When Bell returned to the temporary base in the 50th floor safe zone, his thoughts were still in disarray.
"Ugh..."
Despite all his precautions, he'd still ended up meeting the Goddess of Beauty.
That unmistakable yandere aura was overwhelming—and there was no doubt now that Freya had her eyes on him.
But honestly, that wasn't even the worst part.
What troubled him most was that Freya wasn't even on the opposing side anymore.
The fact that she had zeroed in on him through the ornament left behind by the "Sword Princess" meant one thing—Freya had changed course. It might sound arrogant, but it felt like Freya had chosen to side with the Guild's camp just to find him.
This marked a complete shift from their previous opposition. At least on a broader level, they were now aligned. Given the state of Orario, even he found himself on the same side as Freya.
Which meant the issue between them and Freya had shifted from external opposition to internal factional tension.
It might sound similar on the surface, but the difference in dynamics was significant.
Being on the same side but at odds—that was internal conflict. There were still links between them, but now those links were laced with friction.
In other words, Freya had subtly embedded herself among his allies.
She had found her place in the Guild faction—and was now planning to use that connection to officially approach him.
Her final words, "Let's talk outside," had already made that clear.
It wouldn't be long before Freya's invitation reached him through Hermes. It was, after all, fitting for the god of messengers.
But both Goddess-sama and Hephaestus were bound to be furious about it.
Just the thought of a yandere-style beauty goddess watching his every move gave Bell a headache, not delight.
Being targeted by a goddess like her was nothing but psychological pressure.
All he could do now was sigh.
...
"Captain, you...!?"
Late that night, the entire expedition camp on the 50th floor was waiting to welcome Finn back in triumph.
But the moment they saw the captain and his team return battered and in tatters—Bete even missing a leg—they were all stunned.
Even Bete himself seemed frozen.
However, Liliruca, Cassandra, and Daphne, who knew the truth, finally let out a breath of relief.
Yes, the main force had returned injured, and Bete had lost a leg—but compared to total annihilation, this was still far better.
Sensing the mood quickly turning grim, Liliruca pushed her way to the front of the crowd.
"Everyone, quiet! The captain just got back from the Deep Floors. Whatever questions you have can wait until he's had proper treatment."
Liliruca's voice brought the crowd to silence.
"Captain, let me help you."
"Thanks, everyone."
Finn didn't turn down their help.
Welf, the newcomer from Hephaestus Familia, walked over to the person he was most familiar with—Captain Tsubaki—and handed her a wet towel.
"Captain, you've worked hard."
"Oh? Look at you, saying something nice for once."
Tsubaki gave Welf a curious glance. Before the expedition, she clearly remembered how this kid had reeked of defiance and rebellious energy. But now, that attitude had completely vanished.
Welf gave a slightly awkward smile.
"Just saying something polite, that's all."
"Hmm, now that sounds more like the Welf I know."
Watching him like this, Tsubaki's smile deepened.
It was obvious—reality had given this rookie a proper wake-up call.
Geniuses always carried a bit of arrogance. They believed they stood at the top of their craft.
But when a genius meets another with even greater talent in the same field—that's when humility sets in. That's when they realize there's more to learn, more room to grow.
And Welf had seen it firsthand.
Rune Stones.
Each one packed serious power. Simple to use. And cheap.
Even though he'd long since chosen to stop forging magic swords, seeing these Rune Stones—functionally similar to magic swords—left him feeling unsettled.
The rise of Rune Stones was eating away at the very space magic swords once held.
Their low cost, often greater power, and accessibility made them an undeniable force. If you compared a magic sword to a Rune Stone of equal value, the sword might look practically worthless in comparison.
Maybe that was exactly what Welf had hoped to see.
But now, watching Rune Stones slowly replace magic swords in the market, Welf couldn't help but feel a strange melancholy—mixed with a trace of relief.
Maybe it was the difference between choosing not to forge and having no need to forge at all.
In short, it was complicated.
Seeing how powerful those Rune Stones were—how they could replace magic swords—stirred something in him.
He wanted to pit his own forged magic swords against those Rune Stones.
Welf wanted to prove that his creations could match—or even surpass—them.
And that realization made him reflect on how naive and emotional his past ideals had been.
Of course, Tsubaki had no idea what he was thinking. But if she did, she'd probably respond with a bemused look and say, "That's not someone you can compare yourself to."
...
But since Tsubaki was unaware of Welf's shifting thoughts, she didn't consider it at all.
As a captain, she simply thought it was good to see him motivated.
Maybe that was why Hephaestus had included Welf in the expedition in the first place—to let him come to this realization on his own.
"Tsubaki, do you know who makes the Rune Stones?"
"Welf, since when did you get so curious about that?"
"...Just a little interested."
Welf remembered that their Familia handled external sales of these Rune Stones.
Tsubaki didn't quite get his meaning, but she wasn't trying to dodge the question either.
"I know who it is, but I'm not telling you."
"Why not?"
"Because he hates trouble, and he doesn't want people knowing he's the one making them. So even if you're curious, I won't say a thing. Just know that our Familia has a partnership with him. That's all you need."
Tsubaki didn't elaborate any further. She let out a loud yawn, her tension finally easing into exhaustion.
"I'm heading back to my tent to rest. If you really want to know, go find out yourself."
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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