53 Unusual Lunch(2/2)

After eating the delicious lunch, Haru chose to do as Chloe told him, but just as he was looking at the exit, the door of the Hostess of Fertility opened.

"...You could have avoided raising a fuss over something so futile. He certainly didn't do it on purpose."

The voice that spoke had a calm tone, but at the same time, it was possible to glimpse anger. The familia she was from, was known as one of the most important in Orario, so it was more than obvious that the image of their familia deteriorated if someone like the man to whom the woman was referring didn't forgive even one matter of such little importance.

"...Why should I care? That weakling should've paid more attention to his surroundings!"

Saying these words, the grey-haired man looked elsewhere with his hands in his pockets, a clear sign of the anger he felt boiling in his mind.

At these words, the woman sighed.

"...You'll never change, will you?"

As these voices reached his ears, Haru was finally able to see the people to whom these voices belonged...

'..The Loki Famili--'

"T-The Loki Familia's members...are here!!"

Even before his thoughts could confirm his suspicions, Haru could see how the calm and quiet atmosphere changed in mere seconds. If before the people inside the pub were all minding their businesses, now everyone was looking in one direction. They were amazed that the members of the first familia in Orario, were here at an unusual time.

Although all the pub's eyes were on them, the members of the Loki familia accustomed to such fame, which is why none of them paid particular attention to the people in the pub, except two of them.

"..A-Ais-san! Please don't go ahead by yourself... y-you know this makes me uncomfortable!"

All members of the Loki familia knew how to handle fame...except one. Although she has been in the familia for almost 3 years, the latter wasn't used to the 'fame' her name had brought at all...

To her words, the... girl next to her didn't answer clearly, all she did was nod while her hair of a very intense golden colour moved in tune with the small movement.

While the woman who had previously scolded the man escorted the familia members to their seats with the help of a waitress, the two girls were the only ones who paid attention to the people watching them.

Among the many shocked people though, the girl with blond hair crossed her gaze with a guy of amber-coloured eyes. He was in no way different from the others. However, she felt he was by no means an average adventurer, which made her fighting instincts raise...

"...Ais-san! What are you doing? We're sitting now!"

Seeing that Ais had stopped to look at someone, the girl looked at the same spot where she was looking, but she did not think much of it. After a second, Ais closed her eyes, looking away from the guy who was staring back at her...

---

'... As they confirmed, this must be the Loki Familia members...I can understand why they brought so much uproar into the pub...'

Haru could see that the situation had not subsided at all, even when what appeared to be the captain of the Familia was taking their places. And Haru thought that was more than average given the intense pressure each of them was putting on the whole pub with their calm atmosphere, not worrying about the attention they gained at all. But after a while, Haru noticed two figures he remembered well, as one of the two played one of the roles in the show...

'..The golden-haired girl who appears right in the first few minutes of the show, the girl able to use an unusual power. The alias 'Sword Princess', there is no doubt this girl must be Ais Wallenstein...the person who is responsible for Bell Cranel's huge growth, the main source of its determination...'

The woman had a clear and 'pure' complexion, with eyes that expressed intense beauty just by looking at them. A tiny body, an expression that didn't show any emotion, the reason she is also known to be very similar to a doll. Finally, her light armour that gave a touch to her style that matched perfectly with the clothes she wore underneath...

'She seems a princess from one of these fairy tales. I can understand why men do like her.'

Although the flashy Sword Princess was a breathtaking beauty, Haru showed no expression of amazement. Although something so beautiful stood before him, he was not interested in this. The Loki familia was a type of familia that didn't accept 'weak' people like him, and if Bell Cranel had managed to get close to her thanks to 'fate', the same thing wouldn't happen to him, which is why their paths were destined to separate.

Yet, before he could look away, Haru was confused as she had laid her golden eyes on him, and she was not looking away for a second. It was different from the glances of an average person, that kind of look was telling him that at any moment, he would find the sword Ais wore at her hips on his neck, which made him swallow, and almost imperceptibly, his left hand was moving toward the sheath of his sword...

This feeling, however, faded away the moment she heard the voice of the girl who was before near her, with long blond hair, blue eyes and pointed ears, a clear sign of her being an Elf.

"...Ais-san! What are you doing? We're sitting now!"

Seeing the Sword Princess finally closing her eyes before heading to the table, Haru released the breath he was unconsciously holding. The pressure placed on him was so great the whole familia was now sitting at the table. Time seemed to have stopped in the face of such a danger, Even though it was over, it left him shivers running down his back.

'...I have to thank the Thousand Elf for saving me here, although I don't know why the Sword Princess seemed so eager to fight with me...'

His hand was trembling in fear. Although he didn't feel frightened by the presence of such danger, his body was, which made him close his hand in a fist. No matter why, the fact he wasn't able to react was more than natural, yet...

'...I think all she did was look at me defiantly, and yet it was enough to practically knock me out. Although I know that the difference in levels is high as Tsubaki showed me, it's still surprising.'

Glancing at the Sword Princess as she was talking with Lefiya, Haru sighed as he chose to get up to leave, as the day had already been full of problems for his taste...

---

"...Ais. What were you doing earlier?"

The woman with jade-coloured hair, who had previously reprimanded the man, asked this question intrigued by what had caught Ais' interest so much to stop her on her way. Of course, she could have found out on her own by paying attention, but since it didn't seem to be something important, she preferred she explained what happened.

"..I don't know."

Even though she stopped by herself, she didn't know exactly why she thought that boy was interesting. She still didn't understand what drove her so much to him, and although her interest had been captured, Ais still had enough common sense not to approach a stranger without hesitation.

At her words, the man who had spoken before interrupted their conversation.

"..What is so interesting about this pub that may catch the attention of someone like the Sword Princess? Nothing!"

At his words, the woman who had previously scolded the man took her staff with a gloomy expression.

"..That's enough, Bete. Be aware a punishment will await you the more you utter foolish words. I can tolerate your behaviour, but you're exaggerating."

She could let it go as long as it was trivial, but if he even began to belittle a place like the Hostess of Fertility, the image of their family would fall apart if someone listened to him uttering such non-sense.

At his words, the man recognized as Bete was forced to remain silent.

---

(3rd season of danmachi is finally out! The episode was wholesome AF, it made me want to let Haru interact with the Xenos more than I made him before, and since it doesn't change the 'flow' of the story that much, why not? Though there's a poll for it in the discord, choose wisely! My discord server:y8VBZAp)

(For the one who told me Haru is a simp on CH1, read this chapter <3)

(The anime failed us on Riveria's appearance, no cap)

(Chap is shorter than normal, as my WI-FI is still dead. It will probably be up by Monday...)