DanMachi Vol.16

CHAPTER 1: A STORMY LOVE LETTER

I've never met a woman like her before...!

While I'm still reeling, she looks away and mutters softly:

"...If only you had never shown up."

Huh?

I go wide-eyed, but then she faces me again as if nothing had happened.

"Here."

"A—a letter?"

"From a person of import, addressed to you. Make sure to read it, please."

After delivering the message, she immediately turns on her heels, her long dress twirling to follow. I feel a chill as I watch her go. Her very being seems to exude a certainty that if our encounter had gone on for much longer, she might have done something drastic. Luckily, she leaves me with only a few quiet words and the letter.

I stand there in shock until after she passes the main gate and disappears.

"What was that about?" a voice behind me asks.

"Hwah?!"

Turning around frantically, I see Welf standing there as if it were only natural.

"That isn't a love letter, right?! I don't want to deal with any more of that stupid stuff!"

"A—a love letter?! Hand delivered in broad daylight on the very steps of our home?! For Master Bell?! Aaaaah...!"

"Calm yourself, Lady Haruhime! We don't know for sure whether it's a love letter yet!"

Wait—Lilly and Haruhime and even Mikoto?! When did they all get here?!

And quit saying love letter so much!

"How long have you guys been there?!"

"From around the time she said, 'Get lost, you revolting, uncultured goblin!'" Lilly says, eyes flaring.

"It wasn't that harsh!" I wince at her oddly critical response.

"Jokes aside, she seemed a bit more threatening than your average visitor, so we came to see what was up," Welf chimes in.

"You were completely overwhelmed by her presence, so it's understandable you didn't notice," Mikoto adds.

"There was quite a lot sweat pouring down the back of your neck..." Haruhime says.

I guess they were hiding in the hallway and listening in.

Haruhime naturally produces a handkerchief and graciously wipes my still-damp neck. When I start to blush, Lilly rams Haruhime in the hip. As she goes flying in her maid pinafore, Lilly jabs me with her little finger.

"More importantly, what is your relationship with that woman?! What did you do to draw her attention?!"

"What does that even mean?! I have no idea what's going on! I've never even met her before!"

I'm totally at a loss, but I'm telling the truth. Hearing that, Lilly pauses as a serious expression crosses her face.

"She's a member of Freya Familia."

"Huh...F-Freya Familia?!"

I hadn't expected that name to come up.

She's part of the faction on par with Aiz's Loki Familia?!

"The goddess's attendant, Hörn. One allowed to be at Freya's side without merely being a servant, the head chamberlain. She normally stays in either Babel or their home in order to wait on Freya hand and foot, and apparently like her patron goddess, she rarely ventures outside..." Lilly explains.