Chapter 76

Chapter Seventy-Seven: What to Do When a Goddess Catches You Heading to a Restaurant? (First Update)

“Wow, the scenery and atmosphere here haven’t changed a bit! The cultural circle of the Chaos Desert and the architectural style of the Ocean Nation Disara region are still as fascinatingly diverse as ever~ Ize, what do you think?”

Currently located in the fourth district of the city, near the southeast main street.

Standing at the entrance of the Joy Street, Raul patted Ize’s shoulder with an experienced tone.

“I? To be honest, I don’t feel too good…”

It wasn’t due to first-time nervousness about visiting Joy Street. It was just Joy Street, after all; Ize could handle it more or less.

What made him uneasy was that his sixth sense had been inexplicably warning him nonstop since earlier.

It felt like stepping into Joy Street would definitely lead to some kind of crisis.

This left Ize quite confused.

He was merely browsing through Joy Street, just taking a quick peek. Could something life-threatening really happen?

Surely, such absurd things wouldn’t occur, right?

“Feeling not so great? No worries, everything has a first time. Not a big deal, come along with your big bro!”

Raul gave Ize a strange look, then explained, assuming he figured out the reason.

Instantly, the hedgehog-haired youth’s thoughts became clear, and he prepared to lead the way.

This place was completely different from the southern bustling area nearby, exuding a pinkish ambiance.

Magic Stones lamps in shades of pink were installed on building walls or pillars.

The dim streetlights faintly illuminated signs shaped like alluring red lips or fresh fruits, and—enticing women who revealed their beautiful backs and waists in elegant dresses.

With Amazons as the majority, humans, beastmen, and even smallfolk were all present. These women called out to men walking by, flashing seductive or teasing smiles.

After exchanging a few words with the lecherous-looking men, they either held hands or hugged waists before entering their respective shops.

Raul’s smile mirrored those of the men being pulled into the shops.

With a lascivious grin, he tried dragging Ize by the arm, but after a while, Raul realized he couldn’t budge Ize.

Or rather, it seemed Ize didn’t have any intention of following?

This raised doubts in his mind, prompting him to glance back.

On Ize’s side, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to follow Raul, but because… someone had grabbed him…

“Ize… where do you think you’re going?”

Just as Ize was about to take a step, a delicate, white hand lightly placed itself on his shoulder, gripping tightly, followed by a familiar, melodious voice.

In an instant, a bolt of lightning flashed through Ize’s mind, dispelling his previous confusion.

Being as sharp as he was, he figured out within milliseconds why he had felt a sense of impending doom earlier.

He—Ize Alward—was experiencing his first visit to Joy Street.

Before even stepping inside the district, he got caught by a goddess!

“Hey, Ize, care to explain why you’re here?”

The goddess who placed her delicate hand on Ize’s shoulder stepped forward, revealing herself to Ize.

Regardless of other details, her mischievous half-smile chilled him to the bone.

“A-Altemis-sama…”

Ize felt inexplicably flustered.

Question: What should one do when caught by a goddess while heading out for dinner with friends?

Waiting online for replies, it’s urgent…

“Hmm?” The goddess continued to smile cunningly, seemingly pleased that Ize remembered her?

While Ize was startled, Raul also swallowed hard and hesitantly asked, “Ize… do you know this person?”

He began to panic as well.

Could it be this coincidental?

A spur-of-the-moment decision, yet they encountered someone they knew?

‘Not just knowing her, can’t you see I look like I’ve been caught cheating?’

Facing Raul’s question, Ize wanted to throw this retort right in his face.

‘Eh? Wait…’

But quickly, Ize came to his senses.

Looking at it from another angle, what he was doing now resembled committing a crime.

But… could it truly be considered a crime?

He did have intentions, sure, but hadn’t he not entered yet?

Having intentions without action doesn’t qualify as a crime, does it?

Crime requires both motive and action to be defined as such.

Isn’t this… pulling back from the brink?

‘Since I haven’t gone in, why am I freaking out?’

Upon realizing this, Ize suddenly felt emboldened, and a plan formed in his mind.

Ignoring Raul’s attempt to talk, he looked at Artemis and smiled brightly.

“Long time no see, Artemis-sama. How have you been lately?”

“Hmm?”

Artemis was momentarily baffled by Ize’s audacious response, caught off guard by his brazen demeanor upon being caught visiting Joy Street.

Looks like he’s been corrupted during his month in Orario!

She should’ve known better than to let Loki influence him.

Misjudged, she shouldn’t have allowed him to follow her!

For a moment, the goddess appeared amused yet irritated, tightening her grip on Ize’s shoulder.

“Eh, doing fine, probably not as comfortable as your little life, learning how to visit Joy Street now~”

At this point, even Artemis herself didn’t realize why she felt angry.

And it seemed the goddess hadn’t fully grasped her own irritation yet?

Hearing this, Ize blinked and glanced toward the street entrance, feigning innocence.

“Joy Street? Here?”

“Hooh? You’re not trying to tell me you don’t know where this is, are you?”

Artemis tilted her chin up, her stunning eyes narrowing slightly as she scrutinized Ize closely.

Denying it won’t help; mortals cannot lie to deities.

Of course, Ize knew this, so lying wasn’t his intention.

He was simply pretending ignorance, which didn’t count as lying.

Then, in response to Artemis’s probing, Ize sighed dramatically, looking pitiful.

“Artemis-sama, this is my first time at such a place, and I was dragged here.”

He glanced at his arm, where Raul, still shocked, maintained his earlier posture, attempting to pull him along.

“Huh???”

For a moment, Artemis blinked.

He wasn’t… lying?

With just one glance, she discerned the truth in Ize’s words.

Given the unshakable rule that mortals cannot lie to deities, Artemis almost unquestioningly believed him.

Her gaze immediately shifted to Raul, colder and sharper than before.

As if saying: You, with the bushy eyebrows, were planning to corrupt my Ize and drag him to Joy Street???