After finishing the meal, Ren left with Hestia and Bell.
"Lefiya, still staring? Everyone's gone."
"I… wasn't looking." Lefiya panicked instantly, her ears twitching in a way that made everything obvious.
"It's written all over your face. Did that boy really succeed in seducing you?" Riveria leaned closer, observing Lefiya's flushed face and heated ears.
"No… not at all." Lefiya thought about what Tiona had analyzed for her, then about Ais, and realized with surprise that Ren seemed to have quietly entered her heart.
"Let's head back. We still need to ask Lady Loki about something." Riveria didn't continue teasing Lefiya.
"What is it?"
"Of course, why she rejected a genius like Ren." Riveria's tone was calm, but anyone who had spent time with her knew she was no longer someone easy to talk to.
If Ren joined the Loki Familia, things would be different. He could let others experience stronger power, making levelling up easier. She believed Ais's reasoning. Since that was the case, they needed to ask Loki why he was rejected.
On the way back, Bell, watching Hestia holding onto Ren, said, "Ren-san, I'll do my best."
"Mm, work hard to get stronger. Only then can you stand on this stage." Ren spoke sincerely.
Without sharing abilities with his other selves, he was nothing. Everyone looked down on him—except Hestia.
Now, strengthened by power, he had become a sought-after figure. Only he understood the change in his own mind.
"Yes." Bell smiled, feeling genuinely happy. Meeting someone like this in Orario was truly wonderful.
The next morning, Bell woke up early and put on the equipment Ren had prepared for him, full of anticipation for the dungeon adventure ahead.
"Ren, Bell, be careful on the way." Hestia's blue ribbon slipped down as her hair fell around her face, looking like she hadn't fully woken up.
"Yes, we're off." Bell replied enthusiastically.
Seeing Bell so excited, Ren casually waved and led him toward the dungeon.
Three girls were already waiting at the entrance. Bell greeted them cheerfully, still thrilled at the chance to enter the dungeon he had always dreamed about.
"Good morning, Lefiya." Ren smiled as he greeted her.
"Morning…" Lefiya's ears twitched, and she lowered her head.
"Does she dislike me?" Ren wondered, not fully understanding but respecting her feelings. After greeting Tiona and Ais, the group set off toward the first floor.
Entering the dungeon for the first time, Bell felt uneasy. It was gloomy, with hardly any light, and eyes seemed to watch from the darkness. Seeing his companions so calm, he forced himself to stay composed.
"Up ahead, there are goblins, Bell. Let me handle this." Ren deliberately switched to a short sword instead of using his speed to instantly finish them. If Bell couldn't see clearly, the lesson wouldn't have any meaning.
"Bell, never underestimate any monster, but don't overthink it either. On the lower floors, their attacks follow patterns. When they raise their hands…" Ren sidestepped and then plunged his short sword into a goblin's heart, ending it immediately.
"Ren-san, I'll try." Bell felt it was simple and directly attacked a goblin, though it wasn't as smooth as Ren's movements.
He relied on his excellent initial speed to dodge the goblin's attacks and finally stabbed it with his short sword. Blood sprayed all over him. The goblin wasn't dead yet and swung its club down hard.
"Didn't I tell you? Never underestimate any monster." Ren appeared beside him in an instant and took care of it.
"Ren-san, I'll do my best." Bell took a deep breath. He was no longer the same as when he first entered the dungeon and had become serious.
With his first experience, Bell quickly defeated the second and third goblins.
"Hestia must be lucky, having Ren, and now another promising newbie, Bell?" Tiona was shocked. Although a Level 1 battle wasn't exciting to watch, the opponent was a complete beginner, so guidance was easy to give.
Ais stood quietly to the side. The more she observed Ren, the more interested she became. But thinking of becoming stronger, she felt a little impatient and wanted to urge him.
After Bell defeated a few more monsters, he called out excitedly to Ren, "Ren-san…"
But, he noticed Ais's expression. Though her face rarely showed emotions, he could read her desire to become stronger. He didn't want to hold anyone back because of himself.
"What is it?"
"I can now kill goblins efficiently. You all continue; don't worry about me. I'll grind a bit more before catching up." Bell said.
"I see. Today, we'll stay on the first floor. Once you're familiar with the dungeon monsters, we'll move to the second floor." Ren instructed, then followed the impatient Lefiya and Ais deeper into the dungeon.
"Ren teaches seriously," Ais remarked, unusually breaking her silence.
"Because I don't want him to go through what I went through." Ren sighed. When he first entered the dungeon, he had underestimated goblins and got a harsh lesson in return.
"I'm sorry," Ais said.
"You haven't done anything wrong. Why apologize?" Ren was confused. Did everyone always like to apologize so much?
"Loki refused you," Ais said softly.
"Powerful Familia rejecting people isn't wrong. If I really cared, I wouldn't even be here," Renl stated his stance.
Seeing the two girls remain silent, Ren smiled. "Instead of worrying about this, why not focus on getting stronger? Otherwise, Ais, I'll surpass you soon."
"Aren't you going to say anything about me?" Lefiya's ears twitched.
"Lefiya, I've already surpassed you," Ren said with absolute seriousness.
"I'm looking forward to it," Ais replied, her tone equally serious.
The three of them reached the seventeenth floor again. The floor boss still hadn't respawned, but Ais had no intention of fighting Goliath; it wouldn't help her grow much.
After restocking supplies on the eighteenth floor, the trio continued deeper into the mid-levels.
Monsters occasionally attacked in groups, but with the teamwork of Ais and Ren, Lefiya could unleash her large-scale attack magic. There were no major issues, and they pressed onward.
As they advanced, Lefiya kept glancing at Ren instead of Ais, a subtle change she hadn't even noticed herself.
The deeper they went, the slower their progress became. Since Ais planned to challenge the floor boss, she needed to conserve her strength. This explained why expeditions required large groups of adventurers.
"Ren, Lefiya, are you both okay?" Ais asked, a hint of worry in her voice. She was grateful to have them with her on such reckless ventures but didn't want them hurt. She already wanted to head back.
"I'm fine, but Lefiya, don't push yourself," Ren said, looking at her.
"Huff… I'm fine too," Lefiya said stubbornly. The monsters on floors eighteen and nineteen were numerous, forcing her to use magic repeatedly, which drained her significantly.
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