In this chaotic world, it all started when they found an elf girl

　Tione also possessed magic, and when she saw Ryu weaving through countless monsters, attacking, dodging, and chanting spells at the same time, she was as if she had seen a ghost.

　She could never do something like that in her entire life!

　"Wind of Light" pierced through the monster feast, and the three hurriedly ran to the upper passage to avoid being surrounded by monsters again. The monsters in the dungeon were endless, and even the most powerful adventurers would eventually be worn down.

　After leaving the Water City, the pressure decreased significantly.

　Fighting together is the best way to foster friendship. Trusting each other's backs, they build an unspoken understanding and become inseparable friends. As they left, Tiona curiously inquired, "Ryu, I heard you've spent the most time with the captain. Do you know what kind of woman he likes?" Tiona was also eavesdropping.

　Liu asked in surprise, "Didn't he tell you?"

　“He said he likes pretty, despicable womanizers!” Tiony curled her lip.

　Ryu recalled briefly, "Roy seems to like elves with long golden hair and pointed ears..."

　The atmosphere around them suddenly became quiet.

　Tione and Tiona looked at Ryu with strange eyes. "You might as well just show me your ID card!"

　Liu seemed to realize something as well, her little face turning slightly red. Impossible, absolutely impossible!

　The three returned to the surface, first going to the guild headquarters to exchange the magic stone fragments for money, while leaving the monster materials behind before returning to the Star Garden. Dinner was served.

　Lily looked a little nervous and greeted everyone, "Seniors, I am a newcomer to the Familia, Lily Luca Erd, please take good care of me!" "She's a little person, how cute."

　Tiona smiled happily and picked up Lily, who looked like a delicate doll. The latter, with her LV.1 strength, was completely unable to resist. Tiona chuckled and said, "Little Lily, don't even think about attacking the captain!"

　Liu pursed her lips and said softly, "Welcome."

　People welcomed the newlyweds in different ways.

　Lily trembled, but she could sense that no one meant her any harm. Unlike the Soma Familia, the Astrea Familia was filled with the warmth of family. In the lively atmosphere, Lily couldn't help but show a genuine smile she had never shown before.

Chapter 239 More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers

　After dinner.

　Ryu went to Roy's study, which was also the leader's private office, to report to him.

　Upon hearing that Ryu, Tione, and Tiona had already reached the 27th floor, Roy's face showed a hint of surprise. "That's fast. How are they adapting?"

　Liu nodded gently, "Very good!"

　Unlike Daphne and Cassandra, who are complete novices, Tione and Tiona already possess great strength and combat experience. All they need to do is teach each other about the dungeon's terrain and monsters.

　Roy was also trained by Ryu, and he knew Ryu's Spartan-style strict requirements inside and out.

　The fact that Tione and Tiona were able to gain Ryu's approval shows that they have indeed grown very quickly.

　Roy didn't ask any more questions.

　“And this document, Eina asked me to give it to you at guild headquarters.” Ryu placed a sealed document on the mahogany table. Seeing the guild seal on the document, Roy frowned, recalling Eina’s warning when he left Orario. It had indeed come to pass. Roy opened the document and quickly scanned it. Unsurprisingly, it was a guild expedition mission, targeting the thirty-seventh level of the dungeon—the Deep Layer! The mere mention of it sent a chill down his spine.

　The area below the thirty-sixth level of the underground city is collectively referred to as the "deep layer," and no one knows exactly where it extends.

　The guild dares not release any deep information casually, for a shocking reason: they are said to fear that such information would make adventurers feel despair and dare not enter the dungeon to explore anymore.

　A smile of excitement curved Roy's handsome lips, his blood seemed to boil, and his innate adventurous impulse stirred within him. Liu asked softly, "An expedition?"

　“Yes!” Roy nodded.

　Orario amassed its wealth through the resources of its dungeons, and the unknown materials and everything else discovered there benefited the entire world. Expeditions are an obligation undertaken by Orario's exploration-oriented Familias, and they are held periodically.

　Ryu continued, "Time and goal?"

　Roy said, "In half a month, draw a map of part of the thirty-seventh floor, five 'Skeleton Sheep' masks or leather, ten 'Obsidian Soldier' ​​core stones, and collect the dust from the third circular wall."

　Liu asked in surprise, "That's it?"

　The Astrea Familia currently has two LV.5 members and two LV.4 members. Although the expedition target is the Deep Layer, it shouldn't be too difficult. And the expedition is scheduled for half a month later.

　When have guilds ever been so kind? Usually, giving seven or eight days to prepare is already considered good.

　"Miss Ryu, don't forget, the guild doesn't know about Tione and Tiona's level-up yet," Roy laughed. As for the ample time, it was probably because Guild Master Royman was intimidated by him and didn't dare to push too hard.

　Ryu suddenly realized that the guild believed the Astraea Familia only had one LV.5 and one LV.4 adventurer, making the 37th floor just right. With their current strength, the risk wasn't too great; it was more of a training exercise. Ryu relaxed.

　“By the way, Miss Eina wants you to go there soon to study advanced knowledge. I also have some advanced intelligence. What are you going to do?” Liu said quietly.

　The Astrea Familia had previously conquered floor 41, so Ryu possessed a lot of in-depth information. But Roy sensed that Ryu was a little jealous... Roy's eyes darted around, "Miss Ryu, if I go to Eina's side, will you be jealous?"

　Liu's pretty face stiffened.

　"How could I possibly do such a thing!"

　The elven girl glared fiercely at Roy with her sky-blue eyes, then turned and left the office, her steps hurried and even slightly flustered. Her unsteady gait drew surprised glances from Tiony and Tiona in the hall. Had they been arguing? But neither of them seemed to be. "Huff! Huff! Huff!"

　She quickly returned to her room, leaning against the wall with her small hands on her chest. Why did her heart feel so fast? Her pretty cheeks turned red in the darkness, spreading to her pointed, slender ears.

　The rapid heartbeat could be clearly heard.

　Her mind kept flashing back to everything she had experienced with Roy since they met: how he helped her take revenge, destroy the dark faction, and revive her clan... as well as their conversation in the dungeon.

　Through a compatibility (marriage) agreement, they can sense each other's position and even vaguely sense each other's state, joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

　Ryu felt a deep connection to Roy's yearning and passion for adventure, his focus while forging weapons, and the thrill of outwitting and outmaneuvering enemies. It was somewhat like the "Platonic" love described by the gods. Ryu buried her head deep in the blankets, wondering if he felt the same way. Meanwhile, in the office...

　Roy watched as the flustered elf girl fled as if her life depended on it. Her shy demeanor was much cuter than usual, and he couldn't help but smile.

　He had always had a clear understanding of their relationship: more than friends, but less than lovers. They were just waiting for a certain opportunity to break through this barrier and go even further. Now it seemed that the emotionally oblivious elf girl had also realized something.

　Roy was a little curious.

　Who was this kind-hearted person who helped him out? He should definitely bring two cases of milk to thank them.

　The following day, in the main hall of the Star Garden.

　Upon learning that their clan was about to embark on a dungeon expedition, everyone was filled with excitement, but also felt a sense of urgency, as the expedition meant exploring floors that had never been reached before.

　As long as they can return alive, their abilities and combat experience will experience a qualitative leap, and it's even possible to level up or awaken new skills! Roy said, "This expedition mission is entirely voluntary; those who don't want to go can refuse."

　After all, it was the Deep Sea Expedition, a perilous journey with a near-certain death rate, according to adventurers. Roy himself had never been to the Deep Sea, and he couldn't claim to have absolute confidence in protecting the others. Therefore, Roy didn't force them to participate.

　Ryu, Roy, Tione, and Tiona are definitely in the team. This statement is mainly directed at Daphne and Cassandra at LV.2, and Lily at LV.1. The three are completely mismatched in strength.

　Like the monstrous skeleton sheep deep within, their terrifying speed was too fast for even low-level LV.4 adventurers to react to; they would be instantly killed. Daphne and Cassandra both looked somewhat resentful. Unable to participate in the expedition, their growth rate would inevitably lag behind others, and the gap would widen further. Finally, they couldn't see Roy and the others' retreating figures. As members of the same familia, they longed to fight side by side.

　Lily, on the other hand, remained quite calm.

　A deep expedition mission? Are you kidding me! That's a realm where even LV.4 adventurers would perish; she'd never even reached below the tenth level before. So sending her on a deep expedition... Lily recalled a self-deprecating proverb widely circulated among the gods: "A swine drooling at the door—do I even deserve it?"

Chapter 240 Collective Upgrade

　The brief meeting ended, and Ryu, along with Tione and Tiona, continued exploring the dungeon, aiming to reach at least the thirty-sixth floor in preparation for the expedition. Daphne, unwilling to give up, asked, "Captain, what level of strength is required to participate in this expedition?"

　Cassandra and Lily were also looking at Roy.

　Roy replied, "At least LV.3. As a healer, Cassandra can appropriately lower the requirements."

　Roy wanted to keep Cassandra, the great prophet, by his side, as her prophetic dreams had helped him through many difficulties, but Roy didn't insist.

　The guild requires them to explore the thirty-seventh floor, and Liu, Tione, and Tiona are enough for that. This time, no one should try to ambush them. After all, Roy has been quite "well-behaved" lately, at least on the surface.

　The last person to destroy the man-made labyrinth was Ota, so there's no reason for the Ikeros Familia and the Sanatos Familia to target him. The Ishtar Familia is still searching for the "Berserker," and as for the Freya Familia, the exploration of the "Unknown Territory" is more difficult than imagined and is still ongoing, reportedly having encountered many difficulties.

　Roy's gaze swept over Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily, and he saw that the three girls looked unwilling. "If you want to participate in the expedition, you'll have to work hard from now on. I won't bring a few burdens with me."

　The three girls were slightly taken aback, then reacted, their faces lighting up with joy. They happily pounced on Roy, clinging to him like koalas. "Thank you, Captain!"

　"Commander, you're the best!"

　"Long live Lord Roy!"

　The girls exuded youthful beauty, and a smile appeared on Roy's face.

　Voluntarily participate in the expedition.

　When Roy brought up the topic, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily understood each other's implications.

　If Roy wanted them to participate, he could have simply said so; the fact that he brought up the topic suggests that he didn't consider them qualified. Conversely, if Roy didn't want them to participate, he could have simply given the order.

　Roy gave them the choice.

　If they are willing to participate, Roy will help them grow for the rest of the time.

　Roy, along with Daphne and Cassandra, continued to run dungeons to gain ability points.

　Lily, having been trained in the large commercial clan of Soma, found the official duties of the Astrea Familia a piece of cake. In less than two days, all the official business was completed.

　She handled everything meticulously, including paying taxes to the guild, dealing with guild investigators, managing the expenses of her family, updating the manor's facilities, and calculating finances. Even if Roy were to do it himself, he might not be able to do it any better. As a manager, she is undoubtedly excellent.

　The goddess Astraea was also very pleased; she had another diligent and reliable child.

　Lily then joined in the dungeon runs.

　Roy specially made an iron cage, and after teaching Lily combat techniques, he would put one Kabane into it each time to fight her. However, as a dwarf, Lily was inherently inferior to other races, and her growth rate was extremely slow. She would be exhausted and out of breath after killing less than ten Kabane.

　On the other hand, let's look at the other side.

　Daphne and Cassandra didn't need Roy's help at all and were wreaking havoc among the monsters.

　In contrast, Lily felt very frustrated.

　During the rest period, Lily looked confused. "Lord Roy, can Lily really go on the expedition with you? I'll definitely be a burden." Roy asked, "The conditions for participating in the expedition are: Daphne needs to reach LV.3, and Cassandra needs to learn parallel chanting—chanting healing magic while moving and dodging. What do you think you should do?"

　Lily shook her head blankly. Compared to these seniors, she couldn't find any advantage of herself.

　Roy gave the answer, "You're the vice commander."

　"Isn't this Senior Ryu's duty?" Lily was immediately shocked. No wonder Lord Roy let her participate in the expedition. The positions of commander and healer have relatively low requirements in terms of strength.

　“Miss Ryu… well, under certain circumstances, she loses her mind.” Roy recalled what happened during the last expedition. “Senior Ryu? Under certain circumstances?” Lily secretly memorized this information.

　“In this regard, I trust you more. If a situation arises where neither Ryu nor I can command, you must calmly make every reasonable judgment and lead everyone out of the dungeon alive.” Roy half-squatted down, his serious gaze meeting Lily’s.

　Lily's breath hitched.

　"Don't worry too much. The probability of this happening is very small. An expedition doesn't mean you can go straight to the deepest realms. I'll give you enough time to train," Roy said with a smile, patting Lily's small shoulder.

　Moreover, he still has one more chance to use the puppet summoning card in his hand. If anyone dares to come and cause trouble, Roy will release that dead pig Ota and beat the opponent to death. Despite Roy's constant reassurance, Lily still felt immense pressure! With both LV.5 senior Ryu and top-tier LV.4 Roy losing their command ability or consciousness at the same time, what could she do in that situation?

　While taking the three girls into the dungeon, Roy was also familiarizing himself with his improved stats. Time was short, and he didn't expect to level up. Great achievements are harder to accomplish the higher your level, and it would be fun if he got seriously injured before the expedition.

　They either watch Ryu and the others go on the expedition, or they refuse to go on the expedition and pay a huge fine to the guild.

　Neither of these is what he wants to see.

　Professor Lily was given the necessary knowledge to be a commander, and Roy also invited Eina over.

　The Garden of Stars.

　"This is Teacher Eina, who is in charge of teaching everyone the theoretical knowledge of the dungeon," Roy said.

　She was a half-elf girl with pointed ears and clear emerald-green eyes. Her medium-length brown hair cascaded down her shoulders, radiating a lustrous sheen. Her beautiful features were naturally perfect. She wore the guild's fitted black uniform with a white shirt underneath, giving her a decisive and efficient appearance.

　Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily sat like elementary school students, curiously observing the guild lady who was about their age, their eyes shining with a thirst for knowledge.

　"I am Eina Zur, nice to meet you!"

　This was also Eina's first time teaching such a large group, and a hint of nervousness lingered on her youthful face. Her smooth, fair skin was rosy and she looked incredibly cute. Regarding the Astrea Familia, the guild's higher-ups were still wary and unwilling to get too involved, leaving everything to Eina. Thanks to this, Eina had higher access privileges and could access most of the information.

　As a top student, Eina devoured the guild's accumulated data over the years in her spare time, data that countless adventurers had risked their lives for.

　All the information up to the fifty-eighth floor of the dungeon was stored in Eina's little head.

　Roy also had to sit down and listen attentively.

　Ryu's knowledge is more practical, especially in various details, which far surpasses Eina's, who has never been to the dungeon. Eina's knowledge is more theoretical, but more comprehensive.

　The two complement each other, telling everyone what to pay attention to when exploring deeper realms.

　Everyone listened with rapt attention.

　Only Tione, while studying, kept a wary eye on Eina, who often looked at Roy with affectionate eyes, the two exchanging glances.

　She was a half-elf, which touched a nerve with the guild leader. Tione gritted her teeth; what a powerful enemy, second only to Ryu in terms of threat. Time flew by as they farmed dungeons and learned deeper knowledge; ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

　Everyone has grown, and Daphne and the other two have reached the limit of their own abilities.

　Daphne's durability is A-grade, her magic power is D-grade, and her other attributes are B-grade. Cassandra's magic power is A-grade, and her other attributes are G-grade. Lily, being a dwarf, has dexterity at B-grade, magic power at D-grade, and all her other attributes at H-grade, lower than Cassandra's. Dungeon, seventeenth floor.

　Rumble!

　With a deafening roar, the white Wailing Wall shattered, and the seven-meter-tall giant—Goliath—emerged. His gray skin was as hard as steel, his muscles were strong, and his eyes shone with a furious and ferocious light as he looked down at Roy and the others.