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

This is the Loki Familia's headquarters, and this is Lefia's bedroom.

The elven girl was quietly weeping in the room that had originally been shared by the two of them.

Her appearance can only be described as miserable.

She lost her expression, and several tear streaks remained on her mask-like face.

Her chapped lips parted slightly, like a broken music box softly calling out to the now-dead girl of her tribe. Her appearance was even reminiscent of an alabaster statue, with only a soul residing within it, constantly sobbing and shedding tears that shouldn't exist from her eyes.

In fact, Ais had been locked in her room until five days ago, alone, constantly asking and answering herself questions.

But the two situations are completely different.

Unlike Ais, who retreats into her own inner world, Lefia's devastating blow comes from the "external world".

She witnessed her best friend, Philvis Charlia, being murdered.

"Lefia! Lefia!! Please look at me...! Please, just smile like you always do...!"

Elfie, who is Lefia's roommate, shouted this while crying beside Ais.

Elfie's eyes were swollen from crying, and her voice was hoarse. Anyone who saw her selflessly devoted to Lefia all these days would be heartbroken.

No matter how much Tiona and Tione tried to persuade him, he remained unmoved.

He wouldn't even listen to what Riveria was saying.

There are only three people in the room right now. Due to the current situation, it is not possible for anyone to be with Lefia at all times, but they will come over whenever they have free time. However, every time they see Lefia in her current state, they ultimately cannot bring themselves to scold her harshly, nor can they find suitable words to encourage her.

They watched helplessly as their fellow countrymen had their necks snapped.

They were even devoured by monsters, leaving no trace of their bodies.

This is far too cruel and inhumane for this kind-hearted girl.

But amidst their worries, the thought that "she's already beyond saving" crept into everyone's minds.

Ais and the others, who were first-level adventurers, had already made a calm judgment in their minds.

They concluded that Rafia Viridis was "unable to recover".

Stand up and avenge your humiliation.

This was the only sentence that Ais simply couldn't bring herself to say.

She couldn't deliberately fan the flames and ignite the darkness in someone else's heart.

The reason was that she deeply understood what those afflicted by the black flames would become, so there was no way to push the girl into that sea of ​​karmic fire.

"Miss Ais~ Lefia! Lefia~~...!"

"..."

Elf buried her face in Ais's shoulder and cried her heart out.

Ais could only support Elfie's body.

All she could do was hug Elfie, who was crying loudly in place of her own inability to shed tears.

Ais lowered her eyes, letting the feeling of powerlessness erode her heart.

She reached out and gently took the girl's hand, but the girl remained unresponsive, like a broken doll.

*

"Gentlemen..."

Raul stood still.

Faced with the current situation, he was truly powerless.

The location was the main mess hall at headquarters.

The Loki Familia members present were all silent, their faces somber as if attending a funeral. As if their voices had been stolen, the usually bustling dining hall was now eerily quiet, so incongruous that it sent a chill down one's spine.

“…………!”

Among the black-furred cat-people is Anaquiti.

The expression on her face screamed – how much she hated having to take a vacation. If she could bury herself in her work, she wouldn't have to think about anything else. Looking at that profile, which was even more beautiful than usual because of her frustration, Raul wanted to go up and talk to her, but in the end, he decided against it.

He knew the reason perfectly well.

This is because they suffered a defeat in the man-made maze recently.

The extent of the defeat cannot be described in a few words such as "losing" or "suffering a loss in silence." Rather, the opponent has completely turned the tide of the game that was supposed to be the winning one.

Their forces charged relentlessly towards victory, only to end up with nothing. This was a situation that the Loki Familia, the largest faction in the city, had never encountered before.

Everyone was desperate to survive and didn't want to lose their companions, so they refused to help other colleagues who reached out for help.

The Dionysian Family –

More than eighty members of the faction died tragically because of this cold-blooded decision.

"Gentlemen..."

Raul was utterly disappointed in himself for only being able to repeat those two words.

Because, all along, I've been the one who often makes a fool of myself.

His fellow Loki Familia members always came to comfort him and lend him a helping hand.

Conversely, it is precisely because of Raul's numerous embarrassing moments that the surroundings are able to maintain "balance" and "harmony." This is a privilege possessed by Raul, an insignificant human, and also a charm he unconsciously displays. No matter how difficult the situation, when Raul Nord reveals his usual pathetic self, he can always make the team members relax, smile, and find a solution.

Overcoming self-loathing, anger, anxiety, confusion, and fear to lift one's head again is an extremely difficult thing, and sometimes it can be so shameful that it itches all over—but if it's one's own problem, Raul always finds a way to get back on his feet.

Because he understands himself very well, he is able to grit his teeth, muster all his strength, and face the difficulties head-on.

(The problem is now...)

Now, Raul really doesn't know how to encourage his dejected teammates.

After all, Raul was not involved.

They did not personally experience this "tragedy" in which people were willing to sacrifice others in order to survive.

To ensure an escape route from the man-made maze, they had secured the "door" leading to the underground city long ago. Raul's job was simply to wait until his companions had all escaped the underground city, then immediately close the "door" forged from the hardest metal to stop the overwhelming horde of "green flesh."

No one can bear the despair in another's heart, let alone know how to sweep away despair.

Raul couldn't inspire the crowd like Finn and the others.

He could only reveal his incompetence through his pathetic behavior.

"Are you guys still just loafing around there?"

In the large dining hall, where the atmosphere was no different from that of mourning, an impatient voice suddenly came from inside.

Raul turned his head in fright and saw a werewolf walking into the dining hall through the door.

"Brother Bert..."

Bert probably wanted to dine here.

He seemed to have no hope of anyone being in charge of cooking, and swaggered toward the kitchen where the food was stored. On the way, he glanced at the sobbing group members and spat in disgust.

Raul rushed forward.

"Brother Bert, are you alright...?"

Aren't you feeling frustrated? Aren't you holding a grudge about it?

Raul, who seemed drawn to Bert, was so concerned that his short sentence contained other implications.

Perhaps it was based on the mentality of wanting to grasp at the last straw.

Raul hopes to use the powerful abilities of a first-class adventurer to change the current situation.

However──

Stop cowering there! Speak your mind loudly if you have something to say!

"babble!?"

Bert's attitude was "as always".

He was still the same as always, rude and domineering, with no difference from his usual behavior.

But this reaction alone brings Raul a sense of reassurance.

"...If you think you're not useless enough, then keep being useless."

“…Huh?”

Therefore, Bert's words really surprised Raul.

Bert, who always mercilessly insults the weak, didn't even offer a sarcastic remark.

In a sense, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call this situation "showing mercy".

"Brother Bert, what's wrong...? Did you take the wrong medicine...?"

Bertie said he didn't scorn others like he used to, and he didn't even yell or shout. Raul's expression at this moment was as if he had just encountered a monster walking upside down.

(Illustration 008)

Raul's eccentric expression seemed to annoy Bert, so he spat again.

"I also need time to calm myself down."

“Eh…”

"You can cry and say whatever you want until the time is right."

It was only then that Raul noticed something.

Bert, who is responsible for securing the other "door" of the man-made maze, shares the same "observer" position as Raul.

Bert was also tormented by the memory of the defeat, but he managed to process his feelings in order to move forward.

"What does 'the time is ripe' mean...?"

Faced with Raul's reflexive question, the werewolf finally reverted to his old ways and let out a cold laugh:

"Compared to you bunch of stagnant good-for-nothings, Finn and his men are already taking action."

*

"What's the current situation?"

Indeed, as Bert said.

Finn, together with Riveria and Grace, was organizing intelligence in the office.

They lived up to the trust of the werewolf, proceeding with seriousness and determination.

"The Dionysian Familia suffered the most casualties; we and the Hermesian Familia did not lose many men."

"However, this incident has caused a drop in morale among the team members. After all, we saved our lives by sacrificing the lives of our colleagues, and even Angie was greatly affected by it."

Finn listened silently to Riveria and Grace's report.

His expression remained indifferent, without even a trace of regret.

This dwarf hero is not only the leader of the Loki Familia, but now also the commander of the Faction Alliance, so he must be more composed and calm than anyone else. He must be strict with himself and lead everyone with a firm attitude.

At this moment, Finn is in a position to be able to do this.

(It seems that it was thanks to my encounter with the "heretic" that I became as hard as steel.)

Finn couldn't help but analyze his own state of mind.

I even wanted to make fun of myself, thinking that this might be what the main god meant by "growth".

Of course, he still felt guilty, annoyed, and regretful.

However, he also had enough courage to compose himself and step forward to face the next battle.

Nicknamed "The Hero," he is well aware of the duties he must currently perform.

Finn's job is to propose a strategy.

He had to devise a goal that could revitalize the demoralized members, or, to put it another way, devise a "second wave of offensive" plan that had been in the works from the very beginning.

"What about the man-made maze?"

"Clearing the 'green flesh' that infests the labyrinth is mainly the responsibility of the Ganesha Familia. Of course, we also sent people to provide support, but..."