Twilight Manor.
Zephyr had a clear goal and headed straight back to the room he shared with Lili.
After a full day of exploring the Dungeon, plus the detour to the Hostess of Fertility restaurant tonight, it was hard not to be exhausted. He just wanted to wash up, lie down, and rest, waiting for tomorrow to come.
He pushed open the room door, and his gaze landed on the girl at the desk. Lili had changed out of her usual attire and wore a slightly girlish home dress, sitting upright at the desk. At this moment, she was flipping through the familia's exploration logs.
Upon hearing the door open, she turned toward the doorway, her eyes softening upon noticing it was Zephyr.
"You're back?"
"Yes."
Zephyr tossed the wallet from his waist onto the table and scanned the book in her hands with curious eyes. "Are you studying?"
"Reading." Lili answered.
She turned the pages to the spot she had been browsing earlier and presented the content to Zephyr. "This is the Loki Familia's exploration record."
"Oh?"
Zephyr glanced over it roughly. The pages were densely packed with the Loki Familia's past exploration experiences. This thing was definitely internal material for the familia, the kind that others couldn't touch.
Lili knew that she didn't have much talent for combat, and trying to force herself to contribute damage would only drag the party down. However, since she couldn't provide help to Zephyr in combat, she had to do something in other areas to find her own position.
Her face was filled with seriousness as she said, "Mastering more information about the floors will be helpful for future Dungeon exploration. We can plan the routes in advance and avoid taking detours when encountering monsters."
"Mm." Zephyr nodded.
The core role of a Supporter was to assist in exploration and provide intelligence. Having a reliable Supporter made explorations feel safer.
Gazing at the exploration record and recalling recent experiences, Lili murmured, "I don't want to become a burden to the team. If I read more, I can provide you with more help, and I won't hold you back. After all, in terms of combat, I don't have any talent."
From her words, Zephyr could feel her determination.
As for combat, if Lili really wanted to try, it wasn't entirely impossible. Chloe, Anya, and even the seniors in the familia could act as teachers to help her grow.
However, for Lili to continue sticking to the path of a Supporter was the most suitable direction for her, so there was no need to force other choices.
"That's fine. I actually think that a Supporter is an indispensable position in Dungeon exploration."
After comforting her, Zephyr scanned the circular clock hanging on the wall and said, "Staying up late to read is bad for your eyes. I'm going to wash up first. We'll rest in a bit."
Lili lowered her head, attempting to focus her gaze back on the lines of the book in her hands, but she couldn't read it at all. Right now, an indescribable sense of urgency was surging deep within her heart.
When she saw Zephyr return, that sense of urgency became even more intense.
In this recent period, the talent Zephyr possessed had been gradually discovered, along with Loki's high regard and Lefiya's undisguised attention.
Not to mention, this evening, Zephyr brought that fruit cream cake to the Hostess of Fertility, saying he wanted to share the leftover cake with his other friends.
Lili knew very well that it was definitely the girls in the restaurant. Although she didn't speak at the time, it was purely because her status didn't qualify her to speak.
Ever since that dinner where they met Syr, she had noticed that Syr's gaze towards Zephyr was different from other customers.
The number of women around Zephyr will only increase from now on.
Lili put down the records in her hand, thinking, 'Could it be... he likes the onee-san type?'
Just thinking of this possibility made her feel increasingly nervous and anxious.
Deep down, she was inevitably a little insecure. After all, with the talent Zephyr currently possessed, the women who would appear around him in the future, whether in terms of height, figure, or appearance, she couldn't compare in any of those aspects.
She suddenly slapped her cheeks and whispered, "But Lili was here first, you know."
Even if she couldn't compare to other excellent women, so what?
The person who accompanied Zephyr struggling out of the Soma Familia's mire was her, and no one could change that.
She put the book back on the desk and walked to Zephyr's bed, lying down.
The sheets and quilts were high-quality items prepared by the Loki Familia for all its members, far softer than those in the inn at the Communal Dormitory. But her mind wasn't on the comfort of the bed at all.
She buried her face in the pillow, even able to smell Zephyr's unique scent through it, constantly soothing her inner tension.
'What should I do?' She hugged the pillow, lost in thought.
Confess directly?
When she thought of this, her face was covered in a blush. Just thinking about it felt absurd. Whether she could even say it was another matter.
What's more, she couldn't even confirm Zephyr's true feelings.
If he really liked the onee-san type, then after her confession, only awkwardness would remain, and their relationship would become strained.
When she thought of this, her toes curled up.
Could she really just let it go?
Lili was aware of her difficult situation and the advantages of the girls around Zephyr.
She absolutely couldn't sit idly by!
You can do it.
She silently cheered herself on under the covers.
As for specific actions, she couldn't come up with a clear plan for now.
Soon, the sound of the bathroom's door being pushed open came.
Lili looked up and saw Zephyr walk out of the bathroom. He had changed into his loungewear and was approaching the bed.
Her fingertips clutching the pillow tightened.
This was her advantage! Being able to be alone with Zephyr late at night!
She hesitated for a moment and said, "Um..."
Zephyr noticed Lili's nervous face. Compared to usual, her shoulders were very tense, and she was looking at him as if she had something to say but was holding back.
"What's wrong? Just tell me directly if you have something to say. You're not usually like this."
Lili wants to be with you for the rest of her life.
Is that something she can say?
After Zephyr moved closer, he asked, "Lili, are you feeling unwell tonight? If so, do you want me to take you to a clinic? Money isn't important, your health is what matters most."
"Huh?"
Lili felt this special concern from Zephyr, which she hadn't felt in a long time. Her hands, which were hugging the pillow, slowly loosened.
She looked up, the exhaustion in her eyes not feigned. "Yes. I'm a little unwell. But actually, it's not serious. Lili will be fine."
Zephyr frowned, seriously assessing Lili's condition.
Supporters were not meant to participate in combat, and besides, during this recent exploration, he believed he had done well, not allowing his friends to suffer any harm.
His gaze fell on the backpack in the corner of the room. Besides basic exploration gear, it was also stuffed with various cooking utensils.
Seeing this, he realized that making Lili carry so many things and run around in the Dungeon felt a bit excessive.
He looked at Lili, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Is it my fault?"
"!!!"
The emotions that had accumulated deep within Lili's heart—the surging sense of urgency, inferiority, and wariness towards unfamiliar girls—found a suitable outlet.
Even though she knew Zephyr wasn't referring to the same thing at all, she still complained in a muffled voice with a hint of grievance, "You're only realizing it now?"
"Then I'll pay attention from now on." Zephyr scratched his head,
Age-wise, Lili was definitely a younger sister type character to him. Making her carry so much stuff would be considered child labor.
He asked, "Then do I need to..."
"Need."
Lili's answer was decisive, not even waiting for Zephyr to finish speaking.
She knew that what Zephyr wanted to express was definitely not what she thought, but doing this could at least alleviate some of the frustration in her heart.
Does his future really need her?
Lili didn't know, but she knew that she absolutely couldn't live without Zephyr.