The evening twilight descended softly yet inevitably upon Orario, blanketing its noisy streets in a cool blue. The city was smoothly shifting its rhythm. The daytime bustle of business gave way to evening revelry, and along the wide avenues, one after another, magic-stone streetlamps flared to life with quiet clicks, flooding the cobblestones with a warm, amber light.
Rain strolled unhurriedly along the chipped cobblestones of the Northwest District, carrying several thick paper bags of provisions. Beside him, stepping lightly and quietly humming a simple melody under her breath, walked Hestia. The further they moved from the commercial quarters, the quieter their surroundings became, until their path turned into the impoverished, abandoned alleys leading to the ruins of their dilapidated church.
However, the usual silence of their haven was broken today.
Rain stopped first; his heightened senses caught the presence of strangers even before they rounded the corner. The youth's eyes, accustomed to the gloom, picked out two silhouettes frozen right by the lopsided iron gate.
It was impossible to mistake them.
His sworn brother, Bell Cranel, was shifting nervously from foot to foot, constantly adjusting the straps of his light armor. The boy looked as if he had been placed on hot coals, constantly shooting quick, timid glances at his companion. And his companion was none other than the Sword Princess—Aiz Wallenstein. The golden-haired warrior stood absolutely motionless, arms crossed, staring straight at the old gate doors. The evening breeze barely ruffled the strands of her hair, making her look like a flawless but completely lifeless marble statue.
"Look who's here," Rain said simply, with a slight touch of genuine curiosity.
Hearing his voice, Bell flinched with his entire body, as if caught at the scene of a crime. The youth hurriedly turned around, his face instantly taking on a guilty expression. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head and looked away, trying not to meet Rain's eyes.
"H-hi, Rain. Hello, Lady Hestia," he muttered, stumbling over his words. "Well... it just sort of happened."
Catching his friend's hint, Rain shifted his gaze to Aiz.
Outwardly, the girl seemed absolutely unperturbed. Not a single muscle twitched on her doll-like, emotionless face. However, to Rain, it somehow seemed that beneath this mask hid a strong, almost childlike nervousness. It was as if she simply couldn't find the right words to start the conversation.
Taking a step forward, the Sword Princess bowed gracefully and with flawless respect, addressing the goddess first.
"Good evening, Hestia-sama. I offer my deepest apologies for such a late visit without prior notice," she said in an even, melodic voice, in which Rain nonetheless caught notes of tension.
Catching himself, Bell hurriedly mirrored her bow, nearly folding in half in an apologetic gesture.
Then, Aiz's golden eyes turned back to Rain.
"I am very sorry to disturb you in the evening," she continued, looking him right in the face. "However... I would like to speak with you, Rain."
Hestia, openly surprised by the appearance of the Loki Familia elite at her rather modest doorstep, shifted a questioning gaze to her captain. Rain didn't take a long pause. He had no reason to avoid a conversation with the swordswoman.
"Sure, why not. I don't mind a chat," he replied.
The goddess, quickly pulling herself together and remembering her status as the lady of the house, smiled welcomingly:
"In that case, welco—"
Grrr-r-r.
A quiet, but distinct and incredibly pitiful sound tore through the evening silence.
Hestia cut off mid-sentence. Bell froze with his mouth hanging open.
Aiz Wallenstein, the strongest swordswoman in Orario, the terror of monsters, and the idol of thousands of adventurers, stood motionless. Her face still expressed nothing, but from the tips of her delicate ears down her neck, a thick, traitorous flush rapidly spread. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she pressed her elegant palm to her stomach.
O-o-oh... Rain drawled mentally.
The adult, worldly-wise warrior inside him faltered for a second at this sight. The colossal contrast between her fearsome title, her feigned composure, and this tiny, absurdly mundane embarrassment was simply devastatingly charming.
Without letting the girl completely burn up with shame, Rain smoothly seized the initiative.
"You know," he casually readjusted his grip on the paper bags, pretending that absolutely nothing had happened, "considering there isn't exactly a lot of free space inside our church right now for a comfortable chat... How about we go somewhere to grab a bite? We can discuss everything over dinner."
"Excellent idea!" Hestia supported him instantly, taking pity on the crimson swordswoman and playing along with her captain. "I'm just dying of hunger anyway! Been on my feet all day!"
Bell, still diligently avoiding looking at Aiz so as not to embarrass her any further, nodded hurriedly and fervently. The blonde herself didn't utter a word. She merely gave Rain a short nod, with silent but absolutely boundless gratitude in her eyes.
***
The four of them moved unhurriedly toward the bustling central avenues of the city. Rain and Hestia walked slightly ahead, setting the pace, while Bell and Aiz followed them a couple of steps behind. Life boiled around them: merchants slammed the shutters of their shops closed with a clatter, barkers at the doors of drinking establishments loudly advertised ale, and the air smelled thickly of roasted meat and spices.
Along the way, Rain slightly turned his head to his brother and asked the question that had interested him from the very beginning.
"Were you two seriously waiting for us at the entrance since lunchtime?" A genuine note of surprise sounded in his voice. To stand for several hours in a poor quarter just for one conversation required a fair amount of stubbornness.
Bell sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head with a familiar nervous gesture, and smiled awkwardly:
"Well... yeah. We didn't know exactly when you and Lady Hestia would return. So we simply had nothing left to do but wait." He slowed his pace slightly and added very quietly, almost in a whisper: "And besides, Aiz-san... she approaches any matter extremely seriously and thoroughly. If she's decided on something, it's almost impossible to talk her out of it."
Aiz, possessing excellent hearing, caught his words. She puffed her cheeks out slightly, extended her arm, and poked Bell lightly but noticeably in the ribs with her index finger. The youth jumped in surprise and let out a squeak, falling silent immediately.
Rain, observing this scene out of the corner of his eye, chuckled softly. He decided to steer the conversation into a safer, more professional channel to defuse the tension.
"How is your party progressing, Bell?" the black-haired warrior asked. "What floor are you descending to now?"
Bell sighed again, and all his former, light energy visibly faded, making way for professional chagrin.
"We're still treading water on the eleventh and twelfth," he replied, spreading his hands. "Loki-sama categorically forbade us from going any deeper until my basic stats grow to a certain threshold."
Hestia, listening to their conversation with interest, turned around and blinked in surprise.
"Wow. I didn't expect such prudent care for rookies from Loki."
Bell scratched his cheek, softening his tone:
"Well... she only seems frivolous. Actually, Loki-sama is very good. Even if she is... quite peculiar."
Rain nodded in approval.
"I'm happy for you, Bell. There's no need to force things when it comes to the Dungeon."
"Easy for you to say," grumbled the white-haired youth, looking at his brother with a bit of hurt. "And how is your own progress coming along, Rain?"
The black-haired swordsman thoughtfully looked at the tavern signs floating by, analyzing his plans for the coming days.
"Not bad," he replied evenly. "Starting tomorrow, I plan to move down to the thirteenth floor."
Walking beside them, Aiz stopped abruptly at these words and looked at the youth in surprise and with genuine interest. Her golden eyes widened slightly. Even for experienced Orario fighters, such a speed of advancement without a formed, full-fledged party seemed like madness.
Bell's eyes went completely round; a mix of brotherly awe and sincere, anxious skepticism mingled in his gaze:
"Seriously? Already?" the white-haired boy drawled in surprise, yet with a touch of apprehension. "And what's the mad rush for?"
"I'm not in a rush," Rain denied in an even tone, resuming his pace. "I just plan to hunker down on a more or less challenging tier for a while."
Aiz, who had been attentively observing their dialogue this whole time, extended her arm again and lightly poked Bell in the shoulder with her finger, drawing his attention.
"Aiz-san?" Bell turned to her with a questioning look.
"I didn't know you could speak so much and so freely," said the Sword Princess. She said it in her usual, calm tone, but this time the icy mask on her face cracked. The corners of her lips twitched, forming a light, genuine, and incredibly warm smile. "That carefree smile really suits you, Bell."
Bell froze, as if struck by lightning. Hearing such a direct, sincere compliment from the girl he admired was beyond his limits. He instantly flared up. Color flooded his face, neck, and even the tips of his ears.
"Wh... what?!" he squeezed out, stuttering and taking a half-step back while waving his hands frantically. "I-it just seems that way to you, Aiz-san! I'm always like this... I mean... no... I..."
Rain and Hestia, watching his embarrassment, couldn't contain themselves. Rain laughed softly, seeing how his friend lost himself over a couple of simple words. Hestia also giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. Bell turned even redder, trying to turn away and hide his face.
Amidst the conversations, laughter, and jokes, they didn't notice how they stepped onto the right street. Before them loomed a large, brightly lit building—the Hostess of Fertility tavern. From the open windows of the second floor drifted booming laughter, the clatter of clinking wooden mugs, and the rhythmic clatter of plates. In the evening, it was always a full house here.
Rain pushed open the heavy oak door, and they stepped inside.
Inside the tavern, it was hot, stuffy, and smelled incredibly deliciously of roasted meat. There were so many people that there was practically no free space left between the massive tables. Adventurers of all stripes, races, and levels were noisily celebrating the end of the day.
The moment they stopped right by the entrance, looking around, an elf in a waitress uniform slipped past them, gracefully weaving between the patrons with a huge tray in her hands. It was Ryu. Noticing the new party, she braked for a fraction of a second.
"A pleasure to welcome you," the elf said calmly, with flawless professional politeness, her even voice easily cutting through the general din of the hall. "However, as you can see for yourselves, it is currently the peak of the evening rush. I'm afraid there won't be any free seats for such a large party at this moment. I offer my sincere apologies."
And at that exact moment, one of the tipsy dwarves deep in the hall bellowed loudly, demanding two more jugs of ale.
"Excuse me, they are waiting for me," Ryu gave a curt nod and instantly dissolved into the crowd, continuing her strenuous work.
Rain cast a glance over the packed hall, mentally assessing their chances.
"Looks like we're out of luck," he stated, turning to his companions. "We'll have to find another place."
They were just about to turn around and step back into the coolness of the evening street when a loud, mocking, and painfully familiar voice broke through the general roar of the tavern.
"Ooo-ho! Look who it is! Aiz!"
Turning his head toward the sound, Rain flawlessly pinpointed the source of the noise. By the far wall, situated on a raised platform near a small wooden stage, sat a beastman. Bete Loga—the pride of the Loki Familia and one of the fastest adventurers in the city. He occupied a huge oak table meant for at least six people in proud solitude. An impressive battery of empty beer glasses was already lined up in front of him. The werewolf's ash-grey hair was disheveled, his jacket was unbuttoned at the chest, and his cloudy gaze and relaxed posture spoke volumes about him being quite decently tipsy.
Aiz threw him a single, brief glance. Nothing but cold indifference reflected in her golden eyes. She clearly had no desire to waste her time conversing with a drunk clanmate.
"Let's go," she said in an icy tone, resolutely turning toward the exit. "We'll find a quieter place."
Rain and Hestia, feeling not the slightest desire to ruin their evening in the company of an aggressive drunkard, silently agreed and followed her. Bell also hurried toward the door, trying with all his might not even to look in Bete's direction, keeping in mind their past, not entirely pleasant encounters.
But Bete turned out to be faster than one might expect from a drunk.
Seeing that Aiz was openly, demonstratively ignoring him and leaving, the werewolf instantly panicked. The alcoholic fog in his head cleared for a second, giving way to an instinctive fear of losing her. He shoved his chair back with a crash, nearly overturning the table, and crossed the hall in a rapid dash, intercepting their group right at the threshold of the tavern.
In the blink of an eye, all his former arrogance, insolence, and feigned aggression evaporated without a trace. Before Aiz, he appeared in a completely different guise. His manner of speech became meek, ingratiating, and his movements jerky. He looked like a guilty hound desperately trying to beg for attention from its alpha.
"Hey, hey! Come on, Aiz, why leave right away since you already came in anyway? Seriously!" Bete babbled rapidly, rocking slightly on his heels and gazing devotedly into her eyes. "Stay! I... I really wouldn't mind at all if you joined me! My treat!"
Aiz looked at him without the slightest glimmer of interest.
"I'm not alone, Bete," she cut him off evenly and categorically.
The werewolf clicked his tongue in annoyance. His drunk, disgruntled gaze finally deigned to tear itself away from the swordswoman and shift to her companions.
First, he dragged a contemptuous glance over Hestia. The diminutive goddess instantly tried to puff out her cheeks, proudly stick out her chest, and make herself look like an incredibly fearsome leader, but Bete simply ignored these efforts, considering her a creature beneath his dignity.
Then, the werewolf's amber eyes fell upon Bell. The very next second, Bete's face contorted in a genuine, deep-seated spasm of irritation. For some reason, this white-haired rabbit infuriated him with just his timid appearance, his weakness, and the very fact that he dared to be so close to Aiz. Bete twisted his lips, already opening his mouth to spew some cruel, venomous, and drunken filth capable of stomping the boy into the dirt...
...but in the next fraction of a second, his gaze locked with Rain's.
He stood absolutely relaxed, with dropped shoulders. His face maintained a polite, almost benevolent half-smile.
But his gaze...
Bete felt that gaze. The drunken fog in his head cleared a bit. He looked into the eyes of this black-haired guy and understood that he was completely unafraid of him. The atmosphere between them suddenly thickened, becoming viscous like tar.
The beastman felt a slight irritation, but decided not to cause a scene right at the tavern's doorstep, especially in Aiz's presence.
Overcoming his grating pride and a burning reluctance to share a table with weaklings and strangers, Bete was the first to look away.
"Fine," he hissed through clenched teeth, offering a crooked and tense sneer. "They can sit too."
He spun around sharply and, trying to maintain whatever dignity he had left, marched back to his seat, leaving them standing by the entrance.
Rain calmly, as if nothing had happened, turned his head and looked at Aiz, waiting for her decision. The girl gave a short nod with a barely perceptible relief, accepting the invitation. Leaving behind the coolness of the night street, the four of them followed the beastman into the noisy, heat-radiating heart of the tavern.