The brand burned.
Not painfully—no, it was deeper than that. It felt like something settling, like a missing piece finally snapping into place. I stood still as Solenne's hand hovered just above my back, her fingers glowing faintly with warm, golden light.
"This mark," she said quietly, "means you belong to me now."
I nodded. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it—etched into my skin, undeniable. A divine brand. Proof that I was no longer unaffiliated. Proof that I had a goddess.
"When a god accepts someone as their familia," Solenne continued, "a brand is embedded on their back. It tells the world—and the gods—that this person is under divine protection."
I exhaled slowly.
"So that's it," I muttered. "No more being invisible."
She smiled. "Far from it."
"Turn around," she said. "I need to update your status."
I did as told, turning my back fully toward her. The alley was silent again, but the air itself felt heavier, charged with something unseen.
The moment her palm touched the brand—
My vision exploded with light.
Numbers surged across my sight, lines of data scrolling faster than I could process. My muscles tightened involuntarily as heat spread through my limbs, through my chest, through my very core. It felt like my blood was moving faster, stronger, as if my body was remembering how to grow.
I gasped, gripping the wall.
Solenne's voice remained steady as she worked.
"…Unbelievable."
"What?" I managed to say through clenched teeth.
She moved her hand slowly, tracing invisible symbols across the brand. "Your parameters. Even without proper updates… they're absurd."
The light intensified.
I felt it then.
Strength.
Not imagined. Not hopeful.
Real.
My legs felt lighter. My heartbeat steadied. My senses sharpened. The faint sounds of the street beyond the alley became clearer—the distant chatter of adventurers, the hum of the Labyrinth gate, the subtle ticking of the timer far away.
Solenne inhaled softly.
"You must have faced countless near-death experiences," she said, almost in disbelief, "to have these numbers… as the weakest."
I laughed weakly. "Yeah."
The light finally faded, and the pressure released all at once. I nearly collapsed—but steadied myself, breathing hard.
A status window hovered before my eyes.
Name: Kael ArdentLevel: 2Familia: Solenne FamiliaBlessing: Active
I stared.
"…Level 2?" I whispered.
Solenne stepped back, wiping sweat from her brow. "You jumped immediately."
I turned to face her, shock written all over me. "That's not normal."
"No," she agreed. "It isn't."
She looked at me closely. "When did you first enter the Labyrinth?"
"…Seventeen," I replied. "So… three years ago."
Her eyes widened.
"Three years," she repeated slowly. "You've been fighting monsters, surviving traps, and pushing your body to its limits for three years… without proper status updates?"
"Every day," I said. "First floor only. Slimes. Goblins. Occasionally something stronger that wandered too close."
Solenne pressed a hand to her mouth, stunned.
"That explains it," she said. "All that experience had nowhere to go. It piled up. The moment I updated your status, it released all at once."
I clenched my fists.
"So this is what it feels like," I said quietly. "To actually grow."
Solenne smiled—proud, radiant.
"This is just the beginning," she said. "Now that your path is open, you'll progress faster than most. Faster than anyone who wasted their early years relying on raw blessings."
I nodded.
Then a thought struck me.
"…Solenne," I said. "Where are you staying?"
Her expression froze.
"…That's not important."
I crossed my arms. "It is. Familia stay together. Especially weak ones."
She looked away.
"I don't have anywhere," she admitted softly. "I've been… moving. Staying where I can. Avoiding other gods."
I felt a knot tighten in my chest.
Weak gods were vulnerable. Everyone knew that. Other gods—especially the stronger ones—looked down on them. Some even hunted them, sending them back to heaven just to eliminate competition.
"…You can't keep sleeping on the streets," I said.
She laughed awkwardly. "I've managed so far."
"Barely," I muttered.
I scratched the back of my head, thinking. Then I sighed.
"My apartment's small," I said. "Rundown. Leaky ceiling. One bed."
Solenne looked at me, confused.
"…And?"
"And if you're okay with it," I continued, "you can stay with me. It's better than being exposed out here."
For a second, she just stared.
Then her eyes lit up.
"Really?" she asked, her voice suddenly bright. "You don't mind?"
I shrugged. "You're my goddess now. Would be pretty stupid to let you get sent back to heaven."
Her smile widened—genuine, unguarded, happy.
"I accept!" she said immediately. "I'll be a good housemate. I promise!"
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Let's just survive first," I said.
As we stepped out of the alley and toward my apartment, the Labyrinth loomed in the distance—unchanged, unmoving.
-
The apartment door creaked as I pushed it open, the familiar scent of dust and mildew greeting us.
"This is your place?" Solenne asked, tilting her head. Her eyes scanned the walls, the peeling wallpaper, the crooked furniture I had barely managed to patch together.
I shrugged. "It's small. Rented on the cheap. One bed, one table, one fridge that barely works." I stepped inside, gesturing to the living room. "But it's home… for now."
She looked around, her silver hair catching what little light came through the window. "It's… cozy," she said softly. Then she laughed, a sound like chimes in the wind. "I never imagined a god staying in such a place."
"Don't get used to it," I muttered, kicking off my boots. "It's not exactly the Ritz."
She giggled and flopped onto the couch, clearly more comfortable than she had any right to be. I leaned against the wall, watching her. Somehow, it felt… right. Even the small, rundown apartment didn't feel empty anymore.
-
We fell silent, listening to the faint hum of the city outside. The Labyrinth loomed beyond the skyline, its dark walls shifting subtly even from here, the timer above its entrance ticking down the hours humanity had left to survive.
I flexed my hands, still feeling the faint warmth of my brand on my back. "You know," I said quietly, "it feels… different. Having someone to actually rely on."
She tilted her head, smiling faintly. "Good. Because you're stuck with me now."
I smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Lucky me."
Her eyes gleamed as she glanced toward the window, toward the Labyrinth. "So, Level 2, huh? Not bad for your first day as a familia."
I chuckled. "Feels… stronger. Different. And I can actually feel progress now, not just hoping I survive the next monster."
She leaned back on the couch. "That's how it's supposed to feel. Every level counts. Every fight matters. And every time you grow, I do too."
I raised an eyebrow. "You mean I'm… carrying your progress as well?"
"Exactly," she said, shrugging playfully. "Makes it more fun, doesn't it?"
I shook my head, smiling. "Yeah… more fun than I expected."
For the first time in years, I felt at ease. Not because the Labyrinth wasn't dangerous—not because the timer wasn't ticking down toward humanity's destruction—but because for the first time, I wasn't alone.
And that made all the difference.
The Labyrinth waited, dark and silent on the horizon.
But now, we had a place to begin.
And we would face it together.