Danmachi: The Sign In System!

Chapter 66 - Mia's Thoughts

Walking toward Hostess of Fertility, Orsted murmured softly, "Hestia…"

He was utterly unaware of how Hestia had changed.

He couldn't pinpoint when Hestia had fallen for him, and the uncertainty gnawed at him.

In the anime, Hestia saw Bell as her first familia member—precious, but not romantic.

Only after Bell's hardwork did her feelings deepen into love.

Without that turning point, she likely would've treated him solely as her first companion.

After all, a god falling for a mortal was rare.

But what about me?

Orsted thought.

Nothing extraordinary has happened to me—no moment that could be called a turning point.

So why? Why does Hestia love me?

He didn't understand. Not at all.

"Huh, I'm here," he said, snapping out of his thoughts as he reached the tavern.

"Orsted, nyaa!" called Anya, spotting him instantly.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him inside. "Come in, come in!"

"Ryuu, your Orsted's here!" Anya shouted the moment they entered the tavern.

The patrons barely glanced up, but three heads poked out from the kitchen like stacked hamsters: Syr, Chloe, and Lunoa.

"Ryuu, your guy's here," Lunoa teased from the bottom.

"Seems this Orsted's got it bad for you, Ryuu," Chloe added with a sly grin, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Ryuu ignored them and stepped out of the kitchen, her expression calm.

"Orsted-san, are we continuing tonight?" she asked evenly.

Her words sent a ripple through the kitchen.

Lunoa and Chloe gasped, hands flying to their mouths, while Anya spun around, eyes wide.

"Ryuu, have you and Orsted gotten that close, nyaa?!"

Ryuu's question, innocent to her, sounded scandalous to others, sparking a misunderstanding.

But even if she'd known, she likely wouldn't have cared.

Ryuu was oblivious in her own way, slow to pick up on such nuances.

Nearby adventurers perked up at the commotion.

"Orsted?" one muttered.

"The fastest-ranking adventurer!" another exclaimed, glancing over.

"Looks just like the guild's poster."

His companion nodded. "First member of the new Hestia Familia, right?"

"It's wild. Ranked up in less than a month."

"Smashed the record for fastest rank up."

"How'd he do it?"

"Heard the guild kept his exploits under wraps. Gotta be something big."

"Should we ask him?"

"You ask!"

"Why me? You go!"

"You brought it up!"

As the table's chatter spread, more adventurers noticed Orsted.

Whispers grew, eyes turned his way, and the attention made him uneasy.

"Ryuu, meet me at the usual spot," Orsted said quickly, then slipped out of the tavern.

The crowd's gaze shifted to Ryuu, but she didn't flinch.

Unfazed, she walked back to the kitchen.

Though Orsted was gone, the tavern buzzed louder, his name on everyone's lips.

"What a shock," Mia mused from behind the bar, having just heard of Orsted's rank up.

"To rank up that fast, his soul must shine bright."

She frowned slightly, muttering to herself,

"Hope that kid can handle it."

Mia knew her goddess, Freya, too well.

When Freya set her sights on someone, she'd stop at nothing to claim them.

If Orsted joined her familia early, fine.

If not, Freya might pull something… extreme.

Mia wouldn't put anything past her.

Shaking her head, she let it go.

Orsted wasn't her concern, no matter how promising he seemed.

Unaware of the tavern's gossip, Orsted hurried to the city wall where he and Ryuu had sparred before.

The wall was shrouded in darkness, silent and still.

He sat on the ground, leaning back on his hands, and gazed at the starlit sky.

No matter the world, the night sky always brimmed with stars.

But the constellations of his past life were gone.

Still, as he traced the stars, he noticed patterns forming, their shapes a mystery he couldn't unravel.

He could only marvel at the cosmos' enigma.

Ryuu didn't keep him waiting long.

An hour later, she arrived.

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