The Journey Begins in Danmachi

The thoughts were so complex and varied that even Ais Wallenstein couldn't distinguish them clearly; the only idea she could grasp was that sleeping while hugging Noah Cipher at night would definitely be very comfortable.

This thought couldn't help but rise in the heart of Ais, who had been frequently waking up frozen in the middle of the night recently because she kicked off her blankets.

Thinking it in her heart, Ais subconsciously spoke it out loud as well.

"Noah, could you sleep with me at night?"

Although young and naive, Ais still had a certain awareness of the differences between boys and girls.

However, since she would be Noah's wife in the future, wouldn't it be perfectly normal to have him warm the bed for her and act as a body pillow for the time being?

Not to mention that Noah smelled very good, which would surely help one get a good night's sleep and aid in physical recovery.

Because she had been overtraining these past few days, Riveria had started to restrict her training again.

--'If you don't recover properly, you can't continue training like this!'

Quietly watching the earnest-looking Ais, Noah knew it was unlikely, but he still subconsciously scanned the surrounding cave, terrified of seeing a certain green-haired figure.

If Riveria heard this, she would probably hit him with a full Alf combo: a set of punches, followed by staff techniques, and topped off with wide-area bombardment magic!

Fortunately, let alone the Elf Royalty, Noah didn't even see a single passing adventurer or monster.

The surroundings were deathly quiet, as if the Dungeon knew it couldn't handle Noah in the middle floors anymore and had simply isolated and forgotten him.

Otherwise, he might have had to silence the witnesses.

Unconsciously letting out a sigh of relief, Noah looked at Ais with a puzzled expression.

"Ais, why would you say that?"

"Because the weather has been getting colder lately, and I keep waking up frozen at night. Noah should be very warm."

After a few seconds of silence, Noah suddenly smiled and reached out his large hand.

The rumors stirred up by Loki haven't even fully subsided yet; are you unwilling to rest until you've completely cemented my reputation as a lolicon?

It's one thing not to repay me, but why do you keep ruining my reputation time and time again?

Oh Ais, you really are my thoughtful little black-hearted coat.

Seeing the smile on Noah's handsome face, which was usually as calm as water, Ais was dazed for a few seconds, followed immediately by a sense of foreboding.

But it was already too late; Noah's hand had already gripped her little head, and then his five fingers tightened!

"Ah!!"

The miserable cry of the young girl echoed through the deep cave.

As the temperature dropped and the days gradually grew shorter, the sky had completely darkened by the time Noah and Ais returned to the surface.

The central plaza, which should have been pitch black at this hour, was now brightly lit. A large number of stalls were spread out in an intricate crisscross pattern, with Guild members in uniform directing volunteers as they moved about.

"The festival starts tomorrow. Does Ais want to go play? Together with Riveria and the others?"

Not yet recovered from Noah's Undying Grip, it took Ais a while to come back to her senses.

She scanned the plaza and subconsciously wanted to shake her head.

"A festival? I don't want to go, I want to go—"

"If you always follow me, you'll never be able to surpass me!"

Among the many reasons Ais liked being with Noah, the fact that he treated her as an equal and didn't treat her like a child, unlike everyone else, was very important.

This was the first time she had been suddenly interrupted while speaking, just like this.

This made Ais lift her head and look at Noah.

"The closer you are, the less you see. If you don't look at the small corner you once occupied from a further, broader world, it's hard to see clearly—whether it's looking at people, things, or yourself."

In the dim environment, Ais felt that Noah's deep blue eyes seemed to be stained with a faint purple hue.

It actually appeared somewhat bewitching, making Ais afraid to look too long, and she quickly lowered her head.

"...I, I understand."

"Let's go, let's head back to eat. Riveria and Loki will probably complain that we're late again."

Returning to Twilight Manor, catching dinner, and finishing their baths, Noah and Ais went to the Divine Chamber as usual for their status updates.

Noah Cipher Lv1 Strength: S980 -> SS1170 Endurance: A809 -> S941 Dexterity: S978 -> SS1154 Agility: SS1170 -> SSS1496 Magic: SS1220 -> SSS1351

Ais Wallenstein Lv1

Strength: SS1080 → SS1199

Endurance: S990 → S999

Dexterity: S908 → SS1121

Agility: SS1129 → SSS1320

Magic: I0

"It seems endurance is still too difficult to raise."

Riveria, who had been staring blankly at the status data while contemplating whether she should let Ais start using magic, heard this and instinctively looked around, barely managing to keep her hands from trembling.

My staff! Where is my staff?! I want to beat this rebellious disciple who doesn't understand a teacher's feelings to death!

"The expedition is the day after tomorrow! I'm taking Ais to the festival, so you get your backside to the Dungeon tomorrow, and don't come back until your endurance reaches SS!"

Peeling the paper off her face, Noah looked at Riveria's departing back with an innocent expression.

*

A night passed in a room within the Garden of Stars.

"No! I really can't sleep!"

The Blonde Elf, who had barely slept all night, glared at the sun outside the window, clutching the scarf whose scent had completely faded, her eyes rimmed with prominent dark circles.

"Go to the Dungeon! I absolutely must forget about that human!"

59 Ryu: I would rather jump off the city walls! I will absolutely not—

"Eh? Ryu? Are you not going to the festival?"

At the Astraea Familia breakfast table, Alise lifted her oil-stained cheeks from her plate, looking at the Blonde Elf beside her in surprise.

Because of her booming voice, the other girls, who had been discussing where to go next or complaining about having to patrol and stand guard, all turned their gazes toward Ryu.

Alise!

Could you make your voice any louder?

If you were any louder, you could just shout a monster to death during battle!

Ryu, already irritable from not having rested well for days, wanted nothing more than to shove her friend's head directly into that plate of stew!

Eat, eat, eat! All you know is how to eat!

But even though her heart was in turmoil, Ryu maintained a calm exterior and took a sip of her oatmeal.

"Mm, I saw a piece of equipment I wanted recently, so I'm planning to go to the Dungeon to earn some money."

Although it was a ruse, Ryu found that she was acting quite naturally this time, unlike before when she would panic so obviously that even a child could see through her.

This fact surprised even her.

"Eh? It's not like it can't wait a day or two, right?"

"It's a rare festival, it would be nice to go have some fun together."

"If you're short on money, I have some here."

Regarding her friends' concern and helping hands, Ryu expressed her deep gratitude, then firmly declined.

"Thank you, but the festival is packed with people, so spare me!"

Knowing that Ryu possessed an extreme aversion to physical contact—even for an elf—her teammates retracted their gazes with regret.

Kaguya even wore an expression that said, 'I knew exactly what this Useless Elf was planning.'

They didn't know that besides not wanting to walk through crowds where she would be rubbing shoulders with strangers, Ryu was even more afraid of seeing a certain silver-haired boy.

Otherwise, if she were to trip on flat ground in public, her elven life, her standing as a member of the Astraea Familia, and her position as a member of the city's gendarmerie would all be over!

...Still, Kaguya's expression was truly infuriating!

Gritting her teeth until she could hear them creak in her mind, Ryu barely suppressed the urge to snap back.

It was better to just run into the Dungeon now and use a hearty, vigorous battle to forget those troubles.

But even with her inner anxiety, Ryu finished her breakfast and, observing proper etiquette, looked toward her patron deity.

"Goddess Astraea? May I take my leave?"

The goddess with walnut-colored hair paused her spoon, looking at Ryu with deep blue eyes that resembled a vast, starry sea.

Even though Ryu had always despised the vulgar mindset of people who only focused on appearances while ignoring character and spirit, she couldn't help but feel shaken whenever she looked at Goddess Astraea.

Astraea was the virgin goddess who presided over justice, integrity, and order, and was also a formidable combatant who was responsible for delivering sanctions in the heavens.

Not only had Alise been under her guidance since they traveled together to Orario, but even Kaguya, who possessed the strongest melee combat ability in the Familia, admitted that in the realm of swordsmanship, the goddess had the strength to make both of them cry.

However, you couldn't tell!

You absolutely couldn't tell!

Not only could Ryu not tell, but she believed that no one could possibly tell the moment they first laid eyes on Goddess Astraea!

Her temperament was clear and devoid of even a trace of impurity; from her words to her conduct, she exuded a nobility and chastity that perfectly befitted the name of a goddess.

Yet, this saintly goddess, whose body was wrapped in garments of pure, unblemished white, possessed a figure that was slender and delicate, free of any excess, while simultaneously being graceful and curvaceous—a perfect embodiment of feminine beauty.

Thinking of it this way, it was perhaps understandable why Astraea was ranked by those lecherous male gods as "the embodiment of gentleness and love, the goddess among goddesses! The undisputed number one on the list of those you want to have a lap pillow from and have your head patted by! The goddess who might just become the mother of all male gods!"

...Even Ryu herself was unsure if the chaotic thoughts filling her mind were merely a way to alleviate the tension of having acted out in front of her deity.

Ryu had not lied; she truly did have equipment she wanted to buy recently.

But she hadn't told the whole truth, either.

In particular, she hadn't made it clear that her desire to head to the Dungeon was driven by a need to force herself to forget a certain silver-haired boy through high-intensity combat, and to avoid seeing him at the festival.

In any case, Astraea watched her quietly, finally offering a smile that brought peace to one's heart.

"Then, be careful! Ryu, if you have any worries or difficulties, you can always come to me."

Whether her small deception had been seen through or not, Ryu could no longer tell.

The sense of shame in her heart urged her to stand up and hurry away from the dining table.

Yet, as she turned, the elf couldn't help but cast a few extra glances at the goddess's chest, where the deep, soft fullness was pressed together.

Men, after all, probably prefer them on the larger side, don't they?

A thought that had never occurred to her before coiled in her mind, refusing to dissipate, and it wasn't until Ryu reached the entrance of the Dungeon that she snapped back to reality.

It's all that human's fault!

He's the reason my head has been filled with so many strange thoughts lately!