Charlie had overlooked one small detail that had slipped through his calculations: the Hostess of Fertility only began operating as the sun went down. His arrival in the early morning meant his plan to persuade Ryuu had to be postponed, the pub's doors still firmly locked.
In place of that, Charlie decided to give Kei the day off as a gesture of appreciation for her role in yesterday's War Game.
Not wanting the day to go to waste, he invited all four women of the Empyrean Citadel out for some recreation.
The theory that women anywhere in any world have a deep fondness for shopping proved entirely correct as he led them through the commercial district along the Northwest Main Street.
With six hundred million Valis just dropped into his hands at no cost whatsoever, Charlie felt no reluctance at all in covering every expense. To his mind, money was nothing more than a pile of worthless metal if it simply sat untouched.
To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, he disguised himself by changing his hair to black using a magic item shaped like an earring on his left ear. Even so, their group remained an unavoidable center of attention wherever they walked.
Astraea's beauty radiated so naturally that she shone no less brilliantly than any Goddess of Beauty. Aishia and Est, as Spirit entities, possessed an aesthetic quality that exceeded ordinary human standards entirely, carrying with them an allure that captivated both men and women alike. Kei, the only human among them, remained captivating in her own right as a high-class beauty whose remarkable performance during the War Game was still fresh in the public's memory. Charlie himself blended seamlessly into his disguise, keeping the legendary alias of Solo Leveling entirely off the public's radar.
His original intention had been to bring them to Panteleone Street in the entertainment district, to treat them at the luxury shops and lounges frequented by high-ranking adventurers. But Astraea declined the suggestion gently, not wanting to indulge in excessive extravagance at the expense of someone who was, technically, not even a member of her Familia. Kei agreed, her background in poverty having long since made frugality a habit, and the idea of unnecessary lavishness sat uncomfortably with her.
As for Aishia and Est, material luxury held no meaning whatsoever. For both Spirit Girls, as long as they could remain at Charlie's side, they would not have complained even if the day consisted of nothing but the simplest of lives.
In the end, the group spent their time in a more grounded but thoroughly enjoyable way, wandering through the quieter corners of the city until darkness had begun to settle over Orario without them noticing. They only turned back toward the Empyrean Citadel once the last of the sunlight had fully faded from the sky.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
After dinner with the women of the Empyrean Citadel, Charlie headed out again. Still wearing his black-haired disguise, he made his way through the streets of Orario, which only grew more alive as night deepened.
Nighttime in Orario was the hour when adventurers celebrated the fact that they were still breathing. The colorful glow of magic lamps reflected off the stone streets, filling the air with a festive atmosphere thick with laughter and the clink of weapons. Cheers from the roadside stalls formed a symphony of noise that made the city feel as though it never slept.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, Charlie arrived at the Hostess of Fertility. The moment he pushed open the heavy wooden door, the rich smell of grilling meat and the sharp warmth of beer greeted his senses at once.
The inside of the pub was already packed. Adventurers filled the long wooden benches while the green-uniformed waitresses moved nimbly between the narrow gaps between tables, carrying heavy trays with impressive balance. Though the prices were on the steep side for lower-ranked adventurers, the quality of Mia Grand's cooking and the presence of the pub's well-known waitresses remained an irresistible draw.
A small cat-race waitress darted toward him with a tray full of beer mugs in hand. She stood around 150 centimeters tall with short brown hair. A pair of cat ears and a long brown tail moved expressively, perfectly matching the dark green uniform and clean white apron she wore.
"Welcome, nya~ Dining alone or waiting for a group?" Fromel asked in her characteristically cheerful tone.
"Just me." Charlie answered lightly.
Anya promptly led Charlie to an empty table in a corner that was slightly quieter than the rest, then briskly handed over a menu that had grown a little worn from heavy use. Without much deliberation, Charlie pointed to one of the drinks on the list.
"I'll have the Special Fruit Liqueur."
Anya's eyes lit up at that. "Ooh! You have great taste, nya! The Special Fruit Liqueur is one of Mama Mia's masterpieces. It's incredibly delicious and refreshing, truly the finest choice!"
Before she could say more, another cat-race waitress with short black hair appeared beside them. Chloe fixed her colleague with a sharp look.
"Anya! Stop chattering during work hours, go and serve the other customers!"
Anya pulled a mildly annoyed face and shot back in a grumbling tone, "I wasn't slacking off, nya! I was explaining the menu, nya!"
Despite the complaint, she got moving and darted back toward the kitchen to collect Charlie's order, leaving the table a little quieter than before.
"..."
(Hm? Aren't those two Anna's parents? What are they doing here?)
Charlie's eyes narrowed as he recognized the middle-aged couple sitting just two tables away from him.
As a regular customer at Claes Flower Shop, he had built a reasonably familiar relationship with Anna, and he knew well enough that the girl's parents were ordinary civilians with no adventuring background whatsoever.
Seeing them here was, to say the least, puzzling. It was worth remembering that the prices at this pub were far from cheap, with the bulk of its clientele being adventurers whose pockets ran deep after excursions into the Dungeon. For ordinary townspeople, eating here was a rare luxury.
(The looks on their faces... anxious. Unsettled. Did they not bring enough money to pay? I've heard that Mama Mia's treatment of customers who try to slip out on a bill is rather brutal.)
Charlie watched the two of them carefully.
They kept glancing toward the door and toward the waitresses with pale faces.
Not wanting to keep guessing in the dark, Charlie decided to sharpen his hearing. With his abilities, eavesdropping on a conversation in the middle of a noisy pub was no great challenge.
If his deduction was correct and they were caught in some financial trouble, he had no objection to quietly settling their bill as a gesture of gratitude for Anna's warmth over the years.
But the moment the first fragment of their conversation reached his ears, Charlie realized the problem might be considerably more complicated than a shortage of dinner money.
🎇Keep reading and support this story on Ko-fi:
📎Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/lovefanfiction or bit.ly/4sbFiOM
✅More early access chapters from WebNovel
✅5 translated fanfic chapters & 1-2 new original fanfic chapters every day (Monday-Saturday), exclusive on Ko-fi.
Thank you so much for your incredible support!