[6] System is Bad System!

The first to arrive, of course, was the orange juice, brought over by the cheerful cat-eared waitress.

After thanking her, Aiden raised the glass filled with fresh orange juice. Unlike processed orange drinks, the freshly squeezed juice exuded a distinct and invigorating citrus aroma as soon as it was near.

He took a sip, savoring the perfectly balanced sweet and tart flavor, with no impurities... just pure, refreshing orange essence filling his mouth.

Though Aiden maintained a calm exterior, beneath the surface, his hand was already poised over the knife and fork. As an avid but not particularly sophisticated foodie, he swiftly set aside thoughts of the storyline.

The promise of high-quality steak and salt-baked lobster, dishes he had never tasted before, ignited his anticipation. Would they be as tender and delicious as described by the food bloggers and reviewers he had watched online?

He wondered about the salt-baked lobster too. He had only ever tried salt-baked chicken, and lobster he had only eaten steamed or as sashimi. What would salt-baked lobster taste like?

He guessed that the steak and stir-fried noodles would be served first. After all, to keep the steak tender, the cooking time couldn't be too long. Even with resting time, it shouldn't take more than ten minutes.

Aiden had forgotten to specify the doneness of the steak, and Syr hadn't asked, suggesting that the Hostess of Fertility had a default preference. But as long as it wasn't below medium-rare, he was fine with it.

Given the bustling nature of the tavern, the stir-fried noodles were likely cooked over high heat, ensuring they wouldn't take long either.

As for the lobster, the salt-baking method typically required more time, unless someone could cook like a culinary master from a film.

Soon, the lovely waitress began serving the dishes, with Syr bringing them over. As Aiden had predicted, it was the steak and stir-fried noodles.

The plate of beef stir-fried noodles was enormous, enough for the pre-transport Aiden to eat for two meals.

In addition to the ample beef, there were generous portions of eggs and unknown vegetables. The steak, unexpectedly yet fittingly, was presented simply: a piece of steak with the seared crust beloved by Michelin chefs.

It lay quietly on the plate, emitting wisps of steam, with a bit of salt and other condiments on the side. The aroma of the steak filled the air, almost inviting Aiden to indulge.

"My knife and fork can hardly wait." He murmured. After thanking Syr, he swiftly cut off a piece of the steak.

As the knife sliced through, it was clear how tender the meat was, offering almost no resistance. The exterior was perfectly seared, and the interior revealed a light pink color, indicating medium or medium-rare doneness.

Using his fork, Aiden picked up the piece, dipped it in a bit of salt, and brought it to his mouth. As he lightly chewed, he felt as though he could hear the grand, flowing melodies from the classic anime cooking show.

The steak melted in his mouth, seemingly made for that purpose. It wasn't just tender, it was juicy, rich with beefy flavor, and incredibly aromatic. He couldn't resist taking another bite, completely absorbed in the experience.

Finishing the steak quickly, Aiden felt a surge of happiness, exclaiming inwardly, "This is incredibly delicious. I've never had beef this good in my life. It's true that quality comes at a price. Ordinary steak can't compare to this. No wonder Angus beef and tenderloin, the most expensive and hard-to-get parts, are so prized. I can't even imagine what the highest-grade A5 wagyu must taste like."

Before the salt-baked lobster arrived, Aiden quickly yet politely finished the large plate of stir-fried noodles. The combination of beef, eggs, and the unknown green vegetables was perfect, with the noodles themselves being flavorful and not greasy, enhanced by the beef tallow.

He was so impressed with the stir-fried noodles that he wished he could give the chef a perfect score without worrying about inflating their ego. Despite having eaten what would have been two meals' worth of food, Aiden felt only about seventy percent full, jokingly wondering if he had a certain blonde king's stomach.

Finally, the salt-baked lobster arrived. Thanking Syr once more, Aiden eagerly gazed at the large lobster, split open down the middle. The bright red shell and the tender white meat emitted an irresistible aroma.

Aiden casually picked a piece of lobster meat with his hand, foregoing any condiments, and popped it into his mouth. In stark contrast to the incredibly tender steak, the lobster meat was fresh, slightly salty, and incredibly flavorful. It was perfectly cooked, neither too dry nor overly moist, and had a wonderful, firm texture.

Delicious! In his mind, Aiden could almost hear the theme music from Solitary Gourmet as Uncle Goro ate. His vocabulary fell short, with only one phrase echoing in his head: "This is so good!"

After devouring the entire lobster, he once again gave the chef a perfect score without hesitation, undeterred by the thought of making her overly confident.

Having enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, Aiden settled the bill and lavished praise on the chef's skills in front of the proprietress, assuring her he would return. Amidst her laughter and Syr's cheerful farewell, he left the Hostess of Fertility.

Aiden glanced at the recently purchased map, using the tavern as a reference point to reconfirm his location on the main thoroughfare. With his coat billowing, he set off towards the heart of Orario, the dungeon entrance, and the Guild headquarters, located at the Babel Tower.

The Babel Tower stood at the end of the main thoroughfare, which also marked the terminus of the other three main roads. Walking leisurely along the thoroughfare, Aiden's thoughts wandered back to the storyline and encyclopedic knowledge of this world.

In this world, besides humans, there were various races such as elves, beastmen, dwarves, plums, and Amazons. Moreover, gods were real and present.

The gods, possessing intelligence and power far beyond any mortal race, descended to the human world around a thousand years ago out of boredom with their celestial lives, treating it as a game.

Of course, even gods couldn't act recklessly. To prevent divine interference in the mortal world and to ensure mortals wouldn't perish in the collateral damage of godly battles, the gods established a rule: "Gods must live as mortals without using their divine power, Arcanum."

Unless in special circumstances, gods were prohibited from using their divine power in the lower world. If a god was found using divine power, they would be banished back to the heavens.

The only exception to this rule was during the annual Festival of Ganesha, where gods could use a mirror-like artifact, which had a function similar to clairvoyance. Conversely, mortals were forbidden from harming gods.

Additionally, gods were not allowed to enter the dungeon, as their presence could disturb it.

The gods indulged in various earthly experiences for their amusement, enjoying every aspect of mortal life... food, hobbies, friendships, travel, and art, even illnesses, relishing each moment like a highly realistic, consequence-free role-playing game.

To better experience the lower world, the gods sealed their divine powers and granted a blessing known as Falna to the mortals. This blessing endowed mortals with the potential for continuous growth and the power to fight monsters, attracting talented individuals to join their Familia.

With gods at their core, many Familia of varying sizes were established in the city of Orario. In the first season of the anime, we saw Loki, Freya, Hephaestus, Soma, Takemikazuchi, Miach, Ganesha, Hermes, and Hestia Familia.

As the heart and mascot of their Familia, the gods shaped the direction of their Familia. Some, like Hestia and Loki Familia, focused on dungeon exploration, while others, like Hephaestus and Miach Familia, were business-oriented, running shops and trades. Hermes Familia seemed to be constantly on the move, traveling.

Reflecting on this, Aiden couldn't help but chuckle. Putting aside the elements of fighting monsters, gaining experience, and leveling up, if one compared Falna to a salary, these Familia were indeed like various companies. The two biggest companies in Orario were headed by the yuri boss Loki and the seductress Freya.

The system's task was to become a Level 2 adventurer within 50 days of joining a Familia. In other words, to avoid becoming the next Airi-chan and to prevent debuting as an idol, Aiden needed to join a Familia, understand what Falna was, and obtain it.

Of course, this wasn't too daunting, akin to finding a job where the boss was a god and the salary was Falna.

The key issue was Aiden's possession of the Sparda bloodline. In the world of Devil May Cry, mentioning Sparda brought to mind the titles Legendary Dark Knight or Legendary Demon Swordsman. Although Aiden had only a quarter of this bloodline and it wasn't yet activated, it undeniably opposed the gods, representing demonic power.

With a sigh, Aiden mentally complained to the system, "You want me, a half-demon, to join a Familia and accept divine power? System, are you messing with me?"