by Fujino Omori
This was beginning to feel so much like a real date that Hestia’s cheeks were starting to go numb.
No matter what happened from this point on, nothing could bring down Hestia’s high spirits.
“Well then, Bell, you’d better be a good escort for me tonight!”
“I-I will!”
Then he smiled and extended his hand. Hestia was about to take it—then it happened.
They rounded the corner of the square like a pack of wolves.
“There they are!”
“Hestia’s here!”
“So then…that guy next to her is…!”
It was the goddesses from the bath. All of the insanely beautiful girls’ and women’s eyes sparkled with the same fervor as they charged en masse.
Bell froze at the onslaught of deities. Hestia stood next to him, her eyes as wide as they would go.
“Awww! He’s so cute!”
“So he’s Hestia’s type!”
“M-mmpph!”
The swarm pushed Hestia out of the way and swallowed Bell in one swift motion.
Arms from all directions pulled Bell into their owners’ breasts, each goddess embracing him one by one.
Oxygen was hard to come by, trapped in the heavenly cage from hell. Bell’s face was burning red in a matter of seconds as he struggled to come up for air.
“Nah…Hnnnnn…Hahhhh?!”
“Sorry, Hestia! We wanted to know who it was so badly we couldn’t help it. So we followed you…My, my, my! He really does look like a rabbit!”
“Nnn—hnnnn—!”
“B-BEEELLLL—!”
Echoes of Hestia’s scream bounced around the square.
Bell’s life was hanging by a thread. He had fallen into the valley that was Demeter’s massive cleavage. None of the other goddesses even came close to her overwhelming chest canyon. Every time Demeter stroked Bell’s white hair, pressure built up within Hestia. Veins in her head were bulging to the point that blood should have been shooting out her eyes.
The spearhead of the goddesses’ desire for entertainment had struck her personal life, and it was mercilessly trampling everything in its path.
Just when Hestia was about to hit her breaking point—
Clothing disheveled, face beet red and hair going in all directions, Bell popped out of the group through a small opening.
“God…dess…”
“B-Bell! Are you all right?!”
“…I can die happy…!”
Whack! Hestia buried the tip of her shoe in Bell’s shin.
“Sorry…!”
“Accepted. Now, time to get out of here!”
Pulling a one-legged Bell out of the swarm by force, Hestia started their escape.
It took a moment for the goddesses to realize their prize was gone; their moment of surprise was the opening that Bell and Hestia needed to get out of Amour Square.
The two of them took off at full speed through the city, keeping an eye out for the pursuit of the relentless deities.
“Ahhh! Why are they always like this?! Goddesses have no self-control, really!”
“Ha-haaaa…”
Bell grimaced next to a frustrated and yelling Hestia.
The two of them had finally shaken their pursuers in an old bell tower just off West Main. Made of brick, the now silent tower stood by itself with the original—but broken—bell still hanging overhead.
They hid themselves inside the tower until the goddesses passed by, allowing Bell and Hestia to finally relax for a moment.
“It’s already the middle of the night…Aww, and tonight was supposed to be our date, too.”
“D-date?”
There wasn’t much time left before midnight. Hestia let out a long sigh as she fumbled with her hair, which had gotten tangled from running around so much.
The day had come to a lamentable end, and she stewed in it for a moment.
“Oh…! Goddess, take a look at that!”
“……?”
Bell enthusiastically pointed outside to get Hestia’s attention.
What unfolded before her as she turned around was the city itself, lit up by magic-stone lamps like stars in the night sky.
More lamps than she could count shone with dazzling colors on every building of Orario.
In the center of it all, a massive white tower pierced the darkness to reach well into the black sky.
Hestia lost herself for a moment in the beautiful view from the top of the old bell tower. She didn’t say a word as she looked over at Bell sitting beside her. She could see the entire city’s reflection in his shimmering eyes.
Bell felt Hestia’s eyes and turned to meet them. Seeing this amazing view side by side with Hestia made him feel warm inside. Harnessing its power, he opened his mouth to speak.
“Um, Goddess…Let’s go again sometime. For sure.”
“Bell…”
“Until then, I’ll work as hard as I can to save money. We can eat delicious food, have delicious drinks, and then let’s come here.”
“……”
“We found this amazing view today…so let’s come here again, together.”
He continued, telling her that the day had not been wasted.
And that he was glad to share this moment with her.
Bell was trying to keep Hestia’s spirits up. It wasn’t just for show, either; he really felt that way.
A carefree smile lit up Bell’s face and struck a chord with Hestia. She slowly closed her eyes, butterflies dancing in her stomach.
That innocent, stupidly honest smile made her even more attracted to the boy, right then and there.
She felt love in the memories she’d made that day, and in Bell’s promise of tomorrow.
“I’m looking forward to it, Bell.”
“Yes.”
She smiled back at him with a grin wide enough to split her face in half.
The two of them looked back outside at the beautiful city and enjoyed what was left of their time alone.
Hestia had succeeded in getting closer to him. The feeling made her blush and let her mind be at ease.
I was going to ask him about that supporter tonight, but…I just don’t feel like it anymore.
Now wasn’t the time for anything so uncouth, she thought to herself, and took in the view once again.
Feeling the warmth of the boy next to her, she closed her eyes and smiled.
The bells on the hair ribbons she’d tied around her wrists rung faintly, shaking in the cool breeze that flowed through the tower, caressing them both under the old bell.
Chapter 3
MAGIC, MAGIC THAT SUMMONS A LAP
There was a flash of silver light.
“Grrooaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!”
The light carved a line from the head of the skeleton monster—the spartoi—straight through its body. The monster let out one last dying cry.
Spartois looked like human skeletons, with the exception of pieces of armor attached to different places all over their bodies. They were truly fearsome beasts. With sharp angles at every corner of their frame and wielding white bones as weapons, they were every inch the cursed, skeletal warriors they appeared to be.
This beast was categorized at level four, and it guarded its territory in the deep levels of the Dungeon very well. This time, however, it was slain in the blink of an eye.
“……”
The warrior whipped her sword to the ground, the overwhelming power of her attack causing everyone around her to break out in a cold sweat.
Bones, bones, bones, bones.
Bones littered the ground as far as the eye could see. These white fragments of their former forms were all that remained of a group of at least ten spartois that met their demise at this spot.
Blond hair, golden eyes.
A girl with beauty to rival the gods stood in the middle of this gruesome graveyard.
“…And she did it all herself.”
“She’d be a lot cuter if she pretended to be in tr
ouble every now and then…”
In the time it took for her allies to speak those words, the blond girl—Aiz Wallenstein—silently sheathed her narrow sword and turned to join them.
“Nice, nice! Good work, Aiz! Need a potion? Or an elixir? How about one of your favorite sweet-bean-flavored potato puffs?”
“I’m fine, Tiona, thanks…But I want the last one.”
“Why would she need a potion anyway? There isn’t a scratch on her.”
“In any case, the monsters have been taken care of…What should we do now, Fynn?”
“Hmm, should we head home? We came here for fun, so it would be a real buzzkill if we ran out of food and had to go back hungry. What’re your thoughts, Reveria?”
They were standing in the thirty-seventh level of the Dungeon. Members of Loki Familia had journeyed down to the level known as the “Lower Fortress.” The party was very small, only seven members including their supporters. Aiz Wallenstein led the group of only five top-class adventurers.
This time was indeed just for fun. Unlike their earlier expedition, a few Loki Familia members with some free time on their hands had gathered together to do a little dungeon prowling.
Why were they here? They were bored.
Countless adventurers make it this deep into the Dungeon only to lose lives. The fact that any of them could say this was “for fun” spoke volumes about their true power.
“I’ll go with the leader’s decision…Hey, you two, we’re packing up!”
The normally aloof elf, Reveria, raised her voice.
Tiona and Tione, two Amazonian sisters with skin the color of wheat, nodded in acknowledgment. Aiz, holding a potato puff in both hands, slumped her shoulders in disappointment.
Food provisions were a common problem whenever a party of adventurers journeyed this deep into the Dungeon.
“But ya know, if Bete were here he’d be putting up quite a fuss right about now. He always tries to act like a big shot in front of Aiz. It pisses me off, seriously.”
“After that night at the bar, when we told him after he sobered up that Aiz flat-out rejected him, he almost cried! So depressed!”
“Ohhh?! I really wanted to see that! Why didn’t you tell me, Tione?!”
There wasn’t much for them to do in terms of getting ready to leave. This was because collecting magic stones was the supporters’ job, and Aiz had already annihilated all the monsters in the area. The sisters created a very relaxed atmosphere as the two supporters, who just ranked up to Level Three, went to work on the remains of the spartois.
Aiz looked up from her potato puff to voice her own opinion.
“Fynn, Reveria. I would like to stay behind, alone.”
The two people she named had very different reactions to her request. Fynn’s eyes opened a little wider; Reveria’s expression remained unchanged, save for her closing one eye.
Ignoring the stunned Tiona and Tione, Aiz expanded on her request.
“You don’t have to leave any food for me. I don’t want to cause any problems for anyone. Please.”
“W-wait—! You’re causing us problems just by saying that! If we left you behind, we’d be too worried to think straight!”
“I agree with Tiona. No matter how low the monsters’ levels are, I can’t abandon an ally this deep in the Dungeon. It’s much too dangerous.”
Aiz looked sad, facing Tiona, who stood with her hands on her hips and leaned in to within inches of Aiz’s nose. She couldn’t refute Tione’s opinion, either.
She knew what the girls were saying was unquestionably right.
“Why do you want to fight that much? It’s such a waste, Aiz! You’re so lovely! You should act more like a lady! How can you be losing to me, an Amazon, in fashion sense?”
“I…don’t care about that…”
“Why not? Don’t you want a good strong male…or some fellow you favor, at least? Is that pretty face just a decoration?”
“Stop telling others to do things you wouldn’t do yourself.”
Reveria took in a deep breath, standing one step away from the silent, slouching Aiz.
Turning to Fynn, the elf opened her mouth to speak.
“I will ask on her behalf as well. Please respect Aiz’s wishes.”
“Reveria?!”
“Hmm?”
The shortest of the group, a prum, looked up at Reveria as if trying to figure out her intention.
“This one doesn’t often make selfish statements. I want you to listen.”
“You can’t treat her like a parent looking after a child, Reveria. Tiona and Tione are in the right. As long as it’s my responsibility that everyone gets back safely, I can’t approve of this.”
“I’m aware that I’m spoiling her…So.”
Reveria let out a second sigh and looked in Aiz’s direction.
Looking at the sad eyes of the girl who normally didn’t show emotion, the elf laughed a bit inside at herself.
She then locked eyes with Fynn.
“I shall remain as well.”
She declared her intention to support Aiz.
Fynn looked back into the elf’s eyes, her hand on her chin. She slowly nodded, as if this decision was extremely important.
“Okay, go ahead.”
“Huh? Fynn, talk some sense into them!”
“As long as Reveria is with her, I doubt the worst will happen. On the other hand, we might run into trouble on the way back.”
“Because I can’t attack or heal anyone, right, Captain?”
Things happened quickly after the leader made up his mind.
Fynn’s group with the supporters said their good-byes to the two staying behind and left.
Standing in the only entrance to the room, Tiona turned around and gave a big wave to Aiz and Reveria.
“Thanks, Reveria.”
“While I would like you to stop, it’s too late now. I will say this, though: I better not have to fight.”
“…Sorry.”
The two girls didn’t look at each other, but there was a great deal of trust within their words.
The thirty-seventh level was different from the upper floors in that it was almost completely dark. The ceiling was so high that it couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. A black abyss hung over the heads of adventurers who passed through these halls.
Small spots of phosphorescence, flickering at equal intervals like candles along the milky white dungeon walls, were the only visual cues.
The two of them stayed at that spot in silence as a questioning look grew on Reveria’s face.
Sensing something, Aiz withdrew her sword.
“It’s here.”
“What’s here?”
Aiz’s eyes squinted, ready for battle. She was going to respond to the elf’s question, but there was no need—Reveria quickly realized what was happening.
The floor beneath them was starting to crack.
“Can it be…”
Reveria’s whisper reached Aiz just as the blond girl’s golden eyes fixed on a point in the middle of the massive room.
She blinked and the ground split open.
Dirt and gravel were pushed aside as a giant stuck its head out of the floor.
Crack, crack, crack. The horrible sound of the earth being torn apart echoed through the chamber. Pieces of the floor that were lifted up by the thing’s massive frame fell to the dungeon floor like a landslide, a deafening roar growing louder by the second.
A skull, then collarbones, ribs, and a pelvis appeared. A black skeleton was being born from the dungeon floor.
Every movement it made sent a shock wave through the room. The entire thirty-seventh level was shaking.
It was as if the Dungeon were howling in celebration of the birth of its favorite son.
“NGOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!”
The two adventurers stood below as the giant monster let out an awful groan of a birth-cry.
The gargantuan monster howled at the ceiling. It stood more than ten meters t
all.
It was black from head to toe—a giant skeleton from hell. Most of its lower body was still within the dungeon floor, and two large projections emerged from the top of its skull. It was like a spartoi had just kept on growing.
Two bloodred sparks flickered to life deep within the skull’s eye sockets.
The creature’s magic stone hovered weightlessly inside the chest, protected by a cage of bones.
“So then, three months have passed…”
As a general rule, the number and type of monsters on each floor didn’t change.
A single type of monster couldn’t overrun a floor, and new monsters were born to replace those slain by adventurers. While there was some difference in time required for new monsters to spawn on each floor, it never took more than one day.
In the middle of all that, there was a type of monster that did not revive immediately after being slain. Its interval of rebirth was much longer.
Also, there was only one of this kind of monster on each floor at a time.
Perhaps because they were too strong or too big, the Dungeon only allowed one of them on a floor, and never more than that.
The Guild had known about these special monsters from ancient times, and had a name for them.
“A Monster Rex.”
“Reveria, leave it to me.”
All varieties of Monster Rex look different but have two things in common: They had a long revival interval and were extremely powerful.
It had been said that each one was fully two levels above the rest of the monsters on their floor.
Even the highest-level adventurers respected and feared them, calling them “floor bosses.” Usually many adventurers had to work together to bring one of them down.
“Aiz, do you really intend to fight alone?”
A worried Reveria looked at the girl with severe eyes.
Aiz raised her sword and walked calmly toward Udaios, the Monster Rex threateningly roaring in her direction.
“Not a problem.”
The gods sung the praises of this, their “boss character, second class.” But the girl now faced it down alone.
“I’ll be done in a moment.”
A week later, rumors of a Level Six kenki would spread throughout Orario.
“……?”
Bell came to a halt.
