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

"...Did you see that?"

"Huh, oh, I didn't see it, I didn't see it. I didn't even notice the new leggings under my skirt while I was rolling around on the floor!"

This caused another commotion, and after a while...

Ais, led by the inhuman Loki, sets off for the Monster Festival.

"Ais, excuse me, I need to go somewhere, could you take a slightly different route?"

"Okay...would you like to have breakfast?"

"Hmm—that's one of the purposes too."

The two walked south along North Street and arrived at Central Park, where the Tower of Babel is located, before heading east onto East Street.

East Street was already packed with a large crowd. For this day, many vendors lined the street, creating a bustling scene and attracting crowds to stop and watch in various places.

Humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, dwarves, Amazons—the sight of people of all races, regardless of age or gender, mingling together was both breathtaking and spectacular. The overly excited crowds flooded the entire avenue, forming a long and thick procession that stretched all the way to the amphitheatre on the east side of the city.

"This is it, this is it."

The festival was about to begin, and everyone's excitement naturally continued to rise. Loki and Ais weaved through the crowd and arrived at a café built along the main road.

Upon entering the store, Loki rang a small bell, and a clerk immediately came to his aid. After Loki spoke a few words, the clerk led the two to the second floor.

The moment Ais stepped into that place, she felt a tranquility as if time had stood still.

Every guest was mesmerized, mouths agape, all eyes fixed on the same spot.

They could tell that the deity was a figure sitting quietly by the window, dressed in a dark blue robe.

"Yo—have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just arrived."

Loki walked straight to her and greeted her cheerfully.

A smile also appeared on the other person's face, hidden beneath the pulled-down hoodie.

"Hey, I haven't had breakfast yet. Can I eat here?"

"Please go ahead."

It seems Loki had arranged to meet her here long ago.

Loki pulled up a chair and sat facing the goddess, continuing their conversation. There was an atmosphere between them that suggested they were old friends. Judging from their exchange, it was clear they had a long-standing relationship in the celestial realm.

Ais stood by, acting as a reserved bodyguard, without interrupting their conversation. She noticed the silver hair peeking out from under the hoodie and knew who this goddess she was meeting for the first time was.

"By the way, when will you introduce me to that child?"

"What? Do I need to introduce myself?"

"After all, this is the first time we've met."

The goddess's gaze shifted to Ais's face. Her silver eyes, matching her hair color, gave Ais the immediate illusion that her soul had been stolen.

Possessing combat power equal to that of the Loki Familia, some even refer to them as the chief deity of the strongest faction in the city, the Familia.

At the same time, because of her beauty and alluring charm, she was also known as the "witch," the embodiment of beauty.

Goddess Freya.

"Alright then, she's Ais on my side. Is that enough? Ais, don't let her appearance fool you, she's still a god, so please say hello."

"...Nice to meet you."

Ais had never seen a woman more beautiful than Riveria in her life, yet the beauty of the goddess before her completely surpassed that of her, a member of royalty.

Her beauty was unparalleled and unique. Her stunning appearance, so captivating it sent chills down one's spine, possessed a power that would bewitch not only mortals but even gods of equal standing. Even with her robes covering her body, she still managed to steal the attention of those around her, mesmerizing them—this was the best proof.

Among the gods whose beauty never fades, the "Goddess of Beauty" is especially proud of her unparalleled beauty.

The goddess Freya is one of them.

"So cute. And... well, now I understand why Loki is so enamored with this child."

Freya smiled as she watched Ais sit down beside her, having received Loki's permission.

Although I had heard rumors before, sitting face to face with her, I knew that the rumors about her beauty were no exaggeration. Whether it was her looks or her stunning figure, which was evident even through her robes, even someone of the same sex like Ais might find it hard to resist. Indeed, she possessed a beauty that could only be described as bewitching.

Ais's golden eyes met Freya's silver eyes.

With a fear she hadn't felt in a long time, Ais bowed her head expressionlessly.

She felt the other person chuckle softly.

"May I ask why you brought Fiora?"

"Hoohoo...! You don't understand, it's a rare celebration! I'm going to have a proper, enjoyable date with Ais later!"

Loki, however, didn't care about Ais's encounter with Freya; he remained the same as always.

She slowly reached out her hand.

"...Sigh, and besides, she just returned from her 'expedition.' If we leave her unattended, this little princess will immediately retreat into the dungeon again."

"..."

"She won't rest until someone tells her to relax."

Ais had nothing to say.

These unexpected words of concern made Ais lower her gaze and obediently let Loki gently pat her head.

Underneath the hoodie, Freya seemed to find it amusing and smiled.

Then, not long after, the two goddesses got to the main topic of their meeting, and the atmosphere suddenly changed.

Freya asked Loki why he had invited her here. Loki smirked and cut to the chase. From her words, it seemed she was wary of Freya's recent suspicious behavior, and even inquired about the "Feast of the Gods" she had appeared at a couple of days ago. She asked Freya why, despite saying several times she wasn't interested, she suddenly decided to attend.

The Loki Familia and the Freya Familia.

These two factions are evenly matched in strength and are likened to the two giants of the labyrinth city, with their power struggle never ceasing.

The moment their opponent shows the slightest weakness, the two Familias are ready to crush them. Because they are evenly matched, they cannot afford to ignore each other's every move; if one takes action, the other must follow suit. It seems Loki is well aware of Freya's intentions, and the purpose of his meeting with her today is to warn her against causing trouble.

Before they knew it, all the other guests had vanished. The two goddesses stared at each other, one responding with a smile. The others seemed to have been intimidated by their dangerous aura and had all fled. Only Ais remained seated beside them, her expression unchanged, quietly observing their profiles.

The noise of people outside, who knew nothing about the situation, drifted into the room through the window.

"A man?"

Loki seemed to have realized something and said this.

Seeing that the goddess of beauty only responded with a smile, she relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.

"Sigh... So, you've taken a fancy to a child from a certain clan, right?"

"What? That's incredibly stupid." Loki guessed the truth by himself, leaving Ais completely bewildered.

Based on the limited information gathered and deductions, Freya seems to have fallen in love at first sight with a member of another faction. Her proactive actions, including attending the "Feast of the Gods," appear to be aimed at gathering information about that person from the lower realm.

Ais reviewed the conversations so far and managed to deduce that this was the end of the story. She glanced at Freya and saw that Freya neither confirmed nor denied it, but was just laughing happily under her hoodie.

"I can't stand you, you slutty goddess. You're in heat all year round, don't you ever consider your partner?"

"Oh dear, that's not how you put it. I will make my own choices too."

"You're talking nonsense. Don't you even think about who's been playing around with all those idiotic male gods?"

"Building connections with them can be very convenient. You can get leniency in many areas."

The conversation paused here, and after a long silence.

Loki smiled.

"so what?"

"...?"

"What kind of kid have you set your sights on this time? When did you find out?"

"..."

"You've made me go through all this trouble, I have the right to hear your side of the story."

Freya turned her face toward the window at Loki's somewhat far-fetched claim.

Beneath the long robe, a strand of silver hair cascaded down from her neck to her front.

"...He's not strong. Compared to your or my clan's children, he's completely unreliable right now. He gets hurt by the smallest things and bursts into tears in no time...that's the kind of child he is."

"But he was so beautiful, so clear-eyed. That child had colors I had never seen before."

"So he caught my eye. He fascinated me..."

Ais sensed that the tone, which was like caring for a young child, was gradually becoming filled with passionate affection.

Freya continued speaking, gazing down at the view outside the window.

"I really discovered him by chance. He just happened to come into my view... It was like this back then..."

—In an instant.

The silver pupils that gazed at the large number of demi-humans seemed to freeze in astonishment at a single point, unable to look away.

Ais reflexively followed her gaze.

Amidst the sea of ​​people flooding the avenue, golden eyes spotted pure white hair swaying gently like rabbit ears.

“——”

For a brief moment, her mind went blank.

Ais's gaze was unconsciously drawn to the direction the white-haired man was heading.

"I'm sorry, I have an urgent matter."

"Huh?"

Let's make it another time.

Although Freya stood up and Loki exclaimed in surprise, to Ais at that moment, it was nothing more than a trivial matter in the corner of her consciousness. She continued to chase the white rabbit that was about to disappear into the crowd until the very last moment.

"What's wrong with that guy?" Just as Loki was wondering, she noticed Ais's expression.

"Hmm? Ais, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"……nothing."

She answered that, but her eyes were still looking out the window.

Perhaps she was mistaken. She wasn't sure. But maybe he really had come. To see this monster festival.

Ais found herself feeling a strange sense of anticipation for her disappearing white hair.

I hope that I might be able to meet him.

"Hey, Ais, is anyone outside? I'm really curious."

"...I'm sorry. It's really nothing."

Ais finally looked away from the window, but Loki stared at her suspiciously, relentlessly pressing her for answers. She calmly dealt with the goddess's groping hands, which were reaching out like an octopus while shouting "Don't lie to me!" Before long, the breakfast she had ordered when she arrived at the shop was served.

Loki pouted in dissatisfaction, but then obediently began to eat the bread, soup, and salad.

After she finished eating, the two paid the bill and walked back to the main road.

"Okay—if you still won't tell the truth, that's fine; but in return, from now on you have to go on dates with me until I'm satisfied, Ais!"

"……I see."

"Great, let's go then!"

The two followed the crowd along the chaotic East Street.

The once impassable avenue was now adorned with flowers and other colorful decorations, adding a vibrant touch that was rarely seen before. Ropes hung between the shops lining both sides of the road and the buildings opposite, with several flags fluttering above Ais and her companions. The flags bore two designs: a lion silhouette symbolizing the Monster Festival and the elephant head emblem of the Ganesha Familia.

The roadside stalls lining both sides of the road and in the middle of the street emitted enticing aromas, tempting passersby to their stomachs. The sizzling sound of chicken grilling over a high flame, dripping with juices, further stimulated their appetites.

The lively and bustling atmosphere of the festival brought smiles to everyone's faces.

"Hey Ais, let's go get some fries!"

"...!"

Loki led her to a roadside stall selling mashed potatoes coated in batter and deep-fried. Seeing this little treat she secretly loved, Ais's expression changed slightly.