Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 9: Consulting with Familia Members

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Adventurer Street.

As the name suggests, this area was designed for adventurers, catering to their unique needs.

It was home to various industries aimed at adventurers as the primary consumer group—pharmacies, grocery stores, item shops, treatment centers, taverns, and more. Every day, countless adventurers gathered here to prepare, recover, or celebrate their successes.

The Pantheon, the guild headquarters located beside the street, was an awe-inspiring sight. Built with pristine white pillars, its solemn appearance made it stand out.

Delicate reliefs adorned its surface, showcasing intricate craftsmanship. The wide front yard, complete with a towering monument, made the building even more imposing. At that moment, adventurers could be seen streaming in and out of its massive doors.

Since it was just past noon, many adventurers with bright smiles could be seen returning from a morning of exploration. They gathered in small groups, chatting about their dungeon runs and making plans for a hearty lunch.

After standing before the solemn temple for a moment, Izzy withdrew his gaze and stepped inside the guild headquarters with Artemis, Rethusa and Lante.

The interior was just as grand as its exterior. The first thing that caught Izzy's eye was the spacious reception area. Not far from it, a massive commission bulletin board displayed quests and tasks for adventurers.

Despite the spacious hall, the front desk wasn't crowded at the moment. Most adventurers were instead queued up in front of the magic stone exchange window, eager to cash in their morning's harvest.

The magic stone exchange window served as a major source of income for adventurers. Dungeon explorers would trade their magic stones and drop items here for Vali, the currency they relied on for their daily expenses.

Although there was another exchange window located in the Tower of Babel—the massive structure directly above the dungeon—many adventurers avoided it due to the overwhelming crowds. Ironically, this led to congestion at the guild headquarters as well.

Meanwhile, the front desk, which was reserved for inquiries and commission acceptance, remained relatively vacant since it didn't offer currency exchanges.

Once inside the guild hall, the group of four split up, each pursuing their own goals.

Artemis headed toward the private chambers to meet with Ouranos, the guild's founder and its primary god. According to Rethusa and Lante, such meetings were routine for Artemis, though their content remained a mystery to Izzy.

Rethusa herself took on the task of submitting the completed commission. As a reliable team leader, she confidently sought out the appropriate guild staff to finalize their reward.

Izzy, meanwhile, approached the front desk to inquire about available Familias. For reasons unknown to him, Lante decided to accompany him, trailing closely behind.

Recruiting members for a Familia wasn't a process handled solely by the gods. Instead, many gods collaborated with the guild staff to post public recruitment notices.

Notices often read, "A new Familia is seeking members," or, "A powerful Familia is recruiting supporters and logistics personnel."

The nature of the posting revealed much about the Familia itself. Novice or weaker Familias often sought general members, while stronger ones typically focused on specialized roles.

These postings made it easy to gauge a Familia's status and needs at a glance.

"Hello, is there anything I can help you with?"

The polite voice that greeted Izzy came from one of the guild's receptionists.

It was worth mentioning that nearly all the staff working at the guild's front desk were young women. Alongside human staff members, there were also demi-human races such as orcs and elves.

The underlying reasoning behind this hiring practice was open to interpretation, but one thing was clear: the guild had a keen understanding of adventurers' habits and knew exactly how to draw them in.

The receptionist addressing Izzy was a half-elf, just like Lante, though her hair color was different.

She wore round-framed glasses, had shoulder-length brown hair, and exuded a professional yet approachable demeanor. Her neatly pressed uniform completed the image of a model receptionist, though it struck Izzy as oddly familiar.

Although it was their first meeting, Izzy couldn't shake the feeling that the young half-elf lady standing before him looked somewhat familiar.

The thought nagged at him. After all, there was only one half-elf guild employee that came to mind.

Still, out of courtesy, he kept his thoughts to himself and politely nodded in response to her inquiry.

"Well, Miss Staff, I'm here to consult about joining a Familia," he said.

"Familia… matters?"

The half-elf receptionist blinked in surprise at his reply. Her gaze instinctively shifted to the girl standing behind Izzy.

Her expression clearly asked, "Are you serious?"

To be fair, their current appearances were indeed misleading.

Lante, dressed in light adventurer's gear and carrying a set of weapons, looked the part of a battle-ready explorer. In contrast, Izzy, with his modest attire and a backpack devoid of any visible weaponry, seemed more like her supporter.

From the start, the receptionist had assumed they were both from the same Familia and simply visiting the guild to handle an adventure commission.

But now…

Noticing the subtle shift in her expression, Izzy turned to glance at Lante, quickly piecing together what the receptionist was thinking. With a light shake of his head, he clarified the misunderstanding.

"My relationship with this girl isn't what you think," Izzy explained, his tone calm. "Due to... various reasons, I don't belong to a Familia yet. That's why I came to consult the guild."

In truth, Izzy's intent was simple. He wanted to use the guild as a channel to connect with a suitable Familia—almost like submitting a job application in his previous life.

After all, rushing into a Familia's doorstep uninvited could easily result in rejection or worse. Careful planning was key during this early stage of his development.

Lante, however, seemed to take his explanation as a cue to tease him.

"Yeah, our Familia has a rule: no boys allowed. Otherwise, Izzy would've been our god by now," she said, her voice carrying a sly undertone.

At first glance, her words sounded innocent enough, but after spending so much time together, Izzy had grown accustomed to her playful antics. There was no doubt—she was implying something deeper.

Hinting at something... definitely hinting, Izzy thought to himself with a sigh.

"I see. Is that so?" the receptionist replied, her expression softening. "In that case, please wait a moment. Many Familias have posted long-term recruitment notices with us. Let me check for you."

She turned to a towering stack of documents behind her and began sorting through them. Minutes later, she returned, holding a neat bundle of papers.

"Let's see... What do you think of the [Dian Cecht Familia]?"

The Dian Cecht Familia, renowned for its expertise in healing magic, was one of the more respected Familias in Orario. After all, healers were highly valued in any adventuring party.

However, Izzy shook his head politely.

"I appreciate the suggestion, but I'm more interested in exploration-focused Familias," he replied.

"Got it," the half-elf nodded in understanding. She quickly removed several documents from the stack, setting aside the ones that didn't align with his preferences.

Exploration-focused Familias, those dedicated to conquering dungeons and delving into the depths, were typically classified as combat-oriented. Only the strongest and most ambitious fell into this category.

"How about the [Soma Familia]?" she asked after a moment. "They're fairly strong and, for some reason, seem particularly keen on dungeon exploration. They might be a good fit for what you're looking for."

"..."

Izzy found himself staring at her, speechless.

The Soma Familia?

Judging by Lante's age and appearance, this had to be at least two years before the events of the main story. It was no wonder the guild was still unaware of the chaos brewing within that Familia.

Keen on dungeon exploration?

Hardly.

In reality, members of the Soma Familia were notorious for their vices—gambling, addiction, and everything in between. Joining that Familia was less about adventure and more about spiraling into a pit of self-destruction.

It was a disaster waiting to happen.

Clearing his throat, Izzy quickly dismissed the suggestion. "Ahem. Anything else? I'm not exactly a big fan of wine-making gods."