Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 18: Familia Orientation Party

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It was evening, and a grand welcome banquet was being held in the cafeteria on the second floor of Twilight Manor.

The large dining space, designed to accommodate nearly all the members of the familia, was alive with energy. As a talented newcomer personally recognized by Loki and the familia's three giants, Izzy was thrust into the spotlight.

"Everyone! We have a new member in our familia! Come meet our newest Familia member—Izzy-kun!"

Using a wooden wine glass as a makeshift microphone, Loki laughed heartily as she introduced Izzy to the gathered crowd.

The corners of Izzy's mouth twitched slightly.

What the hell is Izzy-kun? he thought, feeling a strong urge to complain.

But now wasn't the time for grievances—hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on him.

Thankfully, Izzy had grown more accustomed to being the center of attention. Keeping his composure, he gave a polite introduction and greeted everyone with practiced ease. Then, wasting no time, he quickly slipped away from the spotlight.

Loki, unfazed, swiftly changed the focus of the event. The red-haired goddess leaped onto a table with a loud thud, striking a bold, almost comical pose that clashed entirely with her divine status. Raising her wine glass high, she rallied the crowd.

"Alright! Tonight is all about welcoming our new member! Drink as much as you can!!!"

With that, Loki downed her drink in one go under everyone's gaze, prompting a thunderous cheer as the rest of the familia clinked their glasses together. The lively atmosphere grew even warmer.

Under Loki's spirited leadership, the banquet carried on with exuberance. For a time, the sounds of laughter, music, and chatter spilled out onto the streets beyond the Hall.

Even as Izzy tried to retreat to a quiet corner, he couldn't escape the attention.

One by one, familia members approached him—some with genuinely friendly smiles, others with playful grins. Most of them carried wine glasses, clearly aiming to "toast" the newcomer.

---

In one corner of the cafeteria, Simon—the man who had brought Izzy into the familia—sat with tears streaming down his face as he drank.

"Hey, what's wrong with you, Simon?" one of his friends asked, concerned by his state.

"I'm jealous…" Simon wailed. "Even the goddess and the captain acknowledged his talent! I thought the goalkeeper team would finally be stronger again!"

He wiped his tears dramatically, lamenting his lost hopes.

The day's excitement had turned into bitter disappointment for him. He had spent all day gloating, confident that Izzy would join the goalkeeper team. But now, all his expectations had been crushed.

"So, in the end, the clown… is me?" Simon muttered, his despair deepening.

"Uh…"

His friend, unsure of how to console him, decided to let him cry it out. He'll probably be fine by tomorrow anyway, they thought.

---

Elsewhere in the banquet, Ais stood quietly, a flicker of doubt flashing across her usually calm expression.

She glanced at Izzy, then back at Riveria, then back at Izzy again. This repeated two or three times before her uncertainty turned into clarity.

"Riveria…" Ais said seriously, turning to her companion.

"W-what is it, Miss Ais?" Riveria stammered, startled by the sudden address.

"The newcomer… he's not a girl. He's a boy."

"…I know…"

Riveria blinked, unsure how to respond. As expected of Miss Ais, she even gets caught up on things like this…

But instead of annoyance, Riveria found herself charmed. Miss Ais is so cute!

Lost in her thoughts, Riveria's expression turned dreamy, her cheeks flushed as she giggled softly to herself.

---

Meanwhile, Izzy was growing increasingly pale. He watched in horror as more and more familia members lined up, wine glasses in hand, clearly eager to "toast" him.

To put it bluntly, Izzy had never been much of a drinker in either of his two lifetimes. He neither enjoyed drinking nor knew how to handle alcohol.

At most, he would mix red wine with Sprite, take a sip, and lament that it was nowhere near as delicious as the fizzy comfort of soda.

So, at a banquet like this, where he was "greeted" repeatedly by everyone, what would inevitably happen to him?

As expected, Izzy didn't last long. By the middle of the banquet, he was completely out.

He couldn't even recall the exact moment he lost consciousness. When he finally woke up, it was already late at night—or perhaps early morning?

Groggily, Izzy struggled to sit up in the unfamiliar bed. His eyes caught sight of a glass of water and some hangover medicine placed neatly on the bedside table, accompanied by a note. Grateful, he reached out, drank the water, took the medicine, and silently thanked whoever had left it there.

The ceiling above him was unfamiliar, as was the room itself. The sheets and bedding were clean and smelled fresh, clearly prepared by someone.

Realizing this, he lay back down with a deep sigh. A feeling of comfort and security settled over him.

If nothing unexpected happens, this is probably my personal room from now on, he thought.

"Hotel rooms don't even come close…" he muttered to himself.

The room was simple and not particularly large, but its cozy atmosphere provided an undeniable sense of ease.

No wonder so many people in the past were willing to take out massive loans just to buy a house. Isn't it all about finding peace of mind?

With his hands folded behind his head, Izzy opened the system interface in his mind, which resembled a game menu, and navigated to the task panel.

[Completed Mission: Join a Familia]

[Adventurer Level: LV1]

[Main Quest Updated: Raise Adventurer Level to LV2]

[Reward: Skill—Star of Enlightenment]

"So, the main quest has been updated," Izzy murmured to himself. "Level 2, huh? Does that mean I'll get a reward every time I level up?"

He made a logical assumption. After all, this type of system closely mirrored the structure of most games he had played.

Still, it was just a guess. He couldn't confirm anything yet.

The skill Star of Enlightenment piqued his curiosity, but until he acquired it, its specific attributes would remain a mystery.

"In other words, what I need to do next is focus on leveling up. After all, in this labyrinth city, strength is everything…"

As this thought crossed his mind, Izzy shifted his gaze from the ceiling to the nearby window.

The night sky was perfectly clear, with countless stars sparkling as though they might tumble down to the earth at any moment.

Even from the limited view of his bedside window, the sight was breathtakingly beautiful.

As he gazed at the radiant stars, Izzy suddenly felt a cool sensation in his mind, as though his thoughts were being cleared and sharpened.

His emerald-blue eyes dimmed, shifting into a darker hue. Bright starlight began to flow within them, glowing faintly but unmistakably.

At that moment, he recalled one of his skills.

[Starry Night]: Doubles mental power, and doubles again under a starry sky.

To put it simply, as long as the night sky was free of clouds and the stars were visible, Izzy's mental strength would be quadrupled.

Although he had only just received a god's blessing earlier that day, his current mental strength, boosted by the skill, now rivaled—or even surpassed—that of some LV2 wizards.

"But this just makes me even less sleepy…"

Feeling his mind becoming increasingly sharp and focused, Izzy sighed with mild exasperation.

"This skill might as well be designed for staying up all night."