Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?

Bell, always cautious by nature, had finally let his guard down.

Worried about drawing attention, he had never dared investigate the "Hostess of Fertility." Doing so would have been too obvious a move. After all, why investigate something unless you already suspect it's out of the ordinary? In that sense, the act of investigating was practically an admission—and Bell had always avoided such self-defeating behavior. So, aside from training and Dungeon runs, he kept to the area around the old church ruins while in Orario.

What he didn't expect was that the very place he worked so hard to avoid would be the one his own Goddess-sama dragged him into.

Not that he had a choice now. He decided to treat it as a chance to test the waters.

Bell masked his brief shock by pretending to be suddenly absorbed in the menu, flinching at the sound of a voice beside him.

"Goddess-sama, I'm not too familiar with the menu here. Why don't you order?"

"Oh? Sure, I'll handle it."

Hestia didn't find it strange at all. She took the menu from Bell and started ordering swiftly. As a regular, she knew exactly what was tasty and affordable.

Since they were dining together, she picked dishes sized for two and added two servings of fruit wine.

"Got it. Please wait a moment, Lady Hestia."

"Oh, thanks, Syr."

As a regular here, Hestia naturally knew the silver-haired waitress.

Syr Flova, the face of the "Hostess of Fertility," was a well-known server. With her cute looks, youthful charm, petite figure, long silver-gray hair, and matching eyes, plus a smile full of innocent delight, she was easily the tavern's brightest star.

But none of that was what made Bell wary. The real reason lay in her hidden identity.

Syr wasn't just a poster girl—she was a spy for the Goddess of Beauty, Freya.

She had offered up both her body and name to Freya, earning the right to serve as the goddess's earthly incarnation.

In truth, "Syr Flova" was Freya's human form. She had been placed here deliberately to search for those with radiant souls.

The "Hostess of Fertility" itself was anything but ordinary.

Its manager was a former captain of Freya's Familia, a Level 6 adventurer strong enough to destroy a Familia on their own.

And the other staff weren't ordinary waitresses either. Aside from the manager, all the female staff were Level 4 adventurers. There were four of them—enough to rank among the top powerhouses in Orario.

That such a powerful group operated freely inside a tavern was nothing short of unbelievable.

If the adventurers enjoying their meals here knew who was serving them, their hair might stand on end.

But right now, what was making Bell's scalp tingle the most was the thought—had Freya noticed him?

As they waited, Bell didn't sit stiffly. Instead, he kept a careful eye on his surroundings.

"There's actually a tavern like this in Orario."

Bell remained alert to Freya's reaction, but he couldn't help being intrigued by the tavern's décor. It was clearly well-designed, and the dim lighting added an elegant touch to the atmosphere. Surrounded by this ambience, even Bell felt himself relaxing a bit.

Still, unlike the typical drunkards, Bell was better at keeping his emotions in check and wouldn't display any excessive behavior.

"That's right! The 'Hostess of Fertility' is a well-known tavern in Orario. It doesn't open in the morning—only after the sun sets."

Bell nodded in understanding. It operated like most normal bars.

Taverns in Orario catered to the night crowd. With the constant pressure adventurers faced, living life on the edge, never knowing what tomorrow might bring, it made sense that they'd occasionally need to blow off steam with a drink.

"Oh? You look new, young man. First time in our tavern?"

"Yeah, I just arrived in Orario... and I'm not really into this kind of scene."

Hearing the voice, Bell turned to see who spoke—it was an older woman, tall and impressively muscular...

Mia Grand. The tavern's manager, known as the Hostess of Fertility herself. Rumor had it she was a temporarily retired Level 6.

Facing the formidable manager, Bell didn't panic. He just looked around, a bit uncomfortable with the environment. He preferred quiet places, so this kind of noisy, lively atmosphere wasn't to his taste. He understood this was what taverns were like, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it.

"This is what Orario is like at night. As an adventurer, you'd better get used to it sooner rather than later," Mia said.

One look at Bell's youthful face told her he was a complete rookie—probably hadn't been an adventurer for long.

Bell was aware of that himself, but adapting to this kind of atmosphere wasn't going to be easy for him anytime soon.

"Is Goddess-sama a regular here?"

"Well, sometimes I tag along with Hephaestus for a drink," Hestia said.

She didn't want to admit she always had to beg Hephaestus to bring her along for free drinks. So unless Hephaestus happened to be free, Hestia didn't usually get the chance to enjoy a drink here. The prices were steep.

"It's just too expensive for me."

"And Hephaestus won't give me that much pocket money."

Bell's eyelid twitched as he watched his Goddess-sama grumble. He could fully understand Hephaestus-sama's exasperation.

Still, it wasn't like Goddess-sama spent all that much.

Right now, with just the two of them in their Familia, they could easily cover her expenses. Bell also knew that while she could be a bit spoiled in daily life, Hestia was serious and responsible when it came down to important matters.

"I think Hephaestus-sama just doesn't want you to develop the bad habit of expecting everything to be handed to you. Spending her money just to indulge your cravings isn't really a good thing for a Goddess."

"She probably hopes you can learn to keep your desires in check."

Hestia pouted. She understood perfectly well what Hephaestus was thinking. If she were in Bell's shoes, she definitely wouldn't act that way.

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

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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