"Here we are, 'The Benevolent Mistress.'"
"Everyone's here, let's go!!!" With a excited shout, Loki charged inside first.
------------------------------
So many people standing at the entrance of the tavern had, of course, long since been noticed by the lovely waitresses.
"Guests, meow, please this way!"
The one in charge of receiving them was the catgirl Anya. The girl bounced along happily as she led the group, requesting a total of three large round tables, enough to seat all the members who had come for this victory feast.
"That is…"
The adventurers dining or drinking in the tavern instantly turned their eyes toward them.
"[Loki Familia]!"
"Hiss… that aura, they're all High Class Adventurers!"
"High Class? They're First Class Adventurers, you idiot!"
Loki, Finn, Riveria, and Gareth walked at the front, followed by Tiona, Tione, Bete, Raul, Anakitty, Alicia, and Lefiya.
Ais and the bespectacled Fron walked at the rear.
As usual, they drew almost everyone's attention, an atmosphere of surprise, awe, curiosity, and excitement filled the place.
Among them, Fron had just stepped inside when he sharply sensed a gaze that was different from the others.
Envy? No, was it admiration? Following his senses, he turned his face toward it.
It was a white-haired, red-eyed boy sitting at a side corner of the bar, and beside him was the tavern's poster girl, a gray-haired, gray-eyed human girl, Syr Flova, or… Freya's disguise.
As if sensing it, Syr and Fron inexplicably locked eyes, her gaze ringing a silent alarm in his mind.
"It's… it's Brother Fron! I didn't expect that big brother would actually be part of the Loki Familia!!!"
What Syr (Freya) didn't expect was that the boy she had taken an interest in actually had a connection with that [Flame Demon] Fron?
No, judging by his happy expression, it seemed… the two were old acquaintances??
Just after sitting between Ais and Lefiya, Fron greeted the others, then, under their curious stares, walked over.
The boy's expression was rather excited, his lips moving non-stop. Noticing everyone's gaze shifting toward them made him a little nervous.
"Yo, Cranel. I was just thinking of how to get in touch with you, didn't expect to meet here. You wouldn't mind sitting in the corner, right?"
Syr blinked mischievously. "The tavern's seats are for entertaining guests, of course it's fine."
"Thanks."
Sitting beside his exclusive seat, Fron smiled warmly as he looked over the boy he'd first met back in the town square when he had just arrived.
"Brother Fron!"
The boy put down his knife and fork, barely able to contain his excitement.
Come to think of it, Bell Cranel was just a 14-year-old naive boy, a child yearning to become a hero.
Compared to someone like Fron… well… let's just say it's hard to compare.
But perhaps only someone so ignorant and foolish, yet with a cheat, could become the protagonist on the stage.
Their interaction was noticed by the members of the Loki Familia, especially Loki.
One foot propped on the stool's edge, holding a large wooden mug, she narrowed her eyes with an amused smile, no one knowing exactly what she was plotting.
"Oh? Mr. Fron and Bell know each other?"
Curious, Syr clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly to reveal her super-cute little face, her gaze darting between the two as if trying to find some clue.
What could be said, worthy indeed of being the goddess who ruled beauty. Every movement carried a certain rhythm; if Fron didn't have the [Scholar] skill to nullify mental pollution (and charm probably counted as such), he might have become the goddess's captive with just one glance.
"Yes! Brother Fron is from my village!"
Fron rested an arm on the bar, sitting sideways with a smile, then casually began telling the others, staff included, about the past.
"We used to live in a village at the end of the continent, about a ten-day journey from Orario."
"A peaceful life let the villagers wear simple smiles every day, but… that day, disaster struck. Monsters appeared from who-knows-where and attacked the village."
Fron's voice grew heavy, and everyone could imagine what happened next.
"In that battle, many people, including my parents, were killed by the monsters. I had a high fever that day and luckily hid in the basement, surviving."
"Later, passing adventurers killed all the monsters, and the village began rebuilding. But everything of value in our home was destroyed, and with no money, I was forced to open a skewer stall to make a living."
"Fortunately, my cooking wasn't bad, so before long I earned enough for travel expenses and left the village for Orario."
"After all, adventurers are something people yearn to be, right? And in this city called the center of the world, not only are there humans, but also so many demi-human races you'd never see in the village. Especially… elves."
Here, Fron raised an eyebrow, pulled Bell into a half-hug, and asked with a grin:
"By the way, Cranel, weren't you taking care of your grandfather at home? How did you end up in Orario? I was a bit surprised when I saved you in the Dungeon that time."
When it came to acting, Fron considered himself rather professional, his expression didn't give away anything.
At this question, the white-haired boy's mood fell.
"Grandpa… he's gone."
'Oh? Your grandpa, that old lecher Zeus, was found by that hot-tempered goddess Hera, so he faked his death and escaped? And while at it, sent you to this city… probably.'
That thought stayed in his mind, his face showing no hint.
"I'm sorry."
"It's… it's fine. Grandpa told me long ago that if this day ever came, I should come to Orario and become an adventurer!"
Fron raised an eyebrow, looking Bell over carefully, then mischievously wiggled his brows:
"Hey, Cranel, when your grandpa sent you here, he must've told you something, right? Like… to seek encounters in the Dungeon?"
"Ah… ah??????????????"
Hit squarely on his thoughts, the boy's face turned bright red, his hands clamped tightly on his knees, head lowered as if wanting to sink into the floor.
Beside him, Syr covered her lips in a small gasp.
"Wow! Did Mr. Bell's grandpa really say that?"
Fron's smile widened dangerously.
"Of course, you don't know this, Syr, but Bell's grandpa is a certified old pervert, things like building a harem or peeping at girls bathing were daily life for him."
"Ehh? Then… Mr. Cranel, did you really come to Orario for that kind of encounter?"
"…Mm! Ah, n-no no no no no!!!"
"Hahahahaha, boy, you're too funny! Seeking encounters in the Dungeon? Just thinking about it is impossible! That place is a den of monsters!" Mama Mia had walked over at some point, laughing as she patted Bell's shoulder, thunk thunk.
"P-please stop, Brother Fron!!! This is too embarrassing!!!"
"tsk tsk tsk, boys need to have thicker skin. Your big bro here might not say it out loud often, but I've always been full of passion deep down."
"Huh?"
Bell looked up suddenly, incredulous at Fron, wanting to ask something,
But Fron declared without a care:
"Building a harem? That's a man's romance! It's also the ultimate goal of men! For me, aside from seeking unknown knowledge, building a harem is also my ultimate goal!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand as if to grasp something, clenching it tightly.
"To hold the girls you love in your hand and let them live in harmony, don't you think that's far greater than saving the world?"
Crack.
A wine glass shattered in the hand of a certain blonde girl, her razor-sharp gaze cutting across.
"?"
"Cranel, all those heroes you admire, weren't they all kings of harems? A pure boy like you needs some guidance!"
"The prerequisite for becoming a hero… is becoming a harem king! A true hero is a harem king!!!!"
Crack! The glass broke completely.
As the shameless young man rambled on, a terrifying black miasma spread throughout the tavern.
"A-Ais-tan, what's wrong??"
"Hey hey hey, you haven't been drinking, have you?"
"N-no, Loki!"
"Then what's going on?!"
"Hmph, just listen to that bastard spouting nonsense!"
Loki, "Yo, Mama-san Ais-tan's mad!"
Riveria, "Who's your Mama-san?!"
The tavern, once noisy, fell so silent you could hear a pin drop, customers' hearts pounding.
A shadow loomed from behind, yet the rambling king of nonsense didn't notice he was repeatedly stepping over the line of life and death.
"Fro-n~"
"?"
The young man froze, then stiffly turned his head.
Was this… Ais?
Where was his cute doll-like princess? Who was this terrifying woman with eyes blazing murder!?
"You-drank-too-much!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM~
Her delicate white fist fell like lightning, knocking him out cold in one punch, shaking the entire tavern. Dragging him by the collar, she turned and spoke with a polite smile:
"Sorry, he's drunk. Please don't mind the nonsense he just spouted."
Then… the blonde girl dragged the dizzy-eyed blonde man back to the Loki Familia's tables, leaving countless dumbstruck adventurers behind.
"The Sword Princess… blackened."
"S-so scary, that aura… I'm shaking!"
"What a guy, seriously! Saying he wants a harem right in front of the Sword Princess, respect!"
"As expected, high-level adventurers are a different species from us, amazing!"
"He really dared to say it… the Flame Demon is a true man…!"