While I was enjoying my meal, Loki's family arrived. Another pair of curious eyes began watching me—those of one of the newcomers. When I turned to see who was observing me, I met a pair of beautiful golden eyes belonging to Ais Wallenstein. Ais was a stunning and slender girl with long golden hair. She wore a white dress with blue lines and floral patterns, along with a blue skirt. Honestly, anime doesn't capture how beautiful she truly is.
As I observed the newcomers, they noticed me too and couldn't figure out who this new person sitting alone in the restaurant was.
"Do you know this guy?" Riveria asked Ais doubtfully.
"No, I don't. But he seems strong, although I can't tell what his strength is," Ais replied, shaking her head.
"Met someone familiar, Ais, Riveria?" an Amazon from their group asked. It was Tiona.
"No, Tiona, we don't know him. But maybe Ais is interested in this newcomer," Riveria replied, continuing to sit at Loki's family table.
"That can't be! Aiz only loves me, right, Ais?" Loki protested upon overhearing their conversation.
After Loki caused a scene in the restaurant, I decided to take a break from my food and look their way again. Meeting Ais's gaze once more, I nodded slightly at her and resumed enjoying my meal. Loki's family was shocked by my actions. Loki started making a fuss again, but was quickly calmed down by Riveria's swift intervention. What else could you expect from the famous mother, Riveria? This elf girl who could calm down the noisy god was truly worthy of her title.
While Loki continued to claim that no one would take Ais away from her, I finished my meal and realized I needed something sweet. There was still room in my stomach for dessert. I beckoned the cute elf girl, Ryu, and when she approached, our eyes met and she blushed. "How adorable," I thought to myself as I asked if there was anything sweet I could order. She recommended apple pie and green tea, and I placed my order. After taking my order, she bid farewell and went to deliver it, still blushing.
After Ryu left, the catgirl Chloe approached me, starting a conversation.
"How's the food in our restaurant, visitor-nya?" Chloe playfully asked.
"Maybe let's not dwell on that awkward moment," I replied with an empty stare.
Chuckling at my expense, Chloe introduced herself. Being a true gentleman, I decided to give my name as well. As we chatted and exchanged banter, Chloe continued to tease me, adding "nya" to the end of each sentence, which embarrassed me. This was social death in a fantasy world. I began to think I might have dodged a bullet with my actions, but Chloe clearly didn't think so as she kept teasing me. She had beautiful emerald eyes, short black hair, and ears and tail of the same color. Overcoming my embarrassment, I kept thinking about how to touch those cat ears and tail. Following my gaze, Chloe realized I was looking at her ears.
"Do you want to touch them?" Chloe asked, a slight blush on her face.
Shaking my head, I replied, "I think it would be rude of me, even if you allowed it."
"And why is that?" she asked, surprised.
"I think members of your race only allow their life partners to touch their ears and tail," I calmly replied. From what I remember in most books mentioning beastfolk races, touching ears and tails is akin to proposing marriage. So, I thought it would be rude, even if you offered. After all, we've only just met. I know you only as a fictional character. But now it's different; you're a living person with your own thoughts and goals."
"Oh, I see," she responded, surprised by my answer and considering me a pleasant person.
After that, our conversation flowed more smoothly. We started getting to know each other. She asked where I was from and why I came to Orario. I told her I came from the East, but after traveling for a long time, I heard about the dungeons and adventurers, so I decided to visit this city. After chatting a bit more, Ryu approached with my order, giving Chloe a stern look. Playfully sticking out her tongue, Chloe bid me farewell and went back to work. After saying goodbye to Chloe and thanking Ryu, I started eating my apple pie.
Meanwhile, as I enjoyed my pie, Ais continued to watch me. She felt that I was a skilled swordsman but didn't know how to approach and inquire about my strength. As Ais pondered how to approach and learn about the strength of the person who had forgotten everything around and was enjoying pie, Loki's family noticed that she couldn't take her eyes off the new restaurant visitor. Riveria decided to inquire again if we were acquainted.
Shaking her head, Ais replied that we weren't acquainted, but she thought the guy at that table was a strong swordsman. Riveria decided to check my magic to sense my strength and was slightly surprised by what her family members had noticed. They asked what she had noticed. Riveria replied that this person's magical signature was strange, as if veiled, and she couldn't make it out. She added that to conceal one's magical level, one must have amazing control over it.
After her words, Loki became interested in me but was still unhappy that I had caught Ais's attention.
One of the Amazon members of Loki's family also became interested because, from Ais's and Riveria's words, it was clear that I was a skilled swordsman and magic user. While Loki's family members reacted differently to my presence, one of them was displeased. He believed that a newcomer who hadn't even joined any family yet couldn't be taken seriously. Deciding to teach me a lesson and show that veteran adventurers were not to be trifled with, he stood up.
When Bete stood up, he drew his family's attention. They understood that he was about to cause trouble again. Some family members shook their heads; some thought Bete was being foolish, while others watched with interest to see what I was capable of. Loki, with a slightly curious look, seemed interested: if I possessed the strength described by Ais and Riveria, she would consider how to invite me into her family.
Bette, who had come to teach me a lesson and put me in my place to show that one shouldn't mess with veteran adventurers, approached the table. He forcefully slammed the table, knocking over the tea cup and the pie, which fell to the floor. Before he could say anything, he heard:
"You're quite a stupid mutt, aren't you?"
After that, he received a blow that sent him flying through the hall, smashing tables. Bete flew out onto the street and lost consciousness.
In first-person view:
While I enjoyed my delicious pie and cup of tea like a true aristocrat, ignoring my surroundings, I sensed a bit of resentment from Loki's family, but I didn't pay attention, as sweet pie was more important than any strangers. As I savored the pie and contemplated ordering another, someone approached me and overturned my tea and knocked over my pie. Feeling a surge of anger, all I could say at that moment was:
"You're quite a stupid mutt, aren't you?"
After that, I used the simplest technique from Anos's arsenal—a snap of my fingers to create a shockwave, sending this dog on his first fantasy space program. After the snap, Bette went flying. I didn't want to kill him—it wasn't worth it. But I did feel sorry for the pie. Looking around, I noticed the astonished looks from Loki's family, exaggerated surprise from the restaurant waitresses, and a very angry glare from Mia's mother. I realized that, even though I was the Demon King from another world, I still didn't want to anger this woman. I decided to cast the Revade spell to restore the restaurant to its original state. (Revade— a source magic spell that allows local time manipulation.)
After restoring the restaurant, there was a commotion from witnessing such magic. Loki's family members were most surprised: their comrade was thrown with just a snap of fingers, but even more astonishing was that I was able to repair all the damage. Ignoring those around me, I was still upset about my pie.
Members of Loki's family approached me and decided to start a conversation, presumably to apologize for their comrade's actions.
"I offer my apologies on behalf of my family member for causing you such trouble," Finn said apologetically.
"No worries. He's already received his due for his actions," I replied, still not taking my eyes off the fallen pie.
"If you don't mind, you can join our table, and our family will treat you, thus making up for the inconvenience caused," Finn said, noticing I was still visibly upset about my pie.
"Of course, I don't mind, as long as I'm not intruding and your family members don't object," I responded, waving to Ryu to settle the bill for the food I had eaten.
After paying 400 vallis for the food I consumed and apologizing to Ryu for the inconvenience caused, I heard her reply that it was no big deal, since I had fixed everything. After bidding farewell to Ryu, I asked her to put in a good word with Mia so I wouldn't be barred from enjoying delicious food.
Approaching Loki's family table and sitting down, I took a seat next to the elf Riveria, who was staring at me intently.
"My name is Finn Deimne, and these are members of my family," Finn cleared his throat and began introducing his family members.
He introduced a redhead woman who was his goddess, saying her name was Loki. Looking at her, I could understand why she and Hestia were constantly fighting. All I could say was, "You can stroke clothes on her chest." Seeing my gaze and apparently understanding what I was thinking, she slightly opened her eyes and gave me a wicked smile. Clearing my throat, I decided to listen further.
Finn continued to introduce his family members, starting with a gnome named Gareth Landrock. Then he introduced the elf sitting next to me, saying her name was Riveria Lios Alf. After that, he introduced the girl with the blank face, Ais Wallenstein. Next, he introduced the Amazon sisters: one who glared at me was named Tione Hiryute, and the other who smiled at me cheerfully was Tiona Hiryute. He also didn't forget to introduce the young elf who was looking at me cautiously, named Lefiya Viridis. Finally, he mentioned the name of the one I launched out of the restaurant, named Bete. After Finn introduced them all, it was my turn to introduce myself.
Giving my name, I shared my story of coming from the Far East, traveling extensively, and upon hearing about adventurers and dungeons while traveling with a caravan, I decided to come to this city and become one of them.
At that moment, the waitress brought me another apple pie, and without hesitation, I began to eat it. While I was busy enjoying the pie, other family members dragged unconscious Bete and seated him at the table.
Riviera could no longer hold back and asked me about the magic I used. At that moment, Tione intervened, wanting to know how I snapped my fingers to launch Bete through the entire hall. Finding the most advantageous answer from my arsenal, I acted as appropriate in this situation.
Spreading my arms, forming a rainbow in them, I said that it was magic. Other family members, waiting for my answer, at that moment spat out all the alcohol they were drinking.
Loki, with her eyes slightly opened, watched me and asked the quite expected question in this situation:
"Would you like to join my family?" Loki asked, with a slight smile on her face.
All the family members awaited my answer. Even Ais, with her expressionless face, was quite interested.
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I already have a god whose family I want to join," I replied, with a slightly apologetic tone.
"Then can you tell me which god or goddess you want to join?" she asked, with an intrigued expression.
Remembering Loki and Hestia's feud like cats and dogs, I decided not to be direct and wriggle out another way.
"That's a secret. Every man should have one or two secrets to seem more mysterious," I answered, avoiding a situation where Loki could stir up a fuss.
After spending some more time with Loki's family, chatting with them and listening to their stories, I realized it was time to leave to find Hestia. Saying goodbye to everyone, I mentioned that I would be glad to meet again. They responded in kind. Exiting "Hostess of Fertility," I used a spell for local search and located Hestia, then set off on my way.
To be continued...