[System]
"Talking"
*Sound Effect*
--------------
~{GM_Orario}~
The next day, I stood near the Hostess of Fertility, waiting for the little rabbit to step out.
You might be wondering how I managed to know Bell at the Hostess of Fertility.
Well, with the help of Paddy, I managed to keep track of every single 3 million people living in this city. Including Bell, who I keep as a special girl I need to keep track of.
With this, Nothing is escaping my eyes using the radar, unless the person was in a dungeon I am going to solve that problem soon by deploying a small radar on each floor. But for now, If I can deploy the radar, I can keep track of both monsters around the floor and humans living in the dungeon in the future.
Maybe I should deploy my satellite as well, so I can keep track of people in this world and maybe communicate as well.
Right now, while waiting and to avoid any run-ins with the waitresses, especially after Paddy's overreaction weeks ago, I activated my spy gadget's invisibility mode.
I still feel awkward after Paddy's overreaction weeks ago, so I try my best to avoid them for now.
I thought I had to wait long, seeing as she is not coming out of the pub. Luckily, Bell Cranel emerged soon enough. As soon as she was clear of the tavern and none of the waitresses were around, I deactivated my invisibility and approached her.
"Hey, Bell!" I call her out
The moment she glanced in my direction, her face lit up with such happiness that it almost blinded me.
"Mister Daniel!" she said, excitement in her voice as she quickly ran toward me. When she stopped in front of me, she brought her arms behind her back and grinned widely. "What a coincidence meeting you here."
Why is it that every time we cross paths, she's so damn happy to see me?
"I already told you not to call me Mister," I said, chuckling. "You make me sound old."
"Hehe, sorry! I was just so excited when I saw you," she said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Excited? Don't tell me she thought of me as a friend.
I still couldn't wrap my head around how this girl thought of me as a close friend, especially when we only met a few times a week. But maybe that's just how she is—eager to befriend anyone she meets.
Then again, she is the protagonist, so maybe I should take this as a sign. After all, I'd already prepared a little gift for her, just in case.
"Whatever. But that's not why I'm here," I said, cutting to the chase. "Congratulations on defeating the Yeti."
She froze for a moment, a light blush creeping up her neck as she turned her eyes toward me, clearly caught off guard. "O-oh... you know about it?"
"Well..." I said, smirking, "I've heard a lot of things. Like how you tried to save your goddess while being chased by a monster. By the way, is your goddess alright? I heard she got hurt."
"O-oh, s-she's fine," Bell stammered, still blushing. "She's just exhausted, so she's been resting all day. Nothing too serious."
I smiled, acting relieved to hear that even though I knew she was fine from the start. "Good to know. Well, I actually came here for something else."
"Oh?" she asked, curious.
I pulled out an object from my hand and handed it to her. "I almost forgot to give you this."
"Eh?" Bell blinked, taking the object in her hands. As she unwrapped it, her face shifted from curiosity to confusion. "What is this? A book?"
I chuckled softly. "Close, but it's not just any ordinary book. It's a grimoire."
I got it among the Underworld organization I destroyed, they sure keep a lot of good loot, including magic weapons as well. I should try to collect more rare loot since I still feel like I have not even discovered 1% of the items given how big this world is.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she inspected it. "A... grimoire?"
Huh? She doesn't even know what a grimoire is. I chuckled inwardly at her innocence, realizing this could be a perfect opportunity to tease her a little.
It'll be funny when she realizes just how much that grimoire is worth later on.
"It's a special book for rookie mages," I explained. "It helps you learn a spell just by reading it."
Her eyes lit up in realization. "Oh… OH! So it's a way for me to learn magic?"
"Exactly, it's a must-have item to use. All you need to do is read it at home, and the magic will imprint itself onto your body," I said confidently. "But remember, if you read it, there is a possibility of you falling unconscious, so remember to read it while lying down on the bed.
She furrowed her brow, glancing at the book with new light before glancing back at me nervously "B-but is it okay for me to have this? Isn't it expensive?"
I shrugged casually. "Not at all. It's cheap—probably around 100 Valis."
Bell hummed thoughtfully, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she glanced at the book. She seemed to be mulling over its affordability, holding it delicately like it might disappear.
Of course, cheap was relative. In reality, the grimoire was worth closer to 70 million Valis—possibly more when you factored in its ability to unlock a new magic slot, which could easily push the value to 100 million.
But I didn't plan to sell it. Even if I did, I'd already backed up the item in my tool gun, meaning I could replicate it later if necessary.
Can't be too careful when it comes to rare loot.
To be honest, I'd tried using the grimoire myself, hoping to unlock some flashy magic. But no matter what I did—reading every page, burning it, memorizing the words, or even yelling supposed incantations at the book—it hadn't worked.
Clearly, I was missing something crucial. I'd need to dig deeper into how these things actually worked. But for now, it wasn't doing me any good, so giving it to Bell seemed like the best choice.
She hesitated, clutching the grimoire close. "…Is it really okay for me to have this?"
"Think of it as a reward for your amazing accomplishment," I replied, breaking her train of thought. "You've earned it, Bell. Besides, consider it an investment. I can see how strong you're going to become in the future."
Her eyes widened, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks. "Y-you really think so?"
"Absolutely. After all, no ordinary adventurer can proclaim themselves a hero in this day of age."
Her cheeks deepened into a fiery red. "H-hero?! That's not—!"
"Oh, come on, Bell, there is no way you can refute that," I interrupted, smirking mischievously. "I still remember your words yesterday—how passionately you declared your love for your goddess, promising to protect her through fire and death~!"
Bell's eyes widened in horror. "Y-you heard that?!"
"Oh, I didn't just hear it—I heard the entire conversation. You might as well proclaim that you want to marry her right there!"
Her reaction was immediate. She started flailing, lightly punching my shoulder repeatedly as her embarrassment peaked. "I-Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"
I laughed, stepping back to dodge her playful hits. "What? It was true thought"
"Hmph!" she pouted, turning her face away, still clutching the grimoire tightly.
I raised my hands in mock surrender, my tone softening. "By the way, don't tell anybody about this, alright? This is just a secret between the two of us."
If Bell's goddess found out about this, I'd be in for an earful. I could already imagine her fiery reaction, probably accusing me of trying to steal her only familia member or something equally ridiculous.
Knowing how these things tend to go—like every anime I binge-watched from 2030 to 2040, the goddess would probably see me as a rival.
The last thing I want is a goddess's fury. And... a dropkick to my face.
Actually, wait. Her family's only member is a girl, so maybe she'd just act all overprotective?
The thought left me scratching my head. It's confusing, considering Bell is the main character here and the fact that she is a girl instead of a boy. I should gather more information about her companions. After all, the world seems to revolve around her.
"Don't worry! I won't tell anyone!" Bell nodded furiously, her smile lighting up her face. Her excitement was barely contained, her eyes sparkling at the prospect of learning magic.
After that, she quickly makes her way somewhere while I begin walking back to a hotel where I have been living.
Now, what kind of mission should I do today?
Should I hit another underground organization?
There were several clues about some monster being shipped out of Orario and brought to a nearby Port Melen, I received this information when I destroyed the underworld and read several documents they kept in their safe that contain slave and monster trade.
I was even surprised by how much they make just from this alone.
It could be a fun way to kill time. The problem is, Port Melen is outside Orario, which means leaving the city—a real hassle. The procedures for leaving get even more complicated the higher your level, including me, who is level 3.
Not that I had to tell the Guild, anyway. There's no way they could know whether I was in Orario or not, after all, there are 3 million people living in Orario
Then maybe I could help train Bell to speed up her progress or strength for entertainment purposes.. Since I am kind of curious what her limit of her power.
Maybe I should do a Spartan training? Sent wave after wave of monsters until the bell is on the brink of death? I heard from Paddy that the only way you can grow stronger or level up is if the enemy is so strong that you have to risk your life.
I was mulling it over while heading back to the hotel where I stayed, when something caught my attention.
My radar picked up a gray dot nearby.
Normally, I'd ignore it if it were my wide-range radar. But this was from my close-range radar—something I reserved for specific purposes.
Most of the dots on my close-range radar only appear whenever someone has an intention with me, and it will appear on the small minimap on the top right of my point of view.
Each color on the map has a different meaning.
Red is the enemy, these usually show on monsters since they are an enemy or NPCs who consider me an enemy.
Fun fact, the gray hair in Hostes of Fertility already considers me as the enemy. Dunno why though, when It was supposed to be our first meeting, maybe she already considered me as a rival when I have no intention of banging Bell.
Green is a friend, for example, Bell Cranel is considered a friend since she obviously saw me as a friend.
Blue is an Ally, like Paddy is considered an Ally since he is my companion and won't dare even point his weapon at me, no matter what.
And gray is neutral. Mostly, it will appear on the map the moment I talk with trade or meet with new people I wish to speak to. Or... people who have the intention to talk with me.
And if you are curious which mod I am using, it's Halo Mod.
I thought it was a salesman, but seeing as there was nobody around where I glanced at it, I concluded that the Gray dot person was hiding, or rather observing me from a distance.
"Who's there?" I called out, my voice firm as I turned toward the dot's direction.
At first, there was no response. I thought I might need to get serious and force them out. But then, a black smoke suddenly materialized where the dot had been.
From the smoke, a figure emerged.
Its entire body was cloaked in black, shrouding its appearance in darkness. Even the face was hidden, making it impossible to discern any features.
I tensed instinctively. The fact that this person had gotten so close without me noticing was alarming. If not for my radar, I wouldn't have even known they were there.
"I apologize for hiding like this," the cloaked figure said, their voice calm and deep. "But it was not my intention to scare you."
I crossed my arms, keeping my expression neutral. "Don't you know it's rather rude not to introduce yourself first?"
"Of course," the figure replied, bowing slightly. "My name is Fels, and I've come to offer you a quest."
The word 'quest' piqued my interest, though I made sure not to let it show. "A quest, huh? What kind of quest are we talking about?"
"I need you to retrieve an item from the 18th floor of the Dungeon," Fels explained.
"The 18th floor?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not ask one of the countless adventurers in Orario to do it for you? Or maybe just put it on quest board?"
"The contents of the item are... delicate," Fels said, choosing his words carefully. "It must be transported with utmost care and discretion."
In other words, it's likely something illegal, and he needs someone who won't go through the Guild's channels.
I smirked. "Alright, but what's the reward? If you're bothering to offer this quest to me directly, I expect it to be worth my time."
"If you complete this mission, we'll create an adventurer card for you," Fels stated.
The mention of an adventurer card instantly put me on high alert. My eyes narrowed, and I leveled a glare at him. "So you know about my situation."
"We've been observing your actions for some time," Fels admitted.
"Fantastic," I muttered sarcastically. "A stalker. And you must be pretty confident if you think you can approach me and walk away in one piece."
I materialized my revolver, aiming it directly at his chest. Yet, Fels didn't even flinch.
"It's a mutually beneficial arrangement," he said evenly. "Complete this mission, and I'll not only provide you with an adventurer card but also the necessary background information to accompany it."
His calm demeanor gave me pause. Slowly, I lowered my weapon, piecing together the implications.
...I see, so this person is with the guild.
There is no one in this world who dares to tamper with the guild information, including the underworld as well who prefers me using someone else's identity to lower the risk of being discovered.
After all, if you are busted, you could get a wanted status and will be hunted down for the rest of your life.
So the fact that he offers me this, either he is just some random gibberish guy that has a way to tamper with the information, or an undercover Guild member. I have a gut feeling it's the latter.
Great, I already have a stalker. Even worse, when it involves the guild, the last thing I want is to make an enemy of the guild
I holstered my revolver. "Alright, fine. I'll take the request. Just retrieving an item from the 18th floor, right? Can you at least tell me where to find it?"
"The item is currently with someone named Hashana Dorlia. He's fully armored and frequents a local pub," Fels replied, tossing a small slip of paper toward me. It floated gently until I caught it. "Use the code word written there to retrieve the item and bring it back to the surface."
I glanced at the paper, nodding. "Got it."
Fels gave a small nod in return before black smoke engulfed his form, and he vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
Even as he disappeared, I glanced at my minimap, watching the gray dot steadily move away.
Paddy materialized beside me, his boxy form shimmering into visibility. "Is the user Daniel absolutely certain about accepting this mission?"
I waved him off casually. "Relax. It'll be fine. Besides, the quest sounds entertaining."
Honestly, this already feels like Skyrim 2 but better, where instead of the mission that was provided, there is a generated mission according to my actions.
Hehe, I can't wait for what kind of mission in the future that will be provided to me.
/
Located at the bottom of the guild was Atlar, and in the middle of it was a single old person with white hair and blue eyes. He wears a white robe with a black hooded cloak and sandals.
This person is Ouranos, the head of the guild.
And currently, he is praying at the altar in order to prevent the monster from leaving the dungeon.
Or... that's what he should have done, but something trouble appears every once in a while that he has to deal with.
Though the danger varies each year.
As he continued praying, he opened his eyes and gazed at a single point where a black cloaked skeleton materialized.
Once he materializes, it gazes at him and speaks
"Ouranos."
"Fels, have you completed it?"
"Indeed, Ouranos. I have come back with a report."
The destruction of around 500 meters, not too far from the casino, caused a huge amount of collateral damage.
Because it caused an earthquake and wind blast, it alerted not only the whole Orario, but it also alerted several top familia which is Freya, Ishtar, and Loki, who each investigated the blast site.
Though the area is forbidden to enter, it won't be long before the damage cause by these blast.
But the real problem is the culprit itself that carries this dangerous weapon. A weapon that could wipe out a whole area.
Normally, the guild would have immediately put up a wanted poster for the criminal. But it's different if it's said the person was watched by the Freya familia.
That's why the guild decides to maintain the distance while gathering information.
"And?"
"I have sent him to the 18th floor, I will keep watch over him to gather more information before finalizing the report."
"I see... then how is the situation with the captain of the Ganesha family?"
After the robbery of over 100 million Valis, the captain of the Ganesha familia began to chase the culprit.
Usually, in a normal situation. A level 5 adventure would have no problem dealing with a robbery.
But something unexpected happened, not only did the culprit escape. But the Captain of Ganesha familial was cripple, with all of it's skin scroch like it was hit by the sun it self.
The paralysis of Captain Ganesha was kept a secret.
The public security was already low, but if it gets lower, Orario will face another dark age.
"Currently, the Dian Cech is looking for a way to cure these diseases, though the healer is able to ease the pain, it is not able to cure the problem itself. The Saint is also able to ease them, but it is expected that she will have to pull out from healing in order to find the cure, which forces the Ganesha familia to use either a healer or an elixir. Thought the elixer report to have a better way to ease the pain."
"It won't be long before the Ganesha familia burn their last funds to buy elixir in order to cure their captain, It is expected to be around a month or so before the Ganesha familia have to look for a loan in order to buy more elixir, which can prolong it. And that is only if the number stays the same, not increases."
He hummed, thinking, "So you are saying that these diseases are increasing?"
"That's right, I was observing the Ganesha familia situation to see all of the top familia members of the Ganesha familia to be sick, and these sicknesses include breathing problems, hair loss, internal bleeding, and several more life-threatening sicknesses. A number of casualties are expected to reach 50 this week and may continue to rise."
"I see... then please continue watching."
"...I understand"
And with that, Fels slowly dematerialized until it finally vanished.
What came out of the blast was a disease that not only affected the top of the top Ganesha family, but also a new disease that has a high chance of causing a pandemic.
Ouranos' instinct as a god tells that man is dangerous.
He is even more dangerous than the god at Tenkai that has all of their power.
For now, Ouranos plans to continue to keep watch... until he finds a way to deal with the problem.
/
ANDDD CUT
Thanks for reading, mate. On the last comment, I read all of you about radiation and decided to add more background on what's happening around our main character.
Well, I have nothing more to say other than don't forget to leave a comment and review, and if you want to support me, go to my Patreon
Patreon. com/ Souleye123
With that said see you all next week bye...