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

Chapter 61: Crossing Paths

It took a while, but I eventually managed to explain everything I had learned about Knossos to everyone present, even pulling out a journal I had found among Dix Perdix’s belongings that referenced the place several times.

Throughout the explanation, I had to pause repeatedly to clarify certain details, though truthfully, I was still mostly as in the dark as everyone else. Everything I knew came from fragments and assumptions pieced together from what I had seen.

Since we lacked concrete information, we ultimately agreed to proceed with the plan I had suggested earlier: contacting the Guild—specifically Ouranos—to see if they could shed more light on the matter while presenting the evidence we had gathered.

Naturally, Hestia and Artemis volunteered to handle that personally once our discussion was over.

Eventually, the conversation shifted toward the Xenos… and the decision I had made regarding them.

“So there really is a race of monsters capable of independent thought… and they’ve all gathered together?” Hestia asked curiously while everyone else listened intently.

“That’s right,” I replied with a nod, gesturing toward Marie and Wiene, who were currently sitting on the floor together, completely absorbed in a board game.

“From what I’ve been able to determine, the Xenos possess several hidden settlements throughout the Dungeon. The Dungeon itself seems to recognize them as safe zones, since monsters don’t spawn there.”

I paused briefly before continuing.

“And… please don’t take this too seriously yet since it’s only a theory for now, but I believe Xenos are born when either an adventurer or a monster dies in the Dungeon while carrying strong emotions, or unresolved feelings.”

Soft gasps spread throughout the room.

I had arrived at that conclusion after several conversations with Wiene.

Sometimes she would wake up crying from nightmares—which was one of the reasons she slept in my room—and from the fragmented memories she described, it sounded as though she was reliving the final moments of either a monster… or an adventurer.

There was also the fact that so many Xenos shared a deep longing to live beneath the sunlight.

“…That’s a frightening theory,” Artemis murmured, deep in thought. “If it’s true, it could change far more than just how people view monsters. I understand now why you warned us not to accept it immediately, Rein.”

“Brrr… this conversation is getting scary. Can we change the topic, Reinhard-sama?” Lili asked as she scooted closer to my side with a worried expression.

Seeing that several others also looked unsettled, I nodded.

“Of course.” I offered them a reassuring smile before continuing. “In any case, after meeting them, I decided to allow the Xenos to live within our Demiplane. With how much it’s expanded recently, and will continue to expand in the future, there should be more than enough space for them to settle comfortably.”

“There you go again, being too nice for your own good,” Hestia said fondly, shaking her head.

Still, after thinking it over for a moment, she nodded.

“Though honestly, I don’t see a problem with it in this case. We have more than enough room, and this would solve the issue of Orario panicking and potentially attacking them.”

Several others nodded in agreement, much to my relief.

“I thought the same thing,” I admitted with a small smile. “And with the portals I can create, they’ll still be able to return to the Dungeon whenever they want. Whether it’s to visit… or bring back newly born Xenos.”

That earned confused blinks from several people.

Then realization struck.

And suddenly, every eye in the room widened in shock.

“Are you saying you can create portals inside the Dungeon that people can freely use to travel back and forth?” Naaza asked with wide eyes, her ears and tail standing straight in shock.

“That sounds insane,” Daphne added immediately, worry evident in her expression. “Most of the danger of an expedition comes from having to travel through the Dungeon while carrying enough food, potions, and supplies for the entire journey. Knossos alone would already be a massive advantage, but if people found out about your portals…”

Her expression hardened.

“Things could spiral out of control very quickly. This secret cannot leave this room.”

“Calm down, everyone.” I raised my hands slightly, waiting for the growing panic to settle before continuing.

“While I understand why you’re worried, it won’t become an issue.” I shook my head calmly, earning several curious looks.

“You see, there are restrictions on how I can use those portals.”

“Restrictions?” Lante repeated with a tilted head.

“I can create portals inside the Dungeon,” I explained, “but I can’t personally use them. And anyone close to me can only use them under specific conditions—namely, if they aren’t trying to conquer the Dungeon itself. The Xenos fit that criteria, which is why I’m able to help them.”

“Huh? Why would it work like that?” Rethusa asked with a blink.

“It’s tied to one of the missions given to me by my benefactors,” I answered. “Breaking those conditions isn’t possible.”

I paused briefly before continuing.

“For quite some time now, I’ve technically been capable of teleporting almost anywhere as long as I can clearly picture the destination in my mind. However, I’m forbidden from using that ability to directly enter the Dungeon since it would count as cheating.”

“Hmm… is that why you weaken Rem and me whenever we enter the Dungeon, Reinhard-sama?” Ram asked curiously, drawing Rem’s attention as well.

“That’s right.” I nodded toward her. “Since both of you are considered Tier 8 after obtaining your second horns, reducing your strength slightly is the only way to bypass the restriction preventing me from receiving help from anyone above a certain level.”

“So it really is one of those missions you mentioned before?” Hestia asked thoughtfully.

“Yes.” I nodded again. “The conditions are fairly strict.”

I held up a finger for each point.

“I must reach the hundredth floor within one year.”

“Second, I cannot bring anyone considered Tier 8 with me.”

“Third, no deities are allowed inside the Dungeon with me under any circumstances.”

“And lastly, I’m forbidden from using teleportation—or anything similar—to bypass the Dungeon itself. I have to start from the beginning, just like everyone else.”

Silence settled over the room as everyone absorbed the implications.

Eventually, it was Lili who broke it with a pout.

“Aww… for a moment, Lili thought we had finally caught a lucky break.”

“Hehehe… me too,” Cassandra admitted sheepishly while Daphne nodded beside her.

“Well, honestly, it wouldn’t really be fair to everyone else if we could skip entire sections of the Dungeon anyway,” Artemis said with a small shrug. “Besides, Knossos is still incredibly valuable, as long as we figure out what’s hidden inside and secure it properly.”

“Nice way to lift the mood again, Artemis-sama~” Lante chirped, giving her goddess a thumbs-up.

And just like that, the atmosphere lightened once more.

From there, the conversation gradually came to an end. Hestia and Artemis excused themselves soon after, with Lante and Rethusa accompanying them to the Guild.

I did notice Est staring at my back the entire time, likely wondering why I hadn’t brought up my encounter with the Amazons… or the fact that one of them had kissed me.

Naturally, I did my best not to notice her silent stares.

There was absolutely no way I was volunteering that information unless I was forced to. I could already imagine the chaos it would cause, and frankly, I wanted no part in it.

So I wisely remained silent.

“Haah… since we won’t be heading into the Dungeon for the next few days, I think this is the perfect opportunity to upgrade everyone’s equipment,” I suddenly announced, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

The eager looks directed my way made me smile slightly, even Sophia and Emma looking interested now that they had rejoined us.

Placing my hands on my hips, I continued.

“So, if anyone wants an upgrade, or wants me to make a specific weapon or set of armor, let me know the details. I was planning to head to Babel later to purchase materials and anything else I might need.”

The moment those words left my mouth, excited squeals erupted throughout the room.

Most of the girls immediately scrambled off in search of paper and writing utensils so they could hand me detailed requests.

Only Est, Marie, and Wiene remained behind.

Well… Wiene and Marie looked excited.

Est, on the other hand, was staring at me with quiet disappointment.

“…I’m telling them what happened later,” Est muttered firmly with her arms crossed, causing me to visibly wince.

‘I see she’s still upset about the Amazons,’ I thought with a silent sigh before mentally preparing myself for the disaster that would inevitably follow.

“…Alright.”

“Rein! Can Marie and I come with you into the city!?” Wiene suddenly interrupted, grabbing my hand and looking up at me with sparkling eyes while Marie nodded enthusiastically beside her.

“Yes, please!” Marie chimed in eagerly.

I considered it for a moment, but ultimately saw no issue with the idea.

“Very well.”

“Yaaay~!” Wiene cheered before grabbing Marie’s hand and practically dragging her away. “Come on, Marie! Let’s get ready!”

“I’m coming too,” Est suddenly declared.

I blinked before smiling slightly and nodding.

“Of course, Est.”

=====

An Hour Later

After going through everyone’s requests and taking notes, I now found myself walking through the streets of Orario toward Babel alongside Est, Marie, and Wiene.

Marie and Wiene clung happily to my arms while chatting excitedly amongst themselves, whereas Est walked quietly at my side looking slightly pouty after losing the battle for my hands before she even had the chance to try.

As we passed by the Hostess of Fertility, the front door suddenly swung open almost as if she had sensed my presence.

Syr immediately spotted me and waved enthusiastically before hurrying over with a bright smile.

“Reinhard-kun~ So you didn’t go to the Dungeon today? I didn’t see you this morning,” Syr said cheerfully as she wrapped her arms around my neck, completely ignoring the other girls.

“Hello, Syr,” I greeted with a smile. “And that’s right. I’ll be taking a few days off from the Dungeon to focus on some things at home. I was actually hoping to run into you so I could let you know you don’t need to prepare a bento for me for a little while.”

Since both of my arms were occupied by Marie and Wiene, I couldn’t properly return the hug, though Syr didn’t seem to mind.

“Aww~ So you were hoping to run into me, huh?” Syr teased playfully as she finally let go and stepped back, winking at me while striking a cute pose.

“Yes, I was,” I admitted honestly.

That alone was enough to make a faint blush appear on her cheeks.

Only then did her attention finally drift toward the girls around me.

“And you’ve already met Marie, Wiene, and Est. Say hello, girls,” I encouraged with a smile.

“Hello,” Est greeted calmly with a small nod before immediately losing interest.

“Hello again~” Wiene said happily while waving.

“Hello, Miss Syr~” Marie greeted brightly before suddenly tilting her head. “Are you also part of Reinhard’s harem?”

Both Syr and I froze.

“H-H-Harem!? M-Me and Reinhard-kun!? U-Umm… Aaah… I-I…” Syr stammered helplessly, her face turning bright red almost instantly while I closed my eyes with a faint blush of my own.

“Hihihi, you must be~” Marie continued innocently, completely unaware of the damage she was causing. “You’re really pretty, and Reinhard seems to really like you!”

Syr opened her mouth, probably intending to deny it…

…but no words came out.

Instead, she kept sneaking shy glances at me every few seconds, and judging by the increasingly red shade of her face, that clearly wasn’t helping.

“I-I have to go!” Syr suddenly blurted out in a panic. “Mama Mia will get mad at me again if I don’t finish my chores! Bye, Reinhard-kun! Please come visit whenever you want!”

And with that, she practically fled back inside the pub, her face looking close to steaming.

I blinked in surprise as the door slammed shut behind her before slowly turning toward the still-cheerful Marie with a newfound sense of awe.

‘…Wow. I think I just found the perfect counter to Syr,’ I thought in amazement. ‘Syr really is all offense and no defense.’

Shaking my head with a small smile, I continued walking.

“Come on, girls. Once we finish shopping, we can go wherever you want.”

“Rein is the best~! I want cake!” Wiene cheered immediately.

“Cake!? What’s cake? Is it yummy? I want some too!” Marie added excitedly.

“Parfait,” Est declared with a firm nod, clearly having her priorities straight.

=====

Inside Babel

Of course, since we were shopping for armor and weapon materials, there was no better place to visit than the shops operated by the Hephaestus Familia within Babel itself. After all, they were the premier blacksmiths of Orario in my opinion.

It took quite a while to gather everything I needed. With all the requests everyone had given me, we ended up moving back and forth between several stores throughout the tower.

Eventually, however, I managed to purchase everything on my list.

By that point, Wiene and Marie—who had been excited at first—had long since lost interest after the first hour of shopping, so they looked visibly relieved when I finally announced we were done.

As we made our way out, I blinked in surprise when I spotted a familiar head of red hair speaking with one of the shopkeepers nearby.

Almost as if she had sensed my gaze, Hephaestus turned in our direction.

The moment she recognized me, a smile spread across her face and she excused herself before walking over.

“Hey, Reinhard. Girls,” Hephaestus greeted warmly, nodding toward the others before her gaze shifted to the bags I was carrying, filled with materials and monster drops.

“It’s a surprise seeing you here. Did you finally decide to take your blacksmithing more seriously?” she teased.

“Hello, Hephaestus-sama,” I greeted with a smile before introducing the girls properly.

“And actually, yes. I received a lot of requests from everyone, and since I’ll be free for a few days, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to upgrade everyone’s weapons, armor, and equipment.”

She blinked once before her smile widened noticeably.

“I see. That’s great to hear.” She paused briefly before clearing her throat. “Hmm… I should have some free time tomorrow. Mind if I stop by and watch you work?”

A faint blush dusted her cheeks.

Beside me, Marie looked dangerously close to saying something again—likely asking whether Hephaestus was also part of my harem—but thankfully Est reacted first and quickly covered her mouth.

Feeling a wave of relief, promising to buy Est something extra nice later, I turned my full attention back to the beautiful goddess and smiled.

“Of course, Hephaestus-sama. You’re welcome anytime.”

Her blush deepened slightly along with her smile.

“Thanks. Unfortunately, I need to get back to work now. I’m still busy.” She waved lightly before glancing at me once more. “Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone. I’ll see you tomorrow, Reinhard.”

“Take care, Hephaestus-sama,” I replied, waving back alongside the girls.

Once she disappeared back into the crowd, I turned toward the others.

“Now that we’re done, how about we go get something to eat?”

I was immediately greeted by happy cheers.

An hour later, with our stomachs pleasantly full and Marie and Wiene enthusiastically discussing what foods they wanted to try next time, we finally began making our way back home.

‘Hopefully Hestia and Artemis bring back good news from the Guild,’ I thought quietly to myself.

Lost in thought, I failed to notice someone walking directly toward me—

—and accidentally bumped into them hard enough to knock them onto the ground.

Snapping out of my thoughts immediately, I quickly reached out with an apologetic expression.

“I’m very sorry about that. I wasn’t watching where I was go—”

My words stopped abruptly.

Staring back at me was a beautiful girl with long silver-white hair and striking heterochromatic eyes, currently scowling at me from the ground.

I blinked once as a strange feeling of familiarity crossed my mind.

Then another figure hurried to her side to check on her.

White hair.

Bright red eyes.

‘Bell?’ I thought in confusion, not recognizing the girl beside him.