have to say something, so I clear my throat. “Ahem.”
…A
Familia
welcoming me with open arms? Why now?
Every single one I went to when I first came to Orario showed me the door without a second look…
“I, um, already have a goddess…I’m a member of
Hestia Familia
…?!”
“All previous relationships are meaningless in the eyes of love. Don’t you think so?”
“You’re too good for the Loli Lady!”
T-they aren’t listening…!
“But a serious question: What’s the secret to your fast growth? Raw talent? A Skill? Or perhaps foul play?”
“A rare skill, a rare skill? Is it true, is it true? It has to be a rare skill!”
“I really wanna know what’s written on this boy’s back.”
“If it’s okay with you, would you take those clothes off? Just the top is okay! I’ll even pay you?…Hee-hee.”
“We could always force him out of them…”
“—Fu-heh-heh-heh.”
—I run away with all speed.
“He’s here, meow!”
“Ah-ha-ha! Fashionably late, aren’t you, Mr. Adventure.”
The sky is completely dark and the moon shines brightly over my head by the time I reach The Benevolent Mistress.
I reach out to support myself against one of the pillars by the front door, hunching over to try to catch my breath.
Huff…huff…huff…
I’m going to need a moment.
I flew through the back streets, doubling back many times to try and shake my divine pursuers. I only lost them just a few minutes ago.
I should be in much better shape than them…So what was that? They almost had me a few times; it felt like I was running for my life. I’ve never thought of gods and goddesses as scary before.
Why all of a sudden…?
“Syr ’n’ everyone’s been waitin’ for you, meow! The kitchen’s really busy, too, we’re bending over backward to accommodate you, meow! So get in here, meow.”
“S-sorry…”
“They couldn’t start without the guest of honor. Go over there, quickly.”
Two waitresses—Ahnya, a cat person, and a human—come out to meet me and usher me inside. If I remember right the human girl’s name is…Runoa. She’s laughing, too.
I wipe the sweat from my face and stand up straight before setting foot in the bar.
“Mr. Bell! We’re over here—!”
I swear there’s a customer in every single seat in here! But just over the lively mass of humanity, I see Lilly standing on a chair and waving with a big smile on her face.
I invited Lilly to come tonight. It’s not every day that I get to do something like this, and she responded with a resounding “Yes!” so I asked Syr to prepare a seat for her.
…It would have been nice for Aiz to be here as well—wouldn’t that be something? But she’s somewhere in the lower levels of the Dungeon right now on an expedition, so inviting her wasn’t an option. Trying to get the what-ifs out of my head, I give a quick nod and wave back at Lilly.
The table they reserved for us is close to my usual counter seat. Syr and Lyu are sitting beside Lilly, dressed in their nice-looking waitress uniforms.
Syr’s eyes meet mine as I work my way through the crowd. I bow my head, mouthing, “Sorry I’m late!” over and over.
“Bell…?”
“
Hestia Familia
?”
Just as I’m making progress toward the girls waiting for me, I suddenly feel all the eyes in the bar lock onto me.
The topics of the conversations around me change without warning, like a spark igniting an inferno.
I don’t stop moving as I look around in every direction.
“A white-headed human…That’s him, all right. What did they call him…? ‘Little Rookie’?”
“That punk-ass kid?”
“You heard? He’s the record holder now.”
“Who said he’s gonna keep it? The gods’re just awestruck, nothin’ more. One month is nothin’!”
“Ya got tha’ right!”
“But I’ve heard that he really did slay that Minotaur. You know the one, the lower ninth.”
“So he took out one Minotaur, big frickin’ deal!”
“Could you kill a Mino at
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