The next day, early morning.
As the sky was just beginning to brighten, Leon woke up as usual.
"—Another ordinary morning."
Staring at the ceiling for a moment, Leon got up briskly, grabbed his toiletries, and left the room to head toward the washing area.
On the way, members of the Familia greeted him one after another, just as they had yesterday, and Leon responded to each of them in kind.
When he arrived to wash up, to no one's surprise, Leon ran into Raul again.
"How was it? Did things go smoothly yesterday?"
Raul sized Leon up, seemingly looking for any signs of injury. His words were filled with concern and worry.
"It went well enough." Leon spat out his mouthwash and smiled at Raul. "I was just wandering through the upper floors. What could possibly go wrong under normal circumstances?"
As for what happens when circumstances are not normal, there was no need to mention that.
Whether it was with Ais or Raul, Leon had no intention of mentioning that he had been set up by the Dungeon and faced a desperate situation yesterday.
Because he spoke so casually, a simple soul like Raul believed him instantly.
"It's good that you're okay. I was worried all day yesterday."
Raul spoke with a wry smile, earning a laugh from Leon.
"I may be a rookie who just received a Blessing, but I've been in the Familia for a year, I've studied swordsmanship with Ais, and I have the equipment and potions you all generously sponsored. Handling the first few floors of the Dungeon isn't a problem."
At this point, Leon took a moment to thank Raul.
The small shield Raul gave him had been a massive help. Without it to block monster attacks, Leon would have had to spend far more effort maneuvering around them, to say nothing of the potions.
Particularly the High Potion—without it, Leon would have had to crawl out of the Dungeon with a battered body after surviving that desperate crisis yesterday. He wouldn't have been able to continue exploring, let alone reach the 5th Floor.
The small straight sword had also been a great help. Had Leon been using the standard-issue weapon provided by the Guild, he would have had to hit a monster's vitals to kill it in one blow; otherwise, it would have taken two or three hits. Had that been the case, it was a toss-up whether he could have successfully dealt with so many Kobolds.
In fact, his weapon might have broken mid-fight.
Therefore, Leon was truly grateful to the seniors of the Familia who had provided him with such high-quality equipment and supplies.
"I'm glad it was helpful." Raul scratched his head awkwardly, then added with a mix of envy and realization, "Speaking of which, you and Miss Ais really get along well, don't you? To think she would actually teach you swordsmanship."
"It's alright, I guess." Leon maintained a calm demeanor, even adding, "Ais isn't some heartless person. If you guys asked her, I think she'd be willing to teach you too."
Though Raul's Level was lower than Ais's, he was several years older than her and had joined the Familia very early. It was said he joined when he was thirteen, meaning he had been there for seven or eight years. Compared to Leon, who had only been around for a year, Raul had spent much more time with Ais, who had been in the Familia for nearly a decade. Leon assumed Raul understood her and knew that the girl people called the "Doll" was actually warm-hearted beneath her cold exterior.
That was why Leon said it.
However, Raul looked quite terrified at the suggestion.
"I-I'll pass. If I bothered her for no reason, I'm afraid the other members of the Familia would tie me to a stake and burn me alive."
Raul seemed to recall something and shivered.
In the Loki Familia, Ais was an extremely special existence.
The distance between the other executives and the ordinary members wasn't actually that large. This was especially true for a certain pair of Amazon twins, who would mingle and mess around with the rank-and-file members. While the members respected them, they weren't intimidated—unless the twins actually lost their tempers.
But Ais was different. Her taciturn personality and lack of emotional expression meant that Familia members naturally felt a sense of distance from her. Not to mention, her goddess-like beauty and constant expressionless face meant that anyone without serious courage would need to steel themselves just to say a word to her.
To the ordinary members of the Loki Familia, Ais was both a genius who became an executive at a young age and a goddess-like idol. Most of them viewed her as a princess living deep within a palace; they dared only to admire her from afar, never to approach her rashly.
Leon was different. Despite being a trainee who had only officially joined yesterday, he could interact with the "Sword Princess" with a casual heart and even learn swordsmanship from her. This made many feel admiration and envy, but it also caused many to grind their teeth in jealousy, wishing they could throw a sack over his head in the middle of the night and toss him into the moat.
Raul didn't want to be the target of such envy, especially from his comrades.
Little did he know—
"That kind of attitude is exactly what makes Ais feel lonely..."
Leon muttered to himself.
"What did you say?"
Raul didn't catch his words and asked in confusion.
"Nothing." Leon shook his head and asked, "Are you all staying at the manor today?"
"Yeah, the expedition just ended not long ago. Not only is there a lot of cleanup work to handle, but it's also a rare chance to rest and recover. So, including myself, many people will be staying home lately." Raul replied, then asked, "You're planning to head to the Dungeon again today, right?"
"Of course." Leon washed his face and smiled. "I finally got a God's Blessing; now is the time to work hard, isn't it?"
"Keep it up, rookie," Raul patted Leon on the shoulder and encouraged him. "You were brought back and personally recommended for recruitment by Miss Ais herself. That's an unprecedented first. A lot of people are watching you, and I'm looking forward to fighting side-by-side with you."
Hearing this, Leon smiled faintly and replied.
"I will."
Soon, Leon changed into his clothes back in his room, grabbed his weapon, armor, and waist pouch, left the tower, and entered the courtyard.
Swish!
In the courtyard, the blonde-haired, golden-eyed swordswoman was there as expected, swinging her sword under the shade of a tree, cutting through the air.
Leon stopped to watch for a moment. Just as he was about to step forward and say hello, he noticed a figure huddled in a corner.
It was a girl about fourteen or fifteen years old, appearing younger than both the current Leon and Ais.
The girl had elegant, flaxen hair tied into a ponytail behind her. From the hair on either side of her face peeked ears that were as sharp and thin as leaves, identifying her as an Elf—a race famed for their ethereal beauty.
Though young and possessing a petite, slender frame, her innate racial beauty was undeniable, allowing her slightly childish loveliness to quietly radiate charm in the morning light.
However, this beautiful young Elf was currently acting extremely suspicious, hiding in a corner and peeking into the courtyard like a thief.
Her slightly shimmering eyes were fixed intently on the blonde swordswoman practicing under the tree.
Seeing this, Leon raised an eyebrow, his expression turning amused.
He quietly approached and stood behind the girl, immediately hearing her voice.
"Miss Ais... she's still so beautiful, so strong."
The voice was filled with excitement, adoration, and even a hint of fanaticism, sounding very much like a sasaeng fan stalking an idol.
"Even though she's already so strong, she still persists in practicing her sword every day. As expected of Orario's strongest swordswoman. If only—"
The girl seemed to be lost in some sort of fantasy, looking as if she were about to drool. Leon couldn't take it any longer.
"What are you doing hiding here?"
Leon finally spoke up.
"Eek!"
The girl was startled by the sudden voice, her spine snapping straight as she let out a small shriek.
"Y-You?!"
The girl spun around in a panic. Upon seeing Leon, her beautiful large eyes widened, revealing shock, surprise, and a trace of undeniable hostility.
"W-Why are you here?"
The girl glared at Leon, her puffed-up cheeks looking incredibly cute.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" Leon narrowed his eyes and spoke bluntly. "Are you peeking at Ais again? Lefiya?"
Lefiya Viridis—that was the girl's name.
The girl was fifteen this year, indeed one year younger than the current Leon, but her presence in the Loki Familia was anything but small.
Despite being only fifteen, this Elf girl was a Level 3 Mage hailed as the "Thousand Elf." Not only was her firepower said to rival a Level 5, but she also possessed very special magic. Consequently, she had long been seen as the successor to the Familia's Vice-Captain, Riveria, and the seniors of the Familia held high hopes for her.
The girl also had a great personality. Normally, Elves—who possessed extraordinary beauty and were a naturally magical race—held immense pride and would only allow those they respected to touch them. However, this girl was friendly, cheerful, and kind. She didn't possess the typical Elven arrogance or obsession with purity, and she got along well with most people in the Familia. She was a rare social-type Elf.
Yet, despite being a girl with excellent looks, talent, and character, she happened to be somewhat at odds with Leon.
No, rather, it would be more accurate to say that the girl unilaterally viewed Leon as an enemy.
"Who-Who's peeking?!" Lefiya retorted heatedly. "I am simply admiring Miss Ais's hard work in a perfectly normal way!"
This Elf girl was a secret fan who idolized Ais.
At the same time, she was the leader of the group that felt teeth-grinding envy and jealousy toward Leon for his frequent contact with Ais—the ones who wished they could throw a sack over his head in the middle of the night and toss him into the moat.
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