The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly over Orario, illuminating the bustling streets filled with adventurers coming and going from the Dungeon. The murmur of voices blended with the clatter of armor and the creaking wheels of merchant carts rushing past.
But none of that mattered at the moment.
For a certain pair, a young elf and a petite goddess, the world around them seemed to have lost both color and sound. Amid the city's usual chaos, they walked hand in hand, unhurried, as if they were the only ones there.
From time to time, their gazes wandered across the vibrant scenery, absorbing the beauty of the morning and the energy of the city. But, inevitably, their eyes always returned to the figure at their side, as if drawn by an invisible magnet.
Whenever their eyes met, a faint blush colored their cheeks, and shy smiles escaped before they could stop them. It was something both embarrassing and amusing, a silent game of glances where, with every exchange, their hearts seemed to beat just a little faster.
But they weren't the only ones watching each other.
Wherever they went, the crowd followed them with attentive eyes. Men stared at Hestia shamelessly, their gazes sliding over her generous curves, coveting what they could never have. Women, though more discreet, devoured Luki with their eyes, taking in every detail of the handsome elf with golden hair, as if trying to etch his image into memory.
Any other couple might have felt uncomfortable under such scrutiny, but Luki and Hestia seemed oblivious. To them, the eyes of the world were nothing more than a distant whisper.
In that moment, all that mattered was the warm sensation of their intertwined hands and the gentle brush of their pinkies with every step.
The rest of the world could wait.
— Yumn~ what a nice smell! — Hestia exclaimed, tilting her head back and closing her eyes to savor the aroma.
Luki, ever attentive to her every reaction, only then noticed that they had wandered into a marketplace.
Well, "marketplace" was the word used, but in truth it was a wide, spacious street lined with stalls selling everything: food, crafts, flowers, and even spices with a hint of magic—a typical Orario market.
— HungRy? — Luki asked, turning his gaze back to her.
— Are you kidding? It's already past lunchtime and I haven't eaten a thing! — Hestia answered brightly, clutching his arm with both hands. — Come on, I know a place you'll definitely love!
Before he could reply, she was already tugging at his arm, walking eagerly among the stalls.
With little choice, Luki followed her pace, quietly observing what the market had to offer.
They passed a stall where glass bottles held shimmering liquids in vibrant colors. Potions, he presumed, something the original story never described in much detail.
Farther ahead, he spotted a shop with the emblem of the Hephaestus Familia, its display packed with dazzling, high-quality weapons. He didn't need to ask to know that even the cheapest among them cost more than everything he had ever earned in his life.
Among the stalls, an old pallum sat behind a cloth spread with finely carved wooden figurines. Despite the craftsmanship, no one stopped to look. People in Orario didn't seem to value that kind of art.
'But they're really beautiful… Maybe I could—'
— Ta-dah~! — Hestia's sweet voice cut through his thoughts.
Looking ahead again, he realized they had stopped before a modest street stall. Despite its simplicity, a considerable line of people was waiting to buy.
The buttery, sweet aroma in the air stirred a buried memory from Luki's past.
His eyes widened.
— (Crepe?!) — The word slipped out involuntarily.
Hestia tilted her head, puzzled.
— Huh? "Crepe"? What's that? You've had one before?
Luki looked away for a moment, staring at the sky as he tried to recall the last time he'd tasted that flavor.
— Yes… deLICIous… — he murmured, a faint nostalgic smile forming on his lips.
The expectation of tasting something from his past life again made his heart beat a little faster. The sweet scent in the air promised a piece of a reality long lost in time.
And so, Luki patiently waited fifteen long minutes in line.
Time dragged on, but he didn't mind. Each time someone walked away from the stall with a crepe in hand, the buttery sweetness in the air only heightened his anticipation.
Finally, it was their turn.
Luki had no idea how they managed to make crepes with the tools and devices available in this era. Not to mention the whipped cream, how was that even possible? With the technology here, it seemed unlikely.
Well… considering gods literally walked among mortals, perhaps things are more developed than others.
— One Banana witH CHocolate, pleASE, — He ordered
— And I want a strawberry with whipped cream! — Hestia added, swaying slightly with excitement as she waited.
The vendor worked quickly, spreading the thin batter on the hot plate. In minutes, the crepes were folded into cone shapes and filled with generous portions of their chosen ingredients.
When Luki finally held his, the nostalgic aroma flooded his senses. The combination of melted chocolate and caramelized banana made his mouth water instantly.
Without hesitation, he took the first bite.
He chewed slowly, savoring the soft texture of the batter and the familiar taste of banana and chocolate blending together. It was good, like, really good… but something was missing.
'Okay… but it's lacking something. I don't feel like my life expectancy is dropping with every bite. If it were, then I'd say this was truly delicious.'
As he pondered the subtle difference between a decent crepe and one that could bring him to the brink of death by sheer gastronomic pleasure, a sound caught his attention.
— Yhun~ — Hestia moaned softly, swaying her legs a little as she held her crepe. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction.
But then, something caught her eye.
Luki's crepe.
It looked so tempting in his hand… and that melted chocolate dripping from the edge…
She fought the intrusive thought. She really did.
It lasted two seconds.
— Mine! — Hestia declared without hesitation before leaning forward and taking a huge bite out of his crepe, tearing away a more than half.
Luki blinked, stunned. When he looked at his hand, all that remained was a deep bite where once there had been a generous layer of banana and chocolate.
He stood still for a moment, staring blankly at the mutilated crepe.
— …
Meanwhile, Hestia chewed without a care in the world, her eyes closed in bliss.
— Mmmm~ Yours is really good too!
Luki slowly turned his head to look at her.
— …
She finally opened her eyes and met his gaze. She swallowed.
— What?
The silence stretched for a few seconds.
Then, Luki took a step forward, leaning slightly toward her.
Hestia's eyes widened.
— Hey, what—
— Mine. — Luki said simply.
Before she could react, he snatched the crepe from her hand and took a massive bite, devouring nearly all of it.
— HEY! — Hestia cried, reaching to grab it back.
But there was a small—or rather, enormous—problem: their height difference.
While she stretched up on her toes, trying to reclaim her stolen food, Luki, standing at six feet, simply raised his arm and kept it out of reach.
— LUKI, YOU IDIOT, GIVE IT BACK!
The elf only smirked and, without hesitation, shoved the rest of the strawberry crepe into his mouth in one go.
The result? His cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's as he struggled to chew, nearly choking on the absurd amount of whipped cream.
Hestia stood frozen, staring in shock, her fists trembling with indignation.
Luki finally swallowed and, with the straightest face in the world, muttered:
— Bad.
Then he simply turned and kept walking as if nothing had happened.
Hestia's silence lasted a second.
— IF IT WAS SO BAD, THEN WHY DID YOU- ARGH!!! — She exploded, punching his back repeatedly.
Luki just kept walking, unfazed. He had faced battles that threatened his life… Hestia's little fists were far from a problem.
— Hmph! — she huffed, crossing her arms and turning away, puffing her cheeks.
Then, without a word, Luki turned and held out the chocolate crepe he still had in his other hand.
Hestia blinked, surprised. She looked at the crepe, then at him.
— Hmph! Don't think I'll forgive you just for this.
Despite her pouty tone, she snatched the crepe without hesitation and took a bite, her eyes lighting up with satisfaction.
Luki only gave a small smile and kept walking. Both of them knew her little tantrum was nothing more than a playful act between two lovebirds.