Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 11: Artemis will never trust you

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"I should join Loki's Familia. I'll head to the Twilight Manor tomorrow to take a look," Izzy stated, his gaze fixed on the massive chalk tower piercing the sky not far away.

Soon, that place would become part of his daily life.

As for the possibility of failing to join Loki's Familia?

Call it blind confidence, but Izzy hadn't even entertained the thought.

With the rare skills he'd possess upon becoming an adventurer, he didn't believe Loki could resist recruiting him.

You see, in the world of Orario, while acquiring skills was rare, many of the skills adventurers showcased often had overlapping effects or functions.

Skills frequently differed only in name while offering similar abilities, particularly among adventurers of the same race. For instance, elves were prone to magical support skills, dwarves commonly demonstrated enhanced strength, and orcs often leaned toward bestial traits.

Among the numerous skills with repeated or mundane effects, those that were unique or exceptional in nature earned the title of rare skills. This term was coined by the gods themselves, who placed immense value on such rarities.

Holders of rare skills were often treated like prized treasures or exotic animals. Once discovered, they were subjected to heightened scrutiny and, in some cases, outright harassment.

This behavior wasn't entirely out of malice but was instead driven by the gods' insatiable hunger for entertainment. A single mention of a "rare skill" or "unique ability" was enough to make most gods act like excited children. They'd go to absurd lengths to satisfy their curiosity and claim these adventurers for their Familia.

Even gods with signed contracts weren't above persuading or pressuring others to join their clan instead.

And Izzy couldn't help but think of a certain infamous perverted god who exemplified this behavior to a tee.

The Twilight Manor , located at the northern end of Orario, was the annex of the Loki Familia's base.

"Loki's Familia? That's a good choice," Artemis commented, emerging from the guild gate after her meeting with Ouranos. She'd overheard the tail end of the conversation and now stood there with a half-smile. "They're powerful, and Loki herself doesn't act pretentious. She's easy to get close to."

Her words came with an added note of caution.

"You seem confident, Izzy, but be careful not to embarrass yourself. Loki may be approachable, but her standards are extremely high."

Izzy blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her response. According to every adventure story he'd read, wasn't this supposed to be the part where he received some heartfelt encouragement?

Feigning deep thought, he rested his hand under his chin, as if seriously considering the possibility of her words coming true.

"If I really can't win Loki over, then I guess I'll have no choice but to run to Lady Artemis and beg for shelter," Izzy declared, letting out a theatrical sigh. He turned his gaze to Artemis, his eyes brimming with exaggerated hope, and even managed to force a few tears for added effect.

"After all, we've spent so many days together, right? Surely Lady Artemis would take me in?"

Artemis' delicate nostrils flared slightly at his antics. Narrowing her eyes, she tilted her head just enough to reveal her slender neck and regarded him with a faintly disdainful glance.

"I don't believe you," she said with a huff. "Put down the garlic cloves you're holding and talk to me properly. The smell is wafting over here."

"Exactly!" Lante chimed in gleefully, eager to side with Artemis. "Did you seriously think you could fool Lady Artemis with that pitiful act? No way!"

Izzy sighed dramatically in response. "I was careless. I didn't expect you, Lante, to turn into such a lackey. Fine, I won't argue with you this time."

Izzy didn't dare to refute Artemis' words, but he had no reservations about handling the feisty little Lante.

"What did you say?! Ahhh!!! Izzy! I'm going to bite you to death!"

Lante exploded with anger, instantly turning into a ferocious kitten flailing in Rethusa's arms.

"Well... don't be angry, Lante. He's not worth it. The goddess is watching you..." Rethusa comforted her gently, holding the squirming half-elf girl in her arms.

"If you keep bullying Lante like this, Rethusa and I will ignore you next time and just watch you get beaten into a pig's head," Artemis chimed in, her voice carrying mild reproach as she shook her head in exasperation.

After delivering her warning, the goddess turned gracefully and began walking ahead, her long legs carrying her effortlessly forward.

"Let's go find a place for lunch. Aren't you hungry?"

Izzy watched Artemis' retreating figure and glanced at Lante, who was still glaring at him with a pout. Rising from his seat, he followed the goddess' lead, briefly wondering if he had pushed things too far.

To reassure himself, Izzy placed a hand over his heart.

Conscience, are you hurting?

...

No?

Well then, carry on. Sorry to interrupt your work.

"All right, Lante, let's go too. Think about something happy~" Rethusa coaxed, her voice soft and patient.

"Mmmm... I'm going to bite Izzy to death! That heartless guy!"

"Yes, yes, you must bite him to death. You'll definitely succeed," Rethusa replied skillfully, her tone indulgent as she calmed Lante down.

She had long grown immune to the half-elf's fiery words. After all, by dinner, this girl would have likely forgotten the entire incident and be smiling as if nothing had happened.

So, Rethusa treated Lante's threats like a passing breeze—something that entered one ear and swiftly exited the other.

After much persuasion, Lante finally followed behind Izzy and Artemis, still pouting. She folded her hands behind her back and continued to glare daggers at Izzy's retreating form.

Not that it mattered much...

The four of them eventually made their way to the southwest part of the city, where they stopped at a tavern called the Flame Bee Pavilion, identified by its bright red bee sign.

Though it was called a tavern, establishments like these in Orario were more akin to restaurants. The name "tavern" simply came from the adventurers' love of drinking away their worries.

In a cozy corner of the Flame Bee Pavilion, Lante nursed a glass of juice, sulking over the fact that she wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. The goddess had explicitly forbidden it, citing her age.

So, Lante consoled herself with juice that, according to her, "tasted like beer."

After guzzling down her glass, she placed it back on the table, let out a satisfied sigh, and exclaimed, "That was delicious!"

Then, without hesitation, she turned to Izzy.

"Izzy, get me another drink!"

Izzy, who had been eating quietly, raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Go ask the waiter yourself. Why are you looking at me?"

Still, he called the waiter over as instructed and ordered a few more glasses of juice.

Rethusa, unfazed, continued eating her meal at a steady pace, her earlier remarks proving as accurate as ever.

---

After finishing lunch, the group decided to visit the bustling commercial street together.

According to their leader, Miss Rethusa, this outing was necessary to purchase supplies for the Familia.

However, it soon became apparent that Rethusa had other motives. Taking Lante with her, she lagged behind to "observe discreetly" as Izzy and Artemis walked ahead. Her expression suggested she was following some grand plan, and all that was missing was a watermelon in her hands to complete the image.

Izzy couldn't help but guess what she was thinking.

It was the kind of behavior you'd expect from someone secretly rooting for their best friend and their "gay friend" to start dating.

The captain couldn't help but entertain the idea of pushing the relationship between the goddess and Izzy forward.

After all, they wouldn't be staying in Orario for long. Once they left, it might be months before they would have the chance to meet Izzy again.

At the very least, before leaving... perhaps they could hold hands? Or maybe share a hug?

'Please forgive the pure thoughts of a 20-year-old girl.' She was trying her best, even if her ideas were innocent to the point of naivety.

But reality, as it often does, proved to be disappointing.

Both Izzy and Artemis had their own concerns weighing on their hearts, making it impossible for this outing to become anything more than a simple, ordinary trip.

Even though it might have looked like a date to an outsider, and even though a few amusing incidents occurred during the outing, it never strayed beyond the boundaries of casual companionship.