From one of the many rooms in the Loki Familia home, the unmistakable and boisterous laughter of the goddess echoed. Sitting on a long mahogany-colored couch, the goddess enjoyed her drinks in a large, well-decorated room of her grand mansion.
"Ah it's excellent!" The goddess placed her glass on the coffee table and hugged the gray-colored jug. Loki had a sleepy yet content smile on her lips, her cheeks tinged with a soft pink hue. "It's been so long since I last tasted Soma!"
Across from her, sitting neatly in an individual armchair, was Eina. The elf, still dressed in her guild attire, watched attentively as the goddess indulged in her drink, while in front of her rested a small cup of tea.
"So, Goddess Loki…" she dared to interrupt, "you were saying that the Soma Familia doesn't revere their god, but alcohol instead?"
"That's exactly right."
Between the goddess and the guild worker sat the vice-captain of the Loki Familia. Riveria and Eina sipped on hot tea from small, cold porcelain cups, as both had politely declined to accompany Loki in drinking. Behind them, standing by the door, was the swordswoman Ais Wallenstein, dressed in a simple linen dress.
"This expensive thing…" Loki continued speaking while pouring herself more alcohol. "It's a failure for them. What they truly worship is the perfect alcohol, which they don't sell to just anyone."
"Perfect?" Goddess Loki smiled and nodded.
"That's right. That's where the danger lies… just one sip is enough to completely intoxicate you. Every member of the Soma Familia is there only to drink it. That's the only thing they have in common." She took a long sip of the delicious beverage.
"It can't be…" Eina's voice carried disappointment. "Is that really all that unites the Familia?"
"That's all, and it costs a lot of money to produce. Those who earn enough can drink a little, but once you taste it, you'll want to have it again. That's why they desperately try to get more and more money—no matter how, even if they have to betray or sacrifice their comrades."
Silence took over the room for several long minutes as the goddess placed her empty glass on the table. "That's all I know… was it useful to you, Eina?"
"Yes, thank you…" she bowed slightly from her seat just as Goddess Loki suddenly stood up and walked toward Ais, mentioning that she needed to update her status.
The goddess and the adventurer left the room, leaving Riveria and Eina alone.
-] [-
"She's quite an interesting goddess, isn't she?" Riveria smiled, holding her small tea cup delicately.
"I'm not sure if she's interesting, but she's definitely smarter than she looks. We trust her a lot."
Eina nodded at the vice-captain's words and mimicked her gesture of taking a sip of tea. As she drank the warm and pleasant liquid, she found herself contemplating the new information she had learned. The Soma Familia was undoubtedly an unusual group. She couldn't help but worry about Bell and Meteria.
Perhaps she should speak to their goddess—just as a precaution.
-] [-
Meteria had arrived at the central plaza about ten minutes ago, standing near Babel Tower while waiting for her father—and, much to her dismay, Liliruca as well. Her father had woken up earlier than her and had left ahead. Hestia had told her that Bell hadn't wanted to disturb her sleep, claiming that the day in the dungeon would be arduous.
However, that explanation did nothing to ease Meteria's suspicions, which only grew when she saw her father arriving with Liliruca. They must have met up earlier without me, she thought. Deep inside,she still recalled her conversation with the goddess. That night, she had decided to give her father a vote of confidence, but seeing him so close to Liliruca made it incredibly difficult.
"Hello, did you sleep well?" Bell gently ruffled her hair upon reaching her, but the younger girl quickly pulled away, making her displeasure clear.
"Why didn't you wake me when you left?" Meteria frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.
Bell turned his face slightly to the side, his lower lip sticking out in a gesture of concern. His daughter was in a terribly foul mood.
"I thought you could use a little more rest…"
Liliruca, noticeably uncomfortable, shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Having no family of her own, situations like this felt foreign to her. Wanting to help Bell, she decided to intervene.
"Forgive him, Meteria. It was my fault—I asked him to help me with a personal matter and called him way too early," she lied for a good cause, unaware that it would only fuel the younger girl's irritation.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Let's just enter the dungeon."
Bell swallowed hard. His daughter's expression remained as icy as before. Only someone who didn't know her—like Lili—would think the matter was resolved.
"We could…" Both white-haired adventurers turned to look at Liliruca as she spoke. "I was thinking… maybe we could go to the tenth floor. What do you two think?"
Meteria's eyes widened in surprise, and she was about to speak before her father cut in.
"Sounds good to me. It's about time we moved past the tenth floor, don't you think?" His last remark was directed especially at his daughter, who had initially expected him to refuse.
"Alright, just… let's not push ourselves too hard," she said, still harboring doubts but ultimately trusting her father when it came to the dungeon. He was an adventurer to his core, and recalling what Hestia had told her, she knew Bell would always do what was best for her.
The three exchanged glances, nodded, and walked directly toward Babel Tower, descending toward the dungeon.
Sweat formed on Liliruca's palms.
This would be the last time she entered the dungeon as herself.
-] [-
That same morning, Eina had made up her mind to speak with Goddess Hestia. After her conversation with Goddess Loki, she had grown increasingly worried about her assigned adventurers. However, the guild had instead sent her to inspect Babel Tower, forcing her to change her plans.
She arrived at the tower early that cloudy morning, calling an elevator while holding some papers under her arm. With a sigh, she pondered, Am I breaking any rules?
I shouldn't mix my personal life with work.
But this felt right. After all, she was theCranel family's advisor. She gazed up at the gray clouds passing through the sky.
"I have to speak with Hestia about the Cranel's supporter," she decided with certainty. Lowering her gaze from the cloudy sky, she suddenly found herself face to face with the elegant figure of the Loki Familia's swordswoman.
The blonde warrior seemed surprised to see her and, without much thought, approached to greet her, thinking it would be rude to ignore the elf. Ais asked why she was there, as it wasn't common for a guild worker to be around Babel Tower during working hours. Eina explained that she had been sent to inspect the area and ended up mentioning that she planned to meet with the goddess of the adventurers she advised.
"I fear they're drawing too much attention, probably since that incident with the minotaur…" Eina openly voiced her internal concerns.
"You're in charge of that adventurer? The one who defeated the minotaur we let escape?"
"Yes. He and a young girl are the only members of the Hestia Familia. His name is Bell Cranel."
Ais's eyebrows furrowed, and her lower lip twisted into a pained expression.
"Miss Wallenstein?" Eina grew concerned over the troubled look on the swordswoman's face.
"Sorry… I always wanted to apologize to him for the trouble we caused. He must have been terrified seeing a minotaur on the lower floors…" she said, regretfully.
"Oh, not at all! He doesn't blame you for that!" Eina quickly shook her head. "You don't have to worry about it."
"Still… I'd like to apologize to him…"
Eina was about to respond when they were interrupted by a group of men passing by, heading toward the dungeon. The elf managed to catch part of the conversation between the two leading figures.
"So, Arde is going to trick that white-haired kid she's been hanging around with lately?"
"Yeah. You all know what happens next—don't screw this up," said the one who seemed to be the leader of the group.
Eina's face immediately darkened in concern. Ais noticed and swallowed hard. She asked what was wrong, but the guild worker simply told her that she had something urgent to take care of.
Both parted ways, but the blonde swordswoman couldn't get the image of that young man out of her mind.
-] [-
So… this is the tenth floor…"
Bell and Meteria, along with Liliruca, had already entered the dungeon. This floor was different from any other; it clearly marked a major change in an adventurer's journey. The area had abundant vegetation, but unlike the vibrant greenery of the outside world, everything here was grayish, almost whitish. There were pale trees with long trunks and branches, yet not a single leaf.
The sky was as dark as night, shrouded in thick mist, making combat against monsters significantly more difficult.
The tenth floor isn't something to take lightly, the Cranel duo thought.
"It's dangerous. Stay close, Lili." Bell glanced at Liliruca, who gave him a small smile. Since she had her back to Meteria, she couldn't see the younger girl's irritated expression.
Something didn't sit right with her.
During their descent into the dungeon, her father and Liliruca had been whispering to each other about something she couldn't quite hear. Not to mention the nervous glances Liliruca kept throwing at Bell.
"What are these?" Meteria placed her hand on the trunk of one of the trees, feeling its rough texture.
"They're landforms. Adventurers often cut them down and use them as weapons, but I doubt there'll be time for that now…" Liliruca pointed behind her, and Bell swiftly drew his Daggers, ready to fight.
Six monstrous figures emerged from the mist, their robust, dull-green bodies looming forward, their deformed pig-like faces twisted in rage. Two of them wasted no time, tearing thick, knotted branches from the landforms to use as makeshift clubs, while the other four advanced heavily, their thick claws poised to shred their prey.
Bell didn't wait.
His body moved swiftly, dodging the first downward strike from one of the club-wielding orcs. The wood crashed into the ground with a violent impact, sending dust and splinters flying. Bell sidestepped, closing the distance before sliding under the massive arm of the creature. With a flick of his wrist, his dagger Arleshalt arced through the air, slicing into the monster's wrist, forcing it to release its weapon with a pained roar. Before it could react, Bell thrust his other hand forward, unleashing a burst of flames that engulfed the orc's torso. The creature staggered, flailing in a futile attempt to douse the fire before vanishing into glowing particles.
Beside him, Meteria stood still, her gaze locked onto the four approaching orcs.
Her blue eyes shimmered for a brief moment before turning an intense shade of red, a reflection of the power coursing through her blood.
She took a slow, deep breath.
As the first orc lunged at her, its massive fist raised, she tilted her body ever so slightly to the side, letting the attack pass within inches of her face. The sheer force of the blow stirred the air, causing the hem of her crimson dress to flutter.
Rather than retaliate, Meteria took a single step back just as another orc attempted to swipe at her with its thick claws. With a subtle twist of her torso, she allowed the attack to miss by the slightest margin.
A third beast attempted to crush her with a powerful kick, but Meteria pivoted on her right foot, shifting out of range at the last possible moment.
Her breathing remained steady, her movements precise. There was no urgency in her expression—only the certainty that none of their attacks would touch her.
A fourth orc tried to ram into her with its full weight, hoping to pin her down. But at the last second, Meteria bent her knees slightly and slid beneath the creature, her white cloak swaying in the air displaced by the failed charge.
"That's enough," she murmured.
Lifting her left hand, she revealed a small cut she had made just moments before. A single crimson thread trickled down from the wound.
With a flick of her fingers, the blood came to life, stretching into thin, scarlet threads that intertwined in midair.
One of the orcs roared and lunged again, but this time, Meteria didn't dodge.
She moved her hand with calculated precision, and the blood-formed threads lashed out like invisible whips. The delicate strands wrapped around the monster's legs, pulling taut with a sharp tug.
The orc lost its balance and crashed onto its back with a thunderous impact.
Another orc lifted both arms, preparing to crush her with a double-handed strike, but Meteria was already moving.
With a mere flick of her wrist, two blood threads elongated and wrapped around the beast's wrists.
A second later, the filaments tightened with a chilling snap—severing both hands in a single stroke.
The orc howled in agony, staggering backward, utterly defenseless.
The two remaining orcs hesitated for just a moment before grabbing massive rocks from the ground and hurling them at Meteria with incredible force.
The young dhampir exhaled calmly.
With a simple snap of her fingers, the blood needles floating around her shot forward like projectiles, piercing through the airborne rocks and shattering them into countless fragments.
One of the orcs, panicked, turned to flee—but Meteria wouldn't allow it.
She flexed her fingers, and one of her blood threads shot forward like a harpoon, coiling around the monster's neck.
A single pull was all it took to sever its throat.
Bell, having finished off another pair of orcs with quick dagger strikes and bursts of fire, observed his daughter with a faint smile.
"Don't overdo it," he said calmly while picking up a magic stone from the ground.
Meteria let her eyes return to their usual blue hue, the crimson threads of blood dissolving into the air.
"I know," she replied in a whisper, though her gaze lingered on the fading remains of the orcs for a moment longer.
"Incredible!" Liliruca exclaimed as she hurried over to collect the magic stones the creatures had left behind.
However, the conversation didn't last long.
From the opposite side of where the orcs had fallen, another, even larger group was approaching. Meteria, noticing her bloodied hand, manipulated the liquid into a projectile and launched it into the midst of four approaching monsters. The crimson mass splattered upon impact, coating them in a thin mist of blood.
With her hand raised, she clenched her fingers into a fist, and immediately, the scattered blood formed tiny, razor-sharp spikes that stabbed into the creatures' bodies from every direction.
All four orcs collapsed instantly, vanishing into particles of light.
"They just keep coming…" she muttered while wiping her palm. Thanks to her rapid regeneration, the cut had already closed.
"Looks like we'll be walking away with plenty of magic stones today."
"It seems so," her father responded, stepping up beside her after finishing off two more orcs with precise bursts of fire.
Meteria simply nodded at his remark and reshaped the remaining blood into blades. For now, she would face them in direct combat.
The fight continued for quite some time as waves of orcs emerged from every direction. However, none posed a real challenge for the Cranel duo.
Then, suddenly, amidst the chaos, Meteria realized she had completely forgotten about Liliruca.
Her sharp gaze scanned the battlefield, yet the small supporter was nowhere to be seen.
Dad! I don't see Liliruca!"
Concern gripped the young dhampir as she jumped to evade an orc's strike, her eyes darting around in search of the girl.
"Liliruca! Where are you?!" she called out, but there was no answer.
Bell, realizing the situation, cut down a few more orcs to clear a path and rushed toward his daughter.
"Calm down, Meteria. Don't worry, Liliruca is fine. First, we need to take care of the orcs…"
Damn it, Bell cursed internally.
He had completely forgotten to tell his daughter about the plan.
He had meant to explain it to her the day Syr had given him the grimoire on behalf of Freya, but that incident had completely stolen his attention.
"What?"
The normally composed girl's face twisted in anguish, her brows furrowing, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at her father.
Her gaze drifted past him—over his shoulder—where she spotted a small figure running with something clutched in their hands.
It didn't take long for her to recognize the white coat and large backpack.
Liliruca.
In an instant, Meteria understood.
That useless girl is abandoning us with the orcs.
It wouldn't surprise her if Liliruca had been using both of them all along—especially her father.
That deceitful, traitorous little thief…
Her father must have noticed her growing fury because he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let her go. Trust me."
Bell's gaze was deep, his red eyes trying to reach into his daughter's very soul.
But Meteria now realized there was something she didn't know.
Something her father and Liliruca had hidden from her.
Lowering her head, she clenched her fists and nodded in silence.
She didn't bother giving Bell a final glance.
Instead, she charged at one of the orcs with violent force, slashing through its leg with a single strike.
Bell watched as his daughter tore through the remaining beasts with brutal efficiency.
Yet, deep down, he knew that all her rage wasn't truly directed at the orcs.
It was aimed at him.
-] [-
Ged stood in the middle of the dungeon, arms crossed, waiting.
The sound of light footsteps echoed through the stone corridors, gradually growing closer.
From within the shadows of the dungeon, he saw a small figure approaching, clutching something tightly against her chest, her breath ragged from exhaustion.
"So, you really got rid of those brats," he muttered under his breath, arms still folded, a mocking grin plastered across his face.
Liliruca, bent over with one hand resting on her knee as she caught her breath, lifted her gaze just in time to hear more footsteps approaching.
Canoe and the rest of the usual thugs who tormented her had arrived.
"Why is he here?"
"I don't know…" Liliruca glared defiantly at the long-haired adventurer.
"I knew you'd betray that white-haired brat sooner or later," Canoe sneered, baring his teeth in a grotesque grin.
"Those fools actually trusted you… naïve kids."
"I don't have time for this."
The rotund man with raccoon-like ears stomped forward toward Liliruca. She instinctively tightened her grip on the bundle in her arms.
"We had a deal. Don't resist, or things will get worse for you, brat. Tsk… and on top of that, you brought this guy along, too."
Ged scowled, stepping forward to close the distance between them, bumping shoulders with Canoe as they both advanced.
Liliruca stepped backward with each of their strides forward—until her back pressed against the cold stone wall.
"You have nowhere left to run. Now hand over what you promised me!"
Canoe was losing his patience.
This hadn't been part of his plan.
He and his two fellow adventurers from the Soma Familia had intended to betray the worthless Arde and keep all the spoils she had swindled from that white-haired idiot.
But now there was an outsider in the mix.
He had to find a way to dispose of him first.
But before that, he needed to get his hands on the treasure Liliruca had acquired.
Trapped in that dark corner of the dungeon, Liliruca trembled as she lowered her head.
Her hood concealed most of her face.
She could feel them getting closer.
And when the moment was right—
She let go of what she had been holding.
A loud crack echoed through the dungeon walls.
A cloud of yellow dust spread across the stone floor, surrounding the gathered figures.
Canoe stared at the ground in confusion, then at her, while Ged knelt down, pushing aside the cloth bundle she had been carrying.
Instead of treasure or a weapon, all that remained were shards of broken glass.
"W-What is this?"
Ged looked up at Liliruca—
And saw the manic grin splitting across her face.
She tilted her head back and let out a laugh.
A loud, unhinged, echoing laugh that reverberated through the cavernous halls.
The dungeon's acoustics twisted it into something eerie and distorted.
Ged quickly stood up, taking a cautious step back.
Canoe remained still, his eyes wide with uncertainty.
"It's pheromones," she said between her giggles, locking eyes with Ged.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Ged grabbed her by the collar of her coat, his hands now coated in the strange yellow powder.
Pheromones from ants… killer ants."
Her grin widened as realization began to dawn on her enemies.
You're insane!"
Ged shoved Liliruca against the stone wall, his fingers trembling as he realized what she had done.
"Yes, I am!" she screamed, her brown eyes glistening as tears began to pool at their corners.
"Are you trying to get us killed?!" Canoe shouted, desperately trying to shake the yellow dust from his clothes. But the more he struggled, the more it spread, lingering in the air like a cursed mist. "You're such a failure! You covered yourself in it too, you idiot!""Do you think that was a mistake?" Liliruca's voice was eerily calm.
Canoe hesitated at her determined expression.
"I'm sick of it. Sick of being part of that damned Familia. Sick of enduring years of your violence, your theft, sick of being treated like trash!"
She hugged herself, her thin frame trembling.
"I'm sick of living like this! Today, I'll die… but I'll take at least one of you with me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the distant echoes of movement began to grow louder.
From the corridors leading into the cavern, dozens of large creatures skittered forward.
Their glowing red eyes reflected hunger, their antennae twitching excitedly.
Giant ants.
Killer ants.
Drawn not only by the pheromones but now also by the scent of blood from their fallen kin.The four adventurers immediately unsheathed their weapons.
They slashed at the first wave of insects, decapitating several in quick succession, but it was no use.
For every ant they killed, five more took its place.
Liliruca remained motionless, encircled by the swarming creatures, watching as the men frantically fought against the endless horde.
Tsk, there are too many!" Canoe gritted his teeth, turning to the two men he had brought along. The creatures were multiplying, flooding the cavern floor.
The three Soma Familia members exchanged glances.
Without a word, they silently agreed on what needed to be done.
Run.
Ged was still slashing through the creatures, trying to carve a path, when he realized he was alone.
Canoe and the others had abandoned him.Canoe and the others had abandoned him.
"You bastards! Wait—!"
Just as he turned to follow, Canoe subtly extended his leg.
Ged tripped.
The swarm descended on him instantly.
"HELP! HELP ME!"
His desperate screams echoed throughout the cavern as the ants piled onto him, their mandibles snapping hungrily.
Canoe didn't look back.
He didn't care.
All he saw behind him was an ocean of insects, as if an entire nest had been unleashed.
With Liliruca nowhere in sight, he focused only on running.
-] [-
Above ground, in the city, Hestia was working her usual shift.
She was in charge of keeping inventory and restocking merchandise at one of the many Hephaestus Familia shops.
She was counting a set of weapons when someone approached her.
The goddess wasn't responsible for customer service, so she was surprised when Eina spoke to her.
"Hello, Goddess."
"Oh…hi.Hestia returned to her work, glancing at the ledger in her hands.
"You're here on guild business, aren't you?"
"I want to talk about the Cranel Familia's supporter."
At those words, the goddess froze for a brief moment.
Then, closing the inventory drawer, she turned to face Eina properly.
"I think she's dangerous."
Eina explained everything she had learned about the Soma Familia—their strange worship of wine, their insatiable greed, their ruthless means of obtaining money.
All the while, Hestia continued polishing a piece of armor, quietly listening.
"Please, Goddess Hestia. I think Bell and Meteria are putting their trust in the wrong person."
Eina tried to meet the goddess's gaze, but Hestia kept her eyes locked on the armor in her hands.I'll try to convince them too, but please… tell them to dismiss their supporter."
"It won't work," Hestia interrupted.
"What?"
"He's already made his decision."
The goddess finally turned to face her.
"No matter what happens, he won't abandon his supporter."
-] [-
Liliruca lay sprawled on the cold dungeon floor.
After Canoe and the others had fled, she had collapsed.
Exhausted from keeping up the act.
Contrary to what she had believed earlier that morning, she hadn't felt a shred of fear.
Not when she had released the pheromones.
Not even now, surrounded by the very creatures that should have been devouring her.According to the plan, Bell would arrive soon.
And yet…
Her mind betrayed her.
A dark thought crept in.
What if he doesn't?
What if she truly was just a disposable tool?
Maybe Bell wasn't so different after all.
Maybe her death was part of the plan.
With that in mind, she closed her eyes.
And waited.
Minutes passed.
Nothing came.
Confused, she slowly opened her eyes again.
The ants were still there.
But something was wrong.
They weren't advancing.
Some were rolling on the ground.
Others… were retreating.
They were afraid.
Liliruca's heart pounded.What was causing this?
Then she saw him.
A boy with white hair, sprinting toward her.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" Bell gasped as he knelt beside her.
"I was worried I wouldn't make it in time."
He reached out, checking her over for injuries.
"Can you stand? Meteria is waiting for us in one of the corridors."
Tears spilled down Liliruca's face before she even realized it.
Bell looked at her, concerned.
He inspected her carefully, making sure she wasn't hurt.
Shaking, she clung to his arms as she slowly stood.
Together, they hurried out of the cavern.
She held onto him tightly, sobbing the entire way.
The ants didn't pursue.
They recoiled from the glow of Bell's crimson eyes.
-] [-
After escaping the dungeon, they arrived at the surface.
Avoiding the bustling center of the city, they moved toward the quieter outskirts.
In a secluded alleyway, Liliruca collapsed onto the ground.
Her breath was still shaky from her earlier sobs.
But gradually, she calmed down.
"Thank you both for saving me. I owe you my life."
Her brown eyes still glistened with tears.
For the first time in a long time, I feel relieved. I feel like I was… reborn."
She let out a small laugh.
"You don't need to thank us, Lili. I couldn't let you keep living like that. I'm just glad everything went according to plan."
"Oh, yes… the plan I knew nothing about."
Bell turned at the sharp voice.
"Meteria…"
He had expected her to be angry. But he didn't want to have this discussion in front of Liliruca.
"Are you an idiot? Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped!"
Her golden eyes shimmered—not just with anger, but with something deeper.
Pain.
"You didn't tell her?" Liliruca's sadness turned to surprise.
"I forgot…" Bell admitted, ashamed under the weight of their stares.
"I'm sorry, Meteria. I was going to tell you, I swear!"
Really? You forgot to tell me something that important? What else haven't you told me?"
Her words hit him like daggers.
"What? No! I haven't hidden anything from you!"
"But you did hide this!"
Her eyes blazed—not just with fury, but heartbreak.
"I didn't mean to hurt you…"
He reached for her.
She shoved him away so forcefully he nearly stumbled.
"Well, you did!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"That wasn't my intention… I—"
He faltered.
Because her golden eyes—eyes that had always looked at him with admiration—
Were now filled with nothing but sorrow.
Without another word, Meteria turned and walked away.
Leaving them alone in the cold alley.
Bell didn't move.
Liliruca shifted awkwardly.
"I… I'm sorry, Bell."He didn't answer.
"It's not your fault. It's mine."