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

I reached out my hand and took Miss Seele's hand as we stood up.

My clothes were completely soaked, and I had an urge to just take them off and wring them out.

I feel like I could create a puddle right under my feet.

I took off my suit jacket while I was in the water. After all, even for a high-level adventurer, it would be very inconvenient to swim while wearing a suit jacket and holding Miss Seele. Also, I forgot my suitcase containing magical items on the ship; I hope someone can help me retrieve it.

The vest clung tightly to my body, making me uncomfortable. When I brushed aside the bangs stuck near my eyelashes—

“──!”

It would have been better if no one had noticed, but I still did.

This is what Miss Seele looks like right now.

It's no surprise that her dress was completely soaked.

The thin, water-soaked fabric clung tightly to her slender figure.

Her thigh contours, waistline, navel shape, and the light peach-colored bra covering her beautiful breasts are clearly visible.

Miss Seele seemed to have lost her short cardigan in the water, revealing the delicate outline of her shoulders. Water droplets slid down her slender neck to her back.

My face turned red, and I couldn't say a word.

Miss Seele, soaking in water, looked so innocent, yet inexplicably alluring.

Describing a beautiful woman as "so beautiful it's like food for the eyes" probably refers to this situation.

I quickly turned my head away.

Miss Seele didn't notice my hesitation. She touched her hair and, after confirming that the hair accessory she had bought was still there, breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she took off her water-soaked women's flat shoes and carried them with her index and middle fingers.

Then──

"Mr. Bell, let's go!"

"what?"

"Get out of here right now! Find a place where no one will find us and hide!"

Miss Seele said this as if she wanted to continue enjoying this time of freedom.

"We barely escaped; if this continues, they'll catch up!"

Although I have a lot to say, this opinion is quite correct.

The pursuers were definitely not just the adventurers who boarded the ship. The people on the "Water Boat Key" seemed to have noticed our departure, and chaos ensued.

...Sigh, now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to risk my life to accompany the beautiful woman!

Miss Seele turned around and skipped up the steps that ran along the embankment. I quickly followed behind.

So we blended into the darkness and quickly moved away from the scene.

We ran quickly across a stone-paved road.

They chose deserted routes and ran aimlessly in search of secluded places.

Since we were heading in a deserted direction, the streetlights along the way naturally became fewer and fewer.

Once upon a time, only the stars and moonlight illuminated us.

The only sound was the barefoot footsteps on the ground, and we ran forward like two children.

"Running barefoot can easily lead to injury," I reminded Miss Seele as she walked away.

"In that case, you can carry me on your back then," Miss Seele replied happily.

Miss Seele spread her arms wide, running and spinning around. When she saw me catching up, her face beamed with happiness.

She seemed to be overwhelmed by the heat, and fell in love with the feeling of being out of breath, so she just let herself go.

You will not be criticized or hindered by anyone.

The stars in the sky blessed her freedom.

Her figure, bathed in moonlight, was so endearing, like a beautiful fairy.

She was like a goddess who had just been born into this world, with an innocent and pure appearance.

As if I were being seduced by her, I kept chasing after her.

It was just the two of us left, hurrying through this world of night with the moon hanging high in the sky.

Finally—

"here it is……"

Upon seeing the scene before us, we stopped in our tracks as if waking from a dream.

Ahead was a huge stone bridge.

The bridge is over sixty meters long and ten meters wide. The river flows gently between the multiple arches that support the bridge.

The bridge, built of countless stones, looks ordinary at first glance, except that it has a rather old feel.

That is, assuming there are no thirty-one stone statues placed side by side on the bridge.

Those are all "hero statues".

"Heroes' Bridge..."

We adventurers—no, we residents of Orario—all respectfully call this place that.

This group of people, born in "ancient times," fought tirelessly to plug the "big hole," even risking their own lives.

Each stone statue standing side by side on this bridge represents a great hero who became the cornerstone of humanity and built this fortress with his life.

This dark monument, intended as an "adventurer's graveyard," and the "Heroes' Bridge" commemorating these heroes with statues, are said to have been built before the age of the gods. Although the bridge and statues have been damaged many times by monster attacks, natural disasters, and human calamities, they have always been repaired and have survived to this day.

It seems as if this is meant to express that "we will never lose the glory we possess."

Miss Seele and I crossed the stone bridge tower and stepped onto the "Hero's Bridge".

There were no magic stone streetlights on the bridge, yet the faces of each hero could be clearly seen through the moonlight. These stone statues were placed at equal intervals on the railings on both sides.

Among the many heroes who were active in Orario, the achievements of these thirty-one people are the most glorious.

The order of the statues is unrelated to their year of death; each statue occupies its own space, and the knight Flanders is among them.

Other characters include Sharon, a descendant of the Wolf Emperor; Ivelda, the Amazon Empress; Jazanev, the Undying Lord; Xitu, the Tyrant Spear; Sofia of the Fairy Dynasty; and Celtia, the Immaculate Elf King...

Around the many hero statues, you can also see the great immortals who helped them achieve their great deeds.

"It's been so long since I've been to this 'Heroes' Bridge'... Has Mr. Bell been here before?"

"Yeah, I've been here several times... but it's always packed with people..."

"That's right, this is the first time I've ever seen the 'Heroes' Bridge' so peaceful..."

The bridge is located in a busy area, directly behind the stock exchange.

Therefore, it is isolated from the main avenue where the festival is being held and far from the noise of the banquet.

Looking across the bridge, the city, illuminated by countless lights, seemed like a different world.

On this silent Hero's Bridge, there were only the two of us.

We walked on in silence, admiring each statue as we went—and finally arrived there.

"..."

Right in the middle of the bridge.

We paused before this hero who stood there.

He was armed with a long sword, wearing light armor and a long scarf.

There wasn't a single fairy spirit around.

I looked up at him, who was hailed as the "strongest hero" in the long history of heroes, and softly called out his name.

"The great hero Albert..."

I gazed intently at the hero's face, recalling the investigation I had launched six days earlier to find out the connection between him and Miss Ais.

—The great achievements of the hero Albert are tantamount to putting an end to "ancient times".

His life and death represent the outward and inward aspects of the age of God.

It is also included in the final chapter of "The Labyrinth Oratorio" and is an immortal legend.

His greatest achievement was defeating the "Black Dragon".

When the land was ravaged by the dark calamity brought about by the "Great Hole," the great hero single-handedly fought against the powerful enemy and ultimately triumphed.

The price he paid was his own life.

Legend has it that the Dragon King, "One-Eyed Dragon," whose eye was taken by the Hero's Sword, flew to the distant northern lands after letting out a bloodcurdling scream.

It's unclear whether it was to praise the great hero's achievements or to worry that the being that ended still lives in the world.

After the "Black Dragon" had been gone for some time, the first group of gods descended to earth, thus beginning the "Age of Gods" that continues to this day.

In other words, the great hero brought an end to the ancient era and ushered in a new era that could change the fate of the lower realm.

Therefore, he is universally recognized as the "strongest hero".

(...As expected, it wasn't here either.)

On the base inscribed with the statue's name, Albert's other name—"King of Mercenaries"—was not inscribed.

Who exactly are you? What is your relationship to her?

As I gazed up at the statue, which offered no answers to my questions, Miss Seele suddenly spoke.

"Are you very interested in this great hero?"

"Ah, um... I was just investigating something..."

Because the question came so suddenly, I didn't know how to explain it for a moment.

Miss Seele stared at me and continued speaking.

"Mr. Bell, do you know why there aren't any other statues placed directly opposite Lord Albert on this 'Heroes' Bridge'?"

"what?"

I finally noticed this only after following Miss Seele's gaze.

Of all the statues that should be equidistantly placed on the left and right railings, only the center of the bridge, directly opposite Albert, has no hero statues, leaving that space empty.

It's almost as if they're saying that no one is qualified to be compared to Albert right now.

"The world longs for the arrival of heroes."

The words that reached my ears at that moment—

It sounded as if it wasn't coming from Miss Seele; her voice was completely different.

"Looking forward to the day when the 'final hero' can save Orario, which is protected by Lord Albert... can save the entire Netherworld."

"The final... hero...?"

"When the 'Final Hero' defeats the Ancient Dragon and stands on this specially reserved space... then this 'Hero Bridge' will be truly complete."

I stood before the great hero, trying to understand his words and their meaning.

They must be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the great hero who ended the "Ancient Times" and connected the "Age of Gods".

They were able to carry on his "last wishes".

If you want to stand before the "strongest hero" who protects the world, there is no other choice but the "ultimate hero" who saves the world.

This is probably the "wish" and "long-cherished wish" passed down from the first hero who ushered in an era of peace for the world to others.

That is to bring true peace.

To defeat the end that still lives on earth and bring a bright future to the world.

"The 'First Land' where heroes perished... and the 'Promised Land' that gave birth to heroes."

The murmur that fell from her lips vanished with the wind.

I pondered again and again the words I heard at the "Elegy Festival" and the thoughts that arose at that time.