Night draped itself over the city, starlight scattered across the sky as Orario's glowing streets reflected it back in kind.
After a long, exhausting day in the Dungeon, this was the hour for adventurers to unwind — to grab a drink, laugh too loud, and let the stress melt away.
From every tavern came bursts of laughter and the clatter of mugs, turning the city's night into a song of raucous, living energy.
"Jeanne, are you done yet? We're going to be late." Lucas knocked on the door, his expression somewhere between helpless and impatient. How could getting ready take this long?
It wasn't like she was going to a royal ball — just a bit of makeup and a change of clothes, right?
"Almost ready."
Her voice drifted through the door.
Maybe it was his imagination, but ever since their rather intimate conversation earlier that evening, Jeanne's attitude toward him had shifted ever so slightly.
The door creaked open.
Lucas blinked — and his eyes lit up.
Jeanne stepped out dressed to kill.
She wore an off-shoulder white top that showed off her graceful collarbones, paired with a flowing blue skirt that swayed with every step. Her fair, toned legs caught the soft lamplight as she moved.
Her long golden hair had been rebraided into a waist-length plait tied off with a blue ribbon that matched her skirt. Every little detail.. every color... was deliberate.
A wide-brimmed black hat, trimmed with a pale ribbon, perched perfectly on her head. A green bracelet gleamed at her wrist, adding the perfect accent.
But what really caught Lucas's attention were the sandals.
Espadrille wedges, open-toed, revealing small, soft toes painted a glimmering red.
And just like that, his thoughts took a nosedive straight into dangerous territory.
"You pervert! Stop staring!" Jeanne's face went scarlet as she instinctively took a step back. His gaze — blatant, hungry, and possessive — sent a strange, electric shiver through her.
"The Holy Maiden's sense of fashion is amazing," Lucas said with zero shame, grinning. "Beautiful. Can't look away."
It was such a shameless line that Jeanne's composure instantly crumbled. The proud Holy Maiden stood there, utterly defeated.
"Ugh, stop talking and move!" she sputtered, cheeks still burning as she pushed him toward the door.
"Hey, a girl dresses up for someone she likes. It'd be rude not to appreciate the effort, don't you think?"
"Not that directly!"
Their banter carried down the quiet street, laughter spilling between them. To any passerby, they looked like an ordinary couple walking together on a summer night.
Leaving the residential district behind, they turned a few corners, and the lively second ward — the Bada District — unfolded before them in full splendor.
"Orario at night is amazing," Jeanne said, eyes wide as she clung to his arm. "There are even more people than during the day!"
Lucas chuckled. "You're not wrong. During the day, everyone's busy — shopping and drinking happen at night."
He gestured at the bustling streets around them. "People think Orario's all about the Dungeon and adventurers, but it's also the biggest entertainment hub in the world. Taverns, restaurants, casinos, theaters, red-light streets — the rich and powerful from every nation come here to spend ridiculous amounts of money. Add all the adventurers who live here year-round, and… well, this is the result."
"So that's why they call Orario the Center of the World, huh?" Jeanne murmured in realization.
"More or less." Lucas nodded, stroking his chin with a smirk.
--
Their destination wasn't far — also on West Main Street, within the same district.
"Here we are."
Lucas stopped in front of a three-story building, its warm lights spilling into the street. The sign above the door there was a sign in Common Tongue.
Thanks to Lucas's rather intense crash course, Jeanne could now read and write Common reasonably well. She tilted her head at the sign.
"This is the place?"
"Yep." Lucas smiled. "Let's go in."
Before they could push open the door, a cheerful voice greeted them.
"Welcome to The Hostess of Fertility, nya! Table for two, nya?"
A cute catgirl in a tavern uniform beamed at them, her brown tail swishing back and forth.
Jeanne blinked, momentarily stunned.
It wasn't her first time seeing a cat person. She'd run into a few Beastmen adventurers in the upper floors of the Dungeon — fast, agile, and fierce. But up close, face-to-face? That was new.
Especially one who ended every sentence with an adorable "nya."
That single sound hit Jeanne square in the heart.
"You've never met a cat person before, nya?" the girl asked curiously, tilting her head. "Do you think my nya is weird, nya? Or…" Her golden eyes sparkled. "Did my cuteness just charm you, nya?"
Jeanne clasped her hands together, eyes bright. "You're so cute!"
Lucas coughed into his hand. "Ahem. Just the two of us. Sorry, my girlfriend's from out of town — it's her first time meeting a cat person. She's a bit curious about other races."
The catgirl giggled. "Got it, nya! I'm Anya Fromel — nice to meet you, nya!"
"Jeanne d'Arc."
"Then we're friends now, nya!" Anya announced proudly, tail flicking with joy.
Lucas froze. "…Huh?"
He blinked, staring between them in disbelief.
That's it? That's how friendship works between girls? Just like that?
He sighed and followed them inside.
"Two customers, nya!" Anya called out toward the counter.
"Alright!" a loud, husky woman's voice answered from behind the bar.
---
Anya led them through the lively hall, where laughter, clinking mugs, and shouts filled the air.
Adventurers sat shoulder to shoulder, gulping down beer and tearing into steaming plates of food. Some were laughing, others boasting loudly or arguing good-naturedly, all of them basking in the rare comfort of peace.
Lucas took it all in — the heavy oak tables, the golden lamplight, the froth spilling over mugs during every toast — a perfect, chaotic portrait of joy.
"This place has such a nice atmosphere," Jeanne said, eyes gleaming as she looked around. "And so many adventurers from all walks of life."
Lucas's gaze drifted toward a gray-haired waitress moving gracefully between tables, her tray balanced with practiced ease. "Well, the owner here has a simple philosophy — everyone should leave with a full stomach."
They took a seat near the back.
Even then, Lucas couldn't help but notice the way eyes followed Jeanne as she walked. Whispers, sidelong glances, admiration — all of it mixed in the air around them.
Clearly, the Holy Maiden's beauty was not something that could blend in anywhere.
"Looks like you're popular tonight, my dear Holy Maiden," he teased, leaning close with a playful smirk.
"Keep your voice down!" Jeanne hissed, cheeks flushed as she swatted his arm.
Lucas chuckled softly. He couldn't help comparing her reaction to that of a certain gray-haired goddess who worked here — that one wouldn't even blink at a scene like this.
"What'll you two have?" Anya asked, menu in hand.
"Jeanne?" Lucas offered it to her.
But she wasn't even looking at it.
"You decide," she said absentmindedly.
He raised an eyebrow, then glanced down at the menu — completely unaware that Jeanne's attention was fixed elsewhere.
Specifically, on the soft, fluffy tail behind Anya that swayed hypnotically back and forth.
Her eyes sparkled with unholy fascination as a tiny voice in her mind whispered, It's so cute… just one touch… just one little touch…