The rain in Orario came without warning. Pea-sized droplets slammed against the cobblestone streets, kicking up a white, hazy mist.
Pedestrians scrambled for cover under the eaves of buildings, and the once-bustling West Main Street turned quiet in an instant.
Lynn draped an old cloak he'd bought from a street stall over his shoulders and pushed his door open.
Eina hadn't returned yet; the Guild was holding an emergency meeting today. Before she left, she had specifically instructed Lynn to "get some good rest and don't go wandering off." Lynn had agreed, and now he was currently on his way to wander off.
There was a distinct atmosphere to Orario in the rain.
The downpour washed away the dust and clamor of the day, leaving the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the lingering warmth wafting from a distant bakery. Magic stone lamps blurred into hazy halos of light through the curtain of rain, staining the entire street in a warm, orange glow.
Lynn walked aimlessly, eventually finding himself in the middle section of West Main Street.
A familiar wooden sign swayed gently in the rain.
[The Hostess of Fertility]
Lynn stood at the entrance for a moment, then smiled and pushed the door open.
The moment the door swung wide, a wave of warmth rushed out to meet him.
The pub was much quieter than usual, with only a few scattered tables occupied. The fire in the hearth was roaring, its orange-red light reflecting off the wooden tables and chairs, making the entire space feel cozy and snug.
"Welcome—!"
A familiar voice called out from behind the counter. Syr was standing on her tiptoes, putting glasses back onto a shelf. She turned her head at the sound of the door, and the moment she saw Lynn, her eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh! It's Mr. Lynn!"
She set the glass down on the counter and came trotting over to greet him. There was a bit of flour on her apron and a smudge of white on the tip of her nose.
"Coming out in such heavy rain... you have to be careful not to catch a cold!"
Lynn was caught slightly off guard by her sudden burst of enthusiasm and could only manage a dry chuckle. "I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd take a walk."
"You can't just walk in the rain!" Syr reached out and felt his cloak. "It's soaking wet. Come in quickly and warm up by the fire. What would you like to drink? How about some hot honey water? It's great for warding off the chill!"
"...Alright."
Syr nodded in satisfaction and turned to run back to the counter, pausing after a few steps to look back. "Find a warm spot to sit! I'll be right there!"
Lynn watched her busy silhouette, and a corner of his mouth twitched upward involuntarily. What a good girl.
He found a seat near the fireplace and draped his wet cloak over the back of the chair. The fire's warmth seeped into his skin, gradually soaking into his bones and driving away the chill of the rainy night.
The pub was quiet, filled only with the crackle of logs in the hearth and the occasional clatter of pots and pans from the distant kitchen.
In a corner, an elderly couple sat quietly sipping hot soup; at the bar, a solitary adventurer was hunched over a plate of stew.
Lynn leaned back against the chair and closed his eyes.
This was his first true moment of relaxation since arriving in this world. No combat, no missions, no enemies that could appear at any second. There was only the warmth of the fire and the rhythmic pitter-patter of the rain outside the window.
"Mr. Lynn?"
A voice filled with surprise and uncertainty sounded in his ear.
Lynn opened his eyes to see a boy with white hair and red eyes standing by the table. He was holding a tray with two steaming mugs of honey water.
Bell Cranel? Wasn't this the kid who was being chased by goblins before?
Because his hair color was so distinct, Lynn had remembered him instantly.
"It really is you!"
A massive smile broke across Bell's face. He hurriedly placed the tray on the table, nearly knocking over the mugs in his clumsiness. "I—I thought I'd recognized the wrong person! What are you doing here?"
Looking at his flustered state, Lynn couldn't help but chuckle. "I should be asking you that, shouldn't I?"
"Ah, I..." Bell scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "I often come here to help out. Miss Syr said I could work part-time when they're short-handed... My Goddess has been working quite hard lately, so I wanted to earn a little extra money..."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Lynn, carrying a hint of cautious anticipation. "Um... may I sit down?"
Lynn pointed to the chair opposite him.
Bell sat down immediately, then, as if remembering something, he quickly pushed a mug of honey water toward Lynn. "Miss Syr asked me to bring this over. She said you got caught in the rain and that this would be good for you."
Lynn picked up the mug and took a sip.
The sweetness of the honey mixed with the fresh scent of lemon. The warm liquid slid down his throat, and his entire body began to thaw.
"How is it?" Bell watched him expectantly, as if he were the one who had made the drink.
"Very good."
Bell immediately beamed with a satisfied smile, looking even happier than if he had drunk it himself.
A few seconds of silence passed between them.
Bell secretly observed Lynn. He looked the same as always—relaxed, leaning back in his chair, with a faint, lingering trace of exhaustion in his eyes.
But for some reason, Bell felt that the Lynn of today was different from before.
When they had met in the Dungeon, Lynn had felt powerful and distant, like an unreachable mountain peak. But now, sitting by the fire drinking honey water, Lynn seemed... not quite so far away.
"Um..." Bell gathered his courage to speak. "Have you been very busy lately, Mr. Lynn?"
"It's been alright." Lynn glanced at him. "Why?"
"No—nothing!" Bell waved his hands frantically. "I just thought... it was a bit unexpected to see you in a place like this. You don't seem like the type of person who comes to a pub to idle away the time."
"Then what type of person do I seem like?"
Bell thought about it seriously. "Like... someone who is always fighting. The kind of person who looks ready to encounter an enemy at any moment."
Lynn blinked, then laughed.
The kid's intuition was actually quite sharp.
"Everyone needs to rest occasionally," he said, taking another sip of honey water. "If you stay wound too tight, you'll snap."
Bell nodded thoughtfully.
The sound of footsteps approached again as Syr arrived carrying a large tray. On it was a steaming bowl of stew, a basket of freshly baked bread, a small dish of butter, and a large mug of ale.
"Come, come, have something to eat!"
She set the tray on the table, expertly arranging the food, and then plopped down next to Lynn, resting her chin on her hands as she watched him.
"Eat up, don't be shy! The beef stew the kitchen made today is especially fragrant. Even Mama Mia said it was good after she tasted it!"
Lynn looked at the table full of food, then at Syr's sparkling eyes, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"...Did you make this?"
"I didn't make it, the kitchen did!" Syr said righteously. "But I'm the one who brought it over! So I get some of the credit!"
Lynn was amused by her logic.
He picked up a spoon and took a mouthful of the stew. The beef was tender and flavorful, the carrots and potatoes had soaked up the broth, and the spices were perfectly balanced. The warm food settled into his stomach, driving away the last vestige of the cold.
"It's delicious," he said sincerely.
Syr immediately beamed like a blooming flower.
Bell watched the scene from the side, a hint of envy in his eyes. Miss Syr is really so nice to Mr. Lynn...
"Oh, right, right!"
Syr suddenly remembered something and pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from her apron pocket. "Mr. Lynn, this is for you!"
Lynn took it and unfolded it.
It was a hand-drawn card. On it were some wobbly little stick figures, and next to them, several lines were written in elegant handwriting:
To the most amazing Mr. Lynn—I hope you always return safely! Next time you come, I can try to make a sandwich for you! It might be a little burnt, but the sentiment is real! —Syr
Lynn stared at the card for several seconds.
"...What is this?"
"An amulet!" Syr declared proudly. "I drew it myself! Even if it doesn't have magic, the sentiment is important! If you carry it with you, you won't run into any danger!"
Lynn fell silent. He carefully folded the card back up and put it in his pocket.
"Thank you."
His voice was very soft, but Syr heard him. She nodded in satisfaction and stood up to stretch.
"Alright, I have to go help Mama Mia clean up the kitchen. Bell, keep Mr. Lynn company for a while, don't let him just sit there being broody!"
With that, she went skipping away.
Bell watched her back, then looked at Lynn and whispered, "Miss Syr is so kind..."
"Yeah," Lynn nodded.
Bell hesitated for a moment but couldn't help asking, "Um... Mr. Lynn, are you and Miss Syr very close?"
"Not really." Lynn thought for a moment. "This is only our third time meeting."
Bell's eyes widened slightly. "O-only the third time?"
"Mm."
Bell's expression became complicated. He looked down at the honey water in front of him, lost in thought.
Lynn glanced at him and suddenly spoke. "How have you been lately?"
Bell looked up, startled before realizing he was being addressed. "I—I've been doing well!"
"Doing well?" Lynn raised an eyebrow. "Is the issue of being chased around by goblins resolved?"
Bell's face instantly flushed crimson. "Th-that was an accident! I can handle goblins on my own now! Really!"
Lynn didn't say anything, just watched him.
Under his gaze, Bell grew fidgety, and his voice got smaller and smaller. "...Though I can still only fight them one by one... but I don't get chased around anymore..."
Lynn couldn't help but smile. This kid was genuinely honest.
"That's not bad then," he said, taking a sip of ale. "Progress is all that matters."
Bell's eyes lit up. "Y-you think I've made progress too?"
"As long as you think you've made progress, it doesn't matter what I think."
Bell thought about it and nodded seriously. "I think I have! Even if it's small, I'm definitely stronger than before."
As he spoke, a trace of pride he hadn't even noticed himself crept into his tone. "My Goddess says I've made progress too. She said that as long as I keep working hard, I'll become a great adventurer one day."
"Your Goddess?"
"Goddess Hestia!"
When Bell mentioned his deity, his eyes sparkled instantly. "She's incredibly good to me! Even though our Familia only has two people right now, she cooks for me every day, checks my status, and warns me to stay safe... She's a Goddess, but she still goes out to work part-time to support me..."
As he continued, his tone became somewhat downcast. "I feel very sorry toward her. She should be the one being served, but she has to do so much for me..."
Lynn looked at him and didn't speak immediately. He remembered when he first arrived in this world; Eina had been just like that, nagging him "not to do anything reckless" while preparing a place for him to stay and food to eat.
"Then work hard to get stronger," he said. "Strong enough so she doesn't have to work part-time anymore."
Bell looked up, his eyes shining. "Yes! I'll definitely work hard!"
He spoke with such conviction, as if he were making a sacred vow.
Looking at him, Lynn suddenly felt the kid was a bit endearing. Not the "I want to protect him" kind of endearing, but the "I hope he can stay this way" kind.
In this world full of danger and calculation, there weren't many boys left who could maintain such purity.
"Mr. Lynn," Bell suddenly remembered something. "How did you think to come here today? Don't you usually go to the Dungeon?"
"It's a rest day," Lynn said. "It's raining, and I didn't want to go out."
"Even you take rest days..."
"Everyone is human; everyone rests."
Bell nodded, then asked cautiously, "Then... will you come here often in the future?"
Lynn looked at him. "Why?"
"No—nothing!" Bell waved his hands. "I just thought... if you come often, I'll get to see you more... You saved me, and I've always wanted to thank you, but I never found the chance..."
His voice grew softer. "And, talking to you makes me feel very happy..."
Lynn was silent for a few seconds.
He remembered what Bell had looked like the first time he saw him—the boy rolling around on the ground being chased by goblins, eventually falling flat on his face.
Back then, he had only thought of him as a nuisance. But now, he suddenly felt that this nuisance wasn't so annoying after all.
"If I'm free, I'll come," he said.
Bell's eyes brightened instantly. "R-really?"
"Yeah. But don't be so timid when you talk to me in the future. You sound like a girl."
"Yes!"
The two chatted for a while longer about trivial matters. Bell talked about his recent experiences in the Dungeon, the adventurers he had met, and the strange dishes his Goddess cooked. Lynn would respond occasionally, nodding or sometimes being amused by the boy's antics.
The rain outside stopped at some point. By the time Lynn noticed, the moon had peeked through the clouds, casting a silver-white layer over the wet streets.
He stood up and grabbed his cloak from the back of the chair.
"Time to go."
Bell also stood up quickly. "Are you leaving already?"
"Yeah." Lynn draped the cloak over himself. "The rain has stopped."
Bell opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he just nodded vigorously. "Then, please be careful on your way back!"
Lynn looked at him, then suddenly pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to him.
Bell scrambled to catch it. Looking down, he saw it was a magic stone about the size of his palm.
"This is..."
"I didn't bring a gift today," Lynn said, already heading for the door. "Next time I come, you can treat me to a mug of honey water."
With that, he pushed the door and stepped out.
Bell stared blankly at the magic stone in his hand, then at Lynn's receding back as he disappeared outside. It took a good while before he snapped out of it.
"Th-thank you!"
His voice echoed through the empty pub, but there was no longer anyone to respond. Bell clutched the magic stone, standing there staring at the door with a silly smile on his face.
Syr emerged from the kitchen at some point, leaning against the counter and watching the scene with a grin.
"Bell, you're smiling like a little idiot."
Bell's face turned red, and he hurriedly hid the magic stone behind his back. "M-Miss Syr!"
Syr walked over and stood on her tiptoes to pat his head. "Not bad, making a new friend?"
Bell blinked, then nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
Though he didn't know if he and Lynn counted as friends, he hoped they did.
Dungeon, 18th Floor.
Inside a hidden grotto in the Safety Zone.
The air was thick with the scent of damp mold and the stench of monsters. The light here was dim, with only the occasional faint glow filtering through crevices to barely illuminate the jagged rock walls.
Three figures, completely shrouded in large cloaks, were currently sitting around a massive stalagmite, conversing in low voices.
The leader, whose frame beneath the cloak was significantly taller and more burly than the other two, spoke with a voice that carried an undeniable rasp of authority.
"That one named Lynn... he has already killed an Apostle."
The voice wasn't loud, but in the silence of the deep floors, it sounded exceptionally clear. Every word felt like it was grinding against stone, carrying a cold, hard texture.
The cloaked figure on the left shifted slightly, their voice somewhat shrill, like a rusted dagger scraping against an iron plate. "An Apostle? Hmph. That guy was full of himself, thinking he could go solo just because his level was a bit higher. He deserved to be slaughtered by that newcomer."
The cloaked figure on the right appeared more cautious. He raised a hand to rub his temples, his tone laced with confusion. "But the reports state he is a Level 1, and doesn't even have a Familia. For a Level 1 rookie to be able to kill a Level 3 Apostle... that in itself is highly unusual."
The leader snorted, his gaze beneath the cloak sweeping over the two with the sharpness of a veteran.
"His strength does not match his level. The intelligence says he can easily challenge those at higher levels."
"Nothing is impossible," the leader continued coldly. "I have witnessed his fighting style with my own eyes. That brat... he doesn't seem like someone from this world at all. His footwork, the timing of his strikes, and that bizarre magic... all of it reeks of an unreasonable level of prowess."
He slammed his hand against his thigh with a muffled thud, vibrating the surrounding gravel.
"Furthermore, that power within him... even from this distance, I can feel it. Dense, pure—more enticing than any magic stone."
A glimmer of greed flashed in the eyes of the cloaked figure on the right. He no longer fixated on Lynn's level, cutting straight to the core of the matter. "Are you certain it is... a Great Rune?"
The leader chuckled, his voice filled with fanaticism.
"More powerful than any Great Rune you have ever seen! It isn't a Falna bestowed by a god; it's more like a primal power. If we can obtain it, we could break through to Level 8, or even higher. Think about it—Level 8! That is a realm even Ottar hasn't touched!"
His words carried a seductive quality that made the breathing of the other two turn heavy. Level 8—a realm that existed only in legends, the peak that every adventurer dreamed of.
Bloodshot veins appeared in the eyes of the shrill-voiced figure, as if a beast within had been ignited. "Then what are we waiting for? If we join forces, he is as good as dead!"
"Exactly," the figure on the right echoed, his voice thick with killing intent. "A lone wolf without the protection of a Familia, no matter how strong, is still just one man. Our advantage lies in numbers and our familiarity with the Dungeon."
The leader did not immediately agree. He pondered for a moment, his fingers beneath the cloak rhythmically tapping against the stalagmite.
"No rush," he finally spoke, a hint of cunning in his voice. "For that brat to kill a Level 3 while at Level 1, he is no ordinary foe. If we go head-to-head, even if we win, we will certainly pay a heavy price."
"Then what do you suggest?" the shrill-voiced figure asked impatiently.
"My god said that the boy's ability is to create special illusions within the Dungeon, dragging us into a world he is familiar with where our attributes will be suppressed," the leader said flatly.
"Therefore, we need a more meticulous plan. We cannot give him another chance for a one-on-one duel. We must drive him into a corner, and leave him with nowhere to run."
He stood up, his tall silhouette casting a massive shadow in the gloom.
"From now on, we change our strategy," the leader said deeply.
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