Looking Forward To Another World

For the first time, a genuine smile blossomed from within.

“Let’s start with this world,” Riegel murmured to himself, taking his first steps into the unknown adventure that awaited him.

Was it a coincidence that this world, like his original one, was also in the midst of summer?

The bustling metropolis added an extra layer of heat to the season, making this summer feel slightly warmer compared to his previous world.
Wandering through the crowded streets, where vendors constantly called out to passersby, Riegel felt like a traveler leisurely strolling through a new land, brushing shoulders with the local inhabitants.

“It seems that language barriers are non-existent for me,” he thought.

Listening to the surrounding sounds and observing the signage on shopfronts and stalls, Riegel confirmed this realization.

Whether in the original world or this one, the languages and scripts were different from what he had learned in his past life. Yet, Riegel could effortlessly understand the language and read the script of this other world, which intrigued him for quite some time.

In the original world, having the host’s memories made sense in understanding the language and script. But in this world, the ease of comprehension was more mysterious.

“Could this be an effect of the Dimensional Magic Cube?” he pondered.
Considering the Cube’s ability to freely convert powers between different worlds, enabling its master to understand the languages of those worlds didn’t seem far-fetched.
Thanks to this, after a brief exploration and interactions with a few natives, Riegel had a general idea of his current location.

“As expected, this is Labyrinth City Orario.”
Labyrinth City, Orario, was the main stage of the original story, an extremely special and important city, built upon an underground labyrinth. The city suppressed the labyrinth known as the ‘Dungeon’ beneath it, acting like a fortress or lid to contain the monsters within.
Due to the Dungeon’s presence, attracting countless adventurers and seekers of the unknown, Orario thrived as a leading city-state.
Thus, it became the world’s center, unparalleled in adventure, trade, entertainment, and strife, attracting a multitude of experts, merchants, and deities.

“This works out well,” Riegel nodded to himself. “With the Dungeon here and numerous monsters to defeat, I can grow swiftly after receiving their blessings.”

Moreover, being the main setting of the original story, many familiar characters, events, and objects were present, giving Riegel, who knew the plot, a significant advantage in obtaining tangible and intangible assistance.
“The immediate priority is to find a Familia to join,” he mused.

Familias were nurturing institutions and family powers established by gods. They bestowed ‘Falna’ upon humans, enabling them to transcend ordinary limits and possess extraordinary abilities. Those who received ‘Falna’ joined the respective Familias as “children of the gods,” supporting the Familia and deity with necessary resources.

This was a mutual relationship, beneficial for both parties.

However, Familias varied significantly in strength and ethos. Some were newly established or in decline, inherently weaker. Others, flourishing with numerous members, were significantly more powerful, attracting diverse talents and resources. There were also Familias primarily for business, lacking in combat prowess, and some even operated as independent states outside Orario.
These were just the basic differences.

If one delved deeper, factors like the deity’s personality, the internal environment of the Familia, and potential negative influences had to be considered. Joining a Familia that exploited its members for profit or entertainment could be disastrous, as gods in this world often sought amusement in the human realm, indulging in various whims.

“So, if I remember correctly, in Labyrinth City Orario, the most powerful Familias are Loki Familia, Freya Familia, and Ganesha Familia, right?”

The prefix of each Familia indicated its founding deity. For instance, Loki Familia was founded by the notorious trickster god from Norse mythology, Loki.

As Riegel reminisced about the original story, strolling through the streets, he suddenly found himself in a familiar place.

Just off the bustling main street, a mansion towered over the surrounding buildings, grand in size and stature. Several high towers within the mansion resembled a mountain of swords, with the tallest central tower flying a flag that fluttered in the wind.

The flag, adorned with a clown’s face, seemed to mockingly smile at the people below, drawing attention.
The familiar sight of the building and flag made Riegel pause.

“Loki Familia?”
That clown flag was the emblem of Loki Familia, known as one of Orario’s Twin Kings.