When Hestia left the Adventurers' Guild headquarters, she felt as though she were wrapped in an air of unreality—
she had never expected to be updating an adventurer's rank at all.
And for the process to go so smoothly in the end!
Given the Guild's information network, tracking down the culprit behind the fall of the Soma Familia should have been easy.
According to Orario's laws, what came afterward would be carried out with strict precision.
But that… didn't happen.
The Guild representative, Royman, had even personally delivered the updated status scroll—
and after that, the Guild had taken no action at all.
Their silence alone made their stance clear.
Even if the Guild wasn't going to pursue the matter further,
Hestia still felt that one should never get too optimistic about these things.
As her tension faded, she slowly realized something was off.
The destruction of the Soma Familia had happened the night before last,
and after that night, Liang Yue had spent the whole night in the Dungeon.
He'd updated his status, leveled up, and even reported breaking the "fastest level-up in history" record—
forcing the Guild, and the power behind it, Ouranos,
to choose between punishing him or supporting a prodigy with heroic potential from a now-defunct Familia.
"Why does it feel like everything is unfolding exactly as Liang Yue planned it?"
Hestia could see the key point clearly enough.
But when she tried to reason backward from the results to the cause,
the realization shook her to her core.
This wasn't just maturity of character—
it was absolute meticulousness.
Walking down Orario's bustling streets, now bathed in sunset light,
she passed the central plaza where the Tower of Babel stood.
The gathering crowd of adventurers caught her attention.
Pushing her way through, Hestia found herself at the center of the commotion,
where the Ganesha Familia was maintaining order.
A large notice board stood prominently.
"This is…"
Hestia frowned slightly, stepping up to read the message.
The more she read, the more her expression shifted.
"In defiance of divine will, former Soma Familia captain Zanis, along with Familia members, engaged in the sale of contraband capable of controlling the mind."
The Ganesha Familia had delivered their final verdict on the matter.
Compared to Liang Yue's unprecedented talent,
what truly shocked Hestia was the meticulous reasoning of someone so young.
"Could this, too, have been within your expectations?"
That meant there was no need for parting.
The tension in her heart finally eased—
but in its place came an overwhelming sense of crisis!
He had achieved a historic speed in leveling up.
Hestia trusted Liang Yue's character and morals completely—
he would never betray her.
But the same could not be said for the many temptations the gods might offer him.
Her newly formed Familia was at the absolute bottom of Orario's hierarchy.
Compared to the powerful ones, they had no advantages at all—
just the emotional bond between them.
Would that really be enough to make it across?
Even if Ouranos kept the news quiet for now,
the fall of the Soma Familia was certain to trigger a new Denatus (Gods' Assembly).
Liang Yue's promotion to Level 2 could not be hidden—
even his new title would be decided there.
Thinking of this made Hestia restless.
She wanted to hurry back and tell Liang Yue the good news that the matter had been resolved,
and also discuss the question of his title.
"Just thinking about it, I know the days ahead will be busy!"
Though she thought this, an involuntary smile tugged at her lips.
While Hestia was at the Guild reporting his level-up,
Liang Yue was, of course, not sitting at home waiting.
He put on his cloak and set out.
The streets of Orario were lively in the evening.
When passing adventurers began discussing how Zanis's divine wine had an intense mind-controlling effect,
it was a sign that the incident was over.
In this battle to prove his worth—
he had won.
"It was guaranteed."
The fist he had clenched inside his cloak slowly relaxed.
It wasn't so much bending Orario's laws as it was
that his stats fit neatly into Ouranos's plans for the final conflict.
Showing his potential made the Guild overlook the truth—
but that didn't mean there would be no consequences.
"Hopefully… it won't be something like a Familia expedition."
He shook his head.
He had no plans to go eat at a restaurant,
nor to gloat in front of the Ganesha Familia.
As a responsible teammate,
he would at least check on someone who had worked hard for him for free.
Reaching the Ganesha Familia's gates,
Liang Yue looked up at the massive elephant god statue.
He didn't immediately ask where Lili was—
instead, he stood quietly at a distance, waiting.
The wait wasn't long.
Soon, a small cloaked figure with an oversized backpack emerged from the passage beneath the statue.
Things had gone surprisingly smoothly.
As per Liang Yue's instructions,
once Shakti had brought the god into the conversation,
Lili had revealed the full truth.
That had ended the questioning.
Waiting to be released had been agonizing—
her freedom would decide whether Liang Yue's plan had succeeded.
When she finally stepped out of the Ganesha Familia,
looking up at the night sky settling over Orario,
a wave of realization washed over her.
It was over.
She had escaped the abyss that was the Soma Familia.
She had come out of the Familia slaughter incident unscathed.
Right now, she felt nothing but lucky—
—lucky to have met Liang Yue.
Even if his ship was more of a pirate vessel than a sturdy one.
"So… how do I go about joining Liang Yue's Familia now?"
She kept her head down, as was her habit,
thinking about where she belonged from here on.
She had no trust in other adventurers in Orario—
but she wasn't someone who hated all of them either.
Liang Yue was simply the one and only exception.
"I should have agreed on a meeting place beforehand…"
"And even now, he still hasn't told me which Familia he's in!"
She muttered in frustration.
But as Soma-sama had said—
"One step forward is the direction of fate."
To walk forward, she had to lift her head.
Feeling lighter than she had in years,
Lili looked up—
and spotted a familiar figure not far ahead.
Her smile blossomed.
Even seeing the person who had changed her fate,
the words she wanted to say wouldn't come out.
Her shy nature wouldn't allow it.
"Adventurer sir!"
"Would you happen to need a supporter who doesn't ask for payment?
I'm very familiar with all the floors below the middle levels."
Then, realizing she was shortchanging herself, she quickly added:
"As long as you cover food and lodging…"
"If possible, I'd like to maintain a long-term, friendly, healthy working relationship with you."
"Free labor, and I have to feed and house you?"
Liang Yue chuckled and shook his head, finally summing it up:
"Lili, you really are the same as ever—
all you ever think about is yourself!"