Elsewhere—
At the Twilight Manor, home of the [Loki Familia].
Riveria looked at Finn, who was sitting at his desk, and calmly said, "I'm heading out for a bit later."
"I won't be back for dinner."
"...That's unexpected." Finn paused his writing and slowly raised his sharp blue eyes.
"—What's the occasion?"
Riveria's emerald gaze met his directly.
Finn gave a knowing smile. "You've taken an interest in that boy, haven't you?"
As Captain of the [Loki Familia], Finn had a keen mind.
He could see through people easily—especially his Vice-Captain.
Despite his youthful appearance, Finn Deimne was already forty-two years old.
That was thanks to the blessing of the gods—[Falna].
Leveling up increased an adventurer's stats and also delayed aging.
In short—
The stronger you became, the longer you remained in your prime.
With each level gained, the body aged even more slowly.
In a sense, adventurers drew closer to the divine.
However, no mortal had ever truly reached godhood or eternal life.
Unless…
One mastered the rare development ability [Mystery] and created the Philosopher's Stone—
A legendary artifact said to grant immortality.
It was said that Fels, the Guild's own [Sage], had once succeeded in crafting such a stone.
Unfortunately…
His god at the time found it amusing to destroy it.
Because the creation was a fluke, Fels had never been able to recreate it.
Currently, Fels served directly under Uranus, the god of the Guild.
A Level 4 adventurer hidden beneath robes—an immortal trapped in decay.
…
Riveria did not refute Finn's observation.
Their familia was scheduled to depart on an expedition tomorrow.
Tonight was the only window of free time she had.
"So, what do you like about him?" Finn took a sip of tea. "His bravery?"
"No," Riveria shook her head.
"To be precise—his confidence."
"My intuition tells me that boy is far from ordinary."
"Especially his magic."
"Agreed." Finn's expression turned thoughtful.
"When he used that spell, my thumb ached slightly… a strange reaction."
"—So Finn, don't tell anyone I'm going to see him."
As the Vice-Captain of the most powerful familia in Orario—
And a high elf noble at that—
Visiting someone from another faction in private could easily spark rumors.
Especially from that loud-mouthed mutt, Bete.
"Alright," Finn said with amusement.
"Just don't let yourself get too wrapped up in it."
"From what I've seen, he seems quite fond of you."
"...You and I both aren't particularly interested in romance," Riveria replied flatly.
With that, she turned and left the room.
As the door shut, Finn leaned back and laced his fingers beneath his chin.
What Riveria didn't know—
Was that Finn, as a Pallum, had his own long-standing ambitions.
Beyond restoring the honor of his people, he also sought to pass on the bloodline of a hero.
In the original timeline—
Finn had once proposed marriage to Liliruca Arde when she was fifteen.
His motive?
To ensure the birth of a Pallum heir worthy of legend.
Naturally, he was rejected.
In the world of DanMachi, demi-humans could only reproduce within their own race.
Elves with elves. Dwarves with dwarves. Beastmen with beastmen.
Only humans could cross those lines.
Though even then—
Children born from humans and Amazonesses were always daughters of the Amazoness race.
…
Back to the present—
Raven Eltharion, with [Silent] Alfia walking beside him, had passed through several backstreets and alleys.
Eventually, they arrived at a small, remote side road on the outskirts of West Main Street.
There wasn't a single person in sight. The atmosphere was quiet, the lighting dim.
The cobblestone ground was slightly damp.
Standing ahead was a standalone shop—no bigger than 50 square meters.
A wooden sign above the entrance bore the emblem of the [Miach Familia]—
A stylized silhouette of a healthy human figure.
"This place is seriously out of the way," Raven muttered, glancing around.
"Good thing I asked for directions last night."
"Otherwise, I'd never have found it."
He studied the plain storefront.
And realized—
Compared to this, the [Hestia Familia]'s broken-down church actually looked luxurious.
"Looks like I really need to hurry and take over Hearthfire Manor on Southwest Main Street."
Raven turned to [Silent] beside him.
"Wait for me in the shadows."
"Alright," Alfia responded, her figure vanishing like smoke.
Her speed—
Easily outmatched even Aisha's so-called [Chariot of the Goddess].
Raven walked forward and pushed open the twin wooden doors.
The scent of dried herbs filled the dim interior.
Behind the counter, Naaza Erisuis—dog-eared and wearing her usual bandana—was organizing inventory.
Naaza looked up. "Raven?"
"You got here fast."
"Miss Naaza, it's already late afternoon," Raven replied with a smile.
Naaza blinked, looking more alert than usual.
Her expression was typically one of fatigue, like someone who never quite got enough sleep.
But now…
She seemed pleased to see him.
"Give me 20 bottles of [High-Grade MP Recovery Potions]," Raven said brightly.
---
Chapter 70+ on my patreon.com/dzeref887
Update Schedule, WebNovel = 3 bab/day
Patreon = 10 bab/day