Meanwhile, in a narrow side alley, a small figure trembled beneath the shadow of death.
"Am… am I going to die?"
The steel edge of a sword hung above Liliruca Erde's head, its cold gleam inches from her scalp. Her breath hitched, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"I should've known. I shouldn't have gone out for food today…"
Tears slid down her dirt-streaked cheeks, falling freely as her small body went limp with terror. She couldn't stop trembling, her hands rising instinctively to shield herself though she knew it was useless.
Fragments of her short life flickered in her mind. She was Liliruca Erde, a follower of the god of wine, a member of the Soma Familia.
That fate had been decided before she even drew her first breath. Among the gods' children, there was an unspoken iron rule. Keep love and loyalty within one's own familia. Bonds with outsiders were frowned upon, if not outright forbidden.
Many familia members intermarried to keep power and lineage close, and their children were bound almost from birth to serve the deity of their parents. Lili was no exception.
The Soma Familia existed for one thing: to fund their god's passion for winemaking. Members cared only for money, and the wine brewed by their god was their sole obsession.
Her parents were no different. When she was barely three years old, they had sent her to the streets with a single command: Bring back money.
By the time their greed led to their deaths, slain easily by dungeon monsters, Lili's childhood was already long gone and her life only grew worse.
She was a failure as an adventurer, lacking the talent or strength to survive in battle. She had been forced to abandon the sword and become a supporter instead. But even then, her meager earnings made her a target.
Beaten by her own familia. Robbed of her earnings. Cheated of her share whenever she joined another team. Sometimes they even stripped her of the weapons and gear she used for work.
Her heart filled with humiliation and despair, her tears never seeming to dry.
So she wore a mask, smiling sweetly while hiding a hollow soul. She hoarded every coin she could, dreaming of the day she'd buy her freedom and walk away from the Familia forever.
One foot in the light, one foot in the darkness. Never trusting. Never depending on anyone.
And now, after all her struggles to stay alive, was she going to die here… under this sword?
Her trembling eased, and her breathing grew strangely calm.
'Forget it. Let's just end it here.'
Whoosh—!
A sudden gust whipped through the alley, tossing her short hair into the air.
Bang!
"Aa—!"
A scream of pain echoed. The blow meant for her never landed.
Slowly, cautiously, Lili opened her eyes. Standing before her was the broad back of a black-haired boy. The would-be killer now lay sprawled on the ground, lifeless, a trail of crimson still spreading beneath him.
He was… dead.
Akira turned, his sharp gaze softening as it fell on the small, dirt-covered girl. Though her face was smudged with tears, snot, and grime, her clothes and the shape of her features made it clear she was a girl.
Her wide eyes stared back at him, reflecting the faintly elongated tips of his ears and his strikingly handsome face.
Bending slightly, Akira asked gently, "You okay?"
For a long moment, Lili just stared at him, stunned. Her lips trembled, but no words came. Relief at being alive warred with the wariness etched deep into her soul.
"Thank you… thank you." She finally rasped, her voice so faint it was almost swallowed by the crackle of burning wood.
Akira nodded, his lips curling into a warm smile meant to ease her fear.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. It's not safe here, come with me to someplace safer."
He extended a hand toward her. Lili instinctively flinched, her eyes narrowing in guarded fear. Years of betrayal had taught her that kindness often came with a price.
Seeing this, Akira didn't move any closer. His hand hung there in the air as he patiently explained, "I'm Akira of the Astraea Familia. I'm here to protect everyone and I won't let anyone hurt you again."
She hesitated, searching his face. The name rang familiar, she had heard of the Astraea Familia and the boy before her, his reputation had spread far.
Slowly, she reached out, her small hand brushing his.
Akira pulled her gently to her feet. Her knees wobbled immediately, and she nearly collapsed again, but Akira's arm shot out, steadying her.
"Careful." He said softly, concern evident in his tone. "Are you injured?"
"I… I'm fine." She whispered, shaking her head.
Before he could reply, the sharp clash of steel and the roar of battle drifted from somewhere nearby.
Akira's gaze turned toward the source as he said, "Looks like I can't take you to the safe zone just yet."
"Lili… Lili can find a place to hide on her own." She murmured, biting her lip, forcing courage into her voice.
Although fear still gnawed at the edges of her heart, she clenched her jaw. She didn't want to become dead weight. She didn't want to be the one others pushed forward as bait.
Years of scraping by on her own had carved a certain steel into her bones, the kind born from long-term survival. She had learned to depend on no one.
Akira didn't answer her. His gaze sharpened, and with a sweep of his magic, he scanned the surroundings. Every direction was chaos, flashes of battle, screams, steel clashing against steel. There wasn't a single safe place to be found.
"What's your name?" Akira asked, crouching slightly to meet her eyes.
Lili hesitated, lips trembling. For a moment, suspicion lingered. But in the end, she chose to believe the lifesaver before her.
"…Liliruca… Erde."
Erde… the name stirred something faintly familiar in Akira's mind. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"Alright, then stay with me. You'll be safer."
Without waiting for her reply, Akira scooped her up effortlessly. A gust roared to life around them. The air swirled violently as the two shot toward the battlefield.
"Huh?! Akira-sama. Aaaaaah!!!"
The world blurred into streaks of color. Lili flailed wildly, her limbs swinging as if to catch something, anything, while her terrified cry split the air.
"Don't move! You'll be fine!" Akira's voice cut through the wind, though the howling gusts nearly swallowed his words.
The sheer force of his shout stunned her into stillness. Lili clung to his neck with all her strength, eyes screwed shut, her face drained of all color.
Before long, they descended onto the next battlefield.
Below, members of the Loki familia were locked in brutal combat with evilus. Magic flared like fireworks, explosions of light reflecting off steel as swords clashed in rapid succession.
Akira halted mid-air, his landing seamless, a practiced motion of lethal efficiency.
Lock-on. Cast. Strike.
In a matter of seconds, bolts of magic ripped through evilus members. Each hit was precise, merciless. One by one, the enemies collapsed, their weapons clattering against the ground.
"So strong…" Lili's eyes widened, awe replacing fear.
'Is this… what a true adventurer looks like?'
Her heart throbbed with a reckless thought.
'If… if possible… maybe Akira-sama could help me?'
Trying to scrape together millions for withdrawal fees on her own? Nearly impossible. And with so many others constantly eyeing her coin purse, it was a miracle she'd lasted this long.
Before the Loki familia could even thank him, Akira was airborne again.
"Rescue the others first! I'll handle evilus!"
In the rush, he completely forgot the trembling girl in his arms.
"Waaaah! Akira-sama!" Lili's scream was torn from her throat.
The wind roared in her ears, tugging at her small frame until she felt she might be snatched away at any moment.
'Can't an adult be a little more considerate?!'