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

Looking up at the other person's face with only your eyes.

Finally, it seemed as if glittering golden hair could be vaguely seen.

I lost consciousness just like that.

Volume 5, Chapter 4: Dungeon Resort?

The first thing I felt was endless physical fatigue.

Swallowed by a quagmire of lethargy, I oscillated between the lines of waking and awakening. Just as I was unconsciously battling with a suffocating drowsiness, consciousness slowly surfaced.

The blurry vision gradually cleared.

My mind went blank for a short while, and I blinked two or three times before I had a clear image of the external world.

A cloth ceiling... I guess it's inside a tent.

I realized I was lying down, and I stared at the high ceiling for a while.

As my thoughts gradually became clearer and I began to have enough energy to check my surroundings - I opened my eyes wide.

"Lily, Welf!"

I remember everything: the escape from the middle floor, the floor owner who appeared, the 18th floor.

What is the current situation, especially how are my two companions doing? I'm eager to confirm this.

Just as I was about to jump up, intense pain assaulted my body.

"——!"

The upper body that was propped up immediately bent into two parts again.

A muffled scream erupted from my throat. No, it was my entire body that was screaming.

From the starting point on the 13th floor to here, the body, severely ravaged beyond recognition, is not a metaphor; it is truly utterly mangled. The side effects of excessively abusing physical and mental power have only now begun to afflict the entire body.

I writhed in pain, my movements making me look like a madman.

"How are you?"

—I opened my eyes wide again.

The beautiful voice coming from so close to me made me wonder if I was hallucinating because I was going crazy, and then I suddenly looked up.

The open view contained white walls resembling those inside a tent, and a blond, golden-eyed adventurer sitting regally beside me.

"Huh, ah, huh...?"

"Are you alright?"

Seeing me making strange noises with my mouth open, she lowered her eyebrows slightly and said to me with even more unease.

Miss Ais! Miss Ais Wallenstein…!

It's not an illusion! It's the real person!

I was shouting in my mind, wondering why she was sitting next to me, when my last memories before I fainted came back to me.

Through blurry eyes, one could see beautiful, radiant blonde hair.

I swallowed hard. At that moment, the person I was calling for help... was Miss Ais?

I... I actually grabbed this person's foot...! The fire raging within me burned me so badly I screamed repeatedly, and in a trembling voice asked:

"You... how did you get here...!"

"We're heading back after our 'expedition'... We'll stop here on the 18th floor..."

Miss Ais's Loki Familia seems to have explored the unreached floors of the deeper regions and is now on their way back. They are currently camped on the 18th floor, a safe floor, where they are resting.

About two weeks ago, the Loki Familia set off on an "expedition"... I remembered what Lily had said, perhaps it just so happens to coincide with their return from the "Deep".

As Miss Ais's manner of speaking made my heart race, I thought to myself this.

"Where are my companions?!"

I suddenly snapped back to reality, my shoulders trembled, and I remembered Lily and the others.

"Is my companion alright?" I was about to ask this when I leaned out...

The elbow that was supporting the weight on the ground suddenly bent.

My eyes widened as I fell forward. My battered body couldn't keep up with the sudden movement; beyond my conscious control, I lost my balance.

I leaned forward, about to fall headfirst.

Miss Ais, who was sitting on the ground, straightened up and stretched out her hands.

bump.

"..."

"..."

Miss Ais placed her hands on my shoulders. My face bumped into Miss Ais's chest.

The cool, metallic touch enveloped the area around my nose.

The light clothing protecting Miss Ais's chest caught my face.

Thank goodness I had a chest protector—wait, that can't be right!

"I'm so sorry!?"

I flew backward at a speed exceeding that of the giant (Goliath) who was sent flying.

My face burned bright red as I hastily retreated from Miss Ais's chest. Ignoring her agonizing screams, I leaned back with all my might.

Of course, I flipped over completely. The back of my head hit the ground first, and I saw stars. A wave of pain swept through my body, as if it were cursing me as a complete idiot. I pressed my hands against my abs—right in front of Miss Ais—and was too painful to move.

Just as I was writhing in shame and pain... something gently touched my hair.

"Ah... Welf."

In front of where I had fallen, Welf had someone lie there covered with a blanket. I endured the pain and got up again, looking around, and saw Lily a little further away.

Seeing the two of them breathing peacefully with their eyes closed, I immediately relaxed my shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're both fine... Riveria and the others helped treat them."

Look at them, including Welf's injured left foot, Lily and the others seem to have recovered from their injuries. The minor injuries appear to have only received simple treatment and are wrapped in bandages.

"This person's injuries are very serious... but your injuries are also very critical..."

When Miss Ais said that, I noticed that my head was also wrapped in bandages. She gently brushed aside my bangs and touched my forehead with her slender fingers.

The pitying finger movements and the slightly itchy touch on my forehead made my face turn bright red in the blink of an eye.

Finally, she tilted her head slightly in front of me, as if asking, "Are you alright?", delivering the final blow.

My whole body turned red.

"Th-thank you, thank you... thank you for saving us, really..."

I let her pat my head, then finally stepped back and thanked her.

Miss Ais withdrew her hand and said, "No, it's okay." She shook her head at me. I felt as if she was saying "It's alright" to me, and I became happy for no reason.

Later, I pondered what to do next, but took no action and gazed at the golden eyes for a while.

Miss Ais slowly raised her head and looked at the entrance to the tent.

"Can I move?"

"Ah...yes, okay!"

"Finn... our commander asked me to contact him. Do you want to come along?"

Seeing that I nodded quickly, Miss Ais then stood up.

I quickly stood up. She reached out to help me up, but I didn't want her to see me looking so pathetic, so I mustered my manly pride and politely declined. She looked so disappointed. Ughhhhh…!

This time, I was careful not to ask anyone for help and stood firmly on my own. Although my body was starting to ache slightly, I decided to bear it. Following Miss Ais as she walked out of the exit, I also arrived outside the tent.

"Whoosh...!"

A vast expanse of camping scenery unfolds in the field of vision.

Several tents were set up in a spot sparsely covered with lush green trees, reminiscent of a corner of an open forest. A spacious area was enclosed in the center. Under a tree, crates for transporting supplies were piled up.

Dwarves, orcs, elves… I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it seems like there are more female members in the group. Among them, the demi-humans are scattered around, talking seriously or casually. The orc duo sits on the grassy ground, while the male and female dwarves and humans lean against tree trunks with their arms crossed, or talk and laugh while gesturing… Although their weapons and armor are scarred and show signs of wear, they seem to demonstrate the strength of their wielders—powerful, sharp, and gleaming.

The party renowned as the strongest [Familia] in Orario... facing adventurers far superior to me, I knew my body would instantly stiffen. Their noisy chatter surrounded me.

The members of the Loki Familia began to realize our existence.

They glanced at Miss Ais, then immediately at me. Most of their gazes were unfriendly. Considering the typical relationships between factions, this was to be expected, but… how should I put it? I sensed a clear murderous intent mixed in. Miss Ais also looked puzzled.

Could it be because of this person—so kind and diligent—who took care of me? As I pondered this, sweating profusely, Miss Ais walked forward. I quickly followed to avoid getting separated.

I walked for a while under the unsettling, curious gazes. Looking up at the dim overhead, I felt that this place really did resemble a forest. Branches and abundant green leaves formed a dome.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves.

The light illuminating my cheeks was indeed warm. Moreover, a faint blue hue could be seen deep within the countless leaves.

Logically speaking, this should be an underground labyrinth (dungeon) where sunlight cannot reach—I looked up at the sky above my head, which was covered by leaves, feeling very confused.

Is there a sky above the rooftops of those trees? Is there a sun?

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, no, that..."

Miss Ais seemed to notice my wavering, and she turned to look at me.

Confused, I hesitated for a moment, but unable to suppress my curiosity, I couldn't help but ask her.

"This is the 18th floor... It's a dungeon, right? Why is there this kind of light...?"

I said this while looking up. I was completely unaware that Miss Eina hadn't told me—she probably didn't expect me to come to the safe floor (here) on my first day in the middle level. Miss Ais stared at me.

As if mimicking my movement, she also raised her slender chin.

"...Should we go around and take a look at other places?"

Miss Ais stared at me again, and I was speechless, nodding stiffly.

We temporarily changed direction from our destination and gradually moved away from the campsite. In the uncultivated forest, the trees grew very tall and the gaps between them were wide, which perhaps gave it a strong sense of openness.

I followed her as her long, golden hair swayed, and a moment later, I was suddenly struck by a dazzling sight.

It's crystal.

It contains a transparent, azure glow; it is a beautiful crystal.

There were small crystal plants growing at my feet, as well as large crystals resembling giant daggers that could swallow me whole. Blue crystals of various shapes were scattered throughout the forest.

I couldn't stop myself from looking around. In the silent forest, numerous aggregates of crystals irregularly reflected dappled sunlight, turning the entire forest a pale blue. Moss and fragments of azure clung to the roots of the large trees that cleaved the ground.

A mysterious and fantastical landscape.

It amazed me.

If you listen closely, you can hear the gentle murmur of flowing water. A stream also meanders through the forest, and the Loki Familia members are drawing water.

An elf girl noticed Miss Ais and waved to her.

It is said that the settlement of elves is located deep in the forest, far from the hustle and bustle of the world.

I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, but the beautiful scenery around me gave me this feeling.

"what……"

We've made it out of the forest.

The forest thinned out, revealing a semi-circular exit, and Miss Ais stepped into the white light ahead. I too crossed the boundary of the dim forest and was immediately enveloped in dazzling light, reflexively closing my eyes.

I slowly opened my eyes, and what I saw before me...

"...That's amazing."

It is a natural landscape.

The first thing that catches the eye is a vast and magnificent grassland. A stretch of lush green land, barely visible even on the ground, dominates most of the view. Small, shifting shadows appear to be monsters. Crystals are also scattered throughout this landscape.

To the left was a swamp… large enough to be called a lake, a vast expanse of water. The surface was a vibrant deep blue, making my throat involuntarily tighten. Floating in the center of the lake was a huge rock—no, an “island.”