Freya, disguised as "Syr," turned a corner with quiet steps, her expression soft and pleased. Bell had accepted her lunch with that innocent, flustered smile that tugged at her curiosity—the kind of reaction only he could give her.
She didn't need to linger. Her job here was done.
But as she prepared to change her place, a figure approached from the opposite direction—calm, steady, and silent.
She thought it would be just another adventurer or a local resident, but what she saw was… wrong.
His robes were layered with tools and strange tal parts. His mask glinted under the morning light, and a red chanical eye glowed faintly beneath it. Floating behind him was a tallic skull—one she was certain wasn't just tal.
His aura wasn't divine. It wasn't even magical. It was sothing else—alien and unsettling.
Freya stopped walking.
So did he.
Their eyes t—she felt it. His gaze didn't linger like others. It didn't falter or fluster. It was like soone had found a new toy. The funny part? She couldn't even see his eyes, but she was sure he was looking at her like sothing to be collected.
Should I ask soone to beat him up for thinking such a rude thing? Freya mused, tilting her head slightly, deciding to speak first.
"…You're not from around here, are you?"
Luthar's voice was neutral, flat. "Isn't it obvious?"
The servo-skull behind him whirred softly, scanning her and collecting data.
Freya smiled again, as if amused. "Don't be so cold. Why don't you co inside and have so breakfast?"
"The food is no good for the body," he replied coldly.
"Why don't you tell that to the owner of this restaurant? I believe she'd want to know why her food isn't good for the body."
Luthar glanced at the signboard—The Hostess of Fertility—and recalled information about the owner.
Does she want to kill ? he thought, rembering the owner was quite strong… and didn't take kindly to people insulting her food.
At the sa ti, Freya decided to examine the type of soul he had, her eyes studying him with renewed interest.
She had seen the divine light that radiated from gods, the warmth of mortal souls, and the faint flickers of magic that whispered through the air. But Luthar? His soul was a different kind of presence.
His soul felt like sothing beyond this world. She could almost taste it—the faint residue of chaotic energy that had touched him in ways she couldn't fully comprehend.
Freya's smile faltered for a mont as a curious thought passed through her mind. Should I use my divine form to see his soul more clearly?
Luthar's voice broke her thoughts. "You know, I think it's better if you try my energy packs. I believe they'll stop the distracting thoughts you're having."
Freya raised an eyebrow, amused by his rudeness. "Why don't you remove your mask so we can talk properly?"
"It's better for you to go back to your work," Luthar replied flatly.
"I'll do that when you promise to co inside," she said, stepping a bit closer.
"I don't have ti."
"Just co when you're free."
Luthar's answer ca as he recalled the elf working inside the Hostess of Fertility—soone he had already marked as a potential recruit.
"Well… I'll try once I'm free."
"Then I'll hold you to that," Freya said with a playful wink.
Luthar gave a faint nod. "If ti allows." Then he turned and walked away.
Freya watched him for a mont longer, then turned on her heel, slipping back into the restaurant, her smile never fading. She'd just t a soul unlike any other—and she was far from done with him.
Later on Luthar made his way toward the Dungeon, his HUD quietly scanning the crowd. He was searching for a particular target—Liliruca Arde, a small
pallem which looks like a a little human girl.
His objective was clear: recruit her.
She was clever, experienced, and deeply familiar with the dungeon's lower levels. If he could gain her trust—either through subtle manipulation or by offering her strength—she could beco a valuable asset.
And if she could conquer her nightmare—by defeating the Soma Familia that enslaved her—then she wouldn't just be useful.
She'd would be the perfect assistant.
Arriving at a place which was field with various supporters he looks around but couldn't find her. Probably already inside the dungeon thinking that he also enter the dungeon.
The mont his boots touched the uneven stone, his HUD flickered softly and began scanning the environnt.
First Floor had been clean by morning raiding parties, Occasionally, at distant echoes of —a shout, a blade, the hiss of a dying monster—but none of it concerned him.
He moved forward without pause.
No weapon drawn.
No caution necessary.
The servo-skull drifted silently behind him like a phantom—its single red eye glowing faintly, its sensors on passive scan.
After arriving at second floor there was so monsters like
kobolds, He just kept walking, eyes fixed forward. HUD pinged each creature in th vicinity but he ignored them all.
Then sothing stirred behind him. A kobold lunged for his back only to be killed be shot by servo-skull
The servo-skull floated over With a brief hum and a tchk-tchk, a small chanical arm extended and harvested the magic crystals then handover to the to Luthar and continue his job.
Arriving at 3rd floor was smooth, Almost No resistance.
But instead of monsters, what caught his attention was a voice.
Sharp.
Annoyed.
And very loud.
"—you should be the one apologizing!" a female voice snapped, sharp like a blade.
It echoed through the corridor ahead, followed by a softer male voice trying—and failing—to respond.
"-but it was you—!"
Luthar turned a corner and spotted Bell clearly caught in a verbal barrage. His white hair was ssier than usual, his red eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to defend himself.
The girl in front of him, Lyra, was an elf. Her stance was sharp and proud, at distance was Riveria Ljos Alf her arms crossed,visibility trouble by the attitude of Lyra.
"Lyra," Riveria said, trying to remain calm, "you almost injured a fellow adventurer.You should be the one apologizing"
"He distracted mid-shot," Lyra snapped, not looking at Riveria. " why does he has to pop up from the corner"
Luthar stood at the edge of the scene, watching silently. He wasn't interested in the argunt. Not really.
But sothing else caught his attention.
He tilted his head slightly, scanning Lyra with a quiet hum through his HUD. Her hair—it wasn't white anymore. It was silver, it was really bad thinking that he couldn't dress her up like abattle sister anymore.
Bell was already overwheld—when his eyes darted past them, drawn to a familiar figure standing silently at the edge of the corridor.
His heart skipped a beat.
"Luthar?" Bell blurted out, pointing behind Lyra. "Are you here to kill monsters?"
Lyra paused mid-glare. "Both of you know each other?"
Luthar took a step forward, the servo-skull floating steadily behind him like a silent shadow. "Yes," he answered flatly. "We do know each other."
Bell nodded, a little unsure of what to say.
Lyra scoffed, "So, which Familia—"
Luthar pointed to one of the symbols on his robes. "I haven't decided to change my belief in the Omnissiah."
"Omnissiah?" Bell asked. "Is that your god? I haven't seen him around the church."
Luthar looked at Bell. "It's not a physical god."
"Then how did you receive your blessings?" Lyra muttered.
Luthar's gaze flicked to her. "For , the blessing is not sothing that increases your strength, but knowledge and the miracle of technology."
His eyes lingered briefly on Lyra again, this ti sharper, with a hint of knowing. "I didn't think you would change your hair color."
Riveria caught that. "You know her too?"
Luthar paused, then gave a short nod. "We've crossed paths before. I helped her… escape a situation. But now I think I should've just kept her for myself instead of sending her to Loki."
Lyra's expression twitched. "I am not a pet."
Bell looked between them, more confused than ever. "Wait, what kind of situation?"
"Bandits who were going to sell her," Luthar replied simply.
Lyra turned away, her head low, clearly not in the mood to talk about her shaful history.
Luthar didn't push. Instead, he said calmly, "I'll continue my exploration."
"It is dangerous to go deeper into the Dungeon without a Falna," Riveria tried to stop him.
"It's only dangerous for the weak-minded," Luthar said.
The servo-skull gave a faint electronic chirp, as if in agreent. Then both of them made their way to the fourth floor, leaving all three of them behind.
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