Akira let out a soft sigh, as if surrendering to fate itself. He stretched out his left hand slowly, helplessly, and placed it in front of Ais.
His face carried a hint of resignation, and his voice was gentle as he said, "Since we're heading on this expedition together, I suppose I should formally introduce them to you, Ais. I'm guessing you only remember a few… like Alise."
"Mm." Ais responded with a soft hum, her mood visibly lifting.
Without hesitation, she naturally reached out and held the hand offered to her.
Akira's helplessness deepened as he led her gently toward the crowd. His pace was steady, and at the same time, his eyes subtly scanned the gathered members of the familia.
His gaze was suggestive—firm yet wordless—signaling everyone to reel in their overly intense curiosity. After all, their unconcealed stares had already put the new girl visibly on edge.
Noticing Akira's silent cue, the ever-gentle and composed Maryuu took the lead. She stepped forward with a soft movement, crouching slightly so her gaze met Ais's at eye level.
With a kind smile blooming like spring flowers, she spoke warmly. "Hello, I'm Maryuu. If you get hurt during the expedition, just come find me, little Ais."
Seeing Maryuu take the first step to break the ice with the famed War Princess, the rest of the familia members quickly withdrew their probing gazes.
One by one, they stepped forward, introducing themselves with friendly smiles and welcoming gestures, their attitudes easing into genuine camaraderie.
Meanwhile, Riveria stood off to the side, engaged in a quiet conversation with Astraea and the veteran four-member group, carefully gathering every bit of information about the expedition's details.
From time to time, her eyes drifted toward Ais. Watching her once-reclusive pupil slowly beginning to blend into this unfamiliar crowd, Riveria finally relaxed her stiff shoulders. A breath of relief escaped her lips.
The Astraea Familia had long been known for their relentless dungeon expeditions. Much like other elite exploration-type familias, they frequently ventured into the deep floors of the labyrinth.
Though their numbers were few, each member was a seasoned warrior—an elite in their own right. Their battle records were astonishing.
They had successfully defeated floor bosses no less than twenty-one times. Truly, they were a group of terrifyingly capable girls—powerful and brilliant, their swords as radiant as their smiles.
Of course, the vast majority of those victories came against the infamous Goliaths.
And the reason was obvious: Goliaths regenerated quickly and dwelled on the shallower floors. All it took was a short wait of around two weeks before they could be challenged again.
Other floor bosses weren't so easy to deal with. Some took as long as a month to revive, while others required up to three long months.
The deeper the floor, the longer the wait and the more terrifying the enemies.
The areas themselves were daunting, and unless a large-scale expedition was mounted, simply encountering such powerful monsters was nearly impossible.
What made the situation even more intense was the sheer strength of the deep-floor bosses. Even the Loki Familia, one of the most powerful groups in all of Orario, chose to steer clear of certain foes rather than suffer unnecessary casualties.
That was exactly why Riveria was so meticulous in her information-gathering. She needed to clearly understand the Astraea Familia's goals for this expedition so she could provide sound strategic guidance and ensure Ais's safety.
There were only two particularly troublesome challenges ahead of them.
The first issue was the Guild's high expectations. So far, the deepest that the Astraea Familia had ventured in their previous expeditions was somewhere between the 25th and 33rd floors.
This time, the Guild hoped they could go even further—aiming to break through at least two or three more floors beyond their prior limit.
The second challenge was tied to finances and reputation. With the Loki Familia's generous 200 million Valis contribution now in the hands of Alise, their monetary problems had been solved.
However, Akira and the others had also taken on a number of commissions from familias whose goals weren't limited to dungeon exploration. These missions came with their own risks, and if they failed to deliver, it could tarnish the Astraea Familia's credibility as champions of justice.
After absorbing this information, Riveria frowned slightly and asked, "So this means… you'll need to pass through the 27th floor?"
"That's right." Alise replied coolly, arms crossed over her chest and wearing a confident smile.
"Unless something unexpected happens, our goal this time is to at least reach the 36th floor. If we're lucky, we might even peek into the upper edge of the 37th."
The idea of pushing into the 37th floor made Riveria narrow her eyes.
And there was good reason for that.
To even be allowed into the 37th floor by Guild regulations, a team had to meet stringent conditions.
A minimum of five members, all adventurers needed to be at least Level 4 and everyone's base stats had to be no lower than the D rank.
Unfortunately, the Astraea Familia wasn't quite there yet.
Among their ranks, nine were still at Level 3, while another three remained at Level 2. That alone made the idea of pushing into the 37th floor an extremely dangerous proposition—one that could easily end in tragedy.
Though Alise had ways of temporarily boosting her own level to 4 using her magic and unique skills, she understood all too well that such gains weren't sustainable.
Even with Akira—undoubtedly their strongest member—as their ace, and despite the existence of magic items that could teleport the party back to the surface in a pinch, Alise and the others were clear on one point.
Relying too much on Akira or those tools would inevitably erode their fighting spirit.
True strength wasn't measured by external aids. It came from one's own blood, sweat, and resolve—the ability to face adversity with nothing but a weapon and sheer will.
After pondering all of this, Riveria finally spoke, her tone even and measured. "Then… during this expedition, you'll likely encounter the floor boss on the 27th floor. It's due to reappear in the next few days."
The moment those words left her mouth, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Everyone turned serious.
The two-headed dragon of the 27th floor—if born in water—could unleash power equivalent to Level 6. That alone was enough to send chills down any seasoned adventurer's spine.
But Alise? She just laughed.
"Hahahahaha! That's true." She said, running a hand through the back of her fiery hair, her confidence radiating like sunlight.
"But the floor boss of the 27th floor is no big deal for us. With our current strength, we'll take it down easily. No need for you to worry, Riveria!"
Her bold declaration, laced with hearty laughter, seemed to pierce the heavy atmosphere like a ray of dawn. The tension that had crept into the room moments ago vanished almost immediately.
Riveria, struck by Alise's usual courage, couldn't help but let a small smile tug at her lips.
She gave a graceful nod and replied softly, "Then… it seems I truly have nothing to worry about."
(End of Chapter)
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