They ascended the spiral staircase leading to the surface. When the members of the Loki Familia finally stepped onto solid ground after their long absence, a sky draped in the crimson hues of sunset greeted them. Ais Wallenstein and her companions breathed in the fresh air, overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude to see the world above after spending half a month in the depths of the Dungeon.
"This sunset..."
"The sun always looks breathtaking on our way back from an expedition."
To an adventurer who had just cheated death, the brilliant sun seemed to shine with an ethereal radiance. Tione Hiryute narrowed her eyes as she gazed at the twilight, while Lefiya Viridis felt so moved by the sight of the city bathed in deep scarlet that tears welled in her eyes.
Though it was a familiar sight, it felt different this time; the view of Orario's streets under the slanting rays of the sun captivated their hearts. They walked until they reached the central square beneath the Tower of Babel, where they paused briefly to wait for Gareth Landrock and the rest of the rear guard. After about thirty minutes, the Loki Familia had fully reunited, drawing the attention of everyone in the square.
As the largest faction in the city, their fame extended far beyond the borders of Orario. Thanks to the tastes of the Goddess Loki, the Familia boasted members whose beauty and handsomeness turned heads wherever they went. Since the returning group comprised the elite—led by the captain Finn Deimne, who resembled a hero out of legend, and Riveria Ljos Alf, the high elf princess whose beauty surpassed even the gods—it was only natural for all eyes to be fixed upon them.
── In the case of the Freya Familia, the city's most fearsome faction that combined absolute power with breathtaking beauty, those looks often mingled admiration with awe and a lingering fear of the unknown...
Regardless, the city's strongest group of adventurers seemed accustomed to such stares, as they continued toward the fountain in the central square without concern. Once the group was complete, Finn spoke.
"Is Bete still on the 18th floor?"
"Yes, it seems he has some 'private business' to attend to there."
Riveria answered Finn's question. Although she felt a slight concern about Bete Loga staying behind with Bell Cranel and the others, she felt confident that Bete could handle himself.
They took one of the side streets branching off the main thoroughfare, where shops and stalls lined the way. As it was dinner time, the delicious aromas of food wafted from every direction, and the cheerful voices of the crowd filled the bustling air.
Ordinary citizens watched with admiration as Ais and her companions strode proudly down the main street, pulling wagons laden with significant loot. These strikingly beautiful adventurers captured the hearts of passersby; some stood dazed by their appearance, while others shouted welcomes and cheers of encouragement.
Tione paid little mind to the citizens' reactions despite the look of satisfaction on her face, while Tiona Hiryute waved to the crowd with a playful smile. Gareth and Riveria offered simple nods or waves to acknowledge their fans, while Lefiya walked with her head down, her face flushed with embarrassment. She had not yet grown used to being the center of attention, so her cheeks turned pink, and she only raised her head occasionally to steal a glance before quickly looking down again.
Among this group, Al Cranel and Ais drew the most attention of all. A girl with long golden hair, translucent skin, and a slender physique that made her look like a celestial spirit, and a young man with hair as white as snow and eyes as red as blood; the two made for an arresting sight. People of all genders stopped to watch the striking pair.
However, the two seemed indifferent to their surroundings and continued walking coldly. Al maintained his usual composure, and Ais did the same. Finally, they left the main street and entered an alley leading to the northern district until the multi-spired palace appeared before them.
"We're finally back..."
Tiona muttered with relief as she stood before the Loki Familia headquarters. Everyone felt a sense of peace as they looked upon the Twilight Manor, a structure that dwarfed everything around it.
"We have returned. Open the gate."
They addressed the two guards at the entrance—a man and a woman—who smiled, saluted, and opened the main gate.
"── Welcome baaaaaaaaaaaaack!!"
The moment the gate swung open, a figure rushed out from inside with incredible speed. Ignoring the men entirely, the person sprinted toward the girls, intent on embracing them.
"Is everyone okay? What a moving reunion!! Waaaaaaaah!!"
Loki, the red-haired goddess, lunged with all her might to hug the girls. Ais, Tiona, Tione, and Riveria skillfully dodged her, while Lefiya caught her in surprise but quickly used the goddess's momentum to pin her to the ground in a fluid motion.
"Ah... L-Lefiya... you've grown strong. You've completely changed..."
Loki fell to the ground and rolled in pain, then stood up with tears in her eyes. She was the patron deity of this Familia, but she possessed the personality of a lecherous old man, prioritizing "skinship" with her members—especially the girls—above all else, often losing control of herself.
Ais and the others treated her coldly, as if they had grown used to this behavior. This was a normal scene from the daily life of the Loki Familia.
"Loki, we suffered no casualties this time either, and we achieved good results. There is much to discuss; do you want the details here?"
Finn asked with a wry smile.
"Hmm, well... let's see. First!"
"There's a mountain of pending issues, but for now..."
She trailed off and grinned widely, spreading her arms. She looked at the faces of Finn, Riveria, Gareth, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Lefiya, and Raul Nord.
"Welcome back, everyone."
The Familia members who had remained at the manor raised their hands in greeting, and Ais and her companions responded with broad smiles.
"We're back."
"── Wait, where is Al?"
"Huh?"
●○●○●
"... Was it wise not to return to the manor?"
"If I went back there, a visit to the Dian Cecht Familia would be inevitable, and that is exactly what I want to avoid."
In a dark alley stained by the colors of sunset, Al and Filvis Challans walked alone. Al had slipped away from the group with masterful stealth, unnoticed by anyone, while Filvis had returned to the surface at the same time as the Loki Familia. Filvis asked her question while looking at Al, who was observing the city sights after his absence. Al smiled bitterly, and surprise flickered across her face for a moment before she returned to her usual coldness.
Al leaned against the wall and muttered, "Riveria will give me a harsh lecture later, but I fear facing Airmid Teazeane even more." He then stood up to block the path of Filvis, who was trying to avoid his gaze.
"You had something you wanted to say to me, didn't you? Back in the tent, you ran away before we could talk."
"No, I didn't run away..."
When she had visited him with Lefiya, she had left quickly after a brief greeting, and throughout the journey back, she had been stealing anxious glances at him—a fact everyone noticed. Al couldn't ask her inside the Dungeon, so he led her away the moment they reached the surface.
"You seem to want to ask something, so what is it?"
"..... Do you not fear death?"
Al sighed at her hesitation, and Filvis trembled slightly before gathering her courage to speak.
She raised her face, her eyes—the same color as Al's—overflowing with guilt. She stepped toward him sharply, as if she were about to grab him by the collar.
"From the beginning... you've always been like this! How can you team up with someone nicknamed 'The Banshee' so casually? And what is with that fighting style?!"
"You protect me without hesitation, even though I just joined you. You rush alone to face a floor boss to let your wounded comrades escape. Even when your hands were completely shattered, you did nothing but knit your brows!!"
"Are you insane?! Do you have no sense at all?!"
This was the same feeling that gripped Filvis and most of the Loki Familia leaders. While some adventurers fight without fear, and the ability to detach oneself from fear in the face of death is the mark of a great adventurer, Al was different.
Ais and the sisters were examples of great adventurers, but Al's case defied logic. An adventurer might put their life on the line occasionally, but there are limits. This man, however, seemed not to care at all, fighting as if sacrificing his life were a foregone conclusion.
Al, whom the gods had dubbed the Sword Saint and the Sword Demon at age twelve due to his peerless talent and the trail of victims he left behind, had endured horrors incomparable to any other adventurer.
Whether facing enhanced monsters, the Evilus, the city's strongest beasts, or even ancient holy monsters, his will to fight never wavered. His immersion in battles that seemed like self-punishment made one think he was seeking death.
Filvis did not understand his thinking. Why did he do all this? Did he feel no terror? How could he rush toward destruction by his own will?
She could not grasp it.
As someone who had fought alongside him for a year and had seen his style even more than Ais had, her lack of understanding only deepened.
"Even this time!!... Yes, this time, your chest was pierced, and you were injected with a lethal poison that even Riveria's magic couldn't heal. Even if you survived, how can you remain this cold?! Why do you keep fighting?!"
She screamed, her face contorted with pain and tears shimmering in her eyes, as if she were accusing him and apologizing for her own guilt at the same time. Al remained silent. Filvis, overflowing with emotion—so unlike her usual calm self—looked fragile and ready to break.
"Why... won't you stop fighting..."
She spoke as if pleading with him, then whispered, "If you did, then I would...", before roughly wiping her face, shaking Al's hands off her, and running away.
"... Is it the Sword Princess? Is she the reason you fight?"
Al could have easily caught her given the level difference between them, but he froze in place, shocked by her final words.
'Hyaaaaaaa──!! I can't take it!! This psychological breakdown is incredible!'
'Seeing her break like this at any time or place is the absolute best!!'
'I feel like the wounds in my heart from the 59th floor are starting to heal...'
'Ah, but still, I was afraid she would scream at me, "The truth is, I'm a monster!" in the heat of that emotion.'
'Of course, I'll make her reveal her true self one day, but not now. Fighting her while she's in that fractured state isn't fun.'
'As for her question: Do I not fear death?'
'Well... I became strong for that exact reason. All my motivations center on that point...'
'Even when I was poisoned, I thought to myself: "Since I didn't die immediately, I probably won't. Airmid will do her job as usual"...'
'If you kill me in a gruesome way, I might stop fighting. Come on, come kill me along with Revis; you are my only hope now...!!'
'... Huh? Ais?'
'No way, what are you talking about?'
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[100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
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