8.2K words.
Enoy!
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—
The days passed as winter intensified, each morning greeting the city with a thicker quilt of snow and a sharper breath of wind. Lanterns multiplied across Orario's streets, their warm light fighting the creeping chill as the festival swelled into its last week.
The streets grew larger and livelier. What had begun as scattered street performers and merchant stalls became a sea of color and laughter, music echoing from every corner, from the richest to the poorrest, steam rising from cauldrons of spiced drinks and foods, and the clang of bells following processions of dancers and other street performances.
Silver and Hestia spent their days weaving through the celebration. When the sun shone, they walked the streets together, sampling food from wandering vendors and watching children build snow effigies of heroes and monsters alike, some shaped like monsters, others of the deities, to the laughter of onlookers.
Hestia often stopped to buy small trinkets, scarves, charms, or something else entirely, while Silver carried the bags with quiet amusement as he paid for it all.
In quieter moments, Silver could be found hunched over notes in their small home, testing strange mixtures, melting minerals, and sketching diagrams no one else could make head or tail of. Hestia would occasionally peek over his shoulder, squinting at his pages only to give up halfway through, shaking her head with a sigh.
While he worked, she busied herself with decorations, gossip, and the small but growing affairs of their Familia.
Their home slowly filled with warmth, candles on the windows, ribbons at the door, the faint hum of a goddess humming winter songs as she wrote her reports and worked on the dreaded paper… to fill out their tax forms for the end of the year… and their first month together.
He also took this chance to return to his daily habit of going to the Hostess of Fertility. Now that his issues had been dealt with and his life as an adventurer had stabilized, he could finally visit whenever he was free… albeit with him spending most of his time with Hestia, he barely had the chance to do so.
Most of the time, he simply greeted the waitresses from afar whenever he passed by, offering a nod or faint smile before moving on.
He continued his other plans as well. Between finishing commissions and fulfilling his duties, Silver proceeded with his research in the Dungeon while also reporting his progress to his advisor every so often, much to his annoyance.
Without Loiju around to occupy him, Silver interacted more with other Guild workers, growing a little closer to some of them, though, as always, in an entirely professional manner.
He also sought ways of making money. For while killing monsters was efficient, he knew there were better ways to make a living through the Dungeon. What he figured out after some trial and error was that searching for unique materials and items hidden inside the Dungeon was a far rewarding task than hunting monsters and selling their products.
With his abilities, Silver could quite easily track a great variety of items, and with his test he conducted, the greater he became at finding them.
In any case, he was just starting, one little experience at a time...
Throughout this time, Silver didn't visit Loki to finish the past conversation… and it was mostly due to him being busy. Regardless, that didn't end up being much of an issue as they ended up crossing paths multiple times throughout the festival.
While he had yet to convince her, Loki told him something pretty important. Their next larger expedition would occur only after the new year, so he still had quite some time to show her what he could do. But it was clear that his time was running out.
Until then, he kept training and raising his stats, after all, he wouldn't want to embarrass his goddess with a bad performance before her "greatest enemy's" Familia.
Meanwhile, Hestia pursued her own work with newfound determination. She attended lessons and discussions with other gods and goddesses across Orario, rebuilding old connections and forming new ones with deities from distant lands and more.
Not all meetings went smoothly; some ended in frustration, others in laughter, but whenever she faltered, Silver was there, offering encouragement, or simply standing by her side as silent reassurance.
Albeit slow, she wanted to improve... albeit it was clear it would take far more than simple motivation to lead her down the path of success. Hestia was simply... far too lazy.
If she barely listened to his own explanations about bureaucracies and the like whenever they were together, imagine with others...
At night, the city turned into a constellation of fireflies from above as the thousands of lamps ignited.
They attended concerts, crossed paths with other adventurers, and, more than once, found themselves caught in the snowfall outside their door, talking until the candles ran out... though it was usually Hestia doing all the talking.
As they reached the last week of December, Orario had fully surrendered to winter's embrace. The laughter of its people echoed like a promise of good luck, and though the celebrations would soon end, something in the air hinted that the next chapter of their lives was already waiting to begin.
…
/Five days before the New Year…/
"… and… done! There you go! Your Status is updated!"
She pulled a piece of paper, passing everything down to the sheet, "You've improved a lot in the past two and a half weeks. It's hard to think you became an adventurer at that time. Though if anyone learned your circumstances, they would understand... surely." She said with a half-smile as she went from excitement to worry
With a smirk, Silver took a deep breath as he looked at the ceiling, scratching his back, "Better to keep that a secret then."
"You don't say?! If someone knew a Skill like yours existed… no, just your Magic, can you imagine the mayhem that would ensue? That's why I'm against your getting involved with that drunkard. What's stopping her from just taking you from me?" She said with a pout as she pushed her finger against his back, hiding his status
"Me? A god can force me into a Familia, but its not like they can force me to work for them. I still don't understand how deities can force others to join their Familia and expect them to work as normal."
Silver yawned faintly. He stood up for far too long this night...
Hestia's expression grew a little melancholic, "It's more common than you imagine. I heard some stories from Hephaestus… she too lost children to other deities when she was smaller. It's no joke… if they catch a whiff of something odd within you, they might try to push things around."
"At least she told me she gave all of those deities quite the beating once she grew larger! I haven't experienced such yet... but I'd rather not wait and just push them down from the start!" She exclaimed as she punched the air
"Ha! Let them do it. I welcome the challenge." He said with a smirk as he turned around
'It's even better if they do it. I get a reason to fight their adventurers.'
She pouted, her twin tails slapping against his back, "This isn't a joke! You can't solve all issues by smacking your head against it!"
"Maybe not all of them, but this does sound like an issue that can be solved like that."
"Umumu… what if Loki sends that wallen-something to take you? What am I supposed to do?"
"Tell her to stand down with your divine authority?"
"What if Loki comes with her?!"
"Then you smack her in the head? Look… even if someone forces me to join them, I'll come back on my own in due time. I have enough self-respect to not join an enemy willingly."
'Besides, Loki is simply too big to do something like that. There's simply too much on line for that... like Hephaestus, she can't risk her reputation for someone like me.'
'Though my teleportation alone might be worth it. Any Familia would kill to have someone able to come and go from the Dungeon on call... it's a power strong enough to monopolize the Dungeon somewhat.'
'The Dungeon's biggest danger is being trapped inside its domain. This ability alone trivializes that, and this is only one thing I can do.'
Amidst his thoughts, his eyes sharpened, "Above all, if they send you to heaven… then you'll find yourself with some company soon enough."
Hestia gulped dry, "Urgh… I'd rather not let things escalate that far…"
'Silver can be quite scary sometimes…'
"Ahem i-in any case… not only that, but your basic abilities haven't risen as much as they did in the first week. While that can be explained from our constant updates, its most likely because of me taking much of your time. I'm sorry for that."
"What's there to be sorry about?" He said as he shook his head, "I've enjoyed our time together, and that's all that matters. Besides, this isn't anything I can't recover in a few more weeks of hard work. Festivals like these occur only once a year, we should enjoy them while we can."
"… Right!"
With that, he took the paper from her hands and checked his Status:
—
Mellios Silver
Level 1
Strength C 643 -> C 679
Vitality A 879 -> S 907
Dexterity C 668 -> C 692
Agility A 805 -> A 822
Magic A 912 -> S 941
Magic:
>Magnum opus Ambrosia
- Body manipulation-type magic?
Skill:
>Vit Alhjin
- Body strengthening-type Skill.
- Raises the starting ceiling of basic abilities to H-100, reducing the difficulty of raising them by one rank in the process.
- Passive magic interference from all sources, beneficial, or even self-originated.
>Oculus Davidis
- Conditional and growth boost-type Skill.
- Activates in challenging scenarios, supersizing rewards from a given situation.
—
"They've gotten quite high."
'At this rate, I might be able to level up by next month or the next at best. If I put some effort into it, raising my basic abilities to S 999 shouldn't be difficult… of course, there is the possibility of going beyond it, but I don't think effort alone can bridge that gap.'
Silver knew partially of what it took to get there, but the exact conditions were all lost within his turbid memories. Even if they had been refreshed with his third second reincarnation, much of them still escaped him over the years.
Even photographic memory deteriorated over time, much less memories from a time he was but an ordinary person.
'... If there is anyone who knows how to surpass this limit, then that'd be the Zeus and Hera Familias, but any information they gathered and their research on Falna, abilities, and more is now under Guild lockdown… that isn't a possibility right now.'
'Only snippets of it have made it to the public, and even then, its impossible to tell who found out what...'
'In the first place, I was ready to be an elite adventurer at most, to push some abilities to A and S before leveling up… then I awakened my Plasmids and started aiming for more... but now I can reliably reach S with little trouble, so I'm not complaining.'
'.. Though I've become a little more ambitious... that said, there's a lot of time still…'
"You're thinking quite a bit. You always do this." Hestia bickered as she poked his cheek
"Haha… there's not much I can do about that. I'm just thinking about my progress and how I'll be doing things from here on out… like how I'll Rank Up."
Hestia held her chin as she pondered his words, "Ranking up shouldn't be an issue, but you aren't there yet. You've accumulated quite a bit of High Ranking Excelia, but it isn't enough yet… not when your vessel keeps expanding."
"This isn't an ordinary issue…" She said as she shook her head with some frustration, "I might even say you're the only one with that problem."
"Others have to wait a year for their Falna to settle, but your Skill speeds up the process. Because of that, all the high-ranking Excelia you accumulated is now not enough for a Rank Up… though it never was, really."
"For you, Middle Floor monsters aren't a challenge, and as long as that remains the case, you won't accumulate much of it. You can't fool Falna… and although you can Rank Up eventually by fighting higher-level monsters, it'll take longer than facing a challenge directly."
"… You're not exactly as against as I thought you would be." He whispered to her with a helpless smile as he fell back into his thoughts
'She's right. To Rank Up, one must face a challenge that would otherwise get them killed. I could say every fight with a Minotaur could reach that outcome, but as she said, you can't fool Falna… there is a limit to how much I can handicap myself to make it fair.'
'I'll still Rank Up eventually by facing monsters of a higher level, but it'll take me longer… I wager that if I were to face Goliath alone again, I'd accumulate enough to Rank Up. While I can defeat it with strategy and an almost formulaic approach, that is no different from what others already do.'
'Floor Bosses possess far more Excelia than most monsters, and taking one alone, especially one over my level, would grant me an immense amount. I dare even say it would be enough to raise me from Level 2 to 3 if I were at its limits like now... and maybe even to 4, albeit by then, I wager that I'll be so proficient in beating it that my blessing wouldn't react much.'
'That's why one must keep diving deeper and deeper, and why Floor Bosses are often the target of others for the massive Excelia they can provide... and why my actions had to be done covertly before...'
"Sigh, what can I say? I knew this time would come, albeit it came far sooner than I originally expected… I can't keep telling you to sit tight and be patient. For you to advance, you'll have to go on an adventure… even though I'm against it."
"It's my duty to guide you forward. On that note, I can't help but push you towards her… while I can't stand how she'll act afterward, you'll have a safer ranking up experience with Loki's Familia than on your own."
Her pout return, this time, extremely pronounced... "Humph! I hate to admit it, but she built a Familia able to consistently rank themselves with minimal losses. For someone of your level, they already have a method ready."
"I want you to succeed, Silver, but I don't want you to be harmed either." She said as she looked down... still pouting
"Haaa… My cute and gentle goddess."
"S-Silver! W-What got into you all of a sudden?!" She exclaimed as Silver hugged her tightly
'This development is too sudden!'
"Your concern motivates me to strive for more. I won't let you down." He said as he rested his chin on her head
"You never have! M-Maybe that one time when we were at the theater..."
Hestia snuggled into his embrace, hugging him back.
"Haha… you still remember that? What do you even have against her, anyway?"
She clenched her teeth, "Humph! She's a bother on so many levels! I could keep going on and on!… But…"
'I'd rather not ruin the moment… I really like this perfume of his… hehehe…'
Seeing Hestia shove her face into his chest, Silver sighed helplessly, "Well then, now that we've solved the status update we weren't able to do yesterday, shall we start our day for real?"
"Just give me more time… hehe..."
Silver rolled his eyes, 'One day I'll retaliate… I consider myself a gentleman, but even I have my patience… then again, she's a goddess of purity. Such thoughts are better off shelved.'
'Romance, huh... with a deity no less... hah... I'm actually having some ideas for a book... Maybe I should publish one. I learned they are quite popular... given there are not that many entertainment options around here.'
'I could use Loiju as a test dummy. He's an avid reader, he'd be able to give me a fair review... I'll leave that as a side job if I have the time.'
'But first... where do I go to publish a book around here?'
...
After giving Hestia some time, Silver patted her back, "Come on, goddess, we have things to do, you know? I'll help you tie your hair like always."
"Mnnn… okay…"
"So let's us… are you falling asleep again?!"
"Mumumu..."
…
/Shaaa!!/
"Ugh! A-Atchiu! Ugh... S-Silver, this cold wind might be too much for me. I'm going back home... and snuggle in bed..." Hestia said as she turned around
He pulled her back, "Hold on now, it's just a little wind. It's not even snowing. Here, this will warm you up." He replied as he tapped her shoulder, causing her body to heat up
"Ohhh... what did you do?"
"I just heated your clothes a little. Let's go, no excuses."
"Okay..."
After a hectic morning, the duo left together amidst the heavy snow. Silver first led Hestia to a large manor west of the ruins, as she had done yesterday and the day before.
The reason for that was quite simple… Hestia had recently begun receiving lessons on how to manage a Familia from none other than Demeter. And with the heavy snow, as a goddess of harvest, Demeter saw herself spending most of her time indoors.
While she wasn't exactly bored or doing nothing, she took Hestia as an assistant in her daily activities. He hadn't spoken with the deity much, but from Hestia's words, she spent most of the day cooking with her, which was fine as well.
She needed to learn more about the city and its intricacies, yes… but she also needed to learn how to do basic groceries and cook food for herself. Silver didn't mind giving her the funds for her to do whatever she wanted, and even though she didn't mind cooking for her either, he couldn't be there for her all the time.
Hestia knew that, and neither did she ask that of him. Even if not much, she wanted to do something… and it just came that Demeter was an excellent cook. Now… if she would be able to teach Hestia anything… that was a completely different matter.
As long as she was happy, it didn't matter to him. They had a lot of time to solve things, one step at a time.
She offered to work, but Silver refused. No matter what job she took, it wouldn't make much of a difference. She was best using her time to taking good care of their home and herself... and also because he was certain she'd end up causing trouble.
Because of this, Hestia ended up becoming a freeloading deity that did nothing but enjoy the luxuries provided by her children. There was a goddess like that Silver knew of... Freya.
In any case, amidst the many issues they needed to solve, they still needed a real home, for the Church wouldn't cut it for long.
Above that, they also needed to recruit others, perhaps a small group to work with him. A supporter or a mage focused on healing him with others to protect them wouldn't hurt much.
Silver might work a lot alone, but his combat style wasn't that difficult to mold for others. He just needed to find a group of adventurers willing to work with him for things to work well.
Above all, they needed to be trustworthy. Silver prioritized that over anything else... but with a goddess skilled at reading others' intent, Silver wasn't that concerned. Right now, his biggest issue was finding the right home. He had selected a few, but right now, he was between visiting those with Hestia, and picking one himself so he could surprise her for the New Year…
Difficult choices for sure.
...
With that, Silver went to the Guild as always to get his commissions. However, as he got there, Silver noticed something odd… the Guild… was a bit busier than usual… and as he was distracted, a voice called out to him:
"Hey! Psst! Silver, over here!"
"Hm?"
Silver turned to the side to see Loiju calling to him from the hallway leading into the single rooms inside the Guild.
Curious why his advisor had gone off his vacation, he followed him inside…
…
Inside the private room, Silver took a sip from a teacup as he looked at his advisor, smiling faintly, "So? What brings you here from your paid vacation?"
Loiju, his eyes clearer than his time before his vacation, replied with a sigh, "What else? Work. Work just keeps piling up, and we're understaffed. This branch alone relies on a handful of workers to keep itself afloat. Any of them leave, it's a complete shutdown."
"I dread to think what would happen if they pulled that little girl, Eina, from her post... this entire place would go under the Dungeon in no time. And I can't blame them; she's as much of a workaholic as me yet she can keep her posture better then me."
He clenched his fists in determination, "There's still much for me to learn!"
"Don't take that as motivation..." Silver said with a helpless look
"So? Management issues?"
Loiju rested his back on the couch, crossing his legs as he took a sip of his tea as well, "On the contrary. The Guild is very efficient… we're only severely overworked for our size. I wager we'd need five times more staff to run somewhat smoothly, but if we expand too much, then it becomes an issue."
"Why do you think we have two branches, one at Babel and another in Melen so close to one another? They barely take care of their own work, and we have to synchronize with all branches in and beyond this city... Anyway, we're going off topic. I don't have much time, so I'll keep this short."
"I just want to warn you about what's to come."
"Is something happening?"
"Do you remember what we talked about before the winter festival started? The School District has been spotted! They should be arriving at Melen's coast soon. It seems they grew late due to some issue they were solving at another country, but I don't know the details."
"Really? That's pretty cool."
"You should be more concerned about this! For a small Familia like yours, this is a prime opportunity to get your hands on recruits!"
"Everyone will be vying for them, but I wager you can get your hands on at least one of the lower-ranked students. For you who do everything alone, a chance like this won't come again anytime soon."
He gestured with his hands, imitating chopping and slashing, "Maybe you can convince them with your excellent combat ability. Just don't scare them too much, if you show them how you operate, they'll call you crazy rather than skilled."
"Keep in mind that not everyone is as understanding as me." He said as he closed his eyes with a smug smile
"Yes, yes, sir noble elf..."
"Humph... Look, every student there is above average... and I do not think there has ever been one that failed to reach Level 3 once they graduated."
"I think there are still some Level 2 graduates from the last batch three years ago, but it won't be long before they reach Level 3 for every Level 2 student since then has already climbed their way to higher positions."
He pointed at him, "If you're thinking in the long-term, then you'll at least give it a try. Even if you can't recruit them, then maybe learning about some of them might be worth it, for amidst them will be the future Level 4 and 5 adventurers of this city... in a few more years I wager."
"I don't follow their graduates that much, so I do not know if any of them have reached Level 4 recently... but I don't doubt they will."
Silver pondered, somewhat agreeing with his words, however… "I would love to at least try… but man, we're too small. Most Familias tend to grow their influence and resources before coming to Orario."
"Hestia was one of those unique cases where she just started out in the hardest setting… she's trying to make up for it, but we're far from being competitive."
'And honestly, she's far from being skilled enough to pull something like a meteoric rise...'
...
"Atchiu! Someone's talking behind my back!"
"Ara, Hestia, isn't it just the cold?"
"I'm certain of it! We must..."
"You're not going anywhere. Now, stir that cream a bit more; we want all the bubbles out~"
"Ugh..."
...
Loiju pushed his glasses back, "... You seem to be doing fine though?"
Silver exhaled, "That's because I'm a pretty independent person… I only needed a deity to provide me with a blessing and everything would work itself out. It didn't matter if they were small or large."
"… Knowing her, she would throw a fit if she were to hear you now." Loiju said as he shook his head
"Then never speak of this again…" Silver said as he drank his tea all at once, "I... I will give it a try, I suppose. Recruiting a Level 2 right now might make up for some of my shortcomings."
'Or rather, that's what it'd take to keep up with the training I do down there... I sure would love to get a test subject as well...'
Loiju smiled, "Even if you can't, that's fine. Just keep up the spirit; you're already rushing past something it takes years for ordinary Familias to accomplish. I don't see the need to make it any faster."
"Now then, I should get back to work before the supervisor loses his mind, or Eina finds me and rips my ears out. Here are a few commissions I came across… though you'll have to select them yourself this time." He added as he got up
He reached for the door, "I'll be taking my leave now. Maybe we'll see each other later, but with how much work we'll be having… I can only imagine. Be careful out there, and behave."
Silver scoffed at him as he left, waving at him dismissively.
/Clack…/
With the door closing, Silver was left with the stack of papers and his thoughts, "School District, huh…"
'An institution of knowledge that holds much of Orario's essence. Honestly speaking, if my village were anywhere close to the ocean, I might've considered joining it. My grandparents would've also agreed given its reputation.'
'Even though it hasn't been long since its inception, its reputation spreads worldwide for a reason. My grandparents taught me a lot, but there was a limit to how much they could've taught me. In there, my abilities would've shone brighter… though I wonder if my abilities would've reawakened.'
'But given they did, I wager they would've regardless, perhaps even sooner than before… for all I know, the School District might have unique ways of awakening one's innate talent, it's their whole deal after all.'
'Traveling the world with some of the most capable professors there are while learning about the world in the process… there can be no greater start to life as an adventurer... or anything really.'
'Education and training allow someone to advance quickly and reliably through the Dungeon and whatever field they decide to focus on. Compared to me, who's scrambling to learn things here and there, they have everything at their fingertips… wait…'
His eyes sharpened, "Maybe I can get into their library?"
'I'll think of this later.' He thought as he turned to the papers, "Now, my commissions for the day… is there anything for the 18th floor?"
'Oh... no one would trust a Level 1 adventurer from a no-name Familia to deliver something down there... haaaa... I could become the greatest delivery man in all of Orario if I were to share my abilities... but I can't, I really can't.'
'I don't want to end up in the middle of a war.'
He shook his head, "One step at a time... let's aim for Level 4 at least before revealing something like that... thats the bare minimum."
…
/Several hours later…/
In anticipation of the city's arrival, Silver returned from the Dungeon considerably ahead of time to lead Hestia to witness its arrival. Like many others, tens of thousands gathered around Orario's port city, Melen, to welcome all back home.
What was Melen?
It is a true port city built along the shores of the great saltwater lake known as Lake Lolog, located roughly three kilometers southwest of the Labyrinth City. It is Orario's gateway to the sea, situated at the far western edge of the continent.
Every day, countless foreign ships arrive here, bringing people and goods from distant lands to the "center of the world", or so some call it.
In exchange, transport ships departing from here carry vast quantities of magic stone products, Orario's center product.
Since the magic stone industry is monopolized by Orario, dealing by sea is far more common than by land. For this reason, it may not be an exaggeration to say that ships from all over the world gather in this very port.
The main roads bustled with foreign markets, the many restaurants offering fresh seafood flavors… fishermen tanned by the sun, travelers from far deserts and remote islands, and even gods mingling among them...
"It makes sense why this place is called the city of the sea… when surrounded by Orario's massive walls and isolated from the outside world, it is easy to forget that the sea is very close." He said as he squinted his eyes.
'There should be another entrance to the Dungeon somewhere around here if I'm not mistaken…'
As he looked around, it was difficult to even see the ground from where he was. There were so many people on the streets that Silver wondered if the entire city's population had gone to the streets... and perhaps they had.
Like the winter festival before, street performances and other displays spread through the port town's streets, with a festive mood strong in the air.
Silver heard that the School District's arrival was like a festival to the citizens of both cities. Loiju himself said that its arrival came with a massive boost to the local economy from the thousands of students, professors, and the ten thousand crew members needed to support it as they loaded their mountain of supplies from the world abroad.
Even at Orario, the heavily protected city walls were temporarily opened for the citizens so they could witness the School District, and passage in and out of the city was permitted to the public through the Southwest gate.
Meanwhile, passing adventurers were all thoroughly screened by the Ganesha Familia. Silver passed because of his status as a new adventurer. With not even a month under his belt, his presence was inconsequential to the city's security… not that it would've made a difference.
Had they blocked his passage, he would've left regardless of their permission. There may be magic items able to detect invisibility, but he had never heard of items able to block teleportation.
Thus, Silver led Hestia to the port city, lifting her high above a house so they could witness its arrival in peace and quiet... even if that meant possibly angering whoever lived there...
"Hm?"
He crossed his arms, his eyes squinting further as he noticed something approaching in the horizon.
"… Is that… is that it, Silver? I can't see it... but there's something there." Hestia muttered as she squinted her eyes
"… That's them. When they said the boat was big, they weren't kidding… that's a whole island."
/FUUUONNNNNNNNNN!!/
The reverberations of the ship's horns echoed across Melen's lake like a raging bull, but instead of fear, everyone around them cheered loudly.
At Orarion, everyone's gaze turned toward the place where people were pointing, further southwest from the city walls...
Beyond the great port city... at the entrance of the great lake and further still, the great ocean stretched on without end. On the horizon, a massive silhouette was clearly visible, even to the ordinary eye.
"Wait… its floating?" Silver exclaimed as his eyes trembled
Metallic brilliance reflecting the sunlight. A majestic and overwhelming figure, as if three gigantic discs were stacked atop each other.
Above those discs rose unmistakable structures, buildings, enormous towers clustered densely like a miniature metropolis. And among those inorganic shapes, blue wings, or cloaked forms resembling winged mantles, could be seen stretching outward… as if a human city had been built upon the back of some vast sea dragon.
(Image)
'I see… so this is the pinnacle of magic engineering. They shoved an entire city onto a boat and made it float… haha… what's with people and making things float for damn's sake?' He thought as he was reminded of a scene from the past
'It's not floating very far... it's more akin to gliding. When they told me it had unique floaters, I thought it was for the sea and not for flight!'
"Floating? I can't see it very well from here… it looks a little strange for a boat though."
"Yeah, I've heard this before… My advisor said there's nothing else quite like it. It's the largest ship in the world… Hringhorni."
"Hringhorni… the ship with a circle on the stem?" Hestia muttered as she tried to get a better look at the ship
'So it's that guy, huh.'
But before she could do so…
/Cheers!/
The streets exploded with ovations.
""The Academic District has returned!!!""
Welcomed by the roaring celebration of the Labyrinth City and the port city, the super-massive ship was greeted with thunderous applause.
Silver smiled, a familiar sense of awe rising within his chest…
He kept his thoughts quiet, enjoying the bursting waves of outcries.
…
/Cheers!/
"... It's lively."
/Shua.../
'The smell and echoes of the sea amidst a burst of outcries… and here I thought I had grown tired of it. Right now, it's oddly soothing.'
'It's like being in Europe again… a very dangerous Venice but built on the shores instead… In better days I would've taken this chance to walk around a bit… but it doesn't look like I'll be able to.'
/SHAA!/
"How can they steer that massive thing?" Hestia wondered with some surprise as the mega-boat entered the lake
With deft control of its helm, the supergiant ship cut through the lake's gorge and entered Lake Lolog. The sight was overwhelming. Ships that were themselves over forty meters long, ships that would normally be considered enormous… scrambled to change course like roaches before an elephant.
The great blue-winged ship advanced toward the harbor like a graceful sea dragon. Its shadow stretched across warehouses and stone homes along the shoreline, so vast you had to crane your neck just to see it.
A ship so large it could occupy half the port… normally enough to dock hundreds of vessels.
'A circular ship over… hum… five… six… maybe over seven hundred meters in diameter. It's made like a stack of discs, each twenty meters high.'
'I did some research in the meantime before coming here. The ship has hundreds of buoyancy generators attached to the bottom. The bow is designed to operate in a 360-degree range and fulfills the role of a propulsion device.'
'Like the buoyancy generators, it is also a product created from magic stones, and is currently the only propulsion force field generator in existence in the world.'
'Besides that, those large fin-like structures that resemble a shuttlecock flowing behind it… that's a drop item from the Leviathan, the Leviathan Blue Fin.'
'This is the crystallization of the magic stone production technology Orario prides itself on… I really want to learn it…'
"Welcome back, Academic District!!"
"Welcome to Melen! New students!!"
"What kind of adventures have you brought this time?"
"Where are you? My idol, Leon!!"
"…"
'What was that last one?…'
The people danced. Their joy rose hand in hand and soared into the blue sky. The warmth of the welcome that followed the Academic District's arrival swelled to its peak.
Humans and demi-humans waved flags, musicians played lively tunes, and children ran about laughing. In a moment like this, one could easily forget the chaos of the past.
"It sure is lively… it really does feel like a festival." Hestia claimed as she put her hands over her eyes to block the sunlight
"I was told its arrival had that effect… expect everything to get pricier…"
"Is that all you can think of?!"
"... They sure are excited… is it that special? What's their arrival even all about?"
"Didn't you receive classes on it?"
As Hringhorni finished its docking procedures, cheers continued to rise around them. Awkwardly but excitedly, Silver and Hestia followed the crowd's movement below as their conversation continued, "Ahaha… I do remember Hephaestus mentioning this when I descended a month or two ago… but I forgot already."
He rolled his eyes, "… I'll make it simple. The School District is the largest school in the Lower World, and it travels across the globe."
"The Academic District is an itinerant educational institution supported by the Guild. They actively recruit children between the ages of six and eighteen from all over during their journey."
Hestia tilted her head, "Why would they do that? Aren't there enough children here?"
Silver shrugged, "If the Guild supports it, that must be its will. Orario may be the 'center of the world', drawing many people and deities alike, but that alone may not be enough."
"A friend of mine told me that the city is still recovering from the many disasters of the past. As such, to sustain this growth, and more importantly, to pursue the Three Great Quests, the Guild keeps pushing for the search of exceptional talents that will grow in the void Zeus and Hera left behind."
'Talents aren't born in Orario alone, they come from all over. That can be said for a significant portion of adventurers... me included.'
Hearing those names, Hestia's gaze shifted as she looked back at the city.
"This isn't a one-sided ordeal either, for I heard it's also the will of the deities within the ship. As you can imagine, a ship of that size cannot be operated by a Familia alone. Multiple work together to complete their vision; hence, this exchange is their will as well."
He stuffed his chest, "-It doesn't matter where you come from. You don't need money. Only those who recognize their own inexperience and wish to become students may pass through these gates- or so I was told."
'Would they let me in if I asked nicely?… I guess since I'm an adventurer now, that won't be possible. I've technically already graduated in their eyes... nor do I have any intention of leaving at all.'
'What would be the point of enrolling just to remain for a few weeks?'
"I see.. such an impressive thing, really. Look, they're stopping."
Just then, the crowd came to a stop. They reached the western harbor… or rather, a gigantic shipyard. All wanted to see the glorious ship up close, and even Hestia seemed eager to join them.
Silver could see Guild staff and members of the Ganesha Familia working to control the flow of people, 'They aren't letting anyone close to the vessel. I recognize a few Level 4 and even Level 5 adventurers... is that woman over there the captain of the Ganesha Familia?' He thought as he looked at the adventurers around the harbor.
'Is Ganesha around here as well?… No… they wouldn't let him come outside like that.'
"Finally! Land!"
"We finally reached the harbor!"
"We're back!! Home!"
"Ha! It's my first time…! The port city and the labyrinth city!"
While the cheers still echoed, Silver witnessed many young boys and girls of multiple races gathered along the outer railings of the ship, standing over sixty meters above the water.
They waved to them all. Their uniforms blended both masculine and feminine styles, they were all quite young.
'What a ruthless world… one that throws such young kids into the shredder that is the Dungeon… though I guess you're considered an adult once you're sixteen… albeit they look even younger than that on average.'
'I feel like I'm the oldest of them all... I don't like to think about that... urg...'
"Should we go down? This is a prime opportunity." He said as he put his feet on the edge of the ceiling railing
"Prime opportunity? For what?" She asked as she approached him
He pointed down, "What else? Look at all those deities down there. They're all here for the same purpose… they're here to recruit those students. The School District is a treasure trove of talent."
Hestia didn't seem surprised, if anything, she expected such developments.
Silver continued, "Throughout the day I sought a little of info on them. I found out that because of their fame, they often get dragged into trouble. They accept requests from cities to defeat monsters, or even intervene in conflicts between nations. That's how many of their students rank up."
"Conflicts…?"
"Exactly. They have a saying, something along the lines of — Turn your will into a sword, your knowledge into a staff, and your failures into a crown — In short, they deliberately place students into dangerous situations to make them grow."
"I've heard of this before…" She said as she looked at Silver, jabbing at his waist
"Haha… looks like I wasn't that crazy after all."
"That's no excuse… that said, I didn't expect them to be this intense. I guess you can't judge a book by its cover."
"Right… albeit to me, it was exactly within my expectations."
"Huh? How so?"
"Well… to me, only a place with such a philosophy could attain its given purpose… Even if not as extreme as Orario, the School District has no trouble building experience."
"Like the fading knightly families scattered around the world that teach their children the art of combat, it's normal for students to be at least Level 2."
"We might even find a few Level 3s this time."
"L-Level 3!? Isn't that quite good?" Hestia exclaimed as her eyes opened wide
'I thought such were incredibly rare outside the city gates… A single Level 3 can repel a monster horde. Entire towns would treat them like living legends out there. And this place can train one to be just like that?'
Silver smiled. He could tell what she was thinking about, "In the outside world, Level 3 is considered an overwhelming force and is sought after by every organization."
"Because there are hundreds of high-level adventurers within Orario, we kind of grew numb to their presence, but out there, they are rare enough to turn the tide of wars."
'And one of the reasons why the country of Amazons is so scary...'
"Thus, on that idea alone, the School District is undeniably a treasure vault of talent, for it takes truly unbelievable will to reach such a level beyond Orario's walls… much less within such an early age."
"Many powerful adventurers were once students of the Academic District… perhaps one of them will belong to us this time." He said with a smile as he patted her shoulder
"Urg… I really want to go down there… but… you know what? Let's go! I'd rather cry over my failure than roll around on the bed for not trying!" She said as she raised her fists with fiery determination
"That's the spirit! But there's no need to rush it. There are regulations preventing us from directly approaching the students. Things like direct recruitment and internships… strictly forbidden."
She immediately deflated, "Haaaaa?? So what are we supposed to do?"
He shrugged, "That's up to you to figure out."
'I wager this is more like a parade. The deities will show themselves to the children and leave it to them to choose... if Hestia doesn't make herself visible, how will they even find us?'
'This kind of job is better left for her to figure out... maybe she'll come up with something interesting... or even trouble. Regardless, it's a good learning experience.'
"#! Don't throw it all on me! As the captain, you also have the duty to represent us!"
"And I'm already thinking about how to do that… Anyway, let's get down." He said as he gave her his hand
"Right, you can see things well from here, but I can't, getting a little closer is for the best... but don't try to change the topic!"
"Haha..."
Silver lifted Hestia from the house's ceiling before descending onto the streets.
"One more thing… Let's go our ways from here on out."
"What?!"
"I'm planning on taking a look around with my abilities, but moving with you is a bit taxing…"
She jumped before him, holding onto his cheeks, "You aren't planning on causing trouble, are you?"
He smiled awkwardly, "I'm not that childish. I'm just curious about the ship itself. But from here, we can't see most of it… They don't let others onto the ship, but looking around the hull shouldn't matter much."
Hestia looked at him with a blank look. She 100% did not believe him.
"Am I that unreliable? Come on..."
"It's exactly because of the contrary coupled with your attitude that I'm like this!"
"I promise I won't cause trouble…" He said as he waved his hands in defeat, "For now, its best if you gather around the other deities and learn from them. We can meet around here later and leave the city together. How does that sound?"
"… Fine. But if I hear you caused trouble… I'll be really mad!" She said as she assaulted his chest with a thousand tiny punches
"Hahaha… very well. I'll accept any punishment after… albeit it won't be necessary."
"You better not cry afterward!"
"Never."
With that, the two went on their ways, with Hestia looking back numerous times before she finally went over the street corner… albeit it still took a good five minutes before she left for good.
"Haha… she knows me too well…" Silver said in a low tone as he smiled faintly
He walked to the corner of the street before entering an alley. In there, he looked around before stepping through the wall, entering the house beside him.
'Let's begin… our infiltration.' He thought as his eyes narrowed like two thin smiles
/Fwoosh!/
Silver vanished…
…
Inside a dark room… Silver reappeared. He looked around warily while under the protection of several Plasmids before stretching his neck.
His clothes slowly morphed, changing shape until they resembled those of the School District he saw before.
The outfit was predominantly white, with a wine-red collar around his neck. Below, the coat, it was long and split, similar to an elegant tailcoat.
The long sleeves and trousers fit close to the body, with a silhouette that could be called slender, or rather, a shape the gods, and even Silver himself, would describe as "molded to the body"…
(Image)
Looking at himself through an artificial mirror, Silver smiled, "Brings back memories."
'When was the last time I wore a uniform and went to school? Back when I was a kid in Rapture, there was no proper education system in place yet. By the time I grew up, most things were still under construction.'
'For as long as I can remember, it has always been me doing the building... for once I can enjoy something another has made.'
"How fun…"
But enough playing around. He got serious, stepping forward, "Well now…"
'It's showtime.'
…
/Meanwhile…/
Asfi and Hermes could be seen staring at the distant superboat…
"He did what now?… Haha… I knew something was strange with that boy." Hermes said as his smile deepened, "We learned something quite interesting this time around."
'I sure have a good eye, to spot them from afar and sending Asfi like this... as expected, I haven't lost my touch yet.'
"Asfi! We can't let him get the advantage! We're infiltrating the School District as well!!"
She froze, "But, Hermes-sama… we don't even know where he went, and second, the School District developed countermeasures against our invisibility, and you know that." Asfi replied as a frown formed on her face and a helpless exhale escaped her lips
"I have an idea, Asfi… all you have to do is follow me."
"Can I choose not to?"
"And let him have all the fun?" Hermes said as he turned around, "Asfi! We rested quite a bit already during the festival, let's warm ourselves up a bit before we freeze over!"
"Haaaa…"
'What a headache… I shouldn't have come, why do I keep doing this?...'
Hermes and Asfi left their room.
…
.
.
.
Notes.
The first chapter of a new small arc that will have considerable repercussions for the story. From a certain perspective, we haven't even started the story yet.
The previous story started at the New Year, but we aren't even there yet. All of these months were skipped by me for a reason I don't quite remember.
Still, we're only just beginning with the story. Soon enough, we will engage the content I left frozen on the side and resume the story from there with the consequences from these new acts.
Thank you for reading, and until next time!