Everyone knew one thing:
You can't lie to a god.
A mortal standing before a deity couldn't deceive them. Not in this world.
Sure, the gods had sealed away their omnipotent powers after descending from the heavens. They couldn't read minds. But that didn't matter.
Truth came out anyway.
Which meant…
"I came to Orario because I want to be an adventurer."
"Mmhmm~"
"I did my research ahead of time. Looked into the current state of the various Familia."
"And?"
"Freya Familia was one of my potential options."
Everything Ling Shu said was true.
No lies. No slip-ups.
But...
"Only a potential option?"
The silver-haired goddess didn't speak — but the massive man behind her did.
His brows creased into a thunderous scowl.
Unhappy.
Very, very unhappy.
His name was Ottar. Orario's sole Level 7. The one the gods had named the "King."
To him, Freya was a being of absolute reverence. Her will, her whims, her words — they were law.
So when this random nobody — a mere human who didn't even have Falna yet — dared to call Freya Familia just a backup plan...
He very nearly drew his blade.
But Ottar was nothing if not loyal. If Freya hadn't given the order, he would never act on his own.
So he stood still. Silent. Watching.
Freya, meanwhile—
"A backup, huh..."
Her smile turned sly.
"I'm curious. What exactly does that have to do with you 'simping for Freya'?"
"…"
Ling Shu's brow twitched violently.
Can we not bring that up again?!
Too bad.
Judging from the look on her face — playful, predatory — she was very much enjoying this.
There was no way out.
To Freya, he was nothing more than a toy. Something to kill time with.
The gods came down to the mortal world for one reason: to have fun.
And right now?
She was having fun.
I knew it. I never should've opened my damn mouth.
If this hadn't happened...
Honestly, Ling Shu would've already used his smartphone as a bribe to get into Soma Familia, activated the Genshin System, and taken off like a bird with open skies.
Their captain was just a Level 2. He had at least nine ways to take the guy out quietly.
Then he could've either taken over the whole Familia or switched to a better one.
Freedom.
That was what he really wanted.
He didn't like being controlled.
So now—
"In my homeland, there's a term for people who desperately chase after someone even when they know the other person doesn't care about them."
"They throw away their pride. Let themselves be used. Pathetic."
"We call them simps."
Ling Shu delivered his explanation with all the dignity he could muster.
"And since I knew Freya Familia is the strongest faction in Orario, I figured someone like me — with no skills, no background — had almost no chance of getting in."
"So I was mentally prepared to throw away my dignity and... well, simp."
"Of course, even if I did, the odds were still low — which is why Freya Familia was only ever a fallback option."
All true.
Freya, for her part, saw through it.
This human… has a silver tongue.
She didn't get to be the ruler of Orario's strongest Familia by just being pretty.
Her grasp of human nature had been forged during the darkest days of the city's past.
Anyone who thought Freya was just a lusty goddess of beauty was deluding themselves.
Ling Shu knew she was dangerous.
But he had no choice now.
And then—
"Oh~ so that's how it is."
Freya's smile widened.
She's enjoying this way too much.
If she weren't so bored, she wouldn't have gone around playing with alt identities and seducing bunny boys.
Still—
"Since you're so eager to join my Familia..."
No, I'm not. Don't get it twisted!
"...I'll give you a chance."
She gently shifted the leg crossed over her throne, lips curling into a slow smile.
"Kneel down and... 'simp' for me right now. Do that, and I'll grant you my blessing personally."
…I knew it.
Ling Shu had seen this coming a mile away.
Still, he made one last attempt to protest.
"Uh, actually, I'd rather not lose all my dignity just yet—"
"You already know my biggest secret, don't you?"
She cut him off.
"Ottar. If this human refuses my generosity... he's yours."
The moment she finished speaking—
"Yes, Lady Freya."
Ottar's voice was low and calm.
And terrifying.
He'd already wanted to kill Ling Shu the moment this all began.
Now that Freya said she'd personally bestow her Falna on this upstart?
He wanted it even more.
Because in Freya Familia, there was a rule.
Every member had the right to spend one night with their goddess.
Just one.
No more.
No second night. No third. Not ever.
Because no one had ever survived Freya's first night without falling completely under her spell.
Even the male gods feared her.
Ottar was no exception.
He'd never dared touch her. But watching someone else do it?
Unacceptable.
Also—
Since the infamous "Seven Days of Death" seven years ago, Freya Familia hadn't recruited anyone new.
Which meant...
Ling Shu now faced the most important decision of his second life.
Life or dignity?
He thought for about one and a half seconds.
"...Can you at least untie me first?"
Whoosh!
A giant sword sliced past his face.
Courtesy of Ottar.
Well... at least the ropes were gone.
Some of his bangs were, too.
Still — he was free.
Ling Shu got up, walked to Freya's throne, dropped to one knee...
And performed the classic knight's kiss-hand gesture.
Hey. That's a kneel and a lick, right?
I'm a genius.