Upon arriving at the guild hall, Akira casually slung his backpack off his shoulder and walked toward the reception counter.
Without hesitation, he retrieved the collected magic stones and monster materials. Then, he carefully distributed them according to his and Ais's efforts and handed them to the guild staff for conversion into Valis.
After a quick calculation, the staff returned the exchange with two neatly packed bags of Valis.
Akira glanced at the heavier pouch and, without needing to think twice, handed it over to Ais.
"You should take the larger share." He said with a faint smile.
"You did more of the work today. I was mostly letting you practice and watching your back."
Ais blinked, her expression calm but eyes flickering with a hint of warmth. She didn't refuse, simply accepted the bag with a slight nod, as was her way.
Before they parted ways, Akira made a small detour to a familiar stall nestled in the busy plaza—one known for its fried potato balls.
He ordered the red bean cream flavor, Ais's favorite without question. Watching her quietly nibble on them with a rare hint of joy in her expression was more than enough reward.
When they reached the gates of the Loki Familia's estate, Akira waved goodbye, watching as Ais turned and disappeared behind the gates. Only after she was gone did he begin his quiet walk home.
Meanwhile, Ais returned to her quarters and began the post-adventure routine. She removed her armor and Desperate, placing them carefully on the rack. Without delay, she walked to the girls' shower room, her steps silent and unhurried.
The sound of water and steam filled the chamber. Ais washed away the dust and blood of the Dungeon. Her golden hair, now loose, clung to her back and shoulders like threads of sunlight.
Just as she was about to wrap herself in a towel and step out, something unexpected happened.
A figure burst out of the tub like a sea monster ambushing prey and latched onto Ais.
"Let me see if Ais-tan has grown! Come on, let me touch you!"
Loki's perverted, sparkly-eyed face lunged forward like a lecherous ghost from the mist, her fingers wriggling ominously.
Ais, completely unfazed, leaned slightly to the side, dodging Loki's grab with practiced ease.
She said flatly, her tone carrying the weight of pure disapproval as she evaded another attempt with minimal effort.
"Ufufu~! I just love this cold attitude!" Loki squealed, undeterred as always.
Dressing quickly, Ais ignored her antics and voiced her intent, "Loki, I want to update my status."
Loki's eyes sparkled like twin stars. "Oh ho~? Alright, come with me, my adorable ice princess!"
Inside Loki's private room, Ais sat quietly with her back exposed, her smooth skin illuminated by the warm lamplight.
Loki pricked her finger, letting a drop of divine blood fall onto Ais's back. The divine Falna began to shimmer.
As numbers and runes danced before Loki's eyes, she hummed at first, noting the steady growth in stats.
Her expression twisted into one of stunned surprise.
"What do we have here? A brand-new skill?"
Hearing those words, Ais's calm facade cracked slightly. She turned quickly, excitement flashing in her usually serene golden eyes.
"What kind of skill? Tell me, Loki!"
With an exaggerated chuckle, Loki held up the parchment and said, "It's your lucky day. Here, take a look yourself."
Ais's fingers trembled ever so slightly as she accepted the sheet. Her gaze darted to the familiar but always hopeful section.
-Enhances wind magic while enhanced by Ariel. Increases range, control, and damage amplification.
Her heart swelled with joy. Finally, after two years of stagnation—when only her stats had grown—there was real progress.
A new skill. A tangible sign that she was still evolving. That her limits hadn't been reached.
The thought of Akira surfaced in her mind.
She clenched the parchment and whispered to herself, "This is because of him… because of training and learning alongside him."
"I need to tell Riveria!" She said, rising to her feet with determination.
Loki chuckled and gestured. "She's in the office right now, probably sipping tea with Finn and Gareth. Let's go."
When Ais shared the news in the office, the three high-ranking members of Loki Familia offered their congratulations without hesitation.
Riveria smiled, a rare softness in her eyes. "It seems your efforts in practicing magic with Akira have borne fruit. You should thank him properly, Ais."
Loki, never one to stay quiet, waved a hand. "Nonsense! This is all because our little Ais is just naturally amazing. What does that brat have to do with it?"
"He's helped a lot." Ais muttered, puffing her cheeks slightly.
"And I'm not stupid, Loki."
"Eeeh~? I never said you were!"
Loki threw up her hands in mock surrender, laughing as Gareth and Finn exchanged amused glances.
Elsewhere, inside the quiet halls of the Astraea Familia manor, Akira stood still as the divine presence behind him came to a halt.
"What's wrong, Astraea-sama?" He asked, blinking in confusion.
Astraea narrowed her star-like eyes and held up the newly updated parchment. "Akira… your status changed again."
Akira raised a brow. "Another change?"
She handed the sheet to him.
Durability: I0 → F305
Development Ability: Mystery I
- A type of dimensional magic. Under certain conditions, magic power can be transformed into dimensional power to unleash specialized effects.
"It's probably recorded because of the power you used when activating your Dimension Walker abilities." Astraea murmured.
She circled Akira, tapping her chin. "This magic is dangerous, no doubt. But also... fascinating. Is this the secret behind how you create magical artifacts?"
Akira scratched his head and said, "More or less. Without this, I wouldn't have gotten far in enchanting."
Astraea's eyes twinkled mischievously and she said, "So… it says 'under certain conditions.' Meaning you have a transformation, don't you? A new form."
She leaned in closer, voice soft and coaxing, "Come on~ Let me see it. Just once."
Akira flinched and said, "You're not going to laugh, are you?"
Astraea crossed her hands dramatically and said, "Astraea, the purest of deities, swears upon the stars!"
The moment he allowed the transformation to begin, his body began to subtly shift.
Though still youthful, Akira's appearance now held an ethereal neutrality. His features refined into something androgynous, delicate, like an elven noble—eerily reminiscent of Celty.
Dark circles appeared beneath his eyes, unearned yet persistent, giving him a tired and almost melancholy aura.
But what disturbed him most was the sensation… that ever-familiar feeling of being watched—a gaze brimming with hostility, jealousy, and something else he couldn't place.
It was like being accused of a crime he didn't commit—like a man caught cheating.
He knew that the gaze belonged to that guy but what he couldn't understand was why he was being targeted.