"My title?" Noah stared at Raul in disbelief.
Suddenly, his mind jolted.
That's right!
How could he have forgotten?
Before the expedition, he had been working almost nonstop to finish the enchantment protocol.
He never left his workshop or talked to anyone, completely cutting off all contact with the outside world.
After finishing, he simply rested briefly before setting off with Tsubaki into the Dungeon.
Hephaestus had probably returned to the Familia long ago, but hadn't seen him.
'So... the Denatus must have already concluded.'
He had been so focused that he completely forgot about it!
'Artisan Spirit.'
That was his title.
"Wait, you all knew about this? But none of you ever called me that," Noah asked urgently.
"Huh?" Aki scratched her right cheek, sweating slightly. "Since we're on an expedition together, even if we're from different Familias, aren't we comrades now? Wouldn't it be strange to call a comrade by their adventurer title instead of their name?"
Raul nodded in agreement.
"Well..."
The cat-eared girl's reasoning was so sound that he was left speechless.
Noah had to accept the fact that everyone except himself had known about his title all along!
Fortunately, it wasn't some strange title.
Hephaestus must have worked quite hard to secure this particular title for him.
"Little Artisan"
"Mini Craftsman"
"Spirit of Craftsmanship"
It could be interpreted in many ways.
At any rate, it fit the Hephaestus Familia's style quite well.
Actually, Noah had already mentally prepared himself—after all, titles would change when one leveled up anyway.
To the gods, the children of the lower world were fickle, easily changing over any minor matter.
Given this, titles that reflected one's nature naturally couldn't remain constant from beginning to end.
Every time someone leveled up, the gods would reassess and decide new titles based on that child's changes and performance.
...
After finishing their business, the group activated high-speed return mode, reaching the surface in just one hour.
Emerging from Babel Tower and looking up at the sun he hadn't seen for so long, Noah realized his first expedition had ended.
Even if he had just hitched a ride with the Loki Familia.
He had ventured down to the 27th floor with many people, eat and lived with them in the Dungeon, and experienced life-and-death battles together.
He had memorized many names and met many people.
Even if they weren't familiar or their personalities didn't match, they could trust each other and watch each other's backs.
Comrades-in-arms probably referred to this kind of relationship.
"We need to deliver the Evilus prisoners to the Guild first. Can we delay the distribution of spoils slightly?" Riveria asked Noah and Tsubaki.
Noah remained silent since his Familia captain was right beside him.
No matter how good their relationship was, some rules couldn't be broken.
This was basic courtesy.
"Oh, no problem. Actually, we should be thanking you for handling it."
"Heh, it's nothing."
The Loki Familia headed to the Guild, while Noah planned to return to his Familia's base first.
"Ahhh, um, I just remembered I have some business to take care of, so I won't be returning to the Familia right away. Please give my regards to Lady Hephaestus, and could you report about this Dungeon exploration? I'll repay you, Noah-boy! I'm off now!"
And with that, Tsubaki came up with some inexplicable excuse and slipped away.
Speaking of which, before the expedition, she blew up a magic sword.
Was she afraid of being held accountable later?
'Huh.'
'That Tsubaki... could it be she hooked up with the Loki Familia just to avoid punishment?'
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
This was totally something she would do!
Walking through the streets this time, Noah clearly noticed the gazes of people around him and could hear faint murmurs.
His small frame carried both the Annihilator and that blood war scythe, two large weapons crossed on his back, while metal gauntlets gripped his backpack straps.
If you replaced what was on his back, he'd look just like an elementary school student heading home after class.
"Hey, look over there."
"It's the Artisan Spirit."
"They say he reached Level 2 in just one year, breaking both the doll princess's record and the fastest record in history."
"Level 2 in just one year..."
That's how it is for adventurers with titles.
In the city, they're like celebrities, and celebrities have tiers—he's like a rookie who just debuted, similar to a... trainee idol.
Different from Bell's experience back then.
Perhaps because his level-up speed wasn't as outrageous by comparison, but more likely it was due to his Familia.
There was almost no skepticism about him breaking the record.
This is exactly why you should join a powerful Familia rather than a weak one.
Those who'd dare question the Hephaestus Familia could be counted on one hand in Orario, and the few who would are complete lunatics.
Almost everyone referred to him as the Hephaestus Familia's Artisan Spirit, rather than just Artisan Spirit alone.
Such is the influence of a Familia.
The Hestia Familia was too weak, arguably the weakest in all of Orario.
Besides the god, they only had one Familia member and only at Level 1 at that.
If ruins didn't require property taxes, they wouldn't even have ruins to sleep in.
If such a weak Familia suddenly produced a monster who reached Level 2 in one month, ninety-nine percent of people would be skeptical.
From personal experience, Noah didn't know how many weapons he'd repaired to reach Level 2.
He just repaired from dawn till dusk, slept when night fell, living like that for a full year, with his status only reaching double Bs and one S.
If you weren't born in this world, it was really hard to understand how broken Bell's cheat abilities were.
Completing in three months what took ordinary people ten years of effort.
Reaching in half a year what ordinary geniuses spent their entire lives trying to achieve—just like his aunt with her maxed-out talent tree.
Bell's aunt, the Silent Alfia, a bug-level existence who could obliterate Leviathan with a single spell.
A Level 7 who could fight evenly with the Level 9 Empress.
The ultimate talent monster.
Even the gods called her the "Embodiment of Talent."
The collection of all talent in the world.
No matter what technique, she could learn it with a single glance.
Though a magician, she fought on the frontlines—traditional definitions couldn't constrain her.
If not for her terminal illness, she probably would've become truly invincible before long.
Bell's birth mother was that Alfia's younger sister.
Don't be fooled by how Bell always gets bullied—when it comes to background, all of Orario could only kneel at his feet.
Though he himself remained completely unaware of all this.
This was what Noah found most terrifying—Bell really was like a stuffed bunny toy, not even realizing the very ground beneath his feet was a stage custom-built for him.
From beginning to end, the audience from above had been watching him, manipulating his destiny.
Whenever someone came into contact with him, they would be pulled into that vortex of fate, becoming another "character" on the stage.
Noah took a shortcut into a sparsely populated alley and noticed a figure roughly his height running toward him.
Thud.
The swiftly moving figure "accidentally" collided with him.
"Sorry."
The person quickly uttered an apology and then ran off without hesitation.
But before they could get more than two meters away, their expression turned to sheer terror as they desperately strained every muscle to halt their momentum.
A crescent-shaped blade was pressed against their throat.
If they hadn't stopped in time and leaned back with all their strength, their head would likely have been severed already.
"Wait." Noah's cold voice halted their escape attempt.
He held the massive scythe with one hand, his arm steady.
"Return what you just took from me."
"W-what are you talking about...?"
The blade pressed against their skin, its icy chill seeping into their bones, immediately silencing the thief.
"Don't make me repeat myself." Noah frowned slightly.
"O-okay!"
The thief hurriedly pulled out a red crystal-like object from their sleeve, hands trembling as they offered it up.
Noticing the cunning glint in their eyes, Noah warned, "Don't even think about throwing it and running. Let me make this clear—this thing has enough power to blow up this entire street."
'Gulp.'
The thief's pupils dilated in shock, their trembling intensifying, but they didn't dare let their hands shake even a fraction.
Noah studied the thief before him and, out of suspicion, used Appraisal.
'Hah.'
'So it really was her.'
"Liliruca Arde."
He slowly uttered the true name of the thief who appeared to be a boy but was actually a girl.
Lili's eyes widened instantly.
She almost bolted right then, her mind flooded with questions.
'Why? How had her true identity been exposed?'
She was currently using transformation magic—even her gender was altered!
"What's that? A name? You've got the wrong person," she stammered nervously.
Noah sighed.
So this was the future member of the Hestia Familia.
"How foolish."
Did she really think she could bluff her way out after being called by her real name?
Noah retracted the scythe.
The tension drained from Lili, and her legs gave way, collapsing beneath her as she sat on the ground.
She concluded that the only reason she hadn't been killed was because the other party happened to be in a good mood.
The scent of blood on that scythe was far too strong!
Anyone who wielded such a weapon was undoubtedly a dangerous individual.
"You dare point a blade at the kind-hearted but lack the courage to use it in resistance. Since you're so adept at enduring, then obediently wait for your hero to arrive. Just remember—don't ever appear in my sight again. Understood?"