Chapter 56: Ais's Past!
The following morning, after breakfast, Loki summoned her Familia executives to Finn's office.
Due to the unusual circumstances, Shiro was also called in.
"Ais has finally reached Level 6..." Gareth remarked, a hint of emotion in his voice.
"Yes, and it seems to have affected the others as well. Let's just hope they don't try to imitate Ais's recklessness," Riveria added with a sigh.
"Haha, high morale is a good thing," Finn chuckled, focusing on the positive aspects of Ais's advancement.
The three veterans discussed the impact of Ais's upgrade on the Familia, their perspective different from that of ordinary members.
Their concerns lay with the overall strength and reputation of Loki Familia, while the others were more focused on individual achievements and rivalries.
"Alright, let's discuss the matter of the weird-colored magic stones. First, I'll fill you in on what happened while you were in the Dungeon," Loki announced, sitting cross-legged on a chair.
Apart from the monsters on the 50th floor, the carnivorous plants that appeared during the monsterphilia also dropped these peculiar magic stones.
On the day Shiro encountered the red-haired woman, Loki and Bete investigated Orario's sewers.
And relying on the werewolf's keen sense of smell, they discovered that many more of these carnivorous plants were lurking within the depths of Orario.
"Additionally, we encountered Dionysus and one of his Familia, Filvis Challia, on our way back to Orario. Bete detected the same scent on him as the ones we found in the sewers," Loki continued.
"Upon questioning, we learned that a member of Dionysus Familia was murdered a month ago. And he obtained one of the magic stones and decided to investigate the sewers personally."
"What about the possibility of lies?" Finn inquired, biting his thumb in contemplation.
"At the very least, I didn't detect any falsehood in his words. He might be hiding something, but he wasn't actually lying," Loki replied with a shrug, then turned her gaze toward the white-haired boy.
"He ultimately directed his suspicions toward the Guild, specifically Ouranos, who orchestrated the monsterphilia through Ganesha Familia."
"I met with Ouranos before. While there are some suspicious aspects to him, this incident shouldn't be his doing. But these are just my intuition," Loki stated.
Although the red-haired goddess said so, everyone present knew better than to dismiss a god's intuition as mere guesswork.
"So, what's the situation over there?" Loki asked, turning the focus back to Finn.
Finn proceeded to explain the events that transpired on the 18th floor, detailing the red-haired woman, whom they referred to as the Beast Tamer, and her objective – the orb Lulune had been entrusted with.
"Was that monster transformed from an orb... Does that mean the monster on the 50th floor was also transformed from an orb?" Loki pondered, stroking her chin in thought.
"Yes, a green orb containing a strange fetus. When it saw Ais, it burst out of its shell, but I stopped it. Eventually, it burrowed into a carnivorous plant and transformed the monster into what we encountered that day," Shiro elaborated, recalling the scene vividly.
Unfortunately, even Loki, a goddess, had never heard of anything like it before.
"Tch, I'm more concerned about that Beast Tamer woman. Finn, you couldn't even subdue her while she was injured. Could she be Level 7?"
"No, Ottar wouldn't lose to her. She's probably just a bit stronger than Level 6, but I still wouldn't want to face an opponent of that caliber again," Finn replied, shaking his head as he recalled their brief confrontation.
Loki ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.
She had hoped to leave Orario with Shiro in a few decades, but now, these incidents are popping up one after another.
"Where did all these monsters and villains suddenly come from..." She muttered in frustration.
"I do have a clue," Shiro interjected. "That Beast Tamer called Ais 'Aria' during the battle. Do you know where this name comes from?"
Everyone in the room stared at him with wide eyes.
They exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.
Finally, Loki, as the goddess, spoke.
"Ais was found in the Dungeon by our Familia several years ago. And her mother was the legendary wind spirit, Aria, from a thousand years ago."
Those few words held a shocking amount of information.
Spirits, alongside elves, were renowned magical races.
They were few in number and shrouded in mystery.
Shiro had never encountered one during his time in Orario.
Spirits were further divided into various types, such as gnomes, undines, sylphs, salamanders, and light spirits.
Gnomes, with their elderly appearance and skill in crafting metal and gemstones, were the most adept at blending in with humans.
Spirits were also considered the race closest to gods, earning them titles like "God's favored children" and "God's avatars".
In ancient times, before the gods descended, spirits acted on the gods' will, eliminating monsters and guiding humanity.
They served as heroes' assistants, fulfilling a role similar to the current Falna.
But, Loki's revelation raised several more questions.
Why did the Beast Tamer know the name "Aria"?
How did Ais maintain her youthful appearance after spending a thousand years in the Dungeon?
Her mental age seemed to match her physical appearance, so how did she survive for so long?
Instead of providing answers, this revelation only deepened the mystery.
"Who else knows about Ais's past?" Shiro asked.
"Among the gods, apart from Hera, who left Orario long ago, only Ouranos might know something..." Loki answered.
A heavy silence fell upon the room as the focus shifted back to Ouranos. There were still countless mysteries surrounding the guild's great god.
Finn let out a sigh and sank into a chair.
"This matter, and what Loki encountered in the sewers... we can't even grasp the full picture yet. Let's hear what Ais has to say first."
He reached into a drawer and retrieved a handbell adorned with a vibrant red ribbon.
Ring, ring, ring—
Within seconds of ringing the bell, sounds of hurried footsteps soon approached the door.
The next moment, the door burst open with a loud bang.
"Did you need something, Captain?" Tione asked, her face beaming with enthusiasm.
"Are you a loyal dog or something?!" Shiro muttered, looking at her eager expression.
Ignoring Shiro's comment, Finn calmly issued his instruction.
"Tione, could you please bring Ais here?"
"Leave it to me!" Tione chirped, accepting the task with glee before disappearing as quickly as she arrived.
"That's certainly convenient..." Gareth muttered under his breath, receiving a dry chuckle from Finn in response.
"Well then, while we wait for Ais, let's talk about the next expedition."
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