The twilight manor's north tower, Finn's office.
When Leon arrived here once again, it was exactly the same as before, with only the three leaders of the Familia present.
"You're here?"
Sitting behind an office desk that had always seemed excessively large relative to his stature, Finn looked at Leon as he entered, a steady smile gracing his face.
Riveria stood beside Finn, while Gareth sat on a nearby chair, their positions perpetually unchanged.
"Hearing those boys outside making such a racket, I knew you had to be awake, kid," Gareth said with a chuckle. "Sure enough, I guessed right, didn't I?"
The old man appeared rather pleased with himself, as if he and Finn had been discussing this exact matter here earlier.
"Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?" Riveria, by contrast, was more concerned about Leon's well-being. She scanned his eyes and noted, "Judging by your gaze, the psychological strain hasn't entirely faded yet, has it?"
"Yes," Leon pressed his brow, offering a wry smile. "My head still feels somewhat groggy, and the mental fatigue is slow to clear. I'm afraid I haven't fully recovered yet."
"Serves you right," Gareth snorted coldly. "Who told you to act so recklessly this time? Even with magical elixirs to replenish your Mind, such frequent utilization and exploitation of your mental strength will inevitably take a heavy toll on your body and mind. To borrow Loki's words, the fact that you didn't end up a vegetable confined to a bed for the rest of your life means someone up in the heavens was truly watching over you."
"Indeed, you were far too reckless this time," Riveria remarked, looking at Leon with an exceptionally solemn expression. "The power of magic is both a blessing and a source of chaos. Used wisely, it will benefit you for a lifetime; used poorly, it will only bring disaster. You must bear this in mind."
Coming from Riveria, a member of the elven royalty and Orario's strongest mage, these words naturally carried an innate sense of authority.
Leon also felt this acutely. The power of magic was undeniably immense, but precisely because of that strength, abusing it carelessly would bound to lead to a miserable end.
He needed to take this lesson to heart and refrain from misusing the power of magic again.
"I will properly reflect on this," Leon nodded to Riveria, and only then did he ask, "Loki mentioned that you were looking for me?"
"Yes," Riveria replied with a firm nod. "I have a few words I'd like to share with you, but before that, let's let Finn speak first."
Finn had also been looking for Leon, which Loki had likewise mentioned.
"Relax, I just wanted to give you a few words of advice," Finn smiled at Leon, his tone remaining steady and gentle. "You've already visited Loki, right? Your status has been updated?"
"Yes," Leon naturally had no intention of concealing this, nor was there any reason to hide it. He stated directly, "I am now Lv.3."
Regarding this development, none of the three leaders expressed any surprise, their expressions remaining remarkably calm.
To put it simply, Leon had already successfully soloed a Floor Boss. If he hadn't been able to level up after that, it would have been truly bizarre.
It was just that—
"It's only been half a month, yet you've leveled up again?"
Finn mused with deep emotion.
"For anyone else, leveling up becomes increasingly difficult the further they progress. You, on the other hand, reached Lv.3 even faster than you reached Lv.2."
Even Riveria could only offer a faint, wry smile.
"In any case, Orario is already quite lively right now because of this kid's exploit. Even if the news of his level up spreads, it can't get much wilder than it already is."
Gareth roared with laughter.
In response, although Leon had not witnessed or experienced the frenzy firsthand, he was well aware that the outside world must be in an uproar right now.
During his battle with Goliath, he had possessed absolutely no spare focus to pay attention to anything else, so he had no idea so many people were spectating at the time. However, once he woke up, both Raul and other members of the Familia had already informed him of the situation. Consequently, Leon understood just how chaotic the outside world had become because of him.
To put it bluntly, if he were to show his face outside right now, it would instantly draw countless onlookers and he would likely be cornered at the gates by the gods, rendering him unable to go anywhere.
Unlike the sensation caused by his previous level up—where even though he had reached Lv.2 at an unprecedented speed, he was still viewed by others as merely an upper-class adventurer who had just escaped the novice phase.
No matter how fast he grew, wasn't he still just a Lv.2?
This time was entirely different. Soloing a classified Lv.4 Floor Boss was a feat that generally only first-tier adventurers possessed the capability to achieve. For Leon to accomplish this, and to do so by overcoming a two-level gap while at Lv.2, the commotion generated was bound to dwarf the previous instance.
Being able to independently vanquish a classified Lv.4 Floor Boss while at Lv.2 was simply astronomical.
This was tangible strength and an indisputable battle record, which carried far more weight and was much more convincing than any record-breaking statistics.
Had it not been for the sheer volume of spectators and witnesses present at the time, more than half of Orario would certainly have doubted whether there was some element of a staged performance or foul play involved.
In light of this, Leon was now genuinely famous. Compared to first-tier adventurers like Ais, his renown was likely already on par.
Of course, this was not the primary focus of the current conversation.
"Since you are already Lv.3 and have proven capable of soloing Goliath, you must participate in the upcoming expedition," Finn spoke up, his expression turning serious. "The main reason for calling you here today is to notify you so that you can make the necessary preparations."
Hearing this, Leon felt his spirits lift.
"An expedition?"
He was finally permitted to participate.
Over the past year, Leon had lost count of how many times he had watched the elite forces of the Familia depart for Dungeon expeditions, wondering countless times if he too could become one of their ranks in the future.
Now, he no longer had to be the one standing among the crowd, merely watching the silhouettes of the expeditionary force fade into the distance.
"You're already Lv.3. Even looking strictly at your level, you are qualified to join the expeditionary force, let alone the fact that you're no ordinary Lv.3," Gareth remarked, stroking his beard as he looked at Leon. "With your magical firepower, you're more than suited to join the core of the second squad. Leaving you behind to guard the headquarters would be an absolute waste."
"There are still a few days before the expedition officially commences. During this time, make sure you prepare yourself thoroughly," Finn smiled slightly, adding, "Get plenty of rest and ensure you firmly grasp the power gained from your level up. This is the sole task assigned to you prior to the expedition."
"All the preparatory work has already been completed, so your assistance isn't required. Just focus on adjusting your condition to its peak."
"It's best if you avoid going to the Dungeon for now. Since there are only a few days left anyway, prioritizing the recovery of your body is the most important thing."
Finn seemed to have truly called Leon here merely to offer a few words of maternal advice, delivering his instructions with a touch of fussiness.
"Understood, I will do so."
Leon raised no objections, nodding in agreement to all the instructions.
Since the expedition was only a few days away, abstaining from the Dungeon was perfectly fine.
Prioritizing mental recovery and ensuring his condition was flawless was the urgent matter at hand.
Following a level up, a slight disconnect between body and mind was to be expected, which likewise required a period of adjustment before he could fully exert his newly acquired strength.
Over the next few days, he had to focus entirely on these tasks to welcome the impending expedition and the unknown challenges ahead.
"That's all I wanted to say."
Having finished, Finn turned his gaze toward Riveria.
Catching his drift, Riveria stepped forward to stand directly in front of Leon.
"Now it's my turn," Riveria stated. "Follow me."
With that, Riveria walked out of the office.
Though mystified, Leon bowed to Finn and Gareth before following Riveria out of the room.
Finn and Gareth watched the two depart, exchanging smiles as they spoke.
"I wonder to what extent Riveria will take things."
"Being targeted by that strict elf is going to give that kid a rough time."
Leon was entirely oblivious to the teasing remarks shared between Finn and Gareth.
He simply followed behind Riveria, walking forward without the slightest inkling of where she was leading him.
The Familia members they encountered along the way would greet Riveria with immense respect. The elven members, in particular, bowed to her with the posture of loyal subjects, casting surprised and scrutinizing glances at Leon as he followed in her wake.
Riveria did not ignore the members they passed, responding to their greetings with a demeanor that could be described as elegant and commanding. Though she likely didn't do so intentionally, her presence truly carried the air of royalty.
In this manner, guided by Riveria, Leon arrived at a specific location.
"The archives?"
This was a chamber wafting with the fragrance of wood.
The room was packed with bookshelves that not only lined the entirety of the walls but were also positioned throughout the center of the space, filled to the brim with books and parchments.
This was the archives of the Loki Familia, a resource room that all members were free to enter and browse.
It housed not only various volumes related to Orario and the Dungeon, but also many ancient texts and records compiled by seniors of the Familia during their adventures, including reference books for adventurer classes such as mages, and occasionally even a few used Grimoires.
Leon was by no means a stranger to this place. Over the past year, he had gathered a considerable amount of data here, having found everything from maps of every floor of the Dungeon to the information required for clearing them.
"Come, take a seat first."
Riveria led Leon to a desk where they could sit face-to-face, while she personally retrieved several books from a shelf before taking her seat opposite him.
"These are...?"
Leon looked at the books, somewhat perplexed.
Seeing his reaction, Riveria spoke.
"These are the books you will need to read next. Every single one is related to magic; they are instructional guides on magic."
These words left Leon momentarily stunned.
"Instructional guides... on magic?"
Leon's confusion was not alleviated in the slightest.
"After witnessing your battle with the Floor Boss with my own eyes, I noticed a problem."
Looking at Leon, Riveria weighed her words carefully before stating directly, "You don't know how to use magic at all."