Night had fallen in the Labyrinth City of Orario.
Nighttime was usually the only time people stayed indoors to get the privacy they needed.
Crowds of people and adventurers still roamed the streets as shops remained open. The bars were filled with adventurers as they chatted and socialized with their comrades, sharing tales of their journeys into the Dungeon.
The red-light district began to glow as men spent their money to indulge themselves with Amazonian prostitutes from the Ishtar Familia.
Amidst the throngs of pedestrians, a beautiful Elf girl seemed oblivious to the hustle and bustle around her, her head turning left and right as if searching for someone.
"Aiz-san, where are you...?" She murmured softly, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Aiz.
The Elf had long, golden blonde hair tied into a ponytail, deep blue round eyes, and pointed ears. She wore a pink cloak with a rose pattern over a white shirt and a pink corset dress, with a purple ribbon hanging from the collar.
Other pedestrians made way for her as she passed.
Her name was Lefiya Viridis, known as the Thousand Elf and a member of the Loki Familia.
Despite her timid appearance, she was not to be underestimated. After all, she was a Level 3 Second-Class Adventurer.
"There's Aiz-san!"
After some time searching, she suddenly stopped when she spotted Aiz in the distance. However, before Lefiya could run to her, she was shocked to see an unfamiliar man standing very close to Aiz.
"Who is that man? Why is he standing so close to Aiz-san?"
Lefiya immediately hid behind the wall of a building, peeking out with a growing sense of unease.
"Oh my, this is the first time I've seen Aiz-san blush. That bastard, I'm so jealous... No, what kind of drug did he use on Aiz-san!"
Seeing the faint blush on Aiz's cheeks for the first time, Lefiya was both stunned and envious that the person who could make Aiz show such an expression wasn't her.
"No way... Why is Aiz-san with that man? Aiz-san has never been close to any man before."
Tears almost welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. The uncomfortable feeling continued to haunt her, but Lefiya couldn't stop herself from watching them. She wanted to know who the man was and what his relationship with Aiz was.
On the other hand, Charlie frowned as he sensed a strong hostility directed at him. Even so, he couldn't pinpoint the source due to the many eyes watching him.
There was nothing he could do about it; walking with Aiz inevitably attracted attention.
'Even though Loki doesn't know I kissed Aiz, I'm worried she'll soon hear about how close we are. Well, as long as Loki doesn't send a First-Class Adventurer to cause trouble for me, I'll be fine.'
Not wanting to stress over future problems, Charlie stopped thinking about it. He decided to leave the issue to his future self.
"Charlie, what's wrong?"
Aiz noticed Charlie daydreaming.
"Nothing, just thinking about something. Let's go."
"Mm."
Without asking further, Aiz nodded slightly and led Charlie to the pub she often visited with her Familia.
Neither of them noticed the lesbian Elf tailing them from behind.
❀❀❀
In a two-story stone building along Western Main Street, it was currently dinner time, and a large number of customers filled the place, enjoying the various dishes being served.
Hostess of Fertility was a famous pub popular among adventurers and the general public. Known for its diverse menu and offering a variety of fruit ales, the place had become a favorite for many.
Notably, all the maid were beautiful women!
The expensive food and drinks at Hostess of Fertility didn't deter the enthusiasm of male adventurers from flocking there.
*Ding-Ding*
A small bell rang, signaling that the door had opened. All the maid turned towards the sound and greeted the new arrivals in unison with cheerful smiles.
"Welcome!"
"Wow, the Sword Princess is here with a man, nyaa!"
The maid who called out was a Cat People with brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a green dress with puffed long sleeves and a white collar.
Upon seeing Aiz, the maid quickly recognized her. After all, Loki Familia was a regular customer. But what surprised them was that this was the first time Aiz had come alone and with an unfamiliar man.
The maid remembered all the important members of the Loki Familia. They could confirm that the handsome man dressed all in white was not a member of Loki Familia.
Then, a female Elf maid with green hair and blue eyes stepped forward and greeted Aiz and Charlie.
"Welcome to Hostess of Fertility. How many guests will we be serving today?" She asked politely while maintaining a neutral expression.
"Two people." Charlie answered lightly.
The Elf maid nodded and asked, "Would you like to dine on the terrace or at the counter?"
"Terrace." Aiz calmly replied.
Standing next to her, Charlie recalled that Hostess of Fertility was a pub often visited by the protagonist.
'If I'm not mistaken, there are no ordinary women working in this pub. They are former adventurers who retired for various personal reason.' He thought as he glanced at the maid busy at work.
"Please follow me."
The Elf maid then led them to an empty table on the terrace. After that, she handed them the menu.
"Here's the menu, and complimentary water will be served shortly."
She took a nearby wooden board that listed the 'Today's Special' written in white chalk.
"We also offer today's special, which consists of honey mustard fried chicken, fries, and lemon iced tea, all for just 699 valis."
The price of that meal set was equivalent to the cost of staying at a three-star inn for a night. For Low-Class Adventurers, dining at Hostess of Fertility was too expensive.
"In that case, I'll have that. How about you, Aiz?" Charlie asked.
"Mm. I'll have the same as you."
Aiz didn't even pick up the menu and kept her eyes on Charlie without looking away.
"Alright, please wait, your meal will be served shortly."
The Elf maid gave a small bow before continuing her duties.
"Hey, did you notice Aiz Wallenstein's behavior is different from usual?"
"I noticed it too. The Sword Princess keeps staring at that man as if he's the only one she sees."
"Don't tell me they..."
"Shhs... Don't talk nonsense! If Loki-sama hears you slandering the Sword Princess, you know what kind of retribution you'll face."
"Better not provoke her."
The people dining at Hostess of Fertility weren't short on money. In other words, they were High Class Adventurers.
Unless they were from a strong Familia, most Level 1 adventurers wouldn't spend their money at Hostess of Fertility just to eat.
So, all the customers recognized Aiz at a glance.
In fact, even the maid were secretly gossiping about this topic.
Who didn't know that Aiz Wallenstein had never had rumors of being close to any man?
Now, seeing Aiz having dinner alone with an unknown man, it sparked the interest of those present.
"..."
With so many people watching, Charlie was careful with his words, not wanting anyone to know he had kissed Aiz.
"Charlie, how did you become so strong?" Aiz asked with her eyes sparkling.