Hmm... Where should I go to reach Hephaestus Familia?
Well, if I don't know, I can just ask.
Just up ahead... Black hair?
Come to think of it, since arriving in Orario, this is my first time seeing black hair. Limus had sky-blue hair.
"Excuse me, could I ask for directions?"
"Hmm? What's up?"
...An eye patch?
"Ah, you see, this is my first time in Orario, so could you tell me how to get to Hephaestus Familia?"
"Hmm... What brings you there?"
"I'm hoping to join as a blacksmith."
The black-haired woman looked me up and down appraisingly, then went silent, seemingly lost in thought.
But... she feels familiar... I never hung out with anyone with such long hair in my past life... and I had no ties with other women... Maybe from the original...
"Alright, I was going that way anyway, so I'll show you the way."
"Ah, thank you."
"No worries, I'm just going the same way."
"Nowadays, the world's gotten so tough that many people wouldn't even bother."
"Wow, it's rare to meet someone who appreciates the little things like that."
"I may not know much, but I was rigorously trained in etiquette..."
My father had a bit of a... let's say, traditionalist streak. It was pretty intense.
If any of us lifted our spoon before our parents at the table, or stood up after eating first, he'd yell right away. And if word got back that any sibling failed to greet an elder first in the neighborhood, dinner that evening would be pushed back by three hours.
Why the delay? Obviously, we had to endure three hours of what can only be described as a mix of nagging and preaching.
But when I applied those manners outside, I was often complimented for being courteous, so I made an effort to keep it up.
"Hmm... Given your hair color, looks, and how you mind your manners, are you from the Far East?"
The Far East... In this world, that probably means the Eastern regions, right?
So, it should be fine to say I'm from the Far East.
"Yes, more or less. By the way you speak, are you from there too?"
"No, my mother is from the Far East. But how on earth did you get here from so far away?"
How did I end up...
"A lot happened.
In short, I saved someone, sacrificed myself, and as a reward, I ended up here... something like that."
"What kind of situation turns saving someone into a journey from the Far East to Orario..."
Seeing her confused expression, I felt my own spirits drop.
But no matter how I look at it, she seems like a character from the original... black hair and an eye patch... I distinctly requested that my memories not deteriorate, what's going on!
"But, are you by any chance a member of Hephaestus Familia?"
"Huh? What makes you say that?"
"Well, for starters, people in the industrial district are either adventurers or blacksmiths, and you're not armed like an adventurer.
Second, if you're a blacksmith heading to Hephaestus, you seem too accustomed to the path—must be your regular route.
Third, your hands."
"Hands? What about them?"
"They smell like iron and fire. Though, that's partly intuition, so it's a bit vague..."
Black hair, eye patch, a Hephaestus Familia character from the original...?!
No way... Is it Tsubaki Collbrande?
"Oh, sharp! Since you went to the trouble of deducing that, I should introduce myself properly. I'm Tsubaki Collbrande, current captain of Hephaestus Familia and a Lv4 adventurer. If you're joining us, you'd better make a good impression on me."
"..."
Choose the appropriate action when the person you've been cheerfully chatting with while walking is actually the leader of the group you're trying to join.
1: Take off your pants.
2: The clever Smith devises a plan to escape this predicament.
3: No way out. Play insane.
4: Butter up until you're hoarse.
5: Just carry on as before.
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I'll go with option 5!
Well, options 1 to 3 are just asking for trouble, and option 4, given Tsubaki Collbrande's personality from the original, would probably backfire. So that leaves option 5: just keep doing what I'm doing.
"Ah, really? It's an honor to meet someone so impressive. A Lv4 adventurer and captain, rare even in Orario—I must be lucky."
Hmm... But a little flattery is necessary in social situations. Yeah, this is what they call social skills!
"Well, well, you've got some social savvy! These days, my members, since I'm too easy on them, have no fear and run amok. I really need to round them up and teach them a lesson one of these days..."
Rambling on and on... She must have a lot pent up.
For twenty whole minutes until we reached Hephaestus Familia's home, she vented non-stop about her members, and as we approached, she nearly started on the goddess too.
"So our goddess also... Oh, we're here. This is Hephaestus Familia's home, Lemnos Island. If you manage to impress the goddess and join, this might become your home, so get excited?"
"Hear all that clanging metal nearby? When you join our familia, we set up personal forges for everyone. Since it's handier to be close by, most forges around here are Hephaestus Familia's. Sure, you start at the public forge elsewhere, but with the support later, it's worth it, right?"
"...I have to join."
"Hahaha, good! With that guts, go face our goddess!"
Tsubaki Collbrande slapped my back hard in encouragement, but... maybe because she's a high level, it really hurt...!
A sharp cry escaped my lips.
"Oops, my bad. Forgot you don't have your Falna yet. Alright, let's head in!"
With that, Tsubaki Collbrande opened the door and walked in.
My future in Orario hinges on whether I get in or not.
Here goes nothing!