Living My Third Life In Danmachi

Chapter 5: Deal's Sealed

"A contract relies on mutual trust. Breaking it only leads to criticism—and that's the best-case scenario. Whether it's a merchant breaking a deal, a comrade betraying another, or an author failing to update their work."

— The Last Storyteller

"Get back to work, Togashi!"

— The Greatest Hero

"That guy deserves all the criticism! No matter how many dimensions I search, I can't find a completed version of Hunter x Hunter!"

— The Last Storyteller

...

Liliruca Arde.

The pallum girl I made a contract with. Her job? A full-time supporter.

She's been working as a supporter since she was eight years old. The fact that she's still alive means she's got a decent amount of experience as an adventurer.

Despite being looked down on for being a supporter, her accumulated experience can't be ignored.

Just look at me. With combat experience from my previous life stacked like a five-digit total level, I show strength far beyond what my age should allow.

"...What do you want?"

"Yeah, what you want. I'll grant just about anything reasonable. In return, you keep quiet about me killing someone."

"How do I know Lili can trust this contract? We're complete strangers."

"From what I see, you're sharp and quick-witted. You don't miss a thing."

The way she observes her surroundings and seems to be calculating something—it's oddly familiar. My wives from my previous life was just like that.

People like her tend to prioritize immediate gains and losses over morality.

Plus, even if I said I wouldn't kill her, as the only witness, she probably knows rejecting my offer wouldn't end well.

"What if Lili asked for something ridiculous, like, 'Give me one million valis!'? How would you handle that?"

"I keep my promises. Besides, that's not an impossible demand. Give me some time, and I'll earn it for you."

Since coming to Orario, I've realized that roughly 10 valis is equivalent to about 1,000 yen. So, 1 valis is about 100 yen. That means one million valis is approximately 100 million yen.

It's a lot, sure, but not unachievable. Being an adventurer is a high-risk, high-reward job. If I set my mind to it, I could earn a million valis eventually. Of course, whether I survive long enough to do so is up to me.

"…Lili wants to quit being an adventurer, or rather, a supporter."

"Huh? Then just quit."

"I can't quit. That's the problem."

Lili belongs to the Soma Familia, a group known for occasionally selling delicious alcohol.

For various reasons, the members of the Soma Familia are obsessed with making money, and Lili, who has lived her whole life surrounded by them, wants to escape… That's the gist of her situation.

Her dream is to leave behind her life as a supporter and live a normal life, far away from her comrades who wouldn't hesitate to rob her despite being in the same Familia—all for the sake of earning more money.

"But the Familia won't let Lili go. If they lose a member, their income will drop. They'll definitely drag Lili back into the dungeon."

"Can you… make it so Lili can live a normal life?"

Her brown eyes, now tinged with a faint glimmer of hope instead of emptiness, looked up at me. Without thinking, I reached out and patted her head.

"Eh?"

"Oh no, I just unconsciously let my paternal instincts kick in!"

Even if my body is young, I've already lived through nearly two centuries, with two peaceful deaths and now this reincarnation. Even if I were open to marriage, it's only natural for me to see a 10-year-old child as a daughter.

Head pats are a good way to raise affinity, but… Ah, Yukino is still my one true love. Anyway.

"That's simple enough. But in return, you'll have to become an accomplice. Are you okay with that?"

"…The dead can't be helped now."

"Alright then, let's come up with a good story."

I glanced down at the two lifeless human adventurer bodies sprawled on the ground. Drawing on my skills from my previous life—let's call it creative improvisation—I began crafting a narrative.

How should I spin this to avoid suspicion and ensure everything looks clean?

...

Meanwhile, Susanoo, the god of the Familia, was enjoying a peaceful day at their home (a modest rental property) while Luke Blade continued his dungeon exploration.

Most gods would be out and about, roaming the streets in search of amusing or exciting experiences.

But Susanoo, who was once infamous for his fiery and unruly personality, had mellowed significantly and now enjoyed a quieter life.

For instance, something as simple as reading a book while sipping tea.

"Hm, I've already finished this one. Let's see… Maybe the elf lady has something interesting to read in her room."

If it were a certain infamous god of debauchery (Zeus), he'd probably be saying, "A beautiful elf! I can't resist sneaking a peek!" and stealthily infiltrating. But Susanoo, for all his past roughness, was at least a god with proper manners now.

With a light knock, Susanoo rapped on her door. A voice from within called out, granting him permission to enter.

Opening the door, Susanoo stepped in to find Riseria engrossed in her work, completely absorbed in whatever task she was undertaking.

"What do you need?" she asked without looking up.

"Just here to borrow a book. Got anything interesting?"

"Help yourself to anything on that bookshelf over there. Just don't bother me and get out al—damn it!"

Cursing under her breath, Riseria shoved aside a quill and an inkwell. Pressing her palms against her eyes, she let out a groan of frustration.

"I'm done for the day. The progress is so slow it feels like I'm moving at a snail's pace. Ugh."

"Snails actually move pretty fast, you know."

"Did I ask for commentary on that?"

On her desk lay two books. One was the one she had just been working on, while the other was a thick tome, seemingly used as a reference. The two books looked similar in size and weight.

"What's that? It's radiating some pretty strange magic. A grimoire?"

"Of course you'd recognize it at a glance, being a god. Yeah, it's a grimoire."

A grimoire—a tome capable of forcibly manifesting magic.

Riseria spoke with a calm tone, despite the fact that adventurers would kill to possess such a valuable item. She glared at the book she'd been working on, as if blaming it for her fatigue.

"So, you're trying to make one based on that sample?"

"Yeah, that's exactly it."

Grimoires are top-tier magical items that only those with highly advanced stats in Mystery and Magic can create. Even for an elf with a high natural affinity for magic, attempting to create a grimoire without a status is a near-impossible feat.

No matter how many years or decades it takes, that fact doesn't change.

"If you wanted, you could just receive a blessing (Falna) from another god, get the right development abilities, and create the grimoire you're aiming for."

"Becoming an adventurer isn't an option. No, receiving a blessing at all isn't an option. I'd just end up being compared again."

Susanoo frowned slightly.

"Sounds like there's someone you want to surpass."

"Yeah. I've been compared to them over and over, my whole life… And I've never won, not even once. That frustration turned into stubborn determination."

Her eyes gleamed with an intense emotion. Was it resentment? Hatred? Or…

Without saying anything further, Susanoo quietly grabbed a book to borrow and began heading out of the room.

"Ugh! I can't work like this! Screw it, I'm drinking! I'll crack open that expensive bottle of alcohol I bought from the Soma Familia!"

"Now I feel guilty for interrupting."

"Well, today's work wasn't going well anyway. Might as well unwind. Come join me, Lord Susanoo. By the way, you're good with alcohol, right?"

"You're saying that to the strongest drinker in this world? This elf sure knows how to joke."

Susanoo chuckled as he helped Riseria grab glasses from the cabinet.

...

The plan was in place; now it was time to execute it.

I hoisted up Lili's oversized bag—her supporter's backpack, or whatever it's called—and made my way out of the dungeon.

"Luke! You're going into the dungeon without any equipment again… Huh? What's that backpack on your back?"

"This? Oh, right."

Standing in front of Eina, who was just about to start lecturing me, I smoothly began weaving my lie.

"I went down to the 7th floor and found some adventurers who fell victim to Killer Ants. This is… what's left of them."

"Remains…?"

"Have you eaten dinner yet? If not, you might want to hold off after hearing this."

Eina frowned, her smooth brow creasing as she processed my words. Her expression was heavy, as if countless thoughts were running through her mind. For a moment, she even looked like she might cry.

"I managed to bring back some of their remaining gear and… parts of their bodies. What should I do with it all?"

"Typically, recovered equipment belongs to the adventurer who finds it. As for the remains… it's rare for them to be brought back."

"So, I just need to find a decent burial site and lay them to rest?"

"Yes. Oh, and can you describe what the dead adventurers looked like? It's important to identify them."

"I had only a passing acquaintance with them, but I remember a little."

Eina briefly rummaged through some documents before pulling out a form and beginning to write.

She was probably jotting down the description I gave her to identify the deceased adventurers.

"Two human adventurers, a cat-person woman, and a pallum supporter. It was a four-person party. If you investigate around, someone who knew them should come forward."

"Thanks, Luke."

Eina expressed her gratitude as she finished writing.

"You okay? You don't look so good."

"Yeah, I'm fine… As a receptionist, it's something I knew I'd have to face eventually. It just came sooner than I expected, so it shook me a little. Thanks for your concern."

"Sorry for delivering such bad news. Stay strong."

I should treat her to a meal sometime.

Quietly excusing myself, I slipped out of the Guild and started heading home.

But along the way, I veered into an alley.

"Alright, you can come out now."

"Ugh! I thought I was going to suffocate! I never want to go back in there again!"

Lili popped her head out of the backpack, wincing and struggling as she tried to crawl out.

I set the bag down and helped her climb out.

"Do you think this will really work? The Guild isn't stupid, you know."

"But they're not perfect either."

This isn't a world where people are tracked by computers or meticulously recorded. Identifying someone based solely on a vague description isn't foolproof.

Even if they eventually suspect something, I can just deny it, saying it was a coincidence or a mistaken identity. It's nearly impossible to perfectly account for everyone who dies in the dungeon.

"If you've been thinking of leaving your Familia for a while, then you must've already planned where to go. Head there now."

"...How did you know?"

"Just intuition. And besides, you're smart. I figured you'd already scouted out a place to escape to."

I rummaged through my pockets, then decided to just toss her my entire coin pouch.

I hadn't earned much today since I didn't gather many magic stones, but there were about 2,000 valis in there. It should be enough to buy some clothes and a meal somewhere.

"Take it. If we cross paths again, let's make it a meeting where we can smile at each other."

"Thank you."

Lili gave a genuine, natural smile—one that matched her age—and expressed her gratitude.

"Don't ever go into the dungeon again. Quit being an adventurer for good."

"I was planning on it anyway. Well then…"

With a polite bow, Lili pulled up her hood and disappeared down the alley.

"They should really establish a minimum age requirement for entering the dungeon."

I muttered as I made my way back to my Familia home (rented, of course).

When I got there, I found the place in full drinking party mode.

"Wait, hey! I'm drinking too!"

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