The Journey Begins in DanMachi

Without a doubt, he was the head deity of the Dian Cecht Familia, the premier medical faction in Orario.

"Honestly! I knew you'd be here making medicine again since I couldn't find you in your bedroom! You were suffering from mental fatigue just yesterday from overusing your magic to treat the wounded! Didn't I tell you to get some proper rest for a few days?"

Unexpectedly, Dian Cecht—whose appearance suggested a rather gruff personality—rushed to Amid's side in a panic, looking her up and down with such frantic concern that he seemed completely at a loss.

The sight reminded Noah of those doting fathers who looked like hardened thugs but were terrified of seeing their daughters cry.

But what surprised Noah even more was that Amid didn't respond to her own deity, instead remaining fixed on him, looking as if she were under a spell.

"Hm? Amid?"

After calling out a few times with no response, Dian Cecht clearly noticed something was wrong with her.

Following her line of sight, Dian Cecht looked over and locked eyes with Noah, his expression sharpening like a father who had just spotted a street-roaming playboy trying to seduce his daughter.

Oh no.

This old geezer!

The second that thought crossed Noah's mind, Dian Cecht's lips began to tremble, and the whiskers around his mouth twitched like a lion's mane.

"You little brat!! What did you do to my Amid?!!"

What did I do?

If I had actually done something, fine, but the problem is I haven't done a thing! I haven't even touched her!

With an agility that completely defied his stature, Dian Cecht leaped into the air, landing on a counter over a meter high, looking as if he were about to pounce on Noah the next second.

Noah instinctively stepped back.

But it was precisely because of that movement that Amid, who had been dazed, snapped back to reality and hurriedly called out to stop Dian Cecht.

"Wait! Lord Deity! What are you doing?!"

Dian Cecht, already mid-leap with his legs still planted on the counter, displayed a level of agility that even impressed Noah, forcing a mid-air turn to look at Amid with delight.

But before he could speak, a flash of horror replaced his joy, making his expression look quite comical.

No matter how he struggled, he ended up falling face-first toward the ground—

"Thwack!"

"Ah!"

He landed in a full prostrate position, face-planting into the floor!

"Lord Deity!!"

After the chaos subsided, inside a reception room.

"Hmm, so Lady Riveria, you want me to have Mr. Noah undergo a physical examination and treatment?"

Without answering immediately, Riveria first looked at the eleven-year-old girl, who looked even more petite in her formal white attire.

Then, she looked to the side at the wheelchair, where Dian Cecht sat with his upper body and thighs wrapped in bandages. He couldn't speak, nor could he even show an expression, yet he kept glaring at Noah with eyes full of resentment.

Hesitating, Riveria nodded. "That is correct. A check-up first to see his physical condition. Amid, my dear, will you be the one handling it? Are there any other members of the Dian Cecht Familia available?"

Amid glanced at Noah, then quickly looked away.

"Please rest assured, Lady Riveria. I am already eleven years old. While I cannot perform surgeries like restoring eyesight or reattaching severed limbs, with the help of magic stone tools, a physical examination is well within my capabilities."

"Mmph! Mmph!!"

Dian Cecht, off to the side, let out a series of strange, chilling noises from behind his bandages for reasons unknown, seemingly distressed that Amid would personally perform the physical exam on Noah.

Amid ignored him entirely.

She stood up and walked toward the door opposite the one they had just entered.

"The treatment rooms are all occupied, but this lounge will suffice. Please follow me, Mr. Sifir."

However, Amid stopped halfway and looked back at Noah.

"Noah?"

Riveria also looked at Noah. "What's wrong?"

What's wrong?

How can you even ask me what's wrong?

Why didn't you ask me before buying the protective gear, and why didn't you ask me before scheduling a physical exam?

If Noah hadn't been able to sense Riveria's good intentions, he would have really wanted to roll his eyes.

"Um, Riveria, is a physical exam mandatory for every new member joining the Familia?"

"Not at all. It is just something I specifically requested for you."

"Then can I refuse?"

Being touched on the waist and shoulders by a few men was one thing—after all, it didn't require taking off clothes, just measuring with a tape.

But a physical exam? Surely that would involve undressing, right?

Noah felt a strange sense of guilt at the thought of undressing in front of an eleven-year-old girl.

"That wouldn't be impossible..."

Before Noah could happily respond, Riveria suddenly sighed.

"Well, although I spent fifty million Valis on armor for you and went through so much trouble begging their deity for this opportunity, if you are so resistant, then consider it my meddling. Sigh..."

"Woooooo!!"

Noah still hadn't had a chance to speak when the deity of the Dian Cecht Familia across from him let out a struggling wail, though this time, he cast his gaze toward Riveria.

You call that begging me?

You clearly used the deep-level Dungeon materials that the Dian Cecht Familia desperately needs to half-coerce me!

From the look of grievance on Dian Cecht's face, Noah could roughly piece together the truth.

But since Riveria was already acting, what else could Noah say?

He had no choice but to silently stand up and follow Amid into the examination room.

After a physical examination that could not be described in detail, Amid was the first to walk out of the room, holding a sheet of paper and frowning as she wrote.

"Five bones grew back crooked after fracturing, the muscle connections in over thirty wounds are misaligned, and the stitching on your shoulders and knees looks like it was done by a girl sewing clothes for the first time. You're even suffering from malnutrition?! It's truly unbelievable. Mr. Sifir, have you never cared about your own body at all? How on earth were you treated when you were originally injured? Honestly, it surprises me that you're still alive!"

Behind her, Noah followed with a dazed expression.

Aside from being lectured by Amid, the more important reason was that he hadn't even known his body had so many issues.

Well, I'm still alive, so my body, you're truly amazing!

Riveria took the diagnostic report and her brows furrowed incessantly.

Sensing another lecture was imminent, Noah quickly changed the subject.

"Th-that, may I ask how it will be treated?"

"In any case, first suspend your Dungeon exploration activities and let's begin preliminary treatment. First, according to three..."

The string of words suddenly paused. Amid's eyes flickered for a moment before she continued.

"In short, just be hospitalized for seven days first."

Under the gaze of this cute eleven-year-old girl, Noah felt a chill run through his entire body.

30 Smiles won't disappear, they will only--

"Dong--"

Sunlight slowly spilled down, and the bell signaling the start of the day echoed throughout Orario.

In a corner of the Twilight Manor courtyard, Ais stopped swinging her wooden sword and wiped the fine sweat from her fair forehead.

Gazing at the azure sky, Ais finished her wooden sword training for the day.

She walked toward the dormitory area, preparing to take a bath before breakfast to wash away the sweat.

On the way, Ais looked at the wooden sword in her hand.

Although the material was taken from special wood in the Dungeon and its hardness and weight were no less than a metal sword, it was still...

"Want, sword..."

She wanted a better sword, a sturdier sword, a sharper sword, a sword capable of slaying enemies...

A sword that wouldn't hurt herself, yet couldn't hurt the enemy.

However, after the image of the elven royalty's exquisite, heroic, yet demonic-tempered face surfaced in her mind, Ais, who hadn't even shivered in the cold wind, couldn't help but tremble, forcibly suppressing the thought.

She hadn't been forgiven for angering Riveria in the Dungeon last time; if she made a request now, she would likely be subjected to the 'Alf Iron Fist' sanction.

Better to train and attend lessons properly, and wait until Riveria's anger subsided before asking her.

With this thought, Ais finished her bath and headed to the cafeteria.

Breakfast consisted of vegetable broth, mille-feuille, toasted bread, and apple pie. Ais ate a lot, even chewing through the carrots in the vegetable salad with gritted teeth.

To grow, she had to obtain sufficient nutrients.

When the familiar sweet taste unique to the Demeter Familia filled her mouth, Ais couldn't help but think of Noah.

Recalling his appearance, his swordsmanship, his cooking...

As expected, Noah's cooking was better.

However, Ais looked around and couldn't find that silver-haired figure within the Familia.

Five days had passed since Noah joined the Familia, but aside from the initial banquet and the second day's morning training, Ais hadn't seen him at all.

However, Ais could obtain some related news from Riveria; it seemed he was receiving treatment at the Dian Cecht Familia.

It wasn't that she actively investigated, but that Riveria would bring it up herself.

Whenever Riveria returned from outside the Twilight Manor to give Ais lessons, she was always enveloped in a cold aura that made others shrink away in fear.

She would say things like 'A grown man afraid of a little bitterness', 'Daring to sneak off again', 'Actually saying I'm as long-winded as an old hag', and other such remarks that Ais didn't quite understand but felt were somewhat familiar.

When Riveria swept her icy, resentful gaze over, and Ais curled up her body and let out a 'Guh-wooooo' whimper, she understood why it felt familiar.

Weren't these the exact things Riveria said when she lectured her?

So, Noah had managed to displease Riveria as well?

A complex mix of emotions stirred within Ais at the thought.

So even the mature and steady-looking Noah can be mischievous... A sense of novelty.

Riveria is starting to look after someone else, even though I was the one who came first... A sense of loss.

The good news is that Riveria's attention has been diverted... A sense of relief.

The bad news is that Riveria's resentment hasn't vanished; it's only grown heavier, and it's all been shifted onto me. But I haven't done anything wrong these past few days... A sense of grievance.

Layer upon layer of feelings, which to Ais, felt even more complicated than the mille-feuille under her fork.

Carrying these thoughts she couldn't even begin to untangle, Ais finished her breakfast and headed to the library of Twilight Manor.

The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and paper, with numerous towering bookshelves arranged in rows, packed with all manner of collections.

Beyond the valuable tomes regarding the Dungeon and world history, used grimoires, and astrologer manuals, there were also old books, heroic tales, and newspaper clippings collected by the deities and members out of personal interest.

In order to appease Riveria as quickly as possible and earn permission to obtain a powerful sword, Ais had been actively and diligently completing her studies these past few days.

However, upon stepping into the library, she caught sight of an unexpected person sitting by a table and couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise.

"No, Noah?"

Yawning in front of the table, Noah waved a hand at Ais, looking bleary-eyed and half-asleep.