Chapter 8

Their journey continued through the Dungeon, shadows stretching long beneath the dim lights.

"So how about we go to the 28th floor and then take a break. You said that it was a safe zone like the 50th floor, right?"

Sitonai asked casually, kicking away loose pebbles on their path.

Alfia gave a curt nod, her gaze steady.

Their surroundings changed to be more of a jungle, with green trees wherever you looked.

"They said something about a Guild?"

Sitonai's tone was light, curious.

"Every Familia has to register with the Guild, which is run by another God, and you can also exchange magic stones for Valis."

Alfia gave a quick explanation, not wanting to speak more than she had to.

"So the shiny gem like things that popped up every time we killed a monster?"

A small nod.

"And I guess Valis is your currency?"

Another nod.

Sitonai hummed in acknowledgement.

"They said that you were a criminal, so you think that people would try and take you in? Like for a bounty?"

Alfia frowned, a flicker of disdain crossing her face.

"I don't believe that any Familia in Orario could defeat me. Especially since you have healed me."

"Oooh, I have an overpowered bodyguard here~"

Sitonai teased, her eyes glimmering with mischief.

Alfia didn't bother responding, her gaze sweeping their surroundings with practiced precision.

"We should be seeing more adventurers now that we have finally left the Deep Floors."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It depends."

Sitonai pouted.

"I have a very taciturn edgy friend over here~!"

Alfia gave a sidelong glance, before scoffing.

"So when we go back and you check what you wanted to check, what are you going to do then?"

No response.

Sitonai hummed.

"Well, if you have nothing to do, you can just follow me instead!"

Sitonai crossed her arms with a smug expression, as if she had proposed the most flawless plan in existence.

"Need I remind you that I am a wanted criminal?"

Alfia's tone was dry.

"But wasn't it all for the good of Orario?"

"That does not remove all of the adventurers and gods I have killed for that goal."

Sitonai blinked in surprise.

"Woah that got super dark really quick. But you said you didn't want to die when I first saw you though!"

"That was merely a wish. I did all of this because my time was running out. I didn't expect you could actually heal me."

Alfia explained.

Sitonai looked at Alfia's expression before having a smug smile on her face.

"Is my friend embarrassed that her plan didn't work out~?"

Alfia didn't respond, her silence telling enough.

Sitonai pouted.

"How boring~"

The rest of the journey was filled with humming and occasional whimsical questions from Sitonai and brief answers from Alfia.

...

Arriving at the 28th floor didn't take long.

Any monsters that dared to appear were obliterated by Alfia's swift and merciless strikes before Sitonai could do anything, and the few groups of adventurers that they met turned pale at the sight of Alfia, running away.

Sitonai found it rather amusing. "Wow, you're like an efficient pest remover."

In response, Alfia merely sighed.

"Rest break!"

Sitonai declared cheerfully, conjuring a bench of glistening ice and a matching table. With a flick of her wrist, a spread of food appeared, warm and fragrant.

"..."

Sitonai looked at Alfia, who seemed to have a complicated expression on her face.

"What?"

Sitonai tilted her head in questioning.

"It's… unsettling, enjoying such luxury in a place as dreary as the Dungeon," Alfia admitted. "What's worse is that I'm getting used to it."

Alfia admitted.

When the Zeus and Hera Familias had expeditions and they had brought enough supplies such as weapons and food, they were always meant for efficiency, which meant dry food that could last for 2 weeks until they returned.

There were even occasions where Alfia wanted to refuse the rations because they were so bland.

But being with Sitonai for the past 3 days, they always had ample sleep, food, and rest with her extremely convenient abilities.

Sitonai chuckled, eyes bright with amusement. "Oh? Does my friend have refined tastes after all?"

Sitonai smiled, before eating her food.

The two quietly ate their food, and Sitonai bought out desserts and drinks.

"So what Familia should we join?"

Alfia raised an eyebrow.

"We?"

Sitonai gasped dramatically, clutching her chest.

"Of course! Weren't we eternal partners for life? After all this time we spent together how could you!"

Sitonai joked, dabbing at her eyes as if she was crying.

Alfia scoffed at the distasteful joke.

But Alfia had to admit that when she heard 'eternal partners,' a warm unfamiliar feeling arose in her heart.

It felt weird.

Alfia had only known Sitonai for 3 days, which in any universe wouldn't be considered enough for a good relationship.

Even Alfia had initially only saw Sitonai as a benefactor for 'healing' her disease.

But sometimes the shortest times could create even the strongest bonds.

Alfia was a lover of silence by nature, and she would do anything to achieve it.

Even her magic, Silentium Eden, was the manifestation of that desire for Silence within herself.

Sitonai to Alfia was decidedly... different.

Despite her magic Silentium Eden negating magic, Alfia could feel Sitonai's magic, or magecraft as she called it, constantly bypassing Alfia's state so her disease couldn't get worse when in her vicinity.

A kindness that Alfia could not understand nor resist.

Alfia could feel it, but didn't bother calling out Sitonai over it.

And Sitonai, while loud and talkative, felt like it was always there, a part of nature, her voice the sounds of nature.

All of this defied Alfia's known information, and Alfia didn't want to part with Sitonai, even as a joke.

It felt like even if Alfia had only known Sitonai for a few short days, she made up a large part of her, like with Zeld.

So she ignored Sitonai's distasteful joke with a warm feeling in her heart before giving a response.

"Is there something you want to accomplish as an adventurer?" Alfia deflected smoothly.

Sitonai's grin softened. "Well, I have to avenge you somehow, so getting stronger sounds good."

Alfia's gaze softened imperceptibly. 

"Then you should seek an exploration Familia or one willing to update your Falna without demanding loyalty."

Sitonai perked up.

"I don't need to specifically join a Familia?!"

"Some gods are lenient. Most are not."

"Oh..."

Sitonai sighed.

She didn't want to particularly be under a God, but just using them felt wrong. Maybe she could just look for a kind god who she could be on good terms with.

"So you know any kind gods?"

"I don't know much about other Familias other than the strongest and popular ones, most of which wouldn't allow such a scenario."

Sitonai nodded in understanding.

"So I have to look for a Familia that isn't exploration, and the goddess or god is kind, and... doesn't care about you?"

Alfia pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why is that last requirement there...?"

While it was nice that Sitonai was considerate of Alfia, she could just disguise herself.

"But isn't it better when you don't have to hide yourself?"

With the tone of an innocent child.

Alfia inwardly sighed.

"I don't mind. It's more convenient anyways. I don't believe that the Guild would just remove my bounty just because I turned "kind"."

"Ah..."

A few seconds passed before Alfia opened to speak.

"But I do believe that you might have trouble growing even with a Falna."

Sitonai looked confused.

"Huh? Why?"

"When you get a Falna, it's the first step towards Divinity. So you always have to grow in order to increase your stats and gain excelia. Then in order to Level Up you must do something that would be considered a "Great Deed" in order to fulfill said requirement."

"Oh, so you're saying that since I'm already plenty strong, I would need to put in more effort to get stronger?"

Alfia nodded.

Sitonai smiled.

"Well, I don't know if you knew this already, but I'm pretty weak physically! I used to have a decently fast agility, but I'm barely stronger than a normal human!"

Alfia blinked in surprise before thinking.

When Sitonai defeated the Cadmus, it was true that she only used her Ice abilities and that bear...

"That is true..."

"So if I just use my magic occasionally and train up on some physical strength I can get stronger! Maybe!"

--+--

A/N: Since the Loki familia's recent expedition before canon went all the way down to the 59th floor, I assume that since it's 7 years before the floor they're going down is much less, around 40-45.

This is a mad lowball because Bete, Tiona, Tione, only joined 1-2 years after the current time. Ais is also only level 3.

Thats like half the executives that haven't appeared yet, so while the Loki familia is strong, it ain't that strong yet, or at least it isn't the powerhouse at the start of canon.

Even though the events of the great feud only happened a few days ago why did we have an expedition? It's cause I assume that the Loki Familia is almost broke(ass pull), and they need resources for their weapons(another ass pull.) 

I nerfed Sitonai's physical abilities, so even though her agility is technically A rank I lowered it. Think of Sitonai having the vessel of a normal human but the inside is completely different.

So Sitonai's current parameters are:

Strength: F

Endurance: F

Agility: F

Mana: C

Luck: A

NP: A

She has the Class Skills 

Magic Resistance: C

Territory Creation: Locked

Item Construction: Locked

Divine Core of the Goddess: Nonexistent(No sense to have divinity) - Consider her more of an elemental

High Servant: A

Personal Skills:

Snow Fariy: EX

Emotional Freezing: B

Kamuy Yukar(Nondivinity version): A

Crimson Gold: B++

Thats around a little better than a level 1 physically but her versatility is super fucking high.

You may think "Yo why's her mana so low."

I explain it next chapter or the next I forgot.