For Daphne, the Apollo Familia estate was of course all too familiar. Yet after the god had announced the Familia's disbandment, returning here again—
Even though the scene before her remained unchanged, it all felt strangely unfamiliar.
The emblem symbolizing the Apollo Familia had already been removed. It was clear that the Hestia Familia hadn't even designed their own crest yet.
A return to a brand-new beginning.
Daphne had prepared herself for this. Her mood wasn't complicated—uneasy would be more accurate.
Would she be rejected by Liang Yue?
Though her heart wavered, she noticed her best friend Cassandra, who was so nervous that she kept clenching her sleeves. Daphne kept her expression calm.
"Let's wait."
"It should be starting soon."
"At least compared to noon, there are fewer competitors now. And both of us are Level 2 adventurers—there's no reason we shouldn't be accepted."
"…I hope so."
Her friend's reassurance did little to ease Cassandra's pessimism. She looked around at the unfamiliar adventurer faces, still holding a gloomy outlook.
With her withdrawn personality, even if she joined the Hestia Familia, she would likely end up on the fringes. Daphne, however, in both temperament and ability, far surpassed her.
In the worst case, Cassandra was prepared for rejection. She could just find another Familia, while leaving her best friend in a place with better prospects.
But when the estate gates finally opened and that familiar figure of Liang Yue appeared, the noisy crowd gradually fell silent.
"He's here."
Lunch had been a simple matter. The schedule was tight, with the priority being the Familia's recruitment. If there were no suitable candidates, then so be it.
Liang Yue already had a few names in mind.
Daphne could serve as commander, and Cassandra, in terms of strength, wasn't far behind. Both were Level 2 adventurers.
Through the glass, he could see more adventurers gathering outside. He had no intention of leaving them hanging.
With Lili at his side, he went to the manor gates.
And just as he expected, his eyes fell upon two familiar faces—Daphne and Cassandra.
In the original story, after Bell defeated Apollo's Familia in the War Game with the help of Wiene and Syr, the pair had also wanted to join Hestia's Familia. But because of Hestia's debts, they were scared off, and later ended up in the Miach Familia instead.
The circumstances were different now, but the flow of funds was more than stable.
"…Thank you all for coming. Before recruitment begins, there are some things I must make clear."
Liang Yue's tone wasn't stern, but his eyes swept the crowd. Most of them were nameless adventurers from Orario's lower rungs.
Talent and strength mattered less than character. He couldn't allow the Familia's atmosphere to sour because of the wrong people.
"The Familia's main activities will take place in the Dungeon's Middle and Lower Floors."
"To avoid unnecessary danger, there will be basic requirements for strength. This is for your safety as much as ours."
…
Sensing his gaze, Daphne understood it was necessary to step forward. She pulled Cassandra along and walked out of the crowd.
"Liang Yue. You can call me Daphne, and this is my best friend Cassandra. We're both Level 2 adventurers."
"There may have been misunderstandings before, but those weren't our intention."
"Now that the Apollo Familia has been disbanded, we wish to join the Hestia Familia. I hope you'll accept us."
"Th-that's right…"
Cassandra's long blue hair covered half her face as she hunched timidly, unable to meet Liang Yue's eyes.
After two prophetic nightmares, and with the Apollo Familia's downfall so fresh, facing Liang Yue filled her with a primal dread.
"…Welcome."
The process was even smoother than Liang Yue had imagined. With two more Level 2 adventurers, their fighting force was greatly bolstered.
Including Mikoto, that made three combatants—enough to explore the Dungeon's Lower Floors without fear for safety.
The other adventurers, however, were disheartened when they learned the minimum requirement was Level 2.
"W-wait, does it have to be Level 2 to join?"
"That's right."
"But for the Middle Floors, even Level 1 adventurers can manage if they work well together!"
"And can you guarantee you won't drag us down?"
The voice of reason came not from Liang Yue, but from Lili standing beside him. Though her young face was still girlish, her tone was firm.
Some things were better said by her.
"Just five days ago, we returned from a Familia expedition."
"Our destination was the New World in the Lower Floors."
"And as Lady Hestia already said, this Familia's core is Liang Yue. It's not about looking down on you."
"If you want to be cannon fodder, sure—I'd gladly agree."
Her blunt words cut deep. Going to the Lower Floors with Level 1 strength was suicide, and worse, it would only hinder the Familia's progress.
Most of those who had been hoping for a chance left on their own.
A few still tried to argue, but one glance from Liang Yue silenced them.
The killing intent that swept over them was like a tidal wave. They finally remembered—the boy before them wasn't just slightly stronger than the rest.
In the Colosseum, he had been merciless.
"…Sorry. I was out of line."
Level 2 adventurers were rare in Orario. After the screening, only Daphne and Cassandra remained.
As they followed Liang Yue deeper into the estate, Daphne's thoughts swirled. She had assumed there would be complex procedures after the initial selection.
But his attitude was far too casual.
"You're not going to ask us anything?" she pressed.
"There's no need."
"…?"
He didn't even turn around. His light words left her baffled.
Joining any other Familia would have involved investigations, especially for a former Apollo commander like her.
And then she realized the truth.
With his strength, Liang Yue didn't need to worry about such things.
Her face turned complicated, but she still kept up. "I see… with your power, there's no need for concerns like that."
But her words made Liang Yue pause. Before she could correct herself, he gave his natural, almost self-evident answer.
"Look at it this way—once you join the Hestia Familia, we'll be comrades fighting side by side in the Dungeon."
"Of course there has to be trust."
Then he turned and flashed a bright smile. "And isn't joining a more suitable Familia simply for the sake of a better future?"
"…!"
For a moment, Daphne was dazed. The impression she got from him now was completely different from the boy who had once declared he'd challenge an entire Familia in the Colosseum.
At least in real contact, Liang Yue left her with an unexpectedly good impression.
"You're right," she admitted softly.
Still, she had one more concern—her best friend Cassandra. After some hesitation, she decided to press her case.
"It's an honor to join the Hestia Familia. But… may I ask for one thing? Could you also let Cassandra join?"
"She may sometimes seem gloomy, even muttering about nightmares, but…"
She was about to list her strengths, but Liang Yue cut her off with an almost obvious response.
"Why else would I have let her come with you, if not to join?"
"Of course she's welcome."
The ability to foresee disasters in dreams, and even find solutions through them—such utility was invaluable.
And so, the matter was settled. Hestia, naturally, welcomed them as well. With two more Level 2 adventurers, the Familia's strength rose significantly.
Yet when she looked around at the growing Familia, Hestia felt a strange pang.
All of them were girls. All of them beautiful. All of them would now be living in the manor with Liang Yue.
She couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. She'd have to move faster if she wanted to deepen her bond with him.
But with a bright smile, she said instead: "Let's hold a celebration tonight at the Hostess of Fertility. A feast, with food and drink. Consider it a holiday for all your hard work."
"I'll leave it to you." Liang Yue nodded. With two new members, development could wait. The next steps were forging new weapons with the casino payout, and raising both his Dungeon level and Sword Soul class.
"After the celebration, we'll stop by the casino. Rest tomorrow, then the day after, we'll dive into the Dungeon again. Target: the New World in the Lower Floors. Estimated time: ten days."
"No problem."
Mikoto, who had seen his strength firsthand, didn't feel disheartened. Even if she could never reach his height, surpassing yesterday's self was enough.
…
But at the mention of the casino, Daphne frowned. It wasn't unusual for adventurers to pass their time at casinos or taverns, but going there right after the War Game? That felt odd.
And then Lili produced a slip of paper.
"This is the betting voucher. The casino only pays out with this."
"…!"
Daphne's curiosity burned stronger. She glanced between Liang Yue and Lili before finally asking:
"Captain… what do you mean by betting voucher?"
"It's simple—it's proof of a wager at the casino," Lili replied casually.
"…About the War Game against Apollo Familia?"
Her heart pounded. She looked at Liang Yue, the suspicion now fully formed.
And he didn't deny it.
"Of course. The odds were ridiculous. I only needed to wager two million valis to earn two hundred million after the win."
"…!"
Daphne's lips parted, but no words came. Her heart thundered as countless thoughts swirled.
From the very beginning, Liang Yue had been laying bait. Leaving traces to lure Apollo's men into pursuit, drawing the god into declaring a War Game before the eyes of all Orario—
It had all been deliberate.
Apollo sought the perfect talent in Liang Yue. But in truth, from beginning to end, Liang Yue had only ever seen Apollo as prey—his true aim, Apollo's wealth.
"You…"
"You really are a complete monster."