In the past few days, the Loki Familia followed the secret passage that the dragon girl had escaped through and began exploring it in reverse.
Naturally, the hall used to temporarily store hunted monsters, along with the destroyed cages, were all discovered.
Cross-referencing with the intel brought back by Fron and the explanation provided by the god Ikeros, the general outline of the incident, as well as the roles each party played, were all compiled into documents that now lay on Finn's desk.
It was the morning of the fourth day since the incident.
The location was still the Daedalus District.
Compared to the last time they came here, thanks to four days of effort from the craftsmen, the ruins and simple pathways had already been somewhat stabilized.
"Attention, everyone. When carrying out the information-gathering mission later, you must stay sharp and heighten your vigilance. Based on our assumptions, the armed monsters that invaded the surface have not left."
"They will definitely appear again in the Daedalus District. In particular, be extra cautious of the hidden alleyways"
At the declaration of their Pallum leader, the members of the Loki Familia all nodded with serious expressions.
As one of the two pillars carrying the banner of the Labyrinth City Orario at the very center of the world, they had no choice but to step forward when faced with such a tremendous threat as monsters invading the surface.
It wasn't just a matter of duty, it was also about the honor and reputation of the Loki Familia.Don't forget, their captain's title was [Braver].
Fron, wrapped in a cloak and hugging his staff in his arms, leaned against the wall at the rear of the formation, dozing off.
In the past few days, he had been one of the main forces, together with Tiona, Gareth, Raul, and the others, who destroyed the passages leading to the underground halls.
Using pickaxes to dig tunnels, Fron almost coughed up blood, unable to tell whether it was Gareth's twisted sense of humor or just a dwarf's ingrained habit.
As a human, he simply couldn't keep up with Gareth when it came to digging.
They even broke several pickaxes in the process.
Day after day of this work had left him completely drained.
…
This was the end of Main Street, the avenue where they had once been caught completely off guard and let that Minotaur escape.
Many buildings had been reduced to rubble by magic swords, collapsing while burning, leaving ruins now crowded with guild workers carrying out repairs and members of the Loki Familia rushing around.
In this environment, Fron dozed off in a daze.
"Fron, over there."
Out of nowhere, the golden-haired, golden-eyed girl poked his arm with her usual blank look.
"Hmm? What is it, Ais?"
"There. Over there."
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Fron looked in the direction Ais pointed.
At first glance, there was nothing unusual, just the usual movement of people among the wreckage.
But upon closer inspection, he finally woke up a little.
"…I see, so that's how it is. All adventurers are the same, their noses this sharp. The Guild's so-called 'information blockade', what a joke."
"Pfft." At Fron's sarcastic remark, Lefiya's face broke, and she stifled a laugh.
In fact, if one were to look from above, one would see that it wasn't just their street. Other parts of the Daedalus District were the same.
Adventurers could be seen everywhere, moving cautiously, and whenever they encountered residents, they would immediately start asking for information.
Alicia rested her hand on her sword hilt as she stood together with Lefiya.
"So, other adventurers have also noticed there's something in the Daedalus District…"
"Tch, if you told me they just happened to wander here by coincidence, I wouldn't buy it. No, someone must have guided them here."
"If not coincidence, then another possibility remains… orders from the gods." It was Anakitty who spoke this calmly as she walked over.
Lefiya's eyes widened. Those armed monsters weren't something to be trifled with.
Leaving aside their hidden potential, their ability to wield weapons and techniques put them far beyond what Lv.1 or Lv.2 adventurers could handle.
Hesitating, she asked in a weak voice: "I-Is it really okay to just leave it like this?"
Fron narrowed his eyes, roughly ruffling her chestnut hair, earning an indignant glare in return.
"What are you worrying for? These guys are just following the scent of money. As long as they don't know about the Knossos, it doesn't matter."
"In fact, our Loki Familia doesn't have enough manpower to block off the entire district by ourselves. Their arrival couldn't be more timely."
"Still… their presence here will make the residents uneasy. If this spreads, it could become a serious problem."
At her words, Fron fell silent in thought. His eyes flicked toward the guild workers mingling among the adventurers, residents, and Loki Familia members, raising a brow.
"According to Finn's arrangement this time, the Daedalus District will be our battlefield with the enemy."
"To avoid involving the civilians, the guild workers are the ones responsible for guiding evacuations and calming the residents. As for us, the Loki Familia, our job is only to take care of the monsters."
Following Fron's gaze, the others also came to the same realization.
Yes, guiding and evacuating residents was something the Guild was far more suited for. As Orario's administrators, they had both the expertise and resources to handle such matters.
…
While the Loki Familia methodically set up their operations, casting a wide net across the Daedalus District under the banner of "eliminating monsters and protecting the city," but in truth carrying out a raid on the Evilus for the sake of conquering the Knossos and taking revenge, other factions, constantly monitoring these developments, were also beginning to stir.
...
[Hestia Familia]
At their home.
The Eastern girl Yamato Mikoto, formerly of the Takemikazuchi Familia and known as Absolute✝Shadow, lifted a curtain slightly, her face grave as she observed for some time before quickly hurrying to the first-floor hall.
There, almost the entire Familia was gathered.
"Lady Hestia, the ones who were monitoring us outside the mansion, many of them have pulled back."
Hestia hesitated, thinking for a moment.
"They pulled back… but not completely? They left behind a few sentries, is that the situation?"
"Yes, Goddess. Their surveillance of us has weakened, which is a good thing. This way, Fels and we will be able to move more freely."
"Contact Fels immediately."
With that magician's help, unlike other Familias, they didn't even need messengers. As long as they had a Mirror Crystal, they could communicate instantly through video calls.
…
"Bell, you really… have let me down. Why did you choose to stand on their side? You are the hero we selected. You absolutely cannot walk down the wrong path. Right now… it's not too late. You must correct this."
"…" Standing slightly behind her own god, Asfi tilted her lips into a crooked smile.
"Are you certain that all the actors in this play will perform exactly as you've arranged?"
"Asfi, oh Asfi… the schemes of gods are not something you children can hope to defy."
"…Is that so."