Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 85: Ais: Izzy, go on a date with me...

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As if perfectly timed, the bell in the Twilight Manor rang just as Riveria finished giving Ais her advice. Its chime echoed throughout the mansion, signaling that breakfast was near.

Though Ais still had many questions about the advice Riveria had given her, she set them aside for now. Picking up her wooden sword, she followed Riveria back to the tower from the courtyard.

There were about ten minutes between the bell ringing and the start of breakfast. Ais used this brief window to head to the base's bathhouse for a quick shower.

At the same time, the bell shook Izzy out of his slumber. He got up, washed himself thoroughly, dressed, and made his way leisurely down the narrow corridor of the headquarters toward the large dining hall.

By the time Izzy arrived, several members of the group were already setting plates and arranging breakfast dishes on the long tables.

The delicious aroma wafting in from the kitchen tickled Izzy's nose, making his anticipation grow. His stomach, awakened by the scent, grumbled in agreement.

Glancing toward the kitchen window, Izzy spotted several figures busily preparing the meal. A familiar face stood out among them. Smiling, he approached the kitchen.

"Linie, looks like you're in charge of breakfast today."

Inside the bustling kitchen stood a young girl with glasses, her long black hair braided into a neat pigtail and tied back with a white headband.

Linie Arshe was part of the second echelon of the clan. Despite only being Lv.2, she was a core member of the support team, serving as both healer and strategist. Her kind-hearted nature made her well-loved by the group.

Thanks to an old friend from her circle, Izzy had initially formed a connection with Linie and the rest of the second echelon. As time passed, his integration into the clan deepened, and he now interacted regularly with the main forces.

Izzy had a reputation for getting along with everyone—even a certain arrogant elder in the group. After all, everyone appreciated someone who brought goodwill to the table.

"Good morning, Izzy," Linie greeted with a warm smile. "Yes, it's my turn today."

"What's on the menu?" Ize asked curiously.

"Vegetable soup, salad, vegetable and salted meat sandwiches, and vegetable omelets," Linie replied cheerfully.

"What about milk?"

"Of course there's milk."

"That's exciting news~"

As one of the top families in Orario, the Loki Familia enjoyed only the finest ingredients. Their vegetables and fruits came directly from the [Demeter Familia], renowned for their agricultural expertise.

Goddess Demeter and her followers supplied Orario with the sweetest, most nutritious produce, ensuring that every bite was a treat.

Feeling a bit awkward about leaving all the work to others, Izzy decided to join the team in setting plates on the tables. He moved carefully, not wanting to disrupt the flow.

While arranging tableware on the long rectangular dining table, Izzy also prepared a simple breakfast for himself, complete with a glass of milk from Linie.

Nearby, an Amazon warrior had a similar idea and made her way into the kitchen.

"Miss Tione, you really don't have to make breakfast for me," Izzy said, noticing her bustling about.

"Captain, I'm making your breakfast! Stay out of the way!" she retorted, shooing others aside as she muttered something about preparing a "breakfast filled with love." She worked enthusiastically, much to the amusement of everyone nearby.

Before long, the hall filled with more members of the Familia, and breakfast officially began.

Lively chatter filled the air as everyone reached for steaming bowls of soup, soft omelets.

Only in front of Finn, the leader of the Familia, who sat in the seat of honor, was a dish made from a whole giant fish roasted to perfection with a wild flavor.

The fish, though still a juvenile, was over a meter long and placed directly in front of Finn. The leader of the dwarves, sitting nearby, glanced at the oversized meal and then averted his gaze, saying nothing.

Poor Finn...

Izzy caught a glimpse of Finn's awkward situation and wisely decided to sit elsewhere. He joined Anakitty, Alicia, Cruz, and others to enjoy breakfast.

There was an empty seat next to him.

"Huh? Where's Raul?" Anakitty's cat ears twitched as she glanced at the vacant chair beside Izzy, her tone filled with curiosity.

"Overslept?" Alicia, the eldest elf sister, offered a guess.

"No, there's a deeper reason," Izzy said with a smirk. "To put it simply, Raul is temporarily dead."

"Dead? The pawn is gone?" Anakitty echoed, tilting her head.

"Yep, the pawn is gone," Izzy confirmed.

Raul was likely still recovering from the punishment of writing a 20,000-word confession for staying up all night. Remembering the poor guy's screams echoing through the base last night, Izzy couldn't help but laugh.

Anakitty and Alicia exchanged confused glances at his sudden laughter, neither understanding the inside joke.

As Izzy chuckled to himself, a flicker of gold caught the corner of his eye, accompanied by a faint, sweet fragrance.

"???"

He blinked in confusion. Was there a beautiful blonde girl sitting beside him just now?

Turning his head, he found himself face-to-face with a pair of calm golden eyes.

"Izzy… go on a date with me."

The blonde girl spoke without hesitation, her pink lips forming the words as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"—!!!"

"Pfft!!!"

"Miss Ais?! Miss Ais!!!"

"How bold!"

Her single sentence was like a spark igniting an explosive.

Familia members, who had already been secretly observing the two due to Ais's unusual behavior, erupted into chaos after a brief three-second silence.

A certain werewolf's jaw dropped in shock, Tiona sprayed vegetable soup everywhere, and a Yamabuki-haired elf's eyes dulled as though she had been pranked by fate.

Even Riveria, sitting at a table while secretly watching, froze with her mouth slightly agape. She had given Ais some pointers, sure, but she hadn't expected the girl to make such a direct move during breakfast, in front of everyone!

"It's great to be young… full of energy," Gareth, the dwarf, chuckled as he sipped his wine.

"Ah, I didn't expect you, Izzy, to secretly steal Ais's heart. Congrats~" Alicia teased, her tone half playful, half astonished.

"Congratulations? More like condolences!" Izzy retorted instinctively. "Do you want Loki to stab me in the back with an E tonight?"

Fortunately, Loki was still asleep and unaware of the commotion; otherwise, Izzy might not have lived to see the next meal.

Sensing the weight of the situation, Izzy turned his attention back to Ais, his instincts telling him there was more to this than met the eye.

He scrutinized her carefully, but Ais only tilted her head slightly, her expression as innocent as ever.

No, Izzy, don't fall for it!

This has to be one of life's greatest illusions: She likes me!

Ais couldn't possibly be serious—she didn't even know what love was. Right?

"…Ais, come with me."

Realizing the hall was not the place for this conversation, Izzy quickly cleared his unfinished breakfast, grabbed his plate, and gestured for Ais to follow him outside.

Ais didn't resist. She obediently let Izzy lead her out of the hall.

As they left, the room exploded into another wave of noise and speculation.