Chapter 41 - Chapter 30 - Trouble

Author:

So I have two announcements for today.

First of all, chapter updates from now on will slow down significantly. School has started in my country. And I will only get busy as time progresses especially since I'm now in my senior year. As for the update, I can maybe produce 1~2 chapters per month. More if I have a lot of free time.

As for the second announcement, I'll just address the matter with yandere Alfia. I'll come clean, no we will not see a yandere Alfia.

It will be something more like in the middle. Alfia will be possessive/territorial and clingy. But to the point of yandere? No.

Even though this is a fanfic, I still want to respect and maintain her character design when possible.

∆∆∆∆

The light of morning filtered through the bedroom curtains, painting the floorboards in warm, bright streaks.

Yuuya blinked his eyes open, a groan catching in his throat as he shifted his shoulders. The exhaustion from the spell's recoil had finally faded into a dull ache, but a quick glance toward the window told him everything he needed to know.

The sun was already high in the sky.

He had slept far longer than he usually did.

A rumble from his stomach confirmed the late hour.

Yuuya chuckled softly to himself, realizing he was starving.

He looked down beside him, expecting Alfia to still be asleep, but her heterochromatic eyes were just beginning to flutter open.

"Morning." Yuuya said, his voice deep and slightly raspy from sleep.

He noticed she was trying to shift her weight, her brow furrowing as she looked down at the blanket.

"Don't try to get up yet. Your legs are still out of commission. Just stay put and rest. I'll go downstairs and bring us up some food."

Alfia lay still, her silver hair spilling messily across the white pillow. She was usually so sharp, so terrifyingly alert, but right now, the fog of sleep kept her defenses completely down. She blinked up at him lazily, her lips parting just enough to let out a quiet, compliant murmur.

"Okay..."

Yuuya froze for a second, looking down at her.

In his past life on Earth, Alfia was a character confined to a digital screen—a legendary, tragic figure defined by her strength and her icy demeanor.

But right now, seeing her lying there with her hair tangled, her eyes sleepy, and her pride completely melted by exhaustion, Yuuya couldn't help but feel a sudden warmth in his chest.

'Cute.' He thought to himself, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

As if sensing the exact nature of his thoughts, Alfia's eyes narrowed just a fraction of an inch. She didn't have the energy to glare at him, nor did she say a word, but she let out a tiny, irritated grunt and shifted her head slightly away from him.

Her instincts were sharp enough to know he was teasing her in his head, even if she couldn't prove it.

Yuuya laughed softly, tossing the blanket aside as he slipped out of bed to head down to the kitchen.

A short while later, Yuuya returned to the master bedroom balancing a large wooden tray packed with steaming bowls of oatmeal, thick slices of toasted bread, and a pot of fresh herbal tea.

He set the tray down on the bedside table and helped Alfia prop herself up against the pillows, careful not to strain her back.

Unlike her legs, which still felt like lead, her arms and hands had regained a noticeable amount of stability.

"Here." Yuuya said, handing her a spoon.

Alfia took the utensil, her fingers gripping it tightly. To her satisfaction, her hand didn't tremble.

As they ate together, the quiet comfort of the room seemed to make her far more talkative than usual. The lingering warmth from their conversation the previous night had clearly put her mind at ease.

"Today must be the day we begin the proper physical rehabilitation." Alfia stated between small bites of her breakfast, her gaze dropping to the blanket covering her useless limbs. "I refuse to remain a burden or an invalid in this house. The sooner we start exercising my legs, the sooner I can walk out of this room under my own power."

Yuuya paused mid-bite, his spoon hovering inches from his bowl. A sudden, look of realization washed over his face.

Alfia noticed the immediate change in his posture. Her eyes sharpened, her focus locking onto his face as she lowered her spoon.

"What is it? Why do you look like you just remembered a disaster?"

Yuuya rubbed the back of his neck, deliberately avoiding her gaze as he let out a low, awkward sigh.

"Uh... about that. I just realized what day it is. Today is the day of the emergency Denatus."

Alfia's expression remained flat.

"The divine assembly. Explain."

"It was supposed to happen a few days ago." Yuuya said, looking back at her with an apologetic grimace. "But the gods pushed it back because I suddenly announced a 'solo expedition' to the lower floors, which was actually just my cover story to dive down to the seventieth floor and rescue you. Now that I'm back, they won't let it slide any longer. The assembly itself probably won't take too long. The gods are just going to interrogate me about how a Level 4 adventurer managed to leap all the way to Level 6 in the span of two weeks, and then they'll assign me a new alias."

He paused, swallowing hard as he delivered the bad news.

"The Denatus isn't the problem, though. The problem is the paperwork waiting for me afterward. You see, I made a strict promise to my Guild advisor, Eina, that I would fill out every single paperwork that have been piling up once the Denatus is done. Knowing how meticulous she is, and how massive the stack of documents that will be waiting for me... I'm more or less going to be trapped at the Guild headquarters until near midnight."

The words hung in the quiet room, and the atmosphere instantly shifted.

The color completely drained from Alfia's face. Her fingers stiffened around the spoon, her breathing hitching as the reality of his words crashed into her mind like a physical blow.

A whole day.

He was going to be gone for an entire day, leaving her alone in an unfamiliar mansion, surrounded by people she barely knew.

More importantly, her legs were entirely paralyzed. If the terrifying shadows of the seventieth floor crept back into her mind, if the anxiety of her seven year entrapment began to claw at her chest, she wouldn't be able to run. She wouldn't be able to move.

The only person in the entire world who possessed the ability to completely calm her nerves, the only individual keeping her tethered to reality and proving to her that she hadn't been abandoned, was about to walk out the front door.

And she was completely powerless to stop him.

Yuuya watched as the subtle warmth that had occupied Alfia's face just moments ago completely vanished.

Her silver bangs fell forward, casting a shadow over her face as her gaze lowered to the half eaten bowl of oatmeal.

She stared at it blankly, her hand holding the spoon completely still.

The silence that filled the room wasn't the dignified, commanding presence she usually projected; it was a stillness born from a quiet, internal panic.

Realizing how badly his announcement had shaken her, Yuuya quickly set his own bowl down on the tray.

He shifted closer to her on the mattress, his voice softening as he tried to offer whatever comfort he could.

"Hey, look at me." Yuuya said gently, though her eyes remained glued to the food. "I know the timing is terrible, but it's just for today. Look at the bright side, you can use this time to finally bond with Bell. You two barely got to talk yesterday with everyone else crowding the room. Ask him about his life, his goals, or how he managed to grow so much. If you start catching up with him, I promise you won't even notice the time passing. Before you even realize it, the sun will be down, and I'll be walking back through that door."

His words, meant to be logical and reassuring, seemed to slide right off her.

Alfia didn't move an inch. She didn't look up, nor did she give any sign that she had even heard his suggestion. Her expression remained entirely unreadable, frozen in that blank stare.

Then, slowly, her hand moved.

Abandoning the spoon, her pale fingers reached across the short distance between them. They didn't reach for his hand this time. Instead, her fingers wrapped around the hem of his dark shirt, pulling the fabric tight into her fist. It wasn't a forceful tug, but the grip was firm and completely deliberate.

It was a silent, wordless plea.

She was telling him, in the only way her immense pride would allow, that she didn't want him to leave her sight.

Yuuya stared down at her hand, completely baffled. His mind stalled for a few seconds as he tried to process what was happening.

This was Alfia. This was the powerhouse of the Hera Familia, a woman who could level entire city blocks with a single spell and who looked down on gods with utter contempt. To see her reacting like a vulnerable, clingy person who refused to let go of his shirt was something he never could have anticipated.

He swallowed hard, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand as he desperately tried to think of other alternatives to make her feel secure.

"Okay... okay." Yuuya stammered slightly, his mind working in overdrive. "If you think spending the entire day alone with Bell might be a bit too emotionally draining right off the bat, there are other people in the house. You don't have to just sit here in silence. Welf is usually downstairs in the workshop, or he can come up here and keep you company."

Alfia's lips pressed into a thin line. Without looking up, she delivered a flat, two word response.

"Too loud."

Yuuya's cheek twitched.

He couldn't exactly argue with that. Welf wasn't exactly known for his quiet demeanor, especially when he got passionate about blacksmithing.

"Right. Fair enough." Yuuya muttered, taking a mental step back. "Welf is out. What about Haruhime? She's incredibly gentle, sweet, and she's great at taking care of people. She could sit with you, read to you, or just keep the room peaceful."

Alfia shifted her grip on his shirt slightly, her voice remaining entirely devoid of emotion.

"Tense. And a bit scared of me."

Yuuya let out a weak sigh. He recalled how Haruhime had practically trembled when Alfia glared at Hermes. The poor girl would probably be overstimulated out of pure nervousness if left alone with the Silence for twelve hours.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that one." Yuuya admitted, running a hand through his dark hair. He was running out of members of the Hestia Familia to suggest. "Alright, what about Mikoto? She's disciplined, quiet, and very reliable. She won't make a fuss, and she'll make sure you have everything you need without any drama."

Alfia finally tilted her head up just an inch, her heterochromatic eyes locking onto his with a dull, unamused look.

"Too respectful. It is exhausting."

Yuuya completely froze, his jaw dropping slightly as he stared at her.

He was genuinely, utterly baffled now. She had a fundamentally flawed, highly specific reason to reject every single person in the Hearth Manor, leaving absolutely no one to sit with her while he was gone.

He looked down at her hand, which was still tightly clutching the hem of his shirt, and realized that she wasn't just being picky about her company.

She didn't want a babysitter, and she didn't want a distraction. She wanted him, and the reality of his impending departure was triggering every single defense mechanism her traumatized mind possessed.

"Yuuya! We need to head out soon! The other gods are already gathering at the Pantheon, and you know how chaotic things get if we keep them waiting!" Hestia's voice echoed up the stairwell, sharp and urgent, instantly shattering the silence of the bedroom.

Time was running out.

Yuuya looked down at the pale hand still firmly gripping the hem of his shirt. Realizing that debating the merits of the Hestia Familia wasn't going to soothe her panic, he decided to try a different approach. He raised his hand and gently placed his palm on top of her head, lightly patting her soft silver hair in hopes of calming her frayed nerves.

Alfia stiffened slightly under his touch. She shifted her eyes upward, her brow furrowing as she looked at him.

"I am not a child, brat." She murmured. But the usual icy bite in her voice was entirely absent, replaced by a quiet, vulnerable fatigue.

Yuuya kept his hand on her head for a moment longer, his thumb brushing a stray strand of hair away from her forehead.

"I'm really sorry, Alfia. Even if I want to stay here and help you with your rehab, I can't skip this. But listen to me. I won't disappear. I'm not going to leave you behind. You just need to hold out for today. Spend some time resting, eat a good dinner, and when you get tired, just go to sleep. I promise you, by the time you wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be right back here beside you."

He leaned down slightly, meeting her heterochromatic eyes directly, ensuring she could see the certainty in his expression.

"Can you do that for me?"

Alfia didn't answer immediately.

Her gaze locked onto his, searching his dark eyes for any hint of hesitation. Finding nothing but complete sincerity, she finally gave a small, slow nod.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she began to loosen her grip on his clothing.

Slowly, reluctantly, she let the dark fabric slide through her fingers. Her hand actually twitched for a fraction of a second, an instinctual urge screaming at her to grab hold of him again just to keep him in the room for a single second longer.

But she fought down the impulse, pulling her hand back and resting it over the blanket. Her face returned to that unreadable mask, but her eyes remained wide and anxious.

"Thank you." Yuuya said softly, offering her a reassuring smile as he stood up from the bed.

He gathered the empty breakfast tray and walked toward the exit. Pausing with his hand on the doorknob, he turned back to look at her one last time.

"I'll be going now. I'll make sure to tell Bell to come up and visit you throughout the day so you won't be lonely."

Alfia never took her eyes off him. She didn't say a word, merely offering another slight nod. Her heart tightened painfully as Yuuya finally stepped through the threshold and pulled the door shut. The click of the latch sounded terribly loud in the sudden isolation of the room.

Left alone in the quiet, Alfia immediately turned her head toward the glass pane of the bedroom window.

Her eyes tracked his movement as he emerged into the courtyard below. She watched his familiar figure walk across the stone paving, step through the front gates of the Hearth Manor, and join Hestia on the street.

She kept her eyes glued to him, tracking his form as he walked down the path, until he finally turned a distant corner and completely disappeared from her sight.

∆∆∆∆

The grand amphitheater was loud enough to shake the dust from the stone pillars. Gods and goddesses from every corner of Orario were packed into the tiered stone benches, their voices blending into a massive wall of noise.

At the center of the room stood Hestia and Yuuya. Hestia was practically vibrating with a mix of defensive pride and nerves, while Yuuya stood with his hands rested lazily on his side, looking around the room.

Over on the side benches, a specific group of deities sat together.

Hephaestus, Takemizuchi, and Miach were watching the unfolding drama with amusement. Sitting right next to them was Hermes, who was already grinning beneath his feathered hat.

These four were completely used to Yuuya's absurd antics, and since Hestia was their close friend, they hadn't come to interrogate anyone. They were strictly there to eat snacks and watch the chaos unfold.

"Order! We demand order!" A god shouted from the upper tiers, slamming his fist on the railing.

The room quieted down just enough for a prominent deity to step forward, holding a thick parchment containing the Guild's official records. He cleared his throat dramatically, glaring down at Yuuya.

"Yuuya of the Hestia Familia! The timeline of your status is not just unprecedented, it is completely offensive to the laws of reality!" The god shook the paper furiously. "Let's look at the facts. You arrived in Orario exactly four months ago as a Level 2. Fine. Unusual, but acceptable. But then, a mere one month and five days into your stay, you encounter a Black Goliath—a irregular floor boss which is said to be a Level 5 monster—and you defeat it completely ALONE as a Level 2! Immediately after, you rank up to Level 3!"

A collective murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.

"Two months pass." The god continued, his voice rising in disbelief. "Right after the Hestia Familia wins their War Game against the Apollo Familia, your status updates again. You become a Level 4. Plainly absurd, but we let it slide. But what tops it all off, what brings us to this emergency assembly today, is what happened two weeks later. Two weeks! You didn't just level up to Level 5. You completely bypassed it, shot straight through the boundaries, and woke up as a Level 6 first-class adventurer! You skipped an entire level!"

"He's cheating!" A goddess yelled from the back. "He's using forbidden items!"

"Did you make a secret deal with a deity outside the city?!" Another demanded.

The accusations began to fly wild and fast. Through it all, Yuuya's expression never changed. He simply waited for the shouting to die down before taking a step forward, putting on a perfectly innocent, helpful expression.

"Deities of Orario, please. I assure you, there is no cheating involved." Yuuya said, his voice echoing smoothly across the chamber. "Everything I did was entirely based on hard work and the natural accumulation of Excelia. I went down into the dark, I encountered very large monsters, and I hit them repeatedly until they stopped moving. The System—sorry, the Falna—simply gave me what I earned."

The entire room instantly went dead silent. The gods all focused their divine senses, waiting for the universal spark of a lie to trigger. But because Yuuya's words were technically, literally true—he did go down there, and he did hit things until they died—their divine lie detection abilities remained completely dark.

The green light of truth practically radiated from his posture.

"See?" Yuuya shrugged, flashing a brilliant, teasing smirk. "Divine truth. Maybe you guys just aren't encouraging your dependents to grind hard enough. Have you tried telling them to do more push ups?"

A massive collective groan echoed through the Pantheon. The gods were pulling their hair out in sheer frustration. They knew he was hiding the real secret, but because his phrasing was flawless, they couldn't catch him in a lie.

Seeing the crowd turning into a chaotic mess again, Yuuya decided it was time to secure a powerful ally. His dark eyes scanned the room until they landed on the grand, elegant seat of the Freya Familia.

Freya sat in her regal attire, looking like an untouchable queen of beauty.

However, the moment Yuuya caught her eye, his smirk widened. In this realm, the goddess of fertility was entirely a virgin, and when it came to a certain white haired adventurer, she possessed the emotional fortitude of a flustered high school student.

Yuuya leaned forward, lowering his voice into a conspiratorial whisper that still carried across the quiet room.

"Lady Freya. If you and your Familia side with us today and help shut down this ridiculous interrogation, I might happen to accidentally drop a detailed journal on your doorstep tomorrow."

Freya blinked her eyes, her composure cracking.

"A... a journal?"

"Oh, you know." Yuuya murmured playfully. "Just a few minor details. Bell's exact morning routine. His favorite home cooked meals. His sleeping habits, what kind of pajamas he wears, what his favorite colors are, and exactly what kind of traits he finds attractive in a—"

"Deal!" Freya squeaked.

Before Yuuya could even finish his sentence, the goddess of beauty completely abandoned all divine dignity.

Her face flushed a furious, vibrant shade of pink, and she slammed her hands on her knees, nodding rapidly while her eyes sparkled with a desperate, lovesick intensity.

Directly beside her, Ottar slowly raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes, letting out a long, heavy sigh that radiated the exhaustion of a single father dealing with a rebellious teenager at a public grocery store. He looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing, Freya?!"

Loki suddenly leaped onto the railing of her tier, pointing a finger down at the center of the room. Her eyes were practically bulging with irritation as she glared at the lovesick goddess, before turning her fiery wrath completely onto Yuuya.

"Don't go fallin' for his obvious bribes, ya total idiot! And you, brat!" Loki shouted. "You think you're real clever, don't ya? Playing around with your words, dodging our questions like a slippery eel! I've been around for millennia, boy! I know a dirty, rotten liar when I see one, and I know for a fact that you—"

"Liarsayswhat." Yuuya interrupted.

"What?" Loki blinked, stopping her rant entirely.

The amphitheater fell into silence for three seconds.

Then, from the side benches, Hermes completely lost his mind. He fell off his stone seat, howling with laughter as he banged his fist against the floorboards. Takemizuchi and Miach were burying their faces in their hands, their shoulders shaking violently as they tried to contain their snickers, while Hephaestus just shook her head with a small smirk.

Loki stood frozen on the railing, her face slowly turning from pale white to a deep crimson as the realization hit her. It was the oldest, most pathetic verbal trap in the history of the universe. And she had walked right into it.

Worse out, this was the second time in a single week that she had fallen for the exact same trick.

Hermes had caught her with it just a few days ago during the pillar of light incident at the Hearth Manor, and now Yuuya had done it to her in front of the other gods.

Beside her, Finn didn't even look at his goddess. He sat perfectly straight, staring blankly at the far wall with an expression of soul crushing weariness. His face plainly screamed that he would rather be fighting three floor bosses simultaneously in the deepest, darkest pits of the dungeon than be present in this room right now.

(Author: in case you guys are wondering why Finn and Ottar are present, they were invited to give their thoughts and opinions since they are the captain of the two strongest familia in Orario. But for the real reason? Cuz I want to :). )

"You... you BRAT!" Loki roared, her hair practically standing on end as the entire place erupted into a chaotic, laughing mess.

Hestia stood beside Yuuya, her hands on her hips as she laughed loudly at Loki's expense, completely enjoying the circus.

Loki looked as if she was about to spontaneously combust on the railing. After a few more moments, she finally sat back down, muttering curses in a dialect so thick even Finn couldn't decipher it.

An elderly, extremely serious god from the middle tiers stood up, clearing his throat to try and salvage whatever shred of dignity the divine assembly had left. He adjusted his monocle and pointed a finger at Yuuya.

"Let us return to the matter at hand!" The elderly god boomed. "The issue of the Black Goliath. You claim you defeated a Level 5 threat entirely by yourself while sitting at a mere Level 2. That defies the natural progress of the Falna! Tell us the exact mental and tactical process that allowed a rookie to survive such an encounter!"

Yuuya took a slow breath, looking the elderly god dead in the eye.

"Honestly? It was simple." Yuuya explained, his voice echoing with sincerity. "I looked at the Goliath. Then I looked at myself. I realized that oversized, naked maniac simply didn't have that dawg in him. So I came to a very clear conclusion: Nah, I'd win. It really just comes down to a basic philosophy. It's about drive, it's about power. We stay hungry, we devour. I put in the work, I put in the hours, and I took what was mine."

The entire Denatus froze. The gods collectively braced themselves, waiting for the universal fabric of reality to snap and flag him for a blatant lie.

Instead, their lie detecting ability remained still.

It was 100% true. Yuuya had believed he would win, he had put in the hours grinding his stats, and he did devour the Excelia from the kill.

"Did he... did he just quote a workout philosophy at us?" A goddess whispered in horror.

From the corner of the room, Hermes let out a sound like a dying teakettle. Right beside him, Takemizuchi was pounding his fists against his knees.

But the real shocker was Miach. The usually polite, soft spoken god was currently slumped over Hephaestus's shoulder, his entire body shaking violently as he buried his face in his hands, completely losing his mind at the sheer absurdity of Yuuya's delivery.

"This is ridiculous!" Another god shouted, standing up and slamming his hands on the table. "Even if we accept that bizarre explanation for the Goliath, it doesn't explain the Level 4 to Level 6 jump! Two weeks! You expect us to believe you accumulated that much Excelia in fourteen days without some sort of external, forbidden assistance? You are hiding something, boy!"

Yuuya sighed, shaking his head with a look of profound, patronizing disappointment. He looked around the amphitheater, pointing a lazy finger toward the accuser.

"With all due respect, Your Divinity... what you are experiencing right now is what the scholars in my world refer to as a literal skill issue." Yuuya said smoothly.

"A what?!" The god sputtered.

"A skill issue." Yuuya repeated, nodding solemnly. "You're asking me to explain the mathematics of my growth, but the truth is just very basic biology. I am simply built different. My spiritual, physical, and genetic architecture is fundamentally constructed from a completely separate blueprint than anyone else in this room. I am quite literally an anomaly by design."

The lie detection triggered again, flashing a metaphorical green light across the room. Because Yuuya was a reincarnator possessing a literal system from outside their universe, his statement was correct.

He was built different, and he was an anomaly by design.

(Author: completely unrelated, nonsense, and not lore accurate, but I'm putting Ares here just to shit on him. I just have this itch today to slander him.)

"See?" Yuuya smiled, turning his attention to a pompous looking deity sitting near the front. "You guys spend all your time micromanaging your Familia's diets and picking out fancy gear. For instance, Lord Ares over there spends every waking hour shouting about the glory of war, but his Familia's current campaign win rate is resting comfortably in the negatives. If losing a battle was an Olympic sport, the Ares Familia would be swimming in solid gold. Maybe if you spent less time marching in shiny armor and more time actually hitting the gym, your kids wouldn't take three years just to max out a basic strength stats."

Ares leaped out of his seat, his face flushing bright red.

"Hey! My tactical retreats are legendary, you arrogant brat!"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, captain cardboard." Yuuya retorted without missing a beat.

The amphitheater dissolved into a roaring mix of outrage and hysterical laughter. The gods who weren't being roasted were thoroughly enjoying the entertainment, while the ones on the receiving end were turning colors that didn't even exist in the mortal spectrum.

Just then, a deep vibration rattled through the floor, cutting through the shouting gods and Ares' loud protests like a blade.

"Enough."

It was Ouranos.

The vibe in the room instantly settled as the gods reluctantly returned to their seats and clearing their throats.

Far below the Pantheon, in the dark, torch lit prayer chamber, the ancient god sat perfectly still on his throne, maintaining his eternal vigil to keep the dungeon suppressed.

Yet, for the first time in centuries, a rare, genuine smile touched Ouranos' weathered lips. He had listened to the entire sequence of events, thoroughly amused by Yuuya's tomfoolery and the sheer ease with which a mortal had dismantled the collective ego of the divine assembly.

With order finally restored, a high ranking Guild official stepped forward to clear his throat, adjusting a thick ledger.

"Now that the interrogation has... concluded." The official announced, throwing a weary glance at Yuuya. "We must address the mandatory protocol of this assembly. Yuuya of the Hestia Familia has reached the ranks of the first-class adventurers. His current alias is no longer accurate."

The room quieted down as the gods began to ponder. When Yuuya had first entered the ranks of recognized adventurers four months ago, he had been designated as Argentum Vox—the Silver Voice.

At the time, the name had been highly practical. Yuuya had insisted on fighting in a full suit of armor, his face completely obscured by a steel helmet. But the true catalyst for the name was his magic. He possessed a sound based spell that functioned almost—if not completely—the exact same as the magic used by the strongest mage of the Hera Familia. Because Alfia's most striking physical feature was her flowing silver hair, it was combined the aesthetic homage with his auditory magic, resulting in Argentum Vox.

But a Level 6 who had just rewritten the rules of the Falna couldn't go around carrying the title of a mysterious rookie.

He needed something grander. Something that reflected his terrifying pace.

"How about "The Rulebreaker"?" One god suggested.

"Too criminal." A goddess countered.

"What about "The Flash Step"?"

"Boring! Sounds like he just runs away quickly!" Loki barked, still rubbing her temple from the previous embarrassment.

As the suggestions began to stall, Hermes slowly stepped forward to the edge of his tier. He adjusted his feathered hat, a sharp, knowing glint entering his eyes as he looked down at Yuuya.

"My fellow deities, if I may." Hermes chimed in, his tone uncharacteristically solemn. "We are focusing too much on the mechanics of his movement. We should look at the sheer reality of what he represents. A mortal who can leap across the boundaries of the Falna in a fortnight doesn't just possess high stats. He possesses a monopoly on the capability. Therefore, I propose a title that has been vacant for far too long: Incarnation of Talent."

The moment the words left Hermes' mouth, a visible wave of discomfort swept through the entire amphitheater.

Several older gods actively shuddered, their faces turning slightly pale as a collective chill settled over the benches. Hearing those words instantly dragged their memories back a decade ago—specifically, to the terrifying personality and sharp tongue of the woman who used to hold that moniker.

They vividly remembered Alfia of the Hera Familia. They remembered the way she would look down at deities with complete, icy contempt.

They remembered her brutal, uncompromising attitude and how her venomous words could leave a god feeling utterly worthless without her ever having to lift a single finger.

To give a reckless, sarcastic brat like Yuuya the exact same title felt like inviting a second disaster into the city.

"Hold on a minute, Hermes!" A god from the upper tier protested. "You can't just recycle that title! Incarnation of Talent belongs to Alfia! It's practically synonymous with her memory!"

"Is it, though?" Hermes countered, a smooth, clever smirk returning to his face as he spread his arms wide. "Let's be accurate with our history. The masses and the newspapers called her the Incarnation of Talent because of her monstrous ability, yes. But her official, Guild registered alias—the name given to her by the Denatus—was "Silence". Logically speaking, the alias of Incarnation of Talent is entirely open. It has never been legally occupied."

Hermes looked back down at Yuuya, his smirk widening.

"And honestly, look at the reality before us. He uses her magic. He shattered her records. And in just four months, he achieved what takes the rest of the world a lifetime of bloody struggle to reach. If this boy isn't the literal definition of an incarnation of talent, then the word has lost all meaning."

After that, nothing significant happened and the Denatus was finished.

With the Denatus officially adjourned and the title of "Incarnation of Talent" permanently stamped onto his Guild profile, Yuuya let out a long, exhausted sigh. He cracked his neck, stretching his arms high above his head as the doors of the Denatus opened, allowing the gods to filter out into the bright afternoon streets of Orario.

"Well, that was a circus." Yuuya muttered, a faint smirk returning to his lips. "But at least it's over. Now I can finally head back to the manor, check on Alfia, and actually get some real rest."

He turned to his left, intending to tell Hestia that they should stop by a local street vendor to pick up some snacks for the walk home.

"Hey, Goddess, do you want to get some fried—"

Yuuya blinked. The words caught in his throat.

The space right beside him was completely, utterly empty.

He paused, his senses instantly expanding to scan the immediate area. There was no trace of her. No sound of her footsteps, not even a gust of wind to indicate she had moved.

Hestia had managed to completely vanish from his side before his sensory abilities could even register her departure. It was a level of stealth that would have made the greatest assassins weep with envy.

Yuuya stared at the empty space for a few seconds, completely dumbfounded.

Then, the realization hit him. The moment the Guild official had mentioned the word "paperwork" near the end of the meeting, Hestia's survival instincts had kicked into overdrive.

She knew exactly what was coming, and she was so utterly terrified of being trapped in an office filling out official documents that she had abandoned her captain without a single shred of hesitation.

"Unbelievable." Yuuya whispered, a muscle in his cheek twitching as he processed the betrayal. "She really left me behind to save her own skin. The literal goddess of the hearth just sprinted away like a thief in the night."

Before he could even begin to lament his lack of a reliable divine companion, the temperature in the immediate area suddenly plummeted.

A heavy, freezing sensation settled over Yuuya's right shoulder. It wasn't the violent, destructive pressure of a dungeon monster, nor was it the overwhelming aura of a god.

It was something worse. Oh it's something far more terrifying. It was the firm, unyielding grip of a hand. And Yuuya knew whose hand it belonged to.

Yuuya froze solid, his posture stiffening as a cold sweat broke out across the back of his neck.

"It is quite fascinating, isn't it?" A terrifyingly sweet, melodic voice whispered from directly behind him. "How quickly a deity can run when duty calls. But unfortunately for you, Yuuya... you don't possess the ability to turn into a streak of light and escape your destiny."

Slowly, with the mechanical stiffness of a broken automaton, Yuuya turned his head to look over his shoulder.

Standing right there was Eina.

The half elf advisor was dressed in her standard Guild uniform, her glasses resting perfectly on the bridge of her nose.

On the surface, she was wearing her usual bright and beautiful smile. But her eyes were completely devoid of light. A dark, stormy aura seemed to pulse behind her, and the gentle smile on her face didn't look comforting at all—it looked like the final expression a predator gives its prey before closing its jaws.

"E-Eina." Yuuya stammered slightly, trying to offer his best, most innocent smile. "Hey there. Fancy meeting you right outside Babel. I was actually just thinking about you."

"Oh, were you?" Eina's smile widened by a fraction of an inch, though the grip on his shoulder tightened until it felt like a iron vise. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were completely planning to walk right past the Guild and go home to sleep."

"Now, let's not jump to conclusions—"

"Do you have any idea..." Eina interrupted, her voice dropping into a low, terrifyingly calm register that sent shivers down his spine. "What my life has been like for the past weeks? Do you have even a vague understanding of the sheer amount of chaos you have dropped directly onto my desk?"

She took a step closer, the lens of her glasses catching the afternoon light in a menacing glare.

"You went from Level 4 to Level 6 in fourteen days. You completely bypassed an entire level. You launched a 'solo expedition' into the lower floors without submitting a proper explanation. And to top it all off, the entire Denatus just spent the last two hours screaming, laughing, and throwing tantrums because of your ridiculous answers. The amount of paperwork that I have to process because of your existence is currently taller than my patience."

Yuuya swallowed hard, his mind desperately racing for an escape route, but her grip on his clothing was absolute. He remembered the strict promise he had made to her. And he had completely forgotten about it during the morning chaos, but Eina certainly hadn't.

"You made a promise to me, Yuuya." Eina whispered, her expression darkening further as she maintained that terrifying, sweet smile. "And today, the bill is due. It is about damn time you get a taste of the suffering I have to endure every single time you decide to break the laws of reality."

Without giving him another syllable to defend himself, Eina spun on her heel. Utilizing a level of physical strength that defied her unblessed status, she began to drag Yuuya by his collar, pulling him ruthlessly down the steps of the Pantheon and straight toward the imposing stone entrance of the Guild headquarters.

Yuuya didn't even bother to fight it. He simply let his feet drag across the pavement, staring up at the sky in despair as he realized he was officially entering a nightmare that no amount of magical power or high stats could save him from.

He was going to be trapped in a small, dark office, drowning in a mountain of ink and parchment, until the clock struck midnight.

∆∆∆∆

The afternoon sun continued its slow, deliberate crawl across the sky.

Alfia remained perfectly still, propped up against the pillows exactly where Yuuya had left her.

Her heterochromatic eyes were fixed entirely on the gates of the Hearth Manor's courtyard, staring down at the empty gravel path that led out toward the bustling streets of Orario.

Her lower body felt heavy and entirely unresponsive beneath the thick blanket, a physical cage that only seemed to amplify the restless, turbulent storm brewing inside her mind.

Hours had passed since the door had clicked shut, and the silence of the master bedroom had long since ceased to be comforting.

It felt thick. Suffocating.

'He isn't coming back yet.' A cold, mocking voice that belongs to Alfia echoed sharply within the confines of her own mind. 'It has barely been a few hours, and you are already tracking the dust motes by the window, waiting like an abandoned stray. How incredibly pathetic.'

Alfia's jaw tightened. She didn't blink, refusing to break her gaze from the courtyard below.

'Silence.' Alfia thought back bitterly, directing the mental command at the alter ego that had slowly manifested within her psyche during her seven years of isolated stasis inside the crystal.

"I am merely observing the courtyard and thinking about the efficiency of the Guild's administrative capabilities. Whether it has improved or not during the entire course of my disappearance."

'Oh, please. Spare me the dignified excuses.' The inner voice sneered, dripping with an unsettling, brutal honesty that Alfia desperately wished she could mute. 'You aren't thinking about the Guild. You are thinking about yesterday. Specifically, that absurd story he told about his past life on Earth. Tell me, Alfia... why did your chest tighten so badly when he mentioned his high school days?'

An unwelcome memory flashed behind her eyes. Yesterday, when Yuuya had been recounting his twenty one years on Earth, he had casually mentioned his time in an institution called high school.

He had described how various girls would constantly approach him, trying to strike up conversations or gain his attention.

At the time, Alfia had sat perfectly still, but a sudden, violent wave of irritation had surged through her veins. She had felt a powerful, irrational urge to chant her magic and level the entire room just to erase the mental images of those faceless, ordinary women looking at what belonged to her.

'You hate it.' The alter ego laughed, a sharp, teasing sound that vibrated painfully in her head. 'The infamous, untouchable Silence of the Hera Familia is experiencing a thoroughly mortal emotion. You are jealous. You absolutely despise the idea of sharing him with anyone else, don't you? You want his eyes, his words, and his attention fixed entirely on you.'

"Cease this nonsense." Alfia thought, her fingers slowly curling into the fabric of the bedsheets. "I am a weapon. I do not possess such petty, territorial instincts."

'Then explain this morning.' The voice countered instantly, refusing to grant her a single inch of psychological retreat. 'Explain why you reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt like a frightened child. You didn't want him to leave. You sat there and rejected every single member of his Familia because you didn't want a substitute. You wanted him.'

Alfia closed her eyes, a faint, involuntary tightness forming in her throat. She couldn't deny what had happened. The reluctance she had felt when her fingers had wrapped around his dark shirt had bypassed all of her logic, acting entirely on a desperate, raw instinct.

Every time Yuuya did something for her—whether it was the steady, grounding warmth of his palm against her cheek, the careful way he helped her prop herself up, or the simple act of bringing her breakfast—it triggered a profound, uncomfortably intense heat directly behind her ribs.

And then there was last night. His voice, dropping all of its usual playful sarcasm, leaving only a conviction as he looked into her eyes and delivered those specific words: I chose you. I choose the path where you are right here beside me, breathing, alive, and where you never have to die afraid of the dark ever again

When she had heard that declaration, a wave of happiness had washed over her soul, so powerful that it had completely disarmed her rigid, defensive posture. It was a feeling of security that she had never, not once, experienced in her entire agonizing existence.

But as the shadows in the bedroom grew longer, stretching across the floorboards like dark fingers, the warmth began to recede, rapidly replaced by a cold, creeping dread.

'But let's look at the main topic of the matter.' The inner voice whispered, its tone suddenly dropping the mocking edge, replaced by a hollow rational weight. 'Do you honestly believe you deserve any of this? Do you honestly believe a creature like us deserves his kindness?'

The question hit her chest like a physical blow, causing her breath to hitch in the quiet room.

The seven long years she had spent trapped inside that transparent crystal prism on the seventieth floor had left deep, invisible scars across her psyche.

In that endless, frozen stretch of isolation, her mind had done nothing but overthink, turning inward and dissecting every tragedy of her life until her thoughts became a toxic weapon. Now, left completely alone in the quiet manor, those old, deeply rooted anxieties were flaring back to life with a vengeance.

'Think about what you are, Alfia.' The alter ego murmured, ruthlessly tearing down her defenses. 'You are a sinner who brought terror and fire to the streets of Orario. You are a broken, diseased weapon whose very existence has been a curse to everyone around you. And look at you now—a paralyzed invalid who cannot even use her own legs to cross a room.'

Alfia's breathing became shallow. Her eyes snapped open, staring blankly at the blanket covering her useless limbs. The fear of abandonment, a instinct forged by nearly a decade of solitary confinement, clawed desperately at her heart.

'Yuuya is a first-class adventurer now.' The voice continued, driving the knife deeper. 'He has a whole universe of choices. He has a past filled with a healthy family, loyal friends, and a dedicated maiden who held the ring of his commitment. He is treating us with immense kindness right now because he feels bound by a promise from seven years ago. But what happens when the novelty of our rescue fades? What happens when he realizes that the 'Silence' is actually just a heavy, permanent burden who keeps dragging his life into danger and holding him back?'

The hollow ache in her stomach expanded until it felt like a void. She wanted to fight the thoughts. She wanted to remember the certainty in Yuuya's dark eyes from the night before, but the darkness of her past was a heavy, suffocating weight.

She was completely trapped in her own mind, entirely powerless to move, while the only person in the entire world who possessed the ability to completely calm her frayed nerves was away, leaving her to face the returning shadows of the deep entirely alone.

But just then, a soft, hesitant knock echoed from the open doorway, breaking the silence that had settled over the bedroom.

Alfia didn't turn her head nor answer. A moment later, the door creaked open a bit wider, and Bell stepped into the room. He was shifting his weight from foot to foot, rubbing the back of his neck with that familiar, nervous gesture he always seemed to do when he was anxious.

"Um... Mom?" Bell began softly, his bright ruby eyes scanning the room before locking onto her stiff posture. "Yuuya-bro told me to come up and keep you company before he left for the Denatus. He wanted to make sure you weren't left entirely by yourself today."

As Bell walked further into the room, he immediately noticed the tight, uncomfortable lines in her expression and the way her fingers were unconsciously digging into the fabric of the bedsheets.

Her expression wasn't the calm mask she usually wore; it looked strained, heavy with an unspoken distress.

Bell's brow furrowed with genuine concern. He stepped closer to the bedside table, lowering his voice.

"Are you feeling okay? Is your body just feeling stiff from adjusting after the crystal stasis, or... did something happen?"

Alfia remained still. She didn't offer a single syllable in response, nor did she look at him. Her silence serving as a massive wall.

Bell blinked, looking at her quiet profile. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what could have caused such a sudden shift in her mood since breakfast.

Then, a sudden thought struck him.

"Is it... about Yuuya-bro?" Bell asked carefully.

The moment the name left Bell's mouth, Alfia's shoulders gave a microscopic twitch. Her heterochromatic eyes narrowed, her gaze shifting away from the window just a fraction of an inch as her breathing hitched.

It was an incredibly subtle reaction, but to Bell who had lived with her for half of his life, it was as clear as a beacon in the night.

Knowing his mother's incredibly proud, private personality, Bell didn't press the matter any further. He didn't ask her why she was upset about Yuuya's departure, nor did he try to force her to talk about her feelings.

Instead, a gentle, understanding smile touched his lips. Now that he knew exactly what subject she would react to, he realized he could easily adjust his approach to keep her company.

Bell pulled over a sturdy wooden chair, placing it a respectful distance from the bed before sitting down. He knew that bonding with her was going to be a one sided effort for now.

Because she had spent seven long years trapped on the seventieth floor, she didn't have any recent stories or experiences to share. More importantly, Bell could clearly see that the long isolation had left deep, invisible scars on her psyche. He wanted to avoid that dark topic at all costs, meaning he would have to be the one to do all the talking.

But Bell didn't mind it at all.

He took a breath, deliberately choosing where to start his tale. He chose to completely skip the years he spent living after she had left, and he didn't mention the period following his grandfather's sudden disappearance.

Bringing up those lonely childhood memories would only make her feel a wave of guilt for her past decisions, and it wasn't a particularly happy memory for him either.

Instead, Bell decided to start from the exact moment his true journey began.

"You know, when I first arrived in Orario four months ago... I was completely clueless." Bell said, a sheepish, self-deprecating laugh escaping his throat. He looked down at his own hands, shaking his head. "I had this grand dream of becoming a hero I promised you I'll become, but the reality of the city hit me like a wall. I spent the entire morning walking from one Familia to another, knocking on doors and asking if anyone would take me in. But every single god and goddess took one look at me and turned me away."

Alfia's eyes drifted slightly toward him, her interest piqued.

"They all said the exact same thing." Bell continued, rubbing his arm with a slight blush. "They said I looked far too weak and scrawny to survive even a single minute inside the dungeon. To be honest, appearance wise, I guess I'm still pretty scrawny compared to someone like Yuuya-bro or Mr. Ottar. Before I knew it, I was completely exhausted. My legs were sore, my stomach was growling, and I dragged my feet into the Guild just hoping to get some basic information—or better yet, find a notice board with a Familia that was desperate for members. I had completely given up for the day, and I was fully preparing myself to spend all my remaining valis on a cheap room at a local inn."

Bell's eyes suddenly lit up, a vibrant, nostalgic warmth flooding his expression as the memory came alive in his mind.

"But right when I was talking to a guild staff, feeling completely hopeless, Yuuya-bro arrived." Bell said, leaning forward slightly. "He looked completely different back then. He wasn't wearing the dark armor that was the same as mine. No, back then, he wore this silver plate armor that covered him from head to toe. And his face was entirely hidden behind a helmet. He didn't look like a friendly adventurer at all, he looked incredibly intimidating, like a knight straight out of an old legend."

Alfia's fingers relaxed slightly against the blanket, her full attention now completely locked onto Bell's words. Hearing about Yuuya's early days in the city was acting like a soothing balm against the cold anxieties that had been clawing at her heart.

"When I heard his voice, my heart practically leaped into my throat." Bell recounted, gesturing with his hands to show his past panic. "I thought I had accidentally broken a Guild rule or offended a high level adventurer. But no. He just asked me a very simple question. He asked me if I were looking for a familia."

Bell smiled fondly, looking toward the bedroom window.

"I was so surprised I could barely speak out a 'yes.' And then Yuuya-bro just shrugged and told me I was incredibly lucky. He said he just so happened to belong to a goddess who was actively looking for a dependent, and told me to follow him. That was the night I met Goddess Hestia."

The room felt noticeably lighter now, the suffocating atmosphere of the morning slowly dissipating as Bell continued his story.

"The very next day, after he helped me get completely registered with the Guild, Yuuya-bro didn't just tell me to go into the dungeon and figure it out myself." Bell said, his voice filled with gratitude. "He took me straight to the armor and weapon shops in the market. I didn't have a single coin to my name, but Yuuya-bro didn't care. He pulled out his own wallet and paid for my very first armor and sword. And it's not just ordinary leather armor, it's a proper set. After that, he took me down into the upper floors."

Bell paused, his eyes shining as he looked at Alfia.

"He didn't do the fighting for me, because he knew I needed to learn. But he stood right behind me the entire time. He taught me how to properly balance my weight when a goblin lunged, how to swing a blade without wasting my stamina, and how to keep my eyes on the enemy's movements. He supervised every one of my first few battles, step by step, protecting me from any real danger until I could completely manage the monsters on the fifth floor entirely on my own." Bell let out a soft laugh, resting his elbows on his knees.

Alfia listened in silence, her gaze fully fixed on her son. The intrusive, mocking voice that had been torturing her mind just an hour ago had gone completely quiet, utterly drowned out by the vivid, heart warming picture Bell had painted.

Hearing how Yuuya had taken a helpless, rejected boy under his wing and built him up with nothing but patience and kindness proved to her, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his nature hadn't changed. The man who had protected Bell was the exact same man who had reached into the darkness of the seventieth floor to pull her out.

Bell chuckled softly, shifting in his chair as a particularly bright memory brought a wide grin to his face.

"Though, I have to admit, Mom... as amazing as Yuuya-bro is when he's actually fighting, he has one massive flaw. When I was still new, he taught me about how to use a sword in the evening. And what do you know? He is a complete landslide of a teacher. His explanations don't make any sense at all."

Alfia's brow arched slightly. Her attention, which had been drifting back toward her own dark thoughts, was instantly pulled back by the absurdity of Bell's statement.

The man who had effortlessly rewritten the rules of the Falna, dived down the seventieth alone, and cured her terminal illness... was bad at teaching?

"I still remember the very first lesson." Bell continued, waving his hands dramatically as he set the scene. "He stood there with this incredibly serious, intense look on his face, holding a wooden practice blade. He looked so cool. But then he opened his mouth and said, 'Okay, Bell, it's simple. You just need to let the kinetic energy flow through your ankles, make sure your body's hit box doesn't overlap with the monster's attack vector, and swing the sword like swish-bam right when the air goes whoosh. You just have to feel the vibe of the blade's momentum and parry the concept of gravity.'"

(Author: worse teacher than Ais? 🤔)

Bell paused, letting out a helpless, goofy laugh at the memory.

"I didn't want to hurt his feelings because he was being so nice and enthusiastic." Bell admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "So I just stood there, keeping my usual smile plastered on my face. But my eyes were completely wide and dead, staring straight into the great beyond. My brain was struggling so hard to process the nonsense he was spitting out that I think I actually forgot how to blink. I felt like my soul was slowly leaving my body through my ears."

A tiny, almost imperceptible twitch formed at the corner of Alfia's lips. The mental image of her incredibly earnest, sweet son standing frozen like a statue while Yuuya lectured him with total gibberish was unexpectedly hilarious.

"But the best part was Goddess Hestia." Bell said, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "She had decided to sit nearby to eat a fresh, warm jagamarukun and watch us train just to pass the time. When Yuuya-bro started rambling about his strange theories, she was happily chewing away. But as the explanation went on, she slowly stopped moving. Her jaw just locked mid bite."

Bell leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper.

"She just sat there, completely frozen, staring down at her half eaten jagamarukun like it was some kind of incredibly rare, magical object from the deepest floors of the dungeon. Her eyes were totally glazed over, completely blank. She tried so hard to to make sense of his words, but the sheer confusion was too much. For the rest of the day, she didn't say a single word; she just kept blinking at her potato snack in silence."

The heavy, suffocating atmosphere that had plagued the master bedroom since the morning completely shattered. Alfia let out a soft, sharp huff of air through her nose—a genuine sound of amusement that she hadn't made in years.

Hearing Bell talk about Yuuya's complete lack of teaching skills didn't diminish her view of him at all. In fact, it did the exact opposite.

To Alfia, Yuuya had always felt like an overwhelming, almost terrifying entity of pure miracles—someone so perfect and distant that he barely felt real.

But hearing that he could be so thoroughly pathetic and incompetent at something as simple as explaining a basic sword swing made him feel human. It made him feel grounded, real, and strangely approachable.

She looked at Bell, observing the pure, unforced happiness radiating from her son as he recounted his days with his captain.

Yuuya hadn't extended his kindness to them out of some grand, calculated obligation or pity. He did it because that was simply who he was—a brilliant, absurdly powerful, and completely ridiculous man who brought warmth and chaos wherever he went.

As the afternoon light slowly dimmed and the first magic stone lamps began to flicker to life across Orario, Bell continued to talk.

He didn't just stick to the moments where Yuuya was actively guiding him. He told Alfia about his independent ventures into the mid floors, laughing about how Yuuya didn't believe in babysitting him constantly.

Yuuya had preferred to let Bell make his own mistakes, test his limits, and discover his own fighting style, only stepping in when a situation threatened to turn bad.

But even in those solo stories, Yuuya's presence hung heavily over everything—whether it was through a piece of advice he had offhandedly dropped, a strategic retreat he had strictly enforced, or the simple, comforting knowledge that he was always waiting back at the surface.

Eventually, the darkness of night completely settled over the city. Bell finally ran out of breath, a soft, satisfied smile resting on his face as he finished recounting every major event that had brought their Familia to this exact point in time.

The room fell into a peaceful, quiet lull. For a long moment, the only sound was the distant, muffled hum of the evening crowds down in the streets.

Alfia slowly turned her head away from the window, her heterochromatic eyes resting gently on her son. Her face was completely relaxed, the sharp, defensive edges of her posture thoroughly softened by the hours of listening to his voice.

"He acts like a fool." Alfia spoke up, her voice a quiet, melodious purr in the dim room. "He treats the gods of this city like children playing in a sandbox, and his tongue is entirely too sharp for his own good. But... despite how ridiculous and irritating he chooses to be on the surface, he is a kind person. Far kinder than he ever lets on."

Bell's eyes softened, and he nodded his head in immediate, enthusiastic agreement.

"Yeah. Yuuya-bro always tries to act like he's just doing things on a whim, or because it amuses him. But the truth is, he's one of the kindest, most selfless people I've ever met in my entire life. He carries so much responsibility on his shoulders, but he never complains. He just keeps moving forward, making sure everyone around him is safe and happy."

Before Alfia could respond, a loud, high pitched voice suddenly cut through the quiet atmosphere, echoing up the grand stairwell from the ground floor.

"Bell-sama! Dinner is fully prepared! Please come down before the soup gets completely cold!"

The sudden shout from Lili made both Bell and Alfia blink in surprise, suddenly realizing exactly how much time had slipped past them. The entire evening had completely vanished while they were caught up in their own world.

Bell stood up from his wooden chair, stretching his legs before giving Alfia a bright, hopeful look.

"Wow, I didn't realize it was already that late. Hey, Mom? Do you want me to carry you downstairs? The rest of the Familia is down there, and they'd all love to have dinner with you."

Alfia paused, looking down at her lap. The thought of facing a room full of lively young adventurers while she was still adjusting to her restored body made a small, lingering trace of her old social reluctance flare up.

She shook her head softly.

"No. I would prefer to remain here tonight, Bell. I am not quite ready for a crowded dining hall."

"Oh, okay! That's completely fine." Bell replied instantly, his smile never wavering. He didn't look disappointed at all. "I'll head down and fix you a plate. And I'll bring my food back up here too, so we can eat together. That way, you won't have to be alone."

Before she could even attempt to protest or tell him he didn't need to trouble himself, Bell had already turned and dashed out of the room, his footsteps fading rapidly down the hallway. Alfia watched the empty doorway, a genuine, undeniable warmth blooming deep within her chest.

Time continued to march forward. By the time dinner was finished and the dishes were cleared, the grand clock on the wall crept closer and closer to ten o'clock.

Outside the window, Orario was still technically alive—it was a city that never truly slept—but the vibrant energy of the early evening had noticeably settled into a much quieter, subdued rhythm. The traffic of adventurers had thinned, and the glowing magic stone lamps cast a peaceful light across the cobblestone paths below.

Alfia was propped back up against her pillows, her eyes once again fixed entirely on the glass pane.

She was waiting.

Her mind was entirely focused on the iron gates of the courtyard, desperately scanning the darkness for the familiar silhouette of a tall, dark haired man with his hands lazily swaying in his sides.

She had fully intended to stay awake until the exact moment he returned from the Guild, wanting to see him with her own eyes.

But her own body was betraying her.

Between her body that is still adjusting after seven years of stasis, the emotional exhaustion of her internal struggles, and the pure comfort of her long conversation with Bell, her stamina was completely spent.

Her eyelids felt as heavy as lead weights. She found her head dipping forward as sleep repeatedly threatened to drag her under.

'Just close your eyes.' Her other self whispered, it's voice quiet and exhausted, mirroring her state. 'You can barely keep your vision in focus.'

As her head lolled slightly to the side, Yuuya's parting words from that morning suddenly echoed clearly in her memory. "If you get tired, just close your eyes and sleep. I promise you, by the time you wake up, I'll be right here."

Even with that promise explicitly lingering in her mind, Alfia felt a wave of hesitation.

She was terrified of closing her eyes.

Ever since Yuuya had shattered her crystal prison, every single instance of solitary sleep had been a complete nightmare.

The moment her consciousness faded, her mind would instantly drag her back to the seventieth floor. She would relive those grueling years that felt like centuries, trapped in a cage of glass where no one could hear her scream.

The only time she had managed to experience a truly peaceful, dreamless rest was when Yuuya was physically near her, his presence acting like a shield against her past trauma.

But the weight of her physical exhaustion was simply too powerful to fight any longer. Her vision blurred, the lights of the city outside turning into a haze of colors.

Letting out a soft, defeated sigh, Alfia finally gave up the struggle. She slowly slid down against the pillows, pulling the warm blanket all the way up to her shoulders. She closed her eyes, letting her consciousness completely slip away into the dark, holding onto his morning words like a lifeline.

She drifted off to sleep, desperately hoping with every fiber of her being that when the morning sun finally broke through the window, he would be standing right beside her.

∆∆∆∆

The grandfather clock in the main hall of the Hearth Manor was just striking two in the morning when the front door silently clicked open.

Yuuya dragged his feet across the threshold, looking entirely like a ghost that had been thoroughly chewed up and spit out by a capitalist machine.

His fingers were permanently stained with black ink, his vision was slightly blurry, and his shoulder never felt so heavy.

Eina had kept her promise. He had spent hours doing paperwork until his brain felt like lukewarm porridge.

He quietly walked up the grand staircase, stepping softly to avoid waking the rest of the household, and approached the door to the master bedroom. He turned the knob with extreme care, slipping into the dim, moonlit room like a shadow.

The curtains were drawn back just enough to let a beam of moonlight cut across the bed. There lay Alfia, buried beneath the blankets, her long silver hair spilling across the white pillows like silk threads. Her breathing was slow and steady.

Yuuya let out a long, silent breath of relief, rolling his stiff shoulders.

"Finally." He muttered to himself, running a hand through his dark hair. "Time to sleep for a thousand years."

He took two steps toward the empty side of the large bed, his hand reaching out to pull back the covers, before he suddenly froze in his tracks.

A unexpected wave of awkwardness hit him square in the chest, stopping him completely dead.

'Wait a minute.' Yuuya thought, his eyes wide as he looked at the mattress. 'How exactly am I supposed to sleep tonight?'

For the past several days, ever since he had shattered the crystal on the seventieth floor, he had casually sleeping into this exact bed and slept right beside her.

But back then, he had a valid excuse. He had been suffering from the recoil of the magic he used to permanently purge the incurable disease from her lungs.

But right now? His health is back to normal and the excuse of medical necessity was completely gone.

Yuuya rubbed the back of his neck, a faint, embarrassed grimace forming on his face.

When he looked at the situation objectively, casually sliding into a bed next to a girl felt incredibly inappropriate.

Even though they shared a deep bond, and even though his heart had completely settled or was comfortable around her, they weren't officially in that kind of romantic relationship yet. They hadn't gone on dates, they hadn't established clear boundaries, and just acting like he owned the space beside her felt entirely too presumptuous.

As Yuuya stood there in the dark, locked in a fierce mental debate with his own conscience, a sharp, ragged sound suddenly cut through the quiet room.

He snapped out of his thoughts instantly, his eyes darting down to Alfia's face.

The peaceful expression she had worn just a few moments ago was completely gone. Her brow was tightly furrowed, a deep, painful line forming between her eyes as her head began to roll restlessly from side to side against the pillow. A cold sweat broke out across her pale forehead, and her fingers curled into tightly, fiercely gripping the edge of the blanket.

"No..." Alfia muttered, her voice incredibly thin, trembling with a raw, visceral terror that made her sound completely unrecognizable. "Go away... the crystal... someone..."

She let out a quiet, heartbreaking whimper, her breathing rapidly turning into shallow, frantic gasps. Her mind had completely broken through her fragile mental defenses, dragging her consciousness straight back down into the seventieth.

Yuuya felt his heart tighten, a sharp ache lancing through his chest at the sight of her distress. All of his previous, awkward hesitation about propriety and boundaries instantly vanished, utterly obliterated by a powerful, protective instinct.

He couldn't care less about social rules right now. He just needed to help her.

As he rapidly debated the best way to wake her or calm her down, a distant, buried memory from his past life on Earth flashed vividly behind his eyes.

He remembered Akari. He remembered the dark, hollow weeks following the sudden death of her parents, when she had been completely consumed by grief. She had spent consecutive nights struggling to fall asleep.

During that time, Yuuya hadn't climbed into her bed, nor had he left her to suffer alone. He had simply slept on the floor beside her bed through the entire night, and held her hand tightly until the morning sun broke through the curtains.

Just knowing that someone was physically grounding her to reality had been enough to shatter her nightmares.

'Right. Let's try that.' Yuuya thought, his resolve hardening.

He quietly turned around, walked over to the storage wardrobe, and pulled out a thick, comfortable spare blanket.

Walking back to the side of the bed, he didn't climb onto the mattress, nor did he look for a chair.

A chair was out of the question—if he fell asleep on a wooden frame, his body would inevitably relax, causing him to slide off and crash onto the floor in the middle of the night.

Propping himself up against the headboard of the bed with pillows wasn't a good option either; he knew from experience that spending eight hours sitting upright like a statue would leave his back and neck completely sore and ruined by sunrise.

Instead, Yuuya opted for a much more stable approach.

He dropped straight down onto his knees, sitting comfortably on the soft rug covering the floorboards beside the bed. He draped the spare blanket entirely over his back and shoulders to keep the night chill away. Then, leaning forward, he rested his upper chest and his head comfortably against the edge of the plush mattress, using the soft lip of the bed as a natural pillow.

It was a secure position—he couldn't fall anywhere, his weight was fairly distributed, and he was close enough to act.

With his left arm resting on the mattress, Yuuya reached out and gently wrapped his large palm around Alfia's small, trembling hand. Her fingers were freezing cold, stiff with the lingering panic of her dream.

"I'm right here, Alfia." Yuuya whispered softly into the quiet room, his thumb gently rubbing the back of her hand in a slow, soothing rhythm. "You're not alone anymore. You're safe. I've got you."

The moment his warm skin made contact with hers, the effect was almost instantaneous.

Alfia's frantic, shallow breathing gave a sharp hitch. Her fingers instinctively twitched within his grasp, her subconscious immediately recognizing the familiar warmth that always accompanied his presence.

Slowly, the tight, painful lines on her forehead began to smooth out. Her jaw relaxed, and the desperate grip she had on the blanket completely loosened as her hand settled perfectly into his palm. A soft, gentle sigh escaped her lips, and she curled slightly toward the side of the bed where he was sitting, her expression finally settling back into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Yuuya watched her face soften in the silver moonlight, a faint, genuine smile finally returning to his lips. The terrifying 'Silence' of Orario looked remarkably small and fragile like this, completely relying on him to keep the shadows away.

As the steady sound of her peaceful breathing filled the quiet space, the wave of his own physical exhaustion finally caught up with him.

The lingering fatigue from Eina's paperwork washed over his brain like a tide. His eyelids drifted shut, his head resting against the comfortable mattress right beside her resting hand. With his hand over hers, safeguarding her dreams from the darkness, Yuuya completely drifted off.

∆∆∆∆

The pale, golden light of the early morning sun slowly filtered through the gap in the curtains, painting soft stripes of warmth across the master bedroom.

Alfia's eyes fluttered open.

Surprisingly enough, she didn't wake up gasping for air, nor did she find herself shivering from the lingering frost of a nightmare.

Her mind felt incredibly clear, and her body, though still weak from the long stasis, felt entirely refreshed. She lay perfectly still for a few minutes, staring up at the intricate patterns on the ceiling, enjoying the rare, peaceful quiet of the morning.

As the last remnants of sleepiness began to fade, she felt a distinct, comforting weight resting against her hand.

Slowly, she turned her head toward the side of the bed. Her breath hitched slightly, though she made no sound and didn't pull away.

There was Yuuya. He was sitting on the floor, his body wrapped in a spare blanket while his upper chest and head rested heavily against the edge of the mattress. His dark hair was messy, falling loosely over his closed eyes, and his breathing was deep and rhythmic.

He looked completely drained, the exhaustion from his late night ordeal at the Guild still evident in the relaxed lines of his face. But even in his deep sleep, his hand remained firmly and gently wrapped over hers.

Alfia just stared.

She didn't move a single muscle, entirely captivated by the sight of him. A familiar warmth blossomed directly behind her ribs, spreading through her chest like a slow burning fire.

'Well, well, look at you or should I say, us?' The mocking voice of her other self suddenly echoed within her mind, breaking the quiet spell. 'The great, terrifying Silence, completely mesmerized by a sleeping boy. You look absolutely captivated. You're practically drowning in your own affection right now.'

'I am merely observing my benefactor.' Alfia thought back defensively, though even to her own ears, the mental denial sounded incredibly weak and completely unconvincing. 'He chose a highly impractical sleeping position.'

'Oh, please. You can lie to the rest of the world, but you can't lie to me.' The inner voice teased, its tone dripping with certainty. 'You like the fact that he's here. You like that he didn't leave you alone.'

The teasing voice faded, but the sudden silence in her head allowed a much darker, familiar train of thought to creep back into her mind.

The memory of her overthinking from the previous afternoon resurfaced, bringing a familiar, cold ache to her stomach.

She looked down at Yuuya's peaceful face, the old insecurities flaring up like a slow poison.

Did she really deserve this kind of devotion? She knew Yuuya was an incredibly good person. She had listened to Bell talk for hours about how Yuuya had taken him in, protected him, and spent his own hard earned wealth to guide a helpless stranger.

'That's the problem, isn't it?' The insecure, anxious part of her psyche whispered, her thoughts rapidly plunging into negativity. 'He is just a naturally kind person. He handles responsibility because it's his nature. He is kind to everyone. He saved Bell, he helps his Familia, and he saved you because of an old promise. You aren't special to him. He simply treats every broken soul he encounters with the exact same selfless charity.'

The thought hit her like a physical weight, making her chest tighten with a complicated, painful knot of emotion. Her fingers grew slightly stiff within his grasp as the dark, familiar dread of being nothing more than a burden began to swallow her whole.

But before the negativity could completely drag her under, something shifted.

Even though Yuuya was fast asleep, his consciousness seemed to instinctively register the sudden spike of anxiety radiating from the woman beside him.

Without waking, or even opening his eyes, his fingers suddenly but gently tightened around hers. He gave her hand a firm, deliberate, and incredibly reassuring squeeze, his large palm pressing firmly against her skin.

The sudden pressure snapped Alfia completely out of her stupor. Her eyes widened slightly, her gaze locking onto his sleeping face.

The firm grip instantly shattered the cold illusions of her insecurity, acting like a shield that forced her mind back to reality.

In that exact moment, the memory of their conversation from the other night rushed back into her mind once again with clarity. She remembered the soft look in his dark eyes when he had dropped all of his usual playful sarcasm and told her: "I chose you."

He hadn't said he was fulfilling a duty. He hadn't said he was just doing a good deed. He had specifically chosen her.

The memory washed over her like a tidal wave, instantly evaporating every single trace of her lingering uneasiness. The hollow ache in her stomach vanished, completely replaced by an overwhelming sense of warmth and happiness that settled deep into her bones.

A soft, breathless sigh escaped her lips.

'Is it truly alright for me to be this greedy?' Alfia asked herself, her gaze softening completely as she stared at him. 'Am I allowed to want all of this for myself?'

As if his subconscious was actively listening to the silent question in her heart, Yuuya's thumb gently brushed against the back of her hand. It was a brief, single stroke of his skin against hers, lasting for only a second before his hand settled back into a relaxed stillness.

It was a silent answer.

It felt as if he was telling her that it was perfectly fine. He was giving her permission to be greedy, to act exactly the way she wanted to act, and to finally cast aside the artificial mask of the cold weapon she had been forced to be for so long.

He was telling her she was allowed to just be herself.

Seeing this, Alfia finally made up her mind. The last remnants of her doubt were entirely swept away, leaving only a quiet resolve.

'Yes...' She thought to herself, a genuine, serene smile finally touching her lips. 'I am allowed to be greedy. At least this much... after everything I have gone through in my life.'

Slowly, carefully, she adjusted her position beneath the blanket. She shifted her fingers within his palm, gently sliding them between his until their hands were completely intertwined. She squeezed his hand back, feeling the steady, reliable pulse of his heartbeat against her skin.

Looking at his messy hair and his entirely exhausted, peaceful expression, Alfia decided she didn't want to look at the window anymore.

She closed her eyes, letting the immense warmth of his presence envelope her entire body, and happily drifted back into a deep, dreamless sleep right beside him.

∆∆∆∆

The morning light had shifted from a pale hue to a warm, brilliant gold by the time Yuuya's eyes finally blinked open.

He lay completely still for a few seconds, staring blankly at the carved wooden molding of the bed frame. His brain felt heavy, slowly sorting through the dense fog of a deep, exhausted sleep.

For a moment, he couldn't quite remember why he was on the floor, or why his shoulder felt slightly stiff.

But as his consciousness fully returned, the memory of Eina's endless mountains of paperwork and his late night return to the manor came rushing back.

Then, he noticed a distinct sensation.

His right hand felt incredibly warm.

Slowly, Yuuya shifted his gaze downward. Resting on the edge of the plush mattress, his hand wasn't just resting over hers anymore.

Their fingers were now completely and tightly intertwined, her small hand locking onto his with a quiet, desperate strength.

Yuuya's breath caught in his throat.

His eyes slowly traveled up the blanket, past the silver silk of her hair scattered across the pillow, until his gaze settled entirely on Alfia's sleeping face.

She looked completely peaceful.

The tension that usually defined her features was entirely absent, leaving her looking remarkably soft in the morning light.

The golden sun traced the delicate line of her jaw and the long lashes resting against her cheeks.

Yuuya found himself completely frozen, utterly captivated by the sight.

The grace of her presence held him in place, and he honestly felt like he could have stayed right there, sitting on the floor and staring at her, for the rest of the morning.

*Grumble...*

A loud protest from his stomach shattered the quiet atmosphere. The fact that he skipped dinner and worked through the night had finally caught up with him.

Yuuya snapped out of his trance, a faint crimson hue dusting his cheeks as he realized how long he had been staring.

"Right. Food first." He muttered under his breath.

With extreme care, he began to slowly slide his fingers out from her grasp. He moved with agonizing slowness, trying not to disturb her rest as he completely untangled their hands.

Once his hand was free, he quietly began to stand up, rolling his stiff back and preparing to slip out of the room to raid the kitchen.

He took a single step toward the door before his momentum was abruptly halted.

A sharp, familiar tension pulled at his side.

Yuuya paused, looking down.

Wrapped tightly around the dark fabric of the hem of his shirt were Alfia's slender fingers.

She had woken up.

Her heterochromatic eyes were only half lidded, heavy with the lingering weight of sleep, and her silver hair fell messily across her face.

She looked up at him, her expression soft, fragile, and deeply reluctant.

It was the exact same vulnerable look she had given him the previous morning—the look of someone who desperately did not want to let him go, terrified that the moment he stepped through that door, he would disappear again.

"Where..." Alfia murmured, her voice beautifully raspy from sleep, her grip on his sleeve tightening by a fraction of an inch. "Where are you going?"

Looking down at her, Yuuya felt his heart skip a beat.

The sight of the legendary, unapproachable 'Silence' looking so precious, so utterly dependent, and so entirely stripped of her defensive armor was a critical hit to his composure.

Out of all the chaotic shifts, changes, historical rewrites, and unexpected miracles that had occurred in this alternate timeline, never in his entire life had he expected or even dared to imagine that Alfia could look and act like this toward him.

It was a level of unfiltered vulnerability that completely disarmed him.

Clearing his throat desperately to find his voice, Yuuya managed to offered a gentle, reassuring smile.

"I'm just going downstairs to the kitchen to eat some breakfast. My stomach is currently throwing a tantrum."

Alfia didn't answer right away.

She simply kept her half asleep gaze locked onto his eyes for a few silent seconds, her fingers refusing to loosen their hold on his clothing.

She looked at him as if she was trying to read his soul, searching for any sign that he was lying to her just to slip away for another entire day.

Finally, she spoke a single, quiet word.

"Promise...?"

Yuuya's heart skipped another beat, a sudden wave of warmth rushing straight to his face.

He tightly clamped down on his emotions, forcing his expression to remain completely steady and calm so she wouldn't see how heavily she was affecting him.

"I promise, Alfia. I'm literally just going to the floor below us. I'll be right back."

Hearing the certainty in his voice, the tension in Alfia's shoulders finally began to melt away.

But before she completely let go of his sleeve, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening.

"Bring me breakfast as well. I want to eat with you."

"Yeah. I can do that." Yuuya replied softly. "Just rest until I get back."

Satisfied with the answer, her fingers finally uncurled, releasing the fabric of his shirt.

She sank back into the pillows, her eyes already growing heavy again as she watched him.

Yuuya turned on his heel, keeping his posture perfectly straight and his steps completely controlled as he walked across the room.

He opened the heavy wooden door, stepped out into the quiet hallway, and pulled the door shut behind him until the latch clicked firmly into place.

The moment the door was fully closed, Yuuya's calm persona completely dissolved.

His knees felt weak and he crouched low onto the hallway floor.

He threw his head into his hands, burying his face completely in his palms as a massive, uncontrollable blush burned fiercely across his entire face.

His heart was hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird, his pulse racing at a completely absurd speed.

"Oh, man." Yuuya groaned into his hands, his voice muffled and filled with a deep, psychological defeat. "I'm in trouble. I'm in sooooo much trouble..."

He sat there in the quiet hallway for a long moment, desperately trying to cool his burning cheeks and force his heart rate back down to normal.

As he took deep, steady breaths, a sudden thought crossed his mind, making him let out a weak, thankful sigh.

'Thank the gods the System is completely offline and out right now.' Yuuya thought, a cold sweat breaking out at the mere fantasy. 'If that sarcastic voice was active in my head right now, it would be teasing the absolute hell out of me for the next three weeks. I'd never hear the end of it.'

With one final shake of his head to clear the lingering warmth from his thoughts, Yuuya firmly pushed himself up from the floor, straightened his rumpled shirt, and finally headed down the stairs to face the kitchen, fully aware that his life had just become infinitely more complicated—and he didn't mind it one bit.