"Can you give me some money?"
From the time she could remember, at the age of three, Lili was already wearing a tattered coat, barefoot, standing on a slightly dirty street, extending her hands to beg from passersby.
When she returned home in the evening, her parents would only repeat the countless times-spoken mechanical words, "Bring the money."
This was the only thing she ever heard from her parents.
Then they would cast Lili aside, ignoring her, busying themselves with counting the day's earnings.
The [Soma Familia].
This faction, formed solely for the main god Soma to brew wine, was filled with distortion.
For the god's interest, which required large amounts of money, there was a system within the faction that awarded the most profitable members with prizes—divine wine.
Soma, with his divine power sealed, could still create top-tier fine wines, captivating many members and plunging them into a state of obsessive self-forgetfulness.
Her parents were no exception.
Later, desperate for money to exchange for divine wine, they were swiftly killed by monsters deep within the Dungeon.
At that time, Lili didn't understand what sadness was; she only knew she was completely alone.
From that day on, she spent her days like a stray dog, searching through garbage for food, living a painful and numb existence.
Two years ago, the man who killed the candidate for captain became the controller of the Familia, dragging everyone back into an even deeper hell.
"From now on, the goal of the [Soma Familia] is to expand even further!"
"Orario is in such a period right now; let us recruit new members and ride the huge wave of this era! This wine is the wine our Main God offers us, anticipating our success!"
The stolen wine was grandiosely given the name of the Main God, and the lower-ranking members, including Lili, tasted the [Divine Wine] for the first time, and then… they completely devolved into red-eyed beasts.
Lili, weak as a Pallum, wielded a dagger with blood-stained hands, slaughtering goblins and other low-level monsters in the Dungeon with weak and cowardly surprise attacks, exchanging the meager magic stone fragments she desperately earned for divine wine.
However, completely lacking combat talent, she quickly reached her limit.
Weapon maintenance costs, items, a body that became more scarred day by day, and ability values that showed no progress…
After realizing the reality of her incompetence, she helplessly transitioned into a supporter.
And then—began days of endless exploitation.
All adventurers would bully little Lili, snatching her share, forcing her to work, and even stealing her hard-bought delicious weapons and recovery potions.
Even if she cried and begged for her rewards, all she received were punches, kicks, and loud ridicule.
Lili hated this world that made her unhappy, and from that time, she slowly began to emerge from the influence of the divine wine.
Roughly half a year ago, she started secretly saving money, attempting to escape.
As long as she moved to a different place and started anew, Lili could find a new family and live a happy life, she hoped.
However, the savings she had painstakingly accumulated through frugality were discovered today….
Bang—
Lily, who had been kicked away, clutched her stomach and slid painfully down the cold wall.
"Hey, hey, hey, I didn't expect you to have so much Valis left."
The Orc Kanu weighed the bag full of gold coins, looking down at Lily, whose face was filled with despair and pain, and his smile twisted.
"It seems like the daily cut was too high. Next time, remember to give us, your noble adventurer masters, ninety percent! Did you hear that, you useless Pallum!"
The frustration of failing to scheme against others in the Dungeon that morning and almost dying was now relieved by bullying the weak.
Kanu frowned unhappily at the thought of the man who had attacked him.
What's there to be so smug about?!
Just a pretty boy mage protected by a bunch of women. If I got close, I'd punch your head in!
And that hypocritical Astrea Familia, always putting on a bright and cheerful facade. It's disgusting to look at!
Do you have any idea how many times I've missed out on divine wine because of your existence?!
Thinking of divine wine, Kanu narrowed his eyes slightly, playfully observing Lily, who lay motionless.
"Speaking of which, you haven't had divine wine in a long time, have you? What… are you fantasizing about, you stinky Pallum?"
Lily's eyes were hollow, and she remained numbly silent.
Having even her last small hope stripped away, she had completely given up struggling.
Lily probably did something wrong. No one in this world would care about her, a small Pallum.
Even if she prayed to the gods for happiness, no being would ever cast their gaze upon her, the humble one.
"…"
"Heh, playing dumb?"
Watching Lily remain unresponsive, a sense of pleasure rose in Kanu's heart, but he also felt a bit bored.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"Perhaps it's better to sell you to a brothel. Even if you're a Pallum, if you can be taken to the pleasure district, you could at least fetch a large sum of money!"
!!!
Upon hearing this, Lily couldn't help but curl up, hugging her slender legs, her eyes filled with terror, and she whispered softly.
"Help…"
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Help Lily…"
After Kanu heard her innocent plea, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, tears almost streaming down his face.
"Hahahahahaha, don't be so naive! No parents, no friends, no gods, no one will answer a piece of trash like you, a Pallum! Mourn your weakness like this, and contribute your last value to me!"
Is that so…
No one will call Lily's name again, no one will rely on Lily again, no one will consider Lily essential, no one will help Lily…
It's time to face reality, isn't it…
Lily's eyes gradually turned ice-cold, as if she hated every being in this world, her heart slowly being corroded by darkness.
However, at this moment.
A contemptuous voice suddenly echoed in the room.
"How ugly. A scumbag who only dares to bark at the weak. Stop laughing, your laughter is too unpleasant."