When he heard someone call his name, Qianshuo instinctively turned his head—
And a familiar face came into view.
"Miss Lefiya?"
He froze for a beat.
Lefiya was smiling brightly and waving at him, and Qianshuo clearly hadn't expected to run into her down here.
At the same time, his gaze drifted to the elf beauty standing beside her—and he couldn't help pausing again.
She was very beautiful. Standing next to Lefiya, the contrast was striking.
Where Lefiya radiated liveliness, this elf exuded stillness and calm—two different temperaments that somehow made each other stand out even more.
Just then, Heith walked over, looking surprised.
"Hm? Alicia—so you came to bring your familia's newcomer too?"
It was obvious Heith knew her as well. After all, both of them had fought the Evilus faction during the Great Feud.
"It seems you're the same, Heith. What a coincidence. These two children are both first-timers in the Dungeon."
Alicia offered a courteous smile, but she still carried that unmistakable aura of distance.
Heith was long used to it.
Elves from the Forest of Veisen tended to be like that—so she didn't mind at all.
Then Heith introduced Alicia to Qianshuo.
"Kid, let me introduce you. This is Alicia—'Pure Garden', Alicia Forestlight. She's a Level 4, Second-Class adventurer of the Loki Familia."
Qianshuo nodded in understanding—and couldn't help feeling quietly shocked.
So this really was the Loki Familia—one of the twin giants alongside Freya Familia—packed with members who had the potential to become First-Class adventurers.
After that day, Qianshuo had also learned more about Loki Familia.
Because of Riveria's unique charisma, her status as the Elven Queen, and her skill 'Elven King's Seal'—which could enhance all elf magic—
Many elf girls in Loki Familia idolized her.
And that, in turn, had formed a distinctive mage corps within Loki Familia: a team composed entirely of elf girls.
Most likely, Alicia and Lefiya had joined for that reason as well.
"Hello, Qianshuo. I know your name—Hedin's disciple."
Alicia's eyes settled on him.
"If you weren't exceptional, someone like Hedin-senpai wouldn't take you as a disciple so easily."
She studied him as she spoke, and in the end met his gaze head-on.
Clean eyes.
And his mana—pure, with no hint of impurity.
For an elf who cherished purity above all, that alone created a subtle warmth.
No wonder Hedin had accepted him.
He was different.
Alicia found herself curious: what kind of talent did this child possess, to be valued so highly?
So valued that on his very first Dungeon run, Heith was personally accompanying him.
Alicia knew Heith's standing.
To have the top-tier healer of Orario—second only to Amid—serve as escort…
That said everything about Qianshuo's position within Freya Familia.
"Senior Alicia, you flatter me," Qianshuo replied with a light shake of his head and a smile.
"I was only acknowledged by my master because I worked harder. Compared to the seniors in my familia, my talent isn't worth mentioning."
He remained humble and steady—calm, neither arrogant nor overeager.
At least, that was how he saw himself.
Compared to the efforts the seniors had poured in, his "talent and hard work" felt insignificant.
He'd never once developed the mindset of looking down on others.
Besides, even with Ittou Shura and Sword Technique Mimicry, Qianshuo understood something clearly:
To become truly strong, you couldn't rely on special tricks.
You needed a strong heart.
A true master always kept the mind of an apprentice.
And precisely because Qianshuo understood that, he could push his "mimicry" to its limit.
Alicia watched his expression closely.
He didn't avoid her gaze.
He wasn't tense.
Those black eyes were as still as a lake.
At first, Alicia had assumed he'd be a cocky boy—after all, to be cherished by Lady Freya and taken in by Hedin, surely he'd be overflowing with pride.
But instead…
He was calm.
Not reckless.
That alone made Alicia look at him in a better light.
And it also meant something else:
In the future, Loki Familia would gain a powerful new opponent.
"Interesting."
The corners of Alicia's lips lifted slightly.
Watching their exchange, Heith's own smile deepened without her realizing it.
"This kid… really knows how to speak."
Not in a slick, worldly way.
But in a way that felt so sincere, you couldn't find anything to criticize.
No wonder Lady Freya liked him so much.
No wonder even Hedin was slowly coming to acknowledge him.
A personality like this was hard not to like.
It seems those years of traveling the continent—and that brush with death—have worn away his sharp edges, Heith thought.
What's left is steadiness. And that can only benefit him.
Heith nodded inwardly.
From Freya herself, Heith had learned how Qianshuo and the goddess had met—how badly he'd been hurt, and what kind of misery he'd lived through to end up covered in wounds.
No wonder he'd said something like "a final struggle before dying" that day.
His heart had already been tempered into something frighteningly strong.
Then Alicia spoke, smoothly shifting the flow of the conversation.
"Since fate brought us together here… how about we let Lefiya and Qianshuo form a team? Let's see how deep these two first-time adventurers can go."
She was suggesting the two kids party up and explore together.
But her intent had subtly changed.
At first, she might've wanted Lefiya to "bully" Qianshuo a little.
Now, she wanted to see Qianshuo's potential with her own eyes.
What kind of genius had Freya Familia produced this time?
Heith narrowed her eyes slightly, smiling as she met Alicia's gaze—almost as if trying to read the emotion behind it.
Qianshuo and Lefiya both froze at the sudden proposal.
"Eh?"
Alicia smiled sweetly at Heith.
"Heith, what do you think?"
"I'm just here to supervise," Heith said with a shrug and a grin.
"Kid, you decide. I don't care either way."
She'd more or less grasped Alicia's "goal," but she didn't refuse. Instead, she handed the decision to Qianshuo.
"Th-this…"
Qianshuo found it hard to respond immediately.
The invitation came too suddenly.
Refusing also felt… awkward.
Sure, the familias competed—
But there wasn't hostility. If anything, they were closer to rivals who could still be called friends.
"I'm fine with it," Qianshuo said after a brief moment of thought, nodding.
"If we party up, we can explore faster. But of course, it depends on Miss Lefiya."
Even though he had prepared himself to go alone, having a teammate would also help him adapt to teamwork.
"Eh? M-me?"
Lefiya's brain visibly stalled.
Wait.
She was going to team up with Qianshuo?
With someone from Freya Familia?
With Hedin's disciple?
She looked instinctively to Alicia.
The senior's face held a gentle smile—
But her eyes clearly said:
You can't refuse, Lefiya.
"I—I'm fine with it too!"
Lefiya straightened her back, forcing herself to look calm.
"Please take care of me, Qianshuo!"
Her voice came out a little too loud, echoing down the corridor.
The moment she heard her own echo, the tips of her ears turned red.
Oh no… so embarrassing.
But Qianshuo didn't seem to mind at all.
He simply smiled and nodded.
"Likewise. Please take care of me, Lefiya."
That smile was… unexpectedly good-looking.
Lefiya froze for a heartbeat—then violently shook the thought out of her head.
No, no, no, no!
She was Lady Riveria's disciple!
How could she feel even a little fondness toward the enemy?!
-------
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