Chapter 107

Chapter 108: Seeking an Encounter in the Pleasure Quarter～ (Four Updates Begging for Subscription!)

“Hmph! This direction, just as I expected!”

Hanging far behind someone and arriving at the bustling South Street, Izay sensed his bearings and chuckled with disdain.

With the effect of the Magic ‘Zodiac Disk,’ Izay successfully tailed the person without being noticed.

He never thought that his first use of this magic would be for such a thing.

Truly lamentable.

As night deepened, the streets of Orario remained lively.

In the bustling area, this region was famously packed with night owls, even Deities came to join the fun.

But Izay paid no heed to such circumstances, following the person within his perception as they turned a corner on South Street into a small alley.

Continuing deeper into the shadowy path, he advanced from the dark recesses of the walls.

Until today, Izay had no idea that besides certain main gates, there were also side routes leading into the Pleasure Quarter.

‘So damn it, Raul, why did you drag me through the front entrance that day?’

(Raul: Could I say I forgot?)

While trailing from afar, Izay kept blessing Raul silently in his heart for not having a good night.

Then, as the narrow path opened up, the sight before him made Izay adjust his glasses perched on his nose.

Props bought casually while passing by stalls in the bustling area, along with a change of clothes.

“Whoa, it’s really lively here at night.”

Izay scanned the street bathed in peach-colored Magic Stone lights with an academic gaze, then noticed the street was full of female sprites.

“Tch, that Raul has arrived, I thought he’d head to Ishtar’s Familial Group!”

Watching Raul skillfully greet a woman at a shop entrance, her face lighting up with a radiant smile, in less than ten seconds, Raul entered the establishment.

At this moment, Izay realized he had underestimated this elder brother!

“So where is Ishtar’s Familial Group territory?”

Izay looked around.

When he spotted a particularly prominent tower-shaped building, he realized his own foolishness.

The largest store in the Pleasure Quarter!

That’s it!

After winding about, he arrived at a lively section akin to a festival.

Surrounding were buildings in a Far Eastern style.

Painted bright red, merely for show, the gates before them, exotic architecture filled both sides of the road.

These were wooden houses with red pillars and walls, each towering over three stories high, their vivid ochre hue exquisitely beautiful.

In the wide central or roadside areas, cherry trees discovered on a certain level of the Dungeon bloomed regardless of season, scattering blue petals on the cobblestone ground. Bathed in moonlight, these blue cherry blossoms defined the essence of Orario.

“Here comes the brothel district?”

If Izay hadn’t forgotten, this brothel area seemed to be where the色foxes usually hung out; this entire region belonged to Ishtar’s Familial Group.

According to his luck value, plus “Revelation,”

Izay believed finding a fox shouldn’t be difficult…

And if he could bed her, it’d be even better.

But considering how foxes faint just by seeing a man’s collarbone…

It might be tricky to bed her.

Better to start by boosting her goodwill, preparing for future abduction.

Always prepare ahead, after all.

Gradually, Izay followed his instincts to the grandest building in the brothel district.

On the first floor of the Red-painted Brothel, facing the avenue, many prostitutes sat in lattice-style large rooms waiting in line.

Those women dressed in kimonos smiled invitingly at passersby.

Groups of men stopped before the store, perhaps selecting a girl to their liking, conversing briefly through the wooden lattice windows before entering.

As Izay’s eyes swept over various races of prostitutes waiting behind the wooden lattice windows, his shoulder was suddenly tapped.

Feeling no hostility, Izay didn’t immediately react but calmly turned his head to see who dared address him in such a place.

“Yo! Young fellow, haven’t found a girl to your liking yet?”

Standing behind Izay was a handsome God with orange-yellow hair and eyes.

Wearing a feathered jazz hat and carrying a shoulder bag, a glimpse inside revealed pink liquid in glass vials.

Upon seeing Izay turn, the God’s eyes curved into crescents, revealing a pretty-boy smile.

‘What great luck… meeting him in such a place, seems we’re “kindred spirits”!’

During the day, the God was still pondering how to meet Izay without arousing Loki’s hostility, but unexpectedly, opportunity knocked itself tonight.

Confirming the presence of someone wielding a Hero’s Artifact, the God was immensely intrigued.

“Who are you?”

Unlike the God’s delight, Izay, upon recognizing an eight-tenths familiar face, could somewhat identify the other party’s identity.

However, he was puzzled as to why this guy would appear here and why he approached him.

Approaching him in the Pleasure Quarter,

Surely not to invite him to go together?

“Hey, sorry, let me introduce myself first, my name is Hermes, a Deity.”

“Hmm, obvious enough.” Izay nodded, then asked again.

“So?”

“Young fellow, aren’t you that [Silver Star], Izay? You look quite similar to the description in the Guild’s records, so I couldn’t resist coming over to chat~”

Although Izay disguised himself with glasses, it seemed to have no effect on Hermes.

“Oh… and then?”

Responding with a drawn-out sound, Izay felt this bold-eyed approach towards him concealed ulterior motives, not believing a single punctuation mark of what he said. (Asfi gave a thumbs up!)

“Cough cough… don’t make things so awkward, little bro Izay~ why don’t we just pretend to be ordinary friends?”

“Looking at your nervous and glancing-around manner, I bet it’s your first time in the Pleasure Quarter, right? It’s about this age~ why not let me take you inside for a peek? It’s much more exciting in there~”

As Hermes spoke, he slightly lowered the brim of his hat, covering his face with a meaningful smile, exposing his gentleman nature.

Moreover, he wasn’t one to hesitate in forming connections, directly calling Izay “little bro” as if they were old acquaintances.

“What do you say? Just for tonight, let’s be friends, I’ll take you to experience a new world, don’t be so distant~ After all, I’m a ‘God’~ you know what I mean.”

As Izay seemed to be pondering, Hermes seized the opportunity to continue persuading.

Pointing out his identity as a ‘God’ wasn’t for anything else, just wanting Izay to associate Gods with beings driven by whims.

Finding amusement in the lower realms was their spiritual sustenance.

For this reason, Hermes sought out the rising star Adventurer Izay.

Just that simple.

As for the true purpose.

Only the God himself knew.

“…Just for tonight!”