Danmachi : The Strongest Adventurer

The morning light gently streamed through the small church window where they lived. The air was still cool, and faint sounds of morning activity could be heard from outside.

On the somewhat narrow sofa, Rein shifted slightly, then blinked slowly. His body felt a bit stiff from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

"I fell asleep…" he muttered, rubbing his face.

Last night, he had been busy calming down Hestia, who was angry. Somehow, he had ended up dozing off on the sofa. As he tried to sit up, his gaze landed on something that made him pause.

Beside him, Hestia was still curled up in her sleep. Her long black hair was messily spread out, and her face looked peaceful and innocent. Her breathing was steady, and her blanket had slipped slightly, revealing her small shoulder.

Rein was momentarily surprised but then smiled softly. There was something comforting about seeing Hestia's sleeping expression.

Without much thought, he reached out, intending to gently stroke his goddess's head.

However, the moment his hand touched her soft hair, Hestia mumbled in her sleep.

"Hnn… you pervert, Rein…" her sleepy voice was soft, but clear enough for Rein to hear.

Rein froze for a moment before chuckling softly.

"I didn't even do anything, you know?" he murmured, amused by her sleep-talking.

Not wanting to wake her, he carefully lifted his small goddess and carried her to the bedroom. After laying her down comfortably, he pulled the blanket over her.

"Sleep well, Hestia," he whispered before leaving the room.

Rein stood in the middle of the room, stretching slightly. Today was an important day—his first time entering the Dungeon.

With excitement, he put on the beginner's equipment provided by the Guild. Though simple, the armor was enough to protect him from minor attacks. After making sure everything was properly secured, he picked up his spear and strapped it onto his back.

"Alright… time to get moving," he said with enthusiasm.

Before leaving, he glanced toward the bedroom where Hestia was still sleeping. Not wanting to wake her, he decided to leave a note.

Taking a piece of paper and a pen, he quickly wrote:

Hestia, I'm heading to the Dungeon. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I wanted to make you breakfast, but unfortunately, we're out of ingredients. I'll try to earn some money today, so wait for me. - Rein

Placing the note on the table, he nodded in satisfaction. With steady steps, he left the church.

The fresh morning air greeted Rein as he stepped outside. The sun was slowly rising, casting a warm glow over Orario's streets. The city was coming to life—merchants were opening their stalls, adventurers were preparing to enter the Dungeon, and various races were going about their daily routines.

Rein walked leisurely, observing his surroundings. Although he already knew what Orario looked like from anime and manga in his previous life, seeing it in person felt completely different. This world felt more alive, more real.

As he strolled along, a soft voice called out to him.

"Excuse me."

Rein stopped and turned around. In front of him stood a woman with bluish-gray hair tied into a small ponytail. Her eyes matched her hair color, and her fair skin had a peach-like softness. She wore a white blouse and a knee-length skirt in the shade of fresh leaves. A half-apron wrapped around her waist, and she wore brown boots over black stockings.

Rein recognized her immediately. Syr Flova… or rather, Freya in disguise.

"You dropped this," Syr said, extending a small purple magic stone toward him.

Rein looked at the stone calmly. He knew very well it wasn't his—he hadn't even entered the Dungeon yet, so there was no way he could own a magic stone.

This was just a simple trick to catch his attention. If he were Bell, he might have fallen for it. But Rein was different.

"That's not mine," he replied flatly, keeping his gaze steady.

Syr seemed slightly surprised but maintained her gentle smile. She looked at Rein with growing interest, as if evaluating something.

"Oh? I was sure I saw you drop it…" she said, her eyes glinting playfully.

Rein sighed quietly. He knew exactly who was behind this persona—Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, infamous for her obsession with men who caught her interest. Even though his life was a mess, Rein didn't hate her. If anything, he felt a little sorry for Freya.

"Sorry, but you must have mistaken me for someone else," Rein said casually.

Syr chuckled softly, seemingly unbothered by his response. If anything, she looked even more intrigued.

"In that case, think of it as a gift for letting me interrupt your morning," she said with a gentle smile.

At that moment, Rein's stomach let out a quiet growl. He had forgotten that he hadn't eaten breakfast.

Syr, who heard it, covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.

"Oh? Someone sounds hungry," she teased playfully.

Rein scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. He was indeed hungry, but he didn't have the money to eat at an expensive place.

"In that case, why don't you stop by the Hostess of Fertility? I work there. I can get you some food—consider it an apology for bothering you."

Rein hesitated. He knew the place well. It was one of Orario's most famous taverns, and its waitresses were former powerful warriors. If he accepted this offer, he might attract more attention than he wanted.

But his stomach growled again, as if urging him to accept.

Suppressing his hunger, Rein looked at Syr with a neutral expression and shook his head.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have to go to the Dungeon. I can't just accept free food," he said apologetically.

Syr kept smiling, but there was a flicker of interest in her eyes.

"Oh? You're quite firm about that… But then, think of this as something else. Consider it a gift from me for taking the time to talk to me."

Before Rein could refuse again, Syr swiftly took out a wrapped meal from the small basket she carried and placed it in his hands. The packaging was neat, and a delicious aroma wafted from within.

"At least eat something before heading into battle. I'd feel bad if something happened to you because of hunger," she said gently.

Rein stared at the food for a moment, then sighed. He had no reason to refuse anymore. In the end, he simply nodded.

"Alright. Thank you," he said in a grateful tone before turning to leave.

As Rein walked away, tucking the meal into his bag, Syr watched him with an amused smile.

"What a handsome man… but what a shame, his soul is so ordinary," she murmured softly, a hint of disappointment in her voice, as if she had lost interest.

However, just as she was about to shift her gaze away, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Rein's soul… wavered.

For a brief moment, she saw something different. Something that seemed deep and mysterious—only for it to vanish in an instant, returning to its "ordinary" state.

"Hmm… did I just imagine that?" she mused, touching her chin.

She glanced at Rein's back once more, but this time, nothing changed. His soul remained as unremarkable as she had initially thought.

Finally, Syr simply shrugged and turned away, continuing her day as if nothing had happened.