Loki Clan Headquarters, Dusk Pavilion entrance.
Today, there was an excitement not seen in the past two days.
Clan members who normally stayed at the headquarters were buzzing with a rare excitement, cheering and leaping joyfully as they welcomed a group of people inside.
Reiger descended from the high tower and when he reached the entrance, that group of people was being surrounded by the resident clan members, displaying happy and relaxed smiles, creating a lively atmosphere.
His gaze almost instantly locked onto the leaders of this group.
There, several individuals whose presence clearly stood out among their companions caught his eye.
"You're finally back!"
The energetic cheer came from a girl with tanned skin wearing a dancer-like outfit, her upper body covered by only a thin piece of cloth, and her waist wrapped in a long skirt; her belly button and graceful limbs were generously exposed.
"Theona, you're so loud."
The one chastising the vibrant tanned-skinned girl was another girl who, apart from waist-length hair and some body features, looked almost identical, as if they were cast from the same mold, a girl of the same age.
"How many times have you shouted since we entered?"
Next to them, a beastman youth with animal ears on his head, a tail on his back, and tattoos on his face, who looked a bit like a delinquent, clicked his tongue and made an annoyed expression.
Amazonian twins and the young man from the wolf clan were bickering conspicuously at the most prominent spot.
But the presence of three others standing next to them was even more striking.
They were a trio from the Hobbit, Elf, and Dwarf clans.
A Hobbit with a height shorter than anyone else present, with a childlike appearance resembling a human child.
An Elf with emerald-colored long hair, wearing a white-colored robe, holding a silver magic wand, with fine, elongated pointed ears, possessing extraordinary beauty.
A Dwarf wide and sturdy, donned in thick armor, his height just a bit taller than the Hobbit next to him, shorter than the Elf with visibly strong muscles.
These three were smiling, observing everyone, radiating an almost kindly aura as if watching over something.
Reiger's gaze swept over these three, and then, as if attracted by something, couldn't help but fixate on the last person.
However, before Reiger could take a closer look, a loud and excited voice interrupted him and burst into the heartwarming scene.
"I missed you guys so much———!"
Loki, who shouted like this, rushed out from the tower towards the group leaders.
More precisely, Loki was pouncing toward that last person who had captured Reiger's attention.
"Ais! Tan!"
Loki, like an uncle seeing his beloved woman, screamed weirdly while lunging at her.
At this sight, everyone saw what happened next.
The scene where soft golden hair suddenly moved.
"Thump!"
With a sound like an explosion, the owner of the golden hair sidestepped and punched Loki right in the solar plexus.
"Gah!"
Loki immediately let out a grunt as if all the air was forced from his lungs and collapsed in front of the owner of the golden hair.
"...I'm back, Loki."
The clear and pleasant voice, devoid of any highs and lows, came from her mouth.
The voice told everyone that the owner of the golden hair was clearly a young and beautiful female.
Indeed, that was the case.
The girl standing in front of Loki on the ground was a young individual still retaining some childishness, not very old, slender, wearing light blue attire, with delicate and tender skin and quite regular facial features, a beauty rivaling Elves and goddesses.
Her eyes matched her hair color, vaguely shining with a transparent luster, emitting an incredible aura as if she were an artwork stepping out of a painting, so beautiful it almost didn't seem real.
The only pity was that her exquisite and beautiful face lacked much expression, like a doll, giving off a detached feel.
Facing this overly beautiful doll-like girl, Loki struggled to lift his face.
"You have improved your skills again, Ais Tan..."
Loki made a smile uglier than crying.
"You had it coming, Loki!"
The spirited Amazonian girl called Theona came up with a face full of schadenfreude.
"We're really tired, Loki. Please don't bother us now, just let us rest properly, okay?"
The other Amazon girl, who seemed much more mature than the energetic one, appeared with a sigh.
"Tch."
The beastman youth showed an impatient demeanor, not the least bit respectful towards the chief deity.
However, between them, there was no discomfort in the atmosphere, rather a natural and harmonious feeling.
It meant their relationship wasn't just not bad, but really good, so good that they could interact without any awkwardness and playfully tease without restraint.
———"Family".
That was the word Reiger saw in this scene, a term somewhat distant to him.
By this time, the trio that had been keeping watch over everyone at the rear stepped forward.
"We're back, Loki,"
the noble elf woman, with a voice as dignified as a queen's and tinged with warmth, addressed Loki.
"Get up now, stop lying around."
The dwarf warrior then boisterously pulled Loki up; the ease with which he did so made it seem as if he was lifting a doll.
Finally, the one with the shortest stature in the entire group, seemingly not even one meter tall, with hair the color of ripe wheat and eyes as clear as a lake's surface, whose appearance was more childish than anyone else present, and whose eyes shimmered with the light of wisdom, spoke up.
"The expedition has successfully concluded without any casualties, though the gains are not significant. I will explain the details later. For now, let's allow everyone to have a good bath and a proper rest, Loki," the young member of the small folk summarized to Loki with an unexpectedly mature tone.
"No problem!" Loki suddenly grinned as if nothing had happened and announced to the group, "Then everyone, you have worked hard. Please rest well!"
"Yes!"
The members of the Familia returning from the expedition responded in unison.
"Those of you remaining in the headquarters, bring in the spoils we've brought back."
The young member of the small folk issued instructions to the surrounding people with an air of natural authority.
"Yes, Captain!"
The personnel left behind immediately went to help move the items.
Only Reiger remained standing in the same spot, watching those who were laughing and talking as they entered the Twilight Manor, his gaze steadfastly fixed on the leaders from beginning to end.
Not just Reiger, but all the other members of the Familia, whether they had stayed behind at the headquarters or joined the expedition, looked upon those few with admiration and affection.
That was to be expected.
After all, these were the individuals at the zenith of the Loki Familia, the pillars of the Familia.
They were strong.
They were renowned worldwide.
In the world of adventurers exploring labyrinths, people distinguished all adventurers into higher and lower classes based on their levels.
Lower adventurers referred specifically to level 1 adventurers, while higher adventurers were a title reserved only for those who had experienced a level-up, achieving level 2 or higher.
Higher adventurers were further categorized as third-class, second-class, and first-class adventurers.
Level 2 adventurers were third-class adventurers.
Level 3 and level 4 adventurers were second-class adventurers.
Adventurers of level 5 and above were first-class adventurers.
Generally speaking, a Familia that had a third-class adventurer was considered to have grown beyond a small Familia, establishing a certain standing in Orario.
In that vein, a Familia that had a first-class adventurer possessed significant influence within Orario.
A Familia with several first-class adventurers held a top rank in Orario and even the whole world.
The Loki Familia was one of these exceptional Familias, rightfully standing at the pinnacle.
Those few were the first-class adventurers of the Loki Familia.
"Thiona Silute, Lv.5, Amazon, executive of the Loki Familia, titled —— 'The Great Cutter'."
"Theone Silute, Lv.5, Amazon, executive of the Loki Familia, titled —— 'Raging Serpent'."
"Bert Roka, Lv.5, Werewolf, executive of the Loki Familia, titled —— 'Fierce Wolf'."
These three were the Amazonian twin sisters and the beastman youth who had spoken at the beginning.
The other set of three had even more astonishing backgrounds.
"Finn Timna, Lv.6, hero of the small folk, captain of the Loki Familia, titled —— 'Hero'."
"Revilia Leos Alfr, Lv.6, royal of the elven race, vice-captain of the Loki Familia, Orario's strongest Magic Guide, titled —— 'Nine Demon Princesses'."
"Grace Landrock, Lv.6, warrior of the dwarf race, one of the leaders of the Loki Familia's Headquarters Camp, titled —— 'The Heavy Champion'."
These three were the mightiest trio of the Loki Familia, also heading the Headquarters Camp, and had joined the Familia since its early days, leading it to its current glory.
Among the handful of level 6 adventurers in all of Orario, there were three in the Loki Familia, and these were those three.
As for the last one ——
Once again, Reiger's gaze shifted to the somewhat reserved and silent automaton girl walking among the group.
"Ais Wallenstein, Lv.5, executive of the Loki Familia, the strongest swordswoman."
"Titled —— 'Sword Princess'."
A soft murmur, as if carried by the wind, drifted away.
"?"
The girl, on the verge of entering the tower, seemed to hear something and turned her head, looking in Reiger's direction.
Their gazes locked onto each other at once.
For a moment, it seemed as though they only had eyes for each other.