his posture, smiled at her and said:
"Welcome back, Miss Liu."
"...I'm back, Bell."
The magic stone lamp sheds gentle light, and we are illuminated by it and
share this smile.
This dark alley, with only two people there, makes people feel very bright
and warm.
"Bell. Let's get down to business."
"Ah, by the way. Miss Liu seems to have something to say, what is it?"
After the two of them laughed for a while, Ms. Liu politely made an
opening remarks, and I suddenly remembered this incident.
Leaving the tavern on purpose, the two of them talked alone. It must be
something very important, right?
Maybe I don't want to be heard by others - thinking of this, I ha! On the
ground.
His shoulders shook violently.
"Bell. There's something I want to tell you first.
"OK.
"I like you.
"OK. ......Eh?
So many things happened before that I completely forgot about this incident
- I was confessed by Miss Liu before!
"I like you...I like a man.
And it was very clear that I was not allowed to have any misunderstandings
such as being a friend or a rabbit (pet)! !
Uh-huh! Suddenly, my whole face heated up rapidly. Instantly realizing that
he was alone with a very beautiful older elf, his heart beat uncontrollably.
——At the same time, my face also turned livid.
A series of events after the Goddess Festival rejected Miss Hill came to
mind.
A born fool (Bell Crowne) can't ignore longing.
If the other party asks me for a confessional reply, there is only one answer
I can give!
I know very well that now I have a tendency to fear "the favor of the
opposite sex". Although it is definitely not appropriate to say this, and I am
not qualified to do so, but since the incident with Miss Hill, I may have had
a psychological shadow of "rejecting other people's favor".
If my grandpa were here, he would probably say to me, "Why are you so
proud? Otherwise, I would be too envious. It's unreasonable!" ! ", but it's
really painful! !
Ms. Liu's empty pupils were fixed on me!
There is no way out! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, even if
there is, we can't run away! !
"...Originally, not just you, but Hestia-sama should also come along."
Do you even want to get the approval of gods (parents)——! ?
Stupid thoughts spread out uncontrollably, and Miss Liu didn't know if she
noticed something was wrong with my expression. She was looking at me
too seriously.
There were only two of us in the stone alley.
In a situation most suitable for a confidential conversation, she opened her
thin lips.
"Bell——"
"P-please wait a moment, I'm not ready yet——!?"
My too embarrassing voice was in vain, and Ms. Liu said "business".
"I want to join your [Familia]."
".....................Eh?"
Needless to say, I looked stupid.
"Lyu-dono wants to join the [Hestia Familia]!?"
the next morning.
Miss Ming's surprised voice blended into the clear blue sky.
"Yes. I have obtained permission to convert from Lady Astraea."
Hearing Miss Liu say so clearly, not only Miss Ming, but also Lily, Welf,
Miss Haruhime, and Lord Kami were all shocked.
This is the base of the [Hestia Familia], the atrium of the [Zohuo Pavilion].
As the intermediary, I, the group leader, created an opportunity for
negotiation between the two parties.
"I know you are very powerful, and you are also a fairy with a strong heart.
As far as the Lord God (myself) is concerned, you should be more than
welcome, but..."
"You have to resign from the tavern, right? It's a shame that the dwarf is
willing to let you go..."
"Ciel... No, Mia's mother told me before. She said, 'If you want to go
somewhere, leave the store quickly.'"
The terrifying dwarf landlady appeared in the minds of Hestia-sama and
Welf. Seeing this, Miss Lyu said what she had said to her before - before
and after the incident with the heretics (Benny and the others). Order".
"I have a troublesome sense of justice, so I can't stay in one place forever."
Mia-san seemed to sigh and complain to Miss Lyu who left the tavern
several times to help us. And those trips out again and again were also
because of us, which made me very sad... After the war game ended, after
Miss Liu informed Miss Mia of her will, "Now that you've found a place to
stay, go quickly. Stupid girl."
The dwarf shopkeeper didn't seem to look at her and said this while
cooking.
Miss Liu bowed deeply.
"Thanks to the full Cinderellas, there are enough people now. ...And they
seem to be better at it than me."
Ms. Liu added this, probably feeling a little embarrassed at the same time.
Her eyes moved down, looking a little disappointed. I smiled bitterly at this,
and then she cheered up again and raised her head.
"I have completed the exorcism through Astraea-sama. Although I am a
fairy who has made countless mistakes, if you are willing... I want to join
this [Familia]."
The "favor" engraved on her back has completed her farewell to Lady
Astralia.
It's not a seal of [ability], it's a state of "waiting for conversion".
And even if she changes her religion, Lady Astralia's divine blood will still
remain on Miss Lyu's back.
The "justice (bond)" with the important people (Miss Aliza) will not
disappear.
Ms. Liu gently held her left shoulder with her right hand and looked at us
with straightforward eyes.
The first person to respond was Miss Ming.
"Of course! It's an honor for me to be in the same faction as Mr. Liu and to
challenge the same adventure!"
Ever since the battle with "Hegeria" on the 18th floor, Miss Ming had
learned a lot about the form of a fairy using "Parallel Chant". Now she is
like a child, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"No [Familia] can refuse when a first-level adventurer asks to join them.
Right?"
"Yes! And we have been helped many times by Lyu-sama, so there is no
reason to refuse!"
"Level 6 joins, Lord Bell has also reached Lv. 5... faction level... guild tax...
ugh, head...!"
Welf and Miss Haruhime also smiled and agreed. There was about one staff
officer holding his head in his hands and mumbling in pain...but there must
be no problem.
And I don't need to mention it.
The addition of new members was approved by all members.
"Okay, then it's decided! The conversion ceremony will be held later, now -
Goblin-kun, welcome to our [Familia]!"
Finally, Lord Kami expressed his welcome loudly.
Seeing us, headed by Miss Ming, who couldn't help but make a fuss with
joy, Miss Liu narrowed her eyes.
"Liliruka."
"Eh?...Ah, I'm here!"
Lily was startled when she was suddenly called by her name instead of the
honorific title she had used so far (Miss Artie).
We were equally astonished.
"Welf, Ming, Haruhime...and Bell. And Lady Hestia. Please give me your
advice in the future."
Maybe this is the rule Miss Liu has in mind.
Family members who live under the same roof should not use honorific
titles, but should address them by their names with equal sight.
Seeing that Miss Lyu handed over our names as preciously as she treated
the former Miss Aliza and the [Asteria Familia], we couldn't help but smile
a little embarrassedly.
From now on, this powerful, beautiful, and more-right-than-everyone
person is truly going to be a partner.
Miss Lyu joined the [Hestia Familia].
Our [Family Family] has grown again.
"Elf-kun, you are such a good boy! You are worthy of being a member of
Astraea's family! Unlike some sneaky cat-kun, now I can safely leave Bellkun in your care!"
"Where are you looking, Lady Hestia!"
"Isn't it because you want to sneak away every time? Haruhime-kun too,
your natural behavior without any malice is even worse!"
"throat!?"
"In this regard, she is great for being polite and consistent on the outside.
Goblin-kun, just tell me if you have anything! I'm very optimistic about
you!"
Kami-sama gave a favorable review to the mysophobic Ms. Lyu, and he
was full of praise. In response, Lily said, "The difference in treatment is too
big!" They kept arguing, and Ms. Haruhime was also affected for some
reason, and it immediately turned into the same dispute scene as always.
Miss Ming hurriedly stepped forward to stop her, while Welf was
speechless. I was thinking, 'I wonder if Miss Liu, who is serious by nature,
can adapt to this kind of atmosphere?', and I was a little worried. But at this
moment, "...Well, actually, there is something going on right now, okay?"
Faced with the gods who stopped moving for an instant, Miss Liu made a
request.
"As for the problems that will arise when I join the group...or rather, it's a
request from the guild, hoping to change the name."
"Hmm? What does this mean?"
"After all, [Hayate (me)] is apparently dead."
Master Kami tilted his head, and after hearing what she said, I roughly
understood what was going on.
In the case of the Destroyer, [High Wind] has been deemed dead. But in the
war game that was broadcast to the entire city, Miss Liu made a very
conspicuous appearance...
"Actually, this matter has been cleared up, but... after all, the management
agency has issued an official statement, so for the sake of face, I hope that I
will not use my real name (Lyu Leon) when registering as an adventurer."
It seems that the gods are amused and the residents of the maze hotel street
are protecting me, so now it is like "[Hayate] is dead, so that must not be
[Hayate], what are you talking about?", but I noticed that There are not a
few people who believe the truth no matter what. Although they are
considered dead and their names have been removed, it is still quite
embarrassing for the guild to see a person who was once on the blacklist
appear openly.
Therefore, due to her contribution to the suppression of the "Dark Period"
and political reasons such as not being able to let the super-valuable Level 6
idle, the governing body (guild) seems to have asked her to "at least change
her name."
"That means you have to register with the guild under a false name, right?
You're not transferring from the [Asteria Familia], but you're a novice
adventurer with unknown experience."
"A new adventurer at Level 6 sounds really ridiculous..."
"But it's nothing like this, right? It's just a name change on the document, it
doesn't mean your real name has been changed."
Lily expressed her approval, Miss Ming shed a cold sweat, and Master
Kami expressed his understanding.
Of course we had no objection, so together with Ms. Lyu who said "Thank
you very much", we started thinking about names for the new members.
"Well, there shouldn't be a need to change the entire name, right?"
"Yeah, just change the last name, right? If possible, I would also like to
throw Clozzo away..."
"Lyu Leon-sama, just change your last name..."
"How about borrowing your surname from Mia-dono and becoming Lyu
Grande-dono...?"
"Hmm, it feels a bit too wild..."
"Fairy-kun, do you have any last name you want to change?"
Me, Welf, Haruhime-san, Ming-san and Lily were sitting in a circle on the
grass in the atrium, racking their brains and thinking, while Kami-sama
asked briskly.
At this time, Miss Liu, who had been sitting upright, was stunned for a
while...and then glanced at me, acting suspiciously for some reason.
I saw her constantly looking to both sides, blushing and whispering:
"L-Lyu...Lyu-Kronni..."
Snapped! ! of.
Kami-sama went around behind him with great speed, and quickly equipped
the shoe (sandal) on his right hand to hit the back of Ms. Liu's head, making
a crisp sound.
"I thought you were the only one who wasn't like this!!"
"No, that's not the case. Since you want to join the [Familiar Clan] and
borrowing the name of a god is too scary, then naturally you should borrow
the last name of the leader...!!"
"I can clearly see your evil thoughts (lies), you useless demon-kun!!"
"Please calm down, Lady Hestia!?"
Facing Mr. Kami who waved his shoes and shouted loudly, Ms. Liu rubbed
the back of her head and tried to defend herself.
It feels reasonable, eh... but it still feels quite forced...
Kami-sama looked like he was going to drive away Miss Ryu, who was
rarely able to join the group. Miss Mikoto tried her best to stop her, Lily
sided with Kami-sama, and Miss Haruhime was in a dilemma, not knowing
what to do. The atrium of the base suddenly became noisy.
Miss Liu is still trying to defend herself. Until now, I have always thought
that she is very majestic, handsome, and beautiful... But for some reason,
she suddenly feels like a loser.
"...It seems like she can adapt faster than I thought."
"Um..."
With a bit of escapism, I nodded in agreement with Welf.
"'Lyu Astraea'... Although I shouldn't say this, I really don't want to hide it
at all."
After receiving the new adventurer's documents from me, Miss Eina said
with a wry smile.
This is the guild headquarters, in the private room used for conversations.
The post-processing of the war game finally came to an end, so I came to
visit Miss Eina, and also came to make various reports and discuss some
things.
"Yes, it turned out to be 'Wouldn't it be good to imitate the original Lord
God (Asteria)?'..."
I was taken into the well-soundproofed room I had been using. After the
two of them laughed dryly across the table for a while, I sat down again.
"Miss Eina. Then... from now on, our [Familiar] will be..."
"...Yeah. This is an official notification from the guild."
I posed like a defendant in a courtroom awaiting judgment, and Miss Eina
handed over a piece of parchment with both hands. The paper is stamped
with the coat of arms of the governing body (guild), and it says -
"[Hestia Familia] has been promoted to B level. Congratulations."
...B.
...I was promoted from D level to B level in one breath...
"Our [Familia], even including Miss Lyu, there are only six people..."
"Well, I know it very well, but... with two first-level adventurers and a
faction with Level 6, there is really no way to think that it is less than Blevel..."
I asked tremblingly with my last glimmer of hope. Miss Eina, who had a
somewhat solemn tone when announcing the official notification just now,
also had a very difficult expression on her face. "There are also many
opinions that it should not be B, but should be promoted to A, right?" She
said so, and I naturally couldn't argue with it.
The largest faction in the city (Loki Familia) is S, and the now-defunct
Beauty Faction (Ishtar Familia) is A. Such a comparison shows how heavy
the B-class evaluation is. Whether it is Master Loki or Master Ishtar, they
are all large-scale factions, and the number and quality of their members are
far beyond ordinary.
"A super small number of elite factions".
[Hestia Familia] seems to be positioned like this now.
(Not long ago, I was still a super-small faction...)
Now I also have a huge debt (Kami-sama insists that it is his own loan)...
Anyway, in short, the taxes to be paid to the guild will rise sharply again.
You can easily imagine Lily crying in despair, it's so uncomfortable.
As the leader of the group, I have recently begun to browse the faction's
account books... It can be said that it is so miserable that I can only laugh
dryly. A large part of the rewards from the war game itself are shared with
other factions, such as the cost of the Silver Prosthetic Hand (Mihe Familia)
and the like.
"Besides the level composition of the group members, the biggest reason
is...just think about it, God Freya has become the "follower" of God
Hestia..."
Even though she knew that this was a well-soundproofed room and would
not be eavesdropped, Miss Eina still moved her face closer and naturally
lowered her voice.
exactly.
On the surface, [Freya Familia] has been disbanded, but in fact, it should be
said that Lady Freya - and now Miss Hill directly joined Lady Hestia's
banner.
From the perspective of the city (Orario), it is impossible to let go of the
huge fighting power of the Tough Warrior.
But the goddess of beauty (Freya) who "charms" the entire city is terrifying.
These two earnest and true ideas conflicted with each other, and the final
compromise was to "become a follower of the Virgin Goddess (Hestia)".
If it is the virgin goddess (Hestia) who purified the "Hakoniwa", even if
something goes wrong, she can still function as the safety device of the
"Beautiful God". And if Ms. Hill can obey the command of the "Kami",
even if it is just As a matter of fact, Mr. Ota and the others will not leave the
city, and will even contribute to the exploration of the dungeon. Therefore,
they are only in the position of "terrible tavern employees" on the surface,
or "family members waiting to be converted" who will never accept
recruitment... In short, this seems to be the judgment of the guild leaders.
There was a lot of political stuff involved, so I didn't even understand half
of it.
To put it bluntly, it can also be seen as the great power of [Freya Familia]
being absorbed by [Hestia Familia]. Of course, it's impossible to fight
together, let alone order them... It's actually too scary that we can't do it at
all.
Therefore, to be precise, [Hestia Familia] seems to be B(S) level.
The official information is B, but within the guild (high-level officials), it is
regarded as S.
Although it sounds a bit strange, to put it bluntly, this is what it is.
"National [Familia] like the Kingdom of Lakia often seems to adopt such a
system, but there is basically no such system in the Labyrinth City... In
other words, this is the first time I have heard of it. This is probably also
because of the beauty sect clan (Freya Familia) ) That's how powerful it is."
"Speaking of which, another beauty-sama (Ishtar-sama) also said at that
time that it would be difficult for the guild to take action."
"Yes. ...So what has become? How is the relationship with [Freya
Familia]?"
At this time, Miss Eina asked worriedly.
To reassure her, I arched my eyebrows and smiled.
"We probably won't be exploring dungeons together, but... other than that,
they've been really helpful in all aspects."
The ones who are most cared for are the "guards" who were also discussed
at the celebration party the day before yesterday.
Miss Hill asked Mr. Hegney, Master, and Mr. Alfric to keep vigil around the
base area, especially around Miss Haruhime, 24 hours a day. , In addition,
after knowing that [Hayate] was still alive, people who had a grudge against
Miss Lyu seemed to appear frequently, but... these were all eliminated by
Master and others following Miss Hill's instructions. We do it without
leaving any trace in places we don't know.
In other words, [Hestia Familia] is now under the protection of tough
warriors including first-level adventurers. The "Battle Wilderness" is now
under the custody of the guild and cannot be used. Therefore, Mr. Fan, a
half-human race, and the others have turned to the dungeon as their main
battlefield. They explore the maze every day, and at the same time
alternately guard the "Zohuo Pavilion" - or secretly guard it. ——
Responsibilities.
To put it bluntly, the current "Zohuo Pavilion" is the safest place in the
world.
This is undoubtedly the most terrifying military situation (security).
"This is not atonement, just 'duty'."
Ms. Hill said this without accepting our thanks, but... thanks to that person,
Ms. Haruhime and Ms. Lyu can spend every day in the sun.
To put it to the extreme, without Miss Hill and the others, it would have
been difficult for Miss Lyu to join the [Hestia Familia].
"So, please don't worry. Thanks to Ms. Hill, there will never be any
disputes."
"Really? That would be good..."
Upon hearing the word "Miss Hill", Miss Eina showed a somewhat
complicated expression.
I'm afraid there is still a gap between the two of them, as there was
something about the "Hako Garden" before. I can understand that she still
can't completely feel relieved. After all, neither I nor Miss Eina are saints.
So, I still smiled at Eina-san with the intention of apologizing.
"...I'm sorry. Since you all have accepted it, Bell-kun, and made your
decision, I shouldn't interrupt. Then, let's talk about what happens next."
"Okay! Please!"
Miss Eina cheered up and spread out the labyrinth illustration on the table. I
nodded vigorously.
What happens next——naturally refers to the policy of "exploring the
dungeon".
"What is the intention of [Family]?"
"After all, I haven't been to a dungeon (dungeon) since the Goddess
Festival, so I discussed with everyone whether we should let our bodies get
used to it near the "middle floor" first. With the 18th floor as our base, it's
not okay to stay in the dungeon for a while. no."
Me, Lily, and Haruhime-san have all been [upgraded], and Lv. 6-san has
joined us.
Before and after the Goddess Festival—to be precise, the "two major
festivals" including the Elegy Festival—the [Hestia Familia] team status
became very different. In order to reconfirm what can and cannot be done
with our power, we also need to explore on a safe floor. This is the current
policy of the [Family].
"Every time a new combat force (member) joins the team, tactics and
coordination must be re-examined and updated.
This is the opinion of Ms. Liu, a battle-experienced adventurer.
Commander Lily agreed very much.
Ms. Eina also said, "Well, I think this is the best," and expressed her
affirmation.
"Leon... what about Astraea's position? Is she really a 'magic swordsman'?"
"Well...she said that she is basically qualified for all positions, so she will
go wherever there is a shortage of people. She can also be a forward, a
defender...and she also said that a therapist can probably do it, but don't
have excessive expectations..."
"Hmm, um~~Hmm...she is really a very powerful adventurer."
I couldn't help but be a little vague, and Eina-san, who was writing down
notes with a quill pen, also held on to her glasses that were about to slip off
several times.
Ms. Lyu herself possesses "Reply Magic", and now with the newly revealed
"Inheritance Magic (Memories of Astraea)", she can use all kinds of
abilities of the former justice faction (Miss Aliza and others). magic. For
example, the "wide-area healing magic" possessed by healers.
To put it bluntly, Miss Liu can really do anything on her own.
Although I am also a first-level adventurer, there is a clear gap in level
between me and Ms. Liu, who can only cut into enemy formations.
It can be said that her addition has made the formation of [Hestia Familia]
rock solid.
(As for wishes, Lily also said that she wanted to be a pure "mage" or
"healer" so that Ms. Liu could move freely, but... she was still too greedy.)
anyway. Thanks to Ms. Liu, the long-range firepower and reply are quite
sufficient.
If we use Welf's "Magic Sword" and Miss Naza's props to supplement it,
there will be no dead ends.
so.
According to my judgment and the calculations of my staff (Lily), [Hestia
Familia] can move to the next stage.
"Bell-kun, what do you think?"
As if reading my thoughts, Miss Eina asked, and I answered clearly:
"I'm thinking about going to a new floor... I want to go deeper than the 27th
floor."
After experiencing the saboteur incident, although the "Mysterious City of
Water" has not been completely explored, it should no longer be a problem.
If Haruhime-san performs all-level sublimation, the team will be able to
maintain a status of at least Level 3 for all members. Even if you refer to the
recommended level for reaching each floor set by the guild, this kind of
combat power is enough to safely go to the 36th floor, which is only one
step away from the "deep".
When she was in [Asteria Familia], Ms. Liu had gone as far as the 41st
floor. With her knowledge and experience, even if it was the first time she
set foot on the floor, there shouldn't be any mistakes - with me Differently,
Lily and the others, together with the Heretics, reached the 37th floor by
their own strength, so they should have experienced the atmosphere of the
"lower level" to some extent.
Of course, I don't intend to force everyone.
I must not be the only one who rushes forward and puts Lily and the others
in danger.
So, be fully prepared. Also re-examine team coordination in dungeons.
Then, solemnly, safely, truly—moving forward steadily, I revealed my will
to Miss Eina.
"...That's right. The combat power is at a qualified level, no, it should be
considered excessive. That's what it means to have "two first-level
adventurers including you". Going past the safe floor on the 28th floor and
heading to the 29th floor should be That's right."
The layer name starting from the 29th floor is "Dense Forest Canyon".
There is a large dense forest different from the "Big Tree Maze", and
powerful individuals of the dinosaur type such as "Blood Dragon" will
begin to appear. It is a disputed area that must reach Level 3 to conquer.
I recalled the floor information taught to me in the lecture and nodded in
reply. At this moment——Miss Eina, who had always had a slightly serious
expression, suddenly smiled.
"It's unbelievable to think that those days when you were running around on
the fifth floor screaming and being chased by the Minotaur were half a year
ago..."
...Does she mean that time flies by quickly?
Or does it feel like a long time has passed?
I couldn't find out what she meant, but Miss Eina continued:
"A lot of things have happened to you during this period, including many
that I don't know about... You are truly an 'adventurer', Bell-kun. Really,
you have become your own person."
Looking at that stable yet somewhat lonely look, how should I put it, it
doesn't look like a sister who is happy for her brother's growth... more like
the look a parent would show when looking at a child who is about to leave
the nest.
When I came back to my senses, I found myself staring at those green jade
pupils in fascination.
"Isn't it impolite to say this to a first-level adventurer?"
"Ah, no...!...To be honest, I don't feel like I've really become a first-level
adventurer..."
"Huhu...Actually, I am too."
Miss Eina smiled softly, and finally said to me as if she had sorted out her
thoughts:
"You probably don't need my advice anymore."
"!"
"Maybe it's more accurate to say that I can't help you anymore. Although I
can still teach you the knowledge in books, but... now that you have become
a first-level adventurer, you can think carefully by yourself, and then Got
the answer."
——So what I am thinking about, you are also thinking about carefully.
I can only say some innocuous things. Miss Eina said so.
"No—!!"
"No, it just happens. After all, I'm not an adventurer."
"!!"
"The adventurers and I...and the first-level adventurer (you) can see
different things."
She said to me with a smile, but I couldn't immediately refute.
Miss Eina, who is not an adventurer, is probably "isolated" from us -
especially the thoughts of senior adventurers.
"Adventurers must not take risks."
This is undoubtedly a wise saying for lower-level adventurers, but Miss
Eina's words will become increasingly untrue for adventurers who continue
to climb higher.
Because we already know one thing, that is, "the day when we must take
risks" will eventually come. The instincts we have cultivated so far have
taught us that as long as we keep exploring the depths of the maze
(dungeon) with a goal in mind, we cannot avoid this.
There is a decisive difference between the scenery that Miss Eina and I are
looking at now, and the scenery that we can see.
"Well, it's not because of that, but..."
Eina-san understood this fact more clearly than I did, and she said this as if
she wanted to "mind her own business" at the end: "Do you want to take a
rest? Bell-kun?"
"Well...?"
"You've been through so much and had more adventures than anyone else,
and because of that... I just thought I'd like you to relax a bit."
Miss Eina continued to speak to me, who had my eyes wide open:
"I know very well that you have a goal that you want to achieve, right? ...
You are admiring the Wallenstein family and want to catch up with her.
After all, that's how you came to discuss with me in the first place. I know
this very well."
"..."
"So, it will be fine in a while. If you work hard all the time, your heart will
really break down without you realizing it. You are in excellent condition,
and this is especially true when you keep refreshing your goals..."
After the heretic incident, after returning from the "deep", I took a good rest
for a while before going to the dungeon again——but that's probably not
what she was referring to.
What Miss Eina wants to say should be more...
"For example, reward yourself...or try to do something 'new'."
"'Something new'..."
"Well, this is my personal experience. When things are not going well, or
when you are working very hard, it is the right time to do something
different. This will broaden your horizons and help you achieve your goals
incredibly. It helps."
How about taking a look at "Things Beyond the Dungeon"?
That's what Miss Eina wanted to say.
"After reaching B level, [Hestia Familia] will frequently receive mandatory
missions from 'Expeditions' and will definitely challenge dungeons. So,
until then, just stay calm, broaden your horizons, and slowly How about
spending every day peacefully. ...That's how I feel."
After all, the faction level has just risen, and there are still tax issues, so it
should be very difficult to completely stay away from dungeon exploration.
I have reached Level 5 - the once distant background of longing is now
gradually visible, so I still have the desire to run forward in my heart.
However, maybe because of this, it makes sense to take a deep breath and
look around now.
The "Faction War" ended and I was given the title of "First Level
Adventurer", which made me become a little impatient unconsciously. I
only realized this now.
"I'm sorry. You are obviously very motivated, but I said these words like
pouring cold water on you."
"...No, it's nothing."
Miss Eina glanced at me guiltily, and I shook my head.
Probably after I became a first-level adventurer, she felt that she had
nothing to teach anymore and felt very guilty, as she just said.
But, it's not like that at all.
No matter how much I increase my level, it cannot change the fact that I
have only been an adventurer for less than half a year.
Compared to Miss Ais and others, and compared to other first-level
adventurers, even as a human being, I am overwhelmingly lacking in
knowledge and experience. There are still many, many things I have to
learn.
And the one who thinks most about this first-level adventurer (me), who is
more immature than anyone else, is Miss Eina.
"Miss Eina...I noticed a lot of things."
Like Kami-sama, my sister (Ms. Eina), who knows me better than myself,
said so.
That must be right, she is enough to make me trust and identify with her so
much.
"It is indeed right to consult Miss Eina."
I turned the thoughts in my mind directly into words and said with a smile.
The green jade eyes in the depths of Eina's glasses opened wide, and then
she also became smiling.
We stared at each other for a while, then laughed out loud at the same time,
squirming as if itching was unbearable.
"But, what's new... What kind of thing is better?"
"You don't have to find something new to do, right? If you're interested, just
give it a try. That's the best way."
Right now it's about adjusting the body and confirming the team's
coordination. Deliberately not setting future goals.
After deciding on the policy, Eina-san and I walked out of the conversation
box together. It was afternoon now, and most of the adventurers had gone to
the dungeon, so the guild headquarters seemed wider than usual.
Eina looked at me kindly, who was immediately troubled, and at that
moment——
"!"
"Bell-kun? What's wrong?"
I heard some kind of "sound" and looked out the window.
"...The sound of 'flute'? No, this is..."
I couldn't help but murmur to myself because of the sound I had never
heard since coming to Orario.
Miss Aegina didn't hear it, only the hearing of a first-level adventurer who
had experienced several sublimations caught the faint heavy bass - at this
time, an Orc Guild employee ran in from the entrance.
The clerk whispered something to the receptionist behind the counter, and
then the other clerks started moving at the same time.
The same goes for the sporadic adventurers.
They seemed to have noticed something, and they simply ran out and left
the guild headquarters as if they were watching something fun.
"What happened...? I always feel like I'm suddenly in a hurry..."
Just when I was confused by the sudden incident, Eina-san whispered
"Ahh...":
"It's the 'School District' that's back."
--"School District"?
It's an unfamiliar word... No, I've heard it somewhere before.
I remember that when we first visited the orphanage on Maze Street, Rai
and the others mentioned it...?
"Would you like to go take a look?"
"Eh?"
"The return of the 'School District' to Hong Kong can be regarded as a big
celebration in the city. Entry is definitely allowed on the city wall now."
Back to, back to Hong Kong?
But she said on the city wall?
I looked like I didn't understand the situation at all, and Miss Eina smiled.
"I also have to give you a good welcome."
As if she had not sorted out her inner feelings, she gave a stiff smile.
Miss Ais and I have practiced many times on it - Miss Ais knows the
unblocked entrance (shortcut) - the top of the city wall is in the northwest
direction.
The city wall that the guild is now allowed to enter is in the southwest.
"I see it! I can already see it!"
"I haven't seen you in three years!"
Miss Eina and I walked south from the "Guild Headquarters" in the
northwest of the city. After climbing the long stairs of the tall city wall, I
was instantly greeted by the cheers of many people hitting my eardrums.
Ordinary people without belongings, adventurers, guild employees, and
even merchants and travelers.
While I was shocked by the number of people gathered at the edge of the
city, I managed to reach the front of the crenellation.
"That is...!"
I looked in the direction where everyone was pointing, to the southwest of
the city wall.
There is a huge port town, with a wide soda lake in front.
Deeper into the lake is the sea.
Just on the horizon of the sea, there is a "huge outline" that ordinary people
can clearly see.
"The town is floating!?"
The adventurer's vision clearly saw every detail of the "outline", and I
shouted out.
The metallic brilliance that reflects the sun's rays.
An overwhelming body and majestic appearance, as if three "big discs"
were stacked on top of each other.
Densely arranged on the upper part of the disk are genuine buildings and a
huge "tower".
The whole thing is entwined with "blue feathers" or "feather coats", and it
shines with a strange brilliance in the inorganic structure. Its shape is like
people building a town on the back of a sea dragon—— Is that a town?
city?
Or the country?
Could it be that... that turned out to be a "ship"! ?
"The name of that 'ship' is 'Heringhoni'. Unparalleled, the largest ship in the
world."
Miss Eina, who was standing next to me who was speechless, narrowed her
eyes as if looking at another hometown.
Miss Eina's words made me take a breath, and I also discovered something.
The "sound" heard at the guild headquarters was not a "flute" - it was a
"ship whistle".
It's the huge whistle sound made by the exceptional "magic stone product"!
"The official name is the 'Marine Academic Institutions Special Zone' -
commonly known as the 'School District'."
She said this to me, and almost at the same time, the enthusiasm of the
people gathered above the city wall broke out in one breath.
"'School District' is back oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh!!"
The "super giant ship" arrives with the cheers of the labyrinth city.
My eyes were wide open, and my face was indeed filled with excitement.
Maybe it's because of the adventurous nature.
Or maybe it's because of the "unknown" I saw for the first time.
But all in all, the visit from a world I didn't know existed really made my
heart swell.