"You want to be like Lili and Haruhime?"
In the quiet of the pavilion, Leon looked down at the figure currently pressed into a formal dogeza posture. He raised an eyebrow, his voice carrying a note of calm confirmation.
"Yes. I truly hope that you can grant me this chance. From this day forward, I will remain with the Hestia Familia. I will never change my allegiance again." Mikoto said earnestly.
She did not lift her head, her forehead remaining pressed against the ground in a show of absolute sincerity.
During her time with the crew, she had witnessed the inexplicable strength of Lili and Haruhime firsthand. Although both were technically still Level 1, they possessed a raw power that was in no way inferior to her Level 2 status. In fact, they were arguably stronger.
She had tried asking them for their secret, but neither Lili nor Haruhime had breathed a word. However, Mikoto wasn't blind. She guessed that the radical changes in her friends were due to Leon's influence.
She had spent a long time agonizing over this decision before finally reaching a conclusion. In Leon's eyes, she had always been a guest, not a true member of the Hestia Familia. That was why he hadn't offered her the same "treatment" he gave the others.
After much soul-searching, she realized that even if she officially left the Takemikazuchi Familia, it wouldn't change the bond they shared.
The two familia were close allies who frequently adventured together. By becoming a true member of the Hestia familia, her growth would accelerate just like Lili's. She would be able to protect her old friends better and grow alongside them, rather than being left behind in their shadows.
She didn't feel like she was taking advantage of the Hestia Familia, because she knew her own heart. If she made this vow, her focus would shift entirely. She would treat the Hestia Familia with more seriousness than her original familia.
If the two ever clashed, she would stand firmly by Hestia's side but looking at the current state of things, that seemed impossible. Ouka and Chigusa were sensible, they would never pick a fight with Leon's group.
In fact, she had discussed this with Takemikazuchi before coming here. He hadn't seen it as a betrayal at all. Instead, he had offered her his full support.
"I watched you grow up, Mikoto. If you have a path to a better future, why would I stop you? No elder should ever block the path of the younger generation's growth."
"Since you've made up your mind, go for it. I'll handle Ouka and Chigusa, I'm sure they'll understand."
With the blessing of her god and her friends, Mikoto had finally found the resolve to make her request.
"Alright." Leon agreed without hesitation, watching Mikoto bowed in reverence.
He had actually considered this before—reincarnating Mikoto into an angel to make her a permanent fixture of the Familia.
However, he hadn't wanted to force the choice on her. Now that she was offering her life and loyalty of her own accord, the timing was perfect. Besides, once she was reincarnated, her fate would be tied to his just like Ais and the others. He had nothing to fear.
"Thank you so much, Leon-sama." Mikoto exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement as she looked up to express her gratitude.
"You're welcome." Leon replied with a faint, knowing smile.
He led her to a private room, dark magic swirling to seal the perimeter and ensure total privacy. He manifested the Angel Reincarnation Pool, casting a massive hoard of magic stones into the shimmering depths.
"Go inside and wait." Leon instructed, glancing at Mikoto, who was vibrating with curiosity.
"Yes, Leon-sama." She chirped, swiftly stepping into the pool.
Mikoto's innate talent was similar to Lili's and Haruhime's, she didn't require an excessive amount of magic stones to catalyze the change.
As the light faded, she emerged as a two-winged angel. The power granted to her by destiny was Gravity—the same essence as her original magic, but bolstered to a terrifying new degree. The sheer force of it boosted Mikoto's physical capabilities to an entirely new level.
Watching her, Leon made a mental note to ask Daphne and Cassandra if they wanted to undergo the same transformation.
"Thank you so much, Leon-sama."
After the process was complete, Mikoto dropped to one knee, her voice thick with respect.
"From now on, we are companions. There is no need for such formality. Just act as you did before." Leon said, smiling as he reached out to help her up.
"Yes... Leon-sama."
At the brief skin-to-skin contact, Mikoto trembled slightly, her voice hitching as she stood.
As they stepped out of the inner courtyard, they found the rest of the group waiting.
Lili and the others had just finished updating their status with Hestia. As soon as she spotted them, Lili didn't hesitate—she rushed forward and dove straight into Leon's arms.
"Leon-sama! Lili has leveled up!" She shouted joyfully.
It wasn't just her. Belle and Haruhime had also successfully ranked up.
Belle had officially reached Level 4. Though it was a fresh promotion, her actual combat power was likely at the top of her tier. After all, Belle was currently the only one besides Leon who had consistently broken the limit, pushing her stats far beyond S-rank.
Lili and Haruhime had both reached Level 2. Combined with their angelic traits, their actual strength was now comfortably at a Level 3 standard.
The Hestia Familia was finally, truly ready for the grand expedition.
"Leon-san, I'm Level 4 now." Belle shared her joy with a beaming, characteristic smile.
"I've upgraded too—Level 3." Daphne added confidently, planting a hand on her hip.
"Leon-san, me too." Haruhime and Cassandra whispered shyly from the side.
"It's good that you've all progressed. Now, you can all play a major role in the next expedition." Leon said softly.
He reached out and patted Lili's head. "Oh, right. Let's ask Naaza if she wants to come along as well."
"Yes, Leon-san."
"By the way, Daphne, Cassandra. Come here for a moment. I need to have a word with you."
—
After initiating Mikoto into the angelic fold, Leon turned his attention to Daphne and Cassandra. It was only logical to bring them over as well.
Since nearly every member of the Hestia Familia had been reincarnated into an angel, he decided to include Belle in the process. He wanted to ensure the girl didn't feel left behind or harbor any "wild thoughts" about her own growth compared to her friends.
While Daphne and Cassandra were straightforward transitions, Belle's reincarnation was an entirely different beast. The energy requirement was staggering—over 50% more than what had been required for Ais.
It took 150,000 energy units, the equivalent of 150 million Valis worth of magic stones.
'As expected of the protagonist.' Leon thought, feeling a rare flicker of genuine surprise.
Among the abilities the three acquired, Leon found Daphne and Cassandra's to be the most "authentic" in a traditional sense. Both awakened the power of Holy Light, the quintessential innate force of the angelic race.
Belle's ability, however, was a different story altogether. Much like Lili and the others, her power was unique: The Power of Miracles.
It was a fickle thing. Belle couldn't actually trigger it on purpose. It was a purely passive ability that remained dormant until she faced a genuine life-or-death crisis. Only when backed into a corner would it unleash, allowing her to turn the tide of fate itself.
The potency of this "Miracle" was effective as long as the enemy was no more than three levels higher than Belle. At her current status as a Level 4, this meant Belle could technically survive an encounter with a Level 7 adventurer. It provided that "glimmer of hope" needed to snatch victory from the jaws of certain death.
Even Leon felt his eye twitch when he analyzed the skill. Fortunately, it had a massive BUT: it could only be used once per year.
If the cooldown had been any shorter, Leon felt his heart might have started to wobble from pure envy.
Still, none of these newfound powers could ever pose a threat to Leon. As their superior—their master, to put it bluntly—he remained the source of the pool that birthed them. What he gave, he could ultimately oversee.