In Danmachi with My System

The dungeon was no place to let my guard down. But even though I knew that, my attention was more on Lili than on the monsters stalking us.

She was carrying a huge bag, and I still wondered where she got the strength to lift almost three times her weight.

'Could it be some kind of skill? I can't really remember...'

"To the right, Eithan-sama."

She walked behind me, speaking from time to time, her eyes attentive to our surroundings. She was experienced, and the fact that we hadn't encountered any monsters so far was largely due to her.

For a moment, Lili reminded me of my past. Come to think of it, my sister used to follow me everywhere. I shook my head.

As we walked through a hallway lit by the dim light of the magical stones embedded in the walls, I remembered Rose's words. Having a relationship with someone from another familia wasn't a good idea. Gods are territorial. Familias too.

"Why me, don't you have someone in your Familia who can help you?"

And Lili, if I remember correctly, didn't have a good relationship with them. Nevertheless, I decided to ask her directly.

Lili paused for a moment. Then she continued, but more slowly, as if searching for the right words. Finally she spoke.

"Because Lili is weak. The other members of Lili's Familia.... don't see Lili as a companion. For them, Lili is a burden. Something that just gets in the way. That's why... they hate Lili."

I turned to look at her. There was no sadness or anger in her voice, just an acceptance of a truth.

I more or less knew her background, but hearing it from her own mouth, without trying to soften it, made me feel the weight of her reality.

"What about your god, doesn't he do anything about it?"

She curled her lips into a smile. "Lili's god is not what Eithan-sama imagines. Lili has no right to ask him for anything. If the other members of the Familia despise me, it's because they are right."

Familia.

This word said it all. For me, Familia should be like a family. People who are with you because they love you, not because they have to be. That was the case for me. Even though it was just me and my goddess in the Hestia Familia, the welcoming atmosphere always greeted me when I came out of the dungeon. Of course, clearly not all Familias were the same.

In Orario, a Familia was not just a family; it was a contract. An agreement with a god or goddess who, in theory, would give you strength and support.

In reality, many Familias functioned more like businesses. If you were useful, you stayed. If not, you were discarded. It was all wrapped up in nice words like "unity" or "purpose," but at the end of the day, it was all about results.

However, even if my experience in a Familia was satisfactory, I understood the weight of the word for others. For Lili, for example, Familia was a chain. She had told me about it. They did not protect her or take care of her. They crushed her.

That was what bothered me the most about the Familias here. They could be a good thing, but only if you were lucky enough to meet a kind God. Most of the time they were just an excuse for the strong to control the weak.

"And your god is?"

"Soma-sama."

After that, there was an uncomfortable silence. If this was part of a manipulation, as suspected, she was playing her part very well. And if it was true... well, that explained a lot.

In the end, I just sighed.

"Well, if others don't like you, that's their problem. But don't get used to me carrying your weight, because I won't always be around, but as long as we're together, I'll help you. You are my precious support after all, understand?"

Lili looked up. As expected, there was a suspicious gleam in her eyes. She studied my expression, then expressed her relief.

"Um... Yes, Eithan-sama."

***

Upon reaching the seventh floor, my earlier doubts were dispelled. Floors one through six had shown no significant changes, which made me wonder if the guild were indeed dramatic, but from the seventh floor on, I noticed the difference. The cave grew darker and colder, while an eerie feeling of being watched surrounded us.

We walked in silence for a while, but then a creaking and unpleasant sound echoed.

Killer ants.

Five of them were climbing the walls and ceiling, closing in fast. Their jaws snapped and their legs stamped on the rock in a relentless rhythm.

When I looked at Lili, I saw her freeze. Her face was white and her hands were shaking slightly. I guess it reminded her of what happened last time.

"Calm down."

As I walked past her, I stroked her head.

I stood in front of her and unsheathed the Ravenous Mandible that had been hanging from my waist.

I had avoided using the inventory in front of Lili for obvious reasons, so I kept it with me at all times.

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