As for the potential "Apollo Familia crisis," Mikoto, who had just transferred Familia, hadn't yet realized the problem.
She was still living at her old Familia's residence.
To her, transferring into the "Hestia Familia" felt more like a chance for full-fledged training in swordsmanship and martial arts.
After finishing the expedition, normally, one should rest.
But she couldn't suppress the urge to train her sword. Knowing where the Familia's base was, she headed there early in the morning.
Yet standing in front of the Familia's headquarters, staring at the desolate sight before her—
Mikoto suddenly felt… a little embarrassed to disturb them.
She knew very well from following Liang Yue through the Dungeon that he had taken on the bulk of the monster-clearing work. Even the floor boss, Goliath…
He had defeated it single-handedly.
Normally, after all that, adventurers would be utterly exhausted and choose to relax in Orario.
"Maybe if I brought some kind of gift, it would feel more proper?"
From the expedition's rewards, her god Takemikazuchi had given her a generous bonus. After deducting weapon maintenance costs, she still had quite a lot leftover.
As a true member of her new Familia, visiting them now left her conflicted.
But just as she was hesitating, footsteps came from behind, drawing her attention.
Turning around, she saw a short-haired supporter—Liliruca Arde.
Unlike usual, she wasn't carrying her oversized backpack. Just a cloak, and under her short brown hair, a pair of cat ears stood out clearly.
"Good morning."
Mikoto, though not exactly a rookie adventurer, was still new to the Familia. With a calm demeanor, she greeted her companion, wanting to build rapport.
Visiting alone had made her nervous, but now that Lili was here, she relaxed. After exchanging greetings, she followed her into the basement of the abandoned church.
There she saw Liang Yue, already washed and cloaked in grey-brown attire.
She froze for a moment.
They'd just returned from the Dungeon—so why was he dressed like he was heading out again?
"Liang Yue-kun…" Unable to suppress her curiosity, Mikoto frowned and asked about his next move.
A thought struck her, one that made her uneasy:
Could it be that Liang Yue's rapid growth and leveling up wasn't talent alone—but the result of relentless overtraining?
"You're here."
"The break is postponed. For the next three days, we'll focus on Dungeon training."
Since he hadn't yet settled his date with the guild advisor Eina, Liang Yue didn't have much else planned.
And once the War Game began, surely the half-elf lady would understand.
Having long grown used to his exploration pace, Lili remained calm. Since this wasn't a full expedition, just a bit of food would be enough.
Mikoto, who had even prepared to ask for a sparring session, was now caught off guard. More Dungeon diving again?
Her plans completely unraveled.
She looked at him, frowning: "You're not going to rest?"
"Of course I will. But first, we need to make sure we even have the time to rest."
Since Hestia had stayed the night at Hephaestus' place, and since he hadn't sensed other adventurers stalking them, Liang Yue knew this was the time to talk.
Mikoto had just transferred in—they had every right to know about the looming "War Game."
His expression turned serious as he explained:
"There's something urgent."
"What do you mean…?" Mikoto blinked in confusion. After an expedition, even the Guild wouldn't immediately assign more duties.
What could be so pressing?
Standing nearby, Lili's young face grew grim.
This was familiar—
The last time he'd spoken in that tone was before leaving the Soma Familia.
And afterwards, when he returned, the entire Soma Familia had been slaughtered by him.
The memory made her uneasy.
Liang Yue lowered his voice:
"It's not really a big deal. But think about it—our Familia's grown this far. We can't just stay in this rundown place forever."
"If our strength allows it, I'd like to improve our environment a bit. But you know… all of that takes money."
"I understand."
At that, Mikoto immediately grasped his meaning.
She had joined mid-way, and now the Familia's living conditions were even harsher. She frowned, speaking earnestly:
"Liang Yue—Captain—I admit, I joined Hestia Familia with personal motives, hoping to refine my swordsmanship. But I don't want my joining to add more burden to you or the Familia. As for conditions like our base… those can be ignored as long as the people are right."
She watched him closely.
And when she noticed a smile tugging at his lips, her own words grew more bashful:
"What matters is the people. Everything else… can be overlooked!"
This came straight from her heart.
A feeling far more complex than mere admiration. That moment when Liang Yue saved her from the Minotaur—
That image kept replaying in her mind.
Was it "liking" him? She couldn't yet say.
But she knew she didn't want to be a burden.
"The problem is…"
"This isn't something we can control. Honestly, after the expedition, I wanted nothing more than a quiet vacation too."
Liang Yue shrugged, no longer hiding anything.
"But the Apollo Familia… You've both heard the rumors about their reputation, haven't you?"
"…"
Lili's expression hardened. Having struggled in Orario's underbelly, she remembered the whispers.
They were said to forcefully recruit adventurers, using underhanded methods to snatch up anyone who refused to transfer.
Could it be…
She glanced at Liang Yue.
And when he didn't deny it, she realized her suspicions were true.
"Apollo Familia…"
Mikoto frowned, confused. She didn't know their reputation as well—only that they were a powerful Familia.
She couldn't connect how that related to upgrading their base.
"What do they have to do with us improving our base?"
"Basically… if we just rely on normal Dungeon exploration to save enough money, it'll take way too long."
"Then…"
Still puzzled, Mikoto trailed off.
Liang Yue's smile widened as he explained:
"Normally, it has nothing to do with them. But the thing is… their Familia isn't normal."
"So, it does."
"???"
Because only an abnormal Familia would go so far as to start a War Game just to seize another adventurer.
And of course—since it hadn't happened yet, Liang Yue chose to keep that much to himself.
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