Chapter 14: Soma Familia, Dinner Invitation to Eina
Compared to the environment of the previous 5 floors, the current area Liam was in didn't have a complex cave network. As the footsteps drew nearer.
Several unfamiliar adventurer faces came into his view.
What signified their identity was the adventurer leading the team; the arm of his attire was embroidered with the "Wine Cup" emblem, symbolizing the Soma Familia.
"These people are from the Soma Familia?"
Regarding the Soma Familia.
Liam's impression was relatively deep. A god skilled in brewing, who chose to form a Familia out of an interest in making wine.
But the Familia had never actually earned Soma any money, which was also a kind of encouragement.
He bestowed the divine wine he brewed as a reward to his dependants. The divine wine tasted extremely good and was addictive to adventurers with weak wills.
With the greedy Zanis Lustra becoming the Familia captain.
The Soma Familia's environment became increasingly harsh, describable only as "chaotic and disorderly." The main reason Liam remembered it so clearly.
Was because of the Pallum supporter.
After all, all members of the Soma Familia were addicts. He felt it was quite necessary to be a bit cautious when facing this group of adventurers.
They simply wanted to drink the divine wine.
Supporters at the bottom of the Familia hierarchy would naturally become targets of persecution. Regarding the character of these adventurers.
Liam didn't hold particularly high expectations.
Maintaining distance and avoiding any of their petty actions would suffice.
He didn't linger where he was. After a brief muscle relaxation, his condition had recovered significantly, and he left along the cave passage.
There was only this one passage, so a meeting was eventually inevitable.
Just as Liam spotted them, the middle-aged man in the lead naturally noticed the lone adventurer not far ahead.
Under normal circumstances.
He would naturally "take good care" of the newcomer, telling him that the Dungeon was all about the law of the jungle. Now, after their exploration.
Their overall harvest was quite good, so the adventurer named Freca dismissed the thought.
Instead, other team members asked in a low voice.
"Freca."
"Should we make a move?"
"How much do you think an adventurer exploring the 6th floor can possibly have?" The middle-aged man had a conspicuous scar on his face.
His gloomy eyes swept over the teammate who had made the suggestion.
Even his tone carried a warning, "Don't waste time. With this effort, we might as well go find Captain Zanis to claim our reward sooner."
"Besides..."
"We already had an unexpected surprise today!"
As Freca said this, the corner of his eye glanced at the Pallum girl following at the very end of the team, with a giant backpack on her back.
Symbolizing her supporter status.
The warned adventurer didn't care at all. When divine wine was mentioned, his eyes filled with fervent anticipation.
"Then this kid is lucky today."
"."
When Freca mentioned the "unexpected surprise," Liliruca, who was at the very end of the team, paused slightly in her steps.
She reached out to adjust her cloak.
Covering the bruise at the corner of her eye, the young girl's face showed no change in emotion, but the hand gripping the backpack strap betrayed her feelings.
Facing the Familia's unfair treatment.
Liliruca had, of course, thought of resisting, but as a supporter with extremely poor combat skills, she could only try every means to save enough money.
To escape the mire of the Soma Familia.
With her head down, she followed at the very end of the Familia adventurer team. But when an adventurer, also wearing a cloak, brushed past her.
She subconsciously looked up, and her gaze happened to meet Liam's.
"."
There was no conversation, but upon noticing those eyes, Lili was still momentarily dazed, imprinting Liam's appearance in her mind.
Then she quickened her pace and followed the team away.
---
Although it was a brief exchange of glances, Liam had clearly seen the Pallum girl's face and instantly recognized her identity.
The Labyrinth City Orario wasn't particularly small.
Crucially, he hadn't expected to meet "Liliruca Arde" so soon. The reason for his deep impression.
Was mostly due to this controversial Pallum loli.
Backstabbing Bell who had helped her out of kindness. From a third-person perspective, Liam's impression of Lili due to her various actions wasn't good.
Willingly degenerating, hating adventurers, even using magic to steal adventurers' equipment to sell, retaliating in this manner.
Even knowing the countless hardships Lili had endured.
But everything had its cause and culprit. If Lili had retaliated against the adventurers who had once bullied her. Instead of targeting those adventurers who chose to help her, then his impression of Liliruca would have been better.
Liam had no intention of being a saint. If he really had to say how he viewed her.
It would probably be…
"Let go of the urge to help; respect others' fate."
"."
Pushing the brief interlude aside, Liam began to think about his next plans. Today's overall harvest from the Dungeon.
Was estimated to be lower than yesterday's.
After all, Minotaurs fleeing to the 5th-floor area were ultimately few. However, relying on the drops from killing the rookie-killer War Shadows.
A conservative estimate was an income of 10,000 Valis.
"Lady Hestia should be working quite late tonight. I'll stop by The Hostess of Fertility restaurant on the way to pack some dinner."
"Slightly improve our living standards."
Liam's thoughts after earning money were very simple. Since he couldn't afford to change their living place yet, he would start with food.
Ensuring a sufficiently good condition would, of course, be helpful for Dungeon exploration.
Following the familiar route from memory, the monsters he encountered along the way, as Liam's combat skills became increasingly refined.
Were dealt with extraordinary ease.
When he left the Dungeon, the sky was already approaching dusk. The setting sun illuminated the thick clouds, presenting a splendid golden hue.
He headed to the Adventurer's Guild to exchange today's adventure earnings.
And the half-elf young lady in a black uniform, Eina, was standing with her hands behind her back, looking left and right, finally focusing on a point ahead.
The figure of an adventurer walking towards them, bathed in the sunset.
The serious expression on the young woman's face dispersed, and she smiled and waved at the familiar face, "Liam."
"Miss Eina."
Liam gave a light greeting, not egotistically thinking she was waiting specifically for him, and then asked, "Are you about to get off work?"
The truth was the complete opposite.
Eina pushed her black-rimmed glasses, her cheeks puffed out, her eyes deep. She sighed, "You are an adventurer under my responsibility."
"If you really couldn't return safely from the Dungeon."
"It wouldn't look good on my work record!"
The young woman immediately changed the subject, continuing to ask, "By the way, Liam, how was your Dungeon adventure today?"
"It went quite smoothly."
"Sorry to have worried Miss Eina."
A hint of surprise flashed in Liam's eyes. He was skeptical about Eina's claim about her "work record" but had no intention of delving deeper.
Shaking the money pouch full of magic stones, he pointed to the counter and said, "I need to go exchange the magic stones and dropped materials for Valis first."
"Go ahead."
"."
The process of exchanging for Valis was very simple. He placed all the dropped items on the counter, and the other party would count and calculate before making the payment.
Today's earnings: 15,700 Valis.
Looking at the glittering gold coins was undoubtedly Liam's happiest moment of the day. He put all the Valis into his money pouch.
Leaving the Adventurer's Guild.
Eina was still standing at the entrance. Towards this extremely responsible half-elf, who was even worried about his safety.
Liam's impression of her was, of course, excellent. He took the initiative to greet her, "Is Miss Eina waiting for other adventurers?"
"I've already found them."
She was still looking ahead. Liam followed her gaze. As evening approached, many adventurers who had finished their Dungeon exploration.
Were walking towards the Guild. As the most popular employee in the Guild, the number of adventurers she was responsible for was definitely large.
In such a situation, she still paid extra attention to him.
It couldn't really be considered mere politeness.
Liam's smile was pure and earnest. "Thank you for your care during this time, Miss Eina. I'd like to treat you to a meal to express my gratitude."
"Since you still have to wait for other adventurers."
"Then I'll find another free time for you, Miss Eina. I hope you can grace me with your presence then."
Hearing Liam's words, Eina's proper and beautiful half-elf face, her clear eyes carried a hint of teasing, "Is it possible..."
"That the adventurer I was talking about is you?"
"So."
"If Liam-kun wants to treat me to a meal, maybe I'll agree right now~"
(End of this chapter)