NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 3
I woke up at dawn—or at least it seemed that way. Orario was always alive, both day and night, and sometimes it was hard to tell what time it actually was. But my stomach growled, which meant it was time to get moving. Lazily, I got out of bed, dressed in my usual clothes—a worn-out shirt and some slightly torn pants—and stepped out of my small rented room.
The fresh morning air hit me as soon as I opened the door. The streets of Orario were beginning to fill up. Merchants opening their shops, adventurers returning from the dungeon or getting ready to enter. Orario was a chaotic city, a controlled chaos. For some reason, it made me feel more at home than anywhere else.
I headed towards the Adventurers' Guild, weaving through the narrow streets that twisted like a maze. If someone were to look at Orario from above, they’d see the city divided into eight parts, like a giant pizza. All the main streets converged at the center, where the Tower of Babel stood.
The Tower of Babel was, without a doubt, the most imposing building in the city. It soared into the sky, so tall that the clouds seemed to brush its peak. It was hard not to stare at it every time you were near.
Babel served as a kind of barrier, separating the world of monsters in the dungeon from the rest of Orario. But it was also home to many powerful Familias. On its various levels, gods and their followers resided, living in luxury and tending to their own affairs.
And at the very top of the tower, like a queen watching over her kingdom from her castle, was the goddess Freya. It was said that from her tower, Freya observed every corner of the city, searching for those who piqued her interest. It was a somewhat frightening thought if you ask me. Even more so when you consider that a god could see through your lies with just a glance.
Shoo, shoo, get away. I made a few gestures over there, as if I shooing off an annoying dog.
As much as I didn’t want to sound narcissistic or believe I was the center of the world, it was impossible to think that Freya hadn’t set her eyes on me yet.
When I got to the Adventurers' Guild, the doors were already open, and the usual buzz was starting to take shape. I've been here plenty of times, so I wasn't surprised by how much the two-story building made of white stone and wood affected me. The main counter was staffed by Guild personnel, who were on hand to help adventurers with their dungeon reports, contracts, and other matters that could be a hassle. I crossed the hall, trying to go unnoticed as usual, but...
"Eithan!" A woman's voice reached me just before I could slip away into a dark corner.
I turned slowly, finding her familiar figure standing at the counter. Rose was waiting for me, arms crossed and with that expression that always seemed stoic, as if she'd forgotten how to smile at some point in her life.
"It seems like you always show up at the worst possible moment."
She didn't respond, but the look she gave me clearly said: "I'm not in the mood for your nonsense today." So I decided to play along and walked over to her, keeping my hands in my pockets and my head down. I hoped that might shield me from her stern vigilance.
"Let's go."
"Where are we headed?"
"To recruitment."
My stomach did a little flip. I'd completely forgotten about it. The thought of joining a Familia still made me uncomfortable, let alone presenting myself to a god. However, to start the <Apotheosis>, I didn’t have choice.
Rose showed me a part of the Guild I don't often get to see. We were heading towards the building's most exclusive area, where private meetings and the most important dealings took place. The area was surprisingly quiet, which was a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the main hall.
Inside, the room was smaller than I thought it would be. It was warm and cozy, with stone walls, a few lit Magic Stone Lamps, and a couple of chairs around a low table.
"Just wait here," Rose ordered before heading out through a side door, leaving me alone in the room.
I sat in one of the chairs, feeling the weight of the place settle over my shoulders. It felt like I was in the antechamber of my execution.
So, what's next? What if the god who recruited me found out I was from another world? What if no Familia accepted me? Would I still be able to hunt in the dungeon without a Grace?
Before I could dwell on the paranoia any further, the side door opened again, and Rose returned. She was standing next to a small figure who was smiling brightly.
Her long dark hair barely covered a small part of her ears and was tied into twin tails with a blue ribbon. Her big eyes, as blue as sapphires, sparkled with enthusiasm.
This girl was none other than the goddess Hestia.
I was momentarily speechless. I knew her, of course, but I never imagined I'd have the chance to meet her in person.
"Hello, hello!" Hestia said with a radiant face. "You must be Eithan-kun, right?"
"Uh... yeah, that's me."
Hestia came closer, sizing me over with those bright eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you! Rose-kun gave me the lowdown on you, and well... I have something I think you might be interested in. Would you consider joining my Familia?"
