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

The most obvious example is the elves. Although they make up only a small portion of the population, it is said that they have extremely high self-esteem and are unwilling to interact with other races. Therefore, they have built villages deep in the forests and live in seclusion.

In other words...

"Were the elves forced away? Did they leave their forests because of the war?"

"To be precise, it was burned to the ground. The village and the entire forest."

The village was burned down.

That sentence made me gasp.

She later added that the spirits who lost their village later received the power of a certain deity... that is, they received a "blessing" and joined the [Family], and then attacked Lachia.

The kingdom, which had already lost the power of the magic sword, suffered great losses, and the elves' revenge was temporarily quelled.

"In the end, it is only the soldiers with weapons who arbitrarily expand the scope of the victims. To resent the demonic sword that was used by someone, and then to resent the 'Krozo' family, is perhaps a misdirection... but it seems that there are still many people who cannot let go of this."

"..."

"That's the point. For elves, 'Krozo' is a name that cannot be ignored."

"...The same goes for Miss Ryu?"

"No, I'm fine."

I was quite surprised to hear Ms. Ryu say that so frankly.

I've heard that many elves are very proud and have a strong sense of camaraderie within their species.

Although Miss Ryu said that this happened a long time ago and that her village wasn't completely burned down, I still couldn't hide my surprise.

Needless to say, Miss Seele and the others are very caring towards me. I've only known her for a short time, but she already cares about me so much, so I think she's someone who values ​​family and friends a lot.

"Mr. Bell—I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

"...It seems time's up. So, Mr. Crannie, please be very careful while exploring the labyrinth."

"Uh, I will..."

Seeing Miss Seele come out of the tavern, Miss Ryu gave me a slight bow in farewell.

She brushed past Miss Seele and walked away, and I silently watched her retreating figure.

"It took a little longer..."

I ran briskly down West Street. The sound of the morning bell came from the east of the street, and citizens began to appear on the road. I was a little late and headed toward the skyscraper (Tower of Babel) where Lily and the others were waiting.

Although I moved my legs, my consciousness was elsewhere. Miss Ryu's words echoed in my mind, making me a beat slow to notice the person walking towards me from the front.

"Oh, it's really here."

Ah, I opened my eyes slightly. I saw Mr. Welf raising a hand and walking towards me.

I find this strange. I think I told him the meeting point was the same as yesterday... or did he come specifically to pick me up?

"Yo, Bell. Good morning."

"Good morning. Uh... Mr. Welf, what brings you here?"

"Oh, Riko has something for you to tell you. It seems she can't explore the dungeon with us today."

“Eh!”

When Mr. Welf said he was waiting alone at the Tower of Babel, Lily rushed in to explain. She said that the goblin innkeeper at the boarding house had collapsed from exhaustion due to being too busy lately. Lily said there was no one else to take care of him and apologized several times.

Mr. Welf would only come to inform me himself after he heard that I would be passing by West Street.

"What should we do? Just the two of us going to the dungeon?"

"Uh, um..."

If Lily, who is providing support, is not around, the efficiency of collecting magic stones and dropped items will drop significantly. But if we stop exploring now, we'll have nothing to do all day... It's best to avoid that situation.

Since that's the case, why don't we just equip the backpack and act as the supporter, just like when we explore alone?

"...Bell. How about this, can you lend me today?"

"Um?"

When I heard Mr. Welf's request, I tilted my head.

He slightly raised the corners of his mouth and waved casually.

"Didn't we agree? I said I would get you a whole new set of equipment."

◆

"I... I'll just stick to this light armor, Mr. Welf..."

"Don't mention it. The blacksmith keeps his word."

Mr. Welf strode forward, and I helplessly followed behind him.

Although I had promised him before, I still feel bad when I hear him say he'll provide equipment for free again.

Although I tried to politely decline, Mr. Welf simply said nonchalantly, "Leave it to me," refusing to budge. Dressed in a black kimono that swayed with his steps, he walked imposingly down the avenue.

"Bell, perhaps I'm being presumptuous, but I think you could be a little more ambitious. In the world of adventure, no one can predict what tomorrow will bring. Shouldn't we make the best preparations in the present, just in case?"

“Ugh…”

That makes sense. I have absolutely no way to argue back.

There's no point in dying, Miss Eina just told me that too.

I made a promise to the gods that I wouldn't abandon her. Perhaps moderation is important... but we can't get the priorities wrong, right?

After agonizing for a long time, I finally decided to accept Mr. Welf's kind offer.

I bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your help." Mr. Welf smiled and said, "Okay."

"Speaking of which, Mr. Welf, where are we going now?"

"My 'studio'".

Studio? I repeated it, and Mr. Welf explained it to me.

The so-called "workshop" was Mr. Welf's blacksmith's hut. He said that all the tools and equipment needed for forging were gathered there, and Mr. Welf forged iron and made weapons there.

He added that the "studio" was provided by the [Family]... It is said that each member can have their own personal studio, which is a privilege of the [Hephaestus Familia].

"Since it's called a privilege, does that mean ordinary blacksmiths don't get their own workshops?"

"Probably not. Setting up a shared studio is cheaper and more efficient."

"So, why do this?"

"To prevent other blacksmiths (fellow blacksmiths) from seeing their skills. This way, everyone's techniques won't be leaked."

This is the nature of a professional craftsman... or should we call it the pride of a blacksmith?

All the companions in a "Family" are competitors. That's the first thing that came to my mind.

"Don't think we're gloomy and withdrawn, okay? This is also the policy of the goddess Hephaestus."

Mr. Welf said this half-jokingly, picking up his pace slightly.

We're walking down Northeast Street now. I looked around, thinking to myself that I've never been in this direction before.

The main road was lined with shops of all sizes. These weren't taverns; they were mainly specialty shops selling tools and such. The pedestrians were dressed in various work clothes, looking like craftsmen. Many also appeared to be non-familiars, rather than free citizens working for the family. At the other end of the road, several large, box-shaped buildings could be seen… factories.

I remember that the magic stone products, which are Orario's main source of profit, were manufactured on this northeastern street.

The first word that came to mind was "industrial zone".

"Turn ahead."

My gaze was drawn to the dwarf carrying a heavy log, his steps heavy, but I still followed behind Mr. Welf.

After leaving the main road, the path became increasingly narrow. Although it was still early in the morning, the stone path, untouched by sunlight, was quite dark and cool. Looking up, one could see a bright, narrow strip of blue sky.

The towering, massive city walls gradually came into view, and finally, when we reached the edge of the city, Mr. Welf stopped.

"Wow……"

After turning through several narrow alleys, the building came into view.

A small, single-story building.

Although many parts were blackened and looked dirty, the overall impression was that of a traditional blacksmith shop. A chimney protruded from the roof, which looked rather welcoming and endearing.

"As you may know, this area is mostly artisan territory. There are plenty of workshops and factories like this. Our headquarters is also nearby."

Of course, I knew nothing about these things, and could only vaguely say, "Oh, I see—", while observing the surrounding landscape.

Mr. Welf's studio was located away from the main street, with a view similar to the back alley of our headquarters. The surroundings were rather dim.

Without even listening closely, you can hear the sounds of something being struck around you... the clanging of metal, and you can feel the blacksmiths are right there.

I heard that the Hephaestus Familia has prepared several workshops for its members in this industrial area.

Although the group members have to take responsibility for their own management... they are really generous.

"Don't just stand there staring blankly, shall we go inside?"

"Oh, okay."

I whispered "Excuse me" and finally stepped into Mr. Welf's studio.

The first thing you notice is the strong smell of iron. When Mr. Welf opened the blinds, the previously dark room immediately became bright and revealed its full appearance.

Many iron tools hung on the wall. Hammers, pliers, and countless others—all tools I had never seen before.

There was a large furnace in the corner, and next to it was a cast steel platform. I think it was called an anvil?

The room, which has no partitions, is filled with forging tools and equipment.

This is a genuine blacksmith's workshop.

"Excuse me, the room is a mess. Could you please bear with it for a moment?"

"No, it's okay!"

On the contrary, I'd like to visit more... I shook my head excitedly.

Mr. Welf smiled wryly and brought over a chair for me to sit on.

"Anyway, let me take your measurements. I'll handle the rest."

"Do you need my measurements taken?"

"Yeah, it's like a customized service. If we're going to do it, it's better to make equipment specifically for you."

The equipment sold in weapon shops is geared towards the general public, so the sizes often don't fit perfectly. Adventurers can adjust for these discrepancies, but it's said that providing dedicated weapons and armor for specific users is ideal.

"I'd like to make double greaves. Is there anything else Bell wants?"

"Hmm, well...?"

"If you have any particular equipment you like, that's fine too. Like, you can't do without a shield or something. ...Alright, just tell me what you want."

Mr. Welf turned his back to me and picked up a few tools from the various tools hanging on the wall.

Listening to the clanging sound, I sat in my chair, deep in thought.

The only equipment I really like is probably short swords and light armor? I don't want to seem too shameless, but if I suddenly had to think of a new piece of equipment, I couldn't think of anything right away.

Hmm... we don't need a shield anymore, but if it's lightweight protective gear, it might be nice to try using it again?

(Ah, a greatsword...)

By chance, I noticed a cabinet fixed to the wall in one corner of the room.

There are several weapons standing against the wall inside. They must be Mr. Welf's past works.

Seeing one of the particularly large weapons reminded me of the battle with the Minotaur.

"...Mr. Welf, is this unusable?"

As if drawn by a magic wand, I walked toward the cabinet and examined the greatsword, which was still unsheathed.

There were no ornate decorations. Only the weapon's capabilities were clearly evident on the silver blade.

It's just like Mr. Welf's style, just like the armor he made for me.

"It's not that I can't have it... but that one was a returned item that the store didn't sell well, you know?"

"But I want to try out this sword."