A Week later...

As the two clashed, the air itself seemed to vibrate with the force of their blows. Ryuu's gauntlets met Ais' rapier in a flurry of sparks, both adventurers expertly dodging each other's threatening attacks. Despite their speed, it was clear this was not a fight to the death - rather, it was a spar, a chance for the two to test their skills and see how much they had improved.

She swung her rapier towards him, forcing the latter to use his tail to parry as she aimed at a vital point, causing a loud clang to echo throughout the room. The force of the blow was so great it caused a gust of wind to erupt, ruffling the clothes and hair of those nearby…

The two were pushed back a few steps by the impact, though they did not continue as he growled

"You've got stronger, Ais."

Despite his best efforts, he was unable to force Ais to use her [Ariel], meaning that he was the one who lost the spar according to the conditions they had agreed upon.

"...You also...much stronger. How…?"

She couldn't believe just how much stronger Ryuu had grown. Although he was still level 1, he would soon level up as his last status upgrade only went to the [Magic] stat as it stopped at SSS1499 without bulging further!

"I simply did what all other adventurers do."

He sighed as he pondered about what occurred in the week that silently passed…

———

After Haruhime officially joined the Hestia Familia, she awkwardly bowed and apologized for the trouble she caused, though Hestia herself dismissed it as it was not her fault...

Only a certain Dragon lady stared deeply at Haruhime for a while, the latter shrinking upon her inquisitive gaze.

However, despite her weakness, Haruhime resolved to do her best and not be a burden to the familia. She was determined to find ways to contribute and help in other areas.

"O-Once the Mansion is rebuilt, I can be the one to clean it properly..."

Although it was a secondary matter, cleanliness was extremely important. However, no one bothered to clean. Ryuu considered putting a notice in the Guild to ask for some level 2 or 3 to become his maid in exchange for huge amounts of Valis he had no need for...

Hestia and Luna both felt relieved Ryuu did not put out such a notice. They didn't want to deal with the chaos that would ensue if many girls showed up at their door wanting to be a maid for Ryuu. They also felt grateful Haruhime was willing to clean the mansion and help out in any way she could.

In fact, Luna's gaze was not one of scrutiny. She hoped since she was the weakest, such a job could fall on her, and indeed, she was not left dissatisfied as a huge smile spread on her face.

"It's a good idea. We are in your hands!"

Haruhime's face lit up at Luna's words, her joy clearly visible in her expression. She couldn't believe it was actually happening, that she was being given the opportunity to contribute to the Familia and be a useful member. Her tail twitched as she thought she was dreaming, though she soon realized it was not as she bowed again with extreme happiness.

"I-I'll not disappoint you...!"

As Luna nodded, Ryuu shook his head as a sigh escaped his lips.

"I feel like they'll get along well..."

Hestia whispered as she stared at the Status Sheet of her new member...

--- Status ---

•Name: Haruhime

•Level: 1

•Strength: I20→ I21

•Endurance: I10 → I12

•Dexterity: I10 → I21

•Agility: I20→ I22

•Magic: H180 → G220

•[Uchide no Kozuchi]

--- Status ---

'If I show this to Luna, she will finally understand the pain other adventurers have to endure!'

It could have been a nice plan to bend Luna's common sense a bit, but she did not want to use Haruhime for that as it would be too low of her, given that she was now one of her 'children'…!

———

As the Hestia Familia waited for their Mansion to be rebuilt, it was a perfect occasion to deal with miscellaneous matters as they left the inn, their destination, the Guild, as Hestia went there to register her new adventurers...

"I've never seen her before. Does she come…from outside Orario?"

A quick glance at her horns made Misha understand there was no way such an adventurer appeared out of nowhere. She subconsciously glanced at Ryuu, though the latter only smiled.

"No. She is a Dragon from the Dungeon I originally tamed, things happened, and now she has become one of our Familia Members…"

He explained, as he felt she was trustworthy enough not to reveal that. The other adventurers wouldn't carelessly question anything as long as it was left as speculation. Who said there weren't some hidden members of their race that just now chose to reveal themselves, just like he did…?

Of course, he didn't know if such a race existed, but they would be the 'helm' of them all as long as the Guild didn't properly state anything…

"Alright…"

There was nothing else he had to do. Their small interaction was enough for him to know he could rest assured. Such a thing was a great help to him as he swore inwardly to buy something nice for her in the future.

Another step was done as the Hestia Familia officially had 3 members now, one of them being a level 2 as Luna would receive a name once the Denatus was held in a few more days...

Though if no one knew her, there was a possibility she could be given a ridiculing name. But how could Luna or Ryuu tolerate that? He would make sure to help Luna's reputation shine in the remaining weeks.

Of course, none of them would be the wiser, as the duo of Dragons would soon be known worldwide for their incredible achievements...

———

It did not take much time to deal with the small things they had to do, this meaning they, although Haruhime wasn't originally part of the equation, casually had time to buy necessities they would need in their Mansion and, as Ryuu held endless amounts of money sitting there, he used almost all of them.

Ryuu's spending was lavish, and he didn't hold back on buying necessities for the mansion and anything else that caught his eye.

Without being asked, he bought cute clothes for Luna, Hestia, and even Haruhime. Luna glanced to a blue earring, and she was gifted it without even saying a word.

Hestia's gaze often wandered to the food stalls; by the end, she was so full that her belly almost swelled up.

Haruhime's tail wagged slightly as she saw a bookstore on the way, but she didn't want to inconvenience them. Despite her efforts to stop him, Ryuu still bought almost a hundred of her favorite books to be delivered the following day.

Of course, that was also how Ryuu bought most of the stuff as how could he carry all of them…?

After some other hours passed, the scheduled time finally ended. Once they reached their Manor, Luna had vivid memories of her pain. On the other hand, Hestia had her own traumatic experiences associated with the place, as the mere sight of it filled her with some lingering fear.

Despite the joy and excitement of their shopping trip, the memories of their past experiences at the Mansion lingered in the back of their minds, causing them to hold onto bittersweet smiles.

Only Ryuu and Haruhime held no expression on their faces as the latter gazed at the two girls somewhat worriedly.

"…I-If I may ask, why do they seem so troubled? Should we…move to another place?"

Her consideration only made Hestia shake her head.

She felt a surge of determination as she remembered the moments she shared in the mansion with her Familia. These memories were a mix of great and bad, embarrassing and heartwarming. Despite the difficult times, they were all crucial to their journey.

Hestia couldn't bear to let them go and instead wanted to hold on to them and keep them close to her heart. These memories were a testament to their bond and the growth they had experienced together as a Familia and would continue to do so in the future...

"…This place is where I want our Familia to stay."

Luna, too, had experienced many memories in this Manor, both heartwarming and traumatic. These memories profoundly impacted her, and she, like Hestia, was determined to keep them and not let them go. Even the difficult memories were a part of who she was and had shaped her into the person she was today...