Danmachi: The Focalors Familia Starting from the Dungeon

”Lante, do not be so rude.” A cold yet authoritative voice rang out, instantly silencing the rowdy girls. Artemis gently reprimanded them, but her beautiful green eyes shimmered with unconcealable curiosity. Still, her divine restraint kept her from acting as overtly as her followers.

With Artemis speaking up, the girls reluctantly scattered, though their probing gazes never left Aiden and his companions.

”Lord Artemis, it’s been a while,” Aiden said, offering a warm smile to the blue-haired goddess.

”It has been a while, Aiden,” Artemis nodded slightly, her tone carrying an uncontrollable sense of wonder. ”Though not that long... your transformation truly astonishes me. It’s incredible.”

Even the notoriously composed Goddess of the Moon couldn’t help but marvel at the Focalors Familia’s growth rate. Whether it was the newly added members—each possessing distinct temperaments yet equally formidable strength—or the magnificent residence before her known as the Palais Mermonia, it all felt entirely surreal. Even Aiden himself now exuded a steady, reserved, and unfathomably deep aura that made her feel as if a lifetime had passed. It was as though she hadn’t left Orario for a mere few months, but rather several years.

The naive rookie who once needed her escort and found everything in Orario so novel had now transformed into a powerful Familia Captain, capable of standing on his own and bearing his own adventurer alias, ”Flamescion”. And the once-tiny Focalors Familia, which had seemed so incredibly weak with barely a handful of members, now boasted nearly double-digit numbers, none of whom could be underestimated. Not only that, but they had firmly established themselves in the premium real estate of Orario. The sheer luxury and grandeur of the Palais Mermonia before her far exceeded the Artemis Familia’s temporary base in the city.

”A lot can change in just a few days, especially when I have such wonderful companions, don’t I?” Aiden said, his gaze shifting warmly toward Robin beside him with a smile. That effortless confidence deepened the awe in Artemis’s eyes.

”Indeed,” the Goddess of the Moon nodded lightly, agreeing with his words. ”It’s hard to believe, but isn’t this exactly the unknown potential and possibility of the lower world? If not for this kind of possibility, why would we gods yearn so deeply to come here?”

Regardless of how the Focalors Familia managed it, they had truly done it—they had created a miracle. And the gods loved the lower world precisely to witness and validate such miracles.

”Alright, you girls just returned from the Dungeon and are covered in dust. Go wash up and rest first,” Focalors interjected smoothly, interrupting the nostalgic reunion. ”We can talk more during the banquet tonight.”

Astrea nodded in agreement.

Aiden glanced at his own patron deity, then covertly peeked at the dignified Goddess of Justice standing nearby, unable to help but sigh in admiration. It had to be Focalors; even after enduring the sheer embarrassment of Astrea walking in on that shameful scene, she could still chat and laugh with her as if nothing had ever happened. On the contrary, Furina, as her alternate persona, was still completely hung up on the incident. Even now, she didn’t dare face Astrea alone. Whenever Astrea appeared, Furina would hide like a startled kitten, surrendering full control of the body to Focalors.

By nightfall, the Palais Mermonia was brightly lit and bustling with life. The members of the Focalors Familia, the Artemis Familia, and the Astrea Familia were all gathered together. The long dining tables were laden with a lavish feast meticulously prepared by Tifa.

However, amidst this sea of chattering, beautiful girls, a rather unique spectacle emerged. Aiden was the only male in the entire room. The Focalors Familia naturally only had him as their sole male member. The Artemis Familia was famously an all-female group, and coincidentally, the Astrea Familia consisted entirely of women as well.

As a result, being the singular outlier made Aiden the absolute center of attention, completely surrounded by a flock of curious girls. The girls of the Artemis Familia, already quite familiar with him, were especially enthusiastic.

They all shared the same secret little scheme: their patron deity was one of the famous Three Great Virgin Goddesses, and her ironclad ”Romance Ban” made life miserable for these girls in the prime of their youth. If they could somehow pair off this highly accomplished, boundlessly promising ”Hero Candidate” with their goddess, allowing her to graduate from her virgin deity status, wouldn’t they also be liberated to date without restraint?

Because of this, they were absolutely thrilled by Aiden’s exceptional track record. Only a hero like him had any chance of conquering their stubborn goddess and her extreme prejudice against romance.

Consequently, the girls intentionally and unintentionally started creating opportunities for him. One moment, Lante was squeezing through the crowd with a wine glass, forcefully shoving Aiden toward Artemis’s side; the next, other members were loudly exclaiming, ”Aiden and Lord Artemis look so perfect standing next to each other!”

Faced with this overwhelming offensive, Aiden could only apologize to them in his heart. After all, there were so many people here, and both his patron goddess Focalors and the Goddess of Justice Astrea were present. How could he possibly launch an ”attack” on another goddess under such a spotlight? That would just be asking for death.

The banquet eventually concluded amidst laughter and joy. Under the highly regretful gazes of the Artemis Familia girls, the Goddess of the Moon politely declined Aiden’s offer for them to spend the night at the Palais Mermonia.

”No need. We have a temporary residence here in Orario, so we won’t impose on you any further,” Artemis said. Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

”Lord Artemis, please, just for one night! The Palais Mermonia is so huge, there are plenty of rooms!” the half-elf girl Lante pleaded, stubbornly tugging at her goddess’s sleeve and whining playfully.

However, Artemis merely shook her head gently. A single look was all it took to make Lante pout and let go.

Artemis wasn’t an idiot; how could she not see through the little schemes her children were playing? All those overt and subtle hints tonight practically had ”Please hurry up and date Aiden” carved onto their faces. Their undying ambitions were truly relentless.

However... Artemis did find herself genuinely considering the idea of making a change. But not right now. She hadn’t completely thought it through yet and needed more time.

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