Chương 280: This is Our ‘Home’ 

Bearing the piercing stares from behind, Renjiro finally led Syr, Lili, and Bell back to the Maria Orphanage tucked within Daedalus Street. 

They had just arrived at the entrance of the red-brown, abandoned church… 

"Clap clap~" 

As Syr instinctively stepped back and released her grip on Renjiro's right arm, he clapped his hands twice. 

Right then, while Bell and Lili were still puzzled… 

"Whoosh~" 

A petite figure leapt down from the roof. 

Landing awkwardly, she wobbled a few times before carefully adjusting the hood with animal ears atop her head. 

"Thanks for guarding the place, Sayu." 

"Oh~ you're back~" 

The little girl yawned sleepily. "Can I go back to sleep now?" 

"No problem." 

With a brief reply, the wind-elemental Archon immediately withdrew from the physical world—a precaution Renjiro had arranged at the headquarters. 

He knew that after his recent high-profile actions, his fame would rise, inevitably attracting attention from outsiders. 

And among that chaotic crowd, if someone dared to try "burglarizing" the orphanage… 

Sayu not only has healing abilities but also loves quiet places. She doesn't mind staying put all day. Having her guard the orphanage to protect them is perfect. 

Renjiro had already informed Syr and Maria of this plan. 

Now… 

"Renjiro-sama, who was that just now?" 

"Sayu, one of the Wind Genshin." 

Lili's eyes widened in surprise. 

News of the Twin Stars and the "Genshin Descent" magic had already spread across the Lower World under the banner of "Savior Heroes." 

Even Bell, coming from a rural background, had heard rumors. 

But… 

"Renjiro-sama can summon an Archon too?" 

The little woman asked in astonishment. "Although Lili knows you have connections with the Twin Stars, this…" 

"Some things are better explained inside." 

Renjiro waved casually. "You and Bell are joining the familia for the first time today. There are some internal secrets you should know." 

With that, Renjiro and Syr pushed open the door and stepped into the abandoned church. 

Renjiro had already refurbished the place with new materials. 

From the outside, it still looked like an old building, but now it no longer leaked. 

He had also reinforced the interior with high beams. 

On one hand, they stabilized the structure. 

On the other hand… 

During the day, Sayu would curl up inside her favorite Daruma plush, knees hugged, napping on the eaves. 

If an emergency occurred, the ninja would immediately spring into action. 

Now, at night… 

"After we return, it's basically a 'shift change.'" 

Since the group had encountered the Loki familia at the Hostess of Fertility earlier, they returned late. Maria and the twenty or so children were already asleep. 

To avoid disturbing anyone, Renjiro took Bell, Lili, and Syr directly to his room. 

"There are other empty rooms in the headquarters; I'll show you later." 

"First, I'll explain what you must know." 

Bell and Lili sat attentively. 

Renjiro and Syr sat at the bed's edge. Renjiro began plainly: 

"First, as you can see, this is an orphanage without official operation credentials. Besides Syr and me, there's a respected lady named Maria Matil, who has taken in over twenty children and formed this family." 

"Now that you've joined the Frigg familia, you also take on the responsibility of protecting this 'family.'" 

"Also…" 

Renjiro carefully warned, "Do not look at the children with pity. They are happy now. Unwarranted sympathy is arrogant and indirectly harmful." 

"Understood?" 

"Yes, Renjiro-sama." 

Then… 

"Second." 

Renjiro raised his right hand, pointing with his index and middle fingers. "This is the core secret of our familia. After hearing it, do not disclose it." 

Seeing Bell and Lili nod… 

"I have a very special ability. With it, I can easily see the Skills and Magic of other adventurers and gradually learn them all." 

Lili's eyes widened again. 

Bell, being relatively uninformed about adventurer details, wasn't as shocked. 

Yet still… 

"He's really like the Magic King." 

The young, hero-worshipping Bell whispered in awe. 

"So Renjiro-sama has even mastered 'Genshin Descent.'" 

"And you knew Lili had transformation magic the first time you met her?" 

Lili asked cautiously. 

"Indeed." 

Renjiro replied honestly. "I ranked abilities from low to high in nine levels of Mystery according to learning difficulty (or affection)." (Note: The tenth level of divine power remains concealed for now.) 

"Currently, Lili's Cinder Ella magic is Mystery Level 4—quite rare." 

"But…" 

He turned to Bell. "As for you… uh eek~" 

Mid-sentence, he felt a pinch at his waist, and his voice faltered. Syr was quietly reminding him not to reveal sensitive information. 

At that moment… 

"Bell, you still have work to do. You just received the God's Falna today and haven't awakened any Skills or Magic yet." 

Seeing the young rabbit boy's slight disappointment, Renjiro felt he might be neglecting something important… but he didn't dwell on it. 

He continued, "I've been researching awakening conditions for Skills and Magic. If you're interested, you can try some small experiments here." 

"But that's for later. Right now, I want to tell you this…" 

He looked seriously at the two new familia members. 

"Lili, Bell, I've followed a special principle for a long time…" 

Unless there's an emergency, I only use skills and magic that the person has permitted me to learn. (PS: Only trusted individuals get this treatment, to avoid straining relationships.) 

"So even Lili's Cinder Ella magic, I won't misuse—unless…" 

He glanced at the little Dwarf girl. "I have your permission." 

"You should know: this isn't about 'familia leader' or 'member' status. No pressure." 

"To avoid an unwilling answer, you can respond at least three days later." 

Renjiro's approach was careful and long-term. Three days would allow him to establish a solid bond with Lili and Bell first. 

At that point, asking Lili would eliminate potential awkwardness. 

"I understand." 

The little Dwarf girl, clearly intelligent and emotionally aware, nodded seriously. 

In truth, she hardly needed to think twice. 

After all, the one who had pulled her out of the past mire was Renjiro. 

A simple transformation magic wasn't a problem—she trusted him entirely. 

And as Renjiro's persistence was slightly awkward yet not unpleasant, Lili Lucar would happily comply. 

As for Bell… 

At this moment, the boy simply admired Renjiro without any jealousy. 

Because he longed for and anticipated the day he too could wield magic.