Road to Level 3

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'Somewhere in the middle of Orario inside a 4-story tall building…'

/Thud/

"No… No more… I yield… Just kill me…"

/Thud/

"Stop being dramatic Hermes-Sama, you were the one who got interested in this, besides, the earlier we end this the earlier I… We can rest." Said Asfi as she dropped another pile of papers on Hermes' table

'Hermes raised his tired head and looked at Asfi, he was on the verge of crying.'

'But Asfi simply looked at him without a single emotion. Defeated, Hermes started to read the papers…'

'And soon enough his eyes sharpened.'

"Oi oi is this true?"

"That's up for you to decide, in my opinion, I find it really suspicious that Ishtar decided to release so much private information on the market at once…"

"But everything points out to the information being true."

/Clack!/

'The door to the room opened and another person arrived, interrupting their conversation.'

"My savior!" Exclaimed Hermes as he looked at the dog girl

'Asfi rolled her eyes.'

"Tell me what you found!"

'The girl's eyes were serious, prompting Hermes and Asfi to focus as well.'

"It's serious business, you won't believe what I learned on the black market…"

'Hermes looked at Asfi and the latter turned around and pressed on a strange object on the table.'

"Done, talk to your heart content." Said Hermes

"So… Supposedly, the Ishtar Familia vault was stolen…"

/PFFFT!/

'Hermes spat all of the tea on his mouth onto Asfi due to the sudden surprise, making the latter soaked and angry.'

"The what now?!" He asked

'The dog girl scratched her head and said:'

"Everything, down to the last coin, there are witnesses that said that Ishtar's mad cries could be heard through half of the entertainment district, including a small fire in her manor."

"Besides, her entire Manor is currently on lockdown, not even an ant can escape from there and if someone suspicious gets too close they were told to kill on sight... Ishtar is completely mad..."

"Hohohoho... How interesting!"

'Hermes was very amused, the more he heard the bigger his grin became.'

"It doesn't end there, it's only rumored but it says that they tried to ambush the Hestia Familia on the middle floors…"

/PFFFT!/

'Hermes spat more tea onto Asfi, making the latter even more soaked and very angry.'

"Haha! I knew that boy would get into trouble sooner or later… What else?" asked Hermes with a child-like curiosity

'Asfi stayed silent with her eyes dark on the side, just listening.'

"There is a minor rumor mixed with some truth that the ambush from the Ishtar Familia was actually leaked, and there is some proof for that as I found a few leads here and there… However, this leak led to them… Actually being ambushed by a third party…"

/PFFFT!/

'Hermes smiled and snapped his fingers.'

"This is getting interesting! Hey Asfi! Who do you think…"

/BONK!/

'Asfi angrily punched Hermes in the head, prompting him to fall on the ground semi-conscious.'

"D-Do-Don't w-Worry A-Asfi, I still love you…" Said Hermes on the ground as he touched Asfi legs

/BONK/

'A metallic object on the table fell on top of Hermes head, knocking him out… How unlucky…'

'Looking at his body, the two girls looked at each other, one very angry and the other just confused.'

"What do we do now?" Asked Lulune

"Leave him, besides, I need a shower and some rest, I had enough for today." She said as she removed her cape and walked to the door

"What about the papers?..." Asked Lulune as she watched Asfi leave

"That is not my problem anymore unless you want to…"

"No thanks!"

'Lulune ran away faster than Asfi, prompting her to sigh as she closed the door, leaving a hurt Hermes on the cold floor…'

…

/Deep in the Dungeon…/

'Inside a hidden cave protected by a large green dragon laid a rather bizarre village.'

'A village whose houses didn't follow any sort of specific pattern, some were big, some were small, a few were just holes in the wall while some others were made from wood and other objects, probably from the Middle floors.'

'However, there was no one in this village, because everyone was currently in one place…'

'Deeper into this village hidden behind a rock was a large area with stone chairs circling a single massive bonfire.'

'Next to the bonfire were three creatures, a red lizardman, a gray gargoyle, and a harpy with blue and green feathers.'

'They seemed to be having a fierce discussion…'

"For the last time, that isn't a sensible solution Gros!" Said the red lizardman as he looked at the gargoyle

"He is right Gros, this is a critical time, we should be thinking and acting prudently…" Replied the Harpy

"GUARRRR! When our companions are attacked, captured, and killed, the only thing you think is to stay calm?!" Exclaimed Gros

"I understand how you feel, Gros! But it's not just about us anymore! We can't proceed with such a reckless plan and risk more of us over an enemy we know so little about!" Said the lizardman

"We need to be prudent now, we've never been attacked this way before, and it's time for us to revise our ways so this never happens again." Said the harpy girl

'Gros clenched his fist and retreated without saying a word.'

'Seeing him leave, the lizardman and the Harpy both sighed at the same time.'

"This was the best option…" Said the Harpy

"I know… But still… I… Can barely quell my anger, Ray!" Said the lizardman as his fists tightened

'Seeing this, Ray's eyes also narrowed, but she said:'

"For them and for everyone that is still here, we can't risk anymore lives persuading an enemy we know little about, Lyd… And for this, let's leave it at the hands of Fells."

'Lyd relaxed and turned around, leaving without a sound.'

"..."

'The harpy looked at the dark ceiling and thought:'

Will there ever be a day when we can spread our wings in the sun and live in harmony with the people from the surface?

…

/Back at the Hearth Manor…/

"Li-Like this?..." Said Haruhime

"Yes… That's perfect... For a beginner."

"..."

'Silver and Haruhime could be seen inside a dorm room training.'

'Haruhime was currently trying to learn how to put on maid clothes, and she was a bit too embarrassed to ask anyone else, even Hestia.'

'So it became Silver's job to help her since he was the only one she knew…'

'Although Haruhime was sheltered for many years, after she was bought by Ishtar, she learned how to do some basic actions, such as putting on her own clothes and taking proper care of her hair and fur…'

'However, that would go as far as how to put on a Kimono, and she only had a single model… She has no idea how to put on a Maid uniform, saying it was too complex…'

'As for why she wanted to become a Maid, Haruhime felt she needed to do something for him and the Familia who welcomed her.'

'It was a radical change for her, but one she made herself…'

"..."

Still…

'Watching the clumsy fox girl knock down several vases at once multiple times made Siver laugh internally.'

"Alright, let's stop for today." Said Silver as he used telekinesis to put the vases in their places

'Haruhime turned around with an ashamed expression, her ears were down as she grabbed her tail in embarrassment…'

"For someone who never did this before, I think you did pretty well." Said Silver as he tried to encourage her

To be honest, I expected less, but she is trying her best and learned faster than I expected… Still…

It's going to take a while before I have the confidence of letting her work in the house without supervision…

'Hearing his reply, Haruhime smiled and her tail started to move again…'

/Thud!/

"!"

"..."

'Silver grabbed the pot before it fell on the ground with Haruhime looking towards the ground like a kid that did something bad.'

"Don't worry too much, this is surprisingly common for Demi-Humans with fluffy tails like you. You'll get used to moving around soon enough, don't worry." He said with a smile

Although most Demi-Humans are already used to moving carefully...

'Because of the height difference, he unconsciously patted her head, making Haruhime's tail move a bit again…'

She's too cute... Sigh... The only demi Human I ever touched like this was my grandmother...

'Without knowing, Silver started to play with her ears, making Haruhime tense, and when he noticed he was making her uncomfortable, he said:'

"In any case, it's almost time for dinner… Go change so we can go down and enjoy some food…"

'Silver turned around and left the room, leaving the stunned Haruhime behind.'

"..."

Does he... Like my ears?...

'She started undressing with a smile and without much trouble, she put on her Kimono…'

/Knock… Crash!/

'Her clumsiness ended up knocking yet another pot…'

"What happened?… Figured."

'Silver opened the door to her room and saw a semi-naked Haruhime putting on her clothes with a desperate look as she looked at the fallen piece of ceramic on the ground.'

'When she saw Silver, a lot passed on her head, she wanted to apologize and cry, but there was some other emotion that made her head a bit too hot…'

"Wa…Wa…"

'Haruhime's face became super red as she used her tail to block it, forgetting she was still not properly dressed.'

'She stayed there unmoving...'

"Sigh…"

'Silver used telekinesis to move the shards from the ground and reconstructed the pot perfectly.'

'This once again amazed Haruhime, but she was still undressed…'

"Why are you looking at me? Put on some clothes…"

'Silver turned around and left the room while he shook his head, but before he left the room, Haruhime heard him whisper something with her strong hearing:'

"... Quite big…"

"!"

'This made her fall on her bed and hug her own tail… But she quickly recovered and put on her Kimono without dropping anything this time. She opened the door with a red face and Silver led her to the kitchen.'

…

'It was also during this dinner that Silver introduced Haruhime to everyone and partially explained her situation, but in a way that wouldn't make everyone worry.'

'Not everyone can be as carefree as him, if they heard she was a slave from Ishtar they would piss their pants since a Familia like Ishtar's is simply something way too much for them.'

'Silver just told them Haruhime was a Noble girl from a distant land and she would remain with them for a few days. He said nothing about her past as a prostitute since this might make the process of making friends harder.'

'Specially since she wasn't one in the first place...'

'He planned to one day just welcome her fully into the Familia, but that was something for the future.'

'Of course, the girls were excited to see this 'Princess', they talked about her hair, tail, and more.'

'The three young triplets looked at her with curiosity, but they showed no further interest, the second brother even jokingly said she looked weak, making her a bit sad.'

'It was a no-brainer that he was beaten up by the other furious girls while his two brothers ignored his plight...'

'So was the current atmosphere of the growing Hestia Familia.'

…

'On the following day, Silver taught Haruhime more about the world and even started her training.'

'While everyone started their daily training, Silver stayed in a separate spot with her. Cassandra and Daphne were close by while Hestia sat on her chair with a bored expression.'

"Look, I will be brief with you… It's very hard for you to grow stronger physically. I take this is due to the way you lived, and perhaps even how your ancestors lived…"

'Haruhime looked at the ground, remembering something…'

"I'm sorry if I touched a sore spot…"

'But she grabbed his hands gently, saying:'

"The past… Doesn't matter much to me anymore. I'm ready to try and take a step forward… By myself."

"..."

'Silver smiled. While Hestia's face blackened.'

I feel conflicted now, should I even talk with Takemikazuchi?...

'He shook his head and dispelled those useless thoughts.'

"Not being able to grow stronger physically isn't really a problem, there are many paths one can follow, so we just need to follow yours…"

"However, there are still a few things you need to do, the Dungeon is dangerous, and the minimum you need to know is how to run away, the context of why doesn't matter."

"So every day from now on, you'll join them on running, just run as much as you can, even if you fall, don't be discouraged, everyone here will support you." He said with a smile

"Yes!" She said with a smile as her tail wiggled cutely

"After that… It's up to you really. You can learn more by studying, or you can practice your magic with Cassandra, whatever you feel like it."

And once you master Short chant, I will give you one of the grimoires I borrowed from the Ishtar Familia…

'Haruhime nodded with her usual smile, she seemed a bit confused as to how she should join the girls running, but silver just pushed her bit by bit until she started to run on her own… Albeit terribly…'

"Well… She'll get the hang of it one day…"

'As Silver said, Nicc slowed down and started to run next to her, making Silver smile in amusement.'

She is so sly… Using the newcomer to decrease her own training…

I'll allow it for now… But not for long.

'Silver turned around and passed by Hestia.'

"Where are you going now?" She asked as she got up and stared at him

"I'll go take a trip to the Guild, get some commissions and go to the Dungeon, I also had planned on taking a look at Ishtar's movements."

"I feel sorry for leaving everything on your shoulders… Despite everything I've said about us being a Familia and all…" Said Hestia in an awkward tone

'Daphne and Cassandra nodded as well.'

"It's fine, besides, Ishtar's case in something while the Dungeon is something else"

"Even if they were apt to come with me, I wouldn't accept it since… I am planning to train hard with the intention of leveling up."

"?!"

"?!"

"..."

'Cassandra and Daphne looked shocked, it hadn't even been two months since he became a Level 2 and he is already planning on becoming Level 3.'

'Hestia on the other hand expected this as she said:'

"Just be careful okay."

'Silver smiled and patted her head.'

"I'll be back before nightfall."

'And like that, Silver went to hit the Dungeon and train himself. He was very close to a Level up, but there was still a lot of work to do.'

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Mellios Silver

Level-2 (1) (2)

Strength A-891 -> S-987

Vitality SS-1032 -> SS-1103

Dexterity C-725 -> B-867

Agility S-903 -> SS-1014

Magic SSS-1310 -> SSS-1394

Evolved body -> I

Perseverance -> I

Magic:

>Magnum Opus Ambrosia

Skill:

>Vit Alhjin

>Infir David Missimus

>Neo Stur

(1) Before Timeskip

(2) Now

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(It may seem low but he didn't do much, to be honest... Despite there being 2 weeks, his stats are still high so it would be hard to increase them unless he trains like a madman)

…

'After leaving the training grounds, Silver left the Manor and walked for a bit before he hid in one of the alleys and disappeared.'

...

/Half an hour later.../

'After collecting his commission and saying goodbye to his Guild friends, Silver walked to a nearby alley...'

'The next moment, Silver was in the middle of a jungle.'

'He looked around to confirm there were no monsters or people around him before he started to plan.'

"I already scouted most of this area and fought most of the monsters, so before I go ballistic and attract a horde of 200 Deadly Hornets, I should first get more used to fighting medium groups of these sort of enemies…"

Although I think I have what it takes to take on such a horde, it's best to start slow before throwing myself into a cloud of giant hornets that can penetrate thick metal plates…

I need to make sure there are no adventurers around me in a decent radius so they aren't affected…

'Silver started to prepare, he put on basic leather armor, and grabbed his trusty halberd before putting on a pair of knives on his waist.'

'Silver had decided to start slow, with his gear ready and at hand before he started to go crazy and challenged these floors with nothing but his pajamas…'

'When he was ready, he took out a small bit of a yellow-orange potion and sprayed it on a tree nearby.'

/ROARRR!/

'A few minutes in, and the cries were getting stronger and stronger…'

/FWOOSH!/

/FWOOSH!/

/FWOOSH!/

/FWOOSH!/

'Several dark shadows jumped from the bushes, they were tall like minotaurs and they had brown fur covering their whole bodies. They looked like bears but fiercer with a more humanoid body.'

'They were bugbears! Monsters with the same power and defense as a minotaur, but faster and more coordinated.'

/BUZZZZ!/

'However, they weren't the only ones called for the party…'

"I thought this special honey solution would only attract Bugbears, but I guess I got a few more guests… Well, no matter."

'The ground was filled with monsters and the sky was filled with insects of various shapes and forms, but Silver was smiling as he took a step forward.'

'His halberd shinned in blue light as if responding to his emotions...'

…

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Notes

This week the chapters will be released normally, although the next one may be a bit late since on that day I will have my last exam so depending on my mental state after I leave Uni, I may or may not have the will to edit a single chapter...

💀

In any case, see you all later!

Oh yeah I almost forgot!

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