Loki Familia Guild Hall
The atmosphere in the Loki Familia's hall was oppressive.
Dozens of adventurers sat scattered throughout the main room, but nobody was talking. No laughter, no boasting about the day's achievements, no planning for tomorrow's expedition. Just silence, broken occasionally by the clink of a glass or the scrape of a chair.
They had been supposed to dive deep into the Dungeon today. A standard expedition to the deeper floors, the kind they had run countless times before. Routine. Almost boring in its familiarity.
Instead, they were back before nightfall, equipment barely used, with nothing to show for it.
Bete sat slumped in his chair, arms crossed, staring at nothing. The werewolf's jaw was clenched tight enough that the muscle twitched.
Tiona and Tione sat together nearby, neither speaking. Tiona's usual energy was completely absent.
Gareth stood by the wall, arms folded, his expression grim. A few other members lingered in the corners, equally subdued.
Ais sat alone near the window, Desperate pressed across her lap. Her eyes were unfocused, staring out at nothing.
And in the center of it all, Riveria sat by herself.
Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, knuckles white. Her face was composed, calm even, but her eyes betrayed her. They were distant, unfocused, seeing something that was not in this room.
The doors to the hall burst open.
Loki strode in, her usual lazy grin nowhere to be found. Her crimson eyes swept over the gathered members of her familia, taking in the scene with a single glance.
"Well," she said, her voice lacking its usual playful lilt. "This is a mess."
Nobody responded.
Loki's expression darkened further. She moved deeper into the room, her gaze landing on each of her children in turn. "Somebody wanna tell me what the hell happened down there?"
More silence.
Finally, Gareth spoke, his voice heavy. "We ran into someone."
"Someone?" Loki's eyebrow raised. "What kind of someone makes my entire expedition team come crawling back looking like somebody died?"
"We don't know who he was," Tione said quietly. "We've never seen him before."
"He was strong. Very strong."
"How strong?"
"Not Level 1, definitely not Level 1." Riveria finally spoke, her voice hollow.
"We can't move….We can't fucking move…That bastard."
Tiona swallowed. "It felt like there was this huge monster standing right in front of us."
"He was way stronger than any of the floor boss we encountered."
Loki's smile was gone now.
Completely gone.
She turned toward Ais.
The girl had not moved from her seat by the window.
"Ais."
But Ais was silent, her gaze distant.
Seeing her expression Loki sighed then folded her arms. "And why exactly were ye fighting this man?"
That made the silence return again.
Loki's eyes moved from face to face, reading more from what was not being said than from what was.
Then she stopped on Riveria.
"...Well?"
Riveria held her gaze for a moment before speaking. "We intervened under the belief that he was murdering adventurers."
"Under the belief," Loki repeated flatly.
Riveria's shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly. "Yes."
"And was he?"
"No."
"We were wrong. The dead adventurers tried to rob him first, he killed them. We arrived before he tried to kill the last one and attacked him."
Loki dragged a hand down her face. "Fantastic."
Her voice dripped with a kind of exhausted disbelief that somehow felt more dangerous than anger.
"Absolutely fantastic. So let me get this straight. Ye all found some unknown adventurer, jumped him without confirming the situation, failed to subdue him, then provoked him enough that he nearly flattened half my familia by breathing in your direction?"
No one answered.
Loki laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
"Gods, that's embarrassing."
Bete shot to his feet. "Oi, don't make it sound like we just picked a fight for fun. Bodies were everywhere."
"And?" Loki snapped, whipping toward him so fast even he flinched. "Since when does seeing bodies in the Dungeon mean ye stop using your damn head?"
Bete's mouth shut.
Loki pointed a finger at the floor between them. "You're not some rookie fresh off the street. None of ye are. Ye're supposed to be better than that."
Her gaze swept the room, hitting every single one of them.
"Especially you three."
Her eyes landed on Riveria, Gareth, and Ais.
Gareth bowed his head slightly, accepting the rebuke without argument.
Riveria's lips pressed into a thin line.
Ais lowered her gaze again.
Loki let the silence bite for a few seconds longer before exhaling sharply through her nose.
"Tell me everything you know about him."
======
Hostess of Fertility
Yeah…
So this was the place.
I slowed my steps just before the entrance, my gaze lifting toward the wooden sign hanging above the door.
Of course it was this place.
I glanced at Hestia, who was practically vibrating beside me, her eyes sparkling like she had just discovered treasure.
"…You've been here before?" I asked.
She shook her head immediately.
"Nope! But I've heard about it!" she said, clasping her hands together. "It's super popular! Amazing food, great atmosphere, and the waitresses are all really pretty!"
That last part she added a little too quickly.
I stared at her for a second.
"…Right."
I reached for the door and pulled it open, stepping slightly to the side as I gestured inward.
"After you."
Hestia blinked at me, clearly not expecting that, before her expression softened into a small smile as she stepped past me and inside. I followed a moment later, letting the door close quietly behind us.
Before either of us could move further, a familiar voice called out.
"Welcome!"
I turned slightly.
Recognition came instantly. Bluish-gray hair, tied back into a small ponytail at the nape of her neck. A white blouse, simple yet neat, paired with a leaf-colored skirt that fell just below her knees. A half apron wrapped around her waist, slightly longer than usual, and brown boots worn over black stockings. Nothing extravagant, nothing that stood out at first glance.
And yet, somehow, she did.
Syr Flova.
One of the waitresses here at the Hostess of Fertility.
But I knew better.
She was not just a waitress.
She was the alter ego of Freya herself. The goddess of beauty, walking among mortals, hidden in plain sight.
Her eyes found mine as she approached.
And she stopped.
It was subtle. The kind of thing most people would miss entirely. A slight hesitation in her step. The way her welcoming smile froze for just a fraction too long.
Ah.
Right.
The Discerning Eye.
Freya's innate ability. The power that let her see souls, perceive their color and brilliance, read their nature at a glance.
And right now, she was looking at mine.
I knew what she had seen in others.
Bell Cranel's soul was transparent. Pure and clear, like untouched glass. Freya had found it fascinating precisely because of how rare that kind of purity was.
Ais Wallenstein's soul shone gold. Bright and unwavering, like a blade forged with singular purpose. Beautiful in its own right.
Each soul was distinct. Recognizable. Valuable in different ways.
So what was mine?
I found myself genuinely curious.
After a few milliseconds, she continued moving, but her gaze remained fixed on me.
Even as she smiled, even as she gestured toward the interior of the tavern, her eyes never quite left mine.
Hestia noticed.
She huffed quietly beside me, puffing out her cheeks in a way that was probably meant to look indignant but just came across as adorable.
"Right this way, please," Syr said, her voice warm and professional as she led us deeper into the tavern.
She wove between tables with practiced ease, guiding us to a small table near the window. It was tucked away slightly, more private than the crowded center of the room. A table for two.
"Here you are." Syr gestured to the seats with a gentle smile. "I'll bring you some menus in just a moment."
"Thank you," I said, pulling out a chair.
Hestia sat down across from me, but not before shooting a pointed look at Syr's back as the waitress walked away.
I bit back a smile.
"What?" Hestia asked, catching my expression.
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing," she muttered, crossing her arms. "She was staring at you."
"Was she?"
"Yes! The whole time!" Hestia leaned forward, lowering her voice to a whisper that was still way too loud. "She didn't even look at me once! Just you! Like I wasn't even there!"
I couldn't help it. I laughed.
"It's not funny, Leon!"
"It's a little funny."
Her cheeks turned pink, and she looked away, pouting. "I'm your goddess. She should be paying attention to me, not you."
"You're jealous."
"I am not!"
"You're definitely jealous."
"I'm—" She paused, then deflated slightly, her shoulders sagging. "Okay, maybe a little. But can you blame me? You're my first familia member. I don't want some pretty waitress trying to steal you away."
That was... surprisingly cute.
"Hestia," I said, keeping my tone serious. "No waitress is going to steal me away."
She looked up at me, her blue eyes searching my face for any hint of teasing.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She relaxed a bit at that, the tension leaving her frame. "Okay. Good."
It did not take long for Syr to come back.
She approached with two menus in hand, that same pleasant smile on her face. She set them down gently in front of us, her fingers lingering just a moment on the table.
"Take your time deciding," she said. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order."
Then, just before she turned away, she looked directly at me.
And winked.
I heard Hestia's sharp intake of breath across from me.
Syr walked away, completely unbothered, leaving Hestia fuming in her seat.
"Did you see that?!" Hestia hissed, leaning across the table. "She winked at you! Right in front of me!"
I picked up my menu, fighting back another smile. "I didn't ask her to."
"That's not the point!" She slumped back in her chair, arms crossed again. "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable."
I glanced at her over the top of the menu. She was glaring at nothing in particular, her cheeks still flushed.
Yeah. Definitely cute.
The night passed easily after that. The food was excellent, exactly as good as Hestia had heard. We talked, laughed, and for a while, it felt normal. Like we were just two people enjoying a meal together, not a goddess and her adventurer navigating a dangerous world.
It was nice.
Then someone interrupted us.
"AHHH!"
The shout cut through the ambient noise of the tavern like a blade.
Both Hestia and I turned around to look.
My stomach sank.
Standing near the entrance was Bete, his eyes wide with what looked like a mix of shock and anger. Behind him were the others. Tiona, Tione, Ais, Riveria, Gareth. And towering over all of them, hands on her hips and that trademark lazy grin on her face, was their goddess.
Loki.
I let out a long, tired sigh.
"Oh god. Them again."
Hestia's head whipped toward me. "Them? What do you mean 'them'?"
"Long story."
"Leon—"
But before she could finish, Bete was already moving. He stormed across the tavern floor, weaving between tables, his expression dark. The other members of the Loki Familia followed, though with varying degrees of hesitation.
The entire tavern went quiet.
Conversations died mid-sentence. Heads turned. Everyone could feel the shift in atmosphere, the sudden tension that filled the room like a held breath.
Bete stopped a few feet from our table, his eyes locked on me.
"You," he growled.
I set down my fork slowly, deliberately, and met his gaze. "Me."
"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Actually, I don't." I leaned back in my chair. "But I'm sure you're about to enlighten me."
His jaw clenched. "What the hell are you? Who are you? And don't give me that 'just an adventurer' crap."
"I'm Leon. Just an adventurer." I shrugged. "Not sure what else you want me to say."
"Bullshit." Bete slammed his hand on the table, making the plates rattle. Hestia flinched, but I didn't move. "You're hiding something. Nobody that strong just appears out of nowhere."
"Bete." Riveria's voice cut through, sharp and commanding. She stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Not here."
He shrugged her off. "I don't care. He needs to answer."
"And I don't need to tell you anything, We're not friends. We're not allies. You attacked me in the Dungeon, remember? Twice, actually. So forgive me if I'm not feeling particularly chatty."
"So you're the kid causing all this fuss. Gotta say, you don't look like much."
"Thanks. I try."
She laughed at that, a short bark of sound. "Got a mouth on ya. I like that. But my kids here have a point. You're an unknown. "
"That sounds like a you problem."
Hestia grabbed my arm. "Leon, maybe we should just—"
"Stay out of this, shorty," Loki said, not even looking at her.
Hestia bristled. "Excuse me?!"
"I said stay out of this," Loki repeated, her tone dismissive. "The adults are talking."
Hestia shot to her feet, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Adults?! You flat-chested—"
"What did you just say?!" Loki's grin vanished instantly, replaced by a dangerous glare.
"You heard me!" Hestia stepped around the table, pointing up at the taller goddess. "Don't you dare talk down to me like I'm some child! And don't you dare ignore me when you're interrogating my familia member!"
"Your familia member?" Loki scoffed. "Please. One adventurer who just got his falna? That's not a familia. That's a charity case."
That was it.
I stood up.
The air around me shifted.
Every single person in the Loki Familia tensed.
Bete took a step back. Tiona and Tione's hands went to their weapons. Gareth's eyes widened. Even Ais, who had been silent until now, gripped the hilt of her sword.
Riveria went pale.
And Loki stopped mid-sentence, her eyes snapping to me.
I directed it all at her. Not her children. Just her.
"Say whatever you want about me," I said quietly, my voice calm but carrying an edge that cut through the silence. "But don't you ever disrespect my goddess again."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Loki stared at me, her expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of us moved. The tavern had gone completely silent now. Even the kitchen noise had stopped.
Then, slowly, Loki's grin returned. But it was different this time. It felt sharper and more calculated.
I was not fond of Loki. Not in the anime, not in the novels, and definitely not now.
She was brilliant, sure. A goddess who genuinely cared for her children in her own twisted way. But she was also manipulative, arrogant, and had a habit of treating people like pieces on a game board.
And right now, she had just insulted Hestia.
My goddess.
So no.
I was not letting this slide.
=====
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