That evening, when Lynn returned to Eina's house, he wasn't greeted by the warmth of a freshly cooked meal, but by a heavy, room-filling silence.
The magic stone lamp in the living room was lit, yet its glow felt dim and oppressive.
Eina sat on the sofa. She wasn't reading or organizing documents; she was simply clutching a throw pillow, staring blankly into the void. At the sound of the door opening, she flinched violently like a startled rabbit. She turned her head, forcing a smile that looked more painful than crying.
"You... you're back."
Lynn closed the door and leaned the Bloodhound's Fang against the wall. He didn't boisterously announce his haul for the day as he usually did. Instead, he walked quietly to the sofa and sat down.
He looked at her, and she looked at him. The air was thick with an unspoken weight.
"Did someone at the Guild cause trouble for you?"
Lynn spoke first, his voice flat.
Eina's shoulders slumped, and the fragile shell of strength she had been maintaining shattered instantly. She lowered her head, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
"How did you..."
"I guessed," Lynn said. "You've been coming home later and later, your paperwork has been piling up, and you've been spacing out. Plus, I got jumped today."
Eina's head snapped up, her face draining of color. "Are you hurt?!"
"No," Lynn shook his head. "They weren't much to look at."
His nonchalant tone only made Eina more uneasy. Looking into Lynn's eyes—which were far too calm—she finally reached her breaking point. She recounted everything: the harassment at the Guild over the past few days and the threat she received in the alley the night before.
By the end of her story, her voice was thick with tears. Her eyes were red, but she desperately fought to keep the tears from falling.
"I'm sorry, Lynn... I should have told you sooner. I was just afraid... afraid you'd do something impulsive. The Apollo Familia isn't easy to cross..."
Lynn listened silently, his expression never changing. He showed neither anger nor surprise, as if he were listening to a story that had nothing to do with him.
It wasn't until Eina finished that he reached out and, somewhat awkwardly, gave her shoulder a light pat.
"I see," he said.
Only those two words. Yet they sent a shiver down Eina's spine.
This calm was more terrifying than any explosive roar of rage.
She wanted to say more, but looking into the bottomless depth of Lynn's gaze, the words died in her throat. He stood up, walked to his room, and closed the door.
"Get some rest. I'll make sure this ends," his muffled voice came from behind the door.
Clutching her pillow, Eina sat alone in the living room, her sense of unease only growing stronger.
The next morning, Lynn woke up early.
He didn't go to the Guild, nor did he enter the Dungeon. Instead, he headed straight for the chaotic, diverse district in the west of the city. In a remote, inconspicuous corner of an inn's backyard, he found Patches' new stall.
"Stall" was a generous word; it was more like a pile of junk on the ground. The table was a precarious assembly of broken wooden planks, and the sparse wares displayed were even more pathetic than before.
Patches himself sat on a small wooden stump, listlessly polishing a rusted dagger with a dirty rag. His shiny bald head looked exceptionally lonely in the morning light.
Seeing Lynn, Patches' eyes lit up for a second before dimming again. He hopped off the stump, a pained smile plastered on his face as he limped forward to greet him.
"Aiyoo! Master! You finally came!"
He immediately launched into a tearful performance. "Look at my rotten luck! I don't know what plague-bearer I crossed a few days ago, but they trashed my stall and the innkeeper kicked me out! If I hadn't been quick enough to find a new burrow, you wouldn't be seeing your loyal merchant today!"
Lynn watched him, saying nothing.
Seeing Lynn remained unmoved, Patches' wailing subsided. He took a quick peek at Lynn's expression, then leaned in close, his tone shifting from slippery complaining to dead serious.
"It was the Apollo Familia."
He leaned toward Lynn, darting his eyes around shiftily before continuing:
"Those bastards have a stinking reputation in Orario. Their God has a specific 'taste'—he targets handsome, high-potential rookies. He starts with the 'courtesy before the storm' approach, trying to persuade you. If you refuse, they start playing dirty."
Patches curled his lip in disdain.
"Threats, bribes, putting pressure on the people around you to isolate you... until you're driven into a corner and have no choice but to crawl into the Sun God's embrace. Hmph, I've done some digging. At least a third of their Familia members were forced in like that. It's no different from kidnapping."
He paused and added, "Their Captain is that blonde pretty-boy who talked to you at the pub—Hyakinthos. He's a Level 3. There are a few Level 2 executives, and the rest are mostly Level 1s. Their direct combat strength isn't top-tier, but their methods are utterly filthy."
Lynn listened through to the end and nodded.
Level 2s are executives? Could the ones I thrashed yesterday have been the bulk of them?
He reached out and patted Patches' shoulder with enough force to make the man stumble.
"Your losses," Lynn said flatly, looking at the pile of junk, "I'll remember them."
With that, he turned and left.
Patches stood frozen, rubbing his aching shoulder while watching Lynn's retreating figure. His expression shifted through a dozen emotions before he finally grinned, revealing a genuine, swindler-like smile.
"Hehe... this deal might not be a loss after all."
As Lynn walked the streets of Orario, his mind worked at high speed.
The ambush in the Dungeon. Eina's plight at the Guild. Patches' trashed stall.
Everything pointed back to the same source—the Sun God who had turned to petty rage after being rejected. Clearly, reasoning with a narcissist like that was useless.
If he fought off an ambush, they'd just send a stronger team. If they threatened Eina, they might escalate to physical harm next time. Being a passive target was never his style. Furthermore, they had laid hands on those close to him.
That crossed Lynn's line.
In the Lands Between, he could die countless times, but there was only one Melina. In this world, he didn't care what he faced himself, but he couldn't tolerate people like Eina or Patches getting hurt because of him.
He had to strike back.
But how? On his own, no matter how well he fought, he couldn't just storm a Familia's residence and take out over a hundred people by himself—especially when they had a God presiding over them.
He needed help.
The Apollo Familia members with broken legs had crawled back to their residence, reporting everything that happened in the Dungeon—including Lynn's arrogant threat to "tear down the palace"—to Hyakinthos.
Hearing this, Hyakinthos shook with rage and immediately rushed into the study to inform Apollo.
To his surprise, Apollo didn't show anger. Instead, a sickly, ecstatic smile spread across his face.
"Tear down my palace?" The Sun God stroked his handsome cheek, his purple eyes flashing with excitement. "What bold words! I like it!"
He looked down at the kneeling Hyakinthos with approval. "Well done, my child. It seems ordinary methods won't make him submit. This defiant little bird needs a more violent storm to break his wings."
Apollo's gaze shifted to another piece of intelligence on his desk—one regarding a white-haired boy.
"This little fellow, Bell Cranel... what have we found out?"
"Lord Apollo," Hyakinthos answered immediately. "He is the sole member of the Hestia Familia, a Level 1 rookie. According to our reports, Lynn saved him once at a potato puff stall. They seem to have some sort of friendship."
"Hestia?" Apollo scoffed, his face lighting up with pleasant surprise. "He's actually her child?"
He picked up the portrait of Bell—a white-haired boy who looked a bit timid but had pure eyes. Apollo's finger traced the portrait lightly, a playful smile curving his lips.
"This one isn't bad either; he's like a startled little rabbit. Since he's Hestia's child, this becomes even more entertaining."
He tossed the portrait onto the table. "I've changed my mind. I want both. Bring this Bell to me as well."
Greed shimmered in Apollo's eyes. "I want Lynn to watch with his own eyes as everyone around him leaves. Even the little rabbit he saved will eventually fall into my embrace. I want him to taste what true isolation feels like."
"Go," Apollo waved his hand. "No need to be so gentle with the little rabbit."
"Yes, my Lord!" Hyakinthos took the order, a cruel light flashing in his eyes.
That evening, Lynn went to "The Hostess of Fertility" as usual. He had basically made it a habit to have a drink there before heading home.
The atmosphere was as rowdy as ever, but as soon as Lynn sat at the bar, he sensed something was off. When Syr brought his drink, her face was etched with worry.
"Lynn, are you... alright?" she asked in a low voice as she set down the tray.
"What could be wrong with me?" Lynn picked up his spoon, giving her a curious look.
"It's... the Apollo Familia," Syr whispered even lower. "This afternoon, I saw Mr. Bete from the Loki Familia kick several Apollo members out of the pub."
Lynn's spoon paused in mid-air. "Bete?" The image of the ash-blonde werewolf with the fierce eyes and perpetual scowl came to mind. That rude guy?
"Yes," Syr nodded, still looking shaken. "Those people were bothering Bell, saying some very nasty things. Bell couldn't take it and tried to fight back, but they beat him to the ground immediately. Thankfully, Mr. Bete stopped them, telling them 'get out of my sight, you trash.'"
Lynn's eyebrows twitched. That werewolf... actually bothered to intervene? His impression of Bete shifted slightly from "a rude werewolf" to "a rude werewolf who seems to have a shred of justice."
"Where's Bell?" Lynn asked.
"He was terrified. Ryuu stayed to talk to him for a while, and then he went home." Syr sighed. "The Apollo Familia has really been crossing the line lately."
Lynn sipped his honey mead in silence. It seemed the narcissist Apollo wasn't just targeting him. The boy named Bell had been dragged in too.
Why? Lynn figured it out quickly. Because Bell had interacted with him, and... the boy's Hestia Familia sounded like a "soft persimmon"—easy to crush. It fit Apollo's style of bullying the weak perfectly.
"A two-pronged attack? How greedy." Lynn sneered internally.
He finished his drink, thanked Syr, and left the pub. He didn't head back to Eina's. Instead, he turned and headed toward the location he had just inquired about: the Hestia Familia residence.
It was an abandoned church located in a remote corner of Orario, surrounded by overgrown weeds and looking as if it could collapse at any moment. Standing at the door, Lynn could hear suppressed sobbing and a girl's clumsy attempts at comfort coming from inside.
He knocked. The crying and comforting stopped instantly.
After a long moment, the door creaked open a sliver. A petite, black-haired Goddess with twin-tails poked her head out, looking at him warily.
So this is the Goddess Hestia. Lynn thought. I guess "Gigas-breasted Lolis" really do exist in this world.
"Wh-who are you?"
"I'm looking for Bell Cranel," Lynn said succinctly.
"Looking for Bell-kun? For what reason?" The Goddess grew even more guarded, instinctively pulling the door tighter.
Just then, Bell heard Lynn's voice and came running out.
"Mr. Lynn!"
Seeing Lynn, Bell was filled with surprise and joy. He quickly pulled Hestia aside and opened the door fully. There were still tear tracks on his face and his eyes were red, but his spirit had clearly rallied.
"It really is you! Please, come in!"
Lynn stepped into the church. The interior was even more sparse than the exterior suggested. A single table, two chairs, and a basement entrance covered by a tattered cloth curtain.
Bell scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry, it's a bit of a mess..."
"It's fine." Lynn's gaze swept over the faint bruises on Bell's cheek. He got straight to the point. "The Apollo Familia caused trouble for you?"
Bell stiffened and nodded, his mood dipping again.
"They... they told me to stay away from you. And they said... they said my Goddess isn't worthy of a child like me, and that I should be... presented to Lord Apollo..." He choked up, tears welling in his eyes again.
Beside him, Hestia shook with rage, her small fists clenched tight. "Unforgivable! That bastard Apollo! How dare he covet my Bell-kun!"
"So, they beat you?" Lynn pointed at Bell's face.
"Yeah... but Mr. Bete from the Loki Familia helped me," Bell said softly.
"I see." Lynn nodded.
It was exactly as he thought. Apollo didn't just want to force him into submission; he had decided to claim Bell as a bonus. It was a disgusting, opportunistic plan. The atmosphere in the church turned somber for a moment.
Bell looked at Lynn, hesitating for a long time before finally gathering the courage to speak. "Mr. Lynn, I know this is presumptuous... but for this matter, can I join you?"
He looked up, and in his ruby-like eyes, the previous timidity was gone, replaced by a flickering flame of resolve. "I don't want to cause more trouble for my Goddess. I want to get stronger! I don't want to be bullied by them anymore!"
Looking at him, Lynn suddenly thought of Iron Fist Alexander from the Lands Between—the warrior who was always full of passion and dedicated to becoming a hero. The boy before him shared a similar shadow.
How interesting.
"Sure," Lynn's lips curved slightly. "I was thinking that tearing down a palace would be a bit boring on my own anyway."
"T-tear down a palace?" Bell and Hestia both froze.
Hestia's crumbling church was clearly no place to discuss such a major operation. Lynn gave a few brief instructions to the excited Hestia and the determined Bell, telling them to stay calm and not act rashly for now. Then, he led Bell out of the church.
"Mr. Lynn, where are we going now?" Bell asked in a whisper as he followed at Lynn's side, his voice a mix of nerves and anticipation.
"To find people." Lynn was brief. "The two of us won't be enough."
Bell nodded, only half-understanding.
Lynn's target was clear: the Take-mikazuchi Familia. Firstly, they were among the few acquaintances he had dealt with in Orario. Secondly, and most importantly, they owed him a favor. Given the earnestness they had shown before, they likely wouldn't refuse him.
Compared to Apollo's glittering palace, the Take-mikazuchi Familia's residence was practically bare. It was a wooden building in the Far Eastern style, resembling a martial arts dojo. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and wood.
Lynn knocked on the door with practiced familiarity.
The door was opened by a tall, muscular man with short black hair, carrying a massive battle-axe as large as his own body. It was Ouka, the Captain of the Take-mikazuchi Familia.
"Oh? If it isn't our benefactor!"
Ouka blinked in surprise, then broke into a hearty grin, his massive hand reaching out to pat Lynn's shoulder. Lynn shifted slightly, letting the heavy palm strike empty air.
"Nice strength," Lynn remarked.
"Hahaha, still as slippery as ever!" Ouka didn't seem embarrassed. He pulled his hand back and scratched his head, his gaze landing on Bell behind Lynn. "And this is?"
"A friend," Lynn said casually.
"I-I'm Bell Cranel!" Bell bowed quickly, so nervous he didn't know where to put his hands.
"Don't just stand at the door, come in!"
The interior of the dojo was extremely simple. Aside from weapon racks and training posts, there was almost no decoration. Mikoto and Chigusa were polishing weapons and looked up at the sound of the entrance.
Seeing Lynn, Mikoto's face showed deep respect, while Chigusa instinctively shrunk behind Mikoto. Still, Chigusa gathered her courage to give Lynn a small bow.
"May I ask what brings you here today, sir?" Mikoto set down her katana and stood up. Her intuition told her that Lynn wasn't the type to drop by for a chat.
Lynn didn't waste words. He pulled up a wooden stool, sat down, and got straight to the point.
"The Apollo Familia is causing trouble for me. Now, they've reached out to the Hestia Familia." He pointed at Bell. "This kid's Familia. I plan to strike back, and I need help."
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