Store in Danmachi: 51

Title: The Strange Visitor

Land in Orario has always been expensive to the point a few property owners hold more sway in the community than deities! It’s not blasphemy but an intriguing concept beloved by all the Gods as they find the notion entertaining. They didn’t descend to reign as all-powerful masters of humanity—they descended for fun—largely.

But there are also many deities with wild, er, unique tastes, utilizing the precious resource of land for their whims.

Hermes beholds the piece of architecture with a look of disbelief. It’s not the first time he sees this gigantic building, but he has to question himself every time he comes across it—How did Ganesha persuade Goibniu to build this?

Standing tall and proud in the middle of surrounding small structures northeast of Babel is a splitting statue of a Ganesha himself—fashioned into a building. The base starts from Ganesha’s waist and stretches to his cross-armed posture with the usual gold-painted pieces of jewelry on his body and the elephant’s mask on his face.

I am Ganesha—The Ganesha Familia’s home is large enough to house one of the largest Familia in the City.

Other members of Ganesha Familia cast curious glances in Hermes' direction as they walk in and out of the only entrance of the building—Ganesha’s crotch. It’s no design flaw, oh no. Deities rarely do ‘design flaws.’

According to Ganesha, mortal children’s journey begins from the crotch, and this entrance symbolizes Ganesha’s love for his mortal children. As their life began, the children of Ganesha Familia must start their day—from the crotch. Hermes knows Ganesha only means respect and love for his children. It’s also why there isn’t any backdoor exit through the building’s ass.

‘But boy, does it look bad,’ Hermes sighs as he notes his lack of luck for not finding one of his children to get the information regarding their last night’s visitor, the Weretiger.

“Oh, Hermes?” The Deity looks in the speaker’s direction returning the Ganesha Familia. The man’s thin armor leaves little to the imagination of the robust frame underneath as he slings his war ax over his neck, dry blood caking his outfit. Hermes smiles at the square-jawed man, “If it isn’t Hashana!” The God walks over to the well-known Level 4 adventurer of the Ganesha Familia, questioning, “You’re alone?”

“Should I not be?” The dark-haired Hashana shoots back with a good-natured grin. God and the Human know each other due to their familiar interests—femme fatale. {A/N: Sorry, I had to with this pun.}

“Hmm,” Hermes walks around Hashana, nodding to himself, “You’ll do.”

“What?” Inquires the Level 4 elite of the Ganesha Familia.

“Did you hear about the massacre in the Entertainment District two days ago?” Hermes inquires, noting Hashana’s confused look. “Well, it looks like you didn’t. You must have been in the Dungeon. Say, Hashana, do you want to get it done with Madam Kin?” The God of Messengers inquires with a lurid and knowing grin.

“M-Madam Kin?” The image of the familiar dark-haired Renard under Phryne’s authority resurfaces in Hashana’s mind as he nods before words can form in his throat.

“How about you lead me to Shakti’s Office, and I will guide you to Madam Kin. Believe me! She strongly desires a tough man like you.”

“What about Phryne?” Hashana scowls, clearly beelining to his Familia from the Dungeon and not knowing the truth. “Hermes, do you want me dead or what?”

The blonde God smirks, narrowing his eyes, “When have I misguided you in the Way, Child? I reckon others won’t question my presence inside Ganesha’s home if I’m with you, and you get Madam Kin in your arms by nightfall!”

‘Though, what she does in the morning and the afternoon isn’t on me.’ Hermes adds internally with an impish smirk.

Hashana frowns, his blood still boiling after a personal adventure in the Dungeon. He looks between the ‘sincerely’ smiling Hermes and the entrance to their home. His eyes flicker with determination as he questions, “By nightfall?”

“Yep~! You better wash up and wear some scented oil for the occasion. Before Madam Kin began working under Phryne, she was known to be a woman of better taste than most.”

Hashana works his jaws silently before looking around at the other Familia members walking past them without paying the duo any heed. The Familia is usually too busy keeping the major streets clean of crimes to stop and chat with others in interest during their duty.

The adventurer leads Hermes through Ganesha’s crotch before climbing several sets of stairs, turning and twisting down different halls until standing near a simple room within the female dormitory within the building open for others to visit during the day.

—Shakti Varma—

A simple grey nameplate with Koine written in black ink hung on the door. Hashana looks at Hermes, gesturing to God to keep his name out of it with a finger on his lips.

Hermes grins, performing the gesture of zipping his lips as Hashana nods and quickly leaves.

*Knock*

*Knock*

“Who is it?” Responds a tired voice from the other side of the room. Like Finn, Shakti has her space divided into personal and official ones within the confines of the same four walls.

“Shakti?” Hermes states, “I brought a gift for you.”

The voice of the frivolous God is known to many in the top ranks of the city as Shakti falls silent before opening the door. Hermes smiles at her state, remarking, “Oh, did I catch you in a bad time, Shakti? I hear holding back can—”

*Pah*

Hermes doesn’t see the swift slap striking his cheek, but then again—He should have seen it coming.

“Eh-ahaha,” Hermes chuckles, rubbing the red imprint on his face. “As I was saying, holding back on sleep is detrimental to health—even to the high-leveled adventurers.”

Shakti deadpans at the Deity. She isn’t bothered by the fact Hermes saw her in her greenish pajamas with a print of dark-brown bears on the fabric.

“Why are you here?” Shakti inquires calmly, not inviting God into her room.

“Well, I wanted to ask you something since all the reports of the city’s activities settle on your desk, or so I hear~!” Hermes continues shamelessly.

“They do,” Shakti calmly confirms, “But what’s it to you?”

“I would like to know about the disturbance near the South-East Gate,” Hermes adjusts his hat slightly, briefly hiding his eyes from the perceptive woman.

The woman grows silent before she questions, “What gift? You knocked on my door saying you brought a gift. What is it?”

Hermes smiles, “The gift of information, of course.”

“No, that would be an exchange of information,” Shakti narrows her eyes. “Make true to your words—what gift?”

“Hmm,” Hermes grins, “I think I stole a lunch box from somewhere. Seeing that you haven’t woken up for a while, you must not have eaten anything, right?”

Hermes stuffs his hand inside the frollet, retrieving a wrapped bento box. “Does this work?”

“I’m not like other women, taken to Jackal’s food to the point of fanaticism. I’ve had better.”

Hermes chuckles, “Well, it’s not the taste to your tongue alone, right? There is something about a home-cooked meal, wouldn’t you agree?”

The corner of Shakti’s full, pouty lips twitches as she sighs. “Come in. I was going through the reports right now.”

“How admirable!” Hermes holds nothing back with his praise, “Ganesha is lucky to have such a diligent child!”

“And you’re lucky to have a tolerant one like Asfi,” Shakti scoffs, leading Hermes inside her office without letting him peek at her bedroom even once.

Her office space is much smaller than her private space, revealing a small room with a desk in the middle and a wide window on the side for ventilation. A thick stack of papers lies on her desk as Shakti sits behind her desk and grumbles, “South-East, you say?” She briefly glances at the table as Hermes places the bento down before returning to sifting through the works.

“Oh,” Shakti frowns, “Something did happen.”

Hermes leans forward with interest.

“Two immigrants entered into a conflict—a female weretiger and an unknown Level 1 Elf adventurer. But it was mostly verbal,” Shakti looks up with confusion. “That’s all. Why? Did something happen?”

“Hmm. The Weretiger stumbled upon Maria’s Orphanage,” Hermes sits down, cupping his chin ponderously with a thumb and a curled index finger. “She was quite wounded, but we’ve bandaged her.” He looks at Shakti, reaching out for the bento box, as he shakes his head.

“It’s empty.”

“What?”

“I just picked an empty bento box. Didn’t think it would work.” Hermes flashes a smile before raising his hand in surrender, “But hear me out! I really have a gift!”

Shakti eyes the man dangerously as he points out, “But I need a favor first.”

“No,” she rejects the lying God in an instant.

“Really? I thought you wanted to retire like a certain pub owner,” Hermes muses, “Must be another rumor.”

Silence descends in the small room until Shakti sighs. “Fine, continue.”

“I have a good candidate for Ganesha Familia. Relax, he doesn’t even know I’m endorsing him right now, but the child has a heart of gold and only lacks guidance. And his background makes him more empathetic to the lower-class citizens of the city. If you, or someone more sensible in your Familia, guide him—and if he survives the Dungeon—he’ll become a good addition. It’s a good deal, right? A favor for an investment opportunity!”

Shakti stares at the man silently as he takes the hint and continues, “I want you to help me confirm the following information-”

---

Shakti stares at the bento box left behind by Hermes as she mulls on his favor and the potential recruit he mentioned.

If she didn’t already know Hermes, she would try to make him cough up the name of the idiot who led him to her room. But she knows Hermes, so she understands Hermes’ kindness and light-hearted nature with the actual children of Gekai will never cloud his judgment when it comes to business.

“Rye, huh,” Shakti mutters under her breath before considering Hermes’ request. It is certainly doable, but the undercurrents in the other countries will make the matter costlier.

‘So, why doesn’t Hermes Familia looks for the information themselves?’ Shakti frowns. ‘Or does Hermes fears getting into another’s radar?’

“Whatever. And the galls of the man to litter my desk,” she snorts, picking up the Bento only to freeze in surprise.

She sets the box and starts unpacking it, revealing a full meal and a small note stuck on the box.

—Thanks for taking my request. Feel free to stop by for more if you like it. It’s a new elven cuisine on the menu. You’re the first to try it.—

“So, I’m a guinea pig?” Shakti grunts, stuffing her mouth with a frown before her shoulders ease with relief.

It’s delicious.

‘Sigh, well, it makes sense why Hermes would endorse Rye. In reality, it’s that guy trying to find a good opportunity for Rye, but Hermes wouldn’t agree to add his name if the Deity didn’t believe the same thing. But it creates more questions than it answers. Why didn’t he come to me directly? What’s with the Weretiger? And why can’t Hermes look for the relevant information himself?’

One situation that comes to mind, but Shakti is too sloppy and hungry at the moment to care for these questions.

---

“Does he always train like this?” Soma inquires, staying back to see Jackal train with Takemikazuchi as the mortal of the duo moves more stiffly than Soma would like to believe Jackal is capable of. As usual, the group from the orphanage surrounds Jackal and Takemikazuchi with the addition of Misha, Eina, Rose, Maria, and a dark-haired stranger with a pair of furry ears and a striped tail.

“Jackal-sama should be faster than Takemikazuchi-sama, but he is trying to learn restraint,” Lili replies. She is the one who completed the transaction with Soma and paid him for the 12-Pack Soma Special with Tsubaki’s name on it.

“Restraint?” Misha voices curiously as the barest of irritation flashes in Lili’s eyes.

Why did she have to go to the dungeon with Takemikazuchi’s Familia? Lili gnashes her teeth. One day and Jackal suddenly has three new employees!

How careless of her to expect Jackal-sama to keep his charm tucked away in lack of her presence! She should have tied him and slung him across her back as her spear skewers the monster of the Dungeon!

“Yeah,” Lili puffs her cheeks. “When adventurers get stronger, their senses become sharper. It’s not always a blessing, so many adventurers learn to control this early on.”

“Woah!” Misha mutters as she hears Rose’s calm and definitely non-judgmental voice, “You didn’t know?”

Eina adjusts her glasses and questions, “Exactly, Misha. You have consulted many adventurers. You should know it.”

Misha lets out a ‘te-he’ before looking away, sweating bullets.

*Thap*

“Woah!” They hear Mikoto gasp and return their attention to the spar as Jackal gags for air. His face turns blue. Worry creeps into Eina’s and Rose’s eyes, who are indulging in Jackal’s spars for the first time.

Takemikazuchi moves efficiently. A sidekick to Jackal’s neck almost makes him kiss the ground if not for his stubborn knees and a hand that catches Takemikazuchi’s ankle before flinging him away.

The martial Deity twists midair before landing and smiling, “You stopped holding back.”

Jackal glares at the Take while catching his breath before groaning, “No shit! Do you have any idea how weird it is to hold back physically along with forcibly trying to ignore every other whisper around me?” His chest heaves up and down with each forceful breath as he stands up, “Again—”

“Your thought process is incorrect,” a calm voice interjects as Jackal looks at the spectating Asfi. The wavy-haired woman points out with an impassive look. “You’re thinking of holding yourself back. But the truth is, you want to return to the way you were before you acquired falna and grew strong. Think of your senses before you had falna, and your body will start listening to your demands.”

‘A) I don’t have falna, so I don’t fucking know if it’ll work. B) Since when did you take a shine on me to give advice?’ Jackal blinks before shrugging and muttering, “Sure, I’ll give it a shot. It’s as if my body always listens to me, right?”

The sarcasm in his tone isn’t lost on Asfi as she retorts, “That’s how I did it.”

Jackal nods and gets in position to get his world rocked by the Hunky Deity again.

It’s true. Jackal wants to train in a different way than usual. Since going all out against Takemikazuchi means little growth, his spartan teachers are going to be—Ais, Tione, and Nine Cakeness. The God ahead will train Jackal in other ways, including—

*Crackle*

Others, including Asfi, tremble for some strange reason, but Soma leans forward curiously as Jackal inquires, “How was it this time?”

“Better,” Takemikazuchi smiles faintly, “But you’re irritated, so others still felt it, including Soma. It’s quite the ability, however.”

“What was that?” a few children get closer to Maria in fear as others from Take’s family discuss things in hushed whispers! Asfi narrows her eyes. But her gaze travels to the stranger from the last night, who keeps staring at Jackal with unhinged curiosity.

“So, this is what other Deities are talking about,” Soma works his jaws, muttering to himself. Lili hesitates for a second before questioning, “Do you know what it is?”

As Jackal and Takemikazuchi start sparring again, Soma lowers his head slightly before shaking his head, “It’s similar to the intimidation technique a few deities use to oppress mortals. It used to happen a lot when Gods descended for the first time. We would unleash our arcanum’s aura to generate a form of mental suppression—that’s the only way I can explain it simply.

“So, that’s what Jackal used,” Eina mutters under her breath. She was clear on her role when she resigned from the Guild. Eina felt Jackal was more important to her and wanted to advise him from now on. If Jackal isn’t the same Jackal she used to know, then she can also expect Jackal to have some problems he didn’t use to have before. And since Jackal afforded her the truth on the matter and how he felt, Eina reciprocated in kind. She didn’t want to force Jackal into accepting her as his advisor—especially not in the ways of the Dungeon since he was her senior.

But there are things Eina can help with, right? It can be anything—from the matters of the store to becoming a shoulder for him to lean his head on, or…

Her face slightly heats as she thinks of the ‘inevitable.’

*Meaaaaa*

A cute mewl tears Eina from her wild saintless fantasies as she looks at the nearby green-eyed, pink-furred kitten glaring in her direction accusatory.

‘What did I do?’ Eina inclines her head curiously, but she doesn’t have anything she can think of.

“Someone is coming,” Asfi calls out as Jackal and Take stop before Maria stands quickly with a towel, lending it to Jackal under the stares of a few girls.

“Thanks,” Jackal smiles, wiping the sweat off his forehead and neck before giving it back to Maria.

“What’s the deal with them?” Misha whispers in Lili’s ears as the girl shrugs. It’s not like pouting and bitching about things will make her life any easier, so Lili replies, “Why don’t you ask them?”—still pouting about Maria’s obvious intentions.

“Is it Hermes?” Jackal muses as he briefly glances in the direction of the dark-haired weretiger that has nowhere to go.

Honestly, the timing of it feels off even to Jackal, and he suspects the woman but not to the point of denying her human treatment. Heck, he brought Lili to his home the same day he met her—in another story, it would be a recipe for a badly written erotic novel! His renewed caution is also why he asked Hermes to contact Shakti and check if the weretiger was speaking the truth about how she got injured. He figured if it’s Olal’s tricks then he must have someone keeping an eye on Jackal, so going to Shakti and spooking Olal wouldn’t do.

‘Then again,’ Jackal glances at the deeply ‘active’ pallum, who’s kind of scary—he is starting to believe—‘It’s not like she isn’t grinding on me knowingly every morning.’

*Meeeoooowwwww*

Anya trots in Jackal’s direction before lightly headbutting his toe.

“Oh, more pats?” Jackal blinks and looks at Loid, “Did I get that right?”

The calm ninja husky does not indicate whether he is right or not, but it doesn’t matter to Jackal as he crouches and pets Anya with a sincere smirk. “There, there! See? You don’t have to act out to get my attention, girl.”

The group waits for the newcomer.

It’s a familiar face, a Chienthrope in the Guild’s uniform.

Rehmer, their former Section Leader/Supervisor.

***

Alternate Title: I am Ganesha!; Ganesha Be Like: From the Crotch You Cometh, and the Crotch Ye Shall Enter; The Secret Entrance of Ganesha Familia is Going to be Wild!; Hashana is the Man of Culture; Hermes Setting Up Dates with Whores; Shakti’s Cute Pajama; Trolling Shakti With a Schrodinger’s Bento; Endorsing Rye In Other Familia; Jackal Keeping His Other Promises, Too; The Elven Specialty; Soma’s Supply; Annoyed Lili; Lili Should Have Known Her Brute’s Tactless Rizz!; Lili Stepping Down the Yandere Route to Poundtown; Lili Do Be Grinding; The Pink Cat Hears it All; Degenerate Advisor Eina noises; Maria Acting the Proper Under Other’s Gazes; Lili ISN’T Pouting!; The Game-Changing Frollet; Loki Familia’s Next Expedition Is Underway it’s Preparations; Riveria’s New Epithet—Nine Cakeness; The Guild Supervisor; Hinder Training; Jackal’s Aura of Conquering—Conquering Dem Harem!

***

Check out the harem pics in discord~ (Only Loki at this point but will add more as we get more harem members.)