[11] What Did You Do?

(Riven POV – Guild Counter)

After clearing out the dungeon, I transferred everything into my bag and made my way up, keeping an eye out for any materials or ores along the way.

But had I no luck.

Despite Great Sage's help, I didn't find even a scrap of iron—let alone adamantite. Maybe they only started spawning on deeper, or the dungeon's holding a grudge against me for killing so many monsters.

Either way, I left the dungeon, took a quick rinse at the Exchange's showers to wash off all the sweat and blood, and spent 1,000 Valis on a clean shirt and pants since mine were pretty much rags after the fight.

By the time I stepped into the Guild, it was just past 4 PM. There weren't many adventurers around, most were probably still fighting for their lives in the dungeon.

I got a few glances, but not as much as yesterday.

I joined a random line, and before long, I was at the front—face-to-face with Misha.

She gave me a narrowed stare, her eyes immediately darting to the bag slung over my shoulder.

"Well, well." She said, folding her arms. "You knew you were supposed to meet your advisor today... but decided to go dungeon-diving instead?"

Her tone was light, but the glare showed disapproval.

"She's going to be very upset with you."

I put on my most serious expression. "That so? Then I'd like to file a formal complaint."

She blinked, caught off-guard. "What?"

I sigh heavily, slumping my shoulder dramatically. "Tragically, due to a lack of professional guidance, I ended up venturing too deep and almost died. It was a harrowing experience. I'm probably mentally and emotionally scarred."

Misha arched a brow, completely unimpressed. "You look perfectly fine to me. You've still got all your limbs. And that's not how responsibility works. You didn't meet your advisor, so don't whine about not being advised." She huffs.

"It's negligence since my advisor should've known I have issues, if she's ever met me." I countered, giving Misha a teasing smile. "Is that complaint-worthy?"

We lock eyes for a moment, both of our expressions serious and... She breaks first with a loud sigh.

"I'm your advisor, you moron."

'I win.'

"Oh?" I blinked innocently. "That explains why my complaint never made it past the front desk."

"I'd have happily filed it... if it had any merit." She muttered, clearly done with my antics. "Do you have actual business with me, or are you just here to cause trouble?"

"Teasing you is business," I said with a grin. "You're my advisor now. Think of it as getting to know each other."

Misha rolls her eyes, an exasperated sigh leaving her lips. "I want to go home."

"I'd advise against that. Aren't you supposed to help me first?" I joke.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "What are you here for?"

"I want to cash in my drops." I say casually, as I stop playing around. "And I'd like to use a private booth."

Misha doesn't miss a beat. "Of course you will." she mutters, already turning on her heel. "Right this way."

She leads me into one of the booths, a small room with a modest table in the center. "Just place everything on the table." She says, flipping open a ledger.

I glance at the table. "Hmm... You sure?"

Her polite smile doesn't falter. "Don't worry. It'll fit."

I gave her a look, and she smirks back, challenging me to prove her wrong.

'She thinks I'm bluffing.' I muse. 'When have I ever messed with her? Each time, I've said nothing but the truth.'

With a shrug, I take off my bag and upend it.

The pile of loot drops onto the table. Magic stones, monster drops, and other materials stacking higher and higher to form a miniature mountain.

At first, Misha remained professional.

Then her smile twitched. Her eyes widened next.

And eventually, she stood frozen as the pile continued to grow, staring at the teetering tower of loot, right until the last of it was out.

"...That's everything," I say, waving a hand in front of her to snap her back to reality. "Impressive table. I didn't expect it to actually fit everything."

Misha doesn't seem to hear my words, continuing to stare at the pile with a pale face.

"...Did you go in alone?" She asks softly.

I nod.

She looks at the pile, then back at me.

Then looks at the pile again, her brain trying to understand how it's possible for me to have acquired so many magic stones and drop items.

Misha closes her eyes, breathes in slowly through her nose.

Holds it for a moment.

Then exhales in a slow, controlled sigh, before repeating the process a second time.

She's probably fighting the urge to flip the table, or maybe strangle me. But I'm not sure which.

Finally, she opens her eyes, and—with professional calmness I can't help but admire—starts cataloguing the drops.

"These are from the seventh floor." She says flatly, running her fingers along the edge of a Finger Blade. "Explain how a brand new adventurer ended up that deep."

I tilt my head, trying my best to look confused. "I walked there?"

She stares at me, her face deadpan to show how unamused she is by my antics.

I exhale. "I'm serious. The first 4 floors were too easy and provided no challenge, so I just... kept going."

She doesn't look convinced, but she turns to the pile, mumbling to herself as she begins jotting things down.

"War Shadow Finger Blades, Needle Rabbit Tusks..." She trails off, flipping over a familiar set of gossamer wings. "Are these... Blue Papilio wings?!"

Every item she pulls out escalates her reaction. What should be rare drop items, are suddenly presented to her as though common everyday items.

And then she hits the magic stones. More specifically, the 200 Killer Ant magic stones.

Her face goes pale, and with a trembling voice, asks, "D-did you... did you farm them? Like, deliberately keep one alive to call in more?"

"Well..." I cough into my fist. "It might've started as an accident. Then it kind of... snowballed a bit."

"A bit?!" She gestures wildly her face red with anger. "This is insane! Do you have any idea how many adventurers die pulling that kind of stunt?! How are you still alive?!

No—how are you even standing?! You don't have a single injury."

Her getting angry that I endangered my life shows she cares, and is a sign that she's a good advisor who'd try to make sure I don't die.

'Should I fake internal injuries?' I briefly wonder. 'She'd be more likely to believe it then.'

She sees the look on my face.

"Don't even think about lying." She says flatly, crossing her arms.

I shrug, and she looks at me helplessly. After moment, she sighs in exhaustion. She meets my gaze, all signs of the goofy Misha gone, replaced by pure professionalism.

"As your advisor, I can't force you to tell me. But I can't do my job if I don't know what you're capable of. This...?" She glances at the pile again. "This isn't normal. Not for a rookie. It takes years to be able to achieve that, and you'd need to be at least level 2."

She continues, more gently, "Whatever you say stays between us. I swear."

I pause and think it over. 'How much should I say?'

I've got a few concerns. Firstly, I'll be levelling up quickly, so unless I deliberately hunt less, it would be hard to keep my growth hidden.

'And the only reason I'd need it hidden is in case someone would attack me for it. And my level would only be made public during Denstus in a few weeks.'

I could probably reach high level 2 by then, and be able to confront a level 3, meaning I'd say the very least, be able to protect myself against most adventurers. And it's unlikely I'd be attacked by higher rankings ones right away.

"It's a skill." I say at last. "It allows me to boost my stats by a lot."

Technically, it's not untrue.

She lets out a breath of relief, probably just happy it's something believable and realistic. "By how much? I don't need numbers, just a rough estimate of your capabilities."

I smirk. "Around C-rank for most of my stats."

Her eyes widen. "No wonder you keep bringing in this much stuff. You're lucky to have such a great skill."

She finishes writing and taps the ledger with her pen. "Alright. After fees for the private booth, your total comes to 468,100 Valis. Is this acceptable, or would you like a breakdown?"

"No, that's alright. It sounds about right." I say with a happy smile.

I had already calculated the amount with GS (Great Sage), and it adds up.

She steps out briefly and returns with five heavy pouches that clink with each bounce, before dropping them onto the table with a heavy thud.

"Here you go." She says, half-smiling as I stow them in my bag. "You've made quite the jackpot, but next time, I'd rather you didn't try anything risky."

"Thanks, Advisor Misha." I say sweetly, dragging out the title.

She narrows her eyes and smirks. "If you're going to call me that, then next time come before nearly getting yourself killed, so I can actually advise you... got it?"

"Of course." I say. "Seeing you before diving in would be the perfect motivation to keep myself safe."

I give her a wink.

She stammers, cheeks blooming pink. "Wh-what does that even mean? Don't flirt with me, you scoundrel!"

I laugh. "You tease people all day. Time you had a dose of your own medicine. Daily, even."

"You—! Get back here!"

But I'm already slipping out the door, leaving her red-faced and glaring behind me.

I happily carry the weight of Valis on my back as I head home, where the real battle awaits...

'Hestia's gonna be pissed.' I sigh internally.

(Hestia POV – Church Basement Room)

"What do I do now...?" I mutter as I pace the basement, my bare feet padding softly against the stone floor.

I wring my hands, my nerves bubbling inside of me.

I had gone to see Hephaestus today—bright-eyed and hopeful, talking about my first child, my pride as a goddess finally being justified. And, of course, she was happy for me, but immediately suspected something was up.

'She's too smart for her own good sometimes.'

Before I even got the chance to ask if Riven could observe her smiths, she shut me down and refused.

'It makes sense. It's only been 10 days since I stopped free loading.'

"But she should have at least let me ask first." I groan, flopping face-first onto the bed with a dramatic sigh, limbs sprawled like a fallen starfish. My chin rests on my folded arms, eyes staring blankly at the wall.

"Riven's going to be back soon... How do I even tell him I failed...?" I bury my face deeper into the pillow, muffling my voice with a sad little grunt. "He'll be so disappointed..."

"Tell me what?"

"EEEK—!" I shriek and spring off the bed like a startled cat, arms flailing as I spin around to face—

"Oh. It's just you..." I exhale in relief, my cheeks heating up from embarrassment. My hand clutches my chest, trying to settle my racing heart. "Don't sneak up on people like that!"

Riven gives me that annoyingly calm smile of his, putting down his bag like nothing happened. "You're back early." I add, glaring lightly. "I thought you'd be back around eight?"

"I finished earlier than expected." He hums. "So I decided to come home early, and see my favourite goddess."

My blush returns with vengeance. 'Flatterer.'

"Hmph. I'm your only goddess." I huff, crossing my arms.

He cocks his head as he looks me over. "You seem worried about something."

"I—I'm not!" I deny way too quickly, and turn away.

He doesn't buy it for a second. "Goddess. C'mon."

And with a calm, confident motion, he gently sits me down on the bed again. "Tell me what's wrong." He says. "I'll even throw in a massage."

I hesitate, for a moment, but then nod.

His hands begin working on my shoulders, slowly and gently, but with a firm touch. His fingers sculpt my muscles, kneading away all tension.

And... it's divine.

A soft gasp slips from my lips as his thumbs press into a tight spot I didn't even know existed. "That... feels amazing..." I breathe.

"Why don't you lay down?" He murmurs close to my ear, his voice low and soft. "It'll be easier on your back, and I'll take good care of you."

His words are sweet, but they hold a devilish tilt. I know I should be cautious. But...

I melt. "O-okay..."

'I'm his goddess. I should trust my children.' I convince myself.

I lay flat on my stomach, resting my head on my arms as his hands trail smoothly down my back. His knuckles dig expertly into my stiff muscles, as each movement sends waves of warmth cascading through my limbs.

'This is bliss~.'

"I think I'm ascending." I mumble as my eyes lazily fall shut.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He chuckles. His hands keep moving, rubbing long strokes down my spine, then circling around my shoulder blades with perfect pressure. I can't help the little sighs and happy groans that slip free.

His fingers are magic.

"You're incredible at this..." I murmur dreamily.

"I'm glad you like it."

He pauses for a moment, then he casually drops a bomb. "So, I'm guessing Hephaestus refused your request? That's what had you all tense, right?"

My eyes snap open.

"...Yeah." I admit in a small voice. "I couldn't even ask. She just knew I wanted something, and shut me down."

"Don't beat yourself up." He says, continuing the massage without missing a beat. "Some things are outside our control, and worrying about them is useless."

I nod slowly, soothed by both his words and his touch.

"Even, I make mistakes too sometimes." He adds comfortingly.

I almost nod again—but a small alarm bell rings in the back of my head.

'Wait.'

I blink. 'Something's wrong... Why is he saying that?'

Everything's been off since the start. He offered me divine massages. Is comforting me instead of teasing me like usual...

I force my hazy thoughts to focus, and open my eyes slowly, before glancing back at him.

He's still smiling. A calm, serene, maybe even peaceful smile.

'He's trying too hard.' I narrow my eyes.

"...Did you do something?" I ask suspiciously.

"What could I have possibly done?" He replies, a look of confusion on his face. Everything that suggests innocence, but... He didn't answer my question.

"You went into the dungeon... You wouldn't have come back early." The pieces start clicking into place.

Early.

'Riven is obsessed with fighting. It's unlikely he'd leave just because he misses me.

'I need to be certain.'

"Riven... Did something happen in the dungeon to make you return early?"

There's a long pause, as he doesn't answer.

"Nothing out of the ordinary." He says smoothly.

Lie.

I sit up, twisting to face him, suspicion blooming full-force.

I'm sad that the massage is ending, but this is more important.

"That was definitely a lie. Riven..." I narrow my eyes. "What did you do?"

He sighs and drops his carefully composed mask making way for exasperation.

"...And I almost got away with it, too." He mutters, clicking his tongue in frustration.

****************

A/N: Hello Everyone. How are you all? If you're enjoying the book so far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or powerstones. It really helps the book out.

So yes. He made a lot of money. I was surprised too, but I reasoned that it makes sense. But half of it is from drop items, which are rare for everyone else. Most adventurers who'd hunt in those floors, are level 1 teams who'd be scared of injury, and have stats at least G rank. Riven's lowest stats are upper C rank, so it makes sense he's making this much. He also didn't have any costs, for the dive, but he'll be getting weapons soon, which will eat a large chunk of it.

How was the scene with Hestia? He tried to placate her, but she's a goddess and figured him out. As for the massage, he's using Great Sage to be skillful, in case anyone was wondering. It got me thinking about NSFW scenes. While not my focus, I feel like subconsciously I avoid them cause I've never written them. But I guess I should at least start proper romance soon (not too soon, but stuff like kissing and so on).

Finally, I'm not too satisfied with how I did Misha, but I was inspiration drained, and tried to make it work regardless. Someone gave me the idea that Hestia can quit her job, with Riven using Predator to make high quality clothes for adventurers and commoners for her to sell. It'd make more money, and be easier for her. What do y'all think, cause I love the idea.

Finally, next chapter or 2 will be slice of life. Shopping for clothes, setting up the business, and meeting with Naaza to help with the potion, before he tries to level up.

So, that's all from me. Hope you all have a wonderful day.