Is It Wrong to Explore the Dungeon Even Though I’m Overpowered? (Danmachi SI- WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 27: The Cost of Freedom

Lili’s POV

‘It’s happening again…’

As she walked alongside the others toward Rivira, Lili’s thoughts swirled into a downward spiral.

The Soma Familia—her Familia—had once again shattered the fragile bit of happiness she’d started to feel.

It was always like this.

Every time she found even a flicker of warmth, a sliver of peace, her so-called “family” would appear like a curse, dragging her back into the mud.

That was why she’d decided long ago—as soon as she had enough valis, she would buy her way out.

Today, of all days, had felt like a dream. Adventuring with Reinhard-sama, being welcomed into his group… it had been the best day she could remember. And his absurd ability to pull drop items from every monster? It was a blessing.

She’d even started to believe she could relax around them.

They didn’t treat her like a tool. Or trash. Or a disposable pawn.

They treated her like… a person.

And now, thanks to today’s haul, she was so close. She could finally be free. Start over. Live the life she always dreamed of.

But of course—just when she let herself feel that tiny bit of hope…

They reminded her.

The Soma Familia reminded her.

That no matter what she wanted…

She still belonged to them.

Her thoughts froze when she felt a warm hand settle on top of her head, gently stroking between her ears.

She blinked in surprise and looked up.

There he was.

Reinhard-sama.

Smiling down at her with that stupid, way-too-handsome face of his.

She felt her cheeks heat up against her will.

“Why the sad face, Lili?” he asked softly.

“I-It’s nothing, Reinhard-sama.” Lili stammered, inwardly cursing herself for slipping up.

He simply looked at her with those beautiful, clear blue eyes—like he could see straight through every single lie she wanted to tell.

Then, quietly, he closed his eyes and nodded.

“Alright,” he said gently. “But just know—if something’s bothering you, or if you ever need someone to talk to… I’ll always be available. The same goes for the others. Whatever it is, I promise I won’t judge.”

He offered her one of his warm, reassuring smiles before his attention shifted to the white-haired girl—Est, the spirit who barely left his side.

Now that she thought about it, Reinhard-sama was constantly surrounded by women. Not just surrounded—admired. Some, like Rem, Est, and Naaza, were painfully obvious in their affection.

‘Hmph. Lili knew it. Reinhard-sama is clearly an enemy of all women.’ She puffed out her cheeks and looked away, flustered and indignant.

But deep down…

She was grateful.

Grateful to him for noticing.

For pulling her out of her depressing thoughts.

=====

Rivira — Reinhard’s POV

‘I hope those words reached her…’ I thought, giving Lili a subtle glance.

We’d made a lot of progress with her already. I didn’t want this to be the moment she shut herself off again.

Still, I pushed the concern to the back of my mind. We’d arrived at Rivira, and I needed to stay alert—for everyone’s sake.

The underground town wasn’t dangerous, exactly… but its atmosphere wasn’t welcoming either. Seedy, crowded, and full of shady merchants looking to squeeze every last valis from wide-eyed newbies.

The girls had been excited at first, chatting and darting from stall to stall.

That excitement lasted… maybe an hour.

After seeing the rude vendors, absurdly inflated prices, and constant haggling, their enthusiasm turned to collective disappointment.

By the time we regrouped, the decision was unanimous:

“Next time, we’re camping.”

It was a rite of passage for all adventurers. One visit to Rivira was enough to teach you just how awful dungeon capitalism could be.

Before long, we were on our way back up the Dungeon.

I led from the front with my party close by, while Lante and Rethusa covered the rear.

Despite our size, the return trip was smooth—especially with our cleared path—and by the time we reached the surface…

We’d racked up a small fortune in drop items.

Now back on the surface, our large party finally split up. Everyone but my core group headed home, leaving Lili to blink in confusion as she noticed they weren’t joining us on our walk to the Guild.

She glanced after them, then looked at me—but ultimately followed, curiosity clearly written across her face.

From the corner of my eye, I caught her puzzled expression and had to hold back a grin.

After all, I was about to reveal one last shocker—a final power from Yuuya’s template that, in terms of sheer ridiculousness, might rival my infinite Inventory.

Namely… my ability to convert any monster drop directly into currency, no Guild required.

=====

Minutes Later

I was doing my best not to laugh at the heavy stare drilling into my back.

We had just left the Guild, having only traded in a small fraction of our haul.

Lili was behind me, and while she hadn’t said anything yet, I could feel the suspicion radiating off her in waves. Her tiny footsteps were practically stomps.

Rem and Naaza had noticed too, and were wearing identical, barely-contained smirks. Every now and then they’d throw amused glances back at Lili, who looked like she was debating whether or not I was trying to scam her.

Still smiling to myself, I led the group to a quiet fountain near the plaza. It was late now, and the streets were nearly empty—perfect for a bit of privacy.

Once we arrived, I finally turned to face the group.

Lili wasted no time.

Her arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and voice sugary sweet. “Reinhard-sama… is there a reason we only cashed in part of our haul today?”

I raised both hands in surrender, trying to look innocent. “Relax, Lili. I was just about to explain that.”

She gave a small huff, tapping her foot with growing impatience. I could practically hear her internal monologue calling me every kind of shady merchant.

I checked the surroundings again—no watchers, no eavesdroppers—then summoned my Inventory.

From it, I pulled out five identical pouches, each brimming with valis, and handed one to each girl. The last one, I kept for myself.

Lili accepted hers hesitantly, eyeing it, then glanced at the others and noticed they were all identical in size and weight.

Finally, she turned those curious chestnut eyes back to me.

Time for the finale.

“You see, Lili…” I began, pausing for dramatic effect. “There’s one more ability I haven’t told you about yet.”

Her eyes widened.

Then narrowed again.

“I can convert magic stones and drop items directly into valis. No Guild required.”

Rem and Naaza both tried to suppress their laughter.

Est, naturally, didn’t react at all, too busy munching on a snack made by me.

Lili?

Lili closed her eyes.

Pressed her fingers to her temples.

And exhaled the mother of all exhausted sighs.

“…Of course you do.”

“Now that I’ve said that,” I began again, this time with a softer smile, “I’ve got a deal for you, Lili.”

She looked up at me with tired, slightly suspicious eyes… only to blink at the sudden shift in my tone.

“W-What is it?”

“I really enjoyed your company today,” I said sincerely. “And you were a great help—especially when things got tough. So first… I want to thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Thanks for sticking with us.”

I gave a small bow of my head to match my words.

Lili flushed—hard.

Clearly flustered, she looked away and started nervously rubbing her arm. “L-Lili didn’t really do anything… so your thanks aren’t necessary, Reinhard-sama…”

“You’re wrong.” I shook my head gently. “You had information we didn’t that helped us reach our friends in time. That mattered. You mattered.”

Rem and Naaza both nodded their agreement—Rem’s smile a little forced (probably still calculating future romantic competition), while Naaza offered her usual quiet warmth. Even Est looked up from her snack to give Lili a tiny thumbs-up.

Now blushing straight to the roots of her hair, Lili lowered her head to hide her face.

“…I-It was nothing,” she mumbled.

I couldn’t help but smile at seeing her true self peek through again.

“Ahem. That said…” I cleared my throat. “Lili, I’d like to make you an offer. If you’re willing—we’d love to have you join our party from now on.”

“Please join us, Lili-san,” Naaza added softly. “You won’t regret it.”

“I guess you weren’t as bad as Rem thought,” Rem said next, in the tone of someone reluctantly acknowledging a rival.

Then Est, completely straight-faced, added. “Short girls should stick together.”

“L-Lili's not short!” Lili exclaimed, her face bright red. “Lili will have you know that Lili is perfectly sized for her species!”

She huffed, turned away from us, then muttered just loud enough for us to hear:

“…But Lili guesses she wouldn’t mind joining. For a while. Lili would have to be a fool to say no after a haul like that.”

“It’s a deal then~” I said with a smile—one mirrored by everyone around me.

On that high note, we finally parted ways. Naaza came along with us, which reminded me: Miach had mentioned wanting to speak with us after we got back. He should be at the church by now.

On our way home, we took a detour through the Market, skipping the Hostess of Fertility. With the number of mouths to feed back at the manor growing past twenty, our pantry was emptying faster than I anticipated.

“Any idea what Miach-sama wants to talk to us about, Naaza?” I asked as we walked.

Caught off guard, Naaza fidgeted adorably—ears twitching, tail curling.

“U-Um… maybe,” she mumbled, blushing and glancing away.

I’ll take that as a yes.

“No pressure. We’re almost there anyway,” I reassured her. She visibly relaxed… though the blush didn’t fade.

=====

Moments Later — Back Home

The moment I opened the door, I braced myself.

Sure enough, a black-haired missile came flying straight at me.

“REIN-KUN~!”

I caught her instinctively—Hestia, of course—throwing her arms around my neck as she squealed in delight. Big blue eyes stared up at me as she chattered nonstop:

How was the dungeon? Are you hurt? I heard you saved Artemis’s Familia—gods, Rein-kun, you’re amazing~

‘Seems the others already filled them in,’ I thought, eyes drifting toward Artemis, who approached with a relieved smile.

In a bold move, Artemis gently—yet firmly—pried Hestia off me and stepped forward to embrace me herself.

Her arms slid around my neck, and she rose onto her tiptoes, voice soft against my ear.

“Thank you, Rein. For saving my Familia… again.” She sniffled quietly, pulling me closer.

My eyes softened as I wrapped my arms around her waist. “There’s nothing to thank. Of course I’d do everything I could. I just… I’m glad I made it in time.”

She chuckled softly, her breath tickling my neck.

“Stop blaming yourself for the past,” she murmured. “It wasn’t your fault. Try accepting that people are just… grateful.”

Then, with an unexpected burst of boldness again, she bit my neck—lightly—and pulled back with a radiant smile.

With a faint blush, Artemis rose once more and kissed me on the cheek—just shy of my lips.

“A small thank-you… for once again proving yourself my Hero.”

Before I could even react, another pair of lips brushed the other side of my face—this time touching the very edge of mine.

“There! I’m not letting you get ahead of me, Artemis!” Hestia declared, face flushed but eyes gleaming with determination.

The two goddesses locked gazes in silent challenge.

“Hahaha, it warms my heart to see things haven’t changed at all,” came Miach’s amused voice, breaking the tension. “Other than your deepening relationship with Reinhard-kun, of course.”

I turned—and sure enough, everyone was watching.

Most of the new girls stared at me with stars in their eyes and flushed faces.

Further back, I caught the visible pouts from Ram, Lante, and the rest of my party.

Scratching my head awkwardly, I offered a small bow.

“Sorry about that, Miach-sama.”

“No need to apologize,” Miach chuckled. “Frankly, I’m glad to see Hestia and Artemis smile like this. It’s a huge step from how they used to be.”

=====

Later That Evening

The moment settled, and things returned to normal.

I found myself seated beside Hestia, with Miach across from us. Naaza sat beside him, looking even more nervous than she had earlier.

In the background, Artemis and Rem had taken over kitchen duty.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Miach?” Hestia asked, tilting her head.

Miach paused, glancing at Naaza—who met his gaze with quiet resolve—before turning back to us.

“It’s about Naaza,” he began, smiling warmly at her. “In the short time she’s been adventuring with you, she’s improved tremendously. But more importantly… she’s been smiling again.”

Naaza’s ears twitched in embarrassment as she looked down.

“I believe she’s finally found where she belongs.”

Hestia blinked, catching on.

“Wait… you mean…?”

I turned to Naaza as well, and she offered me a shy but hopeful smile.

“Correct,” Miach nodded. “Naaza asked me if she could transfer to your Familia. And I’ve agreed.”

Then, without hesitation, Miach turned to me and bowed his head.

“Please continue to look after her, Reinhard-kun. I leave her in your care.”

Stunned, I rose slightly—then nodded and bowed back, just as deeply.

“You have my word, Miach-sama. I’ll protect her… and everyone else.”

Miach smiled.

“That’s what I wanted to hear.”

After that, Miach, Hestia, and Naaza moved to a private room to conduct the transfer ritual.

They returned minutes later, and Naaza—now officially a member of the Hestia Familia—slowly walked over to me.

Her steps were shy, but her eyes were steady. Determined.

I stood and greeted her with a warm smile. “Welcome, Naaza.”

Before she could respond, I pulled her into a gentle hug.

She blinked in surprise but returned it shyly, resting her head against my chest.

“Even though it’s felt like you’ve been one of us for a while now,” I murmured, “I’m beyond happy to finally call you a fellow Familia member.”

“…Thank you, Reinhard,” Naaza whispered, her voice soft but full of emotion. Her ears twitched, and her tail swayed behind her, betraying the happiness she tried to suppress.

‘This is great,’ I thought silently. ‘With Naaza here, I’ve got one more person I can count on… especially when it comes to brewing potions.’

We then rejoined everyone for dinner—and it was a celebration. A feast to mark a narrow escape, a new addition to the Familia, and the bonds we’d all deepened.

But even amid the laughter and clinking cups…

Something lingered in the back of my mind.

A dull, creeping unease I couldn’t quite explain.

=====

Somewhere in Orario — Lili’s POV

“I want out of the Familia.”

The words came out flat and emotionless as Lili placed two heavy bags of valis on the desk.

Across from her sat a middle-aged human—gray-haired, bespectacled, dressed in teal robes. A man whose eyes gleamed with greed even before he smiled.

“Hmm. I feel like I’ve seen you before,” he muttered, barely sparing the bags a glance before focusing on her.

Lili said nothing. She didn’t need to. She was done speaking to trash.

“Ah, now I remember.” The man’s smile twisted into something darker. “You’re that little street rat we took in. Strange—I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

The man was Zanis Lustra, captain of the Soma Familia.

Lili’s stomach turned.

“What’s more,” Zanis added, voice slick, “you haven’t made any contributions to the Familia in quite some time.”

He reached for one of the pouches casually—like it already belonged to him.

Lili’s heart dropped as she watched him slide it under the desk without another word.

Her money.

All her hard-earned valis—gone in seconds.

The same valis meant to buy her freedom.

The same valis Reinhard-sama and the others had helped her earn.

And she… she could do nothing.

Because Lili was just a Supporter.

Not strong like Reinhard-sama, or Rem-sama, or Naaza-sama. She had no power—only dreams.

“I’m afraid this won’t be enough,” Zanis said, smirking. “You see, you’ve got to cover the cost of leaving the Familia and repay your missed contributions. We all have to do our part for our god, after all.”

Lili stood frozen.

Eyes wide.

Lips trembling.

Tears fell silently, dripping down her cheeks as her one fragile hope shattered in front of her.

Zanis waved a hand, dismissing her.

“If there’s nothing else, do see yourself out. And don’t forget—I’ll be watching. You’re expected to resume your contributions starting tomorrow.”

He paused—just long enough to twist the knife.

“Of course… if you manage to earn enough again, I’d be more than happy to plead with Soma-sama on your behalf. Who knows? Maybe next time, you’ll have better luck.”

Lili didn’t respond.

She turned and ran—back to her hidden alcove, where no one could see her cry.

She didn’t notice the other Soma Familia members watching her as she fled.

Nor the greed in their eyes.