Perhaps this was the kind of struggle faced by the lower-ranked Familias of Orario?
From Airmid's perspective, however, she didn't feel any sense of condescension—if anything, she could even empathize a little.
Because the thin and frail boy before her…
…was walking the same path she once had.
Seven years ago, when the Dark Faction attacked Orario and provoked a war, among the surviving Familias, the one that suffered the heaviest losses was the Dian Cecht Familia.
The former captain was assassinated, and most of their members were slaughtered by the Dark Faction.
In the most turbulent days of the Familia, she was the one desperately holding things together. Only through that did the Dian Cecht Familia achieve the prosperity it had today.
The difference was—back then, she had only herself to rely on.
Liang Yue had his goddess.
She knew all too well that unconditional help was a dangerous precedent to set, but seeing Liang Yue's ghost arm, Airmid ultimately wavered.
She stood, went to the infirmary, and returned with a small pouch of healing medicine.
Her tone was unreadable as she spoke. "This is a small portion of healing medicine—consider it payment for recording such a unique case in my medical records."
"If there's any progress in treatment, I hope you'll cooperate in further research."
"Thank you."
When one's strength is still low, any promise made is really just to preserve a shred of dignity—but Liang Yue still expressed his gratitude sincerely.
He engraved Airmid's kindness deep in his heart.
After leaving the Dian Cecht Familia's premises, he glanced at the girl beside him, who had suddenly gone quiet. It was clear that the final conclusion had touched Hestia.
Now…
…it was time to think about how to start his dungeon adventure!
"Hestia-sama, I've already prepared myself for dungeon exploration, and I won't be reckless with my life."
"I'll probably just operate in the upper floors."
Taking Hestia's slender, delicate hand, he could feel her worry for him—his expression was pure and resolute.
He knew how to separate games from reality.
In Arad, if a character died, you could just use a resurrection coin. But in the world of Danmachi, if you died… there would be no restart.
The Sword Soul Template he possessed had already paved the way forward for him.
Unlike the Wave Master's waves, the Ghostblade's specters, or the Berserker's Blood Frenzy, the Sword Soul's path was the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Since he had chosen this road—
—he would abandon reliance on ghostly powers. Mastery and refinement of swordsmanship were now key, something that mere training could not achieve.
Real battles were necessary. Liang Yue had long prepared himself for this, with the courage to face danger—while still knowing his limits.
"Since Liang Yue-kun already has a clear plan…"
"As your goddess, of course I'll support you. But before you set out, it would be best to get some advice from the Guild staff."
Hestia didn't know what else to warn him about. She looked up at Liang Yue, who acted with such measured composure—so unlike her own impulsive self.
In the end, she simply patted the back of his hand with satisfaction. "I believe in you."
"To celebrate that your injury isn't serious—and that you're heading into the dungeon—let's have a feast tonight!"
"Alright."
With her final permission granted, Liang Yue followed the familiar streets and obvious signboards toward the Adventurers' Guild.
In the afternoon, Hestia would be working at her food stall in North Street, so they parted ways.
Thanks to the number of adventurers in Orario—the center of the world—wearing a gray-brown cloak didn't make Liang Yue stand out at all as he walked through the bustling streets.
Soon, he arrived smoothly at the Guild headquarters—a grand, solemn structure of white stone pillars and brickwork, like a sacred temple.
Just past noon, many adventurers were coming and going, discussing which restaurant to visit for lunch.
Yet inside the Guild headquarters, things were markedly quieter—even conversations were held in hushed tones.
His eyes scanned the staff behind the counters—most were young and beautiful women, with even some demi-humans and elves among them.
"No wonder they charge for even basic dungeon tips…"
"Is it basically just a paid chat service?"
Taking out the valis Hestia had given him, Liang Yue's gaze swept the hall before settling on the central counter.
There stood a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing round glasses. Her composed appearance, paired with the Guild uniform, radiated a certain charm.
But what caught the eye most were her long, slender elven ears.
Eina Tulle.
Professional, kind, and attentive—with a sweet face and graceful figure—she could definitely be called the Guild's poster girl.
If he was going to speak with someone in charge—
—it might as well be someone reliable and well-informed.
Noticing an adventurer heading toward her counter, Eina adjusted her glasses with a fingertip, her smile warm and confident.
"How may I help you today?"
"I'd like to register as an adventurer and learn about the upper floors," Liang Yue replied, sitting in the chair before her counter, relaxed.
Registering was simple—just basic personal information, Familia affiliation, and deity.
Only after registration could one legally begin adventures.
After all, the best place to sell magic stones and monster drops was the Adventurers' Guild. Once his data was recorded,
Eina picked up a book and left the counter.
She led Liang Yue to the Guild's library area. Since she had handled his registration, Guild policy now made her his advisor—responsible for properly explaining dungeon matters.
"Liang Yue—is it alright if I call you that?"
"From now on, I'll be your advisor as a registered adventurer. What I'm about to tell you is important."
Pouring him a cup of hot tea, Eina's tone turned serious. "I hope you'll take it to heart."
The dungeon's safe zone was called the Path of Beginnings—a broad spiral staircase leading to the underground caverns, large enough to fit thousands.
Floors 1–5, known as the upper floors, were home to goblins, kobolds, underground lizards, and other low-risk monsters.
Deeper in, adventurers would encounter War Shadows—a notorious "newbie killer" in every sense.
As one descended further, the danger steadily increased.
There were Murder Ants with tough exoskeletons, who could call reinforcements when threatened—sometimes even triggering a Monster Riot.
Other dangers included Blue Papilio, Purple Moths, Imps, and more.
Compared to the original source, Eina's explanation was far more detailed—Liang Yue silently memorized everything.
For now, this was enough.
At his current level, he never intended to go deeper anyway.
Looking at the half-elf girl across from him, Liang Yue cut her off gently. "Thank you, Miss Eina. What I know now is enough for the moment."
"This is my duty," Eina said with a soft smile. She had a good impression of his polite manners, and added kindly, "The dungeon is dangerous. Please don't push yourself."
"Of course."
"Staying alive is what matters most."
Liang Yue didn't deny it. Leaving the Guild in the early afternoon, he still had some time to explore the dungeon.
But instead of returning to the Familia's home, he wandered through Orario's streets.
He wasn't particularly familiar with the city, but since this was where he'd be operating, it made sense to get to know the layout.
The outer districts were bustling, but as he neared Babel Tower, the buildings became noticeably shorter—likely out of concern for potential monster escapes causing severe damage to the city.
Strolling along the streets, he passed The Hostess of Fertility and the Hephaestus Familia's branch store—a small "pilgrimage" of sorts—before returning to the Familia's home.
The abandoned church's basement was quiet compared to the lively streets. Among the scavenged furniture sat a brand-new weapon on a table, complete with a sheath—far finer than the iron sword he'd been training with.
What caught his attention most, however, was the sheet of parchment weighed down on the table—the same kind used when Hestia first printed his status after granting him a Falna.
Liang Yue
Lv1
Strength: i0 | Endurance: i0 | Dexterity: i0 | Agility: i0 | Magic: i0
Development Ability: None
Magic: None
Skill: Inner Swordsmanship (鬼剑术)
A quick glance showed that Hestia had saved money wherever she could. On the blank space of the parchment, she had written a message to him:
"Liang Yue-kun, this weapon is my gift to you for your adventure. Use the money on the table to go out for a celebratory meal tonight."
"A friend invited me to a banquet, so I won't be joining you for dinner!"
"..."
"Seriously?"
Picking up the weapon for a closer look, Liang Yue saw that the hilt and blade had a slight angle—a single-handed straight sword nearly one meter long.
Clearly, Hestia had chosen it carefully for dungeon use. Drawing the blade from its sheath, the cold gleam of fine steel flashed before his eyes.
Considering her financial situation…
…the "banquet" she mentioned was probably just working at her friend Hephaestus's shop to pay off debt.
Finally, his gaze fell on the 1,500 valis Hestia had left. His heart was moved.
To him, the Hestia Familia wasn't just a foothold in this world—it was a warm harbor.
The living conditions were modest, but compared to mooching off his goddess, earning his own money to provide her a better life gave him far greater satisfaction.
And there was still something he hadn't had the chance to say—so he wrote it down on the same parchment, as part of his promise to Hestia:
"I hope that when the real victory feast comes, Hestia-sama will be there."
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