“Welcome back,” Miach greeted us as we entered the shop. “How was the quest?”

“It was all good except…” I trailed off, looking at Naaza. She pleaded with puppy eyes, begging me to not tell her stunt. I smirked. “We got more eggs than we wanted.”

“That’s good! Now we can work on the new potion recipe,” Miach revealed his secret.

He is too honest for his own sake. Even I, who didn’t know much about Familia, could tell they were competitive. Yet, this Ikemen god exposed his Familia’s secrets without much thought.

Idiot.

He placed a bag on the counter. “This is the quest’s reward.”

Lefiya and Ais shared a look and pushed the bag toward me. “Please take this. We don’t need it.”

Ten thousand valis meant nothing to Ais, the princess of Loki Familia. I took the package while scratching my cheeks with a sheepish smile. I fully intended to play my part as a rookie adventurer until I joined Astraea Familia.

“Is there anything I can do for you two?”

Ais stared at me, her golden eyes burning with enthusiasm. “Jagamarukun.”

“Jagamarukun?”

“Jagamarukun,” she repeated the unfamiliar word.

“It’s a street snack sold in Amor Square for thirty to forty valis.”

That’s cheap.

“Sure, you can eat as much as you want.”

“Thanks…”

This loli… I raised my hand and tried to pat her, but she inclined her head to dodge as if it was some instinct.

“Stay still.”

She nodded lightly and stayed still this time. Her golden hair were soft to touch. After a few headpats, she lifted my hand and stared at it, perhaps searching for the source of ‘warmth’ other girls felt when I touched them.

“...Magic?”

She misunderstood my headpat skill with magic.

I tilted my head with a puzzled expression. “What?”

She put my hand back on her head and closed her eyes. I sighed and spoiled the loli with more headpats. Looks like Bell will be joining the green hat club.

Lefiya’s blush when she looked at us was cute. This delusional elf was yuri for Ais if I recall.

I shook my head. Ais was too little now. She will make a good little sister.

—x—x—x—

 I had a few polite words with Miach. Naaza looked like she wanted to say something but held back. Maybe she wanted to invite me to her Familia. I would have rejected either way.

Ais guided us through the busy streets, unlike the desolate ones that greeted me first in Orario.

Amor Square, located in the next block, took several minutes’ walk. Ais's steps hastened when rows of stalls appeared around the corner. The kuudere loli was so damn excited for whatever this snack was.

Ais stopped before a stall and a spicy aroma of oil drifted through the air.

“A sweet-bean flavored Jagamarukun, please,” Ais requested and the middle-aged stall owner smiled, frying the crisp potato or something on the pan.

“Of course.”

“Three more, please,” I ordered one for everyone.

“I-I don’t need it.”

And Lefiya denied. Ais stared at Lefiya and puffed her cheeks.

The elf fidgeted with red cheeks, getting drunk on her delusions. Once she had her fill of delusions, she raised her hand.

“One for m-me too!”

The owner handed us puffs wrapped in silver paper. I curiously took a bite. The spicy flavor slid on my tongue with the melting potato then the sweet filling exploded. Another bite and I found myself craving for more.

This was… on the same level as Saeko’s cooking.

This is another world for ya.

Nao and Lefiya were immersed in the spicy-yet-sweet thing.

Just like that, I found another attraction when taking girls out on a date.

Ais kept stuffing her tiny mouth, ultimately eating five of the puffy snacks. How did her little stomach hold so much? Another thing to blame the anime worlds for.

With 400 valis out of my pocket, I returned to the inn with Nao. Saya and Leme were hugging each other in sleep like a pair of sisters. Grayfia slept a bit farther.

‘Aimi, report your status.’

“Asahi-sama… we are a thousand meters high…”

Almost six hours had passed in our quest and they would take a few more hours.

“I am hurrying!” Aimi shouted in my head.

‘Take your time.’

I cut off the connection and scratched my chin. What to do now? We might get exposed if we go through the stickers. Going without it will be a chore.

“Asahi-kun,” Nao called, sitting on the edge of the bed, she patted her thighs. “Just rest. We can discuss Amon’s spells.”

That was also an option.

I rested the back of my head on her lap. While feeling the bliss coursing through me, I listened to her lecture on Amon’s spells.

The Wolf Diva had some interesting spells in his arsenal. A version of foresight, a flame breath, a wind spell capable of absorbing other magic, a magic spell to grow wolf fangs which granted superior physical strength but increased the bloodlust, a version of mind magic to cause chaos in enemy’s ranks, and lastly his ultimate level 10 spell was… absurd.

Friendship Beam… It worked as it sounded. Anyone hit by it will instantly convert into an ally. I pitied the owl-headed wolf who had to resort to magic for making friends.

At least Amon had Nao to look after him.

After an hour or two, the spells wore down my spirit. I opened my Grimoire a few pages shy of giving me some dope spells. I still haven’t gotten the promised wisdom and intelligence stat boost.

(My love, you need to finish one section of the book for this… the part about all elements.)

‘I have to unlock all the natural elements to get the stat boost?’

(Yes… this was cheap because of this.)

‘No worries. It’s not like wisdom and intelligence can make me stronger. My magic stat is already broken.’

“Nao, we will go to the dungeon tonight. We should complete our sleep now.”

“But I am not sleepy.”

“Then, let’s do some exercise that can tire you out,” I grinned, reaching for her lovely face. “Right?”

“Your libido never ends…”

“One of the reasons I wanted a harem.”

“What are the other ones?”

“I love beauties.”

Especially the anime waifus.

Nao sighed, glancing at the girls. “I... am not doing that here.”

“I can make a soundproof barrier.”

“No… they might wake up and see us during that… never. All my dignity as onee-chan will be gone.”

“Just look at them, you think they will wake up easily? Besides, these three know you are my woman.”

“You… never cease to amaze me,” she muttered with red cheeks then bashfully nodded her head.

“Yes!”