As Bell descended into the Dungeon, Alfia prepared for the daily training session. The Astraea familia had been grinding away at their combat techniques for hours, pushing their skills to the limit. Today's session had an added sense of urgency. The recent spike in crime had forced them to increase their patrols reducing the free time they had as well as reducing their time for training.

  With the others now patrolling, Alfia turned her focus to a crucial task of her own: finding new recruits. This was a responsibility she shared with Zald. Both having served under Zeus and Hera, deities known for their ability to judge mortals. Their years of experience had made them adept at spotting true potential. Yet, since the fall of Zeus and Hera, finding adventurers of genuine skill and bravery had become increasingly difficult. The city was now filled with those driven by greed and a shallow sense of pride, rather than true talent.

  Alfia roamed the crowded markets and quiet alleys, searching for any sign of worth among the sea of mediocrity. The streets were lined with

  wastrels,

  money grubbers,

  drunks,

  thugs,

  and fools—

  Individuals who, despite their bravado, lacked the substance she sought. Her persistence paid off when she noticed a head of silver hair standing out from the crowd. Without a second thought, Alfia approached the silver-haired figure.

  "You there, girl. What is your name?" Alfia's voice was direct and commanding. The individual turned to face her, revealing striking violet eyes that regarded Alfia with a mix of curiosity and caution.

  The girl, with silver hair cascading around her face, met Alfia's gaze and replied, "My name is Amid Teasanare. May I ask who you are?"

  "I am Alfia," Alfia said, her eyes scanning Amid;"A member of the Erebus familia. I believe you could be a valuable addition to our familia."

  Amid's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you think that?"

  "Simple. I have the title the Incarnation of Talent for my own abilities and can tell when another possesses similar qualities. As such I have deemed your worthy of joining my familia." Alfia responded as she completed her evaluation of Amid.

  Amid's brows knitted together in confusion. "Forgive me, but I am not familiar with that title nor your familia. Could you explain what benefits it entails?"

  Alfia nodded, gesturing toward a nearby café. "Of course. Let's discuss this in more detail in the café there. They have private rooms available where we can speak without interruptions."

  Amid agreed, and the two walked to Café Wishe, a quaint elven establishment known for its private rooms. The café had a welcoming aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods that filled the air as they entered.

  "I would like a private room," Alfia told the waiter at the front counter. The waiter's eyes widened momentarily at the sight of Alfia but quickly recovered, leading them to a small, secluded room. The room was cozy, lined with shelves filled with books and trinkets from around the world. Soft music played in the background, contributing to the comfortable atmosphere.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  After receiving the manager's selection for them, Alfia settled into a chair, her gaze fixed on Amid.

  "What would you like to know?" Alfia asked, her voice carrying a note of authority.

  Amid took a moment to organize her thoughts before speaking. "I want to learn more about the familia you are part of. I was considering joining one of the medicinal familias in the city, like Miach or Dian Cecht. Why should I choose yours instead? What is your familia's focus, and what benefits can I expect? I also aspire to become a healer and item maker. Will your familia support those goals?"

  Alfia's expression hardened slightly, but her voice remained steady. "If you truly wish to save people than you need strength to do that. Neither Miach or Dian Cecht have strong adventurers. Their familia members are at best level 2. Both Zald and I are level 7. We are well aware of what it takes to get stronger and we will not tolerate any weaklings in our familia. If you join them you will stagnate after a level up or two. If you join our familia, that will not happen. I have determined that you meet the bare minimum talent for admission to my familia. You will not find anyone better versed in magic than I am and I am certain that with my tutelage, your skills will be polished to perfection."

  Amid listened carefully, a mix of excitement and apprehension evident in her eyes. After a moment, she asked, "Will I have the opportunity to use my healing abilities to help others?"

  Alfia's eyes softened slightly at Amid's concern. "Yes, that is acceptable. It aligns well with our Captain's approach as well."

  Amid's curiosity was piqued. "Captain?"

  Alfia's face brightened with a hint of pride. "My nephew Bell is the Captain of our familia. Zald and I serve as trainers, and since Bell is also a new adventurer, you and he will be exploring the Dungeon together."

  "I see. That makes sense." She took a thoughtful sip of her tea, her mind working through the implications.

  "If joining your familia helps me achieve my dreams, then I gladly accept your offer," Amid declared with renewed confidence.

  Alfia nodded with finality. "Very well. I will take you to our familia residence now."

  They left the café and made their way through the bustling city streets toward the Midnight Garden, where they found Bell and others returning, a prum girl at his side. Alfia's eyebrows twitched at the sight but quickly regained her composure, leading Amid toward the group. The path ahead was clear, and with Amid's acceptance, the future of the familia promised to be one of growth and challenge. And so the wheel of fate spun.

  Part 3:

  As Alfia and her group approached the gates of Midnight Garden, her sharp gaze fell upon the prum girl standing beside Bell.

  "Well, Bell, who is this?" Alfia's voice cut through.

  Lili shivered under the scrutiny and instinctively moved closer to Bell, who stiffened, despite his resolve not wavering under the weight of Alfia's gaze. Bell swallowed hard, his nerves showing despite his best efforts to maintain composure. He took a deep breath and responded:

  "This is Lili, Auntie. I want her to stay with us for a while. She's in trouble, and I want to help her."

  Alfia studied the girl for a moment, her expression inscrutable. "Very well. It's your decision," she said, her tone softening slightly but still carrying an edge of authority. "By the way, I found someone else while out in the city. These two will complete your party perfectly. Let's go find that God and see what he's up to."

  Alfia led the way through the gates of Midnight Garden, with Bell, Amid, and Lili following closely behind. The mansion's grounds were expansive.

  As they approached the Midnight Garden's entrance, Rayana's voice called out from behind them. "Oh, Bell. Alise and Lady Astraea will probably want to talk to Lili later about what happened."

  Bell turned, giving a quick nod. "Got it. You can come over in a few. It won't take us long to get Lili settled," he said, waving before guiding his new charges toward the manor. Rayana and Maryuu remained at the gates, watching as the group disappeared into the mansion's interior.

  Both women sighed as they observed Bell's retreating figure. "Bell is so sweet. How did he end up on Dadelues Street?" Maryuu asked, her voice tinged with admiration.

  "I know, he really is the sweetest. Did you see how he ran off to help that girl?" Rayana responded, equally infatuated with Bell's kindness.

  As they began to walk away from the gates, Rayana asked, "So, what do you think Alise and Lady Astraea will want to do?"

  Maryuu's face grew serious. "That's a tough one. Lili would have to testify against her familia, but even then, the God could claim the adventurers were just being rowdy. It's unlikely we'll be able to punish the entire familia."

  "True," Rayana agreed, her expression thoughtful. "We may need to keep a closer watch on the familia to catch them in the act."

  The two women entered Stardust Garden, where their familia and Goddess greeted them warmly.