Elsewhere
After parting ways with Su Mo, Liliruca returned to the Soma Familia hideout, lugging a massive backpack. She slipped quietly through the hallways, sneaking into her tiny room while no one was paying attention. Su Mo had entrusted her with a critical task—and Liliruca wasn't about to walk through the front door all high and mighty, then try to negotiate with Zanis head-on. That kind of approach might work against someone who respected rules. But Zanis? He didn't play by rules. And if she overplayed her hand, he might just lock her up before she could say a word.
Sure, she had a magic sword now, and she wasn't afraid of him or the others anymore.
But violence was always meant to be the last resort. Charging in fists first might feel good in the moment—but getting Su Mo's task done properly was far more important to her. She didn't want to disappoint the man who had placed such trust in her.
Calling it a "room" was generous—it was more like a dusty storage space tucked in a corner of the building. Someone like Liliruca, who'd always been pushed around and ignored, was never going to get a decent room. Thankfully, she was small and didn't need much space anyway.
Once inside, she locked the door and rummaged through her backpack, pulling out two empty barrels she had just purchased. She filled them both with ordinary water. Then, from her pocket, she carefully took out a tiny bottle—only a few centimeters tall—from which a rich, intoxicating aroma wafted. One drop at a time, she added the fragrant liquid into each barrel. When she was done, she sealed the lids tight. After a short wait, she cautiously opened one lid. Instantly, the scent of high-grade liquor hit her nose.
Just a few drops of that essence had transformed two full barrels of water into wine that surpassed even the gods' own brew. It was unbelievable. But after her earlier surprise, Liliruca quickly composed herself. She closed the lid again to keep the aroma from spreading.
The barrels had spigots at the bottom—standard taps used for pouring. She took a few empty bottles she had on hand, filled them up with the new wine, and tucked them safely into her bag. Then, after making sure everything looked normal, she slung the pack over her shoulders and quietly slipped out of her room.
Fortunately, as someone who'd always been at the bottom of the pecking order, no one paid her much attention. And just like that, Liliruca made her way toward the Soma Familia gate.
As soon as she arrived, Liliruca spotted her target—a dwarf with a thick beard named Chandra. He was exactly the person she was looking for.
Chandra was a Level 2 adventurer who had joined the Soma Familia for one reason only: fine liquor. With his strength, he could easily earn enough in the Dungeon to meet Zanis's harsh standards and qualify to receive divine wine. But even then, the stingy Zanis would only grant him a few sips.
Naturally, this left Chandra more than dissatisfied, and as a result, he didn't get along with Zanis at all. Still, he had no intention of outright rebelling against his captain. And Zanis, for his part, knew he couldn't forcefully control a Level 2 adventurer. So, the two maintained a kind of tense peace.
Chandra generally obeyed orders, but only in the most half-hearted, bare-minimum fashion. He wasn't the only one like that either. Most adventurers in the Soma Familia had grown disillusioned. After all, divine wine had far less addictive pull for someone as strong as a Level 2 adventurer.
Zanis had only been able to keep most of them in line because the god Soma never intervened or punished him. Within a familia, the god's will was absolute—so as long as Soma didn't act, no one dared go against Zanis. But today, something was different. Chandra noticed it immediately—the unusual glint in Liliruca's eyes. It was as if a storm was about to break.
"You're… Liliruca, right?" he asked, recognizing the red-haired pallum girl.
Chandra was one of the few who had never bullied her. But that wasn't because of kindness. He simply hadn't been interested. In truth, he couldn't have cared less about anything that wasn't alcohol related. That's why, now, it wasn't Liliruca that caught his attention—but the wine bottle in her hands.
"Trying to buy me off?" he said casually. "If it's cheap swill, don't bother."
He wasn't picky per se, but he didn't want to stir up trouble over bad booze. That said, if the bottle contained something truly special, he wouldn't mind lending a hand. And if it was a whole bottle of divine wine? Well, in that case, he wouldn't even mind risking his life. Of course, that was just a dream. How could someone as weak and lowly as Liliruca possibly get her hands on divine wine—
"What is that?!"
Just as he thought that an aroma far more fragrant than any divine wine wafted over and struck him like a hammer. His eyes widened in shock and immediately locked onto the bottle in Liliruca's hand. The pallum girl was just finishing pulling the cork.
The intoxicating scent had his full attention now. As a dwarf and a devoted lover of alcohol, he knew—even if this drink were laced with poison, he'd still be tempted to try it. And yet, this small girl directly handed him the bottle.
"Drink first. Then we'll talk," Liliruca said with calm confidence.
Gulp.
Chandra's throat moved reflexively. He had no resistance to alcohol to begin with, and now, with such an invitation, there was no point in holding back. Without hesitation, he brought the bottle to his lips and took a hearty swig. The moment it hit his tongue, a wave of euphoria washed over him.
This… this wasn't divine wine.
This was something better.
Even Soma himself couldn't produce something so pure and delightful.
He was lost in the taste, gulping down the nectar in sheer delight. Though normally a rough drinker, this time he took his time, savoring it. A whole ten minutes passed before he drank just half the bottle. The remaining half, he sealed away carefully. This was the kind of drink you saved for special moments. Only after putting the bottle away did Chandra finally look at Liliruca with real seriousness. Anyone who could produce—or even obtain—such a drink was not someone to be underestimated, regardless of their combat strength.
"What do you want from me?" he asked directly, clearly impressed.
"I won't betray our god, but anything short of that—I'm in."
His straightforward tone and bold words were exactly what you'd expect from a dwarf. And honestly, after receiving such a generous gift, he wasn't the type to refuse when help was asked. Liliruca, though calm on the outside, was thrilled inside.
She had suspected Chandra might be willing to switch sides, but out of caution, she'd still prepared a whole list of arguments and persuasion strategies. To think she wouldn't need any of them…
The wine alone was enough. Its effect was stronger than she'd imagined. Her admiration for Su Mo's abilities only deepened.
Then she began to explain. "Here's the situation…"
"…That person—Su Mo—wants to use our familia's name and distribution network to sell this wine."
"I'm the sole representative he's chosen to lead that effort."
"And now, I'm preparing to negotiate directly with Captain Zanis. But before that, I need someone standing behind me."
"All you have to do is be that person." It was a win-win proposition—one that would benefit the adventurers of the Soma Familia greatly.
Why risk your life exploring the Dungeon, when you could make more coin selling luxury liquor? With how incredible this wine was, it would sell at unbelievable prices. Even if they were just earning wages, the income of Soma Familia's adventurers would easily double.
"For most of us, this would be a huge opportunity," Liliruca continued, her tone composed and confident.
"But if Zanis gets his hands on it, his greed will ruin everything. He'll strangle the operation before it even starts."
"And even if Su Mo continues the partnership under those conditions, do you think you—those who aren't part of Zanis's inner circle—would see a single valis of that profit?"
Even though Chandra had already agreed, Liliruca still laid everything out clearly. She wanted him to fully understand they were on the same side. That kind of clarity would make him far more invested.
Chandra scratched his beard and shook his head. "You're talking too much. I've only got one question." Typical dwarf—straight to the point.
"If I side with you… can I get a bottle of that wine every month?"
He wasn't interested in gods, partnerships, or business plans. That was all talk. He just wanted wine. Under Zanis, he barely got a few sips per month. But if siding with Liliruca meant he could get even one bottle like the one he just tasted… he was in.
In truth, that was a big ask. Even half a bottle would be more than he ever got from Zanis. Hearing his question, Liliruca blinked in surprise for a second—then immediately nodded firmly.
"No problem. I can guarantee that much!" Based on her earlier discussion with Su Mo, a bottle of wine per month was practically a bargain. So, without hesitation, Liliruca agreed. Seeing the serious look on her face, Chandra broke into a wide, bearded grin.
"Alright then. My life's in your hands!"
"As long as there's wine, a dwarf will never refuse a job!"
If before, he was only protecting Liliruca for the sake of that one bottle, now he was protecting her for the promise of a steady supply every month. And that made all the difference. A dwarf would never hesitate to risk his life… for good liquor.
"Great!" Liliruca was thrilled to have gained such a reliable ally.
"Next, let's find some more adventurers who, like you, don't exactly get along with Zanis." Hearing her directive, Chandra thought for a moment, then led her to a few familiar faces.
With Chandra now acting as her bodyguard, Liliruca began actively approaching various adventurers to rally support. Using the divine wine as bait, and her clear vision for the future as motivation—not to mention the fact that even a Level 2 adventurer like Chandra had taken her side—Liliruca quickly won over several of them.
Low-level adventurers received just a small cup to sample the flavor. But for Level 2s, she offered an entire bottle. Under such enticing conditions, it didn't take long before Liliruca had gained the support of nearly thirty percent of the Soma Familia's adventurers.