Chapter 73: I'm Not Interested in Boys!

In the corner of the bar, there was a man and a woman.

The woman was the female attendant, Shier, who had just guided the Loki Family and welcomed Rige and the others.

She was standing next to a customer, talking to him while secretly glancing over at Rige. When she noticed Rige's gaze, she blushed and shyly lowered her head, looking like a young girl who had been caught偷看暗恋的男生.

The boy talking to Shier was looking at Rige with a gaze full of envy, admiration, and longing.

He had white hair, red eyes, a slightly childish face, and was around thirteen or fourteen years old, giving off an overall harmless impression.

Rige recognized this boy.

On the day of the Loki Family's expedition, this boy was in the crowd, looking at Rige and the others with the same expression as he had now.

"Is he here too?"

Rige muttered to himself, quickly recalling the original plot in his mind.

He remembered that in the original story, when the Loki Family returned from their expedition, they startled a group of Minotaur monsters living on the 17th floor. These bull-headed, human-bodied, Level 2 monsters scattered and fled to the 5th floor. One of them targeted this boy, and it was only because Ais intervened that the boy didn't meet his end on the 5th floor.

However, due to Rige's presence, the Loki Family's expedition this time had some differences in timing and other aspects. Although the worm monsters mentioned in the original story still appeared, the Loki Family did not encounter the Minotaur group on the 17th floor upon their return, nor did they startle them, causing them to scatter and flee to other floors.

As a result—

"Though we didn't meet in the dungeon, we met here."

Honestly, Rige really wanted to go up and get to know the boy better.

After all, as far as he knew, this was the only person in this world who could match Rige in terms of growth and potential.

The boy was currently very weak, and Rige could tell at a glance that he had only recently received a blessing, making him a typical new recruit.

But give him three months, and perhaps he could reach Rige's current level.

Even if some of the original plot had changed, Rige didn't think it would affect the boy's growth.

He was a hero in the making, and with the right opportunity, that potential would burst forth.

And that opportunity could be anything.

At least, seeing the longing in the boy's eyes, Rige had a feeling.

This person would definitely come to his side.

"Unfortunately,"

Rige withdrew his gaze.

He couldn't go over.

Because there was someone next to the boy.

And it was someone Rige didn't want to deal with or confront for the time being.

"Mr. Rige?"

While Rige was thinking about this, the gentle voice of the elf girl beside him woke him up.

"What are you looking at?"

Levia looked in the direction Rige had been looking at, puzzled.

Ais also glanced in that direction and met Shier's gaze. Seeing her smile slightly, Ais awkwardly nodded in return.

"Nothing." Rige reined in his scattered thoughts, raised his glass, and said with a smile, "I just saw someone interesting."

"Interesting?" Levia asked curiously. "Who?"

"A young boy." Rige said to Levia, "If you're interested, I can introduce you to him next time."

Rige was just saying this casually.

However, Levia's reaction was much stronger than Rige had expected.

"I, I'm not interested in boys!"

Levia suddenly panicked and blurted out this without thinking.

The moment she said it, the entire place fell silent.

"Huh?"

Levia was stunned for a moment before she suddenly realized how terrifying her words had been.

Everyone in the room, including those at neighboring tables, stared at Levia with strange expressions.

"Levia," Dione looked at Levia as if she were a brave warrior and said, "You could have just said that in private. Why did you shout it out in public?"

"Is Levia really like that?" Tiona blinked and teased, "I always thought your gaze on Ais was a bit off."

"Looking at me?" Ais looked puzzled.

"Levia," Livia narrowed her eyes, her gaze on her apprentice filled with a chilling light that made one shudder.

As for Finn and Gries, they seemed to be pretending they hadn't heard anything.

The others also had mixed reactions; some looked at Levia with teasing eyes, while others pretended not to hear.

In the end, it was Loki, who was already a bit tipsy, who burst out laughing, holding her glass in one hand.

"Bold, Levia, but you're right. Who likes boys? If you're going to like someone, it should be a cute and beautiful girl!"

This was a fatal blow!

"It's not me, I don't!"

Levia's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, panicking and trying to explain but unable to form coherent words.

Especially when the elf girl saw Rige, who had fallen silent and looked embarrassed, and Ais, who was still puzzled and had no idea what was happening—

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!"

Levia burst into tears.

"Levia!?"

"Where are you going?!"

"Come back!"

Everyone shouted in alarm.

Even Rige and Ais couldn't sit still. Seeing Levia, who was crying and about to run out of the bar, they quickly chased after her one after the other.

What followed was a chaotic scene.

To catch the elf girl, who had fled in shame and almost jumped into the river, everyone had to put in a tremendous effort.

"Please let me disappear! Disappear from this world!"

The elf girl's shouts echoed through the area, causing quite a commotion.

"Ha ha ha ha—"

The people in the bar, who had been looking at the members of the Loki Family with reverence, now burst into laughter at this farce.

"Hmph!"

The robust female owner, whom Loki called Meya, watched the commotion and huffed, but a smile played on her lips.

The staff all came to help, turning the entire bar into a scene of chaos, even involving the members of the family who were sitting outside.

"Oh my, it's turned into quite a commotion."

Shier still stood in the corner of the bar, smiling.

The white-haired boy sitting next to her had even more envy and longing in his eyes.

"Is this the Loki Family?"

The white-haired boy, with his red eyes, stared at the chaotic scene of the Loki Family, as if looking at something dazzling.

"Mr. Bell, do you like the Loki Family?"

Shier, intrigued by his reaction, asked.

"I, I just envy that kind of atmosphere."

The white-haired boy, called Bell, looked a bit embarrassed.

But he still stared at the chaotic scene of the Loki Family and spoke softly.

"Because my family only has me, I really envy it."

"I envy the feeling of everyone being together, having fun, and going on adventures."

"Is that where the heroes are?"

The boy named Bell's eyes were filled with even more longing.

"Eventually, I will—"

In the unnoticed corner of the bar, the white-haired boy silently made a wish that no one believed but would influence the future.

The only one who saw this was Shier.

Shier looked at Bell with a gaze that no one else could detect, filled with a strange and subtle infatuation.

This strange and subtle infatuation remained even when she turned to look at the Loki Family.

The young and beautiful attendant gazed at one of the members of the Loki Family, her lips curving into a slight smile.

The banquet continued until late at night before it finally ended.

Most of the guests had left, leaving only a few drunkards slumped on the tables, snoring loudly.

"I want to die—"

Levia, drunk and with red cheeks, as if deliberately avoiding something, lay on Ais's back, muttering self-destructive words.

"It's okay, Levia. Let's go home."

Ais, unusually gentle, spoke to Levia.

"Sniff, Miss Ais—"

Levia, whether moved or for some other reason, had tears in her eyes, and with her red cheeks, she looked incredibly cute.

"Ha ha ha!"

Loki laughed loudly, completely drunk, and was carried on Livia's back, who looked annoyed.

"Alright, let's go home."

Finn called out to the family members, and they all set off for home.

"Going, going."

"That stupid wolf didn't come back even at the end?"

Tiona and Dione, still sober, chatted with the members as they headed home.

Almost everyone was drunk, and under the guidance of the few who remained sober, they headed toward the family's headquarters.

Rige walked at the back.

"Thank you for your help."

After handing over the money bag filled with gold coins to the female owner, Meya, Rige prepared to leave.

At the entrance, a female attendant, who was cleaning, saw this, hesitated for a moment, and then mustered the courage to approach.

"Um—"

Shier looked hesitant, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"What is it?"

Rige looked at the girl quietly for a moment before asking.

"N-nothing." Shier waved her hand, a bit flustered, and smiled, "I just wanted to wish you good luck."

Saying this, Shier's slightly lowered head indeed resembled a young fan seeing her idol.

"I will."

Rige looked at Shier for a while before giving a faint smile.

Then, Rige turned and left without any hesitation.

Shier watched Rige until his figure disappeared.

"Shier! Come and help!"

Someone inside the bar called out to Shier.

"Coming!"

Shier suddenly smiled and skipped back into the bar.

It was clear that the girl was in a very good mood.

New book, seeking support! Recommendations! Collections! (*^▽^*)

(End of Chapter)