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

Lily concluded in this way, her tone even cold and cruel.

Needless to say, I was helpless once I brought up the magician.

Miss Ming was the same; she didn't dare to glare back at Lily, and kept her head down.

"Hey, you don't have to play the bad cop all by yourself."

at this time.

Welf tapped Lily on the head with the back of his book.

Petite Lily was stunned for a moment, then suddenly came to her senses and swept away the book that had been hitting her head.

"Who, who said Lily was playing the bad cop?!"

Seeing Lily's face turn red and her shouting, and hearing Welf say that, I opened my eyes wide and finally realized what was going on.

Lily was determined to play the villain—"the jerk".

For the sake of our clan, for the sake of the gods, and for the sake of ourselves.

Miss Fate also realized her true feelings and was taken aback. Lily turned her blushing face to the side, while Welf beside her seemed to...

The eldest son, who had been uniting everyone, smiled.

"As a member of the [Family], I agree with Riko's statement. We cannot allow the faction to be put in danger."

"However," he said, glancing at my and Miss Ming's expressions, "he continued:

"If you want to do something, I'll lend you a hand and stay with you until the end."

Welf sensed our thoughts, which made my heart tighten and I was speechless. Miss Fate seemed to feel the same way.

One's current position, aspirations, and accompanying responsibilities.

I put all sorts of things on the scales, feeling distressed and unable to take any action.

Unable to find the answer, yet unable to shake off the confusion... Just as I was about to speak.

"Hey—!? No slacking off—! You can't go home until you finish—!!"

The gods who came to inquire about our situation shouted at the entrance of the library.

We couldn't continue the conversation, so we quickly got back to work.

"In any case, don't tell anyone yet, and you can't tell Goddess Hestia either."

Lily asked us to keep it a secret in a voice only we could hear, saying that it would cause the gods unnecessary worry.

Everyone nodded, and finally Lily said, "There's more!" with her eyes wide open at me.

"That just happened yesterday, Lord Bell, please don't go to the red-light district again today! You might cause another commotion!!"

“I-I understand!”

Lily seemed to sense my desire to visit Miss Haruhime and gave me a special warning. She said that Miss Aisha and the others still saw me as prey, and going there now might even endanger my faction. Having said that, I had no choice but to agree.

Just as I was feeling frustrated about having to behave tonight, the gods instructed us to divide the work and disperse to different rooms in the bookstore.

"Lord Bell, thank you for telling me this."

"Miss Ming..."

As we parted ways in the corridor, Miss Ming thanked me. Seeing the unspoken emotions hidden in her profile, I felt conflicted... and went to do my assigned work.

I followed the instructions and went up the stairs to the second-floor bookstore, which smelled of old wood.

It's the starting room where the deity carved my "ability value" on my back and performed the initiation ceremony.

The walls were lined with bookshelves, and the floor was piled high with books. Outside the window, the setting sun painted the entire sky red.

I was deeply moved and decided to start doing something.

"..."

Alone in the library, I casually asked around and found a book on the bookshelf.

I stopped, slowly hooked my fingers around the spine of the book, and opened it in my hand.

That was a heroic tale I remember reading when I was a child; the yellowed pages made a rustling sound.

Surrounded by many books (stories), my gaze fell upon an illustration on one of the pages.

"I know it all, you lewd Babylon!"

All the evil deeds you have committed have not escaped my eyes!

Just how many men have you seduced, framed, and led to their tragic ends?

Shame on yourself, you wicked woman!

This is a scene where the hero, the protagonist, ruthlessly rejects the advances and pleas of a prostitute.

A hero points his finger at a prostitute dressed in lewd attire.

Behind the prostitute were piles of male corpses, and the book contained merciless condemnation of the prostitute.

"Prostitutes are a symbol of destruction."

The words Miss Chunji said last night came back to mind.

Indeed, prostitutes are a symbol of destruction.

At least that's how it's described in the tales of heroes.

Heroes who become involved with them will always encounter hardships, both big and small.

In fact, the protagonist of this book also angered the prostitute by refusing her advances, leading him down a path of destruction.

Prostitutes are objects of contempt, pity, or sympathy, not beings who require relief.

Those who commit adultery are always condemned and despised.

Many of the heroes I admire have also failed to save them.

"...No, that's not right."

Miss Haruhime is right.

A prostitute who sells her body and soul is truly not worthy of staying with a hero forever.

They... just can't stand beside the heroes.

"..."

I opened the bookshelf and stood there, stunned, reading the tales of heroes led to their destruction.

I felt powerless and frustrated. Should I have never even gotten involved with her, rather than suffer like this? Should I have pitied her? Should I have known?

I kept asking myself, "But..." I murmured in a strained voice.

I don't want to regret that encounter.

Because every encounter should be precious.

"...Grandpa, I..."

I recalled my conversation with Welf and the others. What should I do? What do I want to do?

I slowly gazed out the window as dusk approached.

A fiery red sunset appeared in the western sky.

■

A golden moon floats in the night sky.

As Zhang Jianshi faced the main road, Chunji looked up at the sky.

After gazing at the vast night sky and the approaching moon for a while, she looked down and saw that the crowds in the lobby were just as large as last night.

Numerous men, as well as women in kimonos, primarily humans and beastmen.

Looking at the beautifully dressed prostitutes in her field of vision, Chun Ji, kneeling upright, gazed at the crowd, looking to the left and then to the right.

Is he there? Is he there?

She couldn't help but search for the white-haired boy she had met the night before.

As Chunji's gaze moved, the thick fox tail extending from her buttocks swayed back and forth.

(Yesterday, really...)

I'm so happy, it feels like I'm dreaming.

It was just like old friends from his hometown, taking him back to the old days of his mansion.

The boy gave Chunji a warm feeling and a short, tender moment.

Such beautiful rubellite eyes.

Chunji had never seen such clear and innocent eyes.

Whenever I think of the various topics and stories we talked about, a smile appears on my lips and warmth fills my heart.

"master--"

Chun-hime sat in the middle of Zhang Jian-shi's seat. To her diagonal front, a courtesan stood by the lattice window, greeting passing male customers with a smile.

Haruhime recalled a senior courtesan (older sister) who had become infatuated with a customer, and she found it incredible at the time.

As a fellow beastman, she smiled smugly and said, "You wouldn't understand."

She said that you'll understand when you're in a relationship.

This feeling right now is probably very similar to that one.

It must be like when I was a child, I was obsessed with stories and fell in love with the heroes in the stories. In the midst of empty days, a boy from the outside world suddenly appeared and made my heart pound.

(If, that boy...)

Haruhime's rich imagination, cultivated from a young age, began to fantasize.

Although they are only a minority, it is said that some prostitutes in this redeeming district have been "redeemed" by adventurers and left.

It is said that most adventurers never return from the labyrinth, leaving behind unfortunate women... but some leave the city and stay with their loved ones forever.

If only she could have such a beautiful dream—the thought made Haruhime laugh at herself.

Although it was just wishful thinking, I felt really bad for having dragged that boy into my silly imagination.

As a prostitute, I have no right to that; as incompetent, I have no value.

Most importantly, Ishtar and the others will not let her off the hook.

"...!"

Without a second thought, Chunji touched the black collar around her neck and lowered her head with an air of knowing everything.

Surrounded by bustling brothels and charming prostitutes, she was gripped by a feeling of utter loneliness, as if she were the only person in the world.

In Oralie, there is a high demand for prostitutes.

The prostitutes would automatically gather in this labyrinthine city known as the "center of the world".

In Orario, the easiest way to make money, besides being an adventurer, is by selling yourself in the Red Mansion. At the same time, gaining wealth and status in the Red Mansion—by building connections with famous adventurers or members of the Familia—can also indirectly grant you a certain amount of power.

I've heard that the prostitutes in the victorious group, backed by powerful connections, live like queens of a small country.

The fiery-tempered prostitutes who came here all dreamed of rising to prominence. Many others, though without family ties, opened their own shops.

Like adventurers, making a name for oneself in this labyrinthine city is equivalent to gaining power. Many prostitutes come to Orario with ambition, and girls in situations like Haruhime should be far fewer.

Even so, the human trafficking continues unabated, precisely because rare races like fox-people attract demand from customers.

(...this humble servant...)

Why do I have to be treated like this? If I could just cry out like this, maybe it would make me feel a lot better.

If one can harbor resentment towards that dwarf guest who caused one to be banished from the house, perhaps one can find redemption.

However, being cowardly and timid, I dared not shout loudly, nor did I dare to resent others.

Chunji understood this very well.

"Grinning again! Cheer up!"

Seeing Chunji's face darken, the senior prostitute sitting next to her muttered curses at her.