Chapter 30.1: Side Story Lili R-18

(Idk if I should title this as R-18 since the scene is short compared to the rest of the chapter...but better safe than sorry)

Orario, the living dungeon.

The seventeenth floor.

The wailing wall of grief.

The stone labyrinth.

The divide that separates beginner dungeon divers from veterans.

In the cold stone walls of the dungeon...a familiar scene was taking place.

"DAMN YOU MINOTAURS!-"

𝘚 𝘓 𝘈 𝘚 𝘏

A middle-aged adventurer shouted desperately as he fought against the group of minotaurs that surrounded himself and his group.

"MOOOOOOO!-"

But the adventurer's desperate attack did little to harm the monsters.

"-?!"

The scene was horrid. Bleeding bodies...dismembered limbs...crippling injuries...it wasn't unusual for the dungeon...it wasn't unusual for an adventurer.

The world idolized the profession of dungeon diving, but the rate of mortality was no joking matter.

Conditions have improved for dungeon divers in Orario...but little could be done to guarantee complete safety for all adventurers.

'We got too cocky...we aren't ready for the seventeenth floor...damn it!-'

Hubris.

A common flaw found in many adventurers.

They feel as though they're on top of the world as if they could do anything with their blessing of falna...blinded to the fact that they walked the path of their demise.

"MOOO..."

The adventurers watched in fear as the bull-like beasts began to close in on him and his group.

'I don't want it to end like this...why can't the Gray Ghost still be here...'

The adventurer thought to himself with regret.

The Gray Ghost.

The dungeon vigilante.

The hero that watched over Orario...has disappeared as suddenly as he appeared.

The mysterious figure who went out of his way to save unfortunate and foolhardy adventurers...was no longer there.

The shadows that once brought comfort to all on the early floor...reverted to the looming fear of the unknown which lay behind its veil.

"MOOOOOOO!!!-"

The minotaur began to enter a stance where they stood on all fours...their horns radiating their intent...the adventurer was about to die.

He neither had his life flash before his eyes...nor was he blessed with a spurt of strength to survive...he was simply drowning in fear.

'I'm sorry my dear wife...I'm sorry my god...I'm...'

As the shadow of the beast filled his vision...a brilliant crimson illuminated the darkness.

「Firebolt」

𝘽 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈

The minotaurs began to suffer in a plume of brilliant flames. The adventurer could feel the intense heat that radiated off from the sudden attack. He could do naught but witness the one-sided massacre which ensued.

「Firebolt」

𝘽 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈

A figure descended from above and entered the fray of the battle.

A petite figure that didn't convey the immense amount of strength being displayed.

Her brown hair fluttered in a crimson glow.

She donned a set of heavy armor.

By her side were a large shield and Lance that appeared weathered but strong...a testament to her experience.

She flew across the room using the explosions of her Lance.

Using the momentum generated to gain immense speed.

"MOO?!-"

The numerous minotaurs that once overwhelmed the adventurer.

𝘗𝘐𝘌𝘙𝘊𝘌

Were easily dispatched in the face of her lance.

"..."

She radiated strength...dignity...power...

The crimson flames danced with the ashen dust as the figure's aura began to subside...touching her visor which hid her eyes...her movements treated it as if it were the most precious object in her life.

"..."

The adventurer recognized who she was...she was a person that resounded throughout Orario when the Gray Ghost had disappeared.

"The record holder for the fastest level up...doing so in only three months..."

The pallum knight. The dame of hellfire.

"「IgKnight」"

Lilircua Arde. Level two adventurer of the Soma familia.

Her alias was given in recognition of her proficiency with the spell 「Firebolt」.

The manner in which it was invoked and the potency of her attack exceeded the conventional expectations from the basic magic.

Her name spread far and wide in Orario not only for the fact that she achieved the fastest level record from Ais Wallenstein by a large margin...but for the fact that she began assuming the Gray Ghost's duty of saving adventurers in the early floors of the dungeon.

"Adventurer. Drink these before administering them to your comrades. Another party of adventurers will be passing by this location in a while. Request for them to escort you all back to the surface"

The pallum girl spoke in a cold tone.

Repeating the same line she always gave to adventurers she would save, Lili began to converse on instinct rather than doing so consciously.

"IgKnight...thank-"

The adventurer wanted to give his thanks to the pallum...but Lili cut him off immediately.

"Your thanks aren't necessary. If you want to repay me...make sure this doesn't happen again"

The heavily armored knight began walking away from the group.

The adventurer was thankful for Lili'a presence...but he could feel it from her voice and air...she didn't want to continue looking at them...as if their sorry site reminded her of a memory she wanted to not think about...

"People called her the protégé of Gray Ghost...though nobody was able to connect the two...but compared to the Gray Ghost she feels... colder"

As if she didn't want to save them...only doing so out of a feeling of necessity that drove her.

...

..

.

𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨...𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨...𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨

As Lili ascended the steps leading to the surface. Adventurers all around her started giving way to let her path continue unimpeded.

"..."

Reverence. Respect. Admiration...and fear.

Lili could recognize the emotions that displayed themselves on the face of the people around her.

Her years of surviving in the underbelly of Orario had allowed her to recognize the subtleties of mortal nature in an instant.

It was how she survived for so long...but she needs no longer conform herself to appease people stronger than herself...she had been gifted strength by her savior...her teacher...the object of her respect and desire.

'Lord Ghost...just where did you go...'

Lili sadly wondered where the Gray Ghost could've possibly gone...for what reason...and why couldn't she be trusted with the truth...why couldn't she accompany Gray Ghost...

Her woes...Lili knew full well why...

'It's because I'm weak...I'm not strong enough for Lord Ghost to trust me without worry...too weak to accompany him in his journey...'

Lili began to tighten her grip on her gunlance.

The reason why she had pushed herself so much. Leveling up to level two in the process.

The record was something she could care less for.

Her benevolent acts were done to simply respect the dream of Gray Ghost.

'My goal...is to catch up to him...to become a spear he can wield with confidence...to become a person worthy of him...'

Lili's skill began to resonate with her desire.

『Fianna amor: Mane latus tuum』

So long as she held love in her heart...so long she desired to reach Gray Ghost...she will continue to improve rapidly until it was fulfilled.

But as Lili began reaffirming her resolve once more...

𝘾 𝙇 𝘼 𝙉 𝙂

The sound of her armor and gunlance collapsing resounded in Lili's ears.

"...Welf isn't going to be happy..."

Lili began to brace herself for the scolding she was going to receive from her contracted blacksmith.

Welf Crozzo, an individual who was recommended to her by Gray Ghost. The person that had been responsible for the upkeep of her equipment while Gray Ghost was gone.

'And I just had it repaired yesterday...if only I knew how to forge equipment like Lord Ghost...'

Lili's fighting style which revolved around her explosive firebolts put immense strain on her armor and weapon.

Leading to the pallum having to visit Welf frequently for upkeep, much to his annoyance.

"...𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩..."

Lili simply readied for the storm of insults the hot-headed blacksmith would give her.

They had become close friends throughout the last few months, so there was no longer any hesitation in Welf when it came to speaking his mind.

'It's not my fault he's so sleep deprived...it's my right as a customer to avail his services right?... I wonder what is making him work so long...'

Unknown to Lili, Welf was pushing himself harder as well with the disappearance of Gray Ghost.

The Crozzo didn't know where he had gone to...but he knew he would one day return...to make sure the faith the vigilante had placed in him wasn't unfounded, he began working tirelessly to create his ideal magic sword.

...

..

.

"What does this make the count now? Seven repairs in a week?...you'll be the death of me, Lili..."

Welf tiredly spoke as he observed the equipment in front of him.

'Dents and bends in the metal...even in spots I didn't even think were possible to damage so badly...if she didn't have the fastest level-up record, I would've thought she was intentionally damaging her equipment to spite me'

Welf was compensated well every time he had to repair Lili's equipment, but he would've much rather just spent his time constructing magic swords instead.

'Well...not that I could just reject someone recommended to me by Gray Ghost...and I do need to put food on my table...'

Welf had accidentally spent most of the budget provided to him by Hephaestus on materials, so he was glad he entered into a smiting contract with Lili...otherwise, he would've been starving.

"Just deposit the usual amount to my account, Lili...you want me to make some additional magic stone cartridges for your gunlance?"

Lili's gunlance utilized both magic stones and a user's mind in order to produce a firebolt via the artifact Bell had retrieved long ago.

'Lately, my mind alone has been enough to activate the artifact...so I can probably start cutting down on expenses by lessening the cartridges I used...'

Lili had a habit of dumping her cartridges all across the dungeon whenever she had to reload.

The expenses of her habits were beginning to pile up over time.

"It's alright Welf, just the maintenance for today"

Hearing what Lili had said, Welf complied without a problem.

"Alright. Pick it up in the morning before you enter the dungeon. I'll have it done by then"

Lili then left Welf's workshop.

All alone by himself once more, the Blacksmith turned his attention to a desk filled with numerous sketches and a few ingots of mythril.

"Back to drawing board again...prototype twenty-five..."

...

..

.

In the mansion of the Soma familia, Lili was making her way to her god's workshop, taking the sights as she did.

'This place has changed a lot since me and Lord Ghost went here...everything is...brighter and more lively'

People walked the halls without a look of intoxication, despair, or fear on their faces.

The smell of wine wasn't as prominent, instead being contained to certain areas only.

The mansion was cleaned and refurbished as a way of signifying a new change for the familia.

'Lord Soma pulled through with his promises...Lord Ghost really is amazing...being able to influence the masses of Orario and even the gods themselves...'

As she praised her savior and teacher once more, Lili finally arrived at the wooden doors that led to Soma's workshop.

𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬

"Lord Soma. It's Lilirica Arde"

After Lili announced her presence, a calm and composed voice replied to her.

"Come in, Lili"

Lili then opened the doors. The smell of wine immediately filled her senses, but instead of being reminded of her numerous painful memories associated with the smell...Lili now wasn't fazed by it.

'Perhaps it's the change in scenery that stopped it...'

Lili thought to herself as she observed the workshop of Soma.

The once dreary place was now illuminated with natural light.

Renovated to look more welcoming as the room was styled in lighter tones.

But most striking of all...was the appearance of Soma himself.

His once unkempt hair was now properly washed and styled.

His bangs now didn't hide his face. Revealing a pair of strikingly handsome eyes.

The god also began to smile more, doing much to improve the atmosphere around him.

"It's good to see you, Lili. Another status update?"

Soma lowered a jar of wine he was working on as he began to talk with Lili. Already knowing what she came here for.

"Yes, Lord Soma. If you could"

Lili replied with respect, but Soma continued to act casually. The god already knew that the pallum rarely opened herself up to others. He was simply happy that she didn't despise him.

"Just lay down by the sofa over there. I'll be with you in a moment"

Lili nodded to what Soma had told her. Approaching the sofa and pulling off her compression top, revealing her developed back muscles.

'It still surprises me whenever I look at them...'

Soma thought to herself as he looked at Lili.

The both of them knew they couldn't see each other in any way besides a God and his familia's child, so there was no awkwardness whenever they performed a status update.

'That muscle definition can even give Ganesha a run for his money...I'm not one to judge her aesthetics...I just hope Gray Ghost isn't the type to find them unsightly l'

Soma knew full well that his child was in love with the Gray Ghost. He wasn't well-versed in romance, but he faintly remembered some of the past drunkards of his familia making fun of more toned women...but Soma began to discard their opinions...it was the words of a drunkard criminal after all.

"All right Lili, this will only take a moment..."

Soma now hovered over the lying Lili.

Her back was exposed and Soma pricked his finger.

A drop of divine ichor made contact with Lili's skin. The symbols of her falna begin to glow.

"..."

Soma was silent as he observed the changing of the status and as he began to inscribe the details into a parchment.

'Her progress really is amazing...'

[ 𝗦 𝗧 𝗔 𝗧 𝗨 𝗦 ]

Liliruca Arde

Level-2

𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗧𝗛 G 267 > G289

𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 H 144 > H150

𝗗𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗫𝗜𝗧𝗬 G 288 > F 311

𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 G 290 > F 320

𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗖 F 301 > F 332

𝗔𝗯𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 I > H

𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗖:

-『Ira Fianna: Spear of Fire and Blood』

Enchantment magic. Enhances parameters in relation to the user's anger. Overuse may lead to the enhancement of the user's emotions.

-『Cinder Ella: Sharing of Wounds』

Illusion magic. Transforms the user into the appearance of mortals of the same height. Natural boons of the transformation are given to the user in relation to their status parameters.

-『L̶̡̤͔̾a̷͚͊̊̉̈́ ̸̺̪̩̫͑P̵̝̻̑̒̈́û̵͎͉̙̚̚c̴̝͉̅̔͜c̷̙̣̺͂͘e̶̺̓͌l̴͖͐̑͘e̷̱̟͒̾̅̈』[S E A L E D]

𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗦:

-『Fianna amor: Mane latus tuum』

So long as the user is in love and the user wishes to reach the person of their admiration, a small boost to excelia gained will take effect. [Condition: True][Target: Gray Ghost]

-『Artel Assist: Supporter's Boon』>『Solitaria: One Man Charge』

Large boost to strength and endurance parameters in relation to weight being carried.

-『L̶̥̮̄ͅe̶̟͙̗̿͝͠g̸̛͔̪͚̉a̷̛͇͛̿̚c̶̙͔̱̝͌̈͊y̷͍̘̦͒̚ ̴̧̭̐͛͝ͅĨ̵̧́̂̓ṋ̴̛̱̻͇́́h̵͈͗̍e̶͖͑r̸̡̭̘̝̂̄͑̕i̸̡͆t̷̛͚̜̅à̷̜̖̫͂̓̈́n̶̛̦̒c̵͈̭̙͂̓̀͗e̶̠̥̦͊͐̀̌:̸̖͇̞͇̊̎͠ ̴̼̈́͝F̷͓̐̊i̶͈̥̪̲̋̅̇á̸͕̜̻͎n̷͍̪̾n̴̛̬͇̊͑a̶͍̥̣͑』[S E A L E D]

[ - - - - - - - - - - -]

'...just what kind of training did Gray Ghost put Lili through?...'

Soma couldn't help but worry that Lili was pushing herself through some extreme training regimen.

The improvement her stats undertook after a single week was already impressive enough. That wasn't to say anything about how she was able to level up to level two with all of her abilities ranked at the maximum of S.

If that wasn't enough...her repertoire of magic and skills would put most first-class adventurers to shame.

'She already knows to keep her excelia boost skill a secret...but I can't seem to decipher one of her magics and skills...'

Soma couldn't help but feel like he failed as a god for being unable to translate a part of his child's status...but after...convincing...Loki to give him some advice, he learned there are rare instances where a skill manifests which the Falna isn't able to distinguish.

'Loki told me her familia captain Finn possesses one such skill...perhaps Lili is the same'

Soma finished transcribing Lili's status to parchment and handed it to the pallum.

"..."

Lili remained silent. Neither impressed nor disappointed...simply...neutral.

"Lili...you're status is impressive. You shouldn't push yourself too much..."

Soma knew what was going through the Pallum's mind, her desire couldn't be any clearer.

"...Lord Soma...tell me...myself now...and Lord Ghost who talked to you all those months ago...how far are we both?..."

Lili asked quietly as she continued to stare at her status.

Soma couldn't answer.

It wasn't that he could find a conclusion...but the truth would simply worsen Lili's current condition.

"Lord Soma...did you know that people still talk about how Lord Ghost single-handedly took down a variant monster Rex?...how he took down criminal familias all by himself?...it's clear to me...how far I have to go..."

Lili began to tighten her grip on the parchment. The paper wrinkled as she did.

"Lili. You and Gray Ghost have two different specializations. You can't simply compare yourself to him every time"

Soma raised his voice a little. Lili needed to understand what he said...otherwise she will forever be haunted by the shadow of the person she loved.

It pained the god to see his child suffer from the bond she cherished with the vigilante.

"...I'll be going now, Lord Soma. Thank you for your time"

"..."

Lili began to tidy herself up as she prepared to leave Soma's workshop.

Though arrangements were made for Lili to stay at the Soma familia's mansion, she still chose to stay in the home she and Gray Ghost shared.

Even if it meant a long walk through the ruins to the centers of business in Orario...Lili refused to move away.

As Lili opened the door and as her back began to disappear, Soma called out to the Pallum.

"Gray Ghost won't abandon you, Lili. Believe in him. He isn't that type of person"

"..."

Lili stood still for a few moments...before she turned back to Soma with a small smile on her face.

"It's not abandonment I fear Lord Soma...it's becoming deadweight to another person I love..."

𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬

"..."

Soma knew the meaning of those words.

"So Lili looks up to Gray Ghost as a family as much as she does as a romantic interest"

The divine winemaker recalled the faint memories he had of Lili's parents...they were another set of people who joined his familia to indulge in the ecstasy of a drunken stupor.

Conceiving Lili as a mistake one drunken night and proceeding to exploit the child like some tool...he remembered them joking about how their child would work for them to retire...they never saw her as family...only as a tool.

Constantly reminded by her parents that she was a mistake

...that she only troubled them by existing...a burden.

"Gray Ghost...I just hope you come back soon..."

Soma returned to making his wines...but the desire to want to help Lili remained in his mind.

...

..

.

'So this is the Hostess of Fertility...Lord Ghost talked to me about it once...'

Stuck in a reminiscing mold about Gray Ghost, Lili suddenly remembered how the vigilante would talk about a certain restaurant...so Lili made a detour to visit the establishment.

'The waiters...they're really pretty...'

Lili noticed the beauty of the waitresses. From the little she could hear from the crowd, the beautiful staff was one of the main drawing points of the pub.

'Did Lord Ghost feel attracted to them too?...'

Lili began to be self-conscious of herself.

Her once petite and adorable figure was replaced with a trained body.

'Compared to my hard body..maybe Lord Ghost would prefer softer girls like them?..'

Lili noticed, in particular, a beautiful silver-haired woman...but she seemed to be quite annoyed to be working there at the moment.

But before Lili could continue with her thoughts, a loud noise rang throughout the pub.

"WAAAAAAAA~ WHERE ARE YOU GRAY GHOST???"

The voice of a young woman began to cry hysterically. It was quite obvious she was intoxicated.

Tiona Hiryute began to cry to herself as she chugged down mug after mug of alcohol.

Her familia doing their best to control the amazoness as she went through the stages of grief.

"Tiona...I get that you're sad...but please consider the location..."

Riveria awkwardly said, but Tiona quickly replied back.

"IF YOU LOST LEFIYA. YOU WOULD BE CRYING IN A PUB AS WELL-"

Lefiya nearly choked on her drink as she was somehow dragged into this conversation.

The high elf could do nothing but sigh at the young warrior's plight.

"HAHAHAHA. Let the lass let loose Riveria. It's not so often she drinks to the brink like this. I wish to see who can chug down more beers HAHAHAHA"

Gareth simply smiled in nonchalance at the situation. The foam of beat formed on his upper lip.

"..."

Ais simply remained quiet as she continued to eat her jagamarukun.

"Tiona! Forget about that Ghost bastard and come back to me!-"

Loki enthusiastically spoke as she recognized her chance to be rid of being a cuckold.

She jumped with passion as she began making squeezing motions with her hands...but...

"ACK?!-"

She was met by a swift roundhouse kick by the amazoness. One which sent her across the pub and landing on the street in front of the entrance.

Lili could only watch in confusion as she watched the famed Loki twitch in tears as she cried tears on the ground.

"Onore...Gray Ghost..."

'What the hell does this goddess have against Lord Ghost?...'

Moving back to the Loki familia's table, Tione spoke up to deal with her sister.

"Tiona. Please stop embarrassing and bringing shame to Captain Finn's reputation"

The Amazon spoke with superiority, but Tiona wasn't afraid to call out her sister on her bullshit.

"SHUT UP MEAT BAGS. CRY THAT YOU STILL FAILED TO MAKE CAPTAIN FINN TURN YOUR WAY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!"

Hearing her sister's provocation...Tione couldn't stand as she watched her love be insulted.

"YOU WANNA GO YOU BITCH?!"

Tione readied her fists.

"BRING IT ON!-"

Tiona was more than ready to throw down.

But Finn finally intervened.

"Stop. Before I make you"

The pallum captain spoke calmly as he swallowed his steak.

He wasn't particularly annoyed. He had been dealing with his familia's behavior for a long time now.

Finn simply didn't want to bill the Hostess another repair bill.

"You two make up while I grab Loki from the street. Am I clear?"

Tione was the first to reply.

"Yes, captain! I apologize!"

Tiona replied next...not as enthusiastically as her sister.

"Yes, captain..."

With a nod, Finn left his seat to start heading to the entrance...and it was there...that he locked eyes with Lili.

"...!-"

"...!-"

The two of them stood still...a foreign feeling began to invade their minds...as if...they were meeting again after a long...long time.

'She's...「IgKnight」of the Soma familia...Liliruca Arde...'

Finn was able to recognize the pallum girl in front of him.

His dream was to establish Pallums as a race to not be looked down upon.

So when he heard the news of a pallum adventurer of great renown...one that broke Ais' level-up record no less...Finn was ecstatic and curious.

'I always wanted to find a way to meet and talk with her...does she frequent the Hostess as well?...'

As Finn began to analyze the situation deeply, Lili did the same.

'What the hell was that feeling?...a magic?...skill?...Finn Deimne doesn't appear to be as shocked as I am...so it being a malicious attack by the Loki familia can be ruled out...'

Lili naturally knew who Finn was. The 「Braver」of the Loki familia was a figure known by every Pallum.

For a time, Lili even idolized him...that was until she met Gray Ghost.

"..."

"..."

The two continued to state in silence...the quiet being broken by Finn. He was quite used to situations like this with his years of being the Loki familia captain.

"Good evening 「IgKnight」. Would you mind if I pick up my goddess over there? She's quite sensitive at the moment, so you're at risk of becoming sexually harassed by her..."

Seeing Finn approach her with no ill intent...and realizing the divine bomb of lust that was beside her. Lili spoke back.

"Feel free..."

"Thanks"

Finn immediately approached the hunched-over goddess and put her over his shoulder.

Securing Loki, Finn then turned to Lili who just watched in curiosity at how a divine being could be so...pathetic.

"She may look pathetic right now...but I assure you that Loki is a proper goddess when she puts her mind to it"

Finn struggled out a laugh as he recognized the look on Lili's face.

Lili then apologized for any discourtesy she might've shown to one of the strongest familias in Orario.

"I apologize, Finne Deimne. I didn't mean to insult-"

But Finn cut her off. If he allowed Lili to apologize, the atmosphere between the two would cut off their conversation right then and there.

"There's no need to apologize 「IgKnight」...do you frequent the Hostess of Fertility? I don't recall ever seeing you here"

Finn changed the topic. Lili recognized what he did...but played along...she felt the urge to go with the flow of the fellow Pallum.

"I don't. This is actually my first time...a friend recommended it to me. So I've come here to try it out"

Hearing what Lili said, Finn quickly replied

"I see. If you want recommendations. I suggest the fried Saury they serve here. It goes quite well with some Soma wine if you can splurge a bit for the meal"

"I see...thank you for the recommendation Finn Deimne"

Finn recognized the conversation was about to end, so acted to leave it on a high note.

"Just call me Finn, I prefer it that way. It was nice to meet you, Liliruca Arde"

Finn said as he extended his hand.

Seeing the gesture, Lili returned it.

"Alright, Finn. It was nice to meet you too"

The two pallums smile lightly...they didn't know why...but they felt happy at this encounter.

Beyond their knowing...a sister smiled as she reunited with her brother...separated from each other too soon...in their new lives...they were able to reconnect once more.

...

..

.

"..."

Tione watched the entire scene happen...unmoving...for a while, it seemed like she wasn't even breathing.

"Tione?..."

Riveria cautiously called to the Amazoness...she knew full well the extent she went for her love of Finn...if she made one wrong move, their familia might have to restrain her to avoid a murder case.

"..."

Gareth as well began to be nervous, Ais following suit. They were readying themselves to entrap the berserker of their familia with all of their strength.

"..."

Tiona watched as her sister stared blankly at what was happening.

Instead of kicking her while she was down...

𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬

She simply sympathized with her...

"Drown in the comfort of alcohol Tione...It's alright..."

Seeing her sister extend her hand at such a low moment in her life. Tione couldn't help but let emotions overcome her.

"...𝘩𝘪𝘤...thank you...𝘩𝘪𝘤...thank you!-"

Tione immediately began to chug down the beer.

Tiona did the same.

After a minute, the two were absolutely pissed drunk.

"COME BACK GRAY GHOST! PLEASE COME BACK!!"

"WHY COULDN'T I HAVE BEEN BORN A PALLUM?! SLEEPING WITH THE CAPTAIN WOULD'VE BEEN SO MUCH EASIER! DAMN IT!-"

Seeing the Amazoness sisters making up pleased Finn...but he wasn't so pleased with Tione shouting out her intent to take his virginity.

'I did consider Lili as a marriage partner for my plans...but after meeting her...I feel like I would come to regret it if I pushed through with that decision...'

Finn thought to himself as he laid Loki against a chair.

It was more hectic than usual...but it was another regular night for the Loki familia.

"I'LL INVENT TIME TRAVEL AND RETURN TO MY CHILD FORM! I'LL LOOK LIKE A PALLUM! THEN! I'LL BE ABLE TO PASSIONATELY CONSUMMATE MY LOV-"

"I HAVE NO DESIRE TO SLEEP WITH MINORS, TIONE HIRYUTE!!"

...

..

.

'For a top familia they sure carefree...so much responsibility...but so nonchalant...just like...Lord Ghost...'

Lili couldn't seem to get her mind away from Gray Ghost.

As she sat down on a stool seat in the Hostess of Fertility, she began to ponder on her thoughts...something that was interrupted by the arrival of a waitress.

"What will you be having tonight, miss?"

Lili turned her head to the source of the voice.

A blonde elf with a cool demeanor was where the voice that called out to her came from.

Ryu patiently waited for Lili to respond. After taking a few moments to gather herself, she finally began to place her order.

'Lord Ghost talked about a certain item he liked to eat here...what was it...oh...I think it was...'

"I'll have a meat lover's bowl with a side of fried potatoes and beer...make the steak medium done"

Hearing the order of Lili, Ryu stood in shocked silence.

'That order...'

It was an order of a boy she couldn't get out of her mind.

It was the exact same thing he would always order with a smile. A smile she could never seem to forget.

'She's even sitting on his chair...is she?...'

"Excuse me miss? Where did you happen to hear that order from?"

Lili was confused. She began to think if they no longer served the dish Lord Ghost had recommended to her.

"Is it no longer available?..."

Hearing the concern in Lili's voice, Ryu snapped out of her personal curiosity and returned to her professional attitude.

"Not at all miss...it's just...your order brings back some memories of mine..."

Ryu said, unaware she began to smile.

"Is that so...me too...a friend recommended it to me a while back...he's been gone from Orario for a while...so why not try it now?"

Lili replied with a genuine smile too.

The two of them didn't realize they talked about the same person.

The pair met the two sides of the same coin known as Bell Cranel.

"I'll put in your order. Expect it to be done in a few minutes, miss. Our chef is quite adept at preparing that particular order very quickly"

Ryu said, to which Lili replied.

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to it"

With a curt bow, Ryu then headed off to tend to the other customers.

The other workers of the Hostess momentarily stopped as they heard the order before going back to their duties, smiling alongside Ryu as memories of their phantom member resurfaced in their minds.

The sole exception...was the silver-haired waitress, Syr...she held a personal distaste for Bell Cranel.

She was Syr without a doubt...but at the same time...she wasn't.

...

..

.

"Haa...no wonder Lord Ghost kept talking about the Hostess...it's delicious"

Lili talked to herself as she walked down the streets of Orario late at night.

She was now walking back to the house she shared with Gray Ghost in the ruins district of Orario...but as she started making her way through an alleyway as a shortcut...she came across a figure that silently walked atop the roofs of the nearby houses.

"...?"

It was generally frowned upon for adventurers to walk on top of the buildings in Orario.

But if one were to be in an emergency, or on orders of a respected group, then exemptions could be made.

Lili watched in silence as the figure continued to walk.

'She's...quite beautiful...'

Lili began to grumble at the number of pretty women she had been encountering today, along with a nagging feeling that they were all connected somehow...

'Nevermind that...just continue observing'

Lili took her mind off of her thoughts and began to examine the figure.

Lean and slightly muscular, her body radiated the aura of an adventurer.

Donning a white cloak and rather intricately designed sandals, alongside numerous sachels and bags.

Her most striking features would be her dignified face, her light blue hair with strokes of white, and her beautifully made glasses.

She walked along the edges of the roofs of the nearby buildings with grace and magnanimity. It was as if she were a princess born straight out of a fairy tale.

'Wait...isn't she the captain of the Hermes familia?...'

Lili had done her fair share of research on prominent adventurers throughout Orario, and she was able to recall the identity of the Hermes familia's captain.

A level four who was renowned as a great item maker under the alias of 「Perseus」.

'What is someone like her doing here?...'

Lili was naturally suspicious of why Asfi was in such a place.

To outsiders, the Hermes familia was simply a decent middle-ranked familia in Orario...this was a ruse set up to avoid suspicion for their more covert activities.

They actively falsified and delayed the reports to the guild in regard to their member's levels and statuses.

They fervently hid any traces of their actions on the deeper floors. Going so far as to devise new ways to explore the deeper floors with their own proprietary methods to remove all traces of suspicion.

The amphisbaena is a monster rex of the twenty-fifth to the twenty-seventh floors. Familias that wish to take on the monster rex must prepare specialized potions that dealt with its unquenchable flames. The purchase history of such potions was highly visible due to such potions only being able to be sold in the Dian Cecht familia's pharmacy.

In order to not arouse any suspicion of their capabilities, Asfi had made a magic item to deal with the monster rex's unique status ailments. Allowing their members to traverse the deeper floors without anyone knowing better.

To Lili who only saw the surface-level information regarding the familia, she knew little of their true operations and capabilities. Thus her suspicion of Asfi at this moment.

'She looks rather...sad? Like she's looking for something...'

Lili continued to observe as Asfi waited in the cold night to no avail...after a while, she sighed and began to walk once more...before turning invisible entirely.

'It seems like the Hermes familia is hiding a lot more than they show...'

Lili found it quite interesting to think about...but she discarded the thought of investigating it even further.

'I would simply just be putting myself in trouble if I followed through...besides...I have to focus on getting stronger...'

As Asfi faded into the cold night air, waiting in futility for the Gray Ghost to come to meet her once more, Lili continued to walk home...she needed to unwind from all the emotional stress she had been accumulating...

...

..

.

Under the exterior of a broken building laid a well-crafted interior of a home.

Built with a combination of stone and various kinds of wood, the inside of the building betrayed all expectations one might have developed from the dilapidated exterior.

Lili regularly maintained the hideout that Bell had built, making sure that the homeliness of the place didn't fade...even if it lacked the person that made it so welcoming to the pallum girl in the first place.

"Fuu...that was a nice bath..."

Stepping out of the bathroom that began to let out the steam accumulated inside, Lili's glistening figure began to emerge.

A towel wrapped around her neck. Her hair damp from being newly washed and dried. An alluring scent from her body wash and shampoo emanated off of her.

As she lived by herself at that moment in time, she didn't care much about keeping up appearances, so she walked around the house in the nude.

Her body developed immensely from a thin frame to a more defined shape with more subtle curves and edges. A few remaining droplets from her bath ran down across the contours of her muscular figure.

From her defined arms to her chiseled navel. From her prominent back to her round behind. Lili had undoubtedly developed a more mature eroticism than her original counterpart ever had.

"...I deserve to indulge for a bit right?....it won't hurt every now and then.."

But it wasn't for the sake of laziness that she kept herself in the nude...but for another purpose. To partake in an activity she sparingly partook in...wanting to extend it as much as possible.

「Your wound is mine...and mine yours...」

Spurring her mind...Lili invoked her magic.

「Cinder Ella」

After a flash of light began to appear on her body...a set of ears and a tail she never had before took their place on her body.

"My sense of smell has been enhanced...just one more preparation..."

Lili made her way to a nearby cabinet. Her hips and tails swayed along with her gait as she walked. Her ass bending in shape with the movement of her legs.

After searching a bit, she now held a perfume bottle in her hands...spraying a bit of it on herself and smelling her body to check...she was satisfied.

"It's a waste given I used a new bath wash and shampoo I bought...but I can't afford to ruin the experience..."

The perfume Lili had sprayed on herself was a perfume that removed all odors for a certain amount of time...she had a bit of trouble procuring such a product...but after using it for her purposes, it was all worth it.

Lili began to walk towards a room she rarely meddled with throughout the months she had stayed here...

"Lord Ghost's room..."

Lili anxiously called out to whom the room she stood before belonged. Bell would occasionally sleep in the hideout during the time he was in Orario...and as such..., it left behind something Lili was quite fond of...

"His scent still remains here..."

Lili became frustrated with the lacking presence of the person she loved...leading her to turn to more degenerate methods to appease her longing.

"Please forgive me, Lord Ghost...I'm not strong enough to keep myself away from you for so long...you would surely understand...right?..."

Lili was racked with a guilty conscience as she was about to do what she did...but though she felt guilty...the shame of it...brought even more excitement to the perverted knight...

"I will accept any punishment you may impose on me for my perverted behavior...and I'll accept it all...but I cannot deny...my carnal desires any longer..."

「Red...red...and even redder...burn...until naught remains...」

Lili's breath became more and more haggard...her body began to tremble in anticipation...her eyes didn't form heart pupils...but they burned a passionate red glow to convey her lust.

「Ira Fianna: Spear of Fire and Blood」

Lili didn't invoke her magic to strengthen her body. If anything, she treated everything very carefully whenever he entered Gray Ghost's room...she simply invoked it...to enhance her emotions to the brink.

"If I use Lord Ghost's room to satisfy myself too many times...it will soon lose its charm...so I have to make sure a week's worth of satisfaction comes from this one session...one very wonderful session~"

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘬𝘬𝘬

Lili slowly opened the door...taking a few steps inside...

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘢𝘬𝘬𝘬

Closing the door once she was inside...taking a deep breath...with her enhanced senses...she entered a state of euphoria immediately...

"Lord Ghost~"

Lili began to slowly work further inside the room...her head was light from the emotions she was currently feeling.

"...Lord Ghost's bed..."

Seeing the silk covers and soft pillows where her beloved savior slept in...chock full of his scent which she so dearly loved...Lili had to lick up a trail of saliva that escaped her mouth.

"Forgive me Lord Ghost...the night you saved me...you didn't save a girl who wanted a hero..."

Lili began to place her knee on the mattress...slowly putting herself into position...

"You saved an unforgivable...degenerate...pervert"

Her body, moist and stiff in certain areas...Lili took the plunge and laid herself fully on the bed...

"This...this is bliss~"

Lili began to take in the lingering scent that covered the bed...no matter how much she rolled...no matter how immersed she got...the scent would still remain, in large part to the odor-killing perfume she bought.

"Haa...how long should I go this time?..."

Lili would usually only stay in the room for a small amount of time...but the desire to spend an entire night wrapped in the scent...Lili knew she shouldn't do such a thing...but the temptation...it won over her...

"I wonder...if my body will melt away if I stay here too long...it'll be alright...if I stain it with my love just for once...right?..."

The idea of smearing her essence onto Bell...the creaking of the mattresses joints...letting her imagine the consummation of a more carnal expression of desire...Lili lost herself in avarice...in pleasure...

"Lord Ghost...Lord Ghost...Lord Ghost...Lord Ghost!!-"

The squeaking of the mattress rang out throughout the night until daybreak...the moans persisting for just as long...having trained herself in stamina and endurance...Lili could go all night without rest.

𝙨𝙝𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠

"Ahh~"

...

..

.

"I hope Lili is doing well"

Bell said to himself as he drank a refreshing juice in a seaside cafe in Altena...sipping down a transparent jelly-like refreshment that was a local specialty of Altena

"Damn...this is really good..."

Licking a trail of clear fluid that ran down his mouth with his tongue, Bell wondered how such an unassuming drink could taste so good.

"The lack of color would make one assume it tastes like nothing...𝘴𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘱...but this is the best damn thing I've drunk in my two lives..."

Bell swore to himself to procure more of this drink for his own personal enjoyment. He had Shirou Emiya's abilities...he didn't doubt he could provide himself with it whenever he wanted...

"Haa...I wonder how much Lili has grown...I really want to pat her head again..."

Unaware of how much he had diverted the Pallum girl's character with his presence...and the symbolism his refreshment had...Bell stretched his back and relaxed on the chair he was sitting on.

"...vacations really are the best~"

...

..

.

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Just a side story to show how some of the characters in Orario were progressing with Bell's absence. I wasn't able to include anyone, but just assume the characters I didn't include didn't change much since their last appearance.

I'll start writing on the Altena/Athena arc now. It will definitely take some time to write.

I also have an editor now. So hopefully, there will be fewer typos starting from the next chapter.

Thank you once again for reading, hope you look forward to the next chapter, and have a nice day!