by Fujino Omori
“Yep, that’s right. Once the members knew the flavor of Soma, they did anything they could ta get money. While I did call it a ‘prize,’ not everyone in the Familia gets an equal share. On top o’ issuin’ a quota, the idiot only gives the highest earners the good stuff. That Familia is at war with itself. Ah, yeah, those who fill the quota get a sip, most likely.”
Loki racked her brain, trying to remember. However, Eina had a realization.
This was why the Soma Familia members she sometimes saw at the Guild were obsessed with money.
They were thirsty for Soma.
“The more I hear about this, the more it sounds like a dangerous drug. Is it acceptable to let this continue?”
“Might just be my bad choice of words. The spirit ‘gets stolen,’ but yer brain doesn’t go up in smoke like that other stuff. Ya don’t go mad, just feel really good. Makes yer whole body tremble. Makes ya want ta take another sip, no matter what. But, just like with normal alcohol, that feeling will go away.”
Loki explained the difference between Soma and drugs like this:
There was no withdrawal with Soma. Its addictive qualities were not particularly strong.
Since Soma’s followers’ condition was only temporary, everyone would return to normal in time.
However, in the case of Soma Familia, members were given their next drink before the effects of the first dose had worn off. They were stuck in a hellish cycle.
“Can you explain what you meant by the addictive period being short?”
“Well then, there are loads o’ children who have tasted Soma but got cut off and managed ta recover, right?”
To add to that, it appeared that even Soma drinkers became tolerant of it over time. The strongest members of Soma Familia were almost always at the top, and therefore received the wine all the time. However, somehow they could drink it without their spirits being stolen, and stay normal.
Come to think of it, thought Eina, of all the members of Soma Familia who demand money at the Exchange, the ones who have reached Level Two are always much calmer and more collected.
“To sum it all up fer ya, the leadership of a careless idiot obsessed with his hobby, the allure of Soma, and the members cravin’ fer it all mix together ta make the craziness that infects Soma Familia.”
Normally, if the god at the top of a Familia had real interest in it, things wouldn’t turn out this way.
This was because if the one who empowered everyone raised their voice, the Familia would fall silent. If they didn’t, they would be stripped of their Falna.
All this information seemed to indicate that, although he was not at fault for the current conditions, Soma himself was responsible for setting them in motion and not putting them to an end.
“That’s all there is ta it, Eina. Anythin’ else ya wanna ask?”
“No, that’s all. Thank you very much for your time.”
Eina understood what was happening at Soma Familia.
While their craving for that special wine was a bit scary on its own, this was a case of her being too focused on appearances.
Eina came to this conclusion because their yearning for alcohol and large amounts of money were not much different from other adventurers trying to strike it rich quick in the Dungeon. The only scary part of it was how they chose to reach their goal.
However, according to Loki’s explanation, this was only a risk for part of the Familia, not every member. The supporter whom Bell had hired sounded as though she was perfectly normal, by the way he described her last time they talked.
A feeling of relief flowed through her as Eina deduced that it was highly unlikely that Bell would be thrust into a life-threatening scenario.
Loki watched her carefully and, upon seeing the look of relief on her face, opened her eyes a little wider.
“Eina.”
“Yes?”
“Do ya know what happens ta donkeys that have a carrot hung in front of ’em but can never reach it?”
Eina was dazed by this sudden, strange question.
Loki stuck out all of the fingers on both hands one by one and continued without waiting for Eina’s answer.
“The weaker ones get run over as the stronger ones go fer the others’ carrots, kickin’ and thrashin’ their competition outta the way.”
At first, Eina was confused. The answer dawned on her a moment later.
“That’s what’s happenin’ at that Familia. All the idiot does is hang carrots. Nothin’ can stop them now.”
Then Loki folded all of her fingers together, expect for the pinkie on her right hand.
“There might be a donkey that doesn’t care how many times it gets kicked down by its ‘allies.’ One who can’t do nothin’ alone…but in exchange skillfully spurs sympathy and pity from a different ‘master.’ A smart, uncompromisin’ donkey.”
The face reflected in Loki’s vermillion eyes suddenly tensed. Eina’s face.
“The new master might realize his carrots are gone, yeah?”
Loki sat up to peer into Eina’s eyes, sliding all the way into the sofa.
Pouring what little was left of the wine into Eina’s glass, Loki continued:
“Just thinkin’. If ya got a friend connected with one of ’em, ya might wanna let ’im know, just in case? Don’t think it’ll be serious, but there might be some problems. Gotta take care o’ adventurers at the Guild, yeah?” said Loki, crossing her legs and grinning.
She had seen through Eina. Loki was truly worthy of the title of goddess.
Eina took a slow breath and nodded with a very concerned look on her face.
“Sayin’ it outta kindness might not be my place, though.”
“…No. I’m taking your advice to heart.”
She was a good goddess.
Loki was much more compassionate than her reputation indicated. Either that or Eina was getting special treatment because of her relationship to Reveria.
Feeling Eina’s gaze on her, Loki flashed another grin.
“All right, the wine’s gone. Shall we go our separate ways?”
“I apologize for taking this much of your time.”
“Don’t worry ’bout it. Glad I got ta chat with the cute little beauty Eina.”
“A-ha-ha-ha…”
Loki stood up from the sofa and stretched out as high as she could before going over to the one person who was silent this whole time: Aiz.
“Hey, Aiz. How long ya gonna beat yerself up?”
“……”
“’Kay, then, how ’bout updatin’ yer status? Haven’t done it since ya been back, yeah?”
“…Okay.”
“Fu-hee-hee, been a long time since I got my hands on Aiz’s soft skin…!”
“Do anything else and I’ll slice you.”
“Huh?! Ya serious?”
Aiz’s harsh tone made Loki crouch down slightly as the two of them left the reception room. Just before turning the corner, Loki looked back at the elves, winked, and gave a quick wave.
“She’s…an interesting goddess.”
“I am inclined to agree that she is interesting, but she’s much more. We have a lot of faith in her.”
“You too, Lady Reveria?”
“Yes, me included.”
Eina giggled to herself, looking at Reveria’s closed-eyed half smile.
Eina picked up her glass from the table and drank what was left.
Tomorrow, I wonder if I’ll have a chance to talk with Bell.
Loki’s warning was still fresh in her mind. The Soma tasted a little bitter on Eina’s tongue.
“AIZUU’S A LEVEL SIIIIIIIIIIX!!” Loki suddenly yelled.
“PFFFTT—”
“…Eina.”
“Aaaaaagh! I’m so sorry!”
Chapter 5
RESET
The sun set, the moon came out, and then the sky brightened as the sun rose once again, heralding a new day.
I’m usually still at home at this hour, but today I’ve come
to Babel Tower.
While Lilly and I were in the Dungeon yesterday, I couldn’t get the words of the man who’d tried to capture Lilly out of my head. I’d been on edge, and I could tell it was making Lilly uneasy.
I didn’t want to worry her, so I didn’t tell her the details, but I could still tell she was worried—she’d kept stealing glances at me with a nervous, desolate expression as I looked out for anything unusual.
“……”
I invited her out here so early to try and protect her from this mess. So here I am, just staring at the blue sky. I have nothing to do until Lilly arrives, so my mind wanders off into a conversation I had with the goddess last night.
Once I got home from the Dungeon, I told her everything I knew about Lilly and her situation.
My plan was to have her live with us under the church until I was sure the danger had passed—once I had explained everything to the goddess, anyway.
“Bell, is this supporter worthy of your trust?”
“Huh?”
She listened quietly to every word, and then she slowly asked that question.
At first, I didn’t realize what she was saying. Then it hit me and I stood up, leaning over the table to say something in Lilly’s defense. But when I opened my mouth to speak, the tranquil look in the goddess’s eyes sent me for a loop and I fell silent.
“Just from what you have told me, something about this girl smells fishy. Like the day you lost my knife…Oh, I’m not accusing her of anything, so don’t give me that look…I just can’t help but think she was somehow involved because the two of you worked together that day.”
A very sudden meeting, separated from her own Familia for mysterious reasons, targeted by adventurers…The goddess repeated my main points back to me, cutting out all the unnecessary filler.
There was nothing I could say in response. I pitifully sank my shoulders.
“Sorry to put it all like that. But I’ve never met this girl, so I only have what you tell me to go on. You have interacted with her, so your decision might be the best. I won’t be very pleased with it, though.”
She continued by saying she was more worried about me. Then her aura changed, and she acted rather high and mighty as she quietly asked more questions about Lilly.
“Do you think this girl is hiding something from you? Something that adventurer suspects—no, knows she’s guilty of?”
She said that I should know this, too. Her words shot through my heart like arrows.
I might have been trying to avoid thinking about that possibility.
Lilly had done many things for me as a supporter, including saving my life from a monster. Was that making me turn a blind eye?
I just kind of sat there for a while, looking at the goddess as I went through my memories of Lilly. Everything. I was trying to find the moments when Lilly had shown me a piece of her true feelings.
“Goddess, I…”
“Mr. Bell?”
“!”
My thoughts cut off.
The voice calling my name makes me focus and return to the present.
“Ah!…L-Lilly, morning.”
My response is a little slow, and I lightly shake my head to get the final remnants of last night out of my mind.
Seeing that, Lilly’s face shifts to a smile, her eyes hidden behind her bangs as usual.
“Good morning, Mr. Bell. Lilly didn’t think that you would arrive so soon—Lilly couldn’t believe her eyes.”
“Ah-ha-ha, you’re right. You’re always here before me no matter the time, Lilly.”
At least it looks like nothing has happened to her. That’s a relief.
Just as I thought, that adventurer wouldn’t dare put a finger on Lilly aboveground.
Adventurers who cause problems get put on the Guild’s blacklist. Life in Orario is extremely difficult for them. For starters, if they have their registration revoked, the Exchange will no longer pay them for magic stones and drop items, instead unceremoniously taking them away. Not long after that, they’d be kicked out of their Familia—which was tantamount to being abandoned by their god.
They could even be punished and put in jail if their violation was severe enough.
These laws would make the blacklisted adventurers a kind of outlaw, but the Guild has no choice but to take a firm stance against them. You could say that they are keeping criminal activities under control.
So, that’s why if anyone is going to cause a problem, they’ll do it in the Dungeon. With no witnesses, the attacker could say that they were defending themselves or they thought the victim was a monster and attacked by accident. Their escape routes are limitless.
“Mr. Bell.”
“Ah, sorry. What is it?”
“Shall we go to the tenth level today?”
“Um…”
I look down at Lilly, her smiling face hidden under hair and hood, almost in shock.
“It’s very sudden, don’t you think…?”
“Mr. Bell, did you really think that Lilly wouldn’t notice? Mr. Bell has more than enough power to do well on the tenth level, right?”
“……”
The “power” she is talking about must be my status.
It’s true that many of my basic stats, especially my Agility, were already in the A and B ranges. The Guild has declared that the lowest level that Level One adventurers are allowed to enter is the twelfth level.
The reason that I don’t go down there now is the fact that I’m solo. Plus, the layout and difficulty of the Dungeon get especially hostile below level ten.
You could say the Dungeon starts baring its fangs. In any case, having an average status grade of G on the seventh level and an average grade of A on the twelfth couldn’t be more different.
Actually, I’ve already entered and returned safely from the ninth-level floor. At this rate, I should be able to go into the eleventh level, even solo. Lilly must have decided it was a good time for me to try the tenth.
Honestly, I feel like I can do it. I might be a little overconfident in my abilities, but I can see myself thriving there.
Even still, there is another more depressing reason that I don’t want to set foot on that floor.
They come out on the tenth level.
Large-category monsters. There are none of them down to level nine.
……Just like that Minotaur.
“…But I almost died on the seventh level the other day. Are you sure someone like that is ready for the tenth level…?”
“That’s true, but because Mr. Bell has that experience of failure due to overconfidence, the Mr. Bell of today won’t have that problem, right? Lilly believes Mr. Bell has more credentials of being an adventurer now because of it.”
“……”
“Don’t forget that Mr. Bell now has magic. That magic is strong. The new Mr. Bell has no weaknesses.”
I showed her the Firebolt magic yesterday.
It wasn’t much of a presentation—I wanted to see how much my Magic had improved from getting my status updated the night before. That, and I wanted to get used to using the magic, so it was good timing. Lilly had been very impressed.
Since I’m solo, being able to use Swift-Strike Magic is very valuable to me.
“Lilly has been as far down as the eleventh level with other adventurers, so you can take Lilly’s word. Mr. Bell will have an easy time on level ten. Lilly’s guarantee.”
Even before I had magic, Eina gave me permission to enter the lower tenth (as well as a stern warning). So when I think about it like that, just as Lilly said, now that I have magic, the tenth level shouldn’t be a problem.
To advance or to stay put.
“…The truth is, Lilly has to gather a large amount of money in the next few days.”
“Wait a minute, is that…!”
“Lilly can’t say the details, but it involves Lilly’s Familia…”
As if she were guiding my thoughts, she hits me with her real motivation.
I
can’t help but remember her being surrounded by those three adventurers.
My mind goes off on its own, and my neck starts to twitch.
“Can you blame Lilly for being selfish, Mr. Bell?”
Lilly bows down in front of me, looking up at my face.
If this is really about her contract with her Familia, then my interference—basically shouldering the load to help her gather the “large amount of money”—would work against her. It would depend on who was there at the time, but if it were discovered that someone from another Familia helped her gather the money, they would have some hard feelings toward said Familia. It might be humiliating.
I don’t have any way of knowing if Lilly’s claims are true. I doubt she’d tell me honestly if I asked her.
I know I wouldn’t if I were in her position.
I make up my mind and clench my right fist.
“All right. Let’s go to the tenth level.”
A large smile blooms on Lilly face when I say that. She bows over and over again, saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!!” I scrunch my eyebrows down and force a smile.
“Should we leave right away? Or should we buy some more items inside Babel, just in case?”
“Lilly bought extra items yesterday. Lilly has a suggestion, though: why don’t you try this?”
“This is…”
Lilly set her backpack down on the pavement as she spoke. She pulls out the ink-black sheath of a short sword.
The Divine Knife is about twenty celch long, so I would guess this weapon is about fifty, just by looking at it.
A shortsword—no, a baselard?
The simple round sheath is flush against the blade’s hilt, perfectly hiding the blade within. It’s a very simple design for a sword.
“So, why?”
“Don’t feel bad, Mr. Bell, but this was part of the preparation. Mr. Bell’s current weapons don’t have enough reach to fight against larger monsters. Also, Lilly has been thinking for a while that Mr. Bell needs more range.”
“So you’re…giving it to me? I don’t feel right, not paying you for it…”
“Mr. Bell has accepted Lilly’s selfishness; this is a thank-you gift. Please accept it.”
“…Well, if you’re going to put it like that…”
