Danmachi: My Adventure With a High Fairy Queen

Preparations for the Expedition

The grand banquet hall of the Twilight Manor buzzed with excitement and merriment. Adventurers from various familias mingled, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Amidst the sea of smiling faces, Riveria stood apart, her expression stern and unyielding. She surveyed the room, her eyes narrowing as they fell upon a certain adventurer.

Bell sat at a table surrounded by a group of eager admirers. The young man fidgeted nervously, his smile strained as he nodded along to the excited conversations.

Tiona bounded over to Bell, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Her sister followed, attempting to rein in her boisterous sibling's antics. Bete, meanwhile, gave Bell an apathetic glare before turning his back.

"Little Argonaut-kun!" Tiona cried as she threw an arm around his shoulder.

"T-Tiona-san!" Bell stuttered as he leaned away.

"Gahahaha! Relax, Argonaut!" The young Amazon guffawed and flashed him a big grin.

The sight of Bell squirming under Tiona's arm prompted Tione to offer him a sympathetic smile. "Just ignore her, Perseus! She's nothing but a giant child."

"O-oh, um...it's alright..." Bell attempted a smile of his own, his body going rigid as the young Amazonian sisters chattered happily beside him.

Riveria's eyebrows twitched. "...She'll be a problem," she said with a sigh, crossing her arms as she glared at the girl.

Finn watched the group from a distance with amusement in his eyes.

"Hey Argonaut-kun, we're gonna make our own heroic tale!" Tiona said, wrapping her arm around Bell's shoulder once more.

"Y-yeah?"

"Yep! We're gonna show that snake lady who's boss!" The Amazon's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Bell's cheeks flushed pink, his lips curling upward into a hesitant smile.

The celebration was in full swing when the adventurers began sharing their tales and comparing notes on the Dungeon expedition. Lefiya and the others watched in silence as Tiona animatedly regaled Bell with tales of her recent exploits.

"Hee-hee! We're finally gonna have our own adventure, Argonaut-kun!" She winked at Bell, causing the young man to blush crimson. "You and Riveria seem to be great friends now, too! Isn't this amazing?"

Riveria watched the scene with a dour expression, a flurry of emotions stirring within her.

"I, uh, well, you see..." Bell stammered, his voice pitched higher than usual.

Tiona leaned in closer, her lips curling into a playful smirk. "C'mon, Argonaut-kun. You and me—let's fight!"

"R-Right now???" Bell practically leaped out of his chair, his shoulders shuddering nervously as he stared back at the Amazon.

Bete snorted and turned away from the display, while the onlookers whispered and giggled among themselves.

Tiona, meanwhile, gave him a predatory smile.

"Yep! And if you win, I'll give you something very special!" she said, a certain gleam in her eyes.

"M-something special...?" Bell blinked. "W-Well, then what do I get if I lose...?"

Tiona tapped her chin in thought, a mysterious smile playing on her lips as she met the boy's gaze.

"Then you have to do whatever I want!"

"Eeeeehhhhhhh?????"

Bell squirmed under Tiona's attention, his discomfort palpable. He glanced around the room, desperate for an escape, but found only curious stares and amused grins.