I, Ritsuka, Siscon Grand Hero

They were the renowned Zeus Familia and Hera Familia.

Back then, a certain disaster had severely damaged these two major Familias, nearly wiping out their main forces. Freya and Loki then joined forces to drive them out of Orario.

Out of sight, out of mind.

"Girl, have you ever thought about becoming an adventurer?"

"I used to, but now I just want to live out the rest of my time peacefully."

Ritsuka couldn't understand the old man's gaze and quietly shook her head.

Even the strongest, Ottar, at Lv 7, was just like that. Her expectations for a 'Blessing' had completely vanished.

When it came to things that strengthened oneself, the stronger the person, the less effective they were. If she were to receive a god's Blessing, the first few levels of improvement might not even be felt.

And leveling up wasn't easy. The Sword Princess, holding the fastest record in history, took a year to go from Lv 1 to Lv 2.

Ritsuka never considered herself a genius. She understood this deeply, and she no longer had the motivation to become stronger. Her mission had long been completed—the moment she successfully sent Miyu to another world.

It was a peaceful world. She was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a fleeting future at the moment her wish was granted.

That was enough...

"Pffft—! Girl, you sound too old-fashioned. You should smile more to look younger."

The old man suddenly burst into laughter, his body shaking so much that the peanuts he was holding with his chopsticks fell.

Ritsuka nodded without arguing, "Yeah, maybe smiling more would be better."

A fleeting image of Miyu flashed before her eyes.

Her expression was calm and gentle, her eyes carrying the weight of many tragedies, a little clouded... yet serene...

Those dim golden pupils seemed to convey that these eyes had once sparkled, but that was all in the past. After the passion faded, only endless emptiness and weariness remained.

Section 60, Chapter 54: An Ordinary Passing Citizen

Settling in Orario, Ritsuka began her peaceful daily life.

When she ran out of money, she would sneak into the dungeon and clear a few waves of Minotaurs. When she had enough funds, she would live a tranquil retirement.

Occasionally playing chess with the old man next door and having tea with a group of elderly folks had gradually replaced Ritsuka's routine, making her seem older than her years.

Mapo Water, Version 1.5, was completed on her fourth day in Orario.

It lacked the intense kick that could send you to heaven, but it added a nice touch. Adding a bit to Mapo Ramen made the taste exceptionally good.

Of course, she hadn't abandoned the original Mapo Water either and had made some improvements.

Based on the original, the spiciness was doubled. During the first taste test, even Ritsuka almost face-planted into the ramen bowl.

Considering she had endured the torment of Hydra poison, her willpower was undoubtedly rare in this world.

Perhaps, as the woman with the King of Heroes Class Card had said—she could endure it entirely due to twisted obsession and a chilling resolve akin to that of a dead person.

"Improved Mapo Ramen... Emiya girl, are you trying to murder for profit?"

The old man from next door, who had come visiting again while she was idle, looked up in astonishment at the board hanging on the wall.

It was filled with the items her shop offered.

Having witnessed its hellish color, even if Ritsuka ate it with a poker face, he wouldn't dare try it unless he wanted to leave this damn world sooner.

It was not something an ordinary person could eat and still live!

"How could I? I've improved the original. The Father Mape who invented this might be a devil, but I certainly am not."

"I've significantly reduced the spiciness of the original ramen, making it somewhat similar to soy sauce ramen with a bit of chili added."

Of course, it wasn't that simple.

Mapo Water itself was somewhat mysterious. She had only barely deciphered the ingredients, and the production process was entirely self-taught.

"Would you like a bowl? You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

Because the old man had taken care of her at the library before, and due to their neighborly relationship, Ritsuka decided to give him a 50% discount.

Though, it wasn't expensive to begin with...

Soon, the old man's breakfast was ready.

Red Mapo Tofu was added with a few chopsticks of noodles, then the Version 1.5 Mapo Water, and finally, a tea egg was dropped into the bowl.

"Please excuse my poor hospitality."

Taking the money from the old man, Ritsuka let out a sigh of relief.

"Mmm, it tastes very good. This was definitely worth it."

"Oh, right. Old man, could you watch the shop for me? I need to go buy some things."

Opening the counter, Ritsuka took out a small pot of sake and placed it on the table. The payment was promptly accepted.

The old man beamed, "Leave it to me, I guarantee there won't be any problems!"

Ritsuka walked through the bustling streets towards her destination.

The "Revised Mapo Water No. 1" was complete, but it was vastly different from Father Mapo's original version. She still wanted to recreate the original.

The only thing missing might be the different heat levels of various chili peppers.

Passing by Northwest Avenue, Ritsuka paused slightly.

Northwest Avenue, commonly known as "Adventurer Street," gathered the most adventurers in Orario.

Including the management organization of Orario, or rather, the Dungeon, the "Guild" headquarters, numerous weapon shops, item shops, and taverns were essential establishments for adventurers.

Turning slightly off the main street into a back alley, this area was also crowded with old and peculiar shops.

Perhaps some god with a twisted sense of humor opened them secretly...

It was just past nine in the morning.

Comfortable sunlight shone on her face, and Ritsuka squinted contentedly as she bypassed Northwest Avenue.

At this time, many people had just finished breakfast and were preparing to head to the Dungeon, so the main road was filled with adventurers preparing for their labyrinth explorations.

Orcs carrying greatswords, dwarf mages, and many supporters carrying large backpacks following adventurers.

After four days here, Ritsuka had mostly caught up on Orario's common knowledge.

She didn't know much about the Familias, and the only "strong individuals" in Orario she knew were the Brawler Ottar and the Sword Princess Ais Wallenstein.

It wasn't that she looked down on them, but Ritsuka wasn't particularly interested in such things. Ottar, a mere Pigman, had performed terribly that day, and it was a nightmare for him without his weapon.

Because she underestimated him, she was kicked flying in a crowded plaza...

How embarrassing.

"Speaking of which, the commotion was covered up so quickly. As expected of the Freya Familia, huh?"

The power of a super-large Familia was indeed immense. The fact that Orario's strongest was kicked away was suppressed in just one day, which surprised Ritsuka somewhat.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Ritsuka hummed a tune and headed towards the fruit and vegetable market.

"Robbery!!"

Suddenly, a woman's scream rang out, followed by a masked man running past Ritsuka.

The surrounding merchants immediately formed a crowd.

Ritsuka looked at the woman still crouching on the ground, having just been robbed. There's robbery in Orario too? Shouldn't all their passion be thrown into the Dungeon?

Despite her internal monologue, Ritsuka's reaction was swift.

Without time to think, she unleashed 50% of her speed and, to the confused gazes of the onlookers, darted out and leaped onto the awning of a nearby apple stall.

Her legs bent and sprang, kicking up wood chips behind her.

With less than three seconds of escape time, the petty thief couldn't get far. In the blink of an eye, Ritsuka caught up to him, the sound of rushing wind behind her making the robber tremble.

In Orario, the biggest problem with robbery was the sheer number of adventurers.

What if one of them decided to intervene? They'd be beaten to death on the street.

The robber, sensing Ritsuka closing in, cursed his bad luck for encountering a meddling adventurer.

He quickly turned a corner and, as a former adventurer himself, almost collided with a green-haired girl emerging from an item shop. "Damn it, get out of my way!!"

The man roared, drew his knife, and lunged at the Elf Girl (?).

"Heh, what is this... a cornered dog?"

Suddenly, a dark shadow streaked overhead, gently pushing the girl (?) aside while grabbing the man's hand.

Then came the sickening "crack" of dislocated bones.

It made one's scalp tingle.

"Ughhhhh..."

Easily subduing the knife-wielding thug, Ritsuka applied a little force and snapped the knife, which felt like a toy to her, in half.

Fragments of the weapon clattered to the ground.

With a kick, the man, whose knee was directly hit, collapsed on the spot, screaming in agony as his leg bent backward at a severe angle.

Perhaps in the future, this man would light a cigarette in his spare time and tell a story about the past—

Until his knee met a kick.

"...You, you damn... meddler..."

With her fingers gripping his head, Ritsuka pressed the man to the ground, forcing him face-first into a muddy puddle left by the previous night's rain. The puddle was still fresh and soft.

He sank right in.

Ritsuka picked up the bag the woman had her things stolen from at the market and turned to look behind her. "Are you alright?"

The Elf Girl (?) was stunned, nodding blankly, her mind filled with shock.

She hadn't even seen that speed...

"Glad you're okay. I'll be going then, I still need to return this bag to its owner."

Ritsuka smiled and nodded, then left. The personnel from the Guild would arrive soon, and she didn't want to deal with any official types.

She immediately prepared to slip away.

"Wait, what's your name?"

"No need to worry about it. Just an ordinary citizen passing by."

Section 61: Chapter 55: Elf Girl (?) Riveria

After returning the bag to its owner and taking the large red apple as payment, Ritsuka quickly slipped away amidst the woman's thanks.

The gods in this world had a peculiar sense of humor; Ritsuka had heard the old man next door mention it many times, and she had personally experienced it, especially with the goddess Freya who resided at the top of the Tower of Babel.

Although defeating the Brawler Ottar had quieted that Familia down, whenever she passed the plaza, Freya's burning gaze would fall upon her.

It was incredibly annoying, but she couldn't exactly storm the Tower of Babel and hang Goddess Freya up for a beating, could she?

In the end, she just had to grit her teeth and accept it. The worst that could happen was she'd just avoid that area from now on, and everything would be fine.

In the minds of most ordinary people in Orario, gods were beings to be revered. They brought the power of Blessings, allowing ordinary species to gain the strength to fight against monsters, and were symbols of divinity, majesty, and all sorts of other laudatory terms.

And in Ritsuka's speculation, perhaps some gods were more god-like, exuding an aura that made you feel as comfortable as a spring breeze.

Freya was truly different. Her gaze felt like she wanted to devour Ritsuka whole, burning so intensely it felt like she could cook her just by looking.

Someone who didn't know better might even think Freya was a barbecue goddess...

"Boss, is this spicy?"