Five days later, on the surface of Orario, in the Central Plaza of the Tower of Babel.
"We're finally back~!"
Tiona spread her arms wide like she was praising the sun.
"Yay~! I'm going home and sleeping for an entire day!"
Unfortunately, as an A-class tourist attraction herself, she didn't quite give off the aura of dignity one might expect. A tragic story indeed… cough cough.
Beside her,
"Ugh, we didn't find any decent water to bathe in these past days. Once we're back at the residence… Lumine, want to join me?"
"Eh?"
Faced with Tione's sudden ambush of a suggestion, the blonde, golden-eyed Lumine froze, her reaction a beat too slow.
Aether (Renjiro) also instinctively stopped in his tracks. That pause didn't escape the eyes of a certain gray-tailed werewolf youth nearby, hands stuffed in his pockets, who gave them a suspicious look.
Gray tail twitch.
Finally,
"I actually have a skill that keeps my body clean at all times."
Lumine raised her hands awkwardly as if pushing invisible air, forcing a sheepish smile.
Tione tilted her head, curious. But Tiona hurried forward, sniffing experimentally.
Moments later,
"Huh? She's right! Lumine smells faintly fresh… a kind of scent I've never smelled before. It's actually… nice."
Her eyes sparkled with envy.
"When you stayed with us before, I never saw you use the baths either… so that's the reason. What a convenient skill."
Tione muttered inwardly, "Just how many skills do you have?"
At that moment,
"Sorry, everyone. Lumine and I need to excuse ourselves."
Aether pointed toward the top of the Tower of Babel.
"We must report the details of this expedition to Freya-sama immediately."
Hearing this,
"Understandable."
Finn nodded with a smile.
"We'll be reporting to Loki as well."
"Whenever you two are free, you're welcome to visit Twilight Manor. You'll always be welcome there."
"Of course, of course. Oh, right."
Aether clapped his hands.
"There's a tavern on West Street I know, the food's amazing. As thanks for all your help, Lumine and I want to treat everyone to a banquet tomorrow. Do you and your Familia have time, Finn?"
Finn chuckled.
"Well, normally, after every expedition, our Familia holds a victory banquet the next day."
"But since it's your invitation… we'll gladly accept."
He didn't say the rest out loud. This expedition had gone poorly. At the 28th Floor, the party had been ambushed by a Worm Well, forcing them to retreat without reaching the New Frontier. Supplies had been devastated, losses heavy.
Originally, Finn had planned to dip into Loki's treasury with some clever tricks to fund the celebration.
But now… why refuse when it's a win-win?
And so, their plans aligned smoothly.
"See you tomorrow."
"Mm. See you tomorrow."
Even stoic Ais, expression barely shifting, bid Lumine farewell.
The two parties, belonging to different Familias, finally went their separate ways.
Aether, still in Starfire's Flowing Light mode, considered whether to teleport to save time… but then noticed a massive figure half-hidden (poorly) behind a tree.
Ottar.
Or, as the Catman vice-captain Allen once described him: "That guy looks like a load-bearing pillar. Absolutely hopeless at hiding."
Harsh… but accurate.
Indeed, the tree didn't come close to concealing Ottar's bulk. Other adventurers in the plaza had already backed away nervously, leaving a clear space around him.
Not that Ottar seemed to notice, or care.
Once he confirmed Aether had spotted him, and that the Loki Familia had left, the silent warrior strode forward.
Stopping before Aether and Lumine,
"My Lady wishes to see you."
"Got it."
Aether nodded and turned to leave with Lumine.
"…Huh?"
He noticed Ottar hadn't moved, so he turned back.
"You're not coming?"
"I only deliver her message."
"Oh."
Aether understood. So Freya doesn't want even Ottar, who was there that day, learning more about me. Keeping it secret even from him.
Thinking that,
"Thanks for the trouble."
He gave Ottar a polite nod before departing with Lumine toward the Tower of Babel.
Watching them go,
"…Not enough."
Ottar's voice rumbled deep.
"But… you've already reached a new height."
"Good. You haven't let My Lady down."
Muttering cryptically, Ottar turned and left. He had preparations to make. A solo expedition into the Deep Floors awaited him.
================
Ten Minutes Later
The Tower of Babel, the tallest structure in the known world, built a thousand years ago by the great craftsman Daedalus.
Inside, magic stone elevators carried people up swiftly, at least until the 20th Floor. Beyond that was the Divine Realm, where mortals weren't allowed. No elevators there.
So if Aether wanted to meet Freya on the top floor… he had to climb.
Honestly, does the Goddess of Beauty live up here just because she's too lazy to climb stairs?
Still, even without Starfire's Flowing Light, his body wasn't normal. Unlike Hermes, who once nearly got banished back to Heaven just from overexerting, Aether had no trouble.
At last, he reached the familiar chamber.
"You've come!"
"…Am I not supposed to?"
Freya, lounging elegantly on her throne before the great window, tilted her head curiously at him.
"Cough, don't mind me, sis. Just kidding."
He dismissed Starfire's Flowing Light, returning to his true form. Rolling his neck and stretching, he flexed his "stiff" muscles, though really, that stiffness was just in his head.
The truth: maintaining Starfire's Flowing Light didn't cause fatigue or muscle deterioration. If he wanted, he could mimic DC's Black Adam and achieve a form of pseudo-immortality via split-body transformation.
But that's a thought for another day.
Freya watched him approach, long legs crossed, listening lazily.
"This expedition lasted barely over a week. You're back so soon?"
"Yeah. At the 28th Floor, a Worm Well ambush destroyed most of our supplies. We couldn't push further into the New Frontier. That day, Lefiya, the Thousand Spell Elf, and I even fell to the 37th Floor… After we were rescued, the party stayed in the Lower Floors for a while. I think Finn wanted to return early."
He rattled on for a while.
Freya kept her languid pose, expression unreadable but clearly listening.
"…A shame. The Goliath on the 17th Floor's already been slain by Rivira's adventurers. I'd hoped to try a solo kill."
Aether trailed off, only to find Freya smiling slyly at him, eyes glittering with interest.
He leaned back a little, wary.
Then,
"Sis, it's been a while. Want some skewers? Mushroom and chicken."
The abrupt shift made her blink.
Then, with surprising enthusiasm,
"Yes!"
Her answer came with unmistakable delight.
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