"That's how things happened."
After Ron finished explaining to the girl before him about the Apollo Familia's banquet invitation and the disputes during this period, he waited patiently for her reply.
"If a War Game is truly initiated…"
"The gap in strength between our Familias is enormous. We'll definitely have to secure an external supporter's slot. At present, the most suitable candidate would probably be Senior Ryuu."
"…"
The girl did not speak.
She merely rested her slender fingers lightly on the second-floor railing and gazed at the sky filled with countless stars overhead in the deep night, her thoughts drifting endlessly.
Living under an assumed name, working at the tavern—was because Ryuu did not wish to recall that painful past. Yet from the moment she began investigating the abnormal incidents in the Dungeon, the gears of fate… had, in truth, already shifted subtly.
Facing that special monster covered in malformed limbs, as though pieced together from scraps—when danger came, this guy's choice had been to push her away.
And during this period of sparring, Ron's diligence, rooted deep in his bones, and his refusal to admit defeat even after being knocked down countless times, made her feel as though she had returned to the days within her Familia.
Ryuu could not face the self who had once betrayed justice.
Choosing to forget her identity as an adventurer was nothing more than an act of escape. Now that a similar scene was placed before her, was she truly prepared to reclaim that identity?
"Assuming the War Game fails," her calm tone carried no emotional fluctuation. "What do you plan to do next?"
"…"
To be honest, considering the bond between them had not yet been established, he had already prepared himself to be refused. As for an alternative plan, that would be to seek out Hephaestus.
To temporarily suspend the commissioning process of the magic stone staff.
To use that magic stone as payment—Ron believed that whether it was Hephaestus or her Familia members, they would be very willing to see such a development.
Of course, he could not say it that way.
His smile was relaxed, without the slightest timidity one would expect when facing a powerful enemy like the Apollo Familia.
"Just like what you once said, Senior Ryuu—when the other side underestimates you, give the enemy the most profound lesson. Maybe we can win, right?"
"…"
How does he even remember that casual reminder from back then?!
And Ron's answer likewise made the girl gradually realize her own true thoughts. She frowned slightly, and her azure eyes were filled with chilliness.
Though she appeared aloof and unapproachable,
in reality, Ryuu only felt heat rising to her cheeks. She could only keep a straight face to manage her expression, and she did not forget to give Ron, who stood beside her, a reply: "One last time."
"…"
She was annoyed—of course, not because Ron often came to bother her, but purely because this guy liked to mutter on and on, saying things that made people feel embarrassed.
Only after the boy's figure disappeared from her sight did she gently pat her cheeks with her hands until the cool sensation spreading across her face dispelled the inexplicable acceleration of her heartbeat.
Only then did Ryuu's emotions finally settle.
"The Apollo Familia…"
"What kind of roadside Familia were they again?"
...
The development of events went far more smoothly than Ron had anticipated. Although the hopeless elf said "one last time" every time, when real trouble arose, she would still lend a hand.
He could not always think about taking advantage of her for free, yet for the moment, he could not think of any way to truly repay Ryuu.
'Let's hope this conflict can end smoothly.'
All the preliminary preparations had already been completed.
Next, what he needed to do was very simple: to use this final stretch of time to raise his strength as much as possible to a level capable of contending with Lv3.
However, when Ron returned to the communal dormitory, at the entrance, he once again saw Lili waiting there in advance. As for the specific reason, it was probably… leaving the Soma Familia?
Seeing Ron again, whether on a psychological level or because the other party held her secret, Lili always felt an inexplicable sense of pressure.
However, she was always clear about her own position. Even the Soma Familia could do nothing against Ron. If she wanted to survive, she absolutely could not harbor any crooked thoughts toward this guy.
Lili could also sense Ron's instinctive rejection of her. She went straight to the point with concise words.
"I can pay."
"If I dispose of all my equipment and everything else… I can probably scrape together three million Valis. If you're interested in the magic sword, I can give it to you directly."
"…This is all the property I can take out."
She raised her head. "After I leave the Soma Familia, I'll leave Orario. I absolutely won't mention anything that happened during this period."
At this point, the girl took out the dark-red magic sword she had brought from within her cloak. Yet even so, Lili still did not see the slightest emotional fluctuation from Ron.
"The Soma Familia…"
"Were they monitoring my actions in the Dungeon?"
Compared to the Apollo Familia being the main course, what Ron was actually more curious about was today's encounter.
Why Daphne and Cassandra had managed to find him in the Dungeon.
"Yes."
"Zanis had members of the Familia go into the Dungeon. To avoid provoking a direct confrontation, he had them station themselves at the stairways on each Floor as lookouts."
"As long as they gathered information about you, they would pass it back."
Lili did not deny it.
And once his inner suspicion was confirmed, recalling how Zanis had obstructed him twice in a row, Ron had no intention of giving him any further chance to jump around.
Compared to the bit of payment Lili was offering, he was more curious—just how substantial the assets of that fat sheep Zanis actually were. And once the War Game ended, a reckoning would be inevitable.
"Do something for me."
"Find out exactly how many assets Zanis has under his name—the more detailed, the better. And also his movements in Orario. Get a thorough understanding."
"…"
"No problem."
There was no bargaining.
Mainly because she knew she had no qualification to do so. Compared to being controlled by Zanis and the Soma Familia, the latter was merely somewhat cold in attitude.
After the backbone of the Familia had been lost in the Dungeon, those so-called companions had intensified their bullying toward her. Lili knew that even if she saved enough money, she would not be able to leave the Soma Familia.
The one pulling the strings behind it was Zanis.
He wanted to force her into submission, to use her "Cinder Ella" magic to go into the Dungeon and make contact with the Xenos.
Thinking of this, she added without any psychological burden, "Zanis seems to… have dealings with people from Daedalus Street, suspected of involvement in Xenos trafficking."
"There's no concrete evidence for now."
"If we can obtain it, we might be able to send Zanis straight to prison."
"…"
The waters of Orario ran deep.
At least for now, Ron had no intention of playing the role of a champion of justice. The Apollo Familia alone had already left him overwhelmed. Faced with Lili's proposal, he chose not to respond and walked straight toward the communal dormitory.
"Perhaps it's useful."
"But have you considered that if Zanis is truly sent to Orario's prison… that would actually count as a form of protection for him?"
Watching Ron's departing back, the girl did not even need to ponder carefully to hear, within that reminder, the completely undisguised, naked killing intent he harbored toward Zanis.
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