Meanwhile—
At the very top of the Tower of Babel,
where the spire pierced the clouds,
the Freya Familia, one of Orari's two paramount Familias, granted their goddess the right to reside in the highest reaches.
Though thousands of meters above ground, it posed no inconvenience.
Even with her Divine Power sealed, the goddess Freya retained mighty eyes.
Eyes that could see straight into the essence of any Soul.
In her leisure, Freya would stand atop the Tower of Babel, surveying Orari for Souls that sparkled like blades, or else use her "Deity-Possession Magic" to shift her persona into the tavern "Hostess of Fertility" poster-girl Syr, working there on a "Zero-Seven" schedule.
Syr was a girl Freya had once saved herself—though the reason for the rescue sounded almost absurd.
Syr had lived in poverty; one snowy day, despair drove her toward suicide, yet when the Beauty-Goddess Freya appeared, the girl's wish to become the adored goddess replaced her death wish.
For that reason Freya rescued her and bestowed upon Syr the transformation magic to become her.
Ever since, Freya had often experienced another life through Syr's body, while Syr's own persona dwelt within the goddess's form, existing as a "goddess."
Freya's allure, even amid the Heavens filled with handsome men and beautiful women, remained supreme.
Skin like white silk, limbs long and fair—every gesture, every smile tugged at hearts; a mere trailing of her finger through the air could rob Mortals of reason, turning them into captives of the Beauty-Goddess.
Garments embroidered with delicate patterns clung to her, accentuating every perfect curve.
Her proportions were the flawless golden ratio.
Silvery-white hair cascaded like a waterfall; her almond-shaped eyes were ethereal and bewitching.
Anyone who saw her had to admit: Freya's beauty was unmatched.
In Rosen's eyes, Freya had everything—
beauty, wealth, moments of gentleness and of cunning; the list of merits went on.
Yet one fatal flaw made even Rosen—easily captivated by pretty girls—keep his distance.
A single line from a movie summed it up:
"I go downstairs to buy cigarettes and bump into seven or eight guys who've slept with you."
Of course,
in the Dungeon world such things were fairly normal.
These gods couldn't be judged by ordinary morality.
For amusement, some would even wager their very lives.
After all, gods do not truly die.
Even if their bodies perish, their Souls return to the Underworld; after eons they reincarnate, memories intact.
Freya gazed fervently at Tokisaki Kurumi and Fubuki, a hoarse whisper escaping her throat.
"Biqi LingsijiuK seveno Master" — to her, these two girls' Souls blazed brighter than any she had ever encountered.
Thus Freya naturally desired to bring them into her Familia.
No matter who they were, no matter whether they already belonged elsewhere,
she was willing to pay any price to have them.
"Otta."
"Yes."
Freya's voice was cold as she called out.
A hulking pig-headed demi-human stepped from the shadows of the room.
His name was Otta, the highest-ranked Adventurer in Orari today.
He was also one of those Freya had saved.
Decades earlier, baby Otta had been abandoned in a snowy waste and nearly frozen to death; Freya took him in and had him cared for.
From the moment he could think, he had pledged his life to her.
In that sense, his feelings for Freya were utterly pure.
While other men might lust after her and dream of bedding her, Otta harbored not a single impure thought—only reverence and admiration. He was the very definition of a devoted, pure-hearted warrior.
Precisely because of this, his loyalty was unshakeable, and he was the one person the goddess trusted above all.
"I have a task for you. Investigate those two and bring me their information."
She then described Tokisaki Kurumi and Fubuki in detail.
Otta, long used to such orders, bowed and left the chamber.
Meanwhile, Tokisaki Kurumi and Fubuki, seeing that Rosen didn't care, strolled leisurely around Orari.
Freya commanded vast numbers and was the strongest Familia in the Labyrinth City, but she was still far beneath them.
Besides, Rosen had said that what Freya desired she would pursue without foul play, offering every convenience to win her target's willing allegiance.
If it ever became too tiresome, they could simply leave.
They just wouldn't come back.
With that in mind, the two shopped while chatting with their friends in the chat group.
[Magic Old Man: ".Moon-II Yi? Wu (7) Jiu VI San? There seem to be a lot of Adventurers here—totally different from my side."]
Only a minority can qualify as Adventurers. 4.7
Most people are ordinary civilians.
Yet in the livestream, nearly everyone walking past was a fairly strong Adventurer.
[Magic Old Man: "If we had that many Adventurers, the Demon Race wouldn't run rampant."]
[Bad Woman: "Nice idea, but talent limits make it unrealistic. In the Labyrinth City, most people become Adventurers thanks to the gods' Falna; aptitude doesn't matter. Once blessed, you're an Adventurer. How far you rise afterward depends on potential."]
[I Dont Want to Eat Monsters: "Still beats being a commoner, right? As long as you're willing to fight in the Dungeon, you gain strength through experience."]