Time flowed, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.
To renovate the restaurant and ensure ingredient quality, Cain spent every day running back and forth between the Goibniu Familia and the Demeter Familia with Eina.
Just as he was frantically busy earning money, a young girl secretly slipped out of her home and arrived at the Hestia Familia.
"This is a rare visitor."
Cain, who had just returned, showed a look of surprise as he looked at the Blonde Girl sitting on the sofa.
"Leaving Lefia and the others behind to come alone, you shouldn't be here for a meal."
"En."
Ais nodded silently.
Although she wasn't going into the Dungeon today, Ais was still wearing her battle attire.
Her tender body was covered in silver armor, and her long, beautiful legs were clad in a pair of blue long boots.
Glancing over the other party, Cain sat down on the sofa opposite her.
"Speak, what do you need me for?"
"... I want to learn the Breathing Technique."
Ais hesitated before giving her answer.
Four days had passed since she returned from the Dungeon.
After watching the live broadcast of the War Game, Ais had inquired about the Demon Slayer Corps from those around her.
From Loki, Riveria, down to Lefiya and Bete, Ais had asked everyone she could, but she hadn't received any information.
It was as if they didn't exist; not a single member of the Loki Familia had ever heard of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Since she couldn't find the Demon Slayer Corps, she naturally couldn't learn the Breathing Technique Cain used.
The seed of desire was planted upon their first meeting, and then it took root and sprouted during the War Game.
Having witnessed Cain's performance in the War Game and learning from the Guild notice that Cain was Level 1, Ais became even more desperate for the Breathing Technique.
So today, she slipped out of the Loki Familia and came to the Hestia Familia without anyone noticing.
"I know my request is abrupt, but I truly need this power."
A look of craving appeared in her golden eyes.
Looking at the black-haired youth before her, Ais waited nervously for his response.
In response, Cain showed a slight smile and sat on the sofa, meeting Ais's gaze.
A moment later, Ais quietly lowered her head.
"It's still no good after all, is it?"
"Nonsense, of course, it's not good."
Cain rolled his eyes: "Even people who buy fried rice from me know to pull out currency to pay."
"You come over here and just say 'I really need this power' and then there's nothing else. What, in your eyes, do I look like someone who does charity? You want to freeload without paying a single coin."
"S-sorry..."
Ais, having been thoroughly lectured, finally realized what she had forgotten and quickly took out a gold card.
"This contains all my savings, a total of 43 million Valis."
"Now that's more like it."
Cain took the gold card from Ais's hand.
Seeing this, Ais's eyes widened slightly, and unconcealed joy appeared on her face.
"You agreed?"
"I have no reason to refuse money."
After the War Game ended, Cain tallied the assets of the Soma Familia.
Excluding fixed assets, the Soma Familia's liquid funds were about 50 million Valis.
Ais offering 43 million Valis at once nearly doubled the funds he currently possessed.
She was giving too much.
With Ais showing such sincerity, Cain naturally had to agree.
"Which Breathing Technique do you want to learn?"
"Which one?" Ais tilted her head: "Are there more than one Breathing Technique you know?"
"Currently, I know two Breathing Techniques: Thunder Breathing and Hamon."
"Considering your situation, I recommend you learn Hamon."
Although Cain often fought using Thunder Breathing, it didn't mean Thunder Breathing was stronger than Hamon.
Hamon is a top-tier Breathing Technique researched and developed by humans in the JoJo world who pursued the path of cultivation, possessing numerous effects such as prolonging life, strengthening the body, and healing injuries.
On the other hand, Thunder Breathing, as an extension of Sun Breathing, is a Breathing Technique whose only advantage is having a complete set of sword techniques, meaning one doesn't need to research moves on their own.
But Ais was a First Class Adventurer; her swordsmanship had long been honed through repeated battles, so she had no need to learn a new sword style.
Comparing the two, the difference was clear.
Compared to Thunder Breathing, Hamon was clearly more suitable for her.
"Then Hamon it is."
Ais made her decision after listening.
"When do we start?"
"Next week. I'll be extremely busy handling restaurant matters, so I won't have much time to teach you."
"Okay."
Ais nodded.
Although it was a slight disappointment that she couldn't start learning Hamon immediately, at least she had secured the entry ticket.
She could wait a week.
...
After leaving the Hestia Familia, Ais didn't linger outside and quickly returned to the Loki Familia.
However, perhaps because she had used up all her luck at Cain's place, luck did not favor her this time.
Just a few steps after returning to the Familia, Ais was stopped by Riveria, who was passing by.
"Ais, where did you go? I didn't see you at the meeting just now."
"Meeting?"
A look of confusion appeared on Ais's face.
A meeting? What meeting?
"Finn decided to launch an expedition next month. Didn't I tell you about this the day before yesterday?"
"... I forgot."
Ais lowered her head silently.
She had been preoccupied with the Demon Slayer Corps and the Breathing Technique these past few days.
Expeditions and such were being arranged by Finn and the others, so she had subconsciously pushed it to the back of her mind.
"You actually forgot about exploring the Dungeon. This really doesn't seem like your personality."
Riveria sounded somewhat surprised. "So, what were you doing during your absence just now?"
"... I went for a walk."
"A walk?"
Riveria's eye twitched.
She had raised Ais herself; how could she not know the girl's nature?
To defeat the Black Dragon, Ais either trained with her sword or went to the Dungeon to fight monsters and grow stronger. This kind of thing, going for a walk, would never happen to Ais unless someone dragged her along.
"Tell me the truth, what exactly did you go do?"
"I didn't do anything."
Ais didn't really want to talk about the Hamon.
Although she was slow on the uptake in some matters, Ais was self-aware enough.
As an executive of the Loki Familia, secretly contacting another Familia's core secret (Breathing Technique) was a serious matter.
If Riveria found out about this, she would be scolded a hundred percent.
In a more severe case, she might even be forbidden from contacting Cain.
Ais naturally could not accept such an outcome.
She had exchanged her entire fortune for the Hamon; she had to learn it no matter what.
"Riveria, I still have some things to do. I'll be going now."
"Eh? Wait..."
The hand Riveria had just raised froze mid-air.
Watching Ais hurry away, the expression on her face turned serious.
Something is wrong! Ais's reaction is wrong!
Although she didn't know what happened, the girl had clearly done something she felt guilty about.
"It seems I need to investigate this."
...
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