Crack!
Snap!
"Phew...."
The battle in Olympia had given Akumo many things.
Shring—
Thud—
The sword [Seiryu], shining as if it could summon thunder at any moment.
And [Randgrid], a shield possessing the resilience to block anything.
"....."
But why is it that I can never escape situations like this...?
"Aaaaagh!!!!!!"
""""Welcome to [Pretty Boy Paradise].""""
The voices were soulless, but the sight before them was enough to leave Asfi, standing beside Akumo, in a state of pure shock.
"I request your assistance, Akumo."
"Explain."
I couldn't help but ask for clarification after hearing what the pig-man in front of me just said.
"It is Lady Freya's whim."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
"....I am begging you."
"For what?"
Actually, I didn't even need to hear the answer to know what he was going to say.
"So... I'm looking at your current state right now, aren't I?"
"Yes."
A single phrase boiled up from deep within me.
"Just drop dead, Ottar."
Akumo shouted at the pig-man dressed in a formal suit with more hatred and resentment than ever before.
Just how did things end up like this?
It all started with Freya, who had been staying at Babel since that incident.
"Ah.... I'm so bored~"
"...."
Having returned to her daily life after the journey to Olympia, Freya was suffering from a severe case of ennui.
"I'm bored, maybe I should go find my partner..."
"You cannot."
"Then should I do something fun?"
".....You cannot."
Perhaps the overwhelming stimulation of their recent trip had made it difficult for her to adjust back to a mundane routine.
She was throwing a tantrum, indulging in whims she usually kept in check.
"Aaaah~ I'm dying of boredom..."
"....."
"Bell is on break, and Akumo is busy, right?"
Unfortunately, both Bell and Akumo, who usually handled Freya's antics, were occupied with their own affairs, leaving Ottar with no one to help him.
"....It's not exactly 'fun,' but we received a message from the Guild."
In the midst of this, Ottar finally brought up one of the few solutions he had.
"Ah... that [Charity Work]... thing?"
"Yes. Since we are a major faction, they suggested we perform some service for the masses..."
Of course, because the Freya Familia's notoriety was so high and other Familias were so wary of them, they had never properly engaged in such requests before....
"Then we should just ignore it as usual—"
"Ah!!"
Spring!
"I've got it!! Something fun!!"
Her high tension at having solved her boredom, combined with the public's softened attitude after the successful Divine Moon Festival, led to a disastrous realization.
"..."
'I'm definitely... going to hear Allen and the others tell me to "Drop dead, Ottar" for this....'
That prediction was spot on.
"""""Drop dead, Ottar!!!!"""""
And so, the Freya Familia opened a mysterious pub and revealed themselves to the public.
Step, step—
"So~ he assigned the investigation to you and me?"
"Yes. There are far too many suspicious points to ignore."
Upon hearing the news, Hermes immediately sent Akumo and Asfi as a duo to investigate.
"I was going to refuse at first, you know...."
As he walked, Akumo recalled his conversation with Hermes from a few days ago.
—"I'm not doing it."
—"Why!? I was sure you'd be the one for the job!"
Akumo tried to refuse by claiming he had other work, thinking that a vague excuse like 'having a bad feeling' wouldn't work on Hermes.
—"Aaaah~! I guess it can't be helped then~ I might just have to talk about that 'accident' in Olympia....!"
—"....!!"
What came out of Hermes's mouth was a reference to that shocking 'accident' involving Rhea and Freya just before they left Olympia.
Grit!
—"Dammit. Give me the location."
—"Ahahaha!!!! Then I'll leave it to you~~~!"
In the end, fearing the consequences, Akumo had been forced into doing various errands for Hermes using that incident as leverage.
"Well.... for once, that trashy God isn't so bad."
"....Asfi."
"What? Do you have a problem with that?"
"No...."
Akumo couldn't bring himself to curse at Asfi, who was more energetic than usual because her own workload had drastically decreased thanks to this arrangement.
Step, step—
"I already have so many appointments at the end of the year...."
Family obligations, Familia events, Guild requests, and now Hermes's errands.
Grit!
"The more I think about it, the more pissed I get."
"Akumo?"
Akumo had no intention or reason to be polite to these people, so he immediately raised his leg.
BAM—!!!
"I'm coming in!!!!!"
He kicked the pub door wide open and stormed inside.
"Akumo!? You can't just—!!"
""""Welcome.""""
Asfi rushed inside after him, trying to stop his rampage.
"....?"
The voices of several beautiful men, though soulless, overlapped and reached her ears.
""""".....Princess."""""
"Eeeek!!!!!?"
Standing inside were none other than the executives of the Freya Familia, stationed there as the pub's 'hosts.'
"Ah... ah...!!"
Asfi was still reeling from the shock.
'I'll tell you exactly what just happened! I entered a mysterious pub for an investigation and received trashy service from [Einherjar] with eyes like dead fish!!!!!'
"""""....."""""
Her face was beet red, and she was so flustered she couldn't even organize her thoughts.
"I'm not doing it."
"Do it."
"I said I'm not."
"I said do it."
"No."
"I refuse your refusal."
On the other side, Ottar was explaining the situation and asking for help, only to be met with Akumo's firm and cold rejection.
"No way."
""""Yes way.""""
"Not a chance."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"You think I'd actually do this?"
"You think we want to do this?"
Every time Akumo refused, Hedin, Allen, and Hogni casually dismissed him.
"Fuc—"
Already pissed off, Akumo was about to let out a string of curses at being forced into this nonsense, but...
"Everyone~"
He immediately straightened his posture upon hearing a familiar voice.
"""""...."""""
Grit—!!
"What's with those stiff expressions? The Princess who just arrived is going to run away at this rate."
The [Einherjar], unable to talk back to the girl before them—Syr—clenched their teeth and forced smiles onto their faces.
Grin—
"""""Heh...."""""
"Good, good. That's it~ Now, just like we practiced...."
Then came the lines that were like nails on a chalkboard.
""""Princess, let me show you to your seat.""""
"Softer!"
""""Princess! Let me show you to your seat.""""
"More desperately!"
""""Princess!!! Let me show you to your seat!!!!""""
At that sight, Asfi and Akumo turned pale, completely lost for words.
"What is... this!!!? Their characters are being completely destroyed..."
"Everyone's really lost their damn minds...."
Undeterred by the shock, Syr proudly introduced the establishment.
"This shop is a paradise for the women of Orario.... for the Princesses! A sanctuary to care for and entertain them!"
Sparkle!
"[Pretty Boy Paradise]!!!!"
""!!""
Akumo and Asfi were horrified once again by the girl who had actually realized such a crazy idea.
—'Freya.... you have so many beautiful children under you. If a handsome man pours the drink, even cheap liquor will seem high-class....'
"Following those words from Lady Demeter, Lady Freya created this pub!"
"".....""
"If handsome men pour the drinks, everyone is happy! Lucky~! This is charity work that brings joy and happiness to Orario!"
It was a two-birds-with-one-stone—no, three-birds—idea that could even silence the noisy Guild with direct results.
"It's just a shop full of a Goddess's whims..."
"That's a bit disappointing to hear. Look over there!"
When Asfi pointed out that this wasn't a normal idea, Syr pointed to a group of customers.
"Ah.... truly beautiful...."
"I'm moved....! So moved...! Hehehe."
""""Stop staring.""""
""You pigs.""
Unlike the female customers who looked like they were melting, the executives' expressions wouldn't soften for even a second.
"I... have work to do. So Syr? I'm going to head out, okay?"
Akumo felt something deep inside him refusing to accept this situation.
'This isn't right. I need to get out of here right now.'
Step!
"!?"
He immediately tried to leave.
"Where are you going, Akumo?"
"Syr...! I'm a man to begin with. There's no reason for me to be in this shop..."
"Aaaah~ In that case...!!"
"That's not it! Whatever it is, don't say it!!!!?"
However, the girl had no intention of letting him go.
""""Stop.""""
"Where do you think you're going alone?"
"Sorry."
The executives, who refused to suffer alone, blocked his exit.
"Uh? Get out of the way. I'm seriously going to hit you guys??"
"Akumo, you have no choice."
"Don't stop me, I'm at my limit today—"
"Should I say it? 'That'."
Naturally, Hermes wasn't the only one who had leverage over Akumo.
"Haha...."
And so, Akumo's participation was semi-forcibly confirmed.
"God, this world is filthy....."
"I knew it! I knew you'd help~ Hehe!"
"....If you make me any more miserable, I'm going to die."
"Aww~ don't be like that! Shall we really get started now?"
The person chosen as the practice target for the staff, including Akumo, was...
"Sigh.... how did it come to this...."
Asfi, who had accepted the request because she felt like something terrible would happen if she refused Syr.
"Hospitality practice....."
'There's no way these guys can pull it off...'
"Now then! Everyone, please show the Princess to her seat~"
Despite Akumo's concerns, Syr immediately had them serve Asfi to test their skills.
"Hey, this is your seat."
"...."
Allen roughly grabbed Asfi's arm and forced her into the seat with a level of rudeness that went beyond cold.
"What do you desire? Choose from here and tell m— Abababa!! T-Too close!!?"
Hogni fled, retiring before he could even take an order.
"Why did you even come here? [Perseus]."
"Spying again on your God's orders?"
"There were a few other adventurers who came in like you, but they all closed the door and vanished."
"This is truly hideous and unbearable to watch."
Even the Gulliver brothers had no intention of being hospitable.
"It's so absurd I can't even feel humiliation.... It'll all be over the moment the hired manager gets fed up."
Hedin, the only somewhat sane one among them, was simply treating it as a brief moment of agony to endure.
""....""
Watching this, Akumo and Asfi shared the exact same thought.
""Aside from their faces, every single thing about this staff is a disaster....""
It was a pathetic pub with nothing to praise.
Unless someone had a very specific fetish, there was no reason to ever drink here.
"I am sorry."
"It's so awkward seeing a Level 7 bowing like that!!!! Just how is this shop supposed to function!!"
Even Ottar, bowing in a suit.... it was a scene bordering on pure chaos.
".....As I thought! I need to get out of—"
"What's this~! Is that any way to treat a Princess?"
Akumo tried to slip away while everyone was distracted.
But he was immediately stopped by Syr's words.
"Now! Akumo!"
"....Yes?"
"Set an example~ and serve the Princesses with a smile!"
"....Whaaaaaat!!???"
And so, the bomb was finally and inevitably passed to Akumo.