"Ah. I understand what you meant." Ryuu gave a small nod. "Thank you for trusting me. Looks like I have one more thing to teach you—basic mana control. I know a little myself, so be ready."
"Yes," Xien answered immediately.
For the rest of the session, Ryuu drilled him on the most fundamental technique: how to guide and regulate the flow of mana inside his body. By the time they needed to leave for the Guild, he could at least control his magic on his own—enough to prevent another incident like the one earlier.
When it was time, Xien packed a homemade bento meant for the receptionist and headed out with Ryuu for the Adventurers' Guild again.
After all the care she'd given him lately, the least he could do was offer a meal as thanks.
When he handed the lunchbox over, the girl tried to refuse out of politeness… but the aroma broke her resolve almost instantly. And once she actually tasted it—
She very discreetly demolished the entire large box on the spot.
Only after she finished did she realize what she'd done. She stared at her now-rounded belly, went bright red, and looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
What could Xien and Ryuu do?
They kept straight faces and pretended not to see a thing.
She looked so shy, eyes watering from embarrassment—and for that reason, Ryuu managed to hold it together, but Xien nearly ruptured something trying not to laugh, especially at such close range.
After the day's lesson with Eina ended, Xien returned to the Familia home under the evening sky and made dinner for everyone.
As usual, it was an instant hit. Someone even suggested that Xien should just handle all three meals from now on. Xien himself didn't particularly mind, but the captain rejected the idea on the spot.
The reasoning was brutally practical: if they got used to Xien's cooking, then once they entered the Dungeon and had to chew tasteless rations, nobody would be able to swallow them.
Also, it would slow Xien's progress.
That shut down the would-be instigators fast.
After everyone finished eating, Lady Astraea called Xien to her room to update his status.
Partly because there was no longer a queue of people needing treatment today—and partly because of the grimoire.
"Have you used the grimoire already?" she asked.
Her voice was as sweet as ever, soothing enough to calm a person's heart without them even noticing.
"Yes," Xien answered like an obedient child. "I awakened a new magic, and my mana was activated too."
"I see." Astraea smiled. "Then let's take a look at the full shape of this new magic."
In the glow, the divine script danced—then settled into place. When the newly awakened spell revealed itself, Astraea actually froze for a heartbeat, surprised.
Magic awakened through a grimoire was usually the embodiment of the caster's deepest desire—something pulled straight from the core of the heart.
And this spell—
One Thought, God or Demon (Celestial Abyss).
If it truly reflected the boy's inner self, then his ambition was… enormous. A single turn of thought—and you become god or demon.
That kind of pride wasn't painted on the surface. It was carved into bone.
But whether that would become good or evil for justice…
Astraea's smile softened.
A world that could give birth to someone like him really was extraordinary.
She wasn't foolish. From the first moment she met Xien, she'd seen how out of place he was compared to Orario's people—and when she chose to bring him into her Familia, she had already used her blessing to help conceal his true nature.
His future could be saintlike in kindness.
Or devilish in cruelty.
So what?
She had decided to be part of his life—so she would use everything she had to guide him toward the justice he truly sought.
The update ended, and she took a rubbing of his status.
"At this rate, you should level up in about a month," Astraea murmured, handing him the status sheet. "You really are improving quickly."
Xien
Level: 1
Strength: F327
Endurance: E493
Dexterity: G299
Agility: F317
Magic: I53
Development Abilities: None
Magic: Breath of Abundance; One Thought, God or Demon
Skills: Radiant Heartfire (Hidden); Tough Body; Pharmacology Mastery
Xien stared at the numbers and couldn't help thinking: Isn't this growth speed a little insane? Was it because early training effects showed more clearly? He vaguely remembered how much Bell's stats rose per update in the anime, but…
Even if he was confused, the dominant feeling was accomplishment.
"Basic training should be enough by now," Astraea said.
"Yes," Xien replied, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Ryuu said I'm already at the level where I can enter the Dungeon and start exploring."
"Only a few days, and you've reached this standard." Astraea's expression warmed. "You really worked hard. Good boy."
Before Xien could react, Astraea had stepped behind him and pulled him into a hug.
His back sank into a soft, abundant pressure, and the first coherent thought that hit him was simply: So soft.
"L-Lady Astraea?" Xien yelped, trying to break free—only for her to gently stop him.
"Just for a moment," she whispered. "Let me hold you for a moment, Xien. You've worked so hard."
There was no improper intent in it at all—only warmth. A comforting embrace, almost like a mother's.
It was so healing that Xien barely remembered how he eventually got back to his room.
Staying here… really did feel like a second home.
The people here were genuinely good to him.
The next day.
Xien woke early as usual. In Ryuu's eyes, he was already a "qualified newbie," but he wasn't satisfied.
Setting aside the simple truth that consistency mattered most, the real reason was yesterday—after witnessing strength that hovered near the top of the world, he couldn't allow himself even a hint of slack.
Anything less would be wasting his talent—and being irresponsible to himself and the people around him.
What he didn't expect was that after he finished his basic routine and started pestering Ryuu to teach him higher-level techniques…
Visitors arrived at the Astraea Familia home.
They were members of the Hephaistos Familia, here to deliver something.
His long-awaited equipment was finished.
From their casual talk, Xien learned that Miss Tsubaki had originally intended to deliver it personally, but an urgent matter came up, so she dispatched them instead. To ensure the items reached Xien safely, she'd sent elite members—both Level 4, second-tier adventurers.
That only made Xien more curious.
What kind of equipment required two Level 4s as escorts?
After verifying Xien's identity, the two adventurers handed him the gear—two bulky bundles wrapped in white cloth. They didn't linger; they turned and left immediately.
A system notification flashed in Xien's mind:
Established contact with Hephaistos Familia — Interference Value +100
Xien paused, then understood. So the whole "Tsubaki" matter only officially concluded now. Fair enough.
Watching the two adventurers walk away, Ryuu looked at the large bundles in Xien's arms with clear interest.
Everyone already knew his gear had been made by a true master. Curiosity was only natural—because when she worked, the result should be exceptional.
"With an escort force like that," Ryuu said, "I can't help but wonder what they delivered."
Xien grinned. "Heh. Since even you're this curious, let's take a look."
He didn't tease it out. He immediately opened the lighter, rounder bundle.
Inside was a full set of matching light armor—plus a sleek coat with a windbreaker-like silhouette. It looked like a complete kit.
Ryuu picked up one piece and lightly tapped it, listening to the crisp ring.
"High-end materials… They made orichalcum steel into armor this thin and light?" she said, impressed. "The title 'master' really isn't undeserved. And this fabric—nylon? There's also a carved mechanism for an auto-triggered mana shield…"
She looked over the whole set again.
"Even a Level 1 beginner could survive for a while in the middle floors wearing this."
By defensive standards, Ryuu couldn't find a flaw.
Xien, meanwhile, had only one thought:
Damn. That's cool.
The white-and-red design locked his eyes in place.
Strength was temporary.
Style was forever.
The set looked tailored for a mage-type adventurer: armor coverage was minimal, protecting key vulnerable points—an inner chest guard, knees, shoulders—while the rest was lightweight cloth.
But that cloth clearly wasn't weak. Not only was it top-grade nylon, it also had defensive magic etched into it for an extra layer of protection in emergencies.
The sizing was perfect—made exactly for Xien's body. He couldn't wait; he slipped the coat on at once.
The moment it settled on his shoulders, his whole aura changed—he looked sharper, more composed, almost "wise."
It fit flawlessly, and it was comfortable in a way that didn't feel like armor at all.
"Well?" Xien asked. "Instructor Ryuu?"
"It suits you," Ryuu said. "A little… handsome."
Her cheeks tinted faintly—so faintly Xien didn't notice.
For some reason, the Xien wearing this outfit felt closer to a vague silhouette in Ryuu's heart.
Xien was delighted—and a bit embarrassed that Ryuu had actually complimented him—so he quickly changed the subject by opening the second, longer bundle.
If the first was armor, this had to be weapons.
He removed the wrappings. Inside was a refined rectangular case. He opened it, revealing two long weapons.
One looked like a staff about one and a half meters long—but the head was unusual, closer to a game-style spear tip. A gemstone was set into the center, and the blade edges gleamed with cold sharpness.
It didn't look like a staff so much as a short spear disguised as one.
Stranger still, most staves were made from wood or similar materials that conducted mana well. But this one was forged from adamantine—with mithril mixed in to improve mana conduction.
The second item looked like a close-quarters short sword—same materials as the staff—but the grip seemed oddly long.
Probably: the staff as the primary weapon, and the short blade for self-defense.
Then Xien noticed a slip of paper inside the case. He unfolded it.
It was an illustrated instruction guide.
After reading it, Xien sucked in a breath and couldn't help marveling at Miss Tsubaki's wild imagination.
Seeing the shock on his face, Ryuu asked, "Is something wrong? Does it not suit you?"
"No, it's fine," Xien said quickly. "I'm just amazed at how ingenious Miss Tsubaki's design is."
He lifted the staff. It wasn't light. If he hadn't gained strength through these days of training, even holding it properly would've been a struggle. The grip had also been treated with a non-slip finish—hard to lose hold of.
Then, in Ryuu's astonished gaze, Xien gripped the rear of the staff, twisted—and pulled.
A thin, gleaming rapier slid out from within the staff's body.
In that instant, the "weapon" became two:
Staff in his left hand.
Sword in his right.
He could practically cosplay a legendary wizard.
"A composite modular weapon…" Ryuu murmured.
Now she understood the shock. A single weapon that could function as staff, short spear, and sword—while still maintaining compatibility between forms—was frankly absurd craftsmanship.
Xien grinned. "You think that's the end? Not even close."
He slid the rapier back inside, restoring the staff. Then he picked up the second short blade, aligned their rear ends, and locked them together.
With a clean click, the pieces became a heavy polearm—double-edged, bladed at both ends.
Xien couldn't help spinning a few simple spear flourishes.
Not only were the materials precious, the whole set carried traits like durability and extremely high mana conduction.
"Separate, they're different weapons," Ryuu said, stunned. "Together, they're parts of a larger weapon… It's breathtaking."
Then she looked at him seriously.
"Was this your request?"
She wasn't just admiring it—she was also worried. A weapon like this wasn't easy to use. Honestly, it didn't seem suitable for a beginner.
"More or less," Xien admitted. "Back then, Miss Tsubaki asked what kind of weapon I wanted. I told her I wanted something that could adapt to as many combat environments as possible. I didn't expect her to achieve it like this."
Heavy weapon, light weapon, reach, close-quarters—he really did have most situations covered.
"I see," Ryuu said quietly. "With your talent, mastering it won't be impossible. And if you can wield it properly…"
She let out a breath.
"…then it will be a weapon worthy of its maker."
....
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