by Fujino Omori
She had to hold back her emotions during the latter half of this speech. Excluding herself from the party wasn’t a sign of masochism. It was a subjective, coolly made decision based on the fact that she was a Level-1 full-time supporter.
In essence, Bell’s level-up had brought on this expedition mission. The Guild was saying that Bell the adventurer had gained both a qualification and a responsibility. Now he had to choose companions suited to the task and devote himself to the next level of adventuring.
A momentary silence fell over the living room. No one could come to a decision easily in the face of such a huge event for the familia. Hestia, the group’s patron deity, closed her eyes briefly, then looked at Bell. As if following her lead, Welf and the others also turned their gaze on their captain.
“Bell. You’ve held your tongue until now. What do you want to do?” Hestia asked.
“I…”
Bell had been quietly listening to Lilly and the others talk, and now he finally opened his mouth to speak.
“I…Well, it’s partly for Wiene and the other Xenos and partly for myself…I want to become stronger than I am now.”
He added a “but,” then looked around at each familia member’s face.
“If possible…I want to become stronger with all of you.”
Lilly widened her eyes. So did Mikoto and Haruhime. Only Welf, the single other male familia member, let a smile break out.
“I want to move forward as a familia.”
His rubellite eyes, like his crystal-clear words, were full of determination. Not a single speck of indecision marred his message. But in the next moment, his usual apologetic expression returned.
“Uh…Sorry to be so pushy.”
“Come on, man, I told you not to apologize! We were happy about what you said…Right, everyone?”
“…Yes, very happy!”
“Yes, yes, definitely.”
“Absolutely. If we don’t experience joys and sorrows together, why even call ourselves a familia?”
Lilly smiled broadly, while Haruhime nodded repeatedly and Mikoto pressed her hands to her chest as if she was deeply moved. Even Hestia grinned, nodding firmly as she stood up.
“Let’s work together with Miach’s and Také’s familias! We’ll form a faction alliance for the expedition!” she shouted.
The next moment, Mikoto, Welf, Lilly, and Haruhime joined in the commotion.
“Yeah, we’ll do it with Master Ouka and Lady Chigusa!”
“Forget about petty stuff like the twenty-first floor; I’m aiming for the lower levels!”
“Don’t get carried away, Mr. Welf! That’s reckless!”
“I don’t know if I’ll be much help…B-but I’ll try!” Haruhime added.
Bell laughed wryly at the sudden lively atmosphere in the living room. Everyone had their eyes on the same target. Because a new goal had materialized, the entire familia was enjoying a refreshing level of enthusiasm.
Hestia Familia had decided to go on an expedition.
The very next day, they began their preparations.
Of course, that included gathering all the necessary items and supplies, as well as sharing information with Miach and Takemikazuchi Familias and asking for cooperation from friendly factions. Nahza, Ouka, their fellow familia members, and their patron deities all consented willingly. Only Hephaistos Familia decided to stay on the sidelines in order to preserve their position as a metalsmith familia.
A three-faction alliance was formed among Hestia, Miach, and Takemikazuchi Familias. They would set out on the expedition in ten days. In the meantime, each adventurer began working on the necessary preparations.
“So from Miach Familia, we’ll be joined by…”
“Myself and Cassandra. Our captain, Nahza, asks your pardon, but she seems to have been traumatized by monsters.”
“W-we are very grateful…!”
Lilly was meeting with Miach Familia members Daphne Laulos and Cassandra Illion to confirm their participation. They were seated in the reception room of Hearthstone Manor, which at first glance resembled a war room. Dozens of parchments were spread out on pushed-together tables, each covered in updated information about the Dungeon, such as whether floor bosses were present in certain places and where Irregulars had appeared. Maps of each floor, purchased from the Guild, were marked up in red pen with their planned routes and rest points. Lilly, their chief strategist, was using the room to meet with other faction members and consolidate pertinent information about the upcoming expedition.
“What positions will you two take, Miss Daphne?” she asked.
“Recently we’ve been going in as a pair, but before, my spot used to be in the middle and Cassandra was in the rear. I did whatever needed doing, but she was a healer, so I think she’ll really be an asset.”
“D-Daphne, stop complimenting me…!”
“Why are you getting shy now?”
Ignoring the pair’s comedy routine, Lilly licked her lips and made some notes with her feather pen on a parchment. She was adding information about the new all-rounder and healer to her notes about the party’s formation.
“So how big do you think the party will be? It seems pretty big already,” Daphne asked casually as she located Ouka’s and Welf’s names in the vanguard.
“Everyone in Hestia Familia will take part, plus Mr. Ouka and Miss Chigusa from Takemikazuchi Familia, and then the two of you…and Miss Aisha.”
“Aisha…You mean Aisha Belka, the Berbera?”
“A-Antianeira…!”
Cassandra shivered as she uttered the former Ishtar Familia Amazon’s alias.
“Wow…” Daphne gasped, eyes round.
“Yes…I don’t know who she heard about it from, but she suddenly showed up at our doorstep…”
Lilly scrunched her eyebrows in an inscrutable wiggle as she thought back on recent events. Barely any time had passed after the alliance was officially formed when Aisha appeared, saying she’d heard they were going on an expedition and wanted to know if they would bring her along. Like Haruhime, Antianeira had been on numerous expeditions before, and her addition to the party would greatly increase the power at their disposal. Bell and the others had accepted her offer gratefully.
“But now, since the party is so strong, we’ve ended up aiming for the lower levels…Lilly can’t help but feel anxious about that. Although it’s true that an expedition made up of these members probably should already be thinking about heading for those floors of the Dungeon…”
Lilly let out a long sigh as she thought about how the hot-blooded Level-4 Amazon had tried to persuade her, boasting that they’d conquer the middle levels before the monsters even knew what was happening.
Daphne drew her eyebrows together.
“Huh. So it’ll be a combined expedition…Is that really a good idea? Will everyone be able to cooperate properly?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Lilly said.
“Well, when I was in Apollo’s familia, we went on some of those, but nothing much ever came of expeditions with other familias. The various members only did what they wanted.”
Like Hestia Familia, Apollo Familia had organized a combined expedition when it rose to rank D.
“Usually, all you have to do is look at the patron deity to get an idea what their familia members are gonna be like. In most cases they’re pretty similar. Like father, like son, as they say. Our experience was incredibly awful…” Daphne continued.
In other words, the familia of a deity who was always standing around smirking wouldn’t amount to much. Lilly tilted her head quizzically at Daphne, although she was starting to understand her point.
“On this expedition, everyone knows one another, so I doubt there will be any major issues among friends. But all the same, cooperation is critical. Especially when you’re heading to a floor appropriate for your level or even deeper.”
“!”
“Let’s combine our strength and do this together. Cooperation is e
verything,” Daphne said.
Her words made Lilly realize that she had forgotten something in her planning: the need to collaborate with other familias. Regardless of the powerful individuals she had lined up, she had failed to fully investigate whether her hastily drawn-up formations would really hold in the Dungeon.
“And what about you?” Daphne continued. “You’re just a supporter, right? And Level One at that. Are you gonna get yourself killed and drag us all down?”
“…”
“D-Daphne…”
It was a merciless pronouncement. But despite Cassandra’s gentle remonstration, Daphne hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true.
Daphne, noticing that Lilly’s hands were squeezed tightly into fists, changed her tone.
“But if you still want to come along…well, then maybe you should really put your foot down.”
“Huh?”
“Insist you won’t do anything yourself. Instead, make the rest of us do stuff.”
Lilly’s chestnut-brown eyes were fixed on Daphne.
“You’ll be the commander, right? I, for one, did a lot of things just because I was forced to and had no other choice.”
Daphne drew a dagger that resembled a conductor’s baton from the sword belt at her waist. With a swoosh, the human girl swung it lightly through the air and shrugged.
“Having someone keep an eye on things from the tail end is important, too, you know.”
“…!”
“This won’t be like the wars from back in the day, but good leadership can still really save a party. They say adventurers live or die depending on who’s in the rear guard. That’s how Finn Deimne pushed his way to the top, I hear.”
Lilly felt like she was seeing something inside herself for the first time. An image of Braver commanding the very best adventurers down in the Dungeon, and, layered on top of that, an image of herself doing the same.
She felt like she had finally grasped the vision she needed to aim for.
“That prum’s bravery is foolish, of course,” Daphne said.
“…”
“So, what are you going to do? Want me to show you how to take command?”
Cassandra, who had been left completely out of this conversation, was looking back and forth between Lilly and Daphne.
Lilly realized that Daphne was peering down at her.
“Yes please!” she said.
“Yaaa!!”
An earsplitting shout echoed across the blue sky.
The god of combat used his hand to easily deflect the sharp kick that the girl had sent flying toward his face.
“You’re still weak.”
“Oof?!”
“M-Mikoto!”
Mikoto and Chigusa, who had both been thrown to the ground, huddled together. After parrying the Level-2, third-tier adventurer’s high kick, Takemikazuchi looked down on the two girls as he wiped sweat from his brow.
“Mikoto, Chigusa. The two of you are thinking too much about your status. Never rely on your weapons to settle things. Control the situation with your spirit.”
“Yes, sir, Master Takemikazuchi!”
Mikoto grabbed Chigusa’s hand and pulled herself to her knees. Still kneeling, she looked up at the deity. Beneath a clear blue sky, the lush verdant growth of the lawn glinted in the sunlight. The three were in the courtyard of Hearthstone Manor, which they had borrowed for training. The girls were honing their skills in preparation for the upcoming expedition.
“Lots of adventurers get too caught up in their Status…That’s what the first-tier adventurers say, and I agree. When I use my skills fully, I can match or even beat you.”
While Takemikazuchi was dripping with sweat, Mikoto and Chigusa showed only a light sheen on their skin. Yet they were covered in grass stains from being thrown repeatedly onto the ground. The stark contrast made their relative positions obvious. The girls possessed the physical ability to fight monsters, while Takemikazuchi would have been as helpless as any ordinary person in such a situation. But despite their power, the god of combat was able to parry their blows and even use their momentum against them to send them flying.
The outcome rested entirely on skill and tactics.
Using his defensive skills, superhuman martial arts, eerily perceptive decision-making ability, and observational skills, Takemikazuchi led his opponents in the direction he desired. Alone, his combat skills exceeded those of a first-tier adventurer. His abilities were nothing short of godly, much like the supreme metalsmithing skills of Hephaistos, which no mortal smith could approach.
Certainly, if Mikoto and Chigusa kept up their attacks on Takemikazuchi, there was little doubt that they would eventually defeat him. But they weren’t after a quick victory.
“Status can’t be improved overnight. But—”
“Skill and tactics are a different matter.”
Takemikazuchi nodded as Mikoto finished his sentence.
“Of course, skills are not easy to acquire, either. But if you put in enough effort and you have a strong desire to succeed…then it’s possible.”
Mikoto squeezed her hands into tight fists as Takemikazuchi spoke, the looped buns of hair on either side of his face shaking. Just as he said, what she wanted was the strength to take on a powerful opponent. She wanted the skills that would let her save her companions and successfully navigate an adventure in the enormous underground labyrinth.
“It’s like I taught you in the Far East. Skills are the weapons you use when confronting an opponent who is stronger than you. In terms of their physical build, most monsters are overwhelmingly powerful…but if you use your skills at the right time with the right breathing, you can defeat even the largest enemy, crack even the hardest shell.”
Takemikazuchi wiped the sweat from his naked upper body and drew a dagger from the sheath tied around his waist. It was Tenka, the male half of a paired set of daggers where the female half belonged to Mikoto.
Takemikazuchi raised Tenka in one hand and took up a combat stance facing Mikoto and Chigusa.
“You’ve come a long way since your time in the Far East. Now it’s time for me to teach you the martial arts you didn’t learn back then, as you wish. Come and get me!”
“Yes, sir!”
The two girls ran toward him. Simply and earnestly, they gave themselves over to the tough training he offered.
“What’s up, Big Guy?”
A high metallic clanging rang out.
Thanks to the fire blazing in the furnace, the workshop was hot enough to kill. Welf stood in front of the flames using his red hammer to shape the ingot on the anvil into a weapon.
Ouka, of Takemikazuchi Familia, watched his motions from behind as if entranced.
“I want to get as much done as I can before we head out on this expedition,” Welf said.
His workshop was situated in the backyard of Hestia Familia’s home. With the red flames casting a crimson glow, the room’s dim interior looked like a magical world. The hulking young man who had come to visit sat in the chair Welf had lent him, arms crossed as the smith responded.
“Even if you and I were to train together, it wouldn’t make much difference.”
“I know.”
“And there’s no way skills and magic are going to appear at the very moment we need them.”
“I know that, too.”
Sweat rained down from Welf’s chin, and Ouka’s skin was damp, too, just from watching. Each young man appeared to be trying to outdo the other’s ability to tolerate the blazing heat. It was like a scene in some fable where the hero tries to persuade the stubborn craftsman.
“I’m a metalsmith. What I’m trying to do is…make the strongest gear I can, so I can help Bell and the rest of the party in my own way.”
Pieces of Bell’s dir-adamantite armor leaned against the wall next to Welf, already fully repaired. In addition to the armor, there were dozens of new items that Welf had prepared for Bell, Mikoto, and other party members, including broadswords, katan
as, spears, arrowheads, throwing weapons, shields, and magic swords.
Still immersed in his work, Welf’s gaze was sharp and impassioned.
He raised the hammer and brought it down. Each time he repeated the motion, the heat in the room seemed to pulse stronger.
“In combat, I may drag the others down, but this is my true role. I’m going to do everything I can.”
“…”
“I don’t have time to hang out with you.”
Like the sound of the hammer hitting the metal, Welf’s voice rang out decisively.
“Try the others,” he said, his back to Ouka.
“Make me a weapon.”
Welf’s shoulder twitched in surprise at Ouka’s words.
“…”
“Not some half-assed thing. Something that will let me protect Chigusa and Haruhime and everyone else. That’s what I want…Will you do it?”
Ouka’s voice was just as strong and stubborn as Welf’s.
Welf gave the metal one last, particularly intense blow, then turned toward Ouka.
“A custom-made weapon from me will cost you,” he said with a grin.
Ouka’s eyebrows furrowed in consternation.
“…Give me a deal.”
“I’ll give you a kick in the ass!”
“Haruhime, come over here with me.”
With that, the Amazon Aisha pulled the renart girl into the study of Hearthstone Manor. The books that had been on the shelves when they took over the building from Apollo Familia were still there, giving the room the atmosphere of a small library.
Aisha led Haruhime to the large table and sat her down. With the curtains shut tight, the spacious room seemed quite dim.
“Um, Lady Aisha…What do you plan to do in here?” Haruhime asked, peering around the room that she usually cleaned as a maid. Aisha sat on the table directly in front of her and set down her bundle.
“Special training for you, of course,” she said casually, her long black hair swaying as she adjusted her ill-mannered perch on the table.
“S-special training?” Haruhime parroted idiotically.
The sexy, shrewish Amazon, whose outfit resembled that of a dancing girl, swatted the fox girl’s ears.
“You’re the weakling. You know that, right?”