After leaving Lili, Bell headed to the guild to exchange the crystals he had collected during his last raid. Arriving at Eina's counter, he approached with a smile, but his mind was already preoccupied.
— "Eina, I wanted to ask you something. Do you know what family Liliruca Arde belongs to?"
Eina, curious about this question, opened the register of adventurers and supporters. She flipped through a few pages before stopping on an entry.
— "Lili belongs to the Soma family."
Bell frowned.
— "The Soma family? I haven't heard much about them."
Eina nodded, her expression turning serious.
— "The Soma family is known for being obsessed with creating and selling a special alcohol, Soma Wine. This beverage is so exquisite that it often causes their own family members to go into colossal debt, as they must pay to taste it."
Bell was silent for a moment, thinking back to Lili's apparent sincerity and her overriding tinge of deception.
— "So, it's a tough environment for a supporter," he muttered.
Eina stared at him seriously.
— "Bell, be careful with the Soma family. They have a dangerous reputation. And watch out for Lili. If she's involved with them, she might not be entirely honest with you."
Bell left the guild, his mind clouded by these revelations. As he walked through the streets of Orario, lost in thought, he didn't notice that he was heading straight for a slender figure.
They collided, and Bell immediately raised his hands in apology.
— "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!"
The person turned around, and Bell recognized the elf he had recently met at the Fertility Hostess.
— "Ryuu! I'm sorry, really."
Ryuu observed him calmly, his clear eyes piercing his agitation.
— "Everything is fine, Mr. Bell. But you seem preoccupied. Is something wrong?"
Bell hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to reveal the truth about Lili, but he felt he could trust her. To avoid revealing too much information, he chose to approach the problem as a hypothesis.
— "Well, let's say an adventurer I know is working with a supporter who seems to be hiding something. This supporter belongs to a family that could cause problems. This adventurer doesn't know whether to continue working with this person or if he should cut ties."
Ryuu remained silent for a moment, thinking about his words.
— "If this adventurer thinks this supporter is hiding something, they should first seek to understand their true intentions. Everyone has a reason for acting the way they do. However, this adventurer must also remain vigilant and not allow themselves to be manipulated. Trust is precious, but it must be earned."
Bell nodded, absorbing her words.
— "So, you advise this... adventurer to continue working with this supporter, but to keep an eye on him?"
Ryuu nodded slowly.
— "Yes. But he must also prepare for all eventualities. He must not forget that a heart can hide shadows."
Bell thanked Ryuu for his advice and continued on his way. His thoughts revolved around Lili and what he had learned about the Soma family.
— "I'll continue to work with her, but I have to stay on my guard. If she's caught in a trap, maybe I can help her get out."
A glint of determination flashed in his eyes. No matter what Lili's intentions were, Bell now had a clear idea of his own strategy.
Chapter 31: A Discovery About the Soma Family
After leaving Lili, Bell headed to the guild to exchange the crystals he had collected during his last raid. Arriving at Eina's counter, he approached with a smile, but his mind was already preoccupied.
— "Eina, I wanted to ask you something. Do you know what family Liliruca Arde belongs to?"
Eina, curious about this question, opened the register of adventurers and supporters. She flipped through a few pages before stopping on an entry.
— "Lili belongs to the Soma family."
Bell frowned.
— "The Soma family? I haven't heard much about them."
Eina nodded, her expression turning serious.
— "The Soma family is known for being obsessed with creating and selling a special alcohol, Soma Wine. This beverage is so exquisite that it often causes their own family members to go into colossal debt, as they must pay to taste it."
Bell was silent for a moment, thinking back to Lili's apparent sincerity and her overriding tinge of deception.
— "So, it's a tough environment for a supporter," he muttered.
Eina stared at him seriously.
— "Bell, be careful with the Soma family. They have a dangerous reputation. And watch out for Lili. If she's involved with them, she might not be entirely honest with you."
Bell left the guild, his mind clouded by these revelations. As he walked through the streets of Orario, lost in thought, he didn't notice that he was heading straight for a slender figure.
They collided, and Bell immediately raised his hands in apology.
— "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!"
The person turned around, and Bell recognized the elf he had recently met at the Fertility Hostess.
— "Ryuu! I'm sorry, really."
Ryuu observed him calmly, his clear eyes piercing his agitation.
— "Everything is fine, Mr. Bell. But you seem preoccupied. Is something wrong?"
Bell hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to reveal the truth about Lili, but he felt he could trust her. To avoid revealing too much information, he chose to approach the problem as a hypothesis.
— "Well, let's say an adventurer I know is working with a supporter who seems to be hiding something. This supporter belongs to a family that could cause problems. This adventurer doesn't know whether to continue working with this person or if he should cut ties."
Ryuu remained silent for a moment, thinking about his words.
— "If this adventurer thinks this supporter is hiding something, they should first seek to understand their true intentions. Everyone has a reason for acting the way they do. However, this adventurer must also remain vigilant and not allow themselves to be manipulated. Trust is precious, but it must be earned."
Bell nodded, absorbing her words.
— "So, you advise this... adventurer to continue working with this supporter, but to keep an eye on him?"
Ryuu nodded slowly.
— "Yes. But he must also prepare for all eventualities. He must not forget that a heart can hide shadows."
Bell thanked Ryuu for his advice and continued on his way. His thoughts revolved around Lili and what he had learned about the Soma family.
— "I'll continue to work with her, but I have to stay on my guard. If she's caught in a trap, maybe I can help her get out."
A glint of determination flashed in his eyes. No matter what Lili's intentions were, Bell now had a clear idea of his own strategy.
To be continued