Is It Wrong to Explore the Dungeon Even Though I’m Overpowered? (Danmachi SI- WC)

Chapter 33: In the Eyes of Gods and Monsters

It didn’t take long before we were noticed—and then, inevitably, we became the center of attention.

Not only was I the rising star who had reached Level 3 in record time, but I was also walking arm-in-arm with not just my goddess Hestia, but Artemis herself—infamous among the gods for her disdain toward men.

And yet, perhaps most shocking of all to the divine crowd, Artemis wasn’t scowling. She wasn’t sneering, or even looking vaguely annoyed.

She was smiling.

To the watching gods, this was unthinkable. It would have been understandable—if begrudgingly so—if she merely tolerated me. But walking beside me with that serene expression? That sent ripples through the hall louder than any announcement.

As we made our way deeper into the banquet hall, a wave of whispers followed us like a tide.

“Sword Saint…”

“Level 3 in less than a month…”

“How the hell did he manage to charm both goddesses?”

There were more than a few grumbles—mostly from male deities—about my apparent good fortune. But Hestia, entirely unaffected by the stares or the gossip, cheerfully dragged us toward the banquet table like it was just another shopping trip.

Amused, Artemis and I let ourselves be led.

Of course, it didn’t take long for someone to break from the crowd and approach.

“Hestia! Artemis! Miach! Takemikazuchi! Glad all of you could make it~” came the unmistakably loud and jovial voice of Hermes as he sauntered over with a flourish.

Beside him walked his Familia’s captain, Asfi Al Andromeda—a beautiful, poised woman with aqua-blue hair, intelligent cyan eyes, and a pair of square-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

“You’re as loud as ever, huh, Hermes?” Hestia muttered, unimpressed, before turning around and continuing toward the food. Artemis and I followed, still caught in the small procession she was dragging behind her.

“Hermes-sama,” I greeted politely, giving a small nod despite the awkwardness of being mid-drag. “Nice to see you again.”

“Hahaha! Don’t worry about it, Reinhard-kun!” he waved my greeting off. “I just came over to show off my darling Asfi!”

With a dramatic gesture, he stepped aside to present her. “Isn’t she gorgeous~?”

Asfi elbowed him in the side immediately, clearly used to this behavior.

“S-Stop it, Hermes-sama. I’ll hit you for real,” she warned a visible blush on her cheeks—though the blow had already landed.

“You’re adorable when you blush, Asfi,” Hermes chuckled, rubbing his side and grinning unrepentantly.

Then his gaze turned to Artemis—and after a pause, he blinked, scanning around her in visible confusion.

“Wait… Artemis, don’t tell me you didn’t bring one of your children with you?”

That caught Miach and Takemikazuchi’s attention too.

Artemis let out a soft click of her tongue, clearly annoyed by the question. She lifted her chin and answered with a sharp gaze that immediately made Hermes back off.

“I didn’t want that leech Apollo leering at my children,” she said flatly. “So I chose to attend with Hestia and Reinhard since we live together.”

Me and Hestia shared a subtle glance at those words—but we wisely said nothing.

Hermes grumbled something under his breath about “depriving the world of beauty,” only to immediately regret it as Artemis stepped up to him and—without hesitation—kneed him square in the jewels.

Hermes crumpled to the floor with a squeak, much to Hestia’s amusement and Asfi’s embarassment.

The movement, however, caused Artemis’s dress—elegant and slit at the side—to shift, revealing a dagger tucked into a sheath at her thigh.

I immediately recognized it.

Silver and blue, with a golden hilt—Est’s dagger form.

She’d snuck along mid-ride, cleverly transforming into her weapon form so she could attend without drawing attention. Artemis had approved the plan on the condition Est stayed disguised… unless it was time for a dance.

Est had recently reached Level 2 and officially received the title Demon Slayer, a name she’d earned for her terrifying broadsword form in her past life. For now, though, she remained tucked close, disguised but not forgotten, just waiting for the opportunity to sneak a dance in.

Before long, our “gracious” host finally made his grand entrance, drawing the attention of the entire banquet hall.

“Everyone, thank you for coming!” rang out the loud and cheerful voice of none other than Apollo himself, flanked on either side by Cassandra, Daphne, and his only Level 3 Adventurer—Hyakinthos Clio.

Apollo, as always, looked every bit the self-obsessed deity he was. Blonde hair that shimmered like condensed sunlight, orange eyes that practically glowed with vanity, and a green laurel wreath resting atop his head like he was starring in his own personal theater.

We all watched in silence as he welcomed his guests with a dramatic flourish and launched into a speech.

I didn’t catch a single word of it.

Not because he was boring (though he was), but because I was too busy trying not to shiver at the frankly disgusting looks he kept sending me. Like a lion spotting a juicy piece of meat.

It took every ounce of willpower I had not to grimace or break composure, and the moment he turned away, I let out a soft breath of relief, my shoulders slumping.

“Are you alright, Rein?” Artemis asked quietly from my side, concern in her gentle voice.

I turned toward her, meeting the worried gaze in her green eyes, and gave her a small smile.

“I’m alright, Artemis-sama,” I reassured, scratching the back of my head. “Just... the way Apollo-sama was looking at me made me a bit uncomfortable.”

Objectively speaking, Apollo was attractive. But I didn’t swing that way. Women were—and always would be—my only interest.

At my words, Artemis’s eyes briefly flashed with fury before she took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Before either of us could speak further, the room stirred again as a new wave of attention washed through the crowd.

A woman had entered, someone captivating enough to draw every eye in the hall.

Silver hair, violet eyes, a graceful figure draped in a flowing purple dress that offered a tasteful glimpse of cleavage. She walked with confidence, accompanied by a beautiful young woman with long red hair and tired crimson eyes.

I froze.

A second later, I subtly pulled up my Target Tracker, my breath caught in my throat, only to exhale in relief when the name popped up.

Horn.

Not Freya.

‘So that means Freya is still out of the city likely searching for me,’ I thought, watching as Horn maintained her illusion, her bearing regal and her steps practiced. ‘With most of her executives still scouring the desert with her, Heith Velvet was the best option to accompany her as her escort.’

I noticed the brief flash of surprise in Horn’s eyes when she spotted me but she recovered quickly and kept walking, offering only a brief, alluring smile in my direction.

That, apparently, was too much for Hestia.

“Don’t look at her, Rein-kun!!” she cried out, suddenly jumping onto my back and throwing her arms around my head, completely covering my eyes.

“Someone as pure as you shouldn’t be exposed to her! She’ll corrupt you!”

Deadpan, I bore her frantic antics in silence, sighing inwardly.

‘Has she forgotten that I’m basically immune to mental effects like Charm? Between my Divine Protections and the new Mind Defense perk, I could probably wink at Freya and walk away unharmed, physically speaking at least. Maybe.’

Mercifully, Freya—well, Horn—didn’t approach us and simply moved deeper into the hall, her smile lingering. That, unfortunately, only made things worse.

Hestia doubled down, tightening her hold while Artemis visibly bristled, a frown tugging at her lips.

“U-Um, Hestia-sama,” I said awkwardly, still blindfolded by her arms. “Would you mind letting me go now?”

She grumbled something about divine temptresses before finally dismounting, releasing me with a pout.

“I can’t help it, Rein-kun!” she said with a dramatic huff, planting her hands on her hips. “Freya’s the type of woman who would devour someone like you without a second thought!”

I flushed slightly at the mental image she’d just planted in my mind—and did not thank her for it.

Just as things were beginning to settle down again, another voice rang out, mockingly.

“There you are, shrimp.”

Turning toward the source, we saw two more women approaching. The first was an extremely beautiful girl with golden-blonde hair, gold eyes, and a slender figure. She wore a form-fitting, elegant violet dress adorned with a single large emerald hanging from a collar at her neck.

Ais Waldstein or “Wallenstein,” as she went nowadays. Or at least I think that was her dad’s last name.

The girl Bell had become obsessed over in canon, enough to awaken a cheat skill due to her.

The girl had a blank expression on her face currently but due to my own experience with girls similar to her already—cue Est—I could somewhat deduct her expression. And right now? Ais was staring at me. Unblinking. Intently.

The second figure, of course, was her goddess: Loki.

With her fox-like red eyes and shoulder-length crimson hair, Loki gave off the usual air of mischief. Tonight, she was wearing a red and black suit with a bowtie—probably another one of her attempts to grope Ais under the guise of masculinity.

Predictably, Hestia was the first to respond with another insult.

“When did you get here? You’re so plain-looking I didn’t even hear you come in!” she snapped, hands clenched into fists.

“Shut up, idiot!” Loki snapped right back, already in her face. “If you’ve got a problem, take it up with that slut, Freya! She’s the one who stole Ais-tan’s and my big entrance!”

“Don’t try to pin it on someone else!” Hestia shouted, and their usual bickering resumed full-force.

Artemis rolled her eyes and moved a few steps back, clearly already over this. I decided to follow her example and focus on Ais who was still staring at me, completely ignoring the ruckus.

Not wanting to be rude (or keep getting silently stared at), I stepped forward and gave her a proper greeting.

With practiced grace, I bowed—left hand behind my back, right hand over my chest, head lowered just slightly. “Greetings, Miss. Since our goddesses seem to know each other well, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Reinhard. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Then, gently, I took her left hand and kissed her knuckles.

Ais didn’t physically react at my introduction. But I noticed the subtle shift in her eyes as she glanced down at her hand. Her expression remained unreadable, but I could tell she was... curious. Something had definitely caught her attention.

She finally snapped out of her trance and raised her gaze to meet mine. “Ais. Ais Wallenstein. Pleasure to meet you too, Reinhard,” she said softly, her voice like the tinkling of wind chimes.

Before I could say anything more, both of us were yanked back by our respective goddesses though in my case, it was two of them.

“Stay away from my Rein-kun!”

“Stay away from my Ais-tan!”

The declarations rang out in unison, both Hestia and Loki glaring daggers at one another while keeping tight grips on their chosen “children.”

Loki, for her part, finally gave me a good look—her red eyes opening ever so slightly as she studied me in silence. There was something calculating behind them, something sharp. But after a long moment, she scoffed and looked away.

“Hmph! While I’ll admit he’s somewhat impressive, he’s nothing compared to my Ais-tan!”

‘Yeah, as if I could forget that look you just gave me.’ I thought silently not knowing what to think about Loki’s look. While it didn’t look malicious, I couldn’t really describe it either.

“Haah!? My Rein-kun is hundreds, no, thousands of times better than your Wallenwhatsit! And cuter too!” Hestia fired back without missing a beat.

Letting the goddesses argue, I found my eyes trailing back to Ais who was still looking at me not even blinking.

‘Could my affinity for spirits along with Blessed Talent be having some kind affect on her with her being a half-spirit and all?’ I thought silently for a moment before dismissing it and focusing on the still arguing goddesses.

Deciding to cut things off before they escalated further, I gently rested a hand on Hestia’s shoulder.

“Hestia-sama,” I said with a pleading smile, “let’s not cause a scene. How about we go enjoy the rest of the party instead?”

Her rage immediately deflated, replaced by a bright smile. “Of course, Rein-kun~ Let’s go. There’s no need to waste time talking to flat-chests anyway~” she added with a smug glance over her shoulder.

I internally winced as Loki’s eye twitched and her teeth ground together.

As we began walking away, I turned and offered a parting smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Loki-sama. And you as well, Ais-san. I hope next time we can meet under better circumstances.”

Loki responded with another scoff and looked away, but Ais gave me a serious nod still watching me closely even as Loki dragged her off in the other direction.

‘What was that all about…?’ I wondered one last time before putting it off for another time.

For now, I had to survive the rest of this glorified battlefield of a party.

=====

A While Later

Time passed more quickly than expected as we laughed, talked, and enjoyed Apollo’s banquet in our own little circle—Hestia, Artemis, Miach, Takemikazuchi, and their children.

Then, without warning, a soft melody drifted through the air.

A shiver ran down my spine as I registered the change in atmosphere. Pairs began drifting toward the open floor, taking their partners by the hand. The music swelled—sweet, slow, and full of promise.

I glanced down and, sure enough, was met by a pair of eager eyes.

No, make that three.

Hestia and Artemis were both giving me that expectant look. And somehow, between the time they’d gone to the bathroom to freshen up and now, Est had transformed back into her human form and was tugging lightly on my sleeve. Her violet eyes stared up at me with quiet hope.

She had drawn a few curious glances when she appeared—but with our group already so large, no one questioned it too much. She was dressed in a stunning white and black kimono that clung delicately to her frame, her expression as calm and composed as ever. She looked less like a girl and more like a perfectly crafted doll.

My heart twinged.

I knew no matter who I chose, someone would be left disappointed.

Still—this was a formal gathering, and more than that... it felt only right to offer the first dance to my goddess to not draw more eyes toward ourselves.

Straightening my back and gathering my courage, I turned to Hestia and extended my hand.

“May I have this dance, Hestia-sama?”

Her smile lit up like the morning sun.

“Hihihi~ I’d love to, Rein-kun,” she said, her voice bubbling with joy as she placed her hand in mine.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Artemis and Est stiffen. A moment later, Hestia shot them a triumphant grin that said victory never tasted sweeter, causing both to narrow their eyes in subtle challenge.

‘Well, I already danced with Artemis once before—under the moonlight, no less,’ I reasoned. ‘And Est will understand hopefully. I’ll make it up to them later.’

We stepped onto the dance floor, ignoring the whispers that rippled through the crowd like wind over water. I kept my eyes only on Hestia—on the smile that had softened from smug to something deeply affectionate.

Positioning myself with natural grace, I placed one hand gently at her waist, the other still holding hers. My noble upbringing and knightly training settled into place without thought. My feet moved before I had to think, and she followed my lead with surprising elegance.

“Thank you, Rein-kun,” Hestia whispered, her voice trembling with quiet emotion. “Even with everything going on... thank you for making this a night I’ll never forget.”

Her words struck something deep inside me. I gazed into her sapphire eyes and saw nothing but warmth and belief.

Smiling softly, I answered in kind.

“It’s thanks to you—and everyone else—that I get to live days like this at all. So thank you, Hestia… for making every day worth living.”

And as we began to dance beneath the candlelit chandeliers, the world around us blurred. There was only her… and the music… and the quiet promise that even amidst chaos, peace could still be found in a single shared moment.

We were completely oblivious to the many stares from various individuals around the hall, some neutral, some positive and others filled with ill intent.