Volume 2 Chapter 2: THE SUPPORTER'S SITUATION

"So, you aren't a free supporter...?"

"Nope, Lilly's in a Familia."

We're on the second floor of Babel Tower, in the cafeteria. It's midmorning; most adventurers are prowling the Dungeon. The cafeteria is mostly empty. The small girl and I sit facing each other across a table in the middle of the wide-open lunchroom. I have a few questions I want to ask this Lilliluka Erde.

"What's the name of your Familia?"

"It's Soma Familia, mister. Lilly thinks her Familia is pretty well known."

It seems like this girl who's approached me about going into the Dungeon together had been released from a contract with members of a different party. She has spent every day since then making trips between the Guild and Babel, trying to find someone to hire her to make money. She's in dire straits. Today, she happened to see me.

She saw someone without a party or a supporter, a solo adventurer.

She jumped at the opportunity without a second of hesitation.

Sure, I said I'd like a supporter, but to have someone just show up right when I wanted one...I'm not that naïve.

I take another look at her. Her body is very thin, and the slender lips that I can see beneath her hood always have the same happy smile plastered on them. While I can't see her eyes, she's got a cute little nose in the middle of her small face. She seems like an adorable kid.

I don't want to doubt what this innocent-looking girl is saying, but I don't think it's right to just agree to something straightaway without asking a few questions first. It's just common sense.

Something just doesn't feel right, so I keep asking the girl more questions.

"But, why me? I'm not in your Familia. It's not good for two members of different Familias to have a connection like this. Why don't you join adventurers in your own group?"

"Eh-heh, Lilly is so tiny, and not strong at all. 'Lilly is slow and will hold us back,' all the honorable members of Lilly's Familia always say. Lilly is treated like a burden. Even if Lilly asked them, they won't say yes."

She's being left out? Now I want to help her.

"Lilly's so useless in a fight it's embarrassing. The air at home is so bad; Lilly has been going from cheap hotel to cheap hotel every night to sleep."

Wait...She can't sleep at home? Not even relax...? What's with that?!

Her words shock me to the core. I can't believe anyone would treat a member of their own Familia like that.

For me, a Familia is a family.

Sure, there are only two members of Hestia Familia, but there is a strong bond. Not just a friendly connection but a real, warm family tie between us. Even if another person were to join our Familia, I don't think that would ever change.

A Familia is there to help you through thick and thin, that's how it should be.

But this girl's family is...shutting her out?

I feel a little dizzy. I know I shouldn't just take her at her word, but my whole world just turned upside down. I'm shaken.

"Lilly doesn't have enough money to stay at the same hotel tonight. So please, please, please, mister! Take Lilly with you into the Dungeon today!"

"Well...um..."

"Ah! If you're worried about the Familia thing, there shouldn't be a problem. Lilly's god, God Soma, doesn't talk to any other gods or goddesses, ever. So, unless your god already has something against God Soma, I don't think any fighting will break out between our Familias."

She must have misunderstood why I was mumbling. Lilliluka didn't let any silence into the conversation and added that piece of information.

...I do have a few thoughts on this, but for now, let's change the topic.

Now's as good a time as any to put some of my misgivings about her to rest.

"I understand your situation, Lilliluka...but can I check one thing?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"We seriously haven't met before?"

Is she really not the prum girl I met in the side street yesterday?

That's what has been bugging me. I don't know the face of the prum girl or her voice, but physically Lilliluka looks almost exactly like her. It happened yesterday; my memory isn't that bad.

"Today was the first time Lilly met you...Are you confusing Lilly for someone else?"

"...If it's okay, could you take off your hood?"

If I could see under that long hood, then I could make up my mind. I feel like they could be the same person because I have only seen half of Lilliluka's face.

Lilliluka looks at me for a moment after my request. Looking all around the room very quickly, I hear a soft "Okay..." come from beneath her hood. Her tiny hands reach up and pull it back.

"...Huh?"

"T-this enough?"

On the top of her head, cutely fluttering from side to side, are two animal ears.

My jaw drops. If this is true...

"...So, you're animal people?"

"Y-yes. Lilly is a Chienthrope—a dog person."

A few second pass until...pop. I stand up and lean over the table.

Lilliluka fidgets in her chair; maybe she can feel my gaze. A tail is swishing back and forth under her robe. I can see the chestnut fur on it poke out from under the hem.

She's no prum...But a little animal girl?

...No way.

My mind is still in shock, but my hands move on their own. They reach up and grab hold of both of the girl's animal ears, barely noticing how her small shoulders cringe.

"Hnnn..."

The ears between my fingers are soft and warm. They're tender.

I rub my fingers up and down the ears, Lilliluka getting redder and redder.

...They're real.

The soft fur, the muscles beneath the skin, the pink and moist inner ear—everything is real. There is no mistake.

It's not her...

I have no doubt. They may look similar, but they're not even the same race. There's nothing left to ask.

I let go of all of the trivial questions and just go with it.

"Ummm...mister...?"

"—?! S-sorry!!"

A little voice makes me realize what I was doing, and I let go and fly back to my chair like a frog jumping away from a fire.

She holds the ears I'd been fondling tightly against her head, looking up at me with a little bit of anger before an evil smile spreads across her lips.

"To think a man would play with Lilly's precious things like that...Lilly's going to make you take responsibility for this."

...I can't make a sound.

Blinking a few times, I feel like my face is on fire. My voice suddenly comes back, and I apologize over and over again on the spot.

"...If you don't mind me asking, why do you hide your race like that...?"

"Lilly's fur is dirty and matted—don't want people to see it..."

I ask her after finishing my series of apologies, whereupon Lilliluka pulls her hood back up, hiding her face in shame.

Personally, I think her fur looks very nice and kind of cute...But then again, I'm a guy, and there's no way I can wrap my head around what girls think about their own hair or fur.

It would be one thing if she were a prum, who are widely known to be the smallest race—but Lilliluka is still the smallest animal child I've ever seen. She can't be more than ten years old.

"So what will you do, mister? Will you hire Lilly?"

"...All right, I'll bring you along. For right now, just for today, I'll hire you as my supporter."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

After what I did to her ears, how can I refuse? If I left right now, I'd be the scum who did that to a little girl, then ran off.

...And on top of that, if I'm being honest, I want a supporter more than anything right now. I want to get as strong as I can, and I can't do that unless I can focus completely on combat. Lilliluka's proposition is a godsend.

"Well, um, isn't there an advance payment or something I have to give you before we go?"

"Sometimes that's true, yes. But today is a trial, so we can just divvy up the money after we get back from the Dungeon. If you'd give Lilly thirty percent, Lilly will jump with joy!"

"That's all? Fine with me. I'd just like to be more professional..."

From there we put our heads together to work out the details for a while, the same carefree smile plastered on Lilliluka's face.

Each section of the Dungeon was its own world, with unique layouts and characteristics.

The walls on levels one through four were a pale blue, and monsters that appeared there were usually just goblins and kobolds. There weren't many types of them, either.

The monsters closer to the fourth level were a little stronger and smarter than those higher up, but it could still be said that this area was the easiest for newbie adventurers to conquer. If they went in alone and avoided being surrounded—or better yet, formed a party—then there was very little risk in prowling these floors.

Everything changed on the fifth level.

The walls turned a slimy green and the layout got more complicated, but that wasn't all. More unpleasant monsters, like the seventh level's killer ant, appeared in larger numbers.

Plus, the birthing interval of monsters was much shorter on the seventh than the fourth. The moment an adventurer ventured into a dead end, they could be swarmed from all sides by monsters pouring out of the dungeon walls.

Many adventurers who grew overconfident on the upper levels met their doom here. Even if they didn't let their guard down, newbies got their first glimpse of the true threats inside the dungeon on lower levels five to seven. It was their first major obstacle to overcome.

They couldn't just go lower when they got bored on the upper levels. Adventurers needed to build a strong foundation before going deeper. Not just a strong "status," they needed experience, good equipment, fast reflexes, and general adventurer knowledge—among other things—to survive.

Newbie adventurers needed to spend time learning and growing on the upper floors first.

This was even truer for solo adventurers.

However.

"Hya!!"

"Gyshaaaa!!!"

In Bell's case, things were a little different.

His growth speed broke all the rules to such a point that he couldn't be compared to other newbie adventurers.

A killer ant's thin abdomen was caught by a long sweep of Bell's knife and split in two.

Prowling the seventh level, Bell charged into an incessantly advancing horde of monsters alone on a floor where a party was all but necessary.

"Jigigigigigigi!!"

"Not today!"

"Byugii!!"

Bell nimbly dodged a purple moth that came from above, the Hestia Knife connecting with its wing as the boy spun backward.

The now one-winged giant moth lost its balance and was slain as Bell plunged his dagger straight into its body.

"You two, stay put!!"

Bell kicked off the ground in the direction of two killer ants.

The monstrous ants flared open their mouth pincers to intimidate him, but Bell only sped up his assault.

He charged forward as if to take on both of the killer ants at once, but lunged for the one on the right at the last second.

The ants were a moment too late to react.

"—Giya?!"

Bell's leading blade plunged into the ant's upper body like a skewer.

Its hard outer shell crumbled under the power of the Hestia Knife; the flesh beneath was torn to shreds in an instant. The creature didn't even have time to writhe in pain or let out a dying shriek. The lights in its eyes cut out, and the killer ant fell silent.

Bell immediately turned to face the other ant—but his knife wouldn't budge.

"Huh?!"

The knife was jammed in a piece of the dead creature's thick shell-like skin. Bell couldn't move.

At the same time, enraged by the death of its brother, the remaining killer ant turned to face the boy and brought down its sharp claws on a collision course with Bell's face.

Bell jerked his left arm up to protect himself in the nick of time.

"Giii!!!"

"A...AAHHHHHH!!"

Shing! The killer ant's knifelike claws slid harmlessly off Bell's emerald-green protector.

A trail of sparks popped up in the claw's wake. Even with the creature's strength, it couldn't make a dent in this piece of armor.

Bell launched a counterattack.

Ignoring the jolts of pain in his left arm, he tossed the blade lightly into the air and let go of the Hestia Knife at the same time. His now free right hand caught the dagger in midair.

Slash.

The dagger's edge found a weak spot between the well-armored abdomen and thorax of the killer ant. Purple liquid spilled out from the wound.

Even though Bell's dagger was one of the weakest weapons available to adventurers, it was strong enough to inflict a mortal wound on a killer ant.

"—Gii!"

"Next!"

Bell delivered the final blow to the dying monster before yanking the Hestia Knife from its previously slain comrade. He then charged forward into another incoming group of monsters without stopping to catch his breath.

"Mr. Bell is so strong!!!"

While Bell tore into his next group of foes, Lilly was busy gathering all of the slain bodies into one spot.

She was very efficient. Even with a big smile on her face, she was very aware of her surroundings as she dragged the bodies into a line but never let them touch. Wearing specially made brown supporter's gloves, she grabbed onto the arms and legs of the lifeless beasts and hauled them across the dungeon floor with no problem.

"Sha!!!"

"Kyuu?!"

Thanks to Lilly's work, Bell didn't have to worry about footing and slew a needle rabbit with his dagger.

Bell was a humble person. Even though he possessed the strength to slay a monster in the same class as a killer ant, he wasn't letting it go to his head. He was following his adviser Eina's instructions to the letter: Slay the killer ants quickly so that they can't call for reinforcements. Do whatever it takes to avoid taking on a group by yourself.

Bell had the entire battle within this wide room firmly within his grasp.

"—Gushyuuu...!! ShyaaaaaAAAAA!!!!"

"Yikes!! Mr. Bell! One's about to be born!"

One of the dungeon walls had split open; a killer ant's ominous cries were coming from within.

Bell responded swiftly to a situation he had encountered countless times before.

He delivered a finishing blow to the remaining monsters before rushing up to the giant ant attempting to emerge from the crack in the wall.

After sprinting ten meters across the room, Bell leaped skyward and drove his left boot into the beast.

"One, two...!!!"

"Guweiii?!"

Echoes exploded on the kick's impact.

Crack! The ant's neck shattered. Its lifeless body hung from the side of the wall.

"Ohh, Mr. Bell, what should we do? That killer ant is stuck up there?"

"Hmm, what can we do?"

A bead of sweat ran down Bell's face as he tried to figure out how to get the ant's body, which looked like it was too big for a small hole, out of the wall. It was well out of Lilly's reach, but when she looked up and saw the confused look in Bell's eyes, she couldn't help but giggle.

"Mr. Bell's very strong, but weird. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"...Don't laugh!"

Realizing how dismal he looked, Bell cracked a small smile, too.

With the floor almost conquered and the room fully cleared, the two of them set to work on retrieving magic stones.

But now it was Lilly's time to shine. All Bell could really do was keep an eye out for any monsters that might try to sneak up on them.

"Whoa...You're really good at this..."

"It's because this is all Lilly can do to help. Mr. Bell, you slew all of these monsters, so you are the one who is really good."

Her experienced hands used a knife to cleanly and efficiently remove only the magic stone from the monster in front of her.

Her tiny hands moved with speed and precision, opening a small hole in the monster's chest before its body turned to ash.

Bell watched her work while thinking about his own woeful way of doing the same task, but decided to comment on something else.

"...Can I ask you a favor? Could you stop calling me 'Mr. Bell'?"

"Sorry, but that won't do. It goes against the contract, and it shows who is higher ranking in this party. Supporters cannot be condescending to adventurers."

"But, Lilliluka..."

"Mr. Bell, please call Lilly Lilly. Other names are okay too, but not by full name."

"Why are you so concerned about names?"

The third killer ant turned to ash as Lilly looked up at Bell. Her eyes hidden completely by her hood, Lilly forced a smile and said, "Are you listening, Mr. Bell?" before continuing.

"The word 'Supporter' sounds pretty, but underneath it all, Lilly and other supporters just carry the bags. Compared to the brave adventurers fighting monsters on the front lines, we're just cowards who watch from a safe distance and reap the rewards of battles that we didn't fight in. We're no better than parasites."

Given that just by going into the Dungeon, supporters were exposed to the same level of danger as adventurers, Lilly's speech wasn't necessarily true. Still, she continued without any hesitation.

"It is arrogant for Lilly and other supporters to think that they are equal to adventurers. The brave adventurers won't allow it. If Lilly tries, then the honorable adventurers get angry and won't give Lilly her share."

"Th-that's horrible...!"

"Lilly knew Mr. Bell was a good person as soon as we met. But there has to be a line. If word got out that Lilly wasn't treating Mr. Bell as a superior, Lilly won't get any contracts to go into the Dungeon with adventurers other than Mr. Bell from now on. Lilly would have to work for free."

"......"

Bell had his own morals, and they weren't about to change. However, he couldn't speak for other adventurers.

Something that seemed wrong to him might very well be common sense to someone else.

"It might be hard for Mr. Bell, but can you accept Lilly's request? Think of it as helping Lilly."

"...Sure thing, Lilly."

"Thank you very much!"

Bell gave in. If it meant helping Lilly, he had no choice but to ignore his own trivial opinions.

He decided that he would talk to her like a friend around his age rather than a business partner.

"On an unrelated note...Is Mr. Bell really a newbie adventurer? Lilly can't believe Mr. Bell slew all of those monsters alone..."

Lilly stopped working on the monster in front of her and counted the dead bodies with her tiny fingers.

If she counted the monsters already turned to ash, Bell slew four killer ants, three purple moths, and five needle rabbits, for a total of twelve monsters.

Leaving out the human-sized killer ants, the remaining monsters were all classified as "small," so it wasn't that difficult for adventurers to take on all of them.

But the icing on the cake was that Bell slew them all alone. Lilly couldn't look at him the same way after seeing what he could do.

"Yes, I won. But they almost had me more than a few times..."

"Mr. Bell is fighting by himself, so of course that's going to happen. Most distinguished adventurers like you come into the Dungeon in a party of three or more, you know? They don't want to fight solo down here."

"That's because they don't want to, right? Doesn't mean they couldn't do it. There are tons of Level One adventurers who are stronger than me, too."

"That...may be true."

"You've accompanied many parties into the Dungeon, right Lilly? So you've seen adventurers who are much stronger than me."

"...Yes. Lilly has seen adventurers stronger than Mr. Bell..."

"So, I've still got a long way to go."

Lilly looked up at a grimacing Bell with frustrated confusion. He had completely missed her point.

There were, in fact, solo adventurers who prowled the Dungeon on their own. However, Lilly wanted to know if Bell had really only started the job less than a month ago.

Common knowledge said that Level One adventurers could conquer lower levels one to twelve.

To put it in terms of which levels were appropriate for which statuses, adventurers with a status of I or H could work in levels one through four, G and F in five through seven, E through C in eight to ten, and B through S in levels eleven and twelve.

However, this was merely the received wisdom. Level Two category monsters would appear beginning with level thirteen and below, so it was generally accepted that Level One adventurers had no hope of clearing any of those floors.

If one were asked to state the average level of an adventurer in Orario, the answer would have to be "One." More than half of all adventurers worked on the top twelve floors.

Half of the remaining adventurers were at level two, with the remainder a mix of those who had become even more powerful.

The line between Level One and Level Two separated the lower-class adventurers from the upper class, and there was a significant difference. This was because they entered the "Third Tier" class of adventurers from Level Two. Since Level One was average, going beyond that point required a good amount of talent and skill.

Since adventurers' statuses were considered personal information, they were well protected. Figuring out an average status was very difficult. However, most adventurers who hadn't yet leveled up to Two spent the bulk of their time on levels seven to ten of the Dungeon.

To put it another way, the average adventurer's status grades were somewhere between G and C. That was the line that beginners had to cross to become experts.

Bell was already standing shoulder to shoulder with these "advanced beginners" after only a few weeks of working as an adventurer. It was understandable that Lilly would have some trouble believing what she had witnessed that day.

"Also, Mr. Bell has a good weapon to go along with his strong status."

The tone of Lilly's voice made a sudden but subtle change.

Bell didn't notice, and shyly laughed at her words.

"Yeah, you've got that right. I've been relying on this knife a bit too much. At this rate, I won't get much stronger, will I?"

"No, no, it's a weapon's dream to be wielded by a worthy master. The point is, Mr. Bell's strength is wielding that weapon without wasting movement. Today is proof of your strength."

"Do...do you really think so?"

Bell had his back to Lilly, keeping a sharp lookout for monsters. His hand reached around and stroked the knife.

Black from end to end, it was a very rare knife indeed.

Bell's fingers ran along the Ἥφαιστος insignia on the sheath of the weapon.

Lilly's eyes went wide and flashed a fiery blaze.

"Lilly doesn't know much about weapons, but Lilly knows that knife is special. How in the world did you get it? Lilly doesn't mean to be rude, but Mr. Bell is still a newbie, and newbies don't have much money..."

"The goddess...the goddess of my Familia gave it to me. Apparently she went through a lot asking one of her goddess friends for it. I think she tried a bit too hard."

"What a...nice goddess you have."

"Yes. She's very important to me."

Bell didn't notice the hidden twinge of jealousy or the shaking in Lilly's voice.

Lilly finished off the last needle rabbit a bit more roughly than necessary before standing up and sneaking up behind Bell's back.

"Mr. Bell?"

"Oh, you finished?"

Lilly flashed another big grin as Bell turned to face her.

"Since we're here, we might as well get the magic stone from the killer ant in the wall."

"I agree. But how?"

"If Mr. Bell cuts open the thin part of its chest, that will be enough. The magic stone is in there, anyway. Lilly will take it from there."

"I gotcha. So..."

"Here, Mr. Bell."

"Eh...Ah, okay."

Bell took the knife that Lilly handed to him. He was about to draw the Hestia Knife, but Lilly's knife would work. Bell walked over to the killer ant, the lower half of its body still inside the wall. Grabbing the thick skin on the monster's upper body, he lined up Lilly's knife with the thin area between the killer ant's upper and lower body.

Hmm...This knife is really hard to use...

Bell stood on his tiptoes as he fought with the shell-like skin, struggling to cut it open.

He was completely focused on cutting the ant open, never once looking behind him.

With his arms up and in front of him, his sides and back were completely open and defenseless.

"Huh?"

Something didn't feel right. A shock ran through his brain.

His head flipped around.

"Have you finished?"

Lilly was standing right beside him, looking up at the ant's body with big eyes and standing as tall as she could.

Bell blinked his wide eyes a few times and chuckled to himself. He held out his hand, gesturing. "Just a moment."

Bell finally guided the small blade to the top of the killer ant's chest. Lilly quickly moved in to claim the stone.

"Well then, shall we call it a day, Mr. Bell?"

"Eh? Already? I can keep going, no problem."

"No no, you're being overconfident. Today, Mr. Bell has slain many purple moths, a monster that spreads poisonous wing-scales during battle. The effects are not immediate, but if you breathe in too much, your body will be poisoned."

"N-no way!"

"It's true. Lilly was careless and forgot to buy more antidotes...Lilly suggests going back to Babel Tower for treatment."

As soon as Lilly finished speaking, Bell remembered Eina saying that he should be aware of where he was while battling moth-type monsters. Bell put his hand to his head with a small gasp and agreed with Lilly's proposal.

"What is being poisoned like...? Wait, when do the symptoms show up? I'll need all of my strength to slay monsters, otherwise..."

"There is no problem, Mr. Bell. Lilly knows a fast way to get back to Babel without having to fight any monsters."

"Y-you do?"

Lilly nodded her head in a resounding "yes" and pointed toward the exit of the room. A group of adventurers stood just outside the archway. They turned and left upon seeing that Bell and Lilly had already slain all of the monsters within.

"If we trace the path of other strong adventurers, there won't be any monsters. They prowl the Dungeon for monsters...I mean, dropped items and magic stones, right?"

"Oh, I see."

"Even if monsters come out, we can just hide in the shadow of another party and they will take care of them for us. The idea is to choose a path with people, and we can avoid all battles."

Usually, Bell would avoid adventurers from other Familias to prevent any difficult situations from happening. But in times like this, it might be the best option.

This was a good way to get out of a bad situation, if they could pull it off.

"Many honorable adventurers are in the Dungeon at this time of day. If Mr. Bell sticks close to Lilly, he won't have to use his weapon even once."

Lilly looked up at Bell with one of her big smiles, and he was struck by just how reliable the girl was.

"Lilly, you really are amazing. You are a 'supporter' for a reason: I can count on you."

"Mr. Bell will learn many things too with experience. Now, let's get moving!"

Lilly snatched Bell's hand and half pulled him out of the room. Following the footprints on the dungeon floor, they ran past a few groups of adventurers on their way to the top. Whenever a monster showed up, they were always close to the battle party. Lilly's instincts were spot-on.

She was so efficient, it was almost as if she had done this hundreds of times.

"Mr. Bell, Mr. Bell. About today's payment..."

"Well, you have helped me out a lot. So I think we should split it fifty-fifty..."

"All magic stones and dropped items collected today are yours, Mr. Bell. May your wallet be warm tonight."

"What?! But that leaves you nothing! Didn't you say you wanted at least thirty percent?!"

"Your trust is worth much more to Lilly. Today was a day for Mr. Bell to learn about Lilly, and think of this as a thank-you gift."

"To...learn about you?"

"Everyone gets this trial day, not just you, Mr. Bell."

So today was just a test for Lilly. Bell didn't feel right about it at all.

Bell blushed as he looked at the girl, wanting to apologize.

"...Besides, everything else is a parting gift."

A strong breeze blew through the lobby and carried her words with it.

"...? Did you say something, Lilly?"

"No, nothing at all, Mr. Bell. If it's okay with you, please hire Lilly in the future!"

"Sure, I'll think about it and come back with a good answer."

Lilly turned and ran, but looked back over her shoulder and waved at Bell.

"Please do! Lilly is always in Babel, so you can always find me! Lilly's not going anywhere, so take your time!"

The girl was grinning from ear to ear.

"Aah, another Familia's supporter..."

"So, this wasn't a good idea after all?"

I'm in the very familiar counseling room at the Guild main office, talking with Eina about Lilly. After visiting the medical facilities (they cost money, by the way) and the Exchange, I'd hurried straight here.

It sounds sad, but I don't think I can make a good decision about something like this on my own.

The best way to solve this is to get another's opinion, and who better to ask than Eina?

"I know you are concerned about a problem between Familias, but there have been plenty of cases of both sides benefiting from a healthy and respectable contract...Bell, what do you think of this girl, Lilliluka?"

"Well, she's a good girl...and her skills as a supporter are very high."

I think back to what I saw her do in the Dungeon. She'd made a good impression on me.

On top of that was her situation...I felt so sorry for her I couldn't just ignore her.

I know it's not good to do something just out of pity, but still...

I'm pretty sure that she wasn't lying when she told me about how her Familia has been treating her, ignoring her. My gut feeling is she was telling the truth.

"Do you know what Familia she belongs to?"

"She said she's a member of Soma Familia."

"Soma Familia, huh...I can't strongly support or oppose that one."

"Um...Ms. Eina? What kind of Familia are they?"

She says, "Wait a moment," as she pulls out a large file from the desk that was already prepared and opens it in front of her. Eina pulls a pair of glasses out of her pocket and with a quick flick of the wrist and a light click, she slides them over her eyes in one fluid motion.

It seems like she isn't just going to give me her opinion, but some accurate public information as well.

"Looks like Soma Familia is your model dungeon-prowling Familia. They are a little different from other Familias in that they also dabble in the retail industry."

"Retail? What are they selling?"

"They sell wine."

"Wine...?"

"Yes. They don't supply very much product to stores and marketplaces, but I hear the taste is extraordinary. Apparently there is a very high demand in Orario."

She keeps on talking, adding that with a product like that, they shouldn't even need to go into the Dungeon.

Since danger always follows adventurers, the best thing for gods to do when they make a Familia is to go into a safe industry. Sure, it's a gamble to go into retail, but relying on adventurers for money is like walking on a suspension bridge that can be cut at any moment. Adventurers brush shoulders with death every day.

On the other hand, adventurers change everything. If the god is not afraid of the high-risk, high-return atmosphere of the Labyrinth City Orario, then adventurers are the best way to strike it rich in a hurry.

"That Familia is in the middle of the pack in terms of strength. No one stands out above the rest, but everyone has above average power. Whoa...They have quite a few members, too. I had no idea."

"So if they have a lot of members, then that means..."

"Their god, Soma, has a good following. I haven't heard anything good or bad about that god at all, though..."

"Um...the girl, Lilly, said this to me, but is it true that the god Soma doesn't interact with any other gods or goddesses?"

"I would actually say he is rather famous for that. It feels strange to say that a god stays apart from this world, but that really is him. He's never attended one of the other gods' Celebrations, nor has he responded to social calls. It's a challenge finding someone who has even seen him."

Well, that's...an extreme case.

Didn't Lilly say that Soma never talks to other gods and goddesses?

And then Eina said that she couldn't strongly support or oppose my involvement based on this Familia. Must be because they're safe—too safe, even. They aren't on "friendly" terms with any other Familiar, but they're not on "bad" terms with anyone else, either...

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the Familia itself...just."

"Just?"

Eina furrows her brow like she's deep in thought, but makes up her mind and starts talking.

"This is just my opinion, but the members of Soma Familia seem different from members of other Familias. Fighting among one another, almost like they're frantic..."

"......"

"They don't seem like 'live fast, die young' types, but...I don't know how to describe them. At any rate, every single member of that Familia seems desperate, somehow."

Eina's face looked troubled as she spoke. I could only listen and wonder.

But as I hear all of this, I kind of feel like I can see how Lilly's circumstances turned out that way...

"For now, I will give my support in hiring that girl as a supporter."

"Eh? Is it all right?"

"Yes. Surely there are a few questionable things about Soma Familia, but I think the problems between Familia members that you've been worried about won't happen. I'm basing that on Soma himself."

Lilly said the same thing.

"As long as you are careful around other members, you should be fine. And personally, I'd prefer that you form a party with a supporter rather than going solo, so I'd encourage you to hire her."

"Ms. Eina..."

"After that, it's up to you. You'll have to take responsibility for whatever you decide."

...Isn't that obvious?

Waiting for someone else's permission to interact with Lilly would be rather rude to her. I have to make a decision myself now. I need to relax, get my thoughts together, and make a final call.

"One more thing. I looked around to see if I could find a free supporter for you, but I couldn't find anyone. I knew of a few, but all of them entered a Familia very recently."

Eina forces a smile and says, "I'm sorry about that." We've talked about me hiring a supporter before; she must have been thinking about that since then.

"Must be that Free people don't usually want to set foot in the Dungeon. Their income depends entirely on who they make their contract with, and it's very dangerous. There have to be safer, higher paying jobs all over the place."

A "Free" person is someone who doesn't belong to a Familia. This goes without saying, but they don't have Falna—the mark of a god's blessing—or a Status. They're no stronger than townsfolk.

There are some races like the naturally powerful dwarves or the magically adept elves that can fight monsters on their own, though, so I don't want to say all Free people are powerless.

As all my thoughts come together, something Lilly said pops back into my mind.

"Ms. Eina. Do adventurers look down on supporters?"

"...In a way, yes. Full-time supporters are not very highly respected. I'm sure you can figure out the reason why..."

We just carry the bags. Lilly's voice runs through my head.

Is that really true? I've always admired adventurers, but now I feel kind of disappointed in them.

"Normally, adventurers who aren't powerful become supporters. Most Familias delegate their weaker members to the role of supporter, even if they level up."

But in that case, it's a way for weaker adventurers to go deeper into the Dungeon and learn. By carrying the bags and accompanying their stronger peers, they can see both high-level monsters and advanced combat techniques up close and personal.

"It's not like everyone who receives Falna will keep getting stronger without a limit. It depends on what that person is made of, if they can stand in front of a monster and not crumble under the pressure. In fact, it's quite common that an adventurer who can slay weaker monsters all day can't lay a finger on anything after that."

"......"

"The fact is that these weaker adventurers become support specialists...So, yes, they're an easy target for discrimination."

The mood in here is getting heavy. Eina's face tells me everything I need to know about her thoughts on the matter; she doesn't like it at all. I don't think she likes talking about it, either.

But it's all coming together now. This explains why Lilly was so humble—she was labeled a "weak supporter" by those around her. So she stays away from her Familia. Everyone.

......I hate this.

Just what the hell is this feeling? It's not even my problem, but I can't sit still or calm down.

Resisting the urge to yank out my hair, I do my best to pull myself together and stand up from the chair.

I would have been lost in thought for hours if I sat still.

"Thank you, Ms. Eina. I will think about what you said and make a decision."

"It's no problem. You can see me anytime, so when you have something like this on your mind, come and talk with me. Okay?"

She gives me a nice smile. I bow one more time in thanks.

Standing back up, I lightly turn to face the door.

"Um...Bell?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"What happened to your knife?"

"Eh?" I'm still lost in thought, so my reply sounds kind of stupid.

Eina is now halfway out of her chair, her face filled with worry and her eyes on my lower back.

"Knife...?"

I reach around my back.

My dagger, there.

Pouch for magic stones, there.

Divine Knife, there.

...But only the sheath.

"........."

There is only dry air where the handle should be.

Sssss...Blood drains from my face at an alarming speed.

Eina watches as I frantically pat down my body, mouthing the words "It can't be..."

The Divine Knife is...gone.

My face turns blue.

"...I dropped it?!"

The thief continued on through the backstreets.

The overall atmosphere back here was completely different from the big shops and bright colors of Main Street.

Looking up, the thief saw only a long strip of the sky was visible between long brick houses. The bottoms of the clouds were dyed orange by the evening sun's weak light. The day was ending. A group of cats gathered around a shabby garbage dump, their golden eyes all pointing this way. Nyaaaa-nnn. They all scattered at the thief's approach.

Thump, thump, thump. The echoes of small feet bounced down the alleyway.

The thief ran through streets even more complex than the Dungeon itself, entirely certain of the destination. After turning many corners, the thief found the looked-for building.

An ancient dwelling stood in the middle of a small clearing. The thief didn't know whether it actually was ancient or not, but it certainly had that feel.

A dusty, hard-to-read sign could be seen above the one-story wooden house.

The thief opened the door and entered, causing a sad little bell to ring.

"Ooh, it's you, my friend."

"I have some business."

A completely bald gnome with a white beard looked up from a newspaper. He was wearing a red hat, but the thief knew he had no hair. Without a word, the thief set a knife on the counter.

"You've brought me somethin' strange again today, I see..."

Adjusting his glasses and thoroughly inspecting the blade, the master of the shop said, "Back in a jiffy," and left the counter. His round head disappeared into the back of the shop—a space filled with hundreds of antiques. Looking around, the thief saw there were many breathtaking jewels lined up in a glass case.

The gnome was very quick to return.

His face seemed surprisingly sour.

"Just what is this? Did you pick it up at the garbage pile on your way here?"

"Huh—?"

"The blade won't cut, stab, or slice. And it has no special attributes to it at all. And...I don't know how to put it, but...this blade feels...dead."

Placing the weapon back on the counter, the old gnome scratched his white beard for a moment before saying, "This is trash, nothing more. This is unusual for you, my friend. Bringin' somethin' like this to me."

"W-wait a minute! That can't be right...!"

"Even so, I can't show this to my regulars...If you still want to sell it, it'd make a fine decoration. How's thirty vals sound?"

"I...I'll be back!"

"O-ho! I'm lookin' forward to it...But these markin's look like earthworm trails, this geezer thinks he's seen them somewhere before..."

With shaking shoulders, the thief took the blade downstairs. The door slammed closed in the thief's wake.

Thump, thump, th-thump. The thief's footsteps reentered the back alleyway, a bit more roughly than when they had come in.

Thirty vals? The same price as a potato snack from that street stand?

That idiot! This is a weapon that easily sliced through the carapace of monsters like it was tissue paper! It should be worth enough to build three palaces and still have change left over!

Had the old gnome gone mad? Then again, just yesterday he gave a very satisfying appraisal. Did his head go bad overnight?

His appraising eyes never failed. The fools at the Guild didn't even come close.

There was no one better than him in this city.

So why...?

The thief looked down at the knife.

Not a single glint of light came from the weapon. The blade had a series of complicated characters carved into it. Pitch black from tip to tip; it was hard to tell how long the blade was in the dark alley. It was the same color as shade.

For this blade to be such a rotten shade of black—something didn't feel right.

Earlier it had carved arcs in the air and glowed a darkly purple glow...

If only it had the "Ἥφαιστος" signature...The sheath, I need the sheath...

If there was undeniable proof of its value, then even if it were trash, the blade could be sold at a very high price.

The sheath. This blade was worthless without it. All these thoughts came together in the thief's mind while looking at the black piece of junk.

The only option now was to change the plan: take a major risk and make contact once more...

"I apologize, Syr. I never meant for you to carry the groceries."

"I really don't mind, but...Lyu, do you always come through here?"

"Indeed. I have found that I can reduce time in transit by learning the layout of these backstreets. They are not as inconvenient as you are thinking, Syr."

"That's not exactly what I was worried about..."

The two of them were coming from the front, an elf and a human. Both of them were holding large paper bags. The bags were so full that apples and a variety of other fruits and vegetables were in danger of falling out.

The thief looked away and hid the knife in a sleeve.

Can't believe anyone would cut through an alley this deep. Just act natural and walk past them...

"—Stop right there, prum!"

A voice with overwhelming presence lashed out from behind.

The thief came to a sudden stop. Cold sweat ran all the way down the thief's back.

Why did she call out? Something unbelievable occurred to the thief.

"That knife hidden in your sleeve—I would like to take a closer look at it."

Inwardly, the thief made a great tongue-cluck of irritation.

"Lyu...? Um, Lyu?"

"...Why do you ask?"

"Because it bears a strong resemblance to a possession of someone I know. I would like to confirm that it is a different weapon."

Just how damn good is your eyesight, anyway? The thief wanted to curse at the elf.

The elf could see a pitch-black blade in this darkness? Even prums with their tremendous eyesight would have difficulty doing that.

"I'm sorry to inform you that this is mine. You are mistaken."

Flight without leaving any time to react—yes, that was the key.

Completely ignoring the elf's request, the thief made a break for it.

"Draw."

The air in the alley cracked.

"......?!"

"I only know of one person who wields a weapon engraved with hieroglyphs."

It was as if a blade of ice were pressed against the thief's neck. The thief's ankles felt frozen.

Even the human girl drew back in shock. The elf was just that intimidating.

Can't turn to face her. Don't want to turn and face her.

"Be still."

The thief's jaw was locked in place, breath ragged and shaking, heart beating fast enough to break ribs.

The elf's footsteps drew near. There was no longer much distance between them now.

It's do or die. No time for a plan, just get away.

The thief's knees bent, ready for action. Suddenly, the elf's foot slammed down onto the road just ahead, cutting off the escape route.

"I warned you."

The thief ran to the nearest corner and was just about to turn when a strike of terrible force hit the thief's hand dead-on.

"Gwahhhhh!"

An apple?

It exploded.

The red fruit hit the thief's left hand, which was carrying the knife. The shock sent pieces of the apple soaring in all directions, so fierce was the impact.

"You may wish to brace your stomach."

"—"

The knife fell from the thief's hand. The thief looked back.

Calm, sky-blue eyes looked down from above, her leg bent far behind her body.

So that's how it is. I'm the ball. You've gotta be kidding me.

Her leg swung forward and hit, just as she warned, right into the small of the thief's back.

"Hnggaaah?!"

"Wh-what was that?"

He heard it when he was running like a maniac down West Main in front of Guild headquarters.

A piercing scream, echoing from the backstreets.

Bell was retracing his steps to see if the Hestia Knife had fallen on the street somewhere, but he knew in an instant that what he heard was not a normal scream, and he stopped on the spot.

The demi-humans in the area all followed suit. The next moment, a large number of cats came pouring out of one backstreet entrance, running as if their lives were at stake. Bell looked down that alleyway as far as his ruby-colored eyes would allow.

"Meow! Meow!" the wave of cats cried as they ran away from whatever was inside. The panicking felines weaved in and out of the legs of people on the busy street, turning the whole area into chaos. Bell carefully worked his way through the throng of people toward the backstreet, sweat rolling down his cheek.

Bracing himself to face whatever was coming this way, Bell inched into the alley. All of a sudden, a small shadow collapsed with a loud thud at his feet.

"L-Lilly?"

"Haa-aah?"

Jumping back for a moment after finding one of the most unlikely of people, Bell kneeled next to the girl.

"Hey, what happened?! What's wrong?!"

"Th-that voice...Mr. Bell?"

Her small body shook as she tried to get up, like a newborn fawn trying to stand for the first time. Her face looked frightened at first, but she soon showed him her usual smile.

"Actually, I was attacked by a violent lady...Er, I mean, a stray dog..."

"A-are you okay?!"

"Somehow..."

Her cream robe wasn't all that dirty, but it was obvious to Bell that Lilly had taken some serious damage. For now, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and helped her out of the middle of the street and off to the side.

Just when Bell was reaching for his leg holder to see if he had a spare potion...

"I cannot believe he managed to escape..."

Crick, crick. The sharp sounds of shoes on stone accompanied the elf, Lyu, as she turned the corner.

"You too, Lyu?! What the hell's going on back there?"

"Ah, great timing. I just happened to have found your..."

Lyu had said that much before her eyes found a hunched-over Lilly sitting on the ground.

Lilly was shaking like a scared child, rubbing her hands over the hood covering her face.

"Mr. Cranell, please step aside."

"Eh? What? Hey?!"

"Eiiikkkk!"

Lyu pushed Bell to the side and grabbed ahold of Lilly, pulling her hood back with no hesitation.

Big, round eyes and disheveled chestnut fur emerged, followed by two doglike ears. Lyu stared down the traumatized girl with unwavering eyes before saying, "My apologies," and pulled the hood back to its original position.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Lilly! Are you okay?!"

"Y-yes..."

"I mistook you for someone else. I seem to have lost my temper in the moment."

Bell was utterly confused by the course of events. He did his best to support a wobbly Lilly as his eyes flicked back and forth between Lyu and deeper into the back alley.

In no time at all, more light echoes came from within. Syr emerged from the backstreet, carrying large paper bags in both hands.

"Lyu! Lyu—!! You can't use food like that! Mama'll get mad at you, you know!"

"That would be...a problem."

"Umm, can someone give me an explanation already...?"

"Oh, Bell."

Syr smiled and did a small curtsy. Bell responded with a simple "Hi..."

Lyu waited for their greetings to finish before giving Bell a straight answer.

"Mr. Cranell, is that black knife currently in your possession?"

"Oh! That's right!! Have either of you seen a knife that's completely black from top to bottom?!"

Suddenly coming out of his confusion, Bell frantically looked both girls in the eyes.

Lyu withdrew a dull, lackluster black knife from the fold of her robe and held it up for Bell to see.

"Is this the weapon?"

"—WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Bell's scream of jubilation pierced the evening sky.

The shoulders of three different races of girls simultaneously flinched in surprise at the sheer volume of his voice.

Even the ever-calm and aloof Lyu's sky-blue eyes opened wide.

"THANK YOU! Thank you so much!"

"...Mr. Cranell. You are putting me in an awkward situation. I should not be receiving this praise, but Syr..."

"I'm saying it to you, Lyu!"

Bell looked like he was about to cry. He had both his hands clasped around Lyu's smooth, white free hand. An uncharacteristic look of panic grew on the elf's face as Bell came closer to her, crying like a child.

Hearing Syr's screams, Bell took the knife and wiped his face on his sleeve, sniffling.

"I'm so relieved...Goddess, I'm sorry. I swear I'll never drop you again...!"

"Drop...?"

Bell brought the knife up to his cheek as he swore to it. The piece of trash suddenly came alive again and began to emit a purple glow.

Like the spirit of a dog finding its long-lost master, the Hestia Knife had come home.

Lilly's big eyes grew even wider.

"Thank you for going out of your way, really. Where did you find it?"

"I did not find it, per se. It was being carried by a prum."

"Prum?"

Bell gave Lyu an inquisitive look after hearing her answer.

Tension grew beneath the hood of the girl behind him.

"Was it, maybe, the one from before...?"

"Yes, I was in pursuit, but I lost the prum...and mistook the girl here for that person. I was too quick to judge. You have my apologies."

"Quick to judge? So that means...?"

"Yes, this girl is obviously a Chienthrope. The one I was chasing was a male prum."

A lightbulb came on in Bell's eyes as he finally understood what had happened. A look of relief swept over Lilly's face under the cover of her hood as she let her body relax.

"Did you happen to see a male prum come through here? Is he close by?"

"Sorry, I haven't seen anything..."

"Well then, it would seem that said prum found the knife that you dropped. He seems to have had the good fortune to notice your knife before today. It is a strange weapon, so he must have remembered it after seeing it but once."

"Ah, that makes sense."

Lilly seemed very uncomfortable during Bell and Lyu's conversation.

Syr quietly watched the girl from between the two paper bags in her arms.

With the situation resolved, Lyu and Syr needed to finish their shopping. Bell said another thank-you to the both of them. Lyu did a slight head bow in response; Syr chuckled softly and said she hadn't done anything to be thanked for.

Bell stepped out of their way as Lyu and Syr started back into the alleyway.

It was as they were leaving that Syr bent down and whispered into Lilly's ear.

"—No more mischief from you, all right?"

"!!"

A cold chill shot through Lilly's skin.

Her tiny body shook pitifully.

Syr stood up as if nothing had happened and joined the stern-faced Lyu as they went into the backstreet again.

"Lilly, what did Syr say just now?"

"N-nothing...Um, Mr. Bell?"

"Yes?"

"Who are those two?"

"They're waitresses at a bar. It's called The Benevolent Mistress. It's pretty popular—have you heard of it?"

"...Mr. Bell."

"Yeah?"

"Never, ever take Lilly there, okay?"

"Uh, er, okay..." was all Bell could say to the half-laughing, half-crying Lilly. He could tell that something was still wrong with her, and quietly broke a sweat.

With the sun setting in the west, Main Street had finally calmed down and returned to normal. Bell and Lilly stood there for a moment, a strange air between them.

The next day.

Lilly and I make our way to the Dungeon early in the morning. We walk side by side down the first floor of the Dungeon, the light spots in the ceiling shining down on us like the magic-stone lamps around the city above.

In the end I decided to hire Lilly as my supporter.

I've had to consider all sorts of things, but after collecting my thoughts this is what I honestly want to do. The goddess even granted her permission. Once I got that far, there wasn't any point in saying no.

Lilly and I signed a party-member contract with each other that didn't have a specified time limit. Today is day one.

"...Mr. Bell?"

"Hm?"

"That knife—where did you put it?"

"Ah. The knife and its sheath are in my breastplate. There's a slot under the outer layer and they fit nicely. That way, I won't accidentally drop it again."

"I...see."

I tilt my neck out of confusion as her head droops down.

She hasn't had any energy at all today. She's smiling like usual, but it feels empty. I wonder if something happened.

"Mr. Bell. Let me thank you again for hiring Lilly as your supporter. Lilly will work very hard so that Mr. Bell doesn't abandon her in the Dungeon."

"Abandon?! I wouldn't do that to anyone. Besides, you're the only supporter I have, Lilly."

"Lilly's glad to hear that...But Lilly already knows Mr. Bell wouldn't do such a thing because Mr. Bell is surprisingly gracious."

I don't think I'll ever get used to this hierarchy thing.

Lilly is also starting to close the gap, but "gracious"? Being called something so polite makes my skin crawl.

"Mr. Bell, may I ask about today's plan?"

"Well, I was thinking that we'd go to the seventh level again today and work until evening. Is that okay with you, Lilly?"

"If that is what Mr. Bell has decided, then Lilly shall obey. However, are you sure? As you know, Lilly is only a supporter and isn't any use in battle. You'll be fighting off wave after wave of monsters alone, Mr. Bell."

"That's okay with me. I'm used to fighting alone, and last night my goddess updated my status with yesterday's experience."

I didn't spend the last few weeks as a solo adventurer just for show.

Fighting alone for long periods of time is just another trip into the Dungeon for me. Thanks to Eina's rather severe teaching methods, I've gotten very good at managing time as well. I feel like I can brag about that a little.

But above all, the goddess updated my status with her own hands last night, so there's no way I'll be outmatched by any monsters on that level. To be honest, I'm itching to test my new power.

My status grew just as much as before. It's almost scary how fast my abilities are growing. It's the best feeling in the world.

...But for some reason, when the goddess sees how much I've grown, she gets upset and her mood turns sour...I really have no idea what's up with that.

"I'm more worried about you, Lilly. Drop items will pile up pretty quickly, and your backpack will get very heavy..."

I glance at the girl at my side. Her tiny body only comes up to my stomach. It can't be easy for someone that small to carry all that loot up and down the Dungeon floors.

"You don't have to worry, Mr. Bell. Because Lilly has a Falna, too. No matter how much is in the backpack, Lilly won't get tired."

I'm sure she's telling the truth...but still.

Lilly's backpack is well beyond the standard size, so even now with nothing inside, it still makes quite an impression.

"On top of that, Lilly has a Skill. So Mr. Bell won't be held back at any time during transport to the surface even if the unthinkable happens."

"Huh?! You have a skill, Lilly?"

Amazing! I'm jealous! I can't hide it in my voice.

Lilly laughs a little at me before shaking her head.

"It's better than nothing, but a pitiful skill. It's not the wonderful 'blessing' you are thinking of, Mr. Bell."

"Even still! I don't even have one skill..."

"Skills" are different from "Magic" in that, as long as you have the excelia—experience—you can learn many of them. I've heard that there are adventurers with five (!!) skills. So even if it's a skill like Lilly's that doesn't have much impact, as long as it doesn't have a negative side effect then you are stronger than you were without it.

"I'm so jealous right now...Skills and Magic are really hard to learn, right? I don't have Magic, either...Ah, speaking of which, do you have any magic, Lilly?"

"...Unfortunately, Lilly doesn't have magic, either. There are many people who never see their own magic; Lilly is probably one of them."

That's right. Tens of thousands of people may gain the possibility of learning magic with their Falna, but it's only a possibility. Many people, it seems, weren't lucky enough to have that possibility become reality.

As someone who pictured himself using all kinds of magic while reading about heroes of adventure over and over again since childhood, it's a truth I don't want to face...Lilly looks up at me, my shaking shoulders sunk on my body as my mind filled with the thought of never having magic.

Telling the details of your status to someone outside of your Familia is a violation of manners and also prohibited—even if said someone is under contract with you.

It's kind of obvious if you think about it. An adventurer's status is both private information and their lifeline.

I feel like a jerk for bringing this up, and I regret it.

"One other thing: Are you sure you don't want a signing fee or an advance payment?"

Keeping an eye on the road ahead, I ask Lilly about the details of our contract.

Lilly said it during our sorry excuse for a signing ceremony in Babel Tower. That she only wanted a share of the income after taking our loot from the Dungeon to the Exchange.

I'm the one hiring her. There should be more to this...

"Yes, that's fine. Mr. Bell isn't working with any other party members, so there won't be any problems figuring out who gets what at the end of the day...and then."

"And then?" I repeat back to her like a parrot.

Lilly's cheerful mood changes all of a sudden...I feel like I see a little hesitation in the eyes hidden behind her bangs.

"...Also, this is the best arrangement for Mr. Bell, yes?"

"Eh?"

There's a strange mix of sneering and self-mockery in her words.

I'm a little flustered, hearing Lilly talk to me like that for some reason. I don't have a clue why.

Less than a second later, Lilly smiles her usual smile, like nothing had been said and her usual cheerful personality floods back in.

"Alrighty, let's go! There will be no problems as long as Mr. Bell's hard work helps Lilly eat something good tonight!"

"S-sure..."

The best for me...?

So that means, basically, I don't have to pay her?

Or maybe something else entirely?

I don't know what she's trying to say.

I'm not her, so I have no idea what she's thinking or what she might be hiding.

It's just—

—You're no different from the other adventurers.

I get the feeling that that's what her eyes were saying to me.

"Eina. Hey, Eina."

"Hm?"

Eina was hard at work at the reception desk of Guild headquarters when one of her coworkers working at the same desk got her attention.

She lifted an eyebrow to say, "What is it?" Her coworker mouthed, "Look at that!" while pointing across the room.

Eina's eyes followed the direction her coworker indicated to see a Guild employee having a heated argument with an adventurer in front of the Exchange.

"See, it's them again. That guy's in Soma Familia."

"......"

Eina frowned at the situation unfolding across the way.

Their angry words reached her ears as Eina tilted her head forward to listen in.

"A measly twelve thousand vals?! Come on! Are you blind?!"

"You fool! How long do you think I've been doing this job, huh? My eyes are just fine!"

They were arguing about the terms of an exchange, that much was certain.

This kind of thing wasn't all that uncommon. Adventurers bet their very lives every day prowling the Dungeon. After working all day, they came to the Exchange with hopes great or small, but many tended to get upset and raise their voices if the amount offered for their Dungeon loot wasn't as high as they were expecting, complaining that it wasn't commensurate with the effort.

The Guild was used to this kind of thing, and all of the appraisers lined up close to that counter had a lot of guts. This particular appraiser was yelling just as loudly as the adventurer.

This kind of argument was just another day at work.

However, whenever Soma Familia's adventurers made a scene, a normal argument tended to become anything but normal.

There was no point in adding up all the times members of Soma Familia had criticized an appraiser's offer. It was a daily occurrence. The Guild employees were long since fed up with this daily farce.

All of Soma Familia's members had the same issue with the Exchange's terms: "Give us more money!"

They had an obsession with money that went beyond rationality.

Their demands for large sums of money were fierce enough to make all the bystanders' blood run cold.

"Ugh—just watching this makes me want to tear my eyes out! It's sickening! Sooo glad I'm not in charge of Soma Familia!"

"......"

Eina scowled at her human coworker's choice of words.

Eina was not herself an adviser of any Soma Familia members, but due to some recent events, she couldn't just write them off as someone else's problem.

"Damn it! This is all...This is all I get...?!"

Eina massaged her temple, feeling a headache coming on as she watched the adventurer clasp both hands around his head from a distance.

He might have been a little hasty...

The supporter Lilly's presence had a dramatic impact.

First of all, since she carried the backpack, I didn't have to take loot back to the surface to exchange it for money when my own pack got too heavy. So I stayed in the Dungeon much longer than usual.

Every floor I passed through on my way to a deeper Dungeon level meant that the distance to the Exchange was longer (and my time in the Dungeon was shorter). So even though I was going deeper than before, I wasn't getting more money for my efforts. There was too much lost time in transit.

Today, all of those problems were cleanly solved.

Thanks to Lilly, I didn't have to equip a backpack. I felt so light and free as I slew monster after monster on the seventh level that I can't even remember how many I took down.

Whenever a monster appeared, I swung my knife and Lilly quickly extracted the magic stone and collected drop items.

The result:

The money we received from the Guild's Exchange—

" "......" "

Lilly and I each grab the lip of the pale yellow bag, opening it together and peering inside.

Our eyes are greeted by...moneymoneymoneymoneymoney.

More coins of various sizes are crammed into that bag than I can count!

So shiny!

"Twenty-six thousand vals..."

Our eyes meet just inches apart as we look up from the bag at the same moment.

We take a deep breath and......

"YYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We jump with glee!

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Lilly could count all the drop items on her fingers, but Mr. Bell passed twenty-five thousand vals all by himself!"

"Wow, wow, WOW! This is really happening, right? I'm not dreaming?! All of this money in one day...This is all thanks to you, Lilly!"

Hurray for supporters!

"You shouldn't say stupid things, Mr. Bell. It depends on the monsters, of course, but a party of five Level One adventurers usually makes twenty-five thousand vals in a day. That means that Mr. Bell did more work than all of them put together!"

"Hey, now. Even rabbits can climb trees if they're flattered enough. Same thing!"

"Lilly has no idea what Mr. Bell is saying, but for now, Lilly agrees! Mr. Bell is amazing! Let's do even better!"

"Lilly, that's too much flattery...!"

I'm way too excited about this, but I just can't calm down.

We're not in a bar, but we're making noise and really whooping it up.

It's late enough to be completely dark outside, so Lilly and I are about the only adventurers in Babel's cafeteria. Everyone else has probably made their way to a bar by now.

Our good mood rising even higher, Lilly stands up in her chair, yelling "Yayyy!" and we high-five over and over.

"Well then, Mr. Bell, can Lilly get her share now?"

"Yes, of course!"

I take 13,000 vals out of the bag, set them on the table with a thunk, and slide them over to her.

".........Huh?"

"Ahhh, with this kind of money I can finally feed the goddess some delicious food...!"

I can just see the look on her face when I give her food we've never been able to afford.

I can actually do something to thank her!

Lilly's staring at me with eyes about the size of marbles, but I don't care. I'm too wrapped up in my own fantasy.

"M-Mr. Bell. What is this...?"

"Your share! It's what we agreed on! Ah, that's right! We should celebrate! Lilly, let's go to a bar! I know a great place!"

Lilly's eyes glaze over as my jubilant invitation reaches her ears.

Oh yeah, didn't she say she didn't want to go to The Benevolent Mistress?

Oh well, no matter! It's just for today!

"Come on, let's go!"

"M-Mr. Bell!"

Lilly raises her voice as I start to quickly pack up our belongings.

Huh? I look at the girl in confusion. Her small lips quiver as she struggles to get words out.

"...D-doesn't Mr. Bell...want all of the money...? ...Take it all for himself?

"Eh? Why would I?"

I don't understand at all. That seems really strange.

Having her question answered with a question, Lilly looks lost for words.

"I couldn't have made this much money all by myself. We did this together, right, Lilly?"

I flash a big smile before saying, "Thank you so much!"

Even the words "I'll be counting on you!" come out of my mouth.

I'm so glad I met Lilly that I can't stop smiling at her.

"......"

"So, Lilly, shall we go?"

Swish. I stick out my hand in front of Lilly.

She stares at my hand for a moment before carefully extending her own and taking it.

"...Mr. Bell's weird."

I do a fantastic job of pretending I don't hear her last murmured words.

[Bell Cranell]

Familia: Hestia Familia

Race: Human

Job: Adventurer

Dungeon Range: Level Seven

Weapons: Divine Knife

Dagger

Income: 18,900 vals

[Status]

Level One

Strength: D-591 Defense: G-233 Utility: C-607 Agility: B-702 Magic: I-0

Magic:

[ ]

Skill:

Realis Phrase

• Rapid Growth

• Continued Desire Results in Continued Growth

• Stronger Desire Results in Stronger Growth

• Equipment:

"Pyonkina" Rabbit Armor MK-II

• The first in an armor series by Welf Krozzo, a smith working for Hephaistos Familia.

• Due in part to its name, the armor was put in a box on a shelf to be sold. Bell felt sorry for the way the armor was treated.

• It was forged from the drop item "Metal Rabbit Hair." According to Bell, it's "extremely light."

• In fact, its defensive capabilities were highly rated by Hephaistos Familia.

"Green Vambrace"

• Value of 7,700 vals

• A gift from Eina. Has the emerald-green color of her eyes.

• Serves the same purpose as a shield. While not as strong as a pure shield, it's much lighter.

• It has a long, thin compartment that can fit small weapons including knives, daggers, and short swords.