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"Miss Eina, about the map from earlier. Is the person cooperating with the Guild still willing to sell more of them?"
After exchanging a few polite pleasantries, Captain Finn asked the question with a serious expression.
They had already realized just how powerful that map truly was.
"Yes, of course. In fact, that person left a map for the thirtieth floor here just yesterday."
Eina replied with a professional smile.
She was happy when adventurers made money, but when adventurers made more money, her workload increased while her salary remained the same. That part definitely did not make her happy.
"In that case, could we arrange another deal? You've seen the results yourself. The help this map provides is so significant that the current profit share no longer reflects its value."
"So we're willing to pay twelve percent of tomorrow's total income to purchase the map."
Finn was a man known for his foresight.
Unfortunately for him, Anos had already calculated the efficiency improvements most Familias would achieve and the general limit of what they were willing to accept.
"Um… Captain Finn? The map is still available. And this time there are actually maps for five different floors."
"But…"
Eina gave an awkward yet polite smile.
"But what?!" Bete the werewolf frowned, already sensing bad news.
"But according to that person's request, the share this time will be twenty percent…"
Yes, On the second day, the price had already risen to twenty percent.
Since they would perform better the second time using the map, Anos naturally expected a greater return as well.
If others eventually reached triple their normal profits while his share remained stuck at ten percent, he would practically be giving money away.
"Twenty percent?!"
Tiona blurted it out immediately, clearly thinking the seller was outrageously greedy.
Did that person even know how much their Familia earned in a single day? Asking for twenty percent was excessive.
"Twenty percent…"
Finn fell into thought.
Technically, the share was not ten or twenty percent of everything. It only applied to the Familia's valis income.
Materials dropped by monsters still belonged entirely to them.
What concerned him was not the twenty percent itself. Based on tomorrow's expected efficiency, even after paying that share, they would still earn roughly one hundred forty percent of their normal profits.
What worried him was something else.
It had already increased from ten percent to twenty percent. Would it keep rising in the future?
And if it did, how high would the final percentage become?
There was also another issue.
He had planned to raise the share to twelve percent to encourage the mysterious seller to keep supplying maps exclusively to Loki Familia.
But Eina had just said there were five maps available today.
Five maps.
Five floors.
Loki Familia could not handle all of that alone.
Their profits had increased because they concentrated all their members on a single floor.
But covering five floors at once…
They simply did not have enough manpower.
At that moment, Finn understood something clearly.
The seller had never intended to cooperate exclusively with a single Familia.
The limited supply earlier had only been because the maps were not yet famous. But today, whether during Loki Familia's hunting or while calculating profits, the maps' reputation had already spread widely.
Even if Loki Familia chose not to buy them, Freya Familia or other Familias definitely would.
According to their calculations, aside from the uncomfortable fact that the seller seemed endlessly greedy, their profits were still increasing.
"Very well, which floors have maps available tomorrow?"
After thinking for a long time, Finn made his decision.
Some members looked dissatisfied, but none voiced their complaints here. Finn's authority within the Familia was simply too strong.
Any objections could be discussed after returning home.
"Of course, the available maps are for the twentieth floor, the thirtieth floor…"
Eina began listing them.
"We'll take the map for the thirty-second floor."
That was the choice they ultimately made.
"He really is a bold man."
Anos stroked his chin thoughtfully.
No wonder Finn was called the Brave. He truly possessed both courage and wisdom.
Anos valued Loki Familia highly, Their daily income alone rivaled that of countless other Familias, second only to Freya Familia.
"Well then, keep earning valis for me."
Standing in the shadows outside the hall, Anos watched the scene inside with a faint smile.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, he noticed something and turned toward the entrance of the Guild.
Whoosh.
A white-haired figure rushed toward the building in a hurry.
"Bell?"
It took Anos a few seconds to recognize her.
Her face and body were covered in mud and dirt, making her look like a spotted rabbit that had rolled through a swamp.
She ran past him at full speed and rushed into the Guild.
"Miss Eina… is Miss Eina busy?"
Bell asked while catching her breath.
She had only wanted to ask if Eina had time to help calculate how many valis she had earned today.
"Ah… Miss Bell…"
Eina looked up while responding.
The moment she saw Bell's muddy appearance, she froze. Thankfully, Bell did not seem injured.
But at the same time, Eina realized something troubling.
Bell looked like she had just returned from the Dungeon.
And Bell was only a registered Level 1.
She was alone, holding a small pouch that likely contained magic stones.
At that moment, Eina was almost certain.
Bell had gone into the Dungeon by herself.
"Miss Bell, how about I calculate how much your magic stones are worth first? That way you can head home and clean up."
After thinking briefly, Eina spoke with a helpless smile.
She had no ill intentions. If anything, she was quietly giving Bell special treatment because the girl looked so fragile.
At that moment, someone else spoke up.
Bete the werewolf.
He had also noticed Bell, who now looked more like a dirty gray rabbit than a person.
"Isn't she the one Ais saved earlier?"
Then he burst out laughing.
"How did she end up looking like that? Hahaha!"
He did not actually mean anything malicious. To him, Bell was just an insignificant person.
But the way it sounded made him look like a bully.
"Ah… yes, that's her."
Even the usually expressionless Ais remembered.
She had rescued this girl from a Minotaur earlier that day.
After thanking her, Bell continued deeper into the Dungeon to hunt monsters.
This already deviated somewhat from the original situation.
Originally, when Ais killed the Minotaur, Bell had been splashed with blood. Embarrassed and flustered, she had run away immediately.
Because at that time… the person she admired had been Ais.
But now the one she admired was Anos Kanzaki, not the quiet Sword Princess standing before her. And since she had not been covered in blood this time, she had not run away.
She had entered the Dungeon alone because she wanted to help repay the Familia's debt.
She wanted to help Anos.
…
When Anos deduced this, he felt slightly moved.
But even so, he still wished Bell would listen to him a bit more.
"Are you okay?"
After recognizing her, Ais slowly walked toward Bell. Her calm expression showed the faintest hint of concern.
"I… I'm fine."
Maybe it was because she was covered in dirt.
Or maybe it was because she felt the gap between herself and Ais was too large.
Bell lowered her head slightly.
"Hey! Ais! Don't talk to people like that."
Bete said irritably.
He never clearly explained what kind of person Bell was supposed to be.
In his eyes, she was simply someone who caused trouble for others.
For Ais. For their captain.
Other Familias might not know much, but the Loki Familia often heard their goddess Loki complain about Hestia.
Things like how Hestia had managed to hook a wealthy supporter, while Ais was still the best girl.
To Bete, Bell being rescued earlier and now appearing here alone proved something.
She had gone into the Dungeon by herself.
Her Familia had only been formed yesterday. It had only two members.
How could someone from such a new Familia already be hunting monsters alone?
If it were a one-person Familia, that would be one thing.
But now there were two members.
"…"
Hearing Bete's words, Bell lowered her head even further.
He was right.
What right did someone like her have to talk to the famous Sword Princess and the members of Loki Familia?
She had only been an adventurer for a single day, but she already understood the system.
Loki Familia and Freya Familia were the two strongest Familias in all of Orario.
And the people standing before her were almost all adventurers of Level 5 or higher.
"Why won't you look at me?"
Ais ignored Bete completely and spoke in her calm, distinct voice.
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