"Yeah. Even though I can use my skill to forcibly memorize it, it's like information stored in my mind, I can read it, but I can't understand it. Something like that."
----------------------------------
At the time of the transition between early morning to morning, the cool morning breeze brushed across the faces of the two, and golden hair fluttered in a mess behind Ais.
Raising her hand to smooth the disordered, gleaming strands, Ais pressed her lips together... yet in her heart, some sort of resonance stirred with the young man.
He… did he also have moments like this, of impatience and anxiety, when he couldn't move forward no matter how much he tried?
As if their hearts were connected, a faint smile appeared on Fron's otherwise calm face.
"I kind of understand how you feel now, Ais."
The flavors of life, a mixture of sourness and bitterness, all present.
Faintly, Fron felt as if he had grasped something, only sensing that the blessing on his back was growing hotter and hotter.
If he were to take off his shirt and expose his back, one would find that the Falna Loki had inscribed was flickering nonstop.
This was the first time he had encountered such a situation, and after his mind raced, he faintly understood what was going on…
Spreading his hands, his eyes revealed a trace of astonishment.
'Is this… did I just comprehend something like "trance"? What exactly happened at that instant? Why did it turn out like this?'
Yet no one could answer his question, perhaps only his future self could explore it.
At that moment, warm sunlight gradually climbed over the city walls, shining upon the two of them.
Looking at the slight sheen of sweat from sword practice on Ais, someone's mood suddenly brightened, and he felt like teasing the girl.
"Sniff sniff, Ais. Men don't like girls who smell of sweat, you know."
With that, he even patted her head, messed up her painstakingly tidied golden hair, and then with a mischievous grin, dashed away.
"Mm!"
Ais puffed out her cheeks, her face blushing red, pouting as her eyes filled with shy anger, glaring fiercely at the young man's retreating figure, tightly clenching her fists.
"Fron, I hate you!"
...
After teasing the golden-haired swordswoman, Fron deliberately avoided breakfast time. He really didn't want to be stared by Ais' unwavering gaze and also by Lefiya who was sitting next to the golden haired swordswoman.
When everyone was busy with their own tasks and the base gradually grew quiet, Fron finally made his way to Loki's divine chamber.
"Knock knock knock,"
Fron lightly tapped the door with his knuckles.
"Loki, it's me."
"Oh~ come in."
Receiving a reply, he pushed open the door and entered.
Then… the young man's expression darkened.
"I mean really, you don't need to sneak a drink this early in the morning, do you? Is it really that good?"
That's right, it wasn't even nine o'clock yet, and Loki was already drinking… calling her a drunkard wouldn't be an exaggeration.
"Hmph, you don't understand the taste of fine wine at all, fruit-wine-drinker!"
"…"
Fron's face darkened, and he decided to shut his mouth.
"Here to update your status?"
"I was planning to wait a few more days to let things settle, but I had a small encounter this morning, so I'm curious."
"Oh? Now you've got me curious too."
Loki glanced at the young man sitting with his back to her, narrowed her eyes, and then let divine blood drip, beginning the update.
"This…"
Almost every time Loki updated Fron's status, her mood was like riding a roller coaster, constantly up and down. Because his numbers were simply too terrifying.
She had thought before that his skills would gradually become less effective as his level rose, after all, the amount of unknown knowledge to be gained would decrease.
But no… there was no slowdown at all. If anything, it was getting worse!
"Phew… just look at it yourself, you scared me to death."
"?"
========================
[Name]: Fron Argon
[Status]: Strength: I0→A835 | Endurance: I0→A835 | Dexterity: I0→A835 | Agility: I0→A835 | Magic: I0→A835
[Development Abilities]: 「Mystery G」「Blacksmith E」「Magic Conductance G」「Healing H」「Escape I」「Abnormal Resistance I」
=========================
His ability growth wasn't as outrageous as before, entirely within expectations, since he had only just reached Lv.4 a few days ago, and besides burying himself in the library and workshop, he hadn't experienced much fierce combat.
Though compared to others, it was still absurdly terrifying.
But what truly made Loki cry out in surprise were the development abilities.
「Mystery」 H→G, 「Magic Conductance」 H→G, each had risen a rank. But the most astonishing was 「Blacksmith」, which jumped from G straight to E, even skipping a whole tier.
Upgrading development abilities was far harder than raising attributes.
For example, Ais joined the Familia at age 7 and began using a sword, gaining the development ability 「Swordsman」.
Now, at 16 years old, Orario's number one swordswoman, at Lv.5 upper class, her 「Swordsman」 development ability was still only rank I.
That's right, after eight years of sword use and slaying countless monsters, her development ability hadn't budged a rank, showing how difficult it was.
But Fron? Just by suddenly comprehending some truths, taking a small step forward on his life's path, his development abilities exploded with terrifying growth…
'Even just grasping a little, 「Blacksmith」 bizarrely rose two whole tiers. "Divine Technique" really is too… hardcore'
The harder and more unreachable something was, the more Fron desired it, perhaps that was his true nature.
With this tenacity, even outside the Dungeon, he hungrily absorbed knowledge in his daily life, constantly enriching his foundation.
From when he began studying 「Blacksmith」 at Lv.2 until now, it had been more than a year, and finally, the fruits of his efforts had arrived.
The knowledge he had accumulated and tempered was now being absorbed, intertwined, and integrated through the path of 「Divine Technique」, yielding abundant harvest.
It wasn't an overnight improvement, but like aged wine, an explosive bloom after long dormancy.
"Congratulations, kid. You must've realized something, taken a big step forward in that field."
The goddess instantly saw through Fron's change, smiling sincerely in joy for her child.
"Mm, it finally bore fruit. It's been worth the long effort."
"You've seen your path, haven't you!? Impressive, little Fron."
He didn't reply, just gave a shy smile.
This side of him made Loki, in a daze, feel as though she was seeing again that boy who had first joined her Familia.
'In just over a year, he achieved what would take others ten, even dozens of years. What a remarkable child.'
"I'm off, Loki."
"Mm."
"Oh, right, I went to the city's underground waterway yesterday."
"Hm?"
"I found something rather troublesome."
"Hehehe, is that so."
"Ah, you and Tione must've run into them too, those 'Faceless Flowers.' I ran into a whole bunch in the reservoir."
At this, Fron stood at the door, tilting his head slightly, watching the goddess's blank expression from the corner of his eye.
"Interesting, those rats hiding in the shadows have crawled out again, fufufufufufufu."
"Your true nature is showing, Loki."
"Oh, cough cough, slip of the tongue."
Shrugging his shoulders, Fron left and closed the door. Alone in the room, Loki sipped her red wine, scarlet divine eyes gazing out the window, lips curling into a wicked smile.
"Orario is growing more and more chaotic… interesting, far too interesting. But… if any fool dares to lay a hand on my children, then don't blame me for being merciless."
At that moment, the divine will of this evil god spread through the chamber, inspiring awe. Too bad no one was there to witness it.