Chapter 594 - 594: Turned Into Gacha?! - 594

Lili's pupils dilated slightly, her fingers tightening instinctively around her magic blade; even her breathing faltered for a heartbeat.

Companion?

To her, the word felt as foreign as a language from another world.

In Orario, she had always existed on the fringes.

As a supporter without combat skills, she earned a meager pittance of Valis by hauling supplies and acting as a guide, all while constantly guarding against other adventurers who might snatch her loot or, worse, abandon her as dead weight the moment she became a burden.

The bullying from the Soma Familia, the indifference of other adventurers—it had all long since conditioned her to walk alone, never daring to hope for the luxury of a "companion."

After all, in a place like Orario where the strong prey upon the weak, a companion implied shared danger. A supporter like her was never the one chosen; she was only ever the one cast aside.

Yet, she dared not press further to confirm it. Even if it were merely a misunderstanding, she wanted to hold onto this strange, unfamiliar warmth for a little while longer.

"Let's take a break for now. We've already exceeded our quota for today's adventure." Although she still maintained her poise, only Furina knew how much effort it took to hold herself together.

It was her first time pushing through such an exhausting battle.

She had sustained a few minor cuts, though the Blessing of Pure Water had already mended them. More importantly, the massive drain on her stamina meant she urgently needed to recover her state.

They would have to fight their way back, after all.

The Dungeon was always dangerous, but at the very least, the tunnels between floors offered a moment to catch one's breath. It was the perfect place for them to rest.

Lili understood Furina's intent, but the faces she had seen earlier pulled her back to reality. Her expression hardened with vigilance. "Wait a moment, Lady Furina! There is something I didn't have time to mention before!"

"Oh?"

Seeing Lili's cautious demeanor, a suspicion bloomed in Furina's mind.

"Yes!" Lili recounted what she had seen. "Those people... they're connected to the Soma Familia! In the past... Lili saw them often...!"

In other words...

Furina grasped the situation. The direction those people had fled, coupled with the monsters they had lured their way, was likely no coincidence.

Their objective wasn't hard to guess: she and Sushang had been affecting their profits lately.

Moreover, the detail about them being "connected to the Soma Familia" was significant.

Was this orchestrated by the Familia itself? If so, this was no longer a matter of intra-Familia bullying; it was an act of hostility—or perhaps a provocation—directed at the Focalors Familia.

Furina's brow furrowed.

This was hardly good news. If the Soma Familia was truly behind this, neither she nor Focalors could afford to ignore it.

Even if their goal wasn't a direct challenge to the Focalors Familia, but rather to clear an obstacle from Lili's side, the fact remained that they had placed Furina in mortal danger.

As a Goddess of Justice, she could not simply let this slide—especially since their ultimate goal was to bring justice and order to Orario. It was impossible to sweep such a matter under the rug.

She would have to discuss this with Focalors and Sushang, and launch an investigation to see if the Soma Familia was truly pulling the strings.

"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Lili."

Furina took a deep breath. Her body was so exhausted that she could no longer maintain her theatrical composure.

"Lady Furina, they likely haven't left completely..." Lili cautioned.

She knew those people's thought processes all too well.

To Lili, running away was always the optimal solution; she knew they would have prepared an ambush, waiting to corner her the moment she returned to the upper floors.

This wouldn't be the first time she had faced such a tactic.

The Pallum girl voiced her concerns.

Furina fell silent. Even though she had already realized how low some adventurers could sink, Lili's account still left her speechless.

In the Fortress of Meropide, these people would have been looking at a decade-long sentence, yet in Orario, such behavior was rampant.

What made it even more absurd was that Furina couldn't even label it as "criminal activity," for Orario had no laws—only personal ethics and strength.

That was exactly why they wanted to establish order here.

"I see," Furina said firmly. "If any accidents occur, I will protect you!"

"Protect me..."

Lili lowered her head, murmuring the words. Was this what it felt like to be treated as a companion? Protect... She had never heard that said to her before.

Even back when she fled her first Familia, the kind grandparents who had taken her in stopped helping her as soon as the Soma Familia smashed their flower shop.

She understood their choice, of course. They weren't even adventurers; how could they possibly find a way to keep supporting a stranger under the pressure of the Soma Familia?

Lady Furina's words... they were all just too unfamiliar.

Watching the small girl lost in her own emotions, Furina sighed internally. She knew that offering comfort right now would only confuse her more; it was better to let her process these feelings on her own.

"Let's tidy up, then we'll head back to the surface."

The floor was littered with Magic Stones that needed collecting—a task that, coincidentally, might help the girl settle her restless heart.

"Right."

The two gathered the stones, then began their journey back, focusing their efforts on slowly recovering their internal magical energy.

Before reaching the Eminence state, Furina's magic still relied on her own reserves as fuel. She had no time to waste if she wanted to be in peak condition for the fights to come.

Along the way, Furina took the lead, keeping a sharp watch on their surroundings. Lili followed closely behind, forcing herself to concentrate, eyes scanning the rear and flanks, her crossbow ready to fire at a moment's notice.

Soon, they reached the entrance of the passage leading to the floor above. It was relatively open, and there were no traces of monster activity—a decent spot for a breather.

Lili took out the rations she had packed before entering the Dungeon—the essentials for replenishing their energy.

Once she confirmed they were ready, Furina stood up. They exchanged a knowing nod and began to ascend the stairs.

Their footsteps were incredibly light—a feat that came easily to them both: one, a former opera singer turned Taixuan disciple with an innate talent for sword-forms and constant physical conditioning; the other, a former thief who had perfected the art of minimizing her presence.

Halfway up, they heard faint, indistinct chatter. They slowed their ascent, stepping with even greater caution, until the words became clear:

"Why hasn't that Pallum come up yet? Don't tell me she got killed by some monster while she was running away?"

--+--

T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL