The streets of Orario were still bustling despite the arrival of night. Lanterns and magical lights cast a warm glow over the city, illuminating the paths where adventurers and citizens mingled. Blake walked along the road, his sharp gaze sweeping over the diverse crowd. Though the streets weren't as packed as during the day, the mix of different races caught his attention.
This world felt like something straight out of Western mythology. Elves, dwarves, orcs, Amazons—fantasy races of all kinds coexisted here.
And at the heart of it all stood Orario, the labyrinth city.
A massive metropolis built atop the infamous underground Dungeon, Orario was a hub of adventure, commerce, and intrigue. Governed by an organization known as the Guild, the city thrived on the risks and rewards the Dungeon provided.
Beneath Orario lay the ever-changing labyrinth, a vast subterranean world teeming with monsters—creatures born from the depths, hostile to all who dared to challenge them. The Guild oversaw Dungeon exploration, regulating the adventurers who ventured into the unknown to battle these beasts and claim the treasures hidden within.
Adventurers came in all shapes and sizes—elves, beastmen, halflings, Amazons, and humans alike. They fought not only for wealth and glory but to survive in this unforgiving world.
Blake had already encountered one such adventurer earlier—a large brute with a rotten personality. But scum or not, even he was part of Orario's grand cycle of survival.
However, adventurers weren't the only ones who made Orario their home.
The city was also host to deities—gods who had descended from the heavens to experience mortal life.
Over a thousand years ago, these celestial beings had sealed away their divine powers, choosing instead to live among mortals in a more human-like existence. They sought entertainment, pleasure, and distraction from the boredom of eternity.
Thus, they created Familias—factions built around their divine authority.
Each Familia revolved around its patron deity, with purposes as varied as their gods. Some focused on Dungeon exploration, others on trade, agriculture, or even politics. Though their goals differed, all Familias granted one common advantage: the power of divine blessings.
A god's blessing could transform an ordinary person into an adventurer of incredible strength. Those who received these blessings—Falna—could grow stronger through experience, battle, and training, evolving beyond human limits.
This was the foundation of Orario's world. A place where adventurers, gods, and monsters coexisted in a delicate balance.
Blake scoffed as he mulled it over.
"A Familia, huh? If it weren't for a certain tiny bestia goddess like Hestia, or mature beauty like Hephaestus I wouldn't even consider joining one," he muttered to himself.
With Sia, his plundering system, he had little need for a god's blessing. It might be useful, but he had no intention of becoming some divine being's plaything. Most gods treated life like a grand game, their Familias nothing more than entertainment.
Still, he had to admit—this world had its charm.
His gaze lifted toward Babel Tower, the massive spire at the city's center, a monument to both the gods and the Dungeon beneath.
Just as the words left his lips—
A startled cry pierced the night, and before Blake could react, something soft crashed into his chest.
He instinctively reached out, grabbing the person's wrist before they could fall.
Before he could finish his sentence, his world spun. His balance faltered, and the next thing he knew, he was tumbling forward—straight onto the person he had tried to catch.
The girl beneath him let out a muffled sound of shock. Her eyes, wide as the moon, locked onto his, their faces mere inches apart. She struggled, flailing her arms against his chest, her entire body radiating embarrassment.
The crowd around them had already taken notice.
"How bold—kissing a goddess in public like that."
A few murmurs drifted through the night air, some amused, others skeptical. But none were outright angry, which meant...
Blake's heart skipped a beat as he took in the girl beneath him.
Dark, glossy twin tails cascaded over her shoulders. A youthful, round face framed large, sky-blue eyes—eyes that mirrored his own shock. She looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, yet her body possessed an undeniable allure that defied her childlike features.
But it wasn't just her beauty that caught his attention.
His gaze drifted downward.
Realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
Of all the ways he imagined meeting her, crashing into her and stealing her first kiss hadn't been on the list.
Blake quickly composed himself, forcing down the mix of embarrassment and amusement swirling inside him. He cleared his throat, pushing himself up and extending a hand to help her.
"...Are you alright?"
Hestia, still dazed, hesitated before taking his hand. A deep blush burned across her cheeks, her lips slightly parted, as if she couldn't quite process what had just happened.
Blake, on the other hand, couldn't help but smirk internally.
Orario was already proving to be quite the interesting place.