Liang Yue's impression of the half-elf receptionist Eina was, of course, excellent—she'd looked out for him in countless ways, even lending him a full set of armor before the forced expedition. Now that it was over, basic manners demanded he thank her properly.
"She should be at the Guild…
Lili's probably wrapping things up, too."
With his status having leapt forward, Liang Yue decided a little work–life balance wouldn't hurt.
Cradling a bouquet, he headed for the Guild.
Thanks to most adventurers being in the Dungeon, no one treated him like an exhibit on display; the hall felt almost quiet. He paused, tucked the bouquet deeper under his ash-brown cloak, and let his gaze sweep the lobby.
It settled on a graceful figure in the Guild library, shelving books.
"Miss Eina." He went straight for his target, smiling as he walked up.
Having heard from Misha that the Hestia Familia had completed the expedition, Eina finally let her heart unclench—only for a new, uniquely girlish anxiety to take its place: when would he come by the Guild?
She was looking forward to their promised outing; she hadn't even fixed her upcoming days off—keeping things flexible just in case.
As she straightened the book stack someone had messed up, a voice sounded behind her—unfamiliar yet instantly recognizable.
"Miss Eina!"
"…"
She turned, tilting her head slightly as she took in the boy approaching. Her smile turned warm.
Noting other receptionists nearby, she pressed a finger to her lips in a little shh. Only after the curious looks faded did she answer, light and breezy:
"I'm here!"
—
They sat on the Guild lounge sofa. Steam curled up from the black tea on the table. The mood felt like it had when he'd first registered—only now her eyes were more serious than he remembered, which left him unsure how to start. He lifted the cup and took a small sip.
Finishing the task in her hands, Eina turned back, smiling earnestly.
"Good work on the expedition… Sword Soul, Mr. Liang Yue!"
As the receptionist who had registered him, Eina had followed his progress closely. She took no credit for his achievements; she just felt lucky the rookie in her care had soared so far, so fast.
Being called Sword Soul by strangers no longer fazed him.
Being teased by someone close, though—that was harder to handle. He waved it off, flustered.
"Miss Eina, please don't tease me."
"Who was it that made it necessary?" she countered.
Forced expeditions were usually a kind of punishment. Linking it with the recent Soma Familia debacle, Eina could guess the broad strokes—even if she didn't know the details. Her tone carried a hint of reproach—not for his boldness, but for how lightly he treated his own safety.
"I won't do anything reckless."
Catching her meaning, Liang Yue laughed softly, then pulled the bouquet from behind his back.
"Also… thank you for sponsoring that armor.
If you're free sometime soon, I'd like to thank you properly—in person."
"Oh."
Her diverted lecture dissolved the moment she saw the flowers. The smile that blossomed on Eina's face swept away the remnants of annoyance. After a brief hesitation, she lifted her fair neck and said lightly:
"Then… let's wait.
I'll contact you when I'm free."
She said it mostly for his sake. Much as she looked forward to the date, she wouldn't get in the way of his priorities.
Just then Liliruca finished the formal report and loot exchange. Leaving the Guild's conference room, she ran into Liang Yue as he was about to go.
She didn't butt in. Her glance flicked past him to Eina. No open hostility—just a soft, creeping sense of crisis.
Without asking why, Lili flashed a bright smile and gave her report:
"The expedition haul was great. I've exchanged everything—
total comes to about 2.3 million valis."
She added, "All material transactions have been recorded with the Guild staff."
"I trust you."
Since she'd joined the Hestia Familia, they'd be spending every day together—he did trust her.
Waving it off, his mood dipped as he remembered the still-unrepaired blade.
"Let's grab lunch. I've got something I want to run by you."
"Okay."
—
Meanwhile, having left the middle floors with minimal supplies, Bell, Pan'en, and company chose not to push deeper.
"Master" in name, Pan'en's actual job was to look after Bell—and to demonstrate, when the time came, that Falna baptisms shoot one's stats up far faster than Dungeon training.
But at the Goliath's chamber, things went off script.
If Bell failed to beat the boss, Pan'en would step in—
that had been the plan.
And then Liang Yue walked into the chamber and butchered the floor boss—
a Lv.2 rookie, slaughtering Goliath on sheer strength.
At the same stage himself, Pan'en wasn't sure he could do the same. In a death match, could he really beat Liang Yue?
He… wasn't one hundred percent confident.
Worse, there was that conversation between Liang Yue and Bell.
This had to be reported—
Captain Ottar had stressed it repeatedly before they entered the mid floors.
After seeing Bell off back at the Freya Familia's base, Pan'en hurried to make his report to the goddess he revered most.
"Captain Ottar, I have something very important to report to Lady Freya!"
…
In the great hall, he lifted his gaze to the poised figure on the throne. Beauty that could drown the world, eyes languid and unreadable.
"My lady Freya."
"While escorting Bell in the mid floors, we encountered… an unusual situation in the floor boss chamber."
The noble face atop the stairs didn't change.
"My intention was to let Bell temper himself against Goliath, and only step in if he couldn't go on. Everything was going as planned—
until the unexpected—Liang Yue—appeared."
"…"
Still no verbal reply—but Pan'en felt it: at the name Liang Yue, Freya's demeanor sharpened. A faint adjustment of posture, a hand supporting her chin; the incomparable goddess' lips curved ever so slightly.
"Tell me everything."
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