Chapter 83 - Hephaestus
"Then I'll go with an exploration Familia," Roy said, smiling after Eina's explanation. "I don't know anything about trade or crafting."
"Exploration, got it," Eina nodded. "I'll submit your information to exploration Familias. Check back daily—if any are interested, I'll notify you to report." She paused, her tone softening.
"But don't get your hopes up too high. In your situation, joining a major Familia will be tough."
"So, small Familias are my only shot?" Roy asked, calm and unruffled.
"Major Familias are usually at capacity. When they recruit, they use exclusive channels or seek specific talents. They rarely take outsiders unless it's an exception," Eina explained.
"Exception?" Roy raised an eyebrow.
"This city's full of opportunities," Eina said with a smile.
As a Guild advisor, she preferred guiding naive rookies over wrangling seasoned adventurers. "Like Orario's Twin Kings…" Realizing Roy might not know them, she clarified, "The Freya and Loki Familias, Orario's strongest. Their gods sometimes scout adventurers personally. If you're lucky, you could catch their eye and join the elite."
Roy hid a wry smile.
Freya and Loki, whose base he'd infiltrated last night, were both on his radar—just not for recruitment.
"Orario's Twin Kings? Sounds prestigious," Roy said, feigning admiration before shaking his head.
"But I doubt I'm that lucky."
"The Guild gets talent requests from Familias occasionally. Want to browse them?" Eina offered, handing him a stack of documents.
Roy flipped through the files, finding lists of obscure Familias led by minor gods, none boasting high-class adventurers.
In DanMachi, adventurers started as rookies upon receiving Falna, becoming high-class at Level 2 or above.
"Any Familia you're interested in?" Eina asked, smiling as Roy finished.
"Miss Advisor," Roy said, setting the documents down, "are there gods in Orario who haven't formed a Familia yet? Preferably a goddess with a good temperament?"
He added the last part tactfully, avoiding crasser phrasing.
Eina blinked, surprised.
Seeking a goddess was understandable—adventurers needed compatibility with their god—but choosing one without a Familia was odd.
"You'd be better off with an established Familia," Eina said, chuckling awkwardly.
"Exploration Familias dive into the dungeon to fight monsters. As a rookie, you'll struggle without veteran guidance."
"Can I hire experienced adventurers as guides early on?" Roy asked.
"You can," Eina nodded.
"Then I'm set," Roy said, grinning.
Eina's eyes narrowed, reassessing him. His casual confidence suggested wealth.
Roy's refined demeanor, unlike the rough-edged adventurers she usually dealt with, and his finely tailored clothes hinted at a privileged background—perhaps a young noble chasing adventure.
His willingness to spend freely cemented her suspicion.
"You can hire guides from other Familias," Eina cautioned, feeling obliged to warn the apparent rich kid.
"But paying your own Familia's members is more effective—they'll be more committed."
"And adventurers aren't always as friendly as you might think. A rookie like you hiring outsiders risks getting fleeced."
"I'll ask you to recommend a reputable adventurer when the time comes," Roy said, smiling.
Eina sighed. Advising rookies was part of her job.
"Why insist on a god without a Familia?" she asked.
"I value freedom," Roy explained.
"Established Familias come with their leader's rules, and I don't like being ordered around. As a new Familia's first member, I'd likely get some perks. Plus, you said I'd only qualify for obscure small Familias anyway."
"Their strength isn't much better than a new one's, so why not start fresh with a god who hasn't formed a Familia? Building one from scratch feels more rewarding, don't you think?"
"Ambitious," Eina said, her kind smile mirroring Roy's enthusiasm.
"I'll look into it."
She stepped away from the counter, entering the Guild's records room, and pulled a registry of gods in Orario, detailing their basic information.
"Most gods form Familias soon after descending," she said, implying Roy's request was niche.
After flipping through the registry, Eina looked up.
"You're in luck. There's a goddess matching your criteria—a well-regarded deity from Heaven who's been in Orario a while but hasn't formed a Familia. You could try meeting her."
She slid the registry toward Roy.
A page displayed a bust photo of a goddess with twin ponytails—Hestia.
Leaving the Guild, Roy headed to Hephaestus's forge.
Hestia, recently arrived in Orario, was staying with Hephaestus.
Finding her meant visiting the forge, located nearby on Northwest street..
Soon, Roy reached a sprawling blacksmith shop.
A plaque with unfamiliar script—likely divine text—hung above the door.
Though Roy couldn't read it, he guessed it bore Hephaestus's name, the Familia's patron god.
The shop was open, and Roy stepped inside. "Browse freely. Pay at the counter for anything you want—prices are marked," a bored voice called from the checkout.
A tall slender woman, with short red hair and an eyepatch over her right eye, sat alone, no clerks in sight.
"Lady Hephaestus?" Roy ventured.
"That's me," she confirmed, eyeing him. "Not here for weapon, are you?"
As a god with eons of experience, Hephaestus sensed Roy's motive at a glance.
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