by Fujino Omori
Lilly made her skepticism known while Rei stepped in to support Lido’s explanation.
The Guild asked the Xenos to respond to Irregulars before adventurers were alerted to the danger or when the situation was too difficult for adventurers to handle by themselves.
“We got similar goals, that’s all.” Lido casually dismissed the notion.
“But I’d say that we’re more connected with a god named Ouranos than with the Guild itself. Most Guild employees have no idea we’re down here.”
“L-Lord Ouranos…”
Orario’s founding deity. Several of the adventurers gasped at the name.
The Guild claimed to lack any form of military power, yet here sat their—no, Ouranos’s private army. Suddenly, Lilly and the others realized where Lido and the rest of the Xenos stood in the hierarchy.
“So then, it’s just as you said. This mission…”
“That it is, Bellucchi. Lord Ouranos contacted us, and we agreed to test the people who lent a helping hand to one of our comrades.”
The mission hadn’t been issued by the upper levels of Guild management but from Ouranos himself, its true head.
They’d been dancing in the palm of his hand—being appraised. Bell and his party knew the whole truth now.
“However, hearing about you got our hopes up a bit.”
Just as Bell was about to ask for clarification—
A booming voice came from the other side of their makeshift magic-stone campfire.
“REI! SING!”
“OOOOOOOOOOO!!”
A couple of drunken monsters started demanding a song, and more howled in approval.
The siren, still seated close to Bell, sighed and looked up at Lido. He nodded, eyes twinkling with expectation.
Rei grinned and stood.
“I suppose I must. I shall sing and add some color to this banquet.”
Taking a few steps forward, whoosh! One flap of her wings and Rei landed on top of the tallest magic-stone lamp with the grace of a feather.
She turned on her heel to face Wiene, Bell, and the others, wearing a delicate smile.
“A new comrade and guests from the surface are here. Let’s make this one special.”
With that, Rei closed her eyes and drew a breath.
Silence hung in the air for a fleeting moment before a beautiful voice replaced it.
“Wow…!”
“This song…”
Hearing the high-pitched notes, Wiene suddenly smiled with joy, while Bell and the others reacted with surprise.
It was the gentle soprano that had guided them through this Frontier.
The siren brought one of her golden wings to her chest, singing happily and enjoying her solo with a smile on her face. There were no instruments or lyrics. The pure melody alone was enough to ensnare the hearts of her listeners.
A single siren, weaving a song with her eyes closed, ringed by people and monsters sitting side by side.
The scene, illuminated by quartz and magic-stone lamps, was so elegant and beautiful that it seemed to come from another world.
This hardly seemed to be the same dark labyrinth filled with monsters deep underground—but then again, perhaps it was one of those moments when the Dungeon would allow its audience a glimpse at sacred mysteries and illusions.
The song reverberated deep into the maze.
Bell and the others had never heard a song so captivating, so beautiful, and the passage of time left their minds.
“Let’s dance, surface dwellers! May I have this one?”
“Eh? Wha…wai—Please don’t, I’m not a dancerrrrrr!”
“M-Mikotooo!”
A young harpy girl dragged Mikoto out, leaving a wailing Haruhime to chase after them. In the ring’s center, two shadows danced together. A curious and energetic monster girl twirled hand in hand with Mikoto, or perhaps it was more accurate to say she swung her partner about. A human hand and a winged hand were clasped tightly together.
The singing siren chuckled to herself for a moment before changing the tune.
Her beautiful ballad became an upbeat, toe-tapping rhythm similar to a waltz.
Completely drunken Xenos rushed to join Mikoto. They called out to one another, pairing off. The red-cap goblin and a lamia joined hands, hellhounds ran stride for stride with al-miraj, and the formoires joined the trolls, using their gigantic fists to pound the floor like drums. Other monsters came up to Wiene and whispered in her ear to join. “Okay!” she replied cheerfully, heading toward Haruhime. Meanwhile, the gargoyle and his group watched the tumult from their distant seats, unamused.
The song, cheers, and laughter wouldn’t stop.
Wiene pulled along a flustered Haruhime all the way to where Mikoto and her partner were, before starting their own dance.
The long shadows of people and monsters stretched across the floor, mingling together.
“…Things never get this crazy.”
Lido’s eyes were filled with delight as he muttered. And his lips were definitely turned up in a smile.
Bell, Lilly, and Welf were convinced they were dreaming and still at a loss for words. But before they realized it, all of them were laughing.
The siren’s soothing song and the echoes of joyful howls serenaded them.
“Lido, what did you mean earlier when you said we got your hopes up a bit…?”
“Hmm? Ahh…”
Bell watched Wiene and the girls for a time before turning back to Lido.
The reptilian warrior didn’t look away from his dancing comrades as he responded.
“You gave us hope—that maybe things can change…”
“People and monsters coexisting…?!”
Hestia wasn’t sure how many jolts of surprise shot through her body after what Ouranos had just said.
The elderly deity’s face was as stoic as ever. He did not turn away from her stunned expression.
“Do you understand what you’re saying, Ouranos…?!”
“Of course.”
People and monsters living together in peace was impossible.
Hestia had already reached that conclusion, and yet Ouranos responded with a deep nod. He knew what that meant.
Those born in the Dungeon were the greatest enemy of surface-dwelling races. People killed monsters and monsters killed people. With such overwhelming fear and ingrained hatred on both sides, they would like nothing more than to avoid each other. They could not be together.
The various races residing in the mortal world were fated to kill and be killed by monsters.
That was their destiny ever since monsters first emerged from the “Great Hole” back during the Ancient Times.
They were doomed to fight for all eternity.
Then Ouranos arrived with the divine will to turn that undeniable truth on its head…Hestia frowned, unable to overlook such a desire from the Guild’s master, of all people.
“However, the Xenos do not attack people instinctually but instead wish to engage with them in dialogue.”
“!!”
“Rather than with fangs or claws, they wish to use words and logic to make their voices heard. They want to walk on the surface. They want to know our children…to learn more about people.”
Wiene’s face appeared in the back of Hestia’s mind.
“Self-aware Xenos are constantly under threat even from normal monsters. They live in alienation and exile. They have no place to belong on the surface or in the Dungeon.”
“…”
“With no one to hear them, their easiest choice as monsters was to resign themselves to oblivion. However, they possess determination as well as the means to express their thoughts and wishes. Just like our children,” he said. “Then I discovered them.”
Ouranos lowered his eyes ever so slightly.
“As the one who offers prayers to the Dungeon…No longer could I withstand their lamenting as they perished.”
Someone sure is diligent—Hestia tried to force herself to
poke fun at Ouranos but she couldn’t manage to get the words out.
Because she had met Wiene.
Could she really bring herself to abandon the vouivre girl now?
Could she become a treacherous and deceitful goddess for her familia’s sake?
Hestia’s thoughts swirled, trapping her in a whirlpool of choices and decisions. After a few minutes of heavy silence, she lifted her face and started asking Ouranos another question.
“Are you serious about bringing harmony to the children and monsters?”
“The will of the divine has been set. However, it is an impossible demand. The truth is that it is beyond my control.”
Ouranos had no qualms about confessing everything in response to Hestia’s question.
“If our goal is harmony between our children and monsters, then we must question the reason of their existence in detail.”
—Prove that monsters themselves were important.
From birth, they were constantly stigmatized because of their physical features that diverged from what was considered normal.
Threatening physiques, claws and fangs that were symbols of bloodshed, death-heralding flames, and voices tinged with savagery.
In order to break free of their reputation as icons of slaughter and violence—as well as for the sake of establishing peace—there was no choice but to demonstrate their role in this world to the children of the mortal realm. In order to realize their dream of basking in the surface’s sunlight, it was imperative to overcome people’s hatred and fear by proving their significance.
One option was the cruel subjugation method known as taming. Although it would allow them to be recognized by the masses, it required living with a collar of thorns. What’s more, that path would never lead to true peace.
“…So basically, in your quest to prove the meaning of their existence, you thought there’s a possibility Bell and my other children could become a bridge between the two sides?”
“That is correct.”
Hestia let her head hang limply at the revelation. The elderly deity was so unbelievably open about these secret plans it was almost refreshing.
She understood Ouranos’s reasoning. After getting to know Wiene, she also wanted to help the Xenos find happiness.
However, this path put Bell and their familia in a very precarious position.
Ouranos mentioned alienation and exile. If the fact that Hestia Familia had assisted these “monsters” became public knowledge, not only would their standing in Orario be at risk but their place in the entire world. Just like the Xenos.
Perhaps it was impossible, but Hestia preferred to not have their fate hanging in the balance.
Even if that means running away, the goddess thought to herself.
“Is what you just said the Guild’s opinion on the matter as well?”
“Currently, it is mine alone.”
That made sense.
Declaring peace with monsters would shake the world to its core.
Even Ouranos, the one heralded as the founding deity of Orario, could not help but lose political power as cracks formed in his base.
“The highest levels of Guild management, including Royman and his closest advisers, have been kept in the dark on this matter.”
His employees had been ordered only to deliver the mission to Hestia Familia. Most likely, Royman believed that Bell’s rapid growth had caught Ouranos’s attention and the deity intended to test the boy’s strength with the mission.
Ouranos explained this to Hestia.
“So the only ones who know are…”
“Among deities other than myself, Hermes, because he accepts my requests…and Ganesha.”
“G-Ganesha?!”
Hestia was completely taken aback at the unexpected name.
“You must be kidding,” she said, wide-eyed.
But then, her shoulders jolted.
“Don’t tell me the Monsterphilia is…?”
“Correct. It was conceived five years ago in order to soften people’s hatred for monsters, no matter how slight, and has continued ever since.”
The Monsterphilia: an event that turned taming monsters into a spectacle.
The festival had been proposed and organized by the Guild. It hadn’t been the brainchild of deities who craved entertainment. It was still relatively new, and Hestia had heard that the Guild didn’t offer much explanation about it during Denatus.
Now she was able to connect the dots.
Ouranos had been the driving force behind the event. Putting on a show despite the dangers of bringing monsters out of the Dungeon was all his idea.
He wanted to soften the public’s opinion of monsters by showing the majestic tamers interacting with them, making the beasts less alien, providing a foundation for future change.
It was all to lay the first stepping-stones that would lead to a day when the Xenos could revel in the sun’s rays.
It wasn’t just “Monster Festival” but “Monsterphilia.”
But that merely served as the first stage, and its impact was rather limited.
“I informed Ganesha in order to gain his support.”
While the Guild oversaw the event, it was Ganesha Familia that provided tamers for the show.
Ouranos would never have gained Ganesha’s confidence by being manipulative. So the elderly deity had no choice but to reveal his divine will.
Never thought it’d be Ganesha…
Out of everything she had heard, that had been the most surprising. Hestia wiped the sweat off her neck with visions of the friendly god wearing an odd elephant mask popping up in her head.
She promised herself right then and there to take some time to get to know him better.
“Is that everyone working with you?”
“No,” Ouranos responded plainly to Hestia’s question.
The god looked down at his feet as if he were gazing deep into the Dungeon far beneath.
“Fels is also with us.”
“Well…this certainly exceeded my expectations.”
A serious voice devoid of any shock or mockery reached the banquet, still as lively as ever with singing and dancing.
Bell and everyone else who heard the remarkably monotone voice turned toward the entrance of the room to see where it came from.
“Fels, you made it!”
What they saw seemed like a living shadow, wearing a long black robe and black gloves adorned with intricate patterns. Bell and the adventurers were quick to react to this mysterious individual, instantly ready for a fight, but Lido opened his arms and gave the newcomer a friendly wave.
Fels. A name that both Lido and Rei had mentioned quite a few times.
The adventurers still watched the hooded figure for a bit as he approached. However, Fels seemed more interested in watching Wiene and the other dancers.
“You’re here earlier than I thought you’d be.”
“I came as fast as I could. But please, Lido, I could do with a quick explanation. To tell the truth, I’m quite startled.”
Fels asked the lizardman warrior climbing to his feet to recount what had happened.
The adventurers followed suit, standing as Lido brought the stranger up to speed. “Oh-ho?” A light chuckle emerged from the hood. “You all may be more important than we thought.”
Fels looked down toward Bell and the others, offering words that were difficult to discern as praise or ridicule.
The black-robed figure stood just a little shorter than Welf. Examining each member of the trio in turn, the shadow come to life continued speaking.
“First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Fels. I act as a liaison between Ouranos and the Xenos—a messenger, if you will. I also take on odd jobs as necessary.”
“O-odd jobs?”
“Yes, that’s right…Perhaps you would understand if I were to say that I was the one keeping tabs on you and the vouivre girl?”
“!”
Bell, Lilly, and Welf were stunned.
<
br /> Something resembling a laugh spilled from the darkness of Fels’s hood as a gloved hand rose into the air.
“Bell Cranell, Lilliluka Erde, Welf Crozzo…as well as Mikoto Yamato and Haruhime Sanjouno. I’ve been observing your activities over the past week.”
Those were the only words they needed to hear to put the pieces together.
The person in front of them was the Guild’s “eyes” who had taken the liberty of thoroughly investigating them without their knowledge.
“Are you…Are you a monster, like them?”
Lilly knew that something was odd about this person; something felt off. Fending off her confusion, she pressed for answers.
“Nah, Fels is a person,” Lido replied, and Fels’s black hood fluttered up and down again.
“Formerly a person may be a better choice of words.”
Huh? Bell nearly whispered under his breath.
“I’ll show you.”
Two black gloves took hold of the hood and pulled it back.
“—”
For Bell, Lilly, and Welf, time came to a screeching halt.
The eyes that were supposed to be there didn’t exist—just two pitch-black cavities, empty eye sockets.
The skin they expected to see was also missing. Perfectly aligned teeth protruded from the exposed jawbone.
The face simply didn’t exist.
A white skull of death stared back at the adventurers.
“A…a skeleton?!”
“Hold up, hold up, hold up…!”
“A spartoi?!”
Three voices shrieked.
There was no doubt that it was a skeleton’s head—no eyes, no nose, no ears, no hair, just bones. The horrifying personification of death itself was proof enough that this being was no living person.
Bell was reminded of the skeleton monsters from the deep levels called the spartoi. But Fels slowly shook his skull side to side to refute the boy’s terrified scream.
“Sorry, but I am not a monster. As I said, I am formerly a person.”
“F-formerly a person…?”
“What…what the hell happened…?!”
Lilly could only echo Fels’s words as Bell struggled to speak, mouth opening and closing again and again. Meanwhile, Welf clenched his teeth together in a desperate attempt to remain calm but couldn’t hide the fear scrawled across his face. Fear was a natural reaction to a voice originating from a skull with no skin or throat to speak of.