Ronan had been snubbed by Jeanne, but he didn't mind at all.
Jeanne could block him once or twice, but she could not interfere every time. Besides, Rose had already joined the Familia, so he had plenty of chances to get closer to her naturally.
He had many advantages. If he still could not win Rose over, then he might as well give up.
Ronan raised an eyebrow and returned to his room in a good mood. He sat cross-legged on the floor and spread out all his equipment and items. He checked everything carefully before organizing them into different bags.
"Oh, right. There's also the food I made from the Recipe: Bacon Potato Rolls."
Thinking of this special food, Ronan carefully placed it into his supply bag.
As an experienced adventurer, Ronan knew very well that people like them never knew what would happen the next day. Because of that, making the best possible preparations was the best way to protect his own life.
Because the Familia was going to start its mission the next day, everyone finished their work and went to sleep before midnight.
...
The next morning.
Drizzle fell outside the window.
Ronan opened his eyes and felt that he had slept very well. The fatigue that had built up in his body and mind over the past few days had vanished.
He quickly pulled off the covers, got up, and dressed. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still early, so he decided to handle his daily chores first.
By the time the others woke up and rubbed their sleepy eyes, Ronan was already taking care of the difficult potted plants in the small courtyard.
In the living room, Rose was yawning and getting ready to wash up. As she passed the window, she stopped. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ronan busy in a corner of the yard.
Feeling a bit curious, she leaned lazily on the windowsill.
"Good morning, Ronan. Are you the one who takes care of these potted plants? Hmm, they look really healthy."
Hearing Rose's voice behind him, Ronan knew who it was without turning around.
He continued pruning the branches and responded with a smile:
"Good morning, Rose. How did you sleep last night?"
"Hmm, it was okay. It's just that the weather is a bit humid and stuffy during the rainy season. Everything else was fine."
Rose frowned slightly, sounding a little annoyed.
Ronan shrugged, also feeling a bit helpless.
"Well, I don't have a good solution for that yet. You know, Orario is located in the far west and is close to the sea. Its location means it rains here all year round."
"Near the sea? Orario is a seaside city? That's great! I've never seen the ocean before!"
As soon as the ocean was mentioned, Rose's eyes lit up, and she looked much more awake. She clearly wanted to see the sea.
"Well... if you want to see the sea, there is a way."
Ronan thought for a moment.
"Less than ten kilometers from Orario, there is a harbor town called Melen. You can see the sea there. When we get stronger and the city is more stable, I'll take you all there for a trip."
As the Captain, Ronan knew how to give people something to look forward to. He immediately gave Rose a promise.
The effect was immediate. Rose's eyes were already full of longing.
On the surface, Ronan stayed calm, but he was thinking about the real situation.
By now, Melen had probably already become a major base for Evilus, right? Those smuggled illegal and controlled goods were likely moved through that town's port and shipped all over the world.
With such a key trading hub, would Evilus and their partners let it go?
At a time like this, going to Melen as an adventurer from Orario was no different from walking into a trap. Although he had made a promise, Ronan himself had no idea when he could actually fulfill it.
After that, the two of them chatted happily through the window for a few more minutes before going back to their own tasks.
...
Eight o'clock arrived.
After eating, washing up, and checking their weapons, supplies, and backpacks, everything was busy but organized.
Ronan, already wearing his combat outfit and armor, sat at the stone table in the courtyard. His backpack and wrapped staff were at his feet. He watched Jeanne, Rose, Lorie, and Aura walk out of the house one by one. He stood up, swung the heavy backpack onto his shoulder, and looked at everyone, paying special attention to Lorie and Aura.
Lorie was dressed in hunting gear and a cloak. Besides her supporter backpack, she had a short bow and a quiver hanging at her waist. At this moment, her left hand was resting on the hilt of her saber-style sword, and her face was full of excitement.
Aura wore a red and black dress-style combat outfit with boots, topped with an Elven-style hooded cloak. This mage also carried a backpack and had a wooden staff with Elven features hanging on one side. Like Lorie, Aura was also a skilled archer. As an Elf, she also had a short bow and quiver at her waist to support the vanguard when Magic wasn't suitable.
"Weapons, armor, supplies, tents, cooking tools, sleeping bags. Is everything ready? Check one more time. Did we miss anything?"
Jeanne, Rose, Aura, and Lorie all looked at him and nodded.
"We are fine."
Jeanne, Rose, and Aura spoke almost at the same time.
"I'm fine too!"
Lorie raised her hand, looking very confident.
Ronan nodded and opened the courtyard gate.
"When we are fully prepared, death will have a harder time finding us."
"Let's go!"
At his command, everyone walked out of the gate and onto the tree-lined path. Looking at the team in front of him, Ronan felt a bit emotional.
"From one person to two, and before I knew it, the Familia has reached five members. Things really change fast."
The things he had experienced recently were stranger than his entire past life combined.
He locked the gate and looked back at the small house where he had lived for two years. He thought to himself:
The number of people in the Familia will only increase in the future. The place is still spacious for five people, but if we add more members later, I'll have to consider moving. After all, this base is only borrowed. Don't forget, this is Lady Demeter's property.
Thinking about building a mansion for the Familia in the future made Ronan's face stiffen. How much would that cost? He didn't even dare to think about it right now.
Watching the others who had already walked ahead, Ronan sighed.
"You guys can just focus on fighting and getting stronger, but as the person in charge and the captain, I have a lot more to think about."
He shook his head, put away the key, and walked faster to catch up with the team.
...
The center of the city, Babel Plaza.
The Veyr Familia team stopped in the crowded plaza, quietly looking up at the famous white tower, Babel.
They saw it every day, but looking at it now as adventurers about to enter the Dungeon, everyone felt a bit different. This was especially true for Rose, Lorie, and Aura, who were about to enter the Dungeon for the first time.
"It feels different, right?"
Jeanne stood to the side with her spear, smiling as she spoke to them.
Rose rested her gauntleted hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, her eyes bright.
"Yes. It feels different now."
Aura's focus was different from Rose's. She stared for a moment, clearly impressed.
"Unbelievable. What kind of craftsman could create something like this?"
"I heard Ronan say it was connected to ancient craftsmen and Lord Ouranos's Familia."
Jeanne's explanation made everyone look at Ronan at the same time.
Ronan didn't hide it, as this was clearly recorded in the book Orario Geography and History.
"That's right. The book mentions ancient craftsmen connected to Lord Ouranos's Familia. But even then, Babel's true history is not something it explains in detail."
"It was... not only made by gods, but also by people from the lower world?" Lorie looked up and whispered in a daze, "So cool!"
After that, everyone stayed for a moment longer, quietly taking in the sight of the city landmark.
Ronan took out his brass pocket watch and checked the time. Feeling it was about time, he looked away first.
"Let's go. We should follow the crowd down while there are still many people. It will help us avoid some trouble on the way and save a lot of time."
The others nodded and followed Ronan's lead.
The five of them wore matching hooded cloaks, hiding their faces in the shadows. Ronan even pulled up his mask, leaving only his eyes to scan the surroundings.
This kind of outfit might look suspicious elsewhere. But in Orario, especially at the entrance to the Dungeon, it was the most common sight.
Looking around, many adventurers were wrapped in cloaks, trying their best to hide their identities. Ronan's group blended into the crowd, drawing no extra attention.
...
The Dungeon, 10th Floor.
Bang.
A thick wooden club slammed hard against a shield. The heavy sound of the impact echoed loudly through the narrow passage.
But Rose, who was holding the shield, did not move at all. The heavy impact crashed into the shield, but it failed to push her back even an inch.
"Holy...!"
Ronan, who had been beaten down by an Orc's raw strength before, instinctively swore. He stared at the scene in shock.