Chapter 183: Chapter 8. The Irresistible Voice
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"Vacation? Great! Bell, let's go on a date!"
Upon hearing that Bell's strict, almost inhuman teacher, Cyd, had given Bell a vacation, Hestia excitedly pulled Bell out the door.
"Whew~~~"
A gust of wind blew by, leaving Cyd standing in the street, holding a flyer, feeling a bit lost.
He was left behind!
"That little brat... he's relaxing way too much," Cyd muttered as he wandered around the street.
Apparently, due to some kind of monster festival, most people had gathered near the arena, making the previously bustling streets seem quite empty.
"Hey there, lonely guy," a large, burly dwarf woman, who was the owner of the "Hostess of Fertility" tavern, called out to Cyd from the doorway. "Why don't you come in for a drink? It's quiet now, so I'll give you a discount."
"Are you trying to lure customers in like that?" Cyd tilted his head. "I'm broke, and my wallet gets emptied pretty quickly."
"Haha, that's my goal," the tavern owner laughed as she wrapped an arm around Cyd's shoulder, half-dragging him into the tavern. "But I like you, so I won't make it too hard on you."
"Thanks for that," Cyd sighed as he sat in a corner, propping his chin on his hand as he glanced over the menu.
Hmm, the prices are definitely wallet-killers.
Back in Greece or at Lord El-Melloi II's side, Cyd never worried about food or drink. In the former case, he could fight freely, and in the latter, someone else footed the bill. But ever since he arrived here, Cyd had to start budgeting carefully.
Bell and Hestia didn't seem like the type to be good with finances.
Bell's weapons needed maintenance, and he also needed to buy healing potions to prevent Bell from dying in combat, as well as some poisonous herbs to enchant Bell's shield and shortsword, not to mention food and drink.
Even with a blessing that could make him noble, it was useless on the first few floors of the dungeon. Even if some rare items dropped from goblins, they were only valuable on those lower floors, and if he kept getting them, they'd even lose value.
Today, Bell would be going to the festival, eating and drinking, which would shrink their familia's savings again.
Does a teacher really need to manage his student's finances?
Cyd lay down weakly on the table.
Is this the pain that Lord El-Melloi II feels? Constantly worrying about money.
A glass of wine was placed in front of Cyd.
"This is a complimentary drink, sir."
A cool, clear voice sounded in Cyd's ear.
The familiar tone and voice made Cyd sit up straight instantly, which confused the elf maid standing before him.
"Did you take a liking to Ryuu?" The dwarf tavern owner teased from behind the counter. "If you order everything on the menu, I might let Ryuu chat with you~"
"Cough, It's just that her voice reminds me of someone I know…" Cyd awkwardly scratched his head.
For a moment, he almost thought Ata had appeared in front of him.
Why do they sound so similar!
"Oh, you don't just 'know' that person, do you?" The tavern owner grinned with a gossipy expression.
"Don't pry into other people's business like that," Cyd reached for the wine glass.
"In that case, it's no longer a free drink," the tavern owner shrugged. "Ryuu, take it back."
At the tavern owner's words, Ryuu swiftly took the wine glass from in front of Cyd with speed that no ordinary maid could have achieved.
"Please pay," Ryuu said calmly, looking at Cyd, who was now staring pitifully at his near-empty wallet.
In the end, Cyd, who had been fretting about finances just minutes before, trembled as he pulled out his wallet.
"Thank you for your patronage." The tavern owner grinned. "Ryuu, why don't you take this generous customer to the Monster Festival later?"
Ryuu frowned slightly. Although the man in front of her didn't have the stench of those filthy men, she still found it hard to accept the idea of going out with a stranger.
"Syr… forgot her wallet," the tavern owner sighed.
…
"He didn't come?" A woman in a blue robe propped her chin on her hand as she gazed out the window.
Although the robe covered most of her face, the sorrowful expression on the visible part of her face captivated those around her, leaving them with a strong urge to sacrifice everything for her—except for the two people sitting opposite her.
"Who's the unlucky guy you've set your sights on this time?" Loki yawned, quickly shattering the beautiful atmosphere around the woman. "Freya~"
"Who knows? Maybe I'm just here to enjoy a festival loved by children," Freya smiled slightly, raising a finger to her lips.
"Yeah, right. You, who are in heat 24/7, would never dress like this unless you've already got your eye on some kid from another familia," Loki snorted. "Last time at the God's Banquet, you were just trying to find out which god that kid belonged to, but judging by your expression, you failed, huh?"
Loki chuckled gleefully.
"He…," Freya whispered softly, "belongs to no god, yet he is loved by the gods. He holds the power of the gods and can smile while reaching out to those who have fallen. His soul is purer than snow, yet it shines brilliantly. He is [our hero]."
"Hey, can you stop chanting already?" Loki groaned, covering her ears. "Apollo's freaky self and his familia are singing that tune all day long, and I'm getting sick of it."
"Apollo has changed a lot," Freya said with a slight smile.
"Changed a lot? More like he's a completely different person," Loki exaggeratedly waved her hands. "He used to be a… cough cough cough, but ever since he descended, he's become a bard, singing praises to someone who doesn't even exist. I'm starting to suspect he's been replaced."
"The Pure White Hero," Ais, sitting next to Loki like a doll, suddenly muttered.
"Ais-chan, there's no way someone like that exists in this world," Loki said casually, wrapping an arm around Ais's waist and subtly sliding her hand upward.
Smack!
"So… what are you planning?" Loki asked as she opened her eyes, now with a handprint on her face.
"What if I said… I've seen him?" Freya smiled softly.
"If that were true, there's no way you'd be sitting here so calmly."
Loki would bet that if the Pure White Hero Apollo kept singing about were actually here, Freya, this eternally lustful goddess, wouldn't be so composed, casually chatting with her. She'd probably mobilize her entire familia to find him.
There was no exaggeration in this because Freya was that kind of goddess.
"He's no longer a child who hasn't matured. He's ripened to the point where I can barely control myself," Freya's face flushed, and her pink tongue flicked out to lick her lips.
Boom!
With just that small action, all the male patrons around them fell to their knees, clutching their pants.
"Ew," Loki grimaced.
"But he hasn't noticed me yet," Freya said with a hint of melancholy. "I even prepared a little gift for him."
"What are you planning to do at this Monster Festival?" Loki stood up.
"I'm surprised that a trickster like you would question me," Freya elegantly took a sip of her coffee. "It's nothing, really. I just set the stage for a hero's debut."
"You… really are a selfish one," Loki crossed her arms. "Just so you know, if things get out of hand, I won't lift a finger. I'll just sit back and watch."
"What are you talking about?" Freya glanced out the window, spotting a flash of white hair that made her lips curl into a smile.
"I'm just doing what suits me best."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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