A Devil In the Dungeon [Youjo Senki/Danmachi]

[Sadguychet]

First Step of Many

After a restless sleep plagued by dreams of death – specifically her own – the next morning found Tanya sitting at a small table in the back corner of the Hostess of Fertility. The tables around her were mostly empty apart from the few patrons willing to be up and about this early, which suited her just fine.

A cup of steaming coffee sat in front of her, alongside a stack of books borrowed from the library that had finally reopened its doors. She was endlessly thankful that this world had access to such a drink. Even moreso that the beans in this particular establishment were of exceptionally high quality.

She took a sip from her beverage, turning to the next page in the especially thick tome she was reading. The books she had acquired were a mix of legal codices, history books, current Guild regulations, and a surprisingly comprehensive guide to the Dungeon's known ecosystem. Tanya had been reading since dawn, her blue eyes scanning page after page with the thoroughness of a student cramming for a final exam.

One hundred thousand Valis in thirty days. A breakneck pace by any standard, and one that didn't really leave her many options when it came to the field of employment. Even if one disregarded her age, she very much doubted she'd find a position that both suited her, and paid enough to work through the debt, in any reasonable amount of time as far as her debt was concerned.

Twofold, if her prospective employers learned why she was seeking employment in the first place, that may well throw a rather large wrench into the mix.

No. From what she had gathered so far, her best options didn't lie within the city, but below it.

She turned the page of the guild regulations, her finger tracing the text. The legal framework of Orario was refreshingly straightforward. Adventuring was regulated but not restrictive. Any individual could register with the Guild, provided they were of age or, in the case of orphans, possessed the means to support themselves. No Familia affiliation was legally required for basic Dungeon access, though the text strongly recommended joining one for 'safety and guidance.'

"Guidance," Tanya muttered, flipping to the next section. "Yes, I'm certain the gods have my best interests at heart."

The most important part of the text came a little ways into the third chapter, describing adventuring and the rules involved in undertaking such a task. According to Guild law, there was no prohibition against entering the Dungeon alone. The practice was certainly discouraged, as death rates among solo adventurers were significantly higher than those in parties, but it was not illegal. The Guild simply required registration, a waiver of liability, and a small processing fee.

"I can work with this," Tanya murmured, pulling a blank page from the leather-bound journal she'd scavenged. She began jotting notes, transcribing the text and page number for later reference. "Register with the Guild. Secure hunting grounds in the upper floors. Minimize overhead by avoiding party fees and Familia tithes."

She paused, tapping the pencil against her lips.

The biggest issue, of course, was the admittedly abysmal state of her adventuring capabilities. Her stint in the Dungeon had been harrowing, and though that could be somewhat mitigated by proper preparation, it didn't change the fact that her computation orb was damaged beyond repair, her ammunition was limited, and her prepubescent body was not exactly optimal for sustained combat.

The Falna system the locals spoke of might bridge that gap, but accepting a divine blessing was out of the question. She'd rather die first. Again.

"Excuse me?"

Tanya looked up to find a young woman standing beside her table, a pot of fresh in hand. She was slight of build with gray hair that fell in waves past her shoulders, and large, expressive eyes that regarded Tanya openly. She was dressed in a waitress uniform with a nametag worn plainly on her breast reading 'Syr'

"Your cup is empty," the woman said, gesturing with the pot. "Would you like a refill?"

Tanya glanced at her cup, noting that she had indeed drained it dry sometime in the last hour. "Please."

The woman poured her a fresh cup of rich caffeine, but didn't leave immediately, her gaze drifting to the stack of books on the table.

"You've been reading since the kitchen opened," she observed, her but inquisitive. "Researching something important?"

Tanya saw no reason deflect. The woman was simply making conversation, and information flowed both directions in a tavern.

"My current financial situation," Tanya said, tapping the open time with the erase of her pencil. "I'm in an unfortunate amount of debt, and I'm assessing my options for repayment."

The woman's expression shifted to one of sympathy. "Debt can be difficult. How much is it?"

"One hundred thousand Valis," Tanya said. "To be paid within the month."

The woman's eyes widened, the coffee pot nearly slipping from her fingers. "One hundred? B-but you're so young! How did you manage to accrue that much debt?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't inherited," Tanya explained, her tone clinical. "I collapsed after climbing out of the Dungeon and, being the good samaritans that they are, the Apollo Familia used some of their own supplies and took the time out of their day to make sure I was healed up nice and soundly."

The woman's brow furrowed, "That's nice of them. But it doesn't explain why you're in so much debt."

"Well, they expect repayment of course," Tanya smiled thinly, "Both for services rendered and opportunities lost. It seems they had planned an expedition that my injuries waylaid for the time being."

Tanya turned back to her book, "They extended an offer to join their Familia and work off the debt through service. A classic arrangement, I'm told. Practically charitable, if one doesn't examine the particulars too closely."

Syr set the coffee pot down on the table, sliding into the seat across from Tanya without asking permission, her expression shifting from sympathy to something closer to indignation. "That's not charity. That's coercing people into joining them."

"Is it?" Tanya tilted her head, gesturing with her pencil. "From their perspective, they provided life-saving medical intervention to an unknown individual with no collateral and no established credit. Assuming the risk of non-payment is hardly unreasonable. The opportunity to convert that debt into loyal labor is simply good business."

Syr's cheeks puffed out slightly, her brow knitting together. It was an oddly expressive face, Tanya noted. Every emotion seemed to play across her features without a filter. "It's still wrong. They're taking advantage of people when they're at their most vulnerable."

"Most business models rely on leverage," Tanya said simply. "This one is simply more direct than most."

She turned back to her notes, scratching a figure onto the page. "Regardless, I have no intention of accepting their terms. For one, indentured servitude lacks the stability of traditional employment, and I prefer to maintain control over my own career trajectory."

The less said about who she would be serving, the better. Tanya's research hadn't just delved into the economics of this new world. She had also taken the time to familiarize herself with its religious landscape, and what she had found was deeply troubling.

The gods of Orario were not distant, abstract entities requiring faith to believe in. They were tangible, walking among mortals in the flesh, living in extravagant compounds, and personally selecting followers to bless with supernatural abilities. They held festivals, conducted business, and – on rare occasions – even engaged in romantic trysts with their own Familia members.

It was a theocracy disguised as a meritocracy. Every meaningful institution in Orario bore the fingerprints of some deity or another. The Hephaestus Familia controlled the majority of high-quality weapon production. The Loki Familia counted among the most powerful exploration forces in the city. Even the Guild itself, ostensibly neutral, had been founded by a god.

And the common people? They prayed openly, attended festivals without irony, and spoke of their patron deities with genuine reverence rather than the performative piety Tanya had observed in her previous world.

Atheism and agnosticism were virtually nonexistent here. Why wouldn't they be? The gods answered prayers with measurable results. They bestowed blessings that could be quantified in statistics and combat performance. Faith wasn't required when evidence was abundant.

Tanya had to admit, it was a brilliant trap.

Being X had crafted a world where his existence, and that of entities like him, was irrefutable. Where the very concept of disbelief in gods was akin to denying the existence of the sun. There was no room for skepticism when the supernatural sat at the table beside you and ordered lunch.

Which meant that Tanya's particular brand of theological dissent would be viewed as madness at best, or blasphemy at worst.

She had read enough to know that the gods of Orario were not universally benevolent. A mortal who openly rejected their existence or denounced them as frauds would quickly find themselves a target. Not for something as rash as execution, perhaps, but definitely for attention.

Tanya had long since learned that the attention of any being who touted themselves as above the mortals around them was never a blessing.

Syr studied her for a moment, her large eyes searching Tanya's face. Whatever she found there seemed to trouble her, though Tanya couldn't imagine why.

"Well," Syr said finally, standing and retrieving the coffee pot. "If you need anything, just let us know. Mama Mia likes to take care of her guests, and I hope you find a way to pay off your debt."

She departed with a gentle smile, leaving Tanya alone with her books and her thoughts.

The girl turned back to her research, flipping to a section on the Dungeon's upper floors. If she was going to hunt monsters for profit, she needed to know what she was facing.

One month. One hundred thousand Valis. All she had to do was maintain a low profile, avoid antagonizing any major Familia unnecessarily, and keep her theological opinions firmly to herself.

She could manage that much.

~~~

After a few more hours of study, Tanya decided she had done enough cramming for one evening and placed the books in her room. She ate lunch in her room, did another equipment check, then slipped out of the front doors of the Hostess of Fertility just as the beginning of the lunch crowd began to roll in..

The midmorning streets were crowded, the foot traffic thick enough that Tanya had to weave between bodies sideways. It shouldn't be difficult to register with the Guild, provided they didn't entertain some fee due to her previous excursion technically being unsanctioned. With luck, she would be able to descend today.

Tanya kept her pace brisk, her eyes forward and head down as her mind ran through the list of tasks she needed to accomplish at the Guild.

Unfortunately, she was far too preoccupied with her thoughts and as she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.

Tanya sidestepped at the last moment, knocking shoulders with the other person instead of sending them sprawling. She opened her mouth to deliver an apology and continue on her way, but the words died in her throat.

The boy standing before her was absolutely drenched in blood, enough that Tanya could do nothing but stare. It soaked him from his hair to the tips of his boots, as if he had stepped into a shower dyed red.

Tanya wasn't the only one staring. The sight drew eyes from every direction. Passersby stopped mid-stride, their conversations dying as they stared at the blood-soaked teenager standing in the middle of the street.

Tanya had seen her fair share of carnage. The trenches of the Rhine had been painted with enough blood to fill a dried up river. She had walked through battlefields where the mud was as red as claw and pieces of both ally and foe hung from barbed wire like macabre decorations.

This sight didn't beat them, but it was certainly a close second.

"Oh, sorry!" the boy said, a bright smile splitting his face despite the gore. His red eyes were clear and alert, with no trace of pain or shock. "I was in a hurry and didn't see you there. Are you okay?"

Tanya stared at him for a long moment, her mind processing the sight. The boy was speaking clearly, moving without hesitation, and showed no signs of the pale, glassy-eyed shock that typically accompanied severe blood loss. The blood wasn't his


"I'm fine," Tanya finally said, taking a step back as a drop of crimson stained the ground in front of her boot. "Though I believe you may have frightened half the street."

The boy blinked, seeming to notice their audience for the first time. His face scrunched in embarrassment, but if he was blushing, Tanya couldn't tell.

"Ah, sorry about that," he said again, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just came from the Dungeon so I haven't really had a chance to clean up. I was going to see my Goddess."

Tanya's eye twitched. Here he was, covered in enough viscera to fill a bathtub, and his first priority was to seek out his god. Either his head was empty, or he was simply clueless.

"Your priorities are your own," Tanya said, stepping aside to let him pass. "I suggest you hurry. The crowd is beginning to attract attention."

The boy's eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn't considered that walking through a public street while looking like a walking crime scene might draw notice. He ducked his head in a quick bow, his white hair flopping forward.

"Right! Thanks, um..."

He trailed off, clearly waiting for a name. Tanya simply raised an eyebrow.

"Have a good day," she said instead.

The boy straightened, his smile returning with full force. "Thanks! I hope you have a good day too!"

And with that, he was gone, disappearing down the street at a near-sprint, leaving a wake of disturbed whispers and wide-eyed stares in his wake.

Tanya watched him go, her expression unreadable.

"Moronic," she murmured.

She turned and continued toward her destination, filing the encounter away in the back of her mind.

A few minutes later, she exited the busy streets to step inside similarly crowded halls of the Guild. Men and women lined up in cues in front of attendance kiosks, waiting to attend to their business. Whatever that may be. Tanya found the shortest line and stepped to the back.

The line moved with a speed that Tanya found frankly refreshing. It was a stark contrast to the sluggish, red-tape-ridden bureaucracy she had often dealt with in her previous lives. It took her only minutes to move half a dozen places, and soon enough, she was next up.

When she stepped up to the kiosk however, found herself staring at a woman who was, oddly enough, not looking at her.

The woman was only marginally taller than Tanya herself, possessing a stocky, solid build that suggested she could wrestle a grown man into submission without breaking a sweat. She had tan skin, dark hair cut into a angled bob, and wore the standard Guild attendant uniform that looked ready to burst at the seams due to her musculature.

Tanya tilted her head slightly, analyzing the woman's features even as she waited to be acknowledged. The library texts had mentioned the prevalence of demi-humans and the interbreeding between species. The woman was clearly a byproduct of that.

"If you're here to register, please have the proper forms ready," the woman said boredly, her eyes still scanning a document on her desk. "If you're here to exchange magic stones, you need window four."

"I am here for the former," Tanya stated, "Though I'm afraid I don't have any identification."

The woman sighed, a long, rattling sound of profound boredom, and finally looked up. Her dark eyes locked onto Tanya's face, and she blinked.

"You!" the woman barked, slamming her hand down onto the counter.

Tanya stiffened. "I beg your pardon?"

"You're the girl!" the woman exclaimed, once again failing to enlighten Tanya as to what she was talking about. "The one that nearly died out in front of the dungeon!"

Tanya frowned, glancing around as whispers emerged from the people around her. "I didn't realize that the tale had spread so far."

The woman snorted, waving a hand. "Do you have any idea how boring it gets around here? Your name's gonna be on everyone's lips for the next few months unless something more interesting happens."

She stuck out a hand. "Adris Garsana. I was the attendant scheduled to handle your intake yesterday, but wouldn't you know it, nature called at the exact wrong moment. By the time I got back, you were already up and gone."

Tanya looked at the offered hand for a moment before taking it. Adris's grip was firm, calloused, and professional.

"Tanya Degurechaff," she replied. "And I apologize. If I had known there was someone waiting to gawk at me, I would have laid in bed for a few more hours.."

"That woulda just made me feel right shit," Adris laughed, "Anyway, it's good to see you're back on your feet. What brings you back here? Here to beg the Guild for a loan?"

"No," Tanya said, placing her hands on the counter. "I am here to register as an adventurer."

The silence that followed her statement was pronounced. Adris stared at her, one eyebrow slowly climbing toward her hairline.

"Register," Adris repeated, the word falling flat as if she had spoken in a foreign language. She stared at Tanya, then leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Kid, you just crawled out of the Dungeon looking like you went a few rounds with a silverback. You sure you wanna go back?"

"I do," Tanya nodded. "I have already reviewed the Guild's statutes. Solo adventuring is permitted, provided the adventurers register and sign the necessary waivers."

Adris rubbed her temples with a groan. "Legally? Sure. You can walk right back down there and get yourself eaten by a goblin five minutes later, and I'll be forced to fill out the paperwork."

"I managed to survive well enough last time."

"Well enough, she says," Adris snorted, "Look, kid, unless you got inducted into a Familia in the last twenty-four hours, you don't have a Falna, and that means you're weaker than the freshest level one. I'd suggest you take a little bit to think about this and find a god to–"

"I'd prefer to remain without any blessing," Tanya carefully kept the sneer off of her face, "I'll admit I was unprepared last time, but I've done my due diligence and my research. This is the most effective way to pay off my debt."

Adris looked at her for a long moment, her brown eyes searching Tanya's face. Then, she let out a sharp, cynical laugh.

"You've got a problem with the gods," Adris observed, surprising Tanya. "I've seen it before. Usually from people who got burned by a bad Familia, or religious nuts who think the Dungeon is the entrance to the underworld. You're smarter than that though."

"Let's just say I've had bad experiences with their kind and keep it at that," Tanya countered evenly. "I prefer to be left to my own devices as far as my soul is concerned."

"You're going to get yourself killed is what you're going to do," Adris muttered, pulling a thick stack of parchment from beneath the counter. She uncorked an inkwell and grabbed a quill, the feather looking absurdly small in her calloused hand. "Still, I can't stop you. The paperwork says you're of sound mind and body, and you're not a criminal."

Adris tapped the parchment on the counter to straighten it, the sound sharp against the ambient noise of the hall. "Fill this out. Name, age, race. The usual."

Tanya picked up the quill and printed her information with neat, blocky handwriting, the kind born from two lifetimes filling out official documents in triplicate. She was pleased to find that she could answer most of the questions truthfully; it seemed to only cover the bare essentials to the sentience of the one filling it out.

At the bottom of the document was the final field. Familia Affiliation.

Tanya left the space blank.

Adris snatched the parchment, scanned it quickly to ensure the legibility was passable, and then reached for a stamp, slamming it down onto the paper with a heavy thud. Setting it to the side, she then grabbed a small slip of metal from a drawer and slid it across the counter.

"Here," Adris said. "Your adventurer card. Don't lose it. Replacements cost five hundred valis, and I'd rather not add on to that debt of yours."

Tanya took the metal plate between her thumb and forefinger. It was a simple, unadorned piece of metal with her name and age engraved on it, alongside official text denoting its purpose.

"If you're planning on heading down today, you'll want to head to the main entrance," Adris said, jerking a thumb toward the massive tower of stone visible through the high windows. "Babel. I'm sure you've seen it. The entrance is at the base."

"I believe I can find it," Tanya said, slipping the card into her pocket. "Thank you for your help, Adris."

"Yeah, yeah," Adris waved her off, already reaching for the next of forms. "Try not to die in the first five minutes. If my bosses find out I'm the one who gave you that card, they'll get grumpy, and I hate grumpy paperwork."

The more things change… Tanya thought, stepping away from the kiosk and heading for the door.

---

Get chapters to this fic early at Sadguychet | Patreon! Chapter 9 has just been posted!

 

[RedHood001]

OOOOOOOOOOH!!

I like this turn because... I don't think I've ever read a Danmachi fanfic where the MC or any character isn't part of a Familia at all. Ryuu doesn't count for obvious reasons, and I don't remember anyone who's not aligned with a god one way and at some point or another.

Tanya being the unique one here feels in-character because she definitely wouldn't accept pledging allegiance to any god in Danmachi, especially this early on after Being X. She COULD change her mind in the future, depending on what happens, but here she should start off on her own.

The thing with Tanya here also has implications that adventurers could register without being in a Familia. It's probably not common because having a Falna makes it easier to progress in any status development, at least compared to having none at all. I'm definitely excited for Tanya's growth and reputation in Orario because I know this is going to make her unique.

Thank you for the wonderful updates!! I hope you're doing well!!

 

[Cataquack Warrior]

So what's Tanya going to do when Apollo decides to keep her even after she pays off the debt? That's when things are going to get hot, methinks.

One thing Tanya might do if it becomes clear that the Apollo familia intends to take her regardlesss, is simply stay in the dungeon. Sure, it's crazy, but there are a few relative safe spots, and since gods can't go down there, it's one way to stay out of their reach.

Also, I think Tanya should have put in some sort of statement like "not applicable" in the Familia Affiliation slot. Because leaving it blank is just asking for corrupt bureaucratic interference, like someone being "helpful" and filling it in with Apollo Familia for her.

 

[Creationist]

OOOOOOOOOOH!!

I like this turn because... I don't think I've ever read a Danmachi fanfic where the MC or any character isn't part of a Familia at all. Ryuu doesn't count for obvious reasons, and I don't remember anyone who's not aligned with a god one way and at some point or another.

Click to shrink...

It's because you're basically required to be in a familia to actively venture into the dungeon. Even Ryuu's still part of the Astraea familia.
That's also ignoring the sheer power booster Falna is, which is impossible to acquire or upgrade without a deity.

 

[RedHood001]

It's because you're basically required to be in a familia to actively venture into the dungeon. Even Ryuu's still part of the Astraea familia.
That's also ignoring the sheer power booster Falna is, which is impossible to acquire or upgrade without a deity.

Click to shrink...

I know that it's a requirement since Falna at least provides a boost for adventurers in many ways. That's why I've never seen a fanfic where the character doesn't join any familia is so rare to me. I think I've only read one other Danmachi fic, a crossover as well, but I forgot the name of it.

 

[Fauxtale]

It's because you're basically required to be in a familia to actively venture into the dungeon. Even Ryuu's still part of the Astraea familia.
That's also ignoring the sheer power booster Falna is, which is impossible to acquire or upgrade without a deity.

Click to shrink...

I dont think being in a familiar is actually required. It is heavily suggested to be part of one but thats because even a new level one adventurer is captain America compared to your average unblessed. They still die in droves to goblins and kobolds

 

[D.O.A-2100]

I'm not familiar with Danmachi, so I'm curious to how Being X would be perceived compared to the other gods. Not just in power, but morally, from the perspective of mortals and other gods. If there's any justice for Tanya, he would be seen as a hypocritical, corrupt, and abusive god, leaving no wonder as to why Tanya would feel such deep enmity for the divine.

 

[crbox]

Not just in power, but morally, from the perspective of mortals and other gods.

Click to shrink...

It'd be the power he's actively throwing around that'd make him stand out rather than anything particularly moral. And not in a good way, or an awe-inspiring way. It'd be the equivalent of going onto a playground with set rules that everybody else sticks to, and then breaking them for the lols/cause he wants to.

Completely disregarding that there are actually punishments for breaking said rules that'd get him kicked out of said playground and back to the office where everybody can throw around just as much if not more weight than him. An office he probably wasn't expecting to end up at given he (probably) doesn't work there, but that's where everybody like him works in this section of the multiverse...

If that makes sense.

 

[ArgoDevilian]

An interesting story. One thing I feel like that would be inevitable though is Tanya joining a Familia.

Thing is, even if she does get out of this Debt, her position only grows worse.

Before, she was just a minor interest that Apollo figured he could get a new pet out of.
If she clears the debt without falna however, that interest skyrockets.

He's going to be a persistent thorn to her. And that's just assuming only Apollo knows about her Debt and lack of Falna. Plenty of Gods would want find her interesting after all this.

She needs to join a Familia, if just for the protection.

And she'll probably also realize that not ever god is an asshole like Being X and Apollo.

In fact, I question what the fuck Being X was thinking. Even in the best case scenario - Tanya joins a familia, becomes a sort of religious person for her God - that wouldnt change her view of Being X being a petulant child with a god complex.

At best, she'll learn that there are good Gods, like Hestia and Ouranos, and there are asshole gods, like Being X and Freya.

And all the good gods, hell even some of the asshole gods, would agree that Being X is just being a little shit.

its like an unspoken rule that if the Gods want to interfere with the World, they need to Descend and seal their Arcanum.
Being X would never fucking do that. hell, it wouldnt surprise me if he tries to do that body takeover thing on one of the Gods, because he's that much of an asshole.

 

[KingNecron101]

I am a bit confused on how she is going to be able to do anything. Maybe if her computational orb was still intact, but as is and with the debt over her shoulders I can't imagine Falnaless being a actually possible route.

 

[Sadguychet]

Delving

Tanya's first willing foray into the Dungeon was already shaping up to be a much more pleasant experience than her desperate dash to safety.

Tanya regarded the monster charging toward her with narrowed eyes. A quick flick of her wrist as it got into range, and the goblin dropped to the ground, choking on its own blood as its mangled weapon slipped from its fingers.

Tanya watched it writhe for a moment, her knife dripping onto the stone floor of the Dungeon. The creature's hands clawed weakly at the wound in its neck, its beady eyes rolling back in its skull as it gasped for air that would never come. Stepping forward, she ended its suffering with a firm stomp to the neck, feeling the vertebrae crunch beneath her boot.

"Much easier," Tanya murmured, crouching beside the dissolving corpse to retrieve the magic stone. "It's remarkable how easy it is to deal with these things when one isn't fighting for their life."

The stone wasn't very big and shined dimly under the light of the cavern. Tanya examined it for a moment before dropping it into her pouch with the others.

She had killed six creatures just like it so far. Six corpses, six stones, and not a single scratch on her person. So far, she hadn't even been grazed.

Preparation, she decided, made all the difference. She had spent a great deal of time researching the monsters she might find on these upper floors, as well as those she had come across on the ones below. Her efforts had clearly borne fruit.

Tanya moved forward, her boots making soft sounds against the stone. The Dungeon's upper floors were a labyrinth of corridors and caverns, lit by luminescent moss that clung to the walls in patches. The light was dim but serviceable, and she had already mapped out a route that avoided the more heavily trafficked areas.

Her knife sat comfortably in her grip. It wasn't her preferred weapon, but she was not going to use her Luger unless she absolutely couldn't help it, and not just out of mercy for her eardrums. Her ammunition was finite. She couldn't exactly requisition more 9mm rounds in a world that had never heard of Parabellum cartridges.

A sound echoed from somewhere to her left. Tanya pressed herself against the wall, slowing her breathing as she listened. The skittering of claws against stone, the guttural chittering that marked goblin communication. A patrol, perhaps, or a hunting party.

She counted the noises. Three, maybe four. Manageable if she was careful.

Tanya crept forward, keeping her footsteps light. The corridor bent ahead, and she used the angle to peer around the corner without exposing herself. The goblins were huddled around something on the ground—a corpse, from the look of it. They were preoccupied, their attention focused on their meal.

The first goblin died without ever knowing she was there. Tanya's knife found the base of its skull, severing the spinal cord and dropping it instantly. The second turned at the sound of the body falling, but by then Tanya was already moving, her blade slashing across its throat in a spray of blood that thankfully mostly missed her.

The third and fourth reacted with the predictable panic of ambush victims. One fled, scrambling to its feet and running down the corridor in a desperate attempt to escape, while the other charged, brandishing a crude club and a screech of rage.

Tanya sidestepped the charge, lashing out as it ran by her. Her knife found the goblin's heart, and she twisted before yanking it free. The creature dropped, twitching and smoking.

The fourth goblin had made it to the ceiling, clinging to the stone with wiry limbs as it screeched for help. Tanya considered her options. She could let it go—it would warn others, potentially draw more enemies, but she could simply leave the area before they arrived. Or she could pursue, risking being led into a trap.

Neither option was optimal.

Instead, Tanya breathed and reached deep within herself.

Magic in this world was different. In her previous life, it had been more akin to science, answering to formulas as opposed to feelings. Her computation orb had served as the crucible in which raw mana was refined into usable spells, and without it, complex casting was essentially impossible. The formula for a simple optical spell might exist in her mind, but without the hardware to process it, the mana remained mostly inert.

Here, however, the rules had changed.

Tanya had spent her evenings at the Hostess of Fertility experimenting in the privacy of her room and what she had discovered was both surprising and deeply intriguing. Her magic in this world was more malleable or at the very least responsive. Though she still needed to set the rules that her magic would follow, the equations had been… dumbed down, for lack of a better phrase.

It was still difficult, certainly. Like learning to write with one's non-dominant hand after lifetimes of using the other. But it was possible, if only for a moment or two.

Tanya raised her hand toward the fleeing goblin. She visualized the formula in her mind, the complex equation that was usually handled by her Type 95 doing the grunt work instead of her brain. A second passed, and then two, before her mana responded, pooling in her palm with a warmth that was familiar yet foreign.

The goblin turned, as if to check if she was pursuing, or perhaps it had felt the surge of magic. Either way, that decision cost it dearly.

A green glow suffused the edge of Tanya's knife before shooting outwards as if it had been shot from a cannon. Tanya flicked her wrist as it sped past the goblin, and the creature shrieked as her magic caught it along its back.

Tanya prided herself in keeping her knife as sharp as it needed to be. Her mana blade was even sharper. Magic wasn't bound by the limits of metal, and it would be fair to say the edge of her attack had more in common with a strand of hair rather than the razor that was used to cut them.

The goblin let out a gurgled cry as its body fell to the ground in two separate halves, bisected along the waist. Tanya's spell, for its part, lasted just long enough to get the job done before wavering violently and dispersing. Tanya frowned as the fatigue set in immediately. Though magic was easier achieved, it seemed that the trade-off was a drain far greater than she was used to. Hopefully it could be mitigated with practice.

The rest of the morning passed in a similar vein. Tanya established a rhythm: find a corridor, carefully clear the monsters, harvest the stones, move on. The Dungeon's upper floors were teeming with the creatures, and while individually they posed little threat, their numbers made them a consistent source of income. Each stone wasn't worth much—perhaps a hundred Valis if she was being generous—but the volume added up.

She was not alone in her efforts. Other adventurers passed her by occasionally, parties of two or three who moved with a variety of confidence through the upper floors. They would nod in her direction and then proceed to clear out tunnels before she could reach them. It was mildly irritating, but Tanya understood the nature of the workplace. The Dungeon was bountiful, but not infinite. Competition was inevitable.

Still, the Dungeon was, in essence, a self-sustaining resource extraction operation. The monsters were the product, and they regenerated at a rate that allowed for continuous harvesting. It was the kind of system that would make any industrialist weep with envy, and Tanya certainly wasn't going to complain.

By early afternoon, her pouch had grown heavy. The weight of the stones pulled at her hip, and she could feel the strain in her lower back from the constant crouching. Her knife was slick with residue that she hadn't had time to properly clean, and her cuirass bore a new scrape from a kobold that had managed to land a glancing blow.

Even so, it was a profitable day, all things considered. She didn't know quite enough about the exchange rate to estimate her haul, but the weight of her pouch spoke for itself.

She was considering packing up for the day when voices echoed through the corridor—human. Another pack of adventurers was just ahead, heading in her direction.

Seeing no reason to hide herself, Tanya rounded the corner and found herself face-to-face with a group of three. They were dressed in a mix of leather and metal and bore the emblem of a wine chalice on their breastplates. Their equipment was well-maintained but showed signs of wear, the kind that spoke of regular use rather than neglect.

The party consisted of two men and a woman. The taller of the men had a spear slung across his back, while his shorter companion carried a shortsword at his hip. The woman, who appeared to be the leader based on her position at the head, had a rapier at her side and an expression of mild surprise as she saw Tanya round the corner.

"Well lookie here," the woman said, her eyes scanning Tanya's form with an appraising look. "Didn't expect to see anyone this out of the way on the third floor. Are you by yourself, kid?"

Tanya kept her face blank, though her eyes narrowed a bit. Though the Dungeon was ostensibly the enemy of all adventurers, that didn't mean that humanity wouldn't still do what it did best. Give a man a knife and there's a chance he'll use it to take what isn't his.

Deep below ground, surrounded by monsters and dangerous terrain, "accidents" were bound to happen. It wasn't common, but it certainly wasn't rare enough to remain ignorant of the dangers. Tanya would be best served keeping her solo status to herself for now.

"I just wandered a bit from my party," Tanya nodded curtly. "I'm making my way back to them. We have a spot to meet up nearby."

When in such a situation, it was always prudent to ensure the other party believed that you would be missed. Tanya had made it appear as if she was expected to rendezvous with her party soon and dissuaded this group from preventing her from doing so.

Whether or not they picked up on her subtle threat wasn't easy to tell. A snort came from the shorter man. "And you're taking the time to loot? You're pretty thrifty."

"I prefer to think of myself as a pragmatist," Tanya said evenly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my destination lies past you. I wouldn't advise going the way I came anyway. There's not much there anymore."

She moved to step around them, but the woman shifted to block her path. The motion was casual, almost friendly, but Tanya immediately tensed.

"Wait a moment," the woman said, her smile not reaching her eyes. "That armor you're wearing looks familiar. Where did you get it?"

Tanya's mind flashed back to the dead adventurer, his face caved in from whatever had killed him, his armor still serviceable if battered. She should have guessed that he might have friends who would realize she was wearing a dead man's clothes.

Tanya's fingers twitched around her knife. "I found it. Why do you ask?"

The woman's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer. The two men flanked her, their postures shifting from casual to something more alert at their leader's movement. "That armor belongs to a member of our Familia. He went down into the Dungeon a few days ago."

Tanya filed away the timeline. A few days. That aligned with her own arrival in this world, and with the state of the body she had found. The corpse had been fresh, or close to it.

"I see," Tanya said, keeping her voice neutral. "Then I'm afraid I have unfortunate news for you. I found the armor on a body a few floors below us. The individual in question was already deceased when I came across them."

The woman's expression flickered—not with grief, but with something that looked closer to irritation. "Henry's dead?"

"Quite thoroughly, I'm afraid. Something had caved in his skull. Likely a kobold or something similar, given I found a rather large group of them relatively close by."

"Damn it," the shorter man muttered. "That idiot. We told him not to go down alone."

"Told him," the taller one agreed, shaking his head. "Multiple times."

Tanya observed their reactions. There was sadness, certainly, but it was muted and overshadowed by something else. Frustration, perhaps, or disappointment.

The woman crossed her arms over her chest, her rapier swaying at her hip. "Well, that complicates things. Henry's gear was worth a decent amount. The Guild would have given us the rights to it if we found him, but now you've gone and claimed it."

"I wasn't aware that the dead retained property rights in Orario," Tanya said. "My understanding was that salvage was subject to a finder's claim."

"Salvage?" The woman laughed, though it carried no humor. "That's a generous term for looting a corpse."

"Perhaps, but I prefer to think of it as efficient resource allocation," Tanya replied. "The previous owner had no further use for it, and I had immediate need."

The shorter man scowled, his hand drifting toward his shortsword. "You've got a lot of nerve, kid. That armor is Soma Familia property. You're walking around wearing gear that one of our own bled in."

"And I am grateful for its protection," Tanya said, her voice still calm. "Should you wish to negotiate its return, I am open to discussing fair compensation for the service it has rendered me. However, I would remind you that I am under no legal obligation to surrender it if I find your offer distasteful."

The woman's smile turned sharp. "You really got a mouth on you, kid. A lot of things happen in these tunnels that the Guild never hears about. Maybe you start rethinking what you're doing before it lands you in a heap of trouble."

Tanya's eyes narrowed at the threat. She could fight them. Her knife was still drawn, and she had enough mana for perhaps two more of her spells before exhaustion set in. Three against one was poor odds, but she had faced worse.

However, before she could move further upon that train of thought, the shadows in the corridor began to shift.

Tanya heard it first—the skittering of claws against stone and the guttural chittering of goblinkind, and she sighed.

"You might want to postpone this conversation," Tanya said, her grip tightening on her knife as she caught sight of shadows moving behind the group. "We have company."

The woman turned, her rapier clearing its sheath in a single fluid motion. The two men followed suit, their weapons raised as the first goblins emerged from the darkness behind them.

There were more than Tanya had anticipated. A dozen at least, their beady eyes gleaming with hunger as they poured into the corridor.

But they weren't the only threat to be faced. Tanya turned as she heard a noise behind her–almost drowned out by the goblins' cacophonous cries–and cursed.

The creatures were taller than goblins, their bodies lean and sinewy beneath armor-like plating. Their arms ended in wicked claws that gleamed like polished steel, and their faces were devoid of any feature except for hollow, empty eyes. They moved with an eerie silence, their forms blurring at the edges as they drifted forward.

War Shadows.

"Shit," the taller man hissed. "War Shadows this high up? That's not normal."

"Neither are this many goblins," the woman said, her voice tight. "They must have migrated up from the lower levels."

The goblins surged forward, and the Soma Familia members moved to meet them. The woman's rapier flashed in the dim light as she cut down the first one as it leapt toward her. The two men followed her lead, the spearman thrusting his weapon to keep them at bay while the shorter one's shortsword carved bloody arcs through the many who slipped through.

Tanya backed away, positioning herself against the wall as she assessed the battlefield. The goblins were manageable in small groups, but a horde of this size required coordination that she simply didn't have with the present group. The War Shadows, however, were a different matter.

One of the creatures drifted toward her, its claws extended. It moved with an unsettling grace, its form seeming to phase between solid and ethereal. Tanya had read about them in the library. War Shadows were known for their speed and their razor-sharp claws, which could cut through armor as if it were paper.

The Soma Familia members were already engaged with the goblin horde, their attention fully occupied by the swarming creatures. The second War Shadow was circling around the flank, preparing to strike at the woman's exposed back.

"Behind you!" Tanya called out.

The woman spun just in time to parry the War Shadow's claws, her rapier catching the blow with a screech of metal. But the creature was fast, and its second strike caught the spearman across his arm. He howled in pain, his weapon clattering to the ground as blood sprayed across the stone.

Realizing that this may be too much for the group and not fancying her chances alone if they were to die, Tanya pushed off the wall and sprinted toward the injured War Shadow, her knife held low. The creature turned at her approach, its hollow eyes fixing on her with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. It raised its claws, preparing to strike, and Tanya slid beneath its guard, her knife carving a line across its midsection.

The War Shadow shrieked, a sound like grinding metal, and stumbled back. The wound wasn't deep enough to kill, but it was enough to draw its attention away from the spearman. Tanya rolled to her feet, putting distance between herself and the creature as it recovered.

"Focus on the goblins!" she shouted to the Soma Familia members. "I'll handle the War Shadows!"

The woman hesitated for a fraction of a second, her eyes meeting Tanya's. Then she nodded, turning back to the horde with her rapier raised. "Let her distract those two! We'll deal with this lot!"

Tanya didn't wait for acknowledgment. She was already moving, her mind racing as the first War Shadow recovered and lunged toward her.

It came at her with claws extended, its lanky body shivering with anticipation. Tanya ducked beneath the first swipe, feeling the displaced air ruffle her hair as the claws passed inches above her head.

She countered with an upward slash, but it jerked its body out of the way just in time, leaving her knife to scrape a shallow wound instead of the gash she intended. The creature barely seemed to notice the cut, its hollow eyes fixed on her as it reared back for another strike.

Tanya twisted away, her boots skidding on the stone as she put distance between herself and the monster. It screeched at her, a cry clearly meant to intimidate and make her pause. Unfortunately, it gave her just enough time to formulate a magical equation in her mind.

The air around her knife shimmered as she poured the energy into the blade, extending its edge with a ghostly green glow. The War Shadow lunged, and Tanya swiped her hand through the air like she was conducting a full orchestral score.

Her enhanced blade caught the creature's claws mid-swing, slicing all three of them off in one fell swoop. The monster shrieked, abandoning its charge in favor of nursing its wound, and as it stumbled off-balance, Tanya lunged forward and drove the blade into its chest.

The War Shadow shrieked and clawed at her. Tanya wrenched her knife free and dove to the side, feeling the tips of its claws rake across her cuirass. The metal held, but she could feel the impact in her ribs. If she hadn't been wearing it, she would have been shredded.

She rolled to her feet and pressed the attack before the creature could recover. Two quick strikes to the same wound she had already opened, each one carving deeper into its chest. The War Shadow staggered, its movements becoming sluggish as dark ichor seeped from the gashes, and Tanya twisted, lashing out with her blade.

The monster's head detached from its shoulders in spectacular fashion, rolling across the floor a ways down the corridor.

The body dissolved into ash before it hit the ground, leaving behind only a magic stone that clattered against the stone floor. Tanya scooped it up without breaking stride, already turning toward the second War Shadow.

It was circling the Soma Familia members, looking for an opening in their formation. The goblins had been thinned out significantly, but there were still enough to keep the group occupied. The taller man, the spearman, was clutching his wounded arm and trying to stay out of the fray.

The second War Shadow saw her coming and abandoned its circling. It surged toward her, faster than its companion had been. Tanya barely had time to raise her knife before it was on her, claws flashing in the dim light.

She deflected the first strike. The second caught her across the thigh, slicing through her flight suit and into the flesh beneath. Pain flared, and she hissed through her teeth as she stumbled backward.

The creature pressed its advantage. Another swipe, this one aimed at her throat. Tanya threw herself to the side, her shoulder hitting the stone wall hard. Her knife hand came up on instinct, catching the War Shadow's claws on her blade.

It was a testament to imperial craftsmanship that the blade didn't shatter immediately, but the impact still sent a jolt through her arm that made her fingers spasm. Her knife nearly slipped from her grip.

"Please just die," she snarled, pouring more mana into the blade.

The green glow intensified, and with a surge of effort, she pushed the War Shadow back. It stumbled, and Tanya seized the opening. She lunged forward, driving her knife into the creature's "throat" and carving downward in a brutal slash that opened it from neck to navel.

The War Shadow collapsed in a heap. Tanya stood over it, breathing hard, her knife dripping with ichor that slowly evaporated into wisps of dark smoke.

The spell flickered and died and the fatigue set in immediately. Her limbs felt a bit heavier than usual and a dull ache was setting in behind her eyes. She had pushed her magic further than she had intended, and the cost was making itself known.

But there was no time to rest. The goblin horde had been reduced to a handful of stragglers, and the Soma Familia members were mopping them up. All except for the spearman, who was still clutching his wounded arm and looking pale.

A goblin broke free from the melee, its beady eyes fixing on the injured man. It raised its club, preparing to bring it down on his skull—

Tanya's knife took it in the back.

The goblin shrieked and crumpled, dissolving into ash before it hit the ground. The spearman stared at her with wide eyes, his mouth opening and closing without sound.

"Those who remain still in an active melee are usually the first to die," Tanya said, retrieving her knife from the dissipating corpse. "Do remember that for next time."

The last of the goblins fell to the leader's rapier, and silence descended over the corridor. Tanya took a moment to catch her breath, her hand pressing against the wound on her thigh. It wasn't deep, but it stung. She'd check it more thoroughly once she was safe above.

She moved to collect the magic stones from the War Shadows she had felled, dropping them into her pouch with the others. The stones were larger than the goblin stones and pulsed with a faint inner light. Worth significantly more, if her research was accurate.

"I'll be taking these," she said, holding up the stones. "You can have the others."

"Like hell you are."

Azalea stepped forward, her rapier still drawn. Her eyes were hard, her jaw set in a stubborn line. "You're wearing gear that belongs to our Familia, and now you're claiming stones from monsters that attacked us?"

"Monsters that I killed," Tanya corrected, her voice flat. "Your party was occupied with the goblins. I can't imagine you would have fared better fighting on two fronts."

"Azalea, come on." The shorter man sheathed his shortsword, his expression weary. "She saved Darris's life. And she took down two War Shadows by herself. That's not nothing."

"We would have taken them too," Azalea snapped. "We killed the lot; those stones should belong to us."

"The stones belong to whoever killed the monsters," Tanya said, her grip on her knife tightening. "That is Guild law. If you wish to dispute it, you are welcome to file a formal complaint with the administration. I'm certain they will be fascinated to hear how you attempted to extort a solo adventurer in the Dungeon."

Azalea's face twisted with anger, and for a moment Tanya thought she might actually attack. The woman's rapier was still in her hand, and her stance had shifted to something more aggressive.

"Azalea." The shorter man's voice was wary. "She used some kind of skill to kill those War Shadows. Did you see it? That green glow? I've never seen anything like it."

"A skill doesn't change the fact that she's—"

"It changes the fact that she could probably kill us if she wanted to," the man interrupted. "She took down two War Shadows by herself. While we were struggling with goblins. Think about that for a second."

Azalea hesitated. Her eyes flicked to Tanya's knife, still drawn and still faintly stained with monster blood.

Finally, she let out a sharp breath and sheathed her rapier. "Fine. Keep the stones. But this isn't over, girl. You're walking around in gear that belongs to the Soma Familia, and sooner or later, someone's going to collect on that debt."

"You can get in line behind everyone else," Tanya said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have wounds to attend to."

She turned and walked away, not allowing herself to limp until she was certain she was out of sight.

~~~

The trek to the surface proceeded without anything eventful occurring. One or two more monsters slain and Tanya was once again at the gates of Babel, her pockets much heavier than before.

Taking her haul to the Guild, she walked away seven thousand Valis richer after the fees were processed. A good haul, thanks mostly due to the War Shadows' much more valuable monster stones.

One day of hunting had yielded nearly ten percent of her total debt. If she could maintain that pace, she would be debt-free in a fortnight.

Unlikely, of course. The War Shadows had been an unexpected boon, and their stones had inflated her earnings significantly. She couldn't count on such luck every day, but it was progress.

And progress, Tanya reflected as she climbed the stairs to her room at the Hostess of Fertility, was all she could ask for.

She closed the door behind her and began to disrobe. The wound on her thigh throbbed, but it had already begun to clot. She would clean it and bandage it, preferably in the bath. A nice soak and a hot meal would do wonders for her haggard state before she went to bed.

Tomorrow, she would do it again. And the day after that. And the day after that. One hundred thousand Valis. One month.

Tanya glanced at the nearby wall where a painting hung, the picture of a beautiful woman painted upon the canvas. A thin smile spread across her face.

"Perhaps not quite as daunting as you imagined, is it, Being X?"

The painting remained silent, and Tanya scoffed stripping off her cuirass and moving to the suit underneath.

As she turned away, the eyes of the painted woman narrowed with malicious intent.

 

[Sadguychet]

Dinner with a Debtor

One week into her new life in Orario, Tanya found herself standing in the middle of a weapons shop, contemplating a shelf of sharpened steel.

The dungeon was a dangerous place. This was a fact that she had become intimately acquainted with over the past seven days. Her borrowed equipment had served her well enough in the upper floors, but it was beginning to wear. The cuirass was dented and battered and she was beginning to worry that the defense it offered was falling behind the weight it produced upon her shoulders. Furthermore, while her knife was adequate, it was meant to be a fallback weapon, hardly meant for the rigors she was putting it through.

If she wished to maintain her current pace without endangering herself beyond reason, she would need to acquire more adequate supplies.

To that end, Tanya had set aside a small sum from her earnings. The exact figure had been carefully calculated, enough to purchase serviceable equipment without biting into her margins or risking her ability to pay off her debt. Every Valis spent was a Valis that wasn't going toward her freedom, but dying in the dungeon would be even more costly in the long run.

She had spent the better part of the morning browsing the various weapons shops, searching for something that wouldn't break the proverbial bank. The selection was vast, ranging from high-quality steel that cost more than her entire debt, to rusted scraps that would likely shatter on first contact with a monster.

Tanya had narrowed her options down to two.

The first was a straight sword with a simple cross guard. The blade showed signs of wear, with a manageable amount of rust that could be cleaned off with proper maintenance. It was a serviceable weapon, or at least it would be once she serviced it. However, the blade was short, and she was in the throes of puberty and still growing. She would outgrow it rather quickly, and purchasing a weapon that would need replacing in a matter of months was poor resource management.

The second option was a saber with a half-moon guard. The blade was unadorned and unengraved, lacking the ornamental flourishes that seemed to drive up the price of other weapons in the shop. That said, she was looking for functionality over beauty, and it was honestly quite well-made when compared to the others sitting on the shelves. The only downside was the hilt, which allowed space for only a single hand. Other than that, it was a perfectly fine weapon.

Tanya glanced down, reading the price tag. Fifteen thousand Valis. A bit steep for her blood, but easily haggled down with a few of the right words.

Tanya took the saber off the shelf and brought it up to the counter. The shopkeeper, a stocky man with a thick beard and hands that looked capable of crushing stones, looked up from his ledger.

His eyes, dark and beady beneath a shelf of brow, flicked between Tanya and the weapons she had been examining for the past quarter hour.

"You've been staring at those two for a while," he observed, voice grating. "You planning to buy something, or just window shopping?"

Tanya straightened, her hand still resting on the saber's hilt. "I'm giving my selection the thought it deserves. It wouldn't do to entrust my life to poor quality armaments."

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed. "Nothing here is poor quality, kid. You want something that'll kill goblins, I've got it. You want something to wave around to your friends and make you look all tough, go somewhere else."

Tanya frowned slightly. The man's bluntness was refreshing, in a way. No false promises of grandeur, no inflated claims about the weapons' pedigree. Just the bare facts, delivered with the subtlety of a brick through a window.

"I'll take the saber," she decided. "I will require a scabbard as well."

"Scabbards are extra," the shopkeeper said, already reaching beneath the counter. "Another five hundred. You want it fitted to your hip or your back?"

"Hip. I prefer my weapon accessible rather than theatrical."

He grunted in acknowledgment and produced a simple leather sheath from beneath the counter. It was worn but clearly well-made, the stitching intact and the leather supple enough to not crack when drawn. Tanya inspected it briefly before nodding her acceptance.

"Fifteen thousand five hundred," the shopkeeper said, scratching the figure onto a scrap of parchment. "You paying in stones or coin?"

Tanya held up a hand. "Hold a moment, let us discuss the price."

The shopkeeper's expression shifted, amusement flickering across his weathered features. "You want to haggle? You look like you just crawled out of the orphanage, kid. What do you know about pricing weapons?"

"Enough to know that fifteen thousand is excessive for a blade of this quality," Tanya replied, turning the saber so that the light caught the edge. "The steel is decent, I'll grant you, but the balance is slightly off. The weight distribution favors the tip, which suggests it was forged by someone who prioritized reach over maneuverability. A common mistake in amateur weapons."

The shopkeeper's amusement faded, replaced by something closer to grudging interest. "You've got a sharp eye."

"I've had experience with blades," Tanya said, which was technically true. "The hilt wrapping is also starting to fray at the edges. Nothing a bit of leather work won't fix, but it indicates the weapon has seen use. It's not new, is it?"

"Consignment piece," the shopkeeper admitted. "Adventurer needed quick coin, sold it to me last week. I cleaned it up, sharpened the edge, but you're right that it's not fresh from the forge."

"Then fifteen thousand is unreasonable for a secondhand weapon," Tanya said, setting the saber on the counter. "Twelve thousand. That's fair for both of us."

The shopkeeper crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Thirteen five. I've got overhead to consider and it's still a good piece. Rent doesn't pay itself."

"Twelve five," Tanya countered. "And I'll take the scabbard for free. I doubt many would look close enough at this sword to consider actually buying it. It'll just continue to take up space unless I take it off your hands."

The man snorted, but there was a glint of respect in his eyes now. "You drive a hard bargain for someone who barely comes up to my counter." He studied her for a long moment, then shrugged. "Fine. Twelve five for the saber, but the scabbard's another three hundred. Final offer."

Tanya considered pushing further, but recognized the tone in his voice. He had reached his floor, and pressing the issue would only sour the transaction. "More than reasonable, thank you."

The shopkeeper wrapped the saber in a length of worn cloth and tied it with a bit of twine. Meanwhile, Tanya counted out the coins from her pouch, twelve thousand, eight hundred in various denominations, and slid them across the counter.

The man swept them into his palm and began counting, his lips moving silently as he verified the total. Satisfied, he dropped the coins into a strongbox beneath the counter and pushed the wrapped weapon toward her.

"Pleasure doing business," he said, the words more routine than sincere. "You need anything else, you know where to find me."

"I'm certain I will," Tanya replied, tucking the wrapped saber under her arm. "Good day."

She turned and made her way toward the exit, her mind already turning over her next set of priorities. The saber was a solid investment, one that would serve her well in the coming weeks. She would need to break it in properly, familiarize herself with its weight and balance before relying on it in combat. Perhaps she could find a secluded area of the upper floors to practice–

"Hey! Wait up!"

Tanya paused mid-step, and turned to find two figures approaching from down the street. A man and a woman, both dressed in armor. Adventurers.

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with tanned skin and dark hair that fell in loose waves around his face. His features were classically handsome, the kind that seemed sculpted rather than born. The woman beside him was shorter, with auburn hair tied back in a braid and a soft face that dimpled with her smile.

They gazed at her with a strange amount of familiarity despite the fact that Tanya was certain she had never met them before. She eyed them and the sun emblem crested upon the breastplate of their armor.

A sun, she thought, fighting a sneer. These two belonged to the Apollo Familia.

But what did they want with her? Were they here to lord the debt over her head or–even worse–to try and convince or even coerce her to join their familia?

Tanya withheld a guarded expression as the two approached, stopping just short of her.

The woman spoke first, her smile warm and genuine. "Sorry to startle you! We saw you coming out of the shop and wanted to catch you before you disappeared."

"You've been making quite a name for yourself this past week," the man added, his deep voice carrying the easy confidence of someone used to being heard. "A solo adventurer clearing the upper floors at your age? That's not something you see every day."

Tanya kept her expression neutral. "I'm simply making efficient use of my time. Is there something I can help you with?"

The two exchanged a glance that Tanya couldn't quite interpret. The woman's smile dimmed slightly, replaced by something more earnest.

"Actually, we wanted to talk to you about something," she said. "My name is Licia Dore, and this is Dorian Vellius. We're members of the Apollo Familia."

"I know who you are," Tanya said, her voice slightly angry. "You're here about the debt, I assume."

Licia blinked, surprise flickering across her features. "The debt? No, we–well, yes, that's part of it, but that's not why we wanted to talk to you."

"We're the ones who found you," Dorian said, crossing his arms over his chest. "When you came out of the Dungeon. You were in bad shape so we helped you out. We brought you to the Guild but couldn't stick around to make sure you were alright."

Tanya's grip on the wrapped saber tightened fractionally. "I see. Then I suppose I owe you my thanks for your timely intervention."

The words came out flat, stripped of any genuine warmth, and it was clear that both adventurers noticed it.

"You don't owe us anything," Licia said quickly, her hands rising in a placating gesture. "We just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Anyone would have done the same."

"Anyone with the means and the inclination," Tanya said. "I've found that altruism is far less common than people like to pretend."

Dorian studied her with an unreadable expression, his crystal-blue eyes sharp despite his relaxed posture. "You've got a cynical outlook for someone so young."

"I prefer the term 'realistic,'" Tanya replied. "Now, if that's all you wanted to say, I should be going. I have preparations to make for tomorrow's dungeon run."

"Wait, please." Licia stepped forward, her expression earnest. "We didn't come here to make you uncomfortable. We just... we wanted to make sure you were alright. And to explain something about the debt."

Tanya paused, one eyebrow raised. "Explain what, exactly?"

Licia glanced at Dorian, who gave a slight nod. She turned back to Tanya, her smile fading into something more serious.

"We had nothing to do with the debt," Licia said. "When we brought you to the Guild, we were prepared to cover the cost of the potions ourselves. It wouldn't have been a burden—our Familia has resources, and we were the ones who found you. It felt like our responsibility."

"But?"

Licia's brow furrowed. "But our god... Lord Apollo, he insisted on covering the cost himself."

"And I'm guessing you believe his intentions weren't entirely benevolent?."

Dorian's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Lord Apollo has his quirks. He's a good god, for the most part. He treats his children well, provides for us, ensures we want for nothing. But he can be possessive when something catches his eye. He has a habit of latching onto people he finds interesting and finding ways to bring them into his Familia."

"The debt was supposed to be a way to bring you into the fold," Licia admitted, her cheeks coloring slightly. "It's not... it's not how we would have handled it. But Lord Apollo doesn't always consult us before making decisions."

Tanya felt her eye twitch. Of course. How utterly predictable. A god abusing their power to acquire trinkets in the form of adventurers who caught their fancy, all while disguising it as benevolence. The manipulation was so transparent that it would have been almost insulting if it weren't so typical.

Still, it seemed that the god acted unilaterally, and at least some of his followers were uncomfortable with his methods. Interesting. A crack in the facade, or simply the natural friction that existed in any organization?

"I appreciate your candor," Tanya said, and she meant it. Information was valuable, and these two were providing it freely. "However, my position remains unchanged. I intend to pay off the debt through my own efforts, not through servitude."

Dorian uncrossed his arms, his posture relaxing slightly. "We're not here to pressure you into anything. Actually, we wanted to suggest something else entirely," he said. "Would you be willing to sit down with us for a meal? Somewhere we can talk properly?"

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "And what would be the purpose of this conversation?"

"To clear the air," Dorian said. "You're clearly under the impression that we're here to strong-arm you into joining our Familia. We're not. I thought if we explained things properly, there might be less tension."

"We'll pay, of course," Licia added, smiling widely.

Tanya considered the offer. While part of her balked at the idea of sharing a meal with her debtors, here was an opportunity to gather intelligence on the organization that currently held her financial leash. Any information she could glean about the Apollo Familia's structure, motivations, and potential weaknesses could prove valuable in the future.

"Very well," Tanya said. "I have some time to spare and I won't say no to a free meal. Lead the way."

~~~

The Hostess of Fertility was livelier than Tanya had grown accustomed to seeing it. The lunch crowd had begun to filter in, filling the tables with adventurers fresh from the morning's dungeon run. The smell of roasting meat and fresh bread had saturated the tavern's air, making her stomach growl quietly.

A waitress placed plates of steaming food in front of them–thick slices of ham accompanied by soup, bread, and roasted vegetables. It was far more substantial than the simple fare Tanya had been ordering for herself, and she suspected the Apollo Familia members were used to eating well.

As the waitress walked away, Licia smiled brightly across the table. "The food here is fantastic. Have you ever tried it before?"

Tanya picked up her fork, examining the meal before her. "I live here."

Licia blinked, her smile freezing in place as her brain caught up with the words. Dorian took one look at her face and laughed loudly.

"Ha! I told you we should have taken her somewhere else. Everyone on this side of the city has visited the Hostess at least once."

Licia's cheeks flushed pink. "I didn't mean–I just assumed–" She fumbled over her words before sighing in defeat. "Sorry. I'm not very good at this."

"Clearly," Dorian said, still chuckling as he cut into his ham. "Though to be fair, most people your age don't live in taverns. They live with their Familia."

"Or with their parents," Licia added, recovering slightly. "Do you have family somewhere? Outside the city, maybe?"

Tanya took a sip of the soup in front of her, using the moment to formulate a response. Revealing too much about her situation was inadvisable, but appearing evasive might raise suspicion. A partial truth would serve best.

"I'm an orphan," she said simply. "No living relatives that I'm aware of."

Licia's expression softened with sympathy that Tanya found mildly irritating. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

"I never knew them so it's not exactly a tragedy," Tanya replied easily.

"Where are you from originally?" Dorian asked, tearing off a piece of bread. "Your accent is difficult to place. Somewhere across the sea, I'd wager."

"A small island nation to the east," Tanya said. "Far enough that I doubt you would recognize the name. The journey here was... eventful."

"Eventful how?" Licia leaned forward, interest clear in her gaze.

"I'm afraid I don't remember much of it," Tanya lied smoothly. "The details are something of a blur. I woke up in the Dungeon with no clear recollection of how I arrived."

Dorian's eyes sharpened at that. "You woke up in the Dungeon? As in, someone took you down there?"

"Something like that, yes."

The two adventurers exchanged a look that Tanya couldn't quite read. It was Dorian who turned back to her, his expression considering.

"That would explain why you were in such bad shape when we found you," Licia said. "But it doesn't explain how you survived long enough to reach the surface. The upper floors are manageable for experienced adventurers, but for someone with no Falna, no backup, and no prior knowledge of the Dungeon..."

He let the sentence hang, and Tanya felt the weight of his scrutiny. She was sharper than her demeanor suggested.

"I have some combat experience," she admitted. "Enough to manage."

"Combat experience," Dorian repeated, his tone neutral but probing. "That's a peculiar thing for a child to have. Most people your age are still learning to hold a sword properly, let alone surviving the Dungeon alone."

Tanya shrugged, slicing into her ham. It was well-cooked, the juices soaking into the plate in a manner most pleasant. "Circumstances vary. I was not afforded the luxury of a normal childhood."

"That's..." Licia trailed off, her expression cycling through several emotions before settling on something like sadness. "That must have been hard."

"Hardship is relative. I've found that a difficult upbringing often produces more capable adults."

Dorian chewed thoughtfully, studying her over the rim of his cup. "You carry yourself like someone who's been through more than most adults ever will. It's not something you see in children."

Tanya's fork paused halfway to her mouth. She hadn't realized she was being so transparent. "Old habits."

"From where?" Licia asked. "You said you're from an island nation, but you didn't mention any gods. Most regions have at least one deity watching over them, even if they don't live directly in the area. The gods tend to stay in or near Orario, but their influence spreads far beyond the city walls."

Tanya kept her face carefully blank, setting down her fork and folding her hands on the table.

"Where I come from," she said carefully, "those who claim godhood are considered laughingstocks at best, and blasphemers at worst. Religion is prevalent, surely, but it exists without proof. Miracles are sparse, hearsay at best. And I'm not certain that it would be a good thing were any gods to make their presence known."

Licia's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Consider the implications," Tanya said. "In a society where gods walk among mortals, offering blessings and supernatural abilities, what happens to those who refuse to participate? They become second-class citizens by default, lacking the power that comes with divine favor. The very structure of such a society encourages dependence on entities whose motivations may not align with human interests."

Dorian's eyebrows rose slightly. "That's a unique perspective."

"Is it?" Tanya picked up her fork again. "I've observed that concentrated power, regardless of its source, rarely benefits those who don't possess it. The gods of this city may be benevolent–I wouldn't know, I haven't met them–but benevolence is not the same as accountability. When a being holds absolute power over your life, your livelihood, and your very soul, what recourse do you have if their interests diverge from your own?"

Licia opened her mouth, then closed it, clearly uncertain how to respond. Her expression had shifted from sympathetic to something more complex. Concern, perhaps, or confusion.

"You speak as if you've seen this happen," Dorian said quietly.

Tanya smiled thinly. "I've seen what blind faith can do. I've seen people throw their lives away for causes they don't understand, following leaders who claim divine mandate. The results are rarely positive for anyone except the leaders themselves."

In her mind, the image of Mary Sue flickered briefly. That manic grin, the absolute certainty in her eyes as she detonated the explosive that killed them both. A martyr for a cause she barely comprehended, guided by a being who treated human lives as pieces on a game board.

"The nation I come from gave themselves to science, rather than faith," Tanya continued, "the return of the divine would simply set our civilization back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Progress requires questioning, skepticism, and the willingness to discard old beliefs in the face of new evidence. Religion, by its nature, demands the opposite."

The table fell silent, and Tanya realized she may have said too much. These two were, by all accounts, devout followers of their god. Criticizing the very foundation of their society was not the best way to maintain cordial relations.

But when she looked at them, she didn't see offense or anger. Licia's eyes had gone wide with something that looked almost like realization, while Dorian's expression had softened into understanding.

"Let's move onto something else," Dorian said, his tone light but firm. He gestured vaguely with his cup. "I'm sure you didn't come all this way to be interrogated over a meal. Tell us about your adventures. We've heard about you working the upper floors. How has that gone?"

Tanya inclined her head, accepting the change in subject with a small nod. She was pleased that they hadn't taken offense to her earlier diatribe, but she couldn't help but wonder if they had drawn the wrong conclusions from her words.

The way Licia kept glancing at her, with those wide, sympathetic eyes, suggested that they had got the wrong thing out of her little rant.

No matter. So long as they didn't go spouting her heresy to the town guards, they could think whatever they liked.

The meal lasted perhaps an hour in total. Dorian proved to be an amicable conversationalist, keeping the discussion away from sensitive topics and sharing anecdotes about dungeon diving that Tanya filed away for future reference. Licia was quieter, content to let Dorian lead, but she interjected occasionally with observations that revealed a sharp mind behind her soft demeanor.

Tanya didn't learn as much as she'd have liked about the Apollo Familia, but the conversation was... Enjoyable. Strangely so considering their shared circumstance.

When the meal concluded, Dorian offered to buy dessert, but Tanya declined. The food sat heavy in her stomach and she could feel her eyes growing heavy with fatigue. A good night's sleep would serve her better than sweets.

"I should retire for the evening," she said, rising from her seat. "Thank you for the meal. It was... pleasant."

Licia smiled at that, the expression genuine and warm. "We should do this again sometime. If you're not too busy."

"I make no promises," Tanya replied. "But I won't rule it out entirely."

Dorian tossed a pouch of coins to the waitress as they departed, offering Tanya a casual wave before disappearing into the crowd with Licia in tow. Tanya watched them go for a moment before ascending the stairs to her room.

In the comfort of her rented room, Tanya unwrapped her new saber and set it on the small desk beside her bed. The lamplight caught the edge of the blade, casting a thin line of reflected gold across the ceiling.

The two of them were quite good company, she reflected. It reminded her of meals with her men back in the Empire. Dorian possessed a dry humor that reminded her of Weiss, alongside a straightforward sense of competence that didn't need to announce itself. Licia, meanwhile, had the same soft countenance and clear empathetic demeanor that Visha had once worn.

It was a shame, really. Both of them had clearly been institutionalized by the society they were born into.

Tanya ran her thumb along the saber's edge. Sharp, but in need of honing. She would need to purchase a whetstone at some point to maintain it.

For now, though, she had planning to do.

~~~

The walk back to the Apollo Familia estate was a quiet one.

Licia and Dorian made their way through the streets of Orario as the afternoon sun settled over the city. The crowds had thinned somewhat as the lunch rush came to its conclusion, leaving the roads wide open for their stroll. Neither spoke for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts.

It was Licia who finally broke the silence.

"That poor girl."

Dorian glanced sideways at his companion, noting the furrow in her brow and the way she worried at her lower lip. It was a habit she'd never managed to break, one that surfaced whenever something weighed on her conscience.

"She's been through something," he agreed. "That much is clear."

"Something? Dorian, she talks about gods like they're..." Licia struggled for the right words. "Like they're tyrants. Something to be feared instead of revered."

"She's not entirely wrong."

Licia shot him a surprised look, and Dorian raised a hand before she could object.

"I'm not saying her views are correct," he clarified. "But she's right about one thing; power tends to concentrate, and those without it tend to suffer for it. We've both seen it happen within our own Familia."

Licia fell silent at that. They both knew exactly what he was referring to. Lord Apollo's interest in beautiful things had a tendency to cause problems for those who couldn't or wouldn't reciprocate his attention.

"Do you think she was abused?" Licia asked quietly. "By a god, I mean. Or a Familia?"

Dorian considered the question carefully. Tanya's words had been clinical, but beneath them lay a current of something deeper. Not anger, exactly. More like a wound long since scarred.

"It's possible," Dorian admitted. "The way she spoke about blind faith isn't exactly the words of someone who's simply skeptical. You don't speak about faith that way unless you've seen it fail someone. Unless you've seen it hurt someone."

Licia nodded slowly, her expression troubled. They walked in silence for another block, the stone streets giving way to the paved roads that led toward the wealthier districts of Orario.

"If she joins us," Licia said finally, "I want to make sure she feels welcome. Truly welcome. Not just because Lord Apollo wants her, but because she deserves a place where she can belong."

Dorian smiled at that, a small but genuine expression. "That's very kind of you."

"It's the right thing to do," Licia protested. "She's all alone, Dorian. She has no Familia, no family, and she's living in a tavern because she has nowhere else to go. If we can be the ones to show her that not all gods are the same..."

She trailed off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Dorian reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

"We will," he promised. "We can still show her that the Apollo Familia is different. That we care about her as a person, not just as another member to add to our numbers."

Licia sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Do you think she'll be happy if she joins? After everything she said?"

"Perhaps not," Dorian said. "But that doesn't mean we can't show her regardless."

 

[Sadguychet]

Divine Summons

The morning sun had barely crested the rooftops when the summons arrived.

A servant had appeared at Dorian's door with a folded message, elegant script on fine parchment requesting his presence in the solarium at his earliest convenience. The wording was polite, as befitting a message from one's deity, but the implication was clear. Lord Apollo wished to speak with him, and 'earliest convenience' meant 'now.'

Dorian had dressed quickly, splashing water on his face and pulling on fresh clothes. He had a suspicion about what this meeting concerned. The previous day's meal with Tanya had been enlightening, and he had planned to report his findings to Lord Apollo at some point, but it seemed the god had decided not to wait.

The Apollo estate was a sprawling complex of white marble and golden finery, designed to catch and reflect sunlight at every possible angle. It was beautiful in the way that expensive things often were, though Dorian had long since grown numb to its opulence. He navigated the corridors easily, nodding to servants and fellow Familia members as he passed.

The solarium was located on the eastern side of the estate, a large sitting room designed for receiving guests. A massive plane of windows dominated one wall, offering an unobstructed view of the sun rising over Orario, and the furniture was plush and expensive, arranged in intimate clusters that encouraged private conversation.

Dorian reached the heavy oak door and paused. He could hear voices from within, one smooth and melodic, the other soft and timid. It seemed that Lord Apollo was already entertaining someone.

Dorian withheld a frown and pushed open the door. The room inside was bathed in the morning light, the windows doing their job admirably. Lord Apollo reclined on a couch near the center of the room, a chalice of wine in one hand.

His appearance, as always, was breathtaking. Red hair fell in perfect waves around a face of classical beauty. His features seemed sculpted by an artist with an eye for perfection, from the noble brow to the full lips. He wore loose robes of white and gold that left little to the imagination, the fabric draped artfully across his form.

Beside him, curled against his side with a possessive arm draped around his shoulders, was a young man Dorian vaguely recognized as one of the newer members of the Familia, barely a month into his service. He was around Lucia's age, perhaps younger, with pretty features and a nervous energy that suggested he was still acclimating to his new position.

Apollo's eyes slid over to Dorian as he entered. There was an anger there at the interruption, which vanished as he caught sight of the adventurer.

"Ah, Dorian!" the god said, a smile splitting his lips.

The young man beside Apollo stiffened at the sight of Dorian, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson. He scrambled to extract himself from the god's embrace, murmuring apologies that Apollo waved away with an indulgent smile.

"I should go," the young man stammered, avoiding Dorian's eyes entirely. "I have… training. With the others. I forgot."

"Of course, dear," Apollo said, his voice honeyed. "We shall continue this evening."

The young man fled, practically tripping over himself in his haste to reach the door. He slipped past Dorian without a word, and then he was gone, the heavy oak clicking shut behind him.

Dorian kept his expression carefully neutral. He had long since learned not to comment on his god's entertainments. Apollo's tastes were well known within the Familia, and while some found them troubling, others saw them as simply the nature of a divine being whose appetites exceeded mortal conventions.

"Please, sit," Apollo gestured to the chair opposite him. "I trust you slept well?"

"Well enough, Lord Apollo," Dorian said, settling into the indicated seat. The cushions were sinfully comfortable, the kind that made it difficult to rise once one had succumbed to their embrace. "How may I serve you this morning?"

Apollo took a slow sip of his wine, his golden eyes never leaving Dorian's face. The morning light caught his features just right, rendering him even more impossibly beautiful than the light of day.

"I understand you and dear Lucia took our newest interest out for a meal yesterday," Apollo said pleasantly. "A social call, as it were."

Dorian nodded, relaxing into the plush seat. "We encountered her by chance, truthfully. We thought it would be good to build a relationship with her."

Apollo's smile widened, satisfaction settling over his elegant features. "I'm happy to see my Familia taking the initiative. How did it go?"

"Well enough," Dorian said carefully. "She's cautious, but not hostile. She accepted our company readily enough once she understood we weren't there to pressure her."

"Pressure?" Apollo raised an eyebrow. "Why would she feel pressured? She should be delighted that I've put so much work into getting her into our Familia."

The god looked down into his wine, swirling it thoughtfully. "Honestly, this whole debt situation is dreadfully droll. I'd rather just skip the formalities and inaugurate her today just to be done with it. But I suppose there is something to be said about the thrill of the chase."

Dorian studied his god for a moment, weighing his next words carefully. There was a line he had to balance when speaking with Apollo. The god valued confidence and honesty among his children, but he also valued flattery, and the trick was in discerning which was required in any given moment.

"What interests you so much about her?" Dorian asked. "She's a skilled adventurer for her age, but there are others with more experience who would eagerly join our Familia if asked."

Apollo's smile turned somewhat sharp. He set down his chalice, leaning forward with an elbow on his knee, his full attention now fixed on Dorian in an unsettling way.

"What interests any man who sees a waif in the prime of her youth?" Apollo said, his voice taking on a dreamy quality. "She may be young, but anyone could look at that young bud and see with certainty the beautiful flower it could become."

His smile grew larger. "And she has fire, Dorian. Such beautiful fire. You can see it even from afar. In the way she fights to keep her independence, just as she fought her way out of the depths of the dungeon with nothing but a broken sword. It's charming, in its own way. Most mortals would simply give in and enjoy the benefits of divine patronage."

Dorian felt his jaw tighten, and he forced the muscles to relax before the tension could become visible.

He had long suspected that Apollo's interest in Tanya was not purely about her potential as an adventurer. The god had always had an eye for beauty, particularly the kind that had yet to fully bloom. His 'collection,' as some within the Familia privately called it, included more than a few members who had caught his eye in their youth.

Dorian withheld his true thoughts and merely said, "I see."

The silence stretched, and Dorian found himself the subject of scrutiny under his lord's gaze. Apollo's eyes glinted, a smile on his face. "Yes. You do, don't you? You've had the pleasure of seeing our dear Tanya up close. Tell me, do you think she'll be capable of clearing her debt?"

Dorian considered the question carefully.

"She's determined," he said finally. "And resourceful. When Lucia and I spoke to her, she had just purchased a new weapon. From what the blacksmith said, it was well over twelve thousand Valis."

Now, Apollo's smile faded. "Truly? She's managed to make enough to comfortably spend that much?"

"Apparently so."

Apollo's expression shifted into something more calculating. He picked up his chalice again, swirling the wine as he contemplated this new information.

"How curious." Apollo took a slow sip of his wine, his eyes distant. "A mystery child with martial skills, dropped into the Dungeon without a Falna and not only survives, but thrives in the aftermath. A debt as large as hers would have drowned many working men, yet she's making good headway all on her own."

He laughed, a warm sound that settled upon Dorian's shoulders. "She really is delightful. I find myself wanting her even more now."

Dorian kept his face neutral, watching as his god set his chalice down and rose from the couch, his robes shifting gracefully as he moved toward the window. The morning sun silhouetted his form, casting him in divine radiance.

"She lives in that tavern, doesn't she?"

Dorian inclined his head. "Yes, Lord Apollo."

Apollo's smirk reflected sinisterly in the glass. "Good. I want you to give her a message for me."

~~~

The afternoon sun slanted through the small window of Tanya's rented room, casting long shadows across the desk where her newly acquired saber lay.

Today's dungeon crawl had been brief, merely a field test for the weapon before she committed to relying on it in earnest. A weapon had to be proven in combat before it could truly be trusted, and the upper floors had provided ample opportunity for such evaluation.

The results had been… adequate. The blade itself was serviceable, the edge holding true through a dozen goblin kills without noticeable degradation. However, the alignment was slightly off, the balance favoring the tip more heavily than she preferred. More concerning was the tang, which she had discovered was a bit loose around the hilt, producing a faint rattle when the blade made contact.

It was a common flaw in secondhand weapons, the result of previous owners who hadn't properly maintained the fittings. Fixable, but the time and effort required was far beyond what the cheap sword deserved. For now, the saber was usable, and that was all she required.

Tanya sat at the desk, a cloth in one hand and a small bottle of oil in the other. She worked the polish into the blade one stroke at a time, her eyes scanning for any signs of rust or damage that might have escaped her initial inspection, until a knock at the door garnered her attention.

She frowned, noting the time. A few hours until dinner, and she hadn't asked for any service. Who could be bothering her at this hour?

Opening the door revealed Syr standing in the hallway, the gray-haired waitress offering her usual gentle smile. She looked slightly out of breath, as if she had hurried up the stairs.

"Syr," Tanya said, setting aside her cleaning cloth. "Is something the matter?"

"There's someone here to see you," Syr replied, smoothing down her apron. "He's waiting downstairs at one of the tables. I thought you might want to know."

Tanya's brow furrowed at the mention of a visitor. "He?"

"A tall man," Syr described, raising a hand. "Dark hair, handsome. He said his name was Dorian?"

Tanya's expression flattened. Of course. The Apollo Familia member she had shared a meal with just yesterday. She supposed telling them where she lived was probably not a good idea in retrospect.

"Thank you for telling me," Tanya said, rising from her desk. "I'll speak with him."

Syr nodded and retreated down the hallway, her soft footsteps fading as she descended the stairs. Tanya took a moment to collect herself before securing her new saber at her hip and following after her.

The tavern was beginning to fill with the early dinner crowd, yet Tanya spotted Dorian immediately, standing at the bar and chatting with one of the waitresses. His face lit up when he saw her, an easy smile crossing his chiseled features.

"Tanya," he greeted, inclining his head. "I hope I'm not intruding on your rest."

"You are, somewhat," Tanya replied, stopping at a comfortable distance. "But I doubt you came all this way simply to chat. What does he want?"

Dorian's expression flickered briefly before settling into a neutral smile. "Straight to the point. I can appreciate that. Sit with me?"

They found a booth away from the doors and the noise. Dorian waved off a waitress that approached, leaning forward and placing his arms on the table with a serious expression.

"Lord Apollo has requested a meeting with you," he said in a measured tone. "He wishes to discuss your debt and your future in Orario."

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "My future is my own concern. And the debt will be paid in full within the allotted time."

Dorian raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not here to argue with you. I'm simply delivering a message. Lord Apollo wishes to speak with you personally."

"A personal meeting with a god," Tanya repeated flatly. "How flattering."

"I know you'd rather not," Dorian said, his voice low. "And I'm sure you have your reasons. But refusing a summons from a god is not a simple matter in Orario. Lord Apollo could make your life considerably more difficult if he chose to."

Tanya studied Dorian's face, searching for any sign of deception or ulterior motive. The man's expression remained open, his posture relaxed, but there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been present during their meal the previous day.

"Is that a threat?" Tanya asked, her voice mild.

"I didn't come here to threaten you," Dorian replied. "Lord Apollo is not accustomed to being denied, and he has already shown considerable patience by allowing you the month to clear your debt. Most in his position would have demanded immediate repayment or service."

"Considerable patience," Tanya repeated, the words tasting sour. "And what happens if I simply refuse to meet? From my perspective, I have nothing to gain from a face-to-face meeting with my creditor."

Dorian was quiet for a moment, his gaze dropping to the table. "Then Lord Apollo will find other ways to bring you into the fold. Ways that may be considerably less pleasant than a simple conversation."

Tanya felt her jaw tighten. She couldn't risk that. She had made considerable headway into clearing her debt; complications at this stage might set her back further than when she first began.

"When is this meeting supposed to take place?" she asked finally.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Dorian said. "At the Apollo estate. I can escort you there myself, if you'd like. It would save you the trouble of navigating the city."

"That won't be necessary," Tanya replied. "I'm capable of finding my own way. Just tell me where to go."

Dorian hesitated, clearly wanting to protest, but he thought better of it. "The Apollo estate is in the eastern district, near the city wall. It's a large white building with columns. You truly can't miss it."

"I'm sure I'll manage."

Dorian rose from the booth, adjusting his armor as he stood. He looked down at her for a moment, his blue eyes holding hers with concern that Tanya found both unnecessary and vaguely irritating.

"I know you have no reason to trust me," Dorian said quietly. "But Lord Apollo is not an unreasonable being. You'll see."

Tanya smiled thinly. "I'm sure I will."

She'd keep her knife well at hand, just to be sure.

 

[Dissimilate]

Ohhhh a God might be going back to tenkai during that meeting.... Thanks for the chapters!!

 

[Mike9650]

Wonderful chapter. Is it my imagination, but I feel I read this before?

 

[averagejoe32]

Wonderful chapter. Is it my imagination, but I feel I read this before?

Click to shrink...

Its cross posted on SB. Maybe you caught it there?

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-devil-in-the-dungeon.1291296/

 

[blariviere]

Honestly I hope there isn't an asspull where she joins Hestia, or Apollo under duress.
If she does join a god, I hope its someone like Hephaestus.

Who's very no nonsense, and perfectly willing to draw up a contract for their responsabilities. Hephaestus seems like the kind that wouldn't mind giving tanya the mutual benifits arrangment she wants.
And its not like she cares about worship, she just seems to take pride in her workmanship, which tanya would respect.

 

[Roncy4]

Hmm, why didn't Tanya realize that Hestia was a goddess? Don't the gods in Danmachi have an aura that mortals can pick up on?

Also, it's pretty strange how Dorian and the other girl were rather hung up on Tanya not revering the gods. Didn't the dark age happen recently? That was a bunch of evil gods, no? And he's just willfully enabling the faults of his own god at this point by excusing his creepy predator behavior.

 

[joe the joestar]

Sure your in the right place? You can find reddit threads that hate on Tanya that would suit your taste

Click to shrink...

Tanya really needs a reality check, and its worth noting she very much isn't a hero or good person, while I would say the phrasing was a bit off a mindless character wank is never a fun time, I at least would rather see Tanya get character growth.
(To clarify I don't think Tanya should get a beating for mouthing off to wrong god or whatever, but I do think the flaws she has shoudl actually cause her problems)

 

[Sadguychet]

Divine Courtesy

The Apollo Familia estate was exactly what Tanya had expected from an organization named after a sun god: excessive.

The mansion sprawled across a manicured lawn, surrounded by lush fields that were as green as could be. A fountain sparkled in the main courtyard, spraying arcs of water high into the air to catch the afternoon light in a spray of rainbow that was honestly quite beautiful. An ornate fence surrounded the entire property, leading to a gate emblazoned with the Familia's crest.

It was something one would expect from high nobility, or at the very least, an extremely wealthy family. It was clear the Apollo Familia had resources, and they weren't afraid to flaunt them.

A single guard stood at the entrance. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and possessed strikingly sharp features. Electric blue eyes narrowed as she approached.

"State your business," he said in a tone that was clearly meant to be formal, though not unkind.

"I have an appointment with Apollo," Tanya replied. "My name is Tanya Degurechaff. I was told to expect a meeting this afternoon."

The guard studied her for a moment, his eyes moving over her. Whatever he saw seemed to satisfy him, because he stepped aside and pulled the gate open.

"Head inside. Someone will escort you to Lord Apollo. Don't wander around."

"Of course," Tanya nodded and passed through the gate, her boots clicking against the stone pathway. She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked away, and did her best not to fidget at the stare.

As she had been rather focused on hemorrhaging any unnecessary spending, Tanya didn't exactly have access to the most robust wardrobe. She wasn't exactly the type to have anything more than four or five outfits at any given time anyway, but in this world she was lacking even that. Her current outfit was not exactly what one would wear to a formal event.

Consisting of a simple white button-down and a pair of black pants not tailored to her petite form, she didn't paint the picture of someone meeting divinity. Not that Tanya cared, exactly, but she had spent enough time rubbing shoulders with the upper crust of the Empire to understand the importance of proper etiquette, even when meeting with a potential enemy.

Which was why she had forgone her armor and saber. Her knife, the only weapon she carried, was strapped to her arm underneath the baggy sleeves of her shirt. The weight was a comfort as she walked into the proverbial lion's den.

The main hall was somehow even more ostentatious than outside. A grand chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, scattering light from the windows. The floor beneath Tanya's boots was polished marble. Paintings and tapestries lined the walls, depicting tasteful portraits or scenery or scenes of glorious battle.

Ahead of her was a large staircase, and waiting for her at the top was an unfamiliar figure. He was tall and slender, with features that bordered on feminine. Long, rust-colored hair fell past his shoulders, framing a pale face and narrow blue-grey eyes. He wore a white cloak with his Familia's emblem embroidered on the lapel, and a sword hung at his side, easily in view.

"You must be Lord Apollo's latest fascination," he said. His voice was high for a man, with a nasal quality. "Tanya Degurechaff."

A fascination. We've just met, and already this one is not too fond of me, Tanya's eyes slid over his sneering face. I must admit, the feeling is mutual.

Tanya retained a respectful air, nodding once. "I am."

The man's sneer grew, and Tanya wondered exactly what was going through his mind at that moment for him to regard her with such an expression.

"I am Hyakinthos Clio." He said his name as if it should mean something to her. When she didn't react, his lip curled slightly. "Captain of the Apollo Familia. I have been tasked with the responsibility of escorting you to the meeting with our Lord."

Tanya got the distinct impression he wasn't happy about that fact, but kept silent.

"Follow me," Hyakinthos said, turning on his heel without waiting for a response. His white cloak billowed behind him as he descended the staircase and stepped past her.

Tanya fell into step behind him, her eyes scanning the corridors as they walked. They passed a hallway that branched off into a mess of other hallways, and she spotted many other members of the Familia as they went about their business, cleaning or chatting amongst themselves. Some of them waved as she passed, while others merely stared with knowing eyes.

As they moved through the estate, Tanya began to notice a disturbing pattern. Namely, every single familia member possessed an attractiveness that far surpassed the normal citizens of Orario. She wasn't sure she had seen a single person she wouldn't consider conventionally beautiful or handsome.

Many of them were quite young too, some even approaching her own age which was... Rather concerning. Tanya frowned as she caught the gaze of a boy maybe a year older than her. He looked away almost as soon as their eyes met.

"Lord Apollo has granted you a great honor in agreeing to meet with you," Tanya turned her attention back to Hyakinthos as he spoke. "Outside of banquets, people outside of the familia rarely get to speak to him face to face."

"I suppose I should feel honored," Tanya replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

Hyakinthos glanced over his shoulder, his blue-grey eyes narrowing. "Most would be. A personal audience with a god is not something to be taken lightly."

"Then it's fortunate I'm not taking it lightly."

Far from it, Tanya thought, tilting her hand just so to nudge her knife.

Hyakinthos stopped at a set of ornate double doors, their wood surfaces carved with the skill of a master. A very expensive master. He turned to face her, his expression one of barely concealed contempt.

"Before we enter," he said, his voice low, "Let's get one thing clear."

Tanya raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"Lord Apollo's interest in you is unusual," Hyakinthos continued, his eyes boring into hers. "I find it to be frankly ludicrous, but it is not my place to question him. You've been given a great honor, and most in your position would understand that and show the proper amount of gratitude."

"I see," Tanya said carefully.

"Do you?" Hyakinthos stepped closer, looking down at her with an expression that bordered on hostile. "Because from where I stand, all I see is a brat stupid enough to dive into the Dungeon without a blessing, somehow survive, and continually rebuke the incredible opportunity she has been offered. Many would kill to be in your position, yet here you stand, trying to find a way out of it."

Tanya met his gaze without flinching, utterly unbothered by his anger.

"I'm aware of my position," Tanya said, her voice calm. "Unfortunately, hiding an attempt to coerce one into servitude behind the act of a good samaritan does little to endear one to any of the parties involved. I haven't taken the measure of your god, but so far, I am quite unimpressed."

Hyakinthos's jaw tightened, and for a moment, Tanya thought he might say something more. But he seemed to remember himself, and he straightened.

"Lord Apollo is waiting," he said, his tone clipped. "Do try to remember your manners."

He pushed open the double doors without ceremony, stepping aside to let Tanya enter first. She swept past him without acknowledging the slight, and stepped into a sitting room with only a single other occupant.

The sitting room was smaller than Tanya had expected, given the grandeur of the rest of the estate. Intimate was the word that came to mind. The walls were painted in soft browns and creams, and the furniture was arranged to encourage private conversation. A window let in the afternoon light.

And seated on a plush couch in the center of the room was the man responsible for all of her trouble thusfar.

Apollo was a classical beauty. Red hair fell in loose waves around a picturesque face, with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips. His eyes were orange but seemed more gold in the light. He wore a toga draped across one half, a red cape falling over his form as he lounged.

"Welcome, my dear Tanya," Apollo spoke, his voice slipping into her ears like a warm melody. He rose from the couch with fluid grace, spreading his arms in welcome. "Please, sit. Make yourself comfortable."

Tanya remained standing for a moment, her eyes tracking the god's movements with thinly veiled hostility. In return, his eyes moved over her slowly, like a collector eyeing their newest piece.

Not a piece of her went unexamined. Tanya felt her skin prickle with disgust as his attention lingered on the neckline of her shirt, sticking to the skin of her collar where it met her neck. It was as if he was trying to peel back the buttons with only his mind, and it took every ounce of discipline Tanya possessed to keep her expression anything approaching friendly.

As I thought, Tanya ground mentally. A pervert. Perhaps even worse, if that boy I saw was as young as I thought he was.

"A drink?" Apollo gestured to a low table beside the couch, where a crystal decanter and two glasses sat waiting. "I had the servants prepare a fine wine. It's a vintage from the Far East, very rare."

"No thank you," Tanya said, her voice carefully polite. "I don't drink."

"Nonsense," Apollo smiled, and it was a beautiful smile, Tanya had to admit. "A little indulgence is good for the soul. Please, I insist."

Tanya looked at the decanter, then back at Apollo. The crystal caught the afternoon light. The wine inside was a deep, rich red.

In situations such as these, the host offering you a drink was a sign of favor or simply welcome. Accepting was only polite, and refusal normally brokered offence or perhaps worse. But offense was better than whatever else might lay at the bottom of that glass.

Tanya plastered an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry. I really can't partake. I plan on returning to the dungeon later, and I need to stay sharp."

Apollo's smile didn't waver, but a brief shadow of annoyance flickered behind his gaze. He lowered himself back onto the couch, one leg crossing over the other in a pose that was clearly meant to appear relaxed.

"Very well, suit yourself. Please, sit," Apollo said, his eyes never leaving her face as she sat across from him. "I've heard of your work in the dungeon. An adventurer as young as yourself, braving the depths without a Falna or party to speak of... You've captured quite a bit of attention, my dear."

"I do what I must to survive," Tanya said, her voice light but her gaze heavy. "The debt you've placed on my head requires considerable resources to clear."

"Does it?" Apollo tilted his head, examining her. "You could simply join my Familia, and the debt would vanish entirely."

Tanya shook her head once. "I prefer to handle my own obligations."

"How admirable," Apollo said, and the words dripped with false praise. "But surely you must see the wisdom in accepting help when it is offered. Orario can be a dangerous place for a young girl with no Familia to protect her. The Dungeon is unforgiving, and even the strongest adventurers can fall to unexpected dangers."

The veiled threat was eerily similar to the one she'd faced in the dungeon only a few days ago. Even now, she could see the similarities between this god and the woman, Azalea.

"I've managed thus far," Tanya said. "And I will continue to manage. The debt will be paid within the month, as agreed."

Apollo leaned back, drumming his fingers against the arm of the couch. "You're quite determined, aren't you? What an... appealing quality in one so young."

The way he said the word made Tanya's skin crawl.

Apollo rose from his seat and moved around the low table, settling onto the couch beside Tanya without permission. The cushions dipped under his weight, and she found herself acutely aware of how close he had chosen to sit. The scent of expensive perfume wafted from his person, some kind of sweet fragrance that burned her nose.

"Tell me," Apollo said, his voice soft. "What do you know of my Familia? Of what we offer?"

"I know that it is wealthy and powerful," Tanya replied. "Your members are well-equipped and numerous. In terms of resources, I'm sure your organization is quite desirable."

"Then you understand why so many would jump at the chance to join us." Apollo's fingers found a strand of her hair, twisting it between his fingers as she sat there, still as the doll he was treating her as. "I take care of my familia. Beautiful things deserve to be protected, nurtured and given the chance to bloom."

Tanya reached up and gently removed the strand from his fingers, letting it fall back to rest among its fellows. Her entire body burned with the desire to reveal her knife and separate his head from his shoulders, but she withheld the desire with everything she had.

"I'm not interested in being protected," she said, her tone clipped. "I'm interested in clearing my debt and continuing with my life."

Apollo's smile flickered, irritation at her rejection showing itself before vanishing. He withdrew his hand, settling back against the couch, and sighed. "You wound me, Tanya. I offer you a place in my Familia, protection, resources, and you act as though I'm your enemy."

"Are you not?" Tanya asked, her voice carefully neutral. "You piled debt upon me with the intention of forcing me into servitude. Those aren't the actions of a friend."

"Force is such an ugly word," Apollo waved a hand through the air. "I prefer to think of it as encouragement. An incentive to make the right choice."

Tanya's eyes narrowed fractionally. "The right choice for whom, exactly?"

Apollo laughed, a warm sound that felt entirely too intimate for the conversation they were having. "You're delightful! Most mortals would have accepted my offer by now, yet here you are, fighting tooth and nail for the privilege of remaining alone and indebted."

Apollo leaned forward, and Tanya was somewhat horrified to find a vibrant blush on his cheeks. "I find your independence quite stimulating. It makes me want you even more."

The implication behind his words sent a chill down Tanya's spine. She kept her expression carefully blank, her hands folded in her lap to hide the fact that they had curled into fists.

"Lord Apollo," she said, forcing civility into her tone. "I must ask that you remove yourself from my personal space. We are having a civil conversation, but I did not give you permission to be so familiar with me."

Apollo's expression flickered, the warmth in his eyes cooling by several degrees. For a moment, the mask slipped, and Tanya caught a glimpse of something beneath the beauty. It was ugly and possessive, the look of a man who was not used to being denied.

"Very well," Apollo said, rising from the couch. He moved back to his original position, settling onto the cushions across from her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "My apologies. I sometimes forget that not everyone is as comfortable with intimacy as I am."

Tanya doubted that very much. She suspected he knew exactly how uncomfortable he made people and simply didn't care.

She took a slow breath, using the moment to calm the anger burning beneath her ribs. Killing him would be satisfying in a way few other things were, yes, and it would also do her the service of clearing her debt.

But it would also result in his entire Familia descending upon her within moments. She had seen the grounds, the guards, the sheer number of beautiful faces that filled the halls. Even if she managed to escape the estate itself, she would be hunted across Orario by a small army of adventurers who possessed divine blessings that she did not.

No, killing him would have to remain a fantasy for now. A pleasant thought to revisit later, perhaps, but not a viable course of action by any stretch of the phrase.

"I assumed this meeting was to discuss my debt," Tanya said, steering the conversation back to safer waters. "Was I mistaken?"

Apollo's smile returned, though it had taken on a more businesslike quality. He folded his hands in his lap, regarding her with an expression of calculated interest.

"Not mistaken, no," Apollo said. "But I had hoped we might discuss more than just dry financial matters. Your debt is, after all, a simple thing to resolve."

"Simple for you, perhaps," Tanya replied. "For me, it represents a considerable investment of time and effort."

"Time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere," Apollo countered. "Consider what you could accomplish with my backing. The Dungeon's depths would open to you. Resources, equipment, training from my most experienced members. All of this could be yours, simply for accepting my patronage."

Apollo spread his hands in a gesture of false benevolence. "And in return, all I ask for is your loyalty, your service, and perhaps on occasion… your company. I enjoy surrounding myself with beautiful things, and my divine eyes can tell that you have the potential to become something truly exquisite."

The way he said company made Tanya's stomach turn but through years of careful discipline, she managed to keep it from showing on her face.

"I'm afraid I must decline," Tanya said. "I prefer to maintain my independence."

Apollo sighed, the sound heavy with disappointment that Tanya suspected was entirely theatrical. "You continue to refuse me. I must admit, I find your persistence both admirable and frustrating."

"I'm not trying to frustrate you… Lord Apollo. I'm simply making my position clear," Tanya bit out the word. "I will not join your familia."

Apollo stared at her for a long moment. His golden eyes moved over her face, searching for something that Tanya wasn't privy to.

Finally, he smiled.

"We shall see," he said, his voice soft. "We shall see."

He reached towards his crystal decanter, pouring alcohol into a glass. "Hyakinthos will show you out. I'm afraid I have other matters to attend to, but I thank you for indulging me in this enlightening conversation."

The dismissal was clear. Tanya rose from her seat, offering a stiff nod that was the bare minimum of courtesy.

Apollo waved a hand, already turning away as if she no longer mattered to him. It was a move that Tanya had seen many times before from ones sure in their victory.

The door opened behind her, and Hyakinthos stepped into the room.

"This way," he said, his tone clipped.

Tanya followed him out of the sitting room, leaving the god's presence behind. The hallway seemed colder than before, or perhaps that was simply her imagination. That entire conversation had left her feeling unsettled, but it had also been enlightening.

He is not going to give up, Tanya thought. He may have seemed amenable to the idea of the debt being paid, but he has no intention of giving up this chase in any shape or form. Even if I manage to pay it back in full, he'll just find an additional thing to hold over me, or otherwise abandon the pretenses altogether.

Apollo wasn't accustomed to being denied, that much was clear, but he hadn't openly threatened her or tried to force her hand outside of some subtle remarks. That spoke of experience. It was clear he had done this before, many times over. The debt was simply his opening move.

Tanya had no intention of giving him what he wanted, of course, but this was a problem she would need to be careful about dealing with. She didn't know the full extent of Apollo's power or his influence within Orario outside of his Familia's prominence. She didn't know what his status was among others like him, and she didn't know how far he was willing to go to acquire a new addition to his collection.

Hyakinthos led her through the grand hall, past the chandelier and the paintings and the silent servants. Tanya kept her eyes forward, mind racing behind her calm expression.

The walk through the estate was mercifully brief. Hyakinthos led her through corridors and down staircases, past servants who bowed their heads as they passed, and through the grand hall where they had first met.

They reached the front doors, and Hyakinthos pushed them open with a gesture that was just shy of rude. Tanya ignored the gesture and stepped out onto the stone pathway without so much as a nod, and he returned the favor by slamming the door the moment she was through them.

Childish, Tanya thought, but didn't linger. She stepped through the gates of the estate and began to head back into Orario proper.

Up in a high window, eyes the color of a smoldering hearth watched her go. As she disappeared from view, a tongue darted out to swipe across grinning, rosy lips.

"Such wonderful fire," Apollo chuckled, eyes glittering in the midday sun. "But like all others, you will be mine in due time, my dear."

And when she was, he would be sure to hold her close.

 

[Sadguychet]

[Magical Inquests]


The Hostess of Fertility was especially busy, which was unfortunate for Tanya, who found herself tucked in a dark corner at the back of the tavern.

She was surrounded by full tables of adventurers, drinking and laughing boisterously as they added to the already overwhelming atmosphere. Tanya sipped her water, trying to focus on the text in front of her with squinted eyes.

The book was a treatise on Dungeon ecology she'd picked up from the library, detailing the behavioral patterns of monsters on the upper floors. It was dry reading, but useful. She was nearly through it when another burst of raucous laughter erupted from the table nearest to her, causing Tanya's eye to twitch.

She turned a withering look their way. This group of adventurers had apparently returned from a successful delve, judging by the amount of food on their table and their inordinate amount of drinking. They were loud, obnoxious, and entirely indifferent to the fact that their revelry was disturbing the other patrons. They barely even noticed her glare and if they had, they didn't care.

Tanya would have liked to have been in her room upstairs, away from the loud festivities, but it was being cleaned. A free service for more permanent patrons that Tanya was beginning to wish she had said no to.

She took a slow breath, forcing herself to refocus on the page in front of her. She had gotten perhaps a third of the way through the chapter when a shadow fell across her table.

She looked up to find a small man standing before her, his hands clasped behind his back. He was a Pallum with gold hair and a rather sophisticated outfit, at least compared to the other adventurers around her. There was an air of authority about him, a quiet confidence that belied his size.

"Pardon the intrusion," he began politely. "But every other table appears to be occupied. Would you mind if my companions and I joined you?"

Tanya glanced past him to see a small group waiting near the bar. They were an eclectic bunch: two women with dark skin and far too little clothes between them, a silver-haired man with a sharp face and a pair of ears on his head, and a rather burly dwarf with a bright red beard and warm eyes.

Tanya took a look around, noting that her corner table was the only remaining table that could accommodate their group.

"Be my guest," Tanya said, gesturing to the empty seats with a polite nod. "I'm afraid I won't be much company, though. And please, try to keep it down."

The Pallum inclined his head in thanks, sliding into the seat across from her. His companions followed, filing into the remaining chairs and taking a load off.

The two Amazons settled onto either side of Tanya, boxing her in against the wall. The one on her left had long dark hair and an impressive figure that she was showcasing quite freely, while the one on her right had shorter hair and a more athletic build. Both were barefoot, their legs pressing against Tanya's thighs under the small table as if the concept of personal space had never been introduced to them.

"Hey there," the shorter-haired Amazon said with a wide grin, leaning in far closer than Tanya would have liked. "What's your name?"

"Tanya," she replied, leaning back and staring at the woman oddly. She was already beginning to think this might have been a mistake.

"Tanya," the Amazoness repeated, testing the name on her tongue. "That's a pretty name! Where are you from?"

"Far from here," Tanya said, trying to remain polite. "A small island nation. We were isolationists until recently, so I doubt you would have heard of it."

"Ooh, mysterious!" Tiona leaned even closer. "What brings you to Orario? I think I've seen you around here but you're always alone. Where's your familia?"

"Tiona, give the girl some space," the Pallum admonished. He turned his blue eyes to Tanya, regarding her with a polite gaze. "Forgive my friends. We've had a long day in the Dungeon. I'm Finn Demine."

"Tanya Degurechaff," she replied with a short nod. "And it's quite alright. I understand the need for relaxation after a difficult sortie."

Finn's eyebrow rose slightly at her phrasing, but he said nothing. The dwarf across from her let out a hearty laugh, his beard shaking with the force of it.

"Sortie, she says! Military type, are ye?" Gareth grinned, ale already in hand. "Don't see many of those in Orario. Most adventurers just call it a 'run' or a 'dive.'"

"Habit," Tanya shrugged, hoping they would leave it at that.

The silver-haired werewolf leaned across the table squinting. "What's a kid like you doing in a tavern by yourself? You know you can get milk at the market, right?"

"Bete," the other Amazon hissed, shooting him a glare that could have frozen magma. "Don't be rude."

"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking." Bete gestured dismissively at Tanya. "Look at her. She's what, twelve? Thirteen? What's with all the kids hanging around recently?"

"I'm old enough to go into the dungeon. I don't think the city peacekeepers are very concerned if I sip alcohol in my free time," Tanya responded. "Also, I'm renting a room in this establishment."

Tiona's eyes widened, her grin growing somehow broader. "Wait, so you're an adventurer? What level are you? Which Familia do you belong to?"

"I'm unaffiliated," Tanya said, picking at the pages of her book. "And I've no Falna, so no level to speak of either."

The table went quiet. Finn studied her with renewed interest, while Gareth's bushy eyebrows rose toward his hairline. Even Bete paused mid-drink, his ears twitching.

"Unaffiliated," Tione repeated from Tanya's other side, her voice skeptical. "You're diving the Dungeon without a Falna? Alone?"

"I've been managing well enough," Tanya said. "The upper floors are hardly insurmountable with proper preparation."

"You're lying," Bete scoffed, setting his tankard down hard enough to splash ale across the table. "Nobody survives in the Dungeon without a blessing. Not even on the upper floors."

Tanya smiled. "And yet here I sit, alive and reasonably healthy."

"Then how are you managing the monsters?" Tiona asked, genuine curiosity staining her tone. "Goblins are easy enough, but what about War Shadows? Or Dungeon Lizards? Those things will tear through anyone without proper stats."

"Strategy and proper equipment," Tanya replied. "The creatures of the Dungeon are dangerous, but so is any other living creature on the planet. The only difference between monsters and say, a starving tiger, is that a tiger will think twice before tearing your throat out. You simply have to be prepared for the inevitability when it comes."

Bete snorted, leaning back in his chair with a disbelieving scowl. "Strategy and equipment. Right. Because a sword and some rusty armor is going to stop a War Shadow from carving you into ribbons."

"It's not rusty," Tanya said mildly. "I've maintained it as much as I could."

"That's not the point!" Bete's ears flattened against his skull, his golden eyes narrowing. "You're telling me you're walking into the Dungeon without a blessing, without a party, and without any kind of divine backing, and you're actually surviving? That's not just stupid, it's impossible."

"And yet the evidence sits before you," Tanya gestured to herself with a dry smile. "I understand your skepticism, but I assure you, I'm quite capable of handling myself."

Finn raised a hand, forestalling whatever retort Bete was preparing.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But you understand how unusual your situation is, don't you? I can count on a few hands the amount of solo adventurers I've met, and not many of them last long without finding a party or, well..."

Tanya nodded. "I expect that there's a rather high mortality rate. Unfortunately, my current situation doesn't allow for the luxury of splitting my earnings with another person, much less an entire party."

Finn's expression shifted. "Debt?"

"Mmh," Tanya nodded, admiring his shrewdness. He immediately caught onto the hidden meaning of her words. "The Apollo Familia administered potions to me after an incident, and now I owe them a rather significant sum."

"How much?" Gareth asked.

"One hundred thousand Valis, all told. To be paid within the month," Tanya said.

The table went quiet again.

"That's a damned fortune," Gareth muttered, setting his mug down. "For potions? What'd they do, drown you in the stuff?"

"The potions themselves were expensive, but the majority of the cost came from 'opportunity expenses,'" Tanya said, making air quotes with her fingers. "They were planning an expedition and I waylaid that. They added the projected earnings to the total."

"Convenient," Tione said coldly.

Tiona's face had darkened considerably, her earlier cheerfulness evaporating. "Apollo Familia. Of course it's them."

"You know them?" Tanya asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.

"Know them?" Tiona scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Everyone in Orario knows them. Buncha creeps. Their god is the worst!"

"Tiona," Finn said, a gentle warning in his tone.

"What? It's true!" Tiona continued, ignoring the Pallum's admonishment. "They're always pulling stunts like this. The moment he finds someone he likes, he finds a way to get them. It's practically an open secret at this point."

"They've certainly tried," Tanya nodded. "I met with their god yesterday. He was... less than subtle about his intentions."

"I bet," Tiona huffed, crossing her arms.

"Do you intend to pay it?" Finn asked.

"I intend to try," Tanya replied. "Though given my audience with Lord Apollo yesterday, I have a feeling it may not matter. He seems quite intent on acquiring me regardless of my choice in the matter."

Tiona scowled, slamming a fist into her open palm. "Screw that! If they try to keep you when you've paid what you owe, just beat 'em up! Crush them and walk away. Simple."

Tanya blinked at the suggestion. "I hardly think assault is a viable legal strategy in this situation."

"Legal?" Tiona waved a hand dismissively. "Who cares about legal? You're an adventurer. Adventurers settle things with strength. If Apollo's being a creep, just challenge him!"

Tanya opened her mouth to dismiss the notion entirely, but paused as it ticked something in her brain. Though technically real life rather than a work of fiction, this was ostensibly a high fantasy world. In such settings, duels to settle matters were commonplace. Could the same be the case here?

She had briefly read into Orario's laws regarding interfamilial conflicts, but the texts had been dense and she had focused primarily on the financial aspects at the time to help her with her debt. Ultimately fruitless as she didn't have a familia to begin with, but perhaps it was worth revisiting those sections with a new eye.

"An interesting thought," Tanya said finally. "Though I suspect if it did come to such a thing would be more complicated than simply throwing a punch."

There was a brief lull in the conversation as Tanya thought deeply about this new angle of attack to her issue. After a moment, Finn smiled, looking around at his companions.

"Well," he said, "that's enough doom and gloom for one evening. We came here to celebrate, didn't we?"

Finn waved down a passing waitress, a young woman with brown hair and a harried expression that brightened somewhat when she recognized the group. He rattled off an impressive list of dishes: roasted lamb, stewed vegetables, fresh bread, and what appeared to be half the tavern's available menu. The waitress scribbled furiously, her eyebrows climbing higher with each addition.

"Oh and one more thing," Finn added, gesturing to Tanya. "Whatever she'd like. On us."

Tanya straightened slightly, caught off guard by the offer. "That's not necessary."

"Nonsense," Gareth rumbled, his massive hand patting the table hard enough to make the silverware jump. "You lent us your table when we needed it. Only fair you share in the spoils!"

Finn nodded. "Consider it thanks for tolerating our company."

Tanya considered protesting further, but her stomach chose that moment to remind her that her earlier meal had been light and her dungeon run that morning had been particularly strenuous. The smell of roasting meat wafting from nearby tables wasn't helping matters.

"Very well," she conceded. "I suppose I could eat something."

Tiona grinned and slung an arm around Tanya's shoulders, pulling her into a side embrace that was far too familiar for someone she'd just met. "That's the spirit! You're eating with the Loki Familia tonight, so you'd better be ready for a good time!"

Tanya's eyes widened minutely at the name, but she controlled her reaction, offering a small smile, even as she extracted the woman's arm from around her shoulders.

Food was brought, consumed, and empty plates sent back. Though their party was small, each of the adventurers who called Tanya's table home could put down more than three men from the 203rd. Compared to Tanya's more modest appetite, they may as well have been bears.

They were loud too, though somehow not as noisy as some of the other patrons nearby. Tiona proved to be a touchy drunk, often jostling Tanya with one hand while holding a flagon in the other, face flushed with alcohol. Her sister migrated from Tanya's side to Finn's, forcing Gareth to move as she stared at the Pallum from behind her own drink. He pretended not to notice, too entrenched in his conversation with the Dwarf who replaced Tione at Tanya's side.

Gareth, for his part, seemed determined to ensure Tanya didn't feel left out, regaling her with tales of his adventures in the Dungeon. His stories were boisterous and heavily embellished, if the reactions of his companions were anything to go by. Tiona kept interjecting to correct details, while Bete scoffed from his end of the table, claiming he could have handled the situations better.

Their fun was cut short as a brawl ensued at a neighboring table, and both Bete and surprisingly Tione got dragged in. Through a convoluted and honestly hilarious series of events, the two ended up as each others' final opponent, throwing punches in a drunken daze before finally being kicked out by Mama Mia herself when the woman came from the back to investigate the racket.

The rest of the group followed after, a longsuffering Finn herding his drunken companions toward the exit.

"You should come by the Twilight Manor sometime," Tiona said, grinning blearily down at Tanya as she was half-dragged toward the exit by her sister. "We could show you around! Introduce you to some people!"

She was cut off as Tione stumbled, nearly sending them both to the floor.

"I'll keep it in mind," Tanya lied, watching the chaos unfold with amused detachment. "Thank you for the meal."

"Anytime, lass," Gareth called over his shoulder, waving a massive hand. "Stay safe out there!"

And then they were gone, leaving Tanya alone at her corner table with a stack of empty dishes and the dregs of other people's drinks.

Tanya stared at the empty dishes for a long moment, her mind turning over the evening's events.

Loki...

She hadn't expected to share a meal with arguably the most prominent Familia in all of Orario. It was clear from the moment Finn asked to share her table that the group was cut from a different cloth than the rest of the adventurers in the tavern, but this wasn't quite what she imagined.

They're certainly a lively bunch, she thought, her eyes straying to the coin pouch Finn had left upon the table beside a broken tankard. At least they tip well.

Tanya gathered her book and the few belongings she had brought downstairs, tucking them under her arm as she rose from the table. The tavern was still lively around her, the noise of celebration and conversation washing over her in waves, but she had had enough socialization for one evening.

She climbed the stairs to her room, nodding to her waitress as she passed with arms full of drinks. The door clicked shut behind her, and she let out a slow breath, leaning against it for a moment.

Tiona's words ran through her head, ringing over and over in her brain. Just fight them. A simple and borderline barbaric solution, but with some tweaking, perhaps it could serve some use.

Tomorrow, she would visit the library again. There were laws she needed to research, loopholes she needed to find. And perhaps, if she was fortunate, a way to turn Apollo's own game against him.

~~~

The following morning found Tanya wandering the expansive floors of Babel, her eyes scanning the various shop fronts with intrigue.

Window shopping wasn't her purpose today, nor was regular shopping, truth be told. She had everything she needed at the moment and every cent she made from now on would go straight to her diminishing debt. That being said, there were some leads she needed to follow up on.

Her computation orb had been sitting in her satchel for over a week now, a dead weight that served no purpose beyond reminding her of what she had lost. Though magic came easier in this world than the last, that just meant that even more powerful spells were locked away until she could get it fixed. Even a basic flight spell—practically impossible to achieve under one's own power—would be a great boon when it came to traversing the cavernous halls of the Dungeon.

If there was even a chance it could be repaired, she needed to explore it. Even if she'd rather not, given its… other qualities.

Tanya had spent the better part of the morning making inquiries across Babel's many floors. Most smiths looked at her computation orb with blank expressions, turning it over in their hands like a foreign object before shaking their heads. A few recognized it as something magical but admitted they lacked the expertise to repair it. One dwarf had simply laughed in her face before returning to his work. Tanya wasn't really sure what provoked the reaction, but she saw no reason to stay and ask.

It wasn't until she reached the fifteenth floor that her luck began to turn.

A small shop sat wedged between two larger establishments, its front window displaying an assortment of curious objects that didn't quite fit together: a crooked staff, a dagger with runes etched into its blade, and a handful of crystals that pulsed with faint light. The sign above the door read 'Krov Artifice' in faded lettering.

Tanya pushed through the door, the bell above it chiming weakly.

The interior of the shop was cramped and dimly lit, cluttered with shelves of half-finished projects and scattered tools. A thick layer of dust coated many of the surfaces, and Tanya noted with interest that several of the displayed items bore signs of experimentation rather than attempts at sale. Clearly, this was a workshop first and a storefront second.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing off the stone walls.

A crash came from the back room, followed by a string of colorful curses. Footsteps thundered toward the front, and a moment later, a woman burst through the curtain separating the shop from whatever lay beyond.

She was shorter than Tanya had expected, barely taller than herself, with a build that spoke of years spent hammering metal. Her arms were thick with muscle, her hands calloused and scarred from work. Dark hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and a long scar ran from her hairline down past her eye, cutting across her cheek before ending somewhere near her chin.

Her eyes lit up the moment they landed on Tanya, sharp and bright with an energy that seemed almost frantic.

"Customer!" The woman practically bounced behind the counter, her ample chest straining against her leather apron. "An actual customer! By the gods, I thought the dust bunnies were going to start paying rent before anyone else walked through that door!"

Tanya blinked at the reception. "I take it business has been slow?"

"Slow?" The woman laughed, the sound too loud for the small space. "Try nonexistent! I've had three customers this month. Three! And two of them were lost looking for the bathroom!"

"Perhaps I can help with that," Tanya said, stepping further into the shop. "I'm looking for someone with expertise in magical artifacts. Specifically, repairs."

The woman's eyes widened, her scar stretching as her face split into a grin. "Magical artifacts? You've come to the right place! Krov Artifice handles everything from enchanted blades to broken staves. What do you need fixed?"

Tanya reached into her satchel and produced the Type 95. The device was small enough to fit in her palm, a series of interlocking rings surrounding a central core that had long since gone dark. The fissure running along its surface had grown, a jagged crack that rendered the entire mechanism inert at best and dangerous at worst.

She placed it on the counter between them.

"This," Tanya said. "It's a computational device used for spellcasting in my homeland. I was hoping it could be repaired."

Krov picked up the orb with reverent hands. Her calloused fingers turned it over, examining the crack and the intricate workings visible through the gaps in the ruby casing. Her earlier exuberance faded, replaced by a focus that transformed her entire demeanor.

"Fascinating," she breathed, holding the orb up to the light. "I've never seen anything like this. These rings, what are they for?"

"They're meant to rotate during operation," Tanya confirmed. "The device channels mana through a series of formulaic pathways, allowing for more complex spellcasting than would otherwise be possible."

"Formulaic pathways," Krov repeated, her voice hushed. She traced a finger along the crack in the casing. "Similar to runic inscription, but three-dimensional, and much more complex. The design is inspired, but honestly a little overdesigned for a regular catalyst."

"Can it be repaired?" Tanya asked.

Krov set the orb down carefully, her expression shifting from wonder to apprehension. "The crack in the casing is the primary issue. The mana flow is disrupted, which causes mana leakage and renders the whole thing unstable. The internal mechanisms might be intact, but without a proper seal, the energy just bleeds out."

The woman spoke with the confidence of an expert in her field. It seemed that Tanya had come to the right place.

"Is there a fix?"

"Oh, there's always a fix," Krov said, her grin returning. "The question is whether you can afford it."

Tanya's expression turned carefully neutral. "I'm prepared to pay a reasonable price for quality work."

"My work is always quality, so that's good to hear! Now, to start," Krov turned the device over in her hands. "This casing is going to have to be replaced wholesale. This isn't glass so I can't just sand it and call it a done deal; I'll have to special order the part. On top of that, it looks like some of these teeny-tiny gears have been damaged and I'm going to have to make those parts from scratch so that's definitely going to add to the cost. Are there any enchantments hidden anywhere in this?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Being X had been the one to originally stabilize it during her near catastrophic test run, but she wasn't sure if his meddling had been a simple nudge, or a more permanent fix.

"That'll make it cheaper, but not by much," Krov tilted her head, eyes squinting. "For parts and labor, I'd say you're looking at... Sixty thousand on the low end."

Tanya's expression remained carefully neutral, though internally she was doing some rapid calculations. Sixty thousand Valis was a significant investment. She hadn't even amassed that much to pay off her debt.

"Is there any flexibility in that figure?"

Krov's scarred face scrunched apologetically. "I'm afraid not. The materials alone would cost me nearly forty thousand, and that's assuming I can even source them. This casing isn't made of any metal I recognize. I'd need to experiment with different alloys just to find something compatible, and those experiments cost time and materials."

She set the orb down on the counter between them, her calloused fingers lingering on its surface. "If I had the resources on hand, I could offer you a better rate. But as you can see..."

She gestured broadly to the dusty, empty shop, and Tanya simply nodded. Clearly, business wasn't exactly booming for the smith.

Tanya picked up the computation orb, weighing it in her palm as she considered her options. Sixty thousand was a significant sum, and while the device would certainly make her dungeon runs more efficient, she couldn't justify such an expense without exploring alternatives first.

"I appreciate your transparency," Tanya said, tucking the orb back into her satchel. "Would you be willing to provide a written estimate? Something I can compare against other quotes?"

Krov's expression flickered with disappointment, though the woman masked it quickly with a shrug. "Of course. Smart shopping. I'd do the same in your position."

She scrawled something on a scrap of parchment, pressing it into Tanya's hand along with a small card bearing the shop's name and location. "If you find someone who can do it cheaper, power to you. But if you want someone who'll treat that little beauty with the respect it deserves, you know where to find me."

Tanya accepted the papers with a polite nod. "Thank you for your time. I'll be in touch."

"Wait!" Krov called out as Tanya turned toward the door. "Before you go, what's your name? I like to know who I might be working with."

"Tanya Degurechaff," she replied, pausing at the threshold. "And you are?"

"Krov Bentric," the woman said, grinning widely enough that the scar on her face pulled taut. "Failing artificer of the Hephaestus Familia, at your service. Feel free to come back if you want me to take another look at that beautiful piece. I've already got so many ideas..."

Ah, a creative type, Tanya smiled politely and nodded, not accepting or denying the... generous offer.

She strode out of the shop, clutching her orb tightly between her fingers while her mind lingered on the figure that she had been quoted. Sixty thousand was not a small number by any means, and she had a feeling that it wasn't going to get much lower if she asked around.

She still would, of course. Comparing prices was just good business sense, but Krov didn't strike her as the type to rack up prices on prospective customers given her already failing business. She was passionate about her craft, that much was clear.

In any case, I suppose I'll have to wait until this business with Apollo is dealt with before I come back. Having a working computation orb around my neck would be much more comforting.

For now, it seemed that it was time to put nose to grindstone once again.

 

[Sadguychet]

Devil's Dividend

The next two weeks of Tanya's life progressed much the same as they had since she arrived in Orario. She'd wake at dawn, eat a light breakfast, descend into the dungeon and spend the better part of the day killing monsters on the upper floors, surface to collect her earnings, sleep, and then wake up to do it all again the next day.

Any interruptions were short-lived and distractions were thankfully minimal. She had spoken briefly with Syr on occasion, exchanged nods with Mama Mia, and even encountered the Loki Familia once more when they stopped by the Hostess of Fertility for another celebration. That particular evening had been mercifully brief, as Tanya had already been heading to bed when they arrived.

Slowly but surely, her debt was whittled down to a much more manageable sum. Her daily hauls had grown consistent as she refined her approach, learning the most efficient routes through the upper floors and identifying which monsters provided the best return on investment. She hadn't encountered any more War Shadows, but even without such luck, the steady accumulation of magic stones had begun to add up.

By the end of her third week in Orario, a mere thirty thousand Valis remained of her debt. It would have been even less, but she'd had to start actually paying for her room at the Hostess and that, alongside some preventative maintenance when her sword started making a concerning rattle, had bit into her funds somewhat.

Even so, at her current pace, she would clear her debt with nearly a week to spare. Soon, she would be free of the sword that loomed over her neck. Assuming, of course, Apollo played fair. She doubted he would, but she had measures in place for that as well. Whether they would work or not… She'd honestly prefer not to find out. Better to keep this whole deal as a simple transaction. Much less messy that way.

It was on her way to the Dungeon on a misty Tuesday morning that she found herself waylaid by something interesting.

"Hey, Tanya! Wait up!"

The voice called out from just out of sight as she approached Babel's entrance. Tanya turned, one brow raising in slight confusion as she recognized the figures approaching her.

Dorian led the group, his easy grin catching the morning light. Licia walked beside him, practically bouncing with each step. Behind them both was a third figure Tanya didn't recognize—a man with blonde hair held in a neat braid and striking green eyes that regarded her with open curiosity.

"Dorian, Licia. Good morning," Tanya greeted them with a short nod, eyes regarding their third. "I see you've brought a companion this time."

"This is Asterin Hanthor," Dorian said, gesturing to the blonde man. "He's a Level Two, and a pretty well-regarded adventurer in our Familia. Asterin, this is Tanya Degurechaff."

"A pleasure," Asterin offered a bow, his voice smooth and pleasant. "I've heard quite a bit about you from these two. The solo adventurer who survived the Dungeon without a Falna. Quite impressive."

Something about his smile unnerved Tanya. It was perfect, almost unnaturally so. Decades spent with brown-nosing businessmen and smarmy bureaucrats told her to be wary of such a well-practiced grin.

"Thank you for the compliment," she said, eyeing him carefully. "What brings the three of you here this morning?"

Her question was simple but the meaning was obvious: What do you want with me?

"We were hoping to speak with you," Dorian said, stepping forward. "We're heading down to the middle floors today. It's training for Licia and Asterin offered to supervise. We were wondering if you'd like to join us."

Tanya blinked, her expression shifting to confusion. "Join you? Why would you extend such a courtesy? We aren't part of the same familia. In fact, if you'll remember, I'm actively attempting to avoid joining yours."

Licia waved off her words with a smile. "If you don't want to join, that's your choice. But it couldn't hurt to see what it would be like working as part of a group, right? No strings attached."

"Some strings," Dorian corrected lightly. "We'd expect you to pull your weight in combat. But beyond that, this is just an invitation."

Tanya's eyes moved between the three of them, searching for signs of deception. Dorian's expression was open, Licia's earnest, and Asterin's pleasant. None of them set off any immediate alarms, but she had learned long ago that appearances could be deceiving.

"I appreciate the offer," Tanya said slowly. "But forgive me for being skeptical. You stand to gain little from my participation in this little expedition. Even I'll admit that as I am now, I wouldn't last very long in the middle floors. You'd be constantly babysitting, while I would benefit significantly from the protection of higher-level adventurers."

"You've been skilled enough to survive so far," Asterin pointed out.

"On the upper floors, perhaps. But the last time I delved so deep, I was injured so severely that I had to be administered a hundred thousand valis worth of aid," Tanya smiled thinly, gazing pointedly at the group. "In lieu of those facts, I'm sure you can understand my skepticism."

The group of Apollo adventurers exchanged looks, before Licia said softly, "Maybe we just want to help."

The woman's tone was earnest but Tanya was unmoved. "Altruism is rarely so pure."

She prepared to turn and take her leave, but Asterin cleared his throat, drawing her attention. His green eyes glinted as he regarded her with a smile.

"If I might interject," he said in that soft tone of his. "There's a more practical angle you may be overlooking. The monsters on the middle floors drop considerably more valuable loot than what you've been collecting on the upper levels. A normal haul from where we're heading would likely be worth three or four days of your regular delving."

He gestured toward the Dungeon entrance. "The deeper you go, the higher the quality of the magic stones. We're heading to the twelfth floor today. The monsters there drop stones worth ten times what you'd find on the upper floors. Even splitting the haul four ways, you'd still come out significantly ahead of your current earnings."

Tanya paused at that, her mind rapidly calculating the figures. If Asterin's estimate was accurate, a single run to the twelfth floor could potentially net her the remaining thirty thousand Valis she needed. Perhaps even more that she could put towards the repair of her computation orb.

Even she had to admit, it was tempting.

"I see," Tanya said, her voice measured. "And you're offering to split the loot evenly, despite the fact that I would be contributing far less than any of you?"

"As long as you don't actively sabotage us, you're welcome to your share," Dorian nodded.

Tanya studied the three adventurers for a long moment. The practical side of her brain was screaming that this was an opportunity too good to pass up, while the suspicious side was warning her that nothing came without a price, and the Apollo Familia had already demonstrated a willingness to use debt as leverage.

What's that saying… Tanya thought. If a service is free, you're the product? It's quite possible there is some other angle to this offer. Perhaps they want to see what I can do first-hand to report to their god. Apollo knows that Dorian and Lucia are acquainted with me. This Asterin character could be along to report back to him in their place.

Information was power, and Tanya had been lucky enough that few had seen what she could actually do. If that was the goal of this exercise, then it would be in her best interest to refuse.

But if it wasn't, and this was simply an offer made in earnest, then she would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to put herself ahead of her debt.

"Very well," Tanya said finally. "I'll accompany you. But I reserve the right to leave at any point if the situation becomes untenable."

"Naturally," Asterin said, his smile widening slightly. "We wouldn't have it any other way."

He turned toward the Dungeon entrance, gesturing for the others to follow. "Shall we? Those monsters won't kill themselves."

Tanya held a hand up, "Actually, before we go, I need to return to the Hostess and get something from my room. I didn't plan to delve so deep today, so I'm not exactly prepared."

"Go ahead. We'll wait for you," Dorian said, and Tanya nodded her thanks, turning and heading back toward the Hostess at a brisk jog.

While thankful for the opportunity presented, Tanya didn't know this Asterin character, and her trust in Dorian and Licia only went so far. She needed a bit of assurance in case things went south.

~~~

The descent into the Dungeon was a markedly different experience with a party.

Tanya had grown accustomed to moving through the upper floors alone, her path dictated by the need to maximize efficiency while minimizing risk. Every corner was a potential ambush, every shadow a possible threat. She had developed a rhythm that served her well, but that rhythm was disrupted almost immediately by the presence of companions.

Dorian took point, his long strides eating up the distance as he headed the trail. Asterin flanked the group on the right, and Licia brought up the rear, her eyes scanning the tunnels behind them for signs that they were being followed. Tanya was in the middle of the formation, surrounded on all sides by adventurers that were, by all means, much more capable than her.

A spike of nervousness passed through her and her hand brushed against her thigh where her Luger was resting in its holster. She hoped that she wouldn't need it, both for the sake of her ears and the two adventurers who she would reluctantly admit to being somewhat fond of.

There was an almost military bearing to the group as they delved, Tanya noticed. It was faint, but it was there, the ghost of a formation and actual training. Perhaps Dorian or even Asterin had a mentor with a military background and had absorbed the habits. Or perhaps Tanya was just imagining things.

"The twelfth floor is about an hour's descent from here," Asterin explained as they walked. "The terrain shifts several times on the way down: wider corridors, larger caverns. The monsters become more aggressive, but the rewards scale accordingly."

"I've read as much," Tanya replied, eyeing a large hole in the nearby wall.

"Reading and experiencing are different things," Dorian added over his shoulder. "The middle floors have a way of surprising even veteran adventurers. It's easy to get tripped up if you get too confident. Remember, the Dungeon is alive, and it hates you."

His words were met with nods from his companions, and even Tanya found herself bobbing her head.

They came across pockets of creatures seeking blood, but their first real encounter didn't happen until the sixth floor, further down than Tanya usually cared to delve.

It came in the form of shrieks splitting the air as the walls around them darkened to a deep black. The group stopped, tensing as a cluster of goblins emerged from the walls, shrieking their usual fanfare. There were around eight of them, eyes glowing with malice as they turned toward the group. More shrieks came from behind as they pulled themselves free, and suddenly they were trapped.

Tanya's saber had seldom cleared its sheath before she realized that Dorian had already cut down two of them.

The man moved with a skill that bordered on artistry, using his massive blade more like a club as he cut down two or three at a time. Behind, Licia engaged the second group, her sword and dagger flashing as she ducked and dove between the monsters with an ease that—while not as impressive as her mentor—certainly brooked speaking of.

By the time Tanya reached the fray, it was largely over. Three goblins remained, and she dispatched them quickly, her saber finding flesh and cutting them down. But the contribution felt almost token compared to what her companions had achieved.

"You fight well," Asterin observed, watching her clean her blade. "Your form is disciplined. Military training?"

"Something like that," Tanya replied, sheathing her saber. "Though I admit I'm somewhat outclassed in this company."

"Level makes a significant difference," Asterin nodded. "But technique matters as well. You have good instincts. With a Falna, you'd be formidable."

Tanya nodded but didn't acknowledge him further, instead choosing to note how he had sat back and watched during that entire exchange. She knew this was ostensibly a training delve for Licia, but he hadn't even deigned to pull out his weapon. Did he have such confidence in his companions? Or was he simply lazy? Tanya wasn't entirely sure.

They continued their descent, passing through the tenth floor's transition point without incident. The corridors did indeed widen, opening into larger spaces that left more room for breathing and maneuvering, but also for monsters, which they soon discovered upon the next wave of deadly creatures.

It was on the twelfth floor that they encountered their first real challenge.

The cavern was vast, a cathedral of stone that stretched upward into darkness. Pillars of natural rock rose from the floor at irregular intervals, creating a maze of sorts within the larger space that was only made even more dangerous by the mist that seemed to permeate the area, choking their vision and leaving them squinting to see more than a few meters in front of them.

"This is a good spot to rest," Dorian announced, surveying the open space. "The twelfth floor has a few of these large caverns. They're usually safe enough to catch your breath in, provided you post a watch."

Tanya followed his logic. The open ground allowed for better maneuverability, and it also meant that any approaching threat would be seen or heard long before it was upon them, even through the mist, as long as you kept your wits about you and paid attention.

"We've been moving for the better part of two hours," Licia said, wiping sweat from her brow. "A short break would be welcome."

The group dispersed slightly, each member finding a spot to settle. Dorian leaned against a pillar, his blade resting across his knees while Licia sat on a nearby rock, pulling a waterskin from her pack. Asterin remained standing, his position chosen with care—a spot that offered clear sightlines to multiple approaches.

Tanya found her own position kneeling along the edge of a rocky outcropping. Even as she dove into her own rations, she kept her saber drawn, resting it across her thighs as she watched the shadows.

"Relax," Dorian called over, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We'll hear anything coming long before it reaches us."

"Complacency kills," Tanya replied through a bite of stale jerky. "I'll relax when I'm back above ground."

Dorian chuckled but didn't press the issue, and the minutes ticked by in relative silence.

In the lull of danger, Tanya found herself studying her companions. As she suspected, Dorian and Licia were quite experienced when it came to adventuring. Despite being Level One, both of them seemed mostly at ease on these lower floors. The teacher and student duo showed a great amount of talent, and Tanya admitted she would be hard-pressed to defeat them if things came to it.

Asterin, on the other hand...

Tanya turned her attention to the blond man, finding him eyeing her with a similar amount of thoughtfulness. Blue eyes met green, and he flashed her that same easy smile that he regarded her with up above. Tanya frowned, unable to shake the feeling that there was something off about the man, though she wasn't sure why.

"So," Licia broke the silence, her voice carrying in the open space. "How are you finding Orario so far? Aside from the obvious, I mean."

Tanya considered the question. "It's a nice city. The economy is flourishing thanks to the dungeon and the Guild provides a stable source of income for even the most destitute pauper living on the streets. If I were simply visiting, I might even find myself making a more permanent residence here, though I'll admit having the constant threat of death only a short walk away might put a damper on things."

Licia laughed, the sound bright and genuine. "You make it sound so clinical! Don't you find any joy in it? The adventure, the thrill of exploration?"

"Thrill is not a word I would use," Tanya said dryly. "Survival is a more accurate descriptor. The Dungeon is a workplace hazard, nothing more."

"You're a strange one," Licia said, but her tone was fond rather than critical. "Most adventurers your age are all fire and passion, dreaming of glory and fame."

"Glory doesn't pay the bills," Tanya replied.

Before Licia could respond, Dorian held up a hand, silencing the conversation. His posture had shifted, his body tensing as his eyes fixed on something in the darkness.

"We've got company," he said quietly, eyeing the same corridor they had emerged from.

Tanya was on her feet in an instant, her saber raised. Licia fell into position beside Dorian and even Asterin stirred, his hand drifting toward the rapier at his hip as he turned in the direction Dorian was indicating.

Shadows stirred and mist shifted, parting to reveal several figures striding through the cavern towards them. Their outlines sharpened as they approached, and Tanya relaxed minutely as they revealed themselves to be humans, rather than monsters, though she didn't lower her guard completely.

That proved to be the right move.

The group consisted of nearly a dozen adventurers of varying sizes. They wore the colors of no Familia that Tanya recognized, though she did somewhat recognize the emblem on their breastplates: a stylized chalice surrounded by a crescent moon, denoting they belonged to the Soma Familia. Their equipment was well-maintained, and their expressions were leering as they strode out of the fog. Clearly, they weren't just here for a friendly chat.

The leader was a woman who Tanya recognized immediately. Wearing the same leather armor as the last time Tanya encountered her, Azalea had updated her ensemble with a dark cloak slung around her shoulders, and a fresh new scar stretching from her cheekbone down along her jaw, ending on her neck just below her ear.

It seems someone had a close call, recently, Tanya thought, locking eyes with the woman. Azalea bared her teeth in a mockery of a smile. A shame they couldn't finish the job.

"Soma Familia," Dorian said, his voice flat. "What brings you here?"

Azalea ignored him entirely, her gaze fixed on Tanya. "Well, well. Look what we have here. The little mouse who stole our gear."

Tanya's eyes narrowed.

"I believe we've already been over this," Tanya said. "The previous owner had no further use for it. Did you take my advice and file a complaint with the Guild?"

Azalea's smile widened, though it held no warmth. "Cute. Still got that mouth on you, I see. Sure hope I don't have to cut out that damn tongue."

Behind her, the other members of her group spread out slowly, forming a loose semicircle. One of them, a thickset man with a shaved head, was spinning a mace casually in one hand. The head of the weapon was stained dark red with what was certainly not monster blood. Tanya had seen enough of both to know the difference.

"We don't want trouble with the Apollo Familia, so you three can walk away." Azalea continued, finally acknowledging Dorian and the others. "This doesn't concern you."

Dorian slowly stood, his sword grasped loosely in one hand. His face was blank as if etched from stone, and a few of the men in the group suddenly seemed nervous as his bulk was revealed. "She's with us. That makes it our concern."

Azalea's smile vanished, replaced by a scowl that twisted her fresh scar into something ugly. Her hand drifted toward the rapier at her hip.

"I don't think you understand what's going on here," she said slowly. "That kid with you is a thief. She stole armor belonging to a buddy of ours and refused to give it back. If you were smart, you'd take a look at the lot of us, that little thief behind you, and make the right choice."

"Henry died before I ever found his armor, so you can hardly call it thievery," Tanya said, her voice cutting through the rising tension. She tilted her head, eyes flashing in annoyance. "I find it strange that you're so bent on pursuing this. After all, I found his corpse a few floors above this one. If you had such attachment to his equipment, perhaps you should have ventured down to retrieve it yourselves. Clearly, you have the capabilities. At least when there's enough of you to fill a tavern."

The words hung in the air, and Azalea's face twisted with fury.

"You little—"

"Enough." Asterin's voice was soft, but it carried an edge that silenced the cavern. The Level Two adventurer had drawn his rapier, the slender blade catching what little light filtered through the mist. His pleasant smile remained firmly in place, though it had taken on a strange quality. "I'm sure we can resolve this like civilized adults. There's no need for—"

He stopped, his head turning sharply toward the corridor they had entered from. His sudden pause caught everyone by surprise, and it was in the sudden tense silence that Tanya heard it.

A low, rumbling sound, like boulders grinding against one another. It was followed by a chorus of guttural snorts and the heavy thunder of footsteps. Lots of footsteps.

"Oh no," Dorian breathed as everyone turned to look.

The fog at the far end of the cavern began to churn, swirling violently as something massive pushed through it. The first creature emerged into the dim light, and Tanya felt her stomach drop.

It was an orc, a hulking, pig-headed monstrosity that they had been fortunate enough to avoid so far. Its body was thick with muscle, covered in bristly hair, and it wore a ring of hides around its waist like a skirt. The creature's beady eyes swept the cavern, landing on the gathered adventurers with obvious hunger.

Then another orc emerged behind it.

And another.

And another.

"How many are there?"

Tanya wasn't sure who said it, but her eyes swept the emerging horde, her mind racing as she answered. "Eight. Maybe more in the fog."

The Soma Familia group had turned to face the new threat, their earlier hostility temporarily forgotten in the face of something far more pressing. Azalea's rapier was drawn now, her scarred face pale beneath her tan.

"That's not all," Asterin said quietly.

Two more shapes emerged from the fog. They were taller and more humanoid, with heads like bulls and bodies that seemed carved from particularly muscular granite. The Minotaurs' nostrils flared as they caught the scent of prey, and one of them let out a bellow that shook the very walls.

And behind them, rolling forward on short legs, came something that made Tanya's blood run cold.

It looked like an armadillo, if an armadillo had been grown to the size of a carriage and covered in armor plates thick enough to turn aside cannon fire. Its beady eyes peered out from beneath the protective shell, and its snout opened to reveal a mouth full of grinding teeth.

A Hard Armored.

"Well," Tanya heard herself say, her voice strangely calm. "I don't suppose we can put this little tiff on hold for a moment, can we?"

The Soma Familia members didn't need to be told twice. The moment the first orc charged, their earlier bravado evaporated, replaced by the survival instincts that every human possessed in their most desperate hour.

Azalea barked an order, and her group scattered, breaking into smaller clusters as the monsters descended. The man with the bloodied mace swung wildly at a goblin that had emerged alongside the larger creatures, his weapon connecting with a sickening crack. But his victory was short-lived as an orc's fist caught him across the back, sending him sprawling into the stone.

Tanya didn't watch what happened next, but the wet crunch of bones and viscera was easily audible even over the shouts.

"Dorian! Licia!" Asterin's voice cut through the chaos, calm and commanding despite the carnage unfolding around them.

The three Apollo Familia members gathered together in a loose formation. Dorian planted himself at the center, his massive blade sweeping in wide arcs that forced the nearest orcs to give ground. Licia flanked to his left, her sword and dagger working in tandem to harry any creature that tried to circle around. Asterin took the right, his rapier darting forward in precise thrusts that found joints and gaps in the melee.

Tanya found herself drawn into their orbit almost instinctively, her saber raised as she fell into position behind them. It was a defensive posture as she lacked the raw strength to go toe-to-toe with an orc, but it allowed her to cover their backs while they engaged the main threat.

This is insane, Tanya thought, her heart pounding against her ribs as an orc's axe whistled past her head. A horde of this size, emerging all at once, not to mention the Minotaurs who aren't even supposed to be encounterable for another two floors! Something's wrong.

Her mind flashed to the smug visage of Mary Sue in her final moments, and she grit her teeth. Being X, is this your doing?

A minotaur charged toward their formation, its massive frame shaking the ground with each step. Dorian stepped forward to meet it, his blade rising. As if they had planned it, Licia darted in front of him, her weapons flashing as she distracted the beast with a series of quick strikes to its legs.

The minotaur bellowed in fury, swinging its arms in a wide arc that forced Licia to throw herself backward. But the moment of distraction was all Dorian needed. He surged forward, his blade biting deep into the creature's shoulder, carving through muscle and sinew until it struck bone.

The minotaur staggered, its arm falling limp. Dorian wrenched his blade free and brought it around in a second strike that took the beast across the throat.

One down. One minotaur, several orcs, and that damned Hard Armored still remaining. The Soma Familia had all but been wiped out, with only a few members remaining. Azalea was unfortunately among them, Tanya noted.

"We can't hold this position!" Asterin called out, his rapier flashing as he drove back another orc. "There's too many!"

"I can see that!" Dorian grunted, blocking a blow from a second orc that sent vibrations up his arms. "Tanya, Licia! Get ready to move!"

Tanya's eyes swept the cavern, searching for an escape route. The corridor they had entered through was blocked by the Hard Armored, which was slowly advancing from the rear of the monster horde. But there was a gap in the chaos, a tunnel on the far side of the cavern that remained clear.

"There!" she pointed. "Our exit!"

"Go!" Dorian ordered. "We'll hold them here!"

Tanya hesitated for a fraction of a second. To flee while others fought and potentially died on her behalf wasn't something she normally cared to do, but she recognized the reality of the situation.

"Come on!" Tanya grabbed Licia's arm, pulling her toward the gap.

"But Dorian! Asterin!" Licia protested, her eyes wide as she looked back at her companions. "They—"

"Are buying us time," Tanya said sharply. "Don't let their sacrifice be in vain!"

The words cut through Licia's panic as Tanya knew they would. The woman's expression hardened, her teary eyes narrowing with determination, and she allowed Tanya to pull her toward the corridor.

Behind them, Asterin raised his free hand, his lips moving in rapid incantation.

"Oh shining Sun! Giver of life and the eternity that passes after! Cast yourself from the heavens and be known upon the earth, that I may smite those who wish to sully your name!"

Heat built in the air, a sudden pressure that made Tanya's skin prickle as it passed her by. Asterin pointed and cried, "Ardens!"

Fire erupted beneath the feet of the advancing orcs, a blazing column that sent creatures screaming in all directions. The explosion was massive, easily the size of a small house, and the shockwave it produced knocked several of the Soma Familia members off their feet.

The smoke cleared and the path was clear. Dorian urged them onwards with a look.

"Go!" he shouted, turning to parry a strike from a Minotaur that left him staggering backwards. He shouted, the sound ringing in Tanya's ears, and she could have sworn she saw his muscles bulge as he reared back and swung his sword with all his might, cleaving the monster in two.

He slumped, and Tanya lost sight of him behind one of the Soma members. Turning away, she broke into a sprint, dragging Licia behind her as they plunged into the corridor. The sounds of battle faded behind them, replaced by the steady rhythm of their footsteps against stone.

They made it perhaps a hundred meters before Tanya heard it. It was a heavy, shifting sound, like a cart being dragged over cobblestones. She glanced back and felt her blood run cold.

The Hard Armored was following them.

The creature moved with surprising speed, its short legs pumping furiously as it pursued them down the corridor. Its armored shell gleamed in the dim light, and its beady eyes were fixed on them with predatory intent.

"Why is it following us!?" Licia cried, her voice pitched with panic. "There were easier targets back there!"

"Because the Dungeon hates us," Tanya snarled, pushing Licia forward. "Keep moving!"

They ran, their footsteps echoing off the walls as they fled through the twisting corridors. The Hard Armored kept pace, its strange rolling gait allowing it to close the distance despite its stubby legs.

Tanya's mind raced through options. Her Luger was loaded, but standard rounds wouldn't penetrate that shell; she had seen what those plates could turn aside. Her saber was equally useless against such armor. Her magic...

Tanya paused, the perfect solution coming to mind. The formula was complex, and in her old world, the notion of performing it without a computation orb was functionally impossible. But perhaps here she could manage it…

"Listen to me," Tanya said, her voice sharp. "I need time to prepare something. Can you distract it?"

Licia's eyes widened. "Distract that thing!? Are you insane!?"

"Just for a few seconds. Buy me the time I need."

The younger woman's face went pale, but she nodded, her grip tightening on her sword and dagger. "I'll try."

They skidded to a halt in a wider section of the corridor, turning to face the approaching monster. The Hard Armored slowed as it reached them, its beady eyes tracking their movements with unsettling intelligence.

Licia charged forward with a wordless cry, her sword flashing toward the creature's face.

The Hard Armored recoiled slightly, but its shell was already shifting, plates sliding over one another to create an impenetrable barrier. Licia's blade scraped off the surface without leaving a mark, the impact sending vibrations up her arm.

While this was happening, Tanya's mind was a whirlwind of complex magical calculus. She ran through a dozen equations in only a few seconds, molding and forming her magic with the help of formulas memorized and applied through countless hours in her previous world.

Licia darted in for another strike, this time aiming for the gap between plates. The creature shifted, and her dagger skittered across its hardened shell. The monster lashed out with a heavy claw, forcing her to throw herself backward to avoid being bisected.

"Hurry!" Licia gasped, scrambling to her feet.

Your shouting is certainly not helping. Tanya could feel the mana gathering in her mind. It was like trying to hold water in a sieve, and every ounce of concentration she possessed was dedicated to maintaining the formula's integrity as she unholstered her Luger and flicked the safety. She was glad she had thought to bring it, though she never imagined she'd be using it like this.

The Hard Armored abandoned its pursuit of Licia, turning toward Tanya with sudden interest. Perhaps it sensed the gathering mana or perhaps it simply recognized the greater threat. It charged toward her, intent on running her down.

"Licia, get clear!" Tanya shouted.

The younger woman threw herself to the side as the creature rolled past her. Tanya raised her Luger, the equation burning in her mind. The mana wrapped around the bullet in the chamber, compressing, sharpening, turning the simple projectile into something far deadlier as she breathed, then pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out, deafening in the enclosed space. The bullet left the barrel trailing green light, the Penetration Formula glittering around it. It struck the Hard Armored directly between its beady eyes…

And passed straight through.

The creature's head snapped back, a spray of ichor erupting from the exit wound. Its forward momentum carried it another few meters before its legs gave out, sending it crashing to the stone floor in a heap of armored plates.

Tanya kept the formula active for a fraction of a second longer than necessary, ensuring the wound was fatal before she erroneously fired another shot. The effort to keep it up sent a spike of agony through her skull, her vision blurring momentarily as her brain protested the strain.

The Hard Armored shuddered once, as if the last vestiges of hate in its body tried to spur it onward, before it collapsed and began to dissolve. A heavy monster stone fell to the ground with a thud, nearly the size of a head, shining dully as it listed onto its side.

Silence descended over the corridor, only broken by the sounds of combat leaking through from further down.

Licia stared at the dissolving corpse, her mouth hanging open. "You... how did you..."

"Not now," Tanya said, her voice strained as she holstered her weapon. She pressed a hand to her temple, willing the headache to subside. She bent down and grabbed the stone, shoving it into her bag with some difficulty. "We're still in the dungeon and far from safe. Let's not wait around for Killer Ants or War Shadows."

"B-but Dorian! We have to go back!"

"We can't help them by dying," Tanya said sharply. "If they survived, they'll find their own way out. If they didn't..."

She let the sentence hang, unfinished.

Licia's expression crumpled, but she didn't protest further. Together, the two of them began the long ascent toward the surface.

~~~


The ascent was mercifully uneventful.

Tanya kept a brisk pace, her eyes scanning every shadow and corridor for signs of pursuit. Licia followed in silence, the woman's earlier exuberance now gone, her face pale and drawn.

They encountered only scattered pockets of monsters on the way up, easily dispatched even in their shaken state. Goblins and dungeon lizards fell before their blades without issue, yet Tanya didn't bother collecting the stones from the weaker creatures; the Hard Armored's stone took up far too much space and was likely worth far more than a hundred of them.

Part of her felt bad about thinking about money after her comrades had possibly sacrificed themselves for her survival, but it wasn't the time to mourn and it wasn't her place to.

By the time they reached the fifth floor, Licia had recovered enough to speak.

"Do you think they made it?"

Tanya considered lying, but saw no point in it. "I don't know. Asterin's spell created a significant opening, and Dorian is skilled. But that horde was quite large and the Soma Familia was on its last legs. They likely weren't much help."

Licia nodded slowly, her grip tightening on her weapons. Tanya glanced at her and watched a tendon clench in her neck as she grit her teeth. She turned away without commenting, even as she heard the woman's breath hitch.

They reached the entrance to Babel without further incident. The transition from the Dungeon's oppressive atmosphere to the open air of Orario was like surfacing from deep water, and Tanya filled her lungs with clean air, savoring the absence of monster musk and blood.

The Guild hall was busy as always, adventurers coming and going in a steady stream. Tanya made her way to the exchange counter, Licia trailing behind her like a ghost.

The clerk behind the counter raised an eyebrow at their disheveled appearance, but said nothing as Tanya produced the Hard Armored's stone. The woman's expression shifted to one of interest as she examined it.

"You two took this down on your own?" she asked.

"Near enough," Tanya replied.

The clerk quoted a price that made Licia's breath catch. Tanya simply nodded, accepting the pouch of coins without comment. The sum was substantial, enough to clear her debt with plenty left over.

She counted out Licia's share immediately, separating a quarter of the total and sliding it across the counter. The younger woman stared at the coins, frowning.

"That's... yours," Licia said, her brow furrowed. "You killed it."

"We agreed to split the haul evenly," Tanya replied. "You held its attention while I prepared the strike. Without you, I would have been forced to find an alternative means of escape. This is fair compensation."

Licia's expression crumpled, emotions warring across her features. Guilt, gratitude, grief—Tanya recognized them all, though she couldn't claim to understand the depth behind them. She had known Dorian as one would a friendly neighbor, but Licia's bond with the man was much deeper.

"Thank you," the woman whispered, clutching the pouch as if it would disappear.

Tanya nodded once, tucking her own share into her satchel. "I suggest you return to your Familia's estate and report what happened. It's possible that they're still alive, so you'll want to send some backup. Or a retrieval party."

Licia nodded, clearly already intending to do that. "And you?"

"I have a debt to settle."

They parted ways at the Guild's entrance, Licia disappearing into the crowd with one last backward glance. Tanya watched her go, then turned toward the Hostess. She had her money, but the debt could wait until tomorrow.

A few minutes later, Tanya climbed the stairs to her room with leaden feet, the day's exertion finally catching up to her. Every muscle in her body ached, though the headache from her spellcasting had settled somewhat.

Slipping out of her clothes and dressing in her nightclothes, she sat heavily on the edge of the bed, staring at the window and into the world beyond. The coin pouch was safely locked away in her dresser, the key hidden away in case any had spied the heavy pouch attached to her hip when she walked in the tavern, but her mind wasn't on that.

Instead, she oddly found her thoughts straying to the two men who had seemingly given their lives for her. Dorian, with his easy laugh and friendly demeanor, and Asterin, with his unsettling demeanor. Though she had barely known either, both had stayed behind to ensure she and Licia escaped.

And possibly died in the process, Tanya thought, her expression twisting slightly. A meal shared, a few conversation had, and now...

She shook her head sharply, forcing the maudlin thoughts away. Sentimentality was a luxury she couldn't afford, and dwelling on what-ifs served no practical purpose. They had made their choice, and she had made hers. That was the nature of war, even if it was a war against monsters in a hole in the ground.

Tanya laid back on the bed, not bothering to snuff the candle flickering on the nearby bedside table.

Tomorrow, she would settle her debt. Thirty thousand Valis to the Apollo Familia, and she would be free of their grip. Whatever schemes Lord Apollo had devised to keep her in his debt would become meaningless once the ledger was balanced ahead of schedule.

And if he tries something else…

Tanya's mind drifted away, before she could finish the thought

 

[Dissimilate]

Thanks for the chapters!! She just needs to put one between Apollos eyes and be done with it *nods*

 

[RedHood001]

Thanks for the chapters!! She just needs to put one between Apollos eyes and be done with it *nods*

Click to shrink...

Yeah, with Tanya's whole stance on gods in general, I expect there will be one dead deity or two.

 

[ATP]

Well,Bell defeated Apollo in canon,right? here it would be Tanya.
And she certainly could join Hestia family! just kidding.

But,they could cooperate.

 

[ScottisI]

All caught up. Great story.

 

[Sadguychet]

[Daliance with Destiny]

For the first time since arriving in Orario, Tanya didn't wake up at dawn and immediately prepare for a dungeon run.

Instead, she rose at a reasonable hour, took her time dressing, and made her way downstairs to find the Hostess of Fertility already bustling with the morning crowd. As usual, Tanya found herself gravitating toward the table in the corner that had ostensibly become hers over the weeks since she had arrived.

Also as usual, Syr appeared at the table's edge, a steaming pot in hand and a smile on her face.

"The usual?" the gray-haired woman asked.

"Please." Tanya nodded. Syr poured a generous measure of the steaming drink into Tanya's cup, filling it to the top. Tanya wrapped her hands around the ceramic, savoring the warmth that seeped into her fingers. The first sip was bitter and strong, exactly the way she preferred it.

"You're in a good mood today," Syr observed as Tanya hummed in pleasure.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "This is my usual mood," she said, gently placing the cup down. "I've simply been a bit... out of sorts lately."

Syr nodded, immediately catching Tanya's meaning. She glanced around, noting the empty tavern and the other waitresses milling around. After a moment, she slid into the booth across from Tanya, placing the coffee pot between them.

"So I assume that means there's good news about your debt?"

Tanya nodded, taking another sip of her coffee. "I've acquired the requested sum. Now all I have to do is deliver it."

Syr's face brightened immediately, her hands clasping together in genuine delight. "That's wonderful, Tanya! I'm so happy for you! Though..."

The woman's face suddenly shifted, a strange look slipping over her expression as she trailed off. Tanya noticed and her brow furrowed in concern.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

Syr blinked, as if she hadn't realized what had happened. Then, she laughed, her grey hair swaying as she shook her head. "Oh! No, nothing's wrong. I guess I've just grown a bit used to seeing you here in the mornings. It's going to be weird not having you around."

Tanya studied the woman's expression, noting the way her fingers fidgeted with the lapel of her uniform. It was strange, in a way. They had only known each other for a few weeks, and their interactions had been limited to brief exchanges over meals and the occasional conversation. Yet Syr seemed genuinely affected by the prospect of her departure.

"I might stay for a little longer," Tanya said, setting down her cup. "I've grown accustomed to the accommodations here, and I haven't found anywhere else that brews a decent black coffee."

Syr tilted her head. "Have you tried other places?"

Tanya smiled wryly. "No, I haven't."

"Then keep it that way," Syr said, topping off Tanya's drink with a wink. "Personally, I think our coffee is kind of bad."

Tanya snorted, an undignified sound that drew a wider grin from Syr. The coffee wasn't exceptional by any means, but it was serviceable, and serviceable was better than the alternative. "I'll take that under advisement."

Syr rose from the booth with a giggle. Before she could say anything further, a booming voice cut through the near silent tavern.

"Syr! Stop chatting and get back to work!"

Mama Mia stood near the kitchen entrance, her thick arms crossed over her chest as she glared at the gray-haired waitress with a stern expression, though her eyes were light with amusement. Syr stuck her tongue out at the older woman before turning back to Tanya.

"Duty calls," she said, retrieving the coffee pot and giving Tanya one last grin. "I'll be back soon if you want to order breakfast."

With that, she disappeared, heading back into the kitchen where a few other voices were coming from. Tanya watched her go, then grabbed her journal from her satchel, opening it to a fresh page.

It was strange, she reflected, how quickly certain aspects of this new life had become routine. The morning coffee, the familiar faces, the rhythm of the Hostess. In her previous lives, such stability had been rare, often interrupted by war or corporate restructuring or the whims of a petty deity. It was nice, in a way. Having something predictable in her life once more.

Tanya lifted her cup to her lips, sipping quietly. She would need to stay in the city for a while longer anyway, if she wanted to pursue the repair of her computation orb. The lead she had found in Krov was promising, though the cost remained a bit prohibitive. Though with her debt cleared, she could at least begin setting aside funds for that project.

That was assuming, of course, that Apollo didn't have any other nasty tricks up his sleeve for her.

~~~

The walk to the Apollo Estate was a familiar one by now. Tanya had made the journey only once before, but the route was simple enough to remember. Head east from the Hostess, pass through the merchant district, and continue until the white marble columns came into view.

She was dressed in the same attire as last time: a white button-down shirt and simple black trousers. Her saber was sheathed on one hip, her Luger on the opposite side, hidden beneath her shirt. And in her hand, she carried a heavy pouch that clinked with every step. One hundred thousand Valis, the full sum of her debt.

The morning sun was pleasant against her skin as she walked, and for the first time in weeks, she felt something approaching contentment. That was until the Apollo Estate came into view around a bend in the road, and Tanya slowed to a halt, taking in the scene in front of her.

The gates were swarming with people. A veritable crowd had gathered just outside the estate's entrance, and they were decidedly not adventurers. These were men and women of obvious wealth and status, dressed in fine fabrics and expensive jewelry. The women wore flowing gowns in vibrant colors, their hair styled in elaborate arrangements, while the men sported tailored coats and polished shoes. They stood in clusters, laughing and chatting amongst themselves as they waited for entry.

A party? Tanya observed the gathering from a distance, her brow furrowing. She had not heard anything about a banquet. Then again, why would she? She wasn't exactly privy to the social calendar of Orario's elite.

This could be an issue. She was hoping to make this a quick affair, and she certainly didn't want to get roped into whatever was going on here.

She considered her options. Returning tomorrow seemed the most prudent course of action. The debt wasn't due until the end of the month, and she had time to spare. Alternatively, she could return later that night, after the festivities had concluded and the guests had dispersed.

But as she stood there, weighing her choices, she noticed the crowd shifting around her. The movement was subtle at first, a few glances in her direction, a pause in conversation. Soon, the attention of those nearest to her had drifted away from their companions and settled squarely on her.

Tanya was acutely aware of how she must have appeared. A child in simple clothing, weapons at her hips, standing among nobility in their finery. It was akin to a wolf walking amongst poodles.

"Who is she?" someone whispered nearby.

"Did Apollo invite her as well?"

"Look at those clothes. She's dressed like a young man!"

"How uncouth!"

"She'd best not ruin the party."

Tanya ignored the murmurs, eying the crowd as she debated on the most prudent course of action. She was prepared to turn around and simply walk away when a voice called out to her.

"Miss Degurechaff?"

Tanya turned toward the voice, finding the gate guard from her previous visit watching her from his post. He was hard to miss, built like a statue and just as expressive, though his eyes held a hint of recognition as he gazed at her through the crowd.

"Miss Degurechaff," he repeated, gesturing for her to approach. "Lord Apollo has been expecting you. Please, follow me."

The murmurs around her intensified. Tanya caught fragments of conversation as she made her way through the crowd, the guests parting before her like water around a stone.

"Degurechaff? Who is that?"

"Is he letting her through? I've been waiting for an hour!"

"Is she some kind of entertainer?"

"Hmph! I won't forget this."

The guard paid them no mind, leading her through the gates and into the estate grounds. Tanya followed, her hand resting casually on her saber. The gates closed behind them with an audible clang, separating them from the masses once more.

Tanya glanced back, taking in the displeased faces of the crowd just beyond. "I wasn't aware there was an event being held today."

The guard didn't even look at her. "Lord Apollo announced the banquet only yesterday. It was quite sudden, even by his standards."

"How convenient that my visit coincides with such an occasion," she remarked dryly.

The guard's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. "Indeed."

The guard led her through the estate's entrance, but instead of heading toward the solarium where she had met Apollo before, they turned down a different corridor. The sounds of the banquet filtered through the walls, the dull murmur of conversation and clinking glasses just within earshot. The guard paid them no mind.

"Lord Apollo has prepared a room for you," he explained. "You will need to change before entering the banquet hall."

Tanya's steps faltered. "Change?"

"Your current attire is not appropriate for the occasion." The guard's tone was flat, leaving no room for argument.

Tanya's jaw tightened. She was here to settle a debt, not to play dress-up. She almost thought about saying something, but she had made it this far. She could make do with a small setback as long as she got what she wanted in the end.

They arrived at a door that the guard opened to reveal a modest sitting room. Inside, a woman in finery waited beside a rack of clothing. Dresses of various styles hung from wooden hangers, their fabrics catching the light in shimmering waves.

"Please," the guard said, gesturing inside. "You may leave your belongings here. They will be returned to you after the banquet."

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "My belongings will remain with me."

The guard's expression didn't waver. "Weapons are not permitted in the banquet hall. It is standard protocol for events of this nature. I assure you, your belongings will be perfectly safe."

Tanya studied the guard's face, searching for any sign of deception. The man's face was a professional mask and she couldn't glean a single thing behind his blank expression. Behind him, the servant woman gave Tanya what she likely thought was a reassuring smile, lips tilting as if she were trying to comfort a child getting ready to throw a tantrum.

"I will leave my saber," Tanya said finally. "But the money will stay with me."

The guard's gaze flickered to the pouch in her hand. "I can deliver that to Lord Apollo on your behalf."

"No," Tanya said sharply. "I will deliver it myself. Directly."

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other. Then the guard inclined his head once. "As you wish. Please, be quick. You don't want to miss the festivities."

Tanya stepped into the room, and the door closed behind her with a soft click.

The woman moved forward immediately, her hands already reaching for the buttons of Tanya's shirt. "If you would, miss, we don't have much time."

Tanya stepped back, frowning deeply "I can undress myself."

"Of course, miss. I apologize." The woman stepped back, her cheeks flushing. "It's just that the banquet has already begun, and Lord Apollo was very intent on your being there. We don't want to keep him waiting."

So he knew I was coming, Tanya thought as she worked the buttons of her shirt. Licia must have told him or perhaps he had simply made an educated guess. Surely this banquet wasn't just for her, though? Apollo was clearly wealthy, but to spend the money and effort to throw a last-minute party just for a single girl was ludicrous. Something else was going on. Schemes were unfolding before her eyes, but she was unable to see behind the curtain just yet.

Tanya handed her clothes off to the woman as she stripped. The woman took them with careful hands, folding them neatly and setting them aside, and Tanya took a moment to study her as she worked at the buttons of her trousers. The woman was mousy, with dirty blonde hair and a sharp nose that was more striking than unattractive, complimenting her eyebrows and the set of her jaw. Her hands were free of callouses, and her skin was soft—clearly not an adventurer. A servant, perhaps?

When Tanya reached for her Luger, she paused. The weapon sat in its holster against her ribs, hidden by her body, half turned away. The servant hadn't noticed it yet, occupied as she was with organizing the discarded clothing.

"I will need an underlayer," Tanya said, drawing the servant's attention. "Something with pockets, if possible."

The woman turned, her eyes moving over the available dresses. "I'm afraid these gowns don't typically have pockets, miss. But I can provide a small bag for your personal effects—"

"That won't be necessary." Tanya pulled her shirt back on, leaving it unbuttoned. "I'll keep my undergarments as they are."

The servant blinked, clearly confused by the request, but didn't argue. Instead, she selected a dress from the rack, a flowing thing in deep blue with silver embroidery along the hem and bodice. She held it up for Tanya's inspection.

"This should fit well enough. Lord Apollo had it prepared specifically for you."

The words sent a chill down Tanya's spine, but she said nothing, allowing the servant to help her into the gown. The fabric was heavier than she expected, silky against her skin. It fit remarkably well, hugging her frame in a way that suggested it had been tailored to her measurements. The thought was not comforting.

"The belt, miss," the servant said, producing a matching sash. "And your hair–"

"Will stay as it is," Tanya interrupted. She fastened the belt around her waist. "I'm ready."

The servant looked as though she wanted to protest, but one glance at Tanya's expression seemed to change her mind. She nodded and moved to the door, opening it to reveal the guard still waiting in the corridor.

Tanya stepped out, her coin pouch clutched firmly in her hand. The saber was gone, left behind with the rest of her belongings, but the Luger remained. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

"This way," the guard said, turning to lead her deeper into the estate.

The sounds of the banquet grew louder as they walked, the murmur of conversation punctuated by bursts of laughter and the gentle strains of string music. Tanya's eyes scanned the corridors, noting the turns they took, the positions of the windows, the number of guards they passed. Old habits died hard, and she had no intention of entering this situation without knowing her exits.

They were nearly to the banquet hall when a familiar voice called out from behind.

"Tanya!"

Tanya turned to find Licia approaching down a side corridor. The woman was dressed in a gown of her own, a green and golden piece that paired well with her hair. There was something in her expression that Tanya couldn't quite place. A tension around her eyes, a tightness in her smile that suggested it wasn't quite as genuine as it seemed.

"Licia," Tanya acknowledged. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I–Lord Apollo asked me to attend," Licia said, her voice slightly breathless. Her eyes darted across Tanya's dress, pausing right where Tanya's Luger was hidden before moving on. Her instincts, it seemed, hadn't been dulled by the frivolities.

"It is good to see you're doing... well, I won't say well. I know things must be difficult for you," Tanya said, inclining her head softly. Licia smiled thankfully, though it was a fragile thing compared to her usual grins. "Has there been any word on Dorian or Asterin?"

Strangely, Licia's entire body seemed to lock up at Tanya's words. Her eyes, which had been having trouble staying in one place, suddenly locked onto Tanya's with an intensity that took her back.

"No." The word was simple, but there was a weight behind it, and emphasis that Tanya simply didn't have the ability to place. Licia's face twisted, and her hands resumed their fidgeting. "No. W-we haven't had the time to send a party down after them, and they haven't come up on their own. Lord Apollo was hoping to send one down today, after the banquet."

Tanya stared at her, a small frown etched into her expression. Licia seemed to fidget under the scrutiny, clearly uncomfortable. Her mouth opened, but before she could say another word, the guard hovering beside them cleared his throat.

"We should continue to the banquet," he said, the words escaping with an odd intonation, as if he were speaking to both of them instead of just Tanya. "Lord Apollo does not like to be kept waiting."

Licia's jaw snapped shut. Her eyes met Tanya's, and she swallowed, before nodding slowly. "You're right. I'll… see you inside, Tanya."

Tanya nodded slowly, a concerning knot settling in her gut. "I'll save you a drink. And maybe, once all of this is over, we can share another at the Hostess?"

Licia smiled thinly. "I'd like that."

She stared at Tanya, eyes flitting between her and the guard, before she suddenly surged forward, wrapping her arms around Tanya and pulling her into an embrace.

Filing away the woman's strange behavior for later analysis, Tanya stiffened, her body tensing at the sudden contact. The guard gestured for her to continue, and she followed him down the corridor, leaving Licia behind. They were certainly not close enough for such familiarity, and she found herself wondering what in the world the woman thought she was doing.

The embrace didn't last long before Licia pulled away. As she did so, her lips slipped past Tanya's ear for the barest moments, and she uttered a single phrase.

"Be careful."

Tanya blinked, and in that time, Licia turned and disappeared down the corridor, her green and gold gown disappearing around a corner. She apparently wasn't joining them on their way to the banquet hall, and Tanya was left with the guard who quickly ushered her down the corridor.

Tanya glanced over her shoulder after her, the woman's softly spoken words echoing in her ear and only adding to the uncomfortable feeling sitting in her gut.

She was lying, Tanya thought as she was led onward.

The banquet hall was massive, a cathedral of opulence that made the solarium look like a broom closet. Crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings painted with murals of celestial scenes. Tables laden with food lined the walls, while servants in crisp uniforms wove between guests carrying silver trays of drinks. The air was thick with the mingled scents of roasted meat, fresh bread, and expensive perfume.

Tanya, of course, didn't recognize a single face.

Nobles and wealthy adventurers mingled in clusters, their laughter and conversation creating a wall of sound that made individual words impossible to pick out. They were dressed in ostentatious clothing that probably cost more than Tanya's entire debt: elaborate gowns with trailing skirts, tailored coats with gold embroidery, jewelry that caught the chandelier light and scattered it in dazzling patterns.

Tanya stood at the edge of it all, her coin pouch clutched in her hand like a pauper. She felt absurdly out of place. Even the Empire's official events, of which she was oft forced to attend due to her earned fame on the Rhine Front, paled in comparison to this.

She would have preferred to simply find Apollo, settle this debt, and leave. But the god was nowhere to be seen, and she had no intention of wandering blindly through a crowd of strangers. So she simply wandered.

She circulated the room's perimeter, keeping to the edges where she could observe without being drawn into conversation. A few guests glanced her way, their eyes lingering on her with curiosity but none approached. She was clearly not one of them, and they seemed content to let her remain in her own space.

She had made her third pass by the refreshment table when a voice made her pause.

"Well, well. Fancy meeting you here."

Tanya turned to find a familiar face. Finn Deimne stood behind her, a glass of something amber in his hand. The Pallum was wearing a tuxedo that fit his small frame perfectly, and his blue eyes sparkled with surprise.

"Finn," Tanya greeted with a polite nod. "I wasn't expecting to see you either."

"You're the last person I expected to find rubbing shoulders in a place like this," he said, swirling his glass with a wry smile. "I'm guessing you're not here to join in the festivities?"

"You'd guess right," Tanya lifted the pouch she had been lugging around. Finn's eyes tracked it, and they widened minutely in surprise as he heard the tell-tale clink of coin within.

"Ah, so you've done it," he smiled. "Congratulations, Tanya. Managing to scrounge together that many Valis without a familia is quite the feat."

He glanced around at the crowd surrounding them. "Though I question the wisdom of deciding to pay off your debt here. It's going to be pretty difficult getting anywhere near Lord Apollo with all of these other gods and goddesses fighting for his attention."

Tanya tensed, her back straightening until one could probably play a pretty chord on her spine. "I'm sorry? Gods? I can't say I've noticed any here."

Finn gave her a strange look. "Truly? There are a couple dozen here, by my reckoning. Most wouldn't miss the chance to party if you paid them not to attend."

"Pfft! You call this a party? This is nothing. Apollo cheaped out this time."

Tanya turned toward the voice and was met with a rather peculiar sight.

The woman who had spoken was barely taller than Finn himself, with vibrant red hair held in a ponytail and a face that could only be described as impish. Her features were sharp and angular and possessed a mischievous quality that suggested she was perpetually amused by the world around her. She wore a blue dress that was cut low to show off... nothing. Even though she was still in the unfortunate throes of puberty, Tanya was almost certain she possessed more of a bust than the woman before her.

Said woman bounded forward, her eyes alight with interest as they landed on Tanya. "Ooh! Who's this, Finn? A new friend? She's cute! Kind of a glarer, though, isn't she? Look at those eyes! Scary!"

Despite the woman's demeanor, Finn seemed almost happy at her presence. He gestured, a small smile on his face. "Tanya Degurechaff, may I introduce Lady Loki. Goddess of the Loki Familia."

Tanya, who hadn't realized she had been actively glaring at the woman as she walked up, hastily fixed her expression. She inclined her head. "A pleasure."

Loki's grin widened. "Oh, I like her! Most people freeze up when they meet a god, but not her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I'm in danger here."

"I don't mean to be rude," Tanya said. "I simply have other matters on my mind."

"Business before pleasure, I get it." Loki waved a hand dismissively. "Still, you're an interesting kid. I heard all about what you're doing. Going into the dungeon without a Familia or even a Blessing takes pretty big guts, you know?"

Finn smiled sheepishly as Tanya's eyes turned to him. "I may have mentioned our encounter at the Hostess of Fertility. Tione said some things and she was curious."

"Curious isn't the half of it" Loki said, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. "How often do you find a child running around the Dungeon without a Falna? You don't! It's unheard of! And here you are, not only surviving but thriving!"

Tanya felt a headache beginning to form. She knew where this conversation was going. "I'm flattered by your interest,but–"

"Join my familia!" Loki interrupted, her grin stretching impossibly wider. "I'll give you a blessing tonight! We'll get you set up with a proper weapon, proper training, the works! You'll be Level Two in no time! Maybe even Level Three!"

Tanya fought the urge to rub the bridge of her nose as the offer hung in the air. Finn watched her with quiet interest, while Loki eyed her with barely-hidden enthusiasm. Behind them, the banquet continued, oblivious to the conversation taking place in the corner.

"I appreciate the offer," Tanya said slowly. "But I must decline."

Loki seemed genuinely shocked. Finn did not. "Eh? Decline? Why?"

"I prefer to maintain my independence," Tanya replied. "I've managed well enough on my own so far, and I see no reason to change that arrangement."

"Independence is overrated," Loki said, her tone shifting to something almost wheedling. "Think of what you could accomplish with proper support! The Dungeon is dangerous, and you're just one person. What happens when you run into something you can't handle alone?"

"I'm smart enough to know my limits and how far I can safely push them. Barring some... exceptional situations, I've done just fine thus far."

Loki studied her for a long moment, her impish face settling into an expression of thoughtful consideration. Then she shrugged, her grin returning. "Suit yourself."

Tanya sighed, thankful that the woman had taken her dismissal without trying to push too hard. It would have been just her luck that she come here to pay off a debt to one god obsessed with her, only to catch the interest of another. Thankfully, Loki seemed to be—if not normal—than at least not completely insane.

Before anyone could say anything else, a voice cut through the ambient noise of the banquet, silencing conversations and drawing every eye toward the front of the hall.

"Welcome, my dear friends!"

The voice boomed through the hall, drawing the attention of all. The gathered guests turned in unison toward the raised platform at the front of the room, where Apollo stood with his arms spread wide.

He was resplendent in robes of white and gold, the fabric seeming to shimmer with an inner light. His red hair was styled to perfection, framing a face that radiated beauty and warmth. The god smiled as his golden eyes swept across the crowd.

"Thank you all for attending these festivities on such short notice," Apollo continued. "I know many of you had to rearrange your schedules, and I am deeply grateful for your presence here."

Tanya watched from her position near the wall, her grip tightening on her coin pouch as she listened. Apollo certainly knew how to address a crowd, that much was for sure. His clothing, mannerisms, all of it had been tailored to maximum effect. Tanya thought the Empire's propaganda department would have had a field day with him, assuming he didn't eventually come to head it.

"There is much in store for tonight," Apollo said. "Music, food, wine, and good company. But there is one matter in particular that I wish to bring to your attention."

He paused, allowing the anticipation to build. The crowd leaned forward collectively, their attention riveted.

"After all," Apollo's smile widened, "it is not every day that one of my children reaches Level Two!"

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Apollo gestured to the side of the platform, where a curtain had been drawn across a small alcove.

"Please, welcome the most recent member of my Familia to achieve such a milestone! Licia Dore!"

The curtain parted, and Tanya felt her breath catch as Licia stepped onto the platform, taking up vigil beside her god. Her head was high and her shoulders squared, but the pride in her posture was brittle. Her face was carefully blank, her eyes fixed on some distant point above the crowd.

She looked, Tanya thought, like a prisoner being marched to execution.

"Come, my dear," Apollo said, draping an arm around her shoulders. "No need to be shy; let them see you."

Licia nodded, allowing the god to guide her to the center of the platform. Apollo's smile was radiant as he addressed the crowd.

"Only a scant year ago, this lovely flower was but a bud, untested in the crucible of the Dungeon. Now, she has bloomed into a true adventurer! Through trials and tribulations, she has proven herself worthy of the blessing I have bestowed upon her."

His grip on Licia's shoulder tightened possessively as he laughed,

"She has faced the depths and emerged stronger. She has confronted loss and found resolve. She is, quite simply, magnificent."

The crowd applauded. The sound was genuine; Level Two was a significant achievement, and the guests were not stingy with their appreciation. And yet Licia did not smile or bow. She simply stood there, her expression blank and hands curled into fists at her sides.

"Let us celebrate her achievement!" Apollo declared. "Eat, drink, and be merry! Tonight is a night of revelry!"

The applause faded as the guests returned to their conversations and their drinks. The musicians resumed their playing, and the banquet continued as if nothing had happened.

Something was wrong.

Tanya's mind raced as she processed the scene before her. Licia becoming Level Two was certainly an achievement, worthy of recognition. But the Apollo Familia was large, and already touted several of similar or even higher rank. Tanya very much doubted that each of them was thrown their own personal banquet a mere day after having their status updated.

Adding to that, Dorian and Asterin were still ostensibly unaccounted for. Holding a celebration when two of your children were still missing would be regarded as incredibly poor taste to even the most heartless noble. Yet Apollo did not appear as a god in mourning. He was radiant, joyful, and completely unconcerned with the loss of his children.

And Licia...

Be careful.

The words echoed in Tanya's mind. Licia was not accepting this revelry of her own accord; Tanya was certain of it. The woman's body language, the tension in her voice, all of it pointed to one who would rather be anywhere else. And yet, she stood on a platform beside her god, accepting praise with a grave expression, barely responding to the numerous people vying for her attention.

What was Apollo playing at?

Tanya's eyes moved across the crowd. The coin pouch in her hand suddenly felt very heavy. Settling this debt could wait. She could return tomorrow, or better yet, handle the transaction through the Guild entirely. There was no need to remain in this place a moment longer.

She turned to Finn, who was still watching the platform with a thoughtful expression.

"I'm afraid I must cut our conversation short," she said, keeping her voice calm. "I need to leave."

Finn's eyebrows rose, and he moved to speak, but his eyes met hers and something passed through his expression. He nodded slowly. "If you think that's best. It was good to see you again, Tanya."

"Likewise," Tanya inclined her head politely to Loki, who was watching her curiously, and turned toward the nearest exit.

But she was stopped before she could take her first step.

"Ah! There she is!"

The voice cut through the ambient noise of the banquet, silencing conversations and drawing every eye toward the source. Apollo had descended from the platform and was making his way through the crowd, his golden eyes fixed directly on her. The guests parted before him like water, their conversations dying as they turned to watch.

"Miss Degurechaff!" Apollo called out, his voice warm and welcoming. "How wonderful of you to join us! I was hoping we would have a chance to speak."

Every eye in the room was on her now. The weight of the attention pressed down on Tanya's shoulders, and she felt the walls of the trap closing in around her. She had walked right into it, like a mouse following the promise of cheese.

Tanya's jaw tightened, but she forced her expression into something approaching polite interest. She turned to face the approaching god, her coin pouch clutched tightly in her hand.

"Lord Apollo," she greeted, inclining her head. "I wasn't expecting our next meeting to be held in such a public location. I had hoped to settle my business with you privately."

"Nonsense!" Apollo waved a hand dismissively, his smile radiant. "This is a celebration! There will be time for business later. For now, please, enjoy yourself!"

He reached out to take her hand, his fingers wrapping around hers with a grip that was firm beneath its gentleness. Tanya allowed the contact, though every fiber of her being screamed at her to pull away.

"I see you've already met some of our fellow guests," Apollo continued, gesturing toward Finn and Loki. "Loki, I trust you're finding the festivities to your liking?"

For once, Loki was not smiling. Her eyes glanced between Apollo and Tanya with open interest. There was a certain shrewdness there, an insight far beyond anything any mortal could claim to possess.

"It's a decent enough party, Apollo," she said, feigning casualness. "Though I have to wonder why you've gone to all this trouble for a single level-up."

"Achievements should be celebrated," Apollo replied smoothly. "And my dear Licia has accomplished something remarkable."

"Has she?" Loki raised a brow. "If she were a Level Five or even Four, I could understand. But blowing this much on a Level Two? It seems kind of irresponsible, no?"

Apollo's smile didn't waver. "Most familias don't have the resources to celebrate such an achievement. I consider myself fortunate."

The exchange was polite on the surface, but Tanya could sense the undercurrents beneath. It seemed that Loki had smelled the stink as well. Did Tanya have an ally in her?

"If I may, Lord Apollo," Tanya spoke up, "I would like to settle my debt now. I have the full amount ready."

She held up the coin pouch, letting it clink audibly. Several nearby guests turned their heads, their eyes widening in interest at the sound like vultures that had spied a fresh carcass.

Apollo glanced at the pouch and smiles. "Ah, yes. The debt. I had hoped we might discuss that privately, but since you've brought it up..."

He released her hand and stepped back, his golden eyes sweeping across the gathered crowd. A quick snap of his fingers and a few muttered words, and a servant cleared a space on the nearby table. Apollo nodded towards it.

"Please, count it out. I'm certain the amount is correct."

Tanya eyed the table, then the god, then the crowd that had gathered around them, blocking any hope of escape.

She moved to the table and began counting out the coins. The process was tedious, but she refused to rush it. Every coin was counted twice, every stack verified. The crowd watched in silence as the pile grew.

"Ninety thousand," Tanya spoke, her voice steady despite the tension coiling in her chest. "One hundred thousand."

She stepped back from the table, her hands empty. The full sum of her debt sat in neat stacks before her, a small fortune in coin that represented weeks of grinding labor and near-death experiences.

"There," she said. "The debt is paid in full. I trust you'll provide a receipt acknowledging the transaction."

Apollo studied the coins for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he smiled, and it was not the warm, welcoming smile he had worn before. There was something sharp beneath it now.

"Impressive," he said. "You've managed to accumulate quite a sum in such a short time. Most adventurers would have taken much longer."

"I'm not most adventurers," Tanya replied evenly.

"Clearly." Apollo circled the table slowly, his robes whispering against the floor. "But I'm afraid there's a complication."

Tanya's jaw clicked. "A complication?"

"Yes." Apollo stopped on the other side of the table, his gaze fixed on her face. "You see, one of my children has returned from the Dungeon with a rather troubling account of your recent expedition together."

Ah, so that was his plan.

Tanya kept her expression neutral, refusing to show the alarm that blossomed in her chest.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," she said carefully. "What exactly did Licia say?"

Apollo's smile widened, and he let out a soft laugh that echoed through the silent hall.

"Licia? Oh, no, my dear. Licia didn't say anything at all." His golden eyes glittered with amusement. "She's been understandably reserved about the entire incident."

Tanya's brow furrowed, and Apollo turned, prompting others to do the same, just as the grand doors to the hall burst open, admitting a familiar figure.

Asterin Hanthor stepped into the hall, gold hair gleaming under the bright lights, an easy smile on his face. He swept into the room under a smattering of murmurs and surprised whispers, his polished shoes clicking against the freshly waxed floor as he approached. He wore a suit of white and gold and his rapier clicked against his side.

"Good morning, Miss Degurechaff," he greeted as he stopped just in front of her. His smile tilted into a smirk as he gazed down at her, green eyes bright. "How does the day greet you?"

Tanya stared at the man, her mind grinding through the implications of his appearance. Asterin was alive. He had survived the horde and made his way out of the Dungeon, apparently without issue.

And yet, no retrieval party had been sent. No search had been organized. Licia had claimed there hadn't been time, but clearly that was a lie. Apollo had known his child survived.

Be careful.

The warning made infinitely more sense now.

"I must admit," Tanya said, her voice carefully neutral, "I'm surprised to see you. I had assumed the worst when you and Dorian failed to return."

Asterin's smile didn't waver. "Did you? How thoughtful of you to assume my demise. Though I suppose it shouldn't surprise me. After all, it was you who left us down there to face that horde of monsters."

The murmurs grew louder, spreading through the crowd. Heads turned, eyes fixed on Tanya with expressions ranging from shock to disgust. She could feel the weight of their judgment settling over her like a shroud.

"Abandoned?" Tanya repeated, keeping her voice steady. "That's a rather serious accusation."

"You won't find me disagreeing. But it is unfortunately accurate," Asterin's smile did not waver. "We were overwhelmed by a horde of monsters. You fled with Licia while Dorian and I held the line. Dorian fell because you didn't stay to help."

Tanya's eyes narrowed, realization settling over her, pieces suddenly clicking into place. The man had orchestrated this entire event—the sudden banquet, the celebration, it was all set up to gather the crowd of gods and goddesses to bear witness to her grave sin. Already, she could hear them muttering in response to the perceived crime.

"She left them to die?"

"—just a child, though."

"—heard she doesn't even have a Falna!"

"—absolutely shameful behavior—"

They were eating this up. But why wouldn't they? Abandoning one's party in the Dungeon was tantamount to killing them yourself, whether or not they survived. To abandon your fellow humans to that den of evil was betraying the very humanity that separated man from monster, and once discovered, you would be treated as such. It rarely happened. Or at least if it did, the ones responsible made sure there were none alive to share the tale.

"I see," Tanya said slowly, her voice carrying through the hall. "And you survived, Asterin. How fortunate for you."

The man's smile flickered almost imperceptibly. "Fortunate, yes. Though I barely managed to escape with my life. The grief of what happened to Dorian weighs heavily upon me."

"Does it?" Tanya tilted her head, studying him with narrowed eyes. "Strange. You don't appear particularly weighed down."

Asterin's expression remained pleasant, but the atmosphere around him seemed to shift. He ignored her words with a polite smile, turning to address the crowd instead.

"My friends, I understand this news comes as a shock. But I feel it is important that you understand the character of the individual standing before you." He gestured toward Tanya. "This girl abandoned her companions in the depths of the Dungeon, leaving them to die so that she could save herself. Dorian was a good man, a skilled adventurer, and a loyal member of our Familia. His fate rests squarely on her shoulders."

The murmuring intensified. Tanya could feel the crowd turning against her, their opinions solidifying with each word Asterin spoke. She was being painted as a coward, a traitor, someone who fled when the situation became dire.

"Is this true?" someone called out from the crowd.

"Shameful!" another voice added.

"How could someone so young be so callous?"

Apollo raised a hand, silencing the crowd with a single gesture. His golden eyes fixed on Tanya, and his smile had taken on a predatory edge.

"Miss Degurechaff," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "These are serious accusations. Asterin is a trusted member of my Familia who has been with us for years. His word carries weight."

"I'm sure it does," Tanya replied snidely.

"If what he says is true, then you have committed a grave offense against my Familia. A debt of one hundred thousand Valis is a trifle compared to the cost of a life." Apollo's smile widened. "Restitution must be made."

"Restitution," Tanya fought a sneer, the word tasting sour on her tongue.

"Yes." Apollo spread his hands in a gesture of false magnanimity. "I am not an unreasonable god. I understand that mistakes can be made, especially by one so young and untested. A life was lost due to your actions. Or rather, your inaction. The scales must be balanced."

He stepped closer, his eyes boring into hers as he spoke in a tone that carried to the furthest corners of the hall.

"Join my Familia," he said. "Serve me as Dorian would have served me. Dedicate your life to me, and I will consider the debt paid in full."

And the trap snaps shut, Tanya thought grimly.

 

[Sadguychet]

[A Daring Proposition]

Licia Dore did not come to Orario to be an adventurer.

Before coming to the city, she had been a vagrant. At least, that's what people called her as she wandered the wilderness amongst a small group of others, moving from city to city and never settling down in one place. It was the only life she'd known, having been born into it, but even at her young age, she had grown tired of the constant movement. Like everyone, she wanted a place to really belong, and knew she wouldn't find it on the road.

So when she heard tales of Orario's prosperity and the opportunities that awaited anyone willing to work hard, she made a choice.

She came to the city with nothing but the clothes on her back, a chipped dagger, and a pocket full of determination to live a full life. She spent the better part of a month asking around for employment, offering to scrub floors or haul produce for a fair wage, only to be turned away at nearly every turn.

She had been on the verge of giving up when Lord Apollo found her, staring wide-eyed at a basket of fresh fruit she used to enjoy on the road, with nothing but a couple hundred Valis to her name. He offered her a place in his familia, and in the process, what she had been wanting all along.

Licia joined the Apollo Familia with stars in her eyes and hope in her heart. Lord Apollo welcomed her with open arms, quite literally, sweeping her into an embrace that felt warm and genuine. He provided her with a room in the estate, proper meals, and even a small stipend to purchase equipment. For a girl who had spent her entire life scraping by, it felt like a dream.

She trained alongside her new Familia members, learning to wield a sword and dagger with proper form. Dorian took her under his wing almost immediately, his easy humor and patient instruction making the grueling process of conditioning and practice bearable. Cressida taught her the basics of potions and when it was proper to use them, and Marcus ensured she was always well-equipped for dungeon runs.

The Apollo Familia became her family, and for the first time in a long time, Licia felt like she belonged somewhere. They ate, trained, and celebrated together, all the while Lord Apollo presided over them with golden eyes that were always warm, his smile always welcoming. Licia admired him, looked up to him, and trusted him completely.

But that trust had begun to crack, and now... Licia wasn't sure how to feel.

Apollo's offer rang deafening in the silent banquet hall. Licia watched Tanya carefully, gauging her reaction despite already knowing exactly how the girl would feel about that proposal.

Licia had learned to read people during her time on the road, picking up on the small tells that betrayed what lay beneath the surface. A twitch of the eye, a clenching of the jaw, a shifting of weight from one foot to the other. Most people wore their emotions plainly, whether they realized it or not.

But Tanya, as usual, was different.

The girl's careful expression cracked only minutely at the god's 'generous' offer. Surprise appeared in the widening of her blue eyes and anger made itself known in the thinning of her lips. The reactions were there, plainly apparent for anyone who knew the girl from more than a passing glance, but they were gone in an instant, and what replaced them was far harder to read.

It was strange, Licia thought, that a girl so young could have such control over her emotions. Even on her best day, Licia would have a hard time keeping such a calm expression in the face of such adversity.

But Licia knew that Tanya wasn't any normal girl. A single conversation had proven that much. The way she spoke, walked, and held herself belied an experience far beyond her years. Dorian had noticed it first, during their conversation in the Hostess, but even though she was far more concerned with making a good impression at the time, even Licia hadn't missed it completely.

And she wasn't missing it now.

The way Tanya stared at Apollo, her blue eyes cold and sharp, sent shivers up Licia's freshly-leveled spine. There was hatred in that gaze, a burning animosity that seemed far too intense for a girl so young and full of life. It was the look of someone who had been wronged deeply, repeatedly, by forces beyond their control.

What happened in your past? Licia wondered. What did the gods do to you to make you capable of such hate?

She should be saying something. She was there in the Dungeon as well; she knew what really happened, the truth Asterin was stretching so wildly for the crowd's eager ears. They were eating up the wrong story, and only Licia could set the record straight.

But fear held her tongue. Whispered words and steady hands closed her throat and strangled her voice, and she could only watch helplessly as Apollo, wielding that same caring expression that she used to adore, used his honeyed words to try and force a young girl into his fold.

Licia thought she could have been sick if she had eaten anything since yesterday.

The banquet hall held its breath.

Licia watched from her position beside the platform, her heart hammering against her ribs as Tanya stared up at the god who had orchestrated this entire farce, Licia's god. Apollo's smile remained fixed in place, benevolent and patient, as if he were simply waiting for a confused child to understand the generous offer being presented to her.

Tanya's lips parted, and the hall seemed to lean forward collectively, every ear straining to catch her words. Even the gods and entertainment, used to such drama, seemed to hold their breath as if reaching out to catch the next moment with every single one of their senses.

Tanya stared into Apollo's smiling eyes, her expression unreadable, her posture relaxed despite the tension radiating from every corner of the room. She opened her mouth, and spoke two words into deathly silence.

"I refuse."

The words rang out like a plucked string from a finely-tuned harp. Licia's own breath caught in her throat, her brows raising at the sheer gall on display. She expected denial, maybe even negotiation given Tanya's pragmatic attitude, but never could she say she expected the girl to flat out refuse a god to his face!

There was a moment of stunned silence in which even Apollo seemed to stare at Tanya in shock. The god's carefully crafted smile seemed to freeze on his face. The mask held firm, but Licia could see the muscles in his neck bunch with tension.

Then, a laugh rang out.

All eyes turned toward the source, finding Loki barely managing to contain her mirth. The red-haired goddess had one hand on her face, the small limb doing nothing to contain the gargantuan smile that had spread over her pale face. Her shoulders shook with restrained chuckles as she pointed at Apollo.

"She sure told you, huh? 'I refuse.' Ha! How long has it been since you've been turned down like that, Apollo?"

Judging by the way the sun god's smile strained, it had been a very long time indeed. A smattering of laughter rippled through the crowd, clearly from those wishing to curry favor with the amused goddess, but Apollo did not give any heed to Loki's mirth, having eyes for only Tanya who continued to stare at him in defiance, blue eyes like tiny chips of ice.

"Miss Degurechaff," Apollo said, his voice patient and coaxing, "I understand this may seem overwhelming. Perhaps you should take a moment to reconsider—"

"And perhaps you should call an end to this farce before you embarrass yourself in front of all these good people," Tanya interrupted boldly, her voice projecting to the very corners of the banquet hall.

There was a moment of stunned silence in which even Apollo seemed to stare at Tanya in shock. The god's smile seemed to freeze on his face, and Licia could see the muscles in his neck bunch with sudden tension.

Tanya's expression had also morphed, a picture of pure disdain painting itself across her face as she stared at the god with blazing eyes. "I came here in good faith, with the exact sum you requested, only to find myself subject to this? I suppose I shouldn't have expected better."

Asterin stepped forward, his ever-present smile firmly in place. "I'm not sure what you're referring to. I've been nothing but honest about what transpired in the Dungeon."

Tanya's lip curled. "You wouldn't, would you? You two have put on quite a show, I'll admit, but I have no interest in being part of it."

Apollo coughed lightly, trying to keep up the facade of magnanimity, though it was clear that Tanya's demeanor had shaken him. "My dear, I fear you're taking this too lightly. The crime you're accused of is serious."

Tanya sniffed. "No doubt. But the veracity of the accuser leaves much to be desired, wouldn't you agree?"

Before either man or god could respond, Tanya turned to face the crowd. Licia was struck by her confidence, the way she stood before gods and mortals alike without a shred of fear in her bearing. It was almost unnerving, the composure she displayed in the face of such overwhelming adversity.

"I've been told that the gods and goddesses who have so graciously deigned to live among us have the ability to sense lies," Tanya began. "But I wonder, can the same be said for omissions and half-truths?"

She paused, as if to let her words sink in, then continued in a softer tone. "If I am right in my assumptions, then I ask those of you who are capable to hear the truth in my words. I was no more responsible for Dorian's death than the man himself. He was a comrade and a tentative friend, though we may not have known each other very long. He gave his life so that Licia and I might live, and Asterin himself assisted in our escape, though he seems very intent to gloss over that fact now."

Licia's heart lifted even as murmurs rippled through the crowd. Tanya was swaying the spectacle in her favor, turning Apollo's own theatrics against him. None of the present divinity could deny that Tanya spoke truth; they knew it as surely as she knew herself.

As did Apollo. The god's face had turned sour, and even Asterin's ever-present grin had diminished somewhat.

Tanya pressed her advantage. "Asterin claims I abandoned them, and yet he conveniently fails to mention that it was Dorian who ordered Licia and I to flee while he and Asterin held the line."

She had them on the edge of their seats, hanging on her every word. And then, to Licia's surprise, Tanya turned to her.

"Tell me, Licia, when we were nearly cornered by that Hard Armored, held dead to rights by a monster even most Level Two's would have trouble with, did I abandon you?"

Licia swallowed as all eyes turned to her, including Apollo and Asterin. Her god's face was passive, but his eyes were dark, golden pits that pushed her to silence. Licia's hands shook, and she suddenly wished more than anything that she was somewhere else.

But Tanya's face was open, imploring even. She needed Licia to speak, and Licia knew in that moment that if she consigned herself to silence, she may well be consigning the girl herself to a worse fate.

So, she spoke.

"You asked me to hold it off… and then you killed it before it could kill us."

Her voice was barely a whisper, yet it reached every ear before her. Tanya's eyes flashed with gratitude, while Apollo…

Well, Licia didn't look at her god, but she knew that he was displeased with her words. She could feel it in her soul, a tingling akin to the blessing that had been reapplied to her just last night.

"And there you have it," Tanya said, satisfaction painting her tone. "Tell me, Asterin. Did you truly go to such great lengths to cherry pick your account that you'd leave out such an important event? Or did you simply omit those details to craft a more convenient narrative?"

Licia watched as heads turned toward Asterin, their expressions shifting from judgment to suspicion. The man's smile had grown brittle, his green eyes darting between Tanya and the crowd as he searched for a way to salvage his story.

"The Dungeon is a chaotic place," Asterin said finally, his voice smooth but carrying an edge of defensiveness. "Memories often become clouded in the heat of battle. All I recall is seeing your back as you left Dorian and into our fates."

"Hmm. Your recollection seems remarkably selective indeed," Tanya said smugly.

Apollo's expression darkened further, but the god was nothing if not a practiced actor. He raised a hand, silencing the murmurs that had begun to spread through the crowd like wildfire.

"Enough," he said, his voice carrying an edge that hadn't been present before. "This bickering serves no purpose. The fact remains that Dorian is dead and that regardless of the specific circumstances or any event that came after, you bear a certain responsibility."

His golden eyes fixed on Tanya, and Licia saw a flash of the possessive hunger that had always made her feel both special and uncomfortable. "I am within my rights to demand restitution."

"There's that word again. Restitution," Tanya repeated, the word dripping with scorn. "Don't you believe you've already overplayed your hand?"

The crowd stirred at her audacity. Even Loki, who had been watching with unrestrained amusement, fell silent as Tanya stepped closer to the god, seeming as gigantic as any Minotaur.

Tanya stared up at the god, her blue eyes cold and calculating. "You speak of restitution, yet you have already received one hundred thousand Valis from my hand. That was the debt you imposed upon me, and I have paid it in full. Now you invent new obligations to suit your desires."

"I invent nothing," Apollo replied, his voice hardening. "A life was lost, and that loss must be compensated."

"Then by that logic, should we not also examine Asterin's role in this tragedy?" Tanya gestured toward the blonde man. "He fought alongside Dorian, survived while Dorian did not, yet he blames me instead of himself? Does his survival not demand scrutiny, or is it simply more convenient to place all blame upon the girl with no Familia to protect her?"

The crowd murmured in agreement, their earlier judgment giving way to thoughtful consideration. Asterin's expression had grown tight, his pleasant mask beginning to show cracks.

"Asterin is a loyal member of my Familia," Apollo said carefully. "He has served me faithfully for years."

"And I am a stranger to you," Tanya agreed. "Which makes me the easier target. No allies to speak of, no god to advocate for my defense. Simply a child who happened to survive when others did not."

She's in her element. Licia watched with amazement as Tanya dismantled Apollo's argument. The girl was playing to the crowd now, appealing to their sense of fairness while expertly exposing the obvious manipulation at play. It was something that most would struggle to do—Licia certainly couldn't manage it, yet Tanya made it look effortless.

"I have paid the debt that was asked of me," Tanya continued, her voice rising slightly. Whether it was simple theatrics or genuine anger wasn't possible to tell. "I faced weeks of grueling labor in the Dungeon, overcoming monsters and near-death experiences without the benefit of a Falna or party to support me. I fulfilled my obligation, and now you seek to shackle me with new ones because the outcome was not what you desired."

Licia shifted her gaze and felt her heart drop. Apollo's smile had vanished entirely.

"You overstep," Apollo said quietly. "I have been patient with your impudence, but my patience has limits."

Tanya did not flinch at the warning. Instead, she straightened her spine and met the god's hardened gaze with one of her own.

"How generous of you to extend such patience to a girl you have never met, who owed you nothing until your followers happened across her broken body and rendered aid. How benevolent of you to administer potions she never requested and then demand payment far exceeding their actual cost."

She tilted her head in mock thought. "I wonder, how many others have found themselves in similar circumstances? How many young adventurers have been swept into this Familia's embrace because they saw no other option?"

The murmuring intensified, and Licia caught fragments of uneasy conversation. Apollo's practices were rarely well hidden. But few other gods in Orario had the pull to actually call him out on it, and none had ever done so like this.

Apollo's face darkened. "You tread dangerous ground, child."

Even as he spoke, Licia caught the tremble in his tone. Most would mistake it for anger, but Licia saw her god's unease as plain as day. This wasn't going how he thought it would.

Then again, how could he have imagined that this young slip of a girl could ever verbally joust with him, in front of such a crowd, no less. The gods in attendance were on the edge of their proverbial seats. Clearly, this was much more entertainment than they had expected when they decided to join the party.

"I speak only the truth," Tanya replied evenly. "A truth that your fellow divinities can verify with their own senses, if they care to examine my words."

"I will not be lectured on morality by a child who abandoned her companions to die," Apollo growled. "You speak of truth, yet you refuse to acknowledge your own failings. You fled and survived while better adventurers perished. That is the simple reality of what occurred."

Tanya's expression remained unchanged, but Licia caught the small flash of triumph on her face before it was hidden under that careful mask once more. "If that is the reality you wish to present, then let us settle this matter properly."

Her words were met with confused muttering as she turned to face Apollo fully, her arms coming to rest behind her back as she stared up at the god. Her childish frame suddenly seemed anything but as she drew herself up with authority, suddenly commanding the attention of every soul in the room.

"Since you seem so intent on weaving your little dramas, I propose we settle this matter properly," Tanya said. "You're familiar with War Games, I assume?"

Licia felt her breath catch. A War Game? She wanted to fight against the entire familia all on her lonesome!?

"You're not a member of a Familia," Apollo pointed out, his eyes narrowing. "You have no standing to participate in a War Game."

"You misunderstand. I'm not offering anything quite as involved, merely using it as a reference," Tanya replied evenly. "What I propose is nothing but a simple duel. A one-on-one match to settle matters once and for all. If I win, you will consider all obligations between us fulfilled. The debt is paid, and I walk away free of any further entanglements with your Familia."

Apollo studied her for a long moment, his golden eyes intent. "And if you lose?"

Tanya's expression remained placid as she met his gaze. "Then you may do with me as you wish."

Licia's stomach twisted violently at the casual way Tanya offered herself up. She was under the impression that Tanya hated the gods, yet here she was practically serving herself on a silver platter to the god she had spent so much effort trying to escape. What could be the purpose of such a reckless move? Was she simply out of options?

No, Licia forced herself to calm down. There must be some other angle she's playing.

Apollo's smile returned, bright and edged with predatory intent. "An interesting offer indeed! And who, precisely, would you duel?"

"I'm not especially picky. You may choose," Tanya replied, and there was a challenge in her voice that was impossible to ignore.

Licia instantly saw what she was doing. By giving Apollo the authority to choose her opponent instead of challenging one outright, she put the god's reputation on the line. If he chose someone too powerful, like Hyakinthos or even Daphne, people would wonder if he saw Tanya as an undue threat or even tipped the scales in his favor. On the other hand, if he chose someone too weak, he risked losing the duel and rendering this whole endeavor useless.

Apollo seemed to realize this as well, as his smile dimmed and his expression turned surprisingly pensive. He stared at Tanya for a long moment and then slowly looked around, taking in the crowd awaiting his word.

"Asterin," Apollo finally said, gesturing to the blonde man beside him. "He will be your opponent. As the accuser, it seems fitting that he should be the one to face you."

Licia's heart sank. Asterin was a Level Two and had been for over a year now. Tanya had acquitted herself well in the Dungeon, certainly, but she had no Falna, no blessing. Even that strange magic she used in the Dungeon wouldn't help her against someone so powerful.

She needed to say something. This was wrong. Licia clenched her fists and summoned every ounce of courage available to her, preparing to speak out past the knot in her throat and above the pounding in her heart, when…

"Very well," Tanya said, cutting through the rising murmurs of the crowd. "I accept."

The crowd gave a collective gasp. Even Loki and the Pallum beside her, both of whom had been watching the proceedings with interest, seemed surprised by the girl's words. Licia swallowed, the words dying in her throat as she stared at Tanya who maintained that almost infuriating composure in the face of what seemed like certain defeat.

"When will this duel occur?" Tanya asked, seemingly oblivious to the reaction her acceptance had invoked.

Apollo's face screamed imminent victory. "Let us say tomorrow morning, at dawn? That will give us all time to recoup from the festivities, and let my dear guests spread the word of this little event. I'm sure all of Orario will appreciate the spectacle!"

Tanya simply nodded, and the god turned to address the crowd, spreading his arms wide. "It seems the entertainment isn't over, my friends! Tomorrow, at first light, we shall witness justice served in the arena! I implore all of you to be there to witness it!"

Those gathered let out cheers. Here was a girl without a Falna, blatantly challenging one of the most prominent Familias in all of Orario. Many of the gods present would balk at the idea of earning the ire of the god standing before them, yet Tanya appeared to hold no such fear and in fact, seemed to openly invite Apollo's disdain!

It was ludicrous, dangerous, downright insane. And to the immortal beings who had descended to the lower world out of sheer boredom, endlessly entertaining.

The noise in the banquet hall rose exponentially as the guests chattered amongst themselves. Licia caught fragments of conversation—wagers being discussed, predictions being made, the names of potential winners being bandied about.

They were treating this as sport, Licia realized with a sick feeling in her gut. A young girl's freedom, reduced to entertainment for the masses.

She looked at Tanya, searching for some sign of fear or hesitation. But the girl simply stood there, watching Apollo with a small, satisfied smile on her face. It was the expression of someone who had just gotten exactly what they wanted.

Licia wondered if it would be the same had she known the truth.

 

[Sadguychet]

[Making a Spectacle]

News of the coming events spread across the city in the way that all big news did. By the end of the night, there wasn't a single soul in Orario that didn't know about the upcoming duel between the Apollo Familia and the young girl without a Falna or Familia to speak of.

Rumors spread like wildfire, people wondering what could have driven the God to challenge a girl like this. Others speculated, wondering if the girl had done some great slight against him and this was his revenge. Some called her brave, others called her stupid, most pitied her.

And in the basement of a rundown church, a goddess was furious.

Hestia paced the length of her home, her small fists clenched at her sides. She thought the only low of tonight would be finding out she hadn't been invited to yet another banquet, but this! This was horrible!

She knew Apollo, though not by choice. They shared a pantheon in the Upper World, and he seemed to take that as an invitation to pester her relentlessly with flirtatious remarks that could be construed as borderline sexual harassment. Still, this was a new low, even for him!

To engineer such an elaborate farce just to claim a single girl for his Familia? It was despicable. It was predatory. It was, unfortunately, exactly the sort of thing Apollo would do.

The door to the church creaked open, and Hestia's head snapped toward the sound. A familiar head of white hair appeared in the doorway, followed by the rest of Bell as he stepped inside.

"Goddess?" he called out, his red eyes finding her immediately. "Is everything alright?"

"Alright?" Hestia scoffed, throwing her hands up. "No, Bell, everything is not alright! Have you heard the news?"

Bell shook his head, closing the door behind him. "I just got back from the Dungeon. What's going on?"

Hestia explained the situation, fuming all the while. Bell quickly joined her, a deep frown marring his face as he heard the news.

"That's terrible," Bell said, his fists clenching at his sides. "Is there anything we can do for her?"

Hestia's heart swelled at the offer. This was why she loved her child. Bell heard this terrible story, and his first instinct was always to help. It was a rare quality, one that she cherished deeply.

But she couldn't let him get involved in this.

"No," she said firmly, shaking her head. "There's nothing we can do."

"But—" Bell started.

"But nothing," Hestia interrupted, her voice firm. "If we offered her a place in our Familia, it would just turn Apollo's attention onto us instead."

In truth, Hestia would like nothing more than to offer the poor girl a place in her Familia. She wouldn't ever pass up the chance to grow her family, and it would give Bell someone to help him in the Dungeon so that she wouldn't have a heart attack every time he came back injured. As it stood though...

Hestia sighed, forcing herself to set aside her frustration. There was nothing she could do for the girl now, at least not directly. Worrying about it would only drive her mad.

"But enough about that," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "How did things go today? You mentioned you had a new supporter?"

Bell's expression brightened immediately, the concerns of the evening seemingly forgotten in the face of the topic change. "Oh, Lille? We worked together for the first time today! She was a big help. I didn't realize how much energy I was wasting carrying all those stones around, and now we can carry more!"

Bell was practically glowing as he espoused about the Pallum's skills when it came to lugging materials and avoiding monster spawns. Hestia suppressed the surge of jealousy that wanted to emerge, happy that he was so animated about this.

"So things are going well, then?" She said as he took a breath.

Bell nodded enthusiastically. "She's great!"

He's growing so fast, Hestia thought, a soft smile tugging at her lips as Bell sang the praises of his new supporter.

But even as she listened to Bell's excited chatter, her mind kept drifting back to the girl whose destiny culminated tomorrow. The little slip of a girl who defied a god, and the consequences that came with that.

Be safe, Hestia thought, her heart aching for a child that wasn't hers.


~~~

"ARE YOU INSANE!?"
Syr's outburst was almost deafening, but Tanya barely glanced up from the food on her lap. It had been a few scant hours since her challenge at the Apollo Familia's estate, and she had sequestered herself in her room to prepare for tomorrow's duel. Word of mouth had already ensured that practically every ear in Orario had heard of the upcoming spectacle, and she had no intention of being harassed with so little time to prepare.

Presently, she was dearly regretting having her lunch brought to her. It seemed that Syr had some opinions of the debacle that Tanya had found herself at the center of.

"A duel against a Level Two!" Syr's voice was frantic. "Tanya, you aren't really thinking of going through with this, are you?"

"You're acting like I actively sought this outcome," Tanya said mildly as she speared a roasted potato with her fork. She held it to her face, examining it. "I was backed into a corner. It was either this, or leave myself at the whims of Apollo's little game. At least this way I have some control over my fate."

Syr stared at her, clearly not reassured in the slightest. Her hands fretted at the edge of her uniform, her face seeming frantic. "You don't have a Falna, Tanya. An experienced Level One wouldn't stand a chance against most Level Twos, and you don't even have that much going for you."

"A fact that I am well aware of, thank you," Tanya replied, popping the potato into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully, savoring the buttery flavor before swallowing. "But consider the alternative. Apollo had arranged the entire affair to corner me into joining his Familia. If I had let that whole charade continue as he planned, the debt would have been the least of my concerns."

"That doesn't mean you had to challenge one of his people to a duel!" Syr insisted, her voice rising. "There had to be another way. The Guild, maybe, or—"

"The Guild has no jurisdiction over disputes such as this; Believe me, I've checked," Tanya interrupted, setting her fork down. "And before you suggest it, fleeing the city would only delay the inevitable. Apollo has resources and reach. I would spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder."

Syr opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, her expression shifting into something more defeated. She sank onto the edge of Tanya's bed, her hands still fidgeting with the hem of her uniform. "I still think this is crazy," she muttered.

"You're entitled to your opinion," Tanya said amiably, returning to her meal. "Though I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down. I'm trying to formulate a strategy, and your shrieking is rather distracting."

Syr's expression flattened. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"I've been told." Tanya took a sip of her water, her mind already turning over the possibilities. The duel was set for dawn, which gave her roughly eighteen hours to prepare. Not ideal, but workable. She had faced worse odds with less time.

Though this is quite a bit less stressful than mobilizing an entire battalion with only a few hours notice, she thought wryly. Sometimes I wonder if the higher ups got a thrill from sending under rested men into battle against superior odds. Or maybe they just enjoyed the circus for what it was.

Would that make her the ringleader? Or the beast tamer? It was quite a chore keeping the 203rd whipped into proper shape, overly patriotic men and women that they were. She almost missed it. Almost.

Syr's frown deepened, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she sat in silence for a long moment, watching Tanya eat with an expression that was equal parts frustration and concern. It was almost touching, in a way, though Tanya wasn't exactly sure what she'd done to earn such fretting from the woman.

A kind soul, this one, Tanya mused as she took another bite of her quickly cooling meal.

"Do you at least have a plan?" Syr asked finally. "For the duel, I mean."

Tanya paused mid-chew, considering the question. She swallowed before responding. "I have several, actually. Though their viability depends largely on what Asterin brings to the table."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Asterin is a known quantity," Tanya explained, setting her fork down and reaching for her water glass. "I've seen him fight, down in the Dungeon. He clearly prefers speed over power, and his skill with that rapier is nothing to be scoffed at. The question is whether he'll fight conservatively or aggressively."

Syr tilted her head. "Does it matter?"

"It matters a great deal," Tanya said. "A conservative opponent is predictable. They'll hang back, test my defenses, and look for openings. An aggressive one will press the attack from the start, hoping to overwhelm me before I can mount a proper response." She took a sip of her water. "Given the circumstances, I expect Asterin to be the latter. He has an audience to play to, and a god to impress so I imagine he'll want to end this quickly to show me the disparity between our powers."

"That doesn't sound good for you," Syr pointed out.

"It isn't," Tanya agreed readily. "But an aggressive approach has its own drawbacks. Fighters who press to end things quickly often find themselves floundering when their stratagem fails, leaving themselves vulnerable to counterattacks. If I can survive the initial assault and force him into making a mistake, I might have a chance."

"Might" was the operative word. Syr's expression tightened as she caught that, but she didn't comment on it.

A sharp knock at the door cut through the conversation, and both women turned toward the sound. Tanya set her fork down, her brow furrowing.

"Miss Degurechaff?" a voice called from the other side, soft but intent. One of the staff. "There's someone here to see you."

Tanya exchanged a glance with Syr. "Did she give a name?"

"Licia, miss."

Syr's eyes widened, and Tanya felt her own surprise mirror the other woman's expression. She hadn't expected to hear from the newly-leveled adventurer so soon, if at all. What in the world could she want?

"Send her up," Tanya called out, then turned to Syr. "Would you mind giving us a moment?"

Syr nodded hesitantly and slipped out of the room with one last concerned glance toward Tanya. Licia appeared in the doorway only a scant minute or two later. She looked exhausted, her eyes shadowed with dark circles and her skin paler than Tanya remembered. She was dressed simply, bereft of any armor or weapon or in fact anything that would mark her as an adventurer.

Licia's hands fidgeted at her sides, and she hovered at the threshold as if uncertain whether she was welcome.

"May I come in?" She asked quietly.

Tanya gestured to the chair near her desk. "Please."

Licia entered hesitantly, her eyes flickering around the small room before settling on the chair Tanya had indicated. She moved to it with ginger steps, as if she was scared the floor might give out beneath her. When she sat, it was on the very edge of the seat, her back rigid and her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Licia's mouth opened and closed several times, as if the words she wanted to say were fighting to get out but kept losing the battle. Tanya watched her patiently, allowing the silence to stretch as she finished her dinner.

"I'm sorry," Licia finally blurted out, the words tumbling from her mouth as if she had been holding them in for days. "I should have said something at the banquet. I should have told everyone the truth about what happened in the Dungeon, but I just... I couldn't."

Tanya studied the woman for a moment, noting the way her shoulders hunched and her eyes refused to meet hers. The guilt was written plainly across her face, in the tight press of her lips and the redness around her eyes.

"You were in a difficult position," Tanya said, waving a hand dismissively. "Dorian's death put you in an impossible situation and Apollo used your grief to manipulate the narrative. I don't blame you for keeping quiet when speaking out would have likely done more harm than good."

Licia's expression crumpled, a small whine escaping her throat. "That doesn't make it right! I should have—"

"You did what was necessary," Tanya interrupted the pity party. "Apollo is your god, and defying him publicly would have accomplished nothing except drawing his ire. I understand your position, and I'm glad that you answered my question when prompted. It was more than most would have done."

Licia stared at her for a long moment, her expression shifting. She let out a slow breath that seemed to release some of the tension that was holding her upright. Tanya waited for her to gather herself.

Licia's hands tightened in her lap, her knuckles whitening as she gripped her own fingers. The relief that had briefly softened her features faded, replaced by something harder, more resolute. She met Tanya's gaze directly for the first time since entering the room.

"I... I need to tell you something," Licia said slowly. It was clear from the tremor in her voice that she wasn't sure of herself here, yet she continued regardless. "I should have told you yesterday but I couldn't or else... I couldn't. But I can now. You need to know."

Tanya leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Go on."

Licia swallowed hard, her throat bobbing visibly. "It's about Dorian."

Tanya listened to Licia's confession, her eyebrows growing higher with every word. Licia spilled her heart, barely able to contain her guilt as she spoke, and when it was over, she fell silent, clearly awaiting judgment.

But Tanya gave her no such thing. No, the young soldier was much more preoccupied with processing the valuable information that had been given to her.

So that's how it is.... A vicious smile slowly spread across Tanya's face. It seems you've overplayed your hand yet again, Apollo. Now it's my turn.

It wasn't exactly a world shattering revelation, and Tanya had admittedly already had a suspicion, but the confirmation was worth its weight in gold.

And she intended to leverage every ounce.

---

The coliseum stood in the plains surrounding Orario, a relic of a bygone era when such exhibitions were more common. It was a massive structure of weathered stone and crumbling arches, its ancient seats stretching toward the morning sky in concentric rings. Once, it had hosted grand spectacles—War Games and tournament bouts that drew crowds from across the continent. Now, it mostly sat empty, a monument to forgotten glory.
But not today.

Today, it felt as if the entire city had descended upon the old arena. Gods and mortals alike streamed through the gates, filling the seats until not a single spot remained empty. The noise was tremendous—a cacophony of excited chatter, heated arguments, and the general hubbub of thousands of people packed into too small a space. Hawkers moved through the crowd hawking food and drink, while opportunistic bookmakers called out odds from makeshift stations set up along the walls.

Loki lounged in her seat with her feet propped up on the chair in front of her. Nobody was sitting there, allowing an unobstructed view of the arena floor and more than enough room to stretch out as she wished.

"This place sure is lively," she said to the Pallum to her right. Her foot ticked from side to side like a metronome as she listened to the roar of the spectators around them. "You'd think they were giving away free booze the way these people are acting."

Finn sat beside her, straight-backed as he stared down at the arena floor.

"It's been quite a while since we've had an event like this," he pointed out. "Of course people are excited. It's not every day one girl challenges a god and his entire familia."

"True, true." Loki's grin widened as she spotted a pair of gods she recognized in the crowd below. "And you know how we love our drama. Half of these people probably don't even care who wins. Though the other half are probably chewing nails over their bets."

"Are you hedging your own bets?" Tiona asked, leaning over Loki's right shoulder.

"I've got a bit of action going on," Loki said noncommittally. "I get the feeling there's gonna be a lot of sour gods by the time everything is said and done."

Loki's eyes drifted toward the arena floor, where a small figure could be seen standing alone at one end. Even from this distance, Loki could make out the blonde hair and diminutive stature of the girl who had captured Apollo's attention.

"Ooh, that's some fancy armor," she said, noting the shiny pieces attached to the girl's torso and arms. The entire ensemble was on the lighter side, made of mostly leather with some metal interspersed here and there. It was clearly built for speed rather than complete protection.

"Psh, looks pretty flimsy to me," Tione snorted from behind them, her arms crossed over her chest. "One good hit and she's done."

"Don't be so sure," Finn murmured, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the arena floor. "That girl has a way of surprising people."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The voice came from off to the side, dripping with distaste. Loki turned to find Hestia standing in the aisle, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl marring her pretty features. Beside her stood a white-haired boy with red eyes that seemed to take in everything around him with wide-eyed wonder.

"Well, well," Loki drawled, a grin spreading across her face. "If it isn't the little loli goddess. Didn't think this was your kind of scene."

"It isn't," Hestia sniffed, lifting her chin. "I'm here because someone has to show support for that poor girl."

Loki snorted at the perceived insult. "What kind of support can you offer miss homeless? You don't even have enough members to field a proper Familia."

Her eyes slid to the side where a boy with white hair was trembling just behind Hestia. He hovered near her almost protectively, though it was clear that he had no idea what to do in this situation.

"Who's this? Did you finally go and knab yourself some poor kid off the street?"

"Bell is a member of my Familia!" Hestia puffed up her chest, and Loki had to refrain from twitching. "He's my first child, and a million times more impressive than any of yours!"

"Ho?" Loki's grin widened as she leaned forward in her seat, propping her chin on her hand. "Looks like someone got a big head. Don't let success get to you, Hestia. You'll be even more lopsided."

Hestia's cheeks puffed with anger and she looked about ready to launch herself at Loki. Beside her, rabbit boy's eyes had shifted away from the spectacle to a spot just to Loki's right where Ais was sitting.

Another star-struck rookie, Loki snorted mentally even as she carried on the argument with Hestia.

It was almost pathetic how every male adventurer within a hundred-meter radius seemed to lose their minds the moment Ais entered the picture. This Bell kid was no different, judging by the way he was practically vibrating just at the sight of her.

"Bell?," Hestia noticed her child's attention and waved a hand in front of his face irritably. "Hello? What are you staring at?"

Bell blinked, seemingly coming back to himself. "O-oh! Uh, nothing, Goddess!"

Hestia's eyes narrowed and she followed his gaze, but before she could set her sights on Ais, a voice boomed through the coliseum, cutting through the chatter of the crowd like a knife.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! GODS AND MORTALS ALIKE!"

"It's starting," Ais said as the crowd cried and cheered.

Hestia grabbed her child's arm and pulled him away. "Come on, Bell! Let's find somewhere with better company and less empty chests."

Loki and Hestia glared at one another as the latter goddess stomped away with her protesting Familia in tow.

~~~
The roar of the crowd washed over Tanya, thousands of voices blending into a single wall of sound that rumbled the ground beneath her feet and shook dirt from the walls around her. She stood at the edge of the arena, her eyes sweeping across the sea of faces that filled the stands above. There were at least a few thousand of them, each and every one of them waiting to see her flounder against impossible odds.

Quite the spectacle, she thought dryly. Just as Apollo wanted. It feels as if the entire city is here to watch the end of our little drama play out.

Tanya shifted her shoulders, feeling the unfamiliar weight of her new equipment settle against her body. The armor fit strangely, covering far more than the scavenged pieces she had grown accustomed to over the past few weeks. Since the circumstances of her debt had changed rather dramatically, she had seen fit to redirect every cent of the hundred thousand Valis toward gearing up for this duel. If she won, her debt would be absolved. If she lost, it wouldn't matter how much money she had anyway.

Her battered cuirass had been replaced with a fresh one of similar make, the metal polished to a dull sheen and fitted properly to her petite frame. Beneath it, the simple shirt she normally wore had been swapped for leather armor, while gloves and vambraces covered her hands and forearms, providing protection in case she overextended during an exchange. A hooded cloak had been thrown over the whole ensemble, serving the dual purpose of additional protection while also disguising her silhouette in battle.

Her Luger was strapped to her thigh, hidden beneath the fold of her cloak where it wouldn't be immediately visible to her opponent or the crowd. Both her saber and knife were holstered at her waist, both maintained and sharpened for the occasion.

A small knot of anxiety sat in her chest, cold and tight, but she forced it down with ease. She had faced worse odds than this, in another life and another world. The pressure of imminent death, the chaos of battle, the crushing weight of responsibility for the lives under her command—these were familiar companions.

I always work best under pressure, she thought wryly. What greater pressure could there be than the threat of indentured servitude?

She rolled her neck, feeling the vertebrae pop softly, and settled into a relaxed stance as a gate began to open across the arena.

Asterin emerged from the gate across the arena with measured steps, his rapier already drawn and held loosely at his side. The morning light caught his blonde hair, held in a neat braid, and glinted off the polished metal of his armor. He looked every bit the confident warrior—relaxed, assured, and entirely at ease in the face of what the crowd clearly believed would be a one-sided slaughter.

He stopped at the center of the arena, his eyes finding Tanya's immediately. That pleasant smile was firmly in place, though Tanya was beginning to wonder if he was capable of forming another expression.

"Miss Degurechaff," he greeted, his voice smooth and carrying easily across the distance between them. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to actually go through with this. Most would have simply accepted Lord Apollo's generous offer."

"I've found that few things labeled 'generous' from gods are ever truly so," Tanya replied, her own voice flat.

Asterin's smile didn't waver. "You have a strange way of looking at the world. Such vitriol makes me wonder what could have happened in your short life to make you so capable of hate on par with the most grizzled veteran."

Tanya's lips curled into a thin smile. "I could ask you the same thing. You wear that pleasant mask so well, Asterin. One might almost believe you actually care about the people around you."

The comment landed, though Asterin's expression didn't shift by so much as a fraction. His green eyes remained fixed on her face, watchful and assessing.

"I cared deeply for Dorian," he said, his tone still pleasant but carrying an edge now. "He was a good man, and his death weighs heavily upon me."

"Does it?" Tanya tilted her head, letting her smile widen slightly. "Strange. You didn't seem particularly weighed down when you were spinning your little tale at the banquet. Are you so used to your comrades falling that you can't even afford to shed tears for a dear friend?"

Asterin's smile tightened almost imperceptibly, the muscles around his eyes bunching in a way that most would miss entirely. But Tanya had spent lifetimes reading the faces of men who thought themselves far more clever than they actually were.

"I grieve in my own way," Asterin said smoothly. "Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeve like a fool."

"No," Tanya agreed. "But you're certainly wearing something."

Before Asterin could respond, a new voice cut through the roar of the crowd.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

Apollo's voice rang out across the coliseum, amplified by some means that Tanya didn't care to understand. The crowd's roar intensified as the god appeared at the commentator's box overlooking the arena, his arms spread wide in a gesture of welcome. He was dressed in flowing robes of white and gold, his red hair styled to perfection, every inch the benevolent deity welcoming his subjects to a grand spectacle.

"Welcome to this morning's entertainment!" Apollo called out, his golden eyes sweeping across the assembled crowd. "Today, we shall witness justice served! A duel to settle a matter of honor and debt!"

Tanya kept her expression neutral as the crowd cheered. Apollo was playing to his audience, crafting a narrative that cast him as the wronged party seeking fair restitution. The truth, of course, was considerably more sordid.

"In this corner, representing the honor of the Apollo Familia, I present Asterin Hanthor! Level Two adventurer, skilled swordsman, and loyal servant of the sun!"

Asterin raised his rapier in acknowledgment, drawing a fresh wave of applause from the crowd.

"And in the opposite corner, the challenger! Tanya Degurechaff, solo adventurer, unaffiliated and unblessed!"

The response to Tanya's introduction was considerably more muted. A few scattered cheers, some boos, and a great deal of murmuring. She stood motionless, letting the crowd's reaction wash over her without response.

"The rules are simple!" Apollo continued, his voice carrying across the arena. "The duel ends when one combatant is rendered unable to continue, either through surrender or incapacitation. No killing blows: this is a matter of honor, not execution. Any questions?"

Both fighters remained silent.

"Then let the duel begin!"

The declaration hung in the air for a single heartbeat. Then Asterin moved.

He was even faster than Tanya had expected, even accounting for the enhanced abilities granted by his Falna. One moment he was standing at the center of the arena, and the next he was closing the distance between them with rapier extended. The blade gleamed in the morning light as it lashed out in a thrust so straight, it may as well have been laser guided.

Tanya twisted to the side just in time, feeling the wind of the rapier's passage brush against her cheek. The attack had been aimed at her shoulder, a probing strike designed to test her reflexes rather than end the fight outright. She countered with a slash of her saber, but Asterin was already retreating, dancing back out of range just as she got her wits about her.

Fast, Tanya noted, rolling her shoulders as she settled into a defensive stance. And cautious. He's not committing to any attacks.

"A quick little thing, aren't you?" Asterin observed, his pleasant smile never faltering. "I can see why you've survived this long in the Dungeon."

"Proper preparation can make up for many shortcomings," Tanya said pointedly. Asterin's eyes narrowed and he shifted his foot, and that was the only indication Tanya was given before he was upon her again.

Tanya thought herself prepared, but still she had trouble keeping up with the resulting onslaught of blows raining down upon her. She parried the first strike with the sound of ringing steel, stepped once to the side and turned to let the second blow her cloak aside, and brought a hand to her face to hastily deflect a third with her vambrace.

The metal rang and her much smaller arm was pushed aside with the force of Asterin's blow, yet he did press the advantage and skewer her through the opening in her guard. Instead, his movements seemed to become a mite slower as she rallied and brought her saber back up in a retaliatory posture. Only then, did he begin to move at speed again, slipping past her blade as it whistled through the air.

Tanya's eyes narrowed as she saw this. She pivoted on her heel, her boots kicking up a cloud of dust as she turned and threw the bulk of her cloak in his direction like a matador blinding a bull. Asterin stepped just out of range of the fabric, eyes widening a mere fraction as Tanya came up from below, clutching her knife in one hand and her saber in the other.

"Dual wielding?" He sounded a bit surprised as he ducked to the side, letting her knife whisper past his jaw. Tanya stepped and lunged, bringing her sword towards his side and grimacing as he caught the edge on his rapier like it was nothing. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"A spirited exchange!" Apollo's voice rang out across the arena, his tone carrying a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Who would have thought an unblessed girl could hold her own against a Level Two? Perhaps there's more to our young challenger than meets the eye!"

Tanya's jaw tightened even as the crowd roared in response to his commentary. Apollo's words were meant just as much for Asterin as they were for the spectators—a reminder to drag things out, to make a show of this rather than ending it quickly. The god wanted her humiliated, wanted to draw out her defeat until the entire city could watch her squirm.

As if I'd make it that easy for you, Tanya thought viciously.

As if on cue, Asterin's movements slowed by the barest fraction. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Tanya had been watching for it. When he attacked her this time, his attacks were flashier, his footwork more elaborate, each motion designed to showcase his skill rather than actually press his advantage.

And in doing so, he left an opening.

Tanya lunged forward, her saber slashing at a speed that Asterin could have easily dodged with his abilities. But his deliberate deceleration cost him, and the blade caught the edge of his chestplate with a shriek of metal against metal. Sparks flew as the steel skittered across the polished surface, leaving a long scratch that was ultimately cosmetic, but might as well have been a mortal wound for the way the crowd reacted.

The spectators roared with excitement, their voices rising in a crescendo of shock and delight. Asterin danced back, his green eyes dropping to the scratch on his armor before rising back to meet Tanya's gaze. His smile remained firmly in place, but there was something colder beneath it now.

"Impressive," he complimented. "You've drawn first blood—or would have, had that been flesh instead of steel."

"Thank your footwork," Tanya replied, rolling her shoulders as she settled back into her stance, knife hand behind her back and the other pointing her sword at the center of his chest. "You're overconfident."

"Perhaps I'm simply savoring the moment. After all, it's not every day one gets to perform before such an appreciative audience."

He gestured broadly to the crowd, drawing a fresh wave of cheers. The man was playing to them, just as his god desired.

Good, Tanya thought, feeling a tendril of satisfaction curl in her chest.

Tanya circled slowly, keeping Asterin at the edge of her range. The crowd wanted drama. They wanted surprise. They wanted an underdog story worth telling.

She intended to give them all a show they wouldn't soon forget.

 

[Sadguychet]

[Athiest's Benediction]

Freya would normally never be caught attending such a spectacle. Violence for entertainment's sake did little to rouse her curiosity, no matter how skilled the combatants. After all, she could normally see how things would play with a mere glance at the competitors.

But today was a special occasion. One of the fighters down below had managed to capture her attention in a way a seldom few could ever claim.

Tanya Degurechaff... The girl had been of interest to Freya the moment the goddess laid eyes on her, and not just for her admittedly intriguing personality. That she spoke with the prose and intonations of a woman thrice her age was only mildly interesting to Freya, for the goddess's discerning eye had picked her out for the gem she was at but a glance.

And oh, what a radiant gem indeed. Freya had seen countless souls over countless millennia, souls as brilliant as the stars and as filthy as the dirtiest dung heap, yet none were quite like Tanya's. It was as if someone had laid the finest gemstones upon her very being, layer upon layer—lifetimes held tightly together as if experienced in a single moment, and laid bare only for Freya's eyes to truly behold. There were stains, certainly, but the flaws only added to the brilliance that leaked through.

It wasn't quite as radiant or pure as her beloved's soul, of course, but Freya was not one to turn away from a treasure once presented.

And as always, Apollo seeks to tarnish it, Freya fought the frown that wished to make an appearance on her delicate face.

She turned her mind away from the anger the sun god's actions inspired and leaned forward in her seat, her violet eyes fixed on the arena floor. Tanya had been doing an admirable job holding Asterin off despite being outmatched in every conceivable metric of combat, and her very soul seemed to brim with an unsinkable confidence despite the odds stacked against her.

"How fascinating," Freya tittered. "She doesn't fear him at all."

Ottar sat beside her, silent and stoic as ever. The hulking warrior's eyes tracked the movements in the arena below, though he offered no commentary.

"What do you think, Ottar?" Freya asked without looking away from the fight. "Can she win?"

The Captain of the Freya Familia considered the question for a long moment. "The Level Two is superior in speed, strength, and experience," he said finally. "He should win handily. And yet..."

"Yet?" Freya prodded.

Ottar's brow furrowed slightly, an impressive display of emotion for the normally stoic warrior. "She fights as if she has already won."

Freya felt her lips curve. Her Ottar was perceptive, as always.

---

Down below Tanya was of the mind that this was going according to plan. That was, until a rather large rock found itself under her boot, causing her to stumble mid lunge.

Asterin showcased his honed battle instincts and capitalized on the opening immediately. His rapier flashed as he thrust the tip straight towards her eye. Tanya, thinking he sought to blind her for mere spectacle, twisted desperately to try and move out of the way, but she wasn't quite fast enough.

Asterin's blade scored flesh, drawing a thin line across her cheek. He had diverted his strike at the last moment, landing a glancing blow on her face. Blood welled immediately from the cut, weeping freely from the fresh mark on her pale skin.

The crowd erupted as first blood was drawn, and Tanya sprung back well out of range.

She lifted a hand to her wound and could tell that the scratch was superficial at best. The abnormal amount of blood gushing from the wound was simply due to her raised blood pressure. It wouldn't even scar.

Asterin stepped back, lowering his rapier slightly as he regarded her. "You've fought admirably," he said, his voice carrying across the arena. "But I think we both know how this ends. Concede now, and we can end this charade here."

The crowd booed his proclamation, their bloodlust at an all time high after the most recent exchange. Tanya knew that Asterin's words were nothing but crowd work and didn't even give him a response, gathering herself as she pointed her blade in his direction and circled him slowly.

Sweat taped her hair to her forehead and her body was sweltering underneath the armor and cloak. This battle had been going on for less than ten minutes, yet it felt like an eternity for all that had been accomplished. Tanya had to give Asterin credit, he was excellent at making a weaker opponent feel as if they had a fighting chance. He traded blows with her as if they were on the same level, leaving openings in his guard and reacting just in time when Tanya took the initiative.

To the crowd, it probably looked like a dance of death, two equal fighters giving it their all. Tanya merely felt like she was being led around like a lion being made to jump through flaming hoops.

Asterin took her lack of response as refusal and began to circle her as well, keeping her well in his field of vision as they prowled around the arena like a pair of dueling dogs. Tanya's jaw clenched as blood dripped from the cut and down towards her neck. It stung, but the pain cut through the haze of battle that threatened to overtake her, grounding her in the moment.

"You must understand that this is futile," Asterin said almost conversationally. He gestured towards her and then to the crowd around them. "You've done an admirable job of holding your own this far, but your chances of victory dwindle more with every moment. I can already see you beginning to tire, while my fingers aren't even beginning to hurt from holding my sword."

"And yet you haven't won yet," Tanya commented, wiping away blood with the back of her glove. Her eyes bored into his, sharp and intent. "One might think that you have a goal other than simply winning our little bout. Or are you simply stalling until your god orders you to end this farce? Apollo is lucky to have such a faithful dog in his retinue."

Her words were meant to incense and that was exactly what they did. Asterin's anger appeared in the tightening of his smile and the subtle flaring in his nose, tiny indications that were invisible at a glance but glaring to Tanya who had been carefully watching him for a reaction of any sort.

He lunged forward, steel flashing as he brought his weapon to bear, but Tanya had been waiting for it. She ducked low, bringing her knife up towards her face as he closed the distance between them in a blink.

Sparks rained down upon dirt like falling stars as the teeth of Tanya's knife scraped against the length of Asterin's blade. Tanya's arm shook at the force of the thrust, so much stronger than any strike that Asterin had levied upon her thus far. Her comment must have struck a nerve.

Tanya continued forward, letting her knife fall behind her head as Asterin's thrust carried him behind her. She twisted, her saber cutting through the air in a wide arc towards his unguarded side in what should have been the first definitive blow of the battle, but in that single moment, Asterin turned around, suddenly facing towards her.

Tanya's saber slammed into the thin blade of the Level Two's rapier and didn't move an inch further. Dirt and dust billowed around them from the short exchange, and Tanya leveled a smug smile at the adventurer who stared back at her with a frustrated expression. She had forced him to stop holding back, if just for an instant. An unblessed little girl had forced this veteran adventurer to use his full strength in front of an audience of thousands.

"How embarrassing for you," she sneered, eyes gleaming maliciously behind golden lashes. Asterin's jaw clenched, his signature smile nowhere to be found, before he suddenly moved again.

Between blinks, the man's foot lashed out and connected solidly with Tanya's chest. Her eyes widened as the hit rocked her core, before she was sent tumbling away from the sheer force of the strike. Her cloak bunched around her as she rolled, coming to a stop on her knees several yards away.

Asterin didn't give her a moment to breathe, surging forward with murder in his eyes. Tanya dove to the side as his rapier came down upon her, pinning her cloak to the ground. She turned on her knees, lashing out with her saber towards his kidneys, but his hand shot out and caught her thin wrist in an iron grip before she could even come close.

"Your mouth is starting to annoy me," Asterin growled, his pleasant mask slipping entirely. "Did you truly think you could goad me into making a mistake? I've fought many monsters who would destroy you without even trying."

Tanya grit her teeth as his grip ground against the bones in her wrist. She stared coldly into his eyes, taking in the burning fury held just a few feet away. He was finally beginning to lose his composure.

"Perhaps," Tanya conceded, her voice slightly strained. "But you've still failed to finish this fight, and your gloating does you no favors as far as actual battle is concerned."

Before Asterin could respond, Tanya's knife, still clutched in her left hand, shot upward toward the man's extended arm. The blade caught him along the forearm, slicing through the sleeve of his fine clothes and drawing a thin line of red.

Asterin hissed in surprise and released her, stumbling back and taking his rapier with him as he stared at the wound. It wasn't deep, certainly not debilitating, but the sight of his own blood seemed to shock him more than any injury could.

Tanya didn't waste the opening. She rolled to her feet, putting distance between them as she brought her saber back up into a defensive position. Blood dripped from her cheek and her chest ached from the kick, but her eyes remained sharp and calculating.

"First blood was mine," Asterin said coldly, watching the red stain spread across his sleeve. "But you've drawn second. Congratulations."

"I'd rather have victory than accolades," Tanya replied.

"Then you shall have neither." Asterin's rapier came up, his stance shifting into something more serious. "I had hoped to make this entertaining for the crowd, but you've proven yourself unworthy of such consideration."

"How gracious of you."

Asterin moved, and this time, Tanya staggered to keep up. His rapier cut through the air in a series of blindingly fast thrusts, each one aimed at a vital point. Tanya parried what she could, dodged what she couldn't, and felt the wind of several strikes brush against her skin as they passed within inches of flesh.

A thrust toward her throat and Tanya twisted, feeling the blade part the air beside her neck. A slash toward her arm and she brought her saber up, the impact sending vibrations through her entire body. A feint toward her legs followed by a real thrust toward her chest had her dive to the side, hitting the ground hard and rolling back to her feet.

The crowd's roar reached a fever pitch as they sensed the shift in momentum, the way the battle was turning against Tanya in only a few precious moments.

But Asterin was still holding back. It certainly wasn't as obvious as before, but it was clear that he wasn't giving it his all. If before, he had staggered his abilities to match her, now he had raised them to a few steps above her. He thought it made him insurmountable, but Tanya was no stranger to fighting stronger foes, and that fact would be his undoing.

Already she could see him becoming confident in his current strength. Practical strikes gave way to showy flourishes and fancy footwork as he unconsciously began to play with her for the crowd's enjoyment. A strike that could have easily pierced her stomach and ended the duel instead skittered along her chestplate, diverted at the last second with a subtle flick of the wrist. Strikes that should have resulted in his victory became superficial, and they quickly fell into the exact same rhythm as before, albeit this time skewed well in his favor.

But Tanya could feel herself tiring. The duel had been ongoing for nearly half an hour and her stamina was beginning to wane. Every parry sent shockwaves through her arms, every dodge cost her precious breath, and every exchange left her more drained than the last. Her body, despite her conditioning, was still that of a child, and she was battling a grown man. If she didn't end this soon, she wouldn't be able to.

Now or never, Tanya thought, watching him circle her with that infuriating smile firmly back in place.

"I can see you growing tired," the man said. "How much longer do you think you can keep this up?"

"As long as necessary."

"Brave words." Asterin lunged forward, his rapier leading. "But bravery won't save you."

Tanya parried the thrust, but the impact sent her staggering back. Her arms trembled from the force, her grip on her saber loosening for just a moment, and that was all Asterin needed. His free hand shot out, catching her across the face with a backhand that rattled her skull. The blow sent her sprawling, her saber slipping from her grasp as she hit the ground hard.

What strength, she thought dazedly, feeling the throb of what would surely become a spectacular bruise. He almost broke my jaw.

She turned to find Asterin stood over her, his shadow falling across her prone form. He had sheathed his rapier, apparently considering the fight all but over.

"Stay down," he said, his voice carrying across the silent arena. "You've lost. There's no shame in conceding to a superior opponent."

Tanya shook the stars from her head, glaring up at him. "Think yourself superior, do you?"

"It's accurate, no?" Asterin gave her a patronizing look. "For all your skill, you're still an arrogant child fighting an adult. Your resilience and attitude are impressive, but they will only take you so far. Prolonging this duel any more would be pointless and I'm quickly losing the stomach needed to keep kicking you around."

Tanya spat blood onto the ground, surprised that a tooth didn't join it. She looked up at Asterin, haloed by the sun in the sky and smiling down at her with cold eyes.

"I'm not prolonging anything," she breathed. "I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what? A miracle?"

"No," Tanya's lips curved into a bloody smile as her hand tightened around the handle of her knife, hidden underneath her cloak. "I was waiting for my pompous opponent to start running his mouth again."

The glowing edge of Tanya's knife sliced straight through the cloak. The mana blade parted cloth like water, and leather armor just the same. Thick as the edge of an atom and angled just so, it sliced straight through Asterin's meager protection and into the meat of his thigh.

Blood welled freely, spurting in thick burst to land upon the sunbaked dirt. Asterin stumbled backwards, his leg nearly giving out from underneath him as Tanya rolled to her feet and the crowd roared around them.

Asterin's mouth opened, shock written across his face as he stared at the wound. "You—!"

Tanya surged forward, her knife leading as she pressed the advantage. The mana blade wavered and died as Tanya let go of the hold on her magic but it wasn't needed. Asterin stumbled back, his rapier coming up in a desperate parry that sent sparks showering between them when steel met steel.

The crowd screamed with excitement at the sudden shift in momentum. Those who had been booing Tanya's prone form moments before were now on their feet, their voices raised in a cacophony of shock and exhilaration at the girl's second wind. In the stands, Apollo himself watched with wide eyes as the tiny slip of a girl began pushing back his adventurer with the viciousness of a hoplite on his last legs.

Asterin's face had gone pale, his green eyes fixed on the wound in his thigh. Blood continued to flow freely, staining his fine clothes and pooling in the dirt beneath his feet. The injury was deep and though it hadn't caught an artery as Tanya had hoped, it still made standing a challenge, much less moving as he was only moments before.

Tanya pressed her advantage. Armed with only her knife and her saber far out of reach, the girl used everything she had to push Asterin back. Her bloody teeth clenched hard enough to hurt and sweat rolled freely down her face as she ducked, parried, and struck out at the taller adventurer, never letting him rest or recompose himself.

She fought with the desperation of a rabid animal, striking out at every fatal point she knew. Lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, throat, nothing was off limits. By the rules of the duel, killing her opponent was forbidden and would net her more trouble, but Tanya knew that anything less than a potential deathblow would allow Asterin to strike back and she couldn't allow that. Not yet.

As Tanya drove Asterin back, her mind slipped away from the moment and dipped into the well of magical equations that she had taken for granted every day in the Empire. The calculations didn't come easily to her, especially when compared to the admittedly simple formula her mana blade required, but it came all the same. Magic and math slowly melded together under her will and mind, requiring every ounce of concentration she could muster while simultaneously fighting for her life. If she didn't manage this, Asterin would recover and then the duel was lost, and so was she.

The magic ran through her body, pooling in her core as she worked through the formula. It was like trying to solve a complex equation while running a marathon. Her mind strained under the dual demands, sweat rolling down her face as she forced herself to maintain both the spell and the physical effort of keeping Asterin on the back foot.

But Asterin was rallying. Despite the wound in his thigh and the blood loss that should have slowed him, the man's fury seemed to be granting him a second wind. His attacks became less refined, abandoning the technique he had displayed earlier in favor of raw aggression.

He caught Tanya across the waist with a glancing blow, the edge of his rapier slicing through her leather armor and drawing a thin line of red. She gasped at the pain but didn't stop, twisting away before he could press the advantage.

"You think you're clever?" Asterin snarled, limping forward. "You've made a mockery of me with your tricks. A wretch like you doesn't deserve to join our Familia! Dorian should never have given himself for the likes of you!"

Golden strands of hair rained upon the floor as his rapier came inches from carving a wicked smile into Tanya's neck. Blue eyes flashed in silent victory as Tanya danced away. There it was.

"I'd like to think he'd have been happy that Licia and I made it out of the dungeon safely," Tanya said, "Maybe I'll pay him a visit once this business is concluded to relay the good news."

Asterin's eyes widened minutely but he slowly drew closer, dragging his leg. "You mean to join him in death, then?"

Tanya snorted, "Well I could hardly say that. After all, I'd say there are easier ways to speak to a man who's been locked up in your estate like a fairy tale princess waiting for a prince. Tell me, what would the good people around us think if they knew they were victims of your god's little pathetic pantomime?"

Asterin's face drew pale and his lips twisted to reveal teeth. "Shut your mouth!"

"Licia surprised me with the news, I must admit," Tanya continued, heedless of his words and panicked expression. "Though I had my suspicions. I did find it a bit strange that you never explicitly said Dorian was dead. Oh, Apollo said it plenty, but then, gods can't read other gods intentions, can they?"

"I said shut up!" Asterin roared, but it was already too late. The crowd, so focused on the final moments of the duel that they had gone silent in their attention, had heard her words clearly.

The whispers began almost immediately, spreading through the stands like a virus. Gods and mortals alike turned to one another, their earlier enthusiasm for the fight replaced by confused murmuring. Apollo's face, visible from his position in the commentator's box, had gone rigid with barely concealed fury.

Asterin lunged forward, murder in his eyes, and Tanya made her move.

Her knife left her hand before Asterin had closed half the distance between them. The blade spun end over end, a flash of steel in the morning light, and Asterin's body reacted on pure instinct. His rapier came up, deflecting the projectile and sending it spinning away into the dirt.

But the throw had served its purpose. For a single, precious moment, Asterin's attention had been diverted, his attack halted to deflect the unexpected projectile. In that moment, Tanya's hand closed around the grip of her Luger, hidden beneath her cloak since the duel's beginning.

She drew the weapon in a single fluid motion, her arm extending as she took aim not at Asterin, but at the ground at his feet. Her finger found the trigger and squeezed.

A deafening bang exploded across the arena. The sound startled spectators out of their seats and even the veteran adventurers among them seemed disturbed by the sharp crack that echoed off of the wall.

Asterin threw himself back just as a bolt of green energy slammed into the ground at his feet. The Artillery Spell Tanya had so carefully wrapped around her bullet unraveled in an instant, exploding with a boom that shook the very walls of the stadium. Dirt and debris billowed upward in a thick cloud, obscuring the arena floor and swallowing both combatants from view.

Gasps rippled through the stands, followed by a rising tide of exclamations as spectators leapt to their feet, craning their necks to see through the thick haze of dust.

"Was was that? She had something in her hand!"

"I saw it! It was a gun!"

"A gun? Don't be ridiculous; no gun could do that kind of damage."

"It must have been a spell, right? How is she casting spells without a Falna?"

"Who cares what it was! I can't see the fight anymore!"

In the commentator's box, Apollo had risen from his seat, his golden eyes fixed on the cloud of dust with an expression that bordered on fury. Beside him, members of his Familia leaned forward in their seats, their faces a mixture of shock and apprehension.

The dust began to settle at the edges, thinning just enough to reveal glimpses of the arena floor. Asterin stood at the edge of the blast radius, his rapier raised and his eyes darting through the haze.

Asterin's eyes narrowed as he peered into the swirling cloud of dust and debris. The haze was thick, obscuring everything beyond a few feet, and the crowd's murmurs of confusion only added to the chaos.

"More cheap tricks!" he snarled, his voice carrying across the arena. "You think hiding behind smoke will save you?"

Silence answered him. The dust swirled and eddied, but no figure emerged from its depths. Asterin's grip tightened on his rapier, his wounded leg shifting beneath him as he adjusted his stance. The cut on his thigh had slowed his movements considerably, and he could feel the warm trickle of blood continuing to seep through the tear in his trousers.

"Very well," Asterin muttered, gathering his magic.

"Oh Sun! Giver of life and the eternity that passes after!"

The crowd's whispers intensified as they recognized the casting, and the air itself seemed to warm with the signs of impending destruction.

"Cast yourself from the heavens and be known upon the earth!"

Asterin's eyes glowed with rising magical energy. His wounded leg trembled beneath him, but his voice remained steady, building toward the climax of the spell.

"That I may smite those who wish to sully your name!"

The dust began to swirl more violently as the magic gathered around his outstretched hand. Heat shimmered in the air, a precursor to the conflagration that would soon be unleashed. Asterin smiled, his teeth gleaming as he prepared to unleash his spell.

"ARDENS!"

Magic swelled, and the world seemed to still with a breathless tension. The air crackled with power, the promise of destruction hanging above them all for a single, breathless moment. And then...

CRACK

The world released its breath.

This bang was not nearly as deafening as the first, but it was just as startling. The noise cut through the swelling magic like a knife through silk, interrupting the rising crescendo of Asterin's spell. The light burning in Asterin's eyes sputtered and died as his spell unraveled on the edge of a successful cast.

Asterin blinked, his voice dying in his throat as confusion replaced the fury on his face at the sharp bite of pain in his midsection. Something warm spread across his stomach, a wet heat that seeped through his armor and stained his clothes. His hand drifted downward, almost of its own accord, and came away slick with red.

He looked down to find his cuirass had been struck through, and he as well. The hole in the gleaming armor was already stained a deep crimson that leaked down the polished metal to mingle with the blood already staining his thigh. He stared at the injury, his expression almost perplexed, as if he were trying to piece together how his armor had come to obtain such a wound.

From the settling dust, Tanya finally emerged. Her face was pale and sweaty, covered in dirt that stuck there with her perspiration. The bruise on her cheek had spread to her jaw, and the opposite cheek was still streaked with blood from her encounter with Asterin's blade. Yet in spite of this, her exhausted blue eyes blazed with victory, and her arm remained steady, pointing the blocky weapon that had been the instrument of Asterin's defeat.

Asterin took a single step forward, his mouth opening as if to speak. Then his legs gave out beneath him. He crumpled to the ground in a heap of silver and gold, his rapier clattering from his grip as he fell. The dust billowed up around his fallen form, then settled slowly as he failed to rouse.

The arena fell silent.

Thousands of spectators stared down at the scene, their mouths agape, their earlier enthusiasm replaced by stunned disbelief as the child of the sun fell. Tanya kept her weapon trained on Asterin for a moment longer, before sliding her thumb across the safety, and gingerly placing it into the holster at her thigh.

"I believe that settles that," she said, her head tilting to gaze straight at Apollo. "Would you be so kind as to call the match? Or would you wait until you could place his death on my head as well?"

Apollo's face had gone rigid, his golden eyes fixed on Tanya with an expression that promised retribution. For a long moment, the god said nothing, his jaw working silently as he struggled to maintain his composure before the watching crowd. His hands gripped the railing of the commentator's box, his knuckles whitening with the pressure. He looked at Asterin, as if expecting his fighter to stand and continue the battle, but the Level Two did not move.

"The match is concluded," Apollo said finally, his voice strained. "Tanya Degurechaff is victorious."

His words were met with even more silence. There were no cheers or jubilant cries for the girl who had defied all the odds and come out on top, only confusion and shock at the notion that it had even happened in the first place.

Tanya paid them no mind, walking to where her saber lay and scooping up the weapon with a tired arm. She sheathed the blade with a soft click, then turned toward the arena's exit. Her body was battered, her armor scored with cuts, but her back remained straight. She walked with steady steps across the bloodied dirt, past Asterin's fallen form, and toward the gate that would lead her out of the arena.

Only when Tanya reached the gate and passed through it, did the spectators seem to come to terms with the conclusion of the very spectacle they had wished to see.

It started as a scattered handful of voices, tentative and uncertain, before swelling into a proper roar. God and mortal alike rose to their feet, their voices raised in appreciation for the battle they had witnessed. The applause was not unanimous and many in the crowd remained seated, their expressions troubled, but enough voices joined the chorus to fill the arena with sound.

In the commentator's box, Apollo remained motionless. His gaze fixed on the empty arena floor, his features twisted with anger that he could not quite manage to hide. His plans had unraveled before his eyes, his manipulations exposed to half the city, and the prize he had sought to claim had slipped through his fingers.

And in the stands a violet-eyed goddess followed Tanya's departure with hungry eyes.