In the corner of the bar counter, there was a boy and a girl.
The girl was the one who had just guided everyone from the Loki Familia, a girl named Syr.
She stood beside the boy, chatting away while sneakily glancing over to the Loki Familia's direction—or more precisely, toward Riezel's direction.
It wasn't until she caught Riezel's gaze that her face turned a little red. She awkwardly lowered her head, resembling a shy little girl caught peeking at her crush.
The boy talking to Syr, on the other hand, was shooting looks at Riezel that were filled with envy, admiration, and longing.
With white hair, red eyes, and a somewhat youthful face, he looked around thirteen to fourteen years old. Overall, he gave off a harmless vibe, like a naive boy.
Riezel recognized this boy.
On the day of the expedition, this boy had also cast similar glances at him and the others from the crowd.
'He's here too, huh?' Riezel said inwardly, quickly recalling the original work.
He remembered that in the original work when the Loki Familia returned from their expedition, they disturbed a group of Minotaur residing on the 17th Floor. These Level 2 monsters scattered and fled, making their way to the 5th Floor.
In the end, one of them targeted this boy. It was only thanks to Ais's intervention that he didn't meet his end on the 5th Floor.
However, perhaps due to Riezel's presence, this expedition had some differences from the original work.
Despite encountering the worm monsters mentioned in the original work, they didn't come across any Minotaur on the 17th Floor, and no commotion sent them running to other floors.
As a result—
'We didn't meet in the dungeon, but here we are.'
Honestly, Riezel felt tempted to approach and get to know the boy better. After all, as far as he knew, this boy was the only one in this world who could compete with him in growth potential.
The boy seemed weak right now since Riezel could tell he was a Level 1 rookie who had recently received a blessing. Yet, given three months, maybe this boy could reach Riezel's current position.
Even though some of the original plots had changed, Riezel didn't believe it would affect the boy's growth. After all, this boy was this world's protagonist, this world's main character with limitless potential. Given the right opportunity, this potential would explode sooner or later.
Furthermore, this opportunity could be anything.
At least, looking into the boy's red eyes, Riezel had a feeling that this boy would absolutely make strides toward his side.
'Too bad...' Riezel shifted his gaze away.
He couldn't go over there because there was someone next to the boy.
Moreover, it happened to be someone he didn't want to get involved with, someone he didn't want to touch for the time being.
"Mr. Riezel?"
While Riezel was pondering such things, a soft voice from the elf girl next to him, awakened him from his reverie.
"What are you looking at?"
Lefiya looked in the direction he had just been watching, puzzled.
Ais also glanced in the same direction, coincidentally locking eyes with Syr, who gave her a slight smile. Ais responded with a slightly awkward nod.
"Nothing..." Riezel withdrew his scattered thoughts, holding his drink, and laughed. "Just happened to see an interesting guy."
"Interesting guy?" Lefiya asked curiously. "Who?"
"A little guy." Riezel said to Lefiya. "If you're interested, I'll introduce you next time."
He was just saying it casually, but her reaction was much bigger than he had imagined.
"I-I'm not interested in men at all!"
Panicked, Lefiya blurted out that statement without thinking.
"..."
A hush fell over the entire room.
"Eh?"
Lefiya was first stunned, then suddenly realized what she had just said, realizing how dreadful it sounded.
Everyone in the pub, including the people at the neighboring table, stared at her with strange and awkward expressions.
"I mean, Lefiya..." Tione looked at Lefiya as if she were looking at a warrior. "This kind of thing is better discussed privately y'know... Why shout it out in public?"
"Heh~ So, Lefiya is someone like that, huh~?" Tiona blinked and said in a teasing tone. "No wonder... I always felt your gaze toward Ais was a bit off."
"Looking at me?" Ais looked genuinely confused.
"Lefiya..." Riveria squinted her eyes, the cold gleam in her eyes looking at her disciple making it somewhat intimidating.
As for Finn and Gareth, they seemed to be pretending not to hear, while the rest either gave Lefiya teasing glances or pretended not to hear.
In the end, Loki, who was already a bit tipsy, held her drink and laughed loudly.
"Mwahahaha! Lefiya, that's bold of you, but you're right. Who likes stinky men anyway? If you're gonna like someone, it better be a cute and pretty girl!"
That was a lethal blow!
"N-No... I... I mean I didn't—?!"
Lefiya's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, desperately trying to explain something but failing to find the right words.
Especially when she saw Riezel suddenly fall silent, wearing a face of embarrassment and not daring to speak, while Ais still looked confused, completely clueless about what was happening.
"Hiks... Wuaaaaah...!"
Lefiya burst into tears and rushed out.
"Lefiya?!"
"Where are you going?!"
"Calm down!"
Everyone cried out in surprise.
Even Riezel and Ais couldn't stay seated as they watched Lefiya shedding tears and preparing to run out of the pub. They quickly chased after her in succession.
What followed was a chaotic scene.
To catch the elf who tried to escape in embarrassment and almost jumped into the river, everyone put forth a great effort.
"Please let me disappear and vanish from this world!"
Lefiya's shout echoed in various corners of the pub, causing quite a commotion.
""Hahahaha!""
In the beginning, the people in the pub looked at the Loki Familia with awe. However, after witnessing this farce, they all burst into laughter.
"Hmph!"
The robust proprietress, referred to as Mama Mia by Loki, watched the commotion with a couple of snorts, but a smile lingered on her face.
The pub waitress rushed forward to help, turning the entire pub into a lively scene. Even the familia members on the outdoor seats were drawn into the spectacle.
"Hahhh... It's turned into quite a mess..." Syr remarked while wearing a cheerful smile.
The white-haired boy sitting next to Syr, as seen in his eyes, became even more envious and fascinated as he saw this scene.
"Is this Loki Familia...?"
The white-haired boy stared at the chaotic scene of Loki Familia with his red eyes as if witnessing something dazzling.
"Does Mr. Bell really like Loki Familia?" Syr, noticing his expression, asked with some interest.
"Well... Uhh, I only admire their atmosphere..."
The white-haired boy, known as Bell, seemed a bit embarrassed.
"I'm just drawn to the lively atmosphere of Loki Familia, that's all..." Bell added softly. "Because my familia members consist only of me, I yearn for that kind of feeling where everyone is together, having companions... Isn't that where heroes belong?"
He gazed into the distance with a longing expression.
"Someday, I also want to..."
In the unnoticed hidden corner inside the pub, a white-haired boy quietly made a wish that no one believed in but had the ability to influence the future.
The only witness to this scene was Syr.
She observed Bell, with a gaze containing an unnoticed and subtle fascination.
This fascination persisted until she shifted her gaze toward the Loki Familia's side. Her attention was fixated on a specific person within the familia, her lips curving into a barely noticeable smile.
===
A feast that lasted until late at night was finally declared over.
Most of the guests in the pub had left, leaving only a few drunkards sprawled on the tables.
"I want to die..."
Lefiya, drunk and with rosy cheeks, seemed intentionally avoiding something as she lay on Ais's back, mumbling words of despair.
"It's okay, Lefiya, let's go back." Ais, unusually gentle, said softly to Lefiya.
"Hiks... Miss Ais..."
Lefiya, whether moved or something else, had eyes brimming with tears and blush, looking unusually cute.
"Mwhahahahaha!"
Completely drunk, Loki laughed uproariously while being carried on Riveria's back, who wore a disdainful expression.
"Alright, let's go back." Finn signaled to the familia members and set off on the way home.
"Let's go, let's go!"
"That dumb wolf, didn't come back in the end, huh?"
Tiona and Tione, still sober, chatted with everyone as they walked back home. Almost everyone was drunk, guided by the few who managed to stay sober, heading back toward the Twilight Manor.
Meanwhile, only Riezel still remained at the pub.
"Thanks for everything."
After expressing his gratitude and handing a bag of coins to Mia, Riezel prepared to leave.
At the entrance of the pub, Syr, who happened to be cleaning a table, saw this scene. After a moment of hesitation, she gathered her courage to approach him.
"Umm..."
With a hesitant look, she had her cheeks slightly blushing.
"..."
Riezel looked at the girl quietly, and after being silent for a while, asked.
"Do you need something?"
"No-Nothing!" Syr waved her hand, a bit nervously. "I just wanted to wish you good luck."
Her hesitant and slightly blushing look really resembled a fan seeing her idol.
Riezel gazed at her face for a while before showing a faint smile.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Immediately after, he turned and left without any lingering feelings.
Syr kept watching his back until his figure disappeared from her sight.
"Syr! Come help!"
Someone inside the pub suddenly called.
"Coming!"
After answering the call, Syr immediately smiled and bounced back inside the pub.
It was evident that this girl was in a very good mood.
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The joyous time always passes quickly.
After a lively celebration feast, Loki Familia's activities transitioned to the right track.
Everyone had their own tasks to take care of.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, the top executives and higher-ups of the familia, needed to prepare for the next expedition. The rest of the familia members, following the three top executives' orders, began investing the money earned from the expedition in various areas.
Tiona, Tione, and several others had to go for weapon maintenance.
Bete, due to his absence yesterday, was caught and scolded by the three top executives. Today, as he intended to go to the dungeon again, he got caught once more and was ordered to handle miscellaneous tasks.
Even Lefiya was not idle. With a few elves, she helped Riveria gather information, seemingly intent on finding out about the new species of monsters.
In such a situation, Riezel and Ais unexpectedly found themselves with some free time.
After all, both of them wielded Durandal weapons. While they still required maintenance, they weren't as worn out as the weapons of other members. Furthermore, with Bete handling miscellaneous tasks, the two didn't have anything to do.
As a result, Riezel once again proposed a sparring match with Ais.
Naturally, she had no reason to refuse.
The young girl knew that he needed to adjust to his power every time he leveled up to avoid any inconsistencies in his body.
This time was no different.
Riezel had reached Level 5 with the expected feelings of imbalance. He urgently needed someone to spar with to adapt to his current power.
As was customary, Ais casually agreed.
However, the outcome of this sparring match was completely different from the past.
*Clang!*
When Ais raised her sword to block the thunder-like strike that came at her, the astonishing power from Riezel's bright silver sword made her groan involuntarily, forcing her to retreat.
Riezel's form had turned into a blurry phantom, giving the impression of teleportation with every flicker. Even Ais struggled to catch his incredible speed. Her golden eyes narrowed to pinprick size, while her entire body tensed up, showing no hint of underestimation.
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
Suddenly, Riezel closed in on Ais, and the sword in his hand transformed into bursts of cold light, thrusting toward her body at a very fast speed.
'?!'
'So fast!'
'Too fast!'
Ais barely managed to react.
She relied on her keen senses and exceptional abilities to barely counter Riezel's attacks, wielding her sword to deflect the rain of sword tips coming at her.
Fighting with all her might, Ais found herself constantly retreating, unable to stop the relentless attack from Riezel.
On the contrary, Riezel not only grew stronger with each clash but also moved with a fluidity that seemed to have no bounds. Whether it was attack speed or movement speed, everything continued to improve, leaving Ais feeling trapped in a storm that only intensified, making each attack more challenging for her.
Until finally—
*DING!*
With a loud metallic collision sound, her sword was flicked away.
'No!'
Just as Ais exclaimed inwardly in panic, Riezel's silver sword pointed directly at her throat. Her movements came to a complete halt, her expression frozen in place.
""...""
Silence enveloped the surroundings.
"Sorry!"
Realizing he might have gone a bit too far, Riezel quickly withdrew his sword and apologized.
"..."
Ais remained silent, her hand clenched slightly.
She had lost.
She had lost to Riezel.
"Ais?" Riezel looked at the now-silent Ais with a hint of worry. "Are you okay?"
"...I'm fine." Ais shook her head, then looked at him complex expression. "You became stronger than me."
It was an unbelievable turn of events.
Riezel had just reached Level 5, while Ais had been struggling at this level for over three years, maintaining a superior status. However, at this moment, Ais, a seasoned and veteran Level 5, lost to Riezel, who had just reached Level 5.
The impact it brought was greater than she had imagined.
"It's just a sparring, doesn't mean much, right?" Riezel said softly, trying to console Ais.
Indeed, it was just a sparring, not a life-and-death battle. Saying he was stronger than her based on this sparring alone was too hasty.
But Ais could sense that he was merely comforting herself.
What did sparring or practice prove?
What would demonstrate his power then?
A life-and-death battle?
Ais had witnessed Riezel's strength in such situations more than once!
If she couldn't even win during sparring, how could she beat him in the so-called life-and-death battle?
Thinking about his battles at Level 1 against the Crocodile Dragon and at Level 4 against the female-like worm monster, Ais's emotions became even more complex.
This complex feeling lingered until the end of their sparring match.
Later on, Ais left.
She left the training ground and Twilight Manor, disappearing somewhere unknown.
Back in his room, Riezel, having put down Hermit, couldn't shake off the complicated look and expression Ais had when leaving.
Eventually, he stood up.
"No, I can't just leave that girl alone."
Worried, Riezel left the room to find Riveria.
===
At this moment, Riveria was in Finn's office, discussing the familia affairs with Finn and Gareth.
"Wait a sec, you actually defeated Ais in sparring? You've gotten this strong already?"
Gareth exclaimed in shock upon hearing Riezel's explanation. Riveria and Finn were no better either.
Ais was not just anyone.
Even before Riezel appeared, various gods considered her the most talented individual in the lower world. Despite her young age, many saw her as the strongest Level 5, capable of challenging Level 6 with the help of her magic, Ariel, making her comparable to Level 6 adventurers.
The moniker of the strongest swordswoman wasn't just a mere moniker but a well-deserved reputation. Even within Loki Familia, apart from the three Level 6 top executives, Ais was the strongest adventurer.
The fact that Ais lost to Riezel in a sparring match was indeed surprising for the three top executives.
"It was just a friendly match, and I happened to win by luck..." Riezel explained carefully.
Unfortunately, the three weren't fools and didn't buy it.
"If it was just luck, Ais wouldn't be so affected by it..." Finn said calmly while looking meaningfully at Riezel. "You should understand that better than anyone."
"..." Riezel instantly fell silent.
Did he understand? Of course, he did.
Despite his excuse, he had realized through this sparring match that his strength did indeed surpass Ais's.
His latent basic abilities were extremely high, and his development ability was stronger than others at his level. All his development abilities belonged to the combat type, amplifying his status. Even though he had just reached Level 5, he was no less powerful than anyone at this level.
Even though Ais was the strongest Level 5, it didn't matter. Without development abilities to enhance her power and only possessing the 'Swordsman' development ability, which was lower ranked than Riezel's, she couldn't compete with him at all.
If she had an advantage in other aspects, like superior swordsmanship, it would be a different story. Unfortunately, Riezel had mastered her swordsmanship, leaving her without an edge.
Considering his accumulated latent basic abilities, development abilities, and the variety of magic at his disposal, Ais couldn't match up.
Knowing this, Riezel couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible.
As she saw the conflicted expression on Riezel's face, Riveria spoke up.
"You don't have to blame yourself..." Riveria said gently, trying to comfort him. "It's not your fault."
"Yeah..." Gareth added. "If you were intentionally trying to bring Ais down, that would be a different story. But you were just doing what you normally do and sparring like you usually do, where's the fault in that?"
"Ais won't blame you for sure and likely blaming herself..."
Finn also chimed.
"She's always been eager to go above and beyond, constantly pursuing power. Besides getting stronger, there's almost nothing else in her eyes."
"You winning against her today might make her feel she's still weak, and getting surpassed quickly is also a big blow to her."
"In short, she's dissatisfied with herself."
At Finn's explanation, Riezel fell into silence. His perspective was blunt, hitting the core of the matter.
Riezel knew Ais was dissatisfied with her own growth and desired more power. The three top executives were also well aware of this. It could be said that she had this dissatisfaction and tendency from the start and the outcome of her sparring with him was just the spark that ignited the fuse.
"So, what should we do now? We can't just sit idly, can we?" Riezel asked while looking at the three top executives.
"Of course..." Riveria furrowed her brows and made a worried expression. "Knowing her temperament, she's probably already delved into the dungeon, likely planning to do something dangerous."
Ais's current condition was more worrisome than Bete's yesterday.
Bete, at least, should know some limits.
Ais, on the other hand, was different.
If that girl were to lose control, she might throw caution to the wind and recklessly slaughter monsters without stopping.
"Looks like we can't just stand by, after all..." Finn pondered for a moment. "I'll send someone to look for her."
"I'm going as well." Riezel declared without hesitation.
"I'll join." Riveria turned to Finn. "Sorry, I'm just a bit worried about that child."
"No problem, go ahead." Finn agreed with a nod. "We're not in a rush anyway. Let's find Ais first and then decide."
Everyone nodded in agreement and began to move.
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