"I am Ganesha!"
Hephaestus had just turned to check if Hestia had arrived when that familiar voice rang out. Thankfully, having attended so many Denatus meetings, she was well accustomed to that loud presence.
"This guy really never gets tired of that entrance."
Every time there was a banquet, Ganesha insisted on playing the host.
But he was swiftly pulled back down by his own captain.
"Ganesha-sama, today is the Loki Familia's victory banquet, not a divine assembly."
As captain of the Ganesha Familia, Shakti Varma was already dragging her god from the center stage to the sidelines.
They had been invited to join the celebration—not to let Ganesha-sama steal the spotlight.
If he actually tried to take center stage now, there was a real chance no other god would ever invite him to a banquet again.
"Ganesha-sama, you and your 350 followers need to understand the purpose of tonight's event. Loki-sama invited everyone here to celebrate Finn and the others' promotion to Level 7. Please don't overshadow her."
"Ugh... I just wanted to make things livelier."
Chastised, Ganesha crouched in the corner, stripped of any divine dignity, quietly counting mushrooms.
Shakti knew full well that Ganesha-sama had no intention of actually stealing the show—but this wasn't the time or place for antics.
She let out a soft sigh.
"Ganesha-sama, please try to restrain yourself tonight."
Her voice lowered slightly as she added,
"Loki-sama has spent a long time preparing for this banquet. And don't forget—tonight's gathering is also meant to send a message to Evilus."
Yes, there was another layer of meaning to this celebration.
Orario had just gained three new Level 7 adventurers. That alone was a significant boost for the entire community. And against Evilus, it wasn't speeches that made the difference—it was raw, overwhelming strength.
Back in the days of Zeus and Hera, Evilus had been crushed and forced into hiding through sheer power alone. That era had already proven how absolute force could become the ultimate deterrent—even against the Evilus.
Maybe expecting Loki Familia to replicate those legendary accomplishments with just three more Level 7s was unrealistic.
But at the very least, Orario now had three more top-tier fighters standing at its peak.
That's why Loki-sama needed to remain the focus tonight.
Shakti understood that perfectly—hence why she dragged Ganesha offstage.
Watching Ganesha squat off to the side planting imaginary mushrooms, Hephaestus could already imagine just how much patience Shakti had to muster every single day.
"That guy really needs to learn to pick his moments, even if he loves the spotlight."
From the sidelines, Tsubaki could more or less sense what was going through Hephaestus's mind.
"Ganesha sure does love a party."
"That's just who he is—he can't ever sit still. He's a good god, no doubt about that, but his rowdiness can be a real headache sometimes."
Hephaestus didn't deny that Ganesha was a benevolent god. Everything he did, and even his very nature, made that clear. But there were moments when his antics became a bit too much for the other gods—especially his over-the-top love for festivities.
"Hephaestus-sama."
"Welf?"
Hephaestus was a little surprised to hear that familiar voice—especially since it belonged to a newcomer to her Familia, and one who didn't quite mesh with the others.
"You came to the banquet too?"
"Yeah."
Welf stared at Hephaestus-sama, his eyes gleaming. In that moment, he felt like attending the banquet hadn't been such a bad decision—at the very least, he got to see Hephaestus-sama in formal wear.
After dazing out for a few seconds, Welf finally explained why he came to the banquet.
"I figured... if I showed up, maybe I could find some buyers for my weapons and gear. Try to open up a few more sales channels."
Not being able to sell his weapons and equipment—that was Welf's biggest problem at the moment.
Still, he had confidence in his craft.
Sure, maybe he couldn't yet match the top smiths from other Familia, but his gear was reasonably priced. That had to count for something.
"Trying to expand your sales channels... by going straight to Loki's kids, huh."
Hephaestus wasn't even sure how to start talking him out of that naive idea.
Even Tsubaki, listening from nearby, felt her head throb.
"Welf, you haven't given up yet?"
"Yeah... I want to give it one last try."
Welf wasn't the type to be blindly stubborn. He'd joined the expedition team, seen a bigger world, and realized how naive and self-important his old ideals had been.
A "Magic Sword" wasn't a living being—it was just a weapon.
Forging Magic Swords wasn't wrong. Using them wasn't wrong either.
After experiencing the brutal conditions of the Deep Floors, Welf finally understood why so many adventurers wanted to buy Magic Swords from him.
In the past, he believed that weapons should stay by their owner's side—not break after a few uses like a Magic Sword.
But now, having witnessed the harsh reality of the Deep Floors, he understood: when your life is on the line, losing a few weapons is a small price to pay.
That's why Welf had finally let go of his old self-righteous mindset. This time, he would give it one last shot.
"If it still doesn't work out, I guess... I'll go back to forging Magic Swords."
He sighed inwardly. Aside from that, he was just a nameless blacksmith. He had no real choice.
The Familia had already done their part in supporting him. If he couldn't start earning his keep soon, he'd have to gather his own materials just to continue forging.
Welf had come to understand the harshness of the world through his own finances and circumstances. At this point, he knew—stubborn pride wouldn't help him anymore. All it would do was push him into a corner.
"Still stuck, huh, Welf?You really should learn to be more flexible."
Tsubaki exhaled quietly. She still believed in Welf's potential. But he was so talented that he often failed to see the simplest solutions.
'If I could help it, I'd rather not learn to be "flexible."' Welf felt a pang of frustration in his heart.
But now, all he could do was wait and see how things turned out. If he kept being stubborn, he might not even be able to sell Magic Swords anymore.
Because right now, the go-to weapon for everyday adventurers in Orario wasn't the Magic Sword—it was the Rune Stone sold by the Hephaestus Familia.
With effects similar to the Magic Sword, each Rune Stone was single-use, but still packed enough power—and came at a cheaper price.
This shift only made Welf's decision more urgent.