Danmachi: The Focalors Familia Starting from the Dungeon

”Don’t doubt yourself.”

A warm hand landed gently on her long golden hair, rubbing it softly.

Aiden’s voice was gentle but firm. ”You definitely have the aptitude; you’re just too impatient. It seems the recent training has been too frequent, making you overthink things and back yourself into a corner.”

He gazed into Ais’s eyes, which widened slightly in surprise, and continued, ”How about this? Let’s take a day off tomorrow and go shopping together, what do you say?”

”Hey! What are you doing?! Let go of Ms. Ais right now!”

A sharp cry, like a kitten protecting its food, came from not far away.

Lefiya rushed over like an arrow released from a bow, her face flushed red, glaring angrily at Aiden.

”Oh, do you want some too?”

Aiden nimbly stepped aside to dodge Lefiya’s ”charge”, then casually placed his hand on her beautiful orange hair and rubbed it as well.

Lefiya’s face whooshed and turned redder than a ripe tomato. Her entire body froze in place, her mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.

At this moment, Ais seemed to want to say something.

”No refusals allowed.”

Aiden immediately cut her off. Though his tone was gentle, it carried an unquestionable firmness. ”Listen to me, take a day off tomorrow. We’ll go shopping and relax properly. You’ve strung yourself too tightly.”

The words Ais was about to blurt out were forcefully swallowed back.

She pouted slightly and muttered in a small, dissatisfied voice, ”Aiden... is so forceful.”

”I don’t care,” Aiden looked at her with a smile. ”Anyway, you have to listen to me on this. You don’t want to be unable to learn the Lumina Slash forever, right?”

Hearing this sentence, Ais was like a snake caught by its weak point, only able to nod dejectedly.

”Eh? Going shopping? I’m coming too!”

Lefiya immediately raised her hand high on the sidelines, loudly announcing her participation.

She wasn’t about to let Ais be alone with this guy. Heaven knows what would happen; what if... what if Ms. Ais was completely devoured by him?!

Lefiya’s worries were not unfounded.

The current Ais was far too obedient in front of Aiden, even more compliant than she was with Riveria.

Even Riveria herself had sighed half-jokingly, half-seriously, saying that if the rebellious little Ais back then could have been half as obedient as she was now, she wouldn’t have had to worry so much.

The facts were exactly like that.

With Ais’s almost paranoid, eager-to-get-stronger personality, anyone trying to stop her training would be treated with hostility. Even Riveria, who was like a mother to her, would occasionally make her throw a little tantrum.

However, Aiden could easily make her obey and put down her sword to rest properly.

This matter left Finn and the rest of the Loki Familia executives completely dumbfounded.

And their patron deity, Loki, became a hundred thousand times more vigilant against Aiden because of this.

Lefiya was the informant personally planted by Loki to keep watch.

Her highest mission directive was—absolutely, positively, never let Aiden and Ais have any chance to be alone together.

With the wooden swords sheathed, the noisy training ground finally returned to tranquility.

Aiden stood in place, watching the retreating backs of Ais and Lefiya as they left one after the other. His azure eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of deep thought in his gaze.

What exactly was keeping Ais from learning the Lumina Slash?

It definitely wasn’t because her aptitude wasn’t enough, much less her sword skills not meeting the standard.

In terms of the exquisiteness and purity of swordplay alone, Aiden even believed that Ais was a cut above the Freya Familia’s Warlord, Ottar.

The title of Sword Princess was never unfounded.

The sword skills she inherited originated from her father, the Mercenary King Albert, who was once hailed as the strongest hero. That was a true apex-level technique.

Power was similarly not an issue.

After leveling up to Level 6, her various ability stats had stepped into a brand-new realm, sufficient to support the consumption of any high-tier skill.

So, the only answer lay in her mentality.

Too anxious.

That obsession with wanting to become stronger, wanting revenge, was the catalyst that propelled her rapid growth over the past years.

But when standing before a door that required the utmost ”stillness” and ”purity” to push open, this overly intense obsession instead became the heaviest shackle.

Aiden couldn’t think of any immediate solution either. This kind of mindset issue could only be taken one step at a time.

The good news was that Ais seemed to listen to him very well.

As long as he could help her calm her state of mind and temporarily free her from that taut state, learning the Lumina Slash was only a matter of time.

”Lumina Slash... can you teach me?”

A slightly hesitant voice came from beside him.

Aiden snapped out of his thoughts and saw that Firefly had arrived beside him at some point.

A kind of anticipation flickered in the young girl’s eyes, which were a mixture of blue and pink.

”If you want to learn, of course I can teach you.”

Aiden looked at her and smiled gently. ”However, your level is still too low right now. Plus, if you want to use the Lumina Slash, you must first become a true swordsman.”

Firefly possessed the powerful armament magic Molten Knight, as well as the skill Complete Combustion, fully satisfying the prerequisites of enhancement magic and skills needed for the Lumina Slash.

However, her level was simply too low. She needed to reach at least Level 4 to meet the threshold for using the Lumina Slash.

More importantly, there were sword techniques.

Although Firefly also used a sword, her fighting style most of the time was more like using the sword as a medium to brutally vent the power of her mech. It was grand and sweeping, full of physical impact, but lacked the finesse and skill a swordsman should possess.

”Then... then can you teach me swordplay first?”

Firefly tilted her head up, her gaze even more expectant.

She knew very well herself that her so-called swordplay was just the manifestation of overwhelming force. It was far too distant from true swordsmanship.

”My swordplay is a bit of a mixed bag, and it carries a very heavy personal style. It might not suit you.”

Aiden rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment. ”However, if you really want to learn swordplay, I do have a perfect candidate to recommend to you.”

The figure of that Goddess of Justice surfaced in his mind.

Astrea’s swordplay was far above his own, an existence that had truly stepped into the domain of the gods. And with her gentleness and patience, she was definitely the best teacher.

”...Alright.”

Firefly nodded, her long eyelashes drooping to conceal the fleeting disappointment in her eyes.

She actually... had hoped Aiden could teach her personally.

That subtle emotional shift naturally did not escape Aiden’s eyes.

His heart stirred, and he added, ”Although I can’t teach you systematically, but... acting as a sparring partner is more than enough.”

───

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