Journey to Planar World

"Prepare formal attire. You must not wear casual clothes when attending the Banquet of the Gods."

"Understood."

Without needing Aphrodite to tell him, Charlie was no country bumpkin; on the contrary, he often attended banquets in his previous life.

"Great, I can show you off to make the other Gods and Goddesses envious of me..."

"Aphrodite, your true thoughts are starting to leak out."

"Ahem, please forget that."

Aphrodite got off Charlie's lap, circled around him, and observed him carefully.

"What's wrong, Aphrodite?"

"Hmm... Maybe it's just my feeling, or you've changed a lot since the first time we met."

'Aphrodite usually acts silly on normal days, but why is her intuition so sharp at a time like this? Is this what they call a woman's intuition?'

Facing her observant gaze, Charlie sighed inwardly.

"By the way, Aphrodite, do you know a place that provides weapon maintenance services and also takes orders for custom-made items?"

Not wanting to reveal the fact that he had leveled up to Level 3, Charlie changed the subject. He didn't believe Aphrodite could keep a secret.

"Since you don't want to mention it, forget it. And regarding your question, I recommend Hephaestus Familia and Goibniu Familia."

"Oh, what's the reason?"

"Hephaestus Familia is a large blacksmith-type Familia led by Hephaestus. Although it's a Familia based in Orario, Hephaestus Familia is famous worldwide for their craftsmanship. The weapons and items produced by Hephaestus Familia have excellent performance."

Aphrodite paused for a moment before continuing her explanation.

"Unlike Hephaestus Familia, which provides services indiscriminately to adventurers of all levels, Goibniu Familia has always been a blacksmith-type Familia that serves High-Class Adventurers, and the quality of their equipment is no less than that of Hephaestus Familia. By the way, Loki Familia is a regular customer of Goibniu Familia."

Intentionally mentioning Loki Familia, Aphrodite wanted to see Charlie's expression change. After all, the rumors about Aiz's closeness to Charlie had become the biggest topic.

She wanted to verify the truth of those rumors. Unfortunately, her wish was unfulfilled as Charlie maintained a poker face.

'This man is tougher than all the men I've ever faced.' Aphrodite thought, feeling more challenged to conquer him.

"..."

Unaware of Aphrodite's inner thoughts, Charlie listened to her seriously.

"Although Goibniu Familia is not as large as Hephaestus Familia, their skills are at the same level. As the two most famous blacksmith Familias in Orario, Hephaestus Familia is known for their various beautiful and superior weapons, and they are the largest blacksmith Familia in Orario. Meanwhile, Goibniu Familia is famous for their custom-made weapons."

"Anyway, Hephaestus Familia is referred to as the most famous and number one blacksmith Familia, with Goibniu Familia as their rival, striving to claim the title of the best blacksmith Familia in Orario."

After speaking for a while, Aphrodite felt a bit tired. After all, she was no different from a mortal being.

"It seems the only option available is Hephaestus Familia." Charlie concluded.

"I thought you would choose Goibniu Familia to increase your chances of meeting Aiz Wallenstein." Aphrodite did not expect the other party's choice.

She knew how protective Loki was of Aiz. So it was unlikely that Charlie would visit the Twilight Manor, Loki Familia's headquarters, to meet Aiz.

"There are no other options. Didn't you say that Goibniu Familia only serves High-Class Adventurers? Although Level 2 falls into the High-Class Adventurer category, it's at the bottom tier. With Goibniu Familia's reputation, I think they would only serve Second-Class and First-Class Adventurers, right?"

With his current Level 3, Charlie was no longer a Third-Class Adventurer but rather a Second-Class Adventurer.

If he revealed his true level, Goibniu Familia would surely serve him. However, he wanted to delay the news of his level-up being known. At least until Bell Cranel reached Level 2.

Charlie wanted to use Bell as a decoy to bear the envy of the adventurers.

Isn't it the protagonist's duty to face the problems that arise?

"So that's what you're worried about. Don't worry, I'll accompany you to Goibniu Familia; let's see who dares to refuse to serve you."

Aphrodite proudly patted her ample chest, showing off her confidence.

"Indeed, with you by my side, it's impossible for them to ignore me." Charlie nodded in agreement.

Ignoring the fact that Aphrodite looked foolish and unreliable, she was essentially the Goddess of Beauty, on par with Freya and Ishtar.

Even among the many Gods and Goddesses in Heaven, the status of the Goddess of Beauty was quite special. Because even gods could be influenced by charms, let alone mortals in the lower world.

Not everyone was an anomaly like Bell and Charlie, who were immune to the charms of the Goddess of Beauty. Otherwise, Freya wouldn't be so obsessed with finding her Odr (husband).

"Since it's decided, let's go now."

Aphrodite grabbed Charlie's hand and dragged him from the chair.

'Aishia, I'm going out for a bit; I have something to take care of. Please keep an eye on the house.'

'Alright, Charlie doesn't need to hurry back. Leave the house-sitting duties to me.'

Through telepathy, Charlie spoke with Aishia inside the house.

"Aphrodite, put on your hooded cloak."

"Okay."

Following Charlie's instructions, Aphrodite pulled the hood of her cloak over her face.

"Are you satisfied? Now you can't refuse."

She hugged his right arm with a cheerful expression.

Charlie: "😐"

'Oh well, let her do whatever she wants as long as it doesn't go overboard.'

❀❀❀

The road between the Northern District and the Northwest District was located in the deepest part of an alley.

Along the road were jagged buildings, the path was very narrow, the sunlight was piercing, and a thick musty smell lingered in the air.

The aroma of wine could be sensed in the air deep in the alley. Although it was cool, it was very difficult to attract people to come to a shop located far inside the alley.

"Are you sure we're on the right path, Aphrodite?"

"We're not lost. Goibniu Familia is indeed located in the alley. To be honest, when I first visited Goibniu Familia, I also couldn't believe it. I don't know what Goibniu was thinking by establishing his headquarters far from the crowds."

Since there were no people around, Aphrodite removed her hood but refused to let go of Charlie's hand.

"We've arrived."

As they entered the bustling workshop, the heat from the melting metal greeted them like a wave, causing sweat to immediately bead on their foreheads.

The sound of hammers on the anvil and the hissing of molten metal filled the air. Several blacksmiths stopped their work to glance at the adventurers who arrived, some of them widening their eyes upon recognizing Aphrodite.

Instantly, the once-bustling workshop fell silent. The blacksmiths were captivated by Aphrodite's beauty. Consequently, they stopped their forging activities, leading to failures due to distraction and lack of focus.

"Sigh... I told you not to show your face." Charlie sighed, having anticipated this scene.

"There's nothing I can do. Charm is a passive ability; I can't control it."

Aphrodite did not feel guilty for causing the blacksmiths to fail during their forging process because they saw her.