Chapter 30 - QUEST X QUEST

P/N let me know if there's any mistakes and I will try to fix them

QUEST X QUEST

It's a clear blue sky.

The weather's been very calm these past few days. It's been a while since

I've seen a cloud in the sky over Orario.

Many people of all shapes and sizes go about their business, carrying many

different things with them underneath the gentle sunlight.

A woman is balancing a basket full of fruit on top of her head, a man is

carrying a bag full of what looks like dirty clothes, and a well-dressed merchant

walks between the two of them. Horse-drawn carriages work their way down the

middle of the street and into the throng of people.

The streets are alive with people of many races, human and demi-human

living side by side in harmony.

"T-today was rough…"

I take in the view while willing my wobbly knees forward, as I work my way

down West Main.

Aiz has been teaching me how to fight for the past three days.

We start training in the darkness before sunrise, which means my body is

beaten to a pulp before going into the Dungeon. I think I take more damage from

her than all the monsters I encounter down there combined.

People are laughing, running around on Main Street. Meanwhile, it takes all

I've got to keep putting one foot in front of the other on the stone road.

This is all so I can get stronger.

So that I can catch up to her, my instructor.

I keep telling myself that over and over and ignore my aching joints as I

make my way to the spot where Lilly is waiting for me.

"Bell…Be-ll…"

A monotone, almost lazy voice reaches my ears.

I come to a stop when I realize it's calling my name. I scan the crowd for a

moment and find the owner of the voice right away.

She's a chienthrope, a dog person named Nahza belonging to Miach Familia.

She's slowly waving at me from between two buildings that mark the

entrance to one of the backstreets. As usual, her clothing is quite strange. Her

shirtsleeves are two different lengths, the left sleeve ending just above her elbow,

but her right sleeve goes all the way down to her wrist. Her right hand is covered

by a glove. Looking farther down, I can see her thick, bushy tail sticking out

from underneath a long skirt. I watch it sway from side to side for a moment

before looking up at her half-open eyes. She motions for me to come to her.

I quietly nod and look both ways to make sure the coast is clear before

making my way through the bustling crowd toward her.

"Um, good morning. What are you doing out here—is something wrong?"

"Yes, a little something…"

This is the first time I've seen her out and about in this area in the morning.

I tilt my head in confusion as she looks back at me with a groggy stare. Her

expression unchanging, her lips start to form words.

"I was waiting for you, Bell. I thought if I was here, you would pass by…"

I always travel down West Main whenever I go to the Dungeon after leaving

home. Nahza must have known that and waited here looking for me.

As for the reason why…She pulls a rolled-up piece of paper from her pocket

and hands it to me.

"A quest. Was wondering if you'd be willing to take it up…"

"Qu-est…?"

"Yep, there's even a reward…Could you bring me what's written on the

memo?"

She and I lock eyes for a moment before she lowers her head in a bow and I

look at the "memo" in my hand.

"Think of it as helping out Lord Miach and me…Please."

"S-sure…"

"There is no time limit, but the earlier the better…Thanks a bunch."

Swish-swish! Showing more energy than she had up until now, Nahza waves

a few times before turning around and going down the backstreet. I blink a few

times as I watch her go back toward Miach Familia's home.

So, I'm doing a job for them, I guess…?

I unroll the piece of paper and have a look. It seems like there's a monster

name on top with a whole bunch of Koine, the common language, scribbled out

underneath. I stare at it for a moment, scratching my head. In any case, I should

go meet up with Lilly.

"A quest?"

I nod back at Lilly as she looks up at me in a daze.

We are in a corner of Central Park, very close to Babel Tower. We use this

spot as our meeting point because of the wide leaf tree growing here and the

brick planter it's in is at the perfect height to sit on.

The sun's bright rays make their way through the gaps in the leaves and onto

my face while I tell Lilly about my conversation with Nahza.

"This is unusual. No matter how friendly their Familias are, Lilly's never

heard of anyone giving a low-level adventurer a quest directly."

"Are quests like that?"

"Yes. It depends on the item they're looking for, but most quests issued by

Familias are accepted by high-level adventurers."

Lilly's been a supporter for a long time, so she knows far more about the

Dungeon and its ins and outs than I do. It makes sense that she would know

more about adventurers as well. "Can I see that, please?" she says, pointing at

the memo. Something in her voice sounds like it doesn't add up. I hand her the

paper.

"Well, if it's something like this, Lilly doesn't see a problem with a Level

One adventurer accepting this quest…"

The request written on the paper is to collect the drop item Blue Papillon

Wings.

Lilly's round eyes look up at me, a very ho-hum look on her face.

"Mr. Bell. Is it possible that Mr. Bell is being used? Has Mr. Bell confirmed

that the reward is prepared and ready? Lilly feels like you have been sent on an

errand…and for really cheap."

"I-I don't really think…"

…that's true. I can't finish my sentence out loud.

Thinking back on all the times that Nahza has practically forced me to buy

potions from her…It might be a little rude for me to think this, but for a moment

there, Lilly's accusations make sense.

I quickly change the subject to hide the sweat starting to pop up on my brow.

"Um, well, what exactly are quests, anyway? I feel like I've heard about them

somewhere before, but…"

If I remember right, way back when I first became an adventurer, Eina

warned me that I shouldn't "accept any strange quests." However, I've been so

focused on getting stronger since the day I met Aiz that I haven't really had time

for anything else.

Lilly scratches her chin with one of her tiny fingers as she thinks about my

question.

"Mr. Bell has a point, all adventurers will need to know about them

eventually…Okay, shall we spend the day working on this quest?"

She looks right at me as she says that last part and smiles.

"Eh, but…"

"This looks like a good opportunity. Mr. Bell seems to be very tired

recently…"

She adds that as if she can see the part of me that wants to scream out, I have

no time to waste relaxing if I'm ever going to catch up with her.

The look that she shoots from the corner of her eye makes me flinch. I've

kept her in the dark about my training with Aiz, but Lilly seems to know

something's going on…

"Resting is important, too, Mr. Bell. Let's have an easy day and accept this

quest."

"…Okay, let's do that, then."

Part of me feels like she's leading me around by the reins.

On the other hand, she seems worried about me. So I decide to take her

suggestion without any complaints.

And what she's saying makes a lot of sense, too.

"First things first, let's go to the Guild. Lilly thinks it would be good for Mr.

Bell to learn about quests for the future."

She seems kind of happy as she grabs my hand and pulls me out of Central

Park.

"In short, quests are requests made to adventurers."

The two of us are walking up Northwest Main Street.

Known as "Adventurers Way," it's a bit wider than the other main streets in

order to accommodate all the adventurers traveling through it.

"People who make these requests are called clients. They're looking for an

adventurer to solve various problems. It is the client's responsibility to prepare a

reward that fits the items requested. It's the adventurer's responsibility to collect

their reward after the quest is complete."

"Umm, that sounds an awful lot like the Blessings that the gods give us in

exchange for our support…"

"Very much so. The gods even have a saying for it: 'give-and-take.'"

The sounds of many boots hitting the stone pavement fill my ears.

It's still pretty early in the morning, so many adventurers are visiting the

Guild or buying items at one of the shops on this street to prepare for a day in the

Dungeon.

Momentarily distracted by a party of elves dressed in beautiful robes and

armor, I accidentally run into Lilly, my hand brushing across her upper thigh. I

apologize over and over as her cheeks swell up in anger. I shift my focus

completely to her explanation when she starts speaking again.

"To give an example of the average quest in Orario…When a client isn't

strong enough to retrieve an item themselves, they submit a request for an

adventurer to go into the deepest parts of the Dungeon to find that item in their

place."

"That sounds just like the 'Labyrinth City.'"

"Hee-hee-hee, sure does."

We ride the endless wave of adventurers until a large white building made of

marble comes into view, a beautiful structure that looks like a large temple: the

Guild Headquarters.

We make our way through the front garden and into the busy lobby,

adventurers sliding past one another through the narrow doors.

Lilly, who has already "transformed" into an animal-people child, leads me

through the crowd and stops in front of a long bulletin board. I follow close

behind, watching the wolflike ears on top of her head twitch from side to side.

"Most quests are posted by the Guild here. These are the quests available

now."

Pieces of paper are pinned all over the bulletin board. Some of them have

information about the Dungeon or tips for adventurers, but most are the quests

Lilly's talking about.

I can see item lists and rewards as well as client signatures and Familia

emblems written on the papers.

"Let's see…'Hellhound Fangs x10'…'Twenty-fourth floor—I would like to

trade the items listed below for the fruit of a jewel tree'… 'Recruiting battle-

party members to face a floor boss. *Attention—Only adventurers Level Three

and above will be considered'…"

I can feel the muscles in my cheeks tightening as I read through the requests.

Looking at them from a difficulty standpoint, most of these are still well out

of my league. The only one that I find that looks doable is a request for "Orc

Hide x30."

I don't think anyone could take care of that in one day…Sounds very

difficult, actually.

"As Mr. Bell can see, most quests take place in the middle levels and below."

Middle levels: the area of the Dungeon that starts on the thirteenth floor.

Adventurers need to be at least Level 2 to survive.

Adventurers who level up are known as upper-class adventurers. Only they

can enter.

"Why aren't there many quests on the upper levels?"

"Because most Familias and adventurers are strong enough to go get those

items themselves. Unless they're not cut out for being an adventurer, as long as

they have time and form a battle party, almost anyone can go as far as the lower

seventh."

Oh, I get it.

Most of the adventurers in Orario have yet to level up. They're still at Level

1.

Which means that most Familias can operate in the upper levels, but only a

select few can reach the middle levels. Fewer still can go deeper than that. It

only makes sense that the number of quests increases as the number of

adventurers who can complete them goes down.

That must be what Lilly meant by "most quests are accepted by upper-class

adventurers."

"However, the only quests that the Guild posts here are from clients like

Familias and smiths, and are very appealing to adventurers."

"?"

"In other words, the Guild has guaranteed the rewards…They can be

trusted."

Lilly must've read the confusion on my face and added one more thing.

We leave the bulletin board behind and exit the Guild.

"The point is that there are some really fishy ones as well. Sometimes the

client's name will be hidden, and the request is absolutely absurd."

"…Or maybe the client refuses to give the reward?"

"Very sharp, Mr. Bell. Lilly is happy Mr. Bell realized that."

She's smiling at me like a teacher would when praising a student.

"Lilly's pulled that one off before, by the way," she continues with her grin

plastered on her face. I do my best to force a smile and nod again.

Just how deep does your grudge against adventurers go, Lilly…?

"Anyway, shady quests not approved by the Guild, or requests from

townspeople, can be found in bars like that one over there. Most of them are

very dubious in more ways than one."

Lilly points to one of the bars built along the side of West Main.

It looks like it's run by a Familia. A place other than the Guild where

adventurers can take up quests—albeit a little under the table—from average

people. I blink my eyes a few times to get a better look and, sure enough, that

billboard looks like a Familia emblem.

In addition, Familias that operate taverns like this one also act as a place for

people to gather information—a knowledge shop of sorts.

Running a Familia as a quest-and-information brokerage…Not a bad idea.

There really are a lot of different types of Familias in the world…

"All of this means that if you don't want to wind up in a sticky situation,

don't accept any quests that haven't been approved by the Guild…even if asked

directly by a friend from another Familia."

…So that's what she's been getting at this whole time.

Lilly went through all of this to teach me that from now on I shouldn't accept

quests that aren't posted on that billboard. That includes requests from people

like Nahza, who isn't that trustworthy to begin with.

But Nahza isn't some person I've never met hiding behind a sheet, and she

sought me out personally. So I don't think there's any reason to worry…

"That's exactly why Lilly says Mr. Bell is too kind. Bad people will take

advantage of anybody, use that kindness to gain trust. It will come back to haunt

Mr. Bell, but Lilly didn't say that."

…Is she reading my thoughts? Or is it written all over my face?

I think she's aware of it, too…I can't respond to that.

"Fear not, Mr. Bell, for as long as there are still lights in Lilly's eyes, she

shall protect you from those traps.—Now, that's enough studying for today. Let's

move on to the main event."

"Ah, sure."

I take another look at that memo in my hands as we stroll down the main

street.

I read back to myself what Nahza requested, making sure I understand every

word.

Hmmm. That's right, Blue Papillon Wings…

"Aren't blue papillons one of those…what are they called…'rare monsters'?"

"Yep. They're found in the upper levels, so it won't be all that dangerous for

Mr. Bell…Finding one, however, that's easier said than done."

"Of course…"

Nahza said there was no deadline but…this quest that I took up might end up

being a real pain.

My head and shoulders droop. Lilly flashes a big smile at me in an effort to

ease my fears.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bell. Lilly has a plan. When Lilly is done preparing, let's

head to the Dungeon."

…Lilly has really helped me out at every turn.

I really am grateful to have a supporter who I can rely on and who can cover

my weaknesses so easily. I'm sorry that she has to work so hard, though...

"Blue papillon."

It's a butterfly monster that is said to appear on the lower seventh floor.

Its light blue wings are so thin that light can pass through them. Tiny scales

fall off of them as it flies, leaving a beautiful sparkling trail in its wake. I've

heard it's so beautiful that even the most hardened adventurers will stop to

admire it.

While the blue papillon is a sight to behold, it's also well known as one of the

harder monsters to encounter.

We adventurers call monsters that are extremely difficult to find on any level

of the Dungeon "rare monsters." The blue papillon is one of them. This goes

without saying, but rare-monster drop items are even rarer and sell for a very

high price.

I remember hearing somewhere that the blue papillon is relatively easier to

find than other rare monsters…but if we just walk around the Dungeon like

usual, it's going to take an extremely long time to find one. The fact I've never

seen one before is proof enough of that.

Remembering the monster encyclopedia that Eina had drilled into my head

not too long ago, the more I think about it, the more I realize that this quest

won't end in a day.

"…We're pretty far out, aren't we?"

"Yes. We'll be in the southern corner very soon."

We're on the seventh floor. Lilly and I made our way down here to find the

blue papillon after making a quick stop at an item shop.

Following Lilly's instructions, I make my way through a very thin corridor.

I'm pretty sure we've been down here for more than an hour. Rather than staying

on the path that leads to the lower levels, we took one heck of a detour and are

headed to the deepest corner of the lower seventh.

I've gone deeper into the Dungeon than this, but I haven't explored the outer

rim of any of the levels. This unfamiliar terrain gets my blood pumping with

excitement as I quickly dispatch all the monsters that appear in front of us with

the Divine Knife and the baselard.

Lilly quickly withdraws a magic stone from the killer ant I just took down.

"Lilly, what's waiting for us at the end of this path?"

"The Dungeon's pantry."

"Pantry?" The moment I echo Lilly's words the path in front of me begins to

change.

The pale green walls, the lights in the ceiling, the path under my feet—

everything is starting to get uneven. The farther I walk, the less my surroundings

look like the Dungeon I know. It almost feels like I'm lost in the belly of a cave.

Suddenly, the luminescent spots on the ceiling start to go dim. My heart

pounds in my chest as a shroud of darkness descends around me.

That light…

There's a soft greenish glow coming from around the rocky corner ahead.

I stop for a moment and turn to face Lilly. She doesn't say anything, instead

giving me a silent nod. I take a deep breath, face forward, and turn the corner.

My heart is pounding so fast that I can feel it in my lungs.

I've gotten used to crawling the Dungeon, so it's been a long time since I've

felt like this. Going someplace new, facing the "unknown," it's exhilarating and

terrifying at the same time. My inner adventurer feels so alive!

I follow the glow through a few more turns in the cave, only the sound of our

footsteps in the air. The source of the glow is waiting for us at the end of the

path.

""

Words leave me the moment I emerge from the rocky path.

This is a very, very big area.

I've never seen a space this big, even in the levels farther down in the

Dungeon.

My eyes instantly lock onto a towering pillar of quartz in the back of the

room.

The massive column of powdery green rock stretches from the floor all the

way up to the ceiling. The whole thing is jutting out of the back wall. But the

surface isn't smooth, bits and pieces stick out like tree bark. This whole thing

might as well be a tree made of quartz.

The entire structure is emanating a green light. So this is where that green

glow was coming from…

Those are monsters…

A clear white sap drips out from between the breaks in the rock, enough to

make a large pool at the base of the "tree."

I can see killer ants and purple moths dotting the surface of the tree and a

needle rabbit dipping its tongue into the pool. They're all drinking the sap.

"Is Mr. Bell surprised?"

"Lilly…"

"This is a pantry…a place that the Dungeon stores food for the monsters to

eat."

Clearly enjoying the awed look on my face, Lilly strikes up a conversation

and explains what's going on.

Monsters born from the dungeon walls are alive, so it makes sense they

would get hungry. While they can feast on stray adventurers or other monsters, it

looks like most of them get their subsistence from their "mother," the Dungeon

itself.

This wide area is a source of nutrients for the monsters.

I can see why it's called the "Dungeon's pantry."

"…So then, does the blue papillon also…?"

"Yep. Rather than bumbling around in the Dungeon for who knows how long,

Lilly thinks our chances of finding one are better if we wait here."

I agree.

Lilly explains that there are two or three pantries on every level of the

Dungeon except for the first two. As long as we stake out one of them and keep

our eyes open, a hungry blue papillon will show up sooner or later. After that, we

can make our move.

Set up a trap and ambush our prey. So this is hunting…

"Don't just stand there, Mr. Bell. We need to hide ourselves. Lilly doesn't

want to think about what will happen if the monsters see us."

"Ah…Yes, let's do that."

I can feel her hands on my lower back as Lilly pushes me out of the entrance

and off toward one of the sides.

Taking another look around the room, there are many entrances to the pantry.

Even now, monsters are streaming in from ten, twelve other places. If even one

of them realizes we're here, we'll have to fight every monster in the room to

make an escape…I don't want to think about that, either.

We make our way into a corner of the room.

"Well, then, excuse me."

Lilly sets her backpack down and withdraws a large piece of cloth from it.

The whole thing is a mossy green color and matches the dungeon walls on this

floor almost exactly.

Lilly whips the fabric around through the air like a massive cape and wraps

the two of us from head to toe in a green cocoon.

"So that's why you bought this…"

"That's right. None of the monsters on the lower seventh has a good sense of

smell, so as long as we're quiet and stay out of sight, Mr. Bell and Lilly will be

fine."

She bought this at the item shop right before we entered the Dungeon. I had

no clue what she was doing…This is what she had in mind.

Our camouflage seems to be working. None of the monsters has noticed us;

even the ones that look in our direction think we're just part of the dungeon wall

and go back to their meal.

"W-w-wait a second, Lilly. Aren't you a bit close?"

"Lilly has no choice. Lilly has to hide the backpack, too, and this cloth can

only hide so much. Oh, it's still sticking out! Lilly has to get closer!"

She slides her small body up against mine, making me flinch.

Lilly slips under my right shoulder and wraps her arms around my chest, as if

she were giving her body to me, and squeezes. A soft pressure brushes against

my ribs through my inner shirt. My face feels like it's on fire.

I understand why…but if I didn't know better, I'd say she's enjoying this. It

has to be my imagination.

The two of us talk in hushed voices as we twist and turn to find a comfortable

position.

"…H-hey, I have a question. You know how there are items that can draw in

monsters, right? If there's a place like this where they can eat as much as they

want, why do those items work…?"

I strike up a conversation to get my mind off of her body fitting snugly up

against mine.

I swear she is in such a good mood that if she were a cat, she'd be purring at

the top of her lungs right now. She answers my question right away.

"Isn't it boring to eat the same food all the time, Mr. Bell?"

"Ahh…"

"Fu-fu, that's why. Monsters like a little variety, too."

I keep becoming a little bit smarter every time I ask Lilly about something

that doesn't make sense. So I keep the questions coming.

First I ask her why adventurers completely ignored this really good hunting

spot. She explains that this place is too far out of the main path. In fact, every

single dungeon pantry is so far removed from the usual route that it will take

hours to get to one of them. Even if you manage to find one—and are strong

enough to survive fighting everything in here at once—it's more efficient to

collect the magic stones that are worth more from monsters farther down.

But the most important reason is that if you make even one mistake, the

danger of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers is very real.

These are the reasons why most adventurers try to avoid turning these places

into their battlefield.

…It could also be that they don't want to ruin such a beautiful place.

At least that's how I feel, looking out across this tranquil scenery from under

our camouflaged cloth.

A wide cavern bathed in soft green light.

The clear crystals emerging from the tree are absolutely breathtaking. Light

reflects off the pond beneath it like the moon off a still lake at night. The pond's

surface glistens in silence.

White flowers with blue stems are blooming in bunches all around the lake.

Every so often a needle rabbit pokes its head out from between them. Purple

moths fly through the flowers and land on the crystals above, resting their wings.

Soft splashes fill the air as a small group of killer ants makes their way through

the pond toward the quartz tree on the back wall.

The green light makes everything look calm, almost gentle.

It's hard to believe that monsters that should be violent and horrifying can

look this beautiful.

Of course, I fully realize that these beasts are the enemy of humanity.

They're extremely dangerous and will attack if I try to confront them.

Even still, I don't want to do anything to disturb this awe-inspiring scenery.

Looking across the cavern, taking in the light, the monsters, everything, I

can't help but feel this way.

"…! Mr. Bell."

"!"

Lilly's shoulder stiffens as she grabs and shakes my arm.

My mind comes back to my body as I sit up and follow Lilly's eyes to the

pond at the base of the tree. I spot them immediately.

Butterflies with blue wings fluttering gracefully among the flowers.

A group of four blue papillon, the target of our quest, has appeared in the

pantry.

"It was worth coming all the way down here."

"Y-yes."

We get up in unison, preparing to leave at any moment.

The butterflies' elegance and refinement match the cavern perfectly. Each one

of their bodies is much more delicate than a purple moth's, their two sets of

wings flowing like water. The light blue trails they leave behind are pretty

enough to make my heart skip a beat.

While the blue papillon pose no threat in combat, the scales that flake off

their wings heal the injured monsters around them. The reason that Nahza wants

blue papillon drop items is because they would make an excellent ingredient for

healing potions. Of that I'm sure.

"We mustn't make a scene in here. Let's watch them and follow them out of

the pantry."

"Okay, got it."

My mind back in questing mode, Lilly and I wait with bated breath for a

chance to spring our trap.

A light breeze caresses my face.

Closing one eye to shield it from the gentle wind, Lilly and I emerge from the

base of Babel Tower with big smiles on our faces.

"That went very well."

"Yes, to get this many drop items at once is very lucky."

Lilly looks up at me with a happy grin on her lips. Our plan worked without a

hitch. Follow the group of blue papillon, take them down, collect the drop items,

and return to the surface.

Just as Lilly said, all of the blue papillon left behind drop items. We couldn't

be happier that we finished this quest so quickly.

Five wings altogether…I have no doubt that Nahza will be more than happy

with this haul.

"If Mr. Bell took these to the Guild, they're worth at least nine thousand vals.

The fact they're in good shape might make them worth even more…Too bad

we're going to trade them~."

It sounds like Lilly's only excited because these drop items are from a rare

monster. I force a smile at my unusually high-spirited partner as we make our

way through Central Park and toward West Main.

That was just what I needed to cheer me up…

That amazing scenery put my mind at ease.

I wasn't planning on taking a break, but I'm glad I did. Sure, I still ache all

over, but it feels good. I've got a little pep back in my step.

"Good afternoon! Anyone here?"

"…Bell?"

We enter Miach Familia's home, a shop in the backstreets.

Nahza watches us come through the door from her chair behind the counter,

her drowsy eyes opening just enough for me to notice.

"Don't tell me, you've already finished the quest…?"

"Yes. We've dropped by to finish up."

I take a box roughly the size of a shield out from under my arm and open it to

show her the contents.

A rare, energetic expression runs across her face the moment that Nahza sees

the beautiful blue hue of the Blue Papillon Wings. A smile is on her face in the

blink of an eye.

The fluffy dog tail beneath her long skirt is happily swishing back and forth.

"Thank you, Bell…You're good; never knew how good."

"I-it's nothing…"

"I always believed you could do it if you tried, Bell…"

I shyly scratch the back of my neck, my cheeks on fire, as Nahza gives me

compliment after compliment.

She steps up to me and pats my head, almost like a reflex.

"Sorry to interrupt your moment, but shall we trade the goods for the

reward?"

Lilly hadn't said a word since we came into the shop, but she steps in to

speed up the process.

Nahza freezes and looks down at her before forming a very innocent smile on

her lips.

The two of them have never met before. Nahza must have figured out that

Lilly is a member of my battle party because she nods and says, "…Of course,"

before making her way behind the back counter.

"Mr. Bell, now is not the time to get sloppy."

"I-I don't think I was being sloppy…"

"Remember this well, Mr. Bell. The quest isn't over until you have the

reward in your hands."

"…Huh?"

I've never heard her say something so profound. She didn't even look at me

when she was talking, just kept smiling in Nahza's direction.

I tilt my head and look at her for a moment before I hear Nahza return with a

wooden case in her hands.

"Here's your reward: two dozen potions."

"T-two dozen?!"

I normally buy the cheapest potions that Miach Familia has to offer, 500 vals

apiece. So twenty-four of those…12,000 vals!

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for her for adding on extra potions as hazard

pay.

Liquid happiness runs through my veins as I look at my first-ever reward

from the quest. I'm about to hand the box containing the Blue Papillon Wings

over to her, when suddenly—Shoup!

A small hand comes out of nowhere and grabs hold of my wrist.

"L-Lilly…?"

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Bell."

Keeping her gaze locked squarely on Nahza, Lilly swiftly reaches out toward

the box of potions.

She withdraws one of the vials full of blue liquid in the blink of an eye.

"Hope you don't mind. Lilly will pay you back later."

"Eh, what are you…?"

Without waiting for permission, Lilly flips open the top of the vial and brings

it up to her nose.

A few quick whiffs, and she stares at the color of the liquid. A surprisingly

flustered Nahza looks on as Lilly pours a drop of the liquid onto her hand and

takes a lick.—The next moment.

"—Fu-fu, is this potion worth five hundred vals? What a lovely business

you're running, enough to make Lilly jealous."

Lilly sounds absolutely terrifying while wearing the face of an innocent child.

"" ""

"This potion, it's been watered down quite a bit, hasn't it? It's less than half

as potent as it should be. There're extra ingredients mixed in to give it the right

color and sweetness. Yes, this is a common scam."

Shock rips through my body. Is it true?

Nahza and I stand in silence as Lilly drives her point home with that same

innocent smile plastered on her face.

"These potions might be worth two hundred vals. It seems you've been

drastically overcharged, Mr. Bell.—Of course, this reward is nooooooowhere

close to the value of the drop items."

I can practically see the blood draining from Nahza's face.

Even with her eyes half closed, sweat is pouring down her cheeks. The tail

that was happily swaying back and forth before is now bent at a very awkward

angle.

I don't know what to think anymore.

"So, how do you propose we fix this?"

Lilly narrows her eyes and smiles like a little devil as she takes one step

toward Nahza.

"My apologies!!"

Lord Miach forcefully throws his head down in a bow.

The red evening sun shines through the open windows, casting everything in

a crimson hue.

Standing next to Lord Miach, with his hand firmly clasped behind her head

and forcing her down, is Nahza.

"One of my own has caused you a great deal of trouble, and for that I am

deeply sorry, Bell! I will return every val that was taken from you this instant."

"Eh, um, please, Lord Miach, it's not a big deal. Raise your head…"

He straightens up little by little. I can see his downtrodden face but he won't

look at me. "My apologies," he says one more time.

Lord Miach's build is very tall and lithe. Wearing his aquamarine hair longer

than most men, he carries himself like an aristocrat. The fact that his gray robe is

in rough shape doesn't hurt at all; in fact, it adds to his charm.

Nahza's god looks every bit the part of someone from Deusdia, except that

right now Lord Miach's expression is very dispirited.

"This has caused you problems, too, Hestia. Taking what little money the

both of you have available…"

"What's done is done. Be extra careful that something like this doesn't

happen again and teach her right. You've helped me out of a few jams, Miach, so

we can let this slide."

"Yes, it will be done…"

After Lilly had finished grilling Nahza, all of us, including my goddess,

Hestia, had gathered at Miach Familia's home for an apology session of sorts.

Lord Miach had been unaware of Nahza's shady activities until now, and he

has been doing all of the apologizing.

His hand is still firmly placed on the back of Nahza's head, not allowing her

to stand up.

"I must say, Miss Supporter, great job catching this in time. I'm relieved to

see that you're taking such good care of Bell. Thanks."

"No, no. Lilly is just happy to be of service to Mr. Bell and Lady Hestia."

T-taking care of…?

I break out in a cold sweat as I watch the goddess nod with a happy smile on

her face and Lilly respectfully bow a few times. It almost feels like they're

bound by some kind of contract that I don't know about…

"…Nahza. Why did you do this?! Answer me!"

Lord Miach's voice thunders.

The moment he releases his hold on Nahza, she turns her back on him.

The half of her hair that isn't tied back floats on air as her head flicks around

to look at the wall.

"Our Familia's bank account—it's always moments away from collapse…

And the clueless rabbit was a sitting duck."

My eyes go wide at the same time as Lord Miach's. What did she mean by

rabbit and duck…?

She doesn't look or sound any different than usual, monotone voice with

droopy eyes, but…her bushy tail is shuddering beneath her skirt.

"You fool! What happens when you rob people blind?! This world moves on

honesty and trust, especially the business world. You've risked the trust of a

valued customer for spare change?!

"How foolish can you be?!" he continues with a glare strong enough to make

the bravest of people crumble to their knees.

Nahza casually looks over her shoulder, clicks her tongue, and stares down

Lord Miach's gaze with her own.

So she can show emotion.

"How can you say that, Lord Miach, when you give out free potions to

anyone and everyone? That's why we never have any money. And on top of that,

girl after girl is drawn to you like a moth to the flame and you give them the

wrong idea…If I had a val for every time I've covered for you…!"

"What…what are you talking about?! I don't draw in anyone, nor do I try to

deceive anyone!"

Lord Miach seems to have been caught off guard by Nahza's retort. The

goddess's and Lilly's gazes have gone cold.

I'm sure Lord Miach has stolen many hearts with that smile and the way he

carries himself like royalty…but I guess he doesn't realize it, otherwise he

wouldn't be so confused right now.

"I have wronged Bell…but at this rate, it will be impossible to pay back the

loan and it'll only get worse…!"

Eh? That gets my attention.

I take a look around to see if other people heard that, too. The goddess has a

very serious look on her face.

Loan…?

Lord Miach is looking more and more uncomfortable by the moment.

Between him and the painful look on Nahza's face, I get the feeling something

suspicious is going on. Something that Lord Miach doesn't want to talk about…

In that moment—

"FU-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, I'm coming in!!"

The room shakes with a roar of laughter, and again as the door gets kicked off

its hinges.

"?!"

"You got my money for this month, Mii-ahh-chhh?"

A middle-age god with graying hair and a beard appears in the doorway.

I can tell he's quite a bit older than the gods and goddesses I know, but he

still has that perfectly chiseled face they all share…But at the same time, his

aura is completely different. All that handsomeness is wasted on him.

His cheeks peel back in a sickening grin as he looks around the room like he

owns the place. He's wearing an extravagant gold robe with intricate embroidery.

Did he choose his wardrobe today just to rub it in Lord Miach's face…?

"Dian…!"

"I dragged myself all the way out here 'cause you never showed up. Be

grateful, you ruined beggar, bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

…I think I have a pretty good idea what this god is like.

"I see your shop is just as dusty as always! Gotta make this a quick visit,

being here too long's gonna make me sick. Oh, I see misery loves company!

Hosting some more beggars so you won't get lonely?"

Nahza's eyes are burning like this god is her father's sworn enemy. Lord

Miach turns to face the intruder with a very sour look on his face. "Huh?" Lady

Hestia's voice rings out as if trying to get out of the way of an explosion of

sparks.

"He's Lord Dian Cecht."

"Lilly…"

"He's the head of a Familia that is well respected by adventurers and makes

healing items and medicine. Since Lord Miach sells healing potions…they're

business rivals."

I nod as Lilly whispers information into my ear. That explains Lord Miach's

and Nahza's reactions, as well as Lord Dian Cecht's taunting tone. There's got to

be a deep connection between these two, and it's not a friendly one.

"Well, Miach, where's my money?"

"Well, it's…!"

"Fu-fu-fu, do you have it or do you not have it? Gu-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

—chit chit chit. I can hear Lord Miach's and Nahza's teeth rattling from over

here.

"I've given you extension after extension out of the goodness of my heart,

but I've had it with your unpredictability. If you don't have this month's

payment by tomorrow, I'll run you out of this place and sell your home to cover

your debt! You might as well kiss this place good-bye!"

Lord Dian Cecht laughs so hard that spit flies everywhere.

"FU-HA-HA-HA-HA!! We're leaving, Amid!"

"Yes, sir."

A little girl standing behind Lord Dian Cecht moves out of the way as her

god heads for the door. She must've been standing behind him the whole time.

The girl is rather short and looks more like a doll than a person. Amid bows

to us as her god walks briskly through the broken door, she turns and rushes to

keep up with him.

The storm having blown through, the five of us sit in silence.

"Dian Cecht and I have never seen eye to eye, even in Tenkai..."

Lord Miach begins to tell his life story bit by bit.

After what just happened, I couldn't exactly just go home and pretend

everything's okay. So we stuck around to find out about what's been going on

inside Miach Familia.

"Once we came down to this world, we butted heads at every turn. Our

rivalry extended to the children we took under our wing when we got into the

same business…"

"I broke that cycle to pieces."

Nahza jumps into Lord Miach's story when his words begin trailing off.

"I used to be an adventurer."

"Eh…"

"I used to crawl the Dungeon like you do, Bell, saving up money…But one

day, I screwed everything up. Got thoroughly wrecked by a monster, and it ate

my right arm."

She tells me before I could even ask.

Nahza looks down at her strangely uneven-sleeved shirt and starts rolling up

the wrist-length right sleeve.

All the breath in my body leaves me a moment later.

"A silver arm…?!"

"Lord Miach got it for me after I lost my real one…it's from that Dian Cecht

Familia. He practically begged them."

I can hear the shock in Lilly's voice.

Just as she said, Nahza's right arm is completely made of a silver metal.

It's as smooth and shiny as a freshly polished sword. While looking almost

exactly like a human arm, it's easy to see the gems embedded in the joints of the

appendage.

Once she takes off her glove, I can see that her right hand is constructed with

exactly the same silver metal.

"Dian Cecht Familia makes medicines and other things. Besides selling

potions, they also take custom orders from adventurers and make special items

to suit. This airgetlám, or 'silver arm,' is one of them."

Click click. Nahza extends and flexes her arm, showing us how it works.

"Lord Miach took out a loan so he could buy this arm for me. The other

members of our Familia turned their back on Lord Miach when they found

out…and left, everyone."

…She says that Miach Familia used to be in the middle of the pack in terms

of rank. At that time, it was strong enough to compete with Dian Cecht Familia

on the open market selling potions.

Then after Nahza's accident, everything fell to pieces almost overnight.

"All that stayed with Lord Miach was a useless former adventurer and a

colossal loan," she says with fire still burning in her eyes.

"The way I am now, fighting monsters is impossible. I was able to change

jobs and become a chemist only because my former compatriots taught me the

tricks of the trade…But I can't make enough money to make a dent in the loan.

I'm utterly useless."

"Nahza."

"I'm the reason we have to pay anything to that abomination. It's all my fault

—me!"

"Nahza, that's enough. Stop there."

Nahza looks like she wants to say something more on the subject, but Lord

Miach convinces her to close her mouth with his quiet voice.

A heavy silence descends over all of us.

I can't find any words. Nahza used to be an adventurer, her arm is fake, and

everything else is too much to handle at once. Lady Hestia must not have heard

that Lord Miach had been demoted as well. She's just sitting there, arms folded

across her chest and her eyes closed. Meanwhile, Lilly's calmly looking at

Nahza.

Nahza may have scammed me out of some money recently…but if I were in

her shoes, I might have done exactly the same thing.

I would've done anything to try to support the one god who didn't abandon

me, the one who always extended a helping hand when I needed it most.

That has to be the most difficult thing in the world.

So hard that I'd want to scream out every day.

"…Well, then, what are you going to do? We know what happened, but right

now we need to focus on what's in front of you. Dian's threatening to sell your

home, isn't he?"

The goddess broke the silence and asks if there's any way they could have the

money ready by the end of tomorrow.

Lord Miach scrunches up his face and looks toward Nahza from the corner of

his eye.

She meets his gaze for a moment and slowly nods.

"There is one way…"

Nahza's voice is so soft, it's like it could be snuffed out at any moment.

"But with just me…and Lord Miach, it's impossible…"

The last of the evening light comes through the window glass, making the

room glow red.

We're a good distance away from Main Street, but I can still hear the din of

many voices and footsteps mixing together on the stone road.

Nahza's body droops as she avoids eye contact. I wonder if she feels like she

doesn't have the right to look us in the face. The very words "help us" must feel

so far away after everything she's put us through.

The silence is making me uneasy. I glance at everyone around the table in

turn before looking at the goddess as if she's our last hope.

She looks back at me with a mysterious blue warmth in her eyes. She tilts her

head to the side as if to say, Well?

In other words, she's asking me to decide what to do about this. At least

that's the sense I'm getting from her.

Her eyes, it's like she's looking at her own son…So many emotions are

welling up inside me, but I take a deep breath and go for it.

My mind scrambles to find the right words. Now all I have to do is speak

loudly enough to break through this dark silence.

"Ah, ahhh…Lilly. Back to what you were talking about before, couldn't we

take up another quest? The last one wasn't enough…and I still have a lot to

learn."

My acting skills need a lot of work. At the very least, the topic will change

one way or another.

Lilly's eyes pop open. Then she must've realized what I was trying to do

because she grimaces for a moment and hides a chuckle. She jumps into my

"act" a moment later.

"Lilly agrees, Mr. Bell. But where in the world is there a client willing to

bestow a quest onto hardworking people such as ourselves?"

Lord Miach and Nahza look on in surprise as Lilly takes my side with an

almost giddy smile on her face.

Lady Hestia's lips perk up in a grin. She turns her head to face Lord Miach.

"So how about it, Miach? Do you have any work for these two? Think of it as

helping them out. Their energy has to go somewhere. They'll do anything if you

ask, including helping you pay back that loan."

"Hestia, are you really…No, my apologies. You have my gratitude."

Nahza looks at me with embarrassment—or is that shame?—from beside

Lord Miach as he thanks us over and over.

"Bell, are you sure…? After all I've…"

"…It's thanks to you, Nahza, that Lilly and I are still alive today."

It was the day that I was surrounded by a horde of killer ants.

No matter what the actual price was, the fact that she talked me into

purchasing a magic potion was the deciding factor in a desperate battle.

But above all, I can't just abandon someone who helped me in the past.

I relax the muscles in my brow and smile at her. Her eyes open in disbelief

for a moment before she hides her face.

"I'm sorry…Thank you."

Her last words barely louder than a whisper, she jerks her head down in what

is an unmistakable bow.

Quest accepted

• Client: Miach Familia

• Reward: original healing item

• Content: retrieve monster eggs

• Comment: Let's do our best. They're counting on us.

We leave the city early the next morning.

I was told as much last night, so I cut my training with Aiz short and meet up

with Lord Miach to help with preparations. Lady Hestia and Lilly join us after

we hire a horse-drawn cart for the day from another merchant.

Two divine beings and three humans of different races. I doubt anyone has

ever seen a party like ours. We arrive at the city wall as the sun reaches the

mountains in the distance.

"Bell, you're such a hard worker. Getting up extra early today to help Miach

get ready like this."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha…"

Just like Lilly, I haven't told the goddess about my training with Aiz, either. I

really don't want to think about what would happen if she ever found out.

Apologizing over and over in my mind, I quickly engage Nahza in

conversation before the situation gets out of hand.

"Hey, um, Nahza. So, as you said yesterday…"

"Yes. There is no time to prepare money for payment by the end of today. So

the plan is to turn the tables on them and create an original healing item to sell to

Dian Cecht Familia to cover the costs…"

She responds in her usual monotone voice. She's wearing rather loose

clothing compared to her usual strange combination of garments.

Once we finish some rather monotonous paperwork, we receive clearance to

exit Orario's East Gate. A vast prairie spreads up before us, greens and golds

swaying in the breeze.

"Lilly asked yesterday, but will this plan actually work? Making a new item

from scratch is not easy…"

"Not a problem, I've got an idea…"

Nahza answers Lilly's question with a quiet confidence. As usual, Nahza

looks like she could fall asleep at any moment. Shff, shff. Her tail is lazily

swishing back and forth behind her.

"I didn't hear where we're headed today. Where's this cart taking us?"

"The Deep Forest Seoro. It's not too far away, but we'll be in this cart a

while. Since we're all here together, now would be a good time for bonding."

This time it was Lord Miach who answers Lady Hestia's question. He looks

at Lilly while saying that last part.

This wooden cart is a lot more cramped than I thought it would be. My

shoulders brush up against my neighbors every time the wheels hit a bump in the

road. All of us are sitting in a circle with Lord Miach closest to the driver, me

next, then Lady Hestia, Lilly, and finally Nahza on the other side of Lord Miach.

The morning sun shines down directly on us because this cart doesn't have a

canopy or roof of any kind. Feeling the warmth on our faces, we take Lord

Miach's advice and strike up a conversation.

"Miss Nahza. Lilly knows that you successfully switched from adventurer to

chemist. Does that mean that Miss Nahza has learned Synthesize as well?"

"Yes, I have…I learned enough by helping make medicine to gain the correct

excelia and was very lucky…"

"Um, is Synthesize one of those…?"

"It's an Advanced Ability that allows a person to create higher-quality items

and medicine, Mr. Bell."

So that means that an adventurer could learn an ability called Synthesize

when they level up, if they have the right excelia. Lilly goes on to explain that it

allows a person to create a potion so powerful that it can close wounds on

contact, just like a healing spell.

It sounds a lot like the Advanced Ability Forge, in that only professionals

tend to learn it and it has a deep connection with creating strong weapons and

potent items.

Even if two different people create the same item using the same ingredients,

the results will be completely different if one of them has an Advanced Ability.

"Wait, you have an Advanced Ability, so that means…"

"Yeah. I'm Level Two…"

My eyes shoot open as wide as they go.

N-Nazha is just as strong as other upper-class adventurers…

"I made it down into the middle levels, but a monster nearly burned me alive

down there…Then it started eating chunks of my arms and legs."

"Oh no—"

"It took a lot of work to get my left arm and legs back to normal, but my right

arm was beyond saving. The beast ate everything, even my bones…Ever since

that day, I haven't been able to fight a monster. Just standing in front of one of

them…My body won't stop shaking."

Chills run up and down my spine as I listen to her gruesome tale.

The stench of charred flesh all over her body.

The feeling of being on her back and utterly defenseless as a monster devours

her right arm.

All of the traumatic memories of pain and fear that have literally been burned

into her revive every time she faces any monster. She tells me everything.

"…Sorry, I didn't want to scare you."

"Ah, i-it's okay…"

"Anyway, don't let your guard down while crawling the Dungeon…It took

me six years to level up…but it only takes a second to lose everything you've

worked for."

I clear my throat and take Nahza's warning to heart.

"But that arm of yours, it's very, very well-made. Do you ever have any

problem using it?"

"No, I can move it naturally…"

"It cost an incredible amount of money, but I ordered the best item that Dian

had available. While it pains me to admit this, I can trust that anything his

Familia makes will be very high quality."

The deities in the cart change the topic and clear the air. The mood quickly

changes from dark and uncomfortable to light and friendly.

We're following one road that leads from Orario's East Gate and through a

blanket of green that spreads in all directions. Since Orario is the home of the

only dungeon in the world, well-kept roads are required to sell magic-stone

goods outside the city. The road that we're on is made of a white stone and is

very smooth.

"Lord Miach doesn't recognize my feelings for him at all…although I'm glad

he doesn't notice all the other girls looking at him with hearts in their eyes…

Sometimes I wonder if he really is a god…"

"Ahh, I know the feeling. My Bell is just as dense. I don't know how many

times his cluelessness has made me cry."

"Hee-hee, but in Lady Hestia's case, Mr. Bell's keeping his distance out of

respect and doesn't see Lady Hestia as a girl. It would be a good idea to realize

that, you know…And Lilly gets treated like a little sister."

""…""

Why did all the girls suddenly get so scary, and why does it feel like the cart

is shrinking?

I can hear them whispering to each other, but Lord Miach and I can't

understand what they're saying. All I know is I suddenly feel very small.

We pass by many carts heading toward Orario on our way down the road that

cuts through the expansive grasslands.

We finally reach our destination with the sun high overhead.

"S-so this is…"

"Okay, I can see why they call it the deep forest."

The goddess and I marvel at the scenery. This is the first time either of us

have come here.

Deep Forest Seoro.

It's an incredibly dense forest located at the base of the Alb mountain range,

directly east from Orario.

Every single tree in front of me reaches high into the sky, their trunks many

times thicker than any other tree I've ever seen. The ground is covered in vibrant

wildflowers and moss. This green realm is truly ruled by nature.

All of us quickly hop out of the cart and grab each of the bags we brought

with us.

After telling the cart driver we hired to wait for us outside the forest, all of us

step into the wilderness together.

"We're going to get some monster eggs, right?"

"Yep. They're not drop items, but actual eggs…"

We came all the way out here to find eggs that were laid by monsters. Nahza

must need them as an ingredient for her new healing potion.

The monsters that escaped the Dungeon in the Old Age learned to live on

land and reproduce on their own. Their descendants are scattered all around the

world even today. Considering that they're still alive, the fact that they lay eggs

should make perfect sense…But now I'm so used to the fact that monsters are

born from the dungeon walls that the thought of them laying eggs just feels

weird.

I keep my head on a swivel, looking for monsters as we make our way

through the forest.

"…Bell, stop there."

I was leading the group down a thin path through the trees when Nahza calls

out to me and I stop moving.

She can see something up ahead: a wide, round depression in the ground.

Nahza starts giving out orders a moment later. First, she tells Lord Miach and

Lady Hestia to wait here. Then she puts Lilly in charge of protecting them.

Last, she waves her hand and motions for me to follow her.

"Bell, here."

Keeping her shoulders low to the ground, Nahza brings me some equipment.

A heavily worn broadsword and a backpack with something inside.

"Wh-what's this for?"

"These guys are tough without a weapon this big…Put the backpack on."

I break out in a cold sweat, pondering what she meant by that. Nahza goes a

few paces ahead of me and stops in the shade of a tree just in front of the

depression.

Sniff, sniff. I can hear Nahza taking in all of the smells as the dog ears on her

head arch back and open wide.

The tension in the air is starting to make me nervous. My heart begins to pick

up the pace when suddenly—Nahza moves.

She reaches past my shoulder and swiftly opens the top of the backpack.

"Uck…?!"

My sinuses erupt in pain the instant a new stench wafts up my nostrils.

I know the smell, but I can't quite place it. Nahza salutes me as I rack my

brain for an answer.

"I wish you luck, Bell. Sorry."

She takes off before I can even say, "Huh?"

She darts through the trees with the speed and agility befitting a Level 2

adventurer and leaves me behind.

I stare at where she was for a moment, blinking, when…out of nowhere,

splat.

"…eh?"

A strange goo falls down from overhead.

I can feel the warm, clear liquid running down my shoulder. Slowly but

surely, I look up.

"UuuUuu…"

What greets my eyes is the drooling mouth of a large dinosaur.

Then it hits me: I remember where I've smelled the stuff that's in the

backpack. Blood is racing so fast in my veins that I could pass out at any

moment.

It's a trap made of raw meat that draws out hungry monsters.

"UUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

"DDAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

Scream and roar mix.

I turn my back to the massive chin and take off at full speed.

"Uh, isn't that a large-category monster?!"

"Whaa, B-Bell?!"

"B-bloodsaurus…?!"

Hestia was the first to yell out, followed closely by Lilly's shriek of surprise.

A five-meder-tall, carnivorous, red dinosaur had appeared.

It let out one bloodcurdling roar after another as it rampaged through the

forest, chasing the "rabbit" that was to become its next meal.

"H-hold on a second here. That's a monster that shows up on the thirtieth

floor…!"

"There's no problem. Monsters on the surface are much weaker than the ones

found in the Dungeon."

In contrast to Lilly's shaking voice, Nahza's response was quite calm.

"Now's our chance to enter the depression. We need to work quickly while

Bell leads the monsters away."

Nahza guided Hestia and the others down the slope.

The depression was revealed to be a monster's nest; the group spotted ten or

more eggs situated in a space between two trees.

"Wasn't there a better way we could have done this…?"

"No. If we faced all of the bloodsauruses at once, we wouldn't have been

able to protect Lord Miach and Lady Hestia."

"My apologies, Bell…"

"Less talking, more grabbing, dammit! That thing's going to eat Bell!"

Hestia scolded the others for pointless conversation as all of them shoved as

many eggs as they could into the bags they had brought with them.

Their work done, each of them slung a bag full of eggs over their shoulders.

"Miss Nahza, was that true, about the monsters?"

"It is. Hundreds of generations of reproducing have taken their toll on the

beasts. The magic stone in their chests is so small it might as well not be there."

Nahza answered Lilly's question as she adjusted her bag of eggs.

Monsters that were separated from the Dungeon followed their instincts to

ensure the survival of their species.

They began relying on strength of numbers as their own physical prowess

began to decline. Since each individual needed less power to survive, magic

stones became smaller over time.

As each successive generation's magic stone decreased in size, so did each

individual monster's in strength. At this point, monsters on the surface didn't

even compare with the "originals" in the Dungeon.

"Bloodsauruses on the surface might be a little bit stronger than an orc in the

Dungeon…"

Said Nahza as she cast her gaze in Bell's direction.

The boy was currently being chased by three such monsters. Their numbers

had increased. Bell's yelps of fright echoed through the forest.

Nahza straightened up and took hold of the weapon strapped to her back.

It was a longbow that stood just as tall as she did. Holding the weapon steady

with her silver arm, she nocked an arrow using her left hand.

There was enough space between her and the monsters to prevent Nahza's

traumatic memories from triggering. The sun's rays illuminating pieces of the

asymmetric light armor equipped over her traveling garb, Nahza narrowed her

eyes for an instant before the arrow hurtled forward.

The projectile tore through the air the instant that Nahza lifted her fingers,

and it found its target: the eye of a bloodsaurus.

" !!"

A deep roar of pain sounded through the trees.

Its balance and vision gone, the injured bloodsaurus staggered into the one

next to it at full speed, sending both of them to the ground.

Bell felt the shock wave of their impact and saw the leaves shake around him.

He looked over his shoulder and his eyes went wide as he drew the broadsword

into position. The last bloodsaurus charging him with reckless abandon, Bell

chose to believe in Nahza's support, drove his heel into the dirt, and charged

headlong into the monster's path.

" This makes me so happy."

"YAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Nahza, grinning from ear to ear, unleashed another arrow at the same time

that Bell let loose a battle cry.

The arrow got there just in time, piercing the beast's eye just before Bell got

into position. Reeling in pain, the monster was defenseless against the incoming

blade.

Bell's jumping strike took a slice out of the base of the bloodsaurus's lower

neck. Fresh blood spraying like a fountain, the beast fell to its knees.

Bell went in for another strike to finish it off but lost his balance in mid-

swing. Nahza couldn't help but laugh as she watched from her vantage point.

"Nahza, that's enough."

"Okay…"

She turned to face Miach, the same smile still plastered on her face.

Nahza scanned the group, making sure that both Lilly and Hestia had bags of

eggs securely fastened to their backs, before looking back in Bell's direction.

The boy emerged from behind a tree, using the broadsword as a walking

stick. "Can we go now?" he said with a very pathetic look in his eyes. Nahza

smiled and nodded.

"Time to go home, Bell."

Beneath a night sky studded with stars.

A vial containing a dark blue liquid was given to a man standing in the open

doorway of a large mansion.

"This is my Familia's latest product. I guarantee its effectiveness."

"Eh, geh…!"

Dian Cecht gasped as he took the vial from Miach's outstretched hands.

After closely inspecting it himself, the deity handed the vial to his assistant,

Amid, and asked for her opinion.

The girl took a sip and went silent. Both of the gods waited with bated breath

for a moment before she looked up and gave a very curt nod.

"A double potion that restores physical strength and mental energy…This is

the first of its kind. Therefore, you would be able to sell them for quite a high

price at your Familia's shops. It is sure to meet the demand of many adventurers,

don't you agree?"

"Geh, grrrr…!"

"I have twenty of them right here. The profits from their sale should more

than cover this month's payment. Please buy them."

"Wh…Why youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…?!"

A deep roar of frustration rang out under the night sky.

Bell and the others, waiting on the outside of the mansion's four high walls,

knew the transaction was successful the moment they heard it.

"Sounds like it worked…"

"That geezer isn't dumb enough to turn down the opportunity to make a

killing. Although I'm sure he wanted to see us squirm…Too bad."

Nahza half laughed as she responded to Lilly's comment.

The group had been waiting just outside the walls that surrounded Dian

Cecht Familia's home for Miach's return.

"Whew, that was a long day! There was no time to sit down."

"Ah-ha-ha…"

A battle against time to produce the double potion was waiting for them as

soon as they arrived home in Orario after collecting the eggs from the Deep

Forest Seoro. While Miach and Nahza worked their fingers to the bone to meet

their deadline, Bell, Lilly, and Hestia helped out in any way they could. All of

them worked continuously for hours on end.

Bell grimaced as he looked over at his exhausted goddess.

"But you really did a good job making it. And at the last moment, too."

"The people of Orario are obsessed with the Dungeon and don't even try to

learn about the possibilities around them…There are so many discoveries out

there just waiting for people to find them."

Monster eggs and Blue Papillon Wings. Nahza told Bell she'd created a new

item using resources from both inside and outside the Dungeon.

"Oh, Miach. Finished already?"

"Yes. Everything has been settled."

Miach emerged from the gate and returned to the spot where the group was

waiting for him. He smiled and said that they no longer had to worry about being

kicked out of their own home as he looked to each person in turn.

"Allow me to thank you once again. This was only possible because of you,

and you have my gratitude."

"I'm happy to hear that your loan has become a little lighter."

"It was a quest worth doing."

Hestia and Lilly looked back up at him and smiled. Bell followed suit.

Miach finally turned to face Nahza, his thin eyes smiling.

"Nahza."

"Yes…"

"Yesterday, you called yourself useless."

"…Yes."

"I have never, ever thought that even once."

Nahza's eyes opened wide as she listened to Miach's words.

"I am a god whom you have saved many times. Even if we're not as well off

as we once were, your presence makes it all worth it. So please, don't be so hard

on yourself."

"…Is that an order?"

"No, a solemn request from the god who watches over you more than any of

the other children."

Miach stepped in front of her as he spoke, reached out, and stroked her hair.

Caught in the warm gaze of her deity, Nahza blushed for a moment before

looking at the ground. "So dense…" she whispered under her breath as he patted

her head.

Hestia watched them with a twinkle in her eye as Miach once again said and

did things that could be taken the wrong way. She used the opportunity to tease

him, and Lilly enjoyed every second of it. Bell forced a smile as both sides made

fun of each other back and forth. Nahza took the opportunity to break out of the

small circle and walked up to him.

"Bell, thank you for today. Really…Really, thank you."

"Nahza…"

The dog girl gave a deep bow before raising her head and pulling a vial out of

her breast pocket.

"Eh, isn't that…"

"A double potion…There was only one left over, but…this is the reward for

completing the quest, and my thanks."

In contrast to Bell's surprise, Nahza's face went back to her usual drowsy

expression, but with a smile on her lips.

"If you need help with anything, tell me. After everything I've done, I need

to make it up to you…"

Bell's surprise faded away as a smile bloomed on his lips big enough to rival

Nahza's.

He took his reward from the girl's outstretched hand.

At long last, Bell's quest had come to an end.

A CAMPANELLA TO THE GODDESS

"Goddess, I did it! I-I slew a goblin!"

"…Ohh?"

Hestia had been enjoying an afternoon of reading on the sofa.

She looked up from her book when the door opened with a loud bang. That's

when she saw a white-haired human with a very proud look on his face as he

proclaimed victory.

Hestia Familia's home, a hidden room beneath an old church.

The room itself had two parts, one square and one long, coming together to

make a P shape. While it was the perfect height for people to be comfortable, the

sheer amount of furniture and other items in the room made it feel quite

cramped. The building itself was rather old. There were cracks in many places

all over the stone walls, and the general atmosphere of the place felt shabby and

run-down.

The light from the one magic-stone lamp on the ceiling reflecting off her

blank eyes, Hestia stared at the only member of her Familia Bell Cranell.

The boy in front of her seemed extremely happy, his face beaming as if he'd

just pulled off an amazing feat.

"Goblin…As in that goblin? The weakest monster in the entire Dungeon, that

monster?"

"Yes! One of them nearly killed me when I was a little kid, so I've always

been scared of them, but…today, I finally slew one!"

"So, um…Just one?"

"Eh?"

"You killed one goblin and came all the way back here from the Dungeon to

tell me?"

Bell's face suddenly went cold, his body still for several moments as he

thought about Hestia's question. He had indeed killed only one monster, the

weakest one, and come all the way back home.

The boy suddenly realized how insignificant his victory was with great

dismay. The face that had been sparkling with joy moments earlier became

downtrodden and ashamed. Bell turned around on the spot, hunched forward

with his shoulders hanging low.

"I'm going back to the Dungeon. Sorry to have disturbed you…"

"Wh-wha—what?! Sorry, Bell, I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything…H-

hold on a second!"

Not hearing Hestia's calls, Bell disappeared from the doorway, his ears bright

red from embarrassment.

Hestia Familia had been founded three days earlier.

That's when Hestia had found Bell in the middle of the city and invited him

to be a member of her Familia.

After accepting her invitation and receiving her Blessing, Bell had joined the

ranks of adventurers by registering with the Guild. The responsibility of

providing for his Familia fell squarely on his shoulders. He welcomed this role,

but being away from his hometown in a place so different from what he was

used to weighed heavily on his mind as he set to work.

Hestia watched over the boy while doing a part-time job of her own. It

seemed like she was discovering something new about him every time they were

together. A beautiful, young goddess who always wore her heart on her sleeve,

Hestia was doing her best to get to know the shy boy struggling to come out of

his shell. Even though they had only been together for a few days, they were

already on very good terms.

Among all the Familias in the city of Orario, Hestia Familia was a bottom-

tier group that had to focus on earning enough money to make it through the day.

The two of them were a team, building on their loose foundation as they started

down this road together.

"I was worried for a while there. If something happened and you didn't come

home, I would've had nightmares for a very long time."

"S-sorry to make you worry..."

"Ah-ha-ha, what about? This was my fault, saying all that. I'm the one who

should be apologizing. Sorry, Bell."

Hestia and Bell were sitting across from each other at the table in their home.

Bell had made it safely home from his second trip to the Dungeon that day

and it was now very late. The pair ate a late dinner in a room where the light of

the shining moon in the night sky could not reach them.

Bell's total earnings from his first day of dungeon crawling—300 vals, all of

which had been used right away to buy a few stiff loaves of bread and eggs.

They spent a lot of time making the eggs look more appetizing than usual and

lined them up on the table.

Even though it wasn't much, the yolks of the freshly cooked eggs looked

warm and fresh under the light of the magic-stone lamp.

"So how was it, Bell, your Dungeon debut? Does it seem promising?"

"Well, I was too nervous to go all that deep, but…I can hold my own against

monsters. It got easier after taking down one goblin and a kobold."

The extra effort put into making tonight's dinner was to celebrate Bell's first

dungeon crawl.

They couldn't afford to get anything extra special, but Hestia and Bell smiled

with satisfaction as they enjoyed their fried eggs on toast.

"But I'm relieved to hear that. It sounds like you'll be able to make a living

as an adventurer, Bell. I was a little concerned that you would spend all of your

time chasing after girls in the Dungeon."

"I-I'm not doing that, why would I be doing that?!"

Hestia was only teasing, but Bell's face turned bright red as his voice went up

an octave or two.

Hestia raised an eyebrow, looking at the panicking boy, and said, "I wonder.

"You're trying to pick up girls, aren't you? Find some cute adventurer ladies

and make them swoon as you dispatch monsters left and right. That's when you

make your move, is it not?"

"M-make a move…! I-it's not like that! I don't want to get with a whole

bunch of girls…Well, a little but…A-anyway, I'm looking for the girl of my

dreams, the one I'm destined to be with! Like the ones in tales of heroes!"

"Didn't you say you wanted a harem of your own?"

"A-a harem is a man's romantic dream! It's something that I must strive for

as a man, just like the heroes…"

Bell closed his ruby-red eyes, his cheeks a deeper scarlet than before as he

talked.

Hestia lightly shrugged her shoulders as she stared at Bell from across the

table. Her thoughts went wild as she took in his boyish features.

The more she knew about Bell Cranell, the stranger he seemed to be.

Despite being extremely shy, he was a womanizer. He wanted to meet the

ladies but wouldn't make a move. In other words, his personality didn't make

sense. For better or worse, something else seemed to be motivating his words

and actions from behind his pure and straightforward personality.

Hestia believed that the cause of this inner conflict had something to do with

the boy's grandfather, the one who raised him.

That man's fingerprints were all over many of the stories that Bell told, as

well as one or two of the thoughts in his head.

Hestia had to marvel at this man whom she had never met and his methods of

brainwashing by means of using heroes for role models. She sighed to herself,

thinking about what kind of man Bell could have become if he had just had a

proper upbringing. His roots, even the way he thought, could all be traced back

to that one man.

Bell's obsession with girls and his quest to find "the one" all started and

ended with him.

The image of this beautiful girl that he left behind, or implanted, in Bell's

head must be very powerful.

A boy whose eyes light up with a good story, his mind always in the clouds.

That's who the boy, Bell Cranell, really was.

Maybe it would've been better if he had been born a girl. A very blunt

thought passed through Hestia's mind.

"Gramps told me so. Meeting girls is every man's lifelong ambition. So that's

why I…"

"…"

Hestia watched the boy vigorously try to explain himself.

Hestia was learning more and more about him, her first family member.

While Bell was in the Dungeon earning money for his Familia, Hestia also was

busy working at her part-time job.

She was a lot like Bell, in that she hadn't lived in Orario for very long and

she was always trying to figure out what she had to do next. Living on Gekai

was much more difficult than the life of luxury she was used to in Tenkai. All the

other gods kept saying, "Come and experience the charm of Gekai." It was true,

she would never have felt these hardships living in the upper world. But these

"charms" were starting to get a little overwhelming.

"Here you are, little Hestia. This is today's pay."

"Thanks, Gram."

A female animal person handed her an envelope that contained her pay.

Hestia was working at a street stand that was situated on North Main Street.

They sold a snack called Crispy Potato Puffs: mashed potatoes mixed with

seasoning, rolled in batter, and deep-fried to make small potato snacks.

Whatever potion they'd been using as a secret ingredient seemed to be

working because they did pretty good business every day.

One, two, three…180 vals.

She worked six hours today at 30 vals per hour. Despite knowing exactly how

much was inside the envelope before opening it, seeing how little she earned in

the palm of her hand made Hestia sigh.

Not too long ago, she'd made a mistake when setting up the fryer and

everything exploded in her face—there were zero injuries, other than Hestia's

instant breadcrumb coating. The money to make repairs was taken out of her

paycheck every day. At this rate, it would be a long time before Hestia could

help Bell provide for their Familia.

This world called Gekai was extremely harsh on a young goddess who'd only

just arrived.

At least that's what Hestia thought, never once taking her own failures into

account.

"Hey, Gram, why don't you join my Familia? A young adventurer just joined

me and we're on our way up in the world."

"Ah-ha-ha, you mustn't say such things, no-no. Good grief, Hestia, you are

so persistent."

"But why—? Please—!"

Hestia prepared to leave as the woman laughed at yet another invitation to

join Hestia Familia, a daily occurrence at this point.

Part of it was that Hestia Familia was an unknown group with no reputation,

but the biggest problem was the goddess's lack of dignity.

The woman patted Hestia on the head and gave her a potato puff before

seeing her out the door—she was a goddess who was being treated like a child.

This realization made her sigh yet again.

"What a long day…"

Hestia made her way through the red evening streets, cheeks puffing out as

she stuffed the whole potato puff into her mouth at once.

Usually she was home before the sky turned a deep red, so she had, in fact,

worked longer than usual today. Bell might be home already, she thought to

herself as she trudged forward.

Hestia Familia's home, a room beneath an old church, was located on a city

block between Northwest and West Main Streets. So Hestia set out due west

from the street stall on North Main Street.

At first, her route took her straight through a nice neighborhood built out of

bricks and very well maintained. But the farther she went, the shabbier the

buildings around her became. Really old item shops, run-down motels, and

dingy pubs lined the street until she suddenly emerged onto Northwest Main.

The street was often called "Adventurers Way" because the Guild

Headquarters was built on it. Adventurers of all shapes and sizes strutted their

way up and down the road. The shops and buildings that lined the street made

the ones that Hestia just passed by look like piles of trash.

"…Isn't that…?"

Hestia was making her way across the street, her long shadow mixing with

the crowd as the sun set behind the wall that surrounded the city, when she

happened to see someone by chance.

A white-haired human boy was standing outside a shop.

Bell…?

The member of her Familia had his back to the throngs of adventurers and

had his eyes locked on something in the shop's show window. Seeing the boy so

intensely fixated on whatever was inside made Hestia come to a stop in the

middle of the road.

A few moments went by before Bell's shoulders drooped and he practically

tore himself away from the window. At long last the boy took his eyes off the

shop and left.

Hestia watched him disappear into the crowd before rushing up to the

window. Tup-tup-tup-tup, the soles of her shoes echoed off the stone road as she

went.

"…So that's what it was."

After seeing with her own eyes what in the show window Bell had been

ogling for so long, she knew why he had been so interested.

The show window was filled with different types of weapons. Freshly

polished, strong blades of all sizes sparkled beautifully in the display.

Whether Bell had been drawn here when he was passing by or by the power

of envy in a wish that he knew wouldn't come true, Hestia didn't know for sure.

No matter the reason, Bell was obviously extremely interested in the weapons

at this shop.

"Hmmm…All right, this is it."

Hestia folded her arms across her chest and decided it was about time she did

something "godlike," giving her "child" a present. She nodded to herself. After

everything that had happened, Hestia wanted someone to realize that she was

indeed a goddess. And being the warmhearted deity she was, she resolved to

give Bell a present.

She figured that if she spent every val she had saved up since arriving on this

world, she could get him something good. A small grin growing on her face,

Hestia moved away from the window and toward the front door.

Doing her best to remember the angle of Bell's gaze, Hestia worked out that

the boy had been looking at a shortsword. More than likely, it was the one in the

back of the display, sticking out of a jewel-encrusted treasure chest. Even Hestia

had to admit the blade was a work of art.

Then, she saw the price tag. "Huh?" The sound drifted out of her mouth, her

hand on the door handle and eyes blinking.

"Eighty million vals."

Hestia's fingers released the door, her body frozen in place.

Forgive me, Bell.

That's impossible, she said to herself as she turned on her heel and left the

shop as quickly as she could, cold sweat dripping down her neck.

That price was too big of a monster to slay. Hestia's life savings were nothing

but a helpless goblin at the feet of a dragon.

"Wait, isn't this…"

Looking back over her shoulder at the redbrick building, Hestia realized it

belonged to one of her friends.

Masters of the Forge, Hephaistos Familia. She had lived with them from

after her arrival on Gekai up until very recently.

Being a brand name known around the world, the fact that she couldn't afford

a Hephaistos weapon should have been obvious. She took one last look at the

billboard before taking off at a light sprint. Know your place, Bell, she said to

herself, feeling defeated.

Robbed of her chance to show her godly prowess, Hestia sighed yet again as

she made her way down the stone-paved path toward home, bathed in the last

crimson light from the setting sun.

…My hair ties are in pretty bad shape.

Catching a glimpse of herself in another shop's show window on Northwest

Main, Hestia stopped to take a closer look.

The two bands that kept her shiny, jet-black hair up in a set of twin ponytails

practically had one foot in the grave. Frayed and falling apart, they could break

at any moment.

The only thing these hair ties were doing for her now was to make her look

less dignified. Running her fingers over them, she looked at her reflection in the

glass. Suddenly, the mannequins behind the glass caught her attention.

Each of the statues was wearing a dress as well as all sorts of protective

accessories like amulets. Among the shop's standing advertisements was a statue

with very cute hair ties.

"…"

She stared at the blue bands on the mannequin's head, mesmerized for a few

moments. She jerked her shoulders before vigorously shaking her head side to

side. A goddess can't waste money, she practically screamed at herself, despite

how much she wanted them.

Swish. She flicked her chin away from the shop window to get her eyes off of

it. She took another quick glance from the corner of her eye before forcefully

turning her shoulders away.

Making up her mind to live with the ones she had for now, Hestia wrapped

her fingers around her hair bands and turned off West Main into a side street.

"…"

A pair of ruby-red eyes whose owner had yet to make his way home

happened to catch a glimpse of what had just occurred. Hestia, however, didn't

notice.

It had now been a week since the founding of Hestia Familia.

Hestia looked at the boy in front of her, a worried look in her eyes.

"S-sorry I'm late…"

Bell walked through the door to their home trailing a cloud of dust, armor

and clothes so dirty that Hestia could almost hear the fabric cough.

The clock on the wall showed that it was already past nine at night.

"…Bell, aren't you working a little too hard recently?"

"N-no, I don't think so?"

Bell grimaced as Hestia's expression grew more and more concerned. "I'm

fine," he said to reassure her.

Bell had come home in this state every night for the past few days.

He'd get up really early, spend all day crawling the Dungeon, and come home