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

The news that the war game was about to begin spread like wildfire throughout the city under the guidance of the gods.

Seeing their noisy, excited, and joyful appearance, the adventurers and citizens spread the news by word of mouth, like wildfire, making more and more people aware of it.

This happened less than half an hour after Apollo and Hestia made their announcement.

"I remember, it's that tower...!"

Unusually, every corner of the streets was filled with a great commotion. Bell, having departed from the Apollo Familia, arrived in the northern part of the city. He found the tower that stretched upwards not far from the city walls and increased his running speed. Relying on his secret training a month ago and the memory of the girl looking out from the city walls, he headed towards her headquarters.

He rushed across North Street, frantically waving his arms, and traversed the network of streets.

After gazing up at the top of the famous long mansion several times to confirm his location and navigating several winding roads, Bell finally arrived at the headquarters of the Loki Familia, the Twilight Mansion.

"Stop right there, you bastard!"

"What do you want to do!?"

"Please let me see Miss Ais...please let me see Miss Ais Wallenstein!!"

Two guards, a man and a woman, increased their vigilance upon seeing a suspicious individual (Bell) approaching headquarters. Bell pleaded with them to let him see Ais. Upon seeing the eager-looking boy, the male member of the group seemed to notice something and frowned.

"You're a rising star...? What do you mean by an outsider wanting to see her!?"

Perhaps it was through features like white hair and red eyes that the guards were furious with Bell, who belonged to a different faction. However, Bell could not back down.

He didn't know how to explain, and could only repeatedly beg the other party to let him see Ais. Just then... the headquarters members who had heard the commotion gathered in front of the main gate.

"...!"

At least twenty people emerged from the mansion, its several towers stacked like a forest of guns, and formed a semicircle in front of Bell. As soon as the guard explained what had happened, the atmosphere immediately became tense.

The group members immediately began to hurl insults at Bell. Shameless, disgraceful, so selfish… They already knew the Hestia Familia was about to participate in the War Game and believed Bell had come to ask Ais to join the war—a bully using her power—and thus severely condemned him. Faced with their aggressive attitude and his companion's anger at being used, Bell was genuinely frightened and almost stumbled backward.

He himself knew that doing so was shameless.

But he couldn't care less about that now.

To hone his skills to the limit within the available time, and to approach the heights where that formidable enemy (Hyacinthus) resides, there is no other way but to seek instruction from Ais once more. Just as she laid a solid foundation for Bell in the past, enabling him to defeat his nemesis (Minotaur).

The thought of Lily being taken away flashed through his mind, further fueling his anxiety. He couldn't bear the thought of wasting every second by staying here instead of rescuing her.

Bell contorted his face, pleading with them again and again.

"What's all the noise about?"

Just then, a voice came from inside.

The group members immediately fell silent, and Bell stopped moving.

Emerging from inside the pavilion was Tione Syllut, a first-class Amazonian adventurer. She walked towards them, dressed in the revealing attire characteristic of her race and with her long, flowing black hair swaying.

The group members made way for Tiony to come up to Bell.

A person next to her leaned close to explain the situation in her ear, and she squinted.

"Get out of here. I won't allow you to act like this."

"...!"

Tione spoke these words mercilessly to his face. In place of the absent leader (Finn), she personally relayed the entire Loki Familia's opinion to Bell.

Although it had only been a short time, Bell had spoken with her, and now, under her cold words and gaze, Bell stood frozen in fear. Tiony grabbed his upper arm and pulled him away from the front door without a word.

"Please, please wait a moment, Miss Tione! Please, please listen to me...!"

Just as he was about to be overwhelmed by the strength of a first-level adventurer and was forcibly dragged away from the doorway...

Tiony naturally brought her face close to Bell's ear as he swayed wildly.

"—Go to the right, to the next back alley."

"!"

A soft murmur, barely audible to those around, gently touched my ear.

Ignoring Bell's astonishment, she shoved him forcefully into the street.

Tiony's expression was cold as she turned her back to Bell. Bell staggered a few steps, staring blankly at the figure with her long hair flying as she returned to headquarters.

Soon, Bell slowly walked away. Feeling the stern gazes of his fellow members behind him, he retraced his steps... Once the mansion was completely out of sight, he immediately took off running.

He was out of breath when he rushed into the narrow, dark alley that Tiony had specified—

"Ah! Ais, the little hero Argonauts is here—!"

"Miss Ais!? And—Miss Tiona!?"

There they found Ais, carrying a saber, and Tiona, carrying heavy weapons.

Just as Bell was surprised, Tiona walked over with Ais, wearing an approachable smile.

"We saw Argonaut, the little hero, coming from the window. As a result, Ais immediately guessed what you meant, and we asked Tione to put on a show."

Tiona succinctly explained the whole story.

In other words, Ais saw Bell rushing in without a care in the world, and instantly understood that Bell had come to ask her to train him again. Then, because she couldn't agree to Bell's request in front of the other members, she persuaded Tione to pass on the message to Bell.

Perhaps out of fun, or perhaps to support her friend (Ais), Tiona also got involved.

"...Miss Ais, is it really okay?"

Even though he had come on his own, Bell still asked with some hesitation.

Bell wanted to seek her advice, but this was ultimately Bell's personal wish. The two factions had no real relationship, yet she offered help to members of another faction; this must have been her acting unilaterally.

Bell asked hesitantly, and Ais parted her lips slightly to say:

"Because I'm not directly helping... it's about you putting in the effort yourself, and then..."

"Yes, she means that it's still the little hero Argo who really goes to the battlefield!"

Beside her, who was not good with words, Tiona provided interpretation, pointing her finger at Bell with a "whoosh!"

While Belle was sweating, Ais continued:

"Besides, I don't think it's right for me to just stand by and watch you die."

"Miss Ais..."

Facing Ais's clear, golden eyes, Belle felt her heart become transparent and pure. At that moment, Tiona said carefree:

"It's nothing serious—Ais has trained the little Argonauts, so the war games will be even more exciting, and the gods (Loki) will be very happy!"

Tiona suggested that narrowing the power gap between Bell and the Apollo Familia would make the battle more interesting, and seeing her optimism, Bell couldn't help but smile wryly. Ais also smiled gently at her.

"Besides, I don't really like the Apollo Familia's methods. It feels like they're forcing people, and their methods are a bit vulgar..."

She pouted as she looked at Belle, then her expression changed and she burst into laughter.

"I'll also be cheering for the little hero Argo!"

"Huh, you mean...?"

"Yes, I want to go with you and Ais too—"

Bell glanced at Ais, who nodded.

The unexpected turn of events startled Bell, who quickly thanked the two girls.

"Thank you so much..."

"Don't worry about it, don't worry about it! Let's get going right away!"

"Um."

Bell felt indebted to them and vowed to repay their kindness one day.

Tiona, seemingly impatient, slung a large weapon over her shoulder and urged the two on, so Bell and Ais set off together.

The group headed to the same location as a month ago: above the city wall in the northwest of the city.

A life-or-death training exercise with first-level adventurers is about to begin.

□

Hestia's war game with Apollo quickly gained the guild's approval.

At the same time, it was decided that the game would start from that day, and the atmosphere in the city suddenly became lively and busy.

The guilds were probably the ones suffering the most right now. To ensure that a dangerous inter-faction war wouldn't affect Orario, they had to arrange supplies and personnel, conduct publicity, select battlefields as candidate stages for the war games, and notify nearby areas to exercise caution. They were completely overwhelmed. The gods' capricious demands only exacerbated the situation.

This matter became the hottest topic among adventurers and the general public. Under the watchful eyes of everyone in and outside the city, the war game was gradually prepared and completed.

"—Hestia didn't come again today!"

Orario Central, on the 30th floor of the skyscraper facility (Tower of Babel).

At the assembly of the gods, Apollo launched into a tirade of profanities.

In the assembly hall, where rows of pillars supported a high ceiling and contained only a single round table, numerous gods had gathered. The rules and format of the war game would be decided at the assembly of gods, with the consent of the two chief gods of opposing factions and in reference to the opinions of the other gods—in order to create the best entertainment.

The Hestia Familia attack that caused such a stir in the city happened three days ago.

Apollo was furious at the goddess who had never shown up. She always claimed to be sick and repeatedly missed the assembly of the gods, leaving the surrounding gods idle and yawning. Everyone knew that this was clearly feigning illness and buying time.

Could they be preparing to escape? Just as Apollo's anger was rising, the doors to the assembly hall opened with a bang.

"I'm late. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Despite her words, Hestia appeared quite relaxed, with Mih by her side.

Seeing her nonchalant attitude, Apollo stared at her with wide eyes.

"Too slow! Hestia. How do you plan to take responsibility for repeatedly delaying the conference like this?"

"I got a fever because your band members were chasing me around everywhere~ Oh dear~ I almost didn't make it~"

"Yes, the condition was indeed critical at one point."

Hestia and Mich, who claimed to be taking care of her, said this to Apollo's complaints. "How annoying!" Apollo frowned.

"Even though the little dwarf is annoying, time is limited, let's get started, okay?"

Loki, hands clasped behind his head, said this impatiently. At her words, the gods began to discuss the war game.

First, under the supervision of the four sides, the goddess (Hestia) and the god (Apollo) completed the necessary signing and procedures.

"If I win, I want Bell Crane."

"..."

"That's the only thing I need to make clear, so you won't come up with a bunch of ridiculous excuses to bother me later. If Hestia is the winner, I'm willing to accept any of your requests."

Unwavering in his confidence of victory, Apollo emphasized only Bell's ownership—a smooth factional transfer. With Hestia silent, he instructed the god who recorded the meeting's proceedings to document this point.

Shortly thereafter, the topic of how war games determine victory or defeat was discussed.

"How about we settle this one-on-one, with each clan sending a representative to decide the winner?"

Hestia, seated at one corner of the round table, gazed at Apollo across from her and spoke.

"We use the arena to hold duels surrounded by an audience. That's the best way to get the atmosphere going, right?"

"I agree. It would be a shame to see Apollo's children ganging up on Bell alone."

"I also support this opinion."

Following Hestia, who was glaring sharply at Apollo, Mih and Takemikazuchi, who were standing on her side, also expressed their approval.

"That makes sense," some of the surrounding gods agreed.

"How about it, Apollo?" "Your opponent is the Ox Slayer, isn't it?"

"Maybe they're just good at dealing with opponents stronger than themselves, especially in one-on-one situations~"

"..."

The gods, seated around the round table, chuckled. They stood on neither side, simply amused themselves by watching the silent Apollo.

The blond god-like man, wearing a laurel wreath, put on a mask of composure and scoffed.

"The fact that there are few members in the [Family] is due to Hestia's negligence. It's all because you haven't actively recruited members until now."

"Well……"

"You have few children, so crying to me about this is useless. I have no obligation to cooperate with you."

Hestia let out a soft moan as she listened to Apollo explain the responsibilities of leading the principal gods of their respective factions.