Seeing the worry on Eina's face, Robin's heart warmed. She stepped forward on her own initiative and soothed her in a gentle voice:
"Sorry to make you worry, Miss Eina. Actually, before we came to Orario, we had already joined a Familia and gained some combat experience. We're not completely green, so you don't need to be overly concerned about us."
Those reassuring words were a story Faen and Robin had agreed on long ago.
After all, with their skills and potential, their level-up speed was bound to far outstrip ordinary adventurers. And the moment they leveled up, they would have to report it to the Guild.
Forcing a cover-up wasn't impossible—but if they were discovered, the consequences would be severe.
In this world, a mismatch between level and actual strength was the biggest red flag. It was the sort of thing that could easily trigger a deep investigation from the Guild.
Unless they could get an item like the Hermes Familia captain, the "Universalist" Asfi Al Andromeda's Hades Head, a magic item capable of concealing one's presence and status, hiding their level long-term was close to impossible.
Rather than scrambling to explain later, it was better to lay the groundwork from the beginning.
"We received Falna outside Orario and had already accumulated a lot of excelia"—that explanation perfectly accounted for why their first level-up might come unusually fast, keeping the initiative in their own hands.
As for what came next, Faen's goal was clear.
As long as he could reach Level 3 quickly, then with his out-of-spec magic—and Robin's higher-tier magic that could flip the entire flow of battle—very few forces would be able to threaten them anymore, aside from the absolute top Familias in Orario.
By then, they wouldn't have to tiptoe around everything like they were now.
If someone didn't like it?
Then they could fight.
With Faen and Robin repeatedly assuring her, Eina finally calmed down.
After that, under her guidance, they headed to the Guild's exchange counter.
---
The exchange process went smoothly.
Magic stone buyback prices were fixed; the staff used professional tools to measure size and purity, then quoted the value.
As for the brand-new drops, slime fluids and Hilichurl masks—because a large number of adventurers had already brought them in, the Guild's research division had completed appraisal and pricing.
"Fire Slime Condensate. Classified as a highly efficient accelerant and heat-conductive material. Can be used to craft high-quality flame potions or enchanting materials… Guild purchase price: 1,200 valis per unit."
"Hilichurl Mask. Tough material, infused with a faint curse. Can be used to craft low-grade cursed items or decorative pieces… Guild purchase price: 800 valis per unit."
When the Guild clerk placed the final bag of coins on the counter, it landed with a heavy thunk.
"Hello. The total from this exchange is 78,300 valis. Please make sure you have it."
At that number, several adventurers waiting in line nearby couldn't help shooting them looks of shock and envy.
Seventy-eight thousand valis.
For most rookie adventurers, that was a fortune that took half a month, sometimes longer—to earn.
And these two, who looked like rookies themselves, had made it in a single day… no, in half a day.
Faen calmly stowed the money away, though his chest churned with emotion all the same.
And this was after he'd already prioritized feeding half their magic stones into the system for charging.
For the newly established Focalors Familia, this income was practically a shot of adrenaline.
Replacing a weapon, paying rent, feeding a goddess… everything would become manageable from here on out.
Carrying that weighty income, and the fatigue of battle—Faen and Robin returned to their small two-story house in the Seventh District.
On the way, they deliberately detoured through the bustling streets of the First District and stopped at a stall filled with rich, creamy aromas.
Golden, crispy potato balls tumbled in the oil, tempting the appetite just by sight alone.
"Give us the biggest order of cream-filled fried potato balls, please," Faen said with a grin to the vendor, thinking of the goddess at home—bored out of her mind, yet passionately devoted to good food.
---
When they opened the door, Furina was sprawled across the soft sofa like a boneless cat, listlessly flipping through a hero-tale novel unique to Orario—something she'd bought at a bookstore.
Her signature ahoge drooped with zero energy. She was clearly bored to death.
"You're finally back!"
The moment she saw Faen and Robin, Furina revived on the spot. She sprang up from the sofa and rushed over with her arms wide—then immediately launched into exaggerated complaints.
"It's so boring being home alone! It's like all of Orario's fun has nothing to do with me!"
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Faen said with a helpless smile, raising a hand to ruffle her hair soothingly.
"Once our Familia grows and we have more companions, we'll always leave someone to stay and hang out with you."
As he spoke, he produced the still-steaming paper bag of cream-filled potato balls as if by magic.
The scent seized Furina's full attention instantly. Her sulking vanished in an instant.
She cheered, took the bag, carefully pulled one out, blew on it, then took a huge bite with blissful satisfaction.
"Mmm… so good!"
She usually preferred delicate desserts, but every now and then, enjoying something simple and "common" like this was its own kind of unbeatable pleasure.
"If you're really that bored, why not try going out and making some friends yourself?" Robin teased, smiling indulgently at Furina's happy, squinty-eyed expression.
In her eyes, the goddess was more like an energetic, lovable little sister who needed looking after.
To her surprise, Furina immediately puffed out her chest and announced proudly, "Hmph-hmph, I already made a friend, you know."
She smugly set the potato ball down, turned around, grabbed the hero-tale novel, and planted her hands on her hips—swelling up like an overly proud pufferfish.
"Today I went to the bookstore to buy a book."
Then she launched into her "adventure" in vivid detail.
"But I ran into this suuuper gentle green-haired elf. We only chatted for a bit, and she was completely captivated by my charm. She even paid for this book and gave it to me as a gift!"
Hearing that, Robin was genuinely happy for her.
"That's wonderful. If you have a friend, you won't feel lonely at home anymore. And to make one so quickly—and with an elf, no less, a race that's famous for being hard to get along with… Furina really must be popular."
Robin's praise made Furina even more smug. Her "tail" practically lifted into the sky.
But beside them, as Faen listened to Furina's description, something in him suddenly stirred.
==================
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