Closing one eye to shield it from the gentle wind, Bell emerged with his two companions from the base of Babel Tower with a big smile on his face. The red evening sun shines on the buildings and paved streets, causing a red hue.

"That went very well."

"Yes, to get this many drop items at once is very lucky." Lili affirmed, a big smile on her face as well.

Their plan had worked without a hitch. Follow the group of blue papillon, take them down, collect the drop items, and return to the surface. Just as Lili said, all of the blue papillon left behind drop items. They couldn't be happier that they finished this quest so quickly, Shalltear included.

Five wings altogether. There’s no doubt Naaza will be more than happy with this haul.

"If mister Bell took these to the Guild, they're worth at least nine thousand valis. The fact that they're in good shape might make them worth even more...”

“But we are going to trade them for miss Fiora’s debt.” Bell reminded, slightly glancing at his captain.

“I see… That’s too bad.” It sounded like Lili was only excited because these drop items came from a rare monster specie.

After Lili reluctantly accepted to get her fair share of magic stones, a third, they said goodbye and went their own way.

Bell forces a smile at his unusually calm partner as they made their way through central park and toward west main street. That was just what he needed to cheer himself up... That amazing scenery put his mind at ease, and… He was also glad he could be of help to his captain.

"Good afternoon! Anyone here... You two!?"

They entered Miach Familia's home, the blue pharmacy. Naaza watched them come through the door from her chair behind the counter, her drowsy eyes opening just enough for them to notice.

"Don't tell me, you've already finished the quest?"

"Yes. We've dropped by to finish up." Bell told her excitedly.

He took a box roughly the size of a shield out from under his arm and opened it to show her the contents.

A rare, energetic expression runs across Naaza’s face the moment that she sees the beautiful blue hue of the blue papillon wings. A smile is on her face in the blink of an eye. The fluffy dog tail beneath her long skirt was happily swishing back and forth.

"Thank you, Aura, and Bell. It was really nice of you to help her out on this quest." She patted both teenagers on the head. Shalltear flinched but nonetheless kept her cool.

"I-it's nothing.” Bell shook his head, scratching the back of my neck.

Then Miach entered from the front door.

“Hm? I thought you two would be camping in the dungeon tonight. Are you afraid to go down this far?”

“Lord Miach…” Naaza began.

“I understand… It was a foolish idea to hand out such a demanding quest.”

“Actually…”

“But that’s not a reason to feel bad about yourselves. I’m sure you’ll eventually get there.” He smiled and gave a thumbs up.

“They brought back five blue papillon wings…”

“Uh…” Miach was processing Naaza’s words for a second. “Already!?”

“That’s right.” Naaza nodded.

Miach wiped a small tear on his cheek. “Aura thank you. You as well Bell.”

They heard Naaza return with a wooden case in her hands.

"Here's your reward: two dozen potions."

"T-two dozen?!" Bell exclaimed. He was overwhelmed with gratitude for this very generous reward. In that moment—

"FU-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, I'm coming in!"

The room shakes with a roar of laughter, and the door gets kicked off its hinges.

"You got my money for this month, Mii-ahh-chhh?"

A middle-aged god with graying hair and a beard appeared in the doorway.

His cheeks peeled back in a sickening grin as he looked around the room like he owned the place. He was wearing an extravagant gold robe with intricate embroidery. One would think he choose his wardrobe today just to rub it in Miach's face.

"Dian…”

"I dragged myself all the way out here ‘cause you never showed up. Be grateful, you ruined beggar, bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" He laughed on for a while. "I see your shop is just as dusty as always! Gotta make this a quick visit, being here too long's going to make me sick. Oh, I see misery loves company! Hosting some more beggars so you won't get lonely?"

Naaza's eyes were burning like this god was her sworn enemy. Miach turned to face the intruder with a very sour look on his face.

“Who is he?” Bell was confused. Shalltear seemed surprised as well, although remaining stoic.

"He's Lord Dian Cecht. He's the head of a Familia that is well respected by adventurers and makes healing items and medicine. Since Miach also sells healing potions... we’re business rivals." Naaza explains.

That explains Miach's and Naaza's reactions, as well as Dian Cecht's taunting tone. There had to be a deep connection between these two, and it was not a friendly one.

"Well, Miach, where's my money?"

"Well, it's...”

"Fu-fu-fu, do you have it or do you not have it? Gu-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

—chit chit chit. They could hear Miach's and Nahza's teeth rattling from over here.

Dian Cecht was laughing so hard that spit flies everywhere.

"FU-HA-HA-HA-HA!! We're leaving, Amid!"

"Yes, sir."

A little girl standing behind Lord Dian Cecht moved out of the way as her god headed for the door. She must've been standing behind him the whole time.

The girl was rather short and looked more like a doll than a person. Amid bowed to us as her god walked briskly through the broken door. She turned and rushed to keep up with him.

The storm having blown through, the four of them sat in silence.

"Dian Cecht and I have never seen eye to eye, even in Tenkai...” Miach begins to tell his life story bit by bit. "Once we came down to this world, we butted heads at every turn. Our rivalry extended to the children we took under our wing when we got into the same business...”

"I broke that cycle to pieces." Naaza jumps into Miach's story when his words began trailing off. "I used to be an adventurer… I used to crawl the dungeon, saving up money... But one day, I screwed everything up. Got thoroughly wrecked by a monster, and it ate my right arm." She told the two teenagers.

Naaza looked down at her strangely uneven-sleeved shirt and started rolling up the wrist-length right sleeve.

"A silver arm...?!" Bell blurted out.

This arm was completely made out of silver. It was as smooth and shiny as a freshly polished sword. While looking almost exactly like a human arm, it's easy to see the gems embedded in the joints of the appendage. Shalltear recalled having seen her use that arm but did not pay any attention to it.

"Lord Miach got it for me after I lost my real one... It's from the Dian Cecht Familia. He practically begged them."

"Dian Cecht Familia makes medicines and other things. Besides selling potions, they also take custom orders from adventurers and make special items to suit. This airgetläm, or 'silver arm,' is one of them."

Click click. Naaza extends and flexes her arm, showing them how it worked.

"Lord Miach took out a loan so he could buy this arm for me. The other members of our Familia turned their backs on Lord Miach when they found out and left."

She told them that the Miach Familia used to be in the middle of the pack in terms of rank. At that time, it was strong enough to compete with Dian Cecht Familia on the open market selling potions.

Then after Naaza's accident, everything fell to pieces almost overnight.

"The way I am now, fighting monsters is impossible. I was able to change jobs and become a chemist only because my former compatriots taught me the tricks of the trade... But I can't make enough money to make a dent in the loan. I'm utterly useless."

"Naaza. "

"I'm the reason we have to pay anything to that abomination. It's all my fault.”

"Naaza, that's enough. Stop there."

Naaza looked like she wanted to say something more on the subject, but Miach convinced her to close her mouth with his quiet voice.

A heavy silence descended over all of them.

“Well, then, what are you going to do~?” Surprisingly, it was Shalltear that spoke up. She seemed quite irritated by this whole ordeal.

Naaza met Miach’s gaze for a moment and slowly nods.

"There is one way…” Naaza's voice is so soft, it's like it could be snuffed out at any moment. "But with just me and Lord Miach, it's impossible.”

The last of the evening light comes through the window glass, making the room glow red. They were a good distance from west main street, but they could still hear the din of many voices and footsteps mixing together on the stone road.

“We’d be glad to help out with more quests!” Bell said cheerfully without asking Shalltear what she thought about it.

“Thanks a lot.” Miach bowed, unable to suppress his tears.

Naaza’s eyes opened in disbelief for a moment before she hid her face. "Thank you." Her last words barely louder than a whisper, she jerks her head down in what is an unmistakable bow.