The next day, Liber and Ais continued their close-combat training in the courtyard.
As the two kept changing positions and clashing fiercely,
a petite figure quietly appeared among the plants around the courtyard.
The figure watched the two locked in fierce combat, her eyes filled with envy.
Just then, the two paused as their swords met, then looked straight at each other.
They nodded lightly, pushed off against each other, and leaped in opposite directions.
After putting some distance between them, they straightened up and looked toward the figure watching them.
Watching from such a close distance, she couldn't help but draw the attention of both fighters.
Suddenly finding herself the focus of both their attention, the girl trembled.
"Eep."
The one who let out the startled sound was a petite, pretty young girl.
She looked about fourteen or fifteen years old.
She wore pink, low-heeled shoes and white thigh-high stockings held up by garters. A red short skirt was cinched at her waist, with a long, corset-style skirt layered over it.
She wore a loose, long-sleeved blouse beneath a short red jacket. Her youthful face was pretty and endearing, and her chestnut-colored hair was tied back in a single ponytail.
She held her staff diagonally across her chest with both hands, as if to shield herself. Looking at the two who were watching her, her eyes seemed to glisten with tears, as though she were about to cry.
"Um..."
She seemed a little shy as she tried to say something.
"It's you." Liber raised an eyebrow at her.
"Lefiya, is something the matter?" Ais asked, looking at her.
The girl standing there watching them was Lefiya Viridis, who had previously informed Liber that the executives wanted to meet him.
"I'm sorry!! I didn't mean to interrupt you. Miss Ais, I... I have something to discuss with Liber."
Lefiya blushed and spoke to Ais in a shy voice.
Ais didn't ask any further questions. She put away her sword, nodded to Liber, and said calmly,
"Let's call it here for today. We'll continue tomorrow."
Liber nodded in response, then used magic to put away his weapon.
After they exchanged goodbyes, Ais nimbly headed back inside.
Liber turned his gaze away from Ais and focused on the girl beside him.
He noticed that Lefiya had been watching Ais as she left.
Lefiya Viridis, the elf girl who had told him to go to the Divine Chamber a few days ago.
From what he'd learned at the banquet recently, she was already a Level 3 adventurer.
In the Loki Familia, she was one of only two people capable of using more than three spells. She was an elf with a special magic called Elf Ring.
He'd heard that Riveria, the vice-captain, had personally chosen her as her student and successor. She was a promising mid-ranking member of the Familia, with a good chance of becoming one of its future executives.
Why would someone with so much ability and potential come looking for a newcomer like me?
Liber looked at Lefiya, puzzled.
Only after Ais had disappeared completely from Lefiya's view did Lefiya finally notice Liber watching her.
Her face reddened, and she hurriedly apologized to him.
"S-sorry! I interrupted your training."
"Ah, you didn't interrupt anything." Liber answered Lefiya, then asked her with some confusion,
"But what exactly did you want to see me about?"
"Um... Yesterday, Lady Riveria spoke with me and asked if I would team up with you for adventuring and training. I heard that you and Miss Ais often train in the courtyard, so I came here today to meet you."
Lefiya explained respectfully, her expression tense.
"You're the teammate I've been paired with?"
Liber looked at Lefiya in surprise.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm still inexperienced, and I'm not as capable as the others. If you have any objections, please tell me directly." Lefiya hurriedly lowered her head.
"Ah... I wasn't criticizing you." Liber looked at the apologetic girl, feeling a little helpless.
Last night.
After returning from an adventure in the Dungeon, Liber went to Loki's Divine Chamber to update his status.
"That's another ridiculous increase in your stats." Loki looked at the updated status and marveled again, then handed Liber the translated parchment.
Liber took it and looked at his updated stats.
Lv.1
"Strength": H151>>G261
"Endurance": H150>>G262
"Dexterity": H153>>G264
"Agility": H152>>G260
"Magic": G200>>F300
Looks like another increase of several hundred points. It was a little less than before, but still reasonable.
"You didn't venture too deep into the Dungeon today, did you?" Loki asked sternly.
"No, I only explored the fourth floor today. I didn't go too deep." Liber explained helplessly.
"Good." Loki nodded with satisfaction.
"Your teammate has already been arranged. She'll meet with you."
"Already?" Liber asked, surprised.
"If I don't arrange it quickly, you'll go charging deeper into the Dungeon by yourself again one of these days, and I won't be able to stop you." Loki's tone held a hint of complaint.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Liber promptly changed the subject.
"Uh... what's my teammate like?"
"That girl is probably... still a newcomer? Well, you'll meet her tomorrow. You'll find out for yourself." Loki said nonchalantly.
"Get along with her, and don't bully her. If you want to venture deeper into the Dungeon, you need to learn how to work well with your companions."
Loki suddenly put on a stern expression and began lecturing him.
"Ugh." Liber sighed. "Honestly, I wouldn't do that."
Remembering his conversation with Loki yesterday, Liber looked at the girl in front of him with a headache.
What kind of newcomer is already a Level 3 adventurer? Liber thought, troubled.
"Lefiya... is it okay if I call you that?" Liber asked her hesitantly.
"Of course." Lefiya replied nervously.
Seeing how tense she was, Liber said, "If we're going to fight together as a party, it'd be better if we acted more naturally around each other. You don't have to be so polite, either. You're always using honorifics with me."
"I-is that okay?" Lefiya seemed a little more at ease, but still looked uneasy.
"Let's do that, then." Liber wasn't one to hesitate. Seeing that Lefiya had finally calmed down,
he said decisively, "Let's leave it at that for now. Technically, you joined the Familia before I did, and your level is higher than mine, so I should be the one using honorifics with you. If you disagree, then we'll both have to address each other formally."
Lefiya imagined the situation and looked awkward.
"Then... all right?" She cautiously studied Liber's expression and spoke hesitantly.
Seeing that he kept looking at her seriously, without the slightest trace of displeasure, Lefiya nodded timidly once more.
Seeing that Lefiya had accepted his suggestion, Liber felt relieved.
Using formal speech now and then was fine, but using it with a teammate all the time would make their relationship feel too distant and awkward.
"Have you ever been in a party before?" Liber continued, asking Lefiya.
She nervously shook her head.
"Okay, then I'll lead for now." Liber said helplessly.
"Now that we've met, let's get ready and head to the Dungeon in a little while. It'd be better to get used to working together in an actual party." Liber suggested.
"Okay." Lefiya agreed. After saying goodbye to him, she headed back inside to prepare in her room.
Liber watched her go, standing where he was as he considered what Loki and the executives had in mind.
There was no doubt that his teammate being Lefiya, one of the Familia's future pillars, had been a deliberate decision by the Familia's upper ranks.
They could have assigned him any other member, but pairing him with Lefiya, a Level 3 adventurer, clearly showed how highly they regarded him.
Sending the person known as the vice-captain's successor to his side, to team up and practice fighting as a group with someone who had only recently joined the Familia, was no ordinary arrangement.
To practice as a team with someone who was highly likely to inherit Riveria's position, he would have to be someone who could also become an executive in the future.
With that in mind, the upper ranks' decision to pair Lefiya with him showed that they valued him far more than their interest in him a few days ago had suggested.
"Do they think I'll soon join the second tier?" A smile tugged at the corners of Liber's mouth.
He headed back to his room as well and began preparing to enter the Dungeon with his new party.
Before you continue