"-baru! Subaru!"

"!"

I'm alive. Oh, thank the gods, I'm alive. What the hell was I hit by?! One second, I'm minding my business in an alley, the next, half my body is gone. That was, that was-

"BLEGH!"

"Oh my gods! Subaru, are you okay!"

Holy shit. That was one of the worse deaths I've had in a while. At least it wasn't as bad as being eaten alive. Ugh.

"Subaru! Why are you so quiet! You were a mess just a second ago, but then you stopped all of a sudden! Next thing I know, you're puking on the floor!"

"Sorry, sorry. Looks like I got a little too emotional. I'm okay now."

"Okay, but don't do that again! You scared me half to death!"

Looks like my save point is right before I went on my walk. Kind of weird for it to be so close to my death point, but I'm not complaining. Maybe it has something to do with the falna? Oh, right, should probably ask about that pig dude.

"Hey Hestia, is there a really big guy in this town that has pig ears?"

"Big guy with pig ears? I've never really heard of anyone like that. Do you have anything else you know about him?"

"Um, I think he has a really big sword, and I believe he wears a sleeveless shirt."

"Big sword and sleeveless shirt… Oh! You mean Ottar, the King of Orario?"

"K-king?"

"Yeah, he's the only level 7 in Orario, and he's part of the Freya Familia. Why do you ask?"

"Eh, no reason. Saw him earlier and was just wondering."

What. The. Fuck.

Why the hell did the strongest dude in this town come and kill me personally?! What did I ever do to him?! Was he looking for me or is he just violent towards anyone?! No, that can't be, because it sounds like he could do some serious damage to this place based off of his title. So then he had to have been coming after me specifically! Shit! What am I gonna do?!

"Um, Subaru, are you sure you're okay? You look really pale."

Okay, gotta calm down. I'm very obviously worrying Hestia. Definitely not going on that walk now, though. He wouldn't come to another Familia's home, right? Gods, I sure hope not.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind. Been a pretty rough day."

"I bet. Well, Bell should be back soon, so I can introduce you, and then you can-"

"Goddess, I'm back! And you'll never believe what happened today!"

"Speak of the devil! Come on Bell, I have someone I want you to meet!"

He sounds pretty young. No older than 15. Wonder what he looks like.

"Bell, this is Subaru Natsuki, our newest Familia member! Subaru, this is Bell Cranel!"

"A new Familia member! Really?! Oh, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Subaru!"

Oh no.

This guy looks exactly like the Great Rabbit. What are the chances of that? No, why does he look like that monster? Is he albino? But his skin isn't that pale! Okay, okay, calm down! There's no way he's as dangerous as that thing! He's just a kid!

"Subaru! I thought you said you were okay! You're as white as a ghost!"

*inhale*

*exhale*

"I really am okay. Bell just reminded me of a monster I had a really bad encounter with."

"You've already seen an almiraj? But those don't spawn until the middle floors of the dungeon. How could you have seen one if you've never been in the dungeon?"

Almiraj? Those fantasy rabbits? I guess the Great Rabbit kind of looked like that. Must mean they spawn in the dungeon. Would rather avoid those.

"There was something very similar from where I came from, but it wasn't an almiraj. Never mind that little show, it's nice to meet you, Bell."

"Um, yeah, sorry I scared you before. Most people tend to say I look like a rabbit, but I've never had someone be scared because of it."

"I bet. Don't worry about me. I'll get over it."

He really does seem like a good guy. Shouldn't have to worry about him eating me, which is good. But man, I sure am tired.

"Hestia, I'm going to sleep, I'm exhausted."

"Oh, okay. Have a good night, Subaru."

"Have a goodnight, Mr. Subaru!"

"You too, Bell. And enough with the 'Mr.' stuff. I can't be that much older than you."

"Will do! Anyway, goddess, something crazy happened today!"

The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was Hestia yelling something about "almost dying."


Yeah, I expected as much. I slept like shit. Can't I get a good night's sleep just once? I guess that's what I get for dying so much. Well, what now?

"Good morning, Subaru!"

"Morning, Hestia. You too, Bell. What are the plans for the day?"

"We need to get you registered as an adventurer!"

Ah, forgot about that. It seems I have to fight monsters. But how? I don't have access to any magic without Beako, and I am definitely not proficient in any kind of weaponry.

"Um, I know I have to do that, but how exactly am I going to fight these monsters? I don't have anything I can use to fight."

"Don't worry about it! Bell's going to bring you to the guild to get registered, and you should get a starter kit."

"I don't know if this means anything, but I have been told that I have no talent when it comes to wielding most weapons."

"It'll be fine! I'm sure you'll figure something out! Anyway, I'm off to work!"

"Have a good day, Goddess!"

That wasn't helpful. Well, Bell seems to know what he is doing, so maybe he can carry?

"Let's make our way to the guild, Mr.- I mean, Subaru!"

"Yes, let's."


"Man, this city is pretty busy, even so early in the morning."

"Yeah! Most Familias are of the exploration kind, and the dungeon can get pretty busy, so a lot of people make their way out here early!"

"Cool, cool, so the guild is right up-"

Woah.

It just felt like someone was watching me. Wait, actually, not exactly. They definitely were watching something over here, but I don't think it was me.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah. It felt like someone was watching here."

"I felt like they were staring right at me."

That would explain it. They were looking at Bell. But why? And why so intensely? I mean, I could feel their gaze.

"Um…"

""!""

Holy shit! Where did this girl come from?! Can she fucking teleport?! Okay, okay, calm down, calm down.

"I'm sorry! Did you need something?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Didn't know instant transmission existed here."

"In tent train mishin? I've never heard of that."

"Never mind. What was it that you needed?"

Should probably avoid making references like that.

"Oh, right! You dropped this."

"A magic stone? I thought I turned them all in yesterday. Well, either way, thank you miss!"

So that's a magic stone, huh? Looks kind of like the stone Puck slept in. Just smaller. And purple.

"You two are adventurers, right? What are you doing out so early?"

"Well, I'm an adventurer, but I'm bringing Subaru here to the guild to get registered. He just joined my Familia yesterday and now I'll be able to- "

*GRUMBLE*

What are the chances of that? Talk about classic. And, yep, there it is. The full face blush.

"Oh, you sound quite hungry. Just wait here a moment, I'll be right back!"

There's no way, right? This is really turning into one of those classic tropes. Bell, you sly dog, you!

"Why are you nudging me, Subaru?"

"Oh, you're one of those guys, huh?"

"What does that mean?!"

"Here you go!"

I was right! A homemade bento from a cute girl. With how this whole interaction is going, I'm guessing the next thing that will happen will be…

"I-I can't take this from someone I just met! And isn't this your breakfast!"

Bingo.

"Don't worry about it. I can get something once the pub opens."

"B-but…"

"If you really want to make up for it, promise to come and eat here tonight. Won't you?"

She's even pulling out the puppy dog eyes! Thought this world was gonna be more along the lines of a fantasy adventure, but it looks like I'm watching a romance slice-of-life. Might as well give Bell a hand.

"Don't worry miss! I'll make sure Bell will be here tonight! I might be here, too, but I'll make sure to leave you two some space!"

Ha, now they're both blushing! This whole interaction is just like an anime!

"W-we should probably be heading out now. We'll see you tonight!"

"It's a promise, then!"

"Dude, you're a total ladies' man."

"H-huh?! N-no I'm not! She's just being nice!"

"Yeah, okay. Gonna have to thin your skull out a bit."

"Let's get you registered at the guild Subaru!"

Young love. It just warms your heart.


Man, this building's pretty decked out. Got everything you'd expect from a place called a guild. The cute receptionists, the exchange counter, quest board, the whole nine yards. Oops, should probably be paying attention to Bell.

"And that brings us to my advisor, Ms. Eina Tulle!"

"Who is this, Bell?"

Holy crap is that a half-elf?! I've seen a couple of elves since coming here, but this is the first half-elf. She's pretty good-looking, but she's nothing compared to my Mili!

"Oh, this is- "

"Don't worry Bell, I got this."

Alright, let's do this. Time for the signature Natsuki Subaru intro!

"My name is Natsuki Subaru! I'm completely broke and also the newest member of the Hestia Familia!"

Nailed it!

"Pfft!"

Thought that would happen. Looks like I even embarrassed Bell. No matter.

"Ahem, well, Mr. Natsuki, it's nice to meet you. I'm glad Bell was able to find another Familia member, especially after the "incident" yesterday. Now, I'm guessing you are here to register as an adventurer?"

"I think so. I'm pretty new to these parts; just kinda going with the flow right now. Oh, and you can just call me Subaru. I'm from what you would consider the Far East."

"That makes sense. Now, I'll have you fill out the form, and we can get you a starter kit. I'm guessing you are also going to need an advisor?"

"Most definitely. Just learned about the dungeon yesterday."

"Well, can't say I've ever heard anyone say that before. Either way, just fill this out, and for your starter kit, what weapon are you looking for, or do you happen to be a mage?"

"Something that isn't a sword or dagger, and my magic is locked for the time being. I've been told I have no talent for those types. I'm thinking something more unorthodox. Oh, and also, I can't read any of this."

"Okay, I can try and find something for you and… Wait a minute! You just said a lot of things that don't make any sense! First, what do you mean your magic is 'locked?!' And what do you mean you can't read this. It's koine, the common language!"

"M-Ms. Eina? Are you alright? You seem quite flustered."

"S-sorry, this kind of situation is just unheard of. Bell, help him fill out the form. I'll go look for a weapon."

Should have known I'd get a reaction like that. Also, it looks like I'll have to learn another language. Just when I was getting good at glyphs, too!

"Okay, that should do it! Everything should be filled out correctly! And it looks like Ms. Eina is coming back!"

"I found a couple of options for the time being as you get used to adventuring, but because you said your magic is currently 'locked,' it may be subject to change. Now we can get you an advisor."

"Can't I just have you as an advisor? I mean, you already have Bell as an advisee, so it will just make things easier for you because you can advise us at the same time."

"I was going to allow you to look at our advisors to see which you want, but if you are willing, I am more to take you in."

"Cool. When do we start, then?"

"Right now would be the best. Bell's not allowed to go into the dungeon after what happened yesterday, and there are plenty of things we can go over. Follow me if you will."

Huh. That was easier than I thought it would be. Thought there would be a test or something to get in. Well, this makes things a lot easier. Also, I heard him say he almost died right before I slept yesterday, but now I kind of want to know the whole story.

"First, let's try and find you a weapon. I've brought the options to a training room for you to look through. Take your time, there is no rush. Once you're done, make your way to the advising room at the end of the hall. As for you Bell, I have found some more information on the 'Sword Princess" I thought you might want to know."

"M-Ms. Eina! W-we don't need to t-talk about that in front of S-Subaru!"

Oh? Another woman? After all that happened after that young woman this morning. But wait, he seems to already know about this 'Sword Princess,' so was the one this morning the side? Scratch being in a slice-of-life romance, looks like I found my way into a harem story!

"Man, you truly are a ladies' man. First that girl this morning, and now this 'Sword Princess?' Leave some for the other guys!"

"S-Subaru! It's not like that! She just saved my life and…"

"So, you fell for her. Don't worry man, I happened to have been in a very similar situation in the past, it's all good. I'm rooting for you!"

"Subaru!"

"C'mon Bell, let's let Subaru find his weapon. Just make sure to find the room when you're done and leave all the weapons here."

"Will do ma'am. Might take a bit, but I'll try and not take too long."

Alright. Where to begin?...


Man, that took a while. Didn't think we'd be there all day. But at least I found something I can work with. Never thought I'd be one to wield a whip, though. Oddly enough, it kind of just felt meant to be. Anyway, seems to be a good time to make our way to that pub for dinner.

"Hey, Bell, we should probably make our way to the pub."

"Oh, yeah, that's a good idea. I don't have much on me, but it should be enough to get us both dinner."

"Thanks man. We should be able to make our way into the dungeon tomorrow, especially after all the tutoring from Eina. With two people, I'm guessing we can make more than just you alone."

"Hopefully. The farthest I've actually fought monsters is floor 4, but I've been down to floor 5."

"Yeah, I heard about that a bit. What exactly happened to you? Hestia and Eina seemed quite worried about you."

"Hehe. Well, I went to the 5th floor yesterday to see what it's all about, but a group of first-class adventurers from Loki Familia ended up bringing minotaurs from the 16th floor up. I was caught between a wall and one of the minotaurs when Ms. Ais ended up saving me. I just wish I would have thanked her…"

"Wait, you didn't thank her? What did you do, run away?"

"…"

"Oh, you did. Well, it was probably pretty traumatizing getting almost killed, but you still should have said something."

"I know, I just freaked out! She was just so beautiful, and I couldn't think straight! It's stupid, I know!"

"Nah man, everyone reacts differently in a near-death situation. Just gotta make sure to thank her next time you see her."

"Yeah, yeah. Looks like we're here. "The Hostess of Fertility.""

"So that's what it's called. Let's make our way in."

Now this is a pub in a fantasy world. It's so lively, and there are so many different races! Never made my way into one of these in Lugunica, but I'm guessing it wouldn't have been quite like this.

"You made it! I'm sorry, I never introduced myself before. I'm Syr Flover."

"N-nice to meet you Syr! I'm Bell Cranel, and this Is Subaru Natsuki."

"Hey, you didn't even let me do my thing!"

"C'mon, you two can have a seat at the bar!"

Woah. That's a big woman. And that's a lot of food. This place doesn't skimp on the portions.

"So, you two are the ones Syr was talking about this morning. The cute one and the one with the scary eyes. She sure wasn't lying."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Not the first time I've been referred to in such a way. Thanks for the food, but I think you're going to give my friend a heart attack."

"These are 400 valis, and I have about 5000 valis, but I want to save for the Familia… HUH?! U-um, I didn't order this!"

"What you have there isn't enough, right? Here, today's special!"

"Today's special! Let's see, that's… 850 VALIS!"

"Um, ma'am, I think this is enough. I don't want my only other Familia member dying the day after I joined."

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. Adventurers are pretty tough."

Maybe physically, but Bell looks like he's about to pass out any second now. Oh, there's Syr. Better leave them be, let them have a little 'alone time.'

This food is really good. A bit pricey, or so I believe, but good. But I think a bit of mayo would make it that much better.

"The reservation has arrived, nya!"

Reservation? Must be pretty wealthy to be able to do that here. And they got announced, so doubly so.

"It's the Loki Familia!"

"Man, they're so cool!"

"Look at the total hotties!"

That's the Loki Familia? Maybe Bell will be able to apologize to that girl sooner than he thought. Let's see who we got…

Is that Loki in the front? They feel a bit different from the rest of the group. More divine, I guess. But a woman, huh. I know Loki can change his gender, but I wonder why he decided to be so flat?

Next up is… a child?! No wait, I think I've seen a couple of people like him. A pallum if I'm not mistaken. He holds himself rather proudly, so he must be pretty strong.

Then there are two girls who look rather similar except for… Man, kind of reminds me of Rem and Ram. I believe those are Amazons.

Now a werewolf? This is quite a diverse group. The guy just exudes asshole energy, though. Don't want to deal with him.

Doesn't really surprise me to see an elf. Scratch that, two elves. No idea how old they are, but one is definitely older than the other. The green-haired one almost feels like royalty. The yellow-haired one seems pretty young, but who knows.

Damn, a real dwarf! This guy even looks that part. Straight out of Lord of the Rings! What a sight to behold.

Oh, this one looks interesting. Rather pretty, but she feels… familiar. Kind of like Puck or Beatrice, but weaker. Is she a spirit? And based on how Bell is reacting, that must be the 'Sword Princess,' Ais.

Oh, looks like I missed one. They seem to be hiding a bit. All I can see is silver hair and pointed ears. Kind of reminds me of Emilia. Actually, wait, I haven't seen a single elf with silver hair. No, there's no way, must just be a coincidence. Oh, they seem to be stepping out a bit more. Let's see…

"Emilia?"

"Subaru?"