By the time Yoru stepped out of the Guild, the sky had already turned completely dark. Warm, dim orange lights flickered to life along the streets as adventurers returned from the Dungeon, weaving through the crowds, exchanging the life-risked valis in their hands for food and drink in bustling taverns and eateries.
Yoru, however, having not encountered a single monster, naturally hadn't earned a single coin.
The noisy calls of street vendors held no relevance to him. He had wanted to make things a bit easier for Hestia by earning some money today—but in the end, his first dive had turned out to be a total failure.
Are Dungeon monsters really that rare?
Just like Eina, Yoru didn't believe his monsterless journey down to the fifth floor was simply due to good luck. He figured the Dungeon was just underpopulated with monsters, and because there were too many adventurers, slower ones like him simply couldn't catch any.
"Why do I feel like I've experienced something like this before…?"
He muttered to himself, frowning slightly as if something had clicked in his mind. Then he slowly turned around.
"Um, excuse me…"
Behind him stood a young human girl, calling out softly.
She wore a white blouse and a light green skirt that reached just below her knees, over which she wore a long waist apron. Her dull bluish-gray hair was tied into a small bun at the back of her head, with a long strand trailing behind like a single ponytail variant.
Her eyes, the same color as her hair, shone with an innocent and warm light, and her delicate, fair-skinned face wore a gentle and welcoming smile that could melt anyone's heart.
"Adventurer-san, you look like you're in a bit of a rush. Would you like to come in and rest for a while?"
She gestured toward the building behind her. Only now did Yoru notice the sign hanging above it:
The Hostess of Fertility.
It appeared to be the name of the tavern.
"Um…"
Yoru didn't know how to respond. But as she invited him, he realized he was feeling hungry—it had been an entire day since he'd eaten anything.
"...I don't have any money."
He admitted quietly after a brief pause. Though it was a bit embarrassing, Yoru's simple and straightforward mind didn't think too much of it.
"Ah, I see… So today was your first time adventuring?"
Yoru nodded, and the girl made a thoughtful expression. Then, all of a sudden, she turned and dashed off.
Before Yoru could figure out what she was doing, she quickly returned.
In her hands was a small, neat basket she hadn't been holding before. Inside were a few small loaves of bread and some cheese.
"Please take this, if you'd like. I was going to have it as a late-night snack, but on second thought… it's probably better not to eat too much at night."
She beamed and handed the basket to him. Yoru blinked, then solemnly accepted it and spoke seriously:
"I will repay you."
The girl looked stunned, clearly expecting a simple "thank you"—not such a serious vow.
"Repay…? Why so serious?"
She tilted her head with an amused smile, almost as if she were actually thinking about what kind of repayment she wanted.
"Hmm… then let's make it like this: when you earn your first pay as an adventurer, you have to come spend it here, okay? You're not allowed to leave without ordering a full meal!"
She grinned mischievously, hoping to get a fun reaction. But Yoru just nodded seriously again, clearly taking it to heart—as if he'd made a life debt to a savior.
"Geez… why are you so serious, adventurer-san?"
"Am I… too serious?"
Yoru rubbed his face awkwardly, unsure.
"Yeah, you haven't even smiled once this whole time."
The girl stepped down from the entrance, leaning forward slightly as she examined his expression.
"You seem so stiff and cold. Why's that?"
"Maybe it's just my personality…"
Yoru scratched his nose awkwardly and turned away from her curious gaze.
"But still, thank you for the food. I will repay you."
"Ahhh, there you go again! Well, whatever—do as you like. I'll be waiting for your grand repayment, okay?"
With an exaggerated sigh, she giggled and waved as Yoru walked away, basket in hand.
After taking a few steps, Yoru suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the smiling girl.
"Um… may I know your name?"
"Normally, when asking for someone's name, you give your own first. But, oh well. My humble name is Syr Flova."
"I'm Yoru. Miss Syr… I will repay you."
That was the third time he had said those words.
"Okay, okay, I got it! I'll be waiting."
Syr waved with a wry smile, clearly not taking his words seriously, and then turned and headed into the tavern.
To her, this was just a minor gesture—a brief moment of kindness.
But to Yoru, it was something he would never forget.
Though Syr thought his vow of "repayment" was just a joke, Yoru didn't.
It might've been a small kindness, but to someone still on guard against the world, it felt like warmth in the middle of a snowstorm.
And the more Syr brushed it off with indifference, the more determined Yoru became to repay that kindness.
To others, it might seem a little hard to understand, but really… Yoru was just a bit of an idiot.
"How should I repay her… Hmm… Maybe I should make her a goddess? That'd probably make her happy, right?"
Muttering something that would make anyone think he was crazy, Yoru walked through a quiet alley and arrived in front of the worn-down shrine.
Before he realized it, he was home.
"I'm back, Hestia."
As soon as he pushed open the door and entered the underground room, a white blur launched itself at him like a panther striking its prey.
Yoru was instantly pinned to the floor by the figure—though of course, there were no panthers in this house.
It was just Hestia, who had been waiting at home all day and had nearly lost her mind with worry.
"Waaaahhh!! Why are you back so late?! Do you know how worried I was?! I finally got myself a Familia member, and if you died, what would I even do?!"
"I'm truly sorry, Lady Goddess. There were… some unexpected delays."
Yoru looked genuinely apologetic—even his way of addressing her had become more respectful. He could feel how much she had feared for him.
Considering how recklessly he'd gone all the way to the fifth floor, he didn't dare tell her the truth.
"Idiot! I told you, your safety is the most important thing! Making money comes second! When I said you had to support me, I was joking! I'm working hard too, you know!"
"That won't do, Lady Goddess. How could I let you worry over me like that?"
Yoru smiled gently, treating Hestia like a child as he tried to soothe her.
"Don't say stupid stuff! We're supposed to be family, remember?! And stop treating me like I'm some kid!"
She huffed and slapped his hand away from her head, puffing her cheeks in frustration.
"Did you eat anything? You must've taken out a lot of monsters today, right? Made some good money? Did you at least treat yourself to something nice? Don't skimp, okay? You need to stay in top condition if you're going into the Dungeon daily!"
"As for me, I've been eating lots of fried potatoes at work, so don't worry. Once you get stronger and start making real money, you owe me a feast!"
As she rambled on, every word brimming with concern, Yoru's smile grew softer.
He lifted the basket Syr had given him and offered it to Hestia.
"Of course I didn't forget you, Lady Goddess. Let's eat together."
"Wow, bread and cheese, huh? As expected of Yoru! Your first day and you already earned such a good haul of valis?"
Even though the contents were simple and cheap, Hestia exaggerated her reaction—probably to cheer him up.
Yoru saw through her little act and simply smiled in return. The two of them shared a peaceful, modest dinner together.
"Alright, alright—before bed, strip."
Setting the basket aside, Yoru was wondering if he should return it to Syr tomorrow when Hestia suddenly blurted that out and began tugging at his clothes.
"You're a girl—please be more mindful of what you say."
Her words were far too suggestive. Yoru sighed but still took off his shirt.
"Well… last time I was too shocked to record your status properly. But now that you've had your first battle, let's check for any growth."
She pressed him down onto the bed, straddling his back.
(Although… I didn't actually fight anything today.)
Yoru had no idea whether he should tell Hestia about what happened. But in the end, he decided against it—if she knew he'd gone to the fifth floor, she'd be even more worried every day.
Lying face-down, Yoru looked up curiously. He hadn't gotten a proper look last time at what a Falna really looked like.
In the mirror on the wall, he saw his own back—covered in rows of dense, black script.
He didn't know when they had appeared, but apparently the Falna manifested in this peculiar way.
Then he felt a strange sensation—Hestia was gently stroking his back.
One stroke, two strokes. She carefully traced the same spot over and over, almost as if trying to relax his muscles.
After a while, she took out a silver needle, pricked her fingertip, and let a drop of blood fall onto his back.
To her surprise, the droplet didn't seep into his skin like it should have.
Instead, it froze—forming a small patch of frost on Yoru's back.
"Huh? That's… odd."
It was different from how she expected, but since this was her first time updating his status, Hestia just assumed it was one of Yoru's quirks.
"Jeez… even updating your status is unique. You really are special, my Familia member."
Murmuring to herself, she traced the Falna over the thin layer of frost. Thankfully, it didn't affect her ability to read it, and she finished the update with ease.
When Yoru finally turned around, now dressed, he saw Hestia holding a clear sheet of ice in her hands.
"Brr… so cold… Here, this is your current status. Not much improvement, but don't let it get you down. Becoming stronger is a long journey."
Shivering from the chill, Hestia handed over the ice tablet, her voice still full of encouragement.