Regardless of anything else, it was time for them to head back.
Lydi did not let Furina's kindness go to waste. Even without much prompting, he poured out his years of experience as an adventurer like water from a pitcher.
Although he wasn't exactly a natural talent, he had certainly been at it long enough. From an intimate knowledge of Orario to the unwritten rules of the adventuring life, he knew it all.
Whether it was the city's festivals, the traits of various races, or the nicknames and stereotypes surrounding different familias, Lydi was a walking, talking gossip column.
The group swept their way from the seventh floor back to the first.
Calling it a "sweep" was generous; in reality, only Sushang was doing the heavy lifting.
Furina had already had her fill of training for the day, and for the sake of efficiency, there was no reason to dawdle.
As for the other three members of the party, they had no desire to increase the damage to their gear any further.
Yet, precisely because they were merely spectators, they were able to grasp just how absurd these two newcomers were.
Especially that brown-haired girl—the one who looked short and perhaps a bit dim-witted.
Not only was her combat skill outrageous, but she fought as if she had eyes in the back of her head. Even when monsters circled behind her for a sneak attack, she sensed them every time, spinning around to cut them down with a single stroke.
Even setting aside that uncanny ability to "see" behind her, her efficiency in clearing monsters was staggering.
Whether she faced three or four, or a dozen at once, it made almost no difference to the time it took. As she walked past them, the monsters simply collapsed in her wake.
Just what was she doing before she came to Orario...?
Lydi couldn't help but click his tongue in disbelief. Based on her appearance and demeanor, she didn't look like someone who worked in a combat profession at all.
Thanks to her blistering pace, the group reached the surface without a single hitch.
While they hadn't stopped to collect every single drop of loot in their rush to the exit, they still walked away with a haul of magic stones worth a staggering 3,000 Valis.
By Sushang's mental conversion, that was roughly 30,000 yen, or about 1,300 RMB.
To earn that much in a single day—and in just thirty minutes of rapid traversal, no less—it was no wonder adventurers were willing to risk their lives. And that was just the magic stones, not including the materials.
If they had been deeper, the stones would have been worth far more, and the materials even more valuable.
However, Furina and Sushang weren't in a hurry to sell their loot to the Guild.
Unlike magic stones, which could only be processed and sold through the Guild, materials for forging could be traded between familias, and most familias were far more generous with their pricing than the Guild. This was another nugget of wisdom Lydi had shared.
After tallying up the day's haul and bidding farewell to Lydi's party, Furina finally let her guard down, her posture relaxing from its rigid state.
"The sun is almost setting already. Can you believe we stayed out that long?" Sushang looked up at the sky, then turned to Furina with a grin. "But the harvest was great! Fufu, you were able to fight perfectly fine!"
It was true.
Furina hadn't expected to grow so quickly. She knew herself well; she knew that beneath her outward performance lay a sensitive, timid heart.
And yet, after only a single day, she was actually capable of fighting monsters... Could it be that as she grew stronger, her courage had grown along with her? The girl couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Regardless, it was a cause for celebration. She offered a smile in return: "I think it's because I knew you were there, Sushang. It allowed me to let go and fight without holding back."
"Maybe so. But even the strictest teacher wouldn't expect their student to jump straight into a real, life-or-death battle on their first day."
Sushang kept to her philosophy of encouragement, praising her without hesitation. "So, this was a step you took yourself, Furina. Once you've taken that first step, you'll be able to fight even when I'm not by your side."
When Sushang isn't by my side...
Furina's mind wandered, following the thread of that thought.
The dark, claustrophobic depths of the Dungeon; the suffocating silence of tunnels where no one spoke; the monsters that attacked without a word of warning; the constant threat of a surprise ambush; and... the other adventurers, who might not always have good intentions.
According to Lydi, even in a place where the gods could not reach, incidents of murder did exist—however rare.
Regardless of the reasons or motives, the very fact that they existed was enough to keep one's guard up.
At these thoughts, her sense of self-satisfaction dampened a little.
"That's for the future! Before you become a master of the Edge of Taixuan in your own right, I'll protect you, Fufu!" Sushang said, patting her shoulder before changing the subject.
"But enough of that! We've made our first bucket of gold today, let's go have a feast! I'm starving, and I wonder if Focalors has had dinner yet."
They had left her some money; they couldn't just leave Focalors penniless in Orario for the day.
Come to think of it, what happens to a god who arrives in Orario and can't find their familia members? Did Babel provide a place to stay and pocket money? Surely they weren't all as broke as the gods of Teyvat?
A god descending to the mortal realm only to struggle for their next meal... that just felt... well, it was hard to describe.
"Let's go back and check," Furina said simply. The inn they were renting was located in the first district, so there was no need to worry about a lack of food nearby.
If Focalors hadn't eaten, they could all dine together; if she had, they could grab a bite downstairs or head out into the streets.
Sushang was actually quite keen on visiting The Hostess of Fertility. After all, Syr was essentially the first person she'd met in this world, and it was the first place she'd ever eaten a meal.
Adding the fact that it was their first successful delve into the Dungeon, a celebration felt appropriate. So many "firsts"—it was perfect.
"Speaking of which, Sushang, is there any way for you to find that girl from the Pallum race?" Furina asked as they walked.
"Of course!" Sushang nodded. "I've memorized her 'Qi.' I didn't let my senses expand while we were in the Dungeon, but if I want to, there's nowhere in this city she can hide that I wouldn't be able to find her."
"In that case, let's go find her tomorrow before we head back into the Dungeon," Furina decided. "I don't know if she had a reason, but seeing someone steal the wealth others risked their lives to obtain—I can't just ignore that when it happens right in front of me."
She hadn't gone after her immediately, not because she had forgotten, but because it hadn't been her highest priority.
Having lived for so long, even if she wasn't an immortal, she had gained a certain perspective on time; there was no need to rush. But the items had to be retrieved.
After all, it wasn't just her share and Sushang's at stake—it was Lydi's team's as well.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL