10 Orario, I Have Arrived!!!

Orario Guard Pov

I sigh, getting ready for another boring day of guard duty. Same old routine: checking in travelers, hopeful adventures, and running inspections on merchants. I had to join the Ganesha familia, didn't I? Not only is my God so eccentric, but our familia base is a giant statue of him. The entrance is literally his crotch. Enough said.

"I do not get paid enough for this." I mumbled, finishing letting in another traveler. Raising my voice, I called "NEXT!" for the next person in line for the inspection of merchants. I raise an eyebrow, taking in the next two. One of them seems like Robert, a regular merchant who comes by Orario regularly to sell his goods. However, as I look at him, I can't help but notice, he has this look in his eyes, like the world has lost all meaning.

I look to the right of him to see this young and quite giddy man. 'Huh, he seems excited to make it to Orario. He might be another person seeking to be an adventurer, I hope he makes it' I walk up to perform another standard inspection with the cart and to check their reason for visiting.

"Hey Robert, it's been awhile." I tried to greet him, but he's not saying anything. I look at him weirdly, he's just staring out into space. I look at the guy next to him. "Hey, what's wrong with him?" I use my thumb to point to Robert.

The young man with black hair and blue eyes who was just humming and playing with a wooden guitar finally looked up and said, "Oh him, he's just been enlightened to the wonders of the world. I think you should just give him a second; he needs time to adjust."

"What kind of wonders?" I looked between him and Robert. "What did you say exactly? I mean, look at him. He's just staring out into space and not even acknowledging anything around him. Like he's trying to escape reality" I can't help but ask, out of morbid curiosity.

He puts down his guitar and puts his right hand on his chin. "Well, it happened like this. I was bored waiting in line, so"

Odr's Pov couple minutes ago.

God, how much longer do we have to wait in line? I knew I should have just joined the individual line instead of the cart line with Bob.

"Hey Bob," I called to my faithful traveling companion.

"What?" He gave up trying to correct me since we're parting ways soon. So he's just letting it go. What a swell guy that Bob is!

"I'm bored," I complain.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Seeing how you don't want me to sing,"

"You're goddamn right," he interrupted me mid-sentence.

I ignore the unnecessary comment, "How about I pass the time by telling you some interesting facts instead?"

"....How interesting?" Oh, poor Bob, you should have just said no.

"They are actually super quite interesting; in fact, after you hear them, you get a new outlook on life. Your way of thinking will never be the same. So, how about it? Want to hear a couple?" I'm trying to remember the interesting ones I heard before on YouTube.

"Why not?" He shrugs. "We have like a couple people ahead of us; maybe it will help pass the time."

"Glad you're on board." I coughed a couple times to clear my throat. "Ok, first one. Are oranges named oranges because oranges are orange, or is orange named orange because oranges are oranges?"

"Did you seriously just say orange eight times in one sentence, and it's actually making sense?" He's giving me the side-eye look. He's probably already regretting it, letting me speak, but there's no stopping it now.

"Did you know that the youngest picture of you is the oldest picture of you?"

"What?" He turns to me, confused.

"If we have watermelons, why don't we have earthmelon, firemelon, and airmelon? We can even call them the Elemelons."

"Huh, is this what losing brain cells feels like?" Bob just turns away to look forward, contemplating his life choices.

Half an hour of useless triva later.

"Oh, oh, I got one more," I said, just thinking of one more that fits.

".....Please, just let it end," he says, practically begging.

"Hear me out. Just know this one is the last one, I promise." dramatic pause for effect. "Why are deliveries on a ship called CARgo? But in a cart, it's called SHIPment." I playfully nudge Bob's shoulder. "Get it, since you're technically carrying a shipment of goods to Orario."

"....."

"You get it." No answer, "Bob, you good." No response, "Robert?" Still no reaction.

"Hmmmmmm, yeah, you're fine; you're probably thinking about it, and everything's fine." Denial is one of my greatest allies. I ignore his lifeless look and just pick up my guitar, stringing it.

"NEXT!" It seems like we're finally up. It seems like Bob is still capable of moving the horses along.

Present Time

"And that officer is what happened."

I see the inspection guard looking back and forth between us. And then he looks up at Robert with a look of pity. "Oh, poor Robert, you have to pick up another stray. What did I tell you about picking up weirdos?"

"Rude, I'm right here, you know."

The guard can't help but sigh, then look at me. "The only reason I'm not bringing you in for questioning is that I trust Robert's judgment. Seeing how he's fine physically and somewhat mentally means he trusts you somewhat. However, we need to snap him out of it. I have to keep the inspection going, and I can't go anywhere with him like that."

"You're awfully calm. For someone who's seeing, what I like to assume is a friend or at best an acquaintance, struggling mentally." I can't help but look at the guard funny.

He has the audacity to shrug. "Eh, it's not the worst I've seen; it's pretty mild. I mean, it's Orario; you get me." He pauses, looking up. Than nodding, looking back at me. "Well, you'll learn. This place is filled with weirdos and eccentric people. Be they mortals or gods, Hell, my God, for example, he is the weirdest of the bunch."

"Should you be talking about your patron deity like that?"

He waves it off. "Don't worry. He's used to it. I think he loves the attention he gets from his familia members. You should see how he acts with our captain. However, enough sidetracking. What are we going to do about Robert?"

Once again grabbing my chin, I turn to look at Bob, who's just still staring out into space, ignoring us. "Hmmmmm, I think I have an idea."

"What?"

"Just watch." I take a deep breath, preparing myself. " Bob I think I changed my mind about being an adventurer. I think I decided to be a merchant and want to travel with you forever. Won't that be fun? We could be the best of Bros for life. Just imagine me there, with you. Every. Single. Day. Singing and telling you awesome stories. Don't forget my awesome trivia facts. Won't that be fun?"

The guard just looks at me like I'm an idiot after hearing my bullshit. "There is no way that's going to wor," sadly, he was interrupted.

As if a spell were broken, Bob dramatically gets up from his seat and screams, "OVER MY DEAD BODY. I refuse to let any of that happen. You're going to be an adventurer, and you're going to like it." I can practically see the fire in his eyes.

I look at the guard smugly "And he's back."

The guard, who I still didn't get the name of, just looks dumbly at us "Well, I guess I was wrong, it seems."

Seeing how he's being ignored, Bob takes a second to look around, confused. "Where are we?"

I look up at him since he's still standing in his seat. "While you were having fun in La La Land, it was our turn in line, and somehow you unconsciously made the horses move. I met this interesting guard who's supposed to do our inspection and who seems to know you. He asked why you look like you just came out of war and questioned your place in the world. I told him you were just so absorbed by my interesting facts that nothing else mattered."

After settling down, he looks at me annoyed and says, "Interesting facts, my ass. I have never experienced a literal waste of time before."

I shrug. "Come on, you can't tell me they weren't amusing. There should have been at least one that you found interesting."

"...." He's keeping quiet, like he doesn't want to admit it. How petty.

"Cough." Bob and I are hear coughing, and we look to the guard, who's holding a fist close to his mouth. "Seeing as I have both of your attention and Robert is back to the world of the living. Can we focus back to the inspection and the reason you're here?"

"Oh, Richard, when did you get here?" As if finally noticing the guard, Bob calls out his name. 'So the guard name is Richard. Hmmmm, I'm going to call him Richie. No, no, Rick, yes, Rick.'

"Robert, I've literally been here since your cart pulled up," The guard, now named Rick, starts talking again. "Look as fun it is to see you again, Robert, and this funny dynamic you have going on with."

"Friggs," I called out helpfully.

"With Friggs. I have to move this along; there are other people waiting behind you, and they look impatient. I already did the inspections of your cart while Friggs here was telling me what happened to you. I just need to know both of your reasons for visiting. I already know it for you, and I just need it for Friggs here. However, I still have to write it down, then I can let you go."

Bob just sighs, rubbing his eyes. "Same old, same old, exporting some goods to sell. So my reason hasn't changed." He pauses for a second, like he's thinking of something else to say. "You know what? You can write down that my second reason for visiting is to find the nearest tavern and get my ass drunk. I had a long and unbearable last couple of days.

I can't help but pat him on the shoulder, nodding my head. "Yeah, this guy had a rough couple days and almost lost everything in his cart. " I'm not talking about the monsters since Bob isn't either, "but don't worry, it was a miracle he met me. I introduced him to the wonders of my music and my awesome stories."

Knocking my hand off his shoulder, Bob gives me a frown. "Shut up, you're the main reason I'm going drinking. I hope I can drink enough to forget you completely. Erase you from my memories and everything you brought with you."

"Rude," I pout.

"Disgusting. Never do that again."

"What?"  I look confused.

"Pout, dont do it. It doesn't suit you."

I open my mouth too argue, but before I can.

"Ahem," Rick tries to get our attention once again. "Enough with the side tracking, both of you." He focused on Robert. "If I didn't know any better, I would assume you guys are friends."

"We are" "We aren't." No brainer who said what.

Rick just ignores our comedic bit and looks at me. "Seeing as I have Robert's reason for visiting, what's yours?"

"I simply want to make myself a resident of Orario and maybe register as an adventurer while also joining a Familia. I don't know about anything else right now, but that's pretty much it."

"Well, if you want to make yourself a permanent resident, you need to file it at the guild and pay a small fee. And they can also help you become an adventurer. They'll explain the rules and forms you need to sign for that too. They'll tell you to join a familia first before anything else. So it's best to ask them all the questions you have because they have a lot of information that's vital."

"Thanks for letting me know."

He looks down at the clipboard he was carrying and rips up a piece of paper that he gives to Robert and another for me. That looks like a guest pass with my reason for being here. "Keep that with you until you register at the guild. As nice as it was to have a little entertainment seeing you guys, please move along now. I have other inspections to go through." He steps aside to let us pass the gate.

Bob hits the reins to make the horses move. "It was nice seeing you again, Richard. Maybe when you're off duty, you and I can go out for drinks."

"No problem, your buying though," he waves at us goodbye.

I wave him goodbye as well, as our cart moves further and further away. "It was nice to meet you, Rick. Maybe we'll have more time to talk later. Good luck with your work and have a good day."

"You too." While we got further away, the last thing I heard was him saying, "Wait, what did he just call me?"

A couple of minutes later

Bob stops the cart on the road near a building on our right. "Here, this is the last favor I'm doing for you. Since you are new and probably have no idea where you're going, I took you directly to the guild. Now get your ass out of my cart. I'm going to get settled and make sure my supplies are secure, and I'm going to find the nearest tavern to get drunk."

I hop off the cart, making sure to get everything that's mine. I take a couple steps, but I turn to look back "Hey Robert"

He gets ready to get the horses moving again but shakes his head while sighing, "For the last time, my name is Rober." He pauses and looks at me, surprised. "Wait, what did you just call me?" Like, I said something unbelievable.

I can't help but chuckle. "I called you Robert. It's not like I didn't know your name. I gave you a nickname because I tried to be friendly. I just wanted to say sorry if I was annoying for the last couple days with the singing, the nickname, and whatever else. I don't know how long you're going to be in Orario for, so I'll just say it now while I still have a chance. Thank you so much for giving me a ride and not kicking me out mid-trip, regardless of how annoying I was. I know you were doing it because I saved your life. However, I'm still grateful for it, and I still think of you as a friend that I spent the last couple days with."

He just looks at me for a couple seconds, then closes his eyes. "As much as I want to say, you're a pain in the ass and a nightmare to be with. It wasn't so bad." opening his eyes, he gives me a small smile. "I can't say it wasn't interesting for the last couple days. And regardless of everything, and I'm probably going to regret this, yeah, I can see us being friends." He looks at me, smirking. "You're still a brat and annoying, though."

I can't help but laugh, "says the old dude. And hey, it's not my fault you can't handle my lovable personality." I walk up to him, holding up a fist, and it seems like he understands, unlike Rudra. He leans down from the cart to bump fists with me. "It's been a pleasure; again, thanks for the ride. Good luck with your sales, and I wish you safe journeys on your travels."

"You too, kid." He pauses for a second. "A piece of advice. You probably should work on your annoying habits, and who knows, you may find yourself a wonderful girl later." He hits the reins of the horses to get them moving. "Good luck with your adventure. Stay safe; I want you to be alive so you can buy me a drink later when you're a first-class adventurer."

"How about you get married first before you talk about my love life? You're literally twice my age," I couldn't help but shout back while I watched him move away, "and don't you worry, I will. If anything, you have to buy me a drink as a congratulations on reaching first class."

He doesn't say anything else but just raises his hand to give me a backwards wave goodbye.

I just stood there for a couple minutes, watching. And then I suddenly slapped my cheeks to get ready. I turn around and walk to the entrance of the guild.

"First step done; made it to Orario. Next step: the guild. Now to get all the information I can. Hopefully a map of the city," I say out loud, weirding out a couple people walking by. I start to walk with purpose past the street to the entrance, getting ready to find myself my very own Guild advisor that I can ask all my questions. "Whoever I get, you better be ready. Because I'm going to ask a whole ton of questions as my right as a customer. That will probably leave you questioning why you took the job as a guild employee." pausing before stepping into the building. I can't help but look up and smirk. "However, don't worry, we're going to be the best of friends." I took my first step in.

Unknowingly sending a shiver down a red-headed werewolf's spine. Making her drop her paperwork and starling her co-workers.

Third-person POV

A woman with glasses and pointy ears slowly approaches her to help her pick up the papers. "Hey, Rose, are you ok?"

A human girl with pink hair "Yeah, if you're not feeling good, why don't you just take a day off?"

"Yeah, Eina, I'm fine. I just got a chill all of a sudden, and I don't know why. Don't worry about it." Finishing getting the paperwork in order with Eina's help.

She looks at her pink-haired coworker. "As for you, Misha, I actually take my job seriously and am not going to take a day off just because of a shiver." This time she looks at both of them and says, "Both of you get back to work; we have a long day ahead of us and a lot of people to deal with." She watches both of them rushing back to their work station.

She sighs, walking to her own counter. "Hopefully I don't get anyone weird or difficult today. I already have enough problems with all the reckless adventurers I have to deal with. I don't want or need anymore." Oh, poor naive Rose, you just had to invoke Murphy's Law, didn't you?

Done

I'm back, people. I saw a lot of comments asking where and when the next chapter is. Well, here it is. Sorry, I was really busy with work. I am also trying to split my time between that and reinvesting my time in Danmachi. I'm trying to brush up on the Danmachi characters' personalities so I can better write them.

It seems like Odr finally arrived and made his way into Orario. Parting ways with Bob after saying a heartfelt goodbye. Hopefully, if they're lucky, they'll meet again. Who knows.

Now it's time to face the guild and its employees. Finally, a place where he can get all the answers he needs. Instead of the outdated information he got from that crazy old man, hopefully he can get himself a map of Orario. Not only to help him get around the city, but also so he knows exactly where to avoid, so as not to run into, you know, who.

Now the question is who he wants to get as his guild advisor. Not, knowing that someone already invoked Murphy's Law. For once, it wasn't him.

Well, let's see how that plays out in the next chapter. So stay tuned.

P.S

Sorry if this chapter is shorter than the last two. I'm already experiencing problems writing, so I'm cutting back a bit. I hope 3,000 words are enough.

Did anyone catch the references I made this chapter. Hint they were from a tiktok/youtube video.

Also, I'm sorry for the delay. I had other things I had to handle, including work. I wanted to give you, my readers, the best quality work I could. Even after 10 chapters, I feel like I'm still making some mistakes here and there.

However, I'm trying my best to give you guys quality work. I also know that you guys want me to rush into the story, but I'm trying to ease my way into it. Making sure I can write Danmachi characters personalities well. I know it's fanfiction, but I want to make sure they're not too OC.

So all I'm asking is for you guys to be patient with me. I really appreciate all of you guys who comment. It helps me feel motivated to write more chapters. Seeing not only you guys liking my story but actually throwing in some ideas. They not only keep me motivated but also help me improve my writing by telling me what to work on.

I already have some people criticizing it harshly, be it the MC's overall personality or the story itself. However, at least I know that they read it and took the time to comment, so that counts for something.

So, long story short, I'm willing to hear you guys out. Ideas, criticism, critique, or helpful advice. I just want you to know that this is my story, which I'm taking the time and effort to write. I'll decide how it goes. I'm more than willing to hear what you guys have to say and more than appreciative for those who actually like it, wanting more chapters. So I'm going to try my best to keep going.

For those who actually read all of that, Thank you for listening. Sorry if I was ranting. I just had to get that off my chest. So I'll see you guys in the next chapter.

Side Note

Major issue I need to bring up. After going through some Danmachi research. I made a mistake regarding one of my characters. Which character exactly, well old man Rudra Wolfgang. So apparently there's a god named Rudra, the one Familia that took out Ryuu's familia the Astraea familia the one she took revenge against. So for the sake of my story let's just say whoever his parents were, named him after the god or something. Or Rudra is a common name shared by Mortals too. I would go back and change it and think of a different one but there's a lot of comments in my previous chapters and it would get rid of it if I change it. And I actually like the name Rudra.