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

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Must become stronger.

Even if the corpses of their companions piled up like mountains, it would be the same.

In Orario, the labyrinthine city where the world's strongest adventurers gather, they have both the responsibility and the right to challenge the Dragon King.

Ais pressed her hair down as the night breeze blew, gazing at the city lights in the distance.

After some time, just as the bright moon in the sky gradually shifted its position, the singing finally drifted from the central square.

The elegy that concludes the sacrificial ceremony begins.

A huge crowd gathered in the city center, their songs overlapping in layers.

Transcending racial barriers, a tapestry of emotions rises into the night sky of Orario.

As the girl described, people sang songs of mourning and gratitude during this elegiac ceremony, and also offered prayers.

Ais and the first-level adventurers all knew the meaning of that prayer.

The world is expecting a "hero" to arrive.

The many adventurers scattered throughout the city heard that song in different places.

In a room of a long mansion, a dwarf warrior, an elven princess, a dwarven veteran...

On the rooftop of the building, werewolf youths, Amazon sisters...

On the highest floor of the white-walled tower, the boar warriors...

They all heard the long-awaited song of anticipation for the arrival of the next generation of "heroes".

"..."

There will likely be more sacrifices to be made in the future.

In order for "heroes" to be born, countless lives must be sacrificed.

Until the moment when the long-cherished wish of the entire lower realm is fulfilled.

And, surely, it is likely that the gods' ulterior motives have been fulfilled.

Until the very last moment when the deepest part of the dungeon is conquered...

The entire wall of hanging lanterns in view will never disappear.

"...Seeing those children's eyes made me very sad."

Hearing this elegy, which is still playing today, makes her feel sad.

Ais had a long-cherished wish.

He has a "wish" that is different from that of the human race.

There are things that must be retrieved.

When the appointed time arrives, Ais will surely fight for her "personal grudge".

Just like the adventurers whose companions were killed by monsters in the dungeon.

Where is the lofty "hero" sought by the world? She will become a ridiculous puppet bound by her own desires and will.

"I……"

Ais's throat began to tremble automatically.

It was as if tormented by a beautiful elegy, wanting to escape from that song.

The girl (Ais) did not wield the sword willingly.

The girl (Ais) can only wield a sword.

The aftermath of today's dream and the solemn tone of the dirge disrupted Ais's thoughts.

Then, as if to vent her emotions, she said that sentence:

"...I can't be anyone's hero."

"..."

"Lord Bell?"

Bell stopped and looked up at the night sky where the song was playing.

"...The gods are singing too."

What he heard were dirges mourning the dead, hymns of praise expressing gratitude to heroes, and prayers eagerly awaiting new "heroes." Bell discovered that the voices of the gods were also interspersed among them.

A wine-loving goddess drinking under the moonlight, a silver-haired beauty who acts on a whim, an elephant-faced god who gets excited and cries, a blacksmith god standing by the window, a handsome god standing on the city wall, and a young goddess waiting for the boys to come home...

Many gods were humming a lament for the children.

Suddenly, Bell remembered something his grandfather had told him when he was a child:

"The labyrinth city has everything."

"As long as you act cleverly, wealth or fame will surely come easily."

"However, those who venture into that field will inevitably be swept up in the great waves of the times."

"That's the kind of place."

"So... wanting to become a hero isn't a problem."

The adventurers'... the heroes' lives and deaths.

An adventure story that repeats itself, and a newly woven tale of heroes.

-- Orario, the labyrinth city.

It is the "starting place" where many heroes and great stars fell.

It was at the cost of countless lives that a few heroes were born in the "Promised Land".

The story will be passed down to future generations.

Whether you hope it or not.

At that moment, Bell felt that he had finally grasped the true meaning of his grandfather's words.

"I want to become a hero..."

Bell whispered as if letting the wish she had kept hidden in her heart since childhood melt into the night air.

"But... I always feel so sad."

Then, he expressed the emotions that the endless elegy brought to his heart.

Go and lay flowers, so you won't forget what happened today.

The boy murmured quietly.

Let's go lay flowers this year too, so that we don't lose our way.

The girl murmured quietly.

The boy and girl listened to the same song, looked up at the same sky, and were immersed in different thoughts.

The eastern sky was bathed in light.

The songs that echoed until dawn had long since faded away; the elegiac ceremony was over.

It was morning.

I arrived at the "First Cemetery" located in the southeast of the city, bathed in sunlight.

To offer flowers in memory of the deceased adventurer... Miss Celia.

Before coming here, I visited the Delin Family. Mr. Edgar told me that her remains had already been buried.

"Thank you," he said to me, his face still showing signs of weariness and shadows.

I came to the corner of the cemetery he had told me about.

A small space with an unmarked tombstone is the burial plot that the Delin Familia bought for Miss Celia.

This vast public cemetery, also known as the "Adventurers' Cemetery," is filled with countless similar tombstones. Including the paved ground and tombstones at my feet, the ordinary graves are all made of white stone, reminiscent of the heavenly realm imagined by the people of the lower world—the so-called "Heaven."

"..."

The air is very clear.

It even had a chill in it.

I bought a bouquet from the elderly couple's florist that Lily told me about, placed it in front of the tombstone, and closed my eyes.

Although I am not familiar with the etiquette and customs for praying for the deceased, I still expressed my condolences as a fellow professional.

After everything is over...

I slowly opened my eyes.

"This is my second time here..."

I looked around and muttered to myself.

Their feet automatically led them deeper into the cemetery.

The enormous monument gradually came into view.

The first time was on the very first day I arrived in Orario.

The second time was six months later, now.

When I arrived at the tombs of the heroes, which stood exactly as I remembered them, I stopped.

(...I don't know how I've changed since then.)

Standing before the dark monument, I compared the past with the present.

I have accumulated a lot of experience.

To become strong enough to fight against monsters.

I have also encountered many instances of "death".

Even so, no matter how I think about it, I can't come up with a clear answer.

The tombstones, engraved with the names of numerous heroes, refuse to give me any answer.

At that moment, all I felt was the loneliness that swept over me.

As if as proof that many people had visited the place last night for the "Elegy Festival," the rising sun illuminated the numerous small flower wreaths that resembled a garden.

"──?"

As I recalled my ignorant and naive memories from that time, and gazed up at the monument for a long time...

I sensed that someone had come to this deserted cemetery.

(That is……)

I turned around and was surprised.

A blonde, golden-eyed girl walked this way, passing between the tombstones of adventurers.

"Miss Ais..."

Miss Ais noticed me, her eyes also showing surprise.

Bright sunlight streamed down between us.

I don't know why.

But at this moment...

On the other side of the dazzling sunrise, she was crying... For some reason, that's how it looked to me.