At these words, the noisy room instantly fell silent.
The unprepared Rod was also greatly surprised, looking up at the serious-faced Alise, then turning to look at Goddess Astrea sitting on the bed.
"Can men... join too?"
Astrea shook her long, walnut-colored hair, laughing like a mischievous child.
"I hadn't thought about it before, but if it's Rod, I don't think anyone would object~"
Putting aside their previous connection, Rod's appearance was also pleasing to the eye, and his personality wasn't annoying.
"And if I refused, I'm afraid Laila and Kaguya would get upset with me~"
Kaguya and Laila, hearing this, simultaneously shouted with flushed faces: ""Astrea!""
"Hahahah, even though they're usually reliable, they still have a girl's modesty in the end! You should be as straightforward as I am, pure and beautiful!"
Although the masked Elf might have been a bit awkward about a boy appearing in their all-female Familia, Rod's outstanding performance in his long-distance dash for aid was particularly impressive.
She also had no objections, instead casting a look of approval, as if to say, "Young man, I acknowledge you."
The girls all praised the demeanor Rod had displayed this time, casting expectant glances.
Rod lowered his head and pondered.
Alise's invitation seemed sudden and presumptuous, taking an interest in his potential, but in reality, it implicitly contained care and protection for him.
After all, he was now on the radar of both the righteous and villainous factions, making him quite conspicuous in various ways!
With the Dark Faction suffering such heavy losses this time, no matter how special Valletta was to him, she couldn't control everyone from seeking trouble with him.
Perhaps, he was already on a hit list...
And he was also curious about one thing.
The God's Grace was said to awaken the potential within a person, but his system was also a part of him!
He wondered if any changes would occur when the two met...
Most importantly, at his most vulnerable moment, it was Laila and Kaguya who came to save him, like a fated encounter.
He was not averse to joining this family.
"Alright."
So, after glancing at the somewhat nervous Kaguya and the seemingly relaxed Laila, Rod met Astrea's deep blue eyes and nodded with a smile.
The girls in the room all broke into happy smiles, beginning to imagine what interesting things would happen with a boy in their Familia.
However...
"How could this be?!"
Alise covered her mouth, a sound of disbelief escaping her.
Laila also frowned at this unprecedented situation.
"Astrea, is there something wrong with Rod's body?"
Astrea stared blankly at the gradually disappearing divine blood on Rod's back.
The ritual had indeed been completed smoothly, but the result had failed...
—Rod had not become her Familia member.
The God's Grace was a key to unlocking human potential, and this was the first time she had ever heard of a situation where Grace could not be bestowed.
There were two possibilities she could deduce.
The first was that the young man before her had no potential whatsoever.
However, this was impossible; even someone who had never received Grace still had untapped potential, even at the end of their life.
The other possibility was that the young man's potential was so immense that it could not be drawn out by divine blood.
His future stood alongside the Gods, perhaps even surpassing them!
Shaken by this unprecedented speculation, Astrea's deep blue eyes, like a sea of stars, widened, a rare trace of nervousness and excitement for the unknown showing on her face.
"Astrea..."
Kaguya cast a worried glance.
Rod also turned his head, full of confusion.
"Is there something wrong with me?"
Astrea took a deep breath, giving Rod a gentle smile.
"Unfortunately, Rod's destiny does not lie by my side. Or rather, your destiny will not be influenced by any God."
Alise scratched her head, completely confused.
"So, you mean Rod can't become a Familia member of any God?"
"That's right."
The expectant smiles on the girls' faces in the room gradually faded.
The Beastwoman Nize clenched her fists, expressing concern.
"But the God's Grace not only awakens our latent abilities, its essence lies in the developmental possibilities brought by gaining experience points."
Maliu, playing the role of the older sister, sighed next.
"Without Grace, it's equivalent to being cut off from an adventurer's career..."
The masked Elf twitched her ears, and couldn't help but ask worriedly.
"How can this be... Is there no other way?"