After dinner, the girls returned to their rooms to prepare for rest.
After all, there was very little entertainment in Orario. Apart from some pubs and the Ishtar Familia district, there was no nightlife, so everyone went to bed early.
However, Haruhime had a problem.
On the way back, there hadn't been time to buy her new clothes.
Fortunately, Kanae could lend her some first.
A kimono is, essentially, just a robe and a girdle.
Except for height, body shape does not affect the fit too much.
As for Takumi, after he returned to Dimensional City and washed up, he checked the work assigned to Tomoko.
He saw how progress was going and spent a moment playing with the dog.
Then he went back to his room, preparing to use the reward he obtained today to awaken his exclusive magic.
However, before he could start, he suddenly received a system prompt:
"Ding! You have a new visitor. Please attend to the reception."
Takumi was startled and complained helplessly:
"No way! Who is it? What a time to choose."
But complaints aside, business was business.
When Takumi went downstairs and opened the door, he saw a familiar blue ribbon moving sneakily.
"Hestia? What are you doing?"
"Well..."
Hestia's movements froze. She gave a stiff smile and said:
"Haha, Takumi, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"I was about to go to sleep, but I heard someone passing through the Dimensional Gate."
Takumi explained, then looked at the guilty-looking Hestia.
"By the way, why did you come to see me so late at night?"
Hestia hadn't expected Takumi to know immediately when someone passed through the gate.
What a careless mistake!
Seeing that her stealth had failed, Hestia stopped hiding her purpose.
"A girl comes to see you alone this late at night. What do you think it's for?"
With that, Hestia walked toward Takumi.
She came here specifically for him!
"Wait! Don't be impulsive!"
Takumi finally realized Hestia was attempting a night attack!
Having never encountered such a situation, Takumi couldn't help but panic for a moment.
"What is there to be impulsive about? I'm already here. Isn't this enough to show my determination?"
Hestia continued to press forward.
Her words and actions were firm.
But in reality, she was panicking inside, and her face was so red it almost looked like it was bleeding.
In the dark, it wasn't obvious.
She had acted on impulse.
The main reason was that Takumi brought a woman home on the very first day he arrived in Orario, which stimulated her nerves. If it was like this on day one, what would happen later?
Although Takumi hadn't said it clearly, Hestia knew what he was thinking. It was simply the desire for a harem. Almost every man had such an idea; it wasn't anything new.
Hestia might seem a bit slow sometimes, but she wasn't stupid. She was a goddess hundreds of millions of years old. How could she not see through Takumi's thoughts?
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that the longer she delayed, the more dangerous it would be. What if some shameless person launched a sneak attack and stole the first step?
She could accept that Takumi wanted a harem.
After all, while she was one of the three virgin goddesses, she came from a mythological system in Greece known for complicated relationships; she had long been used to such things.
But she could not accept being overtaken by some fox who came after her!
Because... she was clearly the one who arrived first!
"Ah, this..."
Takumi was forced back into the house, at a loss.
Everything happened so fast that he wasn't prepared, losing his composure for a moment.
Hestia followed him inside and closed the door.
The "bang" of the door closing made Takumi snap out of it.
"This is wrong. Why am I panicking? I won't lose anything anyway!"
As for Hestia's clingy and jealous nature?
He put that out of his mind.
After all...
If he couldn't even handle this, how could he manage a harem in the future?
In this situation, shrinking back would be truly shameful!
Then, Hestia's resentful voice came from in front of him.
"How much longer do you want me to wait?"
I've already come to your door; what else do you want? Are you even a man?
Of course, she was considerate and wouldn't say those words aloud. She only thought them.
Hearing the thick resentment in her tone, Takumi finally moved.
He stepped forward, pulled Hestia close, and silenced her.
... (20,000 words omitted) ...
Early the next morning.
When Takumi woke up, he saw Hestia's sleeping face.
With a happy smile, she was sleeping peacefully.
Takumi couldn't help but be dazed for a moment.
"Then again, she was the first person I met here. What a coincidence."
The first girl he had originally planned for was Lucy.
She was supposed to be the first person he met in this world.
But now, Hestia was the first one he met, and now she had become his first woman.
This coincidence made Takumi believe in fate.
Could this be destiny?
But Takumi immediately shook his head to clear the thought.
As a descendant of the red flag, he did not believe in heaven's dictates.
Man can conquer nature!
My destiny is mine to command, not the heavens!
The future must be created with my own hands!
Takumi silently recited these thoughts. After clearing his mind, he reached out and gently shook Hestia, whispering: "Hestia, wake up. If you don't go back, Kanae and the others will worry."
Indeed, Hestia had sneaked out in the middle of the night. If the others woke up and found her missing, they would certainly be anxious.
"Mmm... let me sleep a little longer."
Hestia murmured sleepily, turned over, and continued to sleep.
"..."
This made Takumi feel a bit awkward.
Hestia was only this exhausted because of his "contributions."
Seeing this, Takumi didn't disturb her further and quietly got up.
After a quick cleanup, he returned to the other world through the Dimensional Gate.
Fortunately, Kanae had just woken up and hadn't noticed Hestia's absence.
Takumi quickly prepared breakfast.
When breakfast was served and the girls came over, Takumi spoke up before they could say anything:
"Did Hestia oversleep again? I'll go call her. You all eat first."
A few minutes later, he came back out and said helplessly:
"Forget it, don't worry about her. She'll come out when she's slept enough."
"Kanae, you all continue with yesterday's plan. Haruhime, follow me; we're going out shopping."
The four girls had no doubts. They all agreed and continued eating their breakfast.