Double chapters for today.
***
"How did it go?" In the evening, upon returning to Twilight Manor, Riveria went straight to the office, where Finn, Gareth, and Loki were already gathered.
Loki, unusually, hadn't gone out to show off.
Upon Riveria's entrance, Finn immediately inquired about her visit. They all knew about Riveria's intention to meet Aston that afternoon.
"It's just as Tione described, Aston is indeed incredible."
Just by being near him, elves can continuously recover their strength and spirit.
"I suspect it's a skill, probably of the same type as my Alf Regina."
Although Aston hadn't answered her previous questions, Riveria had her guesses about the changes in him.
"That should be the case."
"According to the information gathered by Tione, Aston experienced this change while adventuring in the dungeon."
"After all, suddenly mastering a skill during battle is quite plausible," Loki said, sitting on the desk and swinging her feet, smiling.
"This gives us another reason to invite Aston to join the expedition," added Gareth, unusually smiling.
He was well aware of the significant role mages play in expeditions.
And there were many mages in the Loki Familia, enough to form a magic team, most of whom were elves under Riveria's command.
If Aston joined, the magic team would become even stronger and reduce potion consumption.
Mages are major potion consumers, as constant spellcasting depletes their mental energy, necessitating restorative potions.
With Aston around, just spending time near him would restore the elves to their best condition.
This would significantly reduce the Familia's expedition expenses.
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Riveria nodded in agreement with the idea of inviting Aston to join the expedition.
When she left, she had met Hestia, who was visiting Loki to discuss the expedition. Loki had been called back by Finn for this, otherwise, she'd still be out.
"Ah, Hestia Goddess visited to confirm the collaboration."
"She agreed to Aston joining our expedition, but since Tione's invitation was her own initiative, it couldn't represent the entire Familia. So, she came to confirm the authenticity of the offer."
"After our discussion, we've confirmed the collaboration between Hestia Familia and Loki Familia for the expedition."
"We'll provide all necessary items for Aston's expedition, and I'll guide him with knowledge and intelligence related to the expedition."
"In return, Aston will help enchant our weapons."
"Having enchantment magic for melee fighters and quick recovery for elven mages, Aston is indeed a powerful support."
"I think he can be called a god-level support," Finn commented, nodding and stroking his chin.
"Let's not forget, he's a warrior." Riveria reminded them, a slight twitch of her lips indicating her agreement with the depiction.
"Perfect." Gareth pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"Now, what do you think? By the time we embark on our next expedition, will Aston have reached the same level of strength as Gareth and me?" Finn suddenly asked.
This speculation about Aston's rapid growth left everyone in the office momentarily stunned, pondering the implications.
After a brief silence, it was Riveria who spoke up. She looked at the others and said somberly, "Given Aston's rate of growth, it's indeed possible."
The thought left everyone with complex feelings. They were on the verge of witnessing a legend, a character evolving from Level 1 to Level 6 in just a month.
As for Aston being publicly known as Level 1, they weren't concerned. Concealing one's true level was common, and at worst, the guild would impose a fine — a trivial matter for them.
Meanwhile, Loki was again lamenting in distress. "Aston should have been mine."
Seeing Loki's reaction, Finn and the others exchanged glances and shook their heads sympathetically. They all recalled the regret they felt when they first learned Aston had been turned away from Loki Familia due to their policies.
While they felt regret, they didn't experience the same depth of feeling as Loki. But now, understanding Aston's potential to reach Level 6 within a month, they could somewhat relate to Loki's feelings, particularly Finn and Riveria.
Finn, with his immense ambition to elevate the status of his people, felt like he had missed a massive opportunity. If Aston had joined Loki Familia, their expeditions would have been tremendously successful, making their goal of surpassing the realms unexplored by Zeus and Hera Familia achievable much sooner.
And Riveria was drawn to the unique aura emanating from Aston, an allure she found addictive. If Aston had not been rejected by Loki Familia initially, she could have continuously enjoyed that extraordinary presence, further empowering her magical army.
***
500 power stones = 1 extra chapter
Check out my Patreon for 20 chapters ahead! Your support helps a lot.
PATREON.COM/METARLN