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

"But wait a minute, Lina. Isn't that girl wearing shackles made of refined metal? A Lv.2 [Shadowless] shouldn't be able to break no matter how much she struggles."

"W-Is that so!? Logically speaking, they shouldn't have been able to escape!"

At this point, the girl lost her momentum again and said:

"But the shackles were opened... Sure enough, the shackles and the warehouse key were gone."

The girl stammered again, saying that perhaps the escaped "rabbit" took the key to save the woman. Aisha listened... then suddenly asked, recalling the pale-faced fox-girl she had seen Bell and Fate in the maze half a day earlier.

"...Where is Haruhime now?"

After a long silence, she asked, "Oh, right." The Amazonian girl tilted her head.

"She said she needed to perform a purification ritual in preparation for the ceremony... When I went to check on her just now, she wasn't in the room."

Aisha seemed to sense something and narrowed her eyes.

■

"Um, Miss Haruhime."

In the dimly lit passage, the sound of two people's footsteps could be heard continuously.

It has been about twenty minutes since I left Miss Frini's room.

Miss Haruhime and I moved through the secret underground passage.

It seems like we're heading in the opposite direction from the palace (headquarters)... but because we keep encountering forks in the road or intersections, and sometimes have to turn, I'm honestly completely lost. She said this place connects to many parts of the red-light district, and you can walk onto the ground.

Miss Haruhime, who is not allowed to leave the red-light district, only occasionally—during the early morning hours when the residents of the "red-light district" are asleep—can secretly take a walk in this underground passage using the entrance connecting to the pleasure quarters. She said we are now heading towards the exit furthest from the palace (headquarters) and the least populated one.

The secret passage of the pleasure quarters is believed to have been created by Daedalus, the craftsman known as the "Extraordinary Man," who designed Daedalus Road.

Could he really have built such a vast underground passage all by himself? I couldn't help but feel a chill.

"What is it, Lord Crannie?"

My gaze involuntarily followed the thick tail that was slowly swaying in front of me. Miss Haruhime was stopped by my call and turned to look at me.

"Let me escape, really...is that okay?"

Recalling Miss Aisha's methods and tone in the dungeon, I should be the main target of this kidnapping commotion, and it seems to be related to the will of the goddess Ishtar.

The will of the supreme god is the collective will of the faction. Miss Chunji betrayed the divine will to help me; once exposed, she must bear all the responsibility.

Although I was also worried about the Miss Fate she had just mentioned—I knew that the Level 1 Adventurer (Miss Frini) was waiting in the underground passage, so I couldn't go back to rescue her—I still couldn't help but worry about her.

"Please don't take it to heart, Lord Crannie."

Miss Chunji didn't seem to care about my worries and smiled at me again.

She stopped and turned around, her long golden hair swaying gently.

"This is my last act of willfulness. Miss Aisha and the others will surely forgive me."

Her smile, which was soothing to children, gave me a sense of unease.

Am I becoming too neurotic?

I could sense a certain unease in her words and actions. Was that final act of willfulness just a minor grammatical error, without any deeper meaning?

A strange sensation caressed my neck, making me hesitate for a long time before I finally managed to brush it off and say in a cheerful tone:

"Um, Miss Haruhime! Actually, we want to 'redeem' you!"

I finally revealed that after discussing it with Miss Ming and the others, we decided to save her from this hellhole.

I laughed and told her that she no longer needed to be a prostitute, hoping to dispel the gloomy atmosphere.

“Eh…?”

Miss Chunji opened her emerald green eyes wide.

She was completely stunned. I explained:

"It was Miss Fate who persuaded our God! Well, it might take some time to save up the money..."

I really wanted to make her happy.

I didn't want to be disappointed; I wanted to tell her the good news and make her genuinely happy.

"Our supreme deity and faction have both promised to redeem Miss Chunji!"

It wasn't that illusory and melancholic smile.

Instead, it's when they talk about heroic tales that they have an innocent, childlike smile.

"Miss Ming, too... um, I also really want to help you!"

As Miss Ruming said, she wanted to see her smile again.

I just wanted to hold her hand and foolishly share my joy.

“No way…”

However, Miss Haruhime.

But she silently shed tears.

"...Haruhime, Miss?"

She opened her eyes wide, and two tear tracks slid down her fair cheeks.

Seeing her staring at me, standing there, I was speechless.

“Ahh…”

Whether out of joy or sorrow, Miss Haruhime sighed and pressed her hands to her chest.

Then she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

"I... Chun Ji is so lucky."

A smile appeared on her lips.

"To receive such care from Lord Ming... and from you as well."

She pressed her hands against her trembling chest, against the overwhelming emotion that was about to spill out.

He whispered in a hoarse voice: "My heart is melting."

"To hear you say that... I have no regrets."

Then she opened her eyes and smiled at me with her tearful, emerald-green eyes.

“…………”

Crying with joy?

Is it really?

It sounds like... like a final farewell in this lifetime.

"Thank you, Lord Crannie, let's go."

After thanking me, she turned to face forward, her back to me.

Watching his retreating figure walk away alone, I couldn't utter a sound; all I could do was chase after him.

All I could do was desperately chase after the figure disappearing into the darkness.

I feel uneasy.

There was an ominous, pulsating sound.

■

A certain building.

A stone mansion that is fairly spacious, has a fairly exquisite appearance, and is fairly presentable.

Inside the house, a woman, swaying a pure white cloak, walked briskly forward.

"Lulune, where is Hermes?"

"The room inside."

Glancing at her through the silver-rimmed glasses, the dog-woman resting on the sofa pointed in a direction, meaning "over there." The woman quickened her pace, her golden winged sandals clicking on the floor.

Upon reaching the door, she—Asphi Al Andromeda—forcefully opened the wooden door as if to vent her anger.

"Hermes!!"

The entire wall inside was covered with various maps.

There were maps showing land routes, panoramic views that appeared to be ruins or hidden realms, and even nautical charts. These maps were almost all made of parchment, with several red X's marked on them, as if to indicate that the objective had been achieved.

Surrounded by various maps, he was deep inside the room. He sat at a table laden with trinkets, playing a board game alone. Beside the board sat a large hourglass, large enough to hold hours of calculation.

Hermes felt a jolt as he saw his family members excitedly enter the room.

"You went to the red-light district by yourself a couple of days ago, didn't you...? And you even managed to shake off your guards."

"W-Where did you hear that!? No, wait, Asphie! I haven't done anything wrong...!?"

Seeing that the furious Asphie immediately began questioning him, Hermes quickly raised his hands to stop her.

Bang! She slammed her hand on the table, leaned forward, and completely ignored the God's explanation.

"Using the military funds we earned with our blood and sweat to play with women? You really are something, Hermes! Who do you think you are? Oh, right, a god! Please, have some self-awareness as a chief god! I mean, your usual behavior is already indecent enough, don't you know that?!"

Seeing the faction leader's face turn red as he roared and yelled, the supreme god, who should have the highest authority, was scolded so badly that he leaned back.

"Calm down, Asphie!? I had a reason for that, I should say I was asked to do it...!?"

"At someone's request?"

After being subjected to a verbal attack that sounded like a wife scolding her husband for being unfaithful, Hermes couldn't take it anymore and blurted it out.

Asphie urged him to hurry up with her gaze, and he reluctantly opened his mouth.

"That's how it is—"

"You said your life was taken away, is that true!?"

Takemikazuchi burst through the door with a loud bang and rushed into the living room.

Sakura, Chigusa, and the other members of the [Family] following behind the main god gasped when they saw the broken sword and dirty backpack placed at the corner of the wall, as well as Welf and Lily in tattered clothes.

"Yes, it's true. She's in the dungeon with Bell... I'm sorry, Jian."

Hestia, who was helping her exhausted family members heal their wounds, turned to look at them.

She welcomed Takemikazuchi and his team to headquarters and discussed the matter in the center of the living room.

"Do you know which faction the adventurer group that kidnapped them belongs to?"

"Although they were wearing robes to cover themselves... those who attacked us were all Amazons."

"It's embarrassing to admit, but I was completely beaten up by those guys for fun, those bastards. Judging from their strength, there's no mistake, they were definitely fighting whores."

"[Ishtar Familia]..."

Lily and Welf answered Sakura's questions, and finally Chigusa murmured in a chilling voice.

Knowing that this turmoil was instigated by a major faction, everyone's resolve was shaken.

"But why did Ishtar target them? Do you know anything, Hestia?"

"Hmm: We've had some issues related to the red-light district recently... but they shouldn't escalate to this extent."

In response to Takemikazuchi's question, Hestia crossed her arms and pondered for a moment before speaking.

He then asked if she had reported it to the guild. Hestia shook her head, saying she had no evidence and the guild probably wouldn't act immediately. She had complained to the guild about the commotion a couple of days ago when Bell was being chased in the Red-Light District, but hadn't heard from them since—the damage caused by the Amazons in the Red-Light District was practically commonplace.

Regarding the pleasure quarters... especially the [Ishtar Familia], the guild doesn't have much authority. Even if they were punished, it wouldn't be a fatal blow to Ishtar and her group.

It can be said that this is precisely why the military forces of the goddess dared to act so recklessly.

"Um, well, I was thinking... could it be like with the Apollo Familia, where the target is Mr. Crane...?"

"That's possible, but... Ishtar..."

"Bell doesn't seem to be Ishtar's type..."

Hearing the Amazons' method of isolating Bell before attacking him, Chigusa blushed but still timidly voiced her opinion. Takemikazuchi, like Hestia, crossed her arms and pondered.

Both main deities tilted their heads in puzzlement, while their retinues looked at each other.