The faint blue luminescence of the Falna faded from Hachiman's back. He straightened up slowly, feeling the deep ache in every muscle, the result of a full week pushing his limits on the upper floors of the Dungeon. The updated numbers, reflecting his arduous progress and the peculiarities of his abilities, were still vivid in his mind, as was the satisfying weight of the pouch containing the 26,000 Valis he had carefully placed beside him. Aqua was nearby, having just completed the update ritual, perhaps with a slight air of smugness, as if his gains were a direct reflection of her magnificence.
'A whole week... for this,' thought Hachiman, flexing his sore shoulders. 'Real progress. Real money. But I'm exhausted.' His gaze fell on Aqua, who was already starting to look bored now that her momentary divine duty was fulfilled. 'And she's probably hungry again. With this money...' He glanced at the pouch. 'Maybe we can have a decent meal. For the first time.' The idea seemed almost an absurd luxury, but at the same time, a necessity. A small reward to balance the brutal routine, a brief moment to recharge before diving back into the cycle.
He picked up the pouch of Valis, the sound of the coins jingling softly in the silence of the hovel. "Aqua."
She turned to him, perhaps expecting orders or plans for the next Dungeon foray. "What? Something else for your favorite goddess to do?"
"We're going out," Hachiman said, the decision forming as he spoke. "To eat out. Real food." He shook the pouch slightly.
Aqua's eyes widened, immediately focusing on the source of the jingle, her boredom evaporating and being replaced by pure joy. "Really?! Eating out?! With all this money that you," she emphasized the 'you' with a tone of 'it was about time', "earned?! Yes! Let's go! Now! I want to eat everything! Roast meat, filled pies, fresh juice!" She practically vibrated with anticipation.
"Hold on," Hachiman tempered her enthusiasm, already visualizing the 26,000 Valis disappearing in a single exaggerated feast. "We'll eat well, but we have to make this last. We still need many things."
Aqua pouted, but the prospect of good food was too strong for her to argue much. "Hmmph. As long as it's better than watery stew and hard bread..."
With that settled, they left the hovel. Hachiman began walking through the streets of Orario, now lit by the afternoon sun, looking for a place that fit his criteria: good food, fair price, and perhaps somewhere he wouldn't feel completely out of place. He passed various taverns and restaurants, some looking too rustic, others clearly too fancy for his budget or taste. It was then that a familiar sign caught his eye.
'Hostess of Fertility'. The name echoed in his pre-reincarnation memories. It was the famous tavern managed by Mama Mia, known for its hearty food, lively atmosphere, and, of course, its peculiar waitresses. 'Could be interesting... and probably has good food at a fair price.'
"This is it," he announced, pointing to the inviting entrance of the robust and welcoming two-story establishment.
"Hostess of Fertility?" Aqua read the sign, tilting her head. "Looks... popular."
And it was. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by an explosion of sounds and smells. The main hall was packed with adventurers laughing, drinking, and telling stories loudly. The clinking of mugs, the smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and ale filled the air. Skilled waitresses – humans, a dwarf, a hobbit, a half-elf, and a striking cat-girl – moved through the hall with loaded trays, dodging customers with impressive agility. Behind the long polished wooden counter, a large, imposing woman with an air of someone who tolerated no nonsense – Mama Mia, undoubtedly – supervised everything with a watchful eye.
'Definitely lively,' thought Hachiman, feeling a bit out of place amidst so much energy. He looked for a more discreet spot and found a vacant table in a corner, slightly away from the main bustle. Aqua followed him, her eyes shining as she watched the food being served at other tables.
As soon as they sat down, Hachiman did a quick mental calculation. 'We earned 26k in a week. A 'normal' level 1 adventurer might earn about 5k a day, according to that memory. Spending 6k today seems reasonable. It's a bit more than a 'normal' day's work, enough for us to eat well without burning the whole reserve.' It was a luxury, by his current standards, but he felt he needed it to maintain sanity.
He looked around, searching for a waitress to serve them. His eyes quickly passed over a familiar figure with short silver hair, Syr Flover, who was busy taking an order from a large, noisy group on the other side of the hall. 'Syr... the girl who can switch places with Freya, and can also see people's souls, if my information is correct.' He noted that she didn't cast any particular glance in his direction. 'Well, I guess that confirms it. My soul is probably as interesting as a common rock, even having come from another world. No special glow, no protagonist aura. What a relief... I guess.' The irony was almost comforting in its familiarity.
His gaze then fell on another waitress who seemed momentarily free. An elf with long, light-green hair tied in a ponytail, a serious expression, and efficient movements. Ryuu Lion. 'She looks available.'
Hachiman made a discreet signal, and Ryuu approached the table, a small notepad in hand. Her expression was neutral, professional. "Good afternoon. What would you like?" Her voice was calm and restrained.
"I'd like the stew of the day and a portion of roasted boar," Hachiman ordered, choosing dishes that seemed substantial.
"I want the same! And a large mug of apple juice!" Aqua added quickly, her eyes fixed on the boar description on the makeshift menu on the table.
Ryuu noted the orders with a concise nod. "Anything else?"
"No, thank you. That's all for now," Hachiman replied.
Ryuu withdrew as silently as she arrived.
"Finally! Real food!" Aqua sighed happily, already tapping her fingers on the table in anticipation. "Those skewers from yesterday were so... basic. And the watery stew... A goddess deserves better!"
"As long as it fits the budget..." Hachiman muttered, more to himself than to her. He observed the dynamics of the place, the groups of adventurers, the interactions. 'It's strange being here as a customer, after spending the week fighting to earn the money to pay for this.'
A few minutes later, Ryuu returned, balancing a loaded tray with the steaming dishes and the mug of juice. She approached the table and began serving, first placing the mug of juice in front of Aqua and then one of the bowls of stew. As she moved to place the plate of boar in front of Hachiman, he, perhaps a little impatient from hunger or simply clumsy in his movement, reached out to take the bowl of stew she had just placed. In the process, the back of his hand brushed lightly against Ryuu's forearm.
It was a minimal, accidental touch, almost imperceptible. But the reaction was instantaneous and violent. Ryuu froze, her eyes widening minimally, and a shiver seemed to run through her body. She let out a small sharp gasp, almost a hiss, and her hand faltered. The tray tilted, and Hachiman's plate of boar, the remaining stew, and the other portion of boar slid off and crashed onto the floor with a loud noise of shattering ceramic and spreading food.
Silence fell over their table for an instant. Ryuu looked at the mess on the floor, then lifted her eyes to Hachiman. Her neutral expression had vanished, replaced by a mask of pure disgust and cold irritation. Her green eyes seemed to shoot daggers.
'Ah, crap,' was Hachiman's immediate thought. 'Elves. Physical contact. Completely forgot. They hate being touched by strangers, especially humans.' He remembered the original story, how Bell often broke these social barriers because of his purity or his 'protagonism'. 'I'm not Bell. I don't have a protagonist aura. To her, I'm just a weird, clumsy human who touched her without permission. Damn it, damn it, damn it.' He felt his face heat up slightly, more from embarrassment and resignation than guilt.
"Hey, hey! What happened here, Lia?" a cheerful voice intervened. The cat-girl waitress, Chloe Lolo, quickly approached, looking from the mess on the floor to Ryuu's livid expression and Hachiman's discomfort. "Calm down, calm down. Accidents happen." She turned to Hachiman with a toothy grin, one feline ear twitching. "You gotta be careful, Little Dead Fish! Almost scared our Elf here!" She winked.
Ryuu shot Chloe a sharp look but seemed to compose herself somewhat with the intervention.
From the counter, Mama Mia observed the scene. She didn't need to ask what happened; her experience likely allowed her to understand the dynamics of the accident – the accidental touch, the elven sensitivity. Her deep voice cut through the murmur that was starting to form around them. "Ryuu, calm down. Chloe, clean up this mess." She then fixed her gaze on Hachiman. "Boy. Be more careful next time. Elves don't like unexpected contact." There was no anger in her voice, just factual firmness. "Chloe, bring another portion of their order. On the house."
"Yes, Mama!" Chloe replied cheerfully, already starting to gather the shards while Ryuu rigidly walked away, without saying another word or looking at Hachiman.
Hachiman just muttered an almost inaudible "Sorry..." to Ryuu's back and then an equally quiet "Thank you..." to Mama Mia and Chloe.
The meal continued in a somewhat tense atmosphere, at least for Hachiman. Aqua, after briefly complaining about the wasted food and the delay, devoured her (second) portion of boar and stew with gusto, seemingly oblivious to the social tension the incident had created. Hachiman ate his food, the taste good but diminished by the uncomfortable feeling of having caused trouble and the intensity of the glare Ryuu had given him.
After paying the bill (which came without the cost of the replaced dishes), they left the Hostess of Fertility. The moonlight was high, showing it was already late.
On the way back to the hovel, Hachiman sighed. 'I just wanted a normal meal. But I can even mess that up. I need to pay more attention to the rules and customs of this world... and my own clumsiness.' It was a reminder that, even outside the Dungeon, this world had its own dangers and social pitfalls, especially for someone like him. That brief moment of relaxation had become another lesson.