Finally taking the stairs out of the dungeon I started to holster my sword but thought better of it and kept it in my hand until I finally stepped out into the streets and people started giving me angry looks.

 

Cleaning the blade with a piece of cloth I put it away and pulled out another piece of jerky to snack on.

 

I had just bitten off another piece when I froze, a shiver went down my spine filling my entire body with goosebumps, with slow and stiff movements I turned my head and saw it.

 

Sitting there, sucking on a tall glass from a wooden straw, her feet on top of the table and her crimson eyes starring right through my soul was Loki.

 

Her mouth opened in a wide smirk as she gave me a little wave.

 

“Argh… coff…coff…coff” I choked on my jerky, tears filling my eyes and I started to panic until I finally managed to spit it out “why me”

 

Avoiding her eyes I lowered my head and immediately turned around to dash away, I smashed right into something hard and bounced back a few step.

 

“Ne, ne, newbie-kun, good to see you survived the dungeon alone!”

 

A small hand patted my shoulder in congratulations making me focus on the girl in front of me, Tiona, like most amazoness, wore little clothes, her chest was bound by a single piece of cloth that could be called a sports bra and she had a yellow skirt that showed her bare legs.

 

I stared for quite a few seconds to take in the tanned level 5 adventurer, she was petite and extremely fit with a hint of a six pack on her abs, despite her muscles she still looked cute… damn the anime simple drawing really didn’t do her justice.

 

“Come on newbie-kun, Loki wants to talk with you”

 

“Can I say… no?” I asked while looking down at Tiona’s smiling face.

 

“Sure” she said and put a finger against her mouth in thought “Hmmm, I don’t think Loki would be happy thought”

 

Well… fuck me then.

 

With a sight I followed Tiona back to the shop where Loki was still waiving, her eyes almost closed in amusement and her pupils barely visible.

 

Loki took her boots off the table and I put my bag down in order to free my hands before sitting with the amazoness, my body completely stiff and my hand gripping my sword as hard as I could.

 

Why the hell was Loki after me, for fuck’s sake what did I do to catch her attention?

 

Putting both elbows in the table she crossed her fingers in front of her face and just stared at me making humming noises and only making my tension grow.

 

Just as I was about to force myself into relaxing Loki’s eyes opened wide at something behind me and she violently pushed her chair back to escape.

 

Turning around I activated the mangekyou and jumped off my chair drawing my sword out for a parry.

 

“Fast for a level one aren’t you?” Loki said in amusement “got a lot of kills too”

 

Did this bitch just trick me with a ‘behind you’?

 

Swallowing my wounded pride I sat back down and turned to see Loki searching my backpack, turning to Tiona she just shrugged in sympathy but actually started to lean over to get a look too.

 

“Hey you got a lot of lizard tails” she shouted happily and pulled out a bag with twelve of the item drops “my kids never drop them anymore since everyone hunts further down, thanks, I love the taste”

 

“Can I have those back?” I calmly asked doing my best to not show how annoyed she was making me.

 

“Nope, they’re mine now” pushing the backpack back she kept the lizard drops for herself and threw a bag of valis “Relax newbie, order something I’m paying, have to thank you for saving my cute kids after all”

 

Loki probably wouldn’t have me killed right in front of the dungeon entrance, there’s no way even her familia could escape the repercussions… I hope.

 

Alright, I just have to keep myself from agreeing with anything and I’d probably be fine.

 

Finally relaxing a little I ordered an ice coffee and forced myself to release my sword, Tiona too laid back on her chair put her hands behind her head.

 

“Hmm, Hmmmm, Hmmmmmmmmm” Loki twisted her head from side to side looking me over, a finger over her mouth “you’re a really new adventurer aren’t you? I can see you’re still a little out of shape and, from your lot, you stopped around the fifth floor right?”

 

 “I just heard monsters are stronger in the dungeon, I was just testing that today so there was no need to delve too deep”

 

“Heh, you do remember I can tell when you’re lying right?” she said sounding almost disappointed.

 

Shit I was so tense I had forgotten!

 

“Fine, it’s only been a month or two” I grumbled, a servant finally arrived and laid a glass with my coffee in front of me, it looked surprisingly modern for a sword and sorcery world, it even had a good amount of cream on top and a little spade.

 

“Say, what’s the name of your god again? I didn’t think anyone still in the city was the type to give someone a falna and just dump them in the 18 floor” she asked leaning over the table.

 

“He never told me his name” I answered and moved my chair as discretely as I could away from her.

 

“How odd, the gods usually like to brag” commented Tiona without much care, her body leaning back in her chair.

 

“Say, since your god is such an asshole what do you think about becoming a member of my familia” Loki offered casually “I don’t feel like a few fingers are enough to pay you back for one of my kid’s lives and you’re amusing enough”

 

I felt a cold drop of sweat running down my face as I tried to find a reason to refuse her without lying or making her feel insulted, come on think Roland, think!

 

“I thought both deities had to agree to that?” I almost shouted when the answer came to me.

 

“Tsk, that’s true I suppose” grabbing my coffee Loki took a sip of it and released a little sigh of surprise “huh, I never really liked coffee but this is surprisingly good”

 

“Really? Let me try”

 

I watched as both girls enjoyed my Ice coffee, Tiona taking a big bite out of the cream before her eyes shone with light and she shamelessly stole the entire cup.

 

Seeing as Tiona showed no sign of wanting to give it back I sighed and ordered another cup.

 

“I could always talk with him you know” Loki said as she cleaned her mouth with a napkin “very few gods can deny me when I really want something”

 

A menacing aura started leaking from the petite woman as she grabbed the table with both hands and gave me a very creepy smile.

 

“That’d be hard” I said, relieved I had an excuse for that too “after he gave me my falna I haven’t meet him again”

 

“I see, I see” Loki suddenly opened her crimson eyes causing me to flinch “So how did your falna get updated? A level 1 with 0 stats couldn’t have gotten so many magical crystals in a day… not as out of shape as you were”

 

Shit. Fuck. Goddamnit why did gods have to be able to sense lies.

 

I started to panic; do I tell her I can update my own falna? I had never heard of any other adventurer capable of something like that but there were some ridiculous skills in danmachi, but wasn’t the falna manipulation exclusive to gods?

 

“Hehe, you should see the look on your face” Loki finally said and looked away from me “Forget it, it would be more interesting to find out on my own”

 

‘Fuck, stop messing with me woman!’ Is what I didn’t scream in her face no matter how hard I wanted to.

 

“But I still feel like a few prosthetic fingers aren’t enough to pay you back for Remilia-chan and Kevin-chan’s lives, even your share of the Vouivre’s lot could pay of it, maybe”

 

“You really don’t have to pay me back Loki-sama, I barely did anything”

 

“Lying again!” she said in a singsong voice “I know why don’t you at least stay in the Twilight Manor until you can get more permanent place?”

 

For fuck’s sake I was just trying to be humble, speaking no lies was when you’re trying to hide things is so hard.

 

“I respectfully decline” I bowed my head low and prayed it was enough.

 

No way am I staying in shouting distance of Loki if I can help it no matter how rude I have to be.

 

Wait, I have been cursing in the name of god and praying for things all the time… can the danmachi gods hear it?

 

“Haaaaaaa, you’re no fun” she said and, despite not being a god, even I could see she was lying “At least let me offer you some training, without a god you won’t even be able to get a guide from the guild”

 

I’m sad to say I truly considered it, the anime only showed bell sparring as training but didn’t have anything about the working of the dungeon or what gear I should bring.

 

“Hey Tiona, you up for a few spars to teach newbie here how to fight?”

 

“Huh?” Tiona asked in confusion, her face finally lifting from my glass of ice coffee with a cream mustache

 

“Come on, it would be fun” Said Loki getting behind the amazoness and grabbing her shoulders before leaning over her ears “He’d be your apprentice, you could train him and even pit him against other adventurers to see who’s stronger!”

 

What the hell did she think I was, a pokemon?

 

“Mou, I guess it could be fun” Tiona shrugged and looked me over “You know I’m bad at holding back, you sure he wouldn’t die from a single kick?”

 

You’re a level 5 woman! I’d die, if you kicked me for real I’d definitely die!

 

Despite her ominous words and the fact she was working for Loki I couldn’t help myself, the chance to learn from a first class adventurer, to copy her moves and skills, it was just too tempting.

 

Plus I’m pretty sure Loki wouldn’t give up and who knows what her next offer would be “alright I accept”

 

The fact Tiona was hot and barely wore any clothes had nothing to do with my decision, nope.

 

“Great, it’s a date them!” Loki laughed and grabbed Tiona by the arm dragging her away 

 

I finally took a sip of my ice coffee wondering just why I hadn’t just ran away from the city, oh yeah I refuse to live my life in fear.

 

I felt as if escaping Orario would be taking a step back and I didn’t dare do that, I knew myself, if I started retreating from fear of what would happen it wouldn’t end well for me.

 

Before long I’d become the same zombie in human skin, going through the motions of everyday life but too afraid of both failure and success to do anything.

 

Until now I had managed to force myself to keep moving but if I lost my momentum…

 

I let my body fall sprawling on top of the table and banging my forehead against the wood in frustration.

 

Ugh, living was hard