Despite Hestia's comforting words, Ye Yu didn't show much of a reaction. In this world filled with adventure and opportunity, strength was supposed to be everything.
Anyone would naturally crave power—especially after forming a contract with a goddess and becoming a member of her familia. To be chosen by a deity was no small honor. So what excuse could one possibly have to not strive to become stronger?
And yet… Ye Yu felt none of that desire. He didn't possess the burning urge for strength, nor the determination to grow stronger.
Perhaps… the constant pursuit of power was a deep-rooted desire only the weak harbored. But to someone born strong, it meant very little.
Was he truly born strong?
Ye Yu wasn't sure. He didn't understand why he remained so indifferent in the face of danger, or why he lacked ambition when it came to growing stronger. He didn't even know what kind of mindset that came from.
In Hestia's hands, the shimmering crystalline slate didn't feel as cold as she'd described. Instead, when Ye Yu held it, it emitted a refreshing, pleasant coolness that seeped into his palm.
The slate was etched with strange characters he couldn't understand. As Ye Yu stared in silence, Hestia leaned over curiously, patted him on the shoulder, and offered another bit of reassurance.
"Well… that's why I said there's no need to worry. This is only your first day as an adventurer."
"No… I just can't read any of it," Ye Yu replied honestly.
That made Hestia twitch a little at the corner of her mouth.
"W-Well, even if you can't read it, it's fine! This is only the beginning of your journey, after all. Your strength will grow in time."
She patted his shoulder as she spoke, trying to sound upbeat. Ye Yu didn't mind either way.
Although he couldn't fully understand the writing, he could still recognize a few letters and numbers.
For instance, the very first line clearly displayed his name, "Ye Yu," written not in this world's language, but in a familiar, bold script. He couldn't quite recall what that script was called, but something about it stirred a sense of familiarity deep within him. And he instinctively understood that those characters represented his name.
Beneath that was a clear and simple "LV1."
Following it were a series of stats, all preceded by the letter "I," and each listed a pitiful value in the low twenties. Only the last entry displayed a question mark.
That must be his ability stats… and the question mark, could it be his magic power?
Even though Hestia had said he possessed magic, Ye Yu couldn't feel any trace of it. Not a thing.
Magic power was listed as a "?", and although being granted magic simply by joining a familia sounded impressive, Ye Yu had no clue what it actually meant.
"What exactly is magic and magical energy supposed to be?" he murmured.
Rather than break his head trying to figure it out himself, Ye Yu thought it best to just ask Hestia directly.
"Well, magic used to be a kind of exclusive gift—something only certain races had. But there have been rare cases of people discovering magic on their own, even without receiving a god's blessing," Hestia began, tilting her head in thought.
"But those are all tales from old hero legends, so it's hard to say whether they're even true. Normally, a person can learn at least one spell, and at most three. That's fixed. Being able to use one type of magic is considered average. But someone who can use two? Now that's the kind of hero whose name gets remembered."
"Like wind magic, for example. It can slice through hundreds of enemies with ease. Or fire magic—what good is a sword against a blazing inferno?" she added enthusiastically.
"But… Hestia, you still haven't explained what magic actually is," Ye Yu pointed out.
"Uh… what magic is, exactly… how do I explain this…"
Seeing Ye Yu's curious, expectant gaze fixed on her, Hestia averted her eyes a bit awkwardly.
"It's just… kind of complicated, okay?"
"Complicated to the point that you don't know either?"
"I do know!" she huffed, her cheeks flushing red, clearly embarrassed that he'd hit a sore spot.
"It's just that… explaining it properly would be really tough, okay? It involves so many things, and my understanding of it—well, as a goddess, the way I perceive the world is… different. Even if I did explain it, you probably wouldn't get it."
"I see…"
Ye Yu had been holding out a bit of hope, but if even Hestia couldn't explain it clearly, then there was no point in overthinking it.
No use trying to figure out something you just can't grasp. For now, it was enough to rely on the dagger in his hand and keep moving forward.
Of course, that depended on whether he could actually run into some monsters first…
"Tomorrow... I should be able to run into some monsters in the dungeon, right?"
After all, according to Eina, the only reason nothing happened today was because he got lucky. Being able to reach the fifth floor unscathed was a rare fluke—something that shouldn't happen twice.
"But anyway, Ye Yu, the fact that you have magic is undeniable," Hestia said gently, noticing the pensive look on his face. "Even if you can't use it well yet, or feel a little lost, that's okay. One day, you'll be able to master it. After all, your journey as an adventurer has only just begun. There's a long road ahead."
She patted his shoulder again, her tone soft and reassuring.
"It's not that I'm too worried," Ye Yu replied quietly, "I was just thinking…"
He glanced at Hestia, who was smiling at him with her eyes narrowed into gentle crescents. For a moment, he hesitated. In the end, he chose to keep silent. Telling her he hadn't encountered a single monster might sound a little strange… and he certainly didn't want her to know he'd somehow made it all the way down to the fifth floor on his first day.
"Anyway, let's just call it a night. You must be tired after working all day," he said, reaching out to lightly pat Hestia's head. He could see a trace of weariness in the corners of her eyes—proof of her quiet dedication.
"Meh, I'm fine," she said with a soft laugh. "You're the one who needs to rest. And tomorrow, don't come home so late again, okay? I'll worry, you know. Adventuring should be something you build up to—step by step. Don't overdo it or try to defeat a ton of monsters in one day just to get ahead."
"Yes, yes, my dear goddess," Ye Yu replied with a faint smile. But before he could finish the affectionate pat on her head, Hestia swatted his hand away.
"Don't talk to me like I'm a kid! That 'my goddess' stuff didn't sound sincere at all—and I am not a child!"
Clearly flustered, Hestia puffed out her cheeks and gave him a glare before pushing him back down onto the bed. Her chest, far too large for her petite frame, jiggled in front of his eyes as she did so, and Ye Yu awkwardly turned his head away.
Indeed… she didn't look like a child at all.