Sunlight had washed away all traces of rain.
The road leading to the Dungeon, once shrouded in gloom, now glistened clean under the clear sky.
After updating his Status and saying farewell to Hestia, Bell set out to continue his exploration.
"Hey, you over there."
A light, feminine voice called out from behind him.
Bell didn't pay it any mind. The streets were full of people, and he didn't recognize anyone with a voice like that.
"You there—the white-haired boy. Did you not hear me calling you?" The tone was gentle yet carried a cool sharpness.
"Me?" Bell turned around, following the sound.
Standing there was a petite human girl.
Her beauty was cold and refined—so perfect that at first glance, she looked like a delicate doll.
Her long silver-white hair swayed softly in the wind, and her dreamlike eyes, framed by long lashes, fixed intently on him.
Dressed in a blue-and-white outfit paired with white knee-high socks, her attire radiated a sacred aura that marked her unmistakably as a healer.
"What is it?" Bell asked as he stepped closer.
"Have you seen a small brown dog nearby?" the girl asked in a quiet, melodic voice.
"No. Any other details?" Though confused about why she'd approached him, Bell still answered earnestly.
"Hmm..." The girl blinked her violet eyes, seeming to both think and size him up at the same time.
"I remember now. About this tall, with a fierce glare. As for the chest... probably much smaller than mine."
She stood perfectly straight, her serious tone at odds with her absurd description of the "dog."
"That sounds like a human, not a dog," Bell muttered before he could stop himself.
Judging from where they were, he guessed the person she was looking for was probably Naaza from the potion shop.
"I'm looking for a Chienthrope," the girl clarified.
Her words confirmed his suspicion.
Just as Bell was trying to figure out how to ask about her connection to Naaza, a voice called from the side.
"Airmid, what are you doing here?"
The Chienthrope girl, Naaza, appeared by the roadside, carrying a large bag filled with empty glass test tubes.
"The debtor disappeared without a trace, so I'm asking around," the girl—Airmid—answered calmly.
"Huh. You, the so-called Dea Saint, resorting to such a clumsy way of finding someone?"
Naaza couldn't help but feel that Airmid must have had some other motive for approaching Bell.
She didn't say it aloud, though. After all, this member of the Dian Cecht Familia was far too perfect—intelligent, beautiful, kind, and the very embodiment of a healer's ideals.
The title "Dea Saint" wasn't just for her exceptional healing power, but also for her deeply compassionate heart.
If Bell had caught Airmid's attention, then perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing for him after all.
"So, calling a Chienthrope a 'dog' when meeting a young man for the first time—don't you think that's a bit rude?" Though she wasn't worried about the boy, Naaza, as the debtor, couldn't bring herself to speak kindly.
"Erisuis, I merely mimicked your tone," Airmid replied, her expression calm and unreadable.
She turned toward Bell and gave a graceful bow. "If I caused you any discomfort, please forgive my rudeness."
"No, there's no need to apologize to me." Her seriousness left Bell slightly flustered.
"Tsk, still pretending to be the perfect student?" Naaza shot her a cold look.
"Please take that back. I don't recall ever acting the part of a model student," Airmid replied softly.
"Then what about that annoying god of yours, the one who lives with the model student?"
Naaza's expression darkened as she recalled the arrogance of her creditor.
"I slipped out alone while Dian Cecht-sama wasn't paying attention."
Though Airmid spoke respectfully of her Familia's god, her expression was unexpectedly distant.
Bell caught the nuance and quietly noted the name of this troublesome god.
"Don't tell me you came here just to laugh at our Familia?"
Naaza knew Airmid would never deliberately do such a thing, yet the way Dian Cecht constantly mocked the Miach was something she'd seen far too many times—and hated every one of them.
"No... today was the scheduled day for debt collection. I intended to handle it alone, but when I arrived, the shelves of Blue Pharmacy were already empty." Airmid's voice carried a trace of guilt.
"So it's that time again? Sorry, but the Miach Familia had an incident this morning. Even if we wanted to pay in potions like usual, that'd be nothing short of a miracle."
Naaza's grip on the bag in her hand tightened, her expression filled with remorse and frustration. "Aside from this arm, I have nothing left to offer."
In truth, the Miach Familia had received enough compensation to easily cover the debt for the month. But if they were to rebuild the shop, every Valis counted.
For that reason, Naaza decided to make use of Airmid's kindness.
"I see…" The human girl murmured softly, her long lashes trembling as her eyes lowered in sorrow.
From his vantage point, Bell could tell Airmid's sadness was completely genuine.
It was as if she herself had lived through their ordeal when she finally said, "I'll keep this from Dian Cecht-sama. As for the debt, we'll postpone it until next month."
Airmid didn't have the authority to cancel the debt outright. The treatment fees Naaza owed were the hard-earned results of every member of their Familia.
All she could do was hide it from Dian Cecht to prevent him from cruelly rubbing salt into Miach Familia's wounds.
"That's more than enough. Thank you, Airmid." Naaza bowed her head in gratitude.
"How unusual, Erisuis. You actually thanked me." Airmid, long accustomed to Naaza's sharp remarks, found the heartfelt gratitude strangely disarming.
"If it weren't for this young man risking his life to save me, I wouldn't be standing here," Naaza said honestly. "I'm just a wet dog right now—what, did you expect me to bite you?"
At that, Airmid froze. For the proud Chienthrope girl, who never let anyone off lightly, to speak so openly—what kind of hardship had she endured to change her so much?
"Excuse me, I should return to help Miach-sama with potion brewing." Naaza bid the two farewell.
Before leaving, she paused, seemingly worried for Bell, and once again spoke of his courage and kindness—no doubt trying to earn him a few points in the Saint's eyes.
Naaza's figure slowly disappeared into the distance.
"If you want to be friends with her, you should be a little more straightforward, underachiever," Bell said with a small grin.
"Under...achiever?"
Airmid was about to retort but quickly understood what he meant. He'd used that word because she had shown her distaste for the term "model student."
Still, it was quite something to hear anyone call the Dea Saint an "underachiever."
"Tell me, which part of that conversation made you think I wanted to be friends with Naaza Erisuis?"
Bell thought for a moment. "For starters, you sneaked out behind Dian Cecht-sama's back—probably because you didn't want to trouble the Miach Familia, right?"
"You figured that out? Seems Erisuis's praise of you wasn't exaggerated." Airmid didn't bother denying it.
"I noticed more than that," Bell continued, recalling Naaza's words. "You approached me for a reason, didn't you? What was it?"
"Hmm... nothing serious. I just came to heal your wounds."
Airmid's reply was honest.
And for the first time, that doll-like, flawless face softened with a faint, genuine smile.