At that question, Finn's expression cleared.
No wonder. These ladies' home base should be in the Seventh District, so their usual range of movement clearly shouldn't have brought them out here to North Street. So they'd just come over from the workshop.
His thoughts raced, and he explained:
"Our collaboration didn't run into any problems."
"As for why they headed back early..."
"As you know, aside from Tsubaki, those smiths of Hephaestus aren't high enough level to push any deeper into the Lower Floors. On top of that, they're different from us Adventurers who fight for a living, so once they'd finished the last round of equipment maintenance for us on Floor 37, Tsubaki led them back ahead of schedule. That kept those precious smiths out of harm's way and eased the Expedition party's logistical load at the same time."
"Besides, since they had to carry their maintenance tools, their carrying capacity was limited and they couldn't haul much more material. So at Tsubaki's suggestion, they decided to turn back first."
Hearing his explanation, Jeanne and the others understood at last.
No wonder, when they'd run into Tsubaki earlier at the Hephaestus home base, she hadn't been in her own workshop but bustling about Familia headquarters instead...
So that was where Hephaestus Familia's huge pile of high-grade materials had come from!
Now that they knew why Tsubaki's group had returned early, Jeanne and the others could finally set their minds at ease. The reason they hadn't asked Tsubaki directly was precisely the worry that, if the two sides had been at odds, it would have put her in an awkward spot.
What did you call that? That was called emotional intelligence.
"Thank you for clearing that up for us, Captain Finn. Now we can relax."
"Haha, it was nothing."
After that, the two groups chatted a while about everyday things.
When Finn noticed the main force had nearly finished filing past, he nodded to everyone and took his leave:
"Well, if there's nothing else, we won't keep you all any longer."
The women nodded in unison, watching the Loki Familia's main force recede into the distance before slowly drawing their gazes back.
Once she judged the others were far enough away to be out of earshot, Laurier, who'd been holding it in for ages, was the first to gripe:
"I really didn't expect... even fresh recruits like Aki and Raul, who've barely been training any time at all, got drafted into the Expedition party as Supporters by the Braver. Now that's... one bold enough to bring them, the others bold enough to follow. It's honestly a little surprising."
"Well, it's the Loki Familia's internal business in the end. None of our concern."
"Speaking of which, did any of you catch sight of the Sword Princess?"
"I didn't really pay attention."
"Don't think I saw her..."
"Never mind, let's head home too. The wind and snow out here are only getting heavier."
"Mhm, mhm, nothing beats the fireplace back home!"
"Weather like this, you should be curled up on the sofa by the fire, enjoying the snowy view!"
...
Loaded down with packages big and small, bundled tight in winter clothes, thick scarves wrapped around them and fleece caps on their heads, none of the group noticed that, at the corner of a certain alley at the end of the street, two figures, one large and one small, gazed long after their retreating backs, until at last a faint, almost imperceptible sigh slipped out.
Riveria looked at the profile of the golden-haired girl beside her, a face written over with three parts coldness, three parts struggle, three parts envy, even a hidden one part obsession, and rubbed her temples helplessly.
"Ais... you..."
But before she could finish, the girl, gripping her sword hilt with veins bulging on the back of her hand, cut her off:
"Riveria, tell me! They got stronger again, didn't they!"
"That's..."
Hesitation crossed the high elf's face, but looking at Ais's stubborn expression, she sighed inwardly.
Fine, what good would it do me to keep it from her now? Knowing her temperament, she'd just go ask someone else. I only hope that once she learns the truth, she won't sink even deeper into her obsession with strength...
The thought passed, and Riveria spoke softly:
"Miss Jeanne and Miss Rose, by their auras, are already Lv. 3. My two elven kinswomen's juniors and that swordswoman, Miss Kureha, have advanced to Lv. 2 as well. As for that silver-haired human woman... I haven't seen her before, so she must be a new member of the Familia, currently Lv. 1."
The girl's grip cracked tight around her hilt.
Ais flushed crimson!
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
"Why... why are they leveling up so fast?"
Watching Ais's little face twist, Riveria fell silent.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't curious about Jeanne and the others' abnormal growth rate, but prying into another's Falna information was strictly taboo, all the more so when the other party belonged to a different Familia.
A Familia's top secret like that was something no one would ever reveal, no matter who they were. The same went for their own Loki Familia. No one would casually leak their own side's information.
Even the lunatics of Evilus wouldn't pull such a foolish move.
They were insane, not stupid.
...
...
"We're back!"
Crossing the snow-covered courtyard and pushing open the heavy wooden door, the group peeled off their snow-soaked boots in the entryway while glancing around the parlor, only to find no sign of Leon.
"Where is he?"
"This guy, where'd he slip off to without a sound this time?"
"He promised he'd watch the house properly."
Before the words were even out, an eerie cackle came bursting up the stairwell leading to the basement:
"Heh heh heh! Damn it! Gold finally dropped for me at last!"
"1.8 times!!"
"Hahaha, less than a day in and I already hit a critical!"
"I really am a genius!"
The women: "..."
No need to ask. Who else but Leon could let out a laugh like that, one that sounded like it could swallow ten Soul Hall Elders whole?
Laurier curled her lip and muttered under her breath:
"What's Leon losing his mind over now? That laugh is way too creepy!"
The others couldn't keep a straight face either:
"He's probably been buried in those books and blueprints. Looks like he actually made something of it?"
...
By the time everyone had changed into house clothes and gathered again in the parlor, Rose had also coaxed Leon up out of the basement.
Now everyone wore a different expression as they looked at the several bizarre "bags" sitting on the table, wanting to say something and then thinking better of it, then wanting to again, a bellyful of words stuck in their throats, at a loss for how to even begin.
The ladies present, including Jeanne the "country girl," not one of them had bad taste when it came to aesthetics, as you could tell from their everyday clothing and styling.
So when their eyes landed on these drab, grayish Wonder Packs Leon had made, a trace of distaste flashed in every one of their gazes at the same time.
Especially for Laurier and Aura, the Supporters, since this thing was going to be slung on their backs long-term down the road. So... the resentment radiating off the two of them was practically overflowing.
"Ahem, with a thing like a backpack, what matters is capacity! The looks and all that don't matter in the slightest."
"Here, look at this!"
"This one, volume: 1.3 times!"
"This one, volume: 1.5 times!"
"This one, volume: 1.7 times!"
"Of course, the volume they can expand to isn't only this much. It's mainly down to the materials. With Lv. 1 quality materials, the volume can be expanded to twice at most. And to max out the numbers, unless my own condition as the maker is off the charts, I'm afraid it comes down to luck."
"Well, once I get my proficiency up, putting out bags close to the limit volume reliably won't be hard either."
After hearing Leon's explanation, Iri picked up one of the drab cloth sacks with great interest and curiously reached a hand inside to feel around.
Sure enough, the space inside was far roomier than what the eye could see!
"How amazing! This sack must have some kind of magic attached to it, right?"
Leon grinned, full of smug pride:
"That's right. It's the very magic that goes hand in hand with making these Wonder Packs... the Item Box!"