On the silent night, Ize could faintly hear a familiar voice giving someone a lecture in the distance.
He could more or less guess what was going on.
Deep down, Ize held half a second of silent mourning for Lante and another girl named Chloe.
Listening to the crackling sound of the firewood burning, Ize slowly calmed his mind.
In this quiet environment, the small red exclamation mark in the lower left corner of his field of vision became especially eye-catching.
It gave him the urge to tap on it…
So Ize did just that.
If one had to describe it, it was like clicking it with his mind.
Immediately afterward, a virtual screen that only Ize could see unfolded before him, with several lines of text clearly written on it.
[Host: Ize Elward]
[Owned Skill: Starry Devotion (Partially Activated)]
[Current Mission: Join a Familia (Incomplete)]
[Reward: Skill Obtained: Heart of the Earth]
[…]
Yes.
As Ize Elward was a transmigrator, a despicable outsider, there was naturally no lack of that classic transmigrator feature—a system.
However, rather than calling it a system, it was more like the game menu from an old online game.
At present, it had three modules: Personal Information, Mission Panel, and Achievement List.
One could understand them according to the game terminology of the same names.
Normally, it remained hidden in the lower left corner of Ize’s vision, existing in the form of a small arrow symbol.
If he did not deliberately look for it, it would not appear on its own.
As for that small red exclamation mark, it indicated that a mission was still incomplete.
Missions appeared entirely by chance, and their degree of freedom was quite high.
The missions that appeared were not mandatory.
It was just that, if he did not complete them, he would not receive the reward.
The skill called “Starry Devotion” was the reward Ize had obtained after completing the achievement “First Arrival in Another World,” though it had yet to be fully activated.
Ize guessed that this was probably because the world of DanMachi was rather special.
After all, in the world of DanMachi, “skills” seemed to be crystallizations of one’s will, something formed from the potential within adventurers’ bodies and the hopes hidden in their hearts.
The “Falna” developed by the gods, meanwhile, was the key that unlocked the potential within adventurers.
It was precisely because of this unique nature and connection that his skill remained only partially activated.
For now, it could only slightly strengthen his physical abilities.
There was still much more power buried deep within his body, settling there as his potential.
If he wanted to fully activate and awaken this power, he would probably need the key known as Falna.
At that time, Ize’s strength would likely experience a rapid leap forward.
Still, the achievement “First Arrival in Another World” had once caused Ize to fall into deep contemplation over the question of whether he had obtained the system before transmigrating, or transmigrated first and only then obtained the system.
It was just like wondering which came first, the chicken or the egg.
But that confusion only lasted for a while in the beginning.
There was no need to give himself unnecessary worries.
So Ize very decisively chose to lie flat like a salted fish and give up thinking altogether.
“Speaking of which, there’s actually a goddess right beside me right now…”
Looking at the familiar mission panel, Ize suddenly muttered softly to himself.
“But Artemis, huh…
I feel like there’s no need to ask her.”
The goddess Artemis, also known as Cynthia, was the goddess of the hunt in ancient Greek mythology, known as the Mistress of Beasts and the Lady of the Wilderness.
Together with Hestia and Athena, she was regarded as one of the three virgin goddesses of Mount Olympus.
She was free and independent, loved life in the wild, and opposed marriage between men and women, as well as impure relationships with the opposite sex.
The people she favored were unmarried maidens, as well as young men and women who looked down on Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty.
In mythology, Artemis was exactly such a goddess.
Even in Orario, though many years of life with her Familia had changed her somewhat and given her a more human touch, she still upheld the principle of forbidding romance within her Familia.
The difficulty of making her change was anything but ordinary.
Unless she met the legendary Orion, her destined one.
Incidentally, according to Ize’s reliable information channels, no matter how Fujino Omori had originally written it, at least in this real world, Artemis’s Orion absolutely could not be Bell Cranel.
Ize swore on the lifespan of his future divine self that it was absolutely impossible…
In short, based on all of the above, the idea of joining the Artemis Familia was not realistic.
At least, not right now.
After lying on the rock and staring at the stars for a good while, Ize eventually rolled back into the tent to sleep.
After all, the Artemis Familia basically never stayed in one place for too long.
This was already their habit.
Tomorrow, they would set off on the road back to Orario.
As the current “weakest member” among the group, Ize felt that it would be better for him to go to sleep early.
Speaking of which, where had that black iron spear he originally had equipped gone?
Ize: “Eh?
Where’s my spear?”
…
The night passed without incident.
In the early morning, once the morning sun had washed away the reddish hue of dawn, the girls who had risen early had already finished breakfast, packed their belongings, and were eagerly prepared to depart.
Ize was the same.
At this moment, he had a large leather backpack on his back and was acting as a supporter.
The captain, Rethusa, stood beside him, explaining some things he needed to pay attention to.
From Rethusa, Ize also learned something.
The black iron spear he had brought with him had gloriously sacrificed itself while he was fighting the wyvern…
Still, after being used for several months, that spear’s life could be considered worthwhile.
Probably.
Because of that, Rethusa had specially given him a spare longsword.
Oh, right.
How are you feeling right now?
Does the backpack feel heavy?
If it’s too heavy, say so immediately.
Don’t just keep quiet.
If you fall behind, that’s when things will really become dangerous.”
After finishing her explanation, Rethusa pointed at the backpack behind Ize, which was even taller than he was, and asked with concern.
“It feels fine.
I don’t really feel tired.
Maybe I was born with a relatively good constitution.”
Ize adjusted the huge backpack slightly and did not feel any discomfort.
It looked big, but the things inside were mostly bedding, folded tents, and the like.
It truly was not that heavy.
At least, it was not heavy for Ize.
“Is that so?
Then that’s good.”
Seeing that his relaxed expression did not seem forced, Rethusa nodded and dropped the topic.
“Don’t worry, Ize!
From now on, even if we run into danger, you don’t need to be afraid.
I’ll protect you along the way.
You can always trust Lante!”
At that moment, the lively blue-haired half-elf ran over to join the fun.
Standing on tiptoe, she pretended to be a little adult and patted Ize on the shoulder.
Among the long-lived race known as elves, thirteen-year-old Lante was undoubtedly still a child.
After all, whether half-elf or pure-blooded elf, they all had very long lifespans compared to humans.
Lante’s personality also carried a bit of childishness.
Just yesterday, she had still been complaining about the monster delivery Ize had brought with him.
And yet now, she could act so familiar with him and say things like she would protect him.
Maybe this was what people meant by not letting grudges last overnight…
After all, by the next day, she had already forgotten them.
“…”
No, seriously, where did you see any sign that I was afraid?
Not knowing how to respond—or rather, not knowing where to even begin with his retorts—Ize could only force a smile at the lively half-elf girl, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly as he looked at her.
His gaze was very gentle.
When the surrounding Familia girls saw this scene, they could not help but smile.
And within this warm and lively atmosphere, the Artemis Familia began their journey toward the Labyrinth City, Orario.