"That guy's impossible to read," Loki grumbled to herself, walking through the crowded streets.
"You mean Dionysus was lying?" Ryoji asked after hearing her muttering.
"I don't know," Loki shook her head without hesitation before letting out a troubled sigh. "That's exactly why I said he's so hard to figure out!"
Loki herself was a goddess who excelled at schemes. Her favorite kind of person was someone who wore everything on their face and had no hidden agenda; those people were much easier to manipulate.
Gods like Dionysus, who always wore a pleasant smile like a mask, were the type she hated most. She had no idea what he was really thinking.
"Can we trust him?" Ryoji asked. Whether he was easy to read or not wasn't what mattered; that was the important question.
"Well... he's not an Evil God, so I guess we can trust him... barely," Loki shrugged. "But we'd better stay on our guard. I don't want to end up getting sold off and thanking him for it."
Judging from her expression, she really meant the "barely" part.
"So our next move is to head for Lolog Lake and investigate that supposed second entrance?"
"That's right," Loki immediately tossed her worries aside and nodded. "Fifteen years ago, the Poseidon Familia used the bones of the sea monster Leviathan, the one defeated by the Zeus and Hera Familias, to create a seal at the bottom of Lolog Lake.
Ordinary monsters wouldn't dare approach a place still carrying the aura of the King of the Seas. But none of that matters!"
Halfway through explaining, Loki's expression suddenly turned shamelessly lecherous.
"Lolog Lake means a beach! It means swimsuits! It means bikinis! And it's summer! Woohoo! I'm taking my harem to the beach for a vacation!"
"Oh?" Seriously? Ryoji was instantly tempted.
More than half of the Loki Familia consisted of beautiful women and girls. Sure, there were unfortunate exceptions like Tiona, who was basically one of the guys, but there were still plenty of gorgeous older sisters with amazing figures. That many beautiful girls in swimsuits... wasn't that paradise?
And then there were the elves, who normally wrapped themselves up from head to toe. Just imagining someone like Riveria wearing a swimsuit... could anyone in Orario honestly say they wouldn't want to see that?
"You're not coming," Loki looked over at him with a bright smile.
"...?" A whole string of question marks practically appeared over Ryoji's head.
"If you come, my harem vacation will just end up benefiting you instead." It might even turn into a giant flirting festival. Just imagining Ryoji in swimwear was enough to make even Loki's desires stir.
There was no way the girls in the Familia, many of whom had already fallen for him, would be able to keep themselves under control. They'd probably transform into female hooligans and pounce on him on the spot.
"How can you treat people differently? That's not fair!"
"I'll leave every male member behind. There. Fair enough, right?" Loki wore a smug expression that practically screamed, Look how smart I am.
Damn it... she actually had a point. Ryoji was left speechless.
The following morning, Loki gathered all thirty women of the Familia and led them out of Orario in a grand procession. She even carried an oversized backpack stuffed with swimsuits she had personally picked out.
Ryoji watched the departing army of women with a lifeless expression. Then he turned to look at the men who had been left behind in the Familia, a bunch of beastmen, dwarves, and other burly guys.
"...Forget it. I'll just go to the Dungeon."
That night, beneath a sky filled with stars, Ryoji emerged from the Dungeon and stepped onto the brightly lit South Main Street.
"This place will do." Unable to ignore his growling stomach any longer, Ryoji stepped into a tavern marked with the emblem of a flaming bee.
At this hour, many adventurers were just returning from the Dungeon. In a world with little entertainment, most adventurers celebrated surviving another day by stuffing themselves with food and drink, or by gambling and chasing women, to wash away the tension of life-and-death battles.
The Flame Bee Tavern, located on South Main Street, one of Orario's busiest and most luxurious districts, was packed to the brim with adventurers.
Ryoji had to squeeze through the crowd before finally finding an empty seat.
"He doesn't even take off his hood to eat?"
"Probably another guy with something to hide."
A few comments drifted over from the neighboring table. Ryoji glanced sideways. Four members of the same Familia sat there in matching uniforms, a mix of humans, beastmen, and one Pallum.
The Pallum, who had been whispering, didn't look the least bit embarrassed after being caught; he simply kept chatting and laughing with his companions.
Ryoji's food arrived, and he lowered his head and quietly began eating. People talked about him every day. He was already used to it.
Meanwhile, another table was in the middle of a lively celebration.
"Congratulations, Bell-sama! Becoming Level 2 this quickly... Lily never would have imagined it!"
"That's right, Bell! It's a shame you missed this month's Denatus and didn't receive an alias, but tonight we have to celebrate properly!"
"Eh? You don't have to make such a big deal out of it..." The white-haired boy scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I'm still nowhere near strong enough."
"Hahaha! You're way too modest, Bell!" A man with short red hair laughed heartily and slapped the white-haired boy on the shoulder. "You reached Level 2 in just over a month! You've surpassed who knows how many adventurers. You're second only to that monster who reached Level 5 in three months. You should be proud of yourself. Have a little confidence!"
"I really don't think it's anything special..." Bell smiled sheepishly. "I'm still nowhere close to Mr. Aurora Polaris."
"No, Lily thinks Bell-sama shouldn't compare himself to that monster," the little Pallum girl shook her head vigorously. "The gods themselves called him someone without equal in history. He's practically not even human anymore!"
Ryoji felt another stab in his heart. As time passed, the alias Aurora Polaris had become completely accepted throughout Orario, just like Broken-Winged Angel before it. Every time he heard it, it still hurt. How did the gods who came up with that name manage to hit my weak spot so perfectly?
"No," the white-haired boy, who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, spoke with unwavering determination in his eyes. "I still haven't worked hard enough. He's around my age, yet he's already reached those heights. At the very least... I want to reach his heels."
The boy named Bell harbored a small spirit of defiance. It wasn't because of fame or wealth; it was because of a girl.
Embarrassing as it was, he had fallen in love with the Sword Princess of the Loki Familia at first sight. But the Sword Princess and Aurora Polaris were famously close. Not only were they a perfect match in status, but their looks and strength matched each other perfectly.
Even his own patron goddess had told him they were a couple made in heaven and advised him to give up on such an unrealistic dream.
Yet Bell stubbornly refused to surrender. He continued training, using the peerless young man, praised by the gods themselves, as the rival he hoped one day to surpass.
"Pfft, Hahahaha!" Suddenly, loud laughter erupted from another table. "Did I hear that right? That little brat actually said he wants to catch up to Aurora's heels?"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395