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

After watching the two leave, Hermes looked directly at the stunned Bell.

"Even though they are outnumbered, Ais and Asphie can still hold off the pursuers for now. Let's go, Bell... you have to protect her."

"...Yes, Hermes."

The young man nodded.

After taking the girl's hand tightly, he quickly left the scene.

"Ah—you, you don't go yet! Bell!!"

Hestia, whose thoughts had temporarily stopped, finally came to her senses, but it was too late.

Before she could call out to Bell, the two had already disappeared from sight.

"...Hermes."

"What is it, Hestia?"

Hestia looked confused and turned to look at Hermes, whose indifferent attitude made her want to grind her teeth in anger.

"who is she……?"

"..."

"What's going on...? What exactly is that thing!?"

The trembling whisper turned into a roar.

As if to further muddle Hestia's already chaotic mind, the sounds of fierce fighting erupted nearby. It was the battle melody announcing the clash between the Sword Maiden and the Level 1 adventurers. Even so, Hestia had no time to pay attention to anything else at the moment.

Faced with Hestia's hesitant and questioning expression, Hermes showed emotion for the first time.

He looked like a weathered old man.

"To be honest, I don't know much about her... I don't know much about Seele either. Although I have come up with some trivial speculations, I still can't see through her. What is she? Who is she? The other gods have the same questions, and they enjoy the time they spend with her... while also fearing her."

—Perhaps only Loki has seen through the whole truth.

"That's not what I wanted to ask!" Hestia shook her head excitedly after hearing Hermes's reasoning.

Because Hestia has never seen her before.

I have never seen such a blank existence that I have no recollection of.

I have never seen such an exceptional principle that transcends worldly laws and truths.

I have never seen such an "unknown lower realm"—such an aberrant element.

"Is that really a goddess!?"

The gray sky growled.

As if influenced by the goddess's loss of control, thunder rumbled from the dark clouds that filled the sky.

We kept running as fast as we could.

Heading south from the northeast of the city, you travel through narrow, dark alleyways, passing through a mixed "industrial zone".

This was to prevent her from being killed.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Bell...! It's all my fault..."

A sense of guilt mingled with the powerless and illusory whispers.

If you look back now, you will see those pale gray eyes staring painfully at the ground.

I didn't want to hear Miss Seele make that sound, nor did I want to see her make that expression, so I shouted excitedly:

"Please don't make that face! I don't want to see it at all!"

"Mr. Bell..."

"Please don't blame yourself like that! Everyone has reached out to help you! So you must not give up so easily!!"

"...!"

"After this is all over, we need to properly apologize to Miss Ryu and Miss Ais!"

I held her hand tightly and poured out all the words that were on my mind.

To be honest, I don't know what I'm saying, but at least I can clearly feel that the person behind me is no longer looking down and is holding my hand back.

I need to think carefully about the current situation.

【Freya Familia】is serious.

He genuinely wanted to kill her.

What exactly happened? What's going on with Miss Seele?

I absolutely must confirm this.

If we don't figure out the situation first, this will only go on forever!

"I need to find a place to hide...!"

We were both panting heavily, holding hands. Even though the other side had shown mercy, I had still expended a lot of energy facing the onslaught of a Level 1 adventurer and needed to find a place to catch my breath.

"I know a place that's perfect for hiding...!"

"Really!?"

"Yes! It's not far ahead...!"

This situation leaves me no room for nitpicking.

So I accepted the proposal.

"Please lead the way!"

"OK."

Seeing his smile and looking into his eyes, I nodded firmly.

—I actually met the goddess of the hearth.

—I actually encountered his supreme deity.

He had been repeatedly instructed not to see her.

I am a sinner.

The charges against me are all branded on my body, leaving me no room for denial.

The grave sin of disobeying the goddess's command.

The grave crime of making a "contract" with a goddess while secretly harboring ulterior motives.

And the grave sin of deciding to carry out the attempt to steal the goddess's beloved.

It's no wonder my family is so enraged, and it's only natural that they want to take my life.

After all, I intend to take everything the goddess has set her sights on.

I'm beyond redemption.

but.

Even so.

He actually sacrificed his pure white will for someone like me.

He was willing to give me a small part of his pure and innocent heart.

Irregular breathing, burning chest, and flushed cheeks.

I finally understand the real reason why the goddess fell in love with him at first sight.

He completely disrupted my peace of mind.

His slender yet strong hand pulled me along as we ran.

Those were the hands that the goddess adored.

That hand, which rightfully belongs to the goddess, is now mine alone.

—I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I kept apologizing in my heart to the goddess and her loyal followers.

I don't expect forgiveness, but—

I earnestly request that this "wish" be fulfilled.

Let me be able to fulfill the "heinous crime" I committed with him—

We arrived at the ruins located in a corner of the "industrial zone".

It's unclear what kind of factory this was originally, but the abandoned, giant square building is covered in green vines. Although the entrances and exits have been completely sealed off, there's a gap in the side wall that's conveniently hidden by the abundant vines.

Indeed, if we hide here, no one should be able to find us.

We bent down and crawled through the gap. After moving forward a short distance, our view opened up.

"It's so spacious..."

The space in this ruin could easily accommodate several thousand people.

However, more than half of the walls and floors deep inside were charred, revealing that a fire had occurred here. Metal pillars were broken in half and stuck in the ground. Part of the truck tracks on the ground had also been uprooted. Much of the equipment had been removed, and various kinds of non-recyclable waste were piled up in the corners.

Looking up, you can see the roof with several holes.

And the gray sky.

"Because the children at the orphanage kept throwing tantrums, we ran away from Daedalus Road...that's when we discovered this place. For safety reasons, we've only been here once..."

This argument is quite convincing, as the place does indeed have the atmosphere of a "secret base".

It's not hard to imagine how excited Ray and his crew must have been when they found this place—that's what I thought as I turned around.

My eyes met hers as she gazed at me.

"...Could you please explain why you were targeted by the Freya Familia?"

"...Because you are 'Goddess'...you are the one chosen by Goddess Freya."

"...Me?"

"...Yes, because I knew that the goddess Freya was in love with you, yet I tried to steal her away...that's why those people are so angry."

The chill of the ruins enveloped the two of us.

This explanation, which was finally clarified, had a significant impact on me.

Moreover, I cannot rule out such a possibility for the time being.

—"I love you."

The reason is that I remembered the silver-haired goddess whispering those words to me.

"I know there are many things I haven't told you, and many lies I've told you, but now there really is someone trying to break us up!"

"..."

"I... only have this one chance left!!"

—Only at this moment can my wish be fulfilled.

She shouted out the first half of her words sharply, but then whispered the second half in a voice so soft it was reminiscent of tiny, icy crystals that would vanish at the slightest touch.

The pale gray eyes that had been looking at the floor turned to me.

They slowly walked towards me, as if trying to seize the moment.

Then, standing before me, she said:

"Even pity or sympathy is fine, I just ask that you accept me—"

This is nothing short of a plea.

It is also a genuine, unquestionable, and heartfelt "wish".

I looked at her and quietly closed my eyes.

She closed the little distance between us that remained.

The small handbag in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.