In Ilta and Runova's eyes, imprisoning a person's body and mind, or even killing them directly, was a crime a hundred times worse!
These individuals, who only bullied the weak within their Familia, instantly fell silent when they encountered the truly arrogant and powerful figures who had once been notorious in Orario, not daring to utter another harsh word.
Ke Luoyi and Runova exchanged glances, a hint of a smile flashing in their eyes.
These people, who had initially been indifferent to Rod, now felt their sense of belonging to the Familia instantly soar after this incident...
A little while later, Suzuki Jun arrived with assistance from the Guild.
The red-haired werewolf lady looked at the chaotic scene before her, a strange panic in her heart.
"Miss Suzuki, didn't you say the Guild was supposed to appraise the property?"
Suzuki Jun nodded as a matter of course.
"Yes, I specifically invited Miss Rose here to inventory this house."
Rose blinked, her gaze sweeping over the two women still kicking and punching the adventurers lying on the ground not far away. She swallowed hard and forced a smile.
"B-but... if I'm not mistaken, this is Apollo Familia's territory, right?"
Suzuki Jun covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Oh my, Miss Rose, you're quite the joker. From today onwards, there's no such thing as Apollo Familia, is there?"
"...?!!"
"What's wrong, is there a problem?"
Rose jolted, instantly realizing the situation.
Such complex Familia conflicts should be left for the superiors to worry about!
As a mere service attendant, she just needed to follow the rules and regulations.
"N-no problem, I'll start the inventory now!"
While things were bustling at Apollo Familia's side.
In a small alley, Apollo was panting heavily, gritting his teeth and running desperately.
"Damn it...! This body with zero power is too weak... even taking a shortcut probably won't be enough..."
At this moment, he showed no reflection on his actions, his heart filled with endless resentment towards Rod and Hestia.
"Hurting my beloved children in front of me, and even deliberately saying they'd be given to Ishtar... I will never let you go...."
"I will expose your actions and make all of Orario despise you! What great hero, bah!"
"If I don't make it in time... even... even if it means cooperating with the Dark Faction, I will..."
Before he could finish, a young girl suddenly appeared before him.
Normally, Apollo might have stopped with interest to observe if she met his aesthetic standards.
But now, he shouted in annoyance.
"Get out of the way!"
However, as he ran closer, the moment his eyes met those mismatched red and blue eyes, an unprecedented chill instantly swept through his entire body.
The divine aura Apollo instinctively released had absolutely no effect on the small girl before him!
His eyes widened suddenly, and cold sweat streamed down his face. Terrified words were squeezed out of his teeth, one by one.
"You are.....!!!"
Before he could finish, Typhon had already appeared beside him like a ghost.
"!!!"
Endless darkness, in an instant, like a tide, gradually engulfed him!
Even as he tried to release his sealed divine power, that omnipotent force was like a stone sinking into the sea, having no effect whatsoever!
Apollo stared intently at the young girl before him.
"You are... a Divine Assassin?"
Although it was a question, his tone was certain.
After all... only Divine Assassins could be immune to divine power.
But he had no idea when the Dungeon had produced such a talking humanoid weapon, and how it had managed to secretly bypass Uranus and reach the surface!
Typhon tilted her small head with two horns and spoke in a flat, emotionless voice.
"Rod.... says hello to you..."
Apollo's pupils suddenly dilated, and he tried to say something more, but the next moment, his vision was gradually eroded by darkness, completely plunging him into boundless chaos.
Using the authority granted by Rod, Typhon raised her hand and sent Apollo, wrapped in black cloth, into Kamui Space.
"Gods.... tasty..."
In Typhon's mismatched eyes, a faint divine aura actually began to emanate.
At the Demeter Familia's main base, the Tavern, located on the north side of Orario.
"Demeter, are you there~~~"
Within the wooden residence, which gave an impression of calm stability, there was a small backyard separated by a handmade fence.
A girl with a curious expression led Rod and his companion past the residence into the backyard.
Maliu, who had originally come along, suddenly remembered halfway that she also needed to inform Goddess Astrea about this unexpected event. She apologized to Rod and hurried away.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, the scent of soil and leaves wafted towards them.
A Goddess was in the vibrant vegetable garden in the backyard, carefully sowing seeds of certain plants, and turned her head, drawn by Hestia's energetic call.
"Isn't this Hestia, who just descended? Long time no see. What brings you to me?"
This was a female deity whose beauty was no less than that of the Goddess of Beauty. She had soft, honey-colored wavy long hair, and her eyes seemed to hold an irresistible gentleness and softness.
What was most striking, however, was her exceptionally prominent and voluptuous figure, which even several Goddesses of Beauty couldn't rival.
Especially that unattainable, marshmallow-soft bosom, which was rare among the people (Gods) Rod knew!
Only Hestia, Astrea, and Maliu could barely compare.
"Oh my.... you're Rod, right! Hehe, I've wanted to meet you for a long time, but unfortunately, I never had the chance!"
Goddess Demeter's face lit up with a joyful smile the moment she saw Rod. She eagerly stepped forward and gave Rod an incredibly warm hug.
Rod hadn't even reacted (or rather, didn't want to react) before he was completely enveloped by that overwhelming marshmallow softness.
Due to her divine duties, that absolute maternal warmth, far surpassing the two Goddesses, almost made Rod's firm will succumb to its charm.
One could only say, she truly lived up to her title as the "Mother Goddess of Fertility."
Hestia's eyes widened in shock, her face instantly turning crimson. She angrily rushed forward, intending to push Demeter away.
"Demeter! What are you doing? I haven't even done that to Rod yet!"
"What does it matter~"
Demeter hugged Rod, rubbing against him like he was a large pillow.
"This is my first time doing this with a boy too~ Eh, it's really different from girls. His body is warm and reliable, mm-hmm."
"Damn it! Rod, say something! Throwing me, your main deity, aside and flirting with other women... ahem, anyway! Such intimate contact is absolutely unforgivable!"
"I'm sorry, Hestia," Rod's voice came muffled from the soft embrace, "The Goddess's power is truly so terrifying that I can't resist..."
"Ugh... How can this be!!!"
And so, Goddess Hestia, newly arrived, had a taste of the NTR culture that is unavoidable in the mortal world.
The two Gods and one human played around for a while, and finally, Demeter reluctantly released Rod, much to Hestia's heartbroken and indignant expression.
"Whatever it is... let's talk inside first."
Demeter Familia is a commercial faction Familia dedicated to cultivating various grains, staple root crops, and vegetables and fruits, and selling them.
This benevolent Goddess of Harvest and her Familia tirelessly brought warmth and sustenance to this lower world, dispelling hunger day after day.
The Grace they spread had already reached every corner of the world.
"We had already planned to make a very lavish dinner today. There will be too much food to finish, and since you've come, why don't you help us eat?"
Rod was about to politely decline, intending to go back and deal with the mess at Apollo Familia, but Hestia, full of spirit, readily agreed.
"Hmph! I'll definitely try my best to eat you out of house and home!"
Perhaps to "avenge herself," Hestia at this moment seemed full of fighting spirit.
Rod smiled helplessly; after all, this foolish yet adorable Goddess was his own choice.
Demeter, however, playfully winked at Rod, her gentle eyes seeming to say, "It's okay."
The gentle Goddess began preparing tea for them.
"These are sweet pies and biscuits for an appetizer. The only pity is that they are leftovers from yesterday."
Hestia eagerly took a bite, then immediately narrowed her eyes in bliss, instantly clearing her grudge.
"Delicious~! Demeter, I want more~!"
"Rod, you try some too!"
Taking a bite of the biscuit Hestia offered to his mouth, Rod also raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The wheat biscuits were mixed with chopped herbs, highlighting their sweetness.
Another dish was a tomato pie where vegetables replaced apples, and the tomatoes seemed to be a special variety, tasting as sweet as strawberries.
"It is indeed delicious. With the Goddess's skill, you could almost consider opening a shop."
Demeter smiled as she brewed a cup of black tea, twisting her slender waist to hand the teacup to Rod.
"No, Rod. If you praise me like that, you'll make me get carried away~"
Rod took the black tea, softly thanked her, and took a sip, while secretly sighing in his heart.
The five Goddesses he had encountered so far.
Loki was like a goofy buddy, the type you could send lewd pictures to and play games with every day, with whom you could have a very good friendship, but you would absolutely never want to sleep with her.
Hephaestus was more like a tsundere and independent lover with her own career.
The other three Goddesses all had varying degrees of maternal warmth.
Astrea gave off a gentle yet strict feeling. For some reason, even now, Rod always felt like he was facing an elder when he was with her.
Although Hestia usually acts like a child, she is actually more delicate than anyone, prone to jealousy and acting spoiled, while also unconditionally worrying about and supporting Rod. She's probably like a loli mom.
The Demeter before Rod, however, brought him a completely different feeling.
She is the kind of benevolent Goddess who seems to constantly pamper and tolerate you, making you want to throw yourself into her arms and act spoiled.
That overwhelming maternal radiance fills her every action with an absolute affinity that is irresistible.
Well, in any case, Demeter is also a woman who can be his mother!
After Hestia had eaten and drunk her fill, she let out a satisfied sigh of relaxation.
Her entire upper body was sprawled on the table, flattening her equally impressive marshmallows.
"Hoo~ So comfortable~ I haven't really relaxed since coming to the Lower World~"
Demeter shook her head helplessly.
"Hestia, isn't this truly a happy problem for you?"
"Among the Gods who came down from the Heavenly Realm, there are even types who struggle to find a Familia from beginning to end. There are also poor fellows who were rejected dozens of times before barely finding a single dependant."
Hestia's eyes widened in surprise, and she laughed without reservation.
"There are actually such unlucky people..."
It is well known that in the current Lower World, there are Gods who are so useless that it's beyond human imagination, and the common view is that one must not be deceived by them.
A thousand years ago, it might have been different, but now, adventurers with even a little ambition have a two-way selection relationship with the Gods.
And usually, Gods who have just descended from the Heavenly Realm have no reputation, and some even lack a compelling Familia vision to present, thus receiving the same treatment as unreliable Gods—that is, they cannot be trusted.
So, it's extremely difficult to rely on one's status as a God and expect to easily attract talent.
After Demeter's explanation, Hestia finally understood how difficult it was to develop a Familia.
She also understood why her initial boast to Loki had been met with such merciless ridicule.
"So developing a Familia is this troublesome..."
Hestia sighed, then tilted her head and gave Rod a silly smile, an expression of immense pride on her face.
"But I'm not like those guys! On my first day in the Lower World, I found my only treasure!"
Demeter also looked at them with a smile in her eyes.
"That's why I also envy Hestia's luck."
"Speaking of which, I heard from Miya earlier that Rod seems to find many rare vegetables and fruits in the Dungeon?"
Rod nodded.
"That's right."
"If it's convenient, could you bring some back to sell to us next time you explore? We've been trying to replant them on the surface recently."
Demeter Familia's main business is crop cultivation, and in addition to agricultural products like wheat, vegetables, and fruits, cash crops such as silk and flowers are also important pillars of Demeter Familia's industry.
Not only that, they also purchase native plants or fruits from the Dungeon that can only be obtained there from adventurers, and actively try to cultivate and develop them on the surface.
Many varieties have been successfully produced so far, and the demand is quite high among both ordinary citizens and adventurers.
However, there are currently very few people who are qualified to frequently enter and exit the middle levels of the Dungeon and use their precious carrying capacity to load seeds instead of dropped items.
After all, it's currently a dark period, and even Loki Familia wouldn't dare to launch a large expedition, fearing that insufficient Familia defenses would allow enemies to exploit the weakness.
"Of course, one of the reasons we came here this time was to buy a large amount of grain from the Goddess."
"Eh?"
Facing Demeter's puzzled gaze, Rod did not hide anything, simply recounting his conflict with Apollo Familia and his plan to buy grain with money and distribute it for free.
Demeter's eyes widened in surprise. She looked at the calm Rod before her, as if he didn't think his actions were particularly unconventional.
She turned her head helplessly to look at Hestia, a worried expression on her face.
"Hestia, although I'm not in a position to say this, but... if you do this, the Familia's reputation might not be very good~"
Hestia shrugged indifferently.
"If it weren't for the bet with that flat-chested one, I would just want to be with Rod quietly and wouldn't even consider recruiting anyone else. Reputation or whatever, it doesn't matter!"
Rod also slowly took a bite of his tomato pie, then said,
"Freya Familia's reputation doesn't seem to be very good either."
"But that doesn't stop those who admire strength from trying to join, nor does it stop the Guild from turning a blind eye to some of their actions."
Seeing that they had already made up their minds, Demeter said no more, resuming her gentle smile.
"In that case, then... on top of you, Rod, buying grain, we will also distribute some for free!"
"Uh... I'm doing this to avert disaster and win hearts, but if the Goddess also does this, I feel like I'm morally blackmailing you..."