Regarding the core members cultivated within the Familia, Lefiya—who was being groomed as Riveria's successor—had a close relationship with Ron from the Hestia Familia.
Honestly, that was something she could still tolerate.
After all, Captain Finn had also said that the uniqueness Ron possessed might very well be tied to the broader future development of the Loki Familia.
If Lefiya weren't involved—
Then most likely… Loki would have had to lower herself and go negotiate with Hestia.
Just imagining that scene alone was enough to make her feel suffocated.
And then—
When even their own Ais also got to know this guy Ron…
Her mood became… hard to accept.
Especially when the other Familia members had already taken their seats, yet no one stepped forward to break the situation.
Ais—
Took the initiative to approach him!
'Is this right?'
No, it wasn't!
Loki even saw that faint smile appear on the blonde girl's face—something she had never shown before, not even toward her, a god.
It gave her the unmistakable feeling that someone was taking away the girl she had painstakingly raised.
Right now it was just a smile—but if this relationship were left unchecked and allowed to develop freely, it was hard to imagine what kind of outcome it would lead to.
But what could she do? Drag Ais back by force?
Trying to forcibly cut it off would only trigger a rebound from that girl's already stubborn personality—especially in front of so many customers.
Wouldn't that just expose a lack of confidence in her own Familia?
There was really no solution!
Loki cast a pleading look toward Finn and the slightly surprised Riveria. She didn't even bother hiding it—her eyes were practically screaming at them.
As if saying—
Do something already…
But even Bete, the werewolf, merely frowned and watched the situation unfold without any intention of intervening.
At that moment, she felt like the sky was about to collapse.
Ron.
What exactly was it about this guy that made him so attractive?
Leaving Lefiya aside—even Ais, who was usually so cold and detached, was being unconsciously drawn toward him. And yet, the higher-ups of the Familia weren't stopping it!
Slumping back in her chair, Loki stared at the transparent glass bottle in front of her. The deep purple wine shimmered under the overhead light, crystal-clear and free of impurities.
In the past—
After returning from a Familia expedition, they would definitely celebrate wildly.
She reached out, poured herself a full glass of wine, and downed it in one go. The rich flavor that used to bring joy now brought none at all.
The wine entered her throat, and her heart ached.
From the way Hestia interacted with Ron—and that overly protective attitude—it was obvious at a glance what kind of thoughts she had toward him.
Absolutely impure!
Thinking back to their previous meetings, where she would always bicker with that shortstack—somehow, now, even Hestia seemed a bit more pleasing to the eye.
'Hestia.'
'Come and rein in your Familia member already…'
...
Was Ais Wallenstein like this in the original story?
There was indeed some deviation.
But judging from her behavioral trajectory—being stuck at Level 5 without breaking through, encountering the unconscious Bell Cranel, and seeing the ability values exposed through his torn clothes—
That had sparked in her the idea of breaking the theoretical limits of ability values.
Not to mention—
After witnessing the abnormal changes in the Dungeon and the appearance of special monsters, her desire to grow stronger had more than enough driving force to push her into acting like this.
Because of her actions—
Ron could clearly feel the gazes of the adventurers present falling onto him. But most of them came from the probing looks of the Loki Familia.
He raised a hand and wiped his cheek.
He didn't feel uncomfortable—just that when he saw the girl's airheaded expression, along with those golden-amber eyes filled with expectation and curiosity—
"…I guess so."
"…"
Ais wasn't someone who was good at initiating conversations to begin with. After greeting him, she could only stand there facing the young man in front of her.
The atmosphere grew slightly stiff.
After her solo return to Orario, encountering those restored, completely ordinary monsters once again further confirmed her judgment.
'Special monsters.'
They were definitely related to Ron.
But given the different stances of their Familias, directly inviting him to explore together in this strange atmosphere felt somewhat inappropriate.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Ron."
"Um… when will you be free?"
"For the near future, definitely not."
Thankfully, this airhead didn't say it out loud in front of everyone.
Ron finally let out a breath of relief.
A Familia expedition—there was no way something like that could be hidden from Orario's eyes. Not to mention, in terms of personnel…
He actually wanted to borrow some people from the Loki Familia.
So—
He shook his head lightly, speaking in a relaxed tone: "The Guild has issued an expedition mission. For the next period of time, I'll probably be staying in the Dungeon."
"But—"
"We're all adventurers developing in Orario. There will definitely be chances to meet again in the future."
"…"
The blonde girl said nothing.
She understood what a Familia expedition meant—
Heading into the Middle Floors, or even the Lower Floors, to subjugate powerful and previously unseen special monsters.
Was this… an opportunity?
Ais remained silent, only turning her gaze toward her back, toward the captain who appeared to be attending the celebration but hadn't taken his eyes off the situation.
So…
What would it take for Finn and Riveria to agree?
And just as she had guessed—
When Finn heard that the Hestia Familia, to which Ron belonged, needed to carry out a Guild expedition mission—
His already distracted gaze began to flicker.
Why—
Back when they met in the Dungeon, when Lefiya relayed messages, Ron had clearly been the type who left no openings.
Yet here, in this setting, he was actively revealing information about the expedition?
It was unusual.
But recalling that even on the 12th Floor they had encountered the ancient dragon Lansseax, whose strength rivaled Level 4—and that extremely difficult battle—
Very quickly…
Finn understood Ron's real intention.
With the Hestia Familia's current C-rank evaluation and only four members, their expedition target would most likely be something far beyond imagination—
The Lower Floors of the Dungeon!
'So he's asking us for manpower?'
He raised his head. When his gaze met Riveria's across the table, no words were needed—they both instantly grasped Ron's true intent.
To be honest—
This was exactly the kind of situation the Loki Familia wanted.
Without needing to pay a heavy price, they could participate in the expedition as assistants, allowing their core members to gain further growth amid abnormal circumstances.
Perhaps even—
Resolve the issue of achieving a Level-Up feat.
Looking at the lavish dishes laid out before him, Finn had no appetite. If Ron would just say the word, this celebration could be abandoned on the spot.
They could head straight back to the Familia residence to discuss the details.
Forget about charging fees—
The Loki Familia could even provide a certain degree of support to Ron and his members.
But things didn't go in the expected direction.
Because—
After finishing his meal and paying the bill, Ron simply left the Hostess of Fertility.
Dealing with smart people was comfortable.
But sometimes, when a smart person deliberately held back and waited for the right price—
It only gave Finn an unprecedented headache.
And clearly—
Ron was exactly that kind of person.
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