Ais the Sword Princess. Regarding her information, Altair claimed to know a lot yet not much at all. After all, while this character was the male protagonist's favorite girl, she wasn't Altair's favorite. Therefore, he didn't pay much attention to her. As for what type of girl Altair likes, one only needs to look at Hestia and Saeko.
That's right... he likes the ones who willingly come to him! Just kidding. Altair prefers girls whose personalities match his tastes. Hestia's straightforward nature and Saeko's directness are exactly what he appreciates.
As for Ais, Altair has a certain level of understanding but not a complete one. For example, he understands her current situation but doesn't care much for her backstory, nor does he want to learn about it.
Since arriving in the world of Danmachi, Altair has sought power but not excessively so. His personality leans toward selfishness... he only cares about what he likes. In this world, he has no desire for conquest or unnecessary meddling. As long as no one troubles the Hestia Familia, he plans to live happily ever after with his goddess Hestia.
Just as Hestia came to the mortal realm not to join Orario's struggles but to find family and live the life she desires.
Thus, when planning Ais's training regimen, Altair decided on a breakthrough approach.
At the entrance to the dungeon, Ais and Lefiya from the Loki Familia, along with Altair and Saeko from the Hestia Familia, formed a temporary four-person adventuring party.
Following Loki's instructions and Altair's plans, the goal was to help Ais grow stronger. However, Loki wasn't about to let Ais venture out with Altair's group alone, so Lefiya tagged along. Consequently, Altair adjusted his plan to include Lefiya.
"Altair-san, we meet again."
Their previous interactions had been pleasant enough, so Lefiya greeted Altair happily. She was thrilled simply to team up with Ais, which made her overjoyed.
"Nice to see you again, Lefiya-san."
Altair addressed her formally. She was an elven mage, and while he didn't remember her exact age, elves could be much older than they looked. Better to stick with formalities.
Also, it's not like he'd rush forward to activate the [BGM Warrior] skill and trigger some OP buff.
"Hello."
Ais's greeting was much colder... just a simple word. But her eyes were filled with determination. Before coming, Loki had told her that Altair could help her.
Ais believed this wholeheartedly. The last time she teamed up with Altair in the dungeon, Bete had broken through his limits and reached Level 6. Now, Bete was considered the fourth member of the familia's Big Three!
"Altair-san, Loki-sama instructed us to follow your lead for this dungeon expedition," Lefiya relayed Loki's words to Altair, who nodded... it had been prearranged with Loki.
"Today's target is the 27th floor!"
"The 27th floor? The same as where Mr. Bete trained last time?"
"That's right. It's a familiar area for us, so we can take our time. Before that, though, we'll stop at the 17th floor."
"Understood."
The reason for visiting the 17th floor was simple... today was the day Goliath respawned. Mr. Goliath was practically a benefactor to the Hestia Familia, generously donating his magic stones to ensure their prosperity.
"Alright, let's set off for the 17th floor!"
As the team leader, Altair gave the command, and the four adventurers entered the dungeon, heading straight for the 17th floor.
Originally, Altair was considering whether to make some preparations, but with the help of the Loki Familia, he didn't need to do anything at all.
Today, Saeko was sure to max out her abilities and reach Level 2!
Along the way, the monsters were all cut down in one slash by Ais and Saeko. One was a Sword Princess, and the other a Sword Demon... both of them beautiful girls, making for a rather fitting pair.
They continued until they reached the 17th floor, stopping near the massive ice wall where Mr. Goliath was set to respawn. Then, they began to wait.
Based on the usual respawn time for Goliath, Altair estimated that it would likely be around lunchtime.
So, upon arriving, he immediately began spreading out a picnic blanket. He took a mat from his spatial pouch and laid it on the ground. This scene left the innocent Lefiya, a member of the elven race, utterly dumbfounded.
"Altair-san, what is this…?"
"Oh, this is a mat. There's still some time before Goliath respawns. In the meantime, we can sit down, rest, have some tea, or enjoy some desserts. Saeko and I prepared a lot last night."
As he spoke, Altair finished setting up the mat and began pulling out desserts and teacups from his spatial pouch.
"This…"
Lefiya watched Altair's natural movements, momentarily questioning whether they were in the dungeon to improve their stats or to have a picnic.
"Don't worry about it. Our target is Goliath. Saeko needs Goliath to improve her achievements, but he's of no use to you two. So just sit back, drink tea, and enjoy the snacks."
"Uh…"
Lefiya felt that this wasn't quite right, but before she could argue, Ais had already walked over and sat down, her actions completely natural. It was evident she had been tempted by the desserts Altair had laid out.
Since Miss Ais had already taken a seat, Lefiya decided to follow suit. After all, Loki-sama had said to listen to Altair-san for this expedition.
With that thought in mind, Lefiya sat down as well, right next to Ais, pressing close to her. The petite elf giggled with joy after sitting.
Thus, even though they were in the perilous dungeon, the four of them began a picnic.
However, as if on cue, just as Altair poured himself a cup of tea and was about to drink it, the wall suddenly began to stir. Goliath's massive face emerged from the ice wall... it had respawned!
Looking at Goliath's face appearing on the wall and then glancing at the teacup in his hand, Altair was speechless.
Bro, I wasn't the one coming for you this time. Did you have to time this so perfectly?
Reluctantly, Altair set down the teacup.
"Saeko, are you ready?"
Even though the floor boss had appeared, the four of them seemed utterly relaxed. Ais, being Level 5, had no reason to feel tense, and Lefiya hadn't even noticed the danger yet.
As for Altair, he wasn't the one taking on the boss this time, and even if he were, he wouldn't have been nervous. Saeko, on the other hand, stood up confidently, ready to draw her blade.
"I've been waiting for this!"
Saeko stood up and slowly unsheathed her Murakumo. She smiled at Altair and nodded.
"Is Goliath here already? Are we starting?"
Lefiya finally realized what was happening, but Altair ignored her and nodded at Saeko.
"Go ahead."
Saeko gripped her Murakumo tightly and slowly approached the ice wall as Goliath's massive body began to emerge from it.
Once Goliath was fully revealed, Saeko stood before the giant, tilting her head back to look up at its towering figure. Her smile grew bloodthirsty.
Seeing Saeko growing increasingly excited, Altair activated his skill and began playing a background track.
The previously silent 17th floor suddenly filled with music, accompanied by a female voice singing:
"The flower of hope connects our bonds... "
"It resides in our hearts now... "
Bang!
As the music began, Altair collapsed dramatically to the ground, extending his left index finger in a peculiar gesture that Ais and Lefiya found utterly baffling.
Simultaneously, a wave of melancholy swept through Ais and Lefiya, filling them with a mix of sadness and power. Both of them widened their eyes in shock, staring at Altair in disbelief.
At the same time, Saeko, standing before Goliath, felt the surge of power as well. Having been forewarned by Altair, she immediately understood that his skill had been activated. Grinning, she transformed into a blur and charged toward Goliath.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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