Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Dionysus smiled wryly and offered some explanations to smooth things over.

"Hestia is a worthy goddess, and I have also been treated with her kindness. I can never be more grateful for the favors I have received in heaven."

Upon hearing Dionysus say this from the bottom of his heart, Loki's face contorted as if all his facial muscles had malfunctioned.

In short, it's a severely ruined face, definitely not the face a goddess should have.

As for Hestia, she stood with her hands on her hips and a smug look on her face.

"At that time, our territory stipulated that twelve gods had to be chosen... who would be our representatives. When I was disheartened and desperate because I was not among the twelve gods... Hestia reached out to me."

The heavens, where the gods reside, are like the various countries on earth, each with its own "territory" and rules.

In Dionysus's "territory," the title of the Twelve Gods seemed to hold an irreplaceable and important position, but Hestia unhesitatingly relinquished this position to Dionysus.

"That's right! I kindly gave him my seat!"

"Anyway, you probably just want to stay in the temple and slack off."

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Hestia turned her face away from Loki as if her sore spot had been hit, then looked up at Dionysus with deep emotion.

"After all, Dionysus was quite unconventional back then, as if he might say something like, 'The evil spirit slumbering in my right hand will burn you all to ashes!'—oh dear, it's almost unbearable to watch—"

"Hestia, could you please not say things that ruin my image... No, I'm serious, I'm not kidding."

Dionysus closed his eyes, flicked his bangs, and gave a cool smile, but his hands were trembling.

Really, what exactly happened between them?

"Dionysus! Come this way, come this way—!"

At that moment, several young children ran over and called out to him.

"This is troublesome... excuse me for a moment." Dionysus said to Loki and the others first, then, seemingly pleased with himself, he walked briskly toward the children.

Phil Weiss followed along, fulfilling her duty as a guard.

"...It seems that Dionysus was quite beloved."

"Yeah, I was totally surprised."

Loki shrugged, while Hestia, on the contrary, stared intently at her idol.

then……

"Dionysus's 'ailment' seems to have been cured."

She said those words.

"...A 'flaw'?"

Loki was taken aback.

Loki, who had stopped moving, slowly looked at Hestia.

The little goddess neither smiled nor frowned, nor did she seem to be joking; she simply gazed at the male god.

"...Shorty, what do you mean by 'flaw'? What are you talking about?"

When Loki asked this question, Hestia turned to look at her.

The little girl goddess raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked back at her from a height that was lower than hers.

"Isn't it because you're just as bad as Loki that you hang out with him?"

"Evenly equals...? With me? Dionysus?"

"At first I thought your combination was amazing—but upon closer inspection, it makes perfect sense."

"Hey, wait a minute. So, what are you talking about?"

Loki found himself confused.

I also found myself inexplicably restless and uneasy.

What do you mean?

Is he like Dionysus?

Do they have something in common?

Do they all enjoy manipulating others? Or are they all heavy drinkers?

What is Hestia saying?

She seemed to have words stuck in her throat, pressing the goddess before her with each word.

"There was an attempt to incite 'fratricide' among the gods."

"!!"

"That's why I said you're 'equals.' Loki, didn't you also try to make the other gods 'fight each other'?"

Hestia glared at Loki, her eyes so fierce they could be accompanied by sound effects. However, Loki was in no mood to pay attention to her reproachful gaze.

Indeed, Loki incited the gods to kill each other in the heavens.

After arriving in the mortal realm and obtaining a [Family], her personality changed drastically. It's unimaginable that she was once a ferocious, unpredictable, and destructive deity. She even earned the hilarious title of "The Number One Mischievous Spirit in Heaven."

The information Loki heard for the first time greatly alarmed him.

Lefia, who was listening nearby, was just as surprised.

"...Do you remember which gods he advocated for 'fighting among themselves'?"

"Rather than saying it happened to any one person, it's more accurate to say it happened to everyone...? At that time, Dionysus was throwing a tantrum, taking his anger out on whoever he saw. His usual gentle demeanor was nowhere to be seen."

"..."

"Okay, if I had to give an example, it would be Zeus... or Uranus if we're not talking about the twelve gods."

Hestia, oblivious to Loki's silence, touched her delicate chin with her finger and spoke.

(And then Uranus's name appears...)

Dionysus had already been suspicious of the "Guild" long before he joined forces with Loki.

To go even further, they've set their sights on Uranus behind it all.

Even before the "heretic" incident was exposed, he resolutely refused to trust the old god.

Did something happen between Dionysus, Uranus, and others in the heavens that would make him harbor murderous intent?

Why did Dionysus want to fight Uranus and his people?

"I told you it's a 'problem,' or you could say it's an 'illness.' Didn't I just say that Dionysus used to be very eccentric?"

"..."

"He would pick fights with Uranus and the others, not for any major reason, but simply because Dionysus was blaming them. Well, perhaps there was some reason among the parties involved that caused his 'illness'."

Hestia casually indicated that she was unaware of any new or old grudges between them.

At the same time, she may have been recalling the tense scene, and the young goddess who always provided protection to those who prayed seemed somewhat sad.

Surprisingly, many gods' accumulated "pus and blood" in the dull and boring heavens disappeared after descending to earth. Loki is a prime example.

However, Dionysus has never revealed even a trace of that aura in his words or actions. So subtle is that even Loki cannot imagine what he was like in the past.

"...What did you feel when you saw Dionysus in the heavens?"

Loki changed the direction of the problem.

What did he look like in the eyes of the goddess who was from the same hometown as Dionysus and was right beside him at the time?

"Hmm... I think I find Dionysus quite 'scary'."

This was the third time Loki had been surprised.

Because she didn't expect Hestia to use the word "horrible".

This idle goddess is beloved in some peculiar places.

The most famous is Hephaestus, the goddess of forging, known in the heavens for her stubbornness and obstinacy. There's also Penea, the goddess of poverty. She's the most powerful and wicked.Extremely cruel and destructive impulsesThe goddess Hera is one of them. Although the other gods mock her for being a loli goddess, she always has connections with some special divine beings.

Whether this is good or bad, Hestia always treats everyone equally. She doesn't discriminate or distinguish between any ethnic groups. However, if someone like Loki comes to pick a fight or make fun of her, she will, of course, still yell back.

In addition to her own power, Loki remembered that Uranus, and even Zeus, all regarded her with special regard.

Despite her unassuming appearance, she, who is in charge of ensuring the eternal burning of the sacred flame, actually possesses extremely high divine status.

Hestia, in this state... actually called Dionysus "terrible".

"That's why when everyone was arguing about the seats of the Twelve Gods, I said that instead of arguing, I might as well withdraw. Besides, I don't like that tense atmosphere."

Hestia appeared to have jumped off the chair with a "boom," saying, "You all get along well~" before quickly leaving the Temple of the Twelve. The easily imaginable scene left Loki feeling utterly powerless.

However, since her resignation left a seat vacant, Dionysus's "illness" seemed to have subsided.

"Well, it seems like no one has noticed. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding."

Hestia concluded it this way.

Looking up, he saw Dionysus surrounded by smiling children.

"However, judging from his expression, it seems there's nothing to worry about anymore. That's great."

Loki, standing next to her, had nothing to say.

Instead, she tried to ask for other information, but...

"Hey, shorty, tell me more—"

"Oh no!? I'm going to be late for work!!!"

Hestia remembered her situation and ran away as fast as she could.

He talked on and on, then ran off...

Watching the petite figure run away before she could stop her, she listlessly lowered her outstretched hand.

Loki, who had been abandoned, and Lefia, who was still in a panic, turned their attention back to Dionysus.

The elegant and refined gentleman maintained a composed demeanor, yet he played affectionately with the children.

Illustration 53189

In the afternoon, as the sun gradually moves from its zenith towards the west.

The city streets were packed with people.

The number of demi-human pedestrians of various races seemed to be slightly greater than usual. As if to prove that this was not just psychological, a group of people from the slums bought the bare minimum of necessities.

The memory of Daedalus Road becoming a battlefield due to the appearance of "Armed Monsters" is still fresh in everyone's mind. The reconstruction work is centered around the management organization <Guild>, the [Ganesha Familia], and the [Loki Familia]. During this time, the residents of the labyrinth street must move into the temporary housing they have been assigned until the street is repaired. Therefore, they are currently forced to live on the main road far away from the slums.

However, neither the residents of Maze Street nor the pedestrians on the street showed any signs of pain or sorrow.

The disappearance of the monster threat that had invaded the surface put their minds at ease, and they believed that their peaceful daily lives had returned.

Yes, everyone is enjoying a peaceful and prosperous era.

Little did they know that the real threat—the deadline for the "urban collapse"—was already counting down.

"I never imagined that Dionysus, back in the heavens, was such an emotionally unstable god..."

Lefia glanced absently at the smiling pedestrians on the street, muttering to herself.

Under the giant magic lamp, the few words that slipped out were absorbed and disappeared by the crowded people.

(I wonder if Miss Phil Weiss knows about this...?)

Just as she recalled what the goddess Hestia had said and pondered this question...

"Sorry, Lefia. Have you been waiting long?"

"Ah... Miss Philweis!"

The elf she was thinking about slipped through the crowd and appeared before her.

"...? What's wrong? What happened?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing."

The thought of Dionysus flashed through her mind, but Lefia masked it with a wry smile.

She believed that discussing such matters with Philvis, the man she revered, would affect her mood. Furthermore, Lefia understood that, given her noble character, she would always support the god, regardless of his past.