The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

Chapter 109: Banquet

The setting sun sank behind the towering city walls, and the city was shrouded in the vast night.

Orario becomes even more lively as night falls.

Cheerful singing and music overflowed from the tavern and the square. Magic stone lamps shone brightly on the streets, and the place was packed with adventurers who had just returned from the maze.

Especially the downtown area located on South Street is very noisy.

A dazzling array of lights illuminated the avenue, a brilliance rivaling that of a starlit sky. The rows of shops along the bustling street were all tall, grand, and extravagant. Furthermore, there were numerous high-end taverns catering to the nobility, casinos, grand theaters, and other entertainment facilities not found elsewhere in the city. True to its name, "bustling city," South Street exuded a bustling atmosphere.

Turn a corner on this avenue and enter a corner of the back alley.

In one of the taverns with signs full of various animals such as birds and lions, three members of Hestia's family, the gods Mihe, Hephaestus, and Takemikaze, as well as Ais and Lefiya, raised their beer mugs and clinked their glasses against each other.

"Cheers!"

The bubbles of barley juice burst forth along with the smile, and the beer spilled from the glass. Along with the clinking of the glasses, the clanging of glasses echoed from the noisy adventurers' tables around them.

The tavern "Flame Bee Pavilion," with its bright red bee sign resembling a "Family" emblem, is located on a busy street. It's a shop frequented by Hephaestus and is also popular with adventurers and blacksmiths. It's said that many people even return for days for their signature product, the ruby-red mead brewed to a vibrant red.

After all, it was a shop in a back alley, so the interior was perhaps a bit cramped compared to the "Hostes of Plenty." However, the numerous round tables, almost too numerous to move, the slightly grimy interior, and the laughter of men, including the dwarves, all gave it a strangely cheerful feel. Compared to the "Hostes of Plenty," this shop felt more like an adventurer's tavern, which was probably why Hephaestus liked it.

Today's gathering was organized by Hephaestus to celebrate Koya's safe return and the Hestia Familia's housewarming. Yes, the Daedalus Familia had already completed the construction of the Hestia Familia's headquarters, and today Hestia, Koya, and Hatsune could move in. Daedalus had even prepared the furniture. Koya and the others had inspected the entire house and were quite pleased, especially the master bedroom with its 20-square-meter bed, which was almost as large as the basement where Koya and the others currently lived.

As for why this banquet was not held by Hestia, the reason was very simple. The Hestia family was out of money again. Although Koya's treatment fee Mihe only charged the cost price of the medicine, and the most precious god's personal massage Mihe did not even charge a penny, even so, it still directly emptied the Hestia family's savings, which were not rich to begin with.

By the way, the magic stone of Goliath should have been enough for Koya and his team to make a small profit, but the strange thing was that the magic stone turned into ashes the moment it left the dungeon, just like the monsters in the dungeon, which made Koya dumbfounded.

"Hestia, congratulations, you have finally established yourself in Orario."

Mihi and Jian Yulei chatted with Hestia, their voices filled with envy. Neither of their Families had, until now, enjoyed a residence as grand as Hestia's. Mihi and his leader lived in the Tianqing Pharmacy, while Jian Yulei's Families had a small, two-story house with a courtyard. They had founded their Families much longer than Hestia's, but now, thanks to Koya, Hestia had overtaken them. They believed that as long as Koya was there, it was only a matter of time before Hestia's Families became a first-rate Familia.

"Thank you, Mihe. If it weren't for you, Koya wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

"It's okay~ Actually, my shop's business has been much better than usual these days because of Koya."

"Oh, I know what Mihe is talking about. Even the children of my clan ran there. They said they seemed to be there to see Sword Princess."

"Hahaha, yes."

After the banquet began, several gods took their seats at another table, leaving this one for Koya and his girlfriends. Although Hestia wanted to stay, Hephaestus ruthlessly pulled her away. The atmosphere at Koya's place was no less lively than Hestia's. Hatsune and Ais were already good friends, and now, after the Goliath incident, they had become comrades. The atmosphere was particularly harmonious. However, they all seemed to have tacitly forgotten Koya, and the conversation was all about girls, leaving Koya completely speechless...

But Koya didn't care. He just thought the steak in front of him was delicious.

"Speaking of which, what exactly is the situation with that Goliath?"

Hatsune asked Ais and the others curiously. In her opinion, as experienced adventurers, Ais and Lefiya should have some understanding of the appearance of Goliath. When talking about this topic, Hatsune couldn't help but lower her voice. In this noisy tavern, only the people sitting next to her could hear her voice.

"In fact, we have never encountered such an outrageous thing. This is definitely a special event that only happens once in a thousand years."

"He's very powerful, on par with the monsters in the depths... and even more difficult to deal with than the lone maze king in the depths."

"Yes, yes. Miss Ais, the Lone King of the Deep Labyrinth, was able to defeat him single-handedly, but facing that Goliath—"

The dark Floor Master, the enhanced "Lonely Labyrinth King," is so powerful that everything about it goes beyond normal standards. Even the guild is a secretive entity, silencing all adventurers.

"I actually asked Hestia about this. When she heard it, she raised her stick and tried to go find the god Hermes. I almost couldn't stop her."

An assassin used to kill the gods—this was Hestia's answer after hearing Koya's description. She even told Koya directly that it was because Hermes appeared in the dungeon that Goliath appeared, and Hestia, with her stick in hand, was going to settle accounts with Hermes.

Hestia's words made Koya think a lot. Why did the dungeon hate the gods so much? Why could it instantly sense the gods' arrival? What was the connection between the dungeon and the gods?

Koya had many questions in his mind, but in the end he did not speak. He knew that if necessary, Hestia would have told him all of this long ago. Since she chose to keep silent, it meant that there were some things he was not qualified to know at the moment.

Chapter 110: Assembly of Gods

The next morning, Koya and the other two woke up from the 20-square-meter bed. This bed was good in every way except that getting out of it was a bit troublesome. Because Koya was drunk last night, the first night the three of them spent in this big bed was quite peaceful. Today, Hestia got up early and picked out a blue and white evening dress in the closet.

By the way, these dresses were brought back by Koya from the apocalyptic world. There are dresses for Hestia and Hatsune. Otherwise, with the conditions of Hestia's family, how could they be able to prepare a dress for Hestia?

Hestia had nothing to hide, so she changed her clothes in front of Koya and Hatsune.

"Hestia? What's going on today?"

Normally, Hestia would have wanted to lie in bed until noon and then get up to prepare lunch for Koya and the others, but today she got up early, contrary to her usual behavior, and even dressed up carefully. Koya didn't even remember that he had promised to go out on a date with Hestia today. What was she doing?

"Today is the day when the Gods Assembly is held."

Hestia's tone was filled with a determination to face death, which made Koyana feel completely bewildered.

"It's just a bunch of gods with nothing better to do who get together... to decide on titles for those who [level up]."

"I know. Lefiya and the others have told me about this."

The title is actually a product of the gods' play. It is said that the person who came up with this idea was Hermes. The original reason for the proposal is no longer traceable, but now this so-called title has become a fun thing for the gods.

"The Loki Familia are different from us! Powerful Families can naturally obtain a good title, but small Families like us are just treated as fun."

Hestia immediately gave Koya some typical examples, such as [Super Big Stick] because this adventurer was a dwarf who liked to use heavy weapons, and [Invincible Beautiful Girl], but the person who held this title was a man who was just very beautiful with a neutral beauty. The above two at least fit the character setting a little, but there was a super beautiful elf girl who was given the title of [Peerless Macho] by the gods, which was really just pure fun.

"That shouldn't be the case, right? With my strength, can't I get a good title?!"

Koya was also a little panicked. He now realized the seriousness of the matter. When he thought about other adventurers greeting him in the future and saying "Super Big Stick" or something like that, Koya might go crazy on the spot.

"The guild has ordered a silence on your battle with Goliath. How many gods do you think know about your deeds? Before your upgrade, your most famous feat was killing a mutated pig-headed orc in front of members of Loki's family. What do you think your title will be?"

Koya's face froze. Would his future title be something like "Pig Hunter" or "Pig Killer"? No—

Hestia gave Koya a haggard and weak smile. Although she had the help of Mih, Hephaestus and others, to be honest, she really had no idea whether she could get a good title for Koya.

"Koya—I'll be back soon!"

"Come on Hestia."

Standing at the door, Hestia turned around and took one last look at Koya and Hatsune who were still lying in bed... She suddenly felt that it would be nice to get a funny title and punish this stinky scumbag.

The venue for the Assembly of Gods is on the 30th floor of the Tower of Babel in the center of the city.

This floor has undergone a unique renovation. Tall stone pillars line the ground, supporting the high ceiling. All the original interior partitions have been demolished. Within the spacious space lies a large stage in the center, surrounded by a staircase of seating, similar to an arena. The walls have also been replaced with a vast glass curtain wall, creating a feeling of reaching the sky through the glass, creating a space reminiscent of a temple in the sky.

“More and more gods are showing up here.”

"Hehe, but many gods are missing."

There weren't many Families able to sit here; a few sat scattered around. Hestia took a closer look after arriving. There were over thirty gods, meaning there were only about thirty Families in Orario with adventurers of level 2 or higher...

A variety of gods attended the meeting. There were male gods, their lips tightly pursed, unable to hide their nervousness, and there were silver-haired goddesses, their eyes lightly closed, smiling as they waited for the meeting to begin.

Hestia sat beside Hephaestus, curiously observing the familiar faces around her. Mihi and Takemurai sat behind Hestia. Although they looked like they were doing poorly, they were actually considered a respectable Familiar within Orarium, though they simply weren't willing to recruit more members.

"I'm surprised you're so calm."

"There's no reason to be nervous, right?"

Hestia looked at Hephaestus who was sitting next to her.

Her shimmering red hair flowed down her back, and she wore a light top and black trousers. Her almost-male attire and beauty captivated everyone, regardless of gender. Unlike Loki, who preferred men's clothing due to his flat chest, Hephaestus wore men's clothing because it was convenient for her ironwork. Hephaestus's chest bulged, completely different from Loki's flat chest.

"I thought you'd be more nervous."

"...Actually, I think it's okay for Koya to get a funny nickname. Just consider it a punishment for that scumbag. And with that funny nickname, he'll have the opportunity to go out and cause trouble for other girls."

"Hahaha, you're right."

There was a hint of gloating in Hephaestus's laughter. Koya was a good boy, but his scumbag nature was indeed no different from the male gods in the Greek pantheon. Hestia had said before that she would only give herself up after finding a good man, but in the end she still fell into the hands of a scumbag.

As Hestia and Hephaestus chatted, several gazes pierced Hestia's soft cheeks like needles. The gods who directed these glances wore a disgusting smile, as if admiring a moth flying into a flame, and they made no effort to hide their mocking smiles.

They are using their own way to "welcome" those weak [Families] who seem to have achieved success overnight as if by miracle, and their method is naturally the titles that will be given later.

"Let me be clear, don't expect my words to have much influence. Before the majority rule, my opinion is just one vote."

"I got it."

Just when Hestia's tone became a little rough, "Well, let's start--" a long-drawn sound was heard.

The noisy round table suddenly fell silent. The person who had spoken stood up, his scarlet hair fluttering.

"I don't know how many times, but it's already been many, many times, the Gods' Assembly has officially begun. This time, I'm the emcee! Please take good care of me!"

"Oh oh oh——!"

There was a burst of enthusiastic cheers and applause at the scene. It was truly an unprecedented event, and everyone was very respectful to Rocky.

Loki, who had his scarlet hair tied at the back of his head, raised his hands while smiling.

Hestia sat in the distance, staring at her intently, and whispered in a dissatisfied voice:

"Why is Loki the master of ceremonies?"

"She applied for it herself. I think she probably wanted to give you a hard time. After all, your boy murdered Loki's two favorite children."

"Humph."

Hestia actually wanted to make some sarcastic remarks about Loki at this time, but she forced herself to hold back for the sake of Koya. After all, as the only two super families in Orario, Loki's family had absolute say in this conference of gods. It was not time to provoke this tablet anymore.

Chapter 111: Title [Hestia's Man]?

The banquet of the gods is naturally not limited to the segment of naming titles for adventurers. From jokes and laughter to serious topics, the topics are never dull and the content changes rapidly.

The atmosphere remained relaxed, with the gods each speaking their own thoughts and responding to the opinions of the other gods. They were gods, so multitasking was a piece of cake for them. Even if two people were talking about completely unrelated topics, the gods could easily respond.

Although the chaotic scene before her was expected, Hestia, who was attending the Assembly of Gods for the first time, couldn't help but look annoyed. She still preferred a quieter environment.

Seeing the scene getting out of control, it was time for the host to take charge of the banquet.

With Loki's "Okay, everyone calm down!", the surrounding noises immediately quieted down, at a speed that was unbelievable.

"Very good. I'll sort it out. Right now, we must pay attention to the dynamics of the kingdom Ares is in. I'll report this to the guild. However, that old fox Uranus should have also obtained information. He may summon the current [Family] at that time. Is everyone okay with this?"

"learn."

Loki succinctly organized the information provided by the gods, highlighting the key points one by one. After all, the Assembly of the Gods was a gathering of the main gods of Orario's major [Family], and it also served the purpose of conveying high-profile information.

After that, Loki calmly continued to preside over the meeting, making sure that most of the topics had been discussed... She paused for a moment, then raised the corner of her mouth.

"Then let's move on to the next program. The naming ceremony begins."

A sense of tension ran through the whole place.

With Loki's words, the faces of the previously silent gods suddenly changed drastically. Hestia, who had remained silent, was one of them.

As for the others, they grinned, looking like the Dragon King had appeared.

Some old faces of the Assembly of Gods seized the opportunity to have fun and smiled lewdly.

The tragedy began.

"Everyone has the information, right? Let's begin then? So, first up... let's start with Seti, the adventurer from Set's side."

“Please, please go easy on me…!”

"Hahahahaha, impossible!"

Faced with the unanimous rejection of the other gods, the god named Set let out a miserable wail.

The gods' fondness for the culture of the Underworld reveals that their tastes are quite similar to those of the Underworld. While their existence far surpasses that of mortals, this does not grant them any feelings beyond human intelligence. Their sensibilities are similar, not much different from those of children.

but.

Only the taste for naming is exempt from this restriction.

I don't know why... when the gods came up with names, their brains felt like they were being hammered through a mortar and pestle. The names they came up with were not only strange but also incomprehensible. Actually, everyone was pretty normal at first. In the era of Hera and Zeus, every title was cool and impressive. Then, someone came up with a really weird title, and the gods of fun unanimously approved of it. Seeing the look on the adventurer's face, the gods realized, "This is just one of those fun things that happens once a month!"

“—Decision. Adventurer Seti Celti, nicknamed [Nasus, the Desert Death God].”

"This is totally just a name!! How can it be a title?"

"Actually, there are alternatives. Brother Set, would you like to consider [Desert Butcher Renekton]?"

“Isn’t this the same as above?!”