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

"What does it matter? Because this [Family] was founded by Bell and me."

Soon, the parchment also reached Bell's hands.

He looked down at the picture on the badge, his deep red eyes wide.

"Immortal, this is...!"

Faced with the astonished boy, the goddess blushed and couldn't help but chuckle.

She smiled happily and repeated:

"Come on, Bell. Today is the day our [Familia] officially sets sail."

Upon hearing this, Bell, who had been smiling wryly at the parchment, broke into a joyful smile.

The boy, along with his companions, once again looked down at the papers in their hands.

The parchment in his hand was decorated with a badge depicting flames and bells overlapping.

Bell Craney

Affiliation: [Hestia Familia]

Race: human

Occupation: Adventurer

Arrival floor: 18th floor

Weapon: Hestia's Blade

Money held: 123000 Fari

Rabbit Armor MK-Ⅳ

• The fourth installment in the Welf Armor series.

• Light armor gleaming with the light of steel. Includes breastplate, shoulder armor, gauntlets, waist guard, and knee pads.

• A work hastily produced before the war game. Lacking greaves, Bell was given boots as a substitute.

It boasts the highest defensive capabilities of any armor in history, while successfully reducing its weight.

Ability value

Lv.2

Strength: SS1088 Durability: SS1029 Dexterity: SS1094 Agility: SSS1302

Magic: A883 Luck: I

"magic"

[Fire and Lightning] - Quick-Attack Magic

"Skill"

【Heartfelt longing】

·precocious.

• Maintains the effect simultaneously with feelings of longing.

The stronger the longing, the greater the effect.

【Hero's Wish (Argonauts)】

• Has the power to implement active actions.

"Ushiwakamaru 2 Style"

• The second installment in the Welf Weapons series.

• A crimson short sword. The blade is longer than the original "Ushiwakamaru".

• Use the half of the "Horn of the Minotaur" that was left over from making "Ushiwakamaru".

• Thanks to the "Forging" ability learned by Welf, its attack power is unmatched by Ushiwakamaru.

• A third-tier weapon approved by the god of forging (Hephaestus).

Postscript to Volume 6

Despite being a dungeon fantasy story, it doesn't actually delve into the dungeons at all—that's the content of episode six. Starting with the next episode, the story will likely continue with dungeons having little screen time… however, the missing dungeon elements can be supplemented through side stories! Allow me to be a bit blatant here. Interested readers can check it out.

I really enjoy the story's progression, where one companion joins the group at a time.

The protagonist, who always traveled alone, met a reliable martial artist, then a beautiful fortune teller who took on the responsibility of healing and supporting him, a lone flower among a sea of ​​green, and finally, the long-awaited magician joined as the fourth... In comics, novels, and especially games, I always feel a surge of joy whenever new companions join. The sense of fulfillment when all the companions are present gives me a feeling of reaching a destination.

The sheer hard work of dealing with various problems with a small team could perhaps be considered one of the charms of the early stages of the story. I'm not good at describing it, but I think it's an irreplaceable feeling. From the first to the fifth volume of the main series, the encounters with companions and their subsequent developments are meticulously depicted. I'd say I was willing to sacrifice some aspects of the story to properly portray these elements. On a side note, when this series was just starting out, I discussed with my editor whether there should be more companions (comrades) going to the dungeon. Thinking back now, it's quite nostalgic. I'm grateful to my editor for accepting the author's whims, or rather, the author's insistence.

Thanks to this, the author felt that in this sixth volume, where the comrades had officially come together, the story should come to an acceptable end.

When I was outlining this work, I thought of gods, members of the Familia, and the concept of "Familia." Then, the theme of "the War of the Gods' Proxy" came to mind, and this is also depicted in this volume. I have to thank all the readers who have supported this work. Thank you so much.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to editor Kotaki, who meticulously helped me structure the plot, to Yasuda Suzuhito, who created illustrations that are just as beautiful as those in my published works, and to everyone involved in the project.

In addition to the regular edition, Volume 6 also has a limited edition, and many people contributed illustrations (for the Japanese market). Thank you so much to NOCO-sensei, Haruko Iizuka-sensei, Eiji Usazuka-sensei, Noboru Kannazuki-sensei, TakayaKi-sensei, Mikeou-sensei, and Yasu-sensei for creating such charming illustrations of various characters. I am deeply grateful. Please allow me to use this space to express my gratitude.

I will strive to improve my writing and dedicate myself to creating future sequels. Goodbye everyone.

大森藤ノ

Illustrations for Volume 6

Volume 6 Bonus: Shall We Dance? 2

All around were people dressed in splendid attire such as formal dresses and suits.

Inside the hall, several tables were set with lavish dishes. Under the crystal chandelier-like magic stone lamps, numerous waiters served wine to the guests, and the humans or demi-humans who received the wine chatted and laughed.

The glamorous social scene unfolded under the moonlit night that shrouded the city in darkness.

"Phew, phew, phew, social circles, I'm back!"

Looking at the scene before her, the goddess Hestia, with her hands on her hips, loudly proclaimed her opinion.

Standing behind the celestial beings dressed in formal attire, their emotions running high, I felt restless and uneasy, as if something was amiss.

"They've really come again..."

Built in the upscale residential area of ​​Orario North, this magnificent building resembles a palace. It is the venue where Apollo held the "Feast of the Gods," and is managed by the guild.

As I entered the night world for the second time, I couldn't help but mutter this to myself.

"Seriously! Why did we have to be brought to a place like this?!"

"This is the instruction of the Lord God; what else can we do but obey?"

"Waaaaah. I never thought I'd have to come to a place like this again... and dressed like this..."

Lily, Welf, and Miss Fate each uttered words of discontent, resignation, and shame. Needless to say, all three of them, like me and the goddess Hestia, were dressed in beautiful gowns and formal attire.

Several nights passed after the wargame ended. The newly formed members of the Hestia Familia were urged by the gods to put on formal attire and were forced to attend this social banquet under her leadership.

"Goddess Hestia, please explain yourself! Why are you attending this kind of party?!"

"Needless to say, it's all for dancing! I didn't even get to dance a single dance at the last 'Feast of the Gods' before the banquet was over—this time I'm going to make a comeback!"

That's pretty much how it is, to put it bluntly.

She dressed up beautifully for the "Feast of the Gods," but didn't get to dance, which seemed to disappoint the gods. From her tone when answering Lily, you could sense her dedication, or rather, her passion, for dancing. She probably brought us here simply to share joyful moments with her clan members.

"How could I possibly lose to some Miss Warren like that...! This time, I'm going to fight Belle...!"

Not wanting to remain standing at the entrance, we travelers began to move in groups, led by the deity... Suddenly, the deity gave me a look like a carnivore eyeing its prey, which sent a chill down my spine.

"I remember this party was hosted by a business-related [family/clan]?"

"Yes. Lily heard that the night party is held regularly... and it seems to be mostly attended by businessmen."

Ignoring my inexplicable trembling, Welf and Lily began to talk. As they both said, besides members of our [Familia], there seemed to be many merchants from outside the city around.

As the only dungeon in the world, it goes without saying that its resources are extremely precious. The minerals and monster treasures (dropped items) in the "lower levels" and "deeper levels" are said to be worth any price that merchants across the continent would pay. And the purpose of tonight's gathering seems to be to provide an opportunity for high-level factions and merchants who can access the deeper levels of the dungeon to connect.

Although the method was somewhat forceful, our [Hestia Familia] improved our reputation and faction status—that is, our rank—in the war games of the past two days, and therefore we are allowed to participate in tonight's party.

"Oh! Hestia, you've arrived?"

"Hermes!"

While many merchants were already negotiating with the factional leaders and representatives...

We happened to meet Hermes, who was with Miss Asphie. Miss Asphie greeted us through her eyes, and we returned the greeting.

"I never expected Hestia and your party to come to this banquet. I thought you wouldn't want to associate with merchants."

"Hmph, I have absolutely no interest in money or financial matters. I'm here to dance!"

Facing Hermes, who seemed to have heard something extraordinary, the goddess Hestia laughed fearlessly.

Hearing her confident and dismissive remarks that disregarded the main themes of social interaction, Hermes gave a wry smile. Just then, as if timed perfectly, the band began to play a melodious tune.

"The moment has finally arrived, Belle! Come on, dance! With me, of course!"

In the open hall filled with the melody of waltzes, the goddess Hestia was extremely excited.

The fairy's eyes sparkled as she reached out her hand to me, while Lily glared at her, Welf smiled wryly, and Miss Fate, still blushing, felt dizzy. Sweating, I nervously prepared to take the fairy's hand—

"Bell," "[Little Rookie]...[Hestia Familia]?", "That's—a loli goddess!"

The surrounding merchants suddenly became agitated.

The next instant, the crowd surged toward the immortal like a tidal wave.

"Goddess Hestia, please allow us to invest in your [Family] from now on!" "Loli Goddess..."

"Please take a look at our products!" "Buy now and get free golden fried potato balls!"

"Wait, what are you doing! Hey! Stop—Gurgle, gurgle—!"

Right before my eyes, in just a moment, the gods were swallowed up by the tide of merchants.

Just as Lily and I were staring wide-eyed, Hermes shrugged at us.

"Because those who gain power are no different from royalty and nobility. Most gods (heavenly gods) love luxury and enjoyment, just like kings. Merchants not only make contracts with gods, but also sell luxury goods."

Hermes tells us, in short, that the newly famous Hestia Familia were completely exploited. The tide of merchants pushed the goddess's petite figure ever further and further away.

"Bell—", only a hollow scream reached us.

"Even if we wanted to save her, judging from her condition, it's probably impossible. We're hungry too, let's go get something good to eat."

"Lily, go get something to eat too. Lily doesn't want to be fooled by the fairy's whim."

"Ah! Don't leave the next one behind! Lady Lily, Lady Welf!"

"Ah, you guys, wait a minute..."

Seeing everyone leaving, I wondered, "Is this really okay...?" I reached up and scratched the back of my head.

As a result, I was unable to rescue the deity from the merchants' swarming encirclement, which resembled a honey-sucking ant colony, so I had to give up. I apologized to the deity in my heart, and at the same time, I felt uneasy because of someone, so I searched everywhere for Lily and the others.

Hmm... there are just too many people, it seems like everyone's gotten separated...

"Ah, Miss Asphie."

"Oh... I've run into you again."

There were more attendees tonight than at Apollo's "Feast of the Gods." As I struggled through the crowd, I met Miss Asphyxi, who was wearing a blue dress. I asked her if she had seen Lily and the others, and she said she hadn't seen them since she greeted them.

"Miss Asphie, what are you doing here? Are you alone...?"

"...I've been abandoned by the Supreme God."

She sighed. Following her gaze, I saw Hermes talking to several merchants.

Were they discussing business? A handsome smile appeared on the immortal's face as he negotiated several deals, shaking hands with the other party repeatedly. Judging from the satisfied expressions of the businessmen, the relationship between the two sides seemed quite harmonious.

"...Ugh, I'm so bored! [Rookie], come keep me company."

I froze on the spot and exclaimed, "Huh?" Miss Aphrodite grabbed my hand.

She insisted on taking my arm, and my face flushed instantly. She simply pulled me to the dance floor in the center of the hall. I couldn't say a word, and just danced with Miss Asphyxi.

"When he's in a good mood, he takes me everywhere and never even glances back at me. Please, think about me for all you do, following me around all the time!"