Have I hit a wall…?
The limit for each Basic capability was 999. It became more difficult to gain excelia the closer each Ability got to S, but she had encountered another barrier judging by these results.
Aiz couldn’t grow anymore as she was now.
Her Status had grown as much as it could. It didn’t matter how strong or fast she was, this was her limit.
Three years had passed since she became Level 5.
An invisible barrier loomed before her, preventing her advance.
“…”
Aiz was stuck.
Level up. Improving the excelia “container.” That was her way through the barrier, overcoming this limit.
Stronger. Even stronger. She craved strength almost to the point of greed.
More power, more speed. To reach a new level, to travel to new heights.
To make her wish a reality.
Her expressionless, doll-like face concealed the desire burning within her.
“Aiz…”
Loki watched her from the side, seeing her face in profile. Cautiously, she opened her mouth to speak.
The blond girl turned to face her goddess, and the deity quietly advised her follower.
“Those who push while runnin’ full-out will always trip. I’ve told ya before, an’ I’ll say it as many times as it takes. So don’t forget.”
“…”
“You can go. Nighty-night.”
Aiz broke off eye contact with the grinning goddess and turned toward the door.
She paused for a moment in front of the giant block of wood and said, “Good night,” before exiting the room.
Loki waved at her, the same grin on her face.
“…”
The human girl descended the spiral staircase.
Light and noises from the city outside passed by every time she stepped in front of a window. Aiz walked through the dim hallways alone. Walking past all other doors, she arrived at her own room and went inside.
It was very simple. The only things inside her room were a desk, a bed, and a curtain over the window. With only a few personal possessions, Aiz’s room was the exact opposite of Loki’s personal quarters. The moonlight that managed to come in between the curtains cast the room in a dark blue hue.
She walked directly to her bed and collapsed into the sheets. Feeling their warmth around her, she looked sideways at her sword, propped up against the wall beneath her window.
The weapon seemed to have a cool aura emanating from its sheath in a moonlit spotlight.
“…”
Aiz silently closed her eyelids.
Consciousness fading, her mind fell into darkness.
A young girl.
An intelligent young girl full of emotion.
Laughing, taken by surprise, able to feel the sting of sadness and uplifting joy.
Her face changed effortlessly to match each emotion, an innocent smile between her rosy cheeks.
A book opened in front of her eyes, the story unfolding in her head.
Comfortably snuggled into a white blanket, the girl nagged until the story continued.
An unsteady voice filled with love started reading again.
Should the girl look up from the pages, she would see the beautiful smile of a blond woman above her. Just like the innocent toddler in her lap, everything was peaceful, calm. The two of them seemed to fit together, like sisters. The little girl smiled again.
The story came to an end.
There was a princess deep in a forest who was trapped in eternal sleep.
Until one day she was woken by a young man.
He melted her heart, took her hand, and the two lived happily ever after.
The princess was saved.
“Do you like this story?” The toddler nodded.
“What about Mommy?” The woman nodded back.
“Me, too, because I’m living happily ever after because of him.” The woman smiled as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
The toddler’s eyes filled with envy and admiration. She looked down at the book for a moment before looking back up at the woman’s face.
The woman smiled again.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you met someone who does the same for you?”
The toddler smiled like a flower opening to the morning sun.
The white was gone; this was a different place.
Looking around, everything was shrouded in an ominous black.
The growls of a hideous monster echoed.
The echoes didn’t go away, coming in from every angle. No escape.
No sky above, the air humid and thick. A long series of complex tunnels. At the end of a thin one, tall, cold walls all around.
The girl was surrounded by scary monsters in an underground labyrinth.
Eyes shivering in terror, the tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Her soft skin was covered with bloody scratches and bruises, clothes torn and caked with mud. She lay in the corner of the room like a string-less puppet, unable to escape.
The dark shadows reflected in her eyes grew larger. Sobbing screams escaped her mouth as the creatures drew closer.
Claws and fangs glinted in front of the helpless girl.
Suddenly, a flash of silver.
A line appeared across the chest of the monster above her. Shaking, she watched the beast fall and a young man emerge from behind it.
A high black collar hid his mouth. He wore minimal light armor and carried a long silver sword. The girl’s eyes widened before she jumped toward him.
She embraced him, face pressed into his stomach. The man smiled, his hand on her head.
He gently ruffled her hair, relief flooding through her veins. She looked up at him, tears flowing as strong as ever down her dirty face. The man grinned contently.
Her vision became blurry. In her eyes, the man before her became the young man from the story. She tightened her embrace.
The man knelt down, looked her in the eyes, and said:
“I can’t be a hero.
“Because you already have your mother,” he added with his eyes half open.
“I hope that, someday, you find a hero—your hero.”
Those were the last words.
The scene faded.
“…”
Her consciousness came back to the surface.
Her groggy eyes no longer saw the dream, only the very familiar walls of her own room.
Aiz managed to get her eyelids all the way open before blinking two or three times at her own pace.
A few moments later, she slowly pulled back the sheet and sat up on her bed.
Still not fully awake, she took a look around the room.
The dim chamber was gone; her room was bright.
The white curtains couldn’t hold back the sunlight bursting through the creases.
It was morning.
…It’s been a while.
Her gaze fell on the sword under the window before she wiped her eyes.
She hadn’t had that dream in years.
She’d almost forgotten the memories it came from.
Aiz wondered why now of all times they would resurface, but she quickly found an answer. Most likely, it was because of the boy she’d saved yesterday.
She’d seen a piece of herself in the boy with white hair.
“…”
His ruby-red eyes had made quite an impression.
The resemblance to a rabbit was uncanny. Maybe it was just because it was the last event of a particularly rough expedition, but his face was still with her.
Perhaps this rabbit had brought the dream to her. Aiz didn’t realize it, but her usual stoic expression softened.
“Aiz? You up? The sun sure is.”
Tiona’s voice came from the other side of her door.
The blond human had overslept. It was very rare for her to experience a deep sleep.
Was it because of the expedition, or was it thanks to her memories?
Whatever the
cause, she felt a strange calm that had been absent last night. Aiz responded to Tiona and started preparing for the day.
Aiz and the other expedition party members had many errands to run after breakfast.
At the top of their list was exchanging the items they’d brought back from the Dungeon for money. However, they needed to replace most of their weapons and restock their supply of items. The list went on and on. It would take a great deal of teamwork to finish everything quickly.
Splitting up into groups in front of the main gate, everyone was ready to go.
“I’m taking y’all out on the town tonight! No stragglin’ now!”
Loki saw them off. It wasn’t long before the group of adventurers arrived on Northwest Main Street.
There were eight main streets in Orario. All of them started in the center of the circular city and expanded due north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest. An aerial view of the metropolis would look like a cake cut into eight slices.
Northwest Main, the street that Loki Familia was walking on, was known as Adventurers Way because the Guild headquarters was located here, along with many weapon and item shops. It was no coincidence that many bars were located here, too. The street was lined with virtually everything an adventurer needed. If one ventured off the main path, there were several shady establishments in older buildings in the backstreets.
It was just past nine o’clock in the morning. The street was filled with adventurers making their final preparations to go into the Dungeon. An animal person with a greatsword over his shoulder disappeared into a weapon shop; a group of prum mages talked excitedly among themselves as they emerged from an item shop; supporters equipped with large backpacks accompanied adventurers up and down the street.
Despite all the activity, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t notice Loki Familia’s presence. Everyone knew exactly who they were and their powerful reputation. Some of the onlookers were filled with envy but most were just awestruck. Every single one of them got out of the way as the group passed.
A path opened up right in front of Aiz.
“You know, this just doesn’t feel right. Bete would be so happy right now, too.”
“Bete ain’t that vulgar, Tiona. The laddie do have his own way of showin’ pride.”
“Ehhh. Gareth, why’d you have to take his side? That can’t be true.”
“The laddie do see a difference between lookin’ down on folks and hatin’ them.”
“I don’t understand.”
The werewolf had been assigned to a group that stayed at home. The Amazonian twins and the dwarf were engaged in lighthearted conversation as the group arrived in front of the Guild.
Built from white marble with the front lined with a series of large pillars, this building was called the Pantheon, temple of the gods. Several monuments stood on the front lawn, greeting the adventurers traveling through the front doors.
The Guild was the engine that made the city prosper because it was in complete control of the economic benefits of the Dungeon. All adventurers were registered in their database as a way to protect them and average citizens at the same time. In return, its employees advised adventurers and provided them with information on the obstacles they would encounter in the Dungeon. The better prepared the adventurers were, the more money they would make, and the more the city would thrive.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Guild’s support was indispensable for every adventurer.
“Riveria, Gareth, and I will take the magic stones to the Exchange. Everyone else, stick to the plan and take care of your individual tasks. And please make sure that all the money is accounted for? Isn’t that right, Raul?”
“That was a fluke, sir! Won’t happen again!!”
“Ha-ha. Well, then, let’s get to it.”
Items collected in the Dungeon could be sold to the Guild or to individual familias.
However, the only group legally allowed to buy the magic stones recovered from monsters was the Guild. Therefore, every adventurer came here to exchange them for money.
Magic stones were used to make a variety of items, including the magic-stone lamps that illuminated the city at night. They could also be used to create heaters, coolers, and other things necessary for daily life. Magic stones were always in demand all over the world.
The Dungeon spawned an unlimited number of monsters and Orario’s adventurers could collect an infinite supply of the stones. That’s why only the Guild was allowed to purchase them. Magic stones had become the lifeblood of the world economy. The Guild used that money to create the grand city standing today.
As the only producer of magic-stone products in existence, the Dungeon had blessed Orario with an incredible business opportunity—and made it the true center of the world.
“Well, we should get moving, too. Don’t let anyone try to steal our drop items on the way.”
“Surely no one is stupid enough to pick a fight with Loki Familia…”
“Caution. Caution, Lefiya.”
Finn and the other leaders went straight into the Guild and to the Exchange counter, while everyone else broke off into their groups. Tione led Aiz, Tiona, and Lefiya to their destination.
Drop items were used to create weapons and armor. Although the Guild would be more than happy to buy them, it would never be at the best price. While the Guild could be trusted to always pay up, many adventurers sold their loot directly to familias to get as much money as possible.
There was always a risk of being ripped off, but if the adventurers were confident in their bargaining skills, selling to familias could result in a big payday. For those less-experienced adventurers, selling to the Guild was the only way to guarantee getting paid for their hard work.
“Raul is so amazing, wheeling and dealing like that. I’m sure I’d end up falling for some trick.”
“He’s been burned once or twice, that’s why he knows what to do and what to say. The general is forcing him into these situations. But you, on the other hand, don’t even try to learn.”
In truth, being part of Loki Familia and famous made bargaining much easier. They were capable of bringing back extremely rare and valuable items from the Deep Levels. It was in the best interests of other familias and merchants to stay on their good side.
Each member of Loki Familia had their favorite shops and knew what kind of drop items the owners were looking for. Tione’s group carried boxes and bags of different shapes and sizes down the middle of Northwest Main, en route to the first stop on their list. It wasn’t long before the four girls arrived in front of a large building.
It was constructed out of shiny white stone, with a large banner bearing the symbol of Dian Cecht Familia—sparkling gems on top of medicinal leaves—hanging above the doorway.
“Welcome, Loki Familia.”
“Amid! Long time, no see!”
Tiona happily waved at the girl who came out to greet them.
The girl was human but so petite that she looked like a doll come to life. Standing at only 150 celch, it wasn’t hard to picture her as part of some large collection.
Incredibly straight, silver hair hung down around her thin face. Large eyes lined with long eyelashes gave her a delicate expression. She wore a plain white robe that was similar to a nurse’s, her familia’s uniform.
Amid Teasanare.
A member of Dian Cecht Familia and an acquaintance of the girls.
“Am I right in assuming that your visit today is related to the quest?”
“That it is. Is now a good time?”
“Yes. Right this way.”
The first order of business was to report their success and receive their compensation from their client. Amid led them farther into the building.
Dian Cecht Familia earned money by producing various types of medicine and items. Its members brewed and sold many kinds of potions, as well as filled custom orders for stronger formulas or unique items.
Thi
s particular familia’s merchandise was of extremely high quality. For example, they sold a serum that was so powerful it could restore sight to a blind man. Other familias sold healing items, but this group prided itself on quality so much that it limited its customers to those who could pay for it.
The inside of the building was broken into many small rooms used for selling items, treating patients, and meetings. Aiz looked into room after room, walking through the busy maze. Amid guided them to a counter.
“I apologize. There are no private rooms available at this time. Is this location acceptable?”
“It’ll do. Straight to the point, here’s the spring water you requested. It should be enough to fulfill your order. Have a look.”
Tione placed a large glass bottle on the counter.
Amid picked it up with both hands and examined it closely.
“This is genuine…Thank you for filling our request. On behalf of the Dian Cecht Familia, please allow me to convey our gratitude. Here is your payment. Please confirm it meets your expectations.”
The young girl pulled a box out from under the counter and opened the lid. It contained twenty elixirs. The most expensive healing potion in Dian Cecht Familia’s inventory, each bottle sold for no less than 500,000 valis. Tione leaned in, her jaw sagging as Lefiya looked on from behind her.
Lights from the magic-stone lamps above reflected off the crystal bottles, covering the Amazon’s face in many colorful sparkles. Even Aiz was impressed with the beauty and attention to detail put into the casing.
“Amid, we happened to come across a rare item in the Deep Levels. Could you make me an offer? I can sell it to you right here if we can reach an agreement.”
“Understood. Let’s make a deal.”
“Aiz, if you please.”
Prompted by Tione, Aiz walked up to the counter.
She then placed a long box onto it and opened the top to reveal a drop item carefully wrapped in a protective cloth. Slowly undoing the wrapping, Aiz held it out to Amid.
“…This is…”
“Cadmus Hide. Picked it up while working on your quest.”
Amid stood in stunned silence.
The girl quickly drew two gloves from her pockets before closely inspecting an item that almost never came up for sale in any marketplace.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria, Vol. 1 Page 11