Chapter 277: Haruhime's Troubles

The figures of the man and woman dissolved into specks of light, slowly fading before Ais and Riveria.

In that moment, Ais could no longer hold herself up. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh..."

The sobs she had struggled so hard to suppress finally broke free.

Even if she looked like a doll, it didn't mean she was devoid of emotion.

It was only because she buried everything deep inside her heart that she managed to appear strong on the outside.

But once that outer shell was stripped away, the doll-like façade fell apart—revealing the true girl within.

Riveria didn't go over to comfort Ais as she cried out loud.

What Ais needed now wasn't consolation—but release.

'Those two just now were definitely Aria and Albert.'

Riveria was absolutely certain—they weren't illusions. They had been real.

Not physically, of course—just fragments of consciousness projected here.

'Then, who made this happen?'

'Given their condition, they couldn't have done it themselves.'

Riveria already had an answer in mind.

'It has to be him.'

If anyone in Orario could pull off something this bizarre, aside from the gods, there was only one person she could think of—a certain boy with a unique magic.

'So, Bell-kun… you've been nearby all along.'

More than just nearby. Bell had been tailing them since the 16th floor, quietly following their return caravan all the way back here.

While doing so, he happened to spot two lingering soul fragments buried deep within the Sword Princess's soul—and without hesitation, he released them.

He hadn't expected those fragments to hold so much.

Luckily, Bell had anticipated that something unusual might happen and had taken out a "Recording Crystal" to capture it all on video.

After watching it, Bell didn't stick around. He quietly made his way toward the Loki Familia.

As for Ais, still sobbing her heart out—Bell knew she'd need time to recover from all this.

He'd also noticed that "Nine Hell" kept subtly scanning her surroundings. She likely realized he had been the one behind it.

All the more reason for him not to linger.

With that thought, Bell tucked the "Memory Crystal" away and left.

This was the first floor of the Dungeon. Climbing the stairs would bring him straight to the entrance.

Perhaps because it was late, the corridors were nearly empty.

When he finally stepped out into the open, the night sky draped over all of Orario—just as he'd expected.

'Next stop... Loki Familia.'

At that moment, an important meeting was underway inside the Loki Familia. Only a handful of people were attending—mostly a few Level 5s and some key affiliates.

"First, let me explain—our Familia has just received the Grimoire we ordered through Riveria's channel."

Finn got straight to the point, stating the purpose of the meeting.

Grimoires are rare magical items capable of forcibly awakening magic in their users. Even in Orario, they're considered exceedingly scarce. While the Altena Kingdom produces a few Grimoires each year, the number is shockingly low.

The only reason the Loki Familia managed to acquire such a rare Grimoire this time was thanks to Riveria's connections. Even so, it still took a full month to get their hands on it.

And the cost? A staggering 150 million valis.

Still, Finn believed it was worth every coin.

"Haruhime, we're entrusting this Grimoire to you. Let's see what kind of magic you can awaken—this will greatly influence our next expedition into the Dungeon."

"I-I understand."

Haruhime already knew the Grimoire was meant to determine what magic she could awaken, and she had prepared herself mentally. Yet, staring down at the Grimoire in her hands, she couldn't help but feel the heavy weight of expectation settle on her shoulders.

"Yah!!!"

Just as that weight pressed down on her, a pair of hands suddenly landed on her shoulders, startling her so much she nearly dropped the Grimoire.

"Relax, Haruhime-chan. No need to be so tense."

"L-Loki-sama..."

Startled by the sudden voice, Haruhime finally realized that the one behind her was Loki.

Loki herself had been startled by Haruhime's squeal, but she immediately understood the pressure the girl was under.

With a sigh, she squeezed Haruhime's stiff shoulders.

"Look at you—your shoulders are frozen solid."

"Ah... L-Loki-sama... ngh... Your voice is... kinda too seductive..."

Loki blinked in surprise at the flustered sound coming from the bashful Renard. Even someone like her, notorious for being a pervert, felt a spark of excitement at the reaction.

Haruhime's face turned crimson, her golden ears drooping in embarrassment.

"Loki-sama, I... I didn't mean to sound like that…"

Of course, Loki knew that. It was just a natural reaction from being startled. But Haruhime's response was far more amusing than anyone else's, which got Loki's mischievous streak bubbling again.

Still, she knew this wasn't the time or place to tease a shy little fox, so she restrained herself.

"Haruhime, don't take the Grimoire so seriously."

"Sure, we're hoping you'll awaken something special, but even if you don't, it's not the end of the world. Your 'Level Boost' is already an incredible asset to the Familia. You don't need to stress so much about your second magic."

But Loki's reassurance didn't seem to help much.

"B-but... the Familia paid such a huge price for this Grimoire. If I can't awaken a useful magic, won't it all go to waste?"

Haruhime understood just how rare and precious Grimoires were. She also understood how important it was to awaken the right kind of magic for the Familia's future.

It was precisely because she understood all that... that the pressure felt so overwhelming.

What if she failed?

The captain had always been so kind to her, and Loki-sama treated her far better than Ishtar-sama ever did.

Haruhime truly cherished the Loki Familia.

Which only made her more desperate to prove she was worth the cost they'd paid.