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

Chapter 45: More Than a Monster

Making sure our new friend stayed hidden as we made our way through Orario, it only took a few minutes before we finally reached home. The Vouivre girl was still clutching the back of my shirt in a death grip, her wide eyes darting around at every new sound or smell.

On the way, she’d let out the occasional soft gasp of wonder as she took in the world outside the dungeon for the very first time. Still, she’d listened when I told her I’d answer all her questions once we were safely home.

“We made it,” I muttered in relief just as Rem closed and locked the door behind us.

That relief didn’t last long, though, because a black-haired missile immediately launched itself at me and wrapped itself around my head.

“Rein-kuuun~ You’re finally back! I’ve been so busy lately, I really missed your hugs~” Hestia wailed dramatically, fake tears streaming down her face as she buried my head against her chest.

“Let Rein breathe, Hestia. Can’t you see you’re suffocating him?” Artemis said dryly, prying the goddess off my face and saving me from death by affection.

“Thanks, Artemis,” I managed with a grateful smile before I felt a small tug at my side, our new guest reminding me she was still there.

‘Right... I really need to come up with a name for her soon. Referring to her as “the Vouivre girl” feels wrong.’

“Anyway, Hestia, Artemis,” I began, nerves creeping back in as I gently guided the girl in front of me, keeping a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “There’s something I want to talk to you both about. And… it involves her.”

At my words, the goddesses and everyone else in the room finally noticed the cloaked figure standing beside me.

“Hmm? Who’s this you’ve brought home, Rein-kun? A new recruit, maybe?” Hestia asked curiously, tilting her head as she tried to peek beneath the cloak.

“Why all the secrecy?” Artemis’s tone was calmer, but I could tell she’d already noticed the tension, my nervous smile, Lili and Naaza’s uneasy expressions, and the twins’ faintly amused smirks like they were watching a show they’d already seen before.

And then, because of course it had to be her, Est decided to blurt it all out in her usual blunt way.

“Reinhard brought a new girl home for his harem,” Est said matter-of-factly as she walked right up to the cloaked girl and patted her head. “I approve. She’s cute.”

The light pat caused the hood to slip down, revealing the girl’s blue hair, soft gray skin, and—most importantly—the crimson gem embedded in her forehead.

A Vouivre.

Both goddesses froze.

“Hehe… surprise?” I said weakly, smiling as a nervous twitch pulled at my cheek.

For a long, painfully awkward moment, no one said a word. The only sound in the room was the faint rustle of the Vouivre girl’s cloak as she shifted nervously under everyone’s stunned stares.

Then—

“REINHARD!!!” Hestia’s shriek nearly shook the walls. “You brought a monster home!? Into our house!?” she yelled, waving her arms wildly as if trying to shoo away an invisible swarm. “What if it suddenly attacks us in our sleep!? Or burns the curtains!? Or eats the sofa!?”

The Vouivre girl jumped at the volume and instinctively hid behind me again, gripping my shirt tightly.

“Hestia.”

That single word from Artemis was enough to silence the petite goddess. Artemis’s tone was calm, but her narrowed eyes were locked on the trembling girl behind me.

“You’re sure about this, Rein?” she asked quietly. “That’s a monster, not a person, or at least, not one by Orario’s standards.”

“I’m sure,” I answered without hesitation. “She’s different. She spoke, Artemis. She understood me, and she hasn’t shown even a hint of hostility. I couldn’t just leave her down there to die.”

My words hung heavy in the air. For a few seconds, Artemis said nothing, her eyes softening slightly as she studied the girl’s frightened expression. Hestia, meanwhile, looked like she was torn between outrage and panic.

“You’re telling me she talked?” Hestia finally asked, blinking in disbelief.

“Yes,” I nodded. “And she’s… honestly just a scared girl.”

Hestia’s expression faltered at that. Her arms crossed, but her voice lowered an octave. “You’re serious, huh?”

“When am I not?” I asked with a small smile.

That earned me a glare, but it was a weak one.

“Unbelievable,” she muttered before sighing and walking closer, leaning to the side a little to peek at the girl hiding behind me. “Hey there, uh… monster girl? You’re not gonna, like, eat us or anything, right?”

The Vouivre girl blinked up at her, confused, before slowly shaking her head.

“See?” I said with a small grin. “Perfectly harmless.”

“And I suppose those claws are just for show?” Hestia deadpanned, then playfully jabbed a finger at me. “You’re too nice, Rein-kun!”

“Is that supposed to be an insult?” I asked weakly rubbing the back of my head, though Rem and Ram’s giggles behind me didn’t exactly help my case. Nor the ones coming from the girls belonging to the Artemis Familia, in specifically Lante and Emma.

Meanwhile, Artemis’s expression softened as she stepped closer, her voice gentle but steady. “She’s trembling,” she murmured, almost to herself. “You said she understands words?”

I nodded, and Artemis knelt down to meet the girl’s gaze. “Do you have a name, little one?”

The Vouivre girl fidgeted, her amber eyes flicking between Artemis and me before slowly tilting her head.

“Name?” she asked softly with a blink. “Rein.”

“No, that’s my name remember?” I said with a nervous smile. “Though I do think you need one.”

“…Then that will be our first priority then,” Artemis said softly, smiling faintly. “If she’s going to stay here, we need a way to address her.”

“My own… name?” she asked looking surprised at the idea with her ears cutely wiggling to her sides.

Hestia, now looking more relaxed, placed her hands on her hips with a decisive nod. “That’s a great idea! And since Rein-kun’s the one who brought you here, I think he should be the one to name you.”

“Me?” I asked, pointing to myself in surprise.

“I agree,” Artemis said, backing Hestia immediately.

“It has to be Reinhard-sama. He found her, after all,” Ram added, joining in.

“I’m a little jealous she’ll be named by Reinhard-kun,” Rem murmured with a small pout, though she didn’t object.

“Make sure it’s a cute name, Reinhard,” Est said, returning to patting the Vouivre girl on the head to her continued confusion.

After that, the support came from everyone else in the room. Overwhelmed, I could only sigh and relent.

“Fine, I will,” I said, giving in before an idea struck me. Pulling out my Company Phone, I quickly searched their database, if this girl was special, she might already be in the list of Companions.

Sure enough, it only took a few seconds to find her file. Smiling, I put the phone away and joined Est in gently caressing her head. Her hair was soft, almost silky.

“Wiene,” I said finally, smiling down at her. “Your name from now on will be Wiene.”

“Wie…ne?” she repeated softly, blinking. “My… name?”

I nodded, still smiling, and her face lit up with pure joy.

“Wiene! My name is Wiene!” she cheered happily before suddenly throwing her arms around me.

In her excitement, she didn’t notice where her claws landed, one grazed my arm, drawing a thin line of blood. The bright mood shattered in an instant.

“Reinhard-sama!”

“Rein-kun!”

“Rein!”

The others cried out in alarm, but I quickly raised a hand to calm them.

“Relax, everyone, it’s just a scratch,” I reassured them before turning to Wiene.

The poor girl looked horrified, tears brimming in her eyes. “R-Rein… I… no! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Rein!” she cried, backing away in panic and hugging herself tightly as if afraid to hurt anyone else.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright.” I was by her side in an instant, gently taking her hands. She tensed, then relaxed slightly when she realized I wasn’t angry. “See? Just a small scratch,” I said softly, rolling up my sleeve to show her the thin line of red. A little blood trailed down my arm, but nothing serious.

“Y-you’re really okay? It doesn’t hurt?” she asked anxiously, eyes darting between my arm and face.

“Hahaha, I promise, it’s nothing. Watch closely.” I smiled and pulled a small vial of Ambrosia from my inventory, pouring it over the wound. It closed instantly, leaving smooth, unblemished skin behind.

Wiene gasped in amazement before breaking into a radiant smile. “Rein!” she cried, hugging me again, this time more gently. I laughed softly and returned the embrace.

Normally, I wouldn’t waste a potion like that on such a small injury, it would’ve healed on its own within minutes with my ridiculous constitution, but seeing her terror fade into relief made it more than worth it.

“Lili is still not sure she’s okay with having a monster living with us…” I heard Lili mutter under her breath, Naaza looking equally unsure beside her.

Unfortunately, that sentiment didn’t go unnoticed by Artemis’s Familia members—some murmured in uneasy agreement.

“That’s enough,” I said firmly, my tone cutting through the tension. It wasn’t often I raised my voice, but the room immediately went quiet. “We’ll continue this conversation in the Demiplane. There’s something I want to discuss with you all.”

Then, softening again, I looked down at Wiene and offered her a reassuring smile. “Come on,” I said gently, taking her hand. She squeezed mine, eyes wide in awe as I led her through the shimmering portal into our personal world.

Behind us, the others followed, though a few hung back slightly, uncertain. Only Rem, Ram, Est, Artemis, and Hestia walked forward without hesitation.

=====

Demiplane — Minutes Later

After getting everyone settled in the outdoor patio, since the living room was far too small to comfortably fit all of us, I took a few minutes to bring everyone up to speed on what had happened in the Dungeon and how we’d come to meet Wiene.

Once the explanations were done, I finally addressed the group. Wiene sat beside me, still quiet but curious, while Est had claimed the other side, happily swinging her legs back and forth as she looked around in wonder. I placed a reassuring hand on Wiene’s shoulder; she would need the support for what I was about to say.

“Now, I’m sure some of you have doubts about me bringing Wiene home,” I began, letting my gaze sweep across everyone present. “Whether it’s because of what you think she is, or because of the problems that might arise from sheltering her.”

Several of them nodded, some hesitantly, others with genuine concern.

“I figured as much,” I said with a small nod before my expression hardened. “But before anything else, there’s something I want to make absolutely clear. I need everyone to listen closely.”

A faint tension settled over the patio. Even the wind seemed to quiet down as I spoke.

“Wiene is not a monster,” I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument.

The reaction was immediate, eyes widened, some jaws dropped, and a few exchanged uncertain glances.

“But Reinhard-sama!” Lili exclaimed, her voice rising slightly. “How can you say that so confidently when we all saw her being born from the Dungeon!?”

“Has she killed anyone?” I asked calmly, raising an eyebrow.

“W-Well, no, but—”

“Has she threatened or attacked any of you?” I pressed again. “Has she shown any intent to harm anyone here?”

Lili fell silent, and so did everyone else. A few grimaced, clearly realizing where I was going with this.

“Then tell me,” I continued, my voice steady but sharper now, “what exactly defines her as a monster? She can think rationally. She can speak. She clearly feels guilt, she cried when she thought she hurt me earlier. She can smile, laugh, and even feel fear. Does any of that sound like the behavior of a monster?”

With each question, the weight in the air grew heavier. Those who had doubted her couldn’t even meet my eyes anymore.

“The first time I looked at her,” I went on, my tone softening as I looked down at Wiene, “I felt no malice. Not even a trace. I knew right then and there, she wasn’t a monster. She’s something new, something we don’t yet understand. That’s all.”

“…Rein,” Wiene whispered tearfully before she pressed herself into my side, hugging me tightly. I felt her small frame tremble against me, the fabric of my shirt dampening where her tears fell.

I just smiled softly and placed a hand on her head, gently caressing her hair.

“This reminds me of how demi-humans were treated back in our world, doesn’t it, nee-sama?” Rem said quietly. Her tone held no jealousy this time, only sadness.

“Yes,” Ram agreed with a small nod, her usual sharp tone subdued. “It’s almost exactly the same.”

“Something like this happened in your world?” Hestia asked curiously, drawing everyone’s attention to me.

“Yes,” I replied, glancing up from Wiene. “There was a dark period in our history called the Demi-Human War, a time when humans and demi-humans fought bitterly out of nothing but hate and fear.”

Seeing the mix of curiosity and unease around me, I decided to continue. “I might as well tell you all the story. Maybe after hearing it, you’ll understand why hatred like that never leads to anything good.”

With the help of Rem and Ram, who occasionally filled in details, we spent the next half hour recounting the events of that brutal war, the discrimination, the fear, the losses, and eventually the peace(?) that followed.

Everyone listened closely. Some because it was about another world, mine, and others because they could feel the parallels to what we were facing now.

By the end of the story, the atmosphere had shifted. Lili in particular looked down in quiet shame, unable to meet my or Wiene’s eyes. A few of Artemis’s girls wore thoughtful, almost guilty expressions.

As for Wiene, she had fallen asleep halfway through the story, her head resting peacefully on my lap, one hand still holding onto my sleeve. I smiled softly as I brushed a strand of blue hair away from her face, running my fingers through her hair in soothing motions.

The tension that had filled the air earlier had faded, replaced by something gentler, quiet understanding, and perhaps the beginning of acceptance.

 “That was quite the tale,” Artemis said at last, breaking the silence that had followed the story. She let out a quiet sigh and folded her arms.

“The Witches and that Witch Cult sound really scary,” Hestia added with a small shiver, rubbing her arms as if suddenly cold.

“How does one even eat half the world…?” Naaza muttered, shaking her head with a pale expression.

“Thankfully, they’re all long dead,” Rem said darkly, a scowl twisting her usually gentle features. “Only the pests from the Witch Cult still linger.”

The faint pressure that spread through the patio made a few of the others shift uncomfortably, until Ram calmly reached over and took Rem’s hand, her soft touch instantly easing her twin’s anger.

“Getting back on track,” Artemis said after clearing her throat, “I understand the situation now, Rein. I’ll accept it. But how are we going to keep Wiene a secret from everyone? We can’t just keep her hidden here forever.”

“That’s a fair point, Artemis-sama. But knowing Rein, I bet he already has something planned,” Lante said with a sly grin, tilting her head toward me. “Right, Rein?”

With every eye suddenly fixed on me, I felt a faint blush creep onto my cheeks. Letting out a quiet sigh, I smiled in resignation.

“That’s correct,” I admitted, which immediately earned a round of pleased and curious looks. “While we could expand this space and keep her here for now, you’re right, we can’t just leave her isolated when we spend most of our time outside. Fortunately, it won’t be a problem once I’m done.”

“That’s my Rein-kun for you~! I knew you already had a plan!” Hestia cheered proudly, then quickly clapped a hand over her mouth when I pointed to the still-sleeping Wiene beside me.

“Hihihi, I didn’t expect anything less from Senpai~,” Emma said with a bright grin, nodding as though she’d been certain all along.

“Rein is the best,” Est declared with a small, confident thumbs-up.

“Always doing the impossible, huh?” Artemis said softly, smiling at me with that subtle warmth of hers.

Their words came one after another, full of trust and affection, and though it made me a little embarrassed, I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped me. Still, even as I smiled, my eyes flicked briefly toward Lili, who remained silent and avoided looking my way.

‘I’ll have to talk with her later,’ I thought quietly.

“Thank you for believing in me, everyone,” I said sincerely, giving them a small bow of my head. “I promise that once I’m done, Wiene won’t cause any trouble with the other deities or Familias. In fact…” I grinned. “…I’m willing to bet they won’t even realize what she is. To them, she’ll look like an ordinary girl.”

“Eeeehhh!?” came the collective shout of disbelief.

I chuckled at their reactions before glancing down at Wiene. She was still asleep, a soft smile on her face, one hand loosely holding onto my sleeve even in her dreams.

‘Don’t worry, Wiene,’ I thought, letting my fingers gently brush her hair aside. ‘No matter what happens… I promise I’ll protect you.’