Surely he hadn’t worked her so hard in the Dungeon yesterday that she had decided to cut ties with him entirely?
Rhodes frowned slightly as he watched the supporter walk away.
He had no intention of chasing after her to demand an explanation.
She had clearly recognized him and still chosen to leave.
Which meant—
This was her decision.
All he could do was respect it.
Besides, he hadn’t even finished sorting out the mess of his own life.
He really didn’t have the energy to worry about someone else’s state of mind right now.
“One large serving of plain potato balls, please.”
“Of course.”
“Rhodes, have your Dungeon expeditions been going well?”
Hearing a familiar voice call his name, Rhodes turned.
Takemikazuchi was smiling at him from behind the stall.
Hold on…
Unless his memory was playing tricks on him, the person who had served him yesterday was some middle-aged man.
Why was the martial god Takemikazuchi working here today?
Even gods had to get jobs?
Seemingly understanding the confusion in his eyes, Takemikazuchi smiled gently.
“It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
“Gods can’t enter the Dungeon, after all.”
“While our children are out exploring, there’s no reason to waste the time.
Doing a little work at least helps ease their financial burden.”
“…”
Then what was Hestia doing while he explored the Dungeon?
Rhodes had never considered that question before.
All he knew was that whenever he finished an expedition, his goddess would come to Central Park to meet him, almost as though she knew in advance when he would return.
“Here are your potato balls.”
Takemikazuchi had a good impression of Rhodes.
This was a child willing to put in the effort.
Training in combat fundamentals was repetitive and dull, yet Rhodes had stuck with it from morning until evening.
Many other adventurers lacked that patience.
They would have been itching to rush straight into the Dungeon.
Since he was Hestia’s follower—and Takemikazuchi didn’t have much to do during his time off anyway—the black-haired god looked up and smiled.
“Whenever you decide to take a day off from the Dungeon, come and see me.”
“If I’m not working, I should be able to teach you some more advanced combat techniques.”
“!!”
An offer like that?
Rhodes hadn’t expected this at all.
The fundamentals were certainly enough to handle the monsters he had encountered so far.
But an adventurer needed goals.
He had no intention of spending his entire life as some bottom-rung nobody in Orario.
Now that an opportunity to improve had appeared, he couldn’t let it slip by.
Master, I’m desperate to get better!
Rhodes accepted the paper bag.
It was noticeably heavier than yesterday’s serving.
“Thank you, Lord Takemikazuchi.” Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“Go enjoy your expedition.”
“Hmm…”
Takemikazuchi glanced down the street toward Central Park.
Near the entrance to an alley, he spotted the girl from a moment ago.
She seemed to be waiting for Rhodes.
Looking at the oblivious boy, he offered a smiling reminder.
“I believe that child is waiting for you.
Don’t keep her too long.”
“Huh?!”
Did buying potato balls really take this long?!
Lili couldn’t understand it.
Ever since she left her Familia that morning, she had been aware of Soma Familia adventurers following her.
She had to be careful.
Rather than go directly to Central Park, she had wandered through Orario’s streets until she eventually reached North Main Street.
Of course, she had to admit that the potato balls Rhodes gave her yesterday had tasted rather good.
But when she bought some for herself…
Something seemed to be missing.
“Hmph…”
Standing beside the alley, still waiting for Rhodes, Lili could only take out her irritation on the food in her hands.
At last, he approached.
She reached up and adjusted the hood of her gray-brown cloak, trying to keep the other members of her Familia from recognizing her.
Lowering her voice, she said, “Come with me.”
“?”
Was this some kind of elaborate role-play?
Rhodes didn’t understand.
Still, since they were presumably friends now, he didn’t suspect Lili of having ulterior motives.
He followed her into an alley with fewer adventurers passing through.
Before he could ask what was going on, she explained.
“Rhodes.”
“When you go into the Dungeon over the next few days… keep an eye out for unfamiliar adventurers following you.”
Lili kept her head bowed as she spoke.
This scene felt painfully familiar.
It was just like what had happened when she ran away from Soma Familia at nine years old and was discovered.
Even now, she hadn’t made peace with that part of her past.
Whenever she passed the flower shop called DearFlora, she couldn’t even bring herself to visit.
And now Rhodes had been targeted by those scumbags from Soma Familia simply because he had helped her.
This time, Lili didn’t want to run away.
“I’m sorry.”
“When it comes down to it, this is because of me.
They saw us leaving the Dungeon together yesterday.”
“And…”
“They noticed your shortsword.”
“Hmm?”
That was enough for Rhodes to understand the situation.
He simply hadn’t expected Orario’s Will of Bullying to turn its attention toward him quite so soon.
He looked at the little supporter standing before him.
Her head was lowered, her eyes evasive. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Even her explanation had been heavy with guilt.
Could he blame Lili for this?
Objectively speaking, it was connected to her.
But that didn’t mean she had wanted it to happen.
More importantly, she had warned him in advance.
To Rhodes, that was far more useful than an apology after things had already gone wrong.
Especially considering her position within her Familia.
She was one of the people being oppressed.
Choosing to pass this information on to him had placed her under considerable pressure, too.
“I understand.”
“…”
Lili had already prepared herself for him to curse her.
Instead, when she looked up, his expression hadn’t changed.
It was almost as though he didn’t care.
Pressing her lips together, she asked softly, “Don’t you have anything else to say?”
“Oh.”
“How strong are these adventurers?”
“They’re just ordinary… Level 1 adventurers.
They hardly ever go into the Dungeon.
Most of the time, they stay in Orario eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves.”
Lili answered honestly.
But when she looked up again, she saw a smile return to Rhodes’s face.
The kind of smile that said, Come what may.
If they want a fight, they’ll get one.
Before she could add anything, a hand settled on her head.
It was warm.
And carried a faint scent of… plain fried potato balls.
Then she heard Rhodes’s declaration.
It was a little self-important.
Yet she couldn’t bring herself to dislike it.
“The strong have always bullied the weak.
Does that make it right?”
“I don’t think so.
And now these guys have set their sights on me.”
“That makes it even less acceptable.”
After all, this shortsword was the gift his pretty little goddess had given him when he became an adventurer!
“If I swallow my pride and put up with it just because these other Level 1 adventurers are stronger and more experienced than me…”
“Sure, that might seem sensible.”
“But that’s a loser’s mindset!”
….
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….
I also have many more novels in my collection that you might be interested in I upload ten novels a day, with 3 to 4 chapters per title depending on the length.
If you’re following a particular series, please wait your turn a little If there’s a particular novel you’re enjoying on Patron, please give it a ‘like’ so I know to focus on it