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

Eina told her, mixing in a few facts. Because the questions she asked were difficult to conceal with excuses, and she also wanted to ask Riveria, hoping to gain some new insights.

"I see. Indeed, I have heard that the members of that [Family] often do some chilling things."

"Does Lady Rivera know anything?"

She sounded expectant, and her voice became excited.

This could be a major blunder.

Riveria closed one eye, staring intently at Eina, who was eager to ask more questions.

"Oh no," Eina stammered, momentarily speechless. "Oh no," she thought.

Rivera has a keen sense of judgment. She can easily see through a person's schemes and discern their underlying thoughts. When they were children, Eina could only hide nothing from her.

He was investigating the Soma Familia, and she might find out.

Eina waited in a cold sweat for Riveria's reaction.

"...Alright. Unfortunately, I don't know much about that [Family]. I probably know as little as you, or even less."

"I see."

Although she had completely noticed, at least she wasn't questioned, which relieved Eina.

Rivera stared at her for a long while before finally speaking:

"Although I don't know... I do know someone who is very knowledgeable about that faction."

“…Huh?”

"Would you like to come with me? To our [Family] headquarters."

●

Long Hall.

If I had to describe it, this would be the word.

(Although I had heard about it before, it truly lives up to its reputation as the headquarters of one of Orario's top exploration-type Familias...)

The northernmost point of the city of Orario. This building is located on a roadside that is somewhat remote from the main street.

The long, large mansion seemed to be crammed onto a narrow plot of land. Several tall towers overlapped like a forest of guns, complementing each other. The roofs of the towers formed a mountain of swords.

Although the copper-colored mansions are not as tall as the Tower of Babel, looking up at them will still make your neck ache. The tallest central tower, its blackened top tinged with the colors of dusk.

It resembles a mansion sculpted by flames.

This is an extremely apt description.

"Miss Riveria, you're back."

"Excuse me, is this... someone from the guild?"

"She's my friend's daughter. I hope you can turn a blind eye."

After reaching an agreement with the two gatekeepers, a man and a woman, Eina and Riveria passed through the gate of the mansion together.

The two women standing side by side look like sisters, but in reality, they are more than twice the age of each other.

Elves are a race that lives exceptionally long among demi-humans.

"Well, it might be too late to ask this now, but... is this really a good idea?"

Which matter are you referring to?

"You invited me, a member of the guild, to headquarters... If classified information about the Loki Familia were to leak through me..."

"Don't talk about things you can't do, Eina. If you were someone with ulterior motives, I wouldn't have brought you in the first place. Or do you just want to be humiliated?"

"No, no. I didn't mean that..."

Some scenes from her childhood came back to her mind. Eina entered the house and led her to the reception room.

This is a room with a subdued style, based on orange and yellow tones, facing directly into the hallway. Several seemingly expensive sofas and round tables covered with tablecloths are placed inside. Although the decor exudes a sense of luxury, it doesn't feel like a reception room; it's more like a space for relaxation and gatherings.

Just by looking at this space, one can vaguely sense the atmosphere within the Loki Familia.

(Oh, that's really nice. I'd love to stay here for a bit... Hmm?)

As Eina looked around the room, a scene came into view.

An armchair with its back to him. On the back of the armchair rests a small gold nugget.

No, that's not right, it's a head. Long golden hair cascaded down the outside of the handrail.

The person sitting in the chair turned their slender neck and slowly turned towards Eina and the others.

Eina immediately held her breath.

"You're back, Rivera."

"Yes, I'm back, Ais."

A beautiful girl even younger than Eina.

Her delicate facial features possess a more heroic and graceful beauty than a soft one. However, her bright golden eyes are as clear as a cool spring, perfectly embodying the word "flawless."

Indeed, her refined elegance and endearing childlike innocence coexist.

As Eina herself had said before, her beauty was breathtaking.

Ess Wallenstein.

Bell's object of affection is a blond, golden-eyed adventurer.

"Who...is that person?"

"Ah... I, I am!"

"She's a relative of mine. You two can simply greet each other."

Urged on by Riveria, the two introduced themselves. Ais kept her eyes fixed on Eina and clearly stated her name.

Without any protective gear, Ais looked like a pampered young lady. Her slender figure, clad in a pure white dress, gave a strong impression of delicate beauty, making her standard-sized bust appear much larger.

Her bare, white feet, without any covering, were crystal clear and as smooth as snow cream.

...I felt restless and uneasy.

Although she felt bad for Ais, Eina couldn't help but think this way. The two parties involved didn't meet there, but she found herself caught in the middle, feeling like she was between Bell and Ais.

Although she felt a little uncomfortable, she still sat face to face with Ais and at the table with Riveria.

"Ais, have you bought all the items we needed? We're going on another expedition in ten days."

"Hmm... I'll buy it tomorrow."

Ais, sitting on the chair with her knees drawn up to her chest, spoke softly. A faint, bell-like sound rang out.

Just like long ago when she looked at herself, Rivera's gaze, as if she were looking at her own child, surprised Eina. She asked quietly about something that had been bothering her since earlier.

"Um, Lady Rivera?"

"What's wrong?"

"Is Miss Wallenstein a little disappointed...?"

The girl buried half her face in her knees beneath the white cloth, radiating no vitality. Her long golden hair lacked luster, and she appeared dejected.

Yes, she was indeed very frustrated, and even Eina, who was meeting her for the first time, could tell.

Upon hearing Eina's question, Riveria chuckled, a rare occurrence for her.

"It's nothing, it's just that she seems to have been dumped by the man she's always cared about."

Rivera seemed genuinely amused, her shoulders shaking incessantly, but Eina couldn't take the remark as a joke. "Ugh..." she murmured, pressing a hand to her forehead, her head starting to ache.

It seems there's little hope for me to be treated like a younger brother by a boy.

"It's better not to tell Bell," Eina thought, sealing away what she had just heard in her heart.

"...Lady Rivera. So, about that matter earlier..."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll call that person over."

After laughing to her heart's content, Rivera reached for the bag she had brought back.

What she took out was that bottle of "Somo".

"Uh, Lady Rivera? Weren't you going to call that person over...?"

"It's too much trouble to search for her all over the house. Besides, that person is elusive; there's no guarantee we'll find her. It would be more useful to have her come to us herself."

While Eina was still full of doubts, Riveria uncorked the bottle she had bought—the way she paid for it with a [Loki Familia] receipt was truly impressive.

A unique sweet aroma, unlike any other alcoholic beverage, immediately filled the entire reception room.

"Wow...what a refreshing scent."

"Hmm. Although I'm used to the smell, it still smells just as good."

Eina savored the aroma of the wine for a moment, then accepted the glass that Riveria suddenly handed her without a second thought. When Eina came to her senses, she was nearly shocked to find that she had actually let Riveria, a member of royalty, pour her a drink.

The unacceptable treatment terrified her, and she nervously brought the glass to her lips.

(Waaaaah...!)

The moment she tilted her glass, Eina's eyes widened.

It's delicious. It's so delicious.

It has an intensely sweet and numbing flavor that makes your tongue tingle. But it's not cloying at all; it goes down smoothly without being greasy.

The aroma fills your nostrils in the blink of an eye. A sweet, refreshing aftertaste lingers, and your consciousness is captivated by the very last, lingering flavor. It's as if the aroma has permeated every corner of your body.

No wonder customers keep coming back; Eina understood immediately after just one sip.

"This tastes like...!"

Just as Eina had taken a sip of Somo...

Tap tap tap tap, as if drawn by the aroma of wine, a series of rapid footsteps approached quickly.

"Hey, is this Soma?"

The next instant, Loki, the chief god of the [Familia], appeared, his crimson hair flowing freely.

"You're here."

"So that's why you said you wanted to invite her over..."

"Ah—! It really is Soma! What, Rivera bought it for me! Oh my—, my dutiful daughter!"

Eina looked down at the fragrant glass in her hand, then shifted her gaze to Loki, who, as Riveria had expected, had been lured into the trap.

Even in the darkness, her crimson hair and eyes seemed to emit a faint red glow. Her slightly narrowed eyes were quite endearing, but her perfect features, like those meticulously crafted by a sculptor, were unmistakably those of a god descended to earth. Her slender, well-proportioned features now seemed to leap with the excitement of a wagging dog.

"I paid the money, but I wasn't the one who said I wanted to buy it."

"That's Ais! I saw you looked so dejected when you came back from the dungeon, you were just pretending to surprise me, weren't you? Ugh—, Ais is so adorable!"

"no."

Despite Loki's potential excited embrace at any moment, Ais remained dejected, unleashing a threatening sword aura. The message was clear: If you dare lay a hand on me, I'll chop you down.

Sweating profusely, Loki slowly backed away, muttering, "Wait, that's strange."

"I... I think Ais's 'toughness' is a bit too extreme, don't you think?"

"If you want my permission, please speak in a language I understand first. But hold on, this is the child who brought the gift."

Ah, so that's the reason you're using.

Eina then understood Riveria's plan.

The divine being who is well-versed in the inner workings of the Soma Kinka (familiars of the Soma clan) must be their chief deity, Loki. The intention is to offer sacrifices to the goddess in exchange for her answering the question.

Even though directly seeking advice from God made her hesitant, Eina still made up her mind.

"Hmm? Where did this child come from?"

"Nice to meet you, goddess Loki. My name is Eina Zul. This visit is unexpected..."

"Ugh, please, no to that kind. It makes the back of my neck itch terribly. Please don't."

Loki waved his hand dismissively, then stared at Eina, who was dressed in uniform, as if he had suddenly noticed something.