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

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From their school days, Eina and Missia were often treated as a duo.

Missia was aware of this, which is why she blurted out something like "the follower of the top student (Eina)".

Missia is indeed the type of person who wants to slack off when no one is watching her, and only starts studying when the exam period is approaching. This has caused Eina a lot of trouble from the past to the present. However, she is a human being who "does things when she should do them".

Of course, her appearance meeting the requirements for a waitress is one of the reasons, but her entry into the "guild" must have been the result of her hard work and tears.

Although Eina chose to join a guild out of a naive and carefree motive like "If Eina goes, I'll go too~", Eina still remembers how happy that sentence made her.

"Misia, you can do it! Let's cheer each other on!"

"...Hmm! Hearing Eina say that makes it seem like there's no problem!"

Missia, who had initially seemed a little uneasy, smiled and said she would try her best.

Eina returned the smile.

Eina then spent some time trying to adapt to life in Orario.

Thanks to the staff who taught her so much, Eina learned more and more about the business every day. Sometimes she would even take on the task of consulting with senior adventurers, learning from their words and actions.

The moment you step outside the guild headquarters, the ensuing battles and various events will come into view or reach your ears.

When Eina and her companions joined the "Guild," the city's notorious disorder, known as the Chaotic Period, had gradually subsided, but there were still amusing entertainments about the gods or the goddesses' old and new grudges, and the unrest was never lacking.

Witnessing the Monster Philia for the first time, the conflict between the "Guild" and the "Ishtar Familia", the ensuing battles and war games, and the successive repatriation of several goddesses... all these things were enough for her to know that life in Orario would never be boring.

As for dungeon exploration, the Freya Familia and Loki Familia performed exceptionally well.

Among them, one person Eina recognized in particular—an elven royal who had received great care since childhood—was also listed as a member of the Loki Familia, which greatly surprised her. However, she never took the initiative to introduce herself or contact the person.

Because of her absolutely neutral position as a guild member, and the fact that the other party was a first-class adventurer representing the city, she couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

And just as she arrived in Orario, her second spring was about to arrive.

Eina, who was gradually getting the hang of her job as a waitress, now had four adventurers under her supervision.

Among them, Maris's progress in conquering the floors is particularly impressive.

"Eina—! I'm back after breaking through the 10th floor!"

The guild headquarters at dusk.

Maris called out to Eina, who was leaving the window.

She was probably there to exchange money, carrying a bag full of gold coins as she approached Eina. Her worn-out leather armor and the steel dagger, long since replaced by a replacement for her rations, were a testament to the victories she had achieved so far.

"Huh! We've already reached the floor... wait, didn't you even listen to my warnings?! I told you so many times that it gets foggy starting from the 10th floor, so we have to explore carefully...!"

Seeing Maris wave at her nonchalantly, Eina was both surprised and angry, and gave her a dressing down.

In just one year, I've already conquered the 10th floor of the "upper level".

Although there is a team involved, the speed of clearing the map is quite fast for the newly emerging [Family].

Despite being a relatively inexperienced guild employee, Eina was well aware of just how amazing this was.

"Ugh—you're so long-winded! Stop nagging and let's go grab a drink!"

"If guild members and adventurers get too close, it will cause unnecessary misunderstandings! Public and private matters must be kept separate...!?"

"It's my treat, don't hesitate, just come!"

Dragged away by the in high spirits Maris, Eina had no choice but to join her for a good drink.

She reluctantly changed out of the guild uniform that was most likely to cause trouble and was taken by Maris to the bustling southern part of the city, to the tavern "Flame Bee Pavilion" recommended by Maris.

"Eina, you're quite popular among adventurers, aren't you? Everyone's saying you're a cute waitress who graduated from the 'school district.' Seriously, elves are so sought after~"

"Maris!"

Amidst the adventurers' boisterous laughter, Eina was mocked by Maris, who was chugging down the shopkeeper's special bright red mead.

By this time, Eina and Maris had become close friends.

Despite several clashes—or rather, bickering—in their adventurer-advisor relationship, the two have now developed a bond that allows them to go from complaining to engaging in pleasant, casual conversation. That said, it's usually Maris who drags Eina into the fray.

Seeing that the adventurer in charge had turned as red as mead and was completely drunk, Eina, who was only drinking water, sighed.

"But... well, how should I put it... you really are a good person, Eina."

"...Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

Maris, who had been beaming with joy at the addition of floors to her reach, suddenly changed her tone.

The blush on her cheeks hadn't completely faded, and a smile lingered on her lips.

"Although you still love to read and your mind is still quite rigid... I'm really lucky to have you as my advisor."

"..."

"You've never given up on me, this slow-witted bumpkin, and patiently taught me everything. Today is no exception; the information you gave me about 'half-orcs' and 'little devils' came in handy. ...I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have called you a newbie and looked down on you."

"Maris..."

Maris, with her typical rough and adventurous spirit, and Eina, with her serious personality, successfully complemented each other's shortcomings and became the best partners.

"There are many things in the dungeon that can't be solved by brute force alone," Maris continued, using the alcohol as a way to express her gratitude.

I'm so glad I met you.

Hearing Maris's murmur, almost drowned out by the noise in the store, Eina felt a feeling she hadn't experienced since becoming a guild employee spreading through her chest.

It could be said that the look Maris gave her deeply touched her heart.

Unsure how to handle her own confusing inner reaction, Eina quickly asked a question to hide her panic:

"Maris, why...why did you become an adventurer?"

Many of those who visit Orario to become adventurers have ulterior motives. Everyone tacitly agrees not to unnecessarily pry into others' pasts.

When asked about her privacy for the first time, Maris paused for a moment before speaking:

"I want to show those people what I'm made of, to teach those who abandoned me and those who looked down on me a lesson. I'm going to become as powerful as a Level 1 adventurer, make a name for myself, and show them what I'm made of."

Maris confessed that she had been a homeless child, and finally broke into a smile.

"Let me think... maybe it's to repay the gods for taking in this dirty girl?"

Seeing her smile shyly, Eina narrowed her emerald-like eyes beneath her glasses.

Adventurers are generally perceived as rude thugs and hooligans.

This viewpoint is neither wrong nor correct.

When faced with Maris, who shared her desire to support her family, Eina felt both empathy and joy.

She will continue to support adventurers and cheer them on.

The young half-elf girl reaffirmed her resolve.

She felt as if she had found a clear meaning in her work.

"Zul".

"Team Leader Remo."

A month passed after he had grown even closer to Maris.

As Eina was walking down the corridor of the guild headquarters, her dog-man superior called out to her.

This boss has been guiding them since they joined the "guild," teaching them many things from then until now, and can be considered a mentor.

"You and Flott have been in the guild for a year now, have you gotten used to the work?"

"Yes, thanks to the team leader's guidance."

Eina walked side by side with her boss, whose face was long and thin, and talked about her current state of mind.

"Lately, I feel closer to the adventurers... I hope to become their strength."

She recalled what had happened with Maris a few days ago, and said that she hoped to continue to build a rapport with the adventurers in the future.

The dog-man superior remained silent, watching Eina's smiling profile.

"So you and Flott haven't been intimate yet..."

--Haven't you done it yet?

Before Eina could ask what the whisper meant, he continued:

"Zul... I have a suggestion for you as a senior member of the 'Guild'."

He began with a meaningful opening remark, and then told Eina:

"I advise you not to develop too much emotional attachment to adventurers."

"what?"

Ignoring Eina, who had stopped moving, the boss continued walking forward.

"It will cause you pain later. Although this is just my personal opinion..."

"Team leader...?"

"But at the very least, many employees would probably share my opinion."

The figure gradually disappeared into the distance, leaving Eina alone.

A few days later, Eina finally understood the meaning behind his words.

That day, Eina arrived at the skyscraper facility (Tower of Babel) as an auditor.

It was dusk, when the afterglow of the setting sun enveloped the earth.

The adventurers were returning one after another from the staircase leading to the underground. On the first floor of the tower, Eina and the other members of the inspection team, who had been waiting in the hall, had also finished their inspection and were about to embark on their journey home.

"...?"

Just then, the commotion of the crowd grew louder and louder.

The commotion coming from the adventurers made Eina turn her head, and she saw several bodies being carried up from underground.

It seems that an entire adventurer team was wiped out.

Eina stood frozen in place, listening to the adventurers' voices.

It was said that a team of high-level adventurers discovered the corpses lying on the floor, and out of consideration for fellow adventurers, they took care of collecting the bodies for those people.

Just as the other guild members, who were more senior than Eina, showed indifferent expressions or pursed their lips as if suppressing some kind of emotion, the bodies that had returned to the surface were neatly arranged in the hall.

Among those remains was someone Eina knew.

"Huh?!"

The leather armor, now completely unrecognizable, the broken sword held stiffly in his hand, and the familiar blue hair.

The human girl covered in blood was none other than Maris Hector herself.

She couldn't possibly admit her mistake.

How could she mistake someone for someone else?

Maris's remains, with her eyes slightly open, gazed blankly into the void.

Her body was missing an arm.

As if recounting the horrific tragedy that had occurred, many of the other people's remains were also brutally torn apart.

The next instant, Eina's knees buckled and she knelt down.

"That scar...is it from an infant dragon?"

"I think so. They couldn't even put up a decent resistance. Look at them, it's truly pathetic."