Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 10: So what does it have to do with the scumbag?

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"If there's anything else, the only Familias that might meet your requirements are the [Ganesha Familia], the [Apollo Familia], and the [Loki Familia]," the half-elf receptionist said as she spread three promotional documents across the counter.

She began explaining each option.

"The [Ganesha Familia] is an exploration-oriented Familia, but most of their efforts are focused on maintaining law and order in Orario. Because of that, they may not have many opportunities for dungeon raids.

"As for the [Apollo Familia]... well, their reputation is, um... not the best." She hesitated, her tone careful.

"The [Loki Familia]'s recruitment notice is specifically for supporters, not adventurers. However, it might still be a good fit for you—if you can meet their high standards for supporters. That God is notoriously selective."

To summarize, each of the three Familias had its own drawbacks.

Izzy leaned on the counter, his gaze sweeping over the documents as he considered his options.

The first to be eliminated was the [Apollo Familia]. Izzy had no interest in getting involved with such a notorious god, let alone risking the potential fallout of being in their orbit.

That left the [Ganesha Familia] and [Loki Familia]. Both were renowned exploration factions in Orario and ranked among the strongest Familias in the city, making them excellent choices on paper.

However, Izzy's decision didn't take long. After hesitating for approximately one-third of a second, he reached his conclusion.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said, tapping the document for the [Loki Familia], "do you know if they're willing to accept completely new adventurers?"

The receptionist blinked, visibly surprised. "Eh? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious," Izzy replied confidently.

"Do you already have a blessing from a god?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"No, not yet," he admitted. "This is my first time in Orario."

Her expression became more perplexed. "I see... In that case, I'm afraid I can't give you a definitive answer. Whether or not you can join ultimately depends on Lord Loki's will, and I can't speak for them."

"Understood," Izzy said with a nod. "But I'd still like to try. Do you have any suggestions for how I might approach this?"

If he didn't know something, he wasn't afraid to ask—an excellent attitude for someone venturing into unfamiliar territory.

The half-elf hesitated for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. Finally, she asked, "Are you willing to take some risks?"

"Will these risks cost me my life?"

"No, I don't believe so..."

"Then I'm willing to try."

"Alright, in that case, please fill out this form," she said, sliding a piece of paper across the counter.

Though the situation was unusual, the receptionist seemed genuinely willing to help. After all, one of the Adventurer's Guild's core principles was to offer extra support to newcomers.

Orario was a dangerous place, and the dungeons were no less so. Rookies often lacked the knowledge and experience necessary to survive, and the Guild's proactive efforts helped reduce the yearly death toll among adventurers.

This policy was deeply appreciated by most adventurers. As a result, no one dared to cause trouble within the Guild itself, even if tensions ran high elsewhere.

This was evident in the orderly lines at the magic stone exchange windows. Despite the crowd's impatience, everyone queued properly without disrupting the process.

"Yeah, no problem," Izzy said, taking the form.

He began filling it out carefully, answering each question one by one.

The form Izzy filled out was straightforward: name, age, reasons for wanting to join the Loki Familia, and whether he had prior experience in a Familia. Naturally, for the last question, Izzy filled in "none."

Once completed, he submitted the consultation fee as per guild regulations. A few minutes later, the receptionist handed him a white document bearing the guild's seal.

"What's this?" Izzy asked, puzzled as he inspected the file in his hand.

"It's a certificate, Mr. Izzy~," the half-elf receptionist explained with a smile. "I just marked the [Loki Familia]'s recruitment notice as completed in the guild's system. This certificate serves as your formal permission to visit the [Loki Familia]."

Izzy furrowed his brows. "But I want to join as an adventurer, not a supporter. I'm not even a supporter right now, am I?"

The receptionist chuckled knowingly. "Everything depends on effort, Mr. Izzy~. For a newcomer like you, this is the quickest way to gain an audience with the god Loki. The certificate gets you in the door, but after that, it'll be up to you. Consider it a little... creative interpretation of the rules."

Izzy nodded in understanding. The plan was simple yet cunning: pose as a potential supporter to gain access to Loki. After that, it would come down to 30% skill and 70% luck.

If things went well, he'd join the Familia. If not, the worst outcome was rejection. Fortunately, Loki wasn't the type of god to take such minor deceptions too seriously.

"Good move," Izzy murmured appreciatively.

He carefully stowed the certificate and looked at the receptionist with gratitude. "Thank you, Miss."

"You're welcome, Mr. Izzy. I hope the next time I see you, it's as a proud adventurer in the guild. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to find me. By the way, my name is Eina—Eina Tulle."

So it was her.

Though he recognized her now, Izzy maintained a polite expression. "Thank you, Miss Eina. I'll make good use of your advice."

After bidding farewell to Eina, Izzy and Lante left the guild. They rejoined Rethusa, who had already submitted her commission. The three of them waited outside the guild for Artemis.

Sitting on the edge of a flower bed in the spacious front yard, Rethusa tucked the funds from the commission into Izzy's backpack before asking, "How did your consultation go regarding Familia matters?"

"It went fairly smoothly," Izzy replied with a small smile. "Though the method was a bit unconventional, I met a kind guild employee who helped me out."

"Hmm?" Rethusa interjected with a teasing smirk. "Don't tell me you've fallen for someone just because they were nice to you. No way, right?"

She scooted away dramatically, feigning disgust.

"Where do you even come up with this stuff?" Izzy asked, exasperated.

"What stuff? Are you using Yin-Yang magic to confuse me?" Lante retorted, her tone accusatory.

"What even is Yin-Yang magic?"

"I don't know, you tell me!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Ugh, you're so annoying! You bait me and then leave me hanging. Scumbag!"

Izzy could only sigh in confusion. What did this have to do with being a scumbag?

Watching their lighthearted bickering, Rethusa smiled softly before turning back to Izzy.

"So, which Familia are you planning to join? Have you decided yet?"

Izzy hesitated. "I've got a lead, but nothing's finalized yet."

Rethusa didn't press him, though she couldn't hide a trace of regret. She understood that Izzy couldn't join the Artemis Familia due to its strict rules about male members. While Artemis treated Izzy with notable warmth, it wasn't enough to overturn her long-standing principles.

"Well," Rethusa said with a thoughtful smile, "it's only been a month since we've known each other. Who knows what the future holds?"

Izzy chuckled softly, unsure of what lay ahead but certain that his journey was just beginning.