"If we're talking about age," Warabi declared, still fuming, "then the youngest among us should be little Tsukuyo!"
"Little Tsukuyo is the one who's actually only twelve!"
"Tsukuyo?"
At the side, Satori tilted her head.
The moment that name was spoken, Tsubaki paused slightly. Then she seemed to recall something and instinctively swept her gaze around the spacious bath.
Hestia, Amou, Rin, Warabi, Satori, Mary.
Only…
Tsukuyo was missing.
"Hm?"
"Where's that little blind girl?"
"I don't think I've seen her since we came in."
"Could she still be outside?"
Tsubaki turned toward the frosted glass door of the bath.
…
At the same time, in the hall just beyond the wall,
the atmosphere there was completely different from the lively chaos inside the bath. It was so quiet that the only sound was the rustle of leaves in the wind.
Soft light spilled across the honey-colored floorboards.
Haimer sat at the newly purchased obsidian round table, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea, fragrant steam rising from it.
Across from him, Tsukuyo sat properly in her place.
The long sword called White Egrethad been laid carefully at her side, and her hands rested neatly on her knees.
Those blind eyes were lowered slightly, as though she were listening to something.
"My lord."
Tsukuyo's voice was soft.
"You kept me back alone…"
"Did you have some instructions for me?"
"Tsukuyo."
"When we left that tavern, did you notice anything?"
"..."
At that question, the calm expression on Tsukuyo's face froze slightly.
Those delicate ears of hers twitched almost on instinct.
Then she pressed her pale pink lips together and nodded.
"Yes."
"But Tsukuyo couldn't be certain…"
"It was only at the instant we left the tavern, and then again at the next few intersections…"
"that Tsukuyo heard a trace of something… that did not belong to the noise of the street."
At that point, Tsukuyo tilted her head slightly, as though recalling that fleeting sensation.
Then her brows drew together faintly, and a trace of confusion appeared on her face.
"However…"
"That feeling was too brief."
"In the instant after that, the presence vanished completely. Even when I tried to sense with all my strength, I could no longer hear any unusual heartbeat or breathing."
"So at the time, Tsukuyo assumed, that the other party had already left."
"My lord…"
"Does that mean…"
As she spoke, Tsukuyo seemed to realize something, and her body stiffened slightly.
"That person never left at all?"
"That's right."
Haimer nodded.
"That one followed us the whole way. Right up to the front of this house."
"She was even still hiding in the shadows by that street corner while I stood there seeing all of you off."
"Eh?"
The moment those words fell, Tsukuyo jerked her head up.
For the first time, genuine shock appeared on the face of the girl who always seemed calm no matter what happened.
And then that shock quickly turned into deep self-reproach.
"I'm sorry, my lord…"
Tsukuyo lowered her head and bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly.
Both hands tightened around the fabric of her skirt on her knees.
"Tsukuyo was useless."
"My lord has given Tsukuyo so much…"
"And yet someone followed us the whole way, even all the way to our home."
"And Tsukuyo failed to notice."
"That was Tsukuyo's negligence."
"If that had been an enemy…"
If that had been an enemy with killing intent, if that had been an assassin intending to ambush her lord, then the whole road back would have been filled with fatal openings.
For Tsukuyo, who prided herself on extraordinary perception and had resolved to become a true support to her god, that was a tremendous blow.
However,
in the very next second, Haimer reached out.
Instead of scolding her, he simply placed his hand gently atop her soft silver hair.
"?!"
Tsukuyo's body gave a faint start.
She didn't dodge, only looked up in confusion.
"There's no need to apologize."
"This was never your fault to begin with."
Haimer gently rubbed her head, without the slightest intention of blaming her.
"Speaking of which, do you want to know who the one tailing us was?"
"That person was actually once a rather famous adventurer in Orario."
"In terms of level, she's three whole stages above where you are now."
"In terms of experience, she's also had her Falna for several years longer than you."
"And on top of that, for the sake of revenge, she's spent these past years constantly walking the edge between life and death. Her skill at concealing her presence has already become second nature."
"So to be honest…"
At that point, Haimer looked at Tsukuyo's still somewhat downcast little face and smiled.
"Tsukuyo."
"You only just received your Falna."
"You haven't even been an adventurer for a full day."
"And yet, as a Level 1 rookie, you still managed to catch that instant of discord beneath the deliberate concealment of a veteran Level 4 assassin."
"You already did very well."
"In fact, I'd say you did so well it surprised even me."
"My lord… is that really true?"
Tsukuyo listened to him in disbelief.
Those blind eyes widened slightly, as though she wanted to catch his expression in the darkness.
"Of course it's true."
Haimer's tone was certain.
"Gods do not lie."
"Especially not to children they cherish."
"So."
"Tsukuyo, you do not need to blame yourself."
"Your talent is far more frightening than you realize."
"You simply haven't had enough time yet to grow into it."
"All of that can come slowly."
"But…"
Haimer's tone turned slightly more serious.
"There is one thing you must remember."
"Next time, no matter how small it is, no matter whether it feels like nothing more than a passing illusion…"
"if your ears hear it, if your instincts tell you something is wrong, even if it only lasts for a single instant, you must speak up immediately."
"Don't be afraid of being mistaken, and don't be afraid that the others won't believe you."
"Here, we are a Familia."
"We are a family."
"No one will doubt your judgment."
"On the contrary, if Tsukuyo says it, then no matter what... everyone will believe it without hesitation."
"So Tsukuyo must also believe in herself, believe in her ears, and believe in her own senses."
"Do you understand?"
"..."
Tsukuyo sat there blankly, looking in Haimer's direction.
Though her eyes could not see, in that moment it felt as though she truly saw a warm and dazzling light piercing through the endless darkness that had accompanied her for years, forcing its way into the softest and most insecure corner of her heart.
Believe without condition.
Family.
Those words echoed again and again in her mind.
That sense of being wholly accepted and cherished made her nose sting and her eyes burn with sudden heat.
The heavy stone called defect that had long pressed down on her heart seemed, in that instant, to be lifted away by those warm hands.
After a long while,
"My lord is truly gentle."
Tsukuyo smiled faintly.
Then she nodded hard, her silver hair swaying with the motion.
"If it is my lord's wish, then Tsukuyo will remember it!"
"Next time, Tsukuyo absolutely won't hesitate again!"
For the first time, there was a firmness in Tsukuyo's voice unlike anything before.
"Good."
Seeing the light return to her face, Haimer nodded in satisfaction.
"Then as your god, I'll look forward to it."
"You can go bathe now."
"The water may be a little hot, but it's very effective for easing fatigue."
"Relax."
"A little later, there's something even more important waiting for all of you."
"Yes!"
Having received Haimer's permission, Tsukuyo answered with a smile and slowly rose to her feet.
Then she took up White Egret from her side and re-hung it at her waist with careful hands.
Even here, in the safety of home, for her, never letting the sword leave her side had long since become instinct.
After that, Tsukuyo bowed deeply to Haimer, turned, and made her way with light steps toward the frosted glass door from which the steam kept seeping out.
Her steps were the same as always.
And yet now, there was a confidence in her back that had not been there before.
Click
The door opened softly, then closed again, separating the quiet of the hall from the noise beyond.
…
Click
As the frosted glass door shut gently behind her, warm steam carrying a faint fragrance instantly wrapped around Tsukuyo standing at the entrance.
In the corner of the broad stone bath,
"Yo, little Tsukuyo, you're here?"
"Come on in."
Tsubaki patted the water beside her, sending ripples across the surface.
"The temperature's just right. Soak in it for a bit, and I guarantee it'll melt the stiffness right out of your bones."
"Mm…"
A faint blush rose on Tsukuyo's delicate face.
After all, even though everyone here was a girl, for someone as inward and shy as her, it was still more than a little embarrassing.
Clutching her bath towel, she made her way to the edge with tiny steps and cautiously stretched out a toe to test the water.
Then,
Splash…
With a soft sound, her petite body slowly slipped into the water until only half her head and her silver hair remained floating at the surface.
"Haah…"
In that instant, the warm water felt like countless gentle little hands smoothing away every trace of fatigue buried deep in her body.
Tsukuyo narrowed her eyes in comfort, and at long last, the tension in her shoulders eased.
"Tsukuyo."
At that moment, Mary, who had been soaking quietly nearby, moved closer and asked curiously.
"Why did you take so long to come in?"
"Did Lord Haimer have something else to talk to you about?"
As soon as that was said, the noisy bath quieted noticeably.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward her all at once.
Even Amou, who had been ignoring everything until now, had quietly pricked up her ears.
After all, everyone else had come in together, yet Tsukuyo alone had been left outside.
That kind of treatment naturally made people curious.
"Mm…"
With all of them staring at her, Tsukuyo's cheeks turned even redder.
She lowered her chin into the water, leaving only her red eyes visible, and answered in a muffled voice,
"My lord… only spoke with Tsukuyo about something."
"Oh?"
Tsubaki leaned closer with a thoroughly wicked grin.
"Only talked?"
"Nothing else?"
"For example, giving our cute little Tsukuyo some special private tutoring?"
"Or... did he do anything strange to little Tsukuyo?"
"Like patting your head, maybe?"
As she said that, Tsubaki lowered her voice on purpose, and the tone turned teasingly suggestive.
Boom!!
Those words landed like a depth charge.
Tsukuyo's face went from red apple to steaming furnace in a second. It looked like actual smoke ought to be rising off her head.
"N-no… nothing strange…"
"I-it was only… only a pat on the head…"
Her voice was so faint it was barely more than a mosquito's hum.
But in a bath where the only other sound was moving water, it was heard by everyone clearly enough.
...
In an instant, the air froze.
"See, see."
"I knew it."
Tsubaki felt the strange atmosphere around her and, instead of restraining herself, clicked her tongue in delight with an expression that said exactly as expected.
"Just look at her, all of you."
"This setup."
"The blind eyes."
"The quiet and obedient personality."
"The unusual red pupils."
"That way she blushes like this the moment you tease her even a little."
"And that tiny body that makes you want to protect her at a glance."
"Little Tsukuyo looks like she was built straight from a mold designed for someone you can't help wanting to bully a little, but also spoil to death."
"Blind, silent, red-eyed, l0li…"
"Stack all of those traits together…"
"If I were a god, I'd be dizzy too."
"So I'd say, the child Lord Haimer likes best has already shown up."
"From now on, nobody's going to shake little Tsukuyo's position."
"As for certain little brats who only know how to squawk…"
Tsubaki's ill-intentioned gaze drifted once more toward Warabi, who had only just settled down again.
"Looks like all they'll be able to do is stand at the side and watch with envy."
"Who are you calling a brat who only knows how to squawk?!"
The moment she noticed Tsubaki's gaze, Warabi exploded again, springing up from the water like an angry kitten with its tail stepped on, ready to throw herself into battle.
"I-I'm not worse than Tsukuyo!"
"I have twin-tails too!"
"And I have bears! Big bears!"
"Pff…"
Seeing Warabi grow so worked up that she had started counting her bears as part of the comparison, the stiffness in the bath dissolved into laughter.
…
"Tsubaki-senpai…"
"P-please… don't tease Tsukuyo anymore…"
"My lord only… only encouraged Tsukuyo a little, that's all."
"And…"
Tsukuyo finally raised her blushing face from the water.
Then, remembering the more serious matter, she tried to steady her voice.
"My lord also said that after we finish washing up, there is something more important waiting for us."
"Something more important?"
The girls looked at one another in confusion.
Tsubaki, however, already seemed to understand. Seeing the blank looks around her, she waved a hand and explained,
"If I'm not mistaken…"
"I think…"
"it's probably time to update your status."
She pointed a finger at her own back.
"Level up?!"
The words caused the girls to stare at one another in confusion.
After all, for girls who had only arrived in this world a day or two ago, many of the most basic common-sense things were still complete blanks.
"To put it simply…"
Tsubaki leaned against the edge of the bath and began explaining with the air of an experienced senior.
"It means turning all the experience you earned killing monsters in the Dungeon today into actual, solid strength."
"Because experience accumulates in your soul."
"In other words, in the Falna on your back."
"And only through your god's divine blood, through another ritual, can those accumulated experiences be made visible and converted into actual ability parameters."
"That's what an update is."
"For most Familias, that only happens once every ten days or half a month."
"But you girls fought your way from the first floor to the twelfth on your first day…"
"it definitely makes sense to update and see the results."
Tsubaki shrugged.
…
And so, about fifteen minutes later, the bathhouse door was finally pushed open.
A wave of warm air mixed with a clean fragrance swept out.
"I've come back to life…"
"I really feel like I've been brought back from the dead!"
Rin came hurrying out while drying her still-damp hair with a towel.
She had already changed into a loose cotton set of home clothes. The pale pink pajamas printed with little bear designs were obviously far more fitting for a girl her age.
On her, the outfit didn't look childish at all. If anything, it suited her unexpectedly well.
Combined with the bath she had just finished, her face, usually held taut and youthful, was now pink and full, glowing with the ripeness of a peach.
For once, what she looked like was simply an ordinary girl in full bloom.
The others came out behind her one after another.
All of them had changed into their own casual clothes, and with that, the unmistakable softness of being girls showed through completely.
Warabi, however, was a special case.
Her petite figure was swallowed by an oversized white T-shirt that clearly belonged to someone much bigger. The hem hung all the way past her thighs, revealing only her smooth calves and making it look as though she had forgotten to put on pants.
She shuffled along in oversized slippers that didn't fit her properly, a lollipop somehow already in her mouth, her golden twin-tails swinging back and forth as she walked. She looked exactly like a little brat who had sneaked into an adult's wardrobe.
…
"We've kept you waiting, Lord Haimer."
"Lady Hestia still seems to be having the time of her life. She says it's been ages since she's soaked in such a spacious bath, and she's still splashing around in there. She'll probably be a while longer."
Tsubaki stepped out of the corridor, toweling off her wet hair as she spoke in her usual broad, easy tone.
She had already changed back into her usual outfit, her chest wrapped only in cloth, and loose hakama-style trousers below that allowed easy movement.
"Is that so?"
"If she likes it, then let her be."
Sitting by the obsidian round table, Haimer didn't seem particularly bothered.
"Now then."
"It's time to update your ability values."
Just as Tsubaki had guessed.
That was exactly what it was.
The moment those words fell, every girl froze.
Then their eyes lit up all at once with unmistakable anticipation.
After all, there was almost nothing more exhilarating than watching the fruits of one's effort become visible as real numbers.
"Oh?"
"So it really is starting, then?"
Tsubaki's face broke into a smile that said I knew it.
"In that case, Lord Haimer, I'll excuse myself for now."
With that, she turned to leave.
After all, no matter how casual she normally acted, when it came to something involving the core secrets of another Familia, her sense of boundaries was razor sharp.
In Orario, ability values, skills, and magic, those were the true trump cards of an adventurer.
An adventurer's status was considered both a personal and Familia secret, with no obligation to disclose it to outsiders. The Guild would only release limited information like level and Dungeon activity records as examples of growth, so long as it did not harm the Familia in question.
Even members of the same Familia sometimes kept things hidden from each other, let alone allowed someone from another Familia to watch.
And no matter how good the relationship was, no matter how close Hephaestus and Haimer might be, there was still a red line between different factions.
People from different Familias were prohibited even from marrying each other, much less from peeking into each other's core secrets.
…
So as the captain of the Hephaestus Familia, Tsubaki might be straightforward and broad-minded, but when it came to something like this, her sense of restraint was exact.
She waved at the girls and started toward the door without hesitation.
Her back looked easy and carefree, but seeing that back moving away, Rin, Mary, and the others all revealed the same hint of disappointment.
After all, throughout this entire day, from guiding them in the workshop when they chose weapons, to protecting them in combat inside the Dungeon, to just now, when she had splashed around with them in the bath like a big sister, that mixture of teacher, senior, and friend had come to mean something.
To this group of girls, newly arrived in a strange world, Tsubaki was already far more than just the captain of an allied Familia.
If she couldn't witness this first joy of their growth too… then it somehow felt like something would be missing.
…
Rin parted her lips, as though she wanted to say something, but in the end she swallowed it back down.
Rules were rules.
…
However, before Tsubaki could take a second step, Haimer noticed the expressions on the girls' faces and spoke at an easy pace.
"Miss Tsubaki."
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
"Isn't that a bit too distant of you?"
"The real show is only just starting."
"?"
Tsubaki paused mid-step, then turned back with a helpless look.
"Lord Haimer."
"This isn't about being distant."
She spread her hands.
"You're about to update ability values."
"It's not appropriate for an outsider like me to be standing around here."
"And why wouldn't it be?"
"As long as Miss Tsubaki doesn't stand directly behind me and stare at the process of divine blood bringing it out, what ends up written on the parchment, what outsiders are allowed to see and what they aren't, isn't that entirely up to me?"
Haimer sounded faintly exasperated.
...
Those words made Tsubaki pause.
Because that was true.
Updating ability values meant the god dripping divine blood onto the Falna on an adventurer's back, interpreting the hieroglyphs that appeared, then transcribing it onto a dedicated parchment.
In other words,
if Haimer did not wish to show outsiders certain things, then the key details on that parchment could easily be erased, leaving behind only the most basic ability values.
"But…"
Tsubaki still hesitated, scratching her cheek.
"There's no but, Miss Tsubaki."
Seeing that, Haimer pressed the advantage immediately.
"You're the one most qualified to witness their growth."
"After all, whether it was from choosing weapons in the workshop, or leading them into the Dungeon for live combat… every step of the way, not only were you there for all of it."
"You also guided them and corrected them like a truly conscientious senior."
"And with Miss Tsubaki's sharp eye as a first-class Level 5 adventurer, after a whole day, i'm sure you've already seen very clearly the way these children fight, and the potential each of them carries."
"Since you've already seen all of that, then what difference does it make whether the final layer of paper gets pierced or not?"
"Besides, as I said."
"I'm only updating their basic ability parameters."
"As long as I simply imprint their foundational values while erasing everything that touches on skill mechanics or chant texts and the like, then this is nothing more than a report card."
"And there's nothing wrong with letting an instructor see her students' report cards."
He pointed around at the girls, whose eyes had all lit up again.
"You see?"
"Compared with rigid rules like that…"
"I think they'd much rather hear Miss Tsubaki's evaluation."
The moment those words fell, it was like a fuse had been lit.
"Exactly!"
"Tsubaki-senpai, my lord already said it, so stay with us!"
The moment Rin heard Haimer say that, she nodded wildly in support.
"Yeah!"
"If Tsubaki-senpai isn't here for a moment like this, then who are we even supposed to brag to?"
"That's right, that's the important part!"
The others immediately chimed in as well.
...
And before Tsubaki could even react,
Click
A crisp locking sound suddenly rang out, startlingly clear.
Everyone turned toward the noise.
There stood Warabi, still in that oversized T-shirt, who had somehow slipped over to the bathhouse door. With quick, efficient movements, she had already locked the frosted glass door from the outside.
Hestia: "?"
And that still wasn't the end of it.
"Kyoubou! Come here!"
At Warabi's command,
"Rrrgh…"
Kyoubou, who had been dozing on the carpet, immediately got up and obediently shuffled over, then dropped its huge backside right in front of the bathroom door.
The entrance was completely blocked.
"All right!"
Warabi clapped her hands, turned around, and flashed her little tiger teeth proudly at Tsubaki.
"Now the door's locked and the way out is blocked!"
"That means the real outsider isn't here anymore!"
"So you don't need to worry, muscle-brain!"
Hestia: "??????"
...
Tsubaki stood there, her eye shifting uneasily as though she had been overwhelmed by the girls' enthusiasm.
"You lot really are impossible…"
"But now that you've all said this much…"
"If I still keep acting reserved, then I'd be the one being ungrateful."
"But…"
She looked toward Haimer and smiled crookedly.
"Lord Haimer."
"If you keep being this open with me…"
"if this keeps up…"
"I'm afraid the only way this ends is with me transferring from Lady Hephaestus's side into your Familia."
Hearing that, Haimer could only answer in kind, his tone equally helpless.
"As though I'd dare take you, Miss Tsubaki."
"If I really stole away Orario's number one smith, then the moment Hephaestus heard about it…"
"I'm afraid she'd come here to fight me to the death."
"That's true!"
"And when Lady Hephaestus loses her temper, she's terrifying too."
Tsubaki burst into a hearty laugh.
And just like that, the slight awkwardness that had lingered because they belonged to different Familias dissolved without a trace.
…
After the laughter, now that she had decided to stay, Tsubaki stopped hesitating.
She walked back to the obsidian round table and sat down cross-legged with open ease.
After all, if the other side had given her such weighty trust, then she naturally had to match it with the proper attitude and witness this seriously.
"Then please begin, Lord Haimer."
Tsubaki sat up straight and swept her gaze across the vibrant girls before her, a trace of eager anticipation in her eye.
"To be honest…"
"I've been itching for this for a while now."
"I really want to know just how far these little monsters who tore through the Dungeon like beasts on their very first day have grown."
"Mm."
Haimer nodded.
…
At this point, everyone's gaze had become utterly expectant.
"We'll start in the same order as before."
"The first one will still be Tsukuyo."
Haimer looked toward Tsukuyo.
Everyone else immediately turned their eyes to her as well.
"Yes."
Tsukuyo answered softly.
Then she stepped forward and came to stand before Haimer. Turning around, she knelt with her back facing him.
Her hands loosened the sash of her bath robe, then she drew the collar down.
Shhh…
The sound of fabric sliding against skin was especially clear in the quiet hall.
As the robe slipped slowly down, Tsukuyo's smooth, white back was revealed to the air.
"Then…"
"let's begin."
Haimer extended a hand.
A divine needle lightly pricked his fingertip.
A single drop of blood, faintly glowing gold, welled up.
Drip
As the divine blood fell,
Hummm
Countless letters instantly appeared across Tsukuyo's pale back.
Those letters moved as though alive, rapidly arranging and combining until they formed a complicated status panel.
Gulp…
Someone nearby swallowed audibly.
…
Then, once the final sacred character settled into place, Haimer bent slightly and let his gaze sweep across the string of numbers that had surfaced.
"Oh?"
Even though he had already been prepared, a hint of surprise still flashed through his dark eyes.
But it vanished just as quickly.
Then he picked up the prepared parchment and laid it gently over Tsukuyo's back.
The data containing the full result of Tsukuyo's entire day of battle was imprinted onto it intact.
Then Haimer ran his fingers lightly across the parchment.
The skill information vanished.
Only the pure base ability values remained.
At last, the red glow faded, and the hieroglyphs sank back beneath Tsukuyo's skin.
After helping Tsukuyo draw her robe back on, Haimer placed the parchment on the table, pressed it flat with his fingers, and slowly pushed it toward the center.
...
At once, everyone leaned in.
Tsubaki craned her neck furthest of all.
And the instant those lines of Common Script came into focus,
"Hiss!"
The sharp sound of Tsubaki sucking in a breath rang out through the hall.
[Name: Inaba Tsukuyo]
[Level: Lv.1]
[Strength: I-0 → H-182]
[Endurance: I-0 → I-85]
[Dexterity: I-0 → F-358]
[Agility: I-0 → F-355]
[Magic: I-0 → I-0]
...
"Hey, hey…"
"Lord Haimer."
"You're sure these numbers are really the result of only one day?"
"And not the kind of accumulation you'd normally see after crawling around in the Dungeon for half a month, or even a full month?"
Tsubaki pointed at the sheet, and even her voice had started to warp.
No wonder she reacted like that.
As the captain of the Hephaestus Familia, and as a first-class Level 5 adventurer, Tsubaki had seen no shortage of promising rookies.
Under normal circumstances, if a rookie could raise their basic ability values by ten or so points in a single day, that was already considered a very solid start.
If even one stat broke out of the I range and reached H (100–199), then that alone would be enough for their god to treasure them like a precious gem and go bragging to friends the very next day about finding a monster.
But now,
Tsukuyo.
[Agility: F-355.]
[Dexterity: F-358.]
That was F.
Not only had she broken through I (0–99), she had skipped straight past H (100–199) and G (200–299) and gone all the way into the F bracket (300–399).
In a single day, the growth this blind girl named Inaba Tsukuyo had achieved was already comparable to months, perhaps even half a year, of hard training for an ordinary adventurer.
And that wasn't all.
Tsubaki swallowed and frowned as her eyes landed on the Endurance line.
[Endurance: I-85.]
"The stat deviation here is way too extreme."
"Strength and Endurance have only just started moving, and Endurance hasn't even reached one hundred yet."
"But Dexterity and Agility are absurdly high."
"Lord Haimer, this child must have one of those extremely rare skills that massively alters the growth curve of ability values, doesn't she?"
At that, Tsubaki finally looked up.
Because given how absurdly lopsided Tsukuyo's numbers were, she genuinely couldn't think of any other explanation.
…
"That's right."
Faced with Tsubaki's expression, which looked like she had seen a ghost, Haimer didn't bother denying it.
If she had figured it out, then she had figured it out.
"Because of Tsukuyo's physical condition, under the guidance of the Falna, it naturally manifested as an extremely special rare skill."
"That skill not only greatly adjusts her growth correction in Agility and Dexterity…"
"it also allows the experience she earns in battle to be converted far more efficiently into nourishment for those two specific stats."
"The price is that Tsukuyo's bodily growth will be slower than most people's."
"So it really was that…"
After hearing the explanation, Tsubaki couldn't help casting a complicated look at Tsukuyo, who was still kneeling there obediently with a rather blank expression on her face.
Even though she had already guessed it, having that guess confirmed still sent a chill across her scalp.
Rare skills were rare in the first place.
Many adventurers reached Lv.2 or even Lv.3 without awakening even a single one.
Setting aside those skills that came naturally with racial traits, anyone who awakened a rare skill while still at Lv.1, at the earliest stage of growth, was already a near one-in-a-thousand existence even among the major Familias.
And this was not just any rare skill.
It was one that directly interfered with the growth efficiency of ability values.
That kind of thing was unquestionably the sort of strategic-level seedling a god would cherish like the apple of their eye.
With just one such person, a Familia could raise a monster who would be invincible among their peers.
And now,
Tsukuyo not only had a skill like that,
but from the absurd degree of those numbers, its effect was likely powerful to an almost unbelievable extent.
"Seriously, that's enough to make people envious to death."
At that thought, Tsubaki shook her head and looked deeply at Tsukuyo, her heart growing more alarmed the more she thought about it.
Because this was only the first one.
And they had already turned over a hand like this.
Then what about the rest?
Especially that one…
Tsubaki's mind flashed to Amou tearing monsters apart with her bare hands in the Dungeon, fighting with a savagery that barely seemed human.
"Now that we've seen Tsukuyo's report card…"
Before Tsubaki could fully return to herself, Haimer's voice continued.
"Amou."
"You're next."
"Yes."
The moment Haimer finished speaking,
...
As that girl approached, the one with long, straight black hair, an aura so cold it warned strangers not to approach, yet who at certain moments revealed a frightening thirst for blood,
Tsubaki found herself unconsciously swallowing hard, even reaching for her teacup to steady herself.
After all, with Tsukuyo's status as the setup, she felt she ought to have her mind ready by now.
And yet, the instant her gaze landed on the top two lines of data, her entire body froze on the spot.
Her pupil shook violently.
Pfft!!!
The mouthful of hot tea she had just taken went spraying out with zero dignity.
Fortunately, Haimer reacted quickly enough that the precious parchment was not ruined.
"Cough! Cough, cough!!"
Tsubaki coughed violently, that single eye of hers wider than a bronze bell, looking as though it might pop right out.
She stared at the parchment in Haimer's hand.
At that moment, even this Level 5 veteran, who had seen every kind of storm there was to see, could not keep her voice from cracking.
"Th-this… this is really a rookie?!"
[Name: Amou]
[Level: Lv.1]
[Strength: I-0 → F-388]
[Endurance: I-0 → F-365]
[Dexterity: I-0 → F-310]
[Agility: I-0 → F-315]
[Magic: I-0 → I-0]
Every single ability value had already reached the F range.
For an ordinary adventurer to raise their stats to this stage, it would take at least a full year.
And more than that,
Amou's Strength and Endurance were already on the verge of breaking into E (400–499).
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Good Reviews/Ratings are greatly appreciated
Drop some POWERSTONES to push the story forward!