"Tch, looks like trouble's here..."
Hearing Tione and Hephaestus's voices outside, Loki clicked her tongue with a smirk before turning to Alice with a grin.
"Perfect timing. The one outside is another chief god—a Deity of Forging, so she's not really connected to you, Alice. If you're thinking about joining a familia, I really hope you'll give the Loki Familia some serious consideration."
"From what Tione tells me, you get along well with Lefiya too, right? So if you join us, Tione and Lefiya would be more than happy to help you out in all sorts of ways."
"Oh, and Tione mentioned that the materials you use for your dolls are different from ordinary ones. Our familia just returned from an expedition not long ago. We're not planning another dive anytime soon, but if there's anything specific you're looking for, you could always ask Tione or the others to take you down to the lower floors to search. And when it comes to expedition materials, you're welcome to use plenty of them, Alice."
"So please, think carefully about which Familia you join, alright?"
Suddenly, Loki remembered that freeloader still mooching off at Hephaestus's place, and her expression turned serious as she looked at Alice.
"Also, even if you don't join my familia, that's fine—but whatever you do, don't join some no-name familia. Especially not one that's just starting out, with only a single god backing it."
As a goddess, Loki had a sharp eye for people.
Any god could tell at a glance that Alice wasn't human—but that wasn't an issue. Orario had plenty of demi-humans, and Alice could easily pass for a spirit. With looks as exquisite as a goddess's, it wasn't hard to believe.
The real problem was that while Alice wasn't human, she didn't belong to any known race in Orario either.
Among the gods, Loki's discerning eyes were top-tier. Only Freya and Apollo might have better insight.
Other gods would only see that Alice wasn't human—most probably couldn't glean anything more.
But if Alice joined a familia and received a Falna, any god would be able to see the truth: that she was a doll, crafted by some unknown god into a nearly perfect girl.
Deep within Alice's soul, Loki could clearly see the shimmering, divine radiance.
Gods were perfect, yet imperfect. They sought perfection, knowing full well that nothing truly perfect could exist.
But now, a being capable of reaching perfection had appeared before them—and it would undoubtedly drive every god into a frenzy of desire.
Alice would become the darling of every deity.
Yet, at the same time, some gods with twisted personalities might develop… strange ideas. Like whether turning such a perfect beauty into a courtesan for public entertainment would be more… interesting.
Don't think it couldn't happen. There was already one vile woman running the pleasure district in Orario.
If Alice joined a weak familia, it would be a disaster waiting to happen.
So while Loki's earlier words were standard recruitment talk, what came next was sincere, well-intentioned advice.
However—
Loki's remarks had inadvertently offended Hephaestus.
After all, Hephaestus was also a god—a deity of blacksmithing. The Hephaestus Familia was crucial to every other familia in Orario. They were not to be trifled with—weapons were, quite literally, an adventurer's lifeline.
So Tione could only put up a token resistance before Hephaestus pushed the door open and strode inside.
"Loki, just which 'no-name familia' are you referring to?" Hephaestus walked in, and the moment she saw Alice, she was captivated by her beauty and presence.
"You must be Alice, the dollmaker. I've been looking for you for quite some time."
Hephaestus was dressed in masculine attire, her short red hair tousled, with an eyepatch covering one eye. A warm, kindly smile graced her face, making her seem gentler than Loki.
"Y-yes... I'm Alice." Alice had a pretty good idea why Hephaestus was here—probably the same reason as Loki: to recruit her.
Hearing Alice's confirmation, Hephaestus stepped forward, took Alice's hand, and placed a small, adorable doll into her palm.
"Sorry about this. Your doll was so exquisitely made, I couldn't help but study it closely."
Taking the doll, Alice looked at Hephaestus in surprise.
"Why are you returning it to me?" she asked, puzzled.
"Because it's a doll you made," Hephaestus replied earnestly. "Also, I hope that from now on, you won't sell your dolls so casually. Is that alright?"
"Your dolls… they'd rather be with you forever than serve another master. Even in death, they'd prefer to die protecting you."
"Huh?" Alice looked troubled. "But..."
"I understand. You're a dollmaker—I'm not asking you to never sell your dolls again. I just want you to be more thoughtful about who you sell them to."
"For example, that Amazon girl over there—she's a wonderful owner for the doll you made specifically for her."
Hephaestus's gaze shifted to the Shanghai and Hourai dolls behind Alice, her eyes filled with admiration as she nodded approvingly.
"Every doll you create has the potential to become like those two behind you—though the possibility is slim. Most may never develop even a trace of consciousness, let alone reach their level."
"So, for the dolls you pour your heart into, I hope you'll choose their owners carefully. And even for ordinary dolls, I'd like you to be more mindful when crafting them."
At this, Hephaestus's lips curled into a smile.
"Although the Hephaestus Familia focuses on forging weapons and armor, and I am a goddess of blacksmithing, not dolls—"
"Still, looking at the dolls behind you, wouldn't you want the weapons they wield to be even better?"
"Besides, the materials you use aren't just simple fabrics—they're all sorts of components. So wouldn't skill in forging be useful to you too?"
"So, how about joining my familia? With the Hephaestus name behind you, even your ordinary explosive dolls could sell for as much as top-tier weapons."
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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