NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 178: Arriving At The Guild
Chapter 178 - Arriving At The Guild
Orario is the center of the Danmachi world and the most prosperous city in existence.
The overall layout of Orario is quite straightforward.
Viewed from above, it resembles a cake divided into eight slices.
The city is circular, with eight main streets radiating outward from the center.
These streets are named based on their orientations: East, West, South, and North Streets, as well as Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, and Northwest Streets.
The Hostess of Fertility, a well-known tavern, is located on West Street.
The Guild Headquarters is situated on Northwest Street, not far from the Hostess of Fertility.
Because the Guild Headquarters is located here, this street is primarily frequented by adventurers.
After all, the guild oversees Orario and manages the dungeon.
Anyone wishing to explore the dungeon must complete various procedures and seek assistance from the guild.
For adventurers, whose primary occupation involves dungeon exploration, frequent visits to the guild are inevitable.
Thus, Northwest Street naturally teems with adventurers.
Because of this, the street is lined with shops catering to adventurers' needs.
There are numerous weapon shops, pharmacies offering healing potions, and stores stocked with a variety of other useful items.
Mahiro strolled along the street, observing everything with great interest.
The street's atmosphere reminded him of a video game, which he found refreshingly novel.
This was vastly different from the night he'd visited the previous evening.
"Huh?"
Mahiro suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Once again, he felt the sensation of being watched, just as he had the night before.
However, this time, the gaze was distinctly different.
It burned with an intensity akin to volcanic lava, so scorching that Mahiro imagined the owner might lose control and devour him whole.
He had never experienced such a fiery stare before.
Whether it was Rias and her peerage or Saeko and others, their gazes were always filled with love and tenderness.
While there was a measure of passion in their eyes, it was always accompanied by warmth and affection.
This gaze, however, went beyond warmth—it was nearly searing in its fervor.
It wasn't just love anymore; it felt unsettlingly obsessive.
"Here we go again…"
Mahiro sighed in exasperation.
This gaze unmistakably came from Freya.
He was certain of it.
As for why Freya was so fixated on him, Mahiro had his suspicions.
Among the gods residing in the lower world, Freya was a particularly unique goddess.
Her eyes could perceive the essence of human souls.
The purer and more powerful the soul, the more it captivated her.
Mahiro had previously gained the Item: Soul Light, which had elevated his soul to an extraordinary level—both powerful and pure.
Such a soul was bound to attract Freya's attention.
"Even as a 'good' reputed goddess, you're not open at all, are you?"
Mahiro murmured.
When she acted as Syr, her gaze felt gentle and clear, leaving Mahiro feeling at ease.
However, as Freya, her intense scrutiny made him deeply uncomfortable.
Mahiro raised his head, looking toward Babel in the center of Orario.
Freya's gaze was coming from there.
But the moment Mahiro turned his eyes toward the tower, the fiery gaze vanished abruptly.
Mahiro couldn't help but chuckle.
He hadn't expected Freya to react in this way.
Shy, perhaps?
It felt oddly reminiscent of a girl secretly watching her crush and panicking when caught.
Shaking his head with amusement, Mahiro set the matter aside and made his way to the Guild.
The Guild Headquarters was an imposing building resembling a temple.
Inside was just as crowded as the bustling streets outside.
Adventurers of various races moved through the space, and even the guild's receptionist came from different races.
Notably, all them were young and beautiful women.
It was said that this hiring policy was designed to appeal to adventurers' emotions.
Indeed, women generally made better receptionists due to their attention to detail and ability to handle tedious tasks.
Additionally, attractive clerks naturally left a more favorable impression on clients.
Even the roughest adventurers often found themselves trying to act more refined in front of beautiful women.
Scanning the hall, Mahiro chose one of the reception counters and approached it.
He had selected this counter because the receptionist there seemed familiar.
She had slightly pointed ears, shorter than those of full-blooded elves.
Her clear, emerald-green eyes sparkled, and her short brown hair shimmered beautifully as it fell to her shoulders.
Her face, though less aloof than that of a pure-blooded elf, radiated kindness and sweetness, making her more approachable.
She was slender and graceful, wearing the guild's uniform, which gave her a professional appearance.
She was Eina Tulle, a half-elf who served as Bell Cranel's receptionist and adventure advisor in the Danmachi storyline.
Standing upright behind the semicircular counter, Eina greeted Mahiro with a professional smile and asked, "Hello, is there something I can assist you with?"
Eina studied Mahiro curiously.
From her extensive dealings with adventurers, she had developed a knack for assessing them, despite not being an adventurer herself.
Mahiro, however, didn't fit the usual profile of an adventurer.
He was slender, dressed in expensive clothing, and seemed more like a wealthy noble.
Ordinary people rarely visited the guild, as its primary clientele were official adventurers.
Although she found it odd, Eina's professionalism compelled her to assist him politely.
Besides, Mahiro's good looks were a refreshing change from the rough-and-tumble adventurers she usually dealt with.
"Well, I want to join a familia, so I'd like to inquire about the process," Mahiro said with a smile.
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