You.

"...Can you show me where your apartment is?" Durvekka asked softly as Eina nodded as they started walking toward their destination.

Eina did most of the talking as they walked and also bought some of the food from the stalls for both of them. Durvekka's fears and stress slowly dwindled as her eyesight improved with the sun setting. The bio-luminescent vines' blue light started to glow.

'Eina called this place a city... I wonder if every camp settlement is like this,' she thought to herself as she looked at the citizens walking around, most of them adventurers leaving the dungeon.

"...Why are there so many people going into that cave?" she asked, pointing at the dungeon.

"It's called the dungeon. Those people who explore it are known as adventurers who hunt and kill the monsters inside of it."

"Why?"

"If adventurers don't exist, then the monsters would spill out of the dungeon and hurt the people. That is the reason why the Gods descended and blessed us with their falna's so that we can become stronger by fighting them,"

"...I see," Durvekka nodded as she stared at the Tower of Babel.

"How dangerous is it?"

"...The first few floors aren't that dangerous if you are careful, but most adventurers are too careless and overestimate their abilities."

"Mmm, I understand," Durvekka's questions concerned Eina, so she asked, "...Are you going to become an adventurer?"

"I need to be stronger for if the drow find me." Eina placed her hand on Durvekka's head as she stopped moving and crouched in front of her.

"...You don't have to worry about them anymore. They won't be able to get you here while you are inside this city," Eina said truthfully while looking into Durvekka's eyes. But her eyes slightly turned dull, her thoughts unknown as she said unemotionally, "There was a time that I thought the same... I don't want to make the same mistake again." Eina looked concerned but ultimately decided to respect her choice as she stood up with a smile.

"Just remember that this time, you are not alone. Make friends and form a team to tackle the dungeon."

"...Friends?" She looked up at Eina curiously.

"'Friends' are people who like to be around each other. They enjoy doing things together, help each other when needed, and care about each other's feelings. They would always be there for each other and wouldn't hesitate to help if needed."

"I see. Thank you." Eina smiled at the absentminded Durvekka and said, "If you don't understand a word, don't hesitate to ask me about it, alright?"

"Mh, I will."

....

"We are here. This place is my apartment. You can sleep on the bed, and I'll use the couch." Eina smiled as she let Durvekka walk inside first.

"Couch? Bed?" Eina knew she should, but she still muttered out her question, "...Where have you been sleeping?"

"In tunnels. I usually get some plants, vines, or leaves as cover to blend in with the surroundings," Durvekka explained as she sat on the oddly wide chair.

"...I'll get the bed ready for you; you can sleep there." Eina was about to walk to her room but saw Durvekka shake her head.

"You don't need to do that; I'll sleep on this wide chair." Durvekka said as she curled up on it with her head on the soft armrest.

"That's the couch. The bed would be more comfortable to sleep on..." Eina tried to explain but was untimely denied by a very decisive, "No."

"...Alright..." She sighed as she walked towards her room.

-----

Durvekka lay down on the couch where she would be sleeping, pressed her hands on its cushions to feel more of its softness.

'...This is nice...' She thought as she saw Eina in the corner of her eye bringing her some blankets and pillows.

"Are these enough?" she asked and handed them to Durvekka.

"It is, thank you," Durvekka said as she took the blankets and pillows, placed them on the couch, and stood up, stretching slightly.

"I'll be walking around for a bit to look at the sky. Is that alright?" She asked as she took her staff that was still lying on the couch.

"...It is; just don't stray too far." Eina sighed but smiled when Durvekka nodded.

'I feel like an older sister,' she thought as she saw Durvekka walk out with her staff in hand.

-----

Durvekka found a random bench outside and lay down on it as she looked up at the sky. It was slowly getting dark as small white shimmering specks became visible.

'...Another sun... Did its flame run out?' She thought as she saw a big rock slowly floating up into the sky amidst the white dots.

A cold breeze fell on her face as a smile appeared.

'I am unsure if I am safer up here than when I was in the Underdark... But I can say for certain.' She slowly stretched her hand up at the sky, almost touching the big rock.

"...That it was worth it."

"The sky's beauty made it worth it." Her smile became wider as she lowered her arm.

-----

After an hour passed, she stood up and walked back to Eina's apartment.

[Rolling Stealth... 16]

[Rolling Perception... 17]

She carefully opened the door and walked inside, seeing that Eina was sitting at a table, engrossed in some paperwork. Not wanting to disturb her, Durvekka walked towards the couch, carefully removed her armor to avoid damaging the plants, and curled up with the blanket wrapped around her and her staff.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep as her mental exhaustion took over.

The totem around her neck gained a soft blue glow as she slept soundly, dimming again after a few minutes...

[Druid level: 1 ->2]

[Hp: 11 -> 22]

-----

[Rolling Perception... 21]

Durvekka's ears slightly twitched as she heard the sound of someone approaching. She quickly rolled off the couch to unwrap herself from the blanket and stood up, staff in hand.

After opening and closing her eyes a few times, she noticed Eina in front of her with a wry smile on her face as yesterday's memories resurfaced.

"...Sorry," she muttered softly as she lowered her staff and looked down.

"It's fine; you don't have to worry about it," Eina said quickly after seeing Durvekka so down.

"Mh, are we going to visit the Familias now?" she asked, and Eina nodded her head as she readjusted her glasses.

"Yes, we are first going to eat something, and then I'll deliver some of my files to the guild." Durvekka nodded her head and asked, "Are we going to eat more of those Jagamarukun from the stalls?"

"...No, we can't eat those every day as that would be unhealthy," Eina said as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Mh," Durvekka nodded her head as she followed after her, stopping in her tracks and putting her armor back on, making sure all the plants and fungi were still fine in their pouches.

When she was done, she walked toward the place she saw Eina go.

"Is there anything you are unable or unwilling to eat?"

"...Anything inedible."

"Alright." Eina spent a few minutes making them breakfast and a few minutes teaching Durvekka how to use her utensils. They ate in peace.

Although Eina was unsure how to feel when Durvekka ate the vegan meal without an ounce of complaint.

'...I wonder what she has been eating until now...' she thought briefly before suppressing those thoughts.

"Do you like the food?" she asked as she looked at Durvekka eating her meal calmly.

"I like it a lot," she nodded.

-----

They finished eating and started walking toward the guild to drop off Eina's notes. Durvekka started using her staff as a walking stick too so she wouldn't trip and fall.

[Rolling Perception(dis)... 6]

'I can't see anything...' she said, her stress slowly increasing, but she tried to hold herself together so as not to draw more attention to herself.

"Before we visit the Familias, I first want to tell you about some key details that you need to think over. First, Miach-sama is extremely kind, which has put their familia into severe debt. This means they are currently poor and might not be able to buy all the supplies you might need." Durvekka nodded her head and said, "Having less money is no issue; I can always find some plants outside. The main problem I have is sunlight. Does any of those two Familias' work rely on working in the sun?"

"...Yes, the Demeter Familia works mostly on a farm on some land outside of Orario. Most of the work is done in the daytime, which is when the sun is out."

"Mh, I don't think I will join that Familia. I want to gradually get used to the sunlight, but that will impact the amount of use I will have for the Demeter Familia."

"They won't cast you out if you can't help them instantly; there are other tasks you can help with that don't involve being in the sun."

"I know... but I think the Miach Familia would be better. They work with potions, so they won't be in the sun most of the time, and I can still see most of their work in the daytime since they still have an apartment. With the Demeter Familia, I would have to wait until the sun falls to go outside and work... I can also

 learn more about the properties of plants from them."

"...Alright... and there is a difference between an apartment and a house..." A soft yet tired smile appeared on Eina's face.

'At least she seems excited,'

-----

After Eina dropped off her files, they walked toward the Miach Familia.

'I wonder if Miach would allow me to make poison too... Eina's reaction didn't seem good when I spoke about it,' Durvekka thought as Eina opened the store's door.

A small bell rang out as a female Chienthrope came into view. Eina walked inside, followed by Durvekka, who was looking at the Chienthrope's ears. She had brown hair and purple eyes, her shirt having one long sleeve covering her right arm with a glove on the same arm.

"Miss Tulle, is there anything I can do for you?" the Chienthrope asked in a sleepy tone.

"I am currently here because Durvekka has an interest in joining your familia. She likes working with plants and has an interest in potion crafting." Her words shocked the Chienthrope.

"Are you sure? Haven't you heard about the amount of debt we are in?" Her face had no sign of the previous sleepiness.

"Mh." All she got in return was a nod from the ashen-grey-skinned dwarf.

"And you still want to join?"

"I want to talk with Miach first," The Chienthrope rubbed her forehead slightly.

"...Shouldn't your tone be more respectful towards Miach-sama?"

"...I don't know," she shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head slightly.

"..." Eina and the Chienthrope looked at Durvekka speechlessly as she, in turn, looked confused.

"...I'll go get Miach-sama, and you two can talk to him about joining the familia. My name is Naaza. Nice meeting you, D-Durvekka," she said, struggling a bit with the pronunciation but succeeding in the end.

"Mh, nice to meet you too."

-----

They were currently in another room as they waited a minute when Miach entered.

"I am sorry for making you wait. I heard from Naaza that you wish to join my familia," Miach said with a smile on his face as he entered the room and took a seat.

"Mh, first I want to know about the limits of potions I am allowed to craft," Durvekka said unusually seriously.

"...Um, Durvekka, can you be a little bit more respectful? He is a god," she said when Durvekka tilted her head.

"Is that by adding -sama after his name? I prefer not to do that; it might waste time in a fight that could lead to someone's death," Miach and Eina's faces slightly dropped as Durvekka explained her reasoning.

"That's..." Eina tried to say something, but Miach stopped her.

"It's fine. She can talk to me in the way that she feels more comfortable. As for your question, there aren't any limits," This made Durvekka smile a little as she asked, "Can I make poison too?" Those four words made Eina and Miach freeze slightly as her smile dropped again.

"Is that bad?"

"T-that... would depend on the kind of poison," Miach said, a bit shocked.

"I mainly make inhalation or ingestion-type poisons that paralyze the targets. I only use deadly poison when it is necessary," she said while pointing at some of the pouches on her person.

"...Do you have anything poisonous on you?"

"Mh," Miach sighed slightly at her nod and asked, "Why do you want to make poison here and why do you have them?"

"For protection."

"From whom?"

"You."