DanMachi: A Day In The Dungeon

Outside of the Hellhole

The sun rose over Orario, reaching far and wide. A ray of sunlight gleamed through the window of Hearth Home, the headquarters of the Hestia Familia. Inside the small guest room, where a large bed with no one slept underneath the heavy green blankets, instead, lay two figures on the shagged sofa.

The first, a young boy, squinted and shielded his eyes, and he slowly opened them while his sight adjusted. He lowered his arm when accustomed to the light and went to sit up, the attempt failing when noticing the other had moved from her bed to the sofa, where the snowy-haired boy normally rest.

In a single, swift movement, he flipped themselves over to let the woman sleep on the couch alone, covering her up with the light silken blanket before tapping on a pair of boots and equipping his lightweight armor.

He fastened the lime green guard to his left forearm, over his standard gauntlet. The boy lifted his daggers from the table and strapped them to his belt, looking back to the sleeping female, who had been cuddling a pillow instead of him.

"I'm heading out now, Goddess," he said quietly with a smile. "I'll be back." He climbed up the stairs and opened the door, stepping through the otherwise abandoned church to leave. Unfortunately, their place of stay was along the outskirts of the booming city, and he needed to walk a longer distance than most to reach the dungeons. Along the way, the adventurer caught a glimpse of one of the waitresses at The Hostess of Fertility, a local tavern.

"Are you heading to the dungeons?" The woman called out to him, waving as she left the building to greet him.

He was startled at first, loosening up after realizing who it was. "Um, yes. I am. Why do you ask?" He tilted his head as she handed him a wrapped box, asking for him to accept the gift. He did, holding it in his hands with slight discomfort. "I-isn't this your breakfast?" He questioned, feeling somewhat guilty.

The waitress replied with a nod and a smile, "Well, sort of, but I can eat when we open up the tavern! You know that. Besides, I enjoy making these lunches for you!"

The words brought a red dust to brush over his face, then he placed the food in his backpack for safe keeping. "O-okay, thank you, Miss Syr. I'll make sure to stop by later for something to eat, alright?"

She gave him a quick hug as she blushed too, pulling away quickly and smiling widely. "Okay! I'll make sure to save a seat for you! Stay safe, Bell!"

When the woman re-entered the tavern, the boy continued his path to the spire, trudging through crowds of civilians and adventurers alike. Upon arrival, he took a deep breath and exhaled, then pushed open the door and walked inside, brandishing his blades almost immediately as the stone door slammed shut behind him.