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

This "Abundant Mistress" shop was started by the female owner, Aunt Mia (the staff all seem to call her "Mom"). I heard she used to be an adventurer. Now she has semi-retired from her affiliated "Family," and it seems she has received divine permission. I can't help but admire that such examples actually exist.

The staff consists entirely of women. I heard that some people with unspeakable difficulties gather in the store, and Aunt Mia always generously accepts these special individuals.

So, is Miss Seele one too? I boldly asked, and she replied, "I came here because the work environment looks nice." I understand; it's probably more relaxed for women.

"This shop is popular with adventurers, and business is booming. The wages are also very generous."

"...Miss Seele, you don't seem to love money, do you?"

"Just kidding, just kidding. Besides, a lot of people will gather here..."

As Miss Seele finished speaking, she looked up from the bar and turned to survey the entire store.

A dwarf customer makes unwanted advances at the waiter while a human waitress skillfully handles him. Elven customers happily devour their food, while a group of Palum huddle together at the table, laughing and joking.

Everyone raised their beer glasses high, their faces flushed, and they reveled in the joy.

"The more people there are, the more discoveries will be made...which excites me."

Miss Seele narrowed her eyes and said this softly.

She suddenly noticed that I was staring at her intently, and blushed as she deliberately coughed.

"Anyway, that's how it is. I should say, I'm increasingly enjoying interacting with strangers... it creates a kind of hunger within me."

"...You've got some pretty explosive talk."

However, I think I can understand it. Just like when I came to Orario, I also felt excited very easily.

There are always new discoveries, perhaps a privilege unique to people living in this city.

Just as I was beginning to empathize with what Miss Seele had said, a large group of more than a dozen people suddenly entered the tavern. Perhaps they had made a reservation beforehand, because the staff led them to a corner seat that was diagonally opposite me, with several empty seats.

This is a diverse group of adventurers of various races, and at first glance, everyone seems to possess extraordinary strength...

(ah--)

My heart skipped a beat.

What unexpectedly came into my view was a head of golden hair with a sandy gold sheen.

The delicate outline that seems to be about to break at the touch is exquisite and beautiful. It looks more like a fairy or goblin from a fairy tale than an exquisite doll.

The exceptionally eye-catching golden eyes were transparent and clear, causing people to gasp for no reason.

A beautiful girl with a pair of willow-shaped eyebrows and a calm and steady expression.

Among the many experts who entered the store, there was the person I admired so much.

I couldn't possibly be mistaken.

Miss Ais Wallenstein...!

"……Hello."

"Oh, what a beautiful young lady!"

"Idiot, no. Look at that badge."

"……Depend on."

The guests around them also started to stir as soon as they found out that they were from the [Loki Familia].

They put their faces close to each other and talked in whispers as if they were having a secret conversation.

"That is..." "...the Familia, the giant slayer." "The Star Gathering of First-Class Adventurers." "Which one is the renowned 'Sword Maiden'?"

The voices that came in waves were filled with fear, and some even whistled at Miss Wallenstein and other female members.

As for me, I simply couldn't stay calm.

I never imagined that I would reunite with the person I admire in this way.

What, what should I do?

"Mr. Bell?"

Go thank her, thank her for saving me… No, no, no, running out at a time like this will only make me a laughingstock. Besides, what good would it do me to go to her? Tell her, “I like you, please go out with me”? Calm down, idiot. We’re complete strangers, this and that…

It's decided. We'll see how things go.

Or rather, I simply had no idea what to do. My mind was completely blank.

"...Mr. Bell—?"

I pressed my flushed face, which was burning hot and flushed, against the bar counter, stealthily observing the movements of the Loki Familia. Like a hunter lurking in the grass, holding my breath, watching the trap's success. Miss Seele called out to me, looking puzzled, but I was sorry, I wasn't in the mood to answer her.

Miss Wallenstein's seat was directly facing me. I could hear my heart pounding, and my gaze was fixed solely on her.

"Alright, everyone, thank you for your hard work on the dungeon expedition! Let's drink until we drop!"

A man stood up and led the toast. I could only see his back; I couldn't see his face from my position.

Then the Loki Familia members began to laugh and joke. "Clang!" They clinked their beer glasses together and heartily sipped their food and beer. Miss Wallenstein, who didn't eat much, maintained her own pace as she enjoyed her meal.

As the Loki Familia began to enter the atmosphere of the banquet, the other guests also seemed to wake up from a dream and raised their glasses to drink.

"The Loki Familia are our regular customers. Their god Loki is quite fond of our shop."

Miss Seele noticed that I was looking at the Loki Familia with great interest, so she leaned close to my ear and whispered something to me using her hand as a screen.

I understand, and I will keep it in mind.

There's a high chance you'll meet Miss Wallenstein if you come here.

My eyes, wide with anticipation, were captivated by Miss Wallenstein's every move. She gave a wry smile to the constant urging of others to drink, sometimes chatting with her energetic female colleagues, sometimes wiping her mouth with a tissue in a small, animalistic gesture…

Although my act of hiding and spying was quite disgusting, the various expressions of Miss Wallenstein, whom I have yet to see, have captivated my attention.

She would speak and laugh like that.

For the first time, I experienced a strange sensation as if my heart had turned bright red.

"By the way, Ais! Tell me about what happened to you last time!"

"That matter?"

Whenever I hear them call out the name "Ais," my body stiffens.

Diagonally opposite Miss Wallenstein, two seats away from her, the orc youth seemed to be asking her to say something.

His handsome features don't lack masculinity... Even as a gay man, I think he's very handsome.

"That's the one. On the way back, a few Minotaur escaped! Didn't you take care of the last one on the 5th floor? The one where you met Tomato Boy!"

—My heart lost its composure, and it felt different from before.

My brain froze for a moment, as if it had frozen.

"The Minotaur you're talking about, is it the group that attacked us on the 17th floor, was repelled, and immediately fled?"

"It's them! I don't know what miracle made them keep running up to the upper levels, catching us completely off guard and making us chase them for ages! We were on our way back, exhausted, and they were still pulling this trick—"

In the dungeon, you have to rely on your own two legs to get there, and you also have to climb back up floor by floor on your own two legs. There is no convenient way to directly reach the target floor, so every time we adventurers reach a new floor, we have to go back and forth to the same place several times.

Therefore, when venturing into particularly deep levels, thorough preparation for both the outward and return journeys is essential; neither can be neglected. If one focuses solely on the journey and collapses from exhaustion, the consequences could be dire. For [Familias] venturing into the depths of the dungeon, abundant personnel and resources, along with a captain capable of timing the return trip, are of paramount importance.

To compile all the intelligence we have heard so far, that is to say...

These are members of the Loki Familia who have embarked on a deep "expedition".

On the way back, they encountered a group of Minotaur and were unable to eliminate them completely.

They chased after it all the way, forcing the last one into the fifth floor.

Miss Wallenstein took care of it.

And the people present at the time were—

"And then, there was this adventurer over there who was obviously a newbie, a spineless coward!"

--I.

"It's hilarious! He was cornered against the wall like a rabbit! He was trembling all over, it was so pitiful to see, and his face was even twitching!"

I felt like my whole body was on fire.

It felt like there wasn't a single part of my body that wasn't burning hot, as if I were burning fiercely from the depths of my body.

"Oh? What happened to that adventurer? Was he rescued?"

"Ais chopped the Minotaur into pieces at the last second, didn't she?"

"..."

My upper and lower teeth couldn't clench, and despite the fact that my nerves were about to snap, I forced myself to twist my neck muscles to look at that person.

The man frowned slightly.

"As a result, that guy got completely drenched in that stinky cow's blood... and turned as red as a tomato! Hehehe."

"Ouch—, my stomach hurts so much…!"

“Wow…”

"Ais, you did that on purpose, didn't you? Please tell me, you did it on purpose...!"

"...No."

The orc youth, with tears in his eyes, struggled to suppress his laughter, while the other members couldn't help but laugh. Even the outsiders at other tables who overheard the conversation almost burst out laughing, desperately holding it in.

"And what's more? That tomato boy actually ran away while yelling like a ghost... Pfft! Our princess saved someone, but scared him away instead!"

"……laugh."

"Hahahaha! That's really interesting—! Ais, who scared the adventurer, is so cute—!"

"Heh, heh heh... I'm sorry, Ais, I just couldn't hold back anymore...!"

"..."

"Ugh, oh dear, don't give me that scary look! It makes my cute face look ugly—?"

The Loki Familia burst into laughter.

On the contrary, it felt as if a huge hole had been opened in the place where I was.

That side and this side are like two different worlds.

"Mr. Bell...?"

A woman's voice came from beside me, but it went straight through my mind.

Then they suddenly started arguing again.

"But I haven't seen that kind of coward in a long time, and it really bothers me. He's a man, yet he cries so much."

"...Oh dear—"

"It's so awful. Honestly, if you're so prone to crying, you shouldn't have become an adventurer in the first place. It's disgusting to look at, isn't it, Ais?"

"..."

From the corner of my mind, I heard a scraping sound.

"I feel that those kinds of people lower our moral standards, and I really want them to behave themselves."

"Have you babbled enough, Bert? Letting the Minotaur escape was our mistake. We should have apologized to the boy who was caught in the crossfire, instead of using it as a topic of conversation at the dinner table. You should know what shame is."

"Oh—oh—, as expected of a great elf, so noble. But what good does it do you to support such a hopeless guy? It can only be used to cover up your own failures and make you feel good about yourself, right? What's wrong with calling trash trash?"

"Hey, Bert, Rivera, both of you, stop talking. The wine's tasted awful."

—Kakaka.

"Ais, what do you think? That coward who trembles in front of you actually calls himself an adventurer just like us?"

"...I don't think he was to blame in that situation."

—Kakaka, kakaka.

"What, stop pretending to be innocent... Okay, let me ask you another question. Between that kid and me, which one would you rather be paired with?"

"...Bert, are you drunk?"

"Stop nagging. Hey, Ais, hurry up and choose. As a female, which male would you rather wag your tail with, and which male would you rather have sex with?"

—Kakakakakakakakakaka.