Aura's stats were exactly what Lucas expected—astonishing.
Compared to Lorie, the two elves each had their own strengths. It was hard to say who came out ahead.
"Wow, Aura, you've got two spells! Too bad I only managed to awaken one."
Lorie clung to Aura's arm with her whole body pressed against her friend, admiration tinged with envy.
Aura set down the parchment with a sigh.
"Lorie, we're elves. Most of us are born with three magic slots. With your potential, you'll catch up, maybe even surpass me before long."
She wasn't wrong. Across the entire population, elves were simply far superior to most races.
Lucas and Jeanne exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.
"That's right, Lorie," Lucas added. "This is exactly why elves are so sought after everywhere in the world. No god would refuse an elf to their Familia. And if one ever did, it wouldn't be the elf's fault. It'd be the god's brain that's broken."
Lorie blinked with pure curiosity, innocence softening her expression.
Lucas wasn't even surprised anymore. He simply continued, "Forget the fact that elves usually start with three magic slots. Just look at your Skill sets. You can see how exceptional the elven race is."
"Almost every elf inherits Magic Amplification or similar bloodline abilities. Just that alone leaves other races in the dust."
"Meanwhile, we humans? Our standard template is… nothing."
"Meaning ninety-nine percent of humans receive a blank slate when they get their Falna. No bells, no whistles, no surprises."
Lucas shrugged helplessly.
"So that's how it is? I never heard any of this back in the village. But humans are so pitiful!" Lorie gasped, staring at Lucas and Jeanne with visible sympathy.
This silly deer… Lucas twitched a smile and pretended not to hear her.
Aura, unlike Lorie, noticed something else.
Neither Lucas nor Jeanne showed the slightest hint of envy toward elves, despite the massive gap in natural talent.
Were they already numb to it, or… something else entirely?
So our mysterious captain and commander lady are not simple at all.
Compared to the still-naive Lorie, Aura had long since realized the fact that Lucas was not a god, yet he could bestow a Falna.
This contradiction shattered her worldview.
A human, performing what should be a divine privilege using Magic. The revelation shook her so deeply that for a moment she wondered if she were dreaming.
But restrained as she was, Aura wouldn't question Lucas unless he brought it up himself. She believed he would eventually explain it.
That was simply her conviction.
---
Aura's instincts proved correct.
After all, every Falna ceremony revealed the essence of the blessing to its recipient. There was no point hiding anything—it would be meaningless.
Hiding it would be like trying to wash your feet with socks still on. Completely pointless.
Lucas looked at the two elves and smiled with an unreadable expression.
"You two don't have anything you want to ask me? Don't hold back."
His gaze settled on Aura, who had clearly tensed.
"No need to be nervous. I think you've already realized how unusual our Familia is, right? For example… Familias are only formed around gods. Gods grant their Falna to forge an unbreakable blood vow."
"And you're probably wondering why I can bestow a Falna at all, since that privilege should belong only to the gods."
Aura pressed her lips together, then nodded.
"It's really not that complicated," Lucas said calmly.
"As you know, the world is full of unknowns. It's the unknown that drove the gods to seal their power, descend to the lower world, and create rules to live beside mortals."
"So, think about it like this…"
Lucas paused, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"What if my ability… is simply a kind of unknown that has never existed before?"
His words hit Aura like thunder, leaving her dizzy.
She instantly grasped the implication. Her eyes widened.
"You mean… the Falna ritual is your Magic?!"
Lorie froze completely, her brain short-circuiting.
"Huh?"
She stared blankly, shaking her head over and over.
"No way. Absolutely no way! There's no Magic that outrageous!"
Lucas chuckled. Outrageous? This was nothing.
Forget Falna. Even resurrection magic existed—although its reliability was another matter.
---
"So it's Magic…" Aura murmured. "The reason was that simple… I was trapped in my own assumptions."
Like Jeanne, she accepted the explanation almost instantly.
For a mage, Magic was the embodiment of miracles. It could and should do anything.
And now that Lucas's Magic had been revealed, Aura was even more certain.
Their mysterious captain definitely had far deeper secrets hidden beneath the surface.
---
Having enjoyed the small thrill of impressing the two elf girls, Lucas discussed the next steps with Jeanne.
Then he clapped his hands and announced:
"Girls, the rain won't stop anytime soon, and your bodies still need rest. So today's mission is learning the basics—everything essential for adventurers and for operating inside the Dungeon. Don't underestimate it. Proper fundamentals are vital for every explorer."
He reached behind him and pulled out a small booklet.
It was the one issued to every new adventurer by the Guild—the Adventurer's Manual.
"This is what you'll be studying. It may look thin, but don't fool yourselves. Compared to Magic theory it's nothing, but every single word in this manual was written with the blood of those who came before you."
"Learn it. Memorize it. It's important. Understand?"
Aura and Lorie exchanged glances, then nodded with deep seriousness.
Below Orario lay one of the world's three great mysteries, the vast hollow known as the Dungeon.
It was from this place that countless monsters emerged, plunging the world into chaos.
"We'll master everything in here. Our lives depend on it," Aura promised.
Even Lorie restrained her usual energy, wearing a rare expression of determination.
"Good. Once you finish the manual, we'll move on to the next set: Dungeon Environment and Monster Introduction, Dungeon Resource Guide, 3000 Common Hieroglyphs, Orario Encyclopedia, Labyrinth City Orario: Guide to Gods and Familias, Where are the Dangerous Monsters, and so on."
Listening to Lucas ramble, Lorie's face fell. She and Jeanne were definitely the type who struggled with studying.
Aura, however, remained calm. As a mage, she was used to learning.