Author: Sorry, i forgot to post 🙏
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After finishing their crepes, Luki and Hestia continued exploring the market, letting their eyes wander across the stalls and shop windows that caught their attention. The buzz of the crowd, the exotic aromas of spices, and the glitter of ornaments on display gave the place a vibrant, almost magical atmosphere.
Thanks to the success of their last Dungeon expedition, they had a decent amount of money in their pockets—a small luxury they couldn't often afford. It was the first time in a long while that they could spend without worrying about whether they'd have enough for tomorrow.
Naturally, Hestia headed straight for one of the more elegant clothing shops in the area. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she admired the dresses in the display window. Fine fabrics, intricate embroidery, pieces that radiated luxury and sophistication.
She imagined herself wearing one of those dresses, twirling gracefully, drawing everyone's gaze… But reality struck soon enough. With her petite frame, the only clothes that actually fit her were in the children's section.
— A goddess can dream… — she muttered to herself with a sigh.
Luki, standing beside her, watched the shifting expressions on her face. There was a glimmer of longing, followed by a touch of melancholy.
He turned his gaze away and decided to browse the men's section. Now that he thought about it, his wardrobe was basically just a set of identical dark clothes. A little variety wouldn't hurt.
In the end, after some negotiation—and after Luki had to literally drag her away from the most expensive displays before they went broke—Hestia settled on a lovely simple blue dress, elegant in its own way, while Luki chose a plain white shirt.
— Hmph! See? I only bought one dress! I'm a super frugal goddess! — Hestia declared proudly, holding her bag.
Luki chuckled softly and shook his head. Even when she tried to be modest, Hestia always found a way to praise herself.
As they continued through the market, he carried the shopping bags in one hand, while the other had somehow become entwined with Hestia's without either of them noticing.
Neither of them knew exactly when it had happened. Maybe when they left the store, maybe somewhere along the way.
But, in the end, it didn't matter. Neither of them seemed to want to let go.
...
Walking through the streets, Luki and Hestia arrived at a small plaza where a large crowd had gathered, forming a circle around the center. The sound of music echoed through the air, blending with laughter and enthusiastic applause.
Curious, the two squeezed through the people until they found a good spot to see what was happening. In the middle of the plaza, a group of dancers performed, moving in perfect sync to the strings and percussion played by the musicians behind them.
The women were stunning, dressed in revealing outfits that highlighted their slender figures and fluid movements. The gleam of jewelry and golden chains shimmered under the torchlight, enhancing the spectacle even further.
The audience was enthralled, and it wasn't hard to see why. Most of the spectators were men, their faces shifting between admiration, fascination—or, in some cases, something much more obvious.
The "highlight" for the male audience came when the dancers approached and swayed close to them, their hands gliding seductively through the air, almost brushing against them. Some even let their fingertips trail across a man's face or shoulders, drawing sighs and lovestruck gazes.
A few bolder men tried to take advantage of the moment, reaching out to touch the dancers. However, before they could go too far, they were met with sharp slaps and piercing glares, immediately ignored in favor of the more respectful onlookers.
What no one noticed, though, was the small coin purses the women quickly slipped into their wide sleeves made of plain cloth.
It seemed the audience weren't the only ones "enjoying" the show.
Luki watched intently, though not for the same reason as most of the men there. He recognized the movements—like a mix of Arabic, Egyptian, and Indian dances, or whatever their origin had been, the kind he used to see on YouTube in his past life. The precision of the gestures, the hypnotic rhythm… it brought him an unexpected wave of nostalgia.
— Well… — he muttered to himself, eyes still fixed on the performance.
Hestia, on the other hand, was far from impressed.
She stood with her arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently against the ground. Her gaze narrowed more and more, especially as she noticed how focused Luki was.
— Tch… Of course he's enjoying it… — she grumbled under her breath with a huff.
As if sensing his interest, one of the dancers suddenly approached. She wore a green outfit of nearly transparent fabric, adorned with glittering jewels. Her smile was seductive, her movements as smooth as a snake about to coil around its prey.
Luki blinked when he realized she was coming straight for him, but before he could react, the woman was already there, moving around him with graceful fluidity, brushing her body lightly against his. The sweet fragrance she wore was almost intoxicating.
For a moment, he froze.
Hestia, however, did not.
In the blink of an eye, the tiny goddess leapt like an enraged cat between them, her eyes blazing. Her hands shot up like claws, slicing the air in a fierce gesture, as if ready to drive away the threat.
— GET AWAY FROM HIM, HARLOT!
The dancer jumped back in surprise at the sudden interruption. Some people in the crowd laughed, while others simply watched, curious to see how things would unfold.
Luki sighed, already feeling the situation getting complicated.
— Hestia-sama… calm doWn…
But calming down was the last thing on her mind. She planted herself firmly in front of him, like a guardian protecting a priceless treasure, glaring daggers at any other dancer who dared approach.
Luki just scratched the back of his neck, wondering how exactly he had ended up in this situation.
...
After the little "show" they had just witnessed, an infuriated Hestia grabbed Luki's hand and dragged him away, fuming. Her only goal was to find a place with fewer… sluts.
With no real destination, the two wandered through Orario's streets until they suddenly found themselves before the imposing Coliseum of the Ganesha Familia.
Now this was a true attraction! After all, what could be more exciting for adventurers than watching gladiators battle monsters in brutal combat?
The tickets weren't cheap, but that was to be expected for such a popular event. Once they had theirs, they climbed the stands and found seats among the enthusiastic crowd.
Down in the arena, a gladiator prepared to face his opponent. He was tall and muscular, wearing nothing but a simple loincloth, golden pauldrons, and a long red cape fluttering behind him. He radiated unshakable confidence as he spun his sword, waiting for his foe's charge.
His opponent was a colossal monster, resembling a bull. Standing over two meters tall, its reddish skin stretched over bulging muscles. Two pairs of black horns curved menacingly from its head, and its metallic hooves clanged with each heavy step across the sand.
When the signal was given, the beast charged with full force, like thunder splitting the air. Yet the gladiator dodged with surprising ease, his movements agile and calculated. With every dodge, his blade left shallow cuts across the monster's skin, enraging it further.
The crowd roared with excitement. Beer flew through the air, chunks of bread and meat were tossed carelessly, and even Luki and Hestia got hit by the occasional splash of collective enthusiasm. But none of that mattered—they were both absorbed in the spectacle before them.
Then came the climax. The bull charged again, its eyes burning with fury. This time, the gladiator didn't step aside. Instead, with flawless timing, he ducked low, locked the beast's neck between his shoulder and jaw, and with a mighty twist, flipped the monster through the air. The crowd held its breath for an instant before erupting into cheers and applause.
The bull crashed onto its back with a deafening thud, dust rising around the arena. But instead of continuing, the monster lay still, its breath heavy and its body limp. The gladiator planted a foot on its chest and raised his arms in triumph, basking in the audience's praise.
It was a true spectacle, and neither Luki nor Hestia could deny they loved every second of it.
...
Some time later, as the battles ended and the crowd began to disperse, Luki and Hestia descended the stands, still thrilled by what they had seen.
— Did you see how strong that guy was? He went toe-to-toe with an orc, no armor at all, and still won! — Hestia exclaimed excitedly as she walked beside Luki.
— Mmhm… stronG… — Luki muttered, looking thoughtful.
— And that duel between the two adventurers? I was sure the archer would win, but who would've guessed the spearman had such good aim! — She went on, gesturing animatedly.
— Rigged… — Luki said vaguely.
— Huh? Rigged? — Hestia blinked in confusion, then frowned. — Uhm… Are you saying you think it was staged?
Luki gave a slight nod.
— Man… archer… dodge… no…
Hestia pursed her lips, trying to piece together what he meant. It was true the archer seemed to have enough time to dodge that final strike, but didn't.
— Yeah… he could've dodged, he was free to move… But I don't think it was staged. They were both too weak for anyone to bother setting up a fake match — she said, crossing her arms.
— Dumb… — Luki concluded flatly.
Hestia sighed and laughed.
— Honestly, there are plenty of idiots out there who'd do that… But still, it was fun!
Luki shrugged, silently admitting she was right. The show had been a unique experience, something he didn't usually indulge in. Seeing the city like this, without fighting monsters or being in danger, felt… refreshing.
But he wanted more.
Wanting to make the moment even more memorable, Luki racked his brain for an idea. A fancy restaurant? Out of budget. Buying something impressive? He didn't know what Hestia would want. Cinema? that hasn't been invented yet
Then, as his eyes wandered toward the horizon, he noticed something simple, yet stirring a buried memory.
The great wall surrounding Orario.
He remembered a scene from an anime in his past life, two people sitting on a wall, watching the sunset together, sharing a romantic moment. Simple, but beautiful.
Without hesitation, he took Hestia's hand and pulled her forward, determined to bring the idea to life.
— Eh? Luki-kun? What's going on? Where are we going? — Hestia asked, surprised by his sudden initiative.
— Come… — was all he answered, not slowing his pace.
Glancing at the sky and realizing it wasn't as late as he feared, Luki felt relieved. There was still time. Picking up the pace, he pulled Hestia along more firmly.
— Wait! Luki-kun, slow down! — Hestia protested, trying to keep up. Her cheeks were lightly flushed from his sudden boldness, but she didn't resist.
The wall awaited them. And with luck, that moment would be etched into their memories forever.