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

Admittedly, some adventurers are capable of acting alone. But the question that Lily is concerned about is: Has Bell really been an adventurer for less than a month?

Common sense dictates that adventurers at level 1 can conquer floors 1 through 12.

如果要对每个楼层按照基本能力评价设定到达基准，大致可以说第1～4层是I到H，5～7层是G到F，8～10层是E到C，而11～12层则是B到S。

However, these are just reference values. Monsters classified as LV.2 will appear below the 13th floor, making it an area that adventurers of LV.1 absolutely cannot conquer.

If we were to define an "average" level among the adventurers of Orario, it would be level 1. Half of the adventurers are at this level.

The remaining half consists of the core LV.2 members, as well as those with higher LV. levels.

There's a significant dividing line between LV.1 and LV.2, separating lower-level adventurers from higher-level ones. Recognition and the attainment of the clearly defined status of "Third-Level Adventurer" also begin at LV.2. LV.1 is the average level, and to climb further, exceptional talent and aptitude are required.

Since personal information, including basic abilities, is strictly prohibited from being leaked, it is difficult to define standard ability values ​​from LV.1 ability values. However, most adventurers who have not yet leveled up will remain between level 7 and 10.

In other words, the basic ability rating is G to C. This can be considered the "average" ability value of adventurers who have passed the beginner stage but have not yet reached the expert level.

Bell, who had only been an adventurer for half a month, was able to stand on equal footing with them, who could at least be considered qualified. It was understandable that Lily would look confused.

"...Well, besides [ability stats], Lord Bell's weapon does indeed have some influence on his power."

Suddenly, Lily's tone changed slightly.

Hidden beneath the hoodie and bangs, his eyes held a cunning glint as he stared intently at the dagger at Bell's waist.

Bell, oblivious to all this, smiled shyly.

"Yeah, I do rely on this dagger a bit. Like this, I probably can't really get stronger."

"That's not true. Weapons are meant to be relied upon by their masters. As long as one doesn't become addicted to the weapon's power and can skillfully control it, it becomes part of Lord Bell's power."

"is that so?"

Bell turned his back to Lily to be aware of his surroundings. He reached behind his back and lightly touched the dagger.

A rare short sword dyed completely black from start to finish.

The scabbard, visible through the gaps between his fingers, bore the mark of [ΗOαιτοS].

Lily's eyes shone brightly.

"Lily, who doesn't know much about weapons, can tell that Lord Bell's dagger is a masterpiece. How did you obtain it? Forgive my rudeness, but Lord Bell, who is just starting out, shouldn't have that much money..."

"It was given to me by a deity... the chief deity of my [family]. I heard she begged her divine friends for it before they gave it to her. It's really outrageous."

"...What a wonderful deity."

"Hmm... She's a very important person to me."

The hesitation and slight jealousy hidden in his voice did not reach Bell.

After roughly dealing with the last thorn rabbit, Lily stood up and quietly came up behind Bell.

"Lord Bell."

"Oh, are you done?"

Lily smiled slightly at Bell, who turned to look at her.

"Let's take out the magic stone from the killer ant buried in the wall. It would be a shame not to."

"Ah, that's fine. But how do we carry it?"

"Lily thinks that cutting off that thin body will suffice. Anyway, the magic stone is inside the chest, so let Lily handle it afterwards."

"I see. Then..."

"Come here, Lord Bell."

"Huh... Ah, um."

Without hesitation, Bell accepted the dagger that Lily quickly handed him. He had originally intended to use the Blade of Hestia, but thinking it wouldn't make a difference, he walked towards the killer ant whose lower body was still buried in the wall.

He gripped the corpse's hard shell and pressed the blade against the torso connecting the upper and lower body.

(Hmm, a bit difficult to cut...)

Bell fiddled with the unfamiliar dagger for a while, then naturally stood on tiptoe.

My attention was focused on what was in front of me, and I couldn't pay any attention to what was behind me.

With her hands raised high, her waist, now completely exposed, was utterly defenseless.

"?"

A scent that triggers a nervous reaction. Something has triggered a sensation in the mind.

He immediately turned around.

"Is it done?"

In his field of vision, Lily was standing right next to Bell, standing on tiptoe to try and look up at the monster. Bell, his eyes wide, gave a wry smile and said, "Wait for me a moment," before continuing his attack.

The killer ant was quickly severed, and Lily pulled out the magic stone in one swift motion.

"Then let's call it a day, Lord Bell."

"Huh, so fast? I don't even feel tired yet."

"No, no, no, that's too careless. The purple moths that Lord Bell killed in large numbers today are monsters that spray poisonous scales. Although it won't take effect immediately, repeated spraying of the scales can cause 'poisoning' symptoms."

"No, no way!"

"It's true. Lily was too foolish; she just ran out of antidote... I advise you to hurry back to the Tower of Babel and get someone to treat her."

He then remembered that Eina had also mentioned paying attention to relative positions when fighting those moth-like monsters. How could he have been so careless? Bell rubbed his temples, agreeing with Lily's assessment.

"What happens if I get poisoned... Waaah, will the symptoms appear quickly? I'll have to fight off all the monsters I encounter on the way back..."

"It's alright, Lord Bell. Lily will teach you a way to quickly return to the ground without fighting the monsters."

"Is there...is there a good way?"

"Yes," Lily nodded, pointing to the entrance to the cave. At the other end of the passage were several adventurers. They glanced at Bell and Lily, knowing there were no monsters here, and then turned and left.

"As long as you follow the route taken by other adventurers, there won't be any monsters. That's because adventurers go into dungeons specifically to get monsters... or monster stones or dropped items."

"Ah, I see."

"Besides, even if you encounter monsters, as long as you hide behind other teams, they will automatically defeat the monsters. In other words, as long as you choose the path with people, you can avoid encountering monsters."

Ideally, places where other members of the [family] gather should be avoided to prevent unnecessary disputes, but it depends on the situation. Sometimes, cleverly utilizing them can be a way to break through a predicament.

"At this time of day, the dungeon should be packed with adventurers. Please follow Lily; I won't give Lord Bell a chance to use his weapon."

Seeing Lily smile and look up at him, Bell felt that she was very reliable.

She knew far more about the dungeons than he did, Bell nodded honestly.

"Lily is really amazing. Even though you said supporters aren't anything special, I think you're very reliable."

"Lord Bell, with a little more experience, you'll quickly learn this little thing. Come on, let's go!"

With a slightly impatient Lily holding his hand, Bell embarked on his journey home. Following the footprints left on the ground, they brushed past adventurers several times, sometimes even sending them to fight monsters—Lily did a truly admirable job.

Her actions were so efficient that one could even say she was overly skilled.

"Lord Bell, Lord Bell, about today's payment..."

"Well, you've helped me so much, so let's split it in half..."

"All the recovered magic stones and dropped items are hereby given to Lord Bell. Please keep them for your own use."

"Hey! Doesn't that mean Lily's work is all for nothing? Didn't you say you'd get 30%?!"

"It's worth it as long as we can gain Lord Bell's trust. Today is just a ritual to let Lord Bell understand Lily's value and see if Lily is someone he can trust."

"Oh, you knew all along...?"

"Everyone thinks this way, it's not just Lord Bell who thinks this way."

Bell was quite embarrassed when Lily saw through his attempt to test her.

He blushed with embarrassment, feeling very guilty towards her.

"...Well, consider it a parting gift."

The whispered words were carried away by the wind and disappeared.

"...? Did you say something, Lily?"

"No, it's nothing. Lord Bell, if you don't mind, please continue to employ Lily in the future, okay?"

"Yes, I will think about it carefully and try my best to give you a good answer."

As Lily ran, she turned her head to look at Bell.

"Yes. Lily has always stayed in the Tower of Babel. You can find her anytime. Lily will never run away. Take your time to think it over!"

Then, she flashed a bright smile.

●

"Hmm—, supporters from other [familias]..."

"Is it still not very good?"

In the familiar guild headquarters meeting room, I discussed hiring Lily with Miss Eina. I first went to the Babel Tower's treatment facility (which, by the way, costs money) and the money exchange, and then headed straight here.

To my shame, I really don't know how to make a judgment on my own.

I thought it would be better to seek other people's opinions, so as usual, I came to ask Miss Eina for her advice.

"Although it's a matter between [familias], there are some examples where both sides can respect each other's interests and establish a positive contractual relationship... What do you think of that child named Lilyluka, according to Bell?"

"Hmm, she's a good kid...and she seems to be quite capable as a supporter too."

My impression of Lily is not bad, including her ability to work as a supporter.

Or perhaps it was a feeling of pity that moved me, making me reluctant to part with the child.

This shouldn't be right... but...

At that time, Lily said that she was ostracized and isolated by her fellow members of the Familia, and I didn't think that was a lie. It felt like she was just stating the facts.

Do you know which clan that child belongs to?

"I remember she said it was the Soma Kinkaku (family of ancestors)."

"The Soma Familia... um—it's really an organization that's hard to oppose, but also doesn't want to support."

"Um, Miss Eina, may I ask what kind of 'Familia' the Soma Familia is?"

When I asked that, Miss Eina said, "Wait a moment," and began to peruse the large prepared file. She took her glasses out of her pocket and put them on, making a crisp sound.

It seems they not only wanted to share their own knowledge, but also wanted to provide me with accurate official information in detail.

"The Soma Familia is a typical exploration-oriented Familia. Unlike other Familias, they also engage in some commercial activities."

"Commercial category? So, they've launched products on the market?"

"Yes, they sell alcohol."

"liquor……?"

"Yes. Although the variety and market availability are limited, the taste seems amazing. Apparently, it's a hot commodity among Orario members."

"I feel they should be able to succeed if they focus on this kind of activity," Ms. Eina added.

The profession of adventurer constantly exposes them to danger, making it highly risky. Therefore, if you want to develop your [Family] safely, it's best to stick to a legitimate profession. Starting a business might be considered a gamble, but being an adventurer is like living on a suspension bridge that could collapse at any moment—to put it bluntly, it's a profession that's always close to death.

In contrast, adventurers can soar to great heights. In this labyrinthine city, only adventurers have the chance to become rich overnight, provided they are not afraid of high risks and high rewards.

"Among the [Families], their strength is at the very middle level. There aren't any particularly outstanding strong individuals, but the adventurers there are all above average in strength. Wow... the most frightening thing is the number of members. I really didn't know that."

"A large number of members in a 'Family' indicates..."

"It seems that Soma, the chief god, has many followers. But I've really never heard any rumors about that god, whether good or bad..."

"Um... that child named Lily just said that Soma has absolutely no contact with other gods, is that true?"

"That's probably what makes Soma, the god of heaven, so famous. It sounds strange to say a god is detached from the mortal world, but that's really how he is. I've heard that he has never attended a gathering of the gods, nor does he associate with any other gods. Some people even say: Does any god even know Soma, the god of heaven?"

That's really... should I call it extreme or what?

Oh, right, Lily seems to have said that he would never care about others.

Miss Eina said she couldn't either oppose or support them, probably because this "familia" was simply too uncontroversial. Neither a readily friendly "familia" nor one that's absolutely advised to be avoided... something like that?