INTERLUDE
THE STRIVING PRINCESS AND THE WATCHFUL SHINOBI
Mikoto Yamato
Level 2
Strength: H185 -> G279 Defense: H158 -> G255 Dexterity: G232 -> F334 Agility: G217 -> 298 Magic: I97 -> H149 Resistance: I
Magic
Futsu no Mitama
• Gravity magic
• Increases gravity within a certain area
Skills
Yatano Black Crow
• Searches for enemies within affected area, regardless of concealment
• Limited to monsters. Only effective on creatures the caster has previously encountered.
• Active trigger
Yatano White Crow
• Searches for familia members within affected area, regardless of concealment
• Only effective for members bearing the same Falna
• Active trigger
Haruhime Sanjouno
Level 1
Strength: I18 -> I35 Defense: I43 -> I80 Dexterity: I70 -> 99 Agility: I61 -> 96 Magic: E441 -> D543
Magic
Uchide no Kozuchi
• Level boost
• Limited to an individual target
• Has a cool-down interval after use
• Cannot be used on the caster
Kokonoe
• Enchantment
• Connects with chant
• Charges tail with effect of connected spell
• Up to a maximum of nine tails
Skill
Mikuzume no Hou
• Increases effectiveness of magic
• Improves Mind usage efficiency
These were Mikoto’s and Haruhime’s updated Statuses.
Their abilities had improved significantly, about as much as Lilly’s had. In particular, Haruhime’s Magic growth had been amazing—magic was significantly harder to improve than the more basic abilities like strength or agility—and considering that her spells had very long chants in order to activate them and therefore couldn’t be used in rapid succession, this latest achievement was more than noteworthy.
And along with that, she had even manifested a skill.
Her new skill was similar to ones cooperatively developed by the elves across their entire race, and there was no question it would be extremely valuable to a sorcerer like Haruhime. Incidentally, among all the magic-related skills, the ones that affected efficiency of Mind usage were among the most prized and powerful, despite their less flashy nature.
Although Mikoto hadn’t gained any new magic or skills, Hestia had a peculiar explanation for why.
“It seemed like you could’ve developed a pretty crazy skill, but it seemed scary, so I held off. Pretty sure it was one of those self-destruction types.”
It was a rare decision coming from a goddess whose curiosity regarding the unknown nearly always won out and who nearly always unlocked skills as soon as they became available. But she cared about Mikoto more than all of that, which showed how the depth of her affection for her children overrode just about everything else.
But even without a new skill, the improvement in her basic abilities put her at the top of the familia, second only to Bell. This was the result of her versatility as an adventurer that had come into play over the entire course of the recent expedition. Her Status put her very close to the middle of Level 2’s.
Both Mikoto and Haruhime were pleased with the results of their Status updates. But they didn’t indulge in celebration, and soon they switched gears.
The girls from the Far East were humble, hardworking, and proactive, and they quickly set their eyes on the next stage.
“H-hyaa!”
A forceful, but somehow vaguely hesitant cry echoed through the Dungeon as a renart—Haruhime—raised a long staff high overhead and charged at a monster. The golden fur on her fluffy tail stirred in the air.
A single goblin awaited her. The pitiful, low-level creature whose name was synonymous with weakness must have found even the fox girl’s amateurish attack to be a threat, for it let out a cry of alarm—and, in fact, a full-force attack from a Level 1 adventurer was more than enough to constitute a killing blow for it. “Hwah?!”
There was no way the perfectly timed staff blow could miss, and yet it did, completely.
“Guh?!” Haruhime sent herself tumbling, her body sliding to a halt right next to the goblin.
For a moment, total silence filled the Dungeon.
After a moment of stunned stillness, the goblin kicked at Haruhime with a scream of indignation at having been surprised. “…Goblaah!” The kicks connected with Haruhime’s conveniently positioned ribs.
“Nnngh?!”
The belligerent strikes continued, eliciting dull cries from the renart girl. It might have been the lowest-level monster there was, but pain was pain.
Then, attracted by the commotion, more goblins began to gather and join enthusiastically in the beating. “Ow! Ow!” cried Haruhime miserably, holding her head and curling into a fetal position—when a shadowy form arrived with the speed of a shooting arrow.
“Yaaaah!” It was Lilly, backpack and all, coming at the goblins with a full-bodied flying kick.
“Gobruu?!”
Lilly was just a small prum—but kicked with the force of a Level 2.
The goblins had no chance, and with deafening shrieks and alarming force, they were propelled far down the Dungeon passage and out of sight.
“What are you doing, Miss Haruhime?! Those were just goblins!”
“I-I’m sorry, Lady Lilly! Also, that was an amazing attack!”
“Of course! I’m Level Two, after all!—Level Two, you hear?” boasted Lilly with enormous pride after having literally scattered the goblins, repeating the words for good measure.
As Lilly put her hands on her hips and thrust her chest out, the thoroughly battered Haruhime got to her feet with a somewhat forced smile.
Despite her dirtied clothes, her beautiful golden hair and faultless carriage ensured that her graceful elegance was uneffected. However, her beautiful features soon clouded over as her shoulder slumped, and she sighed dejectedly.
In stark contrast to this, the triumphant Lilly softly patted Haruhime’s tail and said, “Lilly’s here now, so there’s nothing to worry about. Now then, Haruhime! You’re going to follow me until we get you in fighting shape!”
Encouraged by the dauntless supporter, and despite her lack of combat experience, the sorceress turned to face the monsters that were appearing at the end of the passageway they were in. “Th-thank you very much! I am happy to have another opportunity!”
Welf and Bell looked on from a short distance away.
“She’s really giving it her all…” said Welf.
“Well, it’s her first time back in the Dungeon since leveling up…I was also really excited when I hit Level Two, so I understand the feeling.” Bell watched Lilly with a nervous smile. During her time as a supporter, these monsters had shown Lilly quite a bit of “kindness,” and she was eager to “return the favor,” as she put it.
“That’s not excitement—she’s just getting carried away.”
Bell’s awkward expression only deepened at Welf’s withering criticism.
They were on the third floor of the Dungeon.
The now D-ranked Hestia Familia was on a floor entirely unsuited to their experience level for a single reason: to train Haruhime.
Lower-level members of a familia could accrue excelia even on Dungeon floors that were below the familia’s overall level. The practice was often referred to as “leveling.”
The goal was to support the Level 1 member of Hestia Familia , just like how they had been coming here for Lilly right up until her recent promotion to Level 2.
The familia had started the practice just around the time Haruhime joined. They picked areas where they could really go at it but at the same time wouldn’t cause any trouble for other familias venturing into the Dungeon.
Obviously, Haruhime’s safety was guaranteed, as she’d been carefully fitted with armor crafted by Welf that ensured no monster at this level could inflict any serious damage. Even if by some chance an Irregular were to occur and endanger her, higher-level escorts like Bell would come along to watch over her.
This time, Lilly had insisted on being Haruhime’s guard…but she was currently having far too much fun beating up on monsters that she’d once had no chance against. Bell and the others understood the almost dizzying sensation of full-body excitement that came with a dramatic increase in Status, though.
Bell’s arm, incidentally, had nearly completely healed. It seemed likely that they would be able to move ahead with an expedition to the middle levels in the near future. He’d decided to come along to the upper levels today while keeping an eye on how his arm performed.
“Anyway, how should I put this?” said Welf, his arms crossed. “She’s not getting any better at fighting.”
Bell felt somehow obligated to make excuses for her. “W-well, Haruhime’s personality isn’t really suited for combat, but, I mean…”
“Yeah, you say that, but the way she was swinging that staff, I almost fell over just watching her.”
The familia would go out leveling whenever there was time to spare, but in Haruhime’s specific case, the focus was very much on improving how she carried herself in combat. She wasn’t ready to practice tactics or strategy, though, so for her, this amounted to basic self-defense.
What Haruhime wanted most of all was to learn enough that she wouldn’t be a hindrance during expeditions to the middle levels and below.
The results so far were not encouraging.
Welf counted options off on his fingers while offering commentary. “If we could find a weapon that suited her, she’d be able to do something …but swords were no good; spears, ditto; she can’t use a naginata or a bow; and obviously anything heavy like a mace or broadsword is out. The staff trial ended just now with a misfire…so what’s left?”
Bell, too, racked his brains trying to think of something.
“I’m just going to put this out there: She doesn’t have the strength for it. We should cut our losses and just have her practice her spells, if you ask me,” said Aisha the Amazon, who occasionally came along for their leveling trips when it was convenient to fit into her schedule—although she had been present for nearly all of Haruhime’s training sessions.
“The thing is, Haruhime herself really wants to do this, so…”
“I mean, I think sometimes it’s a kindness to tell someone when to give up on something. But hey, if that’s your goal, I’m not gonna stop you. It’s your familia. But over in Ishtar Familia , we threw in the towel on this idea long ago.”
Welf offered his perspective on Aisha and Bell’s conversation. “Well, it’s not like we’re talking about concurrent casting, but there’s definitely an advantage to being more familiar with the general flow of battle when it comes to casting level-boost magic.” He sounded pessimistic, but Welf was all for having her learning how to fight, which Bell—who wanted everybody to fight together—was very happy to hear.
“Just so you all know, anyone with a level-boost cast on them earns less than half the excelia they normally would,” said Aisha.
““Huh?!”” said Bell and Welf simultaneously.
“Obviously. Otherwise it’d be everyone’s favorite little cheat. Even if you take down a higher-level opponent with it, you’re not gonna get that much out of it,” explained Aisha of Haruhime’s sorcery.
Haruhime had used Uchide no Kozuchi countless times while she’d been in Ishtar Familia , and Aisha had furthermore been the target of the level-boosting spell many times herself, so she was very well-acquainted with its effects and drawbacks.
The constraints of magic meant that Haruhime’s own development hadn’t been hindered by level boosting, but both Bell and Welf had constantly relied on it in tight spots—much to their sudden dismay. “I had no idea,” said Bell.
Aisha’s eyes narrowed mischievously like a cat’s. “So, am I right in guessing that your clumsy little fox girl could’ve leveled up?”
“Oh yes. Our goddess said she could’ve hit Level Two.”
It was true—Haruhime could’ve also leveled up.
She’d been present for the desperate battle against the twenty-fifth floor’s Amphisbaena. She had continued to cast right up to her limit, taking desperate, decisive action even while surrounded in flames, and it was undoubtedly a great deed.
“But your threats—or your advice, I guess—made an impact, and we decided to hold back on her promotion to Level Two.”
“That’s how it should be. It’s too soon for her.” Haruhime had stayed where she was, at Level 1, because Aisha herself had warned Hestia Familia in the past to wait a little longer before letting her advance. It was something along the lines of “What would be the point of having that klutz at Level Two anyway? You want her beating monsters by tripping over herself?”
After hearing her out, Bell and Hestia had conceded the point.
“If you’re going to let her level up, forget about combat and have her work on her sorcery. Otherwise, it’ll be like giving a cannon to a baby. It’s too dangerous to even think about,” said Aisha.
She’d continued to watch Haruhime’s development, so taking that into account, Haruhime’s Status had been put on hold for the time being. Hestia would be able to level her up whenever she wanted to.
Haruhime herself, meanwhile, had not been told about the possibility.
Nor had Lilly.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on Haruhime, and our supporter’s having the time of her life having just leveled up herself, and I don’t want to throw cold water on that, so we’ll keep this quiet for the time being” had been Hestia’s determination. “This expedition ended with level-ups for three of ours—well, two. Miach got two. If the other gods heard about this they’d think there was a closeout sale on leveling up!”
But to return to the subject at hand—
“As far as spell casting goes, I see your point, but…well, it won’t matter either way if she can’t learn to move without me or Li’l E telling her what to do. We’ve gotta drill some nerve into her,” said Welf.
Welf watched as Haruhime faced off against monsters while listening to Lilly’s directions. She had the appalling habit of squeezing her eyes shut when she attacked, so she wasn’t leaving so much as a scratch on her opponents. Caught between Lilly’s angry shouting and the monsters’ counterattacks, she was dizzyingly out of her depth.
Aisha watched the scene play out and shrugged, chuckling. “Well, who knows when that’s gonna happen.”
—It would happen sooner than they thought, mused Mikoto, having overheard the conversation.
Although it’s still a bit too early for true direct combat.
But Mikoto was certain that Haruhime would soon master the basics of self-defense. She would. Even as Bell and the others looked on skeptically, Mikoto believed.
“Lady Haruhime…hang in there,” she let herself murmur.
Haruhime barely managed to parry a kobold’s attack and then sent it tumbling with a sideways swing of her staff. The movement was reminiscent of Mikoto’s—no, Takemikazuchi’s—martial art.
Aisha’s eyes went wide in a rare display of surprise, and Bell and Welf were equally shocked. Once Lilly recovered from being stunned still, she started clapping.
The fox girl, normally so reluctant to express strong emotions, grinned and flashed the two-fingered salute she’d learned from Hestia.
Mikoto smiled. Haruhime was no longer a mere princess. That weak little girl she’d once known was gone.
Mikoto alone knew this. She saw how much the girl she’d been reunited with in Orario had changed, and how far—as far as Bell, at the very least, and perhaps even further—she had come.
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