The sky over Orario appeared much bluer than he remembered seeing on TV.
The sound of horse-drawn carriage wheels creaked along the stone streets, fine dust swirled in the air, and the aroma of marketplace mingled with people's sweat stung his nostrils. But all of this only made him smile. Because this wasn't a dream. Nor was it an anime fan's delusion.
Kael Forgebrand stood at the great gates of Orario—the labyrinth city, where adventurers gathered, where gods descended from the heavens, and where great stories began.
"I'm... really here," he murmured softly, almost in disbelief.
His black hair was neatly tied back, his golden eyes sweeping every corner of the city. He was short in stature, about 165 cm, but his body was sturdy.
His skin was slightly tanned—not just from his dwarf heritage, but from long days in the workshop, working with fire and metal.
He wasn't from this world. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary young man—a devoted fan of the DanMachi anime.
The world he now stood upon once existed only on a screen, watched late at night while eating instant noodles.
Then, whether by fate or the carelessness of a mischievous god, he died. And when he opened his eyes... he had been born as Kael, the child of a dwarf couple in a mining town in the west.
Since childhood, he knew this world wasn't ordinary. Too many things matched the anime he had watched.
And as he grew older, he became more certain: this was indeed the world of DanMachi. But there was no guarantee everything would unfold like Bell Cranel's story. Because Bell hadn't arrived yet.
Not yet. This was two months before that white-haired young man would appear and become a legend.
And Kael had his own plans.
He walked slowly through the gates, carrying a large metal suitcase on his back and a long wooden box in his left hand.
Some people turned to look at him, unaccustomed to seeing a dwarf dressed neatly like a minor nobleman. Kael only responded with a polite nod.
"My goal is simple," he whispered. "Join a familia, live decently, and... perhaps... meet Hestia."
That name warmed his chest. The tiny, innocent, spirited goddess. In his previous world, she was one of Kael's favorite characters. Now, she was real. Breathing. Perhaps taking an afternoon nap in some empty church somewhere.
Kael shook his head, suppressing a silly smile. "Don't be ridiculous. You're an engineer, not a fanboy."
His steps halted in the middle of the city. The Tower of Babel loomed like a spear piercing the sky. A symbol of hope... and also danger.
Kael sighed. This world was beautiful, yes, but also cruel. And he wasn't a fighter. He didn't have the power to swing a great sword or launch fiery magic missiles. But he had his brain.
And in the metal suitcase on his back, hidden was a weapon that had never existed in this world: Arcshot Type-3 – Drakefang, a magic weapon based on magic stone bullets. A weapon of his own creation.
Technology from the mind of a modern human, combined with this world's magic.
After booking a small inn in Orario, Kael spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around, searching for a familia willing to accept a new member.
But the results were nil.
Hephaestus Familia? Rejected because he wasn't a traditional weapon maker. Loki Familia? Laughed loudly and closed the door. Ganesha? Unwilling to accept a short dwarf with a "strange" weapon.
Some didn't even want to hear his explanation. They looked at the weapon on his back as if it were a child's toy.
The day was approaching evening when Kael sat in a small park on the edge of the southern district. He placed his metal suitcase beside the wooden bench and heaved a long sigh.
"If this continues... I'll be sleeping on the street tomorrow."
A gentle breeze rustled his hair. Leaves were falling. Children played not far away.
But what caught his attention... was someone sleeping on the bench across from him. A tiny figure with long black hair and a large blue ribbon tied around her upper arm.
Kael froze.
He needed no confirmation.
It was her.
Hestia.
The sky began turning orange. The sun was like a warm ember slowly sinking behind the rooftops of Orario.
But Kael wasn't looking at the sky.
He was staring at just one figure: the tiny girl sleeping on the park bench, her black hair disheveled, her large blue ribbon swaying gently in the breeze.
Hestia.
The goddess who once lived only on a screen was now just a few steps away from him—real, breathing, even letting out small snores that were... adorable.
"This is crazy..." muttered Kael, his knees slightly weak.
He knew Hestia didn't have a familia yet. He also knew that gods and goddesses like her lived lonely lives in this world without followers.
But seeing it directly—a goddess sleeping alone in the park like a small vagrant—was far more painful than what could be conveyed by 2D anime images.
Kael approached slowly. He didn't know what to say. But his heart urged him to speak.
"Hello...?"
The girl mumbled softly. Her eyelids twitched before slowly opening.
Her blue eyes stared at him—eyes that shone like a summer sky.
"Huh...?" She rubbed her eyes. "Eh... who are you?"
Kael reflexively bowed slightly, politely. "My name is Kael Forgebrand. Sorry if I disturbed your sleep, Goddess..."
Hestia blinked. "You know I'm a goddess?"
"Y-yes. Gods and goddesses have a different aura," Kael quickly replied, covering the fact that he knew because... well, he had watched the anime.
Hestia sat up straight, trying to look dignified. But her stomach just growled loudly.
Ggrrrooook.
Color crept up her cheeks.
Kael tried hard to suppress a smile. "You're... hungry?"
"A little!" Hestia replied, covering her stomach. "I haven't eaten since yesterday evening... ehehe."
Kael looked into his pocket. A few coins remained. Not many, but enough.
"If you don't mind... how about I treat you to dinner?"
Hestia's eyes immediately sparkled.
"Eh!? Seriously!?"
Kael nodded. "Consider it... a greeting. I just arrived in Orario today."
---
They sat in a small eatery not far from the park. The place was simple, but comfortable. The aroma of warm soup and grilled meat filled the air.
Hestia ate like someone who had been fasting for a week. Kael just smiled while slowly sipping his soup.
"I should be the one treating you at this rate," said Hestia while wiping her mouth. "But well... I don't have any money either."
"It's fine," replied Kael. "Seeing you eat with such enthusiasm... is enough in return."
A moment of silence.
Kael looked at her. "Why are you alone, Goddess Hestia?"
Hestia's gaze lowered. Her cheerful face from earlier relaxed.
"I... don't have a familia. No one wants to join me yet."