Dawn arrives with Leon preparing breakfast in the church kitchen.
He moves through the familiar motions—infusing Qi into rice, eggs, vegetables. Each ingredient absorbs the energy differently, glowing faintly before the light fades into warmth. By now, the process is automatic, meditative.
Today feels different though. Today he's testing the partnership with Liliruca.
Footsteps on the stairs. Hestia appears, still in her nightclothes, hair adorably messy.
"Morning." She yawns. "You're up early. Nervous about today?"
"Not nervous.."
"There's a difference?" But she's smiling as she sits. "So, first day working with your new supporter. The girl supporter."
"Hestia."
"What? I'm just making conversation!" She takes a bite of breakfast and her eyes widen. "This is really good. You put extra Qi in it, didn't you?"
"You'll need the energy. I'll be gone most of the day."
"How deep are you going?"
"Floor ten. Just evaluation—seeing how she handles the middle floors, how we work together."
Hestia's expression becomes serious. "Be careful, okay? You don't really know this girl yet. Some supporters..." She hesitates. "Some supporters in Orario aren't trustworthy. They steal from adventurers, or worse."
"I know."
"But you hired her anyway."
"My intuition says she's trustworthy. Time will prove if I'm right."
"Your weird pattern recognition thing again." Hestia sighs. "Fine. But if anything feels wrong, come back immediately. Don't push it just because you want to give her a chance."
"I won't."
They finish breakfast in comfortable silence. As Leon prepares to leave, Hestia grabs his sleeve.
"Leon."
"Yes?"
"Just... be safe. And remember—you're mine first. Your goddess comes before any supporter friend."
Leon almost smiles. "I remember."
"Good." She releases him, trying to look stern but failing. "Now go. Don't keep your supporter waiting."
Babel Tower stands against the morning sky, adventurers already streaming in and out.
Leon arrives at the entrance and spots her immediately.
Liliruca Arde sits on a nearby bench, wearing the same worn cloak from yesterday. Her hood is up, hiding most of her face, but Leon can see her scanning the crowd nervously. A large pack rests at her feet—supporter equipment, clearly well-used.
She spots him and stands quickly. "Leon-sa—" She catches herself. "Good morning."
"Good morning." Leon approaches, studying her with his practiced eye.
She looks tired. Dark circles under her eyes suggest poor sleep. Her movements are careful, controlled—the bearing of someone used to staying unnoticed. And most tellingly, her stomach makes a soft growling sound that she tries to hide.
She hasn't eaten.
"Have you had breakfast?" Leon asks.
Liliruca's eyes widen slightly. "I—that's not important. Lili is ready to work."
"You can't work on an empty stomach." Leon reaches into his pack and pulls out something he prepared this morning—a sandwich wrapped in cloth. Simple but substantial, infused with Qi like everything he cooks. "Here."
Liliruca stares at the offered food like it might bite her. "Lili can't accept—"
"You can and you will. We're going to floor ten today. You need energy."
"But—"
"Consider it an advance on today's pay."
Slowly, hesitantly, Liliruca takes the sandwich. She unwraps it carefully, and Leon sees her hands trembling slightly. When she takes the first bite, her eyes close.
"It's... it's really good."
"Eat it all. We'll wait."
Leon turns away, giving her privacy to eat without being watched. He can sense her confusion, her suspicion. Why is he being kind? What does he want?
Fair questions. In her experience, kindness probably comes with strings attached.
After a few minutes, Liliruca speaks quietly. "Lili is finished. Thank you."
Leon turns back. She's standing straighter now, color returning to her cheeks. The sandwich is gone.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Then let's see what you can do."
They descend into the Dungeon together.
The upper floors pass quickly.
Leon moves through floors one through four with practiced efficiency, barely slowing. Goblins fall to casual sword strikes. Kobolds don't even warrant drawn weapons—just Qi-enhanced punches that create small shockwaves.
Behind him, Liliruca works with quiet competence.
She collects magic stones quickly, storing them in her pack with practiced movements. She navigates the corridors confidently, clearly familiar with the layout. And most importantly, she stays out of combat range without needing instruction.
Good instincts.
But Leon can feel her watching him. Assessing. Calculating. There's wariness in her every movement, like she's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Floor five's heavier atmosphere doesn't slow them. Leon has Tsukikage drawn now, the blade glowing faintly with channeled Qi. War Shadows dissolve to single strikes. Dungeon lizards fall before they can charge.
Liliruca's pack grows heavier with collected stones, but she doesn't complain. Leon notices she's stronger than her small frame suggests—probably has decent Strength stats despite being a supporter.
They rest briefly at the stairs to floor six. Leon drinks water while Liliruca organizes her pack with meticulous care.
"You're efficient," Leon observes.
Liliruca startles slightly. "Lili has experience."
"How long have you been a supporter?"
"Two years."
"You started young."
"Lili needed the money." Her voice is carefully neutral. "Supporting pays better than other jobs available to pallums."
Leon doesn't push. The way she said "needed" suggests a story, probably not a happy one. But they barely know each other—that's not a conversation for today.
"We're continuing to floor ten," he says instead. "Can you handle it?"
"Lili has been to floor ten before."
"Good. Stay close and stay alert. Monster spawn rate increases from here."
"Understood."
Floors six through nine test them both differently.
The monsters are stronger, faster, more aggressive. Leon has to use continuous Qi enhancement now—not just single strikes but sustained combat application. Tsukikage glows constantly, cutting through Armored Beetle shells and Dungeon Lizard hide with equal ease.
Liliruca watches everything.
Leon can feel her eyes on him during fights—studying his movements, his technique, his equipment. Especially his equipment. Tsukikage and Kagezashi are obviously high-quality blades, far beyond what most Level 1 adventurers can afford.
She's wondering where I got them. Probably thinking I stole them, or that someone's sponsoring me.
The distrust is palpable, but Leon doesn't address it. Trust has to be earned through actions, not words. If she wants to watch and judge, that's her right.
Floor ten's entrance looms ahead—heavier pressure, darker atmosphere, the sense of the Dungeon's attention focusing.
"This is as deep as we're going today," Leon says. "Just far enough to see how you handle the pressure."
"Lili can handle it."
They descend.
Floor ten hits like a physical weight. Liliruca stumbles slightly under the pressure, catches herself, forces her breathing to steady. Leon pretends not to notice—letting her maintain her dignity.
A Dungeon Lizard appears, larger than the floor nine variants. It spots them and charges with surprising speed.
Leon meets it head-on.
Tsukikage flashes—one, two, three strikes in rapid succession. The first cuts the lizard's leg. The second opens its throat. The third removes its head. The entire exchange takes maybe five seconds.
Behind him, Liliruca makes a soft sound—surprise, maybe fear.
Too fast. I'm showing too much skill.
But it's too late to hide it now. Leon is what he is—a master martial artist with eighty years of accumulated knowledge, enhanced by Falna and Qi. Holding back would only create more questions.
They clear a small section of floor ten, collecting magic stones and a few decent drop items. By the time Leon decides they've gathered enough data, Liliruca's pack is heavy with loot.
"That's enough for today. We're heading back."
"Already?" Liliruca sounds surprised. "Most adventurers push deeper when they're doing well."
"I'm not most adventurers. And this was evaluation, not a real dive." Leon sheathes Tsukikage. "You did well. Good collection speed, good navigation, stayed out of combat. That's what I needed to see."
"Oh." Something flickers across Liliruca's face—confusion, maybe suspicion. "So Lili passed?"
"Yes."
"And tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow we'll do a real dive. Floors five through ten, full day, proper loot collection." Leon starts walking toward the stairs. "Today was just confirming you can handle the work."
They ascend in silence.
Leon can feel the tension radiating from Liliruca. She's trying to understand him, trying to find the angle, the trick, the betrayal she knows must be coming. Because in her experience, kindness is always a trap.
She's been hurt before. Badly.
The realization settles heavy in Leon's chest. This girl, barely fourteen, has learned not to trust kindness. Has learned to see every gesture as manipulation.
Time will show her different. Actions, not words.
Evening sunlight greets them as they emerge from Babel.
The city is alive with activity—adventurers celebrating successful dives, merchants closing shops, the day winding down into night. Leon leads them to the Guild exchange, where a clerk appraises their collection.
"Floor ten haul, decent quality. Total value... fifteen thousand valis."
Not bad for half a day's work.
Leon accepts the payment and turns to Liliruca. "Your share."
He counts out five thousand valis—a third of the total—and holds it out.
Liliruca stares at the coins like they're weapons.
"That's... that's too much."
"That's fair. A third for the supporter, two-thirds for the adventurer. Standard split."
"But most adventurers only give supporters ten or fifteen percent—"
"I'm not most adventurers." Leon keeps his hand extended. "You did the work. You earned the pay."
Slowly, like she's reaching for something dangerous, Liliruca takes the coins. Her hands shake as she counts them—once, twice, like she can't believe what she's holding.
Five thousand valis. Probably more than she's made in a month, maybe longer.
"This is real," she whispers.
"Yes."
"Leon-sa— Leon really means to pay Lili fairly."
"I said I would."
Liliruca looks up at him, and for the first time, Leon sees past the defensive wariness. Underneath is a young girl who's been betrayed so many times she forgot what honest treatment looks like.
"Why?" Her voice cracks slightly. "Why is Leon being kind to Lili?"
"Because you're working with me, not for me. Partners deserve fair treatment."
"Partners." She repeats the word like it's foreign. "Lili is... a partner?"
"Yes."
Tears well in her eyes. She blinks them back furiously, trying to maintain composure. "Lili doesn't understand. Every other adventurer treats supporters like pack animals. Uses us, underpays us, throws us away when we're not useful anymore."
"That's their mistake."
"But why does Leon care? Why treat a supporter like a person?"
Leon considers the question. The real answer is complex—his past life's values, Hestia's influence, his own code of honor. But he settles on something simpler.
"Because that's what decent people do. They treat others with respect."
Liliruca stares at him for a long moment. Then something breaks—the careful walls she's been maintaining crumble. She clutches the coins to her chest and bows deeply.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. Lili won't forget this kindness."
"Stand up. Partners don't bow to each other."
She straightens, wiping her eyes quickly. "Lili is sorry. Lili isn't used to being treated well."
"You'll get used to it." Leon turns toward home. "Same time tomorrow. We'll do a full dive."
"Yes! Lili will be ready!"
Leon starts walking, then pauses. "Liliruca."
"Yes?"
"Eat properly tonight. Use some of that money for a good meal."
"Lili will!"
He leaves her standing in the evening light, clutching her earnings, looking like someone who just discovered the world might not be entirely cruel after all.
The church is dark when Leon arrives home.
"Hestia?"
"In here!" Her voice comes from the main room.
Leon finds her at the table, surrounded by papers—familia records, budget calculations, planning documents. She looks up with a tired smile.
"How did it go?"
"Well. Liliruca is competent. We'll work together regularly."
"Is she trustworthy?"
Leon considers the question. "She's been hurt before. Betrayed by other adventurers. She doesn't trust easily."
"But?"
"But underneath the distrust, she's honest. Hardworking. She just needs time to believe I'm not like the others."
Hestia studies his face carefully. "You like her."
"I respect her survival instinct. And I think she deserves better treatment than she's received."
"So you're going to be nice to her and prove not all adventurers are terrible."
"Yes."
Hestia smiles—warm, genuine, with no trace of earlier jealousy. "That's very like you, Leon. Always helping people without expecting anything back."
"It's practical. A supporter who trusts me will work better than one who's constantly waiting for betrayal."
"Keep telling yourself that." But she's grinning. "I'm glad she's working out. Just... keep being careful, okay? Trust has to be earned on both sides."
"I know."
They sit together for a while, Hestia returning to her paperwork while Leon meditates, circulating Qi to recover from the day's exertion. The comfortable silence of family, each doing their own work but together.
Later, Leon cooks dinner—Qi-infused, carefully prepared, the process meditative and calming. They eat together, talking about plans and strategies, about Liliruca's capabilities and tomorrow's dive.
As night settles over Orario, Leon reflects on the day.
A partnership formed. Trust beginning to build, however tentatively. Another step forward in creating something more than just a solo adventurer—a team, a family, people who rely on each other.
Different from my past life. But not wrong.
In his basement room, Leon performs his evening meditation. Qi flows through his channels naturally now, automatic as breathing. His body is adapting, growing stronger, preparing for deeper challenges.
But more than physical growth, something else is developing. Connections. Relationships. The understanding that strength alone isn't enough—that having people to fight alongside makes the journey richer.
Hestia upstairs, worrying about him but supporting his choices.
Liliruca, beginning to believe that maybe one adventurer in Orario might actually be decent.
Small familia. Small team. But growing.