Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka Gaiden – Sword Oratoria - Volume 3 - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 LET’S PARTY? 

The sun was high in the sky. Clocks all around the city read just past ten. 
The adventurers who had stopped by the Guild on their way to the Dungeon were long gone, and the lobby was mostly idle. 
Passing by a fully equipped party off to a late start, the remaining adventurers crowded in front of a large bulletin board to find a quest they could manage. In the meantime, many shared their best Dungeon stories, though their audiences were unsure how far they could trust the narrators. 
Amid all that, one young woman walked straight up to the bulletin board without so much as a glance at the others. 
She was a beautiful elf with long, silky black hair and stark white skin. Her combat gear resembled what priestesses wore in isolated temples, mostly white with very few accents. A high collar around her neck hid all the skin beneath her chin from view. She was a walking example of how elves should look and dress. 
Her red eyes swept across the bulletin board, checking each posting individually. 
After a thorough examination of each quest on the board, she frowned slightly. She was after specific information—as soon as she realized that none of the available quests involved the twenty-fourth floor, she stepped away from the bulletin board. 
She continued on to the reception counter. 
“May I have a word? The quest to investigate floor twenty-four isn’t on the board. About the alarming number of monsters?” 
She chose her words carefully, implying she had made such a request in an attempt to trick the receptionist into confirming her suspicions. The animal person behind the counter froze on the spot. 
The floppy ears on top of her head twitched. “Please wait a moment.” With that, she disappeared into the office behind the counter. The Guild worker cautiously emerged after a few minutes and meekly returned to her spot. 
“That’s under deliberation as we speak…I apologize for the inconvenience.” 
The young elf turned on her heel after that and left without another word. 
As she made her way through the white marble lobby, the elf cast a subtle glance over her shoulder and saw that the receptionist appeared to be confused, muttering the words under deliberation to herself. 
“The Guild is purposely withholding information concerning the twenty-fourth floor…?” 
The elf tried to guess the Guild leadership’s intentions based on the employee’s reaction. 
An irregularity in the Dungeon—there were some who wanted that information to stay under wraps. She quietly whispered to herself, “…Lord Dionysus must be informed.” 
A member of Dionysus Familia, the elf Filvis exited Guild Headquarters. 
In a block off North Main Street in Orario’s first district… 
On the street was a flower shop with a decent amount of traffic, run by a group of demi-human girls who weren’t members of any familia. A cute wooden sign hung above the door that read DIA FLORAL . 
The store was currently filled with adventurers—unshaven and rugged—who didn’t seem the type to have much interest in the rows and rows of beautiful blossoms. Their true motives were transparent, but it was good for business either way. 
A certain deity happened to be visiting the flower shop. 
“Sorry to bother you, but would you pick some good ones for me?” 
“Ah…Y-y-yes! Right away!” 
A young prum girl found herself lost in the deity’s dazzling eyes for a moment, turning bright red before finally blurting a response. As she frantically waved to her coworkers, several of the girls cooperated to assemble a bouquet. 
All the while, each of the staff members tried to steal glances at the golden-haired god standing at the front of the store. Dionysus had the presence of a prince from a far-off kingdom, and it made their hearts skip a beat. 
He wasn’t like the other gods with their sick sense of humor. The balance of his perfect facial features was enough to indicate that Dionysus possessed exceptional dignity and grace. A mere mortal could never rival him. 
In front of the shop overflowing with beautiful flowers, the deity’s every move caught everyone’s attention. 
His bouquet complete, Dionysus paid in full and thanked the girls for their hard work. It wasn’t long before the staff surrounded him and worked up the courage to talk to him. 
“Is this a gift for a lady?” 
“I would loooove for a god to give me flowers.” 
“Oh-ho? But you are more beautiful than any flower. In that case, why don’t I treat each of you to a bouquet of your own?” 
The girls had only been joking, but the deity’s response sounded sincere. Their expressions lit up, as if their wishes had come true. 
Dionysus narrowed his glass-colored eyes and leaned in closer to the group of excited girls. 
“Making faces like that—I might just help myself right now.” 
The girls squealed with delight at Dionysus’s soft voice, like honey, but then— 
They looked behind the deity, and everything stopped. 
“……………” 
A beautiful elf, appearing out of nowhere, stared at them with a perfectly blank, emotionless face. 
Crick! Crick! Crick! An unnatural sound came from her tightening fists. 

The girls came to their senses and scattered back to the safety of their shop. Dionysus was alone, the charming mask fading with each heartbeat. Slowly but surely, he turned to the member of his familia behind him. 
“Th-that was fast, Filvis…” 
“Yes. I acquired some valuable information for you, Lord Dionysus. So I returned as quickly as possible, Lord Dionysus.” 
Dionysus tried to keep his voice from trembling as a point of pride as a god, and Filvis responded in a cool, even tone. 
A dark emotion swirled quietly deep within her crimson eyes. Her heavy silence surging over him, Dionysus grew tense…But the moment passed. The deity let his shoulders relax and smiled at her. 
He removed a single flower from inside his vest, completely separate from the bouquet in his left hand. 
“While I don’t know how long you’ve been standing there…everything that transpired is what we deities refer to as ‘lip service.’ They helped me pick out this flower for you as well.” 
Filvis’s eyes widened as Dionysus presented her with the blossom. 
In a complete turnaround, the elf became so docile that she seemed a completely different person from the girl who had arrived just moments earlier. 
A faint dusting of pink appeared on the elf’s cheeks as she looked at the white gift in her hands. 
“You may be a deity, but using misleading words…Such superfluous requests for affection are unbecoming.” 
“What’s this? Are you jealous?” 
“…Lord Dionysus is the only person to show affection for someone like myself.” 
Filvis seemed to shrink as she mumbled quietly. Dionysus smiled again and spoke up. 
“Ha-ha-ha, how cute.” 
“……” 
The elf turned even redder as the deity caressed her bangs. His touch practically melted her from the inside out. 
Flashing another grin, Dionysus looked up. 
“Now then, shall we get going? I’ll listen to whatever information you brought me, as well as anything else on your mind once we arrive.” 
Dionysus flagged down a horse-drawn taxi with the bouquet of flowers cradled in his arm. He and Filvis climbed in a moment later. 
 
There was a graveyard filled with countless headstones located in the southeastern part of the city. 
Officially dubbed the First Graveyard, it was commonly referred to as the Adventurers Graveyard, devoted to those who lost their lives every day in the Dungeon. With more stones being added constantly, two more graveyards, the Second and Third, were constructed on top of a small hill to the north outside the city wall to accommodate them all. 
Adventurers who had left their mark on history—those known as heroes, dating back to the Ancient Times—were given more grandiose memorials in front of Guild Headquarters. Large monuments built in their honor decorated the grounds. People of all races and familias gathered here to pay respects to their forebears by leaving bouquets of flowers. 
Dionysus and Filvis made their way down the stairwell and walked among the graves. 
“……” 
They arrived at a plot of land the familia had purchased in a corner of the graveyard. There were already many headstones within. Dionysus took a step toward three of the most recent markers and placed the bouquet of flowers in front of them with his own hands. 
In reality, there were very few bodies resting beneath the surface. It was rare that conditions in the monster-filled Dungeon allowed for the bodies of slain adventurers to be returned to the surface. Therefore, most of the graves were nothing more than symbols of the adventurers they represented. That wasn’t the case for Dionysus’s former children, who had met their fate aboveground not too long ago. Their bodies had been placed into coffins and laid to rest in a relatively unoccupied area of the plot. 
As a deity, Dionysus knew that the act of placing flowers at a grave was ultimately pointless. The only things beneath the ground here were lifeless amalgams of flesh and bone. There were no regrets that needed to be soothed, no spirits fearing retribution. Their prayers should have been for the mercy of the deities in Tenkai. He made offerings mainly out of respect for the customs of this world. 
But it was also Dionysus’s way of expressing his gratitude for his followers. 
“Restricting information about the twenty-fourth floor, are they…?” 
“Yes. Not a single relevant quest has been made available.” 
After placing the bouquet in front of the gravestone, Dionysus stood still for a moment and asked Filvis to give the details behind his shoulder. 
They were completely alone in the graveyard as the conversation continued. 
“During my recent trip to Rivira, many were concerned with the alarming rate of monster sightings. They were of the opinion that it would be wise to avoid traveling below the twentieth floor until the Guild has proposed a plan to rectify the situation.” The reason that Dionysus Familia was aware of the events occurring on the twenty-fourth floor was because Filvis had journeyed to the eighteenth floor, a safe point, to acquire information. 
The deity considered everything his follower had to say. 
“I agree. It’s bizarre that the Guild hasn’t issued a mission under these circumstances…” 
Muttering to himself, Dionysus added that it would be common sense for the Guild to investigate an Irregular of this nature. 
The Guild was the closest thing Orario had to a governing body, and it held the authority to requisition the power and resources of every familia by issuing a “mission”—an urgent quest. 
“The highest-ranking members of the Guild…no, perhaps Ouranos is behind it?” 
Is this a way to prevent widespread panic? Or a plan to quickly solve this problem involving as few people as possible? 
Dionysus frowned at the possibility that the god in command of the Guild, Ouranos, could have his own private army and that it might be mobilizing at this very moment. 
“What shall we do, Lord Dionysus?” 
Dionysus remained silent even after his follower asked the question. At last, he turned to face her. 
“Why don’t we see what Loki can do?” 
 
“Here we are again…” 
Loki’s lips twitched as she forced herself to greet Dionysus. 
Their reunion took place outside her familia’s home, Twilight Manor. Loki’s guards had informed her that the deity wished to speak with her. When she stepped outside, sure enough, the god stood with Filvis on the opposite side of the gate. 
Dionysus grinned from ear to ear, his perfect white teeth sparkling. 
“I have acquired relevant information—a great deal of it, at that—so why don’t we find some place to sit down?” 
While he hadn’t come out and said it directly, Dionysus was attempting to invite himself into Loki’s home. The goddess humorlessly cocked an eyebrow and said, “Skedaddle, why don’t ya?” It wasn’t until she caught a glimpse of the bottle of grape wine Filvis was carrying that she reluctantly let them pass. The guards rolled their eyes at her apparent priorities. 
However, she wasn’t about to let them inside the actual building. Instead, a table and a few chairs were hastily set up in a secluded area of the garden. 
“’Kay, then, spill the beans. What’s this ‘relevant information’ that’s so important?” 
Loki had already removed the cork from the wine bottle as Dionysus started recounting the Guild’s suspicious behavior and its possible connection to the situation on the twenty-fourth floor. Then he shifted to discussing the unusual amount of monsters present in that area and everything else he had learned. 
“Although very few people are aware, there was another occurrence much like this one not too long ago. On the thirtieth floor.” 
That caught Loki’s attention, her eyebrows rising. 
Thanks to her meeting with Finn and the other leaders, she knew that Hashana had picked up the mysterious orb on that floor before he was killed. 
“So, when did that go down?” 
“Three weeks ago…if memory serves me right. Due to its location in the lower levels, only the strongest upper-class adventurers caught wind of it.” 
The lower levels were much more dangerous than the Dungeon’s middle levels, and only a select few adventurers ever made it that far down. Dionysus explained that there hadn’t been enough witnesses for rumors to spread. 
Loki listened quietly as she sipped on her wine. Dionysus proceeded to talk about how the Guild was trying to prevent the dissemination of information. 
“It’s my belief that the Guild is attempting to cover up the very existence of this incident.” 
“So ya can’t trust the Guild after all, can ya?” 
“…You are the one who spoke to Ouranos personally, so if you say they’re innocent, I have no right to object…But there’s something about them.” 
“Can’t blame ya,” muttered Loki, acknowledging that something suspicious was happening with the Guild. “So, what is it ya came here to ask me to do?” 
“Ha-ha-ha, I only came here to pass along information, just as I said I would. I have no ulterior motive.” 
Dionysus answered Loki’s doubtful stare with another of his friendly smiles. 
Loki’s followers and Filvis watched the two deities converse, one wanting to pass on a burden while the other tried to avoid it. 
“My kids are busy, so investigatin’ the twenty-fourth floor ain’t possible right now.” 
“Might they be looking around a certain sewer system?” 
“Damn that intuition of his,” Loki grumbled to herself and nodded. She informed Dionysus that Finn had led a group of her strongest followers into the sewer, leaving the magic users behind. 
“The others are out an’ about, gettin’ ready for the next expedition,” she said before sticking out her tongue. 
“What about the Sword Princess? Having her would be more than worth a hundred warriors.” 
“Aizuu? She’s—” Loki began, but then something plopped onto the table. 
A rolled-up piece of paper had dropped from above. 
“Whazzat?” Loki looked overhead in time to catch a glimpse of an owl in flight. 
A messenger bird…or maybe some kinda magic? she speculated as the owl soared away. 
“A letter?” 
“Sure looks like it.” 
Loki picked it up to have a read. 
Dionysus took a sip of tea that had been prepared for him as Loki pored over the script flowing across the parchment. She stared blankly at the sky a moment later. 
There was a loud slap as she brought the palm of her hand to her cheek. 
“Aiz went to the twenty-fourth floor…” 
“PFFF!” Tea sprayed from Dionysus’s lips. 
The deity coughed a few times as Filvis watched from behind, also in shock. 
“She accepted a quest on the twenty-fourth floor…The timin’s too perfect. ‘Don’t worry ’bout me’—’course I’m worried. Why ya gotta be an airhead, Aizuu?” 
Loki knew the moment she saw Aiz’s signature in hieroglyphics that the girl had dived into the belly of the beast. She leaned to one of her followers standing directly behind her and said, “Bring Bete…and Lefiya out here right away.” 
“What are you planning?” 
“Sendin’ the two of ’em after Aiz. I’d be surprised if this had nothing to do with the attack on Rivira.” 
Loki immediately connected the information she had from Finn to Dionysus’s new input and decided to dispatch a team to assist Aiz right away. 
Filvis handed a handkerchief to Dionysus, which he used to wipe his mouth before frowning. 
“You believe those two are enough? Of course it’s up to you, but the twenty-fourth floor seems exceptionally dangerous right now.” 
“Can’t do a damn thing ’bout it. I ain’t got no one else. Bete and Lefiya are the only ones here I can send to help her.” 
It might have just been his divine intuition, but Dionysus emphasized the need for caution. Of course, Loki wasn’t thrilled with the situation, either, frowning as she brought her hands together behind her head. He considered the goddess’s position, understanding she lacked enough manpower at her disposal…and turned to his follower. 
“Filvis. Accompany Loki’s children to the twenty-fourth floor.” 
The elf jumped back in surprise. Even Loki’s eyes opened wide. 
Filvis struggled to keep her voice calm under her god’s serious gaze. 
“Lord Dionysus, what is the meaning of this?! Who will protect you?!” 
“Listen well, Filvis. I’m the one who got Loki involved, under my terms no less. Therefore, I cannot leave everything to her and simply watch from the sidelines.” Dionysus continued to his main point. “I want Loki’s trust above all else.” Finally, he laid out his true motivation. “Trust is earned through action…I’m sure you understand, Filvis.” 
“……!” 
Dionysus was reiterating the fact that Loki still didn’t completely trust him. 
“This ain’t somethin’ folks usually say so openly, ya know?” said an exasperated Loki. 
“But I…” 
Filvis was about to start her counterargument when Dionysus stood up from his chair. 
His glass-colored irises met her crimson ones, and the two of them came to a mutual understanding. 
“Filvis. Please.” 
“…As you wish.” 
The elf reluctantly agreed. She turned to face Loki and straightened her posture. “Goddess Loki. With your permission, I shall join the party.” 
“Hmm. Can’t say I don’t appreciate it…Think ya can keep up?” 
“Filvis is my familia’s only Level Three adventurer. At the very least, she won’t hold your children back on the twenty-fourth floor.” 
Dionysus provided his vote of confidence from his spot off to the side, and Loki tilted her head. 
“She’s Level Three? News to me.” 
“…I called in some favors, and used quite a bit of money, to keep her level-up a secret at the last Denatus. This girl has enough negative attention as it is,” Dionysus explained. “I’m just an overprotective parent. Everything I’ve done has been to keep her out of the spotlight.” 
He revealed that he personally had ensured his follower’s name wouldn’t come up at the previous gathering of the gods. 
He did, however, make sure that her correct Level was documented in the Guild’s records. “Hmm,” muttered Loki as her gaze shifted between the two of them. 
The elf with long black hair averted her eyes, unable to say anything as she stood between the two deities. 
“Ah well, that don’t matter. We’re hurtin’ for folks as is, so I’ll let Bete know.” 
“Thank you, Goddess Loki.” 
Filvis gave a small bow when Loki granted her permission. 
That was when they heard a chorus of noises and echoes from inside the building. The werewolf warrior had already begun his preparations to pursue Aiz while the younger elvish magic user gathered supplies as fast as she could. The two of them made ready to find and help their comrade in record time. 
Soon after, Loki and Dionysus saw off the newly formed party of Bete, Lefiya, and Filvis at the front gate. 
“You again…” 
“L-looking forward to working together!” 
Bete, who had met Filvis once before, didn’t hide his misgivings about having to work with the elf. Lefiya held her tube backpack in place and clutched her staff as she introduced herself. 

Filvis’s only response to her new party members was heavy silence. 
“I’ll send your sorry ass flying with a good kick if you’re in our way. Get lost before you get yourself killed.” 
“…Spare me the lecture, werewolf.” 
“U-uuoohh…” 
The tension between Bete and Filvis crackled from the very beginning. Werewolves often didn’t get along with the famously prideful elves. Lefiya could sense the storm brewing in their new party; it made her stomach churn. 
She was concerned for what lay ahead. 
Caught between loyalty to her familia and a bond to her kin, Lefiya joined the other two as they passed through the front gate. 
 
After leaving the tenth floor, Aiz headed for the eighteenth. 
Beneath a ceiling comprised of innumerable blue and white crystals that resembled the real sky aboveground, she passed the safe floor’s expansive forests and vast plains on her way to an island in the middle of a massive lake. Following the black-robed person’s instructions, Aiz entered the Rivira settlement, which was located on top of the island. 
Even though the town had been utterly devastated by the plant-monster attack that took place ten days ago, many of the shops in the rogue town were already up and running again. The Dungeon’s natural healing power had even restored the damaged cliff face and crystals. Aiz looked around this town, completely populated by upper-class adventurers. 
Many carried materials to rebuild the shops that still lay in pieces or to fix the many broken ladders and stairwells. She wasted no time searching for the bar that was the designated meeting place. 
Walking along a narrow path away from the sounds of the main square, she followed the directions she’d received. She arrived at the northern edge of town via a backstreet formed from rows of giant mineral formations, near Cluster Street. 
Gemlike fragments crunched underfoot as she made her way into the mouth of the cave. 
“There’s a bar all the way back here…?” 
The light from overhead couldn’t reach this isolated cul-de-sac. Aiz advanced cautiously down the path as she mumbled, unable to sense anyone else’s presence. She’d been to Rivira numerous times but never knew about any establishments in this location. 
The stranger in the black robe had instructed her to visit a bar called The Golden Cellar. 
A sign in front of the cave entrance pointed the way with a red arrow. A wooden staircase stood just inside. It lightly creaked as Aiz descended, and she discovered a door at the foot of the stairs. After slowly swinging it open, she noticed several adventurers were already inside and enjoying themselves. 
The first thing she saw was a crystalline pillar in the middle of the cave that emanated golden light. White and blue crystals were a common sight on the eighteenth floor, but this was the first time she’d seen one like this. In fact, she was fairly certain this was the only one of its kind. 
A feeling of wonder swelled in her chest as she took a closer look at her surroundings. The bar itself was decently large, each of its walls composed of exposed black rock. Several tables were set up, each with their own matching chairs. The adventurers played card games by the light of magic-stone lamps affixed to the ceiling and walls, which added to the yellow glow of the pillar. They used magic stones as playing chips. 
All five tables were completely full, catching Aiz by surprise. The only open seats in the entire bar were by the counter. Someone might be watching…she thought as she walked through the tavern toward the open seat. 
She caught sight of a long shelf filled with bottles in every color imaginable behind the counter as well as a grumpy-looking dwarf, who was the bartender. 
Only one person sat at the bar—a female chienthrope. 
“Oh? Well, if it isn’t the Sword Princess! Fancy meeting you in a place like this!” 
“…Lulu…ne?” 
The chienthrope girl Aiz had noticed—Lulune—was surprised at first but soon wore an open smile. 
Lulune was the adventurer belonging to Hermes Familia who had accompanied Aiz and Lefiya for a short time because of the orb. She became involved when, just like with Aiz now, the mysterious black-robed character had hired her for a delivery. 
She had dark hair, wheat-colored skin, and lithe limbs; minimal armor and light gear covered her thin, streamlined body. She fit the description of a thief through and through. 
Aiz sensed a connection between the two of them, albeit difficult to describe, as the chienthrope casually struck up a conversation. 
“Thanks for last time. I got out of there in one piece, thanks to you. Mind if I say thank you again?” 
“You don’t have to…Have your injuries…healed?” 
“Eh-heh-heh, healthy as a horse! Now let me buy you a drink!” she added with a big smile. 
Aiz’s mind raced to find a polite way to decline as she walked to the seat described in her instructions, the second from the corner—next to Lulune. The girl watched her in confusion for a moment, but her smile came right back. 
“Prowling by yourself today? I can’t believe the Sword Princess knows about this place! You’re really in the know, aren’t you?” 
Aiz casually responded to the verbal deluge with the occasional nod and a short “Yes” or two as she examined the other side of the counter. 
The dwarf bartender grumpily trudged over to her and questioned her. 
“Whaddaya havin’?” 
Now was the time to use the password the darkly dressed client had given her. 
“Green tea–flavored Jyaga Maru Kun.” 
The moment the password left Aiz’s lips, a loud crash rang out. The seat next to her had pitched over. 
Head snapping to the side in surprise, Aiz saw an utterly dumbfounded Lulune on the floor gazing up at her in disbelief. 
“…Y-you’re our reinforcements?” 
—No way, Aiz thought as she noticed movement around her. 
The human who had been happily downing his ale, the animal people who had been arguing over the last round of their card game—every single bar patron was on their feet and staring right at her. Aiz leaped away from the counter and took a defensive stance in the middle of the floor. 
The vibrant atmosphere had evaporated. The patrons’ eyes were different, their gazes far more intense. Then Aiz figured it out. 
All the customers in this bar, including Lulune, were the “allies” the robed figure had mentioned. 
“Are you sure it’s her, Lulune?” 
“A-Asfi…” 
A woman stepped in front of the crowd around Aiz. 
Her aqua-blue hair, one lock dyed white, shifted from side to side as she walked. Her eyes were pure blue, like her hair. Everything about her seemed perfectly in place, right down to her silver-frame glasses, giving her a very intellectual impression. 
She wore a narrow white cloak and sandals decorated with golden wings. The portion of her belt visible beneath the cloak held a weapon; there were also several holsters hanging from it. 
Their eyes met. Exchanging looks of surprise, Aiz became aware of the identity of the beautiful young woman. 
Asfi Al Andromeda… 
One of only five adventurers with the Advanced Ability Enigma in Orario, she was also the head of Hermes Familia. 
Known by the title Perseus, she was an item maker with unparalleled skills. 
Utilizing the rare ability Enigma, she had created various serums and unique items too numerous to describe. Herbs that could protect someone from the effects of curses and status magic. A harp that could attract specific monsters based on sound frequency. Even the feathered pen that didn’t require ink in Aiz’s waist pouch was her invention. Her reputation preceded her far and wide as one of Orario’s top-class adventurers—like Aiz, only in a different field. 
“Looks like it…” conceded Lulune as she climbed to her feet beside Aiz and Asfi’s momentary staring contest. 
“…Were all of you…asked to do a quest as well?” 
Aiz posed her question as her gaze shifted from Asfi to Lulune, and then to the other adventurers. 
Judging by their familiarity with one another, as well as their shared mood, Aiz was positive they belonged to the same familia. Asfi, Aiz’s senior by at least a few years, acknowledged with a yes and let out a long sigh. 
“Thanks to this mutt who can’t say no to money, our entire familia has a mess to clean up.” 
“A-Asfiiii…” 
Lulune whimpered at the harsh assessment. 
The human cast her blue gaze in Aiz’s direction, looking ashamed as she explained the situation. 
“I believe you have experienced this yourself, Sword Princess…but a person in a black robe appeared to her a few days ago and simply said our ‘cooperation’ was required. She said she’d had enough right away, or so I’m told…” 
The black-robed figure hadn’t been seen since the attack on Rivira until it recently paid Lulune a visit. Asfi explained how the enigmatic being bided its time for a chance to speak with the chienthrope alone. Considering how much danger she had been involved in the last time she accepted a quest from that person, the girl had staunchly rejected the offer at first… 
Lulune tried to defend herself, though her mumblings were inaudible as Asfi continued. 
“From what I’ve been told, ‘Black Robe’ threatened to expose her true Level.” 
“……” 
“With that, we had no choice but to get involved…” 
Aiz understood their predicament but was unsure how to respond. 
She had already heard about Hermes Familia’s situation from Lulune, specifically that the god was reporting false information about his followers’ Levels. Should their true strengths be revealed, he would lose his ability to remain “in the middle of the pack,” his preferred place in the hierarchy. 
Certainly, there would be many consequences if the truth came to light; the first would be a higher familia rank. The Guild levied a tax on each familia based on their rank, meaning the amount they had to pay would dramatically increase. Since they were most definitely committing fraud, there would also be a hefty penalty levied against them if the Guild ever caught wind of it. 
The blackmail effectively left Lulune no choice. Unable to protect herself or her familia, it became a necessity to accept the quest. 
“This idiot, this absolute imbecile, should have claimed ignorance until the very end. What thief worthy of the name can’t spin a good story?!” 
“Waaah! Forgive meeee!” 
Lulune tucked her tail between her legs as Asfi unleashed her anger and indignation. The other adventurers said nothing but all wore the same expression of loosely veiled irritation over being dragged into this. 
“It’s hard enough being at the mercy of Lord Hermes’s every whim, but now this…?!” 
A kind of fatigue unique to mortals constantly on edge due to their patron deity’s selfishness revealed itself on Asfi’s face as she rambled under her breath. 
“Um…What…do we do from here?” 
“…My apologies. You shouldn’t have had to see that.” 
Aiz worked up the courage to try and get the leader’s attention. Asfi’s eyes popped open, and she readjusted her glasses. Her expression returning to normal, she focused on the task at hand. 
“To confirm, the aim of this quest lies in the pantry on the twenty-fourth floor. Our jobs are to locate the cause of the monster outbreak and eliminate it. Is that correct?” 
“Yes.” 
“Then allow me to detail our manpower. Including myself, there are fifteen of us, all from Hermes Familia. More than half of us are Level Three.” 
The group went over the contents of the quest as well as their combat strength. 
Their stock of weapons and items, the composition of the formation’s front and rear lines, and basic strategies were all discussed. This might be a one-time-only affair, but Aiz was still counting on these adventurers to watch her back. 
The men and women of the party introduced themselves to Aiz, and she did the same. 
“We no longer have any choice. All of you, hold nothing back until this quest is complete—especially you, Lulune. I expect you to work yourself to the brink of death.” 
“I will, I wiiiiill…” 
Every member of the party nodded in response to Asfi’s call, though Lulune’s reply was almost inaudible. 
Lastly, Asfi turned to face Aiz. 
“Having you fight alongside us is a great honor, Sword Princess. It might only be for a short while, but we’re glad you’re with us.” 
“Happy…to be here.” 
Asfi flashed a grin; Aiz, too, showed the hint of a smile. 
They shook hands. Now they were allies who had come together to complete a quest—members of two familias with the same goal. 
Aiz was now officially part of Hermes Familia’s party. 
“But please don’t tell anyone about our circumstances.” 
“Ah…I won’t.” 
Asfi issued a quick warning before leading the group out from The Golden Cellar. 
After briefly visiting a few shops in Rivira, they set off for the twenty-fourth floor. 
 
“Fels.” 
A booming voice echoed through the chamber. 
The space embodied the image of the inner sanctum of a holy site built during the Ancient Times. Four torches ablaze with bright-red flames provided the only light in the stifling darkness. 
Located directly beneath Guild Headquarters, this was the Temple of Ouranos. 
The physically imposing deity, clad in a hooded robe, sat on his throne that doubled as the altar. Four torches ringed him as he directed his piercing blue gaze at the figure below—Fels. 
“Why did you involve the Sword Princess?” 
Several hours had passed since Aiz was brought into the quest. As soon as all the arrangements had been made, Fels had returned to the temple and did not so much as flinch under the questioning. 
The god’s somber and unyielding tone made their meeting feel more like an interrogation. The deity presented a strong case, recalling Fels’s statement that it would be wise to avoid Loki Familia after the goddess had personally paid them an unexpected visit. 
Ouranos asked if directly contacting Aiz was worth the risk. 
The robed individual standing in front of the altar replied evenly, “I have been told that the Sword Princess displayed an unusual reaction to the orb.” 
Fels passed along the information acquired from Lulune during their brief conversation before the newest quest had been issued. In fact, Aiz had nearly keeled over after encountering the fetus-like organism in the orb. 
Hearing that, Ouranos raised his eyebrows. 
“I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a yet-undiscovered connection between the orb and Aiz Wallenstein. This might be the only opportunity to bring that connection to light.” 
Ouranos kept silent as Fels finished explaining. However, the deity’s mind was hard at work, and he passed the time in contemplation. 
Fels broke the silence with an “Also…,” drawing the deity’s gaze. “While we did manage to contain the incident in the thirtieth-floor pantry, Lido and many of our allies suffered heavy casualties. They cannot shoulder any more duties at this time.” 
The thirtieth floor—the place where Hashana had first retrieved the orb. 
The voice continued from beneath the hood masking the figure’s face in darkness. 
“There were no ‘guards’ present on the thirtieth floor, but the enemy is sure to take more precautions this time. Examining all the gathered information, I assembled a team able to contend with that danger by including the Sword Princess.” 
“Guards, you say…So that tamer might appear again.” 
“Most likely,” answered Fels as Ouranos closed his eyes. 
“I shall speak to Hermes myself.” 
“My apologies, Ouranos.” 
Like Aiz, Hermes Familia was at risk of sustaining serious damage while carrying out this quest. Ouranos would handle the follow-up. Fels sounded sincere as the darkness beneath the hood rose to face the deity. 
“I have sympathy for the Sword Princess, but we cannot allow this situation to continue unabated.” 
The voice was thick with determination. 
 
It was a spacious cavern deep in the Dungeon, far from the surface, on a lower floor in the middle levels. 
A stench hung in the moist air. 
It wasn’t a natural result of nearby monsters, nor was it blood. Even the putrid odor of a dragon’s intestinal tract couldn’t hold a candle to this foul aroma—the kind that drew in maggots and insects from far and wide. The scent of rotting flesh. 
No adventurers came close to this corner of the Dungeon, inundated with the smell of death. Even the howls of monsters were nowhere to be heard. It was almost as if this cavern were completely isolated from other events in the labyrinth. 
Amid the eerie stillness drifted the sounds of many people walking about, mixed with the echoes of mysterious squirming and far-off howls that sounded like the ring of broken bells. 
Bloodred light illuminated the interior of the dim cavern. 
“……” 
Crunch. A mouth tinted crimson took a bite out of an oddly colored fruit. 
A long shadow spread across the floor. There was no doubt from the curvy form and ample breasts that it belonged to an enticing woman. 
Sharp green eyes peered out from beneath bangs that reached her cheeks; hair the same color as the red light swished from side to side. 
There was no mistake. She was the one Aiz had referred to as the red-haired tamer. 
Sitting on the ground with one knee up, she showed no signs of moving anytime soon. 
“—Oi! Adventurers figured out something’s up with all the monsters romping through the Dungeon! You okay with that?” 
Another person ran up to the woman. 
It was a man wearing a large robe that completely hid his upper body from view, as well as a mask over the top half of his face, concealing his identity. 
He raised his voice, but the woman’s tone was simply cold. 
“Shut up. Stop flipping out.” 
She spat out the unchewed fruit and crushed the other half between her fingers. The flesh of the mysterious fruit shot out in all directions, scattering like a brain stomped underfoot. 
“I’ll lend you some violas,” she said, referring to the carnivorous plant monsters. “You all should handle the rabble.” She never even glanced up. 

 

“Tsk!” Angrily turning on his heel, the masked man started off. Just as he disappeared into the reddish darkness, another figure emerged to take his place. 
It was another man, the stark-white cloth covering his body tinted crimson by the light. 
“Discovered by adventurers…Luck is not with us.” 
The newcomer was also wearing a mask, except this one was an unaltered white skull of a monster, a drop item used as a helmet. The man’s features were hard to discern, and it gave him an ominous aura. There were no weapons anywhere on his tall frame. 
The red-haired woman shifted her gaze in his direction for only an instant as the man stopped near her. 
“Can we afford to leave this alone, Levis?” 
The red-haired woman—Levis—looked back out over the cavern. 
“I don’t give a damn how many adventurers know we’re here.” 
“So you’re making the Evils do the dirty work?” 
“Yeah. I ain’t lifting a finger.” 
Levis’s gaze followed the numerous people moving in the dim light with absolutely no interest. 
The masked man looked down at her and strengthened his tone to get his point across. 
“What if they’ve come for her again, like on the thirtieth floor?” 
Thud! The light source swayed, casting its red glare back and forth. 
“There’s reason to believe a faction of surface dwellers is watching our every move.” 
Levis answered the man’s warning of a possible incoming attack bluntly. 
“Just crush them.”