Jeanne noticed Lucas's awkward situation right away.
She stepped up to the bed, sat on the edge, and gently wrapped her hand around Lorie's trembling fingers. Her voice softened with warmth.
"It's alright, Lorie. You're safe now. Don't be scared."
Lucas watched the scene, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
As expected of the Holy Maiden. Her presence alone could melt through anyone's fear. Even someone she had just met could open up around her so easily. Compared to that, he still had a long road ahead.
He shifted his attention to Lorie and the unconscious cook, Aura.
Neither of them had the slightest aura of an adventurer. They weren't even the type of newcomers who roamed around towns or villages. They were the purest kind of newbies, the soft and naive sort who hadn't figured out how dangerous the world really was.
No wonder they'd fallen into a trap the moment someone reeled them in.
While he was lost in thought, Lorie's breathing gradually steadied under Jeanne's gentle comfort. Bit by bit, she began explaining what she and Aura had gone through.
Lucas listened quietly, then nodded.
"Pretty much what I guessed. None of this is your fault. Honestly, you two were lucky. The ones who grabbed you were just as inexperienced as you, probably fresh to Orario and just as clueless. That's the only reason you had a chance to escape."
He paused, then added with a small grin, "Take it as a lesson. In my hometown, we say 'suffer once, grow wiser after.' This experience will become something that strengthens you."
Lorie bit her lip and nodded hard. Lucas's words struck her as completely reasonable.
"I… I understand."
Once the mood felt right, Lucas curved his lips into a relaxed smile.
"Lorie, you and Aura—would you two like to join my and Jeanne's Familia?"
"Huh?"
The sudden shift made Lorie freeze. She blinked at Lucas, then looked at Jeanne, who gave her an encouraging nod.
"I…"
Her fingers twisted together nervously. She had something to say but couldn't get it out.
Lucas caught onto her hesitation immediately.
"There's no pressure. Joining a Familia is a major life decision, and it goes both ways. Ask anything you want. If it's not a secret, I'll answer honestly."
Gathering her courage, Lorie lifted her clear elven eyes.
"Your… your Familia… which god does it belong to?"
Lucas had been expecting that. It was always the first question.
Choosing a god was deeply personal. It was also a gamble.
Get a good god, your future soared. Get a chaotic, unreliable joke of a deity, and your life became a tragedy.
Lucas nodded thoughtfully before answering.
"Officially, Jeanne and I serve under the Demeter Familia. You've heard of Goddess Demeter, right?"
Lorie nodded. Even as a newcomer, she knew of the famously influential goddess.
"As for the real situation… it's a bit complicated. It touches on our Familia's secrets." His tone shifted, becoming more solemn. "But I can swear on Goddess Demeter's name that we have nothing to do with Evilus or any other group that's fallen into darkness."
He paused, then added with a playful wink. "If you want to know more, well… join the Familia and you'll learn everything."
"…"
That explanation confused Lorie even more, but she could at least sense one thing clearly: Lucas and Jeanne couldn't possibly be connected to anything evil.
It wasn't because Lucas somehow charmed her into trusting him. It was Jeanne.
The serenity and warmth Jeanne radiated felt comforting even to an elf. No malicious or twisted being could ever mimic that.
If Lucas had known what Lorie was thinking, he would've laughed. Affinity really was a kind of sorcery.
"…Alright. I'll join."
Her soft answer made Lucas and Jeanne's faces light up.
"Aura too," Lorie added firmly. "I know she'll make the same decision."
Unconscious Aura had no idea her best friend had just signed her up for a new life.
Still, in her case, that was a blessing.
If Lucas had been a hardcore anime fan, he might have recognized who Lorie and Aura were. Had he not intervened, the silver-haired elf's future would've sunk into a darkness she'd never escape.
The Falna ceremony for Lorie went smoothly.
Mostly because Jeanne stood there with folded arms, watching Lucas like a hawk.
If he dared make even one unnecessary move, he'd probably get sent flying.
And considering Lorie's age, he wouldn't have dared anyway.
For elves, the ceremony itself was… intense.
"I-I-I have to show my back? Which god came up with something this embarrassing…"
With Jeanne's help, Lorie lay on her stomach, her back exposed while the rest of her was carefully bundled under a blanket.
Lucas had been "asked" to step outside during preparations.
Using a silver needle, he pricked his finger and let blood drip as he activated the sacred script, carving the divine letters.
"Who knows? Probably some god's weird sense of humor. Maybe that big guy Ouranos in the Guild would know."
He'd done the ceremony enough times that it was second nature. Soon, the room lit up with a soft glow, signaling completion.
Jeanne finally exhaled, giving Lucas a look that clearly said, Good. You behaved.
"Welcome to the Lucas Familia, Lorie."
Once she dressed again, Lucas handed her the parchment with her Falna data.
"Wait… Lucas Familia?"
Lorie stared at the name, stunned.
"Didn't you say Demeter Familia?"
Lucas smirked and tucked the parchment into her hands.
"Who said the god you think is your god has to be your actual god? You're still too young. Orario is full of surprises."
Lorie blinked in confusion, eyes wide and sparkling in a way only the truly innocent could manage.
---
[Name]: Lorie Suval
[Race]: Elf
[Occupation]: Adventurer, Magic Swordswoman
[Affiliation]: Lucas Familia
[Level]: Lv.1
[Stats]:
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
[Magic]:
Aria of the Gale — Surrounds the body with an invisible armor of wind, boosting all Stats and repelling attacks while massively enhancing attack power, attack speed, and movement speed.
• Additional Magic
• Finisher: Storm Blossom
Chant: Rage…
[Skills]:
Crest of Affection (Hidden)
• Conceals Falna details and deceives divine detection
• Accelerates growth and expands potential
Fairy's Soft Hymn
• Enhances magic effects
• Improves mental efficiency
Shadow of the Gale
• Heightened perception, drastically increased while using Magic
• Boosts movement and attack speed
• Increases Agility and Dexterity
Windfury Waltz
• Overall Stat increase
---
Lorie's Status Panel was among the strongest Lucas had ever seen outside of monsters.
He suspected her elven heritage and natural talent played a major part. But his own Skill definitely affected the result.
Blessing of Affection.
Blessing of Affection
• Bestows divine favor upon one's beloved, granting protection to members of the same Familia.
• The more female members in the Familia, and the higher their intimacy with the user, the stronger the blessing's effect.
Clearly, Blessing of Affection and Crest of Affection were linked. Every member of the Familia would have it, so long as they met the prerequisites.
Lucas had a guess what that prerequisite was…
As for the cost?
Anyone who understood it… understood.
He finally decided to stop thinking about it. Who knew how many unknown factors were involved? At least the outcome was positive.
Lorie clutched the parchment, staring at her Status.
Was this really her?
The numbers felt so unreal.
Back in her village, the elders had said she was "above average, but nothing exceptional." She'd believed that.
Now she wasn't sure what to believe anymore.