The group navigated the long streets and arrived at Orario's Southeast District—the main venue for the Monsterphilia. The area was bustling with people; the streets were packed, and vendors lined the roads selling everything imaginable. Its prosperity rivaled the international metropolises of Roy's previous life. As the "Center of the World," Orario's splendor was unmatched.
The Monsterphilia was hosted by the Ganesha Familia. They brought monsters out of the Dungeon and into an arena that held tens of thousands, where tamers would "subdue" them. Total obedience was impossible, of course; they simply made the monsters feel fear. This process boosted the citizens' confidence. For three thousand years, people had suffered from monster attacks. This festival told them that monsters were not invincible, encouraging them to become adventurers.
That was the public story...
Roy knew the insider details. The festival was also a subtle way to reduce fear so that Uranus and Ganesha could eventually convince people to accept the "Xenos"—monsters with intelligence.
He scanned the crowded streets. Considering the effort required every year, it was hard to believe Uranus was acting out of mere sympathy. Did he truly want a world where humans, gods, and monsters coexisted? Roy shook his head. Even for him, a god's true motives were hard to fully fathom.
Daphne, rarely seeing such a lively event, looked around with wide-eyed curiosity. Had it not been for the mission, she would have played her heart out. The festive atmosphere even managed to lift the gloom from Cassandra's face. Roy, ever perceptive, said, "It's okay. Go ahead and play. Just don't wander too far."
Daphne excitedly dragged Cassandra to every stall. Monsterphilia's chaos made it the perfect time for a backstab. The Ganesha Familia was too busy with the festival to maintain perfect order. In the original timeline, Freya had used this exact opportunity to "train" a certain red-eyed rabbit.
But Roy's confidence in letting them play came from his preparations. He had this area locked down. Soma Familia members were disguised as vendors and tourists; after the mass layoffs, no one recognized them. Meanwhile, the more famous Loki Familia members were hidden in nearby houses—Roy had rented out seven or eight buildings just for them, throwing money at the problem until it went away. Everyone acted naturally, following a set of code words Roy had designed to relay information if an anomaly was spotted.
Roy moved to Ryu's side. "Notice anything?" he whispered. Ryu shook her head. Even with the sharp eyes of a Level 5, she saw nothing. Roy frowned. This was strange. If he weren't certain Cassandra's dreams always came true, he would have doubted it. For now, he could only take it step by step.
After wandering for two hours, the group bought tickets and entered the arena. A taming session was in progress. A Ganesha Level 3 adventurer was cracking a whip, striking the ground and occasionally an Almiraj (Silverback) to induce pain and fear without killing it. The crowd cheered wildly, immersed in the joy of human dominance.
To Roy's group, it was dull. Death matches in the Dungeon were far more exciting. A Level 1 Silverback was so weak that even Cassandra could kill it alone.
Suddenly, sensing a ripple of divine aura in the air, Roy, Ryu, and Astraea turned in unison. They spotted a male god in the crowd. He had a feminine face, dead-fish eyes, and a smile that radiated both amusement and indifference.
"Lord Ikelos..." Roy and Astraea recognized him immediately.
Finally! Roy, Ryu, Astraea, and Daphne tensed up. If he hadn't appeared, their day would have ended in mere sightseeing. Cassandra's face went pale.
Ikelos swaggered over. "Astraea, it's been a long time."
Out of politeness, Astraea nodded. "Ikelos."
Ikelos wore a pained expression. "Astraea, your child Roy really caused us a heavy loss in the Dungeon."
"What do you mean?" Astraea's brow furrowed.
Ikelos counted on his fingers. "Nearly twenty of my children died, and we lost a monster worth over a hundred million Valis."
Astraea sensed no lie in his words. "And? What is your point?"
Ikelos grinned. "Compensation, of course. You raked in three hundred million from the Soma Wine auction. Give us that money, have Roy apologize at the graves of those children, and have him break one of his own arms. Then we'll call it even. Not too much to ask, right?"
The gazes of Ryu, Daphne, and Cassandra turned cold.
"Impossible!" Astraea's response was immediate and sharp. For the children of the lower world, talent and resources were secondary to an unyielding spirit; the Falna handled the rest. Money was one thing, but an apology and a broken arm would ruin Roy's path.
Ikelos didn't seem surprised. He looked at Roy. "Sprout of Justice, what is your choice?"
Roy's response was simpler still. "Is the Dungeon owned by your family?"
"Hahaha!" Ikelos froze for a second before bursting into laughter. A direct hit. Despite his flowery words, the Ikelos Familia was known for stealing others' kills and loot. Roy's point was clear: you can't only stand for "justice" when you're the one being robbed.
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Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (378 Chapter – Ongoing)
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