Chapter 36 - chapter 4

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

CHAPTER 4

DUNGEON RESORT?

The first thing I feel is a heaviness, like my body is weighed down.

I don't know how long I've been here. My arms and legs feel like dirt and I

keep flowing in and out of consciousness. After a long time fighting the sense of

nothingness that comes with a deep slumber, I finally break through.

Everything's all blurry.

I blink a few times to clear my vision. My mind is still blank.

I see…fabric. Probably the inside of a tent.

I'm on my back, looking up at the ceiling.

Just as I start looking around the area—my eyes fly open as the memories

flood my brain.

"Lilly, Welf?!"

Our desperate search through the middle levels, the Goliath's appearance, the

eighteenth floor. Everything came back at once.

Adrenaline starts pumping through my veins. I don't know what happened; I

need to find out.

All of my muscles fire to help me sit up. A fresh wave of pain washes over

me a second later.

" ?!"

I curl into a little ball.

I think it was a scream that came out of my throat. No, the scream came from

my entire body.

It feels like every hit I've taken, every cut, scrape, and bruise I've received

since entering the thirteenth floor cries out all at once. I'm in tatters; all the

abuse has really taken its toll.

I'm writhing in so much pain that I might pass out again.

"Are you okay?"

—Once again, my eyes open.

That beautiful voice came from right beside me. I lay there for a moment,

unable to believe my ears before lifting my head.

The first thing I see is a wall of white fabric, probably part of the tent. Then

the long, golden hair of an adventurer sitting right next to me comes into view.

"Eh, huh, whaa…?!"

"…Are you all right?"

Her eyebrows furrow in concern as she speaks with that beautiful voice.

A-Aiz…Aiz Wallenstein…?!

I'm not hallucinating! It's actually her!

Why is she here?! I silently scream as my last memories before passing out

come back to me.

Long, beautiful golden hair reflected in my cloudy eyes.

I gulp down the air in my throat. The person I begged for help was…Aiz?

I, I grabbed her leg…?! A new firestorm whips up within me as I clench my

shaking fist.

"W-why are you here…?!"

"Returning from our expedition…We stopped on the eighteenth…"

Aiz's group, Loki Familia, must've come back from trying to explore

previously unknown levels deep in the Dungeon. So that means they're resting

here at the safe point, level eighteen.

They left on their expedition almost two weeks ago…Considering what Lilly

said earlier, we must've just crossed paths.

That was my train of thought as I lay there, marveling at her beauty.

"…! My friends! Are they ?!"

Lilly! My shoulders shake once my brain connects the dots.

—Are they okay?! I'm about to ask as my body flings forward on its own.

My elbows leave the ground, my body straight up.

It feels like something's pushing me from behind. I can't even blink.

Suddenly all the pain I was in doesn't matter. My sense of urgency cancels it all

out. That doesn't mean my muscles can take it.

I can't balance. The floor is rushing up to my face.

Aiz rises to her knees beside me and holds out both of her arms.

Pwff.

"…"

"…"

She catches both of my shoulders in her hands. My face, however, is buried

deep in her chest.

I can feel her golden hair on my nose.

Her metallic breastplate feels cool on my cheeks. It caught my fall.

I-I'm so glad it was a breastplate and not there's no time for that kind of

thinking?!

"S-sorry!"

My body launches itself away from her faster than the Goliath blasted me

down the tunnel.

My face burning red, I get away from her chest as fast as possible. Ignoring

the excruciating pain, I bend away to put some distance between us.

My body moves almost like it's a reflex. Losing my balance again, I hit the

back of my head on the ground, and stars dance in front of my eyes. To add

insult to injury, I yelp in agony in front of Aiz and grasp the back of my neck.

Shame and pain course through my body when…Swish. My hair brushes

against something.

"Ah…Welf."

He was fast asleep under thick covers right where I fell. Putting up with the

pain, I force my body up again and take a good look around. Lilly is next to him

on the other side.

I can feel the tension leave my shoulders as I look at their sleeping faces.

Finally, relief.

"They are both okay…Reveria and the others healed them."

Upon closer inspection, Welf's right leg and Lilly's numerous injuries have

been treated. I don't think our rescuers did anything fancy, but both Welf 's and

Lilly's wounds have been carefully wrapped in bandages.

"They had taken a lot of damage…but you were in very bad shape…"

Only after she says that do I notice that my head is also wrapped in bandages.

She parts my bangs with her fingers and slowly strokes my head.

My cheeks flush pink as I feel her fingertips run through my hair.

And then: "Any pain?" She tilts her head to the side as she asks. That is the

final blow.

My whole body turns red.

"T-thank you very much…for saving us, really…"

Somehow I manage to force my body away from her gentle hands and

express my gratitude.

Aiz sets her hands in her lap and shakes her head from side to side. "It's

nothing," she says with a small smile. I don't know why, but I feel really happy

right now.

Then she looks at me with her golden eyes and asks what our plans are from

here on out.

She slowly moves her head to look toward the exit of the tent.

"Can you move?"

"Umm…Y-yes."

"Finn told me…Our commander told me to contact him. Come with me,

would you?"

Aiz stands up as I give her a sharp nod.

I quickly climb to my feet. She offers her hand to help me up, but I can't

afford to embarrass myself even more. Trying to display some amount of

manliness, I respectfully decline. There's a new shot of pain…owwww…

Focusing completely on my teetering legs, I finally stand straight up. Every

muscle in my body is complaining, but I can handle it. I follow Aiz through the

exit as she lifts the fabric door out of the way.

"Whoa…?!"

A huge campsite comes into view.

We're surrounded by trees, but the forest isn't that dense here. Tents have

been pitched all around us. All of them are facing in toward a central area. Large

cargo boxes are sitting on top of tree roots throughout the camp.

Dwarves, animal people, elves…A surprising amount of them are women.

Another group of adventurers, a mix of demi-humans, has a very serious air

about them. But some are just talking, almost relaxing with one another. Two

animal people are sitting beside each other in the grass. A dwarf and an elf, one

leaning against a tree with his arms crossed while the other uses her hands to

make gestures as she talks…Their armor and weapons show signs of fierce

battles, and yet still sparkle. Whoever made their equipment was extremely good

at what they do.

A party of adventurers from what could be called the strongest Familia in

Orario…I can feel the aura of strength radiating from all of them. My body is

instinctively trying to pull away.

The members of Loki Familia start to notice us.

But they look right past Aiz and straight to me. They don't seem all that

happy to see me. Then again, it's only natural, looking at it from their point of

view…But what is it…They're looking at me like some kind of enemy. Aiz tilts

her head.

A bead of cold sweat rolls down my neck as something occurrs to me. Is it

because Aiz has been taking care of me? I'm mulling that spot over as Aiz starts

walking. I almost trip trying to keep up.

A barrage of inquisitive looks keeps coming as I move forward. Yet, this is a

forest, I say to myself as I look at the dim canopy above, trying not to catch the

eyes of anyone else. The leaves and branches create a kind of dome canopy over

our heads.

However, sunlight flashes through the openings.

It feels warm on my face. To top it all off, I think I can see blue through the

leaves.

This is the Dungeon. No sunlight ever makes it down here—so why is there

shade and a blue sky? I'm so confused.

Is there really a blue sky and warm sun on the other side of those leaves?

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, it's…um, well…"

Aiz must've sensed my bewilderment because she turned to face me.

My confused brain tries to think of how to respond. In the end I can't control

my curiosity so I ask her a question.

"This is the eighteenth floor…of the Dungeon, right? Why is it so bright…?"

I look at the sky as I speak. Eina never mentioned anything about this—I bet

she'd never thought I'd come this far on my first day in the middle levels—so

I'm completely clueless. Aiz follows my gaze, her thin chin rising.

"…Should we take a detour?"

She looks at me again and I clumsily nod.

We turn off our original route and leave the camp area. This part of the forest,

completely untouched by humans, spreads out even wider as the canopy towers

above us. I don't know why, but I feel like a weight is coming off my shoulders.

I follow her swishing gold hair for a few minutes before the scenery takes my

breath away.

Crystals.

Clear and sparkling, they're absolutely gorgeous.

Some of them are really small, no bigger than my foot. But there are some

that are large enough that I could stand inside them. A giant could use one of

these things as a dagger. Crystals of all shapes and sizes dot the landscape.

My head is on a swivel. The crystals seem to be sprouting in small groups,

tall, thin crystals emitting azure light. The entire forest is silently illuminated by

their glow. The forest floor is covered in little blue fragments, along with a good

amount of moss and tree roots.

It's a mystifying, wondrous sight.

It's impossible not to stand and stare.

The sound of flowing water fills my ears. A small river runs through this

forest. Members of Loki Familia are drawing water from it. An elf notices Aiz

and waves.

It's said that the elves' homeland is somewhere deep in a forest.

Even though I've never seen it myself, I had a feeling it would look a lot like

this.

"Ah…"

The forest opens up.

Aiz keeps walking forward, toward a semicircular arch-like exit to the forest

bathed in white light. I cover my eyes as they adjust to this new, brighter path.

I blink a few times as everything comes into focus.

"…Amazing."

A wild frontier opens up in front of me.

The first thing my eyes take in is the expansive great plain. My vision is

filled with a rich green that I've never seen on the surface. The small shadows

moving about are probably monsters. Even here, crystals are scattered

throughout the landscape.

There is a pond on my left…On second thought, it's big enough to call it a

lake. The perfectly smooth surface is an amazingly pure blue. There are some

large rocks—no, islands—sticking out of the middle of it.

The forest spreads out to my right. It's a lot larger than I thought. And then

right in front of me, I can clearly see a towering tree jutting out of the middle of

the plains.

My eyes follow its massive trunk up and up until…

I happen to catch a glimpse of the ceiling.

"…Ah, aren't those?"

"Yes, all crystals."

Aiz was nice enough to answer my unfinished question.

Just as she said, the entire ceiling of this level is covered in a sheet of

crystals.

They go from corner to corner and all the way around, like a field of

blooming flowers looking down from above. They are divided into two colors:

The big ones in the center are white and remind me of the sun; the ones

surrounding them are blue like the sky.

There is no blue sky in the Dungeon.

All the crystals above us make it look like there is.

"The light from the crystals disappears after a while…That's when night

comes."

My eyes peel back in surprise.

According to Aiz, the amount of light changes the same way all the time.

Right now it's the "afternoon." Apparently it's not matched up with the real sky,

though…

It's almost like the Dungeon prepared this by looking outside, I think to

myself as I look at the blue crystals.

"…"

The safe point, level eighteen.

A world full of nature and crystals far below the surface.

It has another name: Under Resort.

Plains and a lake, complete with a blue sky. I stand next to Aiz and take it all

in.

Back at the campsite in the middle of the forest, there's a tent a bit bigger than

the others.

A flag bearing Loki Familia's emblem hangs inside.

And now I'm standing in front of some of the most famous adventurers in

Orario.

"Aiz told me about your situation…but I didn't think you had already been

carried into our camp."

The person speaking to me has blond hair, very similar to Aiz's golden locks.

His eyes are a deep blue, the same color as a lake. Right now, he's doing his best

to force a smile.

Just standing in front of this grimacing prum boy is making every hair on my

body stand on end.

No, it's not just him. There are two incredibly strong demi-humans behind

each of his shoulders. I steal a few glances in their direction, but I avoid eye

contact at all costs.

"Oh-ho, this that adventurer you were talking about, Reveria?"

"Indeed, Galess. This is Bell Cranell."

A dwarf built like a stone fortress and a very refined elf. I can feel their

gazes; just by listening to their conversation I know they're appraising me,

judging me. It's making me even more nervous.

The prum Finn Deimne is Loki Familia's highest-ranking adventurer and

field general. The strong, wise dwarf elder is Galess Landrock. And Orario's

most powerful magic user is the elfess Reveria Riyos Ahrve.

The three of them are all top class and are practically the face of Orario's

adventurers.

"Th-th-thank you for everything you have done. I-I-I can't thank you

enough…!"

I just became an upper-class adventurer myself. But looking at these three—

and Aiz as well—there's no doubt they are in a league of their own, far above

me.

I'm doing my best to express my gratitude, body low and head down. But for

whatever reason I get the feeling that my pathetic stuttering and weakness are

only annoying them. Even Aiz, standing right next to me, is looking at me funny.

The skin on my body is red enough to rival the salamander wool covering it.

"Don't be so tense, take it easy. We're all adventurers, aren't we? It's at times

like these that we have to help each other out," says Finn Deimne as he stretches

his shoulders. "And considering that you're a friend of Aiz's, we can't exactly

turn you away. She'd hold a grudge worse than you can imagine. If we didn't do

everything in our power to help, none of us would be able to sleep at night."

There's a tinge of humor in his voice. I'm so nervous that I almost miss it. A

smile grows on my lips before I know it. Every fiber of my being is telling me to

keep my distance from them, but the air feels lighter somehow.

Aiz flashes him a look. I think it meant something like "don't say anything

weird." All the tension in the room suddenly leaves. The atmosphere in here is

almost comical.

Mr. Finn smiles at me like a boy his age actually would. All my nerves have

settled down.

"I believe I understand exactly what happened, but could I hear it in your

own words? I'll tell you about our situation, too. Think of it as an exchange of

information."

"Ah, sure."

This boy has very good people skills. I feel very comfortable telling him

everything. It must come from experience. I nod and start talking.

From the thirteenth through the eighteenth, I spare no detail in my

explanation.

"Ga-ha-ha! All the way ta the eighteenth on yer first day! Finn, Reveria, ya

were right! This youngster's quite interesting!"

"Galess, this is not a private conversation. Please hold your tongue."

The elf Reveria shoots a one-eyed glare as a warning to the laughing dwarf,

Galess.

Actually, I told them that coming down to the eighteenth floor was Lilly's

idea…but the dwarf warrior didn't pay attention. Instead, he kept praising me,

saying things like, "Got some shifty feet, there, laddie! Escapin' from the floor

boss like that!" I can't help but smile back at him.

"As for us, we're taking a rest here. Usually we pass right through the

eighteenth floor and straight up to the surface when returning from an

expedition…but this time we encountered some monsters with particularly

potent venom."

Mr. Finn goes on to say that a good deal of Loki Familia's adventurers,

excluding the higher-level ones like Aiz, are infected. Many of them can't move

on their own.

Since they were returning from an expedition…meaning that their stock of

healing items was very low, they had no way to heal everyone. It was impossible

for them to keep moving as a group.

"We sent Bete, the fastest member of our Familia, up to the surface to gather

some antidotes. With any luck he'll be back tomorrow, but in any case we're

stuck here until he arrives."

Apparently he set off to collect the healing items just before we arrived on

the eighteenth floor.

We must've just missed him because we used the holes instead of taking the

regular path.

"We're very low on supplies, especially food. We'll give you all we can

spare, but please understand it's not much."

"N-no, we'll be extremely grateful for anything at all!"

Considering the fact they've already given us a tent to use even though so

many of their members are suffering from venom, they've already treated us

extremely well. We have no right to complain.

"It's just for a short while, so we will treat you as guests for the time being.

As long as you don't try to stir up trouble, you can use that tent for as long as

we're here. I'll let everyone know myself."

"…Really, I'm so grateful for everything…Thank you very much."

I thank him, filling my words with as much gratitude as possible.

"You owe us one," Mr. Finn says with a light smile. I say a few more thank-

yous as Aiz and I leave the tent.

"Are you sure, Finn?"

Reveria asked Finn a question after Bell left the tent.

Her emerald-green hair swished around her shoulders as she looked down

toward the short general.

"It is true that Aiz has taken a liking to him…Plus, there is a member of

Hephaistos Familia in Bell's party."

"You are certain of this?"

"Yes. One of the smiths told me."

High Smiths belonging to Hephaistos Familia had joined this expedition

alongside Loki Familia. One of the smiths had informed Finn that he recognized

Welf when the young man was carried into the camp.

"Goddess Hephaistos doesn't consider any of her followers to be more

important than another, yes? I'd hate to get on her bad side just because we

refused to help one of them."

"Logical," nodded Reveria with a satisfied look on her face.

Finn swiveled his eyes up to meet her gaze.

"The icing on the cake is that you are interested in Bell Cranell as well, aren't

you, Reveria? Aiz has taken an interest in him, so how could you not?"

"…I will not deny that."

"Ga-ha-ha! Look at you, Reveria! Bein' all motherly!"

"No teasing, Galess," she replied, looking somewhat annoyed.

The large dwarf's hearty laughter continued all the same.

"It's good for her to show interest and initiative…Personally, I think this is an

opportunity for her. But what about your perspective as the leader of our

Familia? It's highly likely that the reason that Aiz left home early before this

expedition was to meet with Bell Cranell."

Finn, like Reveria, had noticed strange changes in her behavior before the

expedition, such as asking how to issue commands to adventurers. They could

see the effect that Bell's early-morning training sessions had on the girl.

"Hmm, I think that it would be good for Aiz to change as well…But for now,

let's keep Loki in the dark about this."

"Oi, Finn! Ya should challenge Bell Cranell ta a wrestlin' match! It's a style

of fightin' Loki was talkin' about. And this geezer would very much like to know

how strong he is."

"Hmm…no."

Finn explained that as the leaders of the group, there was no room for

carelessness. They could unknowingly put the white rabbit of a boy who was

following Aiz around camp in danger.

"In any case, there shouldn't be any problems. Bell Cranell doesn't seem like

the kind of human who would go looking for a fight. We'll keep an eye on him

for the time being," said Finn, casting his eyes back toward the exit of the tent.

I follow Aiz back to the main camp after meeting with Mr. Finn and the others.

If I had to guess, I'd say there's more than ten white tents set up in the forest.

I'm sure there are people suffering from poison inside each of them. Healthy

adventurers stand guard outside each tent.

The light filtering down through the branches and leaves from the canopy

above is soft. Leaves rustle in the trees above us, but we're not the only ones out

and about right now.

"Aiz, good afternoon."

"Good afternoon…"

Members of Loki Familia greet Aiz as they walk past.

That's right, she's one of their leaders…

Forgetting something that important sends a twinge to my body. I belong to a

different Familia, and yet here I am walking with her like this. No wonder I've

been getting all these strange looks.

As proof, "welcoming" is the last word I would use to describe their attitude

toward me. Men and women either look at me like I'm some kind of criminal or

stare at me with very serious eyes.

An elf who just walked by, probably a magic user, didn't stop glaring at me

until she passed. I'm scared…!

I'd be overpowered in an instant if I tangled with any of them. They're higher

level than me, for sure. And I'm sure they aren't exactly happy I'm walking

around their campsite like this.

"Level eighteen…"

"Huh?"

Aiz suddenly speaks with her back to me.

I look up and see that she's looking over her shoulder at me, her face in

profile.

"You've…already made it to level eighteen…"

"Eh, umm…Just like I told Mr. Finn, you see, one thing led to another and

we just kind of ended up here…We weren't planning on it, though, and we a-

almost died!"

I trip over my words as I try to respond and scratch my bandaged cheek.

Aiz spins on her heel to face me, as if she isn't satisfied with such a weak

answer.

"Did slaying that Minotaur make you Level Two?"

She's not blinking at all. Her golden stare is rather intimidating, so I nod.

She stays like that for a moment before twisting her body like she's trying to

get a look at my back.

Then: shuffle, shuffle. She moves to my side. I do my best to shrink away,

and break out in a cold sweat.

…Is she trying to look at my Status?

I don't know why I'm getting that impression but once again, shuffle, shuffle.

She moves once more. So do I. Shuffle, shuffle, step, step, shuffle, shuffle, step,

step. What is going on?

Other members of her Familia are watching us. The white-haired boy

glistening with sweat and the airheaded Aiz—it must look like we're doing some

kind of footwork practice…Out of nowhere:

"Wow—it's really Argonaut!"

A very energetic voice reaches my ears.

Sure, I wasn't expecting anyone to speak up, but it was what she called me

that makes my heart skip a beat.

I quickly spin around to face the owner of the voice and see two girls with

wheat-colored skin coming up to me.

"Tiona, Tione…"

"You've been busy, Aiz. I hear you've already talked to Finn?"

"I heard you'd been carried in, but you're awake, too! You're one lucky guy,

Argonaut!"

Aiz called these two Tiona and Tione…twins, maybe? One has shorter black

hair just long enough to cover her ears; the other's is the same color and extends

halfway down her back. Their clothes are different, but their faces are almost

identical. Their height, too.

Based on how much tan skin is showing, it'd be a safe bet to say they're

Amazons. The long-haired one talks to Aiz first, while the one with short hair

comes right up to me…However.

She's called me "Argonaut" twice. That's the same name as my Skill. Blood

is tearing through my veins.

She knows?! My mind is racing. I open and close my mouth, trying to speak,

but nothing comes out. On my third or fourth attempt, words finally emerge.

"A-Argonaut? How do you mean…?"

"Ahh, don't mind her. It's just a name this blockhead came up with to call

you."

"All of us saw you fight that Minotaur! And watching you reminded me of

this fairy tale I used to love when I was a kid. So, yeah, you were incredible!"

Somehow, my battle with the Minotaur on the ninth floor reminded her of the

legend of Argonaut. I take a deep breath and feel the relief wash over me. It

wasn't my Skill, but this girl's free-spirited personality that led her to dub me

Argonaut. An adventurer's Status, basic abilities, Magic, and Skills are his

lifeline. They're best kept protected.

We start to introduce ourselves.

The girl who calls me Argonaut is Tiona Hyrute and the long-haired girl is

Tione Hyrute…Wait a minute. The Amazonian Hyrute sisters? Aren't they

famous top-class adventurers just like Aiz?

Sure, I'd never seen them face-to-face or knew their first names, but it took

me way too long to figure it out.

"The fact that you're here means you've reached Level Two, am I right? I

know you can take down a Minotaur on your own, but you're something else,

kiddo."

"Ah! He's blushing! So cute!"

"…"

Their teasing makes me smile, but to be honest, I can't focus on what they're

saying.

My eyes keep drifting toward the wide expanses of healthy, wheat-colored

skin.

Tiona only has one strip of fabric wrapped around her chest. Her pareu-style

skirt goes down to her knees, but her stomach is completely exposed.

Meanwhile, Tione's attire looks like little more than underwear—bra and

panties…That is to say, there's no safe place to put my eyes. It's either watch her

large breasts sway as she moves or follow her long, slender waist down…

This pressure is a new kind of overwhelming.

Surrounded by beautiful girls who are more than likely a few years older than

me…I feel like I could pass out at any moment.

((((Don't get cocky!))))

"—"

I didn't exactly hear that so much as I felt it.

It came from all the men around the camp with their eyes on us—cold,

glaring eyes.

The color drains from my face in an instant.

"I—I'm going to go check on my friends?!"

I think I hear someone say, "Ah, there he goes," while I make my escape.

I nearly fall several times as I dash like a madman to put some distance

between the girls and me.

The forest is getting darker.

The "sunlight" coming down through the many leaves above my head is

getting dimmer…The light from the crystals is fading.

"Afternoon" in the Dungeon is over. "Night" is about to begin.

It really is getting dark…

I take a look outside the tent.

There is no red twilight between the two; the "sky" goes from blue to black.

While it does feel a little strange that the natural progression outside it doesn't

exist down here, it's still amazing to me that night can fall in the Dungeon.

I leave the tent entrance and go back inside.

Lilly and Welf are still sleeping. Even though there is nothing to do, I feel

like I'm taking care of them as I look at their peaceful faces.

The campsite gets livelier as time passes. I space out for a little bit, but

they're probably making dinner right now.

"Hnnn…"

Welf's body moves. At the same time, the blanket over Lilly starts shifting

little by little.

Another wave of relief flows through my body.

"…Where are we?"

"Mr. Bell…?"

Both of them slowly blink their eyes as they look around. Knowing that both

of them are alive takes the last bit of weight off my shoulders, and I can finally

breathe easy.

I talk to them, my voice loose and calm.

"Lilly, Welf, are you two okay? Do you know who I am?"

"…Lilly doesn't think there will be a day when she doesn't recognize Mr.

Bell's face."

"Ah…Li'l E's just as sassy as ever, I hear. Nothin' wrong with me. Heya,

Bell."

A smile works its way across Lilly's lips as Welf responds like his usual self.

I grin from ear to ear and wait for both of them to wake up completely.

They're both a little bit woozy after opening their eyes, but once their heads

are clear enough they sit up on their own. They stay on the ground, blankets

covering their legs as I explain everything that's happened.

First, that we made it safely to the eighteenth floor. Next, that Loki Familia is

taking care of us.

I try to be as simple and precise as possible. Both of them sit quietly, staring

at me until I finish. Then…they apologize.

"Lilly's so very sorry, Mr. Bell…"

"Held you back there, didn't I…Sorry, man."

"I-it's not like that at all!"

Both of them fall silent as words come pouring out of my mouth.

I sound almost angry as I unleash everything all at once. If Lilly hadn't been

there, we would've wandered aimlessly around the Dungeon for who knows how

long. If Welf hadn't been there, the hellhounds would've roasted us alive.

Lilly's and Welf's eyes seem to shrink away as they quietly listen to my

tirade.

"It's thanks to the two of you, thanks to all of us…that we're here right now,

that we survived."

"…Well said."

"We would've died if one of us wasn't here. Lilly agrees."

Their confidence seems to be coming back. Their faces transform from

grimaces into actual smiles.

At the same time, I feel a little bit embarrassed about my outburst.

A moment later, all three of us wrinkle our faces as we laugh with one

another.

"…Dinner's ready. Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes!"

I jump to my feet in response to a voice coming from outside the tent. Aiz

pokes her head in.

Lilly's and Welf's jaws drop as the Kenki appears in front of their very eyes.

"Th-thank you, really. Sharing food with us and all…"

"It's nothing…Can you come outside?"

I freeze for a moment. I've got a bad feeling about going out there, but

they've done so much to help us, so…it would be rude not to say hi, wouldn't it?

I look back at Lilly and Welf and use my eyes to ask them if it's okay. Both

of them nod.

They climb to their feet and all of us follow Aiz out of the tent and toward

the camp.

"Hey, Bell. How do you know the Kenki?"

"Umm…It's a long story."

"Mr. Bell. Please tell Lilly all about it sometime soon."

I'm lending my shoulder to Welf once again and Lilly is smiling beside me,

but it's a little frightening.

That story is one embarrassing moment after another, so I'd rather not tell her

if I can help it…

The three of us force an empty laugh as we keep up with Aiz.

Lilly and Welf start looking around and taking everything in. We reach the

center of camp in no time.

"Humph, it's them…"

A large number of people are sitting in a circle in the open space at the center

of their campsite. A few specialized magic-stone lamps are set up in the middle.

Bright and flickering, they look almost like flames. If I remember right, this

design is called a "campfire."

This big circle isn't just made up of Loki Familia members. Hephaistos

Familia's High Smiths are here, too. Aiz explains what is going on as Welf

recognizes someone in the circle and groans.

"H-hello there..."

All eyes are on us. We make our way to an empty spot and take a seat.

The moment my rear touches ground, plop, Aiz sits down on my right. Lilly

takes a seat on my left and Welf on the other side of her. We've naturally sat

down according to rank…which is kind of scary.

I've sat next to Aiz before, during our morning training sessions…but it still

feels like there's a lot of distance between my idol and me. I don't know if it'll

ever go away.

I sneak a peek in her direction. However, she notices right away and makes

eye contact. Her golden hair is silky and shiny, like she's just taken a bath. Come

to think of it, the air around her smells like a pure hot spring.

"Something wrong?"

"…N-no! Everything's fine!"

I can feel my face heating up, so I break off eye contact before my face starts

burning red.

"Everyone, please listen. As I've told many of you, we are hosting some

guests tonight. All of them courageously risked their lives to save one another,

and managed to safely arrive on the eighteenth floor. I won't ask you to be

friendly with them. However, I would like you to respect them as fellow

adventurers while they're with us…Now then, let's have a fresh start."

"Wow, he's really good at this…"

Mr. Finn walks to the center of the circle and addresses everyone. He appeals

to everyone's pride as adventurers to help avoid arguments and fights. Sounds

like Lilly is really impressed by his approach.

At long last, the food arrives. Two or three fruits to a person.

They're red fruits, shaped like gourds. The amber-colored flesh inside looks

sweet…I've never seen anything like this on the surface. They must grow here

on the eighteenth floor. I carefully take a bite out of the fruit that looks like

cotton dipped in honey. No wonder it's been named the "honey cloud."

My mouth is instantly filled with a thick, sweet juice—and I almost spit it

out.

It's sweet—much too sweet. I'm not all that good with sweet stuff to begin

with, but this is making me tear up. I feel like I'm gonna die! Doing my best to

swallow, I take a look around. The female members of Loki Familia seem to be

enjoying it. Just one bite and their faces melt, their hands on their cheeks. I can

tell that shivers are running down their spines.

"Mr. Bell, Mr. Bell? Lilly would be happy to finish that for you, if you don't

like it?"

"S-sure. Here…"

"Oh, okay—Ahhhh."

"All right, Bell. Leave it to me, I'll finish it for you…Whew, you were right,

way too sweet."

Lilly shifts in front of me and perches like a bird with her mouth open, like

she wants me to feed her. But before I can put the rest of the fruit in her mouth,

Welf snatches it out of my hand and wolfs the whole thing down in one bite.

Lilly's fuming mad, her face beet red and a little vein popping out of her

forehead as she kicks Welf over and over in the shin. He doesn't seem to notice,

though, because he's pounding his chest as if the fruit is stuck in his throat.

Aiz watches the events unfold, completely speechless.

"But yeah, I've heard stories about this place…Not the usual Dungeon floor,

is it?" The fruit must've passed through, since Welf is taking in the scenery.

All of the white crystals on the ceiling have gone dark, meaning only the

larger blue ones are producing any light. The entire forest is covered in a dark

blue shadow. A "night sky" not much different from the one outside the

Dungeon is on the other side of the leaves above us.

Everyone in the circle around us is illuminated by the orange and bronze light

emitted by the campfire-style magic-stone lamps. They're all eating, drinking,

and chatting with one another. They look like they're having a great time, their

shadows dancing on the trees behind them as several throw their heads back in

laughter at the same time. This whole scene looks like a picture out of the tales I

used to read—a group of adventurers having a meal together, deep in a forest

under a full moon.

Mr. Finn, Ms. Reveria, and Mr. Galess are being served by other party

members—more of those red gourd sugar bombs, by the looks of it. I don't

know if it's because they're almost finished with their expedition, but the

members of Loki Familia don't look anxious at all.

I can see that they do have a few people surrounding the camp as lookouts,

but everyone else looks like they're on vacation.

"Exotic fruit, a sky…There's supposed to be a town here, too, right?"

"Eh…A t-town?!"

That's a word I wasn't expecting to hear.

A "sky" being this far underground was hard enough to swallow, but an

actual town in the Dungeon…

I turn to Aiz without thinking. She looks up from her plate of nutrition cubes

and quickly nods.

"…Tomorrow, shall we go?"

"Yes, please!"

I don't think I've nodded my head up and down faster in my life.

This is so exciting! I try to picture this Dungeon Town in my head. What

would the buildings look like? What would people do there…? So many

questions race through my head. This must be one of the charms of being an

adventurer! I say to myself as my enthusiasm reaches yet another level.

My face must be beaming right now. Aiz looks at me from the side…I think

she's smiling.

"Hiya, Mr. Argonaut!"

I know exactly who it is even before I look up to see Miss Tiona walking this

way.

Her older sister Miss Tione is just a few steps behind. The Amazonian twins

came right up to me earlier. Swoop. They sit down on either side of me.

"What?"

"You must tell us your story. Think of it as paying us back for the food and

lodging. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Please, please!"

Lilly gawked at Miss Tione as she forced her way between us. Aiz just tilted

her head to the side as Miss Tiona wiggled her way in. All the breath leaves my

body as their skin brushes against me, my body sandwiched between them. My

face must be the color of raw meat by now.

Lilly looks pissed, her eyebrows standing on end. Miss Tiona's face appears

on my right. She looks really happy and excited for some reason. Then she asks

me a question.

"How did you get all of your basic abilities to 'S'?"

My face tries to hide behind my skull.

Muscles kind of twitch their way into a smile as I look to my left. Miss Tione

is giggling, her eyes narrowed. The message I get from that look is, you're not

getting away until you talk.

A new round of questions erupts in my mind: How long ago was my Status

exposed? How does she know what my basic abilities were? More and more pop

up every second. My heart shakes inside my chest and it won't settle down.

And if I answer her honestly…Would she be satisfied if I bluntly say

"effort"? All I did was try to pursue my goal, my idol.

As for said idol, she's sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees and

not doing much. However, I can tell that her ears are on high alert…My idol can

be cruel sometimes.

Mr. Finn and Ms. Reveria are enjoying the forest view a little ways away, but

they do nothing to intervene. Mr. Galess is staring right at me, stroking his beard

and taking in every word.

Welf is my last hope. "What, Welfy-boy? You miss us so much that you

follow us down here like a lost puppy? How sweet of you." He's surrounded by

Hephaistos Familia's smiths.

"Hey, enough! Get lost!" He sounds really angry. Lilly's still fuming, glaring

at the Amazon twins and even me.

I'm completely isolated.

Rivers of cold sweat flow out of my skin. I would give anything to pass out

right now.

"—GUnuAHH?!"

It comes out of the blue.

"?!"

I know that voice better than anyone, but this is the last place I should hear it.

Lilly and I immediately look at each other. She knows, too. We both firmly

nod.

"Excuse me, please, let me through!"

I don't wait for any of them to answer and jump to my feet.

I take off with Lilly right behind me and Welf not too far behind her.

I run headlong in the direction of the sound. The forest quickly opens up. I

can see a massive cliff in front of me and the entrance to a circular cave at its

base. That's the tunnel that connects the seventeenth and eighteenth floors, for

sure.

Loki Familia's lookouts are already gathering at the scene. I squeeze my way

past their shoulders and see—

"Owwwww…?! No one ever told me the monsters got that big?!"

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! I thought I was a goner!"

The goddess is on all fours, gasping for breath.

I feel my eyelids pull open. There's also a male deity sitting on the ground

next to my goddess, as well as a number of adventurers trying to catch their

breath—a girl wearing glasses looks absolutely exhausted.

They must've just barely escaped the floor boss, just like us. I recognize the

fear in their eyes.

"…Ah."

The group starts to notice me and the goddess raises her head. She looks

around until, zing! Her eyes lock onto me.

Her soft blue eyes grow rounder and rounder by the moment. Without

warning, she lunges forward, tripping as she tries to run toward me.

"—Bell!!"

"Ouff?!"

The lookouts step aside as she rushes forward. The goddess leaves her feet

and comes crashing headfirst into my stomach.

Unfortunately, I was flat-footed and not prepared for the impact. I fall and

land hard on my back.

"Bell, Bell! Are you the real one?!"

"G-godeshh…?!"

She's straddling my stomach, patting my arms and legs vigorously until she

reaches my face. Grabbing my cheeks, she pulls my face into many different

shapes. I reach up and somehow manage to get her to let go.

I'm about to ask why she's here as I prop myself up on my elbows, but she

wraps both of her arms around my neck so tight that I can't get the words out,

and presses her body against mine.

"…?!"

My eyes are opened wide, skin bright red.

I feel like I'm being squeezed by many soft pillows. I can almost hear the air

being pushed out from between our bodies.

The goddess completely embraces me, nestling her head underneath my chin.

Hot breath on my neck, all of her weight on my shoulders, and I have no idea

what to do.

I try to say something, but what? I open my mouth and close it again more

than a few times, when suddenly I hear:

"…Thank heavens."

I can feel her soft voice on my skin.

My nerves calm down, tension draining from my shoulders.

The goddess's body is shaking like a small child's. Her thin arms pull me up

and closer to her. I hear something wet coming from around my neck.

There's no need to ask why she's here anymore.

She was worried and put herself at risk to come and find me.

I take a look at one of her black ponytails that's brushing against the side of

my face.

Our bodies and minds feel very close, and even our breathing has aligned.

The warmth of her body makes me feel like something irreplaceable is being

replenished.

Should I hold her? I sit there thinking about it for a moment and start to raise

my hands…That's when I notice we have an audience.

They've been here the whole time, quietly watching.

My body goes stiff as a board again as embarrassment floods my system.

My hands are off the ground but not yet around the goddess. With nowhere to

go, they just kind of float there.

"Please get ahold of yourself, Lady Hestia."

"Hey! Don't go ruining our beautiful reunion! Gah! Lemme go!"

Lilly has ahold of the collar of the goddess's robe. She does her best to resist,

but the prum has a Status. Lilly's stronger. A little girl is pulling another little

girl as the latter's arms and legs flail around trying to escape.

Free of the goddess's embrace, I watch the two of them with a bead of sweat

rolling down my cheek.

"Mr. Cranell, are you injured?"

"Eh…L-Lyu?!"

An adventurer wearing a hooded cape comes over and kneels next to where

I'm sitting on the ground.

Not only do I recognize that voice, but I can make out two sky-blue eyes

partially hidden beneath the hood.

There's no mistake. It's the beautiful elf waitress who works at The

Benevolent Mistress.

"Lyu, too? Why…?"

"A certain deity was rather insistent I accept a quest. He wanted me to join

the search party to find you."

She shifts her light-blue gaze.

I follow her line of sight to the god who was next to the goddess a moment

ago.

He's just sitting there, orange hair shifting as he looks around. Slapping the

floor a few times with his hands, the deity stands up.

"Okay, I've got a good idea what's going on."

He looks at Aiz and other members of Loki Familia in turn, giving each a

hearty smile.

Then he notices me looking at him.

He comes over, face still locked in that charming smile.

"So you're Bell Cranell, eh?"

"Y-yes."

I can feel his narrow orange eyes sweeping over me.

My body won't move, mouth won't open. His eyes meet mine and narrow.

"Ahhh…I've been looking for you."

His eyes seemed to smile after he said that.

"The name's Hermes. Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Lord…Hermes?"

"That's me, Bell."

He sticks out his hand without breaking eye contact as I do my best to

respond.

It's quite the first impression, this charming smile and handshake. He seems

like a friendly deity.

"L-Lord Hermes, if you don't mind my asking, um…"

"The reason I would come this far to help someone I'd never met?"

"Y-yes."

"You see, Hestia is an old friend of mine, so of course I'm going to help her

out. She wanted to find you, so naturally I did, too."

He glances over to the spot where the goddess and Lilly are having a rather

spirited conversation and chuckles to himself.

Once he looks back at me I bow my head and say, "Th-thank you very much,

sir."

It's probably thanks to him that the goddess was able to make it this deep into

the Dungeon. I've got a feeling he pulled a few strings to make it happen.

"It's not me you should be thanking, it's them. It's thanks to the hooded

adventurer and those children over there that we managed to get this far."

He gestures toward a small group of adventurers still standing at the entrance

to the tunnel.

One is a young woman with aqua-blue hair and silver glasses. The other three

wear matching armor—probably members of the same Familia…

"…Hey, Bell."

I notice them even before Welf points them out.

Those people are—

I've seen those bluish purple eyes. They were filled with tears on level

thirteen.

They're the main reason why we're on the eighteenth floor right now…The

adventurers who led a swarm of monsters straight into us.

There is a shining emblem on all of their armor: a sword sticking out of the

earth.

"—Our deepest and most sincere apologies."

Back in the tent provided by Loki Familia.

We've come back here after meeting up with the group led by my goddess.

Lyu, Lord Hermes, and his follower, the girl named Asfi, didn't come with

us.

The girl in front of me has her knees, the palms of her hands, and her

forehead pressed to the floor in apology.

"Whoa…" The goddess and I take a step back at the overwhelming, almost

divine power of her stance.

So this is Takemikazuchi Familia's ultimate technique: the dogeza bow…!

"…All the apologies in the world won't be enough for Lilly to forgive you.

We almost died."

"Yeah, this isn't about to go away with a few words."

Lilly and Welf, however, aren't fazed by the full-body bow. They stand tall

and speak with a serious edge to their voices. It's a little intimidating, to tell the

truth.

Ouka and Chigusa stand behind their straitlaced ally Mikoto, not sure what to

do. The girl on the floor raises her head to meet Lilly's eyes. She keeps eye

contact as she raises her body into a kneeling position.

"Um, you see, really…We are very sorry…"

"Your anger is justified. You are free to berate us to your heart's content."

The shy Chigusa stuttered as she spoke, her eyes hidden by her bangs.

Mikoto, on the other hand, spoke clearly and with great remorse.

Passing off monsters to other adventurers in the Dungeon is normal. So much

so, in fact, that many adventurers consider it a necessary tactic for survival. No

one expects it to happen to them…but as long as there is no malice to it, all

adventurers are expected to accept that they could be on the receiving end of a

pass parade at some point. At least that's what I've heard.

However, in our case, coming so close to the line between life and death

because of their stunt has left a sour taste in my friends' mouths. Even the

goddess crosses her arms and lets out a long "Hmmmm" as the drama unfolds

before her.

"I was the one who gave the order. Even now, I believe it was the correct

choice."

Said Ouka as his towering frame steps in front of Mikoto.

I gaze in awe at him for a moment. He doesn't shake or quiver at all, a

mountain in the middle of the tent.

More than likely…Ouka had carefully considered and weighed all the

options. He chose the lives of his friends over the lives of complete strangers.

He was prepared to face this kind of outcome the moment he gave the order,

all for the sake of his allies.

I don't know if it's right or wrong…but he made the decision for the sake of

his party.

"…You've got some nerve saying that to our faces, big guy."

Welf steps in front of Ouka and squares his shoulders. It wouldn't be an

exaggeration to say that the look in his eyes might kill a weaker man.

It feels like a ticking time bomb in here. Everyone's glaring at one another,

sizing them up for a fight. But I'm kind of caught in a no-man's-land, looking

back and forth at everyone.

Something bad is going to happen…I have to find a way to defuse the

situation, fast—

"Hello again, everybody. We're back. Loki Familia was very understanding

of our situation."

So that's where Lord Hermes and Asfi disappeared to. They were getting

permission to stay at the camp from Mr. Finn and the other leaders.

"My, my…What's going on in here, Hestia?"

"Oh, you know. This and that."

My goddess's summary is a little bit too brief, but Hermes seems to be

satisfied with it and puts on a smile larger than I thought possible.

"No need to think so hard about this! Look at it this way: Mikoto here owes

you a big favor. At the same time, you want a chance to atone—am I right?"

"Of course we do…"

"Think about it, Lilly. Should the time come, you can have them bend over

backward to help you out of a sticky situation. Doesn't that sound good?"

"…If the time comes."

Lord Hermes moves away from Lilly and Mikoto's staring contest and turns

his attention to Welf and Ouka.

"Welf. Sure, this group in front of you got you into one heck of a mess, but

they came down here because they wanted to help you. My presence had nothing

to do with it."

…A heavy silence falls.

"…I'll play nice. But don't think you've been forgiven."

"Yes…That's fine."

Ouka doesn't look particularly happy, either. Welf steps away and returns to

my side.

All of a sudden, the gathering storm clouds have vanished. It might not be

anything special for a deity like Lord Hermes…but seeing him effortlessly clear

the air like that, I can't help but be impressed.

"Now then, what are the plans from here on out?"

Lord Hermes smiles again and opens his arms as if nothing were wrong in the

first place. The rest of us just had all of the anger sucked out of our bodies in one

fell swoop; we weren't going to say no.

Lord Hermes gestured toward Asfi. The girl looks a little perplexed but

comes forward anyway.

"First of all, concerning our return to the surface…We will leave this floor

once Loki Familia slays the Goliath. It's in our best interest to avoid danger."

All of us nod in agreement.

"Loki Familia will move out two days from now at the earliest."

"Which means we have a whole day to kill…Since we're already down here,

why don't we do a little sightseeing on the eighteenth floor?"

Looks like everyone likes Lord Hermes's suggestion.

This may be a safe point in the Dungeon where no monsters are born, but it's

still the Dungeon. We decide to stick together as a group. Considering that Aiz

had promised to take me to the town tomorrow, we agree that that's where we

would go.

Our planning session ends rather quickly. Now all that's left is to get some

sleep.

"Oh, that's right. Welf."

"What is it, Lady Hestia?"

The ladies had claimed the right to sleep inside the tent, so the men were on

their way outside to keep watch and find a comfortable place to lie down when

Welf was pulled aside.

The goddess also calls over Chigusa and receives a long, weapon-like thing

wrapped in white cloth from her.

"This is something Hephaistos was holding on to. She also had this to say.

Let me see…'Stop compromising allies for your pride'…or something like that."

"…"

Welf falls silent as he takes the weapon from the goddess and quietly walks

outside.

"Welf?"

"…It's nothing. Don't worry about it," he responds to me, but he never takes

his eyes off the cloth-covered thing in his hands.

"Night" on the eighteenth floor has ended. It's "morning" now.

Loki Familia was nice enough to give us some food for breakfast. Aiz leads

us toward the town, just as she promised she would. Miss Tiona and Miss Tione

must've had some free time as well because they're coming with us.

…Lyu's not here.

I wonder why. We talked briefly yesterday, but she never came to the tent.

Lord Hermes did say that she had something she needed to take care of and not

to worry, but it feels strange. I follow Aiz out of the camp with Lyu on my mind.

The town has a lake view…or rather it was built on the main island in the

middle of the lake. We move out of the forest covering the southern part of the

eighteenth floor toward the lake in the west.

"Um, Goddess…"

"Hm? What is it, Bell?"

"Something about you seems different since you got here yesterday…"

Aiz and the others have gone ahead. The goddess is right next to me, so I ask

her a question.

It had been bugging me for a while, but now is the first chance I had to ask.

"Ahh," she responds and grins back at me. "All gods and goddesses have a

special aura. I'm concealing mine right now—so nothing knows that I'm here."

Aura…The way for the people of Gekai to know that the person standing in

front of them is a deity. It's almost like a glow. At some point I'd heard that

when a god uses their divine power, Arcanum, their aura goes into overdrive and

other deities know about it. Basically, everyone would know that they had

violated their own rules, and they would be exiled back to Tenkai—.

"Generally speaking, gods and goddesses aren't allowed in the Dungeon."

"Can I ask why?"

"Because it would be bad if they found out."

Who are they? I tilt my head in confusion. But I have a feeling that I

shouldn't press her for an answer, so I let it drop.

"I know we're headed to that massive lump of an island…but how do we get

across the lake?"

"There's a really big tree lying on its side that makes a bridge between the

two. Look, see?" Miss Tiona answers Welf's question without hesitation. I look

to where she's pointing…and sure enough, there's a tree big enough to see from

this far away on top of the water, connecting the island to the rest of the

Dungeon floor.

The immense rocky island seems to grow by the second as we get closer. The

tree bridge has been stripped of all leaves and branches and is basically just a

giant log. I follow the girls onto it, looking at all the footprints on its surface. It's

not at all flat and there's no railing whatsoever; I really have to focus to stay

upright. It's not just me, either—I catch the goddess just as she was about to fall

off the tree.

"Morning" is not quite as bright as the "afternoon" in the Dungeon, but the

light coming from the faintly glowing crystals on the ceiling is warm. There's

enough light for me to see my reflection on the surface of the water beneath me.

"If there's a town down here, wouldn't you guys have been better off staying

there instead of the woods…?"

"They'd rob us blind, so no."

Miss Tione immediately put my question to rest. That begs a new question on

what she meant by that, but I keep my mouth shut as we reach the island.

The road leading to the town is a steep one. The island looks like a mountain

from far away, but from here it looks more like a cliff. Small plants and crystals

jut out from the cracks in the stone wall. We climb high enough to get an

incredible view of the entire floor.

"Yeah. Now that's what I call beautiful."

"Huff, huff…ha, wow. This is amazing."

Lord Hermes seems perfectly fine, while my goddess is gasping for breath,

but both of them have the same reaction to the scenery. Don't get me wrong, the

rest of us are absolutely astounded. We can see everything from here.

There are no walls or rooms on the eighteenth floor, it's just a fat cylinder

with a domed top. The crystals cover every inch of the ceiling and spread all the

way to the other side of the floor.

The tunnel to the seventeenth floor is on the southern edge of the forest. Loki

Familia's camp is in that area. The forest itself extends far into the east and has

many rivers and springs throughout the greenery. The trees thin out considerably

in the north. I don't know if it's because the rest of the land is an open plain, but

the dark shadows roaming around really stand out. There's nothing else they

could be but monsters.

"Monsters come to this floor, just like us…"

"It would be appropriate to say that this is their haven, not ours."

Aiz and Asfi explain that the monsters come here looking for all of the

abundant fruit and fresh water.

The colossal tree I saw before stands in the center of it all. It's the only place

higher up than the island in the western lake that we're standing on.

That's the true identity of the eighteenth floor, a wilderness deep

underground.

"Lilly's never been far away from Orario but…this is very pretty."

"No, you can travel far and wide and never find a view that will rival this

one."

"…Reminds me of the mountains in our beloved homeland in the East."

"Yes…"

First Lilly and Mikoto, then Ouka and Chigusa. It's impossible not to be

moved by the natural beauty surrounding us. I'm doing my best to engrave this

view into my memory.

We leave the cliff overlooking the eighteenth floor and follow what's left of

the path to the top of the island.

"Whaa…!!"

An arch-shaped gate decorated with flags at the end of two rows of wooden

pillars greets our eyes.

HELLO FRIENDS, WELCOME TO RIVIRA! is written in the common language of

Koine across the top of the gate.

"Better not let that fool you. They're just warming you up, making you feel

good before coming for your wallet."

That's the second time Tione has warned me to be careful here. In any case,

we pass through the gate.

The town is on the very top of the island, mixed in with beautiful white and

blue crystals and the natural scenery.

The "buildings" are nothing more than shacks made out of scraps of wood

and large tents with signs on them. A few of them are built into large cracks in

the walls of stone and tunnel entrances. The town's hotel is like that, too. Since

the town is built halfway into the cliff next to a relatively flat area, many stairs

are necessary to help people go from shop to shop. No matter where you go

around town, the pristine lake below and the amazing backdrop of the eighteenth

floor are always in view.

The rest-stop town surrounded by rock and crystals…Rivira.

"This town is run by adventurers, of course. There are no bothersome rules or

regulations here, so everyone is able to do business as they please."

The goddess, Lilly, Welf, and I look around the town and listen to Asfi's

explanation.

She says that this town in the middle of the Dungeon was once controlled by

the Guild as a frontline base of sorts. Adventurers themselves took over the place

after the Guild gave up trying to maintain it. The reason that this spot was

chosen out of everywhere else on the eighteenth floor was because the lake and

rocky cliffs provided protection.

With the exception of the south gate, where we came in, the north gate, and

the east gate overlooking the lake, the town is surrounded by a thick wall. It isn't

much compared to the wall surrounding Orario outside, but the crystal and rock

structure looks plenty sturdy.

Many adventurers use this town as a base camp for repeated trips below the

eighteenth floor. Rest up, go dungeon crawling, come back, and rest up again…

It's not uncommon for people to follow that cycle until they physically can't

continue anymore.

"So do the monsters not attack this town?"

"Of course they do. Just last month it was overrun and they completely

destroyed everything."

"That was a close one! We just happened to have front-row seats!"

The Amazonian twins respond awfully casually about something that should

be really scary. My mouth twitches just thinking about it.

"But all the adventurers here are really good at running away. They wait for a

little bit after an attack, come back, and rebuild."

"Set up, get smashed, set up again…It happens over and over."

According to them—despite this being a safe point in the Dungeon—the

town of Rivira is under the constant threat of monster attacks. Even though all of

the residents are upper-class adventurers, the town is reduced to rubble as soon

as an irregular monster shows up. But as soon as the monsters go away on their

own, the adventurers come back to set up shop again.

The current Rivira is the 334th reincarnation.

The town's namesake comes from a great female adventurer named Rivira

Santilini, who helped establish the first one.

"Excuse me, Miss Asfi. There are tons of crystals all around town…"

"Indeed. Any of the crystals that are found on the eighteenth floor can be

turned in for money at the Exchange aboveground."

"—Mr. Bell, let's collect as many as we can before we leave!"

Lilly's eyes sparkle as she smiles at me while we walk into the town's main

square.

"We'll only block the road if we try to stay together like this. Let's break off

into smaller groups and have a look around!"

Lord Hermes gestured all around the square as he spoke, and all of us agree

with him.

No one is allowed to travel alone, so we start making our own groups.

"All right, Bell. Let's go out on the town together! You there, stay away!!"

"Eh, Goddess, what are you…?!"

"…"

The Goddess growls at Aiz, grabs my hand, and pulls me farther into the

town.

Due to the nature of the town of Rivira, almost all of the structures in town were

shops.

Of course, there were a few cramped hotels and a tavern here and there, but

weapon and item shops dominated the streets. Every single establishment was

owned and operated by adventurers.

Only adventurers and a few supporters filled its streets. Being upper-class

adventurers, their armor and weapons were also top-notch—as well as equipped

to be used at a moment's notice. Two-handed swords, halberds, and full-plated

body armor were everywhere. It was a much more extreme version of

"Adventurers Way" on the surface.

Only monsters would stand a chance, trying to assault a town with residents

who were as heavily armed as these people.

"You?! Why are you here?!"

"G-Goddess, please calm down…?!"

"Ha-ha, the more the merrier, am I right?"

Bell walked along a twisting path of rocks under a blue sky composed of

crystals that look like they could fall at any moment.

Aiz was leading the way, followed closely by an angry Hestia, as well as

Hermes and Asfi behind Bell. Everyone was taking in the sights and sounds of

the prospering town. However, the landscape was so uneven that large crystals

and even trees needed to be used as ladders to get from one section of the town

to another.

"Um, these items on display…Aren't they a bit…expensive?"

"That's one of Rivira's features…"

Bell's eyes had been running over the price tags of weapons and items in the

windows of the shops they passed, and he asked Aiz about it. The very same

equipment was available on the surface with one or two fewer digits in the price.

Asfi and Hermes explained as the group entered a new street.

"Things like weapons, items, and food are sold at many times their original

price here."

"It's not easy to get these things in the Dungeon, so most adventurers break

down and buy what they need no matter the cost."

Just as Hermes said, supplies were very difficult to obtain. The business

owners of Rivira knew that and took advantage of the adventurers who failed to

prepare enough stock.

"Water is expensive in a desert…It's the same thing."

No matter where anyone travels around the world, there will be places where

they can get specific items much cheaper than others and vice versa.

Spend a large sum of money on an item that could save your life, or save that

money for later and risk death.

The adventurers who passed through Rivira were all forced to make that

choice.

Everything right down to magic-stone lamps was extremely expensive.

"Lilly can't believe this! Twenty thousand vals for a backpack…absurd!

"That much for a grindstone? You've got to be kidding…"

Lilly flung her new oversize backpack over her shoulders, fuming with rage.

Welf had considered buying a grindstone at one of the weapon supply shops in

town and came down with a bad case of sticker shock.

There was no one outside the shops trying to attract customers; instead they

sat comfortably in a chair in the back of their establishments as they blurred the

line between a profitable business and outright stealing.

The town's beauty could do nothing to hide the greed of its inhabitants.

"This is why we're camping in the woods rather than staying here overnight."

"The amount of money required for everyone in our expedition to stay at one

of those hotels would be outrageous."

Tiona grinned as she interlaced her fingers behind her head when she saw the

look on Welf's and Lilly's faces. Tione let out a long sigh in disgust. The two

Level 1 adventurers were trying to replace everything they'd lost on their

journey to the eighteenth floor. The Amazonian twins offered to help them find

what they needed.

"This is exactly why Lilly hates adventurers! They are so obsessed with

money that they'll jump at any opportunity to take advantage of someone else."

"There are many things I'd like to say to a certain money-obsessed prum that

I know…Li'l E, you should open a shop down here!"

"…"

"Hey, don't take it seriously."

All that they had learned was they would leave empty-handed if they tried to

purchase something for the established retail price.

"Th-that's an Exchange…"

"They really can get away with anything down here…"

"…W-wow."

A sign decorated with drawings of a Minotaur and purple stones stood out

from the other shops on the street. Its purpose was to encourage people to sell

their magic stones and drop items.

Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa stared in amazement at an adventurer who was

trying to sell the fang of a giant monster to the Exchange. The man was

dissatisfied by the amount the clerk offered for the drop item he'd hauled all the

way up here. Despite all the angry yelling, the clerk just shrugged his shoulders

and said, "You can take it somewhere else." In the end, the adventurer agreed on

a price, sold the fang, and stomped away with his fists clenched and face boiling

with anger.

It was a very simple system. The adventurers who ran this Exchange would

buy drop items and magic stones for less than half their value and sell them to

the Guild for full price when they returned to the surface. Of course, the

adventurers who sold the items would get upset, but they realized that there was

a limit to how much they could carry. It was better to sell off their extra items

here than throw them away. This also gave them the opportunity to continue

crawling the Dungeon for more magic stones and drop items to take to the

surface.

From the buyer's perspective, it was an easy way to get valuable items and

profit from them.

"This is a scam…"

"Captain Ouka, you are correct, but please be prudent."

The compensation was low, but no fights broke out over it.

The owners were quite strong—strong enough to keep the other storeowners

quiet—and ran the most profitable business in Rivira.

One such owner noticed Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa. He glared at them while

tapping a massive club against his shoulder. The three adventurers quickly took

their leave.

Buy low, sell high.

It wasn't just the motto of the adventurers in the town of Rivira, it was their

way of life.

"…But Hermes, no adventurers carry large amounts of money down here.

How are they supposed to buy anything with prices this high?"

Bell's group, just like Lilly's and Mikoto's, had seen the high prices. It was

Hestia who asked the question that was on everyone's mind. She had found

something…a small bottle of perfume. Her eyes were locked on it even as she

spoke.

Hermes gestured toward the man sitting at the back of the shop who took out

a piece of paper and requested a signature.

"Just like that, they put it in writing. The shop gets the adventurer's signature

and their Familia's emblem to create an IOU. They come to collect the money

later."

There were two payment options in Rivira: trade items for merchandise

directly or by signing a payment contract.

It would be cumbersome and even dangerous to carry large amounts of

money into the Dungeon. To get around this, a Familia's emblem was used as

credit. Then someone representing the shop would return to the outside and

show up at that Familia's home, the emblem in hand.

The opposite was true with the Exchange in Rivira. The shop had a

representative on the surface where an adventurer could take a receipt issued by

the shop to receive their money.

For that reason, suspicious persons who refused to identify themselves could

never do business in this town.

"You haven't made an emblem yet, have you, Hestia? It'd be a good idea to

do that; it would help Bell out a lot, too. An emblem works like identity

verification; there are places in Orario where they come in handy."

"Ohhh, an emblem…I see…"

Hestia folded her arms and looked up toward the ceiling.

While her lack of followers was a problem, the thought of Bell having his

own emblem made Hestia excited. She stole a glance at the Familia emblem

sewn into Asfi's battle cloth, winged traveler's hat, and sandals, and had fun

envisioning the emblem she could create for him.

She was lost in thought when suddenly—thump.

"You got a problem?"

"Ah…Sorry!"

Bell was quick to step in front of Hestia and apologize. He bowed a few

times before looking up at the adventurer's face and saw a scar that he

remembered from somewhere…"Huh?" He remembered where at the same time

that the scarred adventurer did.

"You…No way…!"

"That's him! Mord, that's the brat from the bar!"

All three were human men. The one with the scar was named Mord, and his

two companions were behind him.

The three of them had been present at The Benevolent Mistress during Bell's

leveling-up party. They'd incurred the wrath of Lyu and the other staff members

before being chased out.

Bell watched in horror as Mord took on a much more frightening visage.

"The hell're you doin' here…!"

Mord's anger from the bar incident must've been directed at Bell because he

started to reach for the boy.

However, he caught the glint of golden hair out of the corner of his eye. The

Kenki was watching.

His eyes flinched even while his teeth were bared in Bell's direction. He felt

Aiz's empty golden gaze wash over him. "Tsk!" The man clicked his tongue as

he backed away, his allies in tow.

"Hey, hey, Bell. You're not going out and picking fights with adventurers like

that, are you?"

"No, it's not like that…"

"So, what happened between you and them? Strangers don't get that mad at

each other on sight."

Trapped between Hestia's and Hermes's questions, Bell forced a shaky smile

and explained what happened.

"Ohh?" said Hermes, his ears perking up in the middle of Bell's story.

"So, those children consider Bell an enemy…"

He took a look at the three of them, getting smaller as they walked down the

other side of the path.

The view of the eighteenth floor from the town's central square is absolutely

breathtaking. There's a cliff right on the other side of this railing and the lake is

far below. I doubt anyone could survive falling off. Even the craziest of

daredevils wouldn't even think of trying this one.

We all met up again after exploring the town in groups, but I came over here

to check out the scenery by myself.

Lord Hermes offered to buy everyone a "Dungeon Sandwich" at a nearby

café. The goddess and the others are eating there now. Sandwiches with liberal

amounts of fruit between two slices of bread…including the honey cloud. I had

to escape.

Also…The Dungeon heals itself after taking physical damage, so it's

impossible to break ground and build something sturdy or blast away rock to

hollow out an area for a shop. They have to use the terrain as is. Although, I've

heard that some rather enthusiastic adventurers brought building materials down

from the surface and used them in combination with the natural features of the

eighteenth floor to make a stove. I don't know if they're passionate or just

crazy…but the fact remains that the town of Rivira has fresh-baked bread and

other food readily available. It's selling quite well, actually.

"The deepest town in the world, huh?"

A town run entirely by adventurers.

It's literally the frontier base for Dungeon exploration.

Many adventurers use this area as a place to organize their final plans for

journeying into the lower levels. Of course, this is just for upper-class and top-

tier adventurers who are up to that challenge.

That's where she is—at an extremely high level, one that I can only look up

at and admire.

I take another look at the vast open space that is the eighteenth floor, while

standing behind a railing made of rusty old swords and broken spears.

"Ah…"

I hear footsteps and immediately turn around, only to see her…Aiz is

walking toward me by herself.

My body freezes as she comes to a stop in front of me. But her eyes, they're

looking past me and off into the distance.

"What were you looking at…?"

"Eh, um…Well, I-I was looking for the entrance to the nineteenth floor."

I panic when she asked the question out of the blue and that's the best I could

do.

She walks up next to me and points somewhere on the eighteenth floor. She

must've believed me. I force my body to turn around and take a look.

"The Central Tree…"

"The big one in the middle…The one right there?"

"Yes. The entrance to the nineteenth floor is between its roots…"

Her fingers, wrist, and elbow all extend straight toward the base of the

behemoth tree.

As if to reinforce what she was saying, black shadows emerge from the roots

almost on cue. The monsters take a quick look around before splitting up, a few

heading north and the rest going east.

"…Um, Aiz, why did you come out here?"

"Because you weren't with everyone else…So, um."

…She was worried about me.

Those words send my beating heart into a tailspin.

Even just thinking about them makes me blush. She's right there, looking at

me with those golden eyes. We're standing close enough that I could reach out

and touch her, easily. I can feel the blood coursing through my veins. It's hot.

"…Did you want to be alone?"

"I-i-it's not like that! I'm really happy that you're here—No, wait—what I

mean is, um—"

The look of concern on her face makes me so nervous that I can't speak

straight, to the point that the truth comes out. It's too late to try to fool her with a

loud voice.

I quickly try to hide my face behind my right shoulder and cautiously peek

out.

Once I finally do get a look at her…her eyes are wide open and she's smiling.

If I'm not mistaken, Aiz is blushing.

"Bell, you're always so nervous…"

Her words are warm and filled with caring, like the way that she would speak

to someone close to her.

She said my name. I can't talk. My chest might explode.

My spirit is shaking to its very core.

I've never…felt like this before.

"…"

This is not good. My resolve is wavering.

If she keeps standing this close to me…

Even though I've never accomplished anything, even though I'm way out of

my league, if my knees get any weaker in the warmth of her presence…

I might just give up pursuing her.

I quickly look down, hiding my eyes behind my bangs and blushing like no

other.

My spirit is singing throughout my whole body. I squeeze my eyebrows

together in a desperate attempt to keep myself steady.

All the butterflies in my stomach are making their way up my back. I can feel

their heat as they move.

Then without warning:

The goddess suddenly jumps into my line of sight, as if she were trying to

tear us apart.

"—Wow, what a view!!"

"Wha—?!"

Flip! I take my eyes off the ground and, sure enough, the goddess has

wedged herself between us.

Aiz looks just as surprised as I am. The goddess is forcing a smile, her eyes

half lidded.

"No fair, Bell. Going to such a beautiful spot and not inviting me! We are

more than just companions, you know!"

A ping of fear courses through my skin as I repeatedly apologize to the

goddess's smiling face. The way she emphasizes the word "companions" is

absolutely terrifying.

"So as you can see, Miss Wallensomething, get lost! Don't get in the way of

our family time! This is reserved for just Bell and me!!"

"U-um…"

Shove, shove. The goddess keeps nudging Aiz's breastplate with her hand and

Aiz has no idea what to do. I move in to try and stop her.

I manage to fit myself in front of the goddess—she's almost growling—even

as she keeps looking at Aiz menacingly. Sweat won't stop pouring down my

face.

"…? Goddess, are you wearing something new?"

"Oh, Bell! You noticed!"

She spins toward me, her expression completely different. She thrusts a

small, open pouch out at me. There's a clear vial inside.

"Isn't that…perfume? Is this the one that you saw earlier…?"

"That it is—a girl has needs, after all! Don't tell me you want some stinky,

sword-swinging girl at your side, Bell?!"

She really does smell good, but I sensed something evil in her words. Aiz

blinks a few times, brings her arm up to her nose, and—sniff, sniff. She smells

like pure water, though…Why is the goddess being so aggressive today?

She tells me she borrowed Lord Hermes's emblem to buy the perfume. She's

spent more than a day in the Dungeon, so I can't blame her for being a little bit

self-conscious about her aroma.

"Wha…Aiz, you defeated a floor boss by yourself, right?"

I have to clear the air, change the subject at any cost.

Also, I…need to hear this for myself.

The goddess's head spins around to look up at her. Aiz just tilts her head to

the side and nods with a quiet "Yes.

"But it was only because I had Reveria's help…"

"Even still…"

"…Yes, I slew it."

—All I was able to do was run from the Goliath.

—She stood up to one of them, alone, and won.

She's still far away, far above me. In fact, the obvious distance between us is

so great I wouldn't be surprised if the girl standing here is an illusion. I got a

little bit of notoriety, so what.

I reconnect with my true, cowardly self, as well as with what I'm aiming for,

what I want to be.

"Nothing to worry about, Bell! With the two of us working hard together for

long enough, you can do it!"

The goddess suddenly raises her voice.

I admit I'm a little bit flustered, but that makes me happy to hear.

I can work harder, become stronger, and reach my goal.

However, for the goddess's sake, for my family, I won't overdo it. I won't

leave her behind.

The promise I made a long time ago echoes in the back of my mind. I look at

both of their faces, Aiz's and the goddess's…All I can do now is focus all of my

energy on getting stronger.

It seems so clear again.

"Wallensomething, no wandering off again without my permission!"

"I am sorry…?"

Aiz and the goddess seem to be having some kind of argument.

I lower my eyebrows and force a smile. But before long, all my worries leave

me and I smile for real.

"Afternoon" began on the eighteenth floor the moment Bell and the others

returned to Loki Familia's forest camp.

The light that came from the white and blue crystals covering the ceiling had

noticeably intensified in the span of a few minutes. Monsters roaming the

northern area of the floor howled as if celebrating the Dungeon's gift.

"Hey, let's all go take a bath!"

Tiona excitedly called out to everyone just before reaching the center of

camp. All of the trees around them were bathed in the early afternoon warmth of

the crystals above.

The group was just about to go their separate ways when she made the

suggestion. First she looked toward Aiz and Tione, but also extended the

invitation to Hestia and Mikoto's group.

"Again—? How many times will it take until you're satisfied?"

"What's the problem? There's plenty of time. And the water feels amazing."

"Besides, wouldn't the sight of Lady Hestia's boobs make you go insane?"

"F-fat chance! W-why would it?!"

The twins' comical argument showed no signs of slowing down. Not too far

away, Lilly looked up at Hestia.

"What should we do, Lady Hestia?"

"Wellll…Of course, I would like to wash up a bit…"

Hestia looked down at her dirty clothes and less-than-clean skin.

Of course, her journey to the eighteenth floor made her sweat more than

she'd like to admit, and she'd fallen to the ground so much since she'd arrived

here that her normally white clothes were now a few shades darker. Even if

washing them was a lost cause, she at least wanted her body to feel clean.

"How about you Mikoto, Chigusa? Want to come bathe with us?"

"If I am welcome, I would like to…Chigusa?"

"M-me too…Y-yes."

"What about Miss Asfi?"

"…Lord Hermes."

"Ahhh, sure, sure. I'm well-protected here, so you can relax for a while."

Lilly looked up at Asfi when she asked. Hermes didn't even look around

when his follower asked him for permission, instead just waving his hand as

though he didn't care one way or the other. "Well then, I shall join you," said

Asfi as she pushed the bridge of her silver glasses higher up her nose.

"Aiz, too. Let's go!"

"Sure…"

"Invite Leene and the others, too. We'll take turns as lookouts."

Tiona embraced Aiz from behind, smiling brightly. The blond girl nodded

and the rest of the women started to move out of the camp.

Tione went around the camp to invite a few more female members of their

battle party to come with them. Being naked and defenseless in a forest where

monsters lurked was a very scary idea.

Tiona led the group out of camp and into the forest, all of the men staying

behind.

"Ta-da, here we are!"

""""Whoa…""""

Hestia, Lilly, Mikoto, and Chigusa responded in unison.

The first thing they saw when they came into a clearing was a waterfall

standing ten meders tall.

The water came down with enough force to release a fine mist, cooling the

air around them. Their skin was covered in small beads of moisture in no time

flat.

Tiona had taken them to an isolated lagoon at the base of the waterfall. It was

completely encased by a wall of trees and crystals. The canopy of a large tree

covered the lagoon from above. The azure color of the water's surface sparkled

in the afternoon light, reflections dancing on the trees surrounding them. They

had found a hidden jewel within the forest.

"Isn't this great? Found it myself the other day!"

"Agreed, this is a very beautiful spot…"

"Lilly has a question, if you don't mind, Miss Tione. Where is this water

coming from?"

"It's different from glacier runoff or melted snow. There's a special crystal

even deeper in the forest that constantly produces pure water. It's much cleaner

than the water outside. You can drink it, no problem."

Conversations between Tiona and Mikoto as well as Tione and Lilly filled

their companions' ears as the group made their way toward the water.

There was no shyness or hesitation among them at this point. They shed

armor and clothing while talking as if around the dinner table. Tione's full,

luscious breasts and Tiona's sleek, slender body emerged. Mikoto and Asfi

pulled off their clothing and set it neatly on the ground beside them. Chigusa,

blushing from head to toe, was the last to start disrobing.

As for Aiz…After a series of clicks to detach her armor, she gently grabbed

her underclothing. There was a certain pair of eyes on her—Hestia watched

closely as Aiz exposed her curvy, yet well-defined feminine form.

A moment later, the goddess practically threw her garments to the ground.

"Heh-heh...Looks like I win!"

"Are we competing, Lady Hestia…?"

The short goddess puffed out her chest, looking around triumphantly.

Aiz's undergarments hung loosely in her grip as she looked down at the

extremely confident deity with confusion. Lilly was about to remove her panties

when she, too, turned to look at the young goddess with tired eyes.

"Guess what? These hair bands were a gift from Bell! A present to show his

affection!"

"Lady Hestia, would you mind sharing more of that story…!"

Lilly drifted closer as Hestia removed the hair bands and held them out for

everyone to see. Even Aiz perked up a bit to get a better view.

All of the girls gathered around, talking excitedly as they took their first steps

into the lagoon. Their lookouts stood at the edge of the clearing, ready to protect

their friends from anything that came too close.

"…Now should be good."

Lord Hermes nods to himself as he whispers those words.

"Huh?"

"Bell, would you join me for a moment?"

We were just kind of hanging out around the camp, but Lord Hermes came up

to me with a serious look on his face.

He keeps his voice low, as if he's trying not to be overheard.

"I've been waiting for this chance. No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say

that this chance is the reason I'm here…A chance to be alone with you."

He's been waiting for a chance to talk to…me…?

He must have something very important to talk about. At least that's what

I'm getting from how he's acting. He's turned off all of his charms, his orange

eyes looking straight ahead without blinking.

I've never seen Lord Hermes like this. I gulp down the air in my throat. I can

see Welf and Ouka off on their own in different areas of the camp. They haven't

noticed us.

Feeling a little uneasy, I slowly nod.

"Join me," Lord Hermes says as he starts to move. No one moves to stop us

as we leave the camp and enter the forest.

"…Um, Lord Hermes? Where are we going?"

I had followed him quietly for a while, but he's not slowing down. All I can

do is direct a question at the back of his head.

We're pretty deep into the forest now. There's no one anywhere near here, so

it should be safe for us to talk about anything.

"…This already looks good," says Lord Hermes as he stops in front of a tree.

Its trunk and branches look very strong and sturdy. Lord Hermes suddenly

starts climbing it. It looks like he's done this a few times, to say the least. He

uses his long arms and legs to work his way up the trunk.

"Now, Bell, get up here." I zoned out there for a second but quickly respond

to his call and follow him. Two people climbing a tree in the middle of nowhere

—I'm sure this is a very bizarre scene.

"E-excuse me, Lord Hermes?"

"Just as I thought. Have a look, Bell. These branches are strong enough to

walk on."

Just when I thought he was going to tell me what we're doing here, he grins

at me with twinkling eyes.

I take a look from this high spot in the tree canopy, and sure enough there is a

small network of sturdy tree branches that form a hidden path. I'm completely

clueless as to why he pointed that out to me, but suddenly he laughs with a "Ho-

ho!" and steps out onto the first branch.

"L-Lord Hermes, didn't you…want to talk to me about something?!"

"Talk? I never said anything about talking, my boy."

"Wha…?" I start to say, but Lord Hermes pushes aside some leaves and steps

onto the branch of another tree. We move through the canopy, the light shifting

above us, filtering through the leaves as the branches shift under our weight.

This is worse than the tree bridge to Rivira; keeping my balance takes every

ounce of concentration.

"Why are we up here?!" My frustration gets the better of me as I try to keep

up with him—he comes to a sudden stop and looks back at me.

Hermes gives me a very manly grin, then jerks his chin in a certain direction

to draw my attention.

Dossshhhh. I can hear a waterfall.

"We've come this far. You should've figured it out by now—We're peeping."

"?!"

I freeze as my eyes fly open. Lord Hermes takes on an air of providence with

his next words.

"All those girls down there are taking a bath, you know? It's practically our

duty to have a look, don't you think?"

"No, I don't!"

"No need to shy away, Bell. Seriously, I bet Hestia scrubs your back in the

shower every night already."

"That has never happened!"

What is this god saying?!

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" He's laughing at me. I don't think he believes me,

either. My face pulses with heat as Lord Hermes turns his back to me and quietly

sneaks forward, almost floating down the path of branches. He must know

exactly where he's going because he's not hesitating at all. I've heard of people

being desperate, but this is insane!

The sound of rushing water is on the other side of the wall of leaves by the

time I catch up to him.

"This is wrong—let's turn back, Lord Hermes! We shouldn't be here…!"

"Bell, top-class adventurers will hear us if we make too much noise."

He cups his hand over my mouth and points down. My eyes follow straight to

—a group of heavily armed female adventurers. They must be keeping an eye on

the forest.

I back away from his hand and look up at him. His smile is absolutely

radiant. I've never seen a perverted smile look so appealing.

It could be because of the sound of the waterfall or how wide these leaves

are, but it seems that Aiz and the others, including the lookouts, haven't noticed

us yet.

"Lord Hermes, Lord Hermes, this is bad, they'll tear us to pieces…!"

"This is pitiful, Bell. Peeping is a man's due! Just think of it as you and I are

sharing a particularly delicious bottle of wine…Didn't your grandfather teach

you anything?"

The two of us advance slowly down the branch, whispering to each other,

when suddenly a shiver goes down my spine.

Peeping is…a man's due?

I feel like something is waking up inside me. Something from a long time

ago, something from when I was a kid. What was it Gramps was trying to teach

me back then? My surroundings suddenly don't matter as my memory kicks into

high gear.

Everything comes out at once, like mist from a black jar—especially when I

hear Aiz's innocent voice coming from below—but I use every fiber of my being

to seal that black jar shut.

"Let me out—!" The words seem to come from behind the seal in my head. If

I'd hesitated for a moment, I'm sure I would've been overpowered by the

wicked urge held within. But my reasoning in the now wins the day. I reach out

and put my hand on the shoulder next to me.