Danmachi: There’s Absolutely Nothing Wrong With Seeking a Harem

On the 18th Floor, the blue crystals overhead reflected the night.

The Adventurers of Rivira Town were noisily forming a party.

"Loki Familia? Oh, right, you're just about to head out on an expedition."

Bors, the burly man leading them, walked over to Finn and said, "But I had my eye on [Gale]'s bounty first."

"…"

Finn fell silent for a moment.

He knew the boy had a deep connection to Gale. On several previous journeys, that elf girl had accompanied him.

Now that Gale had been dragged into a murder case, it was undoubtedly a heavy blow for Bell.

Finn glanced at the boy. After receiving a look in response, he answered quietly.

"We don't have time to handle this incident, but I am very curious. Why are you so certain that Gale is the culprit?"

"Because someone saw her."

Bors answered casually.

"Is that so? Then where is this eyewitness?"

Finn continued pressing for details.

"Hey, where's that beastman kid?"

"Looks like he's not with the party anymore?!"

"His whole party's gone too! Did they slip away while we were getting our equipment?"

A commotion broke out among the Adventurers of Rivira Town.

"Bors, it seems you were deceived. Tell me exactly what happened."

"Tch, damn it…"

After Finn's reminder, even Bors realized something was wrong.

The victim had been found on the main road of the 18th Floor. His Achilles tendons had been severed, and his entire body was covered in blade wounds. Those wide-open eyes seemed full of shock at the culprit's actions.

Finn immediately judged that the depths of the cuts were inconsistent. The fatal wounds had clearly been added afterward.

"You were used as pawns, Bors. How about leaving this matter to us? Loki Familia's advance party has to continue deeper into the Dungeon anyway."

Finn moved decisively into negotiation.

"But the bounty…"

Bors glanced at the silent boy.

When the Black Goliath had rampaged, he had once seen a certain elf girl return from the passage to the 19th Floor together with the boy.

Since it had only been suspicion at the time, Bors had not exposed Gale's identity.

Judging from the current situation, the Little Rookie was probably deeply involved with Gale.

"Forget it. I'm going back to sleep. You'd better catch those real culprits who tricked us!"

Bors turned around and shouted at the party, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and go back! You got tricked, and now you still want to charge ahead like a bunch of stupid pigs?"

With that, the Adventurers of Rivira Town began withdrawing one after another.

Finn did not continue the conversation. He quickly walked over to the boy.

"Bell Cranel, this is troublesome. Gale must have chased the remnants of Evilus down to the lower floors."

"Yes. I noticed just now that there were fragments of Kaenseki on the victim's body. Do you have any information, Finn-san?"

That was precisely why Bell had not rushed straight to the 19th Floor.

If Evilus had set up an ambush on the 18th Floor specifically to strike Loki Familia, then they should have anticipated their combat strength. They would not have been chased down by Ryuu alone.

From that, he could tell that the fighting force Evilus had sent this time was not particularly strong.

That made things even harder to understand. Even if they planned to use Kaenseki to blow themselves up, there was no reason for the enemy to flee in such a panic.

"Kaenseki…"

Finn licked his index finger and frowned slightly.

"Bell Cranel, this is only my personal guess, but Astraea Familia once fought against Evilus and ended up calling forth a Calamity in the Dungeon. What if the remnants from back then are trying to recreate that tragedy?"

Gale had already been through many incidents. For her to lose all reason, the culprit had to be one of those involved back then.

Unfortunately, even Finn did not know the details regarding the Calamity.

After all, Astraea Familia had already stood at the forefront of the city at the time, yet they were completely annihilated. If the Calamity could be summoned through specific means, then even if the God Ouranos knew that information, he would never share it.

With so little information, Finn could only voice his own speculation. "Whatever the case, the explosions are definitely a key factor."

"I understand, Finn-san. I'll borrow Riveria-san for a moment."

Bell organized his thoughts and prepared to search for Ryuu.

"I am listening, you know."

Riveria sounded rather displeased with the boy's wording.

"Haha. Riveria, you and the elf unit should go with Bell Cranel."

Finn looked up at the Crystal Sky and added, "Where exactly did the enemy reach the 18th Floor from…? To be safe, I'll have Ais and the others remain here on guard, and Gareth will lead a team to search these floors for the so-called eyewitness."

"…"

Bell looked at the emerald-haired elf beside him and thought for a moment.

He raised his head and made a request. "No. Riveria-san and the others should act separately from me. Instead, please have the fastest person in Loki Familia accompany me."

...

A short while later, Loki Familia set up camp in the forest of the 18th Floor and took a temporary rest.

"That's the first time I've ever seen Riveria make that kind of face."

Gareth looked at the boy's back and murmured softly.

When she heard the boy's words, Riveria had lost her usual composure, her expression visibly shaken.

Worry, shock, confusion, concern… the elf princess had seemed to struggle against all sorts of emotions, but in the end, she agreed to the boy's request.

"Bell Cranel has both courage and good judgment. Leaving that side to him should be fine. Gareth, if you encounter any threats during the search, don't get dragged into a prolonged fight."

Finn gave his warning.

With Finn himself holding the camp and his two strongest fighters sent out separately to deal with the incident, his arrangement was quite steady.

The only question was whether the [Calamity] on the other side would truly be born in the Dungeon.

...

The Dungeon's 26th Floor.

Riveria and the elf unit raced along beside a massive waterfall.

"Don't worry about the wounded on the ground. They're all remnants of Evilus. Prioritize dealing with the Kaenseki!"

"Yes!"

"Riveria-sama! There's one here!"

"Hail Dust!"

Alicia looked toward the Kaenseki in the distance that was about to detonate and cast freezing magic.

"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"

Riveria, too, continued running at full speed while dealing with the Kaenseki in the passage.

They had smelled smoke on the 25th Floor. Judging by the timing, these explosions had clearly been deliberately triggered by Evilus.

Bell and Finn's prediction had been correct. The enemy was indeed trying to use explosions to draw out a certain being.

Riveria and the others' mission was not to pursue [Gale], but to dispose of every piece of Kaenseki that might explode.

This was the boy's request. No matter how worried Riveria was about his safety, she could not refuse.

Stopping the Calamity from being born was what she could do now.

As for the boy…

With that person beside him, he should be fine, right?

"…"

Riveria recalled Bete's figure, and worry rose in her heart.

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