Journey to Planar World

In front of a snack stall, two young girls had just bought hot jagamarukun.

”Aiz really likes eating jagamarukun, although I must admit, it’s quite delicious.”

The one speaking was a brown-skinned woman, her revealing attire indicating that she was an Amazoness.

Her name was Tiona Hiryute, a Level 5 First-Class Adventurer, known by the alias ”Crusher.”

”...”

Beside her was a stunningly beautiful woman with long golden blonde hair, golden eyes, and a slender figure. Her beauty was comparable to that of a Goddess descended from Heaven.

Her name was Aiz Wallenstein, a Level 5 First-Class Adventurer, famous for her alias: ”Sword Princess.”

The two of them were prominent executives of the renowned Loki Familia!

”What’s that crowd about? Aiz, let’s go take a look!”

”Nom... Nom...”

Aiz, who was enjoying her favorite jagamarukun, wasn’t interested in anything else at the moment, but the lively Tiona didn’t want to miss out on any fun, so she pulled her quiet friend towards the crowd.

”What a strange sight, what are they looking at?”

Squeezing into the crowd, Tiona was confused because the people seemed stunned, simply staring in the same direction.

”Eh? Isn’t that Aphrodite-sama?! So that’s it, I thought something big happened, but they’re just admiring the Goddess of Beauty.”

Before she could look away, she noticed the young man beside Aphrodite, and her eyes sparkled.

”Wow, who is that handsome guy? I’ve never seen him in Orario! Could he be the newest member of Aphrodite Familia? Sigh... Another handsome man captured by the Goddess of Beauty.”

Thinking that such a handsome man would no longer be interested in other women because his heart was already captivated by the Goddess of Beauty, Tiona lamented the unfairness of the world.

Freya Familia and Aphrodite Familia were known for recruiting only attractive men and women, while Ishtar Familia only recruited women to become prostitutes in the entertainment district.

”It’s so sad, I fear many women in Orario will struggle to find boyfriends because they’ve all been taken by the Goddesses of Beauty. Don’t you agree, Aiz?”

”...”

Receiving no response for some time, Tiona became puzzled.

Even though Aiz was a quiet person who found it difficult to express her feelings with words, she wasn’t someone who would ignore others.

”Aiz, you...”

When Tiona turned around, she was astonished because it was the first time she had seen Aiz show such an expression.

All the members of Loki Familia knew that Aiz was not good at showing emotions. However, her usually calm face was now flushed, her eyes had lost their sharpness, replaced with confusion. Her lips were slightly parted, surprised by the sudden surge of emotions flooding her heart.

Aiz touched her left chest, her heart beating fast, harder than when she faced the most dangerous monsters in the Dungeon. This feeling… it was unfamiliar. Something she had never experienced before. Something inside her was stirred, like a silken thread gently brushing against her heart.

She couldn’t tear her gaze away, as if the world around her had faded, leaving only that man and herself. Thoughts of revenge and becoming stronger, all of them vanished. What remained was only the quickening heartbeat and a strange desire to get closer, to know the man who had made her heart tremble with just one glance.

”This is the expression of a girl in love at first sight!”

”No, no, no, something must be wrong with my eyes.”

Even Tiona couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She repeatedly rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn’t seeing things. Still, what she saw were Aiz’s cheeks tinged with a delicate pink blush and a new sparkle in her eyes, as if the whole world had changed color.

”Oh no... Loki is going to go crazy when she finds out about this.”

No matter how much she tried to fool herself, Tiona was very sure her judgment was correct.

Aiz had fallen in love with the young man beside Aphrodite!

As for why Tiona didn’t assume Aiz was affected by Aphrodite’s charm, it was because Aiz wasn’t looking at Aphrodite; her gaze was solely fixed on the handsome man dressed in white!

”Wait for me, Aiz!”

Seeing Aiz hastily approach the pair, Tiona quickly followed.

”Hm... You’re the Sword Princess from Loki Familia. What do you want?”

Aphrodite recognized the girl who was blocking her path.

”Ah, well...”

Standing beside Aiz, Tiona smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

It wasn’t possible for her to say that Aiz had fallen in love at first sight and wanted to get to know the man, right?

That would be embarrassing! Not to mention, they were still in public.

”...”

Aphrodite’s brows furrowed slightly, annoyed that Aiz wasn’t looking at her and was only staring at Charlie as if she didn’t exist.

”If you don’t have anything to say, move aside. We have to get to the Guild before it closes.” She was starting to lose patience.

”Aiz, say something quickly.”

Struggling to keep her mind focused and resist the charm of the Goddess of Beauty, Tiona tugged at Aiz’s hand to pull her away, but the girl refused.

”Have we met before?” Aiz asked innocently.

’That’s a pickup line guys use to flirt with women they’ve just met! Aiz, I never expected you to say that!’ Tiona exclaimed in her mind, shocked.

”No, this is our first meeting.” Charlie answered softly.

Of course, he knew Aiz Wallenstein, one of the heroines of the Danmachi series. That said, this was indeed their first meeting.

”May I know your name?” Aiz asked shyly, not even realizing it herself.

’Wow, since when did Aiz become an aggressive woman? No, is this her true nature when she falls in love? Perhaps so.’

Tiona felt like she had discovered a new continent. Many feminine sides of Aiz were being revealed to her for the first time.

”My name is Charlie Avalon. It’s nice to meet you.”

”Aiz Wallenstein, a member of Loki Familia.”

Seeing Charlie extend his hand, Aiz shook hands with him.

”Ah, I’m Tiona Hiryute, also a member of Loki Familia like Aiz.”

Feeling left out, Tiona made her presence known with great enthusiasm.

”Nice to meet you, Tiona.” Charlie said with a faint smile.

”Sword Princess, let me warn you, Charlie is mine! I will never hand him over to you!”

Standing in front of Charlie like a mother hen protecting her chick, Aphrodite was filled with hostility.

”Who is yours? I don’t belong to anyone.”

”Ouch! How dare you knock on my head, but... That’s what I like about you! You don’t flatter me like other vulgar men.”

Holding her head, not only was Aphrodite not angry, but she also gave Charlie her appreciation.

”...”

The corner of his eye twitched, Charlie worried if he had unintentionally awakened a masochistic side of Aphrodite.

”Sorry, I can’t chat longer. As Goddess Aphrodite said, we have urgent business. See you later, Aiz, Tiona.”

”Will we meet again?” Aiz asked concerned.

”Of course. After all, I’ll be living in Orario starting today.”

After that, Charlie and Aphrodite continued to the Guild.

”Aiz, let’s head back quickly.”

”Mm.”

Aiz and Tiona also returned to Twilight Manor.

”Hey, Aiz, did you fall in love with Charlie Avalon?”

”Love?”

Tilting her head, Aiz seemed not to understand Tiona’s question.

”You’re not even aware of it... For example, your heart beats fast when you see or think about him, you miss him, or you feel sad when you can’t see him.”

”I don’t know.”

Thinking carefully about Tiona’s words, Aiz shook her head.

”Well, I’m afraid the rumor that Sword Princess is in love will spread tomorrow. We can’t keep this a secret from Loki and the others. Let’s just hope they don’t cause trouble for Charlie... Nah, I guess that’s impossible.”

Tiona could already imagine the chaos that would unfold in the future.

’What is this feeling... It’s similar to when I was with my mother.’

Aiz’s mood was complicated, not understanding why she felt this warmth from a man she had just met.