When Roland woke up, Astraea was already awake, watching him with a tender gaze.
"Good morning, my child."
"...Good morning, Lady Astraea. Um, can I leave now? If Alise and the others find out, I'll be in big trouble," Roland said, scrambling out of bed and standing stiffly.
"Go ahead. By the way, if there's anything specific you want to eat today, you can tell me now."
"Being able to eat a breakfast handmade by you is already a blessing. You decide, Lady Astraea," Roland replied quickly before jumping out the window.
He bolted back to his room, took a deep breath, and crouched down, covering his face in embarrassment. I actually confessed to her last night! This is too much! He started rolling around on the floor. What was I thinking? She just sees me as a kid... but she didn't reject me either, did she? Hehe. A goofy grin spread across his face.
After gathering his gear, Roland headed to the kitchen. Kaguya was already there helping Astraea with breakfast.
"Good morning, Lady Astraea, Sister Kaguya," Roland greeted them, trying to keep a straight face, though he instinctively looked away when his eyes met the Goddess's.
"Good morning, Roland. And don't forget, we have a duel later. I've been looking forward to giving you a good thrashing," Kaguya said with a mischievous smile.
"Please go easy on me..." Roland sighed.
"Now, now, don't go too hard on each other during the duel," Astraea reminded them. "Roland, are you going to the Dungeon today?"
"Yes, I have to go today."
After breakfast, Alise was excited to hear about the duel. "Is everyone going to get a turn to fight Roland? Great! Am I next?"
"Count me out," Lyra said, waving a hand. "By the time it's my turn, I probably won't be able to beat the kid anymore."
"Are they using real weapons?" Ryuu asked.
"Looks like it. Kaguya has Higanbana, and Roland has his spear."
Kaguya stood with her hand on the hilt of her sheath, prepared for an Iai-style strike. Roland felt a prickle of danger just looking at her stance; he felt like he'd be finished the moment he charged.
Though Kaguya and Ryuu often bickered, they were actually very close and learned from each other. If Kaguya's technical skill was a 10, Ryuu's was currently around a 4.
Maybe I should switch to a sword or a blade, Roland thought. I assumed a spear would increase a mage's damage, but it doesn't seem to do much. I feel more like a Magic Spearman. I'll stick to staves and wands from the system rewards from now on.
"Daydreaming in front of me? Are you looking down on me?" Kaguya suddenly lunged, her blade whistling through the air.
"I'm not! I was just thinking about changing my weapon!" Roland raised his spear to parry, but the force of the blow sent him flying.
"Thinking about that during a duel? How rude. Think about it after you've lost, understood?" Kaguya pressed her advantage.
I can't win in close quarters against Sister Kaguya, Roland realized. I'll ask them for advice after I change weapons. For now, I have to fight like a true Mage.
Instead of resisting her blade, Roland used Blink to teleport ten meters away. "Sister Kaguya, I can't win in melee. So, can I use magic?"
"Do whatever you want. Give it everything you've got!" she replied.
Roland's spear vanished, replaced by a staff.
[Sharan's Practice Staff]
Weapon Type: Staff
Physical Attack: +139
Magic Attack: +170
Independent Attack: +77
Casting Speed: +1%
It seemed only system-provided items gave him direct stat boosts. Where did that wand come from? the observers wondered.
"Watch out, Sister Kaguya!" Roland pointed his staff. A shield wreathed in flames formed instantly and charged at her, followed by five ice spears.
The power and speed have definitely increased, Roland noted.
Kaguya sheathed her blade, took a breath, and stepped forward. "Flash!"
The flaming shield was sliced clean down the middle, exploding outward and shattering the ice spears into dust. The ground was left scorched and littered with ice fragments. Having cut through the magic in a single stroke, Kaguya began walking slowly toward him.
"Is this the extent of your 'everything'?"
"Don't count me out yet! I'm not finished!"
Gale-force winds began to swirl and compress at the tip of his staff. The resulting vortex began to gouge the ground, kicking up dust and debris. Scorching flames merged into the wind, forming a volatile elemental projectile. Roland gathered his massive mana in his left hand to stabilize the swirling orb.
He slammed his palm against it, twisting his hand to launch the projectile. The elemental cannon-bolt shrieked through the air, carving a semicircular trench into the earth as it flew.
Roland didn't dare aim directly at Kaguya; he fired it just to her left.
BOOM!
The explosion sent a wave of fire forward, the resulting shockwave blowing back the hair of the spectators. As the black smoke cleared, a massive crater remained.
Roland immediately felt a pang of regret. I shouldn't have used something that powerful. Am I going to get scolded now? I should have just stuck to basic magic...
"It's over." Before Roland could even react, Kaguya tapped him lightly on the head with her sheathed blade. Her expression, however, betrayed a hint of amazement at the magic he had just unleashed.
"Ah, I guess I lost. Hahaha," Roland admitted, rubbing his head in defeat.
"Oooooh!" Alise rushed over, lifting Roland into the air and shaking him back and forth. "That was incredible! So powerful! Roland, is your magic really that strong? Are you really just a half-elf?"
"Exactly! Is that really just magic? How can you cast something that powerful without a chant?" Celeity, the green-haired elf girl, asked urgently. "And what about the weapon? Did it just appear out of thin air? Is that magic too?"
"Celeity, you're getting too excited," Aste, the dwarf, said as she pulled her back.
"Wow, if that powerful magic hit me, I definitely wouldn't survive," Noin joked.
Ryana, her hair in triple braids, turned to Lyra. "It looks like our future expeditions just gained a massive power boost."
"Yeah. I never expected a Level 1 to possess such strength," Lyra replied. "Whether it's deep-floor expeditions or maintaining order in the city, we're going to feel a lot safer from now on."
"Captain... can you... put me down?" Roland felt like he was dying under the intense, curious gazes of everyone surrounding him.
Kaguya stepped beside Alise. "Alright, you idiot captain. Can't you see Roland is getting dizzy? Put him down."
Alise finally stopped and set him on his feet, but she didn't let him go. Instead, she pulled his head firmly against her breastplate.
"Alise, I can't explain anything like this," Roland complained, his head aching from the impact against the metal. Finally, she released him.
"Regarding the magic, isn't there such a thing as concurrent chanting or 'fast-cast' magic? My magic simply converts mana into elemental power. It's not that the magic itself is powerful; it's because I am strong that the magic becomes strong. That's why I don't need a chant—I just increase the mana output," Roland explained.
"As for the weapon-swapping, that's part of my skill. I have a 'Backpack' skill that can store items, though it's limited to thirty slots."
"What does a 'thirty-slot limit' mean?"
"It means if I have thirty weapons, the backpack is full. One slot per weapon."
"Oh! That's so convenient! I'm so jealous!" the girls exclaimed in unison.
Roland put his hands on his hips, looking quite proud of himself. "But wait, there's more! If—and I mean if—we put those thirty weapons into a single crate, then those thirty weapons only take up one slot. Imagine that."
Now, it wasn't just the girls who were stunned; even Astraea looked on with surprise. Roland caught the Goddess's eye, hoping she understood that he was "fabricating" the specifics of this skill to maintain his secrets. Astraea gave a slight nod and a smile, signaling her silent understanding.
"So you're saying... in the future, as long as we pack things together, we can stuff everything onto Roland?" Lyra whispered.
"More than that," Kaguya added slowly. "During expeditions, we can carry a massive amount of supplies. He's essentially a giant, mobile warehouse."
"No wonder Lady Astraea wanted to keep this skill hidden. Roland would be in a lot of trouble if word got out. I'm really curious about the other two skills now," Ryuu joined the conversation.
"Hey, the Goddess will let us know eventually," Alise said, throwing her arms around their shoulders. "The fact that Roland told us this much means he trusts us. Don't be in such a rush."
"Alright, Roland needs to head to the Dungeon for his adventure. Don't pester him too much," Astraea stepped in to bail him out.
"Yes, ma'am!" the seven girls chorused.
Kaguya pulled Roland aside briefly to ask about the duel. "Roland, what did you mean earlier about wanting to change weapons? Is your current weapon not good enough? And aren't you a Mage?"
"What's wrong with a Mage using a sword? Haven't you heard of Magic Swordsmen? Besides, it's a good way to confuse enemies."
Roland wore a smug expression. "The enemy thinks I'm a normal swordsman, but I'm actually a Magic Swordsman. Then, just when they think I'm a Magic Swordsman, they realize I'm actually a high-tier Sorcerer. How about that?"
"...Fine, we won't nag you. If you have questions, feel free to ask us. We'll train you properly," Kaguya said, sighing. "Also—"
A knock at the door interrupted her. Neze opened it to reveal a grey-haired girl with blue eyes and a woman with deep blue hair, followed by several masked associates.
"Ah, the Ganesha Familia is here."
Alise recognized the two leaders and walked over. "Ardee, Shakti? Why are you here? Did something happen nearby?"
Shakti looked relieved to see that the Astraea Familia wasn't in danger. She noticed a new face—a male half-elf—and gave him a lingering look.
"Good morning, Lady Astraea and everyone. No, nothing happened. Local residents reported an explosion coming from your home base and feared an Evilus attack. I came to check, but it seems I was mistaken."
"That's right! Lion, Alise, good morning! I came to play!" Ardee greeted them cheerfully.
Alise looked both exasperated and proud as she pulled Kaguya and Roland forward. "Ahahaha! Sorry, Shakti. It was just two troublesome members getting a bit too wild during a duel. Sorry for the trouble!"
"Good morning, Ardee. Sorry to cause a scene," Ryuu replied seriously.
"I see. As long as everyone is safe. Is he the new member?" Shakti looked at Roland and extended her hand. "I am Shakti Varma, Captain of the Ganesha Familia. If you ever need help, feel free to reach out."
Roland shook her hand. "I'm Roland, the new member of the Astraea Familia. I'm happy to help you too if needed."
"Hi hi! Is it my turn? That's right! I am the upright yet approachable younger sister of Shakti, Ardee Varma! A Level 3 just like Lion! Ta-da!" Ardee introduced herself with enough energy to make it feel like there were sparkles in the air.
Faced with a crowd of strangers, Roland stiffened up. "Ah, hello. I'm Roland," he replied flatly.
"Eh?! Why so cold? Is this discrimination?"
"Is it?" Roland asked, confused.
Ryuu quickly stepped in to whisper to Ardee, "Sorry, Roland is a bit shy around people he doesn't know."
Ardee looked at Roland with a look of realization.
"Ah, it's time for my adventure. See you all tonight. Good luck with the patrols, everyone—Ganesha Familia included!" Roland acted as if he had just remembered his schedule and hurried toward the gate, waving over his shoulder. "Sorry for the trouble!"
He fled the scene immediately.
"Hahahaha!" Alise burst out laughing. "Sorry, sorry. That kid is a bit bashful. He isn't used to opening up to strangers, even though he's quite lively with us. But he's a good kid with incredible talent."
Shakti didn't say much more, simply chatting with the Astraea members for a few moments. "I see. Congratulations on finding another partner for justice. If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave. Goodbye, Alise."
"Yup, bye-bye!"