Where there is light, there is shadow. Where humans live, darkness looms behind. This is one of the truths I've learned from wandering the world since childhood.
When people gather, all kinds of motives arise: those who deceive, oppress, or exploit others, what one might call the scum of humanity, inevitably emerge.
And here, in the Dungeon City of Orario, with over a millennium of history, the depth of its darkness must be far beyond anything I can imagine at the mere age of 14.
Or so I thought. Yet, after the War Game, I resolved to dip a toe into Orario's shadows. The results were... underwhelming.
To be clear, there are industries that I would categorize as"dark." However, to my surprise, they were far less sinister than I had anticipated.
In my eagerness to confront this"darkness." I overlooked an obvious fact: true shadows cannot flourish here. Why? Because this city is ruled by transcendent beings, the gods and goddesses.
Though often troublesome with their childlike antics and interference, these deities are undeniably far beyond human comprehension. Lies crumble before them, and their skill in wordplay and manipulation far exceeds what any human could muster. They are simply not opponents humans can overcome.
Honestly, in any ordinary city that has lasted a thousand years, corruption or decay would be inevitable.
Having my expectations dashed, I now found myself at the Safe Zone on the 18th floor, treating Lefiya to an extravagant parfait from the secret menu, a punishment handed down by Hermes for not stopping Bell's peeping escapade.
The parfait, priced at an eye-watering 3,000 valis, used a rare fruit called Honey Cloud harvested from the 18th floor. Its cost stems from the rarity and processing of this fruit. While increasing the amount of Honey Cloud could enhance the flavor, it would apparently disrupt the parfait's overall balance, as explained by the elven shopkeeper.
As for its taste? Simply put, sweet. Honey Cloud boasts an incredible natural sweetness. Those who dislike overly sugary desserts might find it overwhelming. Personally, I can handle up to two of these in a row.
Despite its sweetness, Lefiya claimed it was nothing short of art, the way it balanced the Honey Cloud's unique flavor with the other fruits and ice cream.
As she happily devoured the parfait, her joyful expression was hard to ignore. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but marvel at her pace, I'd get sick if I tried to eat it that quickly.
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The Mischief of Gods
After finishing her parfait with a contented sigh, Lefiya leaned back, savoring the moment. I sipped my tea, watching her in amusement.
"So, thanks to the War Game, your fame has skyrocketed." Lefiya remarked casually.
"...Yeah, I guess." I replied.
Though the War Game had ended days ago, its aftereffects still lingered, keeping Orario abuzz.
My flashy performance during the event had catapulted me into the public eye even further. While fame wasn't my goal, the title Shadow Devil felt more like a bad reputation than an accolade.
Even on the way here, I noticed people whispering and glancing in my direction.
"What about you, Lefiya? I heard you were a star during the last expedition." I teased.
"Well... I suppose." she admitted, flustered.
From Tiona's vague recounting during my recent visit to the Loki Familia, I gathered that Lefiya had performed feats like wiping out dragon-type and variant monsters in the Deep Floors using High-Speed Chanting, and supporting Ais in delivering the final blow to a giant monster on the 59th floor.
"It's all thanks to everyone, Riveria, Ais, Filvis, and you, Toki." she added shyly.
"Still, you're the one who achieved those things. Be proud." I encouraged her with a smile. She blushed, beaming at the praise.
While Lefiya continued enjoying her tea, I glanced around the quaint café. Wieshe was a well-hidden gem, mainly catering to couples.
In one corner, however, three figures were watching us intently. Gods, three of them, smiling mischievously as if they'd stumbled upon something amusing. Clearly, they'd followed us here without me noticing. Their ability to evade my detection was a stark reminder of how formidable gods truly were.
Lost in thought, I was startled when the shopkeeper arrived with an oversized cake. It was the kind meant for couples to feed each other.
"Uh, excuse me, we didn't order this." I said hurriedly.
"Compliments of those patrons." the shopkeeper replied, gesturing toward the grinning gods.
How utterly annoying.
Well, they probably thought teasing us would be entertaining. But unlike the me from weeks ago, I wasn't going to panic over this. We are officially dating now. Why hesitate?
With confidence, I cut a piece of cake and held it out to Lefiya.
"Here, say 'ahh,'" I prompted.
"Eh?"
Her wide eyes gradually softened as her cheeks turned red. Closing her eyes, she opened her mouth. My heart skipped a beat, but I guided the cake to her lips.
"Is it good?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"Great. My turn now."
Opening my mouth, I waited. Flustered but determined, Lefiya cut a piece and brought it to me.
"Ahh." she murmured, shyly offering the cake.
I took a bite, cheeks burning. To be honest, I was too embarrassed to even taste it. But backing down wasn't an option, that would only fuel the gods' amusement.
Determined, we continued feeding each other, ignoring the divine audience. Eventually, we overheard murmurs of defeat from the gods, who complained about the overwhelming sweetness and ordered black coffee.
Victory clenched, I grinned under the table, relishing my small triumph.
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After the Date
Determined to turn the tables on our divine observers, we decided to tackle half the couple-themed menu, leaving the gods watching us stunned. After paying and making sure to flash them a smug look, we exited the café.
"That was fun!" I declared.
"It was a little embarrassing." Lefiya admitted, but the smile on her face told a different story.
As we walked back toward the Twilight Manor, snippets of conversation from passing adventurers reached our ears.
"Hey, did you hear?"
"About what?"
"The Hestia Familia."
"Oh, that. Yeah."
"Apparently, they've racked up a huge debt, two billion valis, I heard!"
Lefiya and I exchanged silent glances.
"...Is that true?" she asked.
"I've never heard of it." I admitted, though a sinking feeling told me I had an idea.
"Any guesses?"
"...Bell's black dagger. It's a Hephaestus Familia product, with their logo."
"That must be it."
We decided to pay the Hestia Familia a visit after seeing Lefiya safely back.
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