Hunted by Characters I Drew!!

It was already late when Alexander returned with Hestia. Upon arriving, he overheard some news—Loki Familia was preparing for a second expedition. The revelation piqued Alexander's interest. 

"Already planning another expedition? It seems Ais must have advanced to Level 6 by now," Alexander mused. 

He recalled that Loki Familia had previously reached the 59th floor during their expedition. This time, they would face the fully evolved Demi Spirit. He remembered how the group of Level 5 and Level 6 adventurers, with the explosive power of Lefiya, had managed to defeat the monster in the past. Thinking of this, Alexander found himself intrigued. 

At this moment, he sat in the bustling Hostess of Fertility tavern, sipping a fine glass of wine. While the tavern was an excellent place for gathering information, Alexander wasn't particularly interested in the gossip. Still, he enjoyed listening to the lively chatter. 

---

"Did you hear? The Loki Familia is heading out on another expedition! This time, they're bringing someone from the Hephaestus Familia along. Word is, they've developed some terrifying new secret weapons!" 

"Really? I wonder what kind of monsters they'll face on the 59th floor. Last time, they barely made it past the 50th floor before being forced to retreat. Such a shame." 

"Ah, whether they make it to the 59th floor or not has nothing to do with us. We're just Level 1 and Level 2 adventurers. But did you hear? Alexander from the Hestia Familia once went beyond the 50th floor alone!" 

"What? Alone? The 50th floor? You must be drunk, kid." 

"Get lost! I'm not drunk. My big brother's neighbor's friend is part of Loki Familia, and this is insider information, got it?" 

"Insider information? Ha! Don't make me laugh. A single person reaching the 50th floor? What do you think he is, Ottar?" 

Listening to their animated discussions, Alexander silently shook his head. These people sure loved their gossip. 

---

Just then, a figure stepped into the tavern. The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward her. 

It was Ais Wallenstein—the beautiful and formidable adventurer who had defeated Udaeus, the floor boss of the 37th level. A Level 6 adventurer, she had earned the title of the strongest female swordsman in Orario. 

As countless gazes followed her, Ais ignored them all and walked straight toward Alexander. Upon reaching him, she bowed slightly. 

"Hello, Alexander," she said softly, her voice tinged with hesitation. "I... I have a favor to ask." 

Ais's request surprised everyone in the tavern. 

---

"Damn it! Who is that guy? Why is Ais Wallenstein being so respectful to him?" 

"I don't know, but he's pretty good-looking." 

"Are you serious? That's Alexander—the guy we were just talking about!" 

Although Alexander was a frequent patron of the Hostess of Fertility, most people barely interacted with him. He was known more for his lighthearted conversations with the maids than for engaging with the rougher crowd of adventurers. 

---

Alexander glanced at Ais and set his glass down. "Alright, tell me. If it's not too troublesome, I'll see what I can do." 

Hearing his words, Ais exhaled in relief. "Can you tell me... when we first met, which floor were you descending from?" 

Alexander chuckled. He had already guessed the reason behind her question. Considering the timing, Ais must have recently encountered Revis, who had likely mentioned something about the 59th floor. 

"You want to know if I've been to the 59th floor, right? Well, yes, I've been there. I even fought the floor boss. However, it wasn't fully evolved when I encountered it, so I destroyed it easily." 

"What?!" Ais's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected Alexander to have already ventured to the 59th floor—and to have faced the floor boss there. 

"Can you... tell me more about it?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity and awe. 

Alexander simply smiled, taking another sip of his wine before leaning forward slightly to share his tale.