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Chapter 90: Key of the Water Ship
"I remember there being precedents of ancient heroes building harems. Honestly, Fulland was just too honest. That's the real reason behind their tragedy."
Aiden continued to spout his ideology.
"Miss Ais, don't listen to him! Aiden, you big jerk!"
Lefiya quickly reached out and clamped her hands over Ais's ears, desperately trying to prevent these highly questionable remarks from corrupting Ais's pure soul.
"Argh! Why didn't I see this before?! Aiden, you're that kind of guy! You lecher! Pervert! Jerk!"
Lefiya glared at him, her cheeks puffed out in anger, looking exactly like an agitated hamster.
"Hey, hey, hey, that's blatant slander, Lefiya," Aiden said, caught between laughing and crying as he quietly defended himself. "How am I a pervert? What's wrong with having a harem..."
"It's awful! Wanting to build a harem... you greedy jerk."
Lefiya placed her hands on her hips, scolding Aiden like a nagging mother.
"Wait, hold on," Aiden suddenly realized something, looking at Lefiya with an odd expression. "Why are you the one lecturing me? If I build a harem, it has absolutely nothing to do with you. Why are you getting so worked up?"
"I... I..."
Lefiya's righteous interrogation came to a screeching halt. She was instantly rendered speechless.
Her pretty face turned bright red at a visible speed. She stammered and stuttered for half a minute before finally stomping her foot in sheer embarrassment. "Aiden, you're a massive idiot!"
With a light huff, she grabbed the still-clueless Ais and marched straight out of the grand hall without looking back.
Hss...
Aiden inhaled sharply. Watching the elf girl practically flee in panic, an absurd thought bubbled up in his mind uncontrollably.
Does Lefiya... like me?
No, no, no.
Aiden immediately shook his head, throwing the thought out of his mind.
How long had he even known Lefiya? They had barely met a handful of times. There was no way she could have fallen for him that fast.
Even though he had saved her life, that wasn't enough to instantly spark romantic feelings.
After all, in the danger-filled Dungeon, he definitely wasn't the only one who had ever saved her. Her comrades in the Loki Familia had undoubtedly protected her during life-or-death situations, too.
One of the Three Great Illusions of Life: She likes me.
Aiden absolutely refused to flatter himself only to end up humiliated.
He shook his head again, tossing these baseless speculations to the back of his mind, and quickly jogged after them.
The elf girl's anger came and went like a passing squall.
By the time Aiden caught up, Lefiya still had a pouty scowl on her face, but she had stopped dragging Ais along to leave him in the dust.
Today's date was supposed to be a 'thank you' to Aiden in the first place. Getting mad at him like this is wrong, Lefiya thought, secretly slapping her hot cheeks to cool her lingering indignation.
She also realized that her behavior just now had been extremely out of character.
Why was she so incredibly furious just because Aiden said he wanted a harem?
It literally had nothing to do with her, and it definitely wasn't her place to shut down his harem ideologies.
In Orario, adventurers who kept harems weren't exactly rare. Even Finn, the Captain of her own Familia, harbored dreams of building a harem to revitalize the Prum race. So why had she reacted so intensely?
Lefiya was convinced her brain must be malfunctioning.
The three of them walked out of the solemn Spirit Shrine in silence, returning to the loud, bustling streets of the festival.
Awkward tension hung in the air for a moment, until Aiden finally broke the silence.
"Ahem, where to next? I'm getting a little hungry. Should we grab something to eat?"
"Yes."
As if finding an out, Lefiya nodded vigorously. Pulling herself together, she reassumed her role as tour guide. "I know a place nearby! The food is amazing, and a lot of adventurers love going there. Follow me!"
The place Lefiya was referring to was a boat restaurant called the "Key of the Water Ship."
When Aiden followed her to a broad canal marking the border between the Seventh and First Districts, he was instantly captivated by the sight before him.
A massive, pure-white ship was quietly docked at the pier. It was so tall that even Aiden had to crane his neck to take in its full profile.
While it wasn't quite a luxury cruise liner, the vessel was easily over fifty meters long.
Brilliant, extravagant banners were draped across its hull, gleaming under the festive sunlight as the ship bobbed lazily on the sparkling canal.
At the foot of the wooden boarding ramp stood a neatly dressed waiter with a welcoming smile.
Beside him was an elegant wooden signboard displaying the words "Welcome" in Koine.
"A floating restaurant, huh?" Aiden said, genuinely surprised. "I've heard Orario had a few, but I've never actually been to one."
"Exactly."
Lefiya wore a touch of smug pride on her face as she explained, "Normally, these restaurants stay docked at the pier. But during festivals like the Monsterphilia, they take a slow cruise along Orario's main waterways, letting guests enjoy the scenery while they dine."
She knew Aiden hadn't been in Orario long and was still unfamiliar with many places and customs. Being able to introduce these things to him gave her an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Guided by the waiter, the trio crossed the wooden boarding ramp—which let out a soft creak under their weight—and stepped onto the main deck, about six meters above the water.
Upon entering the ship, a sharply dressed server immediately escorted them to an open-air table on the deck.
Before them sat an elegant white wicker table and matching chairs, complete with a crystal vase holding fresh-cut flowers.
There were several identical seating arrangements scattered nearby. Some guests were already seated, conversing in low tones. The atmosphere was leisurely and incredibly sophisticated.
Since arriving in Orario, Aiden usually ate at home with his Familia or visited rowdy adventurer taverns. This was his first time at a place that looked so remarkably high-end and romantic.
Just then, an announcement echoed through the ship:
» The Key of the Water Ship is preparing to set sail. We hope all passengers enjoy their brief voyage with us. «
Following the short, polite greeting transmitted through the Magic Stone speaker, the entire ship began to move smoothly and steadily.
A waiter quickly and elegantly presented them with menus.
After they placed their orders, chilled fruit wines and beverages were brought out first.
Aiden took the initiative to pour Lefiya a glass of crystal-clear white wine. However, when pouring Ais's drink, he was excessively careful to confirm that it was the completely non-alcoholic, freshly squeezed fruit juice they had specially ordered for her.
Though the elf girl was still young, the concept of a 'legal drinking age' didn't really exist in the world of adventurers.
The ship sailed smoothly down the canal, flanked by Orario's bustling streets. The roaring clamor of the festival was isolated at a comfortable distance, reducing the distant cheers and music to the perfect, atmospheric background noise.
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