Chapter 49 - Who's old? I'm still young!
This level of destructive power is no less than the first stage of her magic, but it doesn't seem to cause Noah any significant damage.
Even though it was only his first time using magic, his mental strength and total Mind are probably already comparable to mine... Sure enough, this guy has the potential to become a mage. Since that's the case, I should be even more diligent and strict in my teaching. Such fine material cannot be wasted; otherwise, it would be a crime for a mage.
"Riveria?" Although Noah could feel that Riveria was smiling, he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Is it almost noon now?" After checking the time with her magic stone pocket watch, Riveria took out the Dungeon map. "In my opinion, venturing to the lower floors on the first attempt at exploring the Dungeon is extremely risky. If possible, let's stop here for today... However..."
Looking at Noah, who was still full of energy, and Ais, who was standing next to him with wide eyes, eager to try, Riveria sighed helplessly. "I imagine you wouldn't really want to go back like this, would you?"
"The monsters up here are no match for me. The previous battles were just a warm-up. I want to see where my limits are." Gripping his sword hilt, Noah looked into the depths of the cave, as if he were staring at even more dangerous monsters. Even so, he hesitated when he saw Ais's backpack, which was several times larger than her. "However, Ais..."
Before Noah could finish, Ais interrupted him. "It's okay! I can still manage!" Ais lifted the huge backpack on her small body, her tender face full of determination. "Moreover, the deeper floors... I want to know more!"
But what you're doing makes me feel guilty about child labor.
Looking at Ais's face, Noah hesitated. As the two looked at each other, a slight ripple rose in Riveria's heart.
Long before Noah appeared, Ais had already reached the edge of ranking up. The reason why Riveria, Finn, and the others hadn't told her about the condition of great feats was because they all felt her mind needed more training than her body. Fueled by hatred, the stronger Ais becomes, the closer she gets to breaking. Although they could take care of Ais and teach her how to fight, they could never truly enter her inner world.
Until Noah appeared. Riveria couldn't quite grasp it yet, but there was no doubt Ais had a longing for Noah. Although this made the high elf, who had painstakingly cared for the girl for a year, feel a pang of sadness, she also felt gratified. In Ais's mind, filled with hatred, even a sliver of light was enough.
Moreover, now that Ais knows about the condition of great feats, can she really prevent her from taking risks forever?
It seems it's time to let go.
'Young people have their own epic to complete, and we old folks can't walk the entire path for them. We must let go when it's time. It's enough to stand behind them and lend a hand when they face difficulties...'
Recalling the dwarf's rough yet reassuring voice, Riveria really wanted to punch him.
Who's old? I'm still young!
....
Having made her decision, Riveria stopped agonizing over it.
Since I can't control them, I can only take the risks with them.
Not to mention... Riveria glanced furtively at Noah, then looked away, a crescent-shaped smile curving her lips. She had secretly run away from her home to explore the unknown of this world. Did she want to lecture people all day, to the point of being criticized for being a mother hen? Isn't it all because of those ignorant young people in the Familia?
But now things were better. With Noah ahead of me, who will soon surpass me, I probably won't need to worry so much anymore.
Now, Riveria understands Finn's happiness better and better!
Since he can be the captain of our Familia, it would be easy for him to also serve as the Familia's number one mage, right?
Just as Noah was struggling with how to lighten Ais's load, he felt another chill. Yes, again. A very familiar chill. Although there was no evidence, Noah still subconsciously moved closer to Riveria. But Riveria had already looked away.
"Since you're all so insistent, let's grab something to eat and continue on our way. We'll find another adventurer team and sell them the cheap magic stones and drop items. Once we get back up there, we'll have them deliver the Valis to the Twilight Manor." She took off Ais's backpack and began sorting and tidying up the items. "You have two hours. How far you go is up to you. After that, we have to head back, or we might not be able to get out of the Dungeon before dark."
Although Riveria claimed it was a bargain, Noah was certain that the price was basically the market price when she casually stopped a group of adventurers to negotiate. If it's sold at this price, it's as if this Familia helped them move it up for free. Despite this, the Familia still happily carried their drop items and embarked on their return journey.
After a little thought, Noah understood. Although magic stones are all purchased by the Guild, drop items can be sold by negotiating prices with other Familias. Of course, under normal circumstances, adventurers will find it difficult to get a satisfactory price unless the items come from rare and valuable materials from the deep floors.
After all, if you don't sell, there are plenty of adventurers who are willing to.
However, with so many items dropping, it's a different story. Currently, due to interference from Evilus, Dungeon exploration is stagnant. Familias with even a little strength have been forced to accept commissions by the Guild, which is barely enough to ensure Orario's output. For production-oriented Familias, one or two items or materials may not make a difference, but such a large quantity can sustain clan production for quite some time, so offering some preferential prices is reasonable. Even if each item only earns a small profit, with such a large quantity, it still amounts to a considerable income.
Noah, who started with a debt of 40 million Valis, didn't care about this amount of money, but for small and medium-sized Familias, it could allow them to live a comfortable life for a while.
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