Departure

Stepping out of the Gods' Chamber, the first thing Shirou Emiya saw was the golden-haired girl's stunning face.

In the evening breeze, her long golden hair fluttered in the wind. Standing beside the window, the girl was quietly staring at him.

Their eyes met.

"Ais, why are you here? I remember you updated your status yesterday."

"I saw you enter the Gods' Chamber, so I waited here."

Ais smoothed her long hair and spoke in her usual flat tone. It was difficult to see any normal expressions on her face.

"You were waiting for me? Did you need something?"

"I was merely curious."

"Curious about your current stats."

Ais walked over from the window, a hint of supplication showing on her face. She wanted to know Shirou Emiya's current basic stats.

She wanted to know how quickly Shirou Emiya was growing.

"My basic stats?"

Shirou Emiya smiled faintly, looking as though this had worked out perfectly.

"I happen to have something to ask of you, too."

"?"

The puzzled girl tilted her head slightly, expressing her confusion.

"My ability values have reached their limit. I'm preparing to surpass my Great Deed and go adventuring."

"Would you come with me and protect me while I do it?"

"You've reached your limit?"

Hearing Shirou Emiya's words, even the girl who was poor at expressing herself widened her eyes.

It had only been a month, yet he had already reached the peak of Level 2?

Ais knew that his rate of progress was astonishing, but this was far too fast.

She soon recovered from her surprise, however, and nodded firmly.

"I understand."

"Good. Then it's settled. Meet me at the Familia's entrance tomorrow morning."

After saying that, Shirou Emiya bid farewell to Ais and returned to his dormitory to make his final preparations.

In the women's bath of the Loki Familia.

Ais had submerged almost her entire body in the water, leaving only everything above her mouth above the surface. She gazed blankly ahead.

Around her, Tiona and Tione's voices echoed through the bath.

"Hey, Tione. Do you know how much my ability values have risen lately? Dozens of points! Normally, even after a single expedition, they only increase by about that much."

Excited, Tiona kept slapping the surface of the water, sending droplets flying everywhere.

"Mine have increased by about the same amount. Shirou's method really is effective."

Tione's improvement in ability values was no worse than Tiona's, so she was in an especially good mood.

"Right? Shirou really is a genius."

"Right, Ais?"

"."

"Ais?"

"."

When no one answered, Tiona and Tione finally noticed Ais, who was lost in thought.

Tione quietly moved beside Ais and suddenly pulled her into her arms. While measuring Ais's size, she asked with a wicked grin, "Could you be lovesick?"

On the other side, Tiona also leaned over and grinned mischievously. "Tell us. Who is our Sword Princess Ais Wallenstein thinking about?"

"Thinking about who?"

Ais pushed Tione away as she tried to take liberties with her, then looked at Tiona in confusion before answering seriously, "I'm thinking about Shirou."

"What? Ais, do you like Shirou? You're thinking about him all the time!"

Seeing that Ais really had been thinking about someone else, Tiona immediately stood up in the water in shock and shouted.

Drawn by Tiona's voice, the other women in the bath could not help pricking up their ears and quietly eavesdropping on the conversation.

The previously somewhat noisy bath instantly fell silent.

"I ran into Shirou outside the Gods' Chamber today. He said his ability values had reached their limit and asked me to accompany him on an adventure tomorrow."

"."

The women, who had been listening with gossiping smiles, instantly froze as though turned to stone.

"Whaaaat!!!"

The next morning, before dawn had fully broken.

Shirou Emiya had already gotten up and packed his gear.

According to the information sent by the Guild, the Floor Master on the 17th Floor should revive today. To prevent someone else from killing the target first, Shirou Emiya naturally had to get up early and head to the Dungeon.

After putting on his Light Armor, Shirou Emiya shouldered his pack and turned in front of the mirror.

"Mm, not bad. As expected of me, I look damn good!"

After admiring himself for a while, Shirou Emiya left the room and headed to the Familia's entrance to meet Ais.

He had already begun preparing for today's adventure the last time his Falna was updated.

By now, he had replaced all the equipment on his body.

Every piece of his current gear was a pinnacle among Level 2 equipment.

Even the spare short sword hanging on his back was an exquisitely crafted blade. If it were sold in one of Hephaestus's specialty shops, it would cost at least nearly ten million Valis.

Shirou Emiya, however, was no longer short of money.

Ever since he had become capable of forging Level 2 weapons, orders from within the Familia had poured in without end.

As one of the two strongest Familias in Orario, the Loki Familia's consumption of weapons was astonishing.

Under such circumstances, Shirou Emiya naturally received a steady stream of orders. After all, his works were cheaper than those sold outside despite being of the same quality.

They were all members of the same Familia, so these were internal prices.

That was also one of the reasons Shirou Emiya had progressed so quickly in forging.

Stepping out of the dormitory building and strolling through the deserted courtyard, Shirou Emiya could not help thinking of Ais.

"I wonder if Ais has arrived yet."

After turning around the bend ahead, Shirou Emiya suddenly saw that nearly all the Loki Familia's elites had gathered at the entrance of the Loki Familia.

"Is there some kind of event? How come I didn't know about it?"

Shirou Emiya found the Three Greats in the crowd and hurried over.

"Finn, Riveria, Gareth, is there some kind of event today?"

Hearing Shirou Emiya's question, the other Loki Familia members surrounding him all began to laugh.

Their hearty smiles made Shirou Emiya feel that something was wrong.

Could it be?

Seeing the uncertainty on Shirou Emiya's face, Finn patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Everyone isn't excluding you. We're going to cheer you on."

Cheer him on?

Shirou Emiya felt his brain spin.

He simply could not understand how the news had spread. In just one night, the entire Familia already knew.

He hurriedly turned his puzzled gaze toward Ais.

Seeing this, Ais said apologetically, "I accidentally told Tiona in the bath yesterday, and then the whole Familia found out."

So it was that big-mouthed Tiona. No wonder it spread so quickly.

Shirou Emiya shook his head helplessly and recovered from his sudden bewilderment. He said with a wry smile, "Then I'll be counting on everyone."

"Yeah!"

Listening to everyone's cheers, Shirou Emiya's smile grew increasingly bitter.

It was supposed to be nothing more than his own adventure, yet it had turned into a major event for the entire Familia. A casual glance was enough to show him that practically everyone had come.

"If everyone goes, what will happen to the Familia? Won't thieves break in?"

Hearing Shirou Emiya's concern, Riveria said with a smile, "Don't worry. We are the Loki Familia. Who would dare come here to steal? Besides, Loki is still in the Familia!"

Seeing that Loki had not come along to join the excitement, Shirou Emiya could not help sighing emotionally. "Loki really is reliable."

Hearing Shirou Emiya's remark, everyone around him chuckled softly.

Lefia walked to Shirou Emiya's ear and whispered, "Loki originally insisted on coming, too, but Riveria tied her up and left her watching the entrance hall."

Good grief. As expected of the Loki Familia's 'mother'!

She really had the nerve to do that.

Once everyone nearby had gathered, Finn shouted, "Everyone, today, our Familia's genius member, Shirou Emiya, will challenge the Level 4 Floor Master Goliath as a Level 2 adventurer."

"This is an epic myth like those of the heroes of legend."

"A legend without equal throughout the ages!"

"Let us witness this Great Deed with our own eyes!"

"Loki Familia, set out!"

"Yeah!"