Early in the morning, Cid was already waiting at the agreed-upon meeting point.
According to Astraea, the familia that ultimately agreed to help train him was Loki Familia.
Cid was fairly familiar with Loki Familia.
On one hand, Astraea Familia held Loki Familia's "three pillars" in very high regard.
Alise believed the dwarf Gareth was incredibly strong and often fantasized about becoming a dwarf herself—surely that would make it easier to protect others.
Ryuu Lion, being an elf, naturally revered Riveria. To her, the elf royalty's strength and character were both things worth aspiring to.
And then there was the strategist Lyra, who spoke with nothing but praise for the prum hero Finn.
None of that was strange.
Among Orario's present-day adventurers, the strongest representatives of the three major races—elf, dwarf, and prum—were precisely Loki Familia's three leaders.
With reputations like that, of course they were admired.
On the other hand, Cid had once wanted to find a mob template—someone he could study.
The ideal candidate would be neither eager nor lazy, neither outstanding nor incompetent: the pinnacle of ordinariness.
In his previous world, it would be the student who scraped by with a barely passing grade every single time.
In the end, Cid found his target within Loki Familia.
"Cid, let me introduce you. This is Lady Riveria, this is Miss Ais, and this is Anakitty—just call her Ankie."
The one speaking was Raul Nord—the mob template Cid had selected.
Cid hadn't waited long at all. The four from Loki Familia arrived quickly.
The moment Raul finished introducing them, Anakitty jabbed him in the side with her elbow.
There was one thing that proved Cid's eye for talent wasn't bad.
After reaching Level 2, Cid's alias was "Mob," while Raul's was "Ordinary Man."
If you didn't know better, you might think they were brothers from different fathers and different mothers.
Of course, if outsiders learned what Cid was thinking—especially the people around Raul—they would absolutely object.
True, Raul had no skills, no magic, no standout parameters among his four basic abilities, and no combat technique he truly mastered…
But he was still someone Loki Familia had chosen and was raising as part of the next generation!
Once he leveled further, he'd surely shake off "Ordinary Man" and gain a title that sounded far more imposing.
A real ordinary person wouldn't even have a title—just another face in the crowd, forever unable to reach Level 2.
All that said, Lord Shadow might simply be too high-level a being—his understanding of what counted as a "mob" was a little skewed.
"Lady Riveria, Miss Ais, Miss Anakitty—hello."
Cid greeted them with a shy, perfectly unremarkable tone.
He was copying Raul's style.
"Hello, Cid."
Riveria nodded in satisfaction.
The boy who was about to become her student was well-mannered—truly a good child.
He even used honorifics for Ais, who was only nine years old.
That habit was oddly similar to Raul's—one couldn't help wondering which of them had learned it from the other.
Raul, now fourteen, always addressed nine-year-old Ais with honorifics as well.
"…Hello."
Under Riveria's prompting gaze, Ais offered a greeting—her eyes fixed intently on Cid.
"Hi. Just call me Ankie."
"Hello, Ankie."
Ankie returned the greeting politely, leaving Raul confused.
Anakitty was a mouthful, so everyone around her called her Ankie.
If she didn't mind Cid using it too, then why elbow Raul earlier?
After the introductions, Riveria led the group toward the Dungeon.
On the way, Cid drifted to the back, reassured as he looked at Raul.
"Bro, it's really great you came too. I was nervous facing Lady Riveria just now."
"Bro, don't say that. Lady Riveria is easy to get along with. And honestly, I'm only here thanks to you—I get to learn alongside her because of you."
Cid and Raul were close. They called each other "bro" all the time.
They also learned from each other. Raul had reached Level 2 a bit sooner than expected because Cid's own leveling motivated him; after entering the Dungeon with Ankie, they achieved a notable feat and advanced.
But beyond similar personalities and mutual encouragement, Raul considered Cid a true brother for another reason:
Cid refused to change his alias.
A title like "Mob" was something people would laugh at, yet even when given the chance, Cid wouldn't replace it—he must be protecting Raul's feelings.
Willing to share both hardship and embarrassment—that was a real brother.
"Bro, I heard you learned a spell. I'm seriously jealous."
Raul wasn't being polite. The envy in his eyes practically overflowed.
In Loki Familia, because he constantly traveled with powerful seniors, he'd picked up plenty of experience—and even achievements. In the future, he'd most likely break into Level 3; even Level 4 might be possible.
But with his talent, he probably wouldn't learn magic even if he reached Level 5!
Aside from getting stronger, the only change might be his alias evolving from "Ordinary Man" to "Extra-Ordinary Man."
That sounded even worse.
And now that Cid had magic, they could no longer be that pitiful, inconspicuous duo together.
Raul was happy for his brother—yet he was genuinely sour, too.
"Don't say that, bro. You're in Loki Familia. With how wealthy they are, once you level up, they might even buy you a grimoire."
If Raul was jealous, Cid had to act even more jealous.
That was how the student surpassed the master.
And unlike Raul, who had no clue, Cid had already realized his "bro" was being cultivated with real intent.
Otherwise, even if Cid was the one receiving special instruction, Raul wouldn't have been brought along.
Their friendship was real, but opportunities like this wouldn't be handed out based on personal feelings.
Raul also had no idea just how much Cid expected from him.
Now that Cid was "forced" to have magic, his public progression to Level 3 was only a matter of time.
How was a Level 3 supposed to play the mob?
Cid had thought about it until he couldn't sleep—and still had no answer.
All he could do was hope Raul would level up soon and provide a living example.
This guy was a "next-generation focus" of Loki Familia, yet he'd managed to live like the very embodiment of an ordinary man.
What kind of realm was that?
Whenever Cid faced Raul, he felt his own understanding of "mobhood" was still shallow.
Every time he saw him, he learned something new.
"Grimoires are way too expensive. How could they buy one for me? I'm just someone who tags along and picks up experience. There are tons of people stronger than me in the familia."
Raul shook his head again and again.
He didn't agree with Cid at all—and he truly didn't know the familia was investing in him.
In Raul's view, even if Loki Familia was rich enough to launch expeditions regularly, it still wasn't rich enough to treat money like dirt.
He was an ordinary man—how could the familia possibly buy him a grimoire?
Cid was about to say more when he suddenly sensed someone watching him.
If they were in the Dungeon, that would mean a new monster was gestating inside the wall.
But they hadn't entered the Dungeon yet.
Cid turned his head.
It was the small, blonde girl.
....
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