[FGO]: 20

The Hostess of Fertility has undergone an extensive renovation and is scheduled to reopen on the day of the Monster Festival. The reopening will feature a one-day trial operation in the newly constructed VIP building, Gudako, in the form of a banquet.

Almost all high-ranking organizations in Orario have received invitations. These include the adventurer factions led by Freya and Loki Familia, the Guild that represents the order of Orario, the presidents of major merchant associations, and others.

To understand when this so-called VIP building was erected, we need to start from the beginning. After Ryou handed over the billions of valis he had saved to Mama Mia, she quickly utilized her connections—gained from her previous status as the captain of Freya Familia and a top-tier adventurer—to purchase the land around the tavern.

She then commissioned a Familia specializing in construction to handle the expansion. Remarkably, they cleared and leveled the land, including The Hostess of Fertility, within just three days. Following this, they built the most crucial part of Ryou's blueprint—the VIP building Gudako—as well as a massive employee dormitory, all within a week.

It's worth noting that in Orario, having magic and gods skilled in construction makes things incredibly efficient. Otherwise, how could the Babel Tower, which soars several times higher than any Earth skyscraper, have been built?

Don't assume that this world is technologically inferior just because it seems to be in an ancient civilization. Some of its advanced technologies surpass Earth by hundreds of years. For instance, there are holy elixirs that can heal all wounds in a short time and weapons with an "unbreakable" attribute similar to Vibranium metal.

Thus, Ryou witnessed what could be called super demolition and rapid construction. The newly built VIP building stands six stories high, with most of its design coming from Ryou, an amateur. His insights, however, surpass this world's understanding.

Luckily, the professional construction team managed to turn his rudimentary sketches into a final product that closely matched his vision. The first-floor lobby was designed to be extremely luxurious, highlighting grandeur and elegance.

From the second floor upwards, it became a world expo: the second floor featured Gothic style, the third floor Greek stone carvings, the fourth floor an ice palace, the fifth floor a nature-themed area filled with various plants, and the top floor a blend of opulent and grand classical Japanese style.

Following the principle of doing the best, all decorations and materials used were of the highest quality. Fortunately, in this world, as long as magic isn't involved, prices are relatively cheaper.

Additionally, Ryou's plan included transforming all the acquired land into a complex similar to Loki Familia's castle, surrounded by tall and sturdy walls. This not only elevated the prestige but also significantly enhanced security, achieving a dual purpose.

Ryou's trial operation aims to lay the foundation for attracting high-end customers. For Orario, where commerce is still in its early stages, this unprecedented business model immediately drew a lot of attention. Especially after Freya and Loki Familia announced their participation in the trial operation's opening ceremony, Ryou and the Hostess of Fertility were thrust into the spotlight.

Thanks to Mama Mia's deep connections, most organizations chose to observe quietly from the shadows. However, many gods accepted the invitations privately.

Hearing this, Ryou secretly smirked. Indeed, even a pig would become wise after living for billions of years, let alone the gods who stand at the top of the world. Anyone who thinks gods are just pleasure-seeking fools is the real fool. Of course, this excludes a certain blue-ribbon-wearing goddess known for her cuteness.

It's worth mentioning that after Mama Mia announced the large expansion of the employee dormitory at Ryou's suggestion, many female staff members couldn't help but look at him with admiration and respect.

When a new dormitory, vastly larger than the old one, was built, Ryou felt as though he heard a system prompt in his mind. His influence and reputation with the Hostess of Fertility had reached the highest level.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the Monster Festival arrived.

On this day, the entire city of Orario seemed to be immersed in a sea of joy.

The buildings on both sides of the streets were adorned with various colorful ribbons. The number of food stalls had surged, and the number of people on the streets had also increased dramatically. Not only did most adventurers choose to take the day off, but even ordinary people put down their work to enjoy this moment of festivity.

The newly constructed Gudako also welcomed its first batch of guests.

The first to arrive was the Loki Familia. It seemed that the goddess Loki had plenty of free time, as she was always seen wandering around. Today, she was accompanied only by her favorite "Sword Princess," Ais.

Next to arrive was the elegantly dressed goddess Freya, but instead of her steadfast Ottar, she was accompanied by a white-haired boy.

It seemed there was a mutual understanding among the gods attending the ceremony—they all brought the member they favored most from their Familias.

When many gods saw Bell next to the goddess Freya, they looked surprised and some even started whispering in the corners. However, their discussions soon shifted to the unique decorations of Gudako and the clothing of the female staff.

Apart from the receptionists on the first floor, whose attire was solemn and resembled ancient priestesses, the outfits of the female staff on each floor were designed to match the respective themes. For example, the second floor's Gothic style had maids in unique maid outfits, the third floor's Greek temple featured classical Greek robes, the fourth floor's ice palace had fur clothing, and the top floor's Japanese style showcased figure-flattering kimonos.

Ryou chose to debut on the fifth floor, which was filled with a nature theme. The tables and chairs were either polished smooth from raw wood or were swings hung with evergreen vines, and the floor was covered with grass instead of carpet.

"Oh! If my Riveria were here, she would be delighted," the goddess Loki said as she swung on a swing, evaluating the surroundings.

"But Freya, your child seems quite nervous," Loki continued, using her signature squinting eyes to scrutinize Bell, who was standing behind Freya.

Bell, already somewhat timid by nature, felt extraordinarily nervous being stared at by so many people and gods, especially since it was his first time attending such a large banquet. Under Loki's gaze, he couldn't help but shiver. As for Ais, who stood behind Loki, she stared at Bell's back without any attempt to conceal it, as if trying to see something unusual.

"Ara~ Loki, don't be so mean and bully my child," the goddess Freya said, her eyes twinkling.

The goddess of beauty seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, having meticulously dressed up, and her extraordinary beauty attracted numerous admiring glances from the men around.

"Oh? Here comes the main event..."

Loki was about to say something when she suddenly opened her squinting eyes slightly and looked towards the kitchen.

A figure in a pristine chef's uniform appeared before everyone—it was the absolute star of today's event, Nguyen Ryou.

Because Loki's attention shifted to Ryou, she didn't notice the intense gaze from the goddess of beauty beside her, whose eyes seemed to emit a burning intensity as soon as Ryou appeared. The gaze was so scorching that Ryou, several meters away, felt as if he was being burned.

However, when he instinctively looked towards the source of the gaze, he saw the two major figures of Orario sitting there. Loki waved at him, while the silver-haired goddess beside her merely smiled reservedly.

Ryou smiled and nodded at them, casting aside his doubts.

The performance today was crucial for his future expansion plans and had to be flawless.

Ryou had prepared teppanyaki for the occasion. But not the kind where street vendors use a blackened iron plate to cook a random mix of ingredients with two spatulas. Instead, it was the high-end cuisine invented by the Spanish and spread worldwide.

The reason for choosing this dish was that teppanyaki is a high-end live-cooking method, allowing Ryou to showcase his skills while also highlighting the freshness of the ingredients.

The ten seats closest to the cooking station were naturally reserved for Orario's top figures.

Besides Loki and Freya, the Guild also sent a middle-aged half-elf in a tailcoat as their representative. Notable attendees included Hephaestus and Goibniu, who were instrumental in Orario's weapon forging and logistics. Although the Ganesha Familia was busy hosting the Monster Festival, nearly all the main gods of Orario's major Familias were present.

Boom!

A burst of flame shot into the sky.

With the ingredients ready and the preliminary preparations complete, Ryou first delivered a big surprise. After preheating, he threw a chunk of the finest butter onto the now red-hot iron plate. Instantly, flames roared and surged.

With a flick of his hand, a piece of translucent fish slid into the flames, and within seconds, the aroma of fish mixed with the butter wafted through the air...

Grilled Rok Fish!

Ryou then seemed to transform into a multi-armed deity, simultaneously cooking over a dozen different ingredients. There were the finest wild beef steaks from the polar highlands, colossal sea emperor crabs the size of washbasins from thousands of miles away, rare Yolan Bay oysters with an annual global yield of only a hundred tons, and even bioluminescent shrimp from the underground lakes on the 30th floor of the Dungeon.

All the finest ingredients this world had to offer.

Ryou's cooking style was also exceptionally bold, using an iron plate stove heated to its maximum with magic stones as fuel. The iron plate glowed red-hot, cooking the ingredients from raw to ready in just a few seconds—any slight misstep would turn them into charcoal. However, this high-temperature cooking show was incredibly captivating.

In the eyes of the gods, Ryou transformed into the most skilled flame magician, with fierce flames like dragons dancing at his command. Each ingredient was cooked to perfection, showcasing its unique qualities, and pushing the limits of teppanyaki chef skills.

Moreover, Ryou's efficiency was astounding, working at a pace ten times faster than ordinary chefs.

It's a pity this wasn't a world that revered gourmet food above all else, nor was there a complete rating system for dishes due to the average ancient-level technology. The gods evaluated a dish by comparing it to those made by culinary-skilled deities, roughly categorizing it as approaching, matching, or surpassing divine works.

Ryou's unprecedented cooking methods and extraordinary culinary skills completely impressed all the attending gods.

Titles such as "Flame Magician" and "King of Cuisine" began to circulate in Orario after the event.

If the gods knew that Ryou had held back, refraining from making dishes that could enhance attributes, one wonders what their reactions would be.

Nevertheless, Ryou's cuisine was still fervently celebrated, to the point of causing a frenzy. Initially, the gods maintained their decorum, but after tasting his food and drinking various specialty fruit wines, they abandoned all pretense and rushed forward. Even godly couples, in their eagerness to taste more of Ryou's dishes, completely ignored each other's feelings. Thus, a single banquet resulted in countless newly single gods!

A resounding success!

This first trial run exceeded Ryou's expectations, achieving tremendous success!

From today onwards, the names "Gudako" and "Gudao" will spread throughout all of Orario, and even the entire world!

After the banquet, one god after another approached Ryou to shake hands, either openly or subtly suggesting that he switch allegiances. Male gods were relatively restrained, with only a few exceptions. Most of them expressed their admiration for Ryou in a gentlemanly manner.

The goddesses, on the other hand, were far more aggressive, using their bodies as bargaining chips. They crowded around him, eager to press themselves close to him, giving him a taste of what it meant to be surrounded by beauty and indulgence.

Ryou couldn't help but wonder whether he was the one taking advantage or being taken advantage of.

Despite the notoriously chaotic private lives of many goddesses in Orario, their flawless appearances remained unblemished, making them ideal partners.

"Your skills are really impressive. I almost want to tie you to our Familia!" Loki, her face red from drinking, slapped Ryou's shoulder heartily, acting as if they were a close buddy. But when she leaned closer to him, her usual squinty-eyed expression turned sharp. She whispered in his ear, "We need to talk. Find time to visit our Familia..."

Her words were soon interrupted.

"That won't do, Loki. I have my eyes on this one too, and I won't let you have him." The stunningly beautiful goddess Freya, her cheeks flushed from either the wine or the excitement of Ryou's food, added another layer of allure with her rosy blush.

"Thank you for the feast~ It was truly delicious~" Freya said, unconsciously licking her enticing red lips. Her seductive gesture made Ryou instinctively bow slightly, while internally he was frantically complaining. (Little Soldier get down!)

Goddess, please don't make such misleading gestures. We're friends, after all. This makes it look like I've taken advantage of you.

Outwardly, Ryou maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, humbly lifting Freya's delicate hand and giving it a light kiss. "It is my utmost honor to receive your praise, Lady Freya."

"Ah! That's not fair, I'm a goddess too! Why don't you treat me like that?" Loki shouted from the side.

Ryou couldn't help but roll his eyes internally. Do you have no self-awareness about your looks?

"It's a pity, but we must go. Bell, let's leave." Freya, maintaining her graceful demeanor, smiled at Ryou and called for Bell.

No one noticed that as Ryou performed the hand-kissing gesture, Freya's legs involuntarily squeezed together under her gown...

"Yes, Lady Freya!"

A blushing Bell quickly ran over.

For the goddesses, someone with Bell's submissive face was especially beloved. Combined with the effects of alcohol, the goddesses were even more uninhibited. If not for Bell being under Freya's protection, he would have been thoroughly taken advantage of, rather than just verbally teased.

As he passed by Ryou, Bell bowed deeply as usual. "Mr. Gudao, see you next time!"

"Well then, we should go too. Ais-chan~"

Loki hurriedly called out. But Ais, who was engrossed in eating a small plate of Ryou's special red bean cream pudding, seemed reluctant to leave.

Ais' obsession with becoming stronger had turned into an almost demonic fixation.

Stare~

Since Ryou appeared, her gaze had shifted from Bell to Ryou, especially his back, as if wanting to burn a hole through it with her eyes.

Seeing no other option, Loki whispered something in Ais's ear.

Ais's eyes suddenly lit up, and she quickly nodded, obediently following Loki.

Perhaps because Ryou was present, a certain infatuated goddess didn't release any monsters to cause trouble.

Thus, the Monster Festival hosted by Ganesha outside also concluded successfully.

It seemed that everything in Orario had returned to a peaceful and harmonious track.

Only those with a keen eye know how turbulent the hidden shadows truly are.

The "Gudako" banquet lasted from noon until seven in the evening. Afterward, to reward the exhausted waitresses, Ryou personally prepared a teppanyaki feast for them of equal caliber. As a result, the waitresses, who already held him in high regard, were utterly smitten. Many of them became his ardent admirers.

Among them, the most exaggerated reactions came from the catgirls Chloe and Anya. They seemed completely captivated by Ryou's various seafood dishes. With some alcohol in the mix, they clung to him like octopuses.

Even Ryuu, after being served a special vegan lemon herb tofu steak, greatly changed her attitude towards him. Her disdain seemed to have upgraded to mere indifference.

As for Syr and Hestia, they were both fiercely jealous, bickering over Ryou.

However, Hestia, the adorable one, was no match for the cunning Syr, who toyed with her effortlessly.

...

Late at night, the Loki Familia's castle welcomed a guest. In the castle's reception hall, the Familia's goddess Loki and Captain Finn were hosting this guest.

"You arrived quickly," Loki said, sitting cross-legged on the sofa like a man.

Ryou, seated across the table, raised an eyebrow slightly. "Swift action is my principle. So, what business does the renowned Loki Familia have with me?"

Ryou's straightforward approach and direct entry into the topic made Loki and Finn exchange glances.

Finn then smiled and said, "Actually, I was the one who called you."

Ryou opened one hand, gesturing for him to continue.

"I wonder if Mr. Gudao is interested in participating in the next expedition of the Loki Familia."

Since Ryou cut to the chase, Finn didn't beat around the bush either.

Little did Finn know, Ryou simply didn't want to waste brainpower on verbal sparring with these negotiation experts.

If action can be taken, words are unnecessary.

This has always been Ryou's life principle.

"To be honest, being part of a Loki Familia expedition is an honor that would drive many people crazy."

Ryou's praise brought a modest and gentle smile to Finn's face.

At that moment, Ryou didn't see Finn's childlike appearance but rather the face of a shrewd and cunning middle-aged politician in his forties or fifties.

"You flatter me."

"But what does that have to do with me?"

Ryou spread his hands.

"I'm only interested in benefits. And I believe that only with mutual benefits can two parties with no trust bind closely together. What do you think, Captain Finn?"

Such bluntness made Finn a bit uncomfortable, as he was more accustomed to engaging in verbal duels to secure every bit of interest.

Now, Ryou's clear stance of not acting without benefits left Finn somewhat at a loss.

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