Let's rewind a bit. Just after Axton went to sleep. There were quite a few events he missed because he slept too long.

Actually, right before it kicked off, Aki had gone to retrieve him but once she saw him sleeping like a baby, she let him be. The cat girl explained as such to the top trio, and they allowed it. No one faulted her. The Sword Prince deserves a little rest. So does the Sword Princess but everyone knows her outlook.

Which, much to the shock of the Familia, had slightly changed. It was not really a large change but to those that have been around Ais long enough to know how she is. She had checked in on her brother, smiled, and then left. Sounds basic, right?

No, it's not.

As cruel as it may sound, Ais never checked in on or with Axton on previous expeditions. He never took offense to it, and he rightfully should have but that shows Axton's selflessness; caring more for others rather than himself. Some could call that a flaw in one's character, but he did not neglect himself either. The only person they could be completely vulnerable to was each other. They know how one another works. That was how Sword Royalty operated.

Once Ais exited her brother's tent—she won't admit she had rubbed his hair and kissed his forehead like a loving sister typically would—she and Lefiya had a job to do. Riveria gave them the job of finding food in the forest. The eighteenth floor was more than just a safe zone. It was easily one of the more common misconceptions about the Dungeon. It's like another world, so there was an ecosystem of some sort within its walls.

Multiple groups were sent out and this time alone allowed the two girls to talk, "How is he?" Lefiya asked.

"Who…Axton?" Ais tilted her head at the question and Lefiya internally gushed at how adorable that looked. Seriously, she had no right being this adorable and she's one year Lefiya's senior.

She schooled her internal reaction, "Yes. He looked far too exhausted to even be awake, let alone walk."

Ais nodded as she gathered her thoughts, "He stayed up all night because he didn't want anyone trying to harm our guests." Axton had remarked off-handedly that some were determined to see the one who had pulled off such a feat. That being the Minotaur on floor nine. Apparently, that has made its rounds about Orario in the time that they were gone.

Sometimes, it only takes a day or even a few hours for such things.

Lefiya shamefully admitted to herself that she would probably be one of them but that would lead to complications. That, and she knew that it wasn't the right thing to do. She felt like she should be jealous of him…but she isn't, mostly by Axton's presence. He explained that he wasn't going to bar Ais from doing anything aside from risking her life, which there is irony in that sentiment, since he does it all the time.

"Why would he do that?"

"...I don't know," Ais answered after a pause. Within milliseconds, Ais slashed her blade. Lefiya yelped as she heard the sound of steel slice into a Bugbear. While this floor is regarded as a safe zone, there is a chance that monsters from either floors seventeen or nineteen can wander up or down. Seeing it is not an uncommon occurrence, Lefiya chastised herself for letting her guard drop, even briefly. "Lefiya…?"

"Yes, Miss Ais?" The elf turned her blue eyes to the golden orbs staring at her.

"Do you like my brother?"

Ais asked in such monotone that it took the elven maiden a second to process the words before she exclaimed, "W-Why would you ask me that?"

"I had asked Riveria about what he meant by it but…she evaded the question," Ais pouted slightly. Since everything that happened over the course of the last two months, or somewhere in between, Ais had begun questioning her own emotions.

Since every time she thought she had an understanding, a new complication—an emotion that she was unfamiliar with—would crop up. It's like a path in the Dungeon, you go down one, and then suddenly there's four more. It's happened three times, and each time was involving her brother. It's happened a lot more than four but Ais was consciously questioning it at the time.

Lefiya forced herself to breathe and hoped her cheeks weren't too red, "He's caring…for starters, Miss Ais. I-I'm not saying that y-you're not but he…" Ais was not offended by the statement. She already knew that Lefiya wasn't insulting her. "...he's always looking out for me, and Line, Elfy, Narfi, even Dino, Alicia, and Jericho and every member below him. He's strong…but I worry that he's hiding."

Ais tilted her head in thought as she returned Desperate to its sheath, and continued to pluck the fruits that she saw. "...I see…anything else? How do you feel around him?"

"I know that he will protect me," Lefiya said before mind could stop her. Slapping a hand over her mouth, she looked mortified that she just said that to his sister of all people. Ais turned to stare at Lefiya. The trees of the forest blew in the wind, not caused by Ais. "H-He's…easy to talk to…at first, before I became Lady Riveria's apprentice, I was always worried that you all would just ignore the others…and when I joined…Axton was one of the first to welcome me, aside from Lady Riveria and Loki. He…just has that aura of being a friendly person…someone you can rely on when you need it most."

Ais let out a smile, one of which was rare for her. A fondness of such memories, "He does like meeting new Familia members, wanting to make sure that they feel like they fit in. He always tried to include me but I never let him…"

Seeing that as a topic that neither girl wanted to delve into, Lefiya drove it back to the original point, "You asked why I like him...and have considered him…as more. A-Are you opposed if I-"

"If you want to court him?" Ais asked. Since both she and Axton were 'raised' by Riveria, they were lectured about elven customs seemingly at random; courting was one of those topics and the implications of such a commitment.

"Y-Yes."

Ais hummed, looking back at the forest, "I cannot make that decision for you. That is ultimately up to my brother." However, will you follow through because of the secret we've been hiding from you and everyone else in the Familia? An unseen troubled look clouded the beautiful face of the Sword Princess. The last thing she wanted to see was Axton heartbroken. Someone like him deserves someone who will accept him fully. She knows Lefiya is kind and is the least likely person to hurt him but there was still some lingering doubt.

The blonde hated that she was thinking like this about Lefiya of all people. Ais moved her hands out of view to squeeze them, feeling the strain of her knuckles coiling. What would he say right now? The blonde got to thinking of all the things that Axton would say. Then there's Dino and Jericho. Axton had felt a kinship to them and they did to Royalty as well. The Dark Elf seemed hellbent on lecturing Axton on elven etiquette even before this. So, did he know about this before me? Ais deduced with a frown.

It didn't make it any better as Ais didn't understand what a 'bromance' was and asked Tione about it one time. She just said it was a guy thing, and that it didn't mean much besides the bond the guys within the Familia shared, you know…

…being outnumbered three to one was totally not a factor…at all…nooo.

She couldn't ask a lot of the Familia as they felt she was intimidating sometimes but really, Ais is socially inept. It's obvious that Axton fared far better due to his sunny disposition. However, that wasn't always true, but that's for another time.

Meanwhile, Lefiya was jumping for joy, that was permission, right? RIGHT?! The elf gained a small skip in her step, even as she passed by Honey Clouds, a cotton-like fruit that—just like its namesake—had honey infused within. The elf put a lot of these in her pouch, specifically given for this task. "Miss Ais?"

"Hm?"

"Do…Do you like anyone?" Lefiya reversed the question on Ais as they both grabbed squash-shaped gourd berries, alongside a few Batans, which looked like Bananas from the markets on the surface. Instead of being yellow or green—if they were just shy of being ripe—they were blue. They grew in bunches of three to four on some of the trees in the area. They were bigger than their surface counterparts but not much, only a few celeches longer and wider. Also, they were slightly sweeter as well, not overly so but enough to notice a difference.

Lefiya would have to make note of this for further use. That ecosystem that the Dungeon has? It applies here as well. The fruits in the area will recuperate in time. The Demeter Familia would be praising the Dungeon because of this since items like these have a single source.

"Well, I like you, Tione, Tiona, my brother, Finn, Riveria, Gareth…and when he is not being rude…Bete," Ais answered truthfully. "The rest of the Familia is nice but I feel as if they view me on a pedestal…I want to be able to interact with you as Axton does."

All you have to do is tell him that and he will help you, Miss Ais. Everyone in the Familia knows that he would do anything for you. He's always put your happiness over his. Now, if Lefiya was uber-obsessed on Ais, she would flip out over the moon because of the first portion of the statement. However, she smiled at that, "What I mean is do you like anyone like how I like…Axton?"

Ais paused. A flash of white hair entered her mind, making the socially inept blonde think about it. When she thought of him, her heart beat against her ribcage. She forced herself to calm down, trying to push that away. "I…don't know…maybe?" Ais sounded unsure of herself. It was another question on the long list. Then, Ais noticed something within the field. "Crystal Drops."

The topic changed instantly, "Such a rare find, Miss Ais," Lefiya praised, "They are often referred to as Nobleman's Candy." The tear-shaped candy was often sought after for its sweet taste. Buying them was already out of the question. "This is a great find! They can also sell really well." Well in the sense for a non-adventurer, around ten thousand valis for a fifteen celch tall jar full of them. The two that Ais found fit in the palm of her hand.

The blonde smiled softly as she turned and handed both of them to Lefiya, "For you."

"B-But Miss Ais I-"

"Consider it a thank you for saving me during the Demi-Spirit fight," the swordswoman said, closing Lefiya's palm around them with her fingers.

Such a sincere sight, the two girls having a moment and it was at this point that Lefiya was imagining a certain someone. "S-Shouldn't you give one to Axton?"

Ais shook her head, "He does not actually like these all that much but if you offered him one, he would take it. Again, thank you for saving me on the fifty-ninth floor. You and my brother allowed me a chance to win."

Lefiya fidgeted from the praise from the woman whom she considers an idol. Her free hand wrapped around her staff, her face turned red, and she looked down. Her ears had also turned red from this and Ais found the sight cute. "Miss Ais?"

"Hmm?"

The mage looked up, "Who was that boy that the Captain mentioned? Bell Cranel?"

Ais responded almost instantly, "He's my mentee, alongside Axton…we both trained him."

Again, Lefiya could be jealous over this but she understood that she was a mage and Royalty swords people. There was no need to get overworked about it. Still though, the twinge of jealousy crept up on her. He not only got Ais but he got Royalty in full helping him. Lefiya had overheard from Raul that there was something that happened on floor nine. "What happened?"

Ais looked up at the crystal ceiling, and smiled, "He went on an adventure. It was mesmerizing…just like your feats, Lefiya."

The blue-eyed elf smiled at the praise, "I see."

Sometimes the most difficult things happen at the beginning of one's adventure. While Lefiya has had achievements in her own right, something told her that there would be vast differences between her and this Bell Cranel. The first adventure always held the most meaning for adventurers.

It defined them, it molded them. It made or broke them. Think of it like children's building blocks from when they were young. The culmination of the efforts to build that castle, to take that extra step, to go on the adventure of a lifetime…there aren't many feelings to describe it.

"We should head back, I think we've been out too long," Lefiya suggested, her pouch was full of fruits from the Dungeon. A pretty large haul but she already knew that the Familia would eat them all. She did hide the Crystal Drops within the confines of her blouse pockets. She would take Ais's suggestion under consideration.

"Okay," The Sword Princess gave a close-mouthed smile.


Loki had…not a lot on her plate since her Familia went on their expedition. The Manor was basically empty and that meant the Trickster had no one to peep on and grope! It was just plain unfair.

However, her saving grace and the biggest headache was upon her. Denatus! The tri-monthly event was something that Loki graciously offered to host this time. She was bored, so she wanted to have a little bit of fun while they were gone.

While she did have her little stint in Hephaestus's office, she was immensely relieved that they were alive. She did have to ask what happened with Royalty, as those individual connections felt heightened for some reason. She was going to demand to have their statuses updated when they returned.

She did get a summons from Lord Ouranos, a letter left right on her desk. She was told that when their expedition returned, she was to bring her two 'favorites' to Pantheon as there was a matter of 'great importance' that she had to discuss with him. Loki debated on this for a few hours. The synapses in her brain started firing off and her intuition concluded that it had something to do with Royalty, and this was going to be a large problem in the near future. "I need some Soma for this," the red-headed goddess said, scanning over the document once more.

She put that out of her mind as she was currently sitting on the thirtieth floor of Babel Tower for Denatus. This floor was the one where the event was hosted, as any other floor wouldn't do. That was a long and boring thing that Loki didn't have the time to explain. She was wearing the same outfit as she did on Monsterphilia.

Loki still had her concerns as to who was behind it that day. While Freya, Loki knew, was the one who charmed those monsters, there was still the issue of the twenty-fourth floor and those plant monsters. That lead had all but dried up. Dionysus and Hermes could be seen sitting next to each other.

"Woah, even Lady Freya is here!"

"So is Lady Ishtar!"

Loki gazed up from the papers in front of her to see the aforementioned Goddess enter and the animosity rolling of Ishtar was palpable. Loki didn't quite understand why she had such a hard-on hate boner for her. While Loki had her own reasons, they were purely Familia matters.

Then, Loki locked eyes with her rival…

…in the breast department. Sitting directly, almost, across from her was none other than Hestia. The blue-eyed pig-tailed loli Goddess whose boobs were so large that there were some wondering how she didn't have back problems. So that means… Loki paused.

That meant Hestia's Familia member has reached level two. In order to attend Denatus, a deity must have an upper-class leveled adventurer. The more higher class adventurers a deity had, the more 'prowess' they had, or more weight to throw around. Since both Loki and Freya were in attendance, the other Gods wanted to curry favor with them.

"Before we get started, has anyone got some gossip for us?" Loki inquired.

One Goddess raised her hand, "I heard that the Guild confiscated all of Soma's wine!"

"WHHHHHHAAAAA?" Loki croaked and then all hell broke loose.

Mortals would think that Denatus was some sort of peaceful, noble summit of the Gods that discusses all sorts of important things…they would be sorely mistaken and lose faith in them. Thankfully, the mortals don't know and it won't hurt them. The saying and all that jazz.

"Quiet!" Loki shouted, getting the entire room to actually follow her command. "Alright everyone, you made it. Now, let's begin the…what number was this again? We've been doing this for so long, I think we forgot which number it was…wait…ahh here it is, the one thousandth and second Denatus! Now-"

"I AM GANESHA!"

"-thank you, Ganesha. Now, any other core issues to bring up? If not, I got one of my own. As of recently, a new monster species has been coming out of the woodwork. Since 'Phillia and even at the safety points within the Dungeon according to my Captain, Vice-Captain, Royalty, and many more. Some even still have the wounds to prove it."

Many of the deities flinched at that but only two remained confused, that being Hestia and Freya. While Loki and Freya had met to discuss post-Monsterphilia, Freya claimed to not have released such a monster. Loki begrudgingly believed her. When Loki mentioned this, she scrutinized each and every exploration-type Familia's face. The Trickster had her suspicions so she couldn't exactly rule anyone out as of yet.

The flat-chested Goddess continued, "Vibrant little shits too, spit acid, 'bout as strong as a second-class adventurer and so damn irregular, we might want to redefine what we call irregulars." The joke fell flat because Loki was probing.

The Trickster wanted to have a little fun watching each and every deity squirm under her stare. Maybe it's a little sick pleasure but this was her Familia's life on the line. They were the ones engaging with these things and the reports from Finn didn't make it any better considering that one of them was after Royalty. The twenty-fourth floor was one such example. That was one of the more miserable weeks of her long immortal existence.

She never liked the distraught look on her precious Aizu's face. Even if her face was blank, Loki was getting better at reading the subtle moods of her Sword Princess. Of course, her Sword Prince was the one who could see through her better than anyone, even Mama Riveria.

Since Loki is considered mischievous, her hosting was no coincidence this time. What better way to know what's going on than being the host? She would get all the information, with some prodding, with no immediate risk to herself. Still, she had to be sharp on this.

The blond god, Dionysus, still felt the sting of losing some of his Familia to these beasts. Him and Hermes were spectating, watching for suspicious behavior. That was when Ganesha stood and apologized for the mishap, declaring that he had nothing to do with those plant monsters. He even explained that some of those monsters killed some of his members, even one named Hashana Dorlia, who was the one killed on the eighteenth floor. The hidden quest he was on was brought to light but not the contents of the quest. He was on one, that was it. Other information was classified. Loki obviously knew already because her children were involved in the aftermath.

Behind that elephant mask that Ganesha wears, there were tears. The god was the God of the Masses, so any loss of life, especially in his Familia, he took personally to heart.

The investigation halted there as there wasn't much more information Loki could garner from this. Ganesha ceased his waterworks and no one else had anything else to add. So, slipping an easy-going smile on her face, "Now, onto our favorite part of Denatus, the naming ceremony."

These were even wilder than the best parties, in Loki's opinion. Everything was funny for higher-tier Gods and Goddesses. They were basically mocking the lower tier deities and giving them names—to the adventurers in question—that would be something completely different in the language of the Gods. This naming ceremony was a way to celebrate their children's level-ups and grant them a new nickname. Examples being Shakti Varma's Ankusha, Ais's Sword Princess, and even the name of Gale Wind were decided here once upon a time.

Loki offered her two valis every now and again but mostly stayed out of it. At least until it came to her two favorites and her prized children. "Ah, my children's turn. Both Ais and Axton Wallenstein, both leveling up to six." Loki was beaming with pride at them, despite the circumstances of the latter's level up, Loki was proud of them, even if she didn't show it in the best of ways.

"Ah, Sword Royalty. Both of them leveled up at nearly the same time again," a Goddess remarked. "The Princess slew Udaeus…alone, and the Prince… slew an irregular Goliath…while gravely injured?!" All eyes were now on Loki, whose expression only gave way to mirth and smugness but a hint of sadness that only Hestia picked up on. They joined the ranks of level six, an echelon of a select few. Only less than a dozen adventurers were level six, most in Loki Familia, actually. Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and now Ais and Axton. Freya, on the other hand, had three and they were Allen Fromel, Hogni Ragnar, and Hedin Selland. The only reason why Freya was considered higher than Loki as the strongest was because of Ottar.

The only level seven in Orario.

"She did that all on her own?" Some of the male Gods were discussing fervently at the details.

"Look at him, so strong!" The females were doting over the Prince and his feat, since it did say that he was injured when he slew the Goliath. While Ais is the Breaker of a Thousand Hearts, and is very beautiful for a girl her age, many forget about Axton. He certainly isn't lacking in the looks department either. His facial features still carried a semblance of childishness but that was slowly going away and he was maturing in such a way that the immortal beings were wondering something…something that a Goddess like Freya or Ishtar have plenty of experience in…

"Make any moves and I'll burn your houses down," Loki declared calmly once she saw the hearts in their eyes. It wasn't Freya's doing, just in case someone was jumping the proverbial gun. The Goddesses squeaked and backed off. Same thing with the males. No one messes with Loki's precious children.

"As much as I want to discuss this more, do we really have to come up with a new name for both of them?" One deity asked.

"Of course we do! It's tradition!" Another answered as many agreed.

And so began the multitude of names for both Ais and Axton's new aliases. Some threw out 'Our Waifu' for Ais and 'Our Husbando' for Axton. They were all set to go through with their name but once again…

"Did I not make myself clear? I will burn your houses down with you tied up inside of it…" Loki's eyes were narrowed and full of hidden intent. She's been lacking in her pranks lately. The Gods did not want to give her the excuse.

The Gods who crossed a line apologized with haste. Her adorable children deserved a name fitting for them. Loki always cares for her children. Her adoration goes a long way and if push comes to shove, she was ready to defend them. Thankfully, their names stayed the same, and the name Sword Royalty stayed as well.

However, the mood dipped when the last page of the level ups was revealed. Loki actually didn't want to believe it.

"Do you mind explaining, Hestia?" Loki locked eyes with Boobs-for-Brains. "One month? Breaking Ais's record?" Loki had her theory as to why this was possible. For context, Ais's record for leveling up was one year. Axton was a month behind her. So for this little child to do it in a mere fraction of that time, meant something was going on.

Loki didn't like it, and it soured her mood. At first, she thought Hestia falsified the record but seeing her face tense up out of nervousness and not of guilt, made Loki reconsider. But that doesn't make it any better! The shrimp isn't that stupid to file a false report either. "Were you manipulating his Falna?"

Hestia was starting to sweat under the pressure from most of the deities' gazes. "Oh Loki…does it matter how he ranked up? After all, prying into other Familias' affairs is considered taboo. There is also the fact that this boy had a fear of Minotaurs. Since he was able to slay one at level one, perhaps this excelia meant more to him, thus granting him his ascension to level two, " A velvety smooth voice said.

It was Freya, looking awfully smug about something. However, since this was the first time that Freya had spoken since arriving…Loki knew something was up. Oh my, she can't be…

Sighing, "I won't ask any more questions on it but since this is your first time here, Chibi…let the naming process begin…show no mercy," Of course, Loki wasn't letting Hestia off the hook that easily!

No siree bob, if anything, this was poetic justice!

Even if Hephaestus was one voice amongst many, there was little she could do to defend herself. Poor Bell never stood a chance.


Loki was then found on her couch in Twilight Manor, "It's really been ten days? Time flies…"

She was being quite the lazy bum, if anyone else saw her compared to days ago. She did hear something in the Guild about Hestia making a request of some kind but she paid no attention to that. Dionysus was kind enough to provide wine for Loki, and to the amazement of the Familia members who did not go on the expedition, she was day-drinking. "Wonder when they'll be home?"

Not even minutes later, "Loki-sama! Bete has returned!"

Loki set her drink down and stood fast, almost falling over because of the dizziness that hit her, "Just Bete?"

"Hai, Goddess!"

Loki checked her connections with her kiddies and found they were fine, aside from the ones who felt weak…the Trickster never moved faster than that. Upon reaching the gates of Twilight Manor, there was Bete Loga.

"Bete! Did you miss me?" Loki exclaimed, trying to hug the fluffy wolf! Wait…when did he grow two tails?

Loki blinked as her face met concrete because Bete stepped out of the way. "Can it, I've got things to do."

"Like?" Loki inquired.

So, Bete gave the long and short of it. The success, the poison vermis attacks, and how he needs a bunch of antidotes to cure them. "Oh, and Loki?"

"Hmm?"

"What the fuck kinda magic does Royalty have?" Bete asked with a stern frown.

Loki defaulted to an answer she's always used, "I don't know, it was a gen-"

"Piss off with that shit, Loki!" Bete snarled, interrupting her. He spoke low enough for her to hear and only her, "He made a damn barrier of wind and he threw his sword like Finn's spear across a distance that shouldn't have been possible! You tell me what the fuck that means."

Loki opened her eyes and narrowed them, her tone serious, "That's a secret closely guarded, tread lightly, wolfy."

Bete actually seemed surprised at the vague threat from Loki of all people. "It's not just me questioning it…they better tell us because secrets can destroy a person if they're not careful." The wolf was speaking from experience and Loki knew it.

"Only if they agree to tell it," because if it gets out, then we'll have more than one problem on our hands. "Now, get going and bring everyone back safely, you got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Bete swished his tail as he turned to the other members, "Let's go you bunch of weaklings, time is short!" The wolf turned and pulled a letter out of his pocket, "'Fore I forget, Finn wanted me to hand this to you. It's about the fifty-ninth.

Loki continued to muse by the gates long after Bete had left. That summons letter was burning a hole in her desk right about now. There's no way he doesn't know and that's why…


Back on the eighteenth floor, there seemed to be more developments that happened. Aside from the small little adventure that Axton had in the forest with Gale, Bell woke up, and all that.

There was one thing that made Axton put on a serene, yet terrifying smile.

He found out that someone had put Bell up to peeping on the women bathing. That someone suddenly got a chill down his spine. The aqua-haired adventurer accompanying him had no pity. "Ahh, Sword Prince."

"Perseus, I never got to thank you for the save on the twenty-fourth," the smile in place but his eyes were on the person currently cowering behind Asfi.

Asfi attempted to appease the level six, "Think nothing of it. I can already tell what you're here for."

"I see," Axton said. "Please step aside, I wish to have a word with your patron deity…who shouldn't be in the Dungeon in the first place," he said through grit teeth. Maybe Axton was being a little overprotective.

Just a little.

But the one time he's not there to guard the women, someone sneaks through and peeks. Have they no fucking shame?

The answer is within the question.

"So, I would like to have a word with him, I promise that he will not have a single scratch on him," His smile remained but his words were like barbs.

"Asfi, please protect me!" the deity cried.

It was one headache after another with him, "Lord Hermes, you need to take responsibility for your actions. Not a single scratch on him, Axton."

The smile he wore turned genuine, "Thank you. Come along, Hermes, you and I need to talk." The feathered hat-wearing God tried to hide behind Asfi but she stepped out of the way.

When he returned five minutes later, Hermes was shivering and Axton was pretty pleased with himself. "Do you understand what you did?"

"Yes."

Axton nodded, "Are you going to convince them to do it again?"

"No."

"Awesome," Axton grinned, "He's all yours, Miss Asfi."

The context here was Hermes had convinced Bell, the innocent little rabbit, to peek at the girls whilst they bathed, the 'key to a man's romance' is what Hermes fed Bell. Whether he was lucky or not, he fell into the spring. According to Tione, Tiona, and Aki, he fell in, saw Ais, and immediately ran away begging for forgiveness.

If Ais brought it up, he would be shutting down the conversation immediately. He loves his sister but not to that point. It would just be creepy.

Asfi, however, took an interest in the change in her deity's behavior. Her glasses reflected the light just right as she asked, "Could you teach me this?"

Without hesitation, "Absolutely! Stop by the Manor and ask for me. If they give you trouble, which they may or may not depending on who's guarding, sneak in since I know you have items that allow you to."

"Asfi, how could you?" Hermes wailed.

"Consider it payback for some of the jobs you've sent me on," Asfi shot back immediately.

The traveling God cleared his throat, regaining some of his lost dignity, "Could you get a meeting together with all of your executives? I do have a reason for being here after all."

"Fine."

Which leads us to where we are now. A meeting in the Loki Familia executive tent.

"So, you entered the Dungeon, for the purpose of saving Bell Cranel and his party?" Finn raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed, as the quest made by Hestia asks," Hermes said, pulling out the very quest in question, alongside the reward of a decent chunk of valis. Everyone who was in the tent was all the executives, minus Bete, and Raul since he would be reporting this to the rest of the Familia.

Axton and Ais stood on opposite sides of the tent, each one with pensive expressions. Ais had a more subdued version than Axton. Asfi gave the tiniest smile to Ais, as a greeting.

Since they had worked together on floor twenty-four, they were 'floor buddies' of sorts. Ais gave her a small smile in return.

Axton leaned back and looked to the roof of the tent. He wasn't bored. His fingers tapped a small pattern on his thigh, just to keep himself from fidgeting. He wanted them to get to the point. The Sword Prince was very aware of the shifty practices that the God employed, so he was just waiting for a reason.

Gareth noticed and gave a short chuckle, seeing the boy so antsy. He's usually much more composed. Riveria caught the dwarf's eye and moved her eyes left and right, a sign that Gareth should not push that right now.

"If it's not too much trouble, we'd like to stay with you when you head up for the surface," Hermes said, laying out a condition for him and Bell's party.

"So you're not killed along the way?" Finn pressed.

The God continued, "And since we were in such a hurry, we did not pack any camping provisions. While we could test our luck…"

"Going to Rivira is not a good idea," Axton spoke for the first time at this meeting.

"Mister Argonaut would be swindled before he realized what happened," Tiona said as she interlocked her fingers behind her head.

Axton gave a small scoff, "Then they would have to deal with me."

"Lower the protective brother act, Axton," Tione said, giving him a mock glare. The elder Hiryute knew his heart was in the right place. Just not the right time.

He shrugged nonplussed, "Still applies. But I have a better question, what's a God and Goddess doing in the Dungeon? Wasn't there a rule for this?" Axton asked as his hand went down to his left hip, thumbing a portion of his skin. Beneath that portion of armor and clothing once laid a scar. A profound scar that to this day was still healing, even with the Falna.

Ais caught the motion and her eyes widened slightly. She knew what he was talking about. "The last time, I almost died…"

That specific reveal made Hermes's eyes gleam at that information. Axton narrowed his own, "You're hiding your divine aura, aren't you?"

"Got in one, Sword Prince," Hermes admitted. "Also, as for food provisions, we'll search the forest but if it gets too expensive, my Familia will foot the bill upon reaching the surface. Fair?"

"Awfully generous for a man on a request," Gareth hummed. The dwarf knew that this deity was up to something.

"And how can we trust you?" Axton called out, eyes solely focused on Hermes.

"Axton!" Riveria called out, intending to scold the boy for poor behavior.

Hermes raised his hands in a placating gesture, "He's got all the right to ask. While yes, it seems like I always have something going on, I do have something else to tell. Hephaestus had asked me to check on Welf, him being a part of her Familia, after all. Little Bell-kun and co were just one of the bigger reasons."

Hermes was the kind of man to sweet talk to everyone and then change his words to make it seem like he never promised anything at all. He was a smooth talker, suave almost, and on a different level than Loki. Ais thought of him as a shrewd man and Axton just didn't trust any words that came out of his mouth.

There was just a glint in his eye that made the Sword Prince keep his guard up.

The deal was finalized after that but Hermes had one more question, "I assume your expedition was successful, I do wonder what you found down there."

This. This right here.

This is why Axton is uneasy around Hermes. While others stiffened up, minus Raul, Axton leveled a deadpan stare, "We found stuff and things, Lord Hermes. You're immortal, you have all the time in the world to learn patience."

"Ouu, sounds like you had loads of fun, I do hope I can see the results of it all," he shot back at Axton, unfazed at the jab.

"As followers of Loki, we have no precedence to disclose Familia matters to a God with questionable intentions," Riveria curtly replied, ignoring Axton's barb, which was well-deserved, considering everything.

Seeing that avenue shut, "Well then, I should mention that Dionysus, Loki, and I are in an alliance because of the events that befell us all. Remember that you're not the only one who has lost people to these monsters." For a brief moment, Hermes's face darkened at the reminder.

Once more, the entire tent was sent into a fit of silence. Even Axton didn't have a retort for that. "I see," Riveria eventually said, one eye open. "We will have to confirm this with Loki once we return to the surface."

With a bright smile, "Of course! Feel free to ignore me on this next bit but…there's been talk of a second entrance to the Dungeon besides Babel. A conclusion that both Loki and I came to." Hermes just had to get one more smug point in before turning around and leaving.

"Well, this certainly went off kilter," Tiona commented, getting an elbow from her sister.

"I still don't trust him," Axton said. His eyes were hard, thinking. His hand hadn't left his hip. Ais crossed the distance and grabbed his hand. She didn't say anything but the eye contact was enough. "Mmh…fine."

Her cue for him to drop it.

He stared back at her as if he was saying, should we?

She gave him another nod and then gestured her head up, meaning the surface. They'll tell them then…

"So, if I was a second entrance, where would I be?" Axton asked rhetorically aloud.

"Daedelus Street," Tiona immediately guessed.

"If you didn't get lost, sure," Axton shrugged. He looked out the tent, "I'm going to check on Dino. Jericho probably hasn't left his side." The Sword Prince started walking towards the tent flap, "Unless one of you needs me for something?"

Finn had put his hands under his chin, digesting the information. While not a lie detector, the Pallum knew that Hermes was not far off the mark. Even Finn himself has thought that there was more than one way into the Dungeon. A place this large had to have multiple entrances.

There was the thought that if the front entrance collapsed, then many adventurers would be trapped inside and the Dungeon loves to deliver surprises to unexpecting victims. "Go ahead, we shall discuss your behavior once we return home."

"Heh, had a feeling I wasn't getting out of that one," Axton shook his head, then turned his head back outside, "Looks like Bell is looking for you, Ais."

The girl almost pushed Axton out of the way to leave the tent, making the blond boy laugh, "She's got it bad and she doesn't even know…"

"And what do you plan to do?" Riveria asked her pseudo-son.

He smiled, Giddy Prince returned, "I plan to help her understand her feelings. If she gets a boyfriend, I'll accept that. Then I can say that she picked up a boy in the Dungeon."


Later on, the group who were on the fifty-ninth floor all gathered around. Minus Axton, Ais, and Riveria. Finn and Gareth were off elsewhere, trying to relax, most likely. The expedition was a bit stressful. The women of the first expedition party were all in one of the Loki Familia tents for women, as the men minus Dino, were outside giving orders and in general, leaving the women alone.

"It's crazy how he managed to do that," Lefiya said. Now that she had a moment to think about it. The whole thing with his magic was something unheard of. Most took it as is but the curious fifteen-year-old elf was trying to put these pieces together. Nothing was making any sense right now.

"Do what?" Tiona asked the young elf, taking her out of her thoughts. All eyes were on her now.

"Well…his magic of course," Lefiya said it like it was obvious. "He's never done that before and I'm sure that Lady Riveria would agree. His magic is just a wind enchantment but…"

"...it feels like more?" Tione filled in, helping Lefiya along.

"Mmhmm, and I've studied a lot of magic and magic theory under Lady Riveria, and I've never seen a simple wind enchantment do that," she said. The barrier of wind, the apparent squall that the Hiryutes apparently saw. It wasn't adding up and the young elf's curiosity was eating at her. This was a question that she needed the answer to.

We all know the saying.

"That thing though with Royalty…" Tiona slowly began, now giving a thinking face.

Amongst the ladies were Alicia and Narfi, "They were the first to recognize it."

"They were acting odd."

Royalty, when asked, refused to give a concrete answer on it. They knew more than they were letting on and for a solid reason. It was not something they could say lightly, after all. Such secrets are necessary.

Speaking of the aforementioned saying, Tione turned to the one person who might know something about the swordsman and swordswoman, "Aki, you've known Royalty the longest, before any of us. Do you have anything for us?"

Aki, a cat person, turned her gaze to Tione, "Not really, the Royalty duo was so different from one another that I honestly couldn't believe they were siblings. Axton acted much like a child was supposed to act and Ais was such a recluse that it was even weirder when he managed to get her to…be normal."

"Always thought she was a loose egg," Tsubaki added, much to the surprise of Lefiya.

Aki did not react to that, "Even then, when he was younger, he was always interested in what I or someone in the Familia was doing. He wanted to help however possible. He even called me 'Onee-sama' at one point…" she giggled, "and look how mature he's gotten."

Lefiya took this information with a small smile but the topic hasn't escaped her yet. "But anything on them?"

"No, anytime I asked our bosses, they shut me down by saying their reasons were special and only known to them. If they choose to tell us, that's on them. I will not pry into something like that," the ravenette cat girl said, her tail coiling around her waist as she incessantly cleaned it. Cleaning her tail takes time, and it's important, okay?

Tiona, meanwhile, was recalling her storybook knowledge, "What was that name that the corrupted thingy was saying?"

"Aria," Tione asked. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Well, dear sister, I happen to remember something in the Dungeon Oratoria as there was a section on spirits and I'm sure that name was in it."

"So, you're saying she's got Spirit blood in her? That legend is over a thousand years old. There's no way they have any connection to them."

The energetic Amazon deflated a bit, "I didn't mean it in that way…it was just the name."

"Also, even if that was possible, Spirits…cannot have children…I believe," Lefiya added skeptically. It's not that she doesn't believe it, but it sounds so outlandish that it has no right being true.

So why does her gut say otherwise?

"While this topic is quite childish, no offense," Tsubaki interjected as the other ladies shared looks, "you do realize that there is someone here on this floor who has Spirit Blood in his veins?"

You could hear a pin drop. The number of stupified looks Tsubaki just received was almost enough for her to start laughing.

"WHAT?!"

This time, Tsubaki belly-laughed, "Sit tight, I'll go fetch the lil' guy."

True to her word, Tsubaki returned a few minutes later with a red head who was by no means little, in terms of height.

"...why am I here?" the man asked as he sat cross-legged in the middle of the circle of curious women. "I'm still healing and you drag me out here."

"As y'all know, this is Bell Cranel's contracted smith and one of the many grunts in my Familia," Tsubaki explained.

"Seriously, what the hell is going on here?!" the man screamed.

The Hephaestus Familia Captain ignored him in lieu of addressing the ladies, "The kid here is named Welf Crozzo."

"...Crozzo?"

"Why have I heard that before?" Tiona asked.

Aki, being the eldest of the bunch aside from Tsubaki, figured it out as her tail stood on edge, "You mean the cursed family of magic sword makers Crozzo?"

Tsubaki laughed, "The very same! The kid's a distant relative from that nobleman who lived in Rakia." For the uneducated, Crozzo Magic Swords are really powerful. They have decimated towns, and cities and have been the cause of unwarranted destruction. These swords did not require a chant either, they gave off magic equivalent to what a spell from Riveria might be. At best and at their peak…it would be at Riveria's Concatenated Chanting levels of power, that is if the sword doesn't break under the strain.

These swords are powerful but the tradeoff is how fragile they are. For a decent comparison, a wood sword meant for training has better structural integrity than a magic sword. Now, while other magic swords can be made, they are severely outclassed by their Crozzo counterparts. As powerful as these swords are, they are not unbreakable.

"Is…this all true?" The ladies were sitting with a man who had the blood of a Spirit within him.

Unfortunately, one specific elf did not take this news well.

"The Crozzo family is responsible for so much destruction. They came and burned down my home, my forest! They burned it all down and thanks to them, they no longer have anything resembling a home!" Alicia screamed, her face alight in rage.

Lefiya was stunned at the current events, knowing that she was the more naive of elves. Alicia, on the other hand, was born and raised in a pure forest, so this was hitting her harder.

Tsubaki stood in front of the elf, defending Welf, "Hold on, before ya fly off the handle, he disowned his Crozzo lineage."

"...what?" Alicia asked, the rage snuffed in an instant.

"The idiot can make these swords better than I can and he, and for the life of me, can't figure out why. He loathes his own heritage. The bombardment of orders he gets is one thing…"

"I'm standing right here," Welf said, annoyed.

"Quiet, grunt, the adults are talking," Tsubaki said on reflex. Welf just put his head in his hand and huffed out a breath. "Anyway, he can forge circles around me in that department but he won't touch them! Wasted talent I tell you!"

The Crozzo line had fallen into ruin in the past due to the loss of being able to make them. Such things caused Welf to make a decision.

Welf spoke this next part, "I hate this part…but I was forced to make them when my father and grandfather found out. I love my forge. I love making weapons and tools to help others but I despise making those swords, they do nothing but break and leave the owner with nothing. If I can't make sure the weapon survives, then what's the point?"

Say what you want about him but Welf Crozzo is a true smith. He's got the motivation, the drive but he was missing the true passion for the forge. That single thing is the only thing holding him back.

"So you see, Alicia, you and him may have something in common," Tsubaki finished.

"...So, I'm just going to ask…do you or do you not have spirit blood in your veins?" Tiona asked, pushing the conversation in the direction she wanted.

Welf turned to his Captain immediately, giving her a look. When she smiled and gestured for him to continue, he groaned but confirmed he did have traces of Spirit Blood within him.

"In a human?" Lefiya innocently inquired.

"The original Crozzo had saved a Spirit when they were surrounded by monsters, a long time ago. When he did, he ended up badly wounded. The Spirit offered their blood to save his life…" Welf explained a portion of his family's history.

"...Spirits' miracle…" Tiona whispered in awe.

Alicia, however, was still not satisfied, despite all the points that have been made. "Then because of that, you can make those horrendous swords."

Welf's shoulders dropped, "A by-product of the Crozzo line…"

"There you are, Welf!" a voice called.

All the women, plus Welf himself, looked to the entrance to the tent flap, "Bell's been looking for you!"

"Axton…"

The Sword Prince dropped by, and Bell had asked him to help look for Welf. "Tsubaki, did you drag him off again?"

The half-dwarf giggled innocently, "Nope."

"Lies…" Axton grumbled, "Come on, so the rabbit can stop wondering. Honestly, like a lost puppy." It sounded like an insult but the mirth in his eyes was not missed. Aki's earlier words came back to them.

Axton turned back to the women, who were giving him expectant gazes. He turned to Aki, who looked guilty. "What did you tell them?"

"W-What?"

"Your tail's twitching in that pattern again," he commented with a blank tone.

Sure enough, it was. "Damn it."

"It was the Onee-sama thing, wasn't it?" he guessed with a smile. He wasn't upset…maybe a little embarrassed that Lefiya knows about it now…but neither upset nor angry.

"Okay, listen, you were cute when you said that!" Aki defended herself. "Seriously, you were a dangerous weapon back when you were a kid."

"Still am, Aki," Axton shot back. "Welf, I'll let Bell know I found ya, so as much as I want to help you…" and he was gone.

"Wow, I thought he would be more intimidating," Welf said.

"He's not," Narfi said, "He's actually one of the more accepting people in the Familia."

The tent fell silent momentarily as that comment floated about. Tsubaki then turned to Welf, "Is there anything about this 'spiritual connection' you can tell us? Or if the name Aria showed up?"

"How the hell should I know? I only know what I was told." The two smiths then devolved into an argument about Welf's forging ability since Tsubaki will take any chance she gets, "If you want to know about legends, then there is someone else you can ask!"

Welf then excused himself out of the tent, going to fetch a familiar boy


Bell seriously wondered what he did to deserve this. At one moment, he was looking for his friend and party member. Next, he was being dragged by Tsubaki to a tent filled with Loki Familia women. One of which was looking at him with intrigue. That was Tiona.

Bell was fidgeting in the middle of the room, on his knees. All the stares unnerved him slightly. "So, Welf sold you out, and told us that you know about legends and such."

Tiona proceeded to quiz him and got all the answers right. "He's so smart!"

"Getting back on topic, do you know the name Aria?"

Bell's eyes lit up, "The Great Spirit in Dungeon Oratoria? The one close to Albert Waldstein, the Mercenary Hero?"

"That's the one!" Tiona cheered. "Mister Argonaut, what can you tell us?" she clapped happily. There was someone who understood this stuff even more than her. The copies of Oratoria in Twilight Manor were hand-copied and written.

The Dungeon Oratoria was a god-centered epic, written by the Gods and such. The stories spanned a long period of time, and some of the stories may have been told out of order but this was one where Bell knew of it. The ladies were impressed by his knowledge, and since Tiona nicknamed him 'Mister Argonaut' after one of those said stories, they could see why.

Lefiya was looking at this from an analytical point of view. They were getting closer. "So what can you tell us?"

Bell shifted his eyes off of Tiona and to Lefiya, "Well…w-what do you w-want to know?" The flat stare he was receiving made him want to run away. Who knew women could be so menacing?

Bad move.

Women's intuition kicked in and they all looked at him. "Do you know anything about spiritual connections? Like how Mister Welf has with his blood?"

Tiona clarified, "Is there a story about Aria protecting a human and passing her blood along?"

Bell opened his mouth to answer before pausing. He actually seemed stumped, "I mean…I don't think so? Y-You're talking about a connection of some sort, right?"

"That's right," Lefiya confirmed.

"Then no. I…do remember there was one about Albert having a child."

There was no end to the surprises today. "What?"

"Actually two children."

Lefiya felt her stomach churn with a feeling. Like she was onto something. "I never read anything like this!" Tiona explained.

"Could you elaborate, Bell?" Tione asked. "What happened to the children?"

The rabbit could only shrug, "I've asked my grandfather about it many times. He didn't know the answer. All I remember from the story was how the children were whisked away before Albert fought the Dragon."

Their hopes were mostly dashed. At least until a question about who was in Albert's party before a different High Elf's name exited his mouth. Not even Lefiya's lack of jealousy for him saved him from a rant from her and Alicia.

That was when Riveria entered the fray, "You really are loud. The entire camp can hear you. Finn had sent me to calm things down. Lazy Pallum…" she muttered.

The Hephaestus Familia Captain assured the High Elf, "We were having a conversation, not to worry."

Tiona was, of course, the most direct, "...do you know anything about Royalty's secret? We're in the same Familia…after all."

Riveria looked up, sighed, and made direct eye contact with Tiona, "We share a strong bond in this Familia but not every secret can be just laid out for you. Everyone has a secret that they hide and I can guarantee that you all have that one secret that you want no one to know."

"!"

Once more, a pin could drop and everyone would hear it.

"Would you like all of your secrets laid out for everyone else?" Riveria further questioned. "This is something that is not easily handled. While it may feel like we as top executives are shutting you out, know that it is the opposite. In fact, I know the feeling…quite well actually."

"Both Ais and Axton have their shortcomings, attributed to their respective pasts. After the fifty-ninth floor, I'm sure you had questions. This is something that Royalty has to be here for and I cannot speak on their behalf…" the High Elf turned for the tent flap, "What I can say is this: Both Ais and Axton are indeed blessed with the blood of a Spirit."

"They never wanted to bring up their past, despite current events," Riveria continued with her back turned. "Someday, if they choose to reveal it, I ask you all to not look at them as liars. Don't treat them any different than you have before. If you do, it will only hurt them, yourselves, and this Familia."

Tione and Tiona expressed that they would never. Aki expressed that she would always treat her otouto-kun as she always has. The other girls gave various responses of their support.

Lefiya did too but she was too absorbed in her thoughts to fully pay attention. 'Would they...accept...who I am?' Axton's words from when he was in the hospital came back. No one noticed how the elf went pale as the puzzle pieces started falling into place.


Riveria had explained what happened in the tent. Royalty plus Finn and Gareth were there. "Are you sure you want to tell them?"

"I mean," Axton started, looking more forlorn than before, "it has to come out sometime, you know? If I want to…court…Lefiya, I need to be honest with her." The flush on his cheeks was not missed by Finn. The Pallum chuckled under his breath. Gareth just sighed wistfully, probably thinking of some wild story.

Ais answered next, "Would they accept us? Would they look at us differently? Would I be able to even look them in the eye?" She looked down, "And what would it do to Axton if they don't accept him? I don't want to see him cry. My chest hurt when he did."

Speckled gold eyes snapped to hers, the markings of unshed tears building. Damn, making me emotional now. "Do you understand how I feel now when I pulled you out of the Dungeon?"

"...a bit more than before," was the eventual answer.

"I want to tell them because they have been with us for a long time…and the relationships I have mean a lot to me," Axton admitted, which was a big thing for him. He wasn't exactly starved of any relationship or love from his Familia but he didn't have a lot of chances to form relationships when he was a kid.

…a dragon murdering your father and kidnapping your mother does that.

So, any relationships he has now are important to him.

"You two are making mountains out of mole hills," Gareth commented.

"Not helping, you old geezer."

"I'm not the oldest one here," he shot back.

Axton had a great retort, "And I want to live." He knew making a joke at her expense was asking for a magic spell up one side and down the other. "But in all seriousness, I want to tell them regardless. If I can trust them with my life, then why can't I trust them with this secret? They…should know. Ais, know that if you don't want to tell them, then we won't."

It was simple. The ball was in her court now. She had all the power. Yet, her insecurities were crawling back. Would they really treat me the same? Would Tiona still see me as me? Would Jericho or Dino look at me in disgust? Would they all cast me and Axton out? She then remembered that at one point, all she had was him.

So, she would trust him. If it was time, then it was time. "Let's tell them once we get home. Only the people that we trust." Riveria mentally included Aki, since she was now aware of Royalty's predicament.

"Then, it's settled. We'll let them know of our heritage," Axton said, feeling a shred of true relief.

Things were finally looking up. Yet, once they got to the surface, there was a lot to unpack. Royalty was going to be busy bodies once home.

No rest for the wicked.

...

So, this is the longest chapter I've ever written for this, just barely edging over 10k words, you're welcome.

A lot SO5 was useful, and since there are things that have changed and differed, some things worked out differently. Seriously, I would have skipped over this had I not been reminded! So, next chapter, they will return to the surface. I am so surprised that I wrote this much for a single chapter.

Now, I skipped the scene with the two Familias sitting having dinner since Axton was out of it and I wouldn't have changed much aside from the obvious. Lefiya is also still hiding one of the Crystal Drops, since I didn't mention it anywhere else. She is taking that advice to heart. Obviously, the longest fillerish/plotlessish kind of chapter but it did prove a good segway. I did debate separating this into two chapters but it would be unnecessary, so you get the big one.

Like it's almost double an average chapter...for me at least. So, I shall leave you with this. Take care.