Chapter 33: Facing the Same Situation, the Girl Gives a Different Answer! (Patreon)

Through the Exploration Log, Hestia could see exactly what Rozz had done today — sparring in real combat against the God of Martial Arts, Takemikazuchi.

Mm...

She didn't even want to imagine how brutal the process must have been.

The young goddess looked at Rozz, sprawled face-down on the bed with exhaustion written all over his face, while a translucent status panel floated above his head, displaying his current condition.

...

"Mood: 60↑100 (Good)"

"Stamina: 5↓100 (Exhausted)"

"Health: 98/100 (Excellent)"

"After the real-combat simulation training, Rozz's body was utterly drained, but knowing he could handle a crisis on his own left him deeply satisfied."

"One of Rozz's Skills has leveled up."

"Basic Swordsmanship: Lv2"

"Affection Stage: 37/50"

...

The effects were undeniable.

The most obvious one: after the intensive real-combat training, Rozz's Basic Swordsmanship Skill had leveled up.

He really was such a hardworking kid...

Hestia reached out, using her long, pale fingers to gently massage Rozz's temples, trying to ease her Familia member's exhaustion.

"You worked hard~"

Her tone was soft, yet brooked no argument. "Once things settle down, I think you need a proper rest, Rozz."

"That's an order!"

"I actually feel fine, but since it's Lady Hestia's request, then... I'll take some time to rest in a couple of days."

Rozz didn't argue. Once he dealt with Nwankwo and the other Adventurers, he could reasonably afford to slow his pace of exploration.

As for whether it was hard?

The end result was good, and no matter how grueling the effort had been, to Rozz it amounted to little more than a bit of weathering.

He lay sprawled in the communal dormitory, enjoying the beautiful young goddess's lap pillow.

"No need to regret the choices you've made."

Even if he'd cut all ties with Lili back then, Rozz figured... would that greedy pack of Adventurers really have let him go?

No, they wouldn't have.

Once he'd been marked as fat sheep ripe for the slaughter, the initiative was never in his hands to begin with — and if they'd truly wanted to make trouble for him...

...they probably would've found fault with the way he breathed.

In a situation like that, he had to apply the wisdom of a great man from his past life: strike one blow hard enough, and you spare yourself a hundred more.

As for Lili's appearance in his life, objectively it had brought some trouble, but without her help, his exploration these past days...

...definitely wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it had!

"That's good then~"

Hestia didn't ask why. She'd come this time with good news of her own — the matter of her salary advance was finally coming together.

She looked at Rozz.

"By the time you're resting, I should be able to move in. Mm... I figure I'll have this month's salary advanced by then."

"We'll have to celebrate properly when that happens!!"

As she said this, her voice brimmed with unmistakable pride, and she blinked her deep blue eyes as though waiting to be praised.

Her Familia member was working so hard.

So as his goddess, she had to do something to give Rozz a better future — and the key to it all was simple: just move in together.

Through everyday time together, Rozz would surely come to notice her good qualities.

By then...

Even if other gods in Orario discovered her child's outstanding talent, she could completely shut down any chance of them poaching him!

Not only that,

by then Rozz's Affection toward her would climb steadily too, quickly reaching Stage 3 and unlocking a brand-new cloud-raising feature.

And so.

Hestia couldn't help but fantasize about the future — living together with her Familia member, raising Rozz into a hero through the Cloud-Raising Plan!

The young goddess couldn't help humming to herself.

"Hmm-hmm~"

—

Maybe he really could win.

Especially after witnessing Rozz's live combat simulation with her own eyes today, even Lili couldn't help but let that thought take root deep inside her.

How should she even put it?

She couldn't find the right words for it — it felt like... the cockroach in her room, the kind that just wouldn't die no matter what you did to it.

Ridiculous a comparison as that was.

After these past days together in the Dungeon, Lili had absolutely witnessed Rozz grow... from a complete rookie to where he stood now.

It was absurd!

The thought that Rozz might actually pull through Nwankwo's threat made the stone that had weighed on her heart all this time finally begin to lift.

"..."

At the very least, it wouldn't end the same way as last time.

Perhaps infected by Rozz's relentless drive to keep moving forward, Lili found herself thinking about her own future as she walked back to her rented room.

"Leave the Soma Familia."

She had to escape this cesspit of a mire.

If it came down to saving money...

Even without Nwankwo squeezing her dry, there'd be other Adventurers bullying her instead — and besides, just as Rozz had pointed out...

"A vice-captain who tolerates chaos within the Familia — would he really let her leave once he had the money?"

As for that...

Lili still hadn't worked out an answer, though deep down she already knew what it was. Still, aside from saving enough money, she had no other option.

"When will I ever manage it?"

"..."

But just then.

The girl spotted the tall, burly Beastman Adventurer blocking the alley ahead, and the shadow of past encounters fell over her heart once more.

Lili's steps faltered.

Nwankwo, naturally, hadn't come to make small talk. A knife scar at the corner of his eye made his grin look especially vicious.

"I heard you two didn't go into the Dungeon today?"

"That's right."

Facing Nwankwo's interrogation,

Lili answered honestly: "He said the Dungeon exploring these past days left him worn out, so... he asked me to show him around Orario instead."

"Just to unwind a little."

"..."

How it had actually gone?

Nwankwo didn't actually care, so long as he could squeeze money out of Lili. Once he'd confirmed she was still handling his errand,

the middle-aged Adventurer bared his teeth in a warning grin.

"Tomorrow's the deadline. If you can't hand over what I want, then the consequences... well, you know exactly what they'll be."

"Lili."

"If push comes to shove, we'll be happy to help you out. Mm... after all, whoever hires a Supporter from our Familia definitely owes payment."

Having said his piece,

the middle-aged Adventurer had no intention of lingering. But before leaving, he made sure to needle the Supporter with a few more words.

"That guy can hire you now, but what about later?"

"Don't even think about ratting us out, Lili. Remember, we're your 'comrades' in the same Familia. Go on, tell him your real situation."

"Do you really think he'd still want to get tangled up in your mess?"

"..."

Only after the middle-aged Beastman Adventurer's retreating figure had left the alley,

did Lili slowly lift her head. Once this conflict — one that had arisen because of her — was over, she truly hadn't considered what it might mean for her relationship with Rozz.

To be precise—

that wasn't even something she needed to think about. Just as Rozz had once said, a person who lives in the past has no future.

Getting dragged into trouble for helping her...

The same choice lay before her again, and this time the girl simply wanted to give a different answer than the cowardly, evasive self she'd once been.

That was all.