Roland stowed the loot. He noticed that the "Dragon Awe" left behind kept other monsters away, so he leaned against a tree to eat the lunch Astraea had made for him.
Later, while hunting, he was nearly overwhelmed by five Silverbacks at once. He almost had to use his magic, but he managed to prevail, though his 150,000 Valis sword finally shattered. "Dammit! I'm done playing!" he cursed.
He pulled up his hood to hide his face. Since he couldn't reveal his Mage identity yet, he fought with raw mana instead of a staff.
"Ice Stone Fall!"
Massive icicles formed and impaled a group of Orcs. He raised his hands, and pillars of fire erupted from the ground, incinerating a swarm of Imps. He then summoned dozens of ice blades, directing them like a commander to pierce his enemies. Switching to Swift Master, he moved like a blur, harvesting stones and materials.
He decided to peek into the 13th Floor. The terrain changed to a cave-like labyrinth. Dozens of red eyes glared at him—Almiraj, white rabbits with small hand-axes. Though cute, they were "death-match" fighters.
Roland drew a basic sword and cleared them out in a minute. Suddenly, Hellhounds burst from the walls. Two lunged with teeth while two others charged fire in their throats. Roland blocked the bites and summoned ice blades to slit their throats, but a blast of fire scorched his clothes.
"Agh! The clothes Alise bought me are ruined!!" The fire hadn't hurt him due to his mana protection, but his outfit was charred. He decided to head back and prepare.
As he climbed the stairs back to the 12th Floor, he saw a familiar small figure in green. The figure turned—it was Aiz Wallenstein. Beside her was Riveria.
Aiz stopped. "He gave me two red bean cream potato balls. He's a good person," she told Riveria.
"Don't just eat things people give you, and don't assume they're good just because of food!" Riveria sighed.
Roland tried to walk past, but Aiz grabbed his sleeve. "Wait."
"Miss Sword Princess, Miss Nine Hell... is there something you need?" Roland asked helplessly.
"Why are you avoiding me? What is your name?" Aiz asked, her brow slightly furrowed.
"I'm Roland, a member of the Astraea Familia," he replied. Since they were "good guys" and he was about to level up anyway, the secret didn't matter as much now.
"Aiz Wallenstein, Loki Familia," she mimicked his introduction.
Riveria looked at them and sighed. "I am Riveria Ljos Alf, Vice-Captain of the Loki Familia. My full name is long, so just call me Riveria."
"Understood, Miss Riveria," Roland said calmly. Riveria was pleased; as royal elven blood, she hated when her kin were overly formal or worshipful toward her.
She began acting like a worried mother. "When did you join? How is Orario? Do you need any help?" She pelted him with questions.
Aiz pulled on Riveria's sleeve. "Riveria, too many questions. Roland can't handle it."
"What a mama-hen," Roland muttered under his breath.
THUD—! (A sudden sound interrupted them.)
Rubbing the spot where the staff had struck him, Roland looked at Riveria with an innocent expression.
"My apologies. I thought I heard something that shouldn't have been said. It's best not to tease others so casually, Roland," Riveria said, her face a mask of stern discipline as she held her staff.
"I am terribly sorry, Lady Riveria," Roland replied, intentionally adopting an overly respectful tone.
Thwack!
Riveria calmly retracted her staff. Having raised many children in her Familia, she could read a person's character like an open book. "You know exactly why I hit you. It seems you're just as much of a handful as Aiz."
Aiz puffed out her cheeks, looking slightly miffed. "I am not a handful!" she insisted in her typical adorable, dazed manner.
Ignoring Aiz's protest, Riveria invited Roland to join them. "The Astraea Familia's headquarters is near the Twilight Manor, isn't it? Let's head back together. And," she added pointedly, "you still haven't properly answered my questions."
Roland let out a sigh, wearing a face that clearly said, Miss Riveria is so much trouble, before speaking. "I arrived in Orario about half a month ago. As you know, everyone in the Astraea Familia is incredibly kind, so I've been doing very well here."
Riveria didn't press him on how a newcomer of only two weeks was already wandering the 13th Floor. Everyone had their secrets. She simply smiled. "I see. That's good."
Back on the surface, deep within North Main Street.
"I'll be heading off now. Aiz, Miss Riveria, see you next time," Roland said, reaching the fork in the road where they had to part ways.
"Bye-bye, Roland," Aiz said softly, her small hand waving gently at her waist.
Riveria nodded. "Until next time. If the opportunity arises, go on an adventure with Aiz. I'd feel much more at ease knowing you two were a team."
"Understood. I'll drop by the Loki Familia to find Aiz for a dungeon run soon. Is that okay, Aiz?" Roland turned to the blond girl.
Though usually expressionless, Aiz's eyes visibly brightened. She nodded firmly. "I want to go adventuring with Roland." It seemed that adventuring under Riveria's constant supervision wasn't quite fulfilling enough for her.
Riveria tapped Aiz on the head. "You can go together, but don't you dare take Roland too deep, understood?" Aiz nodded sheepishly as she gave Roland one last goodbye.
Roland watched them leave before heading toward the Stardust Garden. Upon entering the gate, he saw Ryuu standing there as if lost in thought, waiting.
"Lion? What are you doing standing at the gate?"
Ryuu jumped, startled by his voice. "Oh, Roland. I was just... waiting for you to come back."
"Why wait for me specifically at the gate?" Roland asked curiously.
Ryuu crossed her arms, a slight blush creeping onto her face. "It's Kaguya's fault. She told me, 'You're just getting in the way here; go wait for Roland at the gate so he doesn't hit his head like last time.' Something like that."
"Haha, Sister Kaguya really does love picking on you. But don't worry, next time she does, I'll take your side."
Ryuu's lips quirked into a small, natural smile. "Roland... could you just call me Ryuu?"
"What was that?" Roland leaned in close, tilting his head to listen.
Ryuu's face went crimson, and she waved her hands frantically. "Nothing! I was just talking to myself!"
Roland suddenly pressed his face close to hers. "Really? Are you hiding something from me, Lion?" Just as she looked ready to faint from embarrassment, Roland pulled back and started walking. "Come on! If we're too late, the good food will be gone, Ryuu!" he called out, reaching back to take her hand.
After dinner and a bath, Roland went to the Goddess's room.
[Roland - Status Update]
Level 1
Strength: S912 → SS1102
Endurance: S908 → SS1103
Dexterity: S986 → SS1156
Agility: S978 → SS1146
Magic: SSS1220 → SSS1384
Astraea marveled at the absurd numbers. "How far do you plan to push your limits before leveling up?"
"I'll level up once every attribute hits SSS," Roland replied after a moment of thought. "The current floors are getting a bit easy. I'm going to push deeper and finish this quickly."
Astraea brushed his hair gently. "As your Goddess, I respect your decision. But as your family, I don't want you rushing into danger."
Roland leaned back into her lap, interlacing his fingers with hers. He pulled her hand over his eyes, remaining silent for a long time before whispering, "I know."
It's precisely because you are my family that I want to ensure you stay safe forever.
[Personal Info]
System Level: 28