Chapter 2: Labyrinth Nights: Navigating Familiarity in a Foreign World

Regardless of the strange gazes around him, Flon was so excited that he couldn't help himself.

Every building, every passer-by, and every scene in this city made him feel fresh, and the hustle and bustle of the crowd had an incredible power, making his mood transparent and his whole body comfortable.

Tightening the pack on his back, Flon followed the crowd down the street with excitement on his face.

This avenue that runs through the north gate to the Babel Tower has a very apt name, North Street.

According to the information in the memory of the previous life, there are a total of eight such streets in the whole city, corresponding to a certain direction.

The eight avenues neatly divide the circular city into eight areas like cutting a cake, and now Flon is in the northern part of the city.

While walking, he took out a precious parchment book from his pocket made of poor-quality leather and turned to a certain page to review the plan he had already made.

"First of all, I should find a hotel to stay in, and then inquire about all the news regarding the gods."

Yes, since Flon is a transmigrator, he will definitely choose the familia that will help him the most. Lets see,

First of all, Hestia Familia. Even though Bell turned out to be strong in the end, his innocence and Hestia's obsessive love for him? Nah, even though I belong to the big boob club, I can't deal with all the drama.

Also If he joined the Hestia Familia, then all the actions Bell did would also put him in the spotlight, which goes against Flon's plan of aiming for a low-key development. After all, he lacked that protagonist aura, and diving into the dangerous parts of the dungeon was like asking for trouble. So, Flon opted to steer clear and be the first to pass.

Moving on to the Freya Familia, the real power players in Orario, with the city's top dog, lv.7 powerhouse Ottar, who's seriously packing a punch.. However, the vibe in that familia isn't exactly friendly.

The headquarters, known as Folkvangr and situated in the southwest of the city, is where members tirelessly strive to win the favor of the goddess every day. Moreover, due to past experiences, these folks are seriously lacking in the love department, with the goddess serving as their sole source of solace. All the excessive sycophancy? It's just too much. If I can't handle it, I'm passing on this one.

Next in line is the Ishtar Familia, a bunch of Amazon warriors, and they've got dozens of lv.3 fighter whores, not to mention their dungeon conquests raking in the cash. What sets them apart? Well, they've got side hustles going on too. Joy Street over in the southeast? That's their stomping ground. Every night, they're pulling in a cool 40% of Orario's entire income. They're practically the rulers of the roost.

Moving on, there's the Hephaestus Familia, the heavyweight forging crew, the real local powerhouses. Hephaestus has it all – a flawless character, exceptional beauty, and forging skills that reach the "divine Realm." Money isn't a problem for them. Any magic sword comes with a million price tag, and the fancy ones cost tens of millions. 

Strength-wise, they're no slouch either. Dozens of blacksmiths rocking at least lv.3, and their team leader is a seasoned powerhouse among the first-level adventurers – a level 5 "Cyclops" named Tsubaki Collbrande.

Originally, this was the familia Flon wanted to join the most. But being the magic fanatic that he is, he reluctantly had to give it up.

Now, the Ganesha Familia, a squad of 11 lv.5 bigwigs, holds the power to lay down the law in the city. As the god of the masses, God Ganesha is as reliable as they come. But again, what Flon craves the most is magic.

Therefore, the Loki Familia, with the city's most powerful magician, is the best choice.

Of course, the benefits don't stop there.

Loki's Familia is highly united and boasts roughly 50/50 combat power compared to Freya's Familia, but the atmosphere is not as tense.

The entire family feels like a big family, and Loki gives off the vibe of a parent, silently watching behind the children as they pursue their ambitions and dreams.

Even an otaku like Flon doesn't feel uncomfortable.

The senior management is very concerned about the training of newcomers and juniors, which is highly suitable for his current situation.

In addition, dungeon exploration is also quite active, which is what he cares about the most.

Shaking his head, Flon looked up at the signboards of the back streets and alleys extending from the avenue. After spotting the sign for the Golden Wheat Ear Hotel, Flon turned in.

Although old but well-maintained, the front yard displayed the responsible attitude of the owner.

Such a hotel, even before entering the door, could make people feel good, and Flon was no exception.

Pushing open the wooden door of the hotel, he greeted the elf boss who was writing something behind the wooden bar.

"Hey, Boss!"

Hearing the greeting, the middle-aged elf with a well-groomed, staid look raised his head and glanced at Flon, then said in the stubborn tone unique to their race:

"900 valis per night, how long do you want to stay?"

"Well, that'll be for one night, sir!"

Handing over the few gold coins on his body, the corner of Flon's mouth twitched. The topic of money cannot be avoided in any world, and when he touched his empty wallet, he felt a headache.

"Your key, the innermost room on the third floor, don't lose it."

"I'm sorry to trouble you."

"Nothing."

Flon wanted to put the luggage in the room first and then go out to inquire about the news when he suddenly thought of something. He raised his eyes and asked softly:

"Well, boss. Do you know any taverns nearby? Well, the ones good for asking for information."

The man with the same expression seemed to be accustomed to this kind of question, and without raising his head, he pointed to the southwest direction:

"Fifth District, Flame Bee Pavilion."

"Thanks."

Stepping on the creaking wooden stairs, he came to the third floor to find his room.

Opening the door with the key, Flon gave it a random sweep. Very clean, sure enough.

After closing the door, he walked into the small space that was temporarily his own, and after putting the package on the only chair, Flon lay on his back on the bed, put his hands behind his head, and exhaled deeply.

The ten-day trip had left him extremely exhausted both physically and mentally. Not to mention the first few days of crossing over, in order to inquire about the news and confirm that the information had been saved by the occasional monster claws, which made him exhausted.

Now that he finally had a safe place to live, his heart, which had been beating non-stop since he walked into the city, gradually cooled down.

"Flame Bee Pavilion Tavern, it sounds familiar. Forget it, don't think about it, just take a rest and take a look."

Closing his eyes, Flon, who wanted to take a short nap before taking action, unknowingly fell asleep until the sun was setting and the moon was in the sky.

"..."

Staring blankly at the unique night view of the labyrinth city dotted with bustling magic stone lamps and the sky shrouded in a black veil, Flon smiled wryly.

"Was I out for too long or what?"

After wiping his face casually, re drying his boots, and tidying up his clothes, Flon put on his cloak and set off for his destination in the fifth district.

Orario at night is even more lively than during the day.

The adventurers who came back from the dungeon wanted to have a drink, and the merchants who wanted to get treasured magic stone craft products and entertain the main gods.

Blacksmiths, pharmacists, healers, bards, and whores - on this noisy and lively night, the unique atmosphere of the city brewed by the professions surrounding the dungeon made Flon completely immersed in this fascinating noise.

"Is it here?"

This is the bustling streets and alleys of the South District. This back street has signboards of taverns. Flon is now standing in front of the shop with the bright red bee signboard similar to the Familia badge.

Right by the Flame Bee Pavilion Tavern signboard, there's a warning in bold red ink: "Keep it together, no wild drinking allowed." Flon rolled his eyes at this, as if he hadn't seen it.

As an adventurer, isn't it commonplace to get into scuffles in taverns? It seems the boss is trying to squeeze some extra coin from the patrons; it must be so.

Nodding self-righteously, he stretched out his hand from inside the cloak, pushed the door open, and walked in.

"Wow!"

Suddenly, a lively atmosphere, akin to the sound of bees buzzing in a honeycomb, rushed over, making Flon experience the ambiance of a tavern in another world for the first time.