Who Is Liliruca Arde?

Liliruca Arde, often known simply as Lili, is a prominent fictional character in the Japanese light novel, manga, and anime series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (also known as DanMachi). She is a short, mischievous Pallum who is a member of the Hestia Familia, and her main role is a supporter. Lili is known for being the most strategically minded member of the group, despite her past as a thief and con artist.

Appearance

Liliruca Arde is a petite, 15-year-old Pallum (a small, halfling-like race) who appears physically to humans and other taller races as a child in stature, standing at just 110 cm (3'7"). She has chestnut-colored hair and eyes. In her typical attire as a supporter for the Hestia Familia, Lili wears a slightly torn red and white hooded top that exposes her midriff, a red skirt, long hand gloves, black tights, light brown boots, and she often carries a large backpack and a small, rapid-fire crossbow called Sciurus Walnut.

Lili possesses transformation magic called Cinder Ella, which allows her to change her appearance to anything relatively close to her small height. She has historically used this to disguise herself most frequently as a chienthrope (dog person). In her chienthrope form, she has dark brown hair, gold eyes, and realistic dog ears and a tail. She has also appeared as an Elf child, characterized by golden hair and pointed Elf ears.

Personality

Lili's personality is shaped by a difficult past of poverty and mistreatment, which made her a shrewd, calculating, and initially distrustful individual. After joining the Hestia Familia, her core personality shifts towards loyalty, strategic thinking, and strong financial responsibility.

Lili is considered the "brains" of the Hestia Familia, often developing battle plans and using her street smarts to gather information. She possesses strong insight forged during her time as a thief. Due to her past struggles with money, she is very careful with spending and manages the Familia's finances as their self-appointed treasurer. She dislikes wastefulness and is diligent in seeking opportunities to earn more money.

In the past, she deeply hated adventurers due to constant discrimination and abuse, using that as an excuse to trick and steal from those she partied with. After being saved by Bell Cranel and joining his Familia, she develops a deep loyalty and affection for him and the other members, putting their safety and well-being first.

Despite her straightforward and sometimes critical nature, she speaks respectfully, addressing everyone with a suffix like "-sama" or "Master" (in official translations). She provides a necessary, grounded viewpoint for the more naive and impulsive members of her group, often pointing out the practical consequences of their actions.

Background

Lili was born a Pallum and automatically became a member of the Soma Familia, as her parents were also members. However, her parents neglected her, forcing her to earn money for them from a young age. After her parents were killed in the Dungeon, Lili was left to fend for herself. 

The other members of the Soma Familia, particularly Zanis Lustra and his companions, bullied her and looked down upon her. The Soma Familia itself was a dysfunctional group obsessed with the god Soma's divine wine, which led them to prioritize money above all else.

Lili initially attempted to be an adventurer but failed and almost died. She then switched to being a supporter, a role focused on carrying an adventurer's gear and treasures in the Dungeon. As a supporter, she was constantly treated poorly and looked down on by the adventurers she partied with, fueling a growing hatred and distrust of all adventurers. 

Seeking a better life, Lili ran away from the Soma Familia. An old couple briefly took her in, but the Soma Familia tracked her down, destroyed the couple's store, and stole their money as punishment for her escape, showing Lili that she had no true allies. 

Desperate and alone, Lili began using her innate transformation magic, Cinder Ella, to disguise herself as different races and trick adventurers. Her method involved joining a party, gaining their trust, and then stealing their items and money when the opportunity arose. This cycle of deception was driven by her need to survive and earn enough money to eventually buy her freedom from the Soma Familia. 

Her life changed when she met Bell Cranel. Although she initially intended to trick and steal from him like the others, Bell's unusual kindness, trust, and generosity (including giving her an equal split of their earnings) confused her and made her question her cynical worldview. 

When she was cornered by hostile adventurers from her past, Bell rescued her without hesitation, proving to her that not all adventurers were the same. This act of salvation led her to change her ways, officially leave the Soma Familia with Hestia’s help, and join the Hestia Familia, where she became a valued, strategic member and the group's treasurer.

Powers and Abilities

Liliruca Arde is a Level 2 Supporter in the Hestia Familia who is best known for her cunning strategy, battlefield command skills, and unique transformation magic.

Skills

Skills in DanMachi are unique, inherent abilities that enhance an adventurer's capabilities beyond their basic stats, often reflecting their individual experiences, personality, or even bloodline. They can be active or passive, and are distinct from development abilities, which are more like learned proficiencies that can be gained and improved with use. An adventurer can have up to five skills.

• Artel Assist: Improves Lili's ability to carry heavy loads.

• Command Call: Increases the range for conveying orders in battle, making her an effective commander.

Magic

In DanMachi, magic is a powerful ability divided into two main types: congenital magic based on a user's race and innate talent, and acquired magic which is unlocked through a falna given by a god and learned via a grimoire. The "Mind" stat is the source of magical energy, and overuse can lead to a "Mind Down" state. Adventurers can typically learn up to three spells, each often being unique to them.

• Cinder Ella: This transformation magic allows Lili to transform into anything around her own size, including monsters. The transformation is based on a clear mental image and undoes if she is hit. This ability is a core part of her espionage and infiltration capabilities, allowing her to take advantage of the natural abilities (like heightened senses) of the form she assumes.

Development Abilities

Development Abilities in DanMachi are specialized traits that have a chance of appearing when an adventurer levels up, starting from Level 2. Unlike basic abilities, they offer a significant, specialized boost to a particular area, such as combat with a certain weapon or increased resistance to poisons.

• Abnormal Resistance: Provides resistance to status ailments like poison.

• Mixing: An ability reflecting her background as a thief who created items to trick adventurers.

General Talents and Prowess

Lili may not have the combat abilities and magical talents of many adventurers, but what she lacks, she more than makes up for with her talents and ingenuity.

• Skilled Commander and Strategist: Known as the "brains" of the Hestia Familia, Lili is a tactical genius who has trained under expert commanders and led large-scale operations.

• Skilled Marksman: Proficient with her custom crossbow, "Sciurus Walnut," allowing for rapid, accurate shots and sniping.

• Enhanced Senses: As a Pallum, she has excellent eyesight, further improved by her falna.

• Physical Prowess: As a Level 2 adventurer, her physical abilities are significantly superior to Level 1 adventurers or normal people.

Goals and Reputation

After Bell saves her and treats her with kindness, she develops deep romantic feelings for him. A major personal goal is to be a reliable partner and support for Bell in his adventures. She uses her experience and intelligence to gather information, perform necessary tasks, and provide strategic advice that the combat-oriented members cannot. Due to her past struggles with poverty and the Hestia Familia's initial debt, Lili also takes on the role of treasurer and is highly diligent about managing the familia's money, avoiding wasteful spending and seeking out profitable ventures.

Lili focuses on logical and cautious points of view to keep her chosen family safe, sometimes leading her to argue against actions she feels are too risky, such as initially opposing helping the Xenos (sentient monsters), like Wiene, purely out of a desire to prevent harm to her new home. Lili's journey involves shedding her initial hatred of adventurers, which was fueled by the abuse she suffered as a supporter in the Soma Familia. She aims to live a life where she is valued as a person and no longer has to trick or steal to survive. 

Within her familia, Lili is highly valued as a cunning strategist. She is seen as essential to the team's success, providing critical planning and support both in and out of the Dungeon. In the wider adventurer community, particularly early in the story, Lili had a poor reputation among those she tricked and stole from while with the Soma Familia. As a Pallum supporter, she was often looked down upon and mistreated.

However, over time, Lili's tactical prowess is recognized by powerful figures like Finn Deimne and Hedin, who consider her a highly skilled commander. She successfully leads large-scale operations involving multiple factions, solidifying her reputation as a capable leader and strategist in Orario.

Fan opinions are varied, with many finding her character development compelling, while some find her early actions or cautious stances to be controversial. Her loyalty to Bell and her strategic importance to the Hestia Familia have largely defined her character as an "unsung hero" or an integral support member (her skill, Artel Assist, even reflects the idiom "unsung hero").