Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

I wonder if it's a coincidence, but like the original world, this world is also in the midst of summer.

The hustle and bustle of the metropolis added fuel to the fire of summer here, making it seem a tad hotter than the summer in my original world.

Walking on the bustling streets, where vendors continuously shouted to attract customers, Reiger strolled leisurely like a traveler, brushing past natives one after another.

"It seems that the language barrier is not an issue for me,"

Listening to the continuous sounds around him and looking at the signs and writing on each shop and stall, Reiger confirmed this.

Whether it's the original world or this one, the languages and scripts used are different from those Reiger learned in his past life.

Yet, Reiger naturally understood the language and script of this otherworld, which had him marveling for quite some time.

In the original world, this was to be expected since he had the memories of the original host, understanding the language and script made sense.

But being able to do the same in this new world made one wonder if there was a reason for it.

"Is it the effect of the Dimensional Cube?"

Reiger could only think of this possibility.

After all, a Dimensional Cube that could freely convert the powers between different worlds didn't seem to have trouble enabling its master to master the languages of different worlds either.

Thankful for this, after wandering around a bit and communicating with a few natives, Reiger gradually learned where he currently was.

"As expected, this is Maze City Orario."

Maze City, Orario.

This was the main setting of the original story and a city of extremely unique and important status.

It was built atop an underground maze, suppressing the maze known as "the underground city" below it, functioning like a fortress, a lid that prevents the monsters dwelling within from leaving.

Due to the presence of the underground city and the monsters, numerous races seeking adventure and the unknown have gathered here, making this maze city the most bustling city-state on the surface.

Thus, considered the world's center, whether it's for adventure, trade, entertainment, or strife, it is all top-tier here, drawing many powerful individuals, merchants, and gods to gather.

"This is perfect,"

Reiger nodded.

"With the underground city here, and so many monsters to subdue, I'll be able to grow at the fastest rate once I've received a blessing."

Moreover, as the main stage of the original plot, many familiar characters, events, and elements were all here, which allowed Reiger, who knew the plot, to gain preemptive advantages and tangible or intangible help.

"The most pressing issue right now should be to quickly find a familia to join."

Reiger fell into deep thought.

Familias are institutions cum familial forces that gods established for their nurturing.

The gods bestow "Divine Power" upon humans, allowing humans to transcend the ordinary with "blessings," granting them far greater abilities than the common man.

Those who received "blessings" join the familia created by the gods as "Children of the Heavens," following the familia's action guidelines and providing the resources needed to keep the familia and the gods functioning and alive.

Strictly speaking, it is a relationship of mutual benefit and dependence between the two sides.

Of course, human powers have their strengths and weaknesses, and godly familias are no different.

Although the "blessing" is fundamentally the same regardless of which god bestows it, due to differing philosophies and operations, each familia's strength, influence, and positioning vary.

Some familias might be newly established or in decline, making them relatively weak.

Others that have developed smoothly with numerous members are much more powerful, converging various strong individuals and resources.

There are familias primarily established for business, with members lacking in combat power; some even operate and exist as nations outside Orario, which is quite fantastical.

These are just the most basic differences.

If one were to delve deeper, one would have to consider the god's temperament who established the familia, the internal environment of the familia, and whether there's an adverse influence, among many other differences.

If one carelessly joined a familia that sees their members as money-making tools or as entertainment, it would be virtually game over.

After all, the gods in this world sealed their Divine Power and descended to entertain themselves, with the majority being pleasure offenders and gods of poor taste.

Deciding which familia to join required serious thought and cautious selection.

"If I remember correctly, in Maze City Orario, the strongest seem to be the Loki Familia, Freyja Clan, and the Ganisa Clan?"

The prefix of a familia corresponds to the god who established it.

For example, the Loki Familia was founded by that infamous trickster god from Norse mythology—Loki.

As Reiger recalled the long-missed original story, he ambled through the streets.

While walking, suddenly, Reiger realized that he had come across a somewhat familiar place.

Just off the vibrant main street, by a side road, stood an exceptionally tall and large residence, towering above the nearby buildings.

Inside the residence, several high-rise towers stacked together like a mountain of swords, with the tallest central tower flying a flag, fluttering in the wind.

The flag depicted a jester, seemingly smiling mockingly at the people on the ground, drawing particular attention.

The somewhat familiar building and flag caused Reiger to stop in his tracks.

"The Loki Familia?"

The jester flag was the emblem of the Loki Familia, famed as one of the "Twin Kings" of Orario.

He had just been recalling the familias earlier, yet he had unknowingly arrived at the very headquarters of one of them.

...Could this be fate?

...

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and Maze City Orario was enveloped in the glow of the evening sky.

People who had finished a day's work and adventurers returning from the underground city walked the streets with expressions that were both tired and involuntarily relaxed, ushering in the night's form for the labyrinthine city.

"Hmmmhmmmhmmm~~~"

In a corner of the main street blanketed by the twilight's rosy hues, a woman with casual, crimson hair tied behind her head and her eyes squinted into fine slits, possessed an attractive appearance that was somewhat undermined by a disheveled air and an air of unseriousness. She hummed a tune as she walked along, dressed in an equally casual fashion.

But as she hummed, she soon lost her interest.

"Sigh, how boring, I've strolled around all day and haven't found any fun."

She muttered to herself in an incomprehensibly grounded tone.

"All the kids have gone off on expeditions, leaving only a few back at home to hold the fort, and they all claim to have work and refuse to accompany me out for fun."

"That would be fine, but I can't find a single bit of fun on my own, and those who are so bored that they clamor for parties every day have, for some reason, not made a single peep today."

"Boring, it's just so boring."

"Ah, I'd really love to cuddle with a cute girl and get all lovey-dovey with Ais."

The woman walked with a swagger and sighed with words that were less than complimentary, causing the passersby to involuntarily give her a wide berth.

Meanwhile, she seemed utterly oblivious to this, continuing her string of sighs.

"Might as well go home and drink, judging by the time, everyone should be nearly back. I'll just have to put up with it for a few more days."

With that, the woman turned off the bustling main street and onto a less crowded road, arriving at the sword-mountain-like dwelling— the "Twilight Manor".

Erected in the middle of the towering towers, the flag emblazoned with the image of a jester still fluttered in the wind.

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, the frivolous woman stopped in her tracks.

The reason was simple.

Next to the gate of the manor, a person was standing there.

"A human?"

She recognized the person's race and her previously narrowed eyes opened slightly.

Within them, a spark not of mortal origin flickered.

Especially when she saw that the person also noticed her, still standing poised by the entrance to her home, engaging openly in a gaze with her without a hint of waver—this display had suddenly piqued her interest.

"I see, waiting here just for me."

The woman almost instantly saw through the individual's intentions and started chuckling with amusement.

That smile, in some oddly similar way, mirrored the jester's comical grin on the flag hanging from the highest point of Twilight Manor.

"Interesting."

Once such sentiment arose in her heart, what action to take next was no mystery.

Drawn to anything that catches her fancy, such is a god's nature.

The being who grew weary of life in Heaven, sealed her Divine Power, and descended to seek entertainment, a capricious entity living by her own rules— a "god".

The goddess here fully exhibited this trait, making a beeline for the human youth.

"Hey, kiddo, what are you doing standing here all by yourself?"

The Norse goddess known as Loki, at the entrance to her own headquarters, casually greeted the Traveler who had just arrived in this world today.

In response, the human youth simply wore a calm and composed smile.

"I have no place to call home."

The youth declared.

Although the situation was not particularly glorious, he spoke of it with an eerily calm demeanor, revealing circumstances that seemed unfortunate to others.

But the goddess knew he wasn't lying.

Despite having sealed her Divine Power, as a deity who had lived for eons, a god's vision and insight were sufficient to see through many things that the mortals of the lower world believed to be profound.

On this account, for the children of the lower world to hide something from a god was almost impossible.

Therefore—

"You want me to take you in?"

The comical smile on the goddess's face seemed to deepen.

"Yes."

The youth nodded frankly.

"Alright!" the goddess didn't hesitate at all, chuckling merrily, she joyfully declared, "From today onwards, you're my child!"

Whether this was a mere whim of a divine being or if there was a deeper meaning, no one knew.

One thing was certain, though.

Reiger had successfully joined the Loki Familia.

In just a brief exchange of a few words.