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"That's quite cruel, isn't it?"
The Empress shrugged, not seeming to care, and smiled. "My name's Elsa. You can call me 'big sister' if you want."
"Alright, got it, Elsa."
Ronen nodded.
Seeing his completely unconcerned expression, Elsa narrowed her eyes slightly, then smiled and shook her head.
For most people, the Empress was "the strongest in the world."
But for her own people, adding such formal respect would feel distant.
Especially since Ronen had said from the very start that he sought the approval of Hera and the Hera Familia.
No matter how strong a member was, none could surpass the god they served. Familia members were essentially extensions of Hera herself—so if the main god approved, the rest would too.
In truth, Ronen's abilities had already earned the acknowledgment of the Hera Familia.
After mingling with the girls for a while, he became acquainted with the core members of the Familia.
Not long after, a young woman came in carrying a book and handed it to Hera.
"You've impressed me, boy."
Hera passed the book to Ronen. "It wouldn't do for people to say I'm stingy to newcomers—consider this a welcome gift."
"Thank you, Lady Hera."
Ronen nodded slightly, accepting the book.
Even without having seen one before, he could tell—it was an Indefinite-type Grimoire.
"What are your thoughts on becoming an adventurer?"
Hera asked.
"I'll follow your arrangements," Ronen replied with a nod. "But my magic power can still be trained further, and I also need time to devise a magic to solve Meteria's negative skill. So I'll need at least a few months before becoming an adventurer."
"Devise magic?"
Hera narrowed her eyes, puzzled. "How are you planning to do that?"
Hera dearly loved the sisters, and the negative skills they bore pained her greatly.
The fact that Ronen had already helped alleviate that was something that had earned him much favor.
Now hearing that he intended to go further, she was even more interested.
"Acquired magic is tied to recognition, interest, and strong personal will—and more importantly, to one's understanding of magic itself," Ronen said. "Before becoming an adventurer, I can use this grimoire to develop a magic I specifically want, based on my personal comprehension of magic."
The reason for using the grimoire before receiving a god's blessing was to avoid the risk of having only one magic slot and having it be taken by some random ability triggered by the Falna.
Compared to the divine blessing's unpredictable inspiration, the grimoire's guidance was more targeted.
"That does make sense… but to actually pull that off…"
Hera's expression grew more serious. "Even I can't help thinking—meeting you might just be my child's good fortune."
Ronen exchanged a smile with Meteria.
"What else do you need?"
Hera's lips curved into a faint smile. "You've proven your capability. The resources that follow are investments and rewards for curing my daughters' ailments."
"Helping them recover is simply what I should do."
Ronen shook his head. "I've already said—if I want something, I'll get it through my own efforts. And information counts as a form of ability, too."
"Information?"
Hera looked a bit surprised, but still nodded. "Go on. I'll judge its worth fairly."
"A thousand years ago, the Mercenary King Albert Waldstein fought the Black Dragon. Though he gravely wounded it—destroying one of its eyes—during that battle, the great wind spirit Aria was swallowed by the Black Dragon."
Ronen's voice was calm. "When a being hailed as 'a god's avatar' fuses with such a powerful monster, the Black Dragon's potential becomes limitless. Right now, the Zeus and Hera Familias have no ability to resist it—they would be crushed outright."
"That includes Elsa and Alfia—you wouldn't even be able to wound it."
"Hmm…"
Hera frowned slightly. "I won't ask where you got this intel. How much more do you know about the Black Dragon?"
In this world, gods were innate beings from the heavens—born without parents or children. All divine essences were theoretically equal.
But equality of essence didn't mean equality of strength or status.
Among the heavenly host, there was a class of gods with exceptional might and influence, known as Great Gods.
Ouranos, who sealed the Dungeon, and Zeus, the so-called strongest god, were both among the first Great Gods to descend to the lower world.
As Zeus's wife, Hera was privy to many hidden truths.
"Unfortunately, that's all I know," Ronen said with a shrug. "I only know that if the Zeus and Hera Familias charge in head-on, they'll be slaughtered without even the slightest resistance."
"Alfia might have the potential to defeat it, but only if she reaches Level 10 and has a healthy body. That's just a possibility."
The hall went quiet.
"You're speculation this on my known abilities?"
Alfia frowned slightly, her gaze turning sharp.
Being underestimated was never pleasant—especially by someone she respected. This was the first time she'd experienced that.
"It's not speculation. It's fact," Ronen said with meaning.
Fact…
This confidence some kind of foresight magic? Hera silently considered the possibility.
"Kid, you're underestimating us way too much," Elsa cut in, her tone full of irritation. "And you didn't even mention me—I'm the strongest in the world!"
"The strongest in the world… Could you destroy a kingdom like Lagia in one strike?"
Ronen asked.
"Eh?!"Elsa was dumbstruck.
"Forget a kingdom—what about Orario itself?"
Ronen's eyes glimmered with amusement.
"I'm not a mage! How could I do something like that?"Empress retorted. "And even mages can't destroy an entire kingdom with one blow. Only gods could pull that off, right?"
"You're underestimating the gods."
Ronen's voice remained calm. "From what I know, Artemis's single arrow —can at least wipe out an entire continent with a single shot along with wiping out the world surface at it's lowest form. ."
"In other words, one attack and the lower world would be almost entirely annihilated."
"I'm weak, but that doesn't mean I lack understanding of a god's destructive power."
Elsa's eyes went wide, speechless for a long moment.
She knew that even at Level 9, she would still be worlds apart from the gods—she could feel a deeper gap than mortals could ever see.
But her perception of the gods was more of a vague "omnipotence" concept, not a concrete sense of their destructive capability. That was why Ronen's words hit her so hard.
By raising this topic, he had shown them that he possessed a clear and accurate grasp of combat strength and destructive scale—thus building further trust.
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