Chapter 35: Screw it, I'm going to sleep first!

Lefiya blinked, imagining a little drama in her head: Welf looking at his goddess the way Mr. Fron looked at her just now—eeeeeeek!

Hu-Hu-Human-divine romance???

Whoosh—her entire face turned crimson and she fainted on the spot.

"Hey—!"

----------------------------

Struggling in the darkness, all she could feel was her body constantly shaking.

Her vision shifted from blurry to gradually clear, and Lefiya's consciousness finally returned to the present world.

"W-Where is this?"

Her body was still swaying—Hmm, what's that smell? It's really nice.

Also, it's so warm.

"Ah, ahh? W-Why am I on Mr. Fron's back?!!!"

The blond young man carrying the girl tried his best to turn his head, wearing a teasing look and even jokingly adjusting his cargo.

"A certain girl was so shocked by the whole 'god-human romance' thing that she passed out. I knew that kind of adult topic was too much for a young elf like you."

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh—"

The girl's scream pierced the air, and Fron almost fell to the ground.

Carrying the supporter backpack that should've been Fron's responsibility, Welf, who was walking in front, helplessly turned around, lifted his eyelids, and looked at the elf girl struggling and screaming on Fron's back, letting out a bitter sigh.

"We're on the 13th floor, for heaven's sake. Can't you two at least keep the atmosphere a little tense—"

As he said this, his eyebrows twitched comically. It was obvious Fron had hit a nerve, and he was a bit flustered.

Fron hurriedly secured the elf girl struggling on his back and curved his lips:

"With your magic, hellhounds are no big deal. As long as we stay careful at the passage entrance, there's no real danger. Worst case, we run back to the 12th floor. Besides, thanks to Lefiya today, our backpacks are full. Let's just probe a little more and head back."

"Tch, you're such a textbook adventurer."

Fron tilted his head back and gave Lefiya a hard bump on her head, leaving her dizzy.

"Profit first—that's human nature. Giving without expecting anything in return? Sorry—I can't do that."

"So realistic."

Fron wanted to say something more but ultimately couldn't win against the Level 3 elf girl and put her down.

The girl puffed up her cheeks, pouted, blushing furiously as she glared at Fron with fury.

"What's wrong, Lefiya? A man's shoulders are made for girls to lean on, you know? This is the legendary dungeon encounter."

"Mr. Fron, you're bullying me!"

"It's just Fron. 'Mr.' sounds too weird."

"Hmph."

The bashful girl turned tsundere.

Fron and Welf exchanged glances and burst out laughing.

Lefiya completely ignored the two—how annoying.

...

Tower of Babel Exchange Facility—Magic Stone - Valis Exchange Counter.

"As expected of Lefiya. We earned even more today than yesterday—83,000 valis. After splitting, I've got 29,000 valis, enough to get a forging setup."

Welf joked as he patted Fron on the shoulder:

"Click, click. The newbie's finally getting started."

"Ah, I guess we'll be rivals from now on."

"Rivals? Hahahahahaha—don't kid me. You've got a long way to go."

But Fron smiled meaningfully. Did you think the spiritual reinforcement of a "Reader" only gave photographic memory?

In truth, the proper use of the mind is as a catalyst for "mind, technique, and body."

Where others might take a month, three months, or even half a year or a year to master a technique— Fron, with his strong spirit, might only need half a month, a few weeks, or even days.

This gap would become increasingly pronounced as his stats ascended.

What does it mean to be a prodigy? This is what it means—he could delay solving physical issues until after his next level-up, but rake up experience in everything else.

"Well then, we're off. Going to rest for a few days and polish our skills. Let's regroup for the next expedition!"

"Ah, same here. With so many drop items, it's time for some real work!"

The eyes of the two smiths were filled with battle spirit—at least, from Lefiya's perspective.

"Let's go, elf girl."

"Don't call me that!"

"Then what should I call you? Miss Elf?"

"Mr. Fron, you're the worst!!"

"I never knew you were this fun—"

"!!!"

Welf waved them off, listening to their noisy bickering, and shook his head with a smile.

As they walked home, Fron and Lefiya gradually relaxed.

...

"Twilight Manor"

The grand mansion basked in the glow of a fiery sunset, radiating a special charm.

Even before getting close, the noisy commotion reached their ears—everyone was still full of energy after a long day.

"Stupid wolf! Get out here! How dare you question the captain—I'll kill you!!!"

"—?"

Fron and Lefiya exchanged looks, then shrugged and stepped through the gate.

"Miss Tione—why do your eyes look dead, and why is there black miasma coming from you? So scary!"

"Ah, Lefiya. Remember this: women in love often have negative IQ and EQ. But such women are the most stubborn, the most persistent, and the scariest! Don't fall into that whirlpool one day!"

Fron was once again lecturing the elf girl with his twisted logic.

"Hey! Who are you calling dumb and emotional?"

The terrifying Amazoness shifted her target, standing with her hands on her hips, her expression dark enough to drip water.

"Uhh—I meant in stories, in stories."

When it's time to back down, back down.

No need to act tough.

Is it shameful? Not one bit!

"Hmph! Damn Bete! Get out here!"

Watching the terrifying woman leave, Fron and Lefiya trembled.

"S-So this is a woman in love."

"Shh, Lefiya. Just keep that to yourself."

"Hey—Lefiya, Fron! You're back!"

From the sky corridor above, Tiona and Ais stood together. The other Amazoness leaned out, waving enthusiastically.

"Ah, we're back!"

Seeing her idol, Lefiya bounced and skipped with excitement as she ran inside.

Fron, on the other hand, looked up at the massive mansion, warmth filling his heart.

So this is what home feels like—how nice.

After returning his gear to his room, Fron brought a change of clothes and went to the bathroom.

He turned on the shower, and steaming hot water cascaded over his body, washing away the day's fatigue.

As he recalled the dungeon battles, Fron slowly reviewed his gains and losses.

"I've learned both of Lefiya's spells. Gotta find a chance to try them out."

"Also made some progress in techniques and tactics—was it because the monsters lacked intelligence???"

"In PVP, I might not even match a beginner."

"Battle experience can't be rushed. Techniques and moves require grinding. And tactics depend on battle IQ."

"To improve all that, I need a sparring partner. As for candidates—any of my familia members could do."

"The rest is figuring out how to use development abilities to increase knowledge and boost my stats."

He turned off the water, dried himself, changed into a crisp collared shirt and pants, and stood on the corridor, enjoying the evening breeze.

"Now that I've got some breathing room, I'll start by crafting a decent set of gear for myself."

Over the next few days, he decided to stay home and work on leveling himself up in preparation for exploring the "Middle Floors."

Crossing into a new tier—that's no joke.

Monster levels, respawn frequency, spawn quantity, and events starting from the 12th floor like "Monster Parties," "Cave-ins," and vertical shafts—

"Ah, so many things to watch out for. Such a pain."

"Screw it, I'm going to sleep first."