The sun dipped below the horizon.
Amid the playful antics of Ais and Syr, Bell found himself unknowingly walking down Southeast Street.
This road had shown no signs of trouble during the search for the cat. However, as soon as the sun set, the street underwent a dramatic transformation.
The doors and windows, previously shut tight, swung open, releasing a tempting, sensual fragrance from within. It was as if day had turned to night— the once-quiet street now buzzed with life under the darkened sky.
Pink Magic Stone lamps glittered brightly, casting light on women from various races, each dressed in revealing outfits. They flashed seductive smiles, calling out to passing adventurers.
Within moments, the street was engulfed by an overwhelming atmosphere of sensuality.
"Truly the Pleasure District..." Bell muttered, dodging the bright lights, momentarily struck by the scene.
He had known about places like this in Orario, so he remained unfazed.
The adventurer's life was often uncertain, and many embraced a "seize the day" attitude. Male adventurers, who were usually strong and rough, had few outlets for release. Without places like this and the gambling dens, many would fall into a life of crime.
Thus, the guild had tacitly accepted the existence of this street.
Bell ignored the alluring women who greeted him, turning a blind eye to the seductive sighs around him, and moved toward the exit.
The architecture here seemed to blend influences from across the world— Eastern-style pavilions stood alongside sturdy, thick-walled houses typical of the far north.
Just as he was about to leave the street, several figures stepped into his path.
"Eyes glued to the women, can't see where you're going?"
A Pallum adventurer sneered.
"..."
Bell had no desire for trouble. He moved to the side, trying to walk around them.
But the Pallum followed, refusing to back down.
"Look at that! That white-haired kid— isn't he the new rookie? What a coincidence! I've heard your name for ages!"
Bell glanced at their outfits.
They were all adventurers, each bearing a familia insignia.
A golden arrow and a radiant sun.
Apollo Familia.
Was this deliberate, or were they trying to frame someone?
Although Bell had memorized the insignias of various familias, he couldn't make any conclusions yet.
Such an obvious provocation— perhaps someone was setting up the Apollo Familia.
"What's going on?" Bell asked cautiously.
"What? Is that your attitude? You think you're some world-record rabbit and that makes you special?!"
The Pallum male growled viciously.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
With so many eyes around, Bell didn't want to cause trouble here.
But as soon as he took a step, several figures blocked his way again.
"Trying to run now? I bet you wet your pants and ran away when you defeated the Minotaur, right?"
The Pallum's words grew more crude.
Bell could smell alcohol on his breath, but he sensed it wasn't just drunken rambling.
The Pallum's companions didn't try to stop him. Instead, they moved to block Bell's path.
This wasn't a random encounter—it was a carefully orchestrated provocation.
What did they hope to achieve?
What would they gain by angering him?
Bell's mind raced, but he said nothing.
The insults continued to escalate.
"Ah, I get it! That harem everyone's talking about? It's fake, isn't it? The tavern girls, and the Thousand Elf from Loki's Familia? They're probably just like the women here— no one turns them down, huh?!"
The Pallum male laughed loudly.
It seemed like he was testing every piece of gossip he'd heard, trying to provoke Bell into reacting.
Bell was indeed angry.
But he didn't show it on his face.
He gave a soft laugh, stepped forward, and placed his hand on the Pallum male's shoulder.
The other flinched, clearly startled.
But the punch they were expecting didn't come.
"So, you're my fans, huh?" Bell said with a smile.
No matter how angry he was, Bell didn't let his emotions cloud his judgment.
The Pallum male was clearly trying to provoke a fight.
He trembled in fear, seemingly prepared for a beating.
If the first punch was thrown, it would escalate into a conflict between the familias.
Even if Bell only caused a minor injury, the Pallum's companions could easily retaliate and blame it on him.
So, from this perspective, the Apollo Familia's identity seemed legitimate.
"Truth be told, I've heard of the Apollo Familia even before coming to Orario!" Bell said, his smile unwavering as he walked closer, first shaking hands with the group, then slinging an arm around their shoulders.
The Pallum male's face turned pale.
The others exchanged dark glances.
"You... you bastard!"
The Pallum male spat angrily.
"What's the matter? Do you want an autograph?" Bell responded with a chuckle.
"Tsk..."
The group fell silent, unsure of how to react.
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Could you do me a favor and sign something for me? I'll just go grab a pen," Bell said, retreating slightly. "Miss, could I borrow some paper and a pen?"
"Oh... do you want to write something on me, sir~?"
An Amazoness, standing nearby, smiled seductively.
The Apollo Familia watched, speechless, as they observed the scene before them.
What in the world was Bell Cranel thinking?
Their faces were filled with confusion as they exchanged murmurs, debating how to handle the situation.
Suddenly, one of them spoke up:
"Hey... that kid seems to have vanished."
"?!?"
Out of nowhere, Bell's figure disappeared from the street.
"He tricked us! Quick, chase after him!"
As the group rushed deeper into the Pleasure District, chaos broke out.
"Whose gem is this?! We're rich!"
"This wallet's mine now. It's got nothing to do with you."
"What are you talking about? I saw it first!"
"Serve the customers properly! Don't run off!"
"With all this gold on the ground, who'd want to work?"
The crowd descended into disarray.
The male Pallum stared ahead in shock.
"That... that's my wallet?"
He patted his pocket, only to find it empty.
Upon hearing this, the rest of Apollo Familia frowned and began checking their belongings.
"Mine was stolen too..."
"Damn it! Was it when we were arm-in-arm just now?!"
Their goal had been to provoke Bell into a fight, so they hadn't noticed his movements at all. Combined with the boy's calm demeanor, the group kept exchanging confused glances, which led to the current chaos.
"Hurry up and chase him!!"
"Chase the money or the white-haired kid?"
"Bell Cranel, of course!"
"But my gems are all..."
"Cut the nonsense! Even if he escapes Orario, we'll track him down!"
Apollo Familia ignored the pandemonium around them and charged into the Pleasure District. Unlike their previous arrogant attitude, tears shimmered in the eyes of most of them.
...
Bell continued to run, discarding the stolen goods along the way to buy himself some time. Getting to Syr was now impossible. From the look of Apollo Familia's determination, they would pursue him relentlessly.
Bell decided to lay low in the Pleasure District for now. The air grew thick with complex, decadent fragrances as the foreign architecture shifted constantly around him.
At that moment, a fox-eared girl locked eyes with Bell.