Northwest District.
Lynn led Lili, walking one behind the other into a derelict church.
"Lord Lynn, do you usually sleep here?" Lili asked, glancing around in confusion.
The walls, long neglected, were covered in cracks, and the pulpit and floor were blanketed in a thick layer of dust.
In the pitch-black night, the abandoned church, devoid of light, felt as cold and eerie as a haunted house—hardly a place fit for living.
"Not up here. I live downstairs."
Lynn opened a hatch leading underground, revealing a path lit by torches.
"..."
That didn't seem much better.
Lili recalled what Lynn had said earlier.
"[I'm a bit short on money right now. ]"
At the time, Lili had thought it was just an excuse, but now it seemed Lynn might have been telling the truth.
What normal person would live in such a dilapidated place?
Even Lili, after earning some money, would find an inn to stay in.
"Actually, I do have enough money to stay at an inn, but I've been saving up to buy a magic book recently, so I'm trying to save every bit I can."
"Saving up to buy a magic book?"
Lili's eyes instantly widened.
Lili knew exactly how expensive a magic book was.
To afford a tool of that level through normal earnings, one needed to at least be capable of venturing into the deeper zones.
"Lord Lynn, are you perhaps Level 4?"
"No."
"Are you Level 5?!"
Lili let out a gasp.
To venture into the deeper zones, one needed at least Level 4 strength as a guarantee.
If not Level 4, then it could only be Level 5.
But...
"Then why haven't I heard your name before? Did you keep your true level a secret and not register it with the Guild to maintain a low profile?"
"No, you've misunderstood."
Lynn held up a finger. "I'm not Level 4 or Level 5. I'm Level 1, just like you."
…
Then what are you saving up for!
A mere Level 1 shouldn't be dreaming about something as lofty as a magic book!
"Wait! Lord Lynn, if you're Level 1, then what you said earlier wasn't a lie, was it?" Lili suddenly realized.
"What are you referring to?"
"Of course, helping Lili leave the Soma Familia!"
The Palum Girl stood in place, the reverence that had been on her face vanished, replaced by growing agitation in her voice.
Lili felt deceived.
Earlier, Lynn had appeared behind her without a sound, acting all mysterious and seemingly terrifyingly strong.
But upon asking, it turned out he was only Level 1, just like her.
Could a single Level 1 really help her withdraw from the Soma Familia?
"Of course, he can!"
Just then, a third voice chimed in.
The door at the end of the corridor opened, and Hestia emerged, dressed in a white nightgown.
"Lynn is very strong. A mere Soma Familia is nothing to him!"
"Goddess, that's blind faith."
Looking at the goddess before her, who was about her height but dozens of times stronger, Lili felt inexplicably overwhelmed in terms of presence.
But this matter concerned her own future. Even if she was at a disadvantage in presence, Lili did not back down.
"As a deity, you should understand very well that an adventurer undergoes a qualitative change in strength with each level-up."
"The Soma Familia has Level 2 members. Do you really think Lord Lynn, as a Level 1, can defeat a Level 2 adventurer?"
"Yes."
"Do you even hear what you're saying?! The Level 2s in the Soma Familia aren't fresh newcomers who just leveled up; their abilities have been enhanced!"
"So what?"
"You... you're impossible!"
Lili was angered by Hestia's reply.
How could there be such an unreasonable deity?
She had already spelled it out so clearly, yet the other party was still pretending not to understand.
"The one who understands nothing is you!"
Hestia placed her hands on her hips, straightened her back, and lifted her head, causing a certain impressive display.
"Lynn has defeated a Level 2 head-on before!"
"Dealing with a bottom-tier small Familia like the Soma Familia is as easy as eating and drinking for him!"
"Huh?"
Lili was stunned by Hestia's imposing presence.
In her eyes, Hestia's petite figure began to grow, transforming in an instant into a hundred-meter-tall giant.
Looking up, two colossal peaks blotted out the sky, emanating a vast, oppressive aura.
Influenced by this presence, Lili instinctively took several steps back, glancing at Lynn, who had somehow produced a box of fried potato balls and was tossing them into his mouth.
"L-Lord Lynn, is what the Goddess said true?"
"About fifty-fifty, some true, some false."
"...I see. Even if you could defeat a Level 2, taking on an entire Familia would still be too difficult."
Actually, I meant that I haven't defeated a Level 2.
Seeing Lili misunderstand his meaning, Lynn thought for a moment and didn't explain further.
He still needed Lili's help to work later.
If he said too much and affected her motivation, it would be counterproductive.
"Let's go inside first."
Lynn led the two into the basement.
To deal with the Soma Familia and get stronger, he had been running around since early morning.
Before going to find Lili at night, he had even squeezed in half a day of monster hunting in the Dungeon.
After a day of such intense activity, even Lynn felt tired and was now starving.
"Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"I want a special little burger!"
Hestia raised her hand immediately.
"Lili will eat anything."
Lili looked at Lynn with a complicated expression.
Although the earlier conversation had restored some of her confidence in Lynn's strength...
...seeing him so down-to-earth, standing in front of the stove cooking, the confidence she had just regained took another hit, and doubts crept into her mind.
Could he really help her?
"He can, you know~"
Hestia's voice suddenly rang out.
As if seeing through the Palum Girl's thoughts, she walked over and patted Lili's head.
"I've heard about the Soma Familia."
"Living in that kind of environment must have been very hard for you."
"But don't worry, we'll save you. You'll have your freedom soon."
"...Please don't pat Lili's head."
After a moment of silence, Lili removed Hestia's hand.
Deities could lie.
Just as there were good and bad humans, there were good and bad deities.
But having seen many deities, Lili could clearly sense that Hestia was a special existence.
She was like a flame, whose mere presence could illuminate the darkness within Lili's heart.
"Goddess Hestia, may I ask a somewhat special question?"
"Go ahead."
"How did you and Lord Lynn meet?"
"Hmm... you could say we were in the same boat."
Hestia recalled the scene of her first meeting with Lynn.
At the time, she had been kicked out of her Familia by Hephaestus and was working at a fried potato ball stall to earn money.
It was then that Lynn appeared before the stall.
"Lynn told me he had an accident and lost all his money. He asked if I could give him some fried potato balls to fill his stomach and promised to pay me back once he earned money."
"So, you gave him the fried potato balls?"
"No."
"?"
"I really wanted to help him, but the stall wasn't mine. I didn't have the authority to give away free potato balls." Hestia offered an awkward smile.
"What happened next?" Lili grew even more curious.
"Later, I invited Lynn to join my Familia. Then, to celebrate the establishment of the Hestia Familia, I asked the stall owner to give us some fried potato balls."
"Huh? That's it?"
Lili had expected a more complicated story.
"That's it, just like that."
That was a lie.
As the famous virgin goddess, Hestia had high standards for her followers.
This was also why, even after being reduced to working on the streets, she hadn't recruited followers to form a Familia.
The reason she invited Lynn to form a Familia was because she discovered he was 'lost'.
Although it wasn't apparent on the surface, during their first meeting, Hestia sensed a profound loneliness and confusion emanating from Lynn.
He was like a lost child, wandering through an unfamiliar city.
[In that case, I can't just ignore him. ]
Hestia presided over fire, the light of a sanctuary, or rather, the flame of protection.
Seeing Lynn like that, she felt compelled to help, extending a hand of salvation.
But there was no need to share such unimportant 'trivialities' with Lili.
Pouring out the last fried potato ball from the box, Hestia handed it to the Palum Girl before her, who also radiated an aura of loneliness.
"Have one. It's really tasty."
"Then Lili won't stand on ceremony."
Lili was also curious about this food that connected her to the Hestia Familia.
Taking the fried potato ball and popping it into her mouth, a rich aroma burst on her taste buds.
"Mmm! So delicious!"
Lili's eyes instantly widened.
"Right, right? This is Lynn's improved recipe. He gave it to the fried potato balls stall owner as a return gift."
A smug smile appeared on Hestia's face.
Relying on this recipe, the business at the fried potato balls stall had been incredibly good lately.
When she passed by two days ago, the owner even mentioned he was preparing to open another branch.
"Dinner's ready, come and eat!"
Lynn's voice drifted over from not far away.
"Let's go, let's go eat."
Hestia snapped out of it and reached out her right hand toward Lili.
"Be prepared; the food Lynn makes is delicious. Don't bite your tongue."
"Lili isn't that clumsy."
Lili reached out and grabbed Hestia's hand.
Perhaps... days like this wouldn't be so bad.
…