I take no pride in this chapter; I look at it and—I don't know why—it just feels bad. But it had been a long time and I needed to post something, so I forced myself to write it. I apologize if the quality falls short of the standards I usually aim for.
Also, I have to say this: writing a *Douluo Dalu* fanfic is a fucking nightmare. Whoever came up with a power system that is simultaneously so complex and so """"shallow""""—for the love of God... everywhere I look, there's some new, imprecise piece of information that could easily just be a misinterpretation. I'm currently reviewing all twelve chapters I've written, all because of one detail I realized might be wrong. Still, it's coming together.
//
The Twilight Manor loomed ahead, its towering spires and massive stone walls mimicking a medieval castle. To Luki, the sheer scale of the Loki Familia's headquarters felt borders on ridiculous.
At the entrance, a line of armored guards stood watch, stepping forward to intercept them.
"State your business at the Twilight Manor!"
"Hello. I am Luki Bryan. You might know me as Hestia's lover and things like this," Luki said, keeping his tone casual. "I have some matters to discuss with your executives, if they are available."
One of the guards pulled out a small stack of papers, flipping through it. After a brief silence, he gave a nod.
"Your name is indeed on the list. Follow me. I will guide you inside."
The moment they crossed the threshold, the quiet of the streets vanished, replaced by the vibrant hum of a top-tier Familia.
None of them had ever been inside a place like this before. Lili's eyes darted everywhere, trying to absorb every detail of the pristine, polished corridors. Miach looked around with an amazed smile, though his eyes lingered on the priceless tapestries and trophies on the walls, silently comparing them to his own tiny shop. Even Luki found himself staring at the sheer activity around them.
Other members of the Familia walked casually through the corridors. As the trio passed by, however, the casual conversations among the adventurers slowly died down.
Heads turned and groups paused what they were doing to observe them in silence, casting strange, heavy looks in their direction.
Luki could practically feel their curiosity and aversion pressing against him, an invisible tension born from his unusual physical characteristics and his less-than-stellar reputation.
As the three of them moved forward under the weight of those silent stares, feeling entirely out of place, the guard stopped before a pair of oak doors, opening them to reveal a spacious visitor's lounge.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable. Someone will be with you shortly," the guard instructed, giving a polite bow before leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind him.
The lounge fell quiet as the door shut. Lili sat on the edge of a velvet armchair, while Miach looked around with a faint, anxious smile. Luki simply walked over to the side, leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed as he kept his eyes on the door.
They didn't have to wait long. The heavy oak doors swung open, drawing everyone's immediate attention.
Two women stepped into the lounge.
Leading the way was Loki, her slender frame draped in her usual loose attire, her squinted eyes scanning the room with a mischievous glint. And walking just half a step behind her was Riveria Ljos Alf, her long emerald hair flowing over her pristine robes, looking every bit the royal figure she was.
"Yo, Miach, troublemaker and a pallum I don't know yet," Loki greeted carelessly, raising a hand in a lazy wave.
"Please excuse her lack of manners," Riveria added with a sigh, her voice calm and refined. "It is a pleasure to meet you all, even if under such sudden circumstances."
Miach smiled warmly and stood up to greet the goddess, offering a handshake.
"It is good to see you, Loki. It has been some time," Miach said smoothly, before turning his gaze to the elf. "And it is an honor to meet you in person, Nine Hell."
Loki snorted, waving her hand dismissively. "Ah, don't praise her too much, Miach! Besides, we literally saw each other yesterday. What's with all the rush to see me? Or maybe... the boy here is already causing trouble again?" She shifted her gaze, landing a sharp, knowing look directly at Luki.
Miach rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward, sheepish smile, while Luki merely cleared his throat, maintaining his composure as he remembered what had unfolded earlier at the Soma Familia's residence.
"I tried to dialogue first. It's not my fault the other party came looking for trouble," Luki muttered defensively,
"Aha! I knew it! Hahaha!" Loki burst into a loud laugh, pointing a finger at him. "You really are a trouble magnet, kid! I guess this just proves exactly what you are."
Luki could only offer a helpless, awkward smile in response, unable to argue with her logic.
Taking advantage of the brief lull in the conversation, Lili quickly stood up from her chair and bowed politely. "Pardon the intrusion. My name is Lilliruca Arde, an soon to be member of the Miach Familia."
"Oh, a cute little thing, aren't ya?" Loki grinned, patting Lili's head without warning. "Hestia sure knows how to pick 'em."
With the brief introductions out of the way, the playful atmosphere in the room began to shift. Now that everyone knew who was who, it was time to get down to real business.
Loki leaned back, crossing her arms as her eyes narrowed slightly. "So, why are you guys here anyway? I don't remember scheduling any visits for today."
Luki took a step forward, taking the initiative to explain. "A while ago, I made an agreement with Finn about working together and learning magic." He glanced toward the elf as he spoke. "He mentioned I could study under someone experienced."
Riveria nodded slowly, looking at Loki. "Yes, that did happen, just the day before our return from the Dungeon. I was meant to instruct Luki-san. In exchange, he agreed to let us study his unique magic."
"Ahhh... makes sense..." Loki muttered, scratching her head lazily. "I think Finn mentioned something like that before, but I honestly forgot."
Miach cleared his throat, scratching his cheek in a slightly hesitant manner. "And... we also need to discuss the collaboration between our Familias. Luki explained the basics to me on the way here, but-"
"Ah, you want to know about the division of spoils, right?" Loki cut him off, a sharp grin spreading across her face. "You want a good piece of the cake to help you escape that poor life of yours, don't ya? Relax, Miach. Whatever your new boy kills down there is all his."
Miach blushed, completely caught off guard by how bluntly she had read his thoughts. "W-Well, it's not exactly like that, Loki, I just wanted to ensure-"
"Yeah, yeah, save it!" Loki laughed, waving her hand dismissively before grabbing him by the arm and dragging him toward the exit. "Come on, let's leave the kids to their nerd problems. Let me show you some of my hospitality!"
Before Miach could even protest, Loki kicked the door open and pulled him out of the lounge, slamming the door shut behind them. Leaving Luki, Liliruca and Riveria standing in silence.
Luki rubbed the back of his neck, offering a crooked smile as he broke the silence. "Ehhh... Loki-sama can be a bit much, right? She really has a lot of energy."
Riveria let out a soft, controlled sigh, though the corner of her lips twitched upward ever so slightly. "That is putting it mildly, Luki-san. One must develop a great deal of patience to manage her whims on a daily basis. But please, do not let her behavior trouble you."
"Right," Luki said, his smile turning a bit more natural. "Well, we already know of each other, but we've never really talked directly like this. I am Luki Bryan. About that teleportation magic... I recently discovered its name is Blink, besides it... meh, I still lacking."
Riveria gave a calm nod.
"Fair enough. Then let me introduce myself properly as well. I am Riveria Ljos Alf. I am a Level 6 adventurer, often called Nine Hell. I have studied elven magic my entire life and am considered the greatest mage in Orario." She spoke with absolute calm, stating the titles as mere facts without a single trace of pride or arrogance in her voice. "It is my duty to help you comprehend what you possess."
"Thank you, Riveria-san," Luki said, scratching his cheek awkwardly as he gestured to the pallum beside him. "And this is Lili. She is a partial member of our Familia... and also my girlfriend."
Riveria's rised her eyebrows slightly in a rare display of surprise. She looked from Luki to Lili, a subtle, judging stillness settling into her expression.
Luki instantly picked up on the reaction and began waving his hands defensively. "Wait, it's not what you think! I am not some kind of scoundrel or anything! Lili was with me way before Hestia-sama left, and she explicitly gave her permission for our relationship!"
Riveria quickly regained her composure, her face turning back into a mask of professional indifference. "Your personal matters do not interest me in the slightest, Luki-san. I am here solely to fulfill our agreement as an instructor."
Although she said that... the impression has already been made.
"Ah, right..." Luki muttered, feeling entirely defeated. He shook his head to focus and cleared his throat. "Actually, it's precisely about that. Lili here also possesses a Falna magic, and I was wondering if it would be possible for you to teach her as well?"
This caught Riveria's attention. Her sharp, emerald eyes shifted toward Lili, filled with a genuine, quiet curiosity. "Oh? And what kind of spell is it?"
Luki placed a reassuring hand on Lili's back, gently nudging her forward. Lili looked up at him with a brief, quiet nod. She took a short breath, focused her mind, and began to recite her incantation in a soft, steady voice.
"Your scars are mine, my scars are yours."
A faint, magical golden light enveloped Lili's small frame, shimmering with a soft hum. Within seconds, her features shifted smoothly under the magical glow.
When the light faded, two fluffy beastman ears had popped out from her head and a tail of the exact same shade as her hair was swaying gently behind her.
"A illusion magic?" Riveria narrowed her eyes, examining the transformation with deep curiosity.
"Actually, it is just an real transformation, Lili can change into anyone who shares roughly the same stature as Lili... which mostly limits it to other pallums, dwarves and even monsters."
Riveria gave a slow nod of approval. "I see. It is a highly utilitarian magic. While it may not see direct use in front-line combat, its value for reconnaissance and infiltration is undeniable." She then turned her sharp, green eyes back to Luki. "And you wish for me to instruct her as well?"
"Well, yeah, kind of..." Luki said, scratching his cheek with a sheepish grin. "I know our original agreement was only for me, but since you're already here, one more shouldn't hurt, right? If it's possible, I would be deeply grateful. Ah, and of course, I will pay for your time, your expertise, and any additional costs that come with it."
"Luki-sama!" Lili gasped, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him closer.
"We cannot do that! We are already carrying too many debts as it is!" She clearly hadn't been told about the payment part.
Luki gently placed a hand over hers, interrupting her before she could stress any further. "Money is not an issue, Lili. We can always make more down in the Dungeon, but an opportunity like this? We can't just let it slip by."
He then turned his focus back to the High Elf, waiting for an answer.
Riveria remained silent for a few long moments, her gaze shifting between the two of them.
"Very well," she finally spoke, her voice softening slightly. "I can accept another apprentice. In truth, I take great pleasure in sharing my knowledge with those who seek it."
"Thank you so much!" Luki's face lit up with relief.
He was just about to ask for the exact price when Riveria raised a hand to stop him.
"There is no need for payment, Luki-san. I could not in good conscience extort money from someone who is clearly facing a tight financial situation, especially when I have absolutely no need for such funds myself."
It seemed Lili's accidental outburst had worked in their favor, inadvertently convincing her to waive the fee. However, the realization left a bitter taste in Luki's mouth.
He couldn't simply swallow the fact that she was doing this out of pity for his empty pockets. Nobody likes the heavy, frustrating feeling of being looked down upon because of a lack of money.
Riveria, seemingly blind to his inner turmoil, continued. "Instead, I will simply extend our original terms to Liliruca-san. I will teach her to the absolute best of my abilities, though whether she learns anything from it depends entirely on her own effort. In exchange, I want permission to study and possibly understand her unique magic as well."
Luki pushed his frustration aside and looked down at Lili, silently leaving the final decision up to her.
Lili didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and bowed perfectly at a strict ninety-degree angle, her voice filled with utmost respect. "It is an absolute honor, Riveria-sama! Lili will place herself completely under your guidance and strive to never bring shame to your teachings!"
Riveria made a gentle gesture for her to stand up. "There is no need for such formalities, Liliruca-san. I do not appreciate this kind of unnecessary hierarchy."
The way she spoke those words carried a subtle weight, as if there was a deeper, hidden meaning behind them.
"Follow me. We shall begin right now," Riveria said, turning toward the exit.
"Right now?" Luki asked, blinking in surprise.
"Yes, right now. To tell you the truth, you arrived at a perfect time. I was just about to instruct my other students, so you may as well join them."
Riveria reached out and grabbed the door handle, pulling the heavy oak door open.
"Woah, watch out—!"
"Kyaaa!"
"Ouch!"
Before anyone could react, three bodies came tumbling forward, crashing onto the lounge floor in a tangled heap of limbs and colorful hair.
"Ouch, Tiona! Your elbow is digging right into my ribs!" Lefiya cried out, her face flushed red as she tried to disentangle herself from the mess.
"Sorry, sorry! But Lefiya, you were pushing me from behind!" Tiona laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head while sitting flat on the floor, completely unfazed by the lack of dignity.
Ais was at the bottom of the pile, blinking blankly up at the ceiling as if she was still trying to process how they had lost their balance.
Riveria crossed her arms, looking down at the three girls with a stern, disapproving expression. A quiet, tense silence filled the room as they waited for her response.
"Care to explain what the three of you were doing pressed against the door?" Riveria asked, her voice dangerously calm.
Tiona looked up at Riveria, giving a cheeky, helpless smile as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Ehehe... oops~"
Before the Riveria could even scold them, Tiona's eyes snapped over to Luki. Her expression instantly flipped from guilty to pure excitement.
She pushed herself up just enough to rest her elbow right on top of Lefiya's head, leaning her chin in her hand as she beamed at him. "Hey there, handsome! Do you come here often?"
"Hey! Get off me!" Lefiya yelled from underneath her, her face turning bright red from both the weight and the utter embarrassment of the situation.
The reactions in the room were instantaneous. Riveria closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, heavy sigh. While Luki simply watched them with a calm, steady expression, having already sensed their presence behind the door from the very beginning, he wasn't at all surprised, remaining unfazed by Tiona's blunt approach.
Liliruca, however, stiffened completely. She stared at Tiona with wide, horrified eyes, her mind racing at a dangerous speed.
'Hestia-sama was right!' Lili thought frantically, her glare narrowing as she locked her target on the Amazon. 'Luki-sama really is a woman magnet! I absolutely cannot let this one get anywhere near him. Luki-sama belongs only to Lili!'