Danmachi: I Have A Type-Moon Gacha System!

Chapter 46 - Meeting Loki And Troubled Syr

Bell quickly hid his surprise by focusing on the menu, pretending to be interested in the dishes.

"Hestia, I'm not familiar with the menu here. Why don't you order?"

"Well, then I'll make the choices."

As expected, Hestia took the menu from Bell and began ordering with ease. 

Being a regular at the tavern, she knew exactly what was both delicious and affordable.

Since it was for two, Hestia carefully selected portions for both of them and even ordered two glasses of fruit wine.

"Understood, Hestia-sama. Please wait," Syr replied.

"Thank you, Syr," Hestia said.

As a frequent visitor, Hestia was familiar with the silver-haired waitress. Syr Flova, a well-known server at the Hostess of Fertility, was renowned for her charm. 

With her youthful, lovely face and gray hair, she was considered the tavern's brightest star.

But this alone wasn't enough to make Bell wary of her—the key was her hidden identity.

Syr wasn't just an ordinary waitress; she was actually Freya's agent. 

Having pledged herself to the goddess of beauty, Freya, she gained the right to serve as Freya's incarnation in the lower world. 

Thus, Syr was, in reality, Freya in disguise.

In fact, Freya often switched places with Syr to specifically find people with pure and bright souls.

Besides, the Hostess of Fertility was no ordinary tavern. 

The owner was Mia Grand, a former captain of the Freya Familia, a Level 6 adventurer capable of single-handedly toppling a Familia. 

All the other waitresses, except Ryuu, were Level 4 adventurers. Their combined power ranked among the highest in all of Orario.

It was incredible that such a powerful group operated a tavern. 

If adventurers in the tavern knew the true identities of those serving them, they might feel a chill down their spines.

Of course, what really unnerved Bell was the possibility that Freya had already taken notice of him.

As he waited, Bell didn't sit still but observed his surroundings carefully. The warm, dim lighting added an elegant atmosphere. 

However, unlike the other patrons, Bell was better at controlling his emotions and didn't let himself get carried away.

"That's right," Hestia said. "The Hostess of Fertility is a famous tavern in Orario. It's closed in the mornings and only opens after dusk."

Bell nodded in understanding. It was just like a typical bar.

"Oh, what a handsome young man! Is this your first time here?" a voice called out.

Bell turned his head to see the speaker—an older woman who was quite tall and muscular. This was Mia Grand.

Facing her, Bell didn't panic but did feel a little uncomfortable in the noisy environment. 

He preferred quiet places and naturally didn't enjoy such a loud setting, even though he understood it was the nature of taverns.

"This is what Orario's nightlife is like," Mia said. "As an adventurer, you'll need to get used to this atmosphere."

Looking at Bell's youthful face, Mia recognized him as a rookie.

"Hestia, are you a regular here?"

"Yes, I come here sometimes to drink with Hephaestus."

Hestia was too embarrassed to admit that she always insisted on dragging Hephaestus out to drink. 

Whenever Hephaestus couldn't join her, Hestia would come here to indulge a bit, though the prices were high.

"The prices here are too steep for me," Hestia complained. "And Hephaestus doesn't give me much spare change, either."

Bell raised an eyebrow. From Hestia's complaints, he gained a deeper understanding of Hephaestus's generosity.

"I think Hephaestus doesn't want you developing bad habits like relying on others for everything. It's good that she's helping you control your desires."

Hestia pursed her lips. She understood what Hephaestus was thinking, but that didn't mean she had to behave that way all the time. 

After all, she still had to maintain her image as a beautiful goddess in front of Bell.

"Finally..."

As she prepared the dishes, Syr's eyes changed color slightly. Her gaze naturally settled on Bell. 

But when her eyes locked onto him, something unexpected made her tremble.

She had seen Bell's soul before, so why couldn't she see it now?

What happened?

All she could see was purple lightning akin to divinity, something that usually appeared when she tried to peer into the souls of gods. 

She couldn't fully see their souls but could glimpse their divine origin. 

While this was impossible in Heaven, here in the lower world where the gods had sealed their power, she could briefly see their origin.

But wait...

What?

How is this possible? It hurts!

She groaned in pain. This was the first time she had felt actual pain while peering into someone's soul.

Why does his soul now resemble that of a god?

And why did it hurt her?

For a moment, Freya—disguised as Syr—was utterly confused, and a terrible possibility crossed her mind.

Without saying a word, she excused herself and headed to the restroom. 

Her sudden behavior left Ryuu and the others confused.

Then again, they assumed it must be her time of the month.

Bell, who had felt eyes on him, widened his own.

"Huh? Bell, what's wrong?" Hestia, who had been watching him closely, noticed his sudden shift in mood.

"Nothing," he replied.

Hestia looked at Bell with slight confusion.

"Meow~"

"The customer with the reservations had arrived," a catwoman in a maid outfit announced as she entered the store. 

A group of people could be seen standing in the shadows outside the door.

As they began to walk in one by one, their leader became visible. 

At the front stood a red-haired girl with squinting eyes and a cute ponytail. Her presence was hard to miss.

Everyone knew who she was.

She was one of Orario's Twin Kings, Loki.

And where Loki was, the powerful Loki Familia followed.

Behind her were Finn Deimne, a blond pallum boy.

Riveria Ljos Alf, an elf of royal lineage.

Gareth Landrock, the sturdy dwarf warrior.

The Amazon sisters, Tiona and Tione Hiryute.

Bete Loga, the fierce werewolf.

Lefiya Viridis, a young elf.

And the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein.

This nearly complete main force of the Loki Familia perfectly showcased the strength of one of Orario's most dominant familias.

Even Bell, seeing them for the first time, was taken aback by their presence. 

He could clearly sense the overwhelming aura emanating from each member of the Loki Familia. 

Perhaps it was just a feeling, but Bell's heightened senses allowed him to notice the stark differences in power.

"Hmpf!"

Hearing a voice beside him, Bell snapped back to reality. He turned to see Hestia, her hand over her mouth, her gaze fixed on Loki.

"Oh!"

Perhaps Hestia's intense stare was too much to ignore. Loki, leading the group, noticed and turned with a rather awkward expression.

"Yo, little dwarf, what brings you here today? Can you even afford the food without Hephaestus covering for you?"

Loki's sharp words immediately triggered Hestia's anger. She slammed the table as she leaped up.

SMACK!

"Don't keep looking down on me like in the past! I also have the best child now!"

As Loki glanced at the fuming Hestia, she noticed Bell sitting quietly at the table.

"Oh~ so this is your child."

'A rookie, huh?'

But Loki felt something wasn't right. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Rookie-kun, it must be tough supporting such a handful, right?"

"This one," Loki pointed at Hestia, "Is notorious for being troublesome. She spends money recklessly. Now that you've become her child, you're in for a rough time."

Her teasing words made Hestia nearly explode with frustration.

Bell, however, remained calm and expressionless.

"Thank you so much for your concern, Loki-sama," he replied politely. 

"But I believe I can handle supporting Hestia. Besides, she's not as bad as you make her out to be."