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

Chapter 32: A Toast to War

“L-Lili still can’t believe that just happened,” came the small voice of Lili, still in shock over what had just transpired only minutes prior.

After Artemis and Hestia had thoroughly intimidated and bullied Zanis, he eventually led us to Soma’s private chambers, where I laid eyes on the reclusive god for the first time.

He looked completely disheveled, his long hair covering most of his face, revealing only his nose and mouth. He was hunched over a workstation, utterly focused on whatever project he was working on.

He didn’t even acknowledge our arrival, nor did he seem to care. He just sat in silence dedicated to his task.

Hestia, unsurprisingly, wasted no time.

“Soma!” she shouted firmly.

Finally, he looked up. His reaction was muted, blinking slowly before asking what we wanted in a dull, indifferent tone.

That was when Lili stepped forward with surprising bravery.

“S-Soma-sama! Lili wants to ask you something!”

Soma tilted his head at her, a subtle gesture that seemed to give permission to continue.

“L-Lili wants to leave the Soma Familia... and join Hestia-sama,” she said at last.

Soma stared at her for a long moment, making her visibly nervous. Then, without a word, he reached over to his workstation and picked up a cup, holding it out toward her.

“If you can drink this, and remain conscious to make your request, then I will agree,” he murmured.

“Is that…” Artemis began, narrowing her eyes. Her voice trailed off as she realized what was inside the cup. She stepped forward, concern evident in her face but stopped when I gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright. Believe in her,” I said with a smile. Then, I turned to Lili, who was staring at me with wide, teary eyes.

“I believe in you, Lili. Remember…” I stepped forward and gently placed a finger over her chest, just above her heart. “Think with this, and you’ll be fine.”

Lili gasped softly, then nodded as if those words reignited something inside her.

“R-Reinhard-sama…” she whispered, her eyes shining.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Soma, who remained patiently waiting with the cup extended. With a last glance at me, Lili took the cup in trembling hands. Then, with one final breath to steel herself, she drank.

The effect was immediate.

Lili’s face flushed a deep red, and she collapsed to her knees before slumping on the floor.

Had I not been watching Soma closely, I would’ve missed it but I saw the slight slump in his posture, the faint glimmer of disappointment before his usual stoicism returned.

“Lili!” Hestia exclaimed in concern, ready to run forward but I stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.

“Wait just a little longer. Trust her resolve,” I said gently, my eyes still on the small form lying on the floor.

“Hmph, she won’t be waking up. Now that your business is done, I’ll ask you to leave,” Zanis, watching everything from a few feet away, said smugly, pushing up his glasses with a faint smirk hidden behind them.

But just as he finished, Lili stirred.

Slowly but surely, she pushed herself up to her knees, then to her feet. Though she was swaying unsteadily, her eyes were open and they burned with determination.

Her face was flushed. Her speech was slurred. But her will was unmistakable.

“S-Shoma-sama… ‘hic’…” Lili stuttered, her cute pout failing to make her glare any more threatening. “P-Please let Lili leave the Familia! Lili wants to join R-Reinhard-sama!”

For a moment, Soma said nothing. Then he turned slightly.

“Leave us,” he said to Zanis.

And just like that, Lili passed the test. She had impressed Soma enough to earn her freedom and became the newest member of the Hestia Familia.

Minutes later, we left the Soma Familia and began our walk back home—this time, with a new companion.

“Better believe it, Lili,” I said with a warm smile, reaching out to pat her on the head. The motion snapped her out of her lingering daze, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment though she made no move to pull away from my hand.

“You just proved that even if you're small and seen as weak, your heart and courage are stronger than some mere wine made by a god.” My grin widened as I messed up her hair a little, making her flush even deeper.

“That’s right, Lili-chan,” Hestia added from beside me, her voice filled with encouragement. It was the first time she'd called her by name instead of Supporter-kun, and the shift didn’t go unnoticed.

“You even managed to impress me a bit.”

“It seems Rein was right about you all along,” Artemis chimed in at last, offering the girl a small smile. “He never doubted you.”

Lili looked down again, her face still red as she mumbled a quiet, “Thanks…”

“Now that you’ve officially joined us, we should celebrate,” I said with a grin, which instantly drew a cheerful reaction from all three girls.

“I’ll help~!” Artemis volunteered, her tone bright.

“And now that you’re one of us,” I continued, turning to Lili again, “there are a few things I want to share with you... and an offer.”

I was, of course, referring to giving Lili her own Shroud of Power, which would enhance her abilities significantly.

Lili narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “…Why does Lili get the feeling Reinhard-sama is about to reveal something ridiculous again?”

I laughed, brushing off her deadpan look. “Hahaha, anyway, I was actually thinking of going out this time with everyone.”

Lili didn’t look convinced, but Hestia cheered instantly.

“Ooh~ That sounds even better!” she beamed, throwing her hands in the air—her bouncing chest nearly derailing my train of thought and forcing me to avert my gaze with a cough.

“Sounds like a great idea, Rein. Where were you thinking?” Artemis asked, her soft smile making it clear she approved.

“The Hostess of Fertility,” I replied. “Est and I made some friends there last time. The food’s great, and it’s a good place to relax. Plus…” I thought silently to myself, ‘I might be able to gather news about Freya. She’s been gone from the city for a couple of days now…’

“That’s high praise coming from you,” Hestia said with a nod. “I’ll take your word for it.”

Before long, our home—the church—came into view. But something odd caught our attention: two girls were standing outside the front door, one dressed in white, the other in black.

“Excuse me, did you need anything?” Hestia called out, raising her voice just enough to be heard as we approached.

The girls turned toward us in unison, their expressions unreadable at first—but I blinked in recognition as I got a better look at them.

Their identities became obvious when I spotted the sun and bow symbol stitched into their clothing.

This had to be Daphne Lauros and Cassandra Ilion.

Daphne was a beautiful girl with short red hair and sharp yellow eyes, while Cassandra was equally striking with long, waist-length blue hair and gentle light green eyes.

As soon as Daphne saw us approach, she stepped forward with a serious expression. Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out two white envelopes and extended them toward Hestia and Artemis, though her focus was clearly more on Hestia.

“You have been personally invited to a banquet Apollo-sama is holding this evening,” she announced in a firm voice. “My name is Daphne, and this is Cassandra. As you might have guessed, we are members of the Apollo Familia.”

Cassandra hesitantly stepped up beside her and added, “You don’t have to come, but—”

She was quickly cut off as Daphne gave her a sharp chop to the head, making the blue-haired girl flinch and hold her scalp with a small pout.

“We’ve done our job and delivered the invitations. Farewell,” Daphne said curtly, already turning on her heel and walking away, with Cassandra trailing behind.

But after a few steps, Daphne paused, glancing over her shoulder at me.

“You have my condolences.” Her yellow eyes met mine for just a second, a flash of pity flickering within them—then she turned away and kept walking.

“Tsk. Seems we’ll have to postpone our celebration,” Hestia muttered, her earlier cheer dissolving into an annoyed scowl. “Apollo’s making his move already.”

“I thought we’d have more time,” Artemis added, letting out a tired sigh.

“W-What’s going on, Reinhard-sama? Hestia-sama?” Lili asked nervously. She hadn’t been made aware yet to the reason of Hermes’s visit and clearly had no idea what this was about.

I gave her a reassuring smile and gently patted her shoulder.

“I’ll explain inside, Lili. Come on. I want to gather everyone and talk through the situation before we come up with a plan.”

=====

An Hour Later — Demiplane

Once I had gathered all the girls—well, those belonging to the Hestia Familia, along with Lante and Rethusa—we made our way into the Demiplane to hold a private discussion.

Lili, still new to the Familia, had been beyond shocked when the portal opened in the basement, revealing a completely different world. Even after I explained everything, she remained in a daze for several minutes, as if caught in some surreal dream. We let her be for now.

Once everyone was seated, I got straight to the point and explained Hermes’s visit, along with the upcoming conflict with the Apollo Familia.

“Unacceptable!” Rem shouted, her voice full of fury, her eyes glowing with rage. A single, ominous horn appeared on her forehead, and the temperature around us dropped noticeably, her fire magic reacting to her emotions. “Rem would rather die than let some pervert god take Reinhard-kun away! Let’s kill him!”

“Heh,” Ram followed with a cold scoff. “To think a mere god has the audacity to try and steal Reinhard-sama from us. He must have a death wish.” Her wind magic flared subtly, making her hair and clothes ripple ominously as she gritted her teeth.

Those who weren’t familiar with the Oni twins’ race stared at them in shock, instinctively scooting away from their overwhelming presence.

Even Est, ever quiet and composed, was giving off killing intent like a seasoned warrior. Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides. “Let’s crush them.”

“Yes, I will fight my hardest too,” Naaza added with a determined frown, clearly just as offended by Apollo’s challenge.

“That’s right, everyone! Let’s show that creep Apollo that he’ll never get his dirty hands on our Rein-kun~!” Hestia cheered with fire in her eyes—blissfully ignoring the very real death threats just made toward a god.

“I’ll be rooting for everyone. I know you’ll pull it off,” Artemis said with a small, supportive smile—though there was a flash of frustration in her eyes at not being able to help more directly.

“I’m in too~” Lante raised her hand confidently, her cheerful tone at odds with the murderous gleam in her eyes. But she sighed a second later, lowering her hand. “At least, that’s what I would love to say... but not being part of the Hestia Familia, we can’t interfere in a War Game.”

“Thank you, everyone,” I said warmly, a smile spreading across my face. The energy in the room shifted as Rem and Ram, still bristling with power, softened slightly and returned my smile.

“I promise to fight with everything I have too. I don’t want to be taken away from the people I love.” I added, my smile turning bashful as I glanced around the room, earning smiles and blushes in return.

Lili, who had been quiet until now—still clearly reeling from the whole another world revelation—finally spoke up. Her gaze met mine as she took a deep breath and nodded.

“Lili is in too. Lili just joined… and while she doesn’t know what she can offer with her meager strength, Lili doesn’t want Reinhard-sama to leave.” Her voice was soft but steady, her eyes filled with resolve.

“Thank you, Lili. Truly,” I said with a sincere smile, my heart swelling. “I was honestly feeling bad that, right after joining, you’re already being dragged into something like this. But hearing you say that… it reaffirms that I was right to believe in you.”

That must’ve been the final straw, because in the next moment I was smothered beneath a mountain of squealing, overjoyed girls—buried under the weight of affection and soft, very feminine warmth.

=====

Later That Evening

After everyone finally calmed down and freed me from the affectionate dog-pile, I got straight to work—training began in earnest in the clearing of the Demiplane.

I worked with Rem to improve her handling of the flail, gradually increasing her finesse and adjusting her footwork. With Ram, I focused on rebuilding her stamina and physical strength—though she was not pleased to hear me call her a “cute couch potato” since losing her horn. Still, she didn’t argue with the results.

Naaza practiced her archery under my guidance, refining her aim and adjusting to stronger bow tension. Meanwhile, Lili, new and eager to contribute, began learning hand-to-hand combat. It was basic, but enough to help her protect herself in a pinch.

I also managed to experiment with some combination magic between me, Rem, and Ram. The result? Devastating synergy. Our magic intertwined beautifully and left behind scorched and frozen wreckage—proof of our growing strength.

Est, who had been feeling a bit left out lately, finally spoke up and asked to train in her human form. Naturally, I agreed. Helping her adapt to physical combat in that state gave us a lot of close interaction, and I could see how happy she was just to be beside me more often.

Privately, I had begun crafting personalized weapons for each of the girls from dungeon drop items: a brand-new flail for Ram, an improved bow for Naaza, and even a sleek crossbow for Lili. I was still thinking about what to make for the others, wanting each one to feel just right.

Unfortunately, I had to cut the training short… but for a good reason.

Tonight, there was a surprise in store—this time for Hestia and Artemis. It was something I’d prepared especially for the evening banquet.

“So? What do you think?” I asked with a smile as both goddesses inspected the custom dresses I’d sewn just for them.

“It’s incredible~ Thank you very much for the gift, Rein,” Artemis said, twirling once in her deep red dress. It paired perfectly with her blue hair, elegant and noble, and yet still sexy.

“This is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen! Thank you so much, Rein-kun. You’re amazing as always!” Hestia beamed, admiring her own flowing gown—shades of blue and purple that hugged her form perfectly.

“I’m glad you like them,” I said, smiling back. I wasn’t in my usual white today. Instead, I wore a tailored black and white suit with gold lining, a more formal look for the evening ahead.

We stood by the church entrance, waiting for the carriage that would take us to Apollo’s estate. Around us, the rest of the girls were gathered—offering compliments, advice, or in the case of a couple certain girls… loud complaints.

“Guuh, so jealous~” Rem muttered, biting the sleeve of her maid uniform with exaggerated tears streaming down her face.

“Reinhard. Me next,” Est added, standing stiffly beside her with a jealous pout on her face, practically trembling with expectation.

The soft sound of wheels crunching over gravel signaled the arrival of our carriage.

Turning to the two goddesses at my side, I offered a small bow, extending both arms. “Are you ready to go, my ladies?”

“Hihihi, of course~” Hestia immediately claimed my right arm with a smile bright enough to rival the moon.

“Why thank you, kind sir~” Artemis replied with playful grace, giving a curtsy before claiming my left.

And with that, we stepped toward the awaiting carriage—two radiant goddesses on my arms, and a bunch of jealous, love-struck girls watching us go from behind.

On the way to the mansion, we made idle talk, completely forgetting about the looming war game and simply enjoying the evening for what it was—a rare moment of peace.

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the Apollo Familia estate—a grand and luxurious building that, if all went well, would soon have a new owner.

“Looks pretty full,” I commented idly as I stepped down from the carriage and helped both Hestia and Artemis down, already spotting numerous guests and deities mingling within the brightly lit hall.

Before either goddess could reply, a familiar voice called out to us.

Turning, we saw Miach approaching with a girl I didn’t recognize—likely one of his Familia members—alongside Takemikazuchi, who had Mikoto perched confidently on his shoulder. She was wearing a beautiful purple kimono that highlighted her figure perfectly.

“It’s great to finally meet you, Reinhard-kun,” Takemikazuchi said warmly, stepping forward and offering a handshake that I gladly returned. “Miach speaks highly of you, and Hestia can’t stop gushing about you whenever we catch up.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Takemikazuchi-sama,” I replied with a respectful bow. “And thank you for always looking out for Hestia-sama.”

My gaze shifted toward Mikoto as I finished speaking, and the raven-haired girl blushed slightly when she noticed my attention.

Takemikazuchi chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. “Modest, just as I’ve heard. Allow me to introduce one of my children—Yamato Mikoto.”

“G-Greetings, Reinhard-dono,” Mikoto stammered shyly, bowing her head politely.

“Nice to meet you, Mikoto-san,” I said with a warm smile.

With the introductions complete, we made our way inside together, moving through the ornate entrance of the Apollo estate and into the bustling hall.

For a brief moment, I thought I caught a flash of familiar hair in the crowd—gone just as quickly as it appeared. I narrowed my eyes slightly, trying to recall why it felt important, but the moment passed before I could give it more thought.

‘Well, here’s hoping we can at least enjoy the party for a few hours before things turn for the worse.’