However.
Haimer ultimately did not agree to Loki's words.
After all, biting off more than one could chew was never a good idea.
If it were in the past.
Back in those miserable days when Haimer would run his legs off just to recruit a single Familia member.
Faced with this grand gift Loki delivered right to his doorstep, he naturally would have accepted it without hesitation.
But now.
Rather than racking his brains trying to poach someone else's cornerstones, it was better to spend that effort on his own group of children with limitless potential.
"After all, you saw it too."
"That group of little monsters in my family have only just started."
"Just figuring out how to guide their excess energy onto the right path is already enough to give me a headache."
"If another one were to come along..."
Haimer shook his head.
"I'm afraid that before I even get to see them grow up, I'll die of exhaustion on my divine throne first."
"What I seek."
"Is merely to take this group of children that caught my eye, and step by step, see just how high of a place they can reach."
"That is all."
Hearing this somewhat unexpected answer.
Lefiya blanked out for a moment.
Loki's elongated eyes, which had originally been glinting with a cunning light, similarly opened a tiny sliver at this moment.
After a long silence.
"Ugh~"
"Fine."
Seeing that Haimer wasn't going to say anymore.
Loki slumped onto the sofa like a deflated balloon.
Sitting to the side, Lefiya, who had kept her nerves tense this entire time.
Also couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief at this moment.
Those small hands that had been desperately gripping her magic staff finally relaxed a little.
Thank goodness...
Thank goodness he wasn't the kind of terrifying God who would actually treat her as a bargaining chip.
In fact.
Speaking of which... Lefiya secretly raised her eyelids, carefully sizing up the black-haired God sitting opposite her.
He only wants to take his children to see the scenery from up high?
Hearing such words...
Spoken from the mouth of such a handsome God.
It was unexpectedly quite cool.
Character details P.
After all.
Compared to her own Main God who only knew how to drink, fool around all day, and never acted seriously!
This black-haired God!
Although his reputation in the circle of Gods didn't sound too good.
The words he spoke were exceptionally reliable!!
And just as Lefiya was silently adding points to her first impression of Haimer in her heart.
"Excuse me."
A voice broke the delicate atmosphere.
They saw.
That tall female Elf shop clerk who had been acting as the head waitress earlier walked in.
She was carrying an exquisite silver tray in her hands.
"Excuse me."
"Here is the signature black coffee you ordered, as well as the special fruit tart."
The tall Elf clerk's voice remained cold and aloof.
Her movements were elegant and textbook-standard.
She placed a steaming cup of coffee and a dessert that looked so sweet it could kill right in front of Loki.
"Thanks~"
Loki waved her hand absentmindedly.
Following that.
The tall Elf clerk paid her no mind, setting down a cup of hot milk and a serving of small cookies in front of Lefiya.
Finally.
She arrived by Haimer's side.
And placed a cup of black tea on the table.
However.
Just as Haimer was about to express his thanks.
"Um..."
The tall Elf clerk, who had been maintaining her aloof demeanor the entire time, suddenly paused.
Then, from the corner of her tray.
She took out a beautifully wrapped small box.
A dark green ribbon was tied over it, forming a pretty bow.
After which, she gently placed it next to Haimer's black tea.
"This is...?"
Haimer was a bit surprised, remembering he hadn't ordered anything else.
"This is a tasting sample our store hasn't released yet."
"If Kami-sama doesn't mind."
"Please give it a taste first."
Having said that.
This tall Elf clerk, who was supposed to be completely aloof, hurriedly left hugging her tray.
At this point.
A dead silence fell.
Haimer looked at the sample and raised an eyebrow.
Meanwhile, Lefiya widened her eyes, looked at the sample, looked at Haimer, and then looked toward her own Main God.
At present.
Seeing this scene, the corner of Loki's eyes had already begun to twitch madly.
It was as if she had facial nerve paralysis.
"Ahhhh—"
Moreover, Loki's mouth was wide open.
A stuttering "Ah— Ah—" sound constantly escaped her throat.
"On— On what grounds!"
"I've been here so many times!"
"I'm the regular customer here!"
"I've praised these Elf girls' figures for so long."
"Let alone this kind of unreleased tasting sample!"
"I haven't even seen a single complimentary cookie crumb!"
"Isn't this differential treatment way too obvious?!"
"Ah..."
"What happened to being noble and pure?! What happened to treating all worldly things like dirt?!"
"How did Elves become so shallow?!"
Faced with her own Main God acting so disgracefully in front of another God.
Lefiya had already silently lowered her head, covering her face with her hands.
At this point.
Things on the surface came to a close for the time being.
In the Dungeon, on the 13th Floor.
Inside the massive cavern.
The [Monster Feast] had ended.
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"
However, a shrill, miserable scream still broke the post-battle dead silence.
The sorrow and despair in that voice.
Even those Hellhounds whose heads had been smashed in by the black bear earlier probably hadn't screamed this miserably.
Mikoto, who was bending over to collect the loot, trembled in fright, almost throwing away a Magic Stone she had just picked up.
"Wh-What's wrong?!"
Is there a situation?!
Kashima, even more so, hastily raised his battle axe at the very first moment, looking around vigilantly.
However.
There were no newly emerged monsters.
The source of that sound.
Was on a large rock in the center of the battlefield.
They saw.
That girl who had been wearing a Hannya mask the whole time.
Right now, the mask had already been pushed up to the top of her head, revealing a delicate face.
—Onigawara Rin.
She was currently sitting on the rock.
Holding that long sword named [Black Crow] in both hands, her entire body was trembling.
"Chipped... It chipped..."
"My Black Crow..."
"So many chips have appeared on the edge!!!"
Onigawara Rin's voice was completely quivering.
She carefully stroked the middle section of the blade.
There.
On the edge that was originally as smooth and sharp as a mirror, several chips the size of rice grains had shockingly appeared.
"How could this happen..."
"This is a brand new sword I only just got!"
"It's only been a few days!"
"Waaah..."
Grief welled up from Onigawara Rin's heart, her tears about to fall.
For someone like her who valued her sword as much as her life.
This simply hurt more than being cut herself.
"Pfft—"
Looking at Onigawara Rin acting as if the sky had fallen.
Amou Kirukiru, who was wiping the blood off her hands to the side, couldn't help but let out a sneer.
"Is it really that serious?"
"Isn't it just a sword?"
Amou Kirukiru walked over, glancing at that tattered long sword with some disgust.
"I told you that you people who use weapons are too much trouble."
"You even have to be careful when chopping through bones."
"Unlike me."
Amou Kirukiru raised her fair palms and waved them in front of Onigawara Rin.
Although they were covered in blood.
The skin underneath remained completely intact.
In fact, after this round of slaughter, it had become even tougher.
"This is the best weapon."
"Not only does it not need maintenance."
"It can even self-repair."
Amou Kirukiru grinned, revealing a mouthful of pearly white teeth.
"You, you, you!!"
Onigawara Rin snapped her head up, glaring at Amou Kirukiru.
"What do you know!"
"Swords have souls!"
"How could a brute like you, who only knows how to smash blindly with her fists, ever understand the aesthetics of the way of the sword!"
"Aesthetics?"
Amou Kirukiru raised an eyebrow, kicking to death an Almiraj that was still twitching on the ground.
"Anything that can kill is a good thing."
"As for aesthetics or whatever."
"When your sword can no longer chop through this rabbit's neck, go talk to the monsters about aesthetics then."
"You—"
Onigawara Rin choked with anger.
If it weren't for her feeling heartache over the sword in her hands, she really wanted to rush up and smack this fellow with the back of her blade right now.
"Alright, alright~"
"Stop arguing~"
"Amou too, say a few words less."
"Rin is about to cry~"
Hanasaka Warabi sat on Kyoubou's back, swinging her legs, tossing the tachi in her hands up and down.
Looking exactly like someone who didn't mind making a big deal out of a spectacle.
"But then again."
Hanasaka Warabi glanced at the sword in Onigawara Rin's hands, then looked at her own tachi, which, although not chipped, had clearly dulled considerably.
"The monsters in these Middle Levels..."
"Their bones are indeed a bit hard."
"At this chopping rate."
"I'm afraid it won't be long before we have to fight the monsters barehanded."
Hearing these words.
Nomura Satori, who had been standing quietly to the side all along, also silently lowered her head.
Her fingers gently stroked the blade of her own [Gray Snake].
Although she rarely clashed head-on with monsters.
However.
The chaotic melee just now was simply too messy.
Bumps and scrapes were inevitable.
A shallow scratch had also been added to the blade of [Gray Snake].
"Let me see."
Just as Onigawara Rin was still sighing and groaning at the chips on her blade.
A figure jumped down from the high platform.
Tsubaki walked in front of Onigawara Rin and reached out her hand.
"Tsubaki... Senior Tsubaki?"
Onigawara Rin blanked out for a moment, then hastily handed the sword over.
"Senior Tsubaki, look quickly!"
"Can this still be saved?"
"This is a weapon worth several million Valis!!"
"Don't panic."
Tsubaki took the long sword.
That single eye narrowed slightly as her fingers expertly slid across the blade.
Her fingertips felt the texture of those chipped edges, as well as the stress variations inside the blade.
As Orario's top-tier blacksmith.
A diagnosis of this level was nothing more than a routine task for her.
"Hmm..."
Tsubaki pondered for a moment.
But with every second of silence, Onigawara Rin's heart sank a little further.
"Um..."
"Miss Tsubaki..."
"Don't tell me..."
"It's beyond saving?"
Onigawara Rin's voice took on a crying tone.
"Who said that?"
Tsubaki suddenly raised her head, raised an eyebrow, and tossed the sword back to Onigawara Rin.
"If a minor injury of this level meant it was scrapped."
"Then I might as well write my title of 'Cyclops Master Smith' backward."
"Really?!"
Onigawara Rin caught the sword, overjoyed.
"Of course it's true."
Tsubaki crossed her arms, looking somewhat amused at this girl who had just been acting so pitiful.
"However..."
Tsubaki's gaze swept over the weapons in everyone's hands, which all bore more or less some damage.
She sighed.
"Although the monsters of the Dungeon are famous for having thick skin and tough flesh."
"You rookies truly don't know how to cherish your weapons; you're just chopping away using brute force."
"With this kind of efficiency at ruining weapons."
"The fact that this sword has lasted until now without snapping already shows the exceptional quality produced by the Hephaestus Familia."
Aside from Amou Kirukiru and Inaba Tsukuyo.
Everyone else shifted their gazes away with somewhat guilty consciences.
"Ugh..."
Onigawara Rin shrunk her neck back, knowing she was in the wrong.
"Th-That's because there were too many monsters..."
"Once I got fired up from the killing, how could I care about all that..."
"Furthermore..."
Onigawara Rin looked at Tsubaki with some grievance.
"This weapon is so expensive, shouldn't it be very sturdy?"
Hearing these words, Tsubaki took a deep breath.
Forcefully suppressing the urge to pin Onigawara Rin to the ground and scrub the floor with her.
"There is a limit to sturdiness too!"
"Even the best weapon, if used with unrestrained barbarism, still won't last a few days!"
"However."
"There's no need to wear a long face."
Tsubaki sighed, waving her hand at this group of girls who were all lowering their heads in heartache over their weapons.
"Since I promised Lord Haimer to be responsible for your logistics."
"Then naturally, I'll provide after-sales service to the very end."
"Once we get back."
"Bring all these weapons to my workshop."
"I will personally repair them for you."
"And while I'm at it..."
Tsubaki glanced at the chips on Onigawara Rin's sword.
"I think ordinary steel can't quite keep up with your fighting styles anymore."
"I'll secretly mix in some fierce materials for you all later."
"As long as you don't use them to chop rocks, they should be able to last a bit longer."
"Really?!"
"That's wonderful!"
"Long live Senior Tsubaki!"
Onigawara Rin and the others burst into cheers, sweeping away the previous gloom.
As for the other side.
Compared to Onigawara Rin and the others who had the leisure to discuss weapon repair issues.
The [Takemikazuchi Familia] side.
Was simply spinning like busy tops.
"Quick, quick, quick!"
"Asuka! There's another piece in that corner!"
"Mikoto! Stop spacing out! Put the large ones in the bag first!"
"Chigusa! Grab that rabbit pelt, an intact one can sell for quite a bit of money!"
Kashima had currently fully transformed into a ruthless contractor.
Directing the others to scavenge madly.
"So many..."
"So many Magic Stones..."
Mikoto carried a massive backpack that was already stuffed nearly to the point of overflowing, her entire body bent over from the weight.
But on that face.
Was an overflowing, blissful smile.
"Lord Ouka!"
"I just did a rough calculation!"
"Just this single wave alone!"
"Can at least match what we normally earn in a month!"
"A month?!"
Kashima's hand trembled, almost biting his own tongue.
"Since that's the case."
"Then let's hurry up and move them!"
"Yes!!!"
Everyone replied in unison, their hands moving even faster.
Even that bear that was originally resting on the side.
Seeing this bustling scene.
Seemed to have been infected by the atmosphere as well.
Or perhaps it simply thought it was fun.
It actually trotted over eagerly.
The bear held a Magic Stone in its mouth and handed it to Mikoto.
"Roar-woo~"
"This..."
Seeing this scene.
Mikoto was stunned on the spot.
Half an hour later.
The cavern was finally cleared completely clean.
Aside from the residual bloodstains and battle marks on the ground.
Those things that could be exchanged for money didn't even have a single hair left behind.
All of them were stuffed into the [Takemikazuchi Familia]'s backpacks, which were about to burst at the seams.
"Um..."
Kashima, carrying a massive bundle that was a whole head taller than him, walked over with some difficulty to Tsubaki and the girls.
"Lady Tsubaki, ladies."
"The cleanup is complete."
"We harvested a total of three hundred and forty-two medium-purity Magic Stones, one hundred and twenty Almiraj long horns, as well as..."
Kashima's voice trembled as he reported the accounts.
These numbers.
Were far too exhilarating.
"Since the sweeping is done."
"Then let's continue."
Amou Kirukiru rolled her somewhat stiff neck.
Emitting crisp cracking sounds.
Her gaze once again cast towards—the dark tunnel leading deeper in.
"Hey..."
"Are you serious?"
Onigawara Rin hugged her sword, looking at Amou Kirukiru with a face full of disbelief.
"Our weapons are already like this, and you still want to fight?"
"That's because your sword is too brittle."
Amou Kirukiru raised that slender right hand still stained with dark red blood, abruptly clenching her five fingers.
"As long as my bones aren't broken, I can still continue."
Amou Kirukiru stated it as a matter of course.
"Or snatching the monsters' weapons is fine too."
"As long as I can continue fighting, nothing else matters."
"You jerk..."
Onigawara Rin choked with anger.
It was completely impossible to communicate!
"If you guys can't come along!"
"Then I'll just go by myself."
Amou Kirukiru grinned, having absolutely no awareness of being part of a team.
One could even say.
This actually suited her better.
After all.
Compared to having to look after a group of teammates who couldn't keep up with her pace, running wild alone obviously fit her personality much more.
Watching as Amou Kirukiru truly was about to dive into that passage clearly exuding an even more dangerous aura all by herself.
"My, oh my..."
Tsubaki finally let out a helpless sigh.
Her figure blurred.
And she blocked Amou Kirukiru's path.
"Get out of the way."
Amou Kirukiru stopped in her tracks and raised her eyes.
Even though she was facing a Lv.5 First-Class Adventurer.
Amou Kirukiru was still like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger.
As a result, this instead made Tsubaki look at this little monster who dared to bare her fangs at her at merely Lv.1 with even more helplessness.
"Although I quite appreciate this fearless, hot-blooded drive of yours."
"However."
"You should know when to stop."
Tsubaki extended a thumb, pointing to the tunnel behind them.
"Even though it's just separated by a single floor."
"The Dungeon's terrain is complex and ever-changing."
"Further down, it won't be as simple as here."
"The labyrinth will be even more winding, with more dead ends."
"Furthermore..."
Tsubaki paused, a stern look flashing across her single eye.
"The sheer bulk of those monsters will also increase."
"Once their numbers swell up."
"No matter how good you are at fighting, relying solely on your two fists."
"You'll still be worked to death alive in there."
Amou Kirukiru remained silent for a second.
Then.
"So what?"
"As long as it makes me feel pain, as long as it allows me to surpass my limits."
"Even if I get exhausted..."
"Dying in battle is also a kind of—"
"Okay, okay, stop right there."
Hearing this, Tsubaki decisively raised her hand, interrupting Amou Kirukiru's death declaration.
It seemed that trying to reason with this kind of one-track mind truly wouldn't work.
She still had to use magic to defeat magic.
"Well then, although you aren't afraid of death yourself."
"But..."
"If we don't start hurrying back now."
"By the time you return late, the sky will probably be pitch black."
"If he doesn't see you, Lord Haimer would probably be worried, right?"
Tsubaki thought for a moment and employed this stratagem.
As soon as these words came out.
Amou Kirukiru's originally emotionless expression indeed froze for a second.
Seeing this, Tsubaki looked like an old fox who had seized some vulnerability of Amou Kirukiru's.
As a result.
Tsubaki didn't have to say another word.
"Tsk."
"What a pain."
Amou Kirukiru irritably turned her head away, spitting out softly.
However, although she said so verbally.
Amou Kirukiru's feet, which were originally stepping deeper in, very honestly changed direction.
"Everything has its vanquisher."
"It seems..."
"In this world, only Lord Haimer is capable of taming this little monster."
Tsubaki looked at Amou Kirukiru's turning back, a trace of amusement flashing in the depths of her eyes.
"Let's go."
"Since the vanguard has retreated."
"We should head home too."
"Otherwise..."
"We really will end up waiting until dark, making Lord Haimer wait too long."
At this point.
As the girls began their return journey.
The [Takemikazuchi Familia], responsible for carrying the spoils of war, finally breathed a sigh of relief as well.
"We're saved..."
Mikoto wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling as if her spine was crying out in agony.
However.
When she turned her head and saw the heavy weight on each other's backs.
That feeling of exhaustion was instantly washed away by an immense sense of satisfaction.
"Lord Ouka..."
Mikoto moved closer to Kashima, who was similarly panting heavily from exhaustion, her voice carrying an unconcealable excitement.
"With so many Magic Stones..."
"Even if we only receive a small portion."
"It'll be enough to make up for the food expenses of these past few months."
"We can even send a large sum of money back to the shrine!"
"Indeed."
Kashima nodded, a blooming smile appearing on his sweat-covered face.
Even though he was tired as a dog.
This kind of fatigue, for them.
Could already be considered the happiest thing in the world.
"It truly is..."
"All thanks to Mikoto."
"To actually stumble upon such a good thing."
Chigusa also softly sighed from behind, tightly gripping her backpack straps.
"However."
Kashima wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His eyes looked somewhat complexly at the group of girls walking at the very front.
Especially that black-haired figure whose every step seemed to generate wind.
He couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"Is this the [Haimer Familia]..."
"They clearly look to be about the same age as us."
"But this kind of strength..."
"The difference is simply like heaven and earth."
Kashima recalled the scenes from just now.
That monstrous strength to tear apart monsters with bare hands.
Compared to adventurers like them, who had to be cautious every time they went down to the Middle Levels.
The gap was simply too vast.
"We are all clearly humans."
"Why is the gap so massive?"
"This is what they call monsters, I suppose."
Kashima let out a bitter smile.
"However..."
Mikoto looked at that back figure and spoke softly.
"To be able to gather such a group of uniquely gifted geniuses together."
"That Kami-sama..."
"Is definitely no ordinary figure either, right."
"That's for sure."
Kashima nodded, then took a deep breath, adjusting the center of gravity of the backpack behind him so he could walk more steadily.
"But no matter what."
"This time, we owe a massive favor to the Haimer Familia."
"If there's an opportunity in the future."
"We absolutely must properly repay them."
____
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