“Haaam...”
A small yawn suddenly reached my ears. When I turned my gaze, I found Ais blushing and looking flustered.
Was she sleepy? Come to think of it, it made perfect sense.
She had been training since early morning, sweating buckets the whole time. Her stomach was full of Potato Balls, the sun was warm, and the breeze was cool—it was the perfect recipe for a bout of spring fever.
Given that Ais was naturally a sleepyhead, there was no way she could resist the urge to nap in a situation like this.
*And she’s still just a child, after all.*
Even when I could see it with my own eyes, I still forgot sometimes. This person wasn't the Ais I knew, but an immature little girl.
She was stubborn as all get-out, but it had to be exhausting for her.
However, if I simply said, “If you’re tired, why don’t you get some sleep?” she wouldn’t agree so easily. What should I do?
“...Ah.”
Come to think of it, there was something. A similar situation I'd had with the original Ais.
Back then, I’d honestly thought she was just lying because she was sleepy. But I’d benefited from that knowledge immensely in the deep levels. As expected, Ais was amazing.
A wave of admiration swelled in my heart, and without thinking, I made a suggestion to the Ais in front of me.
“Then how about some nap training this time?”
“...?”
Ais’s eyes narrowed in confusion.
*
Nap training.
It was a training method Ais had taught me back when I was Level 1, designed to make one capable of sleeping anywhere.
The Dungeon was a relentless chain of dangers. From the monsters to the terrain, the Dungeon itself, and even fellow adventurers—it was a world of survival of the fittest. In such a place, the only things you could trust were yourself and your companions.
Consequently, the time spent letting your guard down had to be minimized. In other words, the time spent sleeping had to be reduced to the absolute limit.
The technique for falling asleep in an instant.
The technique for sleeping anywhere.
The technique for sleeping with maximum efficiency.
The technique for reacting to danger while asleep.
And finally, the technique for waking up at the exact right time.
Since sleep is when a living being is at their most defenseless, one had to be perfectly prepared to survive inside the Dungeon, where schemes and tricks ran rampant.
This was especially true for those venturing into the deep levels. It might not be useful right away, but that was exactly why it was better to prepare now.
As expected, Ais was incredible. How had she even come up with a training method like this?
Huh? Why was Ais looking away?
“I see...”
At first she’d seemed skeptical, but after my explanation, Ais appeared to be convinced.
It had originally been a training method Ais herself had suggested, though. I wondered if she had suffered through it as well.
“Of course, this isn’t something you can master in a day or two. But that’s exactly why it’s better to start early, right?”
“...Yeah.”
With a determined expression, Ais agreed. She immediately lay down on the ground and tried to drift off.
“...”
“...”
An awkward silence settled between us.
*Ais... she’s not falling asleep...*
She seemed exhausted, but... why couldn't she drift off?
*Could it be because of me?*
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt I should move aside, but then I realized that doing so would defeat the purpose of the training.
Besides, in the Dungeon, staying close to your companions was basic common sense. Practicing sleeping beside others was a necessity.
But...
“...I can’t sleep.”
In the end, Ais gave up first.
That was quite unexpected. I’d thought she’d force herself to sleep no matter what.
“Is it because of me?”
She shook her head.
It didn’t seem to be my fault.
*Then what is it?*
It wasn’t me, and Ais clearly looked tired.
And yet, she couldn’t sleep. There was clearly a problem here.
Had she developed insomnia? I was completely baffled.
*But... well...*
There was always an answer. And since it was Ais, the answer was actually quite simple.
*
Sleep was scary.
When had she started thinking that?
She couldn't remember exactly. It wasn't a single moment, but rather a feeling that had naturally seeped into her mind over time.
That day. The day her beloved parents vanished helplessly before the black wind, the night became a source of terror for Ais.
The darkness was frightening. The cold was frightening.
Falling asleep was terrifying.
What if, when she woke up, she was back in that nightmare? What if all of this was just a dream?
The absurd fear that everyone had died and she was the only one left behind became a monstrous dread that robbed her of peaceful sleep.
In the end, the only solution Ais found was to drive her body to its absolute limit. Only then could she manage about an hour of sleep a day.
*Right now...*
She was exhausted, but unfortunately, because she was naturally a light sleeper, sleep still wouldn't come easily.
It was heartbreaking that she couldn't sleep as much as she wanted, but on the bright side, it allowed her to train longer.
Of course, she knew that living like this was wrong. She just knew it in theory.
Ais had given up on nap training and was about to ask for something else, but—
“I have a method for that.”
The boy spoke up first.
“A method?”
It was hard to believe. Ais had already tried everything to help her sleep.
While she avoided drugs, she had listened to music, drunk warm milk, eaten sleep-inducing foods, and tried countless other remedies.
But the results had been zero. In such a situation, what brilliant method could a boy possibly have...
“Zzz...”
He had one.
Before she knew it, Ais had sunk into a deep slumber, her breathing soft and steady.
Perhaps because her accumulated fatigue had finally peaked, once she fell asleep, she showed no sign of waking up.
*This hasn't changed at all...*
Looking at Ais sleeping on his lap, he felt a wave of nostalgia.
It had been a complete accident when he first discovered it, but if Ais used his lap as a pillow, she fell asleep with ease.
He didn't know if it was something unique to him or if it worked with anyone, but at least for now, it was a fact.
*I’ve always been the one giving lap pillows, so I thought I'd try it the other way around...*
He recalled a time when Ais had slept as if she'd been knocked out for twelve hours straight. This time would likely be just as long, if not longer.
*I don't really mind, though.*
Back then, curfew had been an issue, but that wasn't a problem anymore.
“...”
Feeling a bit melancholy, he used his free arm to gently stroke Ais’s head.
“Mm...”
Ais made a pleased little sound and shifted slightly. He spent the time in a daze, softly petting her hair.
“A-choo!”
“Ah...”
Ais sneezed. Was she cold?
The sunlight was warm, but the wind was indeed chilly. Had he been too careless?
He immediately took off his coat and draped it over her. Ais wriggled slightly, hugging the coat close to her chest.
Ais didn't wake up until after the sun had completely set.
*
“Uuun...”
“You can’t walk with your eyes closed.”
Ais still looked drowsy even after sleeping for more than half a day.
Was it because she was a child? Or was it because she had been so severely sleep-deprived?
Feeling a pang of sadness, he took her hand firmly. Ais looked at him for a moment, then squeezed his hand back.
As he was escorting Ais home,
“...”
He felt a gaze. A gaze he knew all too well, yet could never quite get used to.
Moreover, it carried a different atmosphere than before. Where it had once been restrained, it was now blatantly obvious.
How was he supposed to react to this? More importantly, had they been watching this whole time?
Well, they had mentioned staying in Orario at the request of Hera. Since this was before the Three Great Quests, it made sense that they would be here.
“Tch, so I was spotted after all.”
He shielded Ais behind his back and looked toward the source of the gaze, where two figures emerged.
He knew both of them—or rather, he knew who they would become in the future.
“I knew it, but seeing him up close makes it clear. This kid is stronger than me.”
One was a woman who was small—no, considering her race, she actually had a very large frame.
A dwarf who was said to have served as the captain of the Freya Familia before Otaru took over.
One of the legendary female warriors known as the Little Giant, and the woman who would later run the restaurant called the Hostess of Fertility.
Mia Grand.
“...?”
But something was wrong.
“What is it, brat? Got something on my face?”
“I’m not a brat... no, that’s not it.”
He flinched for a moment, but that was nothing compared to the shock that followed.
“You... um... are you by any chance Mia Grand?”
“...What, you know me?”
The woman looked surprised, but he was even more bewildered.
No, he was far more shocked. This was simply too much to process.
The Mia Grand he knew was boisterous, rough, and fierce.
Not just her personality, but her appearance as well. Aside from her size, she was the quintessential image of a sturdy dwarf woman.
Thick and solid. That was the woman he remembered.
But the person before him?
“What, are you trying to bore a hole through me?”
“Ah... s-sorry...”
The personality was identical, but the appearance was worlds apart.
A flawless, beautiful face and glossy hair tied up in a high ponytail.
A voluptuous chest and a slender figure. She was a beauty in every sense of the word.
A woman who truly looked like a retainer of the Goddess of Beauty stood before him.
He was utterly confused. What on earth had happened to turn *that* person into *this* person?!
“You... were you thinking something rude just now?”
“No...?”
Rude? This was the only natural reaction. Anyone—a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand people—would have thought the exact same thing.
He was so stunned by the sight that his throat tightened. He wanted to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
They say people lose their speech when they're truly shocked, and he finally understood why. He could only stare, his mouth hanging open.
Seriously, this was too much. What happened? This wasn't just the passage of time; this was a complete transformation.
“Mia, if you keep blocking the way, I can’t get out.”
“Ah, such a pain. Just squeeze your way out yourself. It’s damn tight in here.”
Despite the other woman's grumbling, Mia replied with an air of annoyance.
The woman seemed a bit sulky, but she didn't bother trying to persuade Mia. Instead, she stepped out from behind her and lowered her hood.
Lustrous silver hair. Alluring eyes. Even with her body covered, she radiated a sensual, mesmerizing aura.
Her appearance was exactly as he remembered, but her atmosphere was entirely different from the last time he had seen her.
The Familia that would later inherit the legacy of the Zeus and Hera Familias to claim the title of the strongest in Orario.
And the Familia that would eventually walk the path of ruin due to a momentary lapse into madness.
The only Familia in Orario to possess a Level 7.
The Freya Familia.
“Hello, child.”
And their patron deity.
“Would you care to speak with me for a moment?”
The Goddess of Beauty, Freya.
She had appeared before him.
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