Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn and Lili made their way into the 'Beginner's Road' on the first floor of the dungeon. Vahn looked around and found the entrance to the path he had taken when he first entered the dungeon. He continued leading the way as Lili trailed behind him as the two made small talk."Lili, what is your goal in entering the dungeon?" Vahn decided to be direct, so he asked her why she wanted to become stronger.Lili looked into his eyes and saw his seriousness. She began to seriously contemplate the question before speaking. "I want to become strong enough to survive...and to protect the things I care about." During the last half of the sentence, she stared at his face, only to see him nod while thinking about her words."That's enough for now, but I want you to have a bigger dream. Everyone wants to protect something, be it their way of life or the people close to them. I learned that it's important to also have a goal to work towards since you won't be able to become stronger just by wanting strength."Lili nodded while hanging her head. She didn't disagree with him, but couldn't think of any goal besides just earning her freedom. Even now she was just escaping instead of directly facing her problems. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind and she looked curiously towards Vahn."Vahn-sama, why aren't you surprised by my appearance? It slipped my mind, but you were able to instantly recognize me even though my magic changed my appearance."Vahn laughed at her question, which caused her to frown slightly. "That's easy. I was waiting in the area we agreed to meet, and you were the one that mentioned I was 'late'. Besides, even if you change your appearance a little, I can easily tell you apart from others.""Eh, how come?" Not many people had been able to see through her disguise before, so she wanted to know why he was able to do so.Vahn thought for a brief moment, but couldn't tell her it was because he had seen her change form in the manga. He decided to tell a half-truth that should make her overlook any misgivings she might have. Looking towards the top of her head, he could see her pinkish-blue aura and decided that would suffice. "It's because you're cute and have a very unique aura. No matter what form you take I'd be able to easily recognize you." He decided to compliment her since girls seemed to be happy whenever he was polite to them.Hearing his reasons, Lili began to blush fiercely and hugged Vahn from behind. "Uuuuuu, it's not fair to say things like that Vahn-sama..." She began putting strength into her arms as she rubbed her head against his back.Vahn was surprised at the effectiveness of his simple compliment. He began to think he should try complimenting people more often if it's able to make them this happy. Seeing the way people reacted to his words also made him feel a variety of emotions, and it was very interesting since he had so few noteworthy interactions before coming to this world.Eventually, Lili separated herself from his back before assuming her original form. As long as they were in the dungeon and weren't around other people she should be fine. Besides, she wanted Vahn to get used to the real her as much as possible. To hide her previous embarrassment, she tried continuing the conversation from earlier."Vahn-sama, why do you want to become stronger?" She was very curious about his reasons since he had gone out of his way to protect someone he had never met before. As far as she could tell, he had a very heroic disposition, but she could still see a painful and solemn expression on his face from time to time.Vahn stopped walking and looked directly into her chestnut colored eyes. "I want to become strong enough to change the fates of those bound by the whims of others. I don't want to see people suffer just because it makes someone else's life convenient. And..." He looked towards the ceiling as if he could see through to something far off into the distance. "There is someone I must become stronger for..."Though she felt a warm feeling while he was stating his convictions, Lili felt her heart tense up when he spoke about becoming stronger for a specific person. 'Is it his lover?'. She became saddened at the thought she had already lost the race before she even had a chance to compete. Through her dejection, she decided to ask, even though the answer might disappoint her."Who is it you need to become so strong for...your lover?" She couldn't look him in the eyes, afraid he might see through her false bravado."Ah, no, I don't have anything like a lover. It's my Mother. I want to become strong enough to reunite with her, but I don't know how strong I'll have to become before I'm able to do so." Though he couldn't understand why she was acting so strangely, Vahn decided to be honest with her.Hearing that the person in question was his mother, Lili released a heavy sigh. She also noted he specifically said he didn't have a lover, so if she tried her best she should still have a chance. Now she just had to meet the women he mentioned earlier to get a better understanding of the situation. A fierce competitiveness began burning in her eyes as she pumped her tiny fists in front of her chest.She seemed to be a lot more excitable than Vahn remembered, but he wanted to think it was a healthy change. Maybe it was because he had met her so much sooner than Bell, so she hadn't yet devolved to the state of mind she had in the canon storyline?"Well Lili, for now, I want you to start thinking of a goal for yourself. While we train your foundation you can think of why you want to grow stronger, while I'll think of how to make you stronger." This was the best solution he could think of for now. As long as he was able to give her time, she should be able to find a reason for herself even without his interference.Lili nodded before shaking her head moments later. "I'm not sure I can become stronger Vahn-sama. I already learned early on that I don't have the talent to be an Adventurer. Since I'm a Pallum, my body is weak and my small stature makes it difficult to directly engage stronger monsters. Its probably better that I just focus on being a Supporter while you continue to work towards your own goals. I'm happy just being at your side."She tried to give him a smile, but Vahn could see the melancholic undertones and believed that she was forcing herself. He also noticed the aura around her body began to flicker slightly, so he understood her emotions were becoming unstable."Are you an idiot?" He decided he needed to be a bit harsh, or else she might not be willing to listen to his words. "What made you decided you couldn't be an Adventurer just because you were a Pallum? One of the strongest Adventurers in the entire City is a Pallum, and he has even reached Level 6. You think just because you failed once or twice when you were just a kid you have no talent? That is completely ridiculous."Lili became absolutely shocked after hearing her kind and gentle Vahn-sama calling her an idiot before berating her. 'Eh? Did I say something wrong?'. She couldn't process the sudden change and just absentmindedly listened as the continued."You might not believe it after seeing me now, but there was a long period of time when I couldn't do anything. I lived at the convenience of others, and couldn't even make a single decision to change that reality. There was even a time when I tried to take my own life, only to be prevented from doing so and facing severe repercussions for my failure..." The entire time he was speaking, he continued locking eyes with the now terrified girl."My life continued in that fashion until a series of events changed the conditions I had grown accustomed to. I had completely given up, but by the grace of external forces, I was guided back towards a path where I could live as I please. So as not to fail to meet their expectations, I continued to train tirelessly while constantly seeking to improve my own capabilities. It wasn't until facing death on numerous occasions and experiencing the kindness of several people that I reached my current strength." At this point Vahn had begun showing a smile on his face as he remembered all the past events and interactions that have defined his life in this world.Lili had begun to tremble as he spoke. When he first began she could see the pain he had experienced through his expressions and how he conveyed his words. She knew he wasn't lying to her and had likely experienced a terrible suffering in the past. When he continued and started talking about his efforts to become stronger, she could see an impassioned expression on his face filled with desire and a hint of confidence. Lastly, she could see the appreciation on his face as he reflected upon everything that had happened...She began to wonder, 'Can I really become stronger?'. Everything she has experienced seemed to scream at the impossibility, but the boy before her inspired something inside of her. She wanted to believe. She wanted to see if the boy could really change the frail image she had of herself. Most importantly, she wanted to become strong enough to meet his expectations...she didn't want to fail.Lili looked towards Vahn who had returned her gaze. She had tears in her eyes as she questioned, 'Vahn-sama...can I really become stronger? Can I be like you?"Vahn smiled before reaching out and placing his hand on her head. As he gently patted the tearful girl who had experienced so much tragedy in her life, he put on the most confident airs he could manage."As long as they are willing to put in the effort, Lili...Anyone can become strong."

After Lili had calmed down, the two began discussing her current strengths and weaknesses. At this point, they were both standing outside the entrance to the second floor, and Vahn needed a better understanding of her current abilities."That skill you use to disguise yourself, does it give you any other benefits? And what other skills do you possess?" This is what Vahn was most interested in. From his perspective, the ability to transform was quite powerful, and he even envied it a bit."My transformation comes from my magic [Cinder*Ella]. It lets me change into anything of similar size and weight, though I can push the ability to change my size for a short period of time...As for other abilities, I possess a skill called [Artel Assist] which increases my parameters based on the amount of weight I'm carrying, though the buff isn't that great and the weight itself restricts my movement..."Vahn nodded with his hand to his chin. He was thinking about a way to use the two abilities to their greatest potential in the future...but for now, he should help her strengthen her foundation. Though he couldn't give her the manuals from the system, that didn't prevent him from using the information within his head to offer advice to aid in her growth. For now, he'd teach her the basic CQC (Close Quarters Combat) skills he developed in the forest. Even if they weren't that useful for killing monsters, it would give her the ability to protect herself in the future."For now we'll start strengthening your foundation. I know a series of exercises to help increase your familiarity with combat that will also help improve the mobility of your body while increasing your reaction time. We might be able to use your [Artel Assist] to help aid your stamina training, and we'll also practice actual combat. For now, we'll restrict it to the monsters on the upper levels, and then move on to sparring later in the afternoon. What weapons do you prefer?"Seeing how seriously Vahn was treating the training, Lili began amping herself up for the coming trials. "Yes, Master Vahn! Since I'm a Pallum, I have enhanced vision which allows me to see in the dark so I use a bow to attack monsters from the backline. Though I can use my [Cinder*Ella] to adopt the traits of other races, I haven't used them in combat!""Ah, it just so happens that I also use a bow, but it won't be a very practical method to increase your parameters. Even if you can gain the exilia from monsters, it would mainly influence your dex. We'll have to train a method that allows you to increase all of your parameters until you find a combat style that suits you." Vahn was considering purchasing a weapon for Lili, but couldn't think of a good option..."Master Vahn also uses a bow?" Lili gave him a questioning look since she had only ever seen him use a sword till now.Hearing her question, Vahn swapped to the bow in his secondary slot. Lili startled seeing the sword disappear while an emerald green bow took its place. "Is that your storage magic? It seems to be very useful if you're able to swap out weapons so quickly."Vahn nodded while leading the way into the second floor. Since he didn't have a way to explain his storage magic in detail, he wanted to avoid talking about it whenever possible. After a few minutes they came across a group of kobolds, and Vahn quickly loosed three arrows, precisely hitting the core of each monster."Ah, that's amazing Master Vahn! You have impeccable aim~" Lili was jumping behind him while cheering loudly.Vahn shook his head and turned towards her. "Lili, unless we're in the corridors between floors you have to retain your focus. A small lapse in concentration is all it takes to lead to a pitiful end. And you can stop calling me Master. Just call me Vahn. Hearing you praise me while calling me Master worries me for some reason...""U-understood...Vahn...sama" Hearing her still address him with 'sama' Vahn let out a sigh. At least it was better than being called 'Master' over and over. Hopefully, she would be able to break the habit on her own in the future."For the next group, I want you to engage them using your crossbow. If things get dicey I'll make sure to intercept, but you should try your best to eliminate them on your own." He continued to progress further into the second floor until the encountered a group of three kobolds and two goblins.Lili drew her crossbow and began to fire rapidly. Most of her bolts found their target, but she was a little off from hitting the cores so the monsters began charging towards her. She stood still and kept firing bolts as quickly as she could, but was only able to kill the two goblins before the kobolds had approached her. Just as they were about to lunge, three arrows accurately pierced the bodies of the kobolds mid-leap turning them to dust in the process.Lili had a ghastly expression on her face and lost feeling in her legs. She collapsed on the spot while stuttering towards Vahn, "T-t-thanks Vahn-s-sama. I'm s-s-sorry I failed."Vahn could see fear written all over her face, and he tried comforting her by kneeling down and petting the top of her head. "It's okay Lili. You didn't fail...I just wanted to see how you fought monsters without support. From now on I'll show you how to properly fight using ranged weapons."While she was still powerless to move, more kobolds had begun spawning from the walls of the dungeon. This time it was a group of five, and Vahn immediately moved to close the gap between them. Lili, from her seated position, stared at his charge in a confused manner. 'Why is he getting close if he is using a bow?'The answer to her question came in the following few seconds, as she watched Vahn nimbly dodge the kobolds and use the blind spots created by their movements to easily target their cores. In the span of just a few breaths, he was able to easily deal with the entire group without having to reposition or open a distance between the monsters. She began to understand what he meant by 'proper'...Vahn approached the still seated Lili before smiling and saying, "Did you see? Though using ranged weapons does provide an advantage in eliminating monsters from a distance, if you have to sacrifice your mobility in exchange it isn't worth it. You struggled to hit the monsters at a distance, but if you had used their movements to target their weaknesses at a close range you would have been able to slay them all without using so many bolts. Do you understand?"Lili nodded before accepting the hand he had offered to her. "But Vahn-sama...I'm not nearly as agile as you are. I can't evade the attacks of kobolds at such a close range, and it would be very dangerous if I got surrounded..." Though she agreed with Vahn's statement, she didn't believe she could replicate the methods he used. There was too large a gap between their stats..."Yes, that is true, at least for now. Though you seem to think being a Pallum is a disadvantage, it should allow you to have more nimble movements when you polish your skills. Since you have a lower center of gravity and an easier to manipulate pivot, your agility growth should be much higher than most races. I think it's because you're too used to attacking from the backline and carrying a lot of weight that you've neglected the benefits of your own bloodline. And if you're that concerned, can't you just use [Cinder*Ella] to use the traits of a Cat Person or Elf? They both have very high agility and dexterity after all."Lili was surprised hearing his explanation. She often used her magic to disguise and fool people, but whenever she entered the dungeon it was always as a Pallum Supporter. She hadn't practiced combat as other races or tried to adapt their racial traits for training...Remembering Vahn's words from earlier, she began to believe she really had neglected to make an effort in becoming stronger. It seemed she was content with just surviving and trying to escape all this time...Vahn noticed she had become dejected while mulling over his words, and he let out a sigh while patting her head again. ("She is such high maintenance...I really wish she could develop some confidence. Well, I guess that's my job from now on.").The two continued advancing into the dungeon and engaging each group of monsters they came across. Lili began trying to develop her agility and footwork by fighting the monsters up close, but she was only able to make small improvements. Much of the time was spent with Vahn trying to console her and dispatching the majority of the mobs, while she would later collect the cores. This continued later into the afternoon before they both made their way to the 1st-floor corridor."Okay, now we'll move on to actual sparring. For now, we'll avoid the use of weapons. I want you to try to attack me using your arms and legs. I'll only be on the defensive, but don't think I won't counter attack if you show an opening. There are never any absolutes, and you should always be prepared for the unexpected." Vahn got into the fighting stance he had honed during his time in the forest. Though he didn't possess any specific style, he had become quite capable using mixed martial arts.Lili nodded seriously before trying to launch a barrage of weak punches in his direction. Vahn became a bit flustered at the adorable action, and almost allowed himself to be hit due to his urge to laugh. Luckily, he managed to save some face by quickly side-stepping the flurry of attacks before patting her on the back."You should only attack with intent. If you flail about you'll lose your balance and expose yourself to the opponent. Come, attack me again! Don't think about it, just act!"This time Lili tried kicking his legs, and he easily managed to stay outside her range. She tried several more times before suddenly launching a punch towards his abdomen. After the repeated kicks, Vahn had begun to anticipate a change in the attack pattern so he easily diverted the momentum of the punch. As a result, Lili began to fall face-first towards the ground, but Vahn caught her before she made contact."Remember, never overcommit to the attack. Though its good to change your attack pattern, you need to target the opponent where they are exposed. Look for the gaps in the movements, and try to attack when they are shifting their weight since it's difficult to change direction when you've yet to complete a movement."He continued to explain while holding Lili in his arms. The young Pallum's face had turned crimson and she was barely able to hear his voice through the pounding in her ears as a result of her heart rate increasing. When he finally returned her to her feet, she just stood there blankly for a few moments.Seeing her lack of focus, Vahn closed the distance before issuing a punch directly towards her face. His fist stopped just centimeters before making contact, causing Lili to fall onto her butt with a startled expression."A momentary loss of focus leaves you open to devastating counter-attacks. If I was an enemy or a monster you would have been severely injured or killed by that attack." Vahn extended his hands to help her up, but she just stared at the outstretched hand without accepting it.Lili continued sitting silently, unable to process the series of events. Though she knew he was serious in making her stronger, she didn't expect that he would be so intense during the training. Her mind was a roller-coaster of ups and downs, and she wasn't able to easily stabilize her emotions. In some moments she was happy, like when he prevented her from falling, while others she became terrified seeing the ferocious nature of his attacks. Though she believed he wouldn't harm her, the strike to her face had drained all the strength from her body. She didn't want to continue anymore and feared to grab the hand before her...(*Shit. I scared her. It's only the first day of training and I immediately moved on to real life combat and sparring...I'm such an idiot.*) Vahn withdrew his hand with a sad expression. Though Lili flinched when he pulled away, she didn't make an attempt to stop him.She watched as he moved towards the wall of the dungeon...and began punching it. She was terrified by his actions and began to believe he may have gone crazy, but as she saw his hands begin to bleed a painful feeling spread in her heart. She shouted, "Vahn-sama, stop! What are you doing!? Your hands, they-"Vahn sighed, hearing her call out to him. He stopped hitting the wall and rested with his back against it. "I'm sorry Lili. I shouldn't be pushing you so hard on the first day. I...I didn't want to scare you...I just don't want to see you harmed in the future. I'm afraid that, when I'm not around, something terrible may happen to you. By helping you grow stronger, I believed I could prevent that from happening...but I don't want to grow stronger at the expense of you growing afraid of me."Lili began to feel a mixture of sadness and anger in her heart. She was sad seeing how quickly he punished himself on her behalf, but angry seeing the extent he pushes himself when left to his own thoughts. "Are you an idiot!?" She began to cry, unable to express her emotions with words.She walked towards Vahn and took his hands into her own. Seeing the torn flesh around his knuckles, she began to regret being afraid earlier. He was just doing his best to help he grow strong, but she began to act like she was terrified...terrified of the person that had just the day before sacrificed himself to save her life.Vahn continued to watch as she began bandaging his hands. He wanted to save her the effort and use a healing potion but felt like it wasn't the best time to speak up...After she had tended to his wounds, she stepped back and did a full servile bow with her face to the ground. "Please help me get stronger Vahn-sama. I won't complain anymore, and I won't be afraid no matter how harshly you treat me. Just please don't punish yourself for someone like me. It pains my heart to see you do that to yourself."From his position, Vahn could only see the top of her head. But even though she was hiding it, he was able to see the tears dropping onto the floor. He didn't know what to say, and began feeling like his self-inflicted punishment had gone too far. Vahn hadn't even considered how she would feel seeing his actions, he just wanted to take out his conflicting emotions on the hardest surface in the area.Seeing the determination in her actions, Vahn couldn't bring himself to try to explain the situation. He just sighed within his own mind before standing up and approaching the still bowing Lili. Noticing his approach, she looked towards him with her tear stain faced. She began to speak but was prevented from doing so when Vahn hugged her to his chest. She just stood there accepting his embrace as he stroked the back of her hair while her tears and snot stained his mantle."Lili, you're already far stronger than you know. I swear I will do my best to make you realize it for yourself..."The two continued to hug until finally separated several minutes later. By now Lili's tears had begun to dry, but there was still the trace of their previous existence still on her face. Vahn was worried, but she simply gave him a beaming smile, dashing away any concerns he had in the process."I will do my best, Vahn-sama~!"//[Liliruca Arde] affection has reached Affection:90[Love], Intrigue:59[Curious]////Quest Triggered: 'The Hearts Desire' [Repeatable]//[The Hearts Desire: Obtain 100 Affection/Intrigue with any person.]Rank: (C-SS)Rewards: 'Gift' function permanently unlocked on first completion, 10,000OP[Current: 0], 1x 'Hearts Desire'[Current: 0]Failure Condition: DeathPenalty: None

Vahn was floating in the void. He couldn't determine which direction was up as his body slowly rotated through space. There was a warmth permeating through his body, reminding him of a feeling he had lost long ago. As time passed a chill began to set in his body; he could feel the warmth begin to fade and a panic began to spread throughout his consciousness. He began a desperate search for the feeling, but no matter how much he struggled; no matter how much time passed, he could not find it again.---Eventually, he gave up searching and began seeking solace in the stillness brought about by the chill which had permeated every fiber of his being. But, even though he gave up searching, he wanted to protect the memory of the warmth deep within. He curled his body into the smallest form he could manage and imagined the warmth still existed, a distant echo of a memory which he should have never allowed to be lost.---The concept of time had long been lost as his body drifted aimlessly through the endless void. The stillness had been a part of him for so long he even lost the concepts that had defined him in the first place. His curled body had turned into an ambiguous shape and taken on a spherical nature. Thoughts, emotions, even dreams had long faded...remnants of a time long forgotten. Only the memory of the warmth kept his body from dispersing in the endless, eternal, darkness of the void.---One day the thoughtless sphere came across a small light within the darkness, stirring something within the remnant spirit contained within. From the tiny, almost inconsequential light, it could feel the now ancient warmth it had so desperately sought in the past. It quickly sought solace within the comfort of the light, but in its haste nearly extinguished the light entirely. It became conflicted, both wanting to take the light for itself, but unwilling to seize it for fear of losing it once again.It began to gently surround the light, allowing it's gentle touch to slowly warm its now cold and desolate frame. Every now and then it would split a small part of itself to nurture the light, hoping that it would one day grow and help it reclaim what it had lost. When it split these fragments, the light would emit fragmentary images of times and places the entity had never experienced. Within the images, it could see a figure, the source of the lights warmth. It leads smaller, but powerful lights, to confront the darkness and create a path through the abyss. The being hoped that one day the light and its companions would be able to----Vahn woke up in a cold sweat. His head was throbbing with a powerful migraine similar to the times he had overused [Will of the Emperor]. He desperately tried to remember what he had been dreaming about, but the more he focused on the thoughts the faster they would vanish. The only thing still remaining by the time he had calmed down was a deep, all-encompassing loneliness..."You're awake. I was worried you would end up sleeping all day." A gentle voice broke the empty feelings that had began to take root in his heart. Vahn turned to see the source and saw Hephaestus giving him a worried look."Sorry...I was having a dream, no, a nightmare...." Vahn shook his head to dispel the remaining negative feelings before leaving the couch. Hephaestus, who was currently sitting at her desk working on diagrams, gave him a gentle smile while setting her pen aside. "What are your plans for today? Since you've officially joined my Familia, you can have your own workshop, but I think it would be better for you to apprentice under someone else for the time being. If you're not busy I'll introduce you to a veteran blacksmith. She is quite capable, and someone I can trust to teach you everything you need to know for the future."Vahn shook his head with an apologetic look. "I've already made plans to meet up with someone this morning, and I still need to report my level up to the guild and renew my booking at the Inn. Hopefully, they haven't let someone else take the room yet."Hephaestus nodded in understanding, remembering his haste from the previous night. Even though she had already accepted him into the Familia, it wasn't appropriate to force him to change his current plans and living conditions until he was able to sort everything out. "Very well then. I'll give you a week to get everything sorted, but you'll have to report to me if anything changes. Though there aren't many requirements for being in the Familia, you'll still be acting as a representative of our brand. You'll have to put more thought into your future actions. I don't want you running around causing a bunch of problems for me to clean up."After informing him of everything he needed to keep in mind, Hephaestus began escorting him from the workshop. She was back to her usual attitude and had begun to wear her eyepatch again while Vahn was asleep. Once they had reached the entrance, Vahn gave a polite bow before waving goodbye. Seeing this, Hephaestus stopped him with a small hint of a blush on her face. "Make sure you let me know if you run into any problems. You're a child of my Familia now, and I won't let anyone bully my children."Hearing her words, Vahn gave her his best smile before saying, "Thanks Hephaestus. I believe in you..." As he began to turn away, he continued his words. "And one day, I hope you'll be able to believe in me." He then ran towards the direction of the guild, leaving a smiling Hephaestus leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed.She watched his retreating figure until it had disappeared, then sighed as she returned to her workshop. After entering, she looked towards the now empty couch where Vahn had slept the night before. After securely locking the door, she made her way over before falling face first into the cushions. For some reason, the room that was full of peerless equipment now felt empty. From the couch, she could smell a peculiar fragrance that hadn't been there previously, and she began to blush after identifying the source...Remembering his back as he left, Hephaestus had seen hints of the loneliness contained in the small silhouette. But beneath that, she also saw a powerful desire to grow stronger, as well as an intrigue in the world around him. His last words stirred her heart a bit, and her attempts to maintain her calm demeanor had worn away at her energy as she returned to her workshop. Once she was in the security of the room, she felt an exhaustion build up in her and decided to use the couch to take a small nap.After a while, she fell asleep. While Vahn had slept the night before, she spent much of the time watching his various expressions. When he had started having his nightmare, she began gently rubbing his head to soothe his unease. This continued well into the morning, until he began to show signs of awakening which prompted her to return to her desk and pretend to be working. Once he had awoken, she wanted to ask what he was dreaming about, but seeing the pained expression on his face made Hephaestus swallow her words and try to act casually. All these factors had accumulated in the fatigue of the red-haired goddess as she fell into the land of dreams herself.---Vahn made his way to the Guild, and was sad seeing that none of his acquaintances were available. He saw Fauna dealing with customers at the mission counter, while Eina, probably due to her adorable looks, had a long line of customers in front of her desk. He ended up being seen by a gentlemanly looking elf with green hair that gave him looks of contempt before changing to shock after seeing the number of cores Vahn had submitted. After finding out Vahn had been entering the tower for less than a week and had become level 2, he almost thought the boy before him was a monster in the guise of a human. However, once he found out Vahn had been accepted by the Hephaestus Familia and officially registered as an Adventurer, he gave a curt and respectful bow before processing the exchange.On his way out, Vahn caught the sight of Eina and the two waved at each other. He was happy to see that when the young half-elf made eye contact with him, there was a slight blush on her cheeks. Vahn felt a tickling sensation in his heart and resolved to try and tease her more in the future. Seeing the combination of her cute looks and serious nature trying to hide shyness brought a smile to his face for reasons he couldn't explain.He made his way to the Hearths Embrace before booking his room for an additional week. The proprietress, Milan, had tried to keep him for a few minutes. She wanted to know what he had been up to the previous week and advised that, if he were in trouble, he could come to her. "I may not look like it, but I used to be a Level 3 back in my active days. If some hoodlums are bothering you I'll give 'em a good beating~".Vahn smiled and thanked her for her kindness, assuring her that nothing serious had happened and promised to tell her about the details later. After having him promise, she finally let him go before giving him a small lunchbox. "My daughter made it especially for you~. Make sure you eat it all or you'll break her heart~nya."Vahn looked around and noticed the little girl was missing, and Milan laughed seeing his questioning expression. "She stayed up late because you hadn't shown up to renew the room. You know she lost her father to the dungeon, so she was very worried. Make sure you make it up to her later, okay?"Accepting the lunchbox, Vahn promised he would buy Tina a present before returning this evening. Milan patted his back while pushing him towards the exit and telling him to take care of himself. "Remember, a man always keeps his promises~nya!"After leaving the Inn, Vahn began running towards the Babel Plaza. It was already nearing 9 AM, and he was worried Lili had been waiting for a very long time. Adventurers typically entered the dungeon at even earlier times, and since they had agreed to meet in the morning she had likely been in the area for several hours by now.He continued running for nearly half an hour before finally reaching his destination. Looking around, he couldn't see Lili anywhere, and he began to worry she had left after he failed to show up on time. Finding a nearby bench, he sat down and began waiting. Even if she didn't show up, he would continue waiting for the rest of the day as a means of atoning for his actions.Three hours later, as Vahn continued to stare aimlessly at the sky in contemplation, he felt a sudden weight added to the bench near him. He looked over and saw Lili staring into his face with annoyance and displeasure written on her face. She had adopted the look of an elven child with blond hair and light-hazelnut colored eyes."You're late." She said with a pout."Sorry Lili, I got caught up trying to take care of a few things." All Vahn could do was awkwardly apologize why trying to appease the young Pallum.She stared at him before closing the distance and smelling his clothing. "It was a woman, wasn't it?"Vahn was shocked, "Eh? Yes?" He didn't understand why she now had an angry expression after sniffing his body."Grrrr, I want to meet her later. Promise me." A glint had appeared in her eyes as she began pressuring Vahn for his word.Vahn could feel a chill run down his back as he nodded his head like a clucking chicken. "Yes, sure. I'll introduce you to them later.""THEM!? There is more than one!?" The young girl acted like she was undergoing an intense struggle and began acting out a tragic play on the bench. After a few seconds had past, she gave Vahn a fierce look before nodding after coming to some kind of understanding."I want to meet them all." She got very close to his body before staring into his face with a determined expression.Vahn just continued to nod, before giving in to the urge to pat her head. He understood she was a bit jealous but didn't understand the reasons. She probably just wanted to keep him to herself, since he had just recently saved her life. He thought petting her on the head would help ease some of the insecurities she was feeling.When Vahn had started patting her head, Lili tensed up for a moment before entrusting her body to Vahn. All her frustrations seemed to fade away in the face of the emergent pleasant sensation coming from her head. She wanted to snuggle and leave her mark on his body to warn any females that got too close..."Well, let's get to training." Vahn stopped petting the girl that had begun to lose herself to her delusions. He stood from the bench and waited for her to react before heading towards the dungeon."Wait, Vahn-sama! Don't leave me behind!" Seeing his departure, Lili began to chase after his back. She wouldn't allow herself to fall behind anymore...

Chapter 39: Anyone Can Become Strong