Chapter 11: An unfortunate encounter.
It was a pleasant morning in the labyrinth city, where adventurers sought fame, power, and adventure, among other things. That day, Bell and Ais were training together, as had become their usual routine, atop the city's wall. Today marked the end of their secret training sessions, and Bell felt a mix of excitement and relief as he made his move. He attacked confidently for the first time, but as usual, he couldn't land a blow on Ais.
Both fighters separated, and Bell stood panting lightly, still holding his weapons, eyes fixed on Ais.
"You managed to counterattack for the first time," she observed.
"Yes," Bell replied, straightening his posture.
"Today was our last day."
"Yeah." Bell stood up straighter, meeting her gaze.
"Good job. You've improved a lot."
"Thanks," he replied, bowing slightly in respect.
They exchanged a brief farewell and left the city wall. Bell felt genuinely happy as he made his way to the abandoned church, relieved that the charade of pretending to stumble and creating fake bruises was finally over. He wondered amusedly how Tear would react if she had seen him; she would have probably teased him endlessly.
Arriving at his temporary home, Bell chatted casually with his goddess, who had yet to head off to work.
"Your training with Loki Familia's swordswoman ended today, didn't it?" Hestia asked.
"Yes, the Loki Familia is departing on their expedition as planned," Bell replied, shouldering his gear.
"Mhm…" Hestia nodded. "Meteria visited Hermes again. She sent letters to your grandfather, along with reports about recent events. She mentioned your level-up and said she's close to reaching level three."
Bell smiled slightly. "That's good to hear. Could you tell her I'd like to speak with her later?"
Hestia tilted her head curiously. "Alright, good luck in the dungeon today."
"Thanks!" Bell cheerfully replied, stepping out into the lively streets of Orario.
-] [-
The atmosphere in the dungeon was different that morning. Bell and Liliruca descended the stone stairs to the ninth floor—a path they had walked countless times—but something felt off.
The silence was unnaturally absolute.
"It's too empty," Lili murmured, glancing around nervously.
Her face remained calm, but Bell noticed a slight tremble in her voice.
"Yeah…" he nodded, feeling increasingly uneasy. "That's exactly what's worrying me."
Every step heightened the sense that something was terribly wrong. Bell couldn't shake the feeling that the entire dungeon was anticipating something.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
A group of adventurers appeared abruptly, their faces pale with terror.
"Run! Run!"
Before Bell could ask what was happening, he saw it.
Emerging from the tunnel's darkness was a single-horned minotaur, dragging a massive sword behind it. Its red eyes flashed fiercely upon spotting new prey.
The minotaur's roar shook the dungeon walls.
Lili shrank beside him, and Bell cursed silently. His status had always indicated "luck," not "bad luck."
Panic seized the adventurers, many frozen in place, witnessing a monster of this magnitude for the first time.
Bell, however, had no such fear.
This minotaur posed no real threat to him.
Had he been alone with Lili, he'd have solved this in moments—knocking her unconscious, defeating the beast, and pretending a high-level adventurer had intervened.
But with so many witnesses, he had to put on a show.
The minotaur grabbed an adventurer effortlessly.
Bell had no choice.
Sighing inwardly, he charged forward.
"Bell, wait!" Lili shouted, but he was already in motion.
His daggers made shallow cuts into the minotaur's flesh, blood splattering his clothing. Good. That would help conceal the truth.
The beast roared, dropping the adventurer. Bell seized the opening but received a brutal strike instead.
The blow sent him flying.
Perfect.
He rolled painfully across the ground and barely stood before the minotaur struck again, slamming him into the wall. His armor cracked loudly.
He hadn't planned for that.
Great. Even more drama.
From the ground, Bell saw Lili raise her crossbow.
"Bell, duck!"
She fired.
The arrow embedded itself into the minotaur's right eye.
Roaring in pain, the beast turned its fury toward her.
"Lili!" Bell shouted, sprinting forward to slash the monster's arm, forcing its attention back to him.
The tension in the air shattered.
The adventurers watching felt compelled to act. One grasped his sword's hilt, preparing to help—but he stopped.
He felt the invisible pressure, the realization that this fight belonged solely to Bell.
That white-haired boy was fighting not just a monster, but his own destiny. His limits. His fear.
This wasn't just any battle.
It was Bell's adventure.
"Don't interfere," he murmured firmly.
The others stared, surprised, then understood.
"Don't give up, kid!" someone shouted.
"You can do it!"
"Finish it!"
Their voices rose in unison, filling the dungeon.
Bell took a deep breath. Their encouragement made him cringe internally—not from fear, but embarrassment.
This was becoming ridiculous. He dreaded the rumors that would follow.
The minotaur charged.
Bell didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward.
The collision was brutal.
His sword shattered instantly.
Without pause, Bell drew his daggers, plunging them into the minotaur's sides.
The beast screamed.
"Firebolt!"
Flames lit the dungeon.
Again.
And again.
"FIREBOLT!"
Fire engulfed the minotaur until only its smoking legs remained.
Silence fell.
Then, the adventurers erupted in cheers.
"He did it!"
"Amazing!"
Lili rushed to Bell, who pretended to collapse from exhaustion.
"Bell!"
"I'm fine," he whispered reassuringly, patting her head.
Adventurers offered potions. Bell accepted gratefully, despite having no real injuries.
Meanwhile, above ground, news spread quickly.
A group fleeing the dungeon caused commotion at the Guild.
Bete Loga, the werewolf from the Loki Familia, overheard their frantic reports.
"A minotaur on the lower floors?" he muttered, rushing toward the dungeon.
He arrived just as the battle concluded.
Bell slowly rose.
"Isn't that tomato boy?" Bete frowned, questioning the adventurers.
A minotaur appeared on the lower floors!" one explained.
"If it weren't for that boy, we'd be dead!" another chimed in excitedly.
"That weakling defeated it?" Bete scoffed.
"It was a tough fight!" one adventurer insisted reverently.
Lili approached Bell again, worry evident.
"I'm fine…" Bell assured quietly.
The adventurers cheered loudly, convinced they had witnessed something legendary.
"We should return," Bell suggested gently.
"No way!" one adventurer protested.
"What kind of people would we be if we let our hero leave alone?" another smiled.
Bell sighed internally as they insisted on escorting him back.
"Tsk…" Bete clicked his tongue irritably. "You useless bunch couldn't protect a baby! Follow closely."
Everyone complied quickly, partly from fear, partly respect.
Bell observed Bete as they ascended. The werewolf swiftly eliminated any monsters encountered, letting no one else fight.
Bell pretended to limp, maintaining his facade.
He had heard much about Bete—his cruelty and disdain for the weak—but witnessing his actions now made Bell reconsider.
At last, they reached the dungeon entrance. Fresh air greeted them.
"Thanks for escorting me, but it wasn't necessary," Bell told the adventurers.
"Least we could do!" they replied warmly.
Bell smiled awkwardly, bid them farewell, and parted ways with Lili, promising rest.
Once out of sight, he dropped the limp, quickening his pace.
He wasn't injured, but exhaustion gripped him—not from combat, but from the entire tiresome performance he'd been forced to deliver.
-] [-
Back at the abandoned church, Bell slammed the door shut upon entering, startling the goddess who was comfortably resting on the bed.
"What happened?"
"You won't believe it." Only then did Hestia turn to look at him, eyes widening upon seeing him covered entirely in blood and without his usual armor.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"A MINOTAUR!"
"WHAT?!"
After the initial shouts of surprise, Bell quickly explained the incident, describing the fight with the single-horned minotaur in detail. As he spoke, the church door opened again, and Meteria entered. Bell gave her a wary smile, recalling his daughter's last scolding vividly.
"I heard some strange rumors on my way here," she said calmly, folding her arms across her chest. Bell swallowed nervously. "Something about a level-one adventurer with white hair and red eyes defeating a minotaur. Does that sound familiar?"
Bell swallowed hard. "It does ring a bell… a lot, actually."
Meteria narrowed her eyes. "Tell me you weren't planning something reckless again."
Bell sighed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It wasn't my fault. I swear. Bad luck?"
Hestia, who had been quiet until then due to the tension, burst out laughing, causing both Bell and Meteria to glance at her confused.
"That's hilarious! One of your abilities literally says 'luck,' you know."
After a brief silence, both father and daughter shared a glance, their expressions easing slightly.
"That's ironic," Bell muttered, drawing a smile from Meteria.
Eventually, Hestia noticed the shift in atmosphere. "Well, I'll leave you two to talk," she announced, standing up and exiting quietly.
An awkward silence filled the room once she left.
Bell glanced cautiously at Meteria, who stood crossing her arms without speaking.
"Meteria…" Bell began hesitantly. "I don't know how many times I need to say this, but I'll say it again. I'm sorry for not telling you about my plan with Liliruca. It completely slipped my mind with all the issues with Freya."
Meteria remained silent, her expression unreadable.
"But I need you to know I trust you," Bell continued earnestly. "And I hope you trust me too."
After a long pause, Meteria finally spoke.
"I'm scared."
Bell frowned slightly. "Scared of what?"
She clenched her fists, looking away. "Of losing mom… and of you forgetting about her, about us."
Without another word, Bell stepped forward and gently hugged her.
Meteria stiffened initially but soon relaxed and returned the embrace.
"You and your mother are my family," Bell whispered firmly. "Nothing will stop me from finding her. Ever."
Meteria closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself to relax.
"And what if you fall for someone else?" she suddenly asked.
Bell hesitated, pulling back to look at her directly. "What do you mean?"
"Just answer," she insisted softly.
Bell rubbed his neck awkwardly. "It's complicated… Tear was bisexual, and she had unique preferences about the undead."
Meteria blinked, puzzled. "What do you mean by 'unique'?"
Bell sighed deeply. "She had… vampire girlfriends in her world. Let's just say I was the exception."
Meteria's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait… mom had vampire girlfriends? How do I even exist?"
Bell chuckled dryly. "It's complicated. One thing led to another and, well… we ended up having you."
Meteria stared blankly, processing everything.
After a moment, she shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know what's stranger—mom's tastes, the fact she had vampire girlfriends, or that she seriously considered that kind of thing for you."
Bell shrugged, embarrassed. "Yeah, things were complicated."
She sighed, then looked at him seriously again. "So, if you did fall in love with someone else, would you still keep looking for mom?"
Bell didn't hesitate, his voice resolute.
"No matter what, Tear will always be first in my heart. I'll spend my entire life looking for her if that's what it takes."
Meteria smiled faintly, satisfied with his unwavering answer.
"Good."
Bell reached out, gently ruffling her hair.
"Thank you," she whispered softly.
They stayed quietly together for a moment, reassured by each other's presence.
-] [-
The next morning, the two Cranels were together when Bell suddenly spoke up.
"Meteria, I need us to lend Fianna's armor to Lili."
Meteria stared at him incredulously.
"What?"
"It's only until I return from the expedition," Bell quickly clarified.
Meteria continued to stare at him, unconvinced.
"But—"
"It's just temporary," Bell reassured gently.
Meteria sighed, her expression conflicted.
That armor belonged to Fianna. Grandpa went through a lot of trouble to have it repaired with materials from another world. It's incredibly valuable, Bell." Her tone softened slightly with concern. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Bell smiled reassuringly.
"Weight won't be an issue. Lili has the Artel Assist ability; it'll help her manage it."
Meteria hesitated, clearly torn.
"Still…"
Bell reached out, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"I promise it'll be okay. I just want her to be safe while I'm away. I'll ensure she takes care of it."
Finally, Meteria gave in, handing over the armor reluctantly.
"She better take good care of it…" she murmured.
Bell smiled warmly at her response, grateful for her understanding.
-] [-
Hours later, Bell and Meteria waited for Lili at the abandoned church.
When the pallum arrived, she immediately focused on Bell.
"Are you feeling better after the minotaur incident?"
Bell smiled calmly.
"I'm as good as new."
Without further ado, he pointed toward the armor carefully laid out on a makeshift table.
Lili narrowed her eyes.
"What… is that?"
"An armor I want you to use," Bell stated plainly.
Lili blinked a few times, as if she hadn't heard correctly.
"What?"
Bell sighed, crossing his arms.
"Look, Lili... Due to personal matters, I'll be away from the dungeon for a while."
The pallum frowned slightly.
"Is it because of the minotaur?"
"No, it's something personal I need to handle."
Lili seemed uncertain, but before she could speak, Bell continued.
"I want to make sure you can safely enter and exit the dungeon, so... I'll lend you this armor."
The pallum took a step back.
"N-no. I can't accept something like this."
She glanced at the armor again. Now that she saw it clearly, it wasn't just any equipment. Its design, its material—it had to be worth a fortune. Something like this wasn't found easily in any shop in Orario.
"Bell… where did you get this?"
Bell scratched the back of his neck, smiling mysteriously.
"It's… an inheritance from my grandfather."
Lili narrowed her eyes further.
"An inheritance, huh?"
Her tone implied she didn't entirely believe him.
"In any case… I can't accept it."
She took another step back.
"I'm not worthy of something like this."
Meteria scoffed impatiently.
"We're not asking you to use it as a trophy. It's so you survive in the dungeon."
"I know that! But…" Lili clenched her fists. "It's too valuable."
Her mind raced. What if someone recognized it? What if…?
A dangerous thought crossed her mind.
"And what if I decided to run away with the armor and sell it? It must be worth a fortune."
Bell looked at her calmly.
"I trust you."
Lili froze.
She hadn't expected that response.
Meteria crossed her arms.
"Hah."
Lili slowly turned toward her.
"What?"
The dhampir smiled dangerously.
"If you try to sell that armor… I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth."
Lili broke into a cold sweat.
"There won't be anywhere you can hide," Meteria continued, her smile sharpening. "I'll never let you live in peace."
Bell cleared his throat.
"Come on, Meteria."
Lili glanced between them, trapped. Meteria's threat left no doubt—escape was impossible.
With a heavy sigh, Lili finally relented.
"Ugh… Fine. I'll accept it."
Bell smiled, satisfied.
"Thanks."
Lili crossed her arms uncomfortably.
"Don't make it sound like you're doing me a favor."
Bell chuckled softly.
"Well… there's no turning back now, I suppose." Lili sighed. "How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know exactly, but it'll be a while."
Lili grimaced.
"So… it'll just be Meteria and me in the dungeon?"
The following silence was uncomfortable.
Meteria looked away, and Lili sighed.
"I don't think Meteria likes me very much."
Bell laughed quietly.
"I know, but please try to get along with her."
Lili eyed him skeptically.
"You know how hard that is?"
Bell smiled sadly, leaning toward her slightly.
"Meteria used to be happier, always smiling…"
Lili blinked in surprise.
Meteria, always smiling?
Bell continued softly.
"We've been through a lot. Meteria wasn't always like this."
Lili nodded slowly, understanding the seriousness in his voice.
"Alright, I'll try."
And with that, her fate with Meteria was sealed.
-] [-
In front of the entrance to the Dungeon, Finn stood confidently before the gathered Loki Familia, their banners fluttering proudly behind him.
"Today marks the start of our expedition," Finn declared clearly, his gaze firm and steady. "We'll split into two groups to avoid overcrowding the upper floors. I'll lead the first; Gareth will take the second. This time, blacksmiths from the Hephaestus Familia will accompany us."
His eyes shifted momentarily to a mysterious adventurer standing quietly in the shadows—Fluder. Finn deliberately mentioned him during the speech; he still didn't trust this enigmatic adventurer fully. By drawing everyone's attention to him, keeping watch would be easier.
"We'll regroup on the eighteenth floor, then advance directly toward our goal—the fiftieth floor."
Cheers erupted as excitement filled the air. The first group began their descent, eager for what awaited below.
Meanwhile, atop Babel Tower, Ottar gave his report to Freya concerning the recent minotaur incident. The goddess listened thoughtfully, her violet eyes glowing with interest.
"A level-one adventurer defeating a minotaur? How fascinating," Freya purred, moving elegantly across her chamber. "Such an intriguing adventure..."
Her lips curved into a captivating smile.
"I wonder what he will become after this? Will he grow from the experience?"
Her eyes sparkled as she considered the possibilities, anticipation dancing in her gaze.
"I'll ensure he faces challenges that push him forward," she whispered, anticipation clear in her voice. "I can't wait to see how far he goes."