In the evening, after Eina got off work, Ryou accompanied her, now dressed in casual clothes, to the tavern.
However, as Ryou engaged in lively conversation with Eina, he failed to notice a small figure hiding in the shadow of a pillar. After Ryou walked away, the figure quickly darted in another direction...
"Get lost, kid! With your physical condition, do you think you can become an adventurer? Our familia doesn't need freeloaders!"
As Ryou and Eina passed by a certain street, a thin, white-haired boy was thrown out by someone.
Covered in dust, his clothes tattered and torn, he looked utterly disheveled.
"Are you okay, young man?" Eina, with her kind heart, hurriedly helped him up.
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern."
The boy had a typical innocent face, with distinctive white hair and red eyes, coupled with a timid expression.
Ryou almost instantly recognized him as the main character of the original story—Bell Cranel.
Does this mean the story is just beginning!?
In an instant, Ryou felt a strong desire ignite within him.
A desire named—mischief.
A subtle, indescribable smile appeared on his face.
"Hey, young man, do you want to become an adventurer?"
At this moment, Bell had come to Orario with dreams, only to be met with harsh reality, rejected by every familia as a newbie.
With his Valis almost depleted, he was on the verge of sleeping on the streets when someone suddenly asked if he wanted to join a familia.
At that moment, Ryou stood before Bell, with the last rays of the setting sun behind him.
The golden light cast a glow that made it seem as if Ryou was draped in a golden cloak.
At that moment, Ryou's image overlapped with the heroic figure Bell had read about in stories...
"Yes! Please let me join a familia. I want to become an adventurer!"
Bell shouted with all his might, preparing to kneel in a full prostration.
Not accustomed to the custom of frequent kneeling, Ryou quickly pulled him up.
"I'll find a way to get you into a familia. Stop kneeling so easily; a man's knees are worth their weight in gold."
"Yes!"
Although Bell didn't quite understand Ryou's words, he heard the promise of joining a familia.
"My name is Bell, Bell Cranel. May I know your name?"
Bell's face was full of gratitude. To him at that moment, Ryou was a hero who had saved him from the harsh reality of the world.
"Just call me Gudao," Ryou said without changing his expression, using his alias.
"Mr. Gudao, are you planning to have this young man join your familia?" Eina asked with a smile.
"Eina, you know my situation. With my goddess's standards, Bell probably doesn't meet the requirements..." Ryou replied with a helpless expression.
Thinking about Scathach's strict criteria for accepting disciples, it's not just Bell's current physical condition—even if he unlocked all the "cheat codes" from the original story, Scathach might still not be impressed.
Consider that all of Scathach's students are heroes among heroes, while Bell is just someone who might become a hero.
Even as her nominal master, without the system's help, Scathach might not have considered Ryou worthy.
Bell, who was eavesdropping, showed a deeply dejected expression upon hearing that this might fall through.
"Don't worry, Bell, I promise you'll join a familia," Ryou assured him with a peculiar smile. Feeling reassured, Bell didn't notice Ryou's strange expression.
...
"Wandering around outside all day, and now you want me to bring this white-haired kid into the Freya Familia?"
Mama Mia wore a fierce expression, enhanced by her powerful aura as a former Lv6 adventurer.
Already timid, Bell was so frightened that he hid behind Ryou.
When he heard that Ryou was recommending him to join the Freya Familia, he became even more nervous, biting his hand anxiously.
"F-F-Freya Familia!? The Freya Familia!?"
Eina was equally shocked.
"That's right! The Freya Familia, one of Orario's twin kings, with the strongest adventurers," Ryou said with a smile, pulling Bell in front of Mama Mia.
But to Bell, Ryou's smile seemed devilish.
"You've got a lot of secrets. I won't ask how you know about my connection with the Freya Familia. But tell me, what makes you think this wobbly kid can join the Freya Familia?" Mama Mia looked at Bell with obvious disdain.
"Don't worry about that. Just take Bell to Goddess Freya; she'll let him join," Ryou said firmly.
"I don't know where you get your confidence," Mama Mia sighed. "Listen, I'll help you this once and only take him to the goddess. Whether she accepts him or not is up to her."
"Thanks! Please make sure to take him to the 'goddess,'" Ryou emphasized repeatedly.
"Oh, and I have a gift for your goddess as well. Could you deliver it for me?" Ryou said, running back to his dorm. When he came out, he was holding a delicate glass bottle.
"Is this... red wine?" Mama Mia asked, taking the glass bottle.
Under the dim light, the liquid in the glass bottle shimmered with a ruby-like luster.
"Of course not, this is a cocktail I mixed myself, uh, called 'Bloody Queen.'"
"Instead of wasting time on these things, why don't you spend some time updating the menu?" Mama Mia said irritably.
"If I remember correctly, the tavern's business has doubled, especially on weekend nights when I'm in charge. Two nights' revenue is equivalent to a week's worth for the tavern, isn't it?"
At this, Mama Mia was left speechless.
Ever since Ryou took charge and made a name for himself, the tavern had been packed almost every night, with long lines forming outside on weekend nights.
Moreover, apart from being a bit lazy on regular days, Ryou was very serious when cooking and hadn't asked for a raise. Such a good employee was hard to find.
Feeling frustrated, Mama Mia vented her anger at Bell.
"Come on, kid, I'll take you to see Goddess Freya,"Mama Mia said, and without waiting for Bell to refuse, she grabbed him by the collar with one hand and lifted him, heading towards the Tower of Babel.
From a distance, it looked like a bear carrying a rabbit.
"That's the Freya Familia. Can Bell join smoothly?"
Eina looked worried.
"Don't worry, Goddess Freya loves radiant souls," Ryou said meaningfully. Getting Bell to join the Freya Familia was exactly his plan.
As for whether Bell could join the Freya Familia, Ryou believed there was no doubt about it.
In the original story, the goddess showed an obsessive interest in Bell at first sight, with a look that seemed like she wanted to devour him. She gave him her alter-ego, helped him level up, and even gifted him a magic book.
If she hadn't had reservations, she would have taken Bell into the Freya Familia long ago. It's known that a significant portion of the Freya Familia members were snatched from other familias by her.
What was she hesitant about?
Ryou speculated it was either the protagonist's aura or some individual, likely related to Uranus and Zeus.
Now that Bell was actively joining, even Uranus, who seemed like a shadowy figure, couldn't openly oppose it.
Once Freya saw Bell, she would be moved by the brilliance of his soul.
As for the bottle of wine he gave away, it was based on the famous cocktail "Bloody Mary," with his twist added to the mix.
The purpose of the gift was, of course, simply to express gratitude, though the recipient might not necessarily understand.
As a man, one must always know to repay kindness.
After seeing Mama Mia off with Bell, Ryou decisively led Eina into the Hostess of Fertility.
Under the gloomy gaze of a certain gray-haired girl, Ryou personally cooked a table full of delicious dishes.
Half an hour later, four or five empty plates were placed on the table.
Eina's neckline was open, her face flushed red, her eyes dazed, and she was drenched in sweat as if something indescribable had happened to her.
"Here, this is the last drink."
The "culprit" smiled and placed a drink with a transparent top and a green bottom in front of Eina.
"No, I really can't take it anymore, please spare me~" Eina didn't realize the ambiguous implications in her words.
The usual professionalism she displayed at work had vanished without a trace. Eina now lounged lazily like a cat.
Looking at the uniquely styled drink, Eina's eyes held a mix of fear and desire, much like a cat eyeing a fish roasting in a fire—wanting the delicacy but afraid of the burn.
"It's okay, this drink is to refresh you." Ryou's smile remained unchanged, akin to the wolf grandmother tempting Little Red Riding Hood.
"Then, I'll just take a sip..."
Unable to resist the temptation, Eina picked up the glass and took a small sip.
A burst of minty freshness hit her brain, and Eina instantly felt a surge of clarity. She felt as if she were standing naked on an endless prairie, with a gentle breeze whisking away her worries and the day's fatigue.
Her previously dull eyes became clear and bright.
However, as the now-clear-headed Eina recalled her earlier dazed state, her cheeks turned as red as a boiled shrimp, all the way to her ears.
Even the gray-haired girl eavesdropping nearby was thoroughly startled by her reaction, looking at Ryou with shock and suspicion, as if to say, "Did you drug the food?"
Other diners glanced at the innocent-looking Ryou with odd expressions.
"Excuse me!!!"
Completely embarrassed, Eina grabbed her coat, buried her head in her chest, and ran out without looking back.
"I'll treat you again next time!"
Ryou smiled innocently.
Who knew that upon hearing Ryou's words, Eina quickened her pace even more, as if a demon were chasing her.
"Mr. Gudao is popular with women~"
Just after seeing Eina off, before Ryou could turn around, he immediately heard a voice behind him.
He turned around and saw Syr smiling, but there wasn't the slightest hint of joy in her eyes. Instead, they were filled with endless coldness and murderous intent. Behind her, a shadow, as if born from the abyss, was dancing continuously...
Ryou was not like those dense male leads in harem anime who could only play dumb.
Facing the almost blackened Syr, Ryou immediately employed a combination of "head pats" and "verbal comfort" attacks.
Syr's blackened state was purified by 50%.
Ryou then launched an offensive with desserts and drinks.
Syr's blackened state completely disappeared, and she was utterly lost in a culinary fantasy.
Having finally dealt with Syr, Ryou couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his forehead.
He then noticed that Ryuu was looking at him with a strange expression, her cold eyes gradually filled with disdain, as if she were looking at a perverted scumbag who toyed with girls.
Wait, it's not like that, I didn't...
Just as Ryou was about to explain, Ryuu turned around without saying a word, leaving him with a big view of the back of her head.
"This is really..."
Ryou couldn't help but show a wry smile.
It had originally just been a spur-of-the-moment decision to thank Eina, who was diligent and responsible, by treating her to a meal. Who would have thought it would cause such a commotion? Could this be considered self-sabotage?
...
A sturdy figure stepped into the tavern—it was Mama Mia, who had just returned.
But while Bell had gone, Aunt Mia returned alone.
Without asking, it was clear that the mission was successful.
"Sometimes I wonder who you are."
Upon her return, Mama Mia gave Ryou a strange look, and after a long moment, she threw out this out-of-context remark.
"Uh~"
What could Ryou say? He could only scratch his head and put on a silly smile.
Mama Mia shook her head helplessly. Even now, she kept replaying the recent scene in her mind.
As the former captain of the Freya Familia, even in retirement, she still had some authority within the Familia.
Even Ottar, the so-called strongest, had to call her senpai.
What was difficult for others was easy for Mama Mia, who easily secured an audience with the goddess Freya.
Thus, Freya, who always presented herself as noble and elegant before others, personally put on a spectacular theatrical performance.
When she first received Mama Mia and Bell, Freya wore a faint smile on her face, like a goddess high above, with an air of calmness and elegance as if everything were under her control.
However, when her gaze swept over Bell's face, filled with cowardice and timidity, her expression turned to one of shock, as if she were witnessing a rare treasure.
Then came an obsession with the treasure, along with an intense possessiveness that she made no effort to hide.
Finally, Freya's gaze became calm, and there was even a faint hint of regret in her eyes as she looked at Bell.
Mama Mia swore that since she had followed the goddess, she had never seen such a rich change of expression on her face.
And, as Ryou had anticipated, Freya immediately decided to take Bell into her familia.
Not only that, but she also directly assigned Ottar to personally instruct him.
What Mama didn't know was that atop the Tower of Babel, the person she was recalling was currently talking about Bell and Ryou...
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