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

Indeed, it was because of my personal desire to "have more time alone with Belle" that I didn't actively recruit members.

"How about we be fair and decide by drawing lots?"

Just as Hestia was unable to refute, Apollo's suggestion was accepted. A well-prepared god produced a box from somewhere and placed it on the round table.

Each of the gods present wrote down the rules of the war game on a piece of parchment and began collecting the parchments. Hestia, of course, wrote "one-on-one" on her parchment and put it in the box.

The lots are ready, and the next step is to decide who will draw them.

"I can't trust guys who're with Apollo."

"...Me too. Mich and Takemikazuchi, please leave."

Apollo clicked his tongue quietly and proposed the same conditions as Hestia.

In that case… His and her gazes as they looked around the table stopped on the face of a god.

"Hermes."

"Uh...really?"

Hestia and Apollo called out the god's name at the same time.

Hermes, who had been promoted, couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"My friend, I entrust everything to you."

"Please, Hermes."

Apollo, who had a connection with Hermes in the heavens, nodded solemnly, while Hestia gazed at the handsome god with unwavering eyes.

His neutral stance among the gods had now backfired. Having been repeatedly warned by the two chief gods, a disheartened Hermes uttered "This is troublesome," and stood up. He walked to the box in the corner of the round table, and all the gods present followed him.

"Please go easy on me..."

Hermes muttered to himself as he flipped through the labels in the box.

Before the tense, breathless Hestia and the others, he looked at the parchment he had taken out... and let out an "Ah."

He froze at first, then smiled hollowly and unfolded the parchment before the gods.

"Siege Warfare".

—Thump! Hestia, gritting her teeth, slammed her fist on the round table.

"Hahahaha! This is a sacred and fair lottery decision, and no objections will be accepted!"

Apollo, on the other hand, laughed mockingly.

Of all things to draw, he had to choose a battle requiring a large army for both offense and defense. Hermes must have drawn Apollo's lot. "No wonder it's Hermes!" "Talented!" the other gods jeered in unison.

"Oh dear—," Hermes sighed, looking up at the sky. Hestia trembled, her face flushed red. Apollo, however, said cheerfully:

"One person can't defend the city alone. Let Hestia handle the attack."

He smiled smugly and handed over the offensive opportunity to Hestia.

Just when Hestia was gritting her teeth at the worst possible development... "Excuse me, can I interrupt?" Hermes interjected.

"Apollo. This is so pitiful for Hestia... so unfair. Watching a match where the outcome is already decided is also boring for us."

"..."

"So I have an idea, how about setting up a helper system?"

Hermes suggested seeking help from other Families, on the condition that the number of people be limited. Apollo narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

"...Hermes, I know you. You always act all nonchalant, but you're just trying to fool me. I won't fall for it."

When discussing the karmic entanglements that have continued from the heavens to the present day, Apollo spoke with a smile about his inner discontent.

His claim was unacceptable to him.

"Only members of the [Family] can participate in the War Game; this is an absolute requirement. Children from other factions intervening in the battle will damage the reputation of the gods acting as agents of war."

"Hmm, maybe you're right."

"Furthermore, to put it extremely, if someone close to a Level 1 adventurer supports Hestia's side, wouldn't our safety be in jeopardy? I think Hephaestus seems to have a good relationship with Hestia."

While conversing with Hermes, Apollo glanced around at the gods at the round table.

Not only their forging skills, but also the combat prowess of the Hephaestus faction was recognized. Upon hearing Apollo's critical remarks, she shrugged and said, "I wouldn't defend her like that."

"Hard to say," Apollo scoffed, however—

"Oh dear, Apollo. Are you afraid?"

"Freya..."

The silver-haired goddess, who was sitting quietly at the round table, smiled.

"Does the fact that your opponent isn't alone mean you can't fight?"

"Don't look down on me..."

"So you don't trust your own children? Is this all the 'love' you have for them?"

Freya, the goddess of love, seemed to have irritated the amorous god Apollo, leaving him looking distressed. Furthermore, Freya's words swayed some of the gods, who expressed their approval of the assistant system. The tide of the assembly of gods instantly began to waver.

—Freya really is interested in Bell…

Hestia felt a sense of unease and worry about the goddess's words and actions, but she remained silent for the moment. She had to welcome any situation that might be even slightly advantageous to her.

After a moment, the impulsive Apollo finally accepted some of the systems proposed by Hermes, just as Freya had hoped.

"...Alright. Only one helper is allowed, and the faction providing the helper must be a [Family] outside the city."

"How stingy!" Hearing this condition, Hestia frowned.

Needless to say, the number of Familias outside the city is significantly lower compared to those in Orario. This is partly true, though, because the skill level of Orario's high-level adventurers is far superior.

How many Familias around Orario can have members at Lv.2 or higher? And the bigger problem is that they can't possibly find out which faction has that kind of strength and contact them before the War Game begins.

Apollo, refusing to budge, disregarded the objections and agreed to the assistant system on the condition that it was proposed. Freya didn't say much.

Hestia remained silent as he nodded with satisfaction.

"We still need to find a suitable castle. Let's talk to the guild again about the date for the war game. If that's the case, let's disband."

The assembly of the gods concluded with a single sentence from Loki. As the gods filed out of the assembly hall, Apollo gave Hestia a knowing smirk as he left.

Hestia could only glare back and exhale after he disappeared. Besides her, only Mih and Takemikazuchi, the gods who were on her side, remained at the scene.

"I'm sorry, Hestia. I forced you to accept unfavorable conditions."

"No, this is not Hermes' fault."

Hermes came over to apologize, but Hestia shook her head at him. Though unwilling, Apollo was right; it was a fair draw. The fact that the helper system was even accepted was a miracle. Thanks to the gods' eagerness for entertainment and Freya, their side was favored in many parts of the discussion.

Knowing she could only win by skillfully utilizing the pieces at her disposal on the predetermined chessboard, Hestia made up her mind. Her eyes burned with fighting spirit as she vowed to find the path to victory.

"Let's not talk about that now, Hermes. Have you found Miss Supporter yet?"

Hestia, shifting her focus, asked about the issue that was currently on her mind.

During the three days she feigned illness, she wasn't idle. She was trying to track down Lily, who had been taken away by the Soma Familia. At the same time, she had already asked Hermes, the well-known information expert, for help.

"Yes, we've found something. It was Asphie who discovered it. It seems that Lily was taken to Soma's wine cellar."

"The wine cellar!? Isn't that headquarters?"

"No. In addition to the headquarters, Soma also has warehouses for storing the divine wine."

Hermes answered Hestia's surprised question.

He told Hestia all the information he had gathered.

"The location is in the southeast of the city, near Daedalus Road. The headquarters is unguarded; in contrast, the security here is very tight. There seem to be many high-level adventurers here as well."

"..."

"I'm sorry, my [Familia] can't help in the battle. ...What do you plan to do?"

When Hermes asked her a question, Hestia raised her head without hesitation.

"Of course I'll go."

I've already spoken to Bell.

she said so.

◆

The slightly dirty magic stone lamp cast a faint light.

Feeling the cold stone floor against her cheeks, Lily slowly opened her eyes.

Her hands were bound behind her back, and she was lying face down on the ground. Listening to the creaking of her body, she looked around. The dark, unchanging cell, unchanged since day one, came into view. She thought to herself, feeling utterly worthless, lying in that cage.

Lily, who had been taken to the [Family] wine cellar with Chanis, was soon thrown into this cell.

This is a dungeon used to punish members of a faction, or to imprison those who have lost their reason and misbehaved due to the "divine wine." The wrists are bound with extra-thick steel cables that even novice adventurers who have received "blessings" (ability points) cannot break. Such prisons and items are plentiful in this wine cellar. Lily is imprisoned in this dark and damp cell as punishment for leaving her [Family].

Time seems to have become ambiguous, and I have no idea how many days have passed since that battle.

Lily shifted her bound body, bringing her mouth close to the water that had gathered in a crevice in the corner of the floor, as if bestowing a favor. She wasn't entirely indifferent to her pathetic state, but she was already used to this level of disgrace.

It's just that the time I spent with Bell and the others was rather special; until this day, I've been living on dirty water.

(Lord Bell and the others...)

Is everything alright?

This is the only thing that worries her.

The dungeon, unguarded and without any protection, refused to tell Lily anything about the outside world. She had no intention of escaping. The fact that she had driven her benefactors into this predicament left a deep hole in her small heart.

The uneven stone cell was cold. My body was chilled.

Outside the steel fence that kept him locked up, the light from the magic stone lamp flickered like a candle flame.

"...!"

A clattering sound came from the other end of the passage. It was the sound of footsteps descending the stairs leading to this dungeon.

Lily shifted her body and lifted her face from the floor where she had been lying. Shortly afterward, outside the bars separating the passageway from the cell, Chanis appeared, casting a long shadow.

"How are you feeling, Erd?"

"...This is terrible."

Lily answered disdainfully to the humans looking down at her from behind their cell walls.

Chanis, with his hands clasped behind his back, wore a sarcastic smile.

"I'm truly sorry. The situation in the city has been changing rapidly over the past three days, and I've been busy observing the situation and haven't been able to attend to everything. Please forgive me."

"...Are you sure you didn't do anything to harm Lord Bell and the others?"

"Of course. I swear in the name of the chief god (Soma)."

Lily tentatively accepted his exaggerated answer and asked a question that puzzled her.

"Why... did you only contact Lily now?"

She asked the other person's true intentions in a weary voice.

He did say "I need you" when he was trying to persuade Lily to surrender.

Like his former colleague (Ganu) who had left him to die, the cruel Chanis was one of those who exploited Lily, but he had never colluded with her. To him, Lily was nothing more than someone to rob when the mood struck, a mere insect whom he despised.

"Because I recognize your value."

Chanis's smile deepened.

"I was overjoyed when I found out you were still alive. I could have captured you when you showed up at headquarters alone a couple of days ago... but I was already negotiating with the Apollo Familia at the time. In that case, I might as well take the reward first and let your legitimate reason work until the very end."

As a result, you listened to me completely, and things went very smoothly, which is truly pleasing. Hearing Chanis continue saying this, Lily felt her gaze grow increasingly fierce.

"...Lily doesn't have that kind of value."

"No, you're very useful. I discovered you were secretly saving money a long time ago. I also know you have the skills of a thief, which I admire."

"Most importantly," he paused, then pushed his glasses up with his finger.

"Don't you have a rare 'magic'?"

When the other person mentioned transformation magic (Cinderella), Lily's eyes widened.