Twilight Manor — Cafeteria
The morning at Twilight Manor began with a light buzz of activity in the cafeteria. mbers of Loki Familia enjoyed their breakfast while discussing plans for the day.
At one table, Aiz Wallenstein sat alone, quietly enjoying her al.
However, her thoughts drifted back to the conversation she had with Riveria the previous night.
'Do I like Charlie?'
Riveria's statent kept echoing in her mind. To be honest, Aiz wasn't sure. She had never thought about sothing like that before. But there was one thing she knew for certain—seeing Charlie with another woman made her heart feel uneasy.
That thought brought back mories from her childhood. She rembered how popular her father had been among won, even though he was married to her mother. Her mother had always remained patient, but young Aiz would often feel annoyed seeing those won try to approach her father. That feeling, though vague, felt similar to what she was experiencing now.
Aiz slowly finished her breakfast. Afterward, she rose from her seat and left the cafeteria. Today, she decided to step out for a bit. Her destination?
To buy her favorite snack—jagamarukun.
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Outside Twilight Manor, the streets of Orario were already bustling. The morning sunlight illuminated the city, and the lively chatter of residents and adventurers filled the air. With beauty rivaling that of goddesses, Aiz imdiately beca the center of attention wherever she went.
n could only admire her beauty from afar. They all knew who Aiz Wallenstein was—the Sword Princess. She wasn't just a decorative figure; she was a First-Class Adventurer whose strength was renowned throughout Orario. No one dared approach her without a clear reason, let alone flirt with her. Additionally, her status as a mber of Loki Familia, one of Orario's Twin Kings, served as an extra barrier.
As for the won, they looked at Aiz with admiration. She was a symbol of both power and grace. For a woman to reach Aiz's level and strength was an extraordinary achievent.
After all, the stereotype that n were stronger than won persisted, even in a world where gods blessed mortals with Falna. Most Upper-Class Adventurers were n rather than won.
However, this kind of attention wasn't new to Aiz. She had long grown accustod to being the center of attention. The admiring gazes of others no longer affected her.
As she walked, Aiz's thoughts returned to Charlie. Amid her reflections, a thought crossed her mind.
'Should I et him today? Maybe challenge him to a duel?'
But her steps halted when Aiz happened to overhear an interesting conversation from a group of n chatting at a street corner.
"Hey, did you hear the news? That guy from Hera Familia caused a huge commotion in the Entertainnt District." Said the first man enthusiastically.
"Hera Familia? Don't they only accept won and are based outside of Orario? Are you sure they still have active mbers here?" responded the second man skeptically.
"At first, I didn't believe it either, but I saw it with my own eyes—he defeated Phryne Jamil."
Upon hearing that na, the third man exclaid in shock, "Wait! Are you serious? Phryne Jamil? The captain of Ishtar Familia?"
"Yes, that frog-faced woman." Replied the first man with a small laugh, though his voice trembled slightly as he ntioned her. "She may be ugly, but she's still a Level 5 adventurer, and yet she was powerless against him!"
"That's true. Even though she's disgusting, she's one of the strongest fighters in Orario. If that guy from Hera Familia could beat her, he must be at least Level 5 or maybe even Level 6!" Comnted the second man seriously.
Standing not far away, Aiz listened intently to their conversation.
'Hera Familia? So Charlie isn't the only mber of Hera Familia in Orario.'
Her curiosity grew stronger, making it impossible for her to stay idle. She decided to approach the gossiping group of n.
With calm steps, she stood in front of them, her expression as neutral as ever.
"What's the na of the man you're talking about?"
The n imdiately fell silent. One of the younger ones even dropped the bread he was holding.
"E-Eh? S-Sword Princess?"
Seeing their stunned reactions, Aiz repeated her question without changing her expression.
"What's the na of the man you're talking about?"
It took a few seconds for the n to recover from their shock. The first man, who had been the most talkative earlier, finally mustered the courage to answer, though his voice trembled slightly.
"Uh, sorry, we don't know his na, Sword Princess. But… he looked very young and handso. He also had striking white hair."
Aiz's thoughts imdiately fixed on one person.
'So, it really is Charlie…'
She was certain the man they were talking about was Charlie. The white hair and youthful, handso appearance were unmistakable. But then a question arose in her mind.
'But why would he start a fight in Ishtar Familia's territory?'
Aiz was no longer the na??ve girl who knew nothing about relationships between n and won. She had received sexual education after an embarrassing conversation with Riveria. Back then, she thought that to have a child, a man and a woman only needed to sleep together in bed while holding hands. In the morning, a dove would bring a baby in a basket to the couple.
However, all those naive beliefs had changed after Riveria gave her a more detailed explanation of how babies were made. Though the knowledge still made her a little embarrassed, Aiz now had a basic understanding of what might have brought a man like Charlie to the Entertainnt District.
However, her heart refused to accept that reality.
'No way… Charlie isn't that kind of man. This must just be a misunderstanding. It has to be.'
Even when confronted with the truth, personal biases often blind people to reality.
Unaware of Aiz's inner turmoil, the first man in the group spoke again, offering a conspiracy theory.
"I heard the reason that guy caused trouble in the Entertainnt District and fought with Ishtar Familia was because he couldn't pay after using services at a brothel. He must've been embarrassed, so he started a commotion."
"Ehhh? Seriously? If that's true, it's so ridiculous." The second man chuckled.
"What do you expect? Hera Familia may have been famous for being strong in the past, but that's because they were all won! Hera-sama made a mistake by accepting a man. That guy completely ruined Hera Familia's reputation." The third man sneered.
The conversation began to shift into baseless verbal attacks. Each of them, eager to express their opinions, started adding increasingly absurd argunts.
"Co to think of it, he's probably the type of guy who always uses his good looks to get what he wants. People like that usually have no character." The second man added, his voice filled with jealousy.
"Exactly. Sure, he's strong, maybe Level 5 or even Level 6, but that's only because he got lucky being affiliated with Hera Familia. If I had training like him, I'd definitely be Level 7 by now!" The first man retorted enviously.
Of course, the real reason behind their insults was painfully obvious. It wasn't because they actually knew anything concrete about the man from Hera Familia—it was pure, deep-rooted envy. How could they not feel jealous? This man, who appeared to be barely twenty years old, had already reached Level 5, or possibly even Level 6—sothing they could only dream of.
anwhile, they themselves had spent over a decade stuck at Level 1, trapped in the harsh reality that they lacked talent or opportunities to grow. Now, they were just middle-aged n who could only look up at others, cursing fate and blaming others for their own failures.
For them, comparing themselves to this young man was a painful act, a cruel reminder of their own limitations. Instead of facing that truth with maturity, they chose the easier path—belittling and slandering soone who had what they lacked.
Truly, such jealousy was utterly disgusting.
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