Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

At a cafe located outside of the Guild of Orario, a beautiful woman sat staring aimlessly as adventurers went about their business. Seated across from her was a handsome gentleman with a fervent expression as he made an earnest effort to try and earn her attention.The woman sighed in her mind. Listening to the feeble attempts of the fool across from her, she began to wonder why she had allowed him to accompany her in the first place. As a God, his looks were pleasing to the eye, but after a time she had grown bored with his company.As the fool drolled on endlessly, she continued to stare at the various adventures. It had become a past time of hers to seek out those with talent, and she often spent her free time observing any newcomers entering and exiting the establishment. Unlike the seemingly unchanging Gods she often associated with, she had gained an appreciation for the seemingly endless variations of mortals. To her, they were the only excitement in the perpetuity of her life. She especially liked those with unique souls harboring untold potential for growth.She grew progressively more dissatisfied with the company of her fellow God and began to ignore him entirely. Just as she was about to dismiss him and conclude her hobby for the day, she noticed a peculiarity within the flow of people. There stood a young boy, garbed in black attire from head to toe. Compared the vibrancy of the rest of the crowd, he stood out as he began moving further down the street almost as if opposing the flow of everyone else. Ordinarily, she would dismiss his existence as a mild anomaly that lacked tact and common sense, but for reasons uncertain, she continued to follow the boy with her eyes.Sensing the change in atmosphere, the male God followed the sight of the Goddess he was trying to woo. There he observed an unkempt boy barely considered a young man. The boy was garbed in a black tunic that seemed to absorb the light, whereas the rest of his clothing was simply tacky and soiled.Testing the waters he looked towards the Goddess and spoke. "He his dressed rather...interestingly, isn't he? I wonder how he can walk so calmly through the crowd dressed in such a foolish outfit. Maybe he is trying to become a clown?" he laughed at his own joke.Hearing the abrasive sound, the female Goddess flinched before scornfully turning towards the foolish God."You may leave. I've grown bored with your company. Perhaps you should consider evaluating yourself before you so carelessly speak of others."Angered by the admonishment he experienced, the God stood up before lashing out. "Freya, don't think you're so much better than everyone else just because your Familia is a little bit bigger. We don't all have the same 'benefits' to provide our children."A gleam passed through the eyes of Freya as she sized up the insect in front of her. "Oh? You make it sound like you weren't wishing to enjoy those same 'benefits'. You must feel so inferior that mortals are able to experience something you'll never be able to obtain.""Y-y-you! How dare you insult me in such a manner!?" he shouted.Freya looked directly into his eyes and waited for several breaths before speaking. "Do you perhaps wish for a 'War'?"The male God immediately stopped any words that were able to leave his throat. He stared into the eyes of Freya and saw the seriousness contained within. With cold sweat dripping down his back, he bowed slightly towards her in his most gentlemanly manner."I spoke out of turn. If you'll please excuse me, I have other matters to attend." Without waiting for her response he immediately left the private booth, desperate to escape the pressure of the gaze at his back.Freya continued to watch as he exited the room. She made a special note to have Ottarl disappear some of the foolish Gods' children in the near future.Turning towards the window, she looked for the silhouette of the boy that had caught her eye. After about two minutes she eventually gave up and prepared to leave for the day. She was unable to understand just what had caught her eye about the abnormal child but decided that if they crossed paths in the future she would be certain to discover the reason.Meanwhile, Vahn continued his journey towards the tower of Babel. After about twenty minutes he had arrived in an area that seemed to double as both residential area and marketplace. Considering it would be beneficial to live in an area with readily available commodities that was also in close proximity to the Guild, Vahn decided to enter a nearby Inn called 'The Hearths Embrace'.Entering the Inn, Vahn caught the attention of a uniformed girl who seemed to be around 10 years old. She had chestnut brown hair split into two lively pigtails. Her most notable feature was the cat ears that danced playfully on the top of her head. The ears accented the relatively plain facial features of the girl who still had a bit of baby fat in her cheeks.The girl looked towards Vahn with her large golden eyes and shouted, "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeelcome~! Would you like to stay the nya-ight~? Or would you like to order some food~nya?"Vahn was completely at a loss as he stared directly at the twitching ears on the girls head. Though he knew of their existence and had even seen a girl with rabbit ears from a distance, he was caught off guard by the overwhelming presence of the girl before him. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the ears....("Ah, they twitched!")The girl began to back away under the gaze of the boy in front of her. Though she didn't sense any danger coming from the look, it still made her rather uncomfortable."Mooooooooooooom, there is a customer that needs you~nya!" She shouted before running into the back room.Vahn watched as the girl turned away, and turned his eyes downwards. As he had expected, once the girl turned away she was chased by a tail that poked through a ribbon near the waist of her uniform. As he watched the girl disappear into the back room, he couldn't help but marvel at the existence of cat ears and tail in reality. He was very curious how they were attached, and if the girl had stayed any longer he might have asked.Moments later a much larger version of the girl entered through the door. They shared many of the same features, but the woman before him was far more mature. She stood around 1.7 meters tall and had a very athletic looking figure that was noticeable even through the maid-like blue uniform she was wearing. Vahn let his eyes wander over the woman before turning his attention towards her chest, where some modest sized breasts could be seen.He briefly stared for a few moments before fixing his gaze towards the head of the mature Cat Person to observe her ears. In the process, he also noticed that the aura emitting from her body was a mixture of oranges and reds that appeared very similar to a weak flame. Though he was unaware of what each color meant, he could determine she was likely angry from how the 'flame' flickered back and forth.After her daughter, Tina had informed her of the arrival of a strange man, the woman, Milan Yuel, exited the kitchen. The moment she stepped through the door, she could feel the wandering gaze from the young man in front of her. As a woman and proprietor of an Inn, she was very sensitive to the gazes of others. She noticed the boy had a look on intrigue on his face and dismissed the thought of lecturing him, at least until his eyes had landed on her breasts...She began to get angry at the boy who continued to hold his gaze for a few moments before looking towards the top of her head. ('Is he looking at my ears?') she wondered. As that thought passed her mind, she noticed that the moment his gaze fixed on her ears his expression froze and he began to look a little apologetic?Out of curiosity, she spoke towards the young man. "What brings you to my Inn young man?"Vahn noticed that the flame-like aura had begun to fade and looked into the eyes of the woman who had just addressed him. "Please forgive my intrusion, Ma'am. I had just entered the City today and was looking for a place to room for several days. Your Inn caught my attention as it seems to be in a very convenient location."Milan looked towards the boy and re-evaluated him. He definitely had the looks of a traveler but wasn't sure he would be able to afford room and board given the quality of his clothing. "Is that so? Well, rooms are 2100 Valis a night with an additional 400 Valis for meals and water. You can choose to eat at the bar or have the food placed within the compartment near your room if you prefer."Vahn nodded before asking, "Is it alright to pay for just the room? I have my own plans for food and water.""Aye, but make sure you don't bring outside food into the Inn during meal times. It's bad for business if other customers start getting similar thoughts." Milan nodded at the boys' question and assumed he wouldn't have any difficulties paying given his leisurely expression. "How many nights would you like to stay? We give a 10% discount if you book more than a week at a time."Vahn noted that with the 10% discount he would have just enough to be able to pay for an entire week in advance. He began to marvel at the apparent foresight of 'The Path'. He wasn't worried about spending all his money either since he would be able to earn more than enough once he entered the dungeon."I would like to book a room for one week, Ma'am." He handed over the entire sack of coins he had received from the Guild.After confirming the amount and issuing his change, Milan looked towards the boy who kept sneaking glances at her ear and tail. She checked the logbook that he had just signed before asking, "Tell me Vahn Mason, have you never seen a Cat Person before?"Vahn was surprised at the question and didn't know what to say. He thought for a few moments before responding, "Yes Ma'am. I lived in the forest with my Grandfather and had only ever interacted with humans before today."Judging by the honest expression on the boy's face, Milan nodded in understanding. "I see, I see. I'll let it slide for today, but you'd do well to remember it's very impolite to stare at a lady without permission. You about scared my daughter half to death, she almost thought you were going to eat her up!" Milan laughed as she watched the boys' expression become increasingly flustered.Vahn bowed his head and offered his most sincere apology while the mature woman before him simply laughed. Confused, he turned towards her just as she covered her mouth and continued to giggle for a moment. He noticed that the aura around her body had turned into a yellow color with a tinge of sky blue along the edges.("I really wish I knew what these colors meant. I can kind of understand that darker colors mean the person doesn't like me, but what does yellow and sky blue mean?") Vahn couldn't help but wonder as a bold thought crossed his mind."Excuse me Mrs...umm....""Milan Yuel. I'm the Proprietress of this here establishment." Milan could see the apprehension in his body, but the curiosity within his eyes didn't escape her attention."Mrs. Yuel, I know it may not be appropriate to ask, but could I...um...touch your ears?" Though he wasn't aware of the reason, Vahn became progressively more nervous with each word. He could also see the aura around Milan fluctuate slightly as the yellow color became more prominent."Ara~ Sure, but only one touch. Any more than that and I might hold you responsible~nya." Milan was very amused with how Vahn was acting and couldn't help but tease him a bit.Though he wasn't sure what she meant by holding him responsible, he understood it was something very dangerous. Overcoming his fear he stretched out his hand while Milan leaned forward slightly with a sly grin on her face. As his hand came into contact with the ear, his body jumped when the ear spontaneously twitched.He began to reach out again before Milan interrupted him, "Ara~ Didn't I say just one touch? Fufufu~." She squinted her eyes while looking at his outstretched hand.Vahn quickly pulled back his hand and apologized."Fufufu~ It's quite alright Vahn. Here is your key, you'll find your room on the second floor towards the far end on the right. Make sure you don't lose your key or else there is a fee to replace it and the lock~." Satisfied with the boys' response, she sent him on his way with a grin and wave.Vahn quickly entered the stairwell and made his way towards the second floor. He couldn't help but feel like he had been messed with, but wasn't sure what to do about it. Fortunately, he was able to succeed in his plan during the brief moment of contact.'View Affection: Milan Yuel {[Affection: 53[Amicable], Intrigue:59[Playful]}Uncertain of the meaning behind the numbers or how they related to the colors, Vahn finally found his room. He unlocked the door and took a look around the place he would be staying for the foreseeable future. Though the room was much smaller than his cave, it was still around 50 meters squared and contained a large single bed, writing desk with lamp, and a small separate area for bathing.Vahn laid in his bed and enjoyed the warm atmosphere that permeated throughout the room. Even though his cave wasn't cold, there was something fulfilling about living in a room that has been prepared and tended to by other people.It had been a long day, so Vahn decided to take a short nap before heading out for dinner. There was a specific place that was often shown in the manga he wanted to visit, but for now, he was just happy to have a place to live that was surrounded by interesting people.He began to look towards the future as he slowly fell asleep...//Milan Yuel: Affection + 1//With that notification sounding in his head Vahn lost consciousness.

After resting for a few hours Vahn awoke to the sound of another notification within his mind.//Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1//Confused, Vahn called up the system log to see what happened while he was asleep.//System Log////Milan Yuel: Affection +1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue +1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1////Milan Yuel: Intrigue - 1//("This must be the extra details Sis talked about when I touched the aura of someone using 'View Affection'. It seems to show me whenever the values change. But why would they change when I'm nowhere near them?")(*The reason is simple Vahn. Imagine if you were really angry at someone, but then they left for an extended period of time. Your anger would diminish over time, and if they were gone long enough it may cease entirely.*)Vahn had a small epiphany after listening to Sis's explanation. ("So you're saying that peoples thoughts and feelings change based on exposure, time, and other factors?")(*Yes, but you should keep in mind that everyone is unique. Different people may respond in unexpected ways, and time may even enhance certain emotions.*)He could understand what she meant. Even though he had never had the opportunity to spend time with his Mother, his affection for her had only grown with time. Other than experiencing everything the 'records' had to offer, it was the primary force driving him forward.*sounds of stomach-sama demanding your attention*Hearing the protest of his stomach Vahn quickly left the room, making sure to lock the door on his way out. Though he hadn't left any valuables inside, he actually enjoyed the thought of locking away his own little personal space that nobody had free access to.On his way down he came across the small girl who was shuffling between several tables serving food to the other guests. Noticing his appearance, she immediately began to back away before saying, "My mother said you were a guest~nya. And to make sure not to let you touch my ears or tail~nya."Hearing what the girl said, the surrounding customers all burst out laughing."Hahahaha, you tell 'im lass. Don't be gettin' handsy now y'hear!" said one man with a deep baritone voice."Aye, you tell 'im Jim! Keep yer filthy mitts off our lit'le Tina!" shouted his companion while raising a flagon of ale.Vahn didn't know what to say in response to the ruckus of the crowd. He looked helplessly at the young girl that seemed to be terrified of him and noticed her aura was a wispy purple color. Though he wanted to 'touch' her and see her values, he assumed it would probably make the situation worse.Giving up, he waved towards the Proprietress who seemed to be enjoying his misery and left the Inn.//Milan Yuel: Intrigue + 5////Milan Yuel: Affection + 2//The moment the notification sounded, he almost tripped which caused another round of laughter to erupt behind him.//Milan Yuel: Affection + 1//He quickly left the area before asking a passerby for directions. Tonight he had decided to visit one of the more popular places in the manga, the 'Hostess of Fertility'. That was where Bell had met the silver-haired beauty Syr Flova and was also the workplace of Ryuu Lion who was one of his favorite characters. He wasn't sure if they were working there yet, but it would still be worth it to visit. He remembered it being one of the most famous places in the City due to its all-women staff and incredible food.After nearly half an hour traveling by foot, Vahn finally arrived at the 'Hostess of Fertility'. It boasted a size similar to the Guild office, and also had three floors that seemed capable of housing hundreds of guests with ease. Vahn could smell a captivating aroma escaping the slightly ajar double-doors. It was the first time in both his lives that the simple smell of food was able to dominate his senses.*the sound of Cthulhu awakening from its thousand year slumber (A/N: This is his stomach*With a rising anticipation, he entered through the doors and was immediately welcomed."Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility~nya. Will you be dining in tonight~?"Vahn looked towards the voice and saw a black-haired Cat Person with green eyes smiling at him with a dangerous look in her eyes. She seemed rather petite at 158cm but was still slightly taller than he was. Her aura was a mixture of yellow surrounded by an almost illusory pink. (A/N: I switched to cm by suggestion, since not a lot of people liked meters for height. BTW, Vahn is 150cm tall right now~)"Nyaa~? It's not nice to stare Mr. Customer~" She seemed to be admonishing him, but the smile on her face grew to the point it reached her eyes causing her to squint slightly.Snapping out of his stupor, Vahn gave a polite nod before saying, "Sorry about that miss. And yes, I'd like to dine-in tonight. I've heard great things about this restaurant and had to experience it for myself."While guiding him towards an area near the bar she couldn't help but ask, "What great things have you heard~nya?"Without thinking about his response, Vahn replied, "They say this place has cute women and great food." Immediately after the words left his mouth, he felt a slight shiver down his spine."Cute women~nya? Does that include me?" She gave him her most playful look as she put her finger to her chin and tilted her head.Vahn didn't know why, but he felt a sense of danger in the look as he noticed the aura around her become a deeper shade.Swallowing his saliva he responded with a smile, "O-of course."Hearing his response, the Cat Person leaned towards him with a seemingly malicious grin. "Oh, and what part of me is cute~nya?" She couldn't help but tease the young boy further.Thoughts rapidly spun through Vahn's mind as she inched closer and closer towards his face. When she was less than a foot from him, he blurted out the first thing that he could think of. "Your hair and ears are definitely very cute!"The woman seemed to freeze slightly and Vahn noticed the ears on her head begin to noticeably twitch. The aura emitting from her body began to fluctuate slightly. Thinking he may have offended her, he was preparing his apology when she suddenly interrupted him."My name is Chloe Lolo, what is your name~nya?"Vahn noticed her eyes seemed to shimmer with an 'evil' light and felt compelled to answer. "My name? Vahn Mason?""Vahn Mason~? How old are you Vahn~?" Based on her demeanor, she almost seemed to be interrogating him.As he prepared his answer, another voice cut in from across the bar. "Chloe, you're terrifying the poor boy. Take his order and get back to work, or I'll find someone else to take care of him!"After the voice sounded, Chloe assumed a more professional stance and bowed slightly towards Vahn. "Forgive me~nya. I didn't mean to pressure you, I just couldn't help myself~nya."Unsure of what had just happened, Vahn nodded slightly before giving his order to Chloe. As she passed by to submit the order to the kitchen, she made sure to swipe her tail secretly across his hand.Feeling the unexpectedly soft touch, Vahn looked in her direction and saw her give a wink before turning away.//Chloe Lolo: Affection + 7////Chloe Lolo: Intrigue + 11//As he heard the notifications within his mind, Vahn couldn't help but feel like he was navigating through a minefield and had forgotten the layout.The woman who had spoken out earlier to admonish Chloe saw his expression and walked over."Don't let her get to you kid. She gets that way sometimes when dealing with some of the younger boys. You need to learn to have a little backbone or someone will walk all over you in the future."Vahn nodded his head and looked towards her as she went about serving the customers at the bar. Though she looked a bit different from the manga, he was able to easily determine her identity. She was Mia Grande, the Proprietress of the 'Hostess of Fertility'. She was around 180cm tall and had filled out in various areas due to her age. She had brown hair and eyes that both seemed to glisten in the taverns' light. Though Vahn knew she was pushing into her 50s, she still maintained a youthful vigor likely due to her secret as being one of the few Level 6s in the City.While he was waiting for his food he began to look around to see if he could recognize anyone else. Though he wasn't able to see the appearance of Syr or Ryuu, he did spot Anya Fromel and Lunoire Faust. They were both going around in their waitress attire and Vahn couldn't help but smile seeing their interactions with other customers."Enjoying the sight~nya?""Mmm." Vahn nodded his head in response before jolting his body and turning towards the voice.Chloe was standing there with his food and had been observing him as he looked around the pub. Though she found it amusing at first, she couldn't help but get annoyed when he hadn't noticed her presence for such a long period of time. Seeing that Mama Mia was busy with other customers, she decided to 'punish' Vahn for ignoring her.Placing his food on the bar, she sat down on the stool immediately to his left which was a slight blind spot unless Mama Mia looked directly over here. She turned towards Vahn with a big grin before gesturing at his plate."Go ahead~. Eat up~nya."Feeling the hair on the back of his neck rise, Vahn smiled as he picked up the fork and looked at his plate. Though the meal looked unlike any he had previously seen, he couldn't help but feel like he was about to eat his last meal...Slowly spooling the noodles called spaghetti, Vahn began to bring it to his mouth only to stop once his nose had caught the smell of the dish. Releasing all his previous anxiety, he couldn't help but close his eyes and inhale deeply the rich aromatic fragrance. After several long breaths, Vahn finally put the food into his mouth as he was assaulted by the vibrant array of herbs and spices.It almost felt like his soul was leaving his body and he was about to transmigrate to another world. He savored every single instance as he slowly chewed the richly textured noodles and perfectly spiced meat sauce. Before this moment, he didn't even know food could taste so good. In his previous life, he was fed almost exclusively vitamin supplements and nutrient cocktails. Ever since coming to this world he had the opportunity to sample various wild fruits and vegetables as well as wild game. He had mistakenly assumed the bland taste of the meat he roasted was something high-class since it tasted so much better than what he had back in the labs..."Ano~ Why are you crying~nya? Did I go too far?"Hearing a voice of concern, Vahn looked towards Chloe and saw an apologetic expression on her face as she stared at him. Reaching his free hand to his face, he noticed he was actually crying over the taste of the food.Embarrassed, he could help but look away as he said, "No, it's not your fault. The food was just so good that I..."Sighing in relief, Chloe noticed that Mama Mia had been looking in this direction and panicked slightly. Instead of saying anything, Mia just gave a subtle thumbs up and then indicated for her to return to work.Vahn continued to eat after Chloe left and even took the opportunity to order seconds. After finishing the second plate and paying his tab, he got ready to leave. On his way out Chloe personally sent him out and got him to promise to come back when she was on her shift.On his way home he seemed to remember the notifications from earlier and decided to see the affection values for Chloe.'View Affection: Chloe Lolo {[Affection: 64[Interested], Intrigue:71[Desire to Pet]}Seeing the value for Intrigue, Vahn couldn't help but feel a cold sweat for what seemed like the 10th time this evening. What does it mean 'Desire to Pet'!?Lamenting at the implications, Vahn returned to his room and passed out in exhaustion.

As he made his way towards the tower, Vahn continued to look around at the various comings and goings of people on the street. He noticed that even though everyone had unique outfits and appearances, nobody stood out quite as much as he did. It was rather ironic that clothing meant to enhance stealth now made him appear like a sore thumb as he moved along drawing the eyes of several curious pedestrians.After about an hour Vahn noticed a building that had dozens of people coming and going in groups of differing sizes. The building had an aged but regal look. From what he could see there were three floors and the design of the architecture made it stand out from all the surrounding buildings. After observing the building, he didn't see any posted signs indicating what the building contained so Vahn let his curiosity get the better of him and decided to enter.Once he entered the building he immediately knew where he was. It seems entering from the northwestern gate was the correct decision, as it put him on the same route where the Guild was located. Vahn couldn't help but sigh at how 'The Path' always seemed to take his future actions into consideration. Following the map directly from his cave ended up putting him in the same trajectory as the Guild if he were to try and approach the tower when entering the city.Vahn looked around to see if he could recognize any of the characters from the show. He remembered the two girls Eina and Misha as they were noteworthy characters within the manga and thought it would be interesting to meet them in real life."Excuse me, Sir, may I help you find something?" spoke a sonorous voice from behind Vahn.Vahn turned towards the source and saw a mature lady with lilac-colored hair and pale green eyes. She looked only a few years older than Vahn, but she carried herself a lot like Dr. Keenly from his previous life which caused Vahn to grimace slightly. The most notable thing that caught his eye was the fluctuation of her aura which seemed to change back and forth between transparent and a dull grey color.Noticing the change in the boys' expression the Receptionist, Fauna Vestille, couldn't help but feel a twitch in her eye. She had taken the initiative to approach this vagrant child in front of her in accordance. Yes, she probably would have overlooked him outside of work, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed with his the boy seemed to observe her body with a frown on his face.Trying to keep her cool she continued to perform her duties, "This...Sir. Is this your first time at the Guild?"Vahn realized the woman must be one of the guild employees, and seeing the black pantsuit that seemed to match everyone behind the counter he couldn't help but feel apologetic for worsening her mood."I'm sorry, and yes, this is my first time in the Guild and I'd like to register as an Adventurer."Fauna was a bit surprised with how polite the boy was, especially since he had so rudely stared at her body previously. She decided he was likely not used to interacting with girls and believed her charm was the reason for the slip in his expression.Smiling at the thought, she turned to the boy. "Welcome to the Orario Guild Main Office. My name is Fauna, may I ask for your name young sir?"Vahn was able to see a drastic change in the aura emitted by the woman who had introduced herself as Fauna. Though transparent, it now had a vague mellow color similar to sunlight. With a smile on his face, he decided to introduce himself as well."Hello, Ms. Fauna. My name is Vahn Mason."Fauna giggled a bit at how quickly the boy named Vahn's expression changed. It was very subtle, but due to her profession, she could easily distinguish what the boy was thinking based on the small changes in his facial features. It would seem this unkept child was taught proper manners, and she shouldn't have snuck up behind him thinking he was a vagrant that had wandered in."It's nice to meet you Vahn. You can find the desk for Adventurer registration over there, near that blond haired woman wearing glasses."Vahn followed the direction she was pointing at and saw a petite girl with blonde hair standing behind a desk. Thanking the Receptionist, Fauna, Vahn made his way towards the desk with a bit of excitement apparent on his face.As she watched him walk away like an expectant child, Fauna couldn't help but giggle with how interesting the boy acted despite his appearance. She began to wonder if maybe she should lecture him on how he should dress if she got the opportunity in the future. The boy had deep aquamarine eyes, dark hair, and handsome facial features. She believed with a proper haircut and decent attire he would be quite the lady-killer when he grows up.Unaware of the ripples he had set in motion, Vahn approached the registration desk and gave his best smile towards the girl that had noticed his arrival."Good afternoon, my name is Vahn Mason. I would like to register as an Adventurer!" After observing the change in Fauna after he had smiled, Vahn determined it would be a good tactic to improve the impression he made on people.The young girl seemed to be startled by the exclamation of the boy in front of her. She had expected as much since she had seen him talking to Fauna as the later pointed towards her direction, but she hadn't anticipated the excitement of the boy who she initially thought had a rather solemn air."G-greetings Vahn, my name is Millie Strauss. May I ask what level you are and which Familia you belong to?"After his introduction, Vahn noticed the aura around the girl had turned blue and began to flicker slightly. He was unsure of what he had done to bring about the change and stood there blankly for a moment before responding."Ahh, I'm Level 1 and I don't belong to a Familia yet," he said with a sorry expression on his face.Millie was surprised with his sudden change in character. For a moment she even felt as though she should apologize, but decided against it for the time being."You may be unaware, but the Guild only really accepts people that have been registered to a Familia. Since we wouldn't be able to maintain liability for all the free adventurers moving in and out of the Dungeon, we only accept those that can be held accountable to the various Gods that reside within the City."Vahn was surprised as he didn't recall that type of detail from the Manga. He knew it wouldn't be easy to join a Familia with his current strength, and without becoming an Adventurer it would be very difficult to make money in the future.Seeing the dejected look on Vahn's face, Millie decided to try and cheer him up by offering some advice. "If you'd like, I can arrange for you to meet some of the Familia that are recruiting. You also have the option of becoming a freelance dungeoneer and delving into the upper levels to improve your strength if there is a particular Familia that interests you."After hearing what she had just said, Vahn's mood did an immediate one-eighty and he inquired, "You're saying it's possible to go into the dungeon without registering at the Guild? And can you give me a list of the Familia that are recruiting right now!?"Taken aback by his exclamation, Millie couldn't help thinking, 'This boy must be pretty simple, he changes his mood so quickly!'.She sighed before saying, "Yes. The biggest difference between being a freelance dungeoneer and becoming an Adventurer is the number of benefits you receive from the guild. For freelancers, there is a 30% tax on all items and loot drops they sell to the guild. There are also restrictions on the missions you can accept based on your level, and Adventurers always have priority for higher ranked quests since they can rely on their Familia if difficulties arise."While explaining, she had handed a roster of all the currently recruiting Familia to Vahn. As she listed out all the benefits being in an official Adventurer provided, Vahn was distracted by all of the names that were on the list he had received. He couldn't recognize the majority of the Familia on the piece of paper, and was surprised by the sheer number of gods that seemed to reside within the City!Towards the bottom of the list, the rankings of the Familia began to increase and Vahn finally noticed a familiar name: Loki Familia. Interested at the thought of joining one of the most powerful guilds within the story, Vahn looked at the requirements before sighing within his mind. They required a person to be at least Lv 2 and to have recommendations from other Familia before being able to apply. It didn't seem like they accepted outsiders very easily and only wanted members that had positive reputations. Vahn by surprised when reading this as he recalled out abrasive the wolfman Bete acted in the manga.Noticing the boy in front her seemed to get distracted, Millie looked to see where he eyes were drawn. Millie was rather surprised that the Familia that caught Vahn's interest was the Loki Familia. She assumed he had heard about their fame and wanted to try and join their ranks. Too bad he wasn't yet strong enough."The Loki Familia? They are considered one of the top three alongside the Freya and Hephaestus Familias. They usually only accept the best of the best and are constantly competing for the name of 'Number 1' Familia within the City."Vahn nodded at hearing her explanation since it was similar to what he had read in the manga. He knew that Loki and Freya were constantly competing for talent, whereas the Hephaestus Familia only focused on creating quality goods to be used by capable adventurers within the Dungeon.Vahn continued to browse the list and was surprised that he didn't see the Hestia Familia listed anywhere. He was almost about to inquire before Sis interrupted within his mind.(*Vahn, please remember that you entered this world before the main timeline of the story. It is most likely the Hestia Familia does not yet exist as she may not have descended yet.*)He had almost completely forgotten that fact since he spent the majority of his time over the last seven months just training and hunting.("Thanks, Sis. I almost gave away a bit too much information. You saved me.")(*You are very welcome Vahn. Just remember that while you may alter events in the future, you shouldn't give away any information that would allude to the fact you are aware of what is supposed to happen.*)Vahn nodded and returned the list to Millie. "Thanks for the list, but I want to improve my strength before trying to apply to a Familia. If possible, I would like to sell a few items to the Guild. Is that okay?"Receiving the list, Millie nodded at his inquiry. "Certainly Vahn. Though it's not a typical procedure, there aren't many people trying to register as an Adventurer at this time of year so I have a bit of time if you'd like to sell things now. What would you like to exchange?"Vahn placed his hand above the table and murmured some words under his breath before the goblin Chief's core appeared on the table. He had previously discussed it with Sis and determined that storage magic, though very rare, did exist in this world. He masked the existence of his inventory by pretending to chant a magic spell before placing the core down.Millie was shocked at the fact the boy before her seemed to possess Storage Magic! If news were to spread, he wouldn't even need to apply for a Familia because they would be lining up to recruit him!She looked around to see if anyone had been watching before leaning towards Vahn and whispering, "You should be very careful about using storage magic in public! If you'd like, we can handle this trade in the private booths in the back."Vahn smiled before saying, "It's fine to trade here for now. The only item I want to exchange is this core, but thanks for your concern. I'll be more careful in the future."Staring at the gently smiling boy, Millie blushed slightly before staring at the core that had been placed on her desk."This...? Where did you obtain this core?" she asked.Remembering the excuse he had prepared, Vahn quickly explained, "Before I came to the City, my Grandfather had entrusted this core to me saying it would help me procure enough funds for food and lodging when I became an Adventurer. I don't know where he had obtained it."Millie nodded at the explanation, as she didn't believe a level 1 would be able to obtain such a high-quality core. She could tell that, even though it wasn't as pure as some high-grade monster cores, it definitely came from a variant species."I see. I will have to verify it's price with our Appraisal Expert since the core is from an unknown origin. Please wait here for a few minutes." Millie bowed and took the core into a back room.After several minutes, as Vahn continued to look around at the various adventurers she finally returned with a small pouch."It was determined that the core came from an evolved species of goblin, likely the variant known as a Chief. Since goblin Chiefs are a nuisance that causes devastation in rural areas outside the dungeon, it was determined that you would receive the bounty of hunting one as well as it's exchange value. The total, after a 30% tax, comes to 14,000 Valis. Please confirm the total."Vahn wore an incredulous expression as he counted the coins within the purse. He hadn't expected to earn so much for a goblin he killed with a single arrow. After confirming the amount, he once again thanked Millie before leaving the Guild. On his way he noticed the Receptionist, Fauna, looking at him with an almost scary smile as she waved in his direction. Giving a curt nod, Vahn exited the Guild.Remembering the first survival lesson he had obtained when he came to this world, Vahn set out to look for a place to stay. He didn't have to worry about food with his inventory, but it would be difficult to get by without a roof over his head. Besides, the thought of staying within an Inn was an exciting and new experience that he was looking forward to.As he continued to wander down the street towards the huge tower in the center of the City, Vahn was unaware of the attention he had garnered from an unexpected source. He never could have anticipated the troubles that would find him in the future.

Chapter 19: The Hearths Embrace