Chapter 31

I stepped off the carpet and stumbled toward my bed. The teleportation had taken quite a bit of mana out of me, probably around two-thirds of my total reserve. The sudden loss of all that power caused me to take a seat on the edge of my bed so that I could take a minute to recover. As I was sitting recovering, I heard Regulus speak in my mind.

"I am curious about your actions today, so I figured I'd just ask directly." He said, sparking my interest as he did so.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You would leave those adventurers you saved to die but were hyper-conscious about starting a forest fire, why?"

I was caught slightly off guard by the question, but I thought for a moment before replying, "I don't want my actions to let the forest burn and kill unsuspecting people,"

"Still, you left those people to die by not helping them when you could have. I don't see the difference in the situations, just your response to them."

"I saved those adventurers first," I said as I examined my interpretation of the situation, "I was saving any adventurers in the forest by preventing the fire."

"So you wouldn't have helped if the fire had started and you had the opportunity to save others?" Regulus asked before pausing and adding, "I don't mean to come off like I'm accusing you, I am just curious about your mentality."

"I don't mind, and if I had done everything I could to prevent a fire and it still happened, then it isn't my responsibility anymore," I said, expressing my thoughts, "Disasters happen. Am I supposed to deal with it for everybody?"

"Is it not your job to take responsibility?" Regulus asked, giving me pause.

"I suppose so," I said slowly, "Perhaps that's why I tried to prevent it in the first place. Prevention means that I don't have to deal with the issue itself,"

"So why not go the extra step for the party we encountered?"

"I did not force them into the dungeon, if I did so, then I would save them. However, since I didn't, then why should I interfere?" I asked, genuinely curious what an elemental's views on good and evil would be.

"Is it not the duty of the strong to protect the weak?" He asked me in return.

"What do you think?" I countered.

Regulus went silent for a few seconds before responding, "No, it isn't the job of the strong to look after the weak, but there can be many advantages gained from doing so. However, sometimes, some people are just more lucky than others, causing some to die while others prosper, whether they be weak or strong. In cases where you are in trouble, perhaps your righteous deeds will pay dividends."

"Or perhaps they will mean nothing and be forgotten," I said, looking down at my hands and tracing my fingers along their creases and lines.

"Are deeds only performed to be paid back by others?" The elemental asked.

"Isn't that what you just said?" I asked, gradually getting more and more into the conversation. I had always loved conversations like these in my past life, but now it felt like the words passed between us held more weight than ever before.

"I merely put forth a single interpretation," Regulus said, deflecting, "So what is your answer to my question?"

"No, actions can be for others, but more often than not, they are for ourselves. As living beings, we always want to satisfy ourselves first."

"Okay, let me give you a hypothetical, no matter how ridiculous it may sound. Let's say that group was made up of Finn and the other Loki familia members you have been getting to know recently, would your actions change then?" He asked.

"Of course, no matter what approach I take with others, it will be different for people I know," I answered honestly, wondering how the elemental would take human hypocrisy.

"Does that not make you a hypocrite?"

"It does, but what matters to me the most now are the people close to me and myself. Everything other than that isn't as important." I said honestly.

"Well, the way I see it..." Regulus started but was cut off by the sound of a door closing in the apartment.

I got up and strode out my door to find Fortuna, followed by Hephaestus and Tsubaki, as she led them into the living room to sit down. My appearance clearly surprised her, but she smiled broadly as she saw me. Hephaestus gave me a polite nod, while Tsubaki simply remained impassive as I walked out of the doorway to my room.

"I thought you were in the dungeon?" She asked me as I walked closer, "When did you get back?"

"Not too long ago," I said casually, "I was just about to head to the guild."

"Okay," Fortuna said excitedly, "I was just about to discuss a possible business deal with Hephaestus here. I wanted to talk to you about recruiting new members to the familia once the debt is all gone too!"

"Of course, once I get back, we can discuss it as long as your meeting is over," I said, smiling at Fortuna's enthusiasm to expand our familia.

After nodding wildly, a moment passed before she adopted a teasing smile and said, "I'm surprised you haven't asked for a status update yet. That's so unlike you,"

"I need one," I said casually, causing the goddess to laugh.

Quickly, she pulled up my shirt and pressed a paper against my back. After around 3o seconds, the process was done, and Fortuna took a seat across from her guests. I saluted her and bowed to Hephaestus and Tsubaki before I looked down at the paper. I couldn't hide a grin as I looked down at it. 'It seems that I have started to streamline my training method a bit more,' I thought briefly before fully focusing on the paper to read it one more time.

-

[Galahad

Lv. 2

STR: I-0 >>>F-345

END: I-0 >>>F-332

DEX: I-0 >>>F-302

AGI: I-0 >>> F-300

MAG: I-0 >>> F-372

Chain Attack: I >>> H

- Magic -

Magicule Manipulation

Curse: Tenfold Pain Enhancement

- Skills -

Tensura

Fatal Atraction]

-

Once I got a good look, I crumpled up the paper and subtly burned it to ash as I left the apartment. Once the paper was gone, I considered all my new goals for the future since I preferred to have a much more structured and goal-oriented life. I go with the flow in most situations, but it always feels good to be going after an important goal. Firstly, since the debt is the only thing holding us back from getting more familia members, that is the first thing I decided to knock out. Maybe while I was searching for the Xenos at the same time.

Before I could continue my thoughts, Regulus cut in, surprising me with how talkative he was lately, "You've mentioned these Xenos quite a bit lately, what is so important about them?"

"They are my ticket to meeting Oranous and forging a connection with him," I was about to continue before Regulus cut me off.

"Why do you want to be a lack for? Don't you already make quite a bit when working alone?" He asked, voicing a fair question.

"I don't plan to be a lackey. Making a connection with Oranous is important for three main benefits I can't gain easily elsewhere, namely opportunities, information, and backing. I can gain these things elsewhere, but I already know how to get them with Oranous, going to anyone else would be risky."

"Can you elaborate?" Regulus asked, still confused.

"Working for Oranous, I will gain opportunities to get money through exclusive missions, but that is the least important thing. I am mostly interested in the top-secret information that only the guild has. They can tell me about the floors that are a complete mystery to me before I enter them, as well as many other things that only the top-ranking familia's know about. My main reason for approaching Oranous, though, is the backing that he and the guild can provide me. Right now, I have no backing, and Oranous can help take the pressure off when everyone starts to take an interest in me," I explained briefly.

"Why not just go to this Oranous directly then, since you already know about the Xenos?" Regulus asked.

"Then they will question my motives. No, it will be easier if it seems like I just stumbled on the Xenos, then they tell Fels, who then tells Oranous. Then, I will build much more trust when I promise to keep their secrets. Then, they will feel indebted to me, and that's when I ask to work for the guild to gain their backing." I said, explaining my whole thought process.

I could feel Regulus mentally nodding through our bond, "That makes more sense!" he said, finally getting the plan.