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

Just as my body was slightly suspended in the air, the other person grabbed my shoulder and forced me to turn in front of him.

Then a fist came flying straight at me and sank into my face.

"Lord Bell!?"

I was punched so hard I flew backward.

The wall of adventurers watching immediately parted to the left and right, and I crashed into the round table behind me. With Lily's scream, the wooden table and its legs, which caught me, broke with a loud bang.

My face was burning hot. I lay there on my back, one hand covering my nose that was bleeding non-stop, and it took me a long time to lift my head.

"It's just a touch, you know?"

At one end of the wall of people separating to the left and right, that person stood leisurely.

She was a slender, tall adventurer.

A human youth whose beauty rivals that of an elf.

Her brown hair was elegantly tied up, and her fair skin was as delicate as a woman's. Her faction uniform was adorned with various adventurer accessories, including metal earrings. Her eyes were a deep, emerald blue.

"That guy... it's Hyacintosh."

"【Phoebus Apollo, the Sun's Beloved Child】..."

"So you are a Level 3, Rank 2 adventurer."

Amidst the surrounding clamor, a few words rolled out intermittently. One piece of information, which could not be ignored, flew into my ears.

LV.3... Level 2 Adventurer.

That is, a higher level than me, a high-level adventurer.

"How dare you act so wildly in front of me, [Rookie]?"

The young man named Hyacintos spoke to me in a voice that was higher than most men's.

His blue eyes swept over the unconscious dwarf male and his companion groaning on the ground. Of all the troublemakers in the tavern, he was the only one still standing.

Lily rushed to my side, but even with her support, my trembling body still couldn't stand up. Welf knelt down to support himself, but the young man's silent pressure prevented him from making any sudden movements.

(illustration)

My blood-stained face was contorted as the young man tossed his hair and looked down at me.

"The sin of harming my comrades is grave... I will make you receive the retribution you deserve."

I could clearly see a sadistic glint in the depths of her narrow, beautiful blue eyes.

Then, with a cold smile, he took a step forward, preparing to attack me further, just at that moment...

There was a loud sound of wood breaking.

"!"

Everyone in the tavern turned their heads away.

To one side of our line of sight... we saw a werewolf youth with gray fur sitting in a chair, having kicked over a table.

"Stop arguing like that, you bunch of nobodies."

As if to match the rude tone, the blue tattoo etched on his face twisted.

Seeing this character radiating a foul mood through his animal ears and tail, no one could utter a single word.

I was just as astonished.

(—That person is…)

Memories that haven't faded yet.

The incident at the tavern was also the catalyst that drove me to frantically chase after and admire the swordsman.

The adventurer from the Loki Familia gave me a thorough dressing-down while I was being chased around by the Minotaur.

I remember his name was... Bert, sir?

"You've made this already bad wine even worse. It's so noisy and an eyesore, get out of here!"

His sharp eyes and fierce, intimidating aura caused the surrounding crowd to turn pale.

His companions wore clothes adorned with the Trickster emblem. The members of the infamous Familia, the largest faction in the city, especially the werewolf youth who was a Familia leader, made the adventurers in the tavern hold their breath.

Not only me, but others also seemed to sense from him a more ruthless and prickly aura than Miss Ais and the others, but the same as when they were face to face with them—the aura of a true strongman.

"Hmph... How uncouth. I see the Loki Familia is indeed a group of brutes. They can't even put a chain on their dogs."

In this atmosphere, only the handsome young man snorted.

Hearing his retort, Mr. Bert lazily looked at him with his amber eyes.

"What? You think I won't kick you to death, you pervert?"

The werewolf's gaze met that of the human.

The atmosphere was tense and ready to explode. They glared at each other for a while before the handsome young man was the first to look away.

"I've lost interest."

Having said that, the young man turned and left.

He said "Let's go" to his companions, then walked alone towards the tavern door. The adventurers, who had staggered to their feet, carried the unconscious little man and disappeared outside the tavern.

After the last man left, the tavern was deathly silent.

(...He's here, will he help me?)

Faced with the Loki Familia that had driven away the handsome young man and his group... Mr. Bert, I don't know why I had this thought.

As I wiped my nose, which had finally stopped bleeding, with my arm and felt a little confused... he strode forward.

The werewolf youth walked straight ahead.

I froze, letting out a soft "Huh..." The tavern patrons parted to the left and right, making way for Mr. Bert. He stopped in front of me, who was sitting on the ground.

My heart was pounding. The emotions I felt when I was publicly ridiculed and suffered such a devastating blow surged back into my heart in an instant.

When I stood frozen helplessly in front of the person who had pushed me to the bottom of despair in front of Miss Ais and the others, I saw Mr. Bert slowly extend his left hand towards me.

He tried to pull me up—before I could even offer a friendly explanation, he grabbed my shirt and forcefully pulled me up.

I stopped breathing for a moment.

"Don't get too cocky."

He leaned closer and glared at me.

Being threatened face-to-face like that, I couldn't say a word and could only let him forcefully pull me up from the floor with my eyes wide open.

Mr. Bert quickly released me. I let out a "whoosh!" and fell to the floor, rubbing my aching lower back, when he turned and walked out of the tavern with a disgruntled back. His gray tail flared like a raging fire.

His fellow group members hurriedly threw their money into the counter and chased after him as he left.

Following the adventurers led by the handsome young man, the Loki Familia also left the Flame Bee Pavilion.

"Are you alright, Lord Bell?"

"What exactly is that guy trying to do...?"

Lily, kneeling on both knees, was worried about me, while Welf, touching his body, muttered something to the shop entrance for no apparent reason.

I nodded stiffly in response to Lily, then followed Welf's gaze as he approached. Ahead lay only the open tavern door and the darkness stretching into the alley behind. I pressed my hand against my bruised cheek; my split lips stung.

Just as the waiters began cleaning up the smashed tables and chairs scattered all over the floor...

The air around us that remained was indescribable.

□

Not long after the chaotic brawl at "Flame Bee Pavilion" ended.

Welf, Lily, and I are currently in the Hestia Familia's headquarters, in a hidden room in the church.

"Oh, I see. You guys were fighting—"

The deity, drawing out a long voice, applied ointment to my face—a reasonably priced over-the-counter medicine that ordinary citizens could afford. Every time the ointment was applied to the wound, I couldn't help but scrunch up.

At this moment, we are reporting what happened in the tavern to the gods, and incidentally treating our wounds.

Although it was only a minor injury, the fairy was still startled to see us return covered in bruises and lacerations. However, after Lily explained the situation, she seemed to be relieved. We then told the fairy that after apologizing to the tavern owner, we had asked the tavern to seek compensation from the [Family].

"Bell is more mischievous than I imagined. I feel both happy and sad..."

"He must have been corrupted by Lord Welf! Ever since meeting Lord Welf, Lord Bell's personality has become more and more like an adventurer (rude)!"

"Hey, hey, you're just trying to find fault with me... Ugh, couldn't you be a little gentler!"

The fairy gently applied the medicine to me with her fingers, and the two of them sat on the bed. Lily, on the sofa next to me, was roughly applying the ointment as if to say, "There's no cure for idiots," and was arguing loudly with Welf.

Lily seemed furious at our impulsive actions that caused trouble. "Honestly!" "And we even got beaten up by them!" "Think about Lily, who was worried about you!" Her complaints never stopped.

Listening to Lily's complaints, even the fairy smiled wryly and said to me:

"That was quite a surprise. I never imagined you'd get into a fight. Bell is a boy, after all."

"..."

The delicate fingers that applied the medicine to me moved with such gentle grace. I felt bad that I had disturbed the gods by specially treating my wounds, but I remained silent.

The treatment ended, and the divine hand left my body, speaking to me in a cautionary tone:

"However, fighting is still bad, you know? Miss Supporter is right. Look, you've even gotten yourself injured."

Hearing her say that, I got out of bed.

Recalling the scene in the tavern, I couldn't help but retort:

"But those people laughed at the gods!?"

Perhaps this is the first time I've ever contradicted a deity. Lily and Welf also stopped what they were doing and looked up at me.

If it's about me, I don't care, I can tolerate any amount of it.

But I can't remain silent when the people I cherish are ridiculed or even insulted.

The Lilliputian men and those people are slandering the gods who have bestowed so many things upon me.

I desperately held back my tears, refusing to let them fall from my eyes in regret. I stared intently into the deity's blue eyes, my gaze fixed on them.

The fairy silently met my gaze. Finally, she suddenly smiled.

"I'm glad you're angry for me. But if it puts you in danger because of it, I'll be very sad and won't be happy at all."

"...!"

My body swayed slightly, and the fairy gently said to me:

"I can understand how Bell feels. If our positions were reversed, I'd be furious too. But how would Bell feel if I got into a fight with him and came back battered and bruised?"

"...I feel like crying."

"Right? Me too. Maybe it's a little unfair, but I hope you won't get angry because God (me) is being ridiculed. Our God is happiest when his children are safe and sound."

Then, the immortal smiled.

"Next time you encounter the same situation, just laugh it off. Tell her that my goddess isn't so petty as to get angry over such trivial matters; she's incredibly magnanimous."

Faced with the loving smile of the goddess... my feverish head gradually cooled down.

All the anger and frustration that filled my chest were gently embraced and embraced by the gods.

Her childlike, innocent smile slowly dissolved the knot in my heart.

I, who had been silent, nodded and apologized to her.

"Next time, I'll hold back... I'm sorry."

Seeing me bow my head to make a promise to her, the goddess Hestia smiled like the warm flame of a fireplace.

She sat on the edge of the bed and patted the seat next to her. I sat there obediently, and then the fairy reached out and gently stroked my hair. Although my face was flushed, I didn't run away.

Lily and Welf seemed to be watching us with smiles on their faces.

A warm atmosphere began to drift through the dilapidated church basement.

"However, Lily is concerned about the other party's reaction. She just hopes that the other party won't get angry and cause trouble for you, Lord Bell."

Just as the deity who had been stroking my head suddenly started trying to hug me, making me panic, Lily voiced her concern. Welf, without looking up, lifted his black kimono to check the injuries and replied: