Meanwhile in the Alfheim Household

Alfheim Household...

Just a couple of hours before Ash's coincidental meeting with Freya...

"Hey Alfia, it says here that we need to mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt..."

Erethel and Alfia, both ladies were quite bored and tired binge-watching/reading romance and drama anime series and novels were currently busying themselves in the kitchen.

With nothing to do, they both agreed to practice their cooking skills in the... most natural way possible.

No Goddess powers, magic, and voodoo mumbo jumbo sort of things, just their own individual capability of cooking.

Alfia with the intention of learning how to become better at it in order to serve the Household better.... yes, just to serve them, nothing more;

While Erethel wants to take her first step to become and for once, experience the mundane life of a proper mundane housewife for her husband.

"Let me see..."

The silver-haired, busty... ish woman wearing her usual gothic-like, cleavage-revealing outfit but this time in blue and white colors named Alfia said and went close to Erethel's side.

They both were currently looking at a pancake recipe they found on the 'internet' using Erethel's magical screen... yes, and I'm pretty sure I don't have to explain how it became possible.

"And the next step would be to make a well in the center and pour in the cup of milk, a beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. And then mix until it smoothens... okay the-"

Said Alfia who has just finished reading the instructions and was about to do it herself but was interrupted by Erethel.

"Oh, let me do this one! Even with no powers or anything, it's not that hard even for me. What could possibly go wrong, right!?"

Erethel exclaimed very enthusiastically. She was actually quite having fun for once despite the act itself being too mundane and beyond her.

Alfia, seeing Erethel's vehement expression just stared at her for a moment, unable to properly come up with a perfect word to describe her behavior.

She could only show a deadpan expression on her face with thoughts running in her head...

'Honestly... whenever I see you like this, I would've actually forgotten the fact that you're over billions... trillions... whatever of years old Goddess.'

But upon seeing Alfia lost in her own thoughts and seeing her facial expression, Erethel suddenly spoke and as if reading her mind...

"Ara~ you're quite bold of thinking something rude about me, aren't you?"

As soon as Erethel's words reached her ears, Alfia's body jolted. She cleared her throat and hurriedly said...

"...It's just your imagination running wild... anyway, I'll just prepare the pan and the spatula that we're going to use..."

"... Humph!"

Erethel with a smug expression on her face just scorned the fleeing Alfia and continued to thoroughly mix the ingredients in the bowl in front of her.

---

A few moments later...

"Hmm~... Not bad... Not bad at all. Don't you think so, Alfia?"

Said Erethel, earning an exhausted nod from Alfia. Both ladies were currently leaning side by side on a couch in their living room, enjoying the fruit of their labor.

Of course, not the desired result they expected but edible and tasty enough to consume.

"But still... I can't believe it took us a number of tries to actually make a decent one."

Alfia couldn't help but sigh remembering it took them a fairly long time and a number of tries despite it not being that complicated.

The mental exhaustion she currently felt reflected on her facial expression.

"Yeah, we should've just stuck to the ingredients and followed the instructions to the T... Hmm~ I should make this when he gets home."

Erethel said to her while still savoring the taste of the plain and not-so impressively delicious pancake.

Alfia couldn't believe in herself upon hearing what Erethel just said. Her eyes darted towards the Goddess beside her with an accusing look only to morph into a deadpan expression...

"And who's fault was that?"

"Ara~... Indeed, you shouldn't have done more than what was said in the recipe..."

Erethel calmly retorted, her voice clearly indicating that she hadn't known what transpired and that she's passing the blame to Alfia, ignoring the look she's giving her.

"Oh, so you're passing the blame on me now? Unbelievable...Ugh..." Alfia could only groan in annoyance.

Truth be told, aside from them taking a very long time to have a success, they had also spent a large volume of ingredients just to finally, properly, and successfully make the pancakes... just the typical plain ol' pancakes.

It was due to Erethel, being overly enthusiastic that she tried to do an experiment and mixed whatever ingredient she could see and grab in front of her.

And even the ones that aren't really suited for making pancakes.

In the end, she sabotaged everything again and again that Alfia couldn't count how many times she tried doing everything from scratch just for Erethel to do the same thing again and again.

Just thinking about it, she couldn't help but flare up and say...

"You might've forgotten that you were the one who said 'Oh, Alfia let's mix this one and add more texture to the taste' but ended up ruining it so bad that I thought we're making poison..."

Alfia paused for a bit, huffing, while Erethel was just looking at her funnily without saying anything but was trying to contain her amusement and not to laugh...

"And then... who was the one that had gone crazy and said 'Let's add more sugar' but ended up adding like... a basin of salt instead. Ha~"

Alfia continued, pointing out how Erethel ruined their many attempts, and sighed in the end.

"Ma~ ma~ trivial matters are to be left behind and forgotten. Not be brought up again."

Erethel said to her with a sagely reply and continues to enjoy her pancake.

"And besides, you're exaggerating. It wasn't 'like a basin of salt', it was just a bit of it... Fufufu"

Erethel continued and then snapped her fingers to see what her husband was up to now.

Alfia, upon hearing what Erethel just said was about to retort when...

"Hoho?~ this is going to be interesting... Fufufu~"

She heard Erethel's playful voice beside her.

"Hey Alfia, here, take a look at this..."

Alfia turned towards Erethel with a curious face and saw her smiling and giggling at what she's seeing before turning her eyes to the screen in front of them.

Currently, it was showing how Ash has been in some alley within Orario which she herself recognized and saw that he bumped into a suspicious person covered in a hooded cloak from head to toes.

She turned her gaze back towards Erethel with a puzzled look and said...

"What's so interesting about him, bumping into someone who-"

She didn't finish her words when she saw that when Ash was about to walk away, that same person he accidentally bumped into seemed to call out to him once more and removed the hood.

"See? that's why I told you it's going to be interesting. Fufufu~"

"Tch! out of all people in Orario to bump into, she just has to be that one. Freya... that slutty Goddess..." complained Alfia before continuing...

"Aren't you... I don't know, bothered about it though? You know she coul-"

She paused again when she saw how Freya's purple eyes seemed to shine for quite some time while leaning on Ash's chest and caressing his cheek...

"There, see? She's trying to charm him!"

Further complained Alfia and from her tone, was almost having an outburst upon what she's seeing. Which was odd coming from her usual calm and collected character.

But of course, this odd behavior of her that she's currently displaying wasn't gone unnoticed by Erethel.

Her eyes seemed to shine and were smiling inwardly upon noticing it and realized something but decided to leave it for another time and did not bring it up for the time being, instead...

"Fufufu~ I know, and I can see that. But why should I be bothered?"

"He's your husband, right?"

"Yes, he is."

"Aren't you worried that she'll steal him from you?"

"Fufufu~ Oh please, she's welcome to try..."

Said Erethel, still responding playfully at Alfia while pointing back at the screen.

"And besides, I'm more beautiful than her... in every way."

---

Dungeon, Upper Floor 1...

It hasn't been long since Ash, Raul, and Lefiya entered the dungeon, and currently...

*Gree~* *Kreekeke~*

*Kreekeke~* *kree~*

The trio was immediately met with a group of six Goblins on the way.

Raul immediately draws his sword from its sheath and got into a stance while Lefiya was getting more and more anxious by the second and was shivering from fright, holding her wand tightly upfront.

While both of his companions were preparing themselves for the fight that's going to happen any second now, Ash stayed beside the shivering little elf and was scrutinizing the Goblins in front of them.

He seemed to notice that the Goblins in front of them are far more different from the ones he met on the surface outside Orario.

'Hmm... these ones are clearly bulkier and look fiercer than the ones that I've encountered before. Also, although they aren't carrying weapons, those long, thick, and sharp fingernails sure still are deadly.'

He thought and spoke to Wise inwardly to run the appraisal function of the system...

[*Appraising...

Species: Evolved Goblin

Level: 1

Dungeon Habitat: Upper Floor 1

Threat Level:

Extremely Dangerous for Level 1 and Low-Level 2 adventurers.*]

[*Appraising...

Species: Evolved Goblin

Level: 1

Dungeon Habitat: Upper Floor 1

Threat Level:

Extremely Dangerous for Level 1 and Low-Level 2 adventurers.*]

[*Appraising...

Species: Evolved Goblin

Level: 1

Dungeon Habitat: Upper Floor 1

Threat Level:

Extremely Dangerous for Level 1 and Low-Level 2 adventurers.*]

[*Appraising...

Species: Evolved Goblin

Level: 1

Dungeon Habitat: Upper Floor 1

Threat Level:

Extremely Dangerous for Level 1 and Low-Level 2 adventurers.*]

[*Appraising...*]

His eyes widened for a short while but immediately recovered. He was already certain about the difference from the usual ones he encountered previously.

'I would've probably get dismembered if these were the same Goblins I encountered in the Seolo Forest before.' he thought and spoke to the elf beside him a short while after...

"No wonder your Goddess forbade you guys from going to the Dungeon by yourselves alone, huh?"

"Y-y-yes..." said Lefiya while stuttering.

"Here they come! Lefiya, start chanting!"

Raul, on the vanguard, exclaimed when he noticed that the Goblins were ready to pounce on them. He then glanced back at Ash and said...

"Ash-san, please guard Lefiya for a while. I can keep them at bay for a while and we'll finish them with Lefiya's magic when she's done with her chant."

Ash, although a bit skeptical when he heard that Raul was intending to hold the Goblins off for a while couldn't help but ask...

"Are you sure?" he asked earning a nod from Raul.