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

"North Street. Tiona told me there's a fries shop over there."

When I asked, Miss Ais answered in this way. The Tiona she was referring to was probably a colleague from the Familia.

At that moment, I was indeed worried that if others saw us walking together on a busy avenue, it might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. But what bothered me even more was another kind of inner turmoil.

French fries... I have a bad feeling about this.

I felt a chill run down my spine, and before I knew it, I had arrived at North Street.

As dusk approached, the sky gradually turned ochre red. The moderately bustling North Street was filled with various demi-human races, such as elves and dwarves, whose gazes occasionally stole at us... no, Miss Ais. I could only shrink myself as much as possible.

Miss Ais looked around as if searching for something, then she seemed to see a sign, turned off the main road, and entered a side road.

Walking into a side road wide enough for a horse-drawn carriage to pass, the vendor's stall was right in front of you.

—In an instant, I froze on the spot.

"Welcome...?"

And the shop assistants at the stalls... it was as if time had stopped.

Her sweet, affectionate smile was abruptly interrupted, her eyes widening in surprise.

Those eyes clearly reflected Miss Ais and my own reflection standing beside her.

My face turned blue rapidly at an alarming speed.

"..."

"..."

"Fried potato balls, red bean and cream flavor, two."

I stood frozen in place with the immortals, while Miss Ais calmly ordered her food.

Another clerk coated the potato balls in batter and fried them. The clerk slowly packaged them, saying in a daze, "Eighty falcons in total," and handed over the fried potato balls. "Thank you," Miss Ais said, taking the fried potato balls.

Finally, the deity's face became expressionless, like a mask, and he quickly walked around the vendors and came before us.

My sweating is about to reach its peak.

"—What are you doing?! Aa ...

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I'm so sorry!"

Faced with the gods who erupted like volcanoes, I cried out in apology.

I didn't tell the gods that I was training with Miss Ais.

Getting involved with other [Families], while it depends on the situation, is generally not a good thing. The gods already harbor resentment towards Loki, the goddess who is Ais's patron goddess; or rather, Loki sees Ais herself as a thorn in their side…

I'm sure even if I explained to the fairy that Miss Ais meant no harm, she wouldn't believe me and would definitely object, so I've been keeping this from her.

"Why did he have to be with [Fiora] of all people, Bell!"

"This...this has a very deep reason...!"

"Stop talking nonsense and explain yourself! ...Get away from him, don't come near him!"

The deity shouted as he squeezed between us.

The deity glared at Miss Ais, who looked somewhat troubled, with a hostile look, as a way of restraining her.

"So how did you end up with [Sword Princess]? Tell me about it...!"

"Uh, well, we just happened to run into each other nearby...!"

"...Don't try to lie before God!"

"Woo-ga—!" The deity shouted with his hands raised high, "Eee-ee-ee!" which almost made me cry.

Her jet-black twin ponytails twisted and turned, seemingly ready to spring, and slapped against my head repeatedly.

In my foolish desperation, I made up an excuse to get by, and was mercilessly punished by the gods.

"Um... I'm here, teaching him how to fight."

At this moment, Miss Ais, who had been observing from the sidelines, slowly interjected.

She probably couldn't stand it anymore, so she confessed everything, as if she wanted to protect me.

The deity glared at her fiercely, and upon hearing these words, he was startled and his shoulders swayed.

"Bell, you didn't show this kid your [ability stats], did you?!"

"I...I didn't! How could I let anyone see that?"

"So, does that mean they're after Bell's growth rate...?"

I couldn't hear the deity's quiet mutterings. At that moment, the deity glared fiercely at Miss Ais, as if she were a murderer of her own family.

Then she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly from the side.

Wait, what are you doing?!

"Don't think you can beat me to it and steal my Bell away! I set my sights on him first!"

"What are you doing, deity?!"

"Ew... Waa ...

I?

"Hestia, this is getting in the way of business! If you want to argue with your boyfriend, go somewhere else!"

"No, I'm sorry, Auntie! Please come with me!"

When the orc shopkeeper left behind the vendor spoke, the immortal bends his wrist.

Feeling inexplicably exhausted, I was pulled along by a deity, while Miss Ais obediently followed behind.

We turned from the original side road into a narrower, less populated path, where we huddled together and talked.

"...Phew. First, let's explain things clearly."

Seeing that the fairy had finally regained her composure, I breathed a sigh of relief. I apologized to her for keeping it from her and explained the whole story.

As he spoke, he didn't forget to confirm with Miss Ais.

The deity stood with his arms crossed and eyes closed, listened to the whole story, and then nodded generously.

"...Yes, I understand everything. So, you two should stop seeing each other from now on."

“Eh!”

"Really, it's not okay...?"

"Hmm. Miss Warren, please stop having anything to do with my Bell. You have your own reasons, don't you? Doing this is for the sake of both of our [familias]... *coo ...

I mentally performed a deep bow, covering the mouth of the deity.

I told myself that I must make it up to the goddess afterward until she was satisfied.

"W-What are you doing, Belle!"

"Please, God, just a few more days! Please let me undergo Miss Ais's training for a few more days!"

"...?"

I turned around with the fairy, our backs to Miss Ais who looked puzzled, and whispered my pleas to her.

"You said it would only be a few more days, but you'll definitely...!"

"Just two more days! The agreed deadline will be here in two days!"

I told her that the Loki Familia would be embarking on an "expedition" in three days, and that Miss Ais would be participating. I bowed my head and begged the gods several times.

I told the deity all my innermost thoughts without any reservations, saying that I hoped to seek guidance from this person until the very last moment.

"I absolutely won't waste this time! I'll study hard and earn even more money in the dungeon in the future! So...!"

“Hmm…!”

I pleaded desperately for a long time, clinging to a sliver of hope, and made every agreement I could think of.

The deity kept groaning, glaring at me fiercely, and finally sighed.

"I spoil you so much..."

"immortal……"

"...Really only two more days?"

Hearing the fairy say this, I sincerely bowed my head and thanked her.

This is an act of repentance for constantly making willful demands and causing trouble for the gods, and also an expression of gratitude beyond repentance.

Later, the deity verbally agreed to let me continue the training for the remaining two days on the condition that the Loki Familia must not discover my relationship with Miss Ais.

"Let me make this clear: if you dare to do anything rash to Bell, then pretend I never said anything, understand?"

"OK."

"And you're absolutely forbidden from seducing him, understand...!"

"OK……?"

When I saw the fairy give Miss Ais a strange warning at the end, I quickly stepped forward to stop her.

"Then, I'll also visit your training session today."

“Eh!”

"What's wrong, Belle? What's with that look? It's God's (the parents') duty to make sure your important family members (children) have been harmed by others, isn't it?"

"Uh, well, so how will you manage to get a part-time job...?"

"I'm leaving early today."

"Wait for me here," the fairy said, pointing at us before running off to the vendors. I watched her leave, sweating profusely, and then scratched my face.

I looked at Miss Ais and asked her, "Is this alright?" She smiled slightly and nodded.

"What a gentle goddess..."

"……yes."

◇

We brought the deity to the city wall, and then focused on training to make up for the time we had just wasted.

I didn't want to lose face in front of the visiting deities, so I mustered up my energy. Perhaps that's why I wasn't knocked unconscious again—though I was beaten quite badly nonetheless, so I continued to intensify my training.

By the time I noticed, it was already dark.

"Hey, Bell. You're basically just getting beaten up one-sidedly. Forget it, Miss Warren is probably just using you as a punching bag."

"Gods, immortals..."

As I descended the stone steps inside the city walls, the deity casually touched a raw nerve.

The interior was almost windowless and very dark. I walked down the steps hand-in-hand with the fairy, my heart silently bleeding. In contrast, the fairy was all smiles, clearly in high spirits.

Is it so fun to bully me?

No, I made so many unreasonable demands just now, I have to bear this little thing...

"We'll be there soon..."

Miss Ais, carrying a small magic stone lamp (which seems to be an essential item for adventurers), told me and the fairy this as she walked ahead.

Her boots clattered as we descended the steps, opened the entrance door, and were instantly relieved of the damp air, which enveloped us in a slightly chilly breeze.

The azure night sky is adorned with a golden moon and countless stars.

"Um, a deity? Now that we're outside, shouldn't we be able to let go now...?"

"What are you talking about, Belle? This isn't like the main street, it's very dark. Please hold my hand tightly so I don't fall."

The fairy smiled and held my hand tightly with her soft fingers, making me blush, a blush that lingered for a long time.

The deity was right; we were currently in a corner of the city, quite dark, unlike the city center or main streets. But at least there was moonlight and starlight to illuminate the path beneath our feet…

We continued to move forward in the increasingly wide and quiet back alleys.

(What will Miss Ais think of us...?)

My hands were clasped tightly together, making me feel so embarrassed. I secretly glanced at the person next to me.