The next day.
After Riezel finished preparing, he didn't immediately leave Twilight Manor to head to the dungeon. Instead, he stayed in the courtyard like other members.
In his hand, he held a piece of parchment with a scribbled message written in common language.
—I've found you a party member. Although her level is higher than yours, I and the other three top executives, feel that she still needs to hone her combat ability. Perfect timing, you two team up, form a small party, and train together.
Clearly, it was a message written by Loki.
In the morning, just as Riezel stepped out of his room, the message was already placed on the floor by the door, waiting for him to pick it up.
'Looks like Loki really found me a partner, planning to train my combat ability in a party, huh?'
Riezel was somewhat helpless, but he didn't oppose the idea and silently came here, waiting for his party member to arrive.
Although going into the dungeon with someone meant he couldn't act as freely as before, honing group combat was indeed necessary. Especially when his level increased, and he needed to delve into deeper floors or even go on expeditions. Most likely, he would have to go with the other members. Considering this, starting to train group combat now, though a bit early, was acceptable to him.
Of course, Loki's arrangement probably had something to do with preparing him for future exploits and leveling up. He might be planning to have him join the Familia's seniors for a secure experience gain.
Riezel had no choice but to follow the Goddess's arrangement for now.
'I just wonder who my partner will be... Would it be a first-class adventurer from the Familia executive?'
'No, definitely not.'
If they went into the dungeon with him, it wouldn't be honing group combat; it would be showing off in front of the rookie and overpowering monsters for the rookie to see.
Considering Loki's message, the party member should be a junior member within the Familia, not too different in level from Riezel, and with some apparent issue in their abilities.
'Who could it be?'
Riezel searched his memories of the original work.
But before he could come up with an answer, hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard.
"So-Sorry! I'm late!"
Accompanying the frantic footsteps was a nervous, timid voice filled with anxiety.
In front of Riezel appeared an Elf girl dressed conservatively with a touch of natural elegance while holding a staff. She had tea-colored long hair tied behind her head, and like a small animal, she swayed her tail-like hair in panic.
From the slightly tender face of the girl, it was clear she was no older than fifteen. Indeed, she was a junior member from Loki Familia, just as Riezel had expected.
However, he never expected that the one assigned to be his party member would be such a highly anticipated rising star in the eyes of the Familia's higher-ups.
"Are you Lefiya Viridis?" Riezel expressed his surprise.
Yes.
The newcomer was precisely Lefiya Viridis.
Capable of using more than three types of magic, and proficient in the special magic called 'Elf Ring', one of the only two in Loki Familia who could do so.
"Eh?" Lefiya slightly surprised. "D-Do you know me?"
"Of course." Riezel regained his composure and gave a faint smile. "You're the vice-captain's chosen disciple and successor, the future executive member of the Familia. Even as a rookie like me who recently joined the Familia, I've heard about your name."
Not to mention, this girl was an important supporting character from the original work and one of the heroines.
It would be strange if Riezel didn't know her.
However, in his view, the behavior of this girl seemed to become more anxious and nervous.
"Successor and all that... I'm still too early for that!" Lefiya wore a stressed expression.
Clearly, the expectations of the Familia's higher-ups had put considerable pressure on her.
Seeing her reaction, Riezel naturally wouldn't continue adding pressure to this girl who was younger than him. So, he slowed down his tone a bit.
"Since you're here, it means you are indeed my party member, right?" Riezel confirmed, just to be sure.
"Yes!" Lefiya nervously said. "Although I'm not very reliable, I'll do my best to keep up with you. Please advise!"
After saying that, she even gave a deep bow to him.
As he saw this, he took a step back, avoiding this gesture.
"Don't do that..." Riezel said with a somewhat subtle look. "Technically, I should be the one saying that. You got the roles mixed up, y'know?"
Lefiya was a Level 3 second-class adventurer, two levels higher than Riezel, who was just Level 1. Moreover, he was a rookie who recently joined the Familia. Even though she was still a Familia junior, her seniority was much higher than him.
Under such circumstances, logically speaking, what she said should be said by him. He should be the one feeling nervous and anxious, not the other way.
However, why did the position completely flip, with her seeming like the rookie, and him the senior?
It was nothing but absurd.
But his expression and response, once again, didn't make her feel at ease; instead, it made her even more nervous.
"I'm still immature, unable to care for juniors as Lady Riveria does..." Lefiya looked like she was on the verge of tears.
She clearly wasn't the type with a stable mindset. In her eyes, she wasn't mature enough. Yet, was she supposed to guide a rookie relying on level and seniority, who also happened to be two years older and seemingly tough like Riezel?
It was definitely impossible!
"Okay... Calm down..."
Seeing the girl in a panic, Riezel tried to calm her down.
"From now on, we'll be forming a party and fighting together. In that case, let's be more natural with each other. You don't have to be too polite, and definitely don't use honorifics with me."
"I-Is that okay?" Lefiya, after hearing this, relaxed a bit but still seemed somewhat tense.
"It's okay."
Seeing Lefiya finally calm down, Riezel spoke straightforwardly since he wasn't a fan of beating around the bush.
"Honestly, I've got the upper hand in this situation. It's a bit unexpected to be on equal terms with a senior in the Familia who's at a higher level than me. If you're not into it, I'll tone it down and switch to using polite speech with you."
"Well... Okay then..." Lefiya carefully observed his expression and, seeing that he maintained a clear gaze without any emotional changes, reluctantly nodded.
Only then did Riezel smile, while pondering the thoughts of the Familia's higher-ups.
Without a doubt, the fact that his party member would be Lefiya, the future backbone of the Familia, was definitely an arrangement made by the higher-ups.
Even though she had some immature aspects, the significance of sending the vice-captain's successor to his side, forming a party with a rookie who had recently joined the Familia, to hone their group combat ability was absolutely not ordinary.
Upon careful consideration, Lefiya would be the one likely to inherit Riveria's position in the future and possibly become the Familia vice-captain. Clearly, she had to be someone who could become the future backbone of the entire Familia.
In this regard, the fact that the higher-ups sent Lefiya to form a party with him held a meaningful implication.
'Are they already treating me like another Lefiya, someone in need of special training and attention?' Riezel pondered, unsure of how to express his feelings about this.
Was he happy about this attention? Or did he feel pressure for his future?
'Loki really put me in a position where I don't know whether to be happy or not...' Riezel thought wryly.
Nevertheless, despite his inner thoughts, he maintained a natural and calm demeanor on the surface.
"Are you ready?" Riezel looked at Lefiya's face and asked.
"Yes, I'm ready!" Lefiya nodded heavily. "I've got twenty regular potions, ten high potions, ten poison cures, twenty magic potions, and I even prepared two elixirs. Nothing can go wrong!"
Riezel was left almost speechless by her words, and couldn't help but look at her with an extremely strange expression.
"Wha-What happened?" Lefiya asked nervously. "Is my preparation not enough?"
"No..." Riezel sighed. "Your preparation is more than enough. It's so much that I feel overwhelmed..."
Potions, especially the high ones and magic potions, were valuable recovery items that only skilled pharmacists with the 'Mixing' development ability could create. Their effects were almost instantaneous, surpassing the speed of ordinary medicines and providing recovery in just a few seconds.
Lefiya had prepared a large quantity of these expensive recovery items, including regular potions to quickly restore stamina, high potions to treat most injuries rapidly, and magic potions to swiftly recover the mind.
But what caught him off guard was the addition of elixirs, the most effective high-ranking recovery potions on the market. Each elixir was worth a fortune, with a market price of 500,000 valis, comparable to some third-class equipment.
Lefiya had prepared two of them, spending at least 1 million valis for this party operation alone.
Was this girl that rich?
Riezel, who usually only brought weapons, armor, and a bit of food and water when heading into the dungeon, looked at the visibly nervous Lefiya in silence.