Morning light filters through the church windows, painting everything in soft gold.
Leon wakes before dawn as always, but today there's no rush. Five more days of recovery before he can dive again—Hestia's orders, and he agreed. His body still carries the deep exhaustion of eleven days in the Dungeon, the kind that sleep alone can't fix.
But he can still be productive.
In the kitchen, Leon prepares breakfast with extra care. Qi-infused rice, eggs cooked to perfection, grilled fish that practically glows with stored energy. The process is meditative, calming, a different kind of training than combat.
Footsteps on the stairs announce Hestia's arrival.
"Morning," she mumbles, still half-asleep, hair adorably messy. Then she stops, sniffing the air. "Leon, that smells incredible. What did you put in it this time?"
"More Qi than usual. You need the energy."
"I need the energy? You're the one who just got back from an eleven-day death march through the Dungeon." But she sits at the table, smiling. "Not that I'm complaining. Your cooking is the best thing about mornings."
"I thought I was the best thing about mornings."
Hestia nearly chokes on her tea. "Did you just make a joke? Leon Fury, the serious martial artist who barely smiles, made an actual joke?"
"I'm capable of humor."
"Barely." But she's grinning. "See? This is why you need more rest. You're actually acting like a normal person instead of a training-obsessed hermit."
They eat together peacefully, the morning sun warm through the windows. It's comfortable, domestic, the kind of quiet moment that makes the dangerous life of an adventurer worthwhile.
"So," Hestia says between bites, "what are you planning today? Please don't say training. Your body needs actual rest."
"I'm going to the Guild."
"The Guild?" Hestia's expression shifts to curiosity. "For what?"
"To recruit a supporter."
Hestia nearly drops her chopsticks. "Already? You just decided that yesterday!"
"No point delaying. The next time I dive, I want proper support in place."
"That's..." Hestia pauses, choosing her words carefully. "That's very practical. But Leon, finding a good supporter takes time. You need to interview people, check references, make sure they're trustworthy—"
"I'll know when I find the right person."
"How can you possibly—" Hestia stops, looking at his calm expression. "You're going to use that weird intuition thing you have, aren't you? The one that let you pick perfect ingredients at the market without even looking?"
"It's not weird. It's pattern recognition combined with experience."
"It's weird." But she's smiling. "Fine. Go find your supporter. Just... be careful, okay? Some people try to take advantage of new adventurers."
"I'll be fine." Leon stands and begins cleaning the dishes. "I'll be back this afternoon."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
The Guild headquarters bustles with morning activity.
Adventurers stream in and out—some registering for dives, others exchanging loot, a few nursing injuries while waiting for healers. The noise is overwhelming after the quiet of the church.
Leon navigates through the crowd to the reception desk. Eina Tulle, his assigned advisor, looks up from her paperwork.
"Mr. Fury. Good morning. I heard about your extended dive—eleven days solo to floor ten. That's... impressive, but also concerning."
"I survived."
"Many don't." Eina's expression is serious. "Please tell me you're not planning another dive like that immediately."
"Not for five more days. But when I do dive again, I want a supporter."
Eina's eyebrows rise. "A supporter? That's a mature decision. Most solo adventurers your age refuse to work with others."
"I'm reconsidering my approach to dungeon diving."
"Good." Eina pulls out a form. "We have a recruitment board for this. You post your requirements, supporters apply, you conduct interviews. Standard process takes about a week—"
"Can I post it today?"
"Of course. Just fill this out." She slides the form across the desk. "Be specific about what you need. Skills, experience level, compensation offered."
Leon fills it out carefully:
Hestia Familia seeks supporter for regular dungeon dives. Floors 5-10+. Must be reliable, discreet, and capable of independent thinking. Fair compensation. Apply in person.
Simple. Direct. No excessive requirements that would scare away qualified candidates, but clear enough to filter out the unsuitable.
Eina reviews it and nods. "This should attract some interest. I'll post it on the board now. Applicants will probably start arriving within the hour."
"Thank you."
Leon moves to a quiet corner of the hall and waits.
The Guild is fascinating to observe. Adventurers of every race move through the space—humans, elves, dwarves, animal people, even the occasional pallum. Each has their own style, their own energy. Some radiate confidence, others barely-contained desperation. Veterans move with casual efficiency while rookies show nervous excitement.
Everyone here is chasing something. Power, wealth, glory, survival.
Time passes. Several people approach Leon about the posting, but none feel right. A dwarf with excellent credentials but arrogant bearing. An elf with impressive experience but dismissive attitude toward "minor" familias. A human girl who seems competent but keeps glancing at the exit nervously.
Leon thanks each one politely and sends them away.
Not right. None of them are right.
Then he feels it.
A gentle tug on his sleeve.
Leon looks down.
A small figure stands beside him—barely four feet tall, clearly a pallum. She wears a hooded cloak that shadows her face, but he can see large brown eyes peering up at him nervously. Something about her ears... they're slightly pointed, with a hint of something else. Not quite human, not quite animal, but somewhere in between.
"Excuse me," the girl says quietly. "Are you... are you the one looking for a supporter?"
Her voice is soft, hesitant, like she's expecting rejection. But beneath the nervousness, Leon senses something else. Determination. The kind that comes from surviving difficult circumstances.
"Yes," Leon says calmly. "I am."
The girl's grip on his sleeve tightens slightly. "I... I saw the posting. I'm a supporter. Not experienced with big familias, but I know the upper and middle floors well. I can carry supplies, navigate, and I stay out of the way during fights."
"What's your name?"
"Liliruca Arde." She lowers her hood slightly, revealing chestnut hair and those unusual ears more clearly. "But most people call me Lili."
Leon studies her carefully. She's young—maybe fourteen or fifteen. Malnourished, judging by her thin frame. Her clothes are worn but clean. Her hands show calluses from manual labor. Everything about her screams hardship, but she stands straight, meeting his gaze despite obvious nerves.
"You're a pallum."
"Yes." There's a defensive note in her voice, like she's heard this before. "Pallums can be good supporters. We're small, but we're strong for our size, and—"
"I wasn't questioning your capability," Leon interrupts gently. "Just making an observation."
Lili blinks, surprised. "Oh. I... most adventurers say pallums are only good for carrying things."
"Most adventurers are idiots."
A tiny smile flickers across Lili's face before vanishing. "Mr. Fury seems different from other adventurers Lili has met."
"You refer to yourself in third person?"
"It's... habit." She looks down. "Is that a problem?"
"No. Just unusual." Leon considers her carefully. His intuition—that pattern recognition Hestia called weird—is telling him something. This girl has been hurt, used, maybe betrayed. But underneath the damage, there's steel. Survival instinct. Quiet competence.
She'll do. Better than anyone else who applied.
"The job is simple," Leon says. "Carry supplies, manage logistics, watch for threats while I'm fighting. Fair pay—we'll negotiate specifics. No exploitation, no mistreatment. You work with me, not for me."
Lili's eyes widen. "Work... with you?"
"Partnership. I handle combat, you handle support. Both roles are equally important."
"Most adventurers don't see it that way."
"I'm not most adventurers." Leon extends his hand. "Do you want the job?"
Lili stares at his offered hand like it's a trap. For a long moment, she doesn't move. Leon can see the conflict in her eyes—hope warring with suspicion, need fighting against self-preservation.
Finally, slowly, she reaches out and shakes his hand.
"Lili accepts Mr. Fury's offer."
Her grip is surprisingly firm despite her small size.
"We'll start tomorrow," Leon says. "Meet me at Babel Tower entrance at dawn. Bring whatever gear you have. We're not diving yet—just going to the upper floors so I can see how you work."
"Not diving today?" Lili looks confused. "Most adventurers want to start immediately."
"I'm still recovering from my last dive. Tomorrow is just evaluation—testing how we work together."
"Oh." Something in Lili's expression softens slightly. "That's... thoughtful."
"Practical." Leon releases her hand. "Do you have questions about the arrangement?"
"The pay..."
"How does three thousand valis per dive sound? More if we go deeper than floor ten or collect valuable drops."
Lili's eyes go huge. "Three... three thousand? That's..." She swallows hard. "That's very generous."
"That's fair compensation for valuable work." Leon studies her reaction. The number clearly means a lot to her—probably more than she's been paid before. "Is it acceptable?"
"Yes! Yes, very acceptable!" Lili bows quickly. "Thank you, Mr. Fury! Lili will work very hard!"
"Just Leon is fine. And don't bow—we're partners, remember?"
Lili straightens, looking uncertain. "Then... Leon-sama?"
"Just Leon."
"That's... that's very informal."
"I prefer it." Leon glances at the Guild's clock. "I need to go. Dawn tomorrow at Babel's entrance. Don't be late."
"Lili won't be late!" She bows again despite his earlier words, then catches herself. "I mean—Lili will be on time. Thank you for this opportunity, Le—" She hesitates. "Thank you."
Leon nods and turns to leave. Behind him, he can hear Lili whisper something that might be "thank you" again, her voice thick with emotion.
Good. This feels right.
As he walks out of the Guild into the afternoon sunlight, Leon allows himself a small moment of satisfaction. Finding the right person on the first day of searching—either excellent luck or his pattern recognition working as intended.
Either way, tomorrow will be interesting.
The church door creaks open as Leon returns home.
"I'm back."
"Leon!" Hestia emerges from the back room, smiling. "How did it go? Did you find anyone?"
"Yes. A supporter named Liliruca Arde. She'll meet me at Babel tomorrow morning for evaluation."
"Tomorrow? That was fast!" Hestia's expression shifts to curiosity. "What's she like? Experienced? What race?"
"Pallum. Young. Not extensively experienced, but competent. Good survival instincts."
"Pallum..." Hestia nods thoughtfully. "They make good supporters—strong for their size, detail-oriented. And you said 'she'?"
"Yes."
There's a pause. A very specific kind of pause.
"She," Hestia repeats. "Your supporter is a girl."
"Yes."
"A girl supporter." Hestia's smile becomes slightly fixed. "How nice. How... convenient."
Leon recognizes this tone. He's heard it before when Hestia mentioned other goddesses talking to him at the market. The careful neutrality that's anything but neutral.
"It's a professional arrangement," he says carefully.
"Of course it is!" Hestia's voice is bright. Too bright. "Just you and a young female supporter, going into the Dungeon together, spending hours in close proximity, relying on each other—completely professional!"
"Hestia."
"What? I'm happy for you! Having a supporter is great!" She crosses her arms. "How old is this Liliruca girl?"
"Fourteen or fifteen, I think."
"Oh." Some of the tension leaves Hestia's shoulders. "So she's young."
"Very young."
"And you're just hiring her to carry things and watch supplies."
"Yes."
"Nothing else."
"Nothing else." Leon looks at his goddess directly. "Hestia, are you... jealous?"
"Jealous?" Hestia's voice goes up an octave. "Why would I be jealous? You're my child, not my—I mean, it's not like—we're family, so obviously I'm not—"
She stops, face bright red.
Leon almost smiles. "I see."
"Don't 'I see' me! I'm your goddess! I'm allowed to be concerned about who you're working with!"
"You're allowed to be jealous too."
"I'm not jealous!" But she looks away, fidgeting with her dress. "I just... you're my first child, Leon. My only child. And you're kind and strong and you cook amazing food and..." She trails off. "I don't want to share you."
Leon's expression softens. He walks over and gently pats her head—a gesture he rarely makes.
"You're not sharing me. Lili is a coworker. You're my goddess. My family. That's completely different."
Hestia looks up at him, eyes slightly watery. "Really?"
"Really."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She throws her arms around him, hugging tightly. "Okay. Okay, I trust you. Just... don't forget about me when you're off adventuring with your new supporter friend."
"Impossible. You'd never let me."
Hestia laughs wetly and pulls back. "You're right about that." She wipes her eyes. "Sorry. I'm being silly."
"You're being honest. I appreciate that."
They stand in comfortable silence for a moment. Then Hestia grins mischievously.
"So... is she cute?"
"Hestia."
"What? I'm just asking!"
"She's fourteen."
"That's not an answer!"
Leon shakes his head and heads toward the kitchen. "I'm making dinner. Stop interrogating me."
"This conversation isn't over!" But Hestia is smiling as she follows him. "I want to meet this Liliruca girl! If she's going to be working with my child, I should approve her first!"
"You're not her parent."
"I'm your goddess! That's basically the same thing!"
Leon begins preparing dinner while Hestia continues her good-natured complaints. The earlier jealousy has transformed into excited curiosity mixed with protective concern.
This is family, Leon thinks as Hestia chatters beside him. Messy, emotional, imperfect—but real.
In his past life, he had students and colleagues but never this. Never someone who cared so openly, loved so freely, got jealous over something as simple as hiring a coworker.
It's strange.
But not bad.
Outside, the sun sets over Orario, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson. Tomorrow will bring new beginnings—a partnership formed, a team taking shape, another step forward on the journey.
But tonight, Leon simply cooks dinner for his goddess, listens to her concerns, and promises that no matter who joins their small familia, she'll always be the most important person in his new life.
And he means it.