Lenoa’s shop.

"Hm… Hmm… Your all good!" said Circe. "Healthy as one can be!"

"Thank you for the checkup. But um... could you tell him I made it to level 6?" Ais's asked after getting a checkup from Circe.

Ever since the final battle with Evilus seven years ago she has been going to Circe every now and again. Either for check ups for her birthdays or level ups, or even just to talk with her.

"Of course! I’ll tell him right now!"

Ais sat down as Circe told him. She could see her face slowly becoming more joyful with each second.

"Hm! Hm! He is coming!"

"!!" Ais smiled brightly. "I cannot wait to see him again!"

"Hm! Me too! I want to see how much more he has grown up. Oh…"

"What’s wrong?" She asked as Circe’s mood dropped suddenly.

"Um… I don’t know how to break it to him about the Astraea Familia."

"Oh…" Ais’s mood then dipped.

"I will... come up with something. Hopefully. You go out and enjoy this big milestone! I’m sure there is a party waiting for you!"

"R-right!" She puts on a small smile. "Would you come if I invited you?"

"Of course I would! Why wouldn’t I!"

"You could be too busy in your lab to notice!!" shouted Lenoa from another room.

"How can you hear us from another room but not when I’m right next to you, you don’t hear what I say!!" Circe shouted back.

"It’s called Nunya!!"

"What the hell is Nunya!?"

"Nunya damn business! Ki-hehehe!!!"

"…I walked into that one."

 

Walking towards Babel, Ais was in an odd mood.

"Mmm…"

‘I should be happy but yet I’m not. The Guild put out a gag order on what happened to the Astraea Familia in fear of what Cirrus would do to root them all out. Even my and the Freya Familia helped enforce this. I understand their reasoning with The Gale as the example, but... it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.’

"Ah! Ms. Wallenstein!" said a half-elf with green eyes and short brown hair who worked for the Guild. "Good morning. My name is Eina Tulle. I was the one who imposed on your home last night. I work as one of the Guild’s adventure advisors. There is a very time-sensitive manner I wish to discuss with you?"

"What is it?" She said curiously about what the guild advisor wished to speak with her about.

"For starters, I'd like to start off with this. I would like to thank you for saving one of my adventures, Bell Cranel, from a Minotaur."

"Mino… taur." Her eyes widen. She had finally learned of the boy’s name.

"Yes, he is extremely grateful that you came to his rescue!"

"!!" Ais felt her heart get lighter. Her body recharged with joy. "Is that so." She made a small yet warm smile.

"!" Eina was taken aback by Ais’s smile, which was so warm and heartfelt that she understood why Bell was interested in her. Her beauty made even her own heart skip a beat. "Ah! Ahem! B-back on topic! I have reason to believe that people from the Soma Familia are targeting Bell and his supporter."

She did not hesitate to accept the request after all--

"I understand!" She said, with that smile still beaming. "I will quickly go and find them both!"

--She is going to find the person who has left an impression her.

 

Ais took off quickly. The wind ran through her golden hair as she ran to Babel’s entrance and leaped down the hole of the Dungeon.

Whoosh!!

Falling from such a height with a warm, bright smile many adventures who saw her jump down thought she was a wind fairy.

When she touched the ground, she kicked off. It shattered where she landed, leaving only her footprint on the ground.

Ais ran through every floor, asking for a boy with white hair with a supporter.

The lower she goes, the stranger Bell becomes to her. Bell, a rookie who started only 20 days ago, reached the tenth floor.

‘Odd. Very, very odd!’

The more Ais thought on it, the more it felt like she had stumbled on Cirrus’s secret. Many of Familia’s assumed he had a rare skill. His secret was so well kept that not even Evilus who planted a spy for years, ever got a hold of his records. Of course, when his heritage was revealed, they all chalked it up to his blood and natural talent. Even to this day, the rank of his basic and development abilities and how many skills he has, it’s all up for grabs on what the numbers are. Only four people know: Ouranos, Astraea, Artemis, and Ai.

‘Maybe if I can talk to Bell Cranel, I can maybe learn how Cirrus became so strong! I can get stronger and reach level-!!’

Boom!

‘Explosions!?’

Ais moved quickly forward, following the sounds of battle, and discovered Bell fighting alongside the bodies of several other adventurers on the ground near the monster's bloodied weapons.

'Find and save Bell! That is my priority!!’

She kicked off by cutting down several of the monsters.

"!?" Bell noticed someone jumped in to help him. "Thank you!! (Firebolt), (Firebolt)!!!"

Blasts of flame strike the orc.

‘So short!? This magic is even similar to his!’

"I am sorry stranger, but I need to go and save my friend!! She was kidnapped!!"

"Go on ahead!! I can deal with this!!"

"!?" For a second, Bell was frozen, hearing that her voice was a female. But he didn’t think on it for long. He was happy someone strong came in to help at this dire moment. "Thank you for your help!!! (Firebolt)!!!"

Ais watched as he broke from the monsters and quickly rushed to the 9th floor.

 

After Ais cleaned up, she saw a glint that caught her eye.

"?"

She walked over to find a green arm protector.

"Heh… Maybe we will meet again rather soon—!?"

Ais’s turned and placed her hand on her blade, ready to draw. She looked to see a Needle Rabbit.

‘No…’

Her eyes looked into the fog.

"Show yourself!!" She shouted, slowly drawing her blade.

"No need to be on guard." From the fog, a dark silhouette appeared. It slowly gained more detail as it stood a few feet away from her.

"…What business do you have with me?"

"I have a quest for you."

"I would feel better with a name?"

"My name is not important. Just know that I was the one who spoke with Lulune Louie."

"Ah!" Ais said, having it click for her.

"But if you still have doubts, know that I have dealings with Cirrus."

"!?" Her eyes widened even more. "…What dealings?"

"Private ones. Like this quest, I’m offering to you that need to be done in secret."

"…Reward."

"Hm?"

"Offer up a reward. I am an adventurer! I want a reward!"

"What is it that you seek?"

"I want Cirrus’s level-up records!" She proclaimed in a serious tone of voice.

"…" The air grew tense. "Ais Wallenstein, daughter of the wind spirit, Aria."

"!!" Ais jolted for a second. "How do you know that--"

"I know many things about this city, Ais Wallenstein, or maybe I should call you Waldstein?"

"!" Ais gripped her sword tightly.

Fels could see her face scrunch up a bit in anger.

"Angry? Now you understand how I felt when you asked for something personal."

'Personal? They must be deeply connected to Cirrus. This response prove it. But how did they know of my parents? Did... did Cirrus tell them? Calm. I need to calm myself and get as much information as I can.'

"…Fuu~" Ais lets out a deep breath to calm herself. "…I am sorry. But can I ask how you know of my parents? We can't move on if that is not addressed as it is a very close-kept secret."

"We knew ever since the Loki Familia plucked you from the Dungeon all those years ago. I am a very old existence, older then you, Finn, Gareth, or even Riveria if you were to add their years alive together, I still dwarf them. I have eyes and ears everywhere. We simply chose to keep it to ourselves as it wasn't a concern we needed to act.

'How many eyes and ears do they even have!? If they as old as they say then it would be impossible to find them!'

Given how old Fels is the magic tools they used have completely became one with the city. Their as part of the city as the roads or buildings.

"I... I see."

It was a fine enough excuse for Ais. She knows from Riveria that one who has lived a long life has peerless knowledge and wisdom.

"It is water under the bridge? But if you are desperate for knowledge on Cirrus I can give you a piece of information about Cirrus that isn’t so intrusive."

"R-really!?"

"Yes. So long as you complete the quest I give you, I will give you the information."

"Go on then and explain the quest!" Ais said with eyes full of determination.

'She really should ask for details when taking quests and their rewards.' Fels thought.