The moment Faen instinctively reached out to accept the potion, he felt a killing intent so dense it was almost tangible rise from the corner of the shop.
Following the sensation, he turned his head.
By the grinding table for medicinal herbs stood a tall girl with short brown hair and a pair of canine ears. She was glaring at Lord Miach with eyes that looked ready to spit fire.
Her expression was a chaotic mix of despair, exasperation, and righteous fury—wordlessly screaming:
"We can barely keep the shop running, and you're still giving away valuable stock for free?!"
Her tightly flattened ears pressed back against her head, trembling with emotion. She looked like she might transform into a hellhound and devour her own god at any second.
Faen's hand froze midair. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.
So that was why the shop looked so financially strained.
"No, no, Lord Miach, this is far too generous," he said quickly, withdrawing his hand and refusing in a firm but respectful tone. "We just stopped by to visit. I couldn't possibly accept something this valuable. Your kindness is more than enough."
He distinctly felt the murderous aura from the corner ease slightly.
"That's right, Miach, you really shouldn't keep giving things away like that."
Furina seemed to catch on to the atmosphere. She flashed a playful wink toward the canine-eared girl in the corner.
"Or else Naaza will get upset again."
Naaza let out a long, heavy sigh. Her ears relaxed a fraction.
She gave Faen a look that clearly said, "Good judgment."
Faen returned an awkward but polite smile.
In the end, under Miach's regretful gaze and Naaza's visible relief, Faen and Furina left the modest apothecary.
Faen silently resolved that they would purchase their potions from Miach's shop whenever possible. The god had genuinely intended to gift them without expecting anything in return. Considering Furina's connection with him, lending support was the least he could do.
...
Leaving behind the perpetually impoverished yet unfailingly kind Lord Miach, the two continued strolling and gradually entered a livelier district.
A rich scent of butter and fried potatoes drifted through the air.
"Fried potato puffs!"
Furina's mismatched eyes lit up instantly.
She dragged Faen straight to a small street stall.
The stall was modest—just a large oil pot bubbling vigorously, golden potato balls rolling within.
The one cooking, however, was yet another god.
Tall and broad-shouldered, dressed simply in a short-sleeved shirt and apron, with neat black hair and sharp black eyes. His features weren't delicate, but they carried a heroic, upright presence. Without the faint divinity in his aura, he could have passed for an ordinary hardworking young man.
"Takemikazuchi, I smelled the food and came right over."
Furina greeted him familiarly.
"The usual. Butter."
"Oh, Focalors."
Takemikazuchi looked up and laughed heartily. "I knew this scent would draw you here. Give me a moment—fresh out of the oil tastes best."
He skillfully scooped several perfectly fried potato puffs into a paper bag, squeezed sweet butter over them, and handed them to Furina.
"Here. Same as always—free."
Then he turned to Faen warmly.
"You must be one of Focalors' children. Have one too. My treat."
"Thank you very much, Lord Takemikazuchi," Faen replied with a polite smile, pulling out his pouch. "But we can't keep eating for free."
"Five portions, please. Include my goddess's as well. I'd like to bring some back for my companions."
He handed over far more valis than five servings required.
Takemikazuchi paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"You're a serious young man, aren't you? Very well, I'll accept it."
As he packed the rest, he nodded approvingly.
"With a child like you, Focalors can rest easy. Unlike my own boys, who constantly give me gray hairs."
His voice carried unhidden affection for his Familia.
When Faen received the warm paper bags, he felt not only the heat of the food, but the straightforward goodwill of a humble god.
...
On the walk home, Furina happily nibbled at her buttered potato puffs in small, contented bites.
Faen walked beside her, deep in thought.
He finally understood Furina's social circle.
He had once worried that her naive, easily distracted personality might be influenced by the more mischievous gods of Orario.
But now, that concern vanished.
He glanced at the girl beside him, face glowing with pure joy over a simple dessert—and a gentle smile formed on his lips.
Peaceful days were always brief.
For adventurers who lived by conquering the Dungeon, battle and growth were the true constants.
---
While the Focalors Familia steadily strengthened, Orario itself had begun to change—subtly, quietly, just because of Faen's skill.
Over time, intelligence regarding the "new-type monsters" was collected by the Guild and investigated by various Familias. The findings were compiled into a detailed report and posted prominently on the Guild's central bulletin board.
The Guild hall was more crowded than ever.
Adventurers packed tightly around the massive notice board, craning their necks to extract vital information—anything that might keep them alive and make them richer.
"Look! The Guild has officially named the new monsters!"
"Fire Slime—weak to water. Core is the weak point… So that's why my sword felt useless, I wasn't hitting the core!"
"And this one, Bomb Hilichurl… throws Fire Slimes? Damn it, that's how I got blown up last time."
"Rockshield Hilichurl, high defense. Recommended heavy weapons or magic to break the shield first… This is critical intel."
With official analysis available, adventurers could now approach encounters more strategically and reduce unnecessary risks.
It was true that casualties had spiked when the new monsters first appeared.
But risk and reward walked hand in hand.
The new monsters dropped materials far more valuable than standard Dungeon creatures of similar rank. Their magic stones contained purer energy, exchanging for more valis.
More importantly—
They granted abnormally high excelia.
And for adventurers striving to grow stronger—
That alone was worth everything.
====================
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