Early in the morning, birds chirped and twittered.
The sun had only just come up, but Liber had already gotten out of bed.
He stood by the window, looking out at the still-foggy weather.
He sank into his mind and saw that seven more stars had appeared in the starry sky within it.
The number matched the Familia executives he had met yesterday. There were now fifty-three stars in all.
"Looks like the stars only increase when I meet major characters from the original story."
Liber glanced around the room and pondered for a moment.
"The original story won't properly begin for another two years or so. I need to gain strength as quickly as possible so I can protect myself amid the upheaval."
"I've finished reading the information, too. First, I need to get a sturdy, durable new weapon.
"The longsword I originally bought in a small town wasn't very good quality. I've used it for chopping trees, clearing paths, and camping outdoors on the way to Orario, and it's already pretty battered."
"I should buy a set of armor while I'm at it. The book said the Dungeon can be a pretty harsh environment, and armor can offer good protection."
"Then I'll go register as an adventurer at the Guild."
"Finally, I'll head to the Dungeon and begin my adventure."
Liber sorted out his thoughts and planned his next steps.
He sighed. "I've got quite a lot to do today."
After a quick wash, Liber left his room and greeted the other members, who were already up and busy.
He made his way to the central courtyard of the Twilight Tower, where the sharp whistle of blades cutting through the air suddenly reached his ears.
Following the sound, Liber saw a girl in the courtyard, a golden-haired beauty like a doll. She held a slender, sharp sword and swung it through the air again and again.
Her usually calm, indifferent face looked exceptionally cold and stern as she practiced. Her clear eyes showed nothing but concentration.
The blade in her hand slashed through the air, producing shrill whistles.
Before the sound reached Liber, he saw several streaks of swordlight. Her arms moved so quickly they blurred.
Her face was as beautiful as a goddess's, and her figure moved like an elf's. Thrusts, slashes, downward cuts, upward sweeps... The girl kept swinging her weapon in the empty courtyard, dancing an intense sword dance all alone.
Liber didn't interrupt her or do anything unnecessary. He paused to watch for a while, then continued on his way and headed out of the Twilight Manor.
As his figure gradually disappeared from the Twilight Manor, the girl stopped swinging her sword. Watching his retreating shadow, her expressionless face seemed to betray a hint of frustration.
Liber, of course, had no idea what happened afterward.
After leaving the Twilight Manor, he headed toward the streets in the northwestern part of Orario.
The streets converged at the Guild headquarters, which managed the Labyrinth City.
As a result, the surrounding streets were always packed with adventurers.
Seizing the opportunity, shops catering to adventurers lined the northwestern avenue of Orario. There were equipment shops that sold weapons and armor, as well as apothecaries that specialized in healing potions, among other stores.
This attracted even more adventurers eager to spend their money. With both factors at play, the street had earned the straightforward nickname Adventurer Street.
As he walked, Liber planned how to spend the starter funds he'd received the night before.
"One hundred thousand Valis isn't a small amount. It's enough for a rookie to buy a decent set of equipment, but not enough for anything particularly valuable."
For high-level adventurers, that amount was no more than a few grains of rice slipping through their fingers.
Adventurers had a remarkable ability to make money, but they spent it just as quickly.
Take the staff used by Riveria, one of the Familia's executives and the Mage known as Orario's strongest. Its crafting fee alone had exceeded three hundred million Valis, and the cost of the materials was beyond imagining.
The same went for Ais's rapier, Bete's boots, and the cleavers used by the Amazon Sisters. They all cost a fortune.
After receiving the gods' Falna, people in the Lower World had a small chance of gaining an extra Development Ability when they leveled up. Smithing was one such ability.
Smithing could give forged items special attributes and effects. The quality of the resulting weapons varied depending on the blacksmith's skill and the level of their Smithing ability.
People generally used three ranks—first, second, and third—to distinguish the quality and price of equipment.
To qualify for a rank, an item had to be a special weapon or tool crafted by a smith who had gained a Development Ability.
Weapons made by someone without the Smithing Development Ability, or by an ordinary person who hadn't received a Falna, weren't included in the rating system.
No matter how sharp or durable such equipment might be, it wouldn't be considered a ranked weapon.
Even third-rank equipment, the lowest grade of weaponry forged by specialists using special abilities, cost well over one hundred thousand Valis.
Based on his preferences, Liber chose a standard broadsword of moderate length with a well-balanced center of gravity.
After picking the broadsword, he suddenly wondered what it would feel like to wield a weapon enchanted with the Levitation spell.
He checked that no one in the shop was watching him, then quietly cast the spell to test it. When he swung the enchanted weapon, it felt completely weightless, though its actual mass hadn't changed.
For the sake of the experiment, he tried a greatsword as well.
The experimental greatsword was as wide as an adult's torso and over 1.6 meters long.
Liber tried to lift it and found he couldn't budge it at all. He could only quietly cast the spell, then swing the huge sword while the people around him stared in astonishment.
After giving it a quick try, he bought the greatsword and swiftly left under the amazed gazes of the onlookers.
Liber left the weapon shop and walked out of sight. At the corner of the building, he put the weapon away in his pocket space.
He then went to an armor shop as planned. Since he'd need to wear his armor all the time, heavy metal armor would make it hard to move and increase his stamina consumption.
So he bought an outfit made of two layers of leather, with armor plates protecting his chest from the front and back. His lower-body armor was also made of leather, with a protective skirt combining leather and metal plates over his hips.
He wore nonslip woven gloves. The full set offered protection without restricting his movements, and he wore relatively light clothes beneath it.
After Liber had bought his equipment, only a few hundred Valis remained of the one hundred thousand sponsored by the Familia—about the price of a serving of fried noodles.
He headed along the main street toward the Adventurers' Guild headquarters.
On the way there, Liber saw many adventurers in full gear. Some were sturdy humans, while others were small demi-humans. Most were following the road toward the Guild.
Liber followed the crowd deep into the avenue and entered a grand temple. The entire building was made of smooth, beautiful white marble.
People streamed through the spacious hall. Inside the temple, crowds of people in full armor jostled noisily.
This was the Guild. It managed the city, provided advice on Dungeon攻略, recorded Dungeon maps, exchanged Magic Stones for money, and handled many other functions and services.
Most of the adventurers gathered in the hall were there to explore the Dungeon.
Others had come to exchange the Magic Stones dropped by Dungeon monsters for money, or to provide information about the Dungeon.
Liber joined the line of people taking care of business and slowly moved forward until he reached a counter.
"Hello, I'm here to register as an adventurer."
He told the dignified female employee behind the counter what he was there for.
"Of course. Please wait a moment."
The clerk promptly took out some papers and began recording his information.
"Your name?"
"Liber Miller."
"Race?"
"Human."
"About how old are you?"
"Fourteen."
"Which deity is your Familia affiliated with?"
"I belong to the Loki Familia."
When Liber gave the name of his Familia, the clerk behind the counter looked up at him in surprise.
The people around him heard the name of his Familia, too, and let out a wave of gasps and murmurs.
Liber raised an eyebrow and calmly asked, "Is the registration complete?"
The clerk composed herself and apologized before lowering her head to continue filling out the registration papers. The crowd around them grew noisy, and the buzz of discussion gradually spread through the hall.
"He's just become an adventurer, but he looks pretty young."
"Has someone new joined the Loki Familia?"
"He must have some extraordinary talent."
"I wonder what it takes to join the Loki Familia."
"Don't get your hopes up."
All kinds of noisy discussion flowed into Liber's ears. He let out a quiet breath and steadied himself.
He'd expected something like this even before joining the Loki Familia.
As one of the leading Familias in Orario, the Loki Familia was admired and respected by many. Its reputation had even spread beyond Orario to other countries.
But judging by the commotion, his name was likely to attract attention. Some people specialized in gathering information on famous Familias, then passed it on to others or sold it for a fee.
He didn't need to worry about the Guild's registration records. They only listed basic information like his name, Familia, and level, nothing worth worrying about.
He watched as the Guild clerk completed his registration, then said goodbye.
Liber left the noisy Guild hall.
He set off for the Dungeon, ready to begin his first adventure.
Before you continue