"Opening his eyes, Kopii saw an agitated Raven. "Alright, I'll help you, Raven," he said, getting up and getting dressed.
"Really, Kopii? I'm so glad! I thought you'd refuse. After all, you're already Level Two, and you'll be helping me, a Level One, thus slowing down your own growth."
"Why would I refuse to help my friend?" He had nothing else to do, so why should he refuse? He wasn't planning to go below the fifth floor anyway; he'd just lend him a hand, but he wouldn't be killing. Kopii thought this might at least alleviate his boredom a little.
"As we're heading down to the first floor, Raven, I wanted to ask you, why a sword specifically?" Kopii asked, looking at Raven's back.
"Well, a sword is the easiest weapon to learn." He agreed with this reasoning; he knew that swords were the most popular weapon in the dungeon because they were quick to master. But Raven interrupted Kopii's thoughts: "Plus, according to legends, the King of Mercenaries used one."
"Do you understand, Raven? If you're always looking at others, you'll never develop your own style, your own tactics. Do you just want to be a copy of a hero?" Kopii stated, preparing for the inevitable monster encounter. "What's wrong, Raven?" He couldn't see Raven's face, so he didn't know what he was currently thinking.
"It's our fate, Kopii. To forever be nothing more than a pathetic copy of someone else." But before Kopii could ask what that meant, he heard the sound of monsters spawning. "Ooooh, it's my first monster!" Raven exclaimed.
"Be careful," Kopii said, remembering his first descent into the dungeon when he nearly died because of common goblins.
"Oh, it's a goblin. I read that it's the weakest monster in the dungeon. Is that true, Kopii?"
"Yes, Raven, that's true. There are only two of them, but still, don't let your guard down." After Kopii's words, Raven rushed forward to meet the goblins and killed both with a single blow.
Kopii's eyebrows shot up in shock. "So fast…" he thought. Compared to himself when he first came down, Raven was already stronger than him.
"Have you been practicing swordsmanship for a long time, Raven?" he asked, watching Raven collect the magic stones.
"What? No, Kopii. You could say I only recently picked up a sword."
"Ah, I see. Then you're pretty talented," he complimented Raven.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that."
"What? Why do you keep speaking in the plural?"
"Ah, it's just a slip of the tongue, nothing more. Just don't pay attention, Kopii," Raven said, handing the magic stones to Kopii.
"How much will I get paid for these?"
"Very little. Really, very little." After Kopii's words, Raven's expression didn't change at all.
"Oh, well, no big deal. They're so weak, so it's not surprising. Alright, let's go, Kopii, let's not waste any time."
And so time passed, Kopii simply watched Raven and realized more and more that his swordsmanship skills were remarkable. Especially for someone who'd only recently picked up a sword.
"We spent the whole day in the dungeon."
"I see you're not tired at all, Raven."
Looking into Kopii's eyes, he smiled. "Kopii, a hero shouldn't show fatigue or weakness. Well, these stones are enough for us to eat at the Hostess of Fertility; prices go up at night there."
"Well, I think it's enough." Entering "The Hostess of Fertility" and looking around the pub, it was, as always, full. "Does it ever empty out?" he thought, approaching an available table.
"How lucky we are that there's a free table at this time," Raven said, sitting down opposite Kopii.
They didn't have to wait long for a waitress to approach them. Kopii tensed up a little, watching Syr approach. Kopii hoped she had forgotten him, but the following words completely shattered those hopes.
"Hello, Kopii, long time no see," Syr smiled with her bright smile.
"Hello, Syr, it's true, it's been a while," Kopii said, looking away from Syr.
"Kopii, congratulations on leveling up," she said, not taking her eyes off Kopii. Kopii felt uneasy under her gaze.
"Well, I'll have noodles."
"Alright, Kopii. And what will you have, Raven?" she said, looking at Raven.
"I'll have noodles too."
"Okay, two noodles," she said, leaving.
"You better not trust her, Kopii," Raven said, looking seriously at Kopii. He was surprised by the change in Raven's mood.
"What? Why? Weren't you praising her, saying she was an angel in the flesh, weren't you?" Kopii asked.
"Just don't trust her. Alright, Kopii, I don't want to talk about it anymore," he said, looking away, examining the others.
"If that's the case, why were you praising her when we were here for the first time?" But Raven ignored Kopii, continuing to look at the newcomers. Kopii frowned at Raven's ignoring him.
He didn't understand why Raven had changed so quickly. As he says, his views have changed. Only one thing remained unchanged: his goal of becoming a hero. It dawned on Kopii. Maybe he confessed to her and she rejected him, then it explains such a change. Kopii never understood romance, but he always read a lot of books, including romance, and he knew that unrequited love can lead to negative emotions.
Kopii's musings were interrupted by Syr bringing both noodles. Looking at Raven, he had his usual smile again. All that seriousness had vanished, as if it hadn't been there.
"Thank you," they both said at the same time.
"And by the way, Kopii, they sent you greetings from the orphanage since you're the most popular in Orario now."
"Ah, yeah, then you can send them my greetings too."
"No, Kopii, you should visit the orphanage. They told me that you promised to visit them, but you haven't visited even once."
Hearing this, he felt a little ashamed under Syr's gaze. With all his business, he had completely forgotten about this promise.
"Okay, Syr, thanks for reminding me." She wanted to say something again, but she was called away and left to serve others in the pub. Raven froze, he was looking towards the newcomers. Kopii, surprised by Raven's reaction, also looked in that direction.
Kopii didn't understand at first who it was, but when they sat down where they were supposed to sit, it dawned on Kopii. Examining the Loki Familia, Kopii looked for the one because of whom he feels not whole.
He knew what she looked like from the words of others. But in reality, only she had light hair, so Kopii immediately guessed. "So beautiful," he thought. Everything he had heard about her was even embellished; she was even more beautiful in life. But then their eyes met.
Her eyes were the same color as her hair. Looking each other eye to eye. Kopii saw what he wanted. Turned away and continued eating noodles. But no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, he still felt her gaze on his back. But over time it disappeared. But Kopii didn't have time to exhale in relief when there were more gazes. He felt them burning him with their gaze. But over time, everything subsided. Kopii exhaled with relief. He guessed who was staring at him so intently.
"What do you think of the Loki Familia?" Kopii asked Raven, staring intently at him. "Well, stupid question, you've only been here recently." But before he could finish speaking, Raven interrupted him:
"If you compare them to the Freya Familia, they're much better than them. But, of course, I'm comparing them because they're the strongest in Orario."
"Ah, I see." He doubted his information-gathering abilities. It seemed to him that Raven knew more about Orario than he did, even though he had lived here for less time than him. Or maybe he just knew where to get information, and he was looking for it in the library.
"Kopii, I have an idea!" Looking at Raven's face, there was a smile, but for some reason it was different from the previous one.
"And what's the idea, Raven?" Kopii inquired, focusing all his attention on Raven.
"Well, Kopii, when we leave here, and when you're walking past the table where the Loki Familia is sitting, just say these words."
"What words?" Seeing Raven lost in thought.
"Say, 'A kind wind that will bring happiness to anyone, and her name is Aria.' But remember this, Kopii, when you say it, run away from there with all your strength."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kopii felt doubt about this idea, especially running away after what he said. If he needed to run, then it was dangerous. And especially running from a Familia that bears one of the strongest names.
Seeing Kopii's confusion, Raven conspired. "Don't worry, Kopii, it's nothing special. Hey, Kopii!!!" Raven's smile widened, it started to feel uneasy. "Smile when you walk by, and then say it. Come on, Kopii, this is really good."
"Okay. I'll try to do it," Kopii resigned himself, getting up from the table.
"Wait, Kopii!" Raven stopped him. "I'll go first." He watched him pay for the noodles, and when he left the pub. I followed him.
Stopped near the table where they're sitting. Whether to say it or not hesitating. All of their eyes were on Kopii, he swallowed and said smiling:
"A kind wind that will bring happiness to anyone, and her name is Aria."