Down on the 18th floor.

“I didn’t think we would see Wiene so soon.” Said Haruhime.

“Yes, but we will be helping the Loki Familia,” said Lili.

“Are you still nervous with Finn?” asked Welf.

“Hmm… slightly, but Cirrus will be there, so I’m sure nothing bad will happen!”

After a bit, some of the core members of the Loki Familia came along with Cirrus and Ai.

“Yo! Been waiting long?” said Cirrus.

“Not at all!” Bell said, coming up to him.

“So are you going to be our guide, Argonaut?” said Tiona.

“Y-yes! Um, should we get going?”

“Lead the way.” Said Finn.

“Right!”

They followed the route Bell, and his Familia first took to take Wiene back but with considerably more ease.

“♪Dun, dun, da-da-dun♪!”

Cirrus was whistling a tune.

“♪Dun, dun, da-da-dun♪!” hummed Lili.

“♪Dun, dun, da-da-dun♪!” hummed Lefiya.

It was a rather infectious, simple tune that everyone begun to hum.

 

20th floor.

“We are here,” Bell said.

“Seems rather ordinary?” said Lefiya.

“… No, I can smell monsters nearby.” Said Beta, looking around.

“Then we should be close!” said Ai. “And the scent is…” she sniffed around and found the source. “Here!” she picked up a stone and moved it to find an entrance.

“The scent just got way stronger.” Beta said.

Bell then entered first along with his Familia, followed by the others.

“Bell-icchi.”

A voice filled with caution rang in the dark space as several monsters’ killing intent was aimed at Cirrus and the others.

“Ah! Lyd! It’s fine! They are nice people!” Bell said.

“Is the one named Cirrus with them?” said a female voice.

“I’m here,” Cirrus said, stepping up.

“You…”

The voice dropped before him, and she looked at him.

“Oh? What pretty blue eyes you have for a Siren.”

“!?”

She quickly jumped back.

“You can see us in this darkness!?” said another voice.

“Of course, once you reach level 7, our vision to see in the dark gets about as good as a normal Pallums.” A smile appeared on Cirrus's face. “So, do you mind if you turn on the lights? I can see my magic lamps everywhere.”

The lights turn on, showing several monsters around them with a siren before them.

Many of the Loki Familia tensed up a bit before another one jumped out.

“Bell!!!!” shouted Wiene, appearing.

“Wiene!!” Bell shouted as he caught her.

The air seemed to have loosened up a bit.

“My apologies.” Said the Siren. “The Xeno hunter's haven't been very active but that does not mean we should lower our guard.”

“It’s understandable.” Said Finn, stepping up.

“Captain…” said Tione.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I have met with Kalion, and he has informed me of your situation. I assume you have been informed of our proposal?”

“We have.” Said a Lizardman coming down. “My name is Lyd. I am one of the three Xeno Leaders.”

“I am Finn Deimne, captain of the Loki Familia.”

“It is nice to meet one of such renown." They both give a small bow to one another. "But on your question, we have considered it and decided to take you up on it.”

“C-captain, are you sure!?” said Lefiya, shocked. “T-they are…”

“I am. They share a similar goal to mine, as we need someone to take over the Knossos.”

“Yes, little lady elf.” Said the Siren. “Our goal is to live in peace someday with everyone on the surface. This is but a step to that goal.”

“B-but w-why do you wanna be on the surface? Wouldn’t you still be hunted?”

“A rather shallow observation.” Said Riveria, a bit on edge with the circumstance but she still compose herself. “I can assume you dislike the dungeon, correct?”

“Yes, we are like baby sea turtles desperately trying to reach the sea before we are picked by seagulls. Even then, in the sea, there are still predators.”

“… Cirrus, are you really fine with them joining? They are…” asked Ais with hesitations in her voice and a very dark look in her eyes.

“I am. I have no qualms with getting their help.” Cirrus said without a second thought.

“But… they are…” a struggling expression could be seen on her and Beta’s faces.

“What? Monsters?” the room went silent as their faces stiffened. “Ais, in my eyes, I can see humanity as equally as monstrous than them.”

“W-what??” she said, confused and shocked.

“What the hell are you talking about? Monsters go out and kill!” shouted Beta.

"Go out and kill? We willingly walk into their home, their territory. If an some guy with a sword walked through your home, would you not try to fight or even kill them to defend your home?" Cirrus said calmly.

"Well... Yes, but—"

"But even then, monsters do not attack for the sake of killing. That is something only sapient species do. And also dogs. I mean, hey you have seen how far people will go. Beta, you were around during the Great Feud, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then you have seen what they did. The pain and suffering they committed to their own people just for shits and giggles.”

“… Yeah.”

“Then give them a chance. I know you don’t like to pick on the weak, so what do you say?”

“Fine…” He said, loosing up a bit.

“Wonderful!” said Lyd. “We got alcohol here if you want some!”

Beta walked over to Lyd as he hands him a mug of alcohol.

“It’s not cheap, right?”

“Course not!! Or maybe? We do not have a way to compare what is cheap or not?”

Beta then drinks the mug down.

“Ahh~ That’s a damn shame! I need to give you a taste of the real good stuff!”

While Beta drank more with them, Cirrus took Ais to the side.

“And you, Ais? I know you have a… ’Particularity’ towards dragons.”

“… I… I don’t think I can do it.”

Her expression was bordering on a person reaching their breaking point. Her world was now flipped on its head with the Xeno.

“Hmm… Stay here a second.”

Ais watched as she saw him leave and bring back Bell.

“Bell, why don’t you talk to her?” Cirrus then leaned into his ear. “This is your first step.” He then looked back at Ais. “If you have questions, you can ask him!" He pats Bell's shoulder. "See ya!”

He took his leave, and Ais looked at Bell.

“H-hello Miss Ais!” Bell said, a bit nervously.

They came face to face with one another.

“So um… are you still on—”

“Why are you defending a monster?” Ais said bluntly.

“… Because I want to be a—as embarrassing as it sounds… a hero.”

“Hm?” Ais looked at his ruby eyes and he was sincere. “A… hero?”

Ais felt a bit... torn by this. Envious.

“Yes. Like those told in stories and fairy tales. I want to be a hero.”

Bell made a small smile, a smile that warmed her heart. It quelled the black fire that was in Ais at least a bit. Envy still gnawed at her.

“But… why? Why a monster and not—” she stopped herself. She stopped herself from speaking her deepest desire.

“Because… They need help. Their situation is far worse than even the Pallums. And because helping them is the right thing to do.”

“But are you not afraid of facing me? O-or even Cirrus?”

“Well… Um, I already confronted Cirrus.”

“You... Have?"

“Yeah, he really beat me up." Bell rubbed his stomach, a memory of their fight. "I was terrified facing him, but… I gained the resolve to stand by the Xeno. What about you?”

“I…” Ais’s expression darkened again. She remembered the Black Dragon. It plagued her deeply. “I don’t think I can… trust them.” She looked down, holding her hands to stop them from shaking.

She didn’t wish to see his face at her rejection.

“Well… that’s fine. You just need to trust me!”

Ais slowly looked up to see Bell’s eyes filled with resolve and confidence.

'They are so pure. Innocent.'

Ais loved his eyes, his expression.

“If you can’t trust them, that is fine, Miss Ais. You just need to trust me and Cirrus! Will that be enough?”

Ais felt fine with that. Even if she didn’t fully trust them, she can at least trust Bell and Cirrus.

“… Yes. I think I can trust you. Bell.”

His face lit up so innocently, it warmed her heart again as flashes of her childhood came rushing back in.

Thump-thump!

 

Two days later.

“So we will start in 2 days!” said Lefiya.

“I understand. I will be ready by then.” Said Filvis.

She watched as Lefiya leaves and goes back into her Familia home.

“…” Filvis walks down the halls of her home and goes down a set of stairs.

The smell of wine hit her nose.

“Lord Dionysus, they will raid the Knossos in two days.”

“… Hmm… Filvis, where is the wine?” he said drunkenly.