Chapter 133: Pitiful Haruhime

"Well, anyway, you should focus on figuring out how to explain this to Ganesha. Good luck with that—" 

Sol showed no intention of helping solve their problem. After all, with this interruption, it was likely the day's events would end early anyway. 

He suspected Astraea wouldn't be in the mood to continue their date. 

What could have been a good day was now completely ruined. 

——

Sol Familia Residence

"You're saying you also encountered a new type of monster that looks like a flower?" 

Sol tilted his head in confusion as he absentmindedly toyed with the strange magic stone Tione had brought back. 

He knew there had been chaos at the Monster Festival but had completely forgotten about the appearance of new monsters. 

If Tione hadn't mentioned it, Sol might not have remembered at all. 

Not long after, Riveria entered the room, holding magic stones from insect-like monsters she had retrieved from the dungeon earlier. 

"It's identical. It seems this riot is more complicated than we initially thought." 

"What a hassle. Just a bunch of troublemakers," Sol muttered as he casually tossed the magic stone onto the table. 

"You're just going to ignore it?" Riveria asked, quickly discerning Sol's intentions from his demeanor. 

"Send the magic stone to the guild and let them handle it. As long as it doesn't interfere with my plans, I don't care. If anything, it might divert some of the outsiders' attention away from us." 

"That makes sense, but these strange monsters seem concerning," Riveria said with a hint of unease. 

There were far too many of these new creatures. The monsters had started as insect-like, but now there were plant-based ones, and they were appearing directly in Orario. 

Who knew what other types might emerge next? 

"What's the worst they can do? What kind of threat can sewer rats create? Are they going to send out four little turtles?" 

Riveria blinked, not understanding Sol's reference, but his tone made his disdain abundantly clear. 

Still, Sol's confidence seemed almost contagious, and Riveria felt her initial worries subsiding. 

Let him do as he pleases, she thought. If trouble comes, we'll deal with it when it arrives. 

Given the strength of their Familia, the Dark Faction wouldn't be able to make much of an impact. 

Besides, those troublemakers had already exposed themselves to the eyes of all Orario. 

The guild and the other powerful Familias weren't going to sit idly by either. 

"I'll arrange for someone to deliver the magic stone to the guild," Riveria offered. 

"Oh, and since we're delivering it, send a copy to the Loki Familia as well." 

"Huh? But we only have two magic stones here." 

Even if they prioritized sharing with large Familias like Loki's or Freya's, there simply wasn't enough to go around. 

"Then give it to Ganesha," Sol replied confidently. 

That guy was probably still fuming over the chaos at the Monster Festival he'd hosted. 

If they presented the evidence now, there was a good chance Ganesha would call another divine meeting. 

At the very least, he'd likely inform a few of the better-connected Familias to discuss a strategy. 

With the guild's involvement and the collaboration of other Familias, it wouldn't be easy for news of the incident to spread too far. 

"One more thing, Morgana-sama and Kyle-sama's allied forces are returning soon." 

"So soon? They've only been gone a week. What problems did they encounter?" 

"According to Fizz, it seems their load is nearly too heavy to carry," Riveria explained with a slight smile. 

"Looks like they've been working hard." 

After all, there's still a floor boss to contend with on the twenty-seventh floor. The fact that they managed to fill their load so quickly speaks volumes about the effort they've put in. 

Having dealt with the two-headed dragon, Fizz has no reason to remain there. 

Initially, Irelia and the others could have withdrawn as well, but it seems they wanted to use this opportunity to help Haruhime improve her skills. 

That peculiar fox is still at LV2. While she doesn't seem too worried about it herself, her Familia companions are quite anxious. 

Haruhime's magic is powerful, but it also consumes a significant amount of magic power. Regular training to enhance her magical stamina is essential. 

After all, having incredible skills but no magic power to sustain them is no laughing matter. 

Irelia shares a good relationship with Haruhime, so it's not surprising she's taking extra steps to help her. 

To ensure her safety, Lulu also decided to stick around. 

——

[Mid-level of the Dungeon] 

"Irelia... I'm completely out of strength..." 

A Minotaur let out a final scream before disintegrating into ash, and the yellow-furred fox slumped to the ground, her legs giving way beneath her. 

Haruhime's eyes were filled with exhaustion. Her ears and tail drooped, and faint dark circles could be seen beneath her eyes. 

The constant feeling of weakness gnawed at her, a side effect of overusing her magic power. 

To defeat the Minotaur earlier, Haruhime had used a magic sword Riveria had prepared for her. 

However, she hadn't controlled her strength properly and poured too much magic power into it at once. 

While the Minotaur was successfully defeated, the magic sword shattered from the strain, and Haruhime was left weakened from the magical exhaustion. 

It was a costly victory. Though the magic sword wasn't top-tier, its value could easily rival that of 100 Minotaur magic stones. 

Unfortunately, Haruhime's lack of self-defense skills often left her relying on her Familia companions. 

Her companions frequently gifted her defensive items, the most common being magic swords and various potions—always of high quality. 

Although Haruhime mostly handled internal logistics and Familia affairs, her growing collection of valuable gifts made her a potential little rich woman. 

"Let's head back for now. We can't keep fighting in your condition." Lulu poked Haruhime's cheek, but the fox didn't respond, resembling a puppet whose strings had been cut. 

"Honestly, I can't leave you like this. Let's retreat to the 18th floor and rest first," Irelia decided. 

With a wave of her hand, the blades surrounding her shot out in all directions. 

The dozen or so newly spawned Minotaur were instantly reduced to magic stones, which clattered to the ground. 

Hearing the mention of rest, Haruhime's eyes lit up slightly. She mustered all her strength to get up and follow Irelia. 

The trio returned to the camp on the 18th floor. 

With just the three of them, Irelia temporarily acted as Haruhime's supporter. 

There wasn't much choice—Lulu's small frame wasn't suited for carrying a heavy backpack. 

Not everyone could handle the kind of load someone like Liliruca Arde could manage. 

After a day of rest, Irelia led the group into Rivira the following day. 

They sold the spoils of their efforts to a familiar merchant and prepared for the next leg of their journey.