Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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 blanked out as he stared at the system notification. He never expected that Lili would fall in 'love' with him after such a short period of time. Staring at the young girl that had gotten close to his body during his absentmindedness, he wasn't really sure what to feel. Though he understood what love was from reading manga and the memory of his mother, he didn't really know how to express it. He knew he liked Lili, since she was very adorable, but he also liked Chloe's playfulness and Hephaestus's bashful coolness.Seeing the quest required him to get 100 affection, Vahn was at a loss. Even though they had spent a fair amount of time together, her affection had only increased twice throughout the entire duration. He had almost even forgotten about it since her aura had remained persistent since he saved her the previous day.Since he couldn't think of the solution himself, he tried asking his reliable big Sis. ("Sis, how can I increase someones affection to 100? Do I...need to marry them or something?")A deep, mechanical sigh sounded in his mind. (*I'm sure if you got someone to 100 Affection and they loved you as a member of the opposite sex, they would probably marry you. But marriage doesn't mean someone has 100 affection. There are several types of love as well, such as the bonds between comrades that have fought together, or the familial love like what your mother had for you. How you get the affection to 100 will be entirely dependant on you, since my help would have more negative influence than positive gain.*)Vahn sighed within his mind. ("Why is love such a complicated thing..."). He looked towards Lili who had been sticking to his body for some time now. It seemed like she was developing the tendencies of some kind of hug type monster. He even noticed she would periodically smell his body, which always caused a cold sweat to drip down his back.As a test, he tried seeing if he could increase her affection by petting her...When his hand came into contact with her head, she began to snuggle against him more intensely, almost as if the hand was a signal that allowed her behavior. Though Vahn was beginning to get uncomfortable, he also felt an 'awkward' feeling within his chest as his pulse began to markedly increase. Through his petting, he noticed that her aura seemed to become very lively as it danced about, but there was no change in the amount of affection displayed in the system.He almost thought about giving her a kiss, but eventually dismissed the idea. They hadn't known each other for very long, and there was still a long while before he could complete her training. If he kissed her now before she had become more stable, he would feel like he was manipulating her. This thought brought back memories of his sunset rendezvous with Chloe, and he began to truly understand why she had prevented him from confessing at that moment. If she had accepted his feelings then and there, he would have become reliant on her. All of his efforts would have been spent trying to make her happy, and it would most likely cause him to make a mistake in the future.Once again he could see the parallels between himself and Lili. Since she had been neglected so much as a child and also exploited by the people she should have been able to rely on, she was in desperate need of an anchor to ground her emotions. Though he could see she 'loved' him through the system, it was more of a 'puppy love' or 'dependency' instead of genuine infatuation...He began to understand the dangers of the current situation, so after he gave her two more soft pats he stood up. "It's time we head out of the dungeon. Even if this is the corridor of the first floor, there is no guarantee that danger won't present itself. I also have several things to take care of this evening, so we shouldn't loiter around here for too long."Lili was disappointed that he put an end to their little moment. She thought things were progressing in a good direction, but right as she was about to try and push things forward he ended up running away. She began thinking Vahn was either too dense to sense the atmosphere, or maybe he wasn't interested in her. Looking at his face, he seemed calm and collected, which caused her to feel a little down.Vahn noticed her actions but knew if he gave her too much attention it would probably develop into an issue in the near future. He still gave her a gentle smile and softly called out to her. "Come, Lili. Let's get out of this dreary dungeon. We might even make it in time to see the sunset from the plaza."Her ears twitched at his words, and she immediately bounded to her feet. "Yes, Vahn-sama~ Lets go go go~!" She began leading the way while Vahn just helplessly shook his head.They made their way out of the dungeon, and Lili took the few cores they had earned to a guild managed window near the information desks outside the dungeon entrance. Vahn watched her curiously, and he wondered why she had taken the cores. After fifteen minutes, she rushed back holding a small bag of Valis and presented it to him."Here you go Vahn-sama. You managed to earn 14,830V today~!" She stuffed the bag into his hands and gave him a look like she wanted to be praised. Vahn decided to give in, and began rubbing her head which caused her to squirm about while making strange noises."This Valis, it came from the cores we earned today? Were you able to exchange them here at the tower?" He looked towards the direction she had left earlier. He noticed there were a few adventurers entering and exiting the small building he had previously neglected.Lili gave him a confused look before asking, "Eh? Vahn-sama? Have you not been exchanging your cores outside the dungeon?"Vahn shook his head and told her he had been trading them in at the main Guild branch. She looked at him like he was a weirdo, but then recalled that he was a newbie freelancer that had been in the City for little more than a week."Vahn-sama, it would be very time-consuming if people had to walk all the way to the Guild every time they wanted to exchange cores and drop items. That's why the Guild set up an exchange booth near the entrance of the dungeon. Though they offer a 1% markup from the normal tax, it's still much more convenient than spending nearly an hour just to take your spoils to the Guild. Most people only visit the main office to accept and report quests and level ups."Vahn couldn't help but laugh after hearing her words. It definitely made sense, and he probably should have paid more attention to his surroundings. He began to consider mapping the entire City in the future and trying to obtain as much information as he could. Seeing the expectant expression on Lili's face, he decided to pat her again while teasing her a bit."Thanks, Liliruca-sama. This ignorant one has heard your guidance and taken it to heart."After he had spoken, Lili visibly froze. She mechanically turned to him with an incredulous expression on her face. "Vahn-sama...please don't address me like that. I'm offering my advice because I want to, not because I think I'm in a higher position than you are..."Vahn simply smiled in response. "It's the same for me Lili. I'm helping you because I want to, so you shouldn't address me as sama either. We'll be together for a long time, so it feels awkward being addressed in such a subservient way.She began to grit her teeth while she struggled with the words. After a while, she looked into his eyes while nodding slightly. "Yes...Vahn. I will try to fix my bad habit."They continued generating their unique atmosphere as the passing adventurers gave them strange looks. Some of the less sensitive ones even whistled and gave them playful calls to embarrass the two senseless children.Hearing the surrounding voices, Lili hung her head and began to blush. She gave shy glances at Vahn, but seeing his composed expression she couldn't help but sigh. "Vahn-sa...Vahn, where are you going from here?"Vahn smiled before looking towards the sky. The sun was going to set in about twenty minutes, so he decided to keep his word and view it together. "For now let's find a better vantage point to watch the sunset. I did say we would watch it if we made it in time. After that, I'll head back towards my Inn after stopping at the market to purchase a gift.""Eh, gift? For who?" Hearing the words gift, Lili became excited and concerned at the same time. She hoped that the gift might be for her, but seeing as how he mentioned it casually it was likely for someone else...probably a woman."Ah, it's for the Proprietress' daughter. She was the one that made the lunchbox I ate during our break in the dungeon, remember?" Vahn casually mentioned Tina, as it wasn't really a secret."Umu...I want to meet her." There was a cautious glint in her eye, with a hint of competitiveness. If it was a cute girl, she had to make sure to protect Vahn from her devious clutches. There was also the matter of the Proprietress who allowed her daughter to make a lunchbox for a customer..."Sure, I'll introduce you in the future."They two eventually ended up on the same viewing platform where Vahn had watched the sunset with Chloe. Lili used the opportunity snuggle again Vahn, but wasn't as restless as she had been previously. She just continued staring towards the sunset in a daze, silent until it had disappeared beyond the horizon. Vahn observed the silence and allowed her to lean against his body. For some reason, as the light faded he felt a melancholy deep within his heart that he couldn't explain. It wasn't until the light had completely faded that he broke the silence."What will you do from here on Lili?" Though they had agreed to meet up again, much earlier this time, Vahn was still curious about what she had decided upon. He knew, given her current disguise, that she was still actively hiding from her Familia.Lili silently contemplated her next words carefully. She looked towards Vahn and noticed the concern in his eyes, so she mustered up her courage. "I...I want to stay in the same Inn as you. I don't want to return to my Familia as they'll likely blame me for the deaths of the three members that died in the dungeon. Though there isn't a lot of camaraderie in that detestable place, they'll still punish me severely to appease their own unease. In the worst case, they may even kill me..."Vahn grit his teeth in anger hearing her words. He understood what she said was true, and since it was due to his actions that caused the death of the three, he needed to take responsibility and protect her until she became strong enough. Seeing the fear that begun to show in Lili's eyes, he smiled before walking towards the stairs leading to the lower levels.After he took a few steps, he turned towards the dejected looking Pallum. "Come on Lili, lets go home." As the words left his lips, he felt a powerful force nearly knock him to the ground."Vahn-saaaama~" Lili had lept into his body after his Vahn's words. She nuzzled against his abdomen and gripped his body like a vice.//[Liliruca Arde] Affection +1//After several painstaking minutes, Vahn finally managed to separate the hugging demon from his body. He turned and continued his way outside of the tower, as the cheerful girl followed closely behind.

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."

Chapter 40: Capabilities : Desire Within the Dungeon