For adventurers, the simplest and most efficient way to make money was undoubtedly to enter the Dungeon. Magic stones obtained from slaying monsters, rare materials discovered inside, and even monster drops could all bring in huge profits.
A debt of sixty million valis loomed over their heads.
The three quickly settled on the future direction of their familia—make money, make money, and make even more money.
Ryuu hurried back to her room to check her equipment and prepare in advance for entering the Dungeon. She couldn't wait even a moment—work would start tomorrow!
Only Roy and the goddess Astraea remained in the spacious, brightly lit hall, quietly looking at each other.
The corner of Roy's mouth curled into a meaningful smile. "Goddess, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Astraea replied with a gentle smile, her phoenix-like eyes narrowing into lovely crescents.
But under Roy's unwavering gaze, Astraea was the one who yielded in the end.
She smiled faintly and said, "In that situation, there really wasn't any other choice."
"Well played, Goddess," Roy sighed, his expression full of surprise, putting special emphasis on the last words. He had been calculated into this as well.
If Astraea had tried from the very beginning to persuade Ryuu to abandon her hatred, the pain of her familia's destruction and the guilt of personally casting magic on her closest friends would have crushed her, pushing her to choose death.
Astraea had seen through this—perhaps even more clearly than the person involved herself.
She had already been prepared to violate the "justice" she governed in order to protect Ryuu.
Roy's appearance changed everything. After the extermination of the Rudra Familia, carrying a faint hope of reviving the others, Ryuu's state of mind had clearly begun to recover.
But the more important question was what to do next.
If handled poorly, the elven girl would once again fall into that abyss filled with hatred, blood, and tears.
Simply put, she needed something to do—something to keep her from thinking about revenge all day long.
Revenge was only a part of life. Life wasn't made up of revenge alone; there were also poetry and distant horizons…
As for Roy, he had gained a brand-new understanding of the species known as "gods." Perhaps from the very moment he sought her out, through just a few lines of conversation, Goddess Astraea had already seen through his plans and abilities.
She had even foreseen the outcome.
Astraea had gone with the flow, letting events develop naturally while achieving her own goal as well.
Feeling somewhat used, Roy grumbled inwardly, An old monster who's lived for hundreds of millions of years!
"You seem to be thinking something rather disrespectful," Astraea said sweetly, suddenly stepping forward, her flawless face drawing close to Roy's.
Staring at that perfect visage right before his eyes—seemingly crafted by the heavens themselves—while a faint fragrance lingered around his nose, Roy couldn't help but feel his heart waver.
He clenched his teeth and shook his head like a rattle drum. "No, absolutely not!"
"Lying isn't something a good child should do." Astraea's smile grew even sweeter, though only Roy understood the danger hidden within it.
Roy slapped his forehead. Damn it, the beauty trap—he had almost forgotten about this again.
Being smart was one thing, but being able to sense lies as well… Anyone who tried to compete with gods in a battle of wits must have had their brain caught in a door.
Fortunately, their goals were the same.
Roy and Astraea exchanged smiles.
Saving the elven girl trapped in the vortex of hatred—on this great undertaking, Goddess Astraea and Roy were perfectly aligned. You treat the symptoms, I treat the root cause. Working together, they'd make a specimen…
"Don't keep playing around like this, or I'll quit the familia and run away," Roy joked.
"No, you won't," Astraea said confidently. In Orario, one had to belong to a familia.
In the entire city, there was no familia more suitable for Roy than the Astraea Familia.
Few members, high freedom, and neither Astraea nor Ryuu had any intention of probing into his secrets.
If he really left, they'd be the ones unhappy about it.
The next day.
Roy yawned as he slowly got out of bed. Last night, he and Goddess Astraea had discussed all night how to better "save" (and "conquer") the elven girl.
The more they talked, the more excited they became—so much so that they almost talked until dawn.
After reaching LV.2, Roy only needed five or six hours of sleep to stay energetic all day.
Fully equipped, Ryuu appeared at the doorway.
Roy put on his own gear—the Muramasa sword—and strapped a gray bracer (Steel Bracer) to his left forearm, the highest-grade equipment he currently owned.
As long as he didn't extract rewards obtained from the system, they would remain stored inside it.
Roy treated it entirely as storage space, only taking out items when needed. Potions could be retrieved at will, without any worry of them being damaged during combat—extremely convenient.
The two left the Court of Stars and headed toward Babel Tower.
Ryuu pressed her lips together and said quietly, "This matter had nothing to do with you in the first place."
Roy smiled. "Give and take. You helped me hunt monsters—this time, I'm helping you."
Hearing Roy deliberately blur the line between the two, Ryuu frowned.
"Don't forget our agreement!"
"That's a separate matter."
Facing the elven girl's pressing gaze, Roy remained calm. "It's all the same. No difference."
Ryuu stopped walking, her complex gaze sweeping over Roy before turning into a soft sigh.
Before long, they arrived at Babel Tower Plaza.
What had happened last night—Ryuu directly beating Jacintos senseless after clashing head-on with the Apollo Familia—had already spread across most of Orario. The surrounding adventurers' faces showed faint traces of awe.
They had thought the Astraea Familia was already destroyed, leaving only Gale, a beast that had lost its fangs.
Now it seemed those fangs had not only remained, but had likely been sharpened even further.
And there was also a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old LV.2 newcomer, showing faint signs of being reborn from the flames.
Compared to Ryuu's cold expression, Roy seemed much more approachable. He wore a friendly smile and even greeted adventurers he knew—members of the Ganesha Familia, and even some LV.1 rookies he had tricked before…
But those who appeared harmless were often the most terrifying.
The wary adventurers feared Roy no less than the LV.4 Ryuu.
Last night's clash between the two familias had been sparked by Roy. He had even dared to face two or three dozen members of the Apollo Familia alone and land an elbow strike on the LV.3 Jacintos—deeply unfathomable.
If Ryuu was a sharp sword with its edge fully revealed, then Roy's sword had yet to be drawn. No one knew whether it was a divine blade or a piece of scrap metal. That uncertainty itself hung like a shadow over their heads.
Entering Babel Tower, Roy was just about to head downward.
Ryuu's jade-white hand tugged at his sleeve. "Not down," she said. "Up."