"What is it, Finn?" The Pallum leader looked at his thumb, his eyes meaningful.
"I just get the feeling… things aren't going to end so simply."
---------------------------
The labyrinth city sees all sorts of events every day, those involving adventurers, ordinary citizens, and, of course, gods as well.
Dusk had arrived, and the massive city walls were dyed crimson by the flames at the edge of the sky, painting the entire city in the same hue.
In the noisy taverns, the glow of magic stone lamps let people enjoy their early nightlife; on the streets, citizens who had worked all day were hurrying home to share warmth with their families.
In the southwest of the labyrinth city of Orario, near the famous marketplace, among bustling streets and rows of buildings, stood a peculiar giant statue with arms crossed, sitting cross-legged, right in the center of a vast plot of land surrounded by towering white walls.
This structure wasn't only famous in the southwest district, its renown spread across all of Orario.
Its presence was so overwhelming that even those who didn't want to remember it would have its exaggerated shape seared deep into their minds after a single glance.
As for the name of this building… it had quite a straightforward one: [I Am Ganesha]. As the name suggests, the district was the territory of the [Ganesha Familia].
The total height of this god statue's base was about 30 meters, truly a giant.
As for how much it cost to construct this extravagant base, rumor had it that the [Ganesha Familia], having accumulated Valis over many years as city guards and organizers of official events, had nearly gone bankrupt just from building it.
That alone was enough to imagine how terrifyingly high the cost must have been.
The [Ganesha Familia], was led by the god Ganesha, also known as the "Lord of the Masses." He always wore an elephant mask, and whether or not the occasion called for it, one could hear his catchphrase: "I am Ganesha!"
His personality was a bit eccentric, but the [Ganesha Familia] was without a doubt one of the most powerful familias in Orario, if there were a ranking, it could easily claim third place in the city.
Even the [Freya Familia] and the [Loki Familia] had to show them some caution.
Speaking purely in terms of combat power,
The [Ganesha Familia] had a total of eleven first-tier adventurers at Lv.5. While they had no Lv.6 or Lv.7 members, their number of Lv.5s was the highest among all familias in Orario. They also had numerous Lv.3 and Lv.4 members, making them one of the top three familias in terms of size.
And as for privileges, as the Lord of the Masses, Ganesha was in charge of organizing all sorts of events in Orario.
For example, from official festivals like the "Monsterphilia" and to competitions like "War Games."
At the same time, the familia's adventurers also explored the Dungeon to earn Valis.
From this, it was clear that their wealth was extraordinary, more than enough to afford such a luxurious home base.
...
At this moment, in the bustling district under the dazzling night sky, [I Am Ganesha] was brightly lit.
Inside the lively compound, a banquet was being held for the gods in preparation for a certain upcoming festival.
"Ugh, every time I come here, I can't help but feel super annoyed."
Loki, unusually dressed in a black evening gown, stood at the building's entrance. After stepping down from the carriage, she looked up at the slightly absurd structure, a vein bulging on her forehead as she complained in a deeply displeased tone.
Anyone would feel uncomfortable entering from directly beneath a cross-legged god statue, let alone a goddess…
"Ahahahaha, isn't this Loki? Welcome to the banquet our [Ganesha Familia] is holding to ensure the success of the Monsterphilia, and then, I am Ganesha!"
"Shut up, you idiot! Get lost!" Not wanting to waste words with this clown, Loki stormed angrily into the venue.
"?", Still striking a pose, Ganesha froze in place, completely clueless as to why Loki was so upset.
By now, quite a few gods had already arrived at the banquet.
She recognized many of them, Miach, Takemikazuchi, Hephaestus, Dian Cecht, Set, Hermes, and many others.
The gods were enjoying wine and food to their hearts' content, even setting traps for their fellow deities just for fun. The only rule was: everything was for entertainment. The more fun, the better, no limits.
The willfulness of the gods was on full display here.
Loki walked into the banquet hall with an ungraceful stride. Narrowing her divine eyes, she casually scanned the fellow deities from the heavens.
For some reason, she felt irritated. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she wandered around the hall, looking here and there.
It wasn't just her familia's power that gave her influence, Loki herself was enough to draw attention.
Her behavior made many of her fellow gods curious, as she looked like she was searching for someone.
"Yo, Loki's here!"
"Well, well, well, Loki, darling, you actually wore a dress today. Haven't seen that in ages."
"Yeah, too bad… she's the goddess of regret(flatness), after all."
"Hey, don't you dare badmouth darling Loki!"
"Huh? What's the big deal? You're usually pretty good at stirring up trouble yourself."
"Heh, you'll see, your doom's coming soon."
"?"
"Die!"
Before that god could react, a large shoe sole came flying toward his handsome face!
Smack…
"Owww, owowowow!"
His friend beside him shook his head in pity, as if he had already foreseen this outcome.
"Told you so, but you wouldn't listen. Pitiful, truly pitiful."
Loki, her face dark, stood in the center scanning the crowd like a facial recognition machine, committing to memory the faces of the gods who had called her the goddess of flatness or made comments about her wearing a dress.
She mentally wrote them all down in a little notebook.
'Good. Very good. I've memorized all your faces. Once this banquet's over, you're all dead meat!'
Waves of black miasma took the shape of giant beasts, drifting ominously over the banquet hall.
The sound of throats gulping echoed without end, and a few guilty ones trembled so much their knees nearly gave out.
"S-So scary… why do I feel this eerie chill? Could it be I've been cursed by someone bored god from the heavens?"
"Hehehe… idiot."
"All this time and you still haven't learned your lesson."
"..."
...
...
Casting a cold glance at the bunch, Loki snorted and resumed her careful search around the hall.
After a full lap, she still hadn't found the goddess she was looking for.
"What's going on? Wasn't that little runt supposed to come to this banquet? Could it be they didn't? No way, the intel can't be wrong."
Loki, looking annoyed, went up to the second floor, holding a glass of expensive wine as she squinted her divine eyes and surveyed the scene.
"Well, if it isn't Loki. How have you been?" From not far away came two familiar gods.
Hearing the greeting, Loki turned, leaning back against the railing. Smiling, she returned the greeting to the newcomers.
"Yo, Demeter, Dionysus."
These were two deities.
The one holding a glass of wine and smiling gently was a goddess whose perfect figure was completely opposite to Loki's. Draped behind her was rare honey-colored hair with a silky, lustrous texture.
Her gorgeous gown showcased her infinite charm. Even among the many deities present, her beauty ranked in the top three.
Demeter, the god of the [Demeter Familia].
The [Demeter Familia] was a "commercial-type familia" that cultivated and sold fruits and vegetables. While not famous among adventurers, it had unparalleled influence among ordinary citizens, its standing in Orario was pivotal.
This familia owned vast farmland in the suburbs, and the crops and grains it produced contributed massively to Orario's food supply, an estimated 70–80% of all food on the market came from them.
In addition, they purchased plants and fruits from adventurers exploring the Dungeon, then processed them into highly nutritious or medicinal goods for both adventurers and common folk.
The goddess Demeter was extremely kind and compassionate, a textbook example of a benevolent deity. She showed the same love to ordinary citizens as to her familia's children, especially orphanages, which received large donations and other charitable aid from her.
Of course, even in the lower world, Demeter retained her passion for farming. She was actively experimenting with cultivating Dungeon species on the surface and had already succeeded with many varieties, which were in high demand in Orario's markets.
This alone showed just how great her influence on the city was.
The fact that a production-type familia like hers was recognized by the Guild as a high-ranking C-class familia spoke volumes.
Moreover, Demeter was one of the few gods with free entry and exit rights in Orario, alongside the two factions responsible for medical regulation and Dungeon resource supply.
It wasn't an exaggeration to call her one of Orario's pillars.
The kind goddess smiled and began chatting with Loki.
"Loki, it's been a while, hasn't it? How have things been with you lately? Even outside the city, I've heard about your familia's outstanding achievements."
"Oh, my kids are all doing great, super healthy, hm… maybe even a little too energetic, thanks to certain events!"
As the image of Fron appeared in her mind, Loki smirked.
"Is that so? That's wonderful. By the way, my children have received a lot of help from yours. It's harvest season now, and compared to last time, we've brought in a lot more vegetables and fruits. I'll share some with you next time."
"Fufufu, sounds good to me."
The two goddesses chatted warmly about little anecdotes, clearly enjoying themselves. Anyone could tell their relationship was very good, both personally and between their familias.
Of course, as the one in charge of Orario's food supply, Demeter had good relations with most gods, or perhaps it was simply her own nature as a goddess.
As for the male god beside her, he made no attempt to interrupt, simply squinting slightly as he held his wine glass, smiling politely like a refined nobleman, the sort of man who could earn goodwill at a glance.
This god was Dionysus.