Chương 116: Haruhime's Name

Ouka clenched his teeth when he heard Cael's words. It hurt, but he could not deny it. They had been in the wrong. Worse, the people they had nearly dragged into danger belonged to Hestia, Takemikazuchi's friend. Even if Cael wanted to make fun of their pain, they had to endure it. They were all injured. On their own, they could not leave the Nineteenth Floor. Ouka had accepted that commission, and this was the result. If Cael was willing to lead them out, they would cooperate no matter how humiliating it felt.

"If you want to laugh at us, laugh," Ouka said, fists clenched and eyes red.

"We risked our lives for money because we need a large amount to buy back a friend. That is all."

"Buy back?" Cael froze. He had only wanted to tease them because he was still angry. He had not expected to hear something that direct. Buy back. A friend. The Pleasure Quarter. Could it be Haruhime? But this timing was wrong. Had they already discovered Haruhime and started planning to save her? The original timeline no longer matched. Butterfly effect. Cael's eyes narrowed. Because he had appeared in this world, the future had already begun to change completely.

"Our friend was sold to the Pleasure Quarter," Mikoto said, frustration plain in her voice.

"We need money to buy her freedom." Cael's mouth twitched. So it really was Haruhime. Could he tell them he had stayed in Haruhime's room just last night? No. Absolutely not. The future had changed, but he had never truly expected a real world to follow the original story step by step after he arrived.

"Then you should work hard," Cael said with a shrug. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Buying her freedom? It might work for an ordinary courtesan, but Haruhime was different. Once they learned the truth, they would despair. They did not have the strength to oppose a powerful Familia with a Lv. 5 adventurer. An hour later, Cael checked the mechanical watch on his wrist and organized Hestia Familia to return.

In less than ten minutes, the tent and supplies were packed. Takemikazuchi Familia hurried to follow, carrying their injured companions while keeping more than fifty meters of distance to avoid another misunderstanding. Because Hestia Familia had already cleared the monsters ahead, the return was safer than expected.

"They are strong," Ouka said quietly from behind.

"Absurdly strong. Most monsters are killed in one strike. This is the Nineteenth Floor, and they only became adventurers days ago."

"Geniuses," Mikoto murmured.

"All of them are true geniuses. Nothing like us, struggling just to survive." Ouka looked at Hestia Familia as if several unreachable mountains stood before him. They had once had a chance to build a proper relationship. Their gods were friends. Because of his decision, they had nearly turned that relationship into a grudge. This debt had to be repaid, no matter what. Less than an hour later, Cael and the others reached the Eighteenth Floor.

The trip back was easier than the trip down, perhaps because they had adapted to fighting in the Great Tree Labyrinth.

"How do you feel?" Cael asked the Hashira in the stone passage toward the Seventeenth Floor.

"Do you feel a little stronger?"

"A little," Tengen said, folding his arms.

"Not as obvious as the first time, but feeling yourself grow is still flashy."

"I agree," Kyojuro said.

"The previous improvement was clearer because the opponent was unprecedentedly powerful. This time, we were tired, but it was not a true crisis."

"I did not feel much in combat," Shinobu said with satisfaction.

"But I learned more about the properties and effects of Dungeon medicines." Compared with cutting down monsters, Shinobu was more interested in ways to kill monsters without relying only on blades. Giyu had barely spoken from the start, and when he did speak, it was always a direct answer. His presence was quiet, but he had actually killed the most monsters.

"This Dungeon trip was successful," Cael said.

"We also gathered firsthand information about the Nineteenth Floor. Other Familias usually do not release that kind of knowledge, and buying it would be expensive." Still, the Nineteenth Floor was far from enough. Hestia Familia needed to reach unknown floors one day before it could be considered truly established. In Orario, only major Familias had the right to speak about the Deep Floors.

The known Dungeon was divided roughly into the Upper Floors, Middle Floors, Lower Floors, Deep Floors, and further unknown regions. The Upper Floors were only the entrance. The Middle Floors were an outpost. The Lower Floors demanded real strength just to survive, and the Deep Floors were territory for major Familia expeditions. Information about the Deep Floors was kept secret from adventurers who had never reached them. The Guild did this partly to prevent inexperienced adventurers from drowning in despair.

Some monsters down there were disasters in themselves.

"Finally outside," Cael said, stretching as they walked out of the spiral stone stairway. The sunset on the horizon made him relax at once.

"I really do not know how major Familia expeditions last two weeks." At Babel, they sold the magic stones and completed the Guild commissions. The total profit from loot and commissions was more than triple what they would have earned from monster hunting alone. No wonder adventurer parties liked taking commissions. Afterward, they returned to Hestia Familia's basement. Hestia was waiting for them.

The Hashira and the three younger Demon Slayers sat, stood, or leaned against the wall with serious expressions as their goddess held Apollo's invitation.

"Apollo's invitation to the Banquet of the Gods," Hestia said, troubled.

"If things happen the way Cael predicted, and Apollo suddenly causes trouble, should I really go?"