The Journey Begins in DanMachi

Then he shouted toward the next room, "Olis! Take this kid's measurements and use your best craftsmanship!"

After Noah was led into the next room, Riveria quietly stepped forward once he was out of sight.

"Lord Goibniu, that weapon is...?"

Waving a hand, Goibniu interrupted Riveria, signaling that he knew what she wanted to ask.

"The sword is a minor issue; he has already mastered it. I just feel that if that little girl of yours hadn't met you lot and hadn't died in the Dungeon, she would probably have grown up to be just like him—treating herself entirely as a sword..."

In an instant, the scene of Ais entering the Dungeon for the first time flashed through Riveria's mind.

The image of her fighting monsters with reckless abandon, ignoring the collapse and trauma of her own body, remained vivid.

Only this time, the golden-haired girl had become a silver-haired boy...

Had Noah also been like Ais...?

No, it was different. He had walked this path entirely on his own...

Her delicate hand, gripping her staff, tightened until the veins stood out on her fair skin.

"Take him to the hospital to get checked out. Forcing his limits without a Falna must have left many traumas on his body... I can feel that his physique is somewhat unstable, and I don't know if this is the reason..."

Noah, who was never accustomed to physical contact with others, felt completely out of sorts as three or four burly men measured him with tapes. By the time he walked out of the room, he felt as if ants were crawling all over him.

However, when he saw the look in Riveria's eyes—as if she were staring at a stray puppy that hadn't eaten in days—he felt even more uncomfortable.

"Ri, Riveria-san?"

Riveria stared at Noah for three seconds, took a deep breath to regain her composure, and slowly looked away.

"Just call me Riveria."

Not knowing what had happened, but seeing that Riveria didn't seem to want to elaborate, Noah could only nod, pretending nothing had occurred.

After thanking Lord Goibniu, the two left the Three Hammers Forge.

Following that, under Riveria's guidance, Noah went to greet several other Familias.

It wasn't until the sun was at its zenith that the two arrived at the final destination of their morning rounds: the Dian Cecht Hospital, located across the street from the Guild.

The gate in the center bore an emblem of a light orb and herbs. Because the sprawling building was entirely white, it was also known as the Pure White Hospital.

Perhaps because they were admitting the wounded from yesterday's charity meal in the North District, the reception area of the Pure White Hospital was empty.

"Wait here for a moment and don't touch anything. I'm going to find Lord Dian Cecht; I'll be right back."

Watching Riveria's retreating back, Noah looked at the array of herbs and potions on the counter, pacing slowly as he fell into deep thought.

He couldn't help but feel that since leaving Lord Goibniu's place, Riveria's attitude toward him had undergone a subtle change.

Take that last sentence, for instance—it sounded to Noah exactly like, 'You just stand here and don't move, I'm going to buy some oranges...'

"Ouch!"

His body seemed to collide with something small and soft. Hearing the cry, Noah was jolted out of his thoughts.

However, apart from a few scattered boxes, he couldn't see anyone in front of him.

Eh? There's nothing here!

Did I see a ghost?

28 Amid Teasanare

"That hurts! Who is it?!"

A childish moan drifted from the empty counter, leaving Noah even more bewildered.

Is this a female ghost?

Fortunately, Noah only froze for a moment before he realized what was happening and quickly leaned over to look behind the boxes.

A girl wearing white clerical robes, possessing silver hair just like Noah's, was supporting herself on the ground with one hand while clutching her head with the other.

As she looked up, her mysterious blue-purple eyes met Noah's gaze.

This young lady—no, this girl.

Although her temperament was slightly more mature than Ais's, Noah could tell even while she was sitting that she was a bit shorter than Ais.

She was definitely under 120cm; it wouldn't be strange if she were mistaken for a Pallum.

However, because her face, so beautiful it could be mistaken for a fine porcelain doll, was equally petite, her proportions were quite balanced.

Paired with her formal clerical robes, she gave one the urge to scoop her up into their palms.

"Hey! Who are you? That look—I get the feeling you're thinking of something rude!"

Facing the girl's guarded gaze, Noah kept a straight face and reached out.

Just as the girl was about to refuse, Noah pivoted his hands and picked up the boxes scattered on the floor, causing her small, open mouth to fall silent.

"I'm Noah Cipher, a newcomer to the Loki Familia. Riveria brought me here to get acquainted; she just went to find Lord Dian Cecht."

For some reason, the girl puffed out her cheeks. She rose from the floor, brushed the non-existent dust from her clothes, and bowed to Noah.

"My name is Amid Teasanare. Good afternoon, Cipher-san."

As she stood up, Noah confirmed it: she was indeed a bit shorter than Ais!

"Hmm?!"

The girl named Amid snapped her head up, her sharp gaze sweeping toward Noah.

But this time, after Noah returned her look with a confused expression, she still couldn't detect anything amiss.

"Is there something you need?"

"...It's nothing."

Giving up on the investigation, Amid was just about to continue moving the crates when Noah easily lifted the items first.

"Let me help you. Where do you need these taken?"

Amid blinked, her eyelashes so long they felt like they could hold a pen, fluttering like bird feathers.

"Oh, well, please take them to the front desk, thank you."

"After all, I was the one who bumped into you, and respecting the old and cherishing the young is a virtue, right?"

But these words didn't please Amid; she furrowed her brows and set off on her short legs, hurrying to keep up with Noah.

Realizing that it took her three steps to match one of his, her soft, pink lips couldn't help but pout.

"I'm already eleven! I'm a proper young lady!"

Eleven compared to seventeen was still just a child.

Although she was glaring at him with a serious face, as if Noah had committed some grave sin, she was so incredibly cute—like a kitten that hadn't even learned to walk properly yet was already bristling with fur—that he almost couldn't help but smile.

What of it? A teenage girl should be this full of life.

"Alright, my lovely young lady, is it okay to put them here?"

C-cute!

Hearing Noah suddenly praise her, the seriousness on Amid's face instantly crumbled, and her eyes became slightly unnatural.

Girls always love being called cute!

Although the patron deity of the Dian Cecht Familia would praise her, Amid only viewed that white-haired, white-bearded deity, who always loved to shout and fuss, like a grandfather.

And because she was praised all day long, Amid had gradually become indifferent to it.

As a newcomer highly valued by the deity within the Dian Cecht Familia, other peers in the Familia subconsciously kept a certain distance from Amid.

It wasn't that they were repulsed or afraid; it was just that because they cared so much, they couldn't communicate easily, let alone call her cute.

Moreover, Amid could tell that Noah had said it offhandedly, which, in turn, suggested it came from the heart.

How should she put it? A little... happy?

"What's wrong?"

"Ah! Nothing!"

Under Noah's gaze, Amid hurriedly lowered her flushed cheeks, almost jogging behind the counter to start taking out medicinal herbs to process.

Whether out of talent or personal preference, Amid loved pharmacy; it calmed her heart.

But today, because someone's gaze remained fixed on her, she made several mistakes in a row, finally unable to help but stop and sigh.

"Um, Mr. Zifiel, could you please mind where you're looking?"

"Sorry, is the pharmaceutical process confidential?"

"It's not that, it's just... your gaze is a bit distracting."

Seeing the faint red on the delicate earlobe peeking out from Amid's silver-white hair, Noah suddenly realized and shifted his gaze.

"Sorry, I'm just quite interested in pharmacy and medicine, but I've only managed to learn the basics. Although I've tried a few things in the past, most of what I made was useless, so I'm quite curious about professionals like you."

These words made Amid look at Noah, her magnificent eyes filled with a trace of surprise.

"Why? Usually, adventurers care more about weapons, right?"

Although adventurers were highly sought after for potions, in Amid's view, that was merely out of a love for survival tools, and it wasn't much different from pursuing weapons, armor, or magic swords.

It was like how the vast majority of people love eating gourmet food, but not everyone is willing to become a chef.

Amid didn't have any objections to this; if anything, she thought it was perfectly normal.

After all, if one cannot eliminate the enemy, no amount of potions can protect others.

For instance, in the last two days, the Dian Cecht Hospital had admitted another batch of adventurers and residents injured by the Evilus, making Amid resent her own lack of combat talent.

Sometimes, she truly wished she could be like the Astraea Familia, picking up a sword to eliminate everyone who harmed others!

But because of that, when she felt that Noah was genuinely interested in pharmacology, she was somewhat surprised.

Being able to join the Loki Familia, he was undoubtedly someone with immense combat talent.

Shouldn't people like that be obsessed with fighting?

"Isn't this normal? Not to mention that pharmacology and magic are fields full of unknowns that are very alluring, even just for the sake of combat, learning these things is quite standard, isn't it?"

Noah, on the contrary, was puzzled by Amid's confusion, tilting his head slightly.

"After all, fighting is for the sake of protection. If you kill all the enemies, but the people you wanted to protect are all dead and everything you meant to safeguard is destroyed, then what is the point of fighting?"

Gazing into those earnest, azure eyes, Amid opened her mouth, only to find her mind blank, not knowing what to say.

"Good grief! Amid! Why did you run out again! Didn't I tell you to get some proper rest?!"

A voice, full of vigor and wildness, rang out in the room, its volume nearly deafening.

It was a middle-aged man whose hair and beard were streaked with gray, yet still thick and full.

His face, though lined with wrinkles, still retained a sense of handsomeness, reminiscent of a composed butler—the kind of charm only found in middle-aged and elderly men.

Unfortunately, his gold and silver robes, the massive gemstone rings covering all ten of his fingers, and the way he always opened his mouth wide while speaking, spraying saliva everywhere, gave him the distinct air of a nouveau riche.