The door to the main hall creaked open with a gust of wind and familiar footsteps. Members of the Loki Familia's members began pouring in—dust-covered, bruised, but alive and brimming with energy. The day's dungeon runs had come to an end.
"Oi, we're back!" someone shouted, and another called, "You won't believe this, but Lei's prediction was spot on!"
"Seriously! That warning saved our asses!" added a third, still rubbing his shoulder from a close encounter.
Lei looked up from his spot on a nearby bench. He had been journaling quietly, still in his Seer mode, noting subtle behaviors from earlier predictions. Now he watched the commotion unfold with a hint of curiosity.
Tiona bounded over with a massive grin. "Guess what! I found the cutest belt in a back-alley shop—half off! You totally nailed it, Lei!"
Milka followed behind, less energetic but noticeably unharmed. "Your prediction was right. I formed a big group instead of going alone and we were ambushed by a monster party near the 12th floor… if we weren't prepared, that would've been a disaster."
From across the room, Tione subtly glanced at Finn, who had just walked in, before glancing away with a small humph.
Lefiya peeked around a pillar, muttering softly, "I should've asked too…"
The room buzzed with stories—close calls, unexpected luck, strange coincidences—and all tied back to Lei's morning predictions. Slowly, the tales reached the ears of those who hadn't asked, and soon, murmurs of "what's his skill again?" and "is he always that accurate?" spread.
Then, Finn's voice cut through the din.
"Lei. Come with me."
The hall hushed instantly.
Lei stood, calm and unreadable as ever, and followed Finn toward the upper floor, the murmurs picking up again behind him.
The room was neat, spartan, and filled with ledgers. Finn stood behind his desk, expression unreadable, but his eyes were sharp.
He gestured to the seat across from him.
Lei sat, silent, waiting.
Finn opened a folder filled with handwritten notes—collected and summarized reports submitted earlier from adventurers who had gone out based on Lei's predictions.
"I've read through all of them," Finn began. "Every single report from members you divined for today."
He looked up. "Your results were… consistent."
Lei tilted his head slightly. "Consistent doesn't mean correct."
Finn allowed a small smirk. "True. But in this case, many predictions were accurate enough to save lives, prevent injuries or resource loss."
He tapped one report with his knuckle. "Milka decided to form a big party based on your reading. They not only successfully survived but also reaped a lot of benefits. You may have saved them a lot of trouble."
He tapped another. "Tiona's prediction wasn't dangerous, but her find was unusual. Almost eerily so."
He leaned forward, steepling his fingers.
"How did you do it?"
Lei gave the practiced smile of the Seer. "In pendulum divination, I enter cognition with a focused intent. The pendulum responds through subtle spiritual sensitivity to abstract things like fate, luck or information I may already have. That's all."
Finn's blue eyes studied him for a long moment.
"Loki's announcement was vague, but effective. The familia accepts your Seer skill. Your performance today gave them confidence, but I want to know your limits."
Lei didn't blink. "I can't see the future directly. Only reflect the probability of outcomes. I need clear, focused questions—broad ones are useless. And even then, results vary depending on what I can sense or what's connected to the statement's fate, as my divination only works to statements."
Finn nodded slowly, absorbing every word. "So asking 'How much valis will I make today?' is pointless."
"Yes, but, 'today is favorable for dungeon exploration' will yield a usable answer." Lei confirmed.
Finn closed the folder and leaned back. "Good. Keep it that way. Underpromise. Overdeliver. Your mystery works best when it's subtle."
There was a pause.
"And the curse?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly.
Lei's mask faltered for just a breath, but he recovered quickly.
"No signs of reaction. I'll know more when Loki updates my status."
Finn gave a slow nod, then stood. "Keep practicing. But don't let the rest grow overconfident or overreliant as facing dangers is a necessary part of an adventurer's growth. Avoiding it altogether will be counterproductive. Accuracy breeds reliance. I'll call for you again after tomorrow's runs."
Lei rose with a polite dip of his head. "Understood."
And as he turned to leave, Finn called out one last time.
"You're an odd one, Lei. But you might just be what this Familia needs."
The moonlight filtered through the half-drawn curtains, casting pale slivers across. A lone candle flickered, its wax pooling slowly.
Lei sat cross-legged, his expression calm but contemplative.
He'd spent the day divining for more than a dozen Familia members—second stringers, support teams, even a few curious first stringers like Tiona. He had laughed with them, jabbed back when teased, and played the role of the Seer with practiced ease.
But now that the curtain was drawn… it was time to evaluate.
"Day one of open divination. 16 predictions, all related to future, I have to change this, divination in LOTM isn't just about predicting future but also about the past and present. If tomorrow's status update gives favorable results then I will have to organize precise rules for the sequences."
He paused, tapping his chin lightly.
The curse.
His brows furrowed slightly. It had only appeared when he first gained excelia—when he first advanced as a Sequence 9 under the world's Falna system.
Sequence 9 is barely a whisper, he thought. Low risk. Minimal corruption. But the moment I gained excelia—the moment I started to grow—the curse stirred.
In Lord of the Mysteries, every Beyonder risked losing control as they advanced. This is especially so for those who advance without acting. The will inside the potion—its chaos, hunger, and imbalance—fights against their soul. That was why acting, fooling that will, was essential.
Here… the Falna mimicked the role of the potion. It bound skills i.e. the sequence to the body and spirit. It nurtured growth through excelia, a structured feedback loop.
But unlike a potion that demanded digestion, the Falna regulated development.
"Which means…" Lei whispered aloud, "that excelia gained through battle is the same as advancing in sequence without digesting the potion, but in that case how would the advancement work? In Danmachi one needs an adventure to level up, a feat recognized by gods, so how would it translate in acting?"
He couldn't be completely sure, but if his hunch is right then it would be impossible to be low profile in the future. And when Loki updated his Falna tomorrow, he would know for sure—whether the curse stirred again or lay dormant, fooled by his subtle dance and his future path.
He snuffed the candle with a sigh.
"One day at a time. Let's see how far I can walk this line before it bites back."
Next Morning – Loki Familia Manor
The golden light of morning spilled through the manor's tall windows, casting a warm glow over the halls as the Familia began another day. Breakfast chatter echoed from the dining hall, boots scuffed along stone floors, and weapons clattered as adventurers prepared for their daily ventures.
Lei stood outside Loki's private chamber, the weight of anticipation pressing lightly against his chest. He raised a hand to knock, but the door opened before his knuckles touched wood.
"'Bout time," Loki said with a grin, standing in the doorway with an unlit pipe dangling from her lips. "Get in, mystery boy."
"Goddess you playing detective or something?" He said as he stepped in, the door closing behind him with a muted thud. The air inside was slightly cool, smelling faintly of parchment, ink, and the subtle fragrance of wine from a half-finished bottle on the table.
Inside her office, Loki went to her desk as she gestured for him to sit on the cushioned bench near her desk. Riveria, Finn, and Gareth were already there, all looking more serious than usual. "So. Ready to see if your little séance show yesterday earned you death, doom, or dinner?"
"Sure," Lei replied with a dry smile. "Hopefully something edible."
She chuckled. "Good, keep that humor. Helps a lot with freaky situations like yours."
Without further delay, Loki pricked her finger and pressed it against his back. The Falna glowed faintly beneath her palm, lines of divine script trailing into the air as the update began.
A long silence followed. Her playful hums faded. The lines danced, shifted, and solidified—until finally, they revealed the truth.
"Oh…" Loki murmured, brows raising as she leaned closer.
"Well?" Lei asked, keeping his tone steady.
"Well, congratulations kid, you did gain excelia this time," she said slowly as she showed him his status sheet, her lips curled up. "So… the curse didn't stop it this time."
Lei exhaled quietly. So acting really did help. The curse hadn't been triggered again, or maybe it had but with a lesser effect—either way, the fact that he gained excelia meant his theory is valid.
---
[Status Sheet]
Name: Lei
Level: 1
Abilities:
STR: I0
VIT: I0
DEX: I0
AGI: I0
MAG: g219
[Skills]
[The Fool]
– Seer
[The Door]
– Apprentice
[The Error]
– Marauder
[Curse]
[Erosion] – Excelia Drain
---
Finn leaned over to take a closer look at the status sheet, his sharp blue eyes narrowing. "MAG g219…"
He straightened slowly, the air in the room growing heavier. "That's not just impressive. That's historic."
Gareth gave a low grunt, crossing his arms. "Didn't expect any changes at all. Especially not with that curse chewing at him."
Riveria's brows furrowed, her gaze sharp. "The curse should have prevented any growth. Yet he gained excelia."
"And not just a little," Gareth rumbled. "Over two hundred points... That's absurd."
Riveria nodded slowly, her tone grave. "Even crafters, who spend years accumulating excelia through steady work, would never see a gain like this after just one day of work. And among adventurers—"
Finn's lips pressed into a thin line. He spoke, voice heavy with meaning.
"Not even Ottar grew this fast at Level One."
Gareth's eyes darkened slightly, while Riveria's expression turned more serious.
Finn continued, calm but firm. " Over Two hundred in a single stat... without fighting. Without risking his life. That's something the Guild would call impossible."
Riveria's gaze sharpened. "It seems the growth is restricted to MAG because he's only been using [Seer] — divination — which we can tentatively compare to crafting in excelia gathering."
Gareth grunted. "Makes sense... for [Seer] at least."
But then he frowned, glancing again at the other skills listed. "Apprentice and Marauder though... those don't sound like craftsman type skills in any way."
Riveria tapped the table thoughtfully. "No. They're spatial manipulation and theft-related abilities if the effects are any indication. Normally, such abilities would only yield excelia through practical, often dangerous, use."
Gareth nodded, thick brows furrowed. "Right. So how's he gonna rack up excelia on those without fighting?"
Finn's gaze was sharp, calculating. "If he can... if just using them safely counts..."
He let the thought hang heavy in the air.
Riveria finished it for him, her voice low. "Then he'll be gaining physical excelia at a pace even combat veterans couldn't dream of."
Gareth muttered, voice dry, "Wouldn't just be a strong mage. Be a damned walking calamity."
There was a short, heavy silence.
Finn finally leaned back, gaze unreadable. "We'll have to monitor how his growth continues. This isn't just unusual. It could reshape the way Orario views strength itself."
Then Loki grinned, sharp and sly. "Heh. Looks like our little Seer's hiding a real dragon under that polite smile."
She winked at Lei. "Keep steady, kiddo. Stats like these? They like to tempt folks into thinking they're invincible."
Lei gave a polite nod. "I'll stay careful."
Finn called out, "Lei. If anything changes—your body, your instincts, anything strange—you tell us. No exceptions."
Riveria added, "Even subtle things matter. You're dealing with something none of us fully understand."
Lei paused at the doorway, then smiled faintly. "Understood. I'll keep that in mind."