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In the towering structure known as the "Long Mansion," the leader's office sat high within one of its spires.
The room had a floral-patterned carpet, a white stone fireplace, and a tall grandfather clock that ticked steadily by the wall. Elegant, handcrafted furniture gave the space a noble atmosphere, and one tapestry in particular stood out — it depicted a goddess clad in armor, holding a spear.
That was Fianna, the legendary goddess of the Pallum race.
She was Finn's lifelong idol, someone he aspired to emulate.
At that moment, Finn was seated at his ebony desk, quietly going through faction reports and documents.
"Hermes Familia reports that several cities outside Orario have detected increasingly frequent suspicious movements from Evilus, but their objective remains unclear…"
"One Evilus base we recently raided — by chance — was supposed to be surrounded by Ganesha Familia… but the blockade failed. All three high-ranking members escaped."
Finn rubbed his brow, concern flickering in his blue eyes.
Then his gaze paused on another report on the table.
"The legendary rookie Dan has joined the Astraea Familia… Riveria knows him, right? There's something about that guy I can't quite put my finger on…"
BOOM.
The door slammed open with a bang. Finn jumped, but relaxed when he saw it was Ais — then looked with some pain at the now-destroyed door.
"Ais... how many times do I have to tell you? Please don't barge in like that," he said helplessly.
Ais took a bite of a fried potato ball, speaking through her mouthful. "Dan... looking for you…"
The moment Finn heard Dan's name, he narrowed his eyes slightly—then smiled.
"Oh, he's probably here to see Riveria. No need to tell me about that. He's with Astraea's people—trustworthy enough."
But Ais shook her head and pointed directly at Finn.
He blinked in surprise, then slowly stood up, the smile fading from his face.
"Well now… That's interesting. He asked for me directly? Perfect, I've been wanting to meet this so-called reincarnated ancient hero myself."
By the time Finn arrived at the parlor, several people were already gathered.
Riveria and Gareth, his two closest advisors, had assumed that Dan's visit was related to the Evilus activity and had come to join the meeting.
Of course, Riveria had her own reasons — her concern for Dan went far beyond strategy.
She sat across from Dan, her eyes glaring, teeth clenched, and words sharp.
"I heard you went back into the dungeon with your Familia after just one day of rest. Are you seriously that careless with your own health?!"
Dan glanced helplessly at Gareth, silently begging for rescue.
But Gareth only stroked his beard, pretending not to notice.
Cursing Gareth's betrayal in his heart, Dan had no choice but to face Riveria's wrath head-on.
"...I didn't have a choice. I just want to get stronger as fast as I can in this era."
What could he do? He had a soft spot for this kind of concern.
Riveria was the first person in this world to genuinely show him kindness — and he deeply respected her for it.
Seeing Dan pretending to behave himself, Riveria could only sigh in exasperation.
She couldn't exactly argue with his reasoning.
She wasn't some overbearing maternal figure. She knew better than anyone that meddling too much in someone's life only breeds resentment.
If Dan had even shown a hint of annoyance or impatience at her concern, she would've stepped back immediately.
But...
She still remembered that day. After Dan was rejected by the Loki Familia due to their current policies, he stood there, lost and anxious, looking utterly helpless.
Riveria had just returned from a trip and happened to cross paths with him. Their eyes met — and she felt a powerful instinct, something she couldn't explain.
I can't let this boy walk away. If I do, something terrible will happen.
On impulse — much to the shock of her companions — she had stopped Dan and offered to help him find work.
When she finally saw that smile return to his face, something in her heart relaxed.
From that point on, two people who were never meant to cross paths began to grow closer.
At first, she only wanted to help because of that gut feeling. But after learning that Dan had been an orphan since childhood, with no home to return to, she began to unconsciously take on a guardian role.
So, when Dan mysteriously vanished that one time, she had frantically searched for him and even asked every friend she had to help.
Maybe she had a bit of PTSD from it.
Whether it was Ais or Dan, Riveria always found herself wanting to protect them under her wing.
But still… it was a bittersweet feeling. Watching them grow stronger and more independent was rewarding — but also left her a little lonely.
"Oops, did I walk in at the wrong time?"
Finn's arrival broke the heavy atmosphere.
Dan visibly looked relieved. Lyra, noticing his expression, covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. Riveria shot her a glare, but dropped the topic for now.
Finn glanced at Riveria, who still looked somewhat upset, and raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. Then he walked over to Dan and extended a hand with a bright smile.
"Welcome, Dan. Your name's been making quite the rounds lately."
Dan gave his hand a light shake, then returned to his usual calm self.
"Compared to the 'Brave Warrior' title, my name's just idle gossip among the curious."
"Anyway, let's skip the polite chit-chat. I'm here on business."
Finn blinked — not quite used to someone cutting to the point like that. He glanced at Lyra beside Dan.
She just shrugged and nodded toward Dan.
"Don't look at me, I'm just here to listen to whatever this guy says~"
Huh?
That threw Finn for a loop.
He didn't know her well personally, but Lyra was one of the few Pallums he truly respected — known for her wisdom and strategic insight, often acting as a tactician in the Astraea Familia.
Wait… He joined two days ago and already earned her trust?
This guy… might be even more dangerous than I thought.
"Ha! Looks like you and I are cut from the same cloth," Finn laughed. "I also hate dealing with all those Guild types who speak in riddles."
He sat down directly across from Dan, placing his hands under his chin and meeting his eyes squarely.
"Then I'll be just as direct… Riveria and Gareth's rescue operation the other day did disrupt my plans, but since the target was someone from a justice-aligned Familia, I've decided it was worth it."
"We're all working to maintain the city's order, after all. We should be supporting one another. Astraea Familia owes us nothing. However—"
Finn's tone shifted slightly, becoming more cautious, more diplomatic.
"While I personally admire Lady Astraea greatly… the Loki Familia isn't her vassal. We have our own goals."
"If you came here expecting a favorable response, just be prepared for the possibility that we might not give it. I hope that won't damage relations between us."
Dan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Finn knew well enough that Astraea's people weren't the type to hold grudges over that kind of thing.
So clearly, he'd said it for Dan's ears alone.
Probably noticed the special bond between him and Riveria, and was being thoughtful in his own way.
But...
Dan smiled faintly.
"Even someone as clever as the Brave Warrior can be wrong sometimes. I'm not here on official business — this is personal."
Finn paused.
"Your personal matter?"
Dan shook his head, then pointed directly at Finn.
"No. Yours… and it's something you have a responsibility to face."
"....."