"Calm down, Hestia."
Haimer reached out and patted the flustered loli goddess on the head, then casually picked up the fallen bag of fried croquette wraps from the floor and blew the dust off it.
"What do you mean I secretly turned things around?"
"This is called building up strength before making a breakthrough."
"And besides…"
He took a bite of the still-warm croquette and gestured toward the girls behind him.
"Isn't this perfect?"
"Since Hephaestus is treating us, what's a few extra sets of chopsticks?"
"A few extra sets of chopsticks?!"
Hestia stared at the entire roomful of people, and the two bears, her mouth twitching uncontrollably.
"This is more like an entire extra table!"
"And…"
"These children…"
"Are they really your Familia members?"
"They don't look like locals from Orario at all…"
"You don't need to worry about that."
"Let's go. Didn't you say we're about to be late?"
"It wouldn't be good to keep Hephaestus waiting."
Haimer waved a hand, cutting off Hestia's questioning.
…
And so, after another round of chaotic commotion, the unusually styled group finally stepped out of the run-down temple.
Orario at dusk was the liveliest time of day.
The streets were brightly lit, and magic stone lamps cast a soft glow.
"Wow… those ears! Are they real?"
Mary hugged her dictionary and pointed at a passing rabbit-eared demi-human girl, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"Don't point, that's rude!"
Rin said so, yet her own gaze couldn't help drifting toward the rabbit's twitching ears. Her hand stayed pressed against her sword hilt, perhaps out of nervous habit.
"Is that a beastman?"
Amou watched as a massive boar-man adventurer with a fierce face walked past carrying a giant axe.
"Awooo…"
Warabi's black bear, Kyoubou, completely lost all composure at the rich aroma drifting from a nearby barbecue stall. Drool poured from its mouth, soaking the stone pavement.
"Let's go, Kyoubou! Stop embarrassing us!"
The bear and the cub both refused to move, and Warabi had to pull desperately on the chain, her face turning red as she leaned backward like she was in a tug-of-war just to drag them away.
Along the way, the girls behaved like country bumpkins entering the city for the first time, no, even more exaggerated than that.
Every magic stone lamp, every passerby of a different race, even the roadside drainage canals drew their intense curiosity.
Their expressions were pure, like children seeing the sky for the first time.
Hestia walked beside Haimer, watching the girls' wide-eyed wonder, and her suspicion only deepened.
She nudged him with her elbow and lowered her voice, her expression full of doubt.
"Haimer, tell me the truth."
"Did you trick a bunch of newcomers who just arrived in Orario into joining you?"
"Look at them, they act like they've never even seen a demi-human."
Hestia crossed her arms, clearly convinced she had figured it out.
Haimer simply shrugged and didn't deny it.
In a sense, saying they were persuaded by him wouldn't be entirely wrong.
After all, those speeches about "a vast world" and "the feeling of truly being alive" did sound suspiciously like lofty promises.
But as he watched the light shining in the girls' eyes ahead of him, the corner of Haimer's mouth curved slightly upward.
Because they had taken the bait.
Of course, at first, the girls were afraid, some of them tried not to show it, but the fear was still there. Now that they're in Orario, however, their curiosity will surely take over and help them adjust to this new setting.
"As long as they have that spark," Haimer said calmly, "it won't take long before they surprise all of Orario."
"We're here."
After walking for about twenty minutes, the group finally stopped.
Before them stood a magnificent building.
…
The headquarters of the Hephaestus Familia.
The moment they stepped into the area, a wave of heat entirely different from the outside air washed over them.
It was not the heat of open flames, but the relentless warmth produced by countless furnaces working day and night, the passion of steel and forging.
This was Orario's largest forging faction, the workshop and base of the Hephaestus Familia.
A massive sign bearing the emblem of two crossed hammers hung above.
Weapons and armor lined the walls, reflecting sharp, captivating light under the glow of magic stone lamps.
Greatswords, battleaxes, spears, rapiers,
Each piece was exquisitely crafted, with streamlined design and perfect balance. Even a layperson could immediately tell their quality.
For a group of girls who loved weapons as much as life itself, this place was nothing short of paradise.
"That…"
Rin stopped in her tracks.
Her gaze locked onto a katana displayed inside a glass case.
The blade was entirely black, its surface marked with cloud-like forging patterns, radiating a chilling sharpness.
For a swordswoman, seeing a blade of this caliber was like a drunkard seeing aged wine. It was impossible to look away.
However, when Rin swallowed and let her gaze drop to the price tag beneath it,
[Famed Blade · Black Crow]
[Crafted by: Senior Smith of the Hephaestus Familia]
[Price: 3,800,000 Valis]
"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands…"
Rin counted the zeros, her face turning pale.
In the end, she could only tear her eyes away and force out a dry remark.
"That price is outrageous."
She did not know the purchasing power of Valis in this world, but thinking about the broken temple she had just left behind, she felt that such a blade was impossibly far beyond her reach.
Haimer, however, noticed her gaze and took another look at the famed blade.
…
"Hey, Haimer! Hestia! You're way too slow!"
A slightly husky yet magnetic female voice rang out from deep inside the workshop.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
A woman with short crimson hair strode forward.
She wore a crisp white shirt and black trousers. A black eyepatch covered her right eye, yet it only enhanced her sharp, dignified beauty.
She was none other than the chief goddess of the Hephaestus Familia,
Hephaestus.
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