When the rescue team, which consisted of Bete, Filvis, Lefiya, and Yoruichi, was about to leave, Bete first questioned Loki's decision, "Are you sure about this, Loki? Although I don't really like it, I can understand that the Elf is coming with us as she's a Level 3... But why do we have to take this Level 2 baggage with us?" Bete pointed at Yoruichi while asking.
Dionysus and Filvis were shocked as they thought that the other reinforcement is at least a level 3 which is already the bare minimum to explore the 24th Floor, "Loki, you're not joking, right? She's just going to throw her life away."
Loki's expression didn't change and reassured them, "It's fine. She can also lead to Ais faster." She then faced the ever-smiling Yoruichi, "Isn't that right?"
"Yeah~. I should be able to tell the general direction they went. They're our girls, after all." Yoruichi answered in an upbeat tone.
"Tsk." Clicking his tongue, Bete agreed since he can't actually go against Loki's decision and that it was only a waste of time. "Just don't hold us back. Let's go." He then started running towards the Tower of Babel without minding his supposed companions.
"Well, that's just how he is, Yoruichi-kun. Don't mind his attitude too much. He's actually a pretty kind guy that can't leave others alone." Loki defended her child.
"I can tell that, but I don't really like his mouth and his tendency to underestimate others. There are other ways to dissuade others to not become an Adventurer." Yoruichi then started running after him.
Filvis and Lefiya bid their farewell to their respective Gods and followed after the two.
"What's this, Loki? You have hidden forces?" Dionysus asked while looking at Yoruichi's back.
"Hidden forces? I don't really have them, ask Freya about that." Loki only answered as such before turning around and leaving the blond God alone.
Dionysus only stared at Loki until her back disappeared and left. It was unknown what he was thinking.
On their way, the group decided that their first stop would be the 18th floor's Under Resort, Rivira to gather some information on what exactly Ais and her group's objective on the 24th Floor was, so they could pinpoint their exact location.
Bete, however, was gobsmacked. It was supposed to be his job to lead the group, yet it was Yoruichi who was in front and he can't seem to catch up to her. Normally, the one leading is the first one who would meet the monsters and would be slowed down by them. However, Yoruichi only shifted through the crowd of rampaging monsters without any damage landing on her while the other three had to deal with killing the monsters that were blocking their way.
After going through the army of Minotaurs on the 17th floor, Yoruichi turned to the other three who were killing them and said with a smile, "I'm going first~. I'll go gather information in Rivira before we go to the 24th Floor."
"Goddammit!" Bete couldn't help but be frustrated as he kicked away multiple Minotaurs that were coming for him as he tried to catch up. It didn't make him feel better when he was reminded that it was him who said that Yoruichi will be holding them back. Who could have thought that a Level 2, which is the weakest of them all could outrun them? Only Lefiya was not surprised about this because she heard that she was from 'that' Hestia Familia who had monstrous Level 2s which even she can't defeat.
Yoruichi arrived at Rivira soon after. She could have just led the group straight towards Ais's location thanks to the Ki markings that Koneko left as they travel, but she first wanted to see Sona's second letter which she placed in Rivira.
Going to their agreed upon spot, Yoruichi removed a certain rock from the wall of the 18th floor and uncovered Sona's letter. She then went through it a single time before burning it to cinders, 'So it's the Hermes Familia... Chances are, this is the Guild's secret quest like Sona suspected. I already checked the spot where they met with the black-robed person, but that guy already erased his tracks.'
Yoruichi was about to go back to her group, but she suddenly noticed a mild scent of blood. It wasn't supposed to be rare as monsters would sometimes come to the 18th Floor, however, what caught her attention is the scent of a person's blood on another person.
Although Sona, Aika, and Koneko's situation is urgent, she didn't want to miss this chance as it might lead to something. Besides, she could just teleport to their exact location if there's really an emergency or their lives were in danger.
Yoruichi exited Rivira and followed the scent of blood and found two people dressed in white which covered everything, except for their eyes. Their attire immediately jogged a piece of certain information inside Yoruichi's head, 'That attire... It's similar to the description of what Evilus's members wore during its active periods.'
Yoruichi silently followed the two sneaking people until they reached the western side of the 18th floor and stopped at a certain spot of the wall. They waited there for a good few minutes before the wall suddenly split into two and opened like a door, revealing a large hallway beyond it.
Yoruichi was dumbfounded that something like this existed and tried to follow them when they entered. However, she suddenly stopped her steps when she felt that there was some sort of surveillance placed around and didn't risk it.
Yoruichi stepped back and changed her position to get a better view of the place and waited there for another half an hour to see if someone would come out. But during those times, there was no activity of any sort from it and she gave up for today, 'I'll bring Kisuke here after he's done with his things.'
She then went back to the other three and found them having devolved into drama, 'What now?'
She came into the scene where Bete was doing a wall slam on Filvis with a nasty smile painted over his face, "I don't know about the details, but word is that you threw your comrades away and managed to survive on your own. Serves you right. Why are you still an Adventurer? It would have been better if you had just died."
"Bete-san!" Lefiya shouted at him.
Filvis, on the other hand, only smiled dejectedly, "...It's exactly as you said. That day, without dying alongside my Familia and comrades, I continued to live in shame... Ungracefully."
She then looked up to Bete with a defeated expression, "You've heard the rumors, right? What are you going to do? Disband here? I might just kill you guys."
Bete eyes widened as he could see genuine resignation in her eyes. He gritted his teeth and didn't like her answer at all. Smashing the wall behind her, Bete turned around and muttered as he walked away, "People that I hate the most, are those who literally interpret rumors like that... People like you."
Lefiya could only stay silent after witnessing all of that until Filvis suddenly called out to her, "Lefiya Viridis. Even if it's a mere rumor, don't associate with me. Don't come near me. I'm tainted."
Lefiya didn't know what to say. She didn't want to end it like this. Filvis was someone she looked up to after seeing her gracefully and beautifully fight through the monsters earlier. Most of all, she had a feeling that it wasn't as simple as it seemed. She wanted to say something, but no words came to her mind as she watched her leave and probably go on her own which was very dangerous.
"I don't want to taint my brethren," Filvis muttered.
That was the final straw as Lefiya suddenly grabbed her hand and prevented her from leaving.
Gritting her teeth, Filvis shouted, "Let go of me! I'm-"
However, Lefiya interrupted her, "Not tainted!" Lefiya looked into her eyes and said, "You're not tainted! You're much more beautiful than me and... very nice!" Due to the lack of her lexicon, she could only say such.
Still, Filvis was not yet convinced, "Ho-how would you know that!? Quit spouting nonsense! We barely just met not long ago!"
"Eh!?" Lefiya panicked, but she still told her what was on her mind, "I... I will continue to find out more about you!!"
Filvis's mind blanked out after hearing her, 'What's this...? What is this feeling?' She asked herself as this is the first time she would be actually treated this way. A few seconds later, due to this strange feeling, she couldn't help but smile and laughed a little, "Ku... What was that? That really isn't an appropriate"
"Eh!?" Lefiya was dumbfounded, realized the underlying tone of her words and covered her face in embarrassment, "Auu..."
"When I heard from Aika that you like girls, I didn't believe her. But after seeing this, I can't doubt her words anymore." Yoruichi approached them with a smile.
"Eh? Since when were you here!?" Lefiya asked in panic.
"Since that guy did a wall slam."
"Since the beginning!?"
"And by the way, that mutt didn't actually leave and has been eavesdropping all this while." Yoruichi pointed behind her.
"Wh-!?" From behind the tree, the startled Bete could be heard and the two girls couldn't help but look strangely at his location.
"Now then~. Let's go to the 24th-floor ~. Ais and our girls are currently with the Hermes Familia and are currently heading towards the pantry of that floor." Their journey resumed with a strange awkwardness between them thanks to Yoruichi.
'What-ever-it-is-currently-called' corner
Alexander: Wow. This chapter has a talk show format. But Bete needs a bashing again. Beat him up every time you see him, until he stops running his mouth.
28th00: Bete has some pretty bad PTSD that seems to be invoked when he sees people just "accepting" their shitty fate, at least, I think so? He's incredibly abrasive, but he ain't evil or anything. He seems to want people to fight back whenever he does that whole bit where he antagonizes them, not run away. That's probably why Bell pisses him off so much in canon.
Goyya: Bete just doesn't like people who want to get stronger, yet doesn't put much effort. People who blame others for their mistake. And people who don't take the profession seriously.