Danmachi: Strongest Familia

"You're scaring the child," Astraea remarked, noticing that Haruhime seemed flustered after they sat down.

Just then, a commotion erupted nearby. The members of the Ganesha Familia began to clear the crowd, and order was quickly restored.

"It seems the crowd control is nearly finished. We... we can head out now."

"Then let's go shopping separately and meet up later," Astraea said, sensing Haruhime's embarrassment. Without needing anyone to tell her, she took Alise's hand and led her away.

The two women quickly disappeared into the crowd of the monster festival.

"Come on, ladies, it's time to start our date today!" Sol said with a polite flourish, extending his hand.

Riveria ignored Sol's theatrics, but Haruhime, still unfamiliar with her god's playboy antics, hesitated for a moment.

Haruhime looked unsure about whether to take his hand, but Riveria quickly pulled her away.

Sol shrugged casually and jogged a couple of steps to catch up with them.

As they entered the venue, they were immediately hit by the thick smoke from the food stalls, and the scent of cooking food tantalized their senses.

Haruhime slowed her pace, clearly overwhelmed by the environment.

"How about some fried potato balls?" Sol suggested, pointing to a nearby stand.

"Are they good?" Riveria asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course," Sol replied. "Just tell me what you want to eat."

Riveria smiled, thinking to herself that the goal of bringing Haruhime out was to help her feel more at ease. A small change, like eating something new, could make a difference.

After eating the fried potato balls, Haruhime seemed a little more at ease, possibly because she was gradually getting used to the surroundings.

As they continued walking, cheers echoed from the Colosseum nearby.

"It seems the monster festival has officially started. Why don't we go take a look?" Sol suggested.

"Well, we're already here. It'd be a shame not to," Riveria agreed.

"Then let's go."

As they passed a street food stall, two very familiar voices cut through the noise of the bustling downtown, reaching Sol's ears.

"Hey, Tione, look at that! Let's go try that meat!" 

"The monster festival has already started! If we don't hurry, there'll be no spots left!"

"It's fine, it's fine. Let's grab some and eat it over there." Tiona ignored her sister's protests and rushed toward the stall.

Sol chuckled to himself. 'Really, Ganesha? You're such a good person. Half a monster for a sacrifice and unexpected gains…'

"Are you interested in those two Amazons?" Riveria asked, following Sol's gaze and spotting Tione and Tiona.

The two Amazon sisters, with their well-toned muscles, didn't seem weak by any means. But for the Sol family, they were merely average. Nothing particularly noteworthy.

Riveria understood Sol's gaze, though. It was the look of someone spotting prey—someone who wanted to take them into their fold.

"It looks like two good seedlings, but we'll talk about it when we get back."

Sol hadn't expected to run into Tione and Tiona at the festival, but it was a lucky encounter. 

Speaking of which, the two sisters were also newcomers to Orario. 

Their talent and strength were impressive, and Sol would have no hesitation in recruiting them, even if it meant pulling them away from Loki's Familia. 

This was the perfect opportunity to undermine his competitors.

There were only so many powerful adventurers in the world of the Dungeon, and every time he managed to recruit one would take one less from his rivals. 

The heroes of Valoran would eventually be his anyway, so there was no need to rush. 

After all, he was already enjoying the fruits of his labor, his "bowl" was much bigger than anyone else's "pot."

But there was no need to act too quickly. These two sisters were strong believers in the power of force, so if Sol wanted to recruit them, he would have to show his own muscle.

Since he had brought the others out to enjoy the day, he wasn't keen on wasting time on such matters just yet.

The group made their way into the Ganesha Familia's Colosseum and took seats in the back row. 

Although the monsters were only from the upper and middle levels, the one-on-one battles in the arena were still exciting to watch.

"Sol-sama, is that Sett over there?" Riveria, who wasn't too interested in the brutal fights, began observing the other guests in the stands to pass the time.

As if guided by some unseen force, Riveria quickly spotted Sett, waving his fists in the crowd with palpable excitement.

Seeing him was like running into an bad omen. Riveria's good mood from earlier quickly faded.

"It's perfect. I have something I can ask him to do," Sol said, his tone suggesting a plan. "Riveria, go speak to Sett."

"What do you need him to do?" Riveria asked, a little puzzled.

She recalled that something had happened to Sett recently, so what could Sol possibly want from him now?

"Just let him go meet Tiona, Tione. There's no harm in it," Sol said with a grin. "If I remember correctly, those two sisters are LV3 now, and their level is one higher than Sett's. Let him establish a connection with them first—then we'll have a reason to recruit them."

Understanding Sol's intent, Riveria immediately got up, but not before instructing Sett to bring the two sisters back to the Familia's residence afterward.

"Then let's go too," Sol suggested. "Seeing as you're not too interested in these kinds of matches, let's take a walk outside."

With Riveria and Haruhime not particularly fond of the combat, and Sol himself not too invested in the match, they agreed to step outside and continue their date.

Meanwhile, Sett, who had exited the Colosseum, scanned the crowd for the two Amazon sisters, Tione and Tiona. 

The monster festival was a massive event, and finding the sisters among the throngs of people wasn't easy.

Though there were several Amazons in Orario, Tiona and Tione stood out due to their youth, dark skin, and unique attire. 

In addition, Riveria had shared a few details about the two, making them easier to spot.

Finally, Sett found his target by a barbecue stall.

"Hey, Amazon girls over there!" Sett called out carelessly, his confident approach drawing Tione's attention.

"Who are you calling a girl? You looking for trouble?" Tione snapped.

Sett grinned. "What a short tempered girl. You wanna fight with me?"

He clenched his fist, and the sound of his knuckles cracking filled the air.

When they met, Tione and Tiona had seemed willing to engage, so the surrounding adventurers wisely stepped aside, clearing a space around them.

Without realizing it, a large gap had opened up in the crowded venue.