42 Hope

"... All I can do is granting you access to the 8th floor. Proceeding in the 9th could be very dangerous even for you. Of course, as you know there are no new monsters there, but significantly stronger versions of goblins and kobolds. Be very careful not to face large groups, and do not underestimate them for the lots of information you possess on them both from experience and lessons."

As usual, Misha was addressing Haru for a warning before he left. He had done nothing to worry her and had followed what she had said flawlessly, yet Misha could not help but do so. Even if it didn't change much, it would reassure herself a little.

"Now that you have told me, I think I will need to pay even more attention to my surroundings. Thanks for these words of wisdom, Misha-san!"

Her warning painted of concern Haru could easily read on her face, he responded playfully, making her understand he knew everything she said to him, but still appreciated her concern.

His smile made Misha sigh as she returned one of the same intensity. Haru tried to tease her back with these simple words. However, Misha would not show embarrassment that easily, although his defining her words as 'words of wisdom' was indeed a bit embarrassing.

"If you have time to make fun of me, then everything seems to be fine. Since I've already recommended you enough, you can go for the day. I'll see you the next time you get outside the Dungeon."

Haru responded to her words with a 'see you later' as Misha shook her hand with her smile still on her face.

'...I'll see you next time.'

Her lips trembled. She had inwardly accepted the negative part of having a relationship with Haru. The only thing she had to do was figure out how to fight against the negativity wanting to envelop her. To think even if he never came back again would not impact her and considering their friendship nothing more than the former relationship between an adventurer and an advisor, this was not the solution she wanted. She did not want to mislead herself in this way anymore.

"Welcome back! What do you wish from the guild today?"

Misha had not prayed. Her prayers were a sign of weakness. Now, she had hope. It radiated her heart much more than praying to something so abstract could protect Haru.

'..He can protect himself. There's no need to pray.'

That's all it took to calm down her negativity. While with a smile, she led the adventurer of the case to the Exchange.

---

The next morning, Haru woke up this time more serene. Although his promise with Syr was to go for breakfast there, he was curious to try her cuisine. So, he had asked if he could come directly the next day, but if Haru showed up now without any notice, it would have seemed rather rude as all the time while Haru tasted the breakfast the previous day, he could inform her. Since he was emotionally deprived, he had lost sight of his goal to ask her if even the next day was alright.

'..Even if I won't go there today.'

Haru chose not to enter the Dungeon immediately. He wanted to train and verify for himself that his body had recovered from the wounds inflicted on him by the Killer Ants. He no longer felt pain. However, this did not mean everything was in perfect condition.

This morning, too, it would have been an exploration in search of some bar in which to have breakfast. And since he felt strangely hungry, Haru decided to satisfy his hunger in a bar with more costly prices than the ones that usually dealt with for breakfast.

---

And this is where Haru discovered that even in this alternative world, coffee was still present. In his previous world, It was much more common in the West. However, Haru used to drink at least one cup now and then, precisely because he appreciated the taste of the latter when sweetened properly.

Fortunately, it seemed that in this world coffee could be sweetened as well, something that made him breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed quite obvious. However, there were little things Haru wondered, that he had no way of finding an answer to until he faced the situation, and that is why in addition to Orario, Haru felt he was slowly learning how the world twirled. It started from the economy to the races, then continuing on the ethnicities and uses, but especially the mentality of other people.

Haru compared Orario as the Tokyo of this world, full of visitors and things that conveyed minimally, the various areas from which each of the people he met came, and he thought that was wonderful.

But as these thoughts made their way into his mind, Haru drank the coffee and could feel the sweetness he desired. Although the flavour was rougher, it still preserved its essence and spicy aroma.

---

But after the morning, Haru chose to start early. Having nothing else to do, it was time for his training.

He had followed his usual training for the moment. However, Haru had to review some parts to increase his endurance and speed. About his strength parameter, however, there wasn't much to do. Exercises that required the exploitation of the whole body were an option, but the action itself was slowly growing less effective.

In the beginning, Haru did not take into account how much in this world the parameters could count. So much so there were people who possessed a speed capable of breaking even the sound barrier. He had also become faster than any average human could hope to achieve in his past life.

The only underlying problem was that his speed was not enough to hold ground against the goblins and kobolds located on the eighth floor.

But with these thoughts in mind, Haru had realized if he wanted to increase his parameters as fast as possible, then he would have to go back into the Dungeon and defeat monsters, get their experience, and seize what he lacked in this way.

'I don't think I have any issue whatsoever...'

The pain he felt was not there, but he had been able to confirm this was effective. His body was completely healed of wounds and was ready to face the Dungeon once again.

'Not that I have much else to do for the day.'

There was nothing else he could do for the day. Misha was busy working and having nothing to go there for would place a burden on her. Going to Hephaestus was not of relative importance as by tomorrow, his routine would resume precisely with her lessons. He didn't even want to explore the city or get out of it alone without a real goal in his mind as Haru felt in these two days he had done nothing but moving around the town.

In conclusion, what he could do now was choosing between staying alone in the house or going to explore the Dungeon to become stronger. Unlike Hestia, he was not lazy. Two days of rest were enough. It was time to try his items. And like-wise, his new skills.

'She'd beat me up if she knew I used her as a comparison in my thoughts, probably.'

They had sorted things out between them after the little incident. Yet Haru had recently become accustomed to using Hestia as a comparative. It could be considered rude, but at the same time, he did not do it maliciously as Haru no longer felt any resentment towards her after she had shown she had understood the meaning behind his harsh words.

On top of that, she gave him advice, changing his view of the 'gift' aspect for the better. It meant that even though she was what she was, Hestia could teach him a lot about how to see the world the right way. Something he craved for since he knew that a 17-year-old boy, no matter how much suffering might have suffered, was too little of a time to mature his view of the world compared to someone who lived for millions of years.

'I wonder if one day I'll have the confidence to ask for some advice.'

With these thoughts in mind, Haru had already changed his clothes into some more fitting, worn the armour and the belt given away with the sword so that he could also wear it.

---

Having crossed the little road separating him from the Dungeon, Haru was now on the 1st floor.

'.. A few days before, there would be already difficulties. It's astonishing how much I have grown.'

Haru had his guard raised on every floor. However, as the days went by, every time he met the goblins on the first floor, Haru felt profoundly bored.

They were not at the level of monsters he could consider a problem, and besides that, the probability of Monster Party in this plan estimated to be 0%. Besides, even if there had been, Haru could probably take out an entire army of goblins with little effort, which is why he always had his guard up. However, his thoughts were wandering around other matters. He was waiting to make it at least to the 3rd floor before focusing as always.

'The mana in this area reach so faintly as to be comparable to small strings, no wonder the monsters are so weak here.'

It was information mentioned during the lessons. The reason why the Dungeon offered more and more dangerous challenges as one descended relied on the fact the deeper one travelled, the more the mana containing in the walls, the floor, and the ceiling, grew richer. Consequently, monsters appeared more in quantity or more powerful depending on the circumstances, and this was one of the core information known on the Dungeon, which, had yet many mysteries to be understood.

'Oh...It seems a goblin finally appeared.'

Since the amount of mana was what it was, the goblins appearing in this area were usually alone, possessing parameters almost equivalent to someone who had just received a falna.

But as he unsheathed his sword ready to cut the goblin in half without much effort, he noticed something different. It had the same expression that indicated a total loss of sanity. Its gruesome eyes were completely red, which meant it was nothing more than a dungeon construct created to defeat him, yet.

'It's not confronting me with the idea of killing me...?'

It was what he could tell by the way it had not carried out its usual war cry. The goblin, running towards him to strike a blow, was silent. As if it knew, that Haru was of a higher existence.

---

(It's rather obvious, but since the mana in the first floor is faint, the Monster Party has no mana to appear in the first place. My discord server: y8VBZAp if you join, you can vote in the polls...A wonderful opportunity only a few individuals can seize.)

(I'm also trying to let Haru 'think' more when necessary and all of the thoughts are quick in a fight scene or in a Dungeon Floor, as he doesn't have much time to do so)