Dungeon — Floor 12.
This was the starting line of the so-called Middle Floors—and also the graveyard of countless Level 1 adventurers.
The air here was dry and scorching. The rock walls had turned a withered yellow. And the monsters weren't simple beasts anymore—orcs and imps, far more aggressive, prowled the corridors.
"L-Lord Emiya! Watch your left!"
Lili staggered under the weight of her enormous pack, clutching spare healing potions with trembling hands.
To their left, three orcs charged through the heat haze, roaring, crude stone axes raised. Their subcutaneous fat was absurdly thick—normal iron swords bit into them like cutting a tire. You could slash all day and still fail to land anything fatal.
"Don't panic."
Shirou Emiya's voice stayed calm.
He didn't activate the spell that hardened his body.
Instead, he drew the deep-red short sword at his waist.
"Perfect. I'll use you to test how sharp this blade really is."
He inhaled, feeding mana through his circuits and into the weapon.
Hummm—!
The crimson short sword flared to life. Tortoiseshell-like patterns along the blade flowed like magma, and the air around it warped from heat.
[Otherworld · Kanshou].
A magical weapon forged from premium Guren ore from the Hephaistos Familia, refined until every impurity had been stripped away.
"Cut."
A red afterimage flashed.
There was no struggle. No shower of sparks. Shirou moved like a bolt of scarlet lightning—slipping through the three orcs' encirclement in an instant.
SHNK—
The orcs froze.
A charred red line appeared across each of their waists at the same time. Their upper bodies slid down slowly—clean as a mirror, the wound edges carbonized by heat so completely that not a single drop of blood spilled.
"S-so strong…"
Lili's eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open.
Those were orcs—monsters famous for durability.
And they'd been cut like tofu.
"So that's… the magic sword…"
Her stare locked on the crimson blade in Shirou's hand, and greed flickered in her eyes.
No chanting, yet it radiated high heat. Sharp enough to split orc hide like paper. A weapon like this would start at tens of millions of valis on the market—minimum.
If I can steal it…
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. If she had that kind of money, she could buy her freedom from the Soma Familia.
She could be free.
"Lili?"
Shirou's voice snapped her back to reality.
"Ah—yes!" She jolted, forcing a flattering smile. "Lord Emiya is amazing! Those monsters were nothing against you!"
"Don't zone out. Pick up the stones," Shirou said, shaking residual heat off the blade and sheathing it. "Our pack's almost full, right?"
"Y-yes!"
Lili rushed to process the corpses, expertly digging out magic stones—while calculating the best timing to strike.
…
Break Time
They rested in a comparatively safe dead-end alcove.
"Um… Lord Emiya."
Lili offered him a canteen, her gaze drifting again and again toward the short sword set within arm's reach.
"Your sword is so beautiful. Is it a Hephaistos Familia piece?"
"Sort of." Shirou took a drink. "I made it myself—but the materials did come from them."
"Y-you made it?!" Lili put on an exaggerated look of worship (entirely acting). "So you can use magic and forge weapons? That's incredible! Um… can I touch it? I've never seen such a high-grade magic sword."
She was probing him.
A normal adventurer would never let a supporter lay hands on their main weapon.
"Sure." Shirou casually handed it over—like it was a kitchen knife, not a fortune.
"Careful. It's heavy."
Lili took it—and her wrist sank.
So heavy.
The density was insane.
And the moment her fingers touched the grip, she felt warm mana inside the blade, as if the weapon were alive.
"This is… a magic sword…"
Her fingers trembled.
If I run now with it… vanish into the maze…
No. This was Floor 12. Without Shirou, she wouldn't make it out. Monsters would tear her apart long before she reached the surface.
She had to wait until they returned.
Or… steal it while he slept—
"Seen enough?" Shirou asked gently.
"Ah! Y-yes!" She shoved it back as if shocked, her heart hammering. "It's a wonderful sword! It must be worth a lot, right?"
"Maybe." Shirou stroked the blade, his eyes briefly distant. "But to me it's just a tool. If it breaks or gets lost… I'll make another."
"M-make another?!" Lili nearly bit her tongue.
This level of magic sword… you could just make another?
What was this man treating magic swords as—roadside cabbage?
"What's wrong?" Shirou asked.
"N-nothing…" Lili lowered her head, hiding the shock and jealousy in her eyes.
This man wasn't just strong.
He was a monster in the truest sense—strength and talent so absurd she couldn't even process it.
Which means… I have to squeeze him dry.
Money. The sword. Everything.
Sooner or later, it would all be hers.
…
Dusk — Babel Tower
By the time they emerged from the Dungeon, the sky was already red with sunset.
"Good work today, Lili." Shirou stretched. "Solid haul. Let's go settle at the Guild."
Guild Hall — Exchange Counter
When the heavy pack of magic stones and drops thudded onto the counter, nearby adventurers stared.
"That's… Middle Floor output?"
"That red-haired kid's only Level 1, isn't he? He's farming Floor 12?"
"And that supporter… isn't that 'Liar Lili'?"
Ignoring the whispers, a half-elf clerk quickly tallied everything.
"Total… 56,000 valis."
She handed over two heavy coin pouches. "Mr. Emiya, your efficiency is incredible. Even Level 2 parties struggle to reach this in a single day."
"Thanks." Shirou took the pouches, then turned to Lili.
Lili kept her head down, fingers twisting her hem.
By convention, a supporter usually got 10–20%. That meant maybe five thousand or so—already a huge sum for her. Enough to buy a few bottles of cheap divine wine to placate Soma and buy temporary peace.
"Here."
A pouch was pressed into her arms.
Lili blinked, then instinctively weighed it.
Heavy.
Heavier than the one Shirou kept.
"Th-this is…"
"Fifty-six thousand. Split evenly is twenty-eight." Shirou opened his own pouch, added a few more coins into hers, and said casually, "Round it off. Thirty thousand for you. The rest is mine."
"Th-thirty thousand?!" Lili's voice spiked so sharply heads turned all around them.
She stared at the pouch—then at Shirou's face, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Why?!" she demanded, unable to understand. "I'm a supporter! I only picked up stones and carried bags! You did all the fighting—why are you giving me so much?!"
"Because it's our shared labor." Shirou smiled, then patted the top of her hooded head.
"If you weren't gathering stones behind me, I'd waste time bending down. I wouldn't be able to kill that many. This is fair distribution, not charity."
"But…"
"Take it." Shirou lowered his voice so only she could hear. "You look like you really need money. I don't know what you're dealing with, but this should help. And if it's not enough… we go again tomorrow."
Lili stared at him.
Fair distribution. Help. Tomorrow.
In Soma Familia, she was a slave being squeezed dry.
In other parties, she was disposable baggage—a convenient scapegoat, a lowly thief.
No one had ever treated her as an equal "companion."
"…Idiot," she muttered.
She hugged the coin pouch tight. Tears welled in her eyes, and she dipped her head so he wouldn't see her face.
"Hopeless… unbelievably hopeless idiot!"
[Liliruca Arde Affection Increased.]
[Status: A Wavering Betrayer.]
[One trigger away from "Complete Loyalty."]
"Alright. Don't cry." Shirou didn't call her out—he just patted her shoulder. "To celebrate today's harvest, how about dinner? What do you want?"
"…Fried potato balls." Sniffling, Lili answered quietly. "I want Mia Mama's fried potato balls. And juice!"
"Alright—then we'll go to the Hostess of Fertility." Shirou smiled and started walking.
Lili followed behind him, clutching the pouch, staring at his back.
The crimson magic sword swayed at his hip—close enough to reach.
But this time, she didn't reach for it.
Not yet, she told herself.
Let him live a few more days…
After all, a gullible employer like this is hard to find.
…
Meanwhile — Guild Second Floor
Eina Tulle watched the two of them leave, frowning.
"That Liliruca… her reputation is awful, but it doesn't look like she's made a move on Mr. Emiya…"
She pushed her glasses up, worried.
"But his growth rate is too fast. Floor 12 in just two days… at this pace, he'll run into that soon."
On her desk lay a document titled:
[Monsterphilia (Monster Festival) Preparation Plan]
Arena reservations: Silverback, War Shadow, Horn Rabbit…
"I just hope nothing goes wrong," Eina sighed.
-------
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