Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 56: Izzy and Ryuu eloped?

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"Isn't this a normal growth process for a newcomer?"

Blinking innocently, Loki tilted her head as she answered Bete's question.

"???"

Everyone present suddenly felt like they were being mocked!

"Loki, Izzy hasn't been upgraded yet, has he?"

Pinching his chin thoughtfully, Finn had a sense of what might be going on.

Loki nodded to confirm his suspicion.

"Not yet. His ability values are approaching the bottleneck for an upgrade, so he's been working on achieving 'great feats.' A few days ago, a Strengthen species appeared on the fifteenth floor, and the guild issued a subjugation commission. That caught his attention."

"That night, he told me he found a Lv.4 adventurer to assist him in exploring the dungeon. Then he headed straight into the depths."

"And just yesterday, the guild announced that the fifteenth-floor Strengthen species had been subdued. But until now..."

"Izzy still hasn't returned," Finn concluded as Loki left her sentence hanging.

"Which is why you asked us if we saw him on our way back?"

"Exactly, Finn! That's it!" Loki replied cheerfully.

"Well... it is concerning that he hasn't come back yet. But if a Lv.4 adventurer is with him, it's unlikely anything serious has happened in the upper or middle floors. Loki, you should relax a bit," Gareth chimed in, stroking his beard.

"True. Honestly, I assumed you guys would cross paths with him," Loki admitted.

At that moment, Ais spoke in her usual calm tone, her curiosity evident.

"Then... how did he get so strong in such a short time?"

In just half a month, Izzy had gone from being a newcomer who had only just received a Falna to an adventurer whose strength rivaled that of a Lv.2.

Ais wasn't the only one eager for an explanation. The whole room shared her curiosity, especially Tione, Tiona, and Bete—all of whom were stuck at Lv.5.

The longer they remained at their current level, the more they could feel how painstakingly slow their progress had become.

And now, here was someone skyrocketing in power right before their eyes—a companion, no less. How could they not want to know more?

"Well..."

Loki deliberately dragged out her answer, watching Ais's eager expression as if savoring the moment. A mischievous smile crept across her face, stretching almost ear to ear.

"We don't know either!"

"——!!"

For a moment, Ais froze, processing Loki's words. Then, realizing she had been played, she puffed her cheeks and pouted in clear frustration.

Really…

The three veteran leaders—Finn, Gareth, and Riveria—exchanged knowing glances. Loki's antics were no mystery to them, and her answer had been exactly as expected.

"Don't be mad, Ais-tan~" Loki cooed, raising her hands in a mock apology. "This question ties into Izzy's ability values, which are his secret. As his main god, it's my duty to protect his privacy. I can't share anything without his consent, okay~?"

Though Loki's tone was apologetic, her smile showed she was still enjoying herself.

Riveria's mouth twitched at the sight.

I don't believe you at all…

It was obvious Loki had chosen this response simply to keep teasing Ais—it was more entertaining that way.

Soon, the group set aside the matter of Izzy and moved on to more pressing concerns: reporting on the details of their expedition.

---

At the same time, on the other side of Orario, the Hostess of Fertility in the West District.

Izzy and Ryuu, now dressed in their shop clerk uniforms, stood outside the tavern door, which displayed a "Closed" sign.

Ryuu had changed in the Tower of Babel facility, where adventurers returning from the dungeon often used the specially designed shower rooms to wash away the traces of their battles before stepping back into the city.

Although the tavern was closed and not open for business, as a clerk, Ryuu calmly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The sound of bells jingling echoed through the quiet interior.

"The cats' shop is still closed, meow—meow! Ryuu is finally back after running off with that annoying guy, meow!"

It was nearly noon, and Anya, still in the process of setting up the tavern, froze mid-action. She had been draping tablecloths across the tables when she caught sight of the familiar figure walking through the door. Her words came out sharp and loud.

"???"

The moment Ryuu heard the explosive accusation, her face flushed red. She hesitated for a moment, looking at the cat-eared girl in embarrassment before stammering out a reply.

"Anya, w-what are you talking about? Running away?!"

She tried to muster a rebuttal, but for some reason, her tone lacked conviction.

"Stupid cat," came a dry interjection from Izzy, who entered the store behind her and shut the door. "Can you please stop using such ridiculous terms? Who are you even talking about?"

"Meow! Of course, I mean you, the annoying one, meow!" Anya retorted, raising her chin with exaggerated indignation. "You're so unfriendly to cats. If you're not the annoying one, then who is?"

She tilted her head back to glare at him, attempting to appear defiant. But her diminutive height of 1.5 meters made her efforts futile against Izzy, who towered over her at 1.8 meters.

Despite her posture, the sight was more reminiscent of a younger sibling trying to intimidate an older one.

"Yeah, there's definitely someone annoying here," Izzy said, shaking his head as he placed a hand on her head. His tone was light, yet teasing. "But it doesn't seem to be me."

He began rubbing her head, much to her outrage.

"Meow!!!"

Anya was incensed. She swiped her hands at him, claws and fangs metaphorically bared, but to no avail. Izzy held her at arm's length with one hand, her flailing arms unable to make contact.

"Meow~? Ryuu looks embarrassed… Meow, this outing must've been quite the adventure. What do you think, Chloe?"

"Me? I agree with you, Anya. Something about this feels suspicious."

"..."

The corner of Ryuu's mouth twitched as she turned to give Anya a pointed look that seemed to say, There's something wrong with you.

Does it really need to be described as 'Outing'? Couldn't you use literally anything else?

Her expression practically screamed her plea: Please respect my identity as a person.

"Ah, welcome back, Ryuu."

A gentle voice interrupted the chaos, and everyone turned to see Syr, the cheerful hostess of the Hostess of Fertility, emerge from the kitchen. She greeted Ryuu with a kind smile.

"Well, I'm back, Syr," Ryuu replied, tearing her gaze away from Anya. She smiled back politely.

Syr Flova.

The tavern's most enigmatic member, Syr stood out for being the only clerk without any combat power. Yet, her friendly and approachable nature made her beloved by patrons—especially the male ones.

Her disarming smile seemed capable of melting even the harshest adventurer's defenses, leaving them relaxed and at ease.

For Izzy, though, there was an underlying wariness. While their relationship was amicable on the surface—thanks in large part to Ryuu serving as a mediator—he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something hidden behind Syr's cheerful facade.

What exactly is this witch thinking? he mused to himself, though he made sure to keep his expression neutral.

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