Danmachi: Strongest Familia

(Please add it to your Library! Please send Power Stones! Thank you! 

For more chapters, visit my patreon.com/LazySeeker)

---

Eina's body swayed unsteadily, seemingly unconscious.

Riveria quickly stepped forward and reached out to catch her, holding her firmly.

Eina had already fallen asleep, and the traces of her dragon transformation had completely faded, restoring her appearance to normal. However, her clothes now had two large holes in the back, which looked rather unsightly. 

The dragon wings, while impressive, seemed to make clothing impractical. The outfit Eina wore wasn't just any regular attire; it was costly gear crafted by other familias. If each use of her transformation skill destroyed an outfit, maintaining her wardrobe would become quite expensive.

It seemed Eina might soon be the second member to face financial hardship due to her power. A custom outfit that could accommodate her wings might be necessary.

After dealing with the mutated floor boss on the 17th floor, Riveria regrouped with the expedition team at their camp, organizing the rested members for the return journey.

The journey back went smoothly, and they soon reached the upper levels near the dungeon's entrance.

"Hey, look, it's the Sol family!"

"That's Riveria. She's stunning…"

"Are they carrying spoils from the expedition? Look at all those magic stones and materials!"

"What, are you thinking of taking on the Sol family?"

"Are you crazy? I don't want to die!"

The team quickly ascended amidst the chatter of the gathered adventurers.

This bustling upper level had grown even more lively due to the appearance of a larger group.

"Are those members of the Ganesha family?"

"Hey, the Monster Festival is about to start!"

"That's awesome! Let's plan to go together!"

The Sol family's members seemed invigorated, and the team's mood lightened considerably. Having endured the dungeon's pressures for so long, a bit of excitement was a welcome relief.

By this level, they were in no real danger. These floors felt as safe as safe zones to them.

The group finally reached the dungeon's entrance. Adventurers parted, creating a pathway in the crowded corridor. Before sunset, they caught sight of the Tower of Babel.

"We'll rest today. Tomorrow, we'll sort through the spoils, take them to the guild to exchange for valis, and distribute them," Riveria instructed as they neared the end of their journey.

The expedition team returned home, drawing attention as they passed. Even Riveria, who was usually composed, found it hard to hide her anticipation for Sol.

"We're back!" Sett exclaimed, rushing ahead to open the door.

Caught off guard, Valor(Quinn's bird name), perched atop the gate, quickly took flight.

Quinn, who had taken over guard duties, stepped out of the guardhouse with a sigh.

She had noticed the expedition's grand return but didn't expect them to be this eager, ready to open the door themselves.

"Thank you, welcome back."

Though slightly exasperated with Sett's eagerness, Quinn wasn't surprised. Blocking the entrance with a welcoming committee for a returning expedition wasn't ideal.

Sett's impatience aside, the team received a warm welcome from Quinn as they entered the familiar halls of the compound, smiles spreading across their faces.

Family members emerged from their residences, greeting them and helping them unload their gear. The warehouse, expanded several times already, was once again filled with goods.

The large magic stones took up significant space, though the dropped items were relatively easy to organize. Most were sent directly to the workshops of Poppy and others. Riveria and her team had spent a considerable amount of time gathering these materials, especially those ordered by certain members before the expedition began.

Materials that could be processed internally saved a great deal in expenses, and frugality was a necessity in their line of work.

At the main hall, Sol waited, refreshed after a good night's rest.

"Welcome back! How did the expedition go?"

Sol offered a few encouraging words, noting the team's exhaustion and wisely keeping his greeting brief.

After disbanding the group, Riveria approached Sol for a private report.

She recounted the expedition's progress, including the peculiar worm-like monsters they encountered.

"You mean those worm-type monsters? I heard from some Loki family members that the guild is planning to send a team soon."

Sol recalled Astraea mentioning it earlier but hadn't given it much thought. 

Yet, Riveria's report was odd—her team hadn't encountered any clones of the corrupted spirit. 

Where had that clone gone? Despite being only a clone, it supposedly held an LV7 ranking, with the kind of high magical resistance typical of fairy spirits.

Could Riveria truly have defeated it with a single spell? It was unlikely. Either the clone was taken out early on, or the Evilus hadn't started cultivating it yet.

However, this information couldn't be made public; otherwise, it would reveal that their team had reached the 59th floor. 

If the guild found out, they might assign the Sol family more exploration tasks. The guild officials were adept at applying pressure when it suited them.

"Let's keep this within the family. If the guild asks, we'll mention only our progress to the 53rd floor," Sol decided.

"Understood. I'll organize the magic stones for distribution, and remember to absorb them later."

"Don't worry, I won't forget."

To avoid arousing suspicion, Riveria left no detail unchecked. Only items from the 53rd floor and above would be sorted separately and kept from the guild.

It would be foolish to report reaching only the 53rd floor while handing over items from deeper layers. Fooling the guild required discretion and consistency.