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

"Lady Haruhime, there's no need to push yourself like this..."

"No, no! I am already a member of the clan, please let me do it, my lord."

Surprisingly, Haruhime was not wearing a kimono, but a maid outfit.

After joining the guild, Haruhime took the initiative to say, "Please let me do things," expressing her willingness to serve as a maid, which was the mansion management job that Lily had originally worried about.

She was of noble birth and had spent five years in a brothel. Although her work style was somewhat unreliable, she was proactive and tried her best to adapt to tasks such as cleaning and serving meals. The servants watched with smiles as she bustled about in her black work dress, white apron, and long skirt that swayed with her thick tail.

Outside the city, the Kingdom's army and Orario's Familia alliance are at war.

Considering the number of members and the fact that the group has just expanded, the Hestia Familia has not been recruited by the guild and is in a peaceful daily state.

"Wow, it smells so good..."

"It seems I'm in charge of cooking today, no wonder it smells so good."

"Ah, Lord Bell, Goddess Hestia, good morning."

As he scooped the soup into a small dish to taste it, he greeted the boy Bell and the goddess Hestia, who had come to the kitchen, with a "Good morning."

The Hestia Familia employs a daily rotating system for its cooks. Unless there are special circumstances, two or three people, including the chief deity, are responsible for cooking and preparing the meals each day.

Welf simply cooks the ingredients, what's known as "manly cooking," while Lily tries to save on ingredients and make budget-friendly dishes. At the dining table, you can see everyone's personality and culinary skills. However, when it comes to dishes that are a matter of life and death, everyone in the [Family] guarantees that they are "delicious."

At her hometown shrine, Mikoto has been handling kitchen affairs with women like Chigusa since childhood. She can use all sorts of ingenuity and wisdom to elevate limited ingredients into delicious dishes. In addition to her superb cooking skills, perhaps because of her serious personality and natural talent, even the goddess Hestia, who is a fan of potato balls, praised her highly.

"Miss Ming, what is that... uh, that tea-colored soup in this pot...?"

"This is called miso soup."

She answered Bell, who was peeking into the soup pot.

This is a traditional Far Eastern dish made by dissolving miso into broth. Normally, she would prepare mainstream Orario meals with Bell and the others, with bread and other staple foods as the main dishes. However, a couple of days ago, she accidentally saw miso at the exchange in the southwest of the city and realized that she hadn't cooked miso soup in a long time.

She explained that this was a dish from her hometown, the taste of her hometown, and after Bell and the others tasted it, their cheeks immediately relaxed.

"It feels so comforting to drink."

"Mmm, it's delicious! This is the soul food that I've been calling your local cuisine."

Hearing that the cuisine from her hometown was well received, Mingye smiled happily.

Bell and Hestia smiled and praised the girl.

"Miss Ming is such a good cook!"

"Yes, she can definitely be a good wife."

Then, fate overreacted to the words Hestia uttered.

"Madam!?"

Her face flushed instantly, as if trying to hide her embarrassment, and she waved her hands vehemently in denial.

"W-What are you saying, Goddess Hestia! I'm not mature enough to be someone's wife! Aha, aha ...

"Miss Ming, the kitchen knife! The kitchen knife!"

"Danger! Danger!!"

With a flushed face, Ming laughed as he wildly swung his right hand, which was holding the kitchen knife, sideways.

Bell and Hestia panicked and desperately tried to stop the girl from losing control.

After the commotion subsided and breakfast was served.

Hestia went out to work, while her family stayed at headquarters. After the dishes were cleared away, everyone gathered in the living room on the first floor.

"Please, please have some..." Chunji nervously served everyone the after-dinner tea. Bell and the others smiled wryly at her as they began their meeting around the table.

"So, regarding whether Lady Haruhime should explore the dungeon together..."

As Lily, who was acting as the emcee, began to speak, Bell and the others turned their eyes to the fox-girl sitting next to Ming.

The attention from everyone made Haruhime, dressed in a maid outfit, a little nervous about her thick fox tail.

"To be honest, Lily strongly hopes that Lady Haruhime can come along. Lady Haruhime's 'magic' is incredibly powerful, that goes without saying."

"But Lady Lily, the effects of Haruhime's 'magic' must not be known to outsiders..."

"Of course, but Lady Haruhime's presence is still a weapon with immeasurable potential for the team, and it can also greatly reduce the risks for Lord Bell and everyone else. Lily still hopes that, after carefully considering the occasions, frequency and methods of use, Lady Haruhime will accompany us."

Haruhime's magic, "Treasure Hammer," has the effect of "level boost."

This is a rare magic that transcends the realm of magic, capable of upgrading another person's ability level by one stage. Just as this kind of unconventional "spell" threatens Haruhime's life within the Ishtar Familia, once the details of her "magic" are revealed, someone will undoubtedly be willing to kidnap her to abuse it.

However, it's not enough to simply say it's a pity to have excellent abilities but not use them properly; Lily's argument is also extremely correct. She believes that usage restrictions should be set and countermeasures should be developed. As the team's strategist, her opinion is very appropriate.

The men listened to what the two girls, Lily and Mikoto, had to say—Bell looked annoyed, while Welf asked Haruhime herself a question:

"What did you do when you were in your former faction, the Ishtar Familia? Didn't they take you to the dungeons?"

"No, I also participate in regular explorations or 'expeditions' with everyone. ...However, I just stay in the cargo crates and let them carry me, or have them protect me; I don't do anything..."

"..."

"I have never fought a monster before..."

Haruhime's [ability stats], except for the "magic" stat, are lower than Lily's. She's always been someone else's protector, and she can't even defend herself to the minimum. She'll definitely just be a hindrance during explorations.

Seeing the fox-girl lower her head in remorse, Welf and Lily both wore expressions that were hard to describe.

"...What should we do? Should we keep her at headquarters?"

Welf's voice rang out in the living room, asking whether she should remain at the mansion according to her duties as a maid.

He reflexively looked at Bell's face.

The boy was, after all, a faction leader, and had once traveled far and wide to save Chun Ji; I wanted to hear his opinion.

"...I made a promise with Miss Aisha. Although I don't know what the best course of action is, I will... um, protect Miss Haruhime, no matter where we are, in the dungeon or anywhere else."

Although he blushed and spoke softly towards the end, lacking any real courage, he did indeed utter a vow.

Half of what she said was directed at Haruhime, who blushed just like Bell, while Lily seemed a little unhappy. As for her fate, a smile appeared on her lips.

The boy kept glancing furtively at the ceiling and then at the floor; as Welf patted his waist with a laugh, everyone's attention was drawn to Haruhime.

Ultimately, it's up to her to decide.

"...Haruhime will go with everyone; Haruhime also wants to be a source of strength for everyone."

After a pause, Chunji, though nervous, spoke clearly.

She glanced at Fate and Bell, her emerald eyes revealing a sense of enlightenment.

"Because I am one of your families..."

Finally, she lowered her head and told everyone in a weak voice.

Seeing their new [Family] companion blushing and fidgeting, swaying its fox ears and tail, Welf, Lily, and Bell exchanged smiles, and with smiles on their faces, they no longer objected.

There are five team members in total.

Haruhime, as a supporter and sorcerer, joined the ranks of those conquering the dungeon.

*

Deep underground, ruled by darkness, the roars of monsters shook the heavens and the earth.

Inside the exposed gray rock cave, several bats flew overhead, and disgusting predatory worms, like earthworms, flew out from the perforated walls. The fanged tiger roared fiercely at the team—faced with the cacophony of various monsters, the adventurers who were advancing through the labyrinth roared in response.

"How are the weapons and armor in condition!?"

"Impeccable!!"

"Excellent!"

Upon hearing Welf's voice, Bell and Ming, who were running alongside him, responded with the sound of their weapons cutting through the air.

The fifth-generation rabbit armor forged by the master blacksmith High Smith still exudes a pure white metallic luster even in the dim light of the dungeon.

The lightweight armor seemed to enhance the wearer's speed, not hindering movement at all, and even providing support for the dagger's fierce rush. The secondary weapon, the long spear, held in the girl's hand, easily pierced through the tiger's bristles, killing it in one strike.

Dungeon level 15.

After the meeting at headquarters, the team that had gained Haruhime's help began their dungeon raid.

With the abilities of the second-tier adventurer Bell, and the effectiveness of the new weaponry created by Welf, the team advanced steadily but with unstoppable momentum, reaching the 15th floor for the first time.

While Lily provided cover with a crossbow, Haruhime stayed in the rearguard position, terrified by the battle situation; Bell and the others were engaged in fierce combat with the swarming monsters.

"—The Minotaur is coming from ahead!"

"The 'Howl' is coming! Little Riko, cover your ears!"

"Use the detection skill [Yata no Kuroku] to warn everyone of the approaching monster," Welf roared as he cleaved the "Dungeon Worm" in two with his greatsword.

The forwards, Bale and Welf, rushed forward, followed by the center-back, trying to stem the monster's attack. A colossal creature, estimated to be over two meters tall, approached the team from the shadows of the passage ahead. Just as Welf and the forwards had warned, the minotaur opened its jaws and rattled its throat.

"Buo moo ooh ...

The Minotaur emits a threatening "howl" that seals off the movement of living beings with primal "fear"—forcing the "howl" to forcibly stop the restraint.

Faced with the deafening roar that shook the vast passageway, Lily covered her eyes and ears, then buried her entire body over Haruhime's head, including her animal ears. Welf, however, merely leaned back slightly, revealing a bold smile, in response to the overwhelming scream from a Level 1.

He displayed his enhanced "capacity" and strong will, refusing to succumb to the "roar," and continued to fight alongside his life and Bell.

"—Lily's going to use the 'Demon Sword'!"

After Bell defeated the Minotaur, seeing that monster reinforcements were still arriving in droves, Lily, recovering from the aftermath of "Roar Howl," called out. Seeing her draw a crimson short sword from the side of her large backpack, Bell, Meru, and Welf quickly retreated to the left and right.

The short sword was swung out instantly, unleashing a barrage of karmic fire.

"——————————————————————!?"

A massive fireball shot out, annihilating the monsters in the passage.

Even the Minotaur, whose skin should be fire-resistant, was no exception. In the burning cave passage, the monsters were burned to ashes and disappeared completely.

"Little Riko, don't use it carelessly! The 'Demon Sword' is only for emergencies. Using it recklessly won't do us any good!"

"That was an emergency! If you only panic after something like this happens in the dungeon, it'll be too late!!"

"Okay, okay, Wilf, Lily?"

"Two, two adults, shouting like this here will only scare the monster away... Hah..."

"Lady Haruhime is right, let's calm down."

After the battle, the team argued in the charred passage. Lily decided to use the short sword-type "Demon Sword"—"Krozzo's Demon Sword"—which provoked Welf's backlash.

To provide a means of self-defense and to deal with emergencies, Welf forged "Kroso's Magic Sword" and gave it to Lily and the others as their rearguard. Although it was far inferior to the one used in the Battle of Goliath on the 18th floor and in the Wargame, it still possessed power almost equivalent to that of a high-level mage's artillery.

Welf loudly emphasized that they should not rely on "Krozo's Demon Sword," which would corrupt the team's power and consciousness; the battle they had just fought could have been resolved by their own strength alone.

In contrast, Lily argues that such optimism would be fatal in the dungeon.

She insisted that safety should be the primary consideration before getting into trouble, and refused to budge. Lily said that the situation in the dungeon was unpredictable, and there should be no holding back; they had to proceed cautiously step by step.

Both sides are correct; neither is wrong.

Because Welf and Lily said that for the good of the team.

Bell and Ming smiled bitterly, while Chun Ji timidly tried to mediate.

They stopped arguing for a moment and focused their attention back on exploring the maze.

"This is a 'dropped item,' and this is a 'magic stone'..."

"Yes, put the 'dropped items' in Lily's backpack, and please keep the 'magic stones' with you, Haruhime. —Don't lose them, okay?"

"Okay, okay!?"

Under Lily's guidance, Haruhime nervously retrieved the spoils from the monster corpses burned to ashes by the "Demon Sword".

Haruhime's outfit is the same as when she was in the Ishtar Familia: a Far Eastern-style long battle suit similar to a shrine maiden's attire—given to her by the heroine Aisha—along with a cylindrical backpack, and wearing the same fire spirit protective cloth, salamander wool, as Welf and the others.

She joined the squad entirely as a non-combatant, and Lily had already declared, "Lily will rigorously train you to become a support!" As for Haruhime, she constantly bowed and scraped, respectfully saying, "Please guide me!", forming a peculiar master-disciple relationship.

With wry smiles, Ming and his companions continued their advance, repelling the enemies they encountered along the way.

"We've successfully explored to the 15th floor. Everything's been going so smoothly."

"Considering the balance between Lord Bell's level and the squad's strength, this level is appropriate."

"Miss Eina... the advisor has also given permission; as long as you don't jump several floors at once, reaching the 18th floor is no problem."