After defeating Udaeus, both Ais and Eiji were satisfied with their expedition.
Since they had completely run out of potions, the three of them picked some fruit on the 38th floor as a substitute for food and then began their journey back.
It took a full three days before they returned to the upper floors.
"Why am I the one carrying this?"
Eiji, with a massive backpack on his back, followed behind the other two with a head full of black lines.
"How about being a little more chivalrous toward the ladies?"
Riveria chuckled lightly, completely unmoved. It seemed she still hadn't let go of her displeasure with him for egging Ais on.
"I'm actually quite chivalrous, just… not in that sense."
Eiji thought about it and decided it wasn't the best idea to make any suggestive jokes in front of the pure-minded Ais and the prim-and-proper elven royal. So, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
Inside his backpack was a massive magic stone—nearly as tall as a person. It was the magic stone of Udaeus. Since the backpack couldn't fit it, he had to secure it with vines, making it quite the spectacle. Passersby couldn't help but stop and stare in awe, their expressions filled with admiration and reverence.
Aside from that, there was also a large black sword, a drop item from Udaeus. The weapon, heavily worn from battle, had been reduced to an ordinary greatsword. When they passed through the 18th floor, they left it with Bors.
Bors had used some cunning wording to convince them—suggesting that since the red-haired woman might appear on the 18th floor again, having a strong weapon around would provide a sense of security. Plus, having a backup weapon stored on the 18th floor wasn't a bad idea. Because of this, Ais left the greatsword behind; otherwise, Eiji's load would have been even heavier.
The group climbed the staircase from the 6th floor, returning to the 5th floor.
Here, the walls were a light blue, and the dungeon's scale had shrunk dramatically, spanning only a few hundred meters. The terrain was smooth and even, with no steep slopes, making it very friendly for rookie adventurers.
"Do you want me to carry it?"
Ais stopped in her tracks and looked at Eiji.
"Finally! My back has been killing me after carrying this the whole way!"
Eiji quickly took off the backpack and handed it to Ais.
"Ais, you're spoiling him too much."
Riveria raised an eyebrow, exuding an effortless authority.
"There's only a short distance left anyway."
Ais took the backpack with ease, slinging it over her seemingly delicate shoulders.
"Some people, the older they get, the more they—"
Eiji stretched his sore shoulders while glancing at Riveria with a teasing expression.
"What did you say?!"
"Nothing! I said you're looking more beautiful than ever!"
Facing the now-bristling Riveria, who resembled an angry lioness, Eiji swiftly changed his tone and showered her with praise.
"Hmph!"
Riveria snorted coldly and turned away.
However, out of Eiji's sight, the corners of her lips curled up ever so slightly.
For a proud elven royal like her, being called beautiful was an everyday occurrence. Yet, Eiji's compliment felt surprisingly pleasant—despite his clear lack of sincerity.
"Sigh, Ais is the only one who's good to me!"
Eiji muttered under his breath as he reached out and patted Ais's head.
Her golden, silky hair felt incredible to the touch—better than petting a cat!
"I was just… helping out normally…"
Ais's face turned slightly red.
She wasn't used to Eiji patting her head in front of Riveria. For some reason, it felt a little embarrassing, making her want to find a place to hide.
"You two, hurry up. It's getting late."
"Coming, coming."
With Riveria's urging, the two behind her quickly caught up.
"Bell-sama, what's wrong?"
"Huh…? N-No, it's nothing!"
A conversation came from behind them.
Eiji turned his head.
A white-haired boy and a small Pallum girl emerged from another passage, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at him and his companions.
As the Pallum girl questioned him, the white-haired boy grew increasingly flustered, exuding an aura of dejection as if he had just suffered a crushing blow.
Eiji tilted his head in confusion.
He didn't pay much attention to it, instead speeding up to keep pace with Ais.
"They're back!"
"Great! Our prince—wait, I mean, Eiji—isn't hurt, right?"
As soon as they stepped through the Familia's gates, they were met with a warm welcome.
A large group of girls rushed out, swarming Eiji with concern.
Leaving just a few people in the deep floors had been nerve-wracking for everyone.
Riveria and Ais both had an air of cold detachment, so few men dared to approach them.
"Welcome back, Ais-tan!"
In the lounge, Loki greeted them with a beaming smile.
She immediately dashed toward Ais and Riveria with open arms, intending to hug them.
But upon spotting Eiji, she abruptly skidded to a stop.
The mischievous, pervy expression on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by an air of seriousness.
"Loki, I'm going to take a bath first. Update my status afterward."
Ais glanced at her with mild confusion, but not being harassed by Loki was actually a nice change.
"Me too."
"Oh, uh, got it."
When Eiji spoke up, Loki seemed somewhat apprehensive.
Riveria, noticing this, cast a puzzled look between the two.
What's going on?
Loki seems a little scared of Eiji…
Could it be that he has some dirt on her?
***
"Ais-tan Level 6 is here!"
Before long, Loki's excited shout echoed through the entire Familia.
The news instantly sent the Familia into an uproar, causing just as much buzz as when Eiji had leveled up to Level 3 in only 40 days, half a month ago.
Level 6 carried extraordinary significance for the Loki Familia.
It meant that the younger generation was finally catching up to the older veterans.
It also signified that Orario had gained another top-tier adventurer, injecting fresh strength into the Loki Familia.
This was not unexpected.
Ais, at Level 5, had single-handedly defeated the dungeon floor boss that once required the entire Loki Familia to subjugate. She had undoubtedly amassed a tremendous amount of achievements, more than enough to qualify for an upgrade.
"Congratulations, Ais."
The door to her room opened, and Ais stepped out, now fully dressed.
A faint but genuine smile graced her lips—she seemed to be in a good mood.
"It's thanks to you."
Her expression held admiration as she gazed at Eiji with gratitude.
"You're getting your update too, right? Can I watch?"
"Of course."
Eiji followed Loki into her room.
"Why are you so scared of me? I'm not going to eat you."
"Really?"
Loki grabbed a silk scarf and blindfolded herself.
Hearing Eiji's words, she suddenly seemed… a little disappointed.
As a goddess—not one of the three virgin goddesses—Loki had indulged quite a bit back in Heaven.
To be honest, she was actually a little excited at the idea of Eiji doing something to her.
Ordinary mortals would be overjoyed to receive the favor of a goddess.
Unfortunately, Eiji had no interest in her at all.
Two minutes later, the update was complete.
***
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