[13] Cutting Board!
To ensure his own safety, to complete his tasks within the time limit, and to preserve his well-being, Aiden decided to forego the traditional flashy style of the Sparda family... a long coat and a large sword. Instead, he chose a more pragmatic approach. After all, having joined the Hestia Familia to level up quickly, he had no teammates he could rely on. All the monsters and dangers he would face had to be handled by himself.
In the unpredictable dangers of the dungeon, getting injured often meant death.
Even near the church, the shops were still sparsely visited as noon approached. Most passersby were plainly dressed and hurried. But as soon as he stepped onto the bustling North Street, it felt like entering another world, the air filled with lively energy.
"Come, come, trade money for money!"
"Take a look, take a look!"
"Fresh fruits from the orchard outside the city, sweet or your money back!"
"Fruits from the dungeon, choose one, dear elf!"
"Get your delicious fried chicken legs here!"
"Silver scale armor, only 48,888 valis per piece."
Merchants hawked a variety of goods... from jars, fruits, and fried foods to armor... calling out to the primary consumers of Orario: adventurers.
It was midday, yet the streets were still crowded with adventurers. Some were on break, wandering in groups of three or five with their Familias, while others, having partied late into the night, were hurrying towards the dungeon.
Holding a bag of freshly fried giant boar meat in one hand, Aiden watched Hestia, who looked like a delighted child with her skewer of grilled fruits. He contemplated the supplies needed for dungeon exploration: first, armor and various potions, then water bottles and lunch boxes, and finally, a backpack to carry everything.
In the original story, Bell always seemed to enter dungeons with just a weapon and a small bag, which made sense once he had Liliruca as a supporter. But why did he carry so little when he had no supporter?
Walking along, they eventually reached the front of Babel Tower. The closer they got, the more adventurers they saw. In the central square where the eight main roads converged, the crowd was even denser.
A lavishly dressed harpist played there, his music alternating between lively and calm, his singing sometimes passionate and other times soothing.
Surrounding him were many neatly dressed children with clean, rosy faces, looking healthy and full of life. They were engrossed in the music, instinctively swaying and dancing to the melody, their faces beaming with joy.
Not far from the musician, couples sat scattered about, holding hands or cuddling, their faces glowing with happiness.
"Damn it, even here I have to witness this! Why do I feel like I'm carrying a torch and gasoline?" Aiden, a seasoned member of the
He then shifted his focus to the groups of adventurers: some preparing to enter the dungeon around noon, others lucky enough to return injured. The sight before him was far from the glamorous scenes in games or on-screen depictions. Here, the aftermath was raw and brutal.
Aiden saw adventurers, supported by their comrades, limping out of the dungeon. Some had arms hanging uselessly at their sides, others had heads wrapped in bandages, and some were covered in blood... whether their own or from monsters was unclear. Some had even lost entire limbs, their cries and groans filling the air.
Injuries to the legs were rare, but not because they were less likely to occur. On the contrary, leg injuries meant severely reduced mobility, making dodging and running nearly impossible. In the hostile environment of the dungeon, this often meant death.
Aiden felt the harsh reality of this world.
'You're different, Aiden. Follow the map, stay pragmatic, and believe in your strength and the power of the Sparda family... even if you're alone.'
He reminded himself.
Taking a deep breath, Aiden followed Hestia into the guild's office to register.
The registration process for joining a Familia was straightforward and uneventful. After saying goodbye to Eina, Aiden explained to Hestia how he knew her as they headed towards the shopping district in Babel Tower.
Coincidentally, as Aiden and Hestia made their way to the shopping district, a red-haired, scantily clad goddess with squinted eyes and her group of female adventurers were also heading there.
The two Familias, or rather, the two goddesses with a natural enmity, crossed paths.
Noticing Hestia hopping along in her flip-flops, Loki, initially ignoring Aiden, ran over with a teasing smile, "Hey, shorty~"
Sensing her rival's gaze, Hestia turned around, her expression one of disdain. "What are you doing here?"
"Why? Am I not allowed to shop here? Oh, I almost forgot, you poor goddess, are you working here? Should I come to your shop and spend my whealty a bit?" Loki, clearly a Norse goddess, proudly spoke with a Kansai accent.
Hestia proudly puffed out her chest and replied, "Hmph! I'm here to buy equipment for my Familia member."
Loki's face was full of sarcasm. "A poor chibi goddess like you having a Familia? Impossible!"
"I do have one!"
"Oh really? Where is this Familia member, poor goddess?" Loki once again ignored Aiden.
The two goddesses edged closer, becoming more confrontational until they were head to head, ready for a verbal bullfight.
"Trying to mock me and ending up embarrassing yourself? What's that you have there? You cutting board!"
Seeing this familiar scene, Aiden was at a loss. He gave a signal to the Loki Familia members across from him, and both sides gently pulled their goddesses back.
Loki looked at Aiden in disbelief. "Hey, kid, did you really join this chibi goddess's Familia? Do you know she didn't have a single member and was living like a leech at someone else's place until recently?"
"Thanks for the warning, Loki-sama. My name is Aiden Sparda, not kid. I'm well aware of Hestia-sama's situation. She has a Familia now."
Hearing Aiden's response, Hestia proudly put her hands on her hips. "Hehe, did you hear that? Now my Familia has Aiden-kun, and he's amazing."
Loki sneered. "What trick did you use to get this member, chibi goddess?"
Hestia huffed. "I didn't trick him. Unlike you, I'm not a deceitful god. I just invited him, and he agreed. Aiden-kun is the best."
Loki wasn't giving up. "Hey, boy, the dungeon is dangerous, especially for a solo adventurer."
Amused by the bickering goddesses, Aiden chuckled. "Thanks for your concern, Loki-sama. Actually, I'm quite confident in my abilities."
"Confidence is good, but don't die in the dungeon." Loki said as she turned and walked away, followed by her female adventurers.
Hestia, feeling provoked, shouted after Loki, "Just wait, Loki! Aiden-kun will surpass your Sword Princess!"
Loki stopped in her tracks. "Oh?"
Hestia continued defiantly, "Aiden is a super rare genius who got a powerful skill right after receiving the Blessing!"
'Thankfully, she didn't mention my three magic slots.'
Aiden rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Every god dotes on their first Familia member. Hestia-sama praises me too much, Loki-sama, don't mind her."
"I don't think the chibi goddess is lying. I am quite interested... after all, Ais is my favorite." Loki said with a sly grin before lunging at a blonde girl in her group. The girl dodged gracefully, used to Loki's antics. Unfazed, Loki turned and pounced on an elf girl instead.
"My Aiden is a super rare genius even better than your Sword Princess!" Hestia, not wanting to back down in front of Loki, pointed at her triumphantly.
Loki, with her eyes suddenly open and a delighted smile, suggested, "Chibi goddess, how about a bet?"
Hestia replied with irritation, "What kind of bet? Whatever it is, Aiden-kun will win."
If it's about chest size, I'm doomed to lose.
Aiden was bemused by Hestia's confidence.
Loki looked at Aiden with interest. "It seems the chibi goddess has a lot of faith in you, Aiden. How about joining my Familia?"
Before Aiden could respond, Hestia rushed over and hugged him tightly. "Don't even think about taking Aiden away, you cutting board!"
Loki, annoyed by Hestia's ample breast, retorted, "Then let's bet if this boy can become a Level 2 adventurer within a year."
Intrigued, Aiden asked in unison with Hestia, "And the stakes?"
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