The Fukaros Familia, starting from DanMachi.

Chapter 211 The Banquet

The evening breeze carried a slight chill, ruffling the hair on the foreheads of the two people on the balcony.

The hustle and bustle inside the banquet hall seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier, leaving only the tranquil night and the distant city lights.

"Have you ever considered bringing back the goddess Astrea, rebuilding your kin, and starting over?"

Fenyu handed a glass of juice to Liu, her gaze following Liu's as she looked towards the distant area that was once called "Garden of Stars".

The place.

Liu took the cup, and the coolness on her fingertips brought a sliver of clarity to her chaotic thoughts.

She slowly shook her head, her emerald eyes instantly dimming, her voice low and hoarse: "I—I am not worthy."

These four words seemed to have exhausted all her strength.

Back then, it was she who, in an almost coercive manner, pleaded with the goddess Astrea to leave Orario and stay away from the strife.

It was she who abandoned her companions, shamelessly survived alone, and selfishly distanced herself from the goddess in pursuit of revenge.

Having done all this, she felt she was no longer qualified to bear the name of "justice," no longer qualified to meet that gentle goddess, let alone invite the goddess back to Orario and rebuild her familia.

Over the past few years, she has been suffering constantly.

But she felt that she deserved it.

This is the price and punishment she should pay for abandoning her companions and even ending the life of her best friend Alexandra in order to survive.

Fen Yu sighed softly, shook his head, and didn't try to persuade him any further.

Don't persuade others to be kind to others without suffering.

The same principle applies to Ryukyu's current situation.

This knot in her heart is a complete dead end; only she can figure it out herself and emerge from that dark past.

Whatever others say is just scratching the surface and is completely useless.

But it's incredibly difficult to untangle the knot in Ryu's heart.

Especially for a noble spirit like her, it was even more difficult to accept the ugly version of herself who would stop at nothing to seek revenge.

In Fen Yu's view, that was not ugly at all; it was just the common human reaction of someone driven to the brink of despair, who would do something to survive and avenge their companions.

But Ryu herself doesn't think so.

When it comes to resolving inner conflicts, other people's opinions are meaningless; the key lies in whether she can reconcile with her past self.

"Then don't think too much about it," Fen Yu said softly to Liu, raising her juice glass. "Today is our housewarming party, so have a good time."

"I'm sorry, today is an important day for you, but I—"

A hint of apology appeared on Liu's face. She raised her glass, gently touched it to Fenyu's glass, and then drank the juice in her glass in one gulp.

"It's okay, I understand."

Fen Yu hesitated, her lips moved, but in the end she didn't reveal the matter that could overturn the entire world of Liu.

Regarding the red-haired girl, Alexie, who was suspected of being resurrected in the dungeon.

He can't say.

First of all, he himself wasn't 100% sure whether it was actually Alexie.

Although his physical characteristics and the fire magic he used perfectly matched the legendary "Red Flower," he had never actually seen Alicia in person.

More importantly, it could very well be just a fake created by the dungeon, an empty shell without a soul.

After all, according to the rules of this world, Alexie's soul should have returned to the heavens long ago.

Therefore, Fen Yu ultimately kept this startling guess firmly in his heart.

He knew without a doubt that once Ryu learned of this news, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she would absolutely rush into the underground city to search for the red-haired girl.

Whether or not it is found in the end, Ryu will be in an extremely dangerous situation.

Fen Yu didn't want to cause the death of this elf who was already burdened with too much pain because of her own loose tongue.

The banquet officially began, with a luxurious long table laden with delicacies prepared by Tifa, Chigusa, Yamato, and others. The aroma of fine wine and the fragrance of food intertwined, permeating every corner of the "Momo Palace".

Since everyone present was an acquaintance, no one was too reserved, and the atmosphere quickly became lively.

"Everyone!"

Hermes raised his glass first, a signature smile on his face that seemed to put everyone at ease. "To the Fucarus family's new home, and to our gathering tonight, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Everyone raised their glasses, and the crisp clinking sounds and laughter blended into a joyful symphony.

Because it was a rare and joyous occasion, Fenyu granted Funina permission to drink.

He specifically chose the lowest alcohol content fruit wine, thinking that since they were all acquaintances and the wine was similar to a soft drink, he shouldn't get drunk.

However, he soon paid the price for his naiveté.

However, after just three drinks, Funina's delicate face had turned bright red.

She suddenly jumped up from the chair, nimbly flipped onto the long table, and, under the gaze of the gods and adventurers, began to sing a self-composed opera, praising her own greatness and the splendor of her new home, accompanied by dancing.

"No way—it's only been a few drinks, and I'm already drunk?" Fen Yu slapped his face, revealing a look of utter despair.

"Hahaha, I can't take it anymore, Fucarus, your alcohol tolerance is so bad, it's a disgrace to the heavens."

Loki clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he was doubled over, tears welling up in his eyes.

The gentle goddess Demeter couldn't bear to watch any longer and stepped forward to pick up the fussy Funina.

She embraced Funina's soft body in her ample bosom, trying to soothe her.

However, the intoxicated Fryna clearly misunderstood something and began to struggle desperately in Demeter's "abyss," which was enough to suffocate any man, while mumbling incoherently, "Let me go, you evil slime, don't even think about devouring the embodiment of justice."

The scene was quite cheerful at one point.

After the banquet, Hill and the other tavern girls enthusiastically helped clean up the mess.

Afterwards, the goddess and the girls went together to the long-awaited hot spring.

Meanwhile, the male gods and men went to the balcony outside the palace to enjoy the evening breeze.

Tonight, almost everyone had a little alcohol.

When men get together, the conversation inevitably veers towards deeper and more serious issues.

"Speaking of which, Brother Fenyu," Hermes started the conversation, leaning against the railing with a mischievous grin, "you're the only man in your clan, surrounded by so many beauties, don't tell me you're still single, right? How many have you already won over?"

"Hmph, you underestimate me too much."

Fen Yu also drank some wine. Although he wasn't drunk, his mood was much higher than usual.

He gave Hermes a thumbs-up, his face full of pride, "We've successfully taken one down."

"Ohhh!"

Now, not only Hermes, but also Takemikazuchi and Michalka who were standing nearby became interested.

Cherry blossoms pricked up their ears and leaned closer with a curious look on their faces.

Hermes and the others were not surprised when they learned that the object of their attention was a robin.

During the banquet, they noticed the undisguised intimacy between Burning Feather and Robin. It seems that not only they, but most people present noticed it, except for a few rather oblivious ones, of course.

"Since we're on this topic, why don't we both talk about the type of girl we like?"

Hermes made the proposal with great interest.

He cleared his throat and said generously, "I like classic beauties with long, shiny black hair, like Takemikazuchi's daughter, and your girl Tifa, they're both quite nice."

Clearly, he is a die-hard fan of long, straight black hair.

Mihe smiled gently upon hearing this: "Well, saying it's a matter of preference might not be quite right. To me, all women are beautiful and lovely beings. If I feel sorry for any girl, I can't help but want to protect her. If she wants to become stronger, I will do my best to help her. Whether she's a girl from somewhere or a goddess, I don't think it matters."

Fen Yu immediately understood; this was the legendary philanthropist, a walking central air conditioner.

Takemiya, who is similar to Mih, nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right, I will lend a helping hand to any kind, strong girl who needs help."

As two pretty boys among many male gods, these two gods who are popular with women without realizing it both say they have no particular hobbies or preferences, and mainly adopt a gentle approach of casting a wide net.