"Did you say... the price is eight hundred and fifty million Valis?!"
"That's right. And I don't mind if you pay in installments."
Impossible. The price was staggering. It cost more than Riveria's staff; with that kind of money, I could buy three houses in the city's most elite districts. Even though I provided most of the raw materials myself, this price was undoubtedly exorbitant.
"It took six months to refine this blade. Do you realize how many burns covered my body during the process? Honestly, I think the price is a bargain considering the result."
You aren't exactly the type to care about burns, woman. But, truth be told, the sword was magnificent. It was, without a doubt, the most powerful weapon I had ever seen—a masterpiece that could likely fell a monster like Udaeus in a single strike. Well, I had massive savings and wouldn't be unable to pay. The amount wasn't something I could haggle over, so there was no way out.
"Fine... fine, I'll pay the full amount. Now, what is the name of this sword?"
"The Special Grade Weapon: Balmung. I will never forge another piece of this quality with these hands again—not before, and not after."
Inside Twilight Manor, the Loki Familia headquarters, the Familia leaders gathered in the hall shortly after breakfast. While Al ate a late breakfast, two individuals were deep in thought, wondering how to manage their finances.
"The replacement sword I broke at the festival... it cost forty million Valis. I'll have to shut myself in the Dungeon for a week to gather the funds..."
"As for me, my new sword cost eight hundred and fifty million. I have the money, of course, but this sum will devour half my savings. Perhaps I should go on a solo expedition to the Deep Floors, just like Ottar does."
These were Ais Wallenstein and Al Cranel: the greatest swordsmen in the Loki Familia and its biggest troublemakers as well. Ais had to compensate for the cost of the sword she borrowed from the Goibniu Familia, which she broke due to over-exertion while fighting the Man-eating Flowers during Monsterphilia.
Al, meanwhile, sought to fill the massive hole in his savings after paying for the grand sword he had commissioned Tsubaki to forge.
"Eight hundred and fifty million?! Wow, that's so expensive! But it's a wonderful sword, and it looks incredibly strong!! I'll go to the Dungeon with you both; I need to manage some money for my weapon, 'Urga,' too!!"
"Oh, if my presence won't bother you, I'd like to join as well."
Tiona spoke of the matter casually, yet her debts exceeded Al's remaining savings and dwarfed the price of Ais's replacement sword. She still hadn't paid for her new weapon made from a block of Adamantite and kept deferring the payment. The scale of her debt put her on the verge of the Goibniu Familia's blacklist, so she found it best to sequester herself in the Deep Floors immediately.
Ironically, Lefiya, who held the lowest level among those present, was the most financially comfortable after the savings-obsessed Al.
"Fine, I'm counting on you then."
"The next expedition is still a while away, so let's ask Tione, Finn, and the others to join us too!"
"I don't mind. I'm heading out now to stock up on magic potions from the Dian Cecht Familia. Does anyone need anything? I'll cover the cost for now."
"I want plenty of high-grade healing potions."
"I need five high-grade healing potions and one mind-restoration potion."
"Oh, I don't need anything, thank you."
Everyone relayed their requests to Al, who rose from his seat and headed toward the manor's exit.
"We'll wait for you at the Dungeon entrance!!"
The three of them prepared themselves, and after breakfast, Finn and the others joined them as they left the headquarters.
"What floor are we reaching today?"
"Hmm, Floor 30, perhaps?"
"Then we'll spend the night in the town of Rivira."
The distance first-tier adventurers like Ais could cover and return from in a single day reached approximately the 20th floor. Reaching the 30th floor required an overnight stay in the Dungeon. Naturally, hunting monsters on floors that allowed for a same-day return was easier, but it didn't provide enough money to settle their massive debts.
Furthermore, first-tier adventurers were prohibited from hunting in shallow floors because it stripped lower-level adventurers of their livelihoods. Therefore, they had to dive into the depths of the Lower Floors, even if they hadn't reached the Deep Floors yet.
●○●○●
The Dian Cecht Familia comprised a group of the most skilled healers, led by the "Saint of the Battlefield." They were the largest faction in the medical field, selling high-quality potions indispensable for first-tier adventurers diving into the depths, and the Loki Familia was one of their regular clients.
As the best healer in the city, she was expected to be busier than any first-tier adventurer, especially while leading her Familia, but...
"Welcome."
A beautiful girl with silver hair greeted Al as he entered the sales department.
She was Amid Teasanare, known as the best healer in Orario. She usually spent her time in the inner laboratory focused on making medicines and rarely appeared at the reception desk, but today she stood behind the counter.
"Give me twenty high-grade healing potions and five mind-restoration potions."
"Understood. Are you going to the Dungeon again?"
"Yes, I have some financial obligations."
Upon hearing his reply, the cold, iron-mask-like expression vanished from Amid's face. Al, who had been throwing himself into mortal danger since joining the Familia, had been brought repeatedly—clinging to life—to the Dian Cecht Familia to receive treatment at her hands. The last time was six months ago, upon his return from the expedition where he reached Level 7.
"Will you continue your recklessness? I hope you realize how we feel, treating you every time you're on the brink of death. I don't know how many times I've treated you when you were nothing more than a corpse before they started calling you a hero."
Normally, Amid didn't voice such grievances to customers, but Al, who was carried to her twice a week at times, had become closer to the members of the Dian Cecht Familia than was typical even for the Loki Familia. Consequently, Amid's advice to him had become more blunt and daring.
Al paid the price while offering a bitter smile to Amid, who sighed deeply. Her words were entirely true. Despite being one of the strongest warriors in the city, his fighting style was fraught with risk, as if he were walking a tightrope over an abyss.
Treating Al, who arrived periodically riddled with fatal wounds, was utterly exhausting. Yet, Al never stopped diving into the Dungeon. Amid didn't care to know his motivation; she only wished he would calm down and act within the bounds of logic.
But Al never listened, leading Amid to a state of despair regarding him lately. Six months ago, when Al returned covered in wounds as usual, his condition was truly wretched. Despite initial magical first aid, his body was a mass of bruises, countless fractures, and ruptured internal organs. To any ordinary observer, there was no hope for his survival, and no one understood how he was still alive with such injuries.
Even Amid was stunned; these were injuries that, under normal circumstances, led to instant death. Rather than simple surprise, Amid felt bewildered by the indifference of the young man who acted as if nothing had happened. In the end, Al survived thanks to Amid's divine healing skill and a vitality that surpassed even Dungeon monsters.
Amid couldn't leave Al alone; he was three years younger than her and kept placing himself in harm's way. She might lack the power to stop him, but she wanted to lighten his burden even a little. For this reason, she had begun appearing in the sales department more often than before.
"I remember hitting you once and throwing you into a vat of healing potions."
"Ah... yes. I suppose something like that did happen..."
Amid was one of the few people Al couldn't argue with. Because of their similar hair color, a rumor had circulated among the gods for a while: "The duo of the Little Sword Ghoul and the Saint Big Sister has appeared!" They truly looked like siblings linked by blood, and the Familia members watched them with hidden smiles—something Amid didn't realize.
To passersby and customers, their dialogue seemed like that of loving siblings, and the adventurers and staff in the shop watched them with cheerful faces. Incidentally, it was said that when Ais heard this rumor, she was overcome with jealousy and stayed in a bad mood for a while. However, since she herself owed Amid for saving her life many times, she eventually accepted it.
"Ah, is there anything you'd like me to bring from the Dungeon? I'll be reaching the Deep Lower Floors."
"You changed the subject. Fine. Could you bring back a few leaves from a 'White Tree'?"
"Roger that."
After a friendly conversation, Al finished his business. "We look forward to your next visit, but if you come back critically injured, I will beat you senseless," Amid said with an expressionless face, though her eyes were entirely serious, according to her fellow healers.
── Al, Ais, the Hiryute sisters, Lefiya, Finn, and Riveria; this group was a massive destructive force capable of annihilating an entire Familia in a single night. they carved their way downward, crushing monsters from the Upper and Middle Floors in moments.
They now reached the 18th floor, the "Town of Rivira." This is one of the few Safe Zones in the Dungeon where monsters do not spawn. Due to its location relatively close to the Upper Floors, outlaws had claimed it as their headquarters. Called the "Labyrinth Paradise" for its beautiful scenery and safe nature, it housed taverns, inns, and trading posts.
At the town's entrance, sturdy men who looked like adventurers lined up to perform guard duties. Inside the town, people ran in every direction with unusual clamor. Many adventurers disappeared into the town's alleys seeking supplies or lodging before returning to the surface or diving further down.
Ais and her companions continued walking against the human tide. As a gathering place for criminals, it was a town that rarely knew peace, but its current state was strange even by its own standards. Confusion reigned, and a sense of hostility filled the air.
"It seems something has happened in the town, hasn't it?"
"Huh? Oh, did you just arrive? They say a murder took place at Willie's Inn, and that's put everyone on high alert."
Confusion appeared on Finn's face upon hearing the adventurer's words. It was true that this town was a den for rough adventurers and their endless disputes, but murder was an entirely different matter. In the subterranean town of Rivira, where there was no escape, crimes were supposed to be spontaneous, not calculated.
If it were spontaneous, identifying the culprit would be easy. The fact that no one had been caught suggested it wasn't a fleeting crime committed without thought of the consequences.
"Captain, what shall we do?"
"Since we're staying the night, we can't ignore it. Let's head there."
When they pushed through the crowd and reached the inn, the place was a pool of blood. A blackish liquid and fleshy bits covered the floor, and a metallic, rust-like scent filled the air. The scene resembled hell. In the corner of the room stood the innkeeper, a demi-human, and beside him, a large man with a patch over one eye.
"Hey, Bors. Sorry to interrupt."
"Tch... it's 'Braver,' then. You first-tier adventurers don't know the meaning of knocking."
The large man let out an annoyed sigh. He was Bors Elder, the leader of Rivira and a Level 3 adventurer. Beside him, the innkeeper turned pale with terror.
"Take it easy. We're going to use the town's facilities too, and we want to resolve these matters quickly. Consider it mutual cooperation."
Finn said this with a calm smile, though his eyes did not share the expression. As he said, they wanted to avoid trouble while they were here; any disturbance in Rivira would inevitably affect them. Finn's handling of the situation was impressive; he didn't bat an eye at the gruesome sight, acting as if it were routine. In contrast, the innkeeper trembled with pallor—a natural reaction for someone unaccustomed to such horrifying scenes.
"Hah! You talk as if you own the place. You and the Freya Familia think strength gives you the right to... huh?! It's the 'Sword Princess' and Master 'Sword Saint'!! If it concerns you two, then fine. Investigate as you please!!"
"What?! Why is the Captain barred while Ais and the others are allowed... oh, you mean the 'Black Goliath incident'."
Suddenly, Bors' tone shifted from shouting and rebellion to flattery and submission. Finn could only smile bitterly at the rapid transformation. Tione, who adored Finn more than anyone, almost protested Bors' rudeness but quickly understood the reason.
The "Black Goliath incident" referred to the event three years ago when the Floor Boss "Goliath" unexpectedly spawned during a rest period and attacked the town of Rivira. That monster was different; its body was black, and its power rivaled Level 5. Meanwhile, the strongest adventurer in Rivira at the time was only Level 3. Everyone was on the verge of annihilation until Ais and Al intervened—they were Levels 4 and 3 at the time—leading the battle and successfully killing it.
Thanks to that feat, Ais rose to Level 4 and Al to Level 3. Since then, many mid-level adventurers looked up to them as heroes, and Bors was no exception.
After receiving permission from Bors and the innkeeper, Ais and her companions began their inspection. Finn and Lefiya busied themselves examining the room, while Riveria started searching for remnants of magical energy. Ais scanned the room until her gaze stopped at the corpse.
The body was headless... no, the head had been completely crushed. It had lost its features to such an extent that it looked as if a monster had trampled it underfoot.
"Hmm?"
"Ah, I asked him to bring 'Unlock Medicine' to reveal the corpse's data."
Finn turned toward a man running toward them. He carried a red solution containing crystals—a medicine used to reveal the "Falna" granted by gods to their followers. If used correctly, it could undo the divine seal and read the Stats. The Blessing is inscribed in the language of the gods (Sacred Hieroglyphs); normally, only a god can read it, but Riveria, being of royal blood, was able to read what surfaced on the corpse's back.
"The name is Hashana Dorlia. And the Familia he belongs to is... what?! The Ganesha Familia?!"
"H-Hey, did you just say Hashana?! You aren't joking, are you?! 'Iron Fist' is..."
"A Level 4 adventurer, isn't he?!"