The Future They Looked Forward To

In front of Twilight Manor, in the garden.

Members of the Familia had gathered here one after another, constantly moving supplies in and out through the Great Gate, looking like an endless stream of people.

Large crates packed with supplies were loaded onto carts. The Big Three were directing the final inspections and inventory counts, while even the executives helped sort out necessities like tents. Only Tiona had secretly snuck a bite of the emergency rations, only to be caught by Bete and Tione and thoroughly scolded.

Everyone had something to do. Even Lefiya was helping Riveria check the supplies against the list. Only Ais stood there alone, looking troubled because she wanted to help but had no idea how. She truly was a refreshing sight amid the crowd.

Riezel happened to come out of the manor and arrive there, immediately catching Ais's attention.

"Riezel."

Ais called out softly in relief, as though she had found her people.

Her call also drew the attention of everyone present.

"Mister Riezel!"

Lefiya instinctively wanted to run over, only to remember that she still had work to do and hurriedly stopped herself.

"Hmph."

Bete released Tiona, snorted coldly, and turned his head away.

The others also looked toward Riezel. As they watched this new Familia member who had become a legendary figure in Orario in just over a month, some felt envy and some admiration, but none felt jealousy.

After all, he was their junior, their family, their companion. The more outstanding he was, the stronger their Familia became. That was a good thing.

It had to be said that although Loki was incredibly unreliable, every person she chose had a sound character. No wonder Allen mocked them as one big loving family.

Over the past month or so, Riezel had seen and remembered the behavior of these Familia seniors.

Even in his previous life, he had never experienced such things within the family he was related to by blood.

The familial affection he had never known had not come from the family connected to him by blood, but from this Familia bound together by the divine blood of their patron deity. Perhaps that was a kind of irony.

Riezel was not someone who was good with words or actions. He could only silently keep all of it in his heart as he walked into the large gathering of his Familia.

"You're late, Riezel!"

Tiona immediately bounced over, grinning mischievously at him.

"Sorry."

Riezel looked around and realized that he really was the last to arrive. Even though it was not yet time to depart, he still honestly apologized.

"Don't mind her. She's just trying to shift the topic away from her sneaking food."

Tione exposed Tiona's intentions without mercy.

Finn, Riveria, and Gareth also came over.

"Well?" Finn asked with a slight smile. "Are you ready?"

Riezel smiled back and nodded.

He knew Finn was not asking whether he was ready for the expedition, but about the Ability Value update he had undergone in preparation for it.

Clearly, the Big Three had all noticed that Riezel had gone to the God's Chamber before setting off.

"This is something to look forward to." Gareth stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "After more than ten days of accumulation, with your rate of growth, you must have gained quite a lot, right?"

"Judging by your expression, you must have made considerable gains." Riveria studied Riezel's face before smiling. "Don't tell me you've already reached Lv.5?"

That single sentence made every Familia member nearby hold their breath.

In particular, the Lv.5 First Class Adventurers and Familia executives all unconsciously pricked up their ears. Even Ais and Bete were no exception.

"How could it be that easy?"

Seeing their reactions, Riezel immediately smiled wryly.

The accumulation of more than ten days had indeed allowed Riezel to improve tremendously.

Now that he was already Lv.4, improvements to his basic abilities should logically have become far more difficult than before. Yet in just over ten days, he had still trained Dexterity, Agility, and Magic to Stage S, while Strength and Endurance had reached Stage A. That rate of growth was still utterly astonishing.

But no matter what, it was impossible for Riezel to rise to Lv.5 in only ten days.

"I haven't accomplished a great feat, and I haven't accumulated any advanced Experience Points. At most, this can only let me go further on Lv.4. There's no way I can Level Up."

Riezel's words made quite a few people secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

They had truly been nervous, afraid that Riezel would say he had already become a Lv.5 First Class Adventurer.

It was not that they could not stand to see Riezel improve. The truth was simply too hard on the heart, and it could easily make people lose the confidence to keep striving.

Unfortunately, the Familia leaders seemed to think that was not stimulating enough. They all spoke up, shattering the relief in everyone's hearts.

"On this expedition, our destination is the ultra-deep floors you've never reached before, even unknown floors that no one has ever reached." Finn smiled. "There will be plenty of chances along the way for you to accumulate advanced Experience Points."

"That's right." Gareth stroked his beard and said, "Not to mention anything else, just those Floor Masters alone—if we defeat them, the advanced Experience Points you gain should let you complete more than half the accumulation needed to Level Up, even if they aren't enough to let you Level Up directly."

"Although fighting as a group means the Experience Points will be shared, it's safer this way." Riveria looked at Riezel. "This time, you can't go charging off like you did before. Remember to cooperate with the team properly. Don't be like certain naughty children who rush off at the slightest opportunity."

As Riveria said this, her gaze drifted inconspicuously toward Ais.

"..."

Ais felt unbearably embarrassed. She turned her head away stiffly, looking utterly guilty.

Riezel likewise did not dare say anything.

He really could not guarantee that he would not lose control and suddenly charge out.

On that point, Lefiya felt she had every right to speak.

After all, during the time Riezel had teamed up with her, he had often charged ahead without so much as a warning.

"Well, looks like our team is getting another Ais."

Tiona gloated.

"I'm telling you two, don't cause trouble for the captain, okay?"

Even Tione shook her head in warning.

"A rookie is a rookie. You'd better not drag me down."

Even Bete coldly tossed out a remark from the side.

Riezel and Ais immediately looked at each other, completely unable to understand how they had suddenly become the targets of everyone's criticism.

Yet neither of them dared say anything. They could only stand there, one scratching his cheek and the other trembling nervously.

"All right, that's enough. Let them off the hook."

Finn finally chuckled, then turned to look toward the central tower.

There, in the highest God's Chamber, the unserious chief god was leaning over the window as always, gazing this way with a loose, carefree smile on his face.

Yet, for some reason, everyone could sense that the chief god's gaze held encouragement, watchfulness, and even a faint trace of affection that was hard to detect.

"Go."

It was as though everyone heard such a quiet whisper.

That whisper, carried on the wind, ignited the flames in everyone's hearts.

Riezel was no exception.

"Good!"

Finn's youthful face became solemn and imposing.

From that moment on, this Pallum was no longer the kind and approachable senior of the Familia. He was the leader of Orario's strongest Familia—the captain of the Loki Familia.

And the captain had only one command.

"Move out!"

At Finn's command, a perfectly synchronized shout shot into the sky, echoing throughout all of Orario.

It was a battle cry.

It was a horn call.

Everyone busy within the city—whether civilians or adventurers—was drawn by that stirring cry in that instant. They turned toward the Loki Familia.

Before long, countless people saw a fully armed, high-spirited party crossing the streets toward the Tower of Babel.

"The Loki Familia has begun its expedition!"

"It's the Loki Familia!"

"The Loki Familia is entering the Dungeon!"

People eagerly spread the word, and pedestrians along the way automatically parted, stepping aside to clear a path for the Loki Familia.

At that moment, what the people saw was Orario's strongest adventurer group, countless renowned powerhouses. The envy, admiration, and awe in their eyes were almost impossible to conceal.

Amid them, Riezel also drew the attention and gazes of many people.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Riezel keenly sensed that among the countless gazes coming from all directions, one felt distinctly different.

That gaze caught his attention, and he unconsciously turned to look.

Then Riezel saw him.

Among the gathered crowd stood a boy.

The boy had white hair far too aged for his years, and his face still carried childishness and innocence. He was likely only around thirteen or fourteen.

Within the crowd, the boy was especially inconspicuous.

Yet in those red eyes was an envy, reverence, and... longing stronger than anyone else's.

Then, as though he had made some sort of decision, the boy cast one last reluctant glance in this direction before squeezing out of the crowd and heading toward what appeared to be the entrance of some Familia's headquarters.

Seeing that, Riezel almost immediately concluded that the boy was going to seek out a Familia he could join.

"What are you looking at, Mister Riezel?"

Walking beside him, Lefiya noticed Riezel's odd behavior and asked curiously.

Only then did Riezel come back to his senses. He saw Lefiya's puzzled eyes, as well as Ais's gaze from not far away.

"Nothing."

Riezel shook his head, then suddenly smiled—a dazzlingly bright smile.

That smile made both Ais and Lefiya, who had never seen Riezel smile like that before, miss a beat.

Then, they heard Riezel's voice.

"I'm only looking forward to the future."

"Looking forward to my future."

"Looking forward to his future."

No one but Riezel could understand the meaning behind those words.

But that was no longer important.

The gates of the Tower of Babel began to come into view.

Riezel gazed at the Chalk Giant Tower, and the flames in his heart burned ever more fiercely.

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