At the dinner table, Hestia raised an eyebrow as Levi lined up fifty 1,000-Valis coins in a row.
"It seems you really dislike the Miach Familia," she noted. "Or rather, you really dislike that Pallum girl who almost scammed you?"
Levi chuckled but didn't give a direct answer. He wasn't some saintly martyr who would simply forgive those who tried to cheat him.
As for why he insisted on paying Miach back for the ten mental recovery potions, his reasons were twofold. First, Levi wasn't in the habit of taking things without paying. He had only gone along with the "free" offer at the shop because he saw that Lord Miach was using the moment as a lesson for Naaza, and he didn't want to interfere.
Second, he didn't want the matter to end so simply. He wanted Lord Miach to be fully aware of his stance, effectively forcing the God to owe him a favor. A favor from a God could prove invaluable at an unpredictable moment.
Hestia, having known Levi for nearly half a month, saw right through him. As she collected the coins, she gave him a warning. "Knowing Miach, he likely won't accept this."
"The gesture is what matters. It's just a small piece I'm moving on the board."
Levi understood all too well that relying on others was a gamble. In Orario, while the Gods craved heroes and the people loved tales of the weak overcoming the strong, the fundamental truth of this world remained: survival of the fittest. Only by becoming strong enough could one fend off external threats and protect themselves and those around them.
"Fair enough," Hestia nodded.
When it came to the development of the Familia, she trusted Levi completely. However, her boy's luck with the opposite sex made the Goddess a bit grumpy.
"Speaking of which, counting Naaza, that makes two, doesn't it? You met that other little girl yesterday morning too." She puffed out her cheeks. "If you didn't dislike other adventurers so much, you'd probably end up getting close to them after a few 'incidents'."
She muttered this under her breath, yet loud enough for the only other person in the room to hear every word.
"Just encounters, not acquaintances," Levi corrected, rubbing his cheek. "Besides, no matter how pretty or cute a human girl might be, how could they compare to a Goddess like you, Hestia? In my eyes, you are the most charming being in the world."
"Oh, stop it! You have such a silver tongue." Hearing such high praise from the one she loved—and knowing it wasn't a lie, as Gods can sense deception—Hestia couldn't help but smile until her eyes were crescents.
Levi joked, "Well, my lips are coated in honey."
"Does that mean they taste sweet?" Hestia licked her own lips.
"You won't know if it's sweet until you try."
...Five minutes later.
The two pulled apart, gasping for air, a glistening thread of saliva snapping between them. The twin-tailed Goddess giggled behind her hand, looking like a little fox that had just stolen a hen. "You were right. It is very sweet."
Levi's eyes darkened, his voice rasping. "So, shall we continue?"
Hestia desperately wanted to take it all the way and secure her victory, but she remembered that Levi had a challenge in the Middle Floors tomorrow to achieve his Great Feat. She forcibly suppressed her desire.
She pressed her index finger against his lips. "Let's save the 'happy things' for after your level up."
With Hestia's promise, Levi's morale was significantly higher than usual. By the time he followed Hestia to Hephaestus's workshop the next day, his status panel had transformed:
[Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu • 3-Star (Master 1%):] Grants 'Swordsman G'; allows use of all techniques. [Hunter's Marksmanship • 3-Star (Master 1%):] Grants 'Archer G'; significantly increases accuracy. [Mana Manipulation • 4-Star (Master 1%):] Grants 'Mage F'; moderate mana interference, moderately reduces consumption, increases magic growth. [Mixology • 3-Star (Novice 1%):] Basic bartending.
Aside from the "Mixology" skill he got from a bad pull, every combat-relevant skill had been pushed to Master rank. The cost was high: eight of his ten mental recovery potions were gone, and he only had 28 of his 10-day vouchers left.
Inside the workshop, the red-haired Goddess Hephaestus stood with her arms crossed. Her exposed left eye sparkled with amusement as she looked at her best friend and her "boyfriend."
Standing nearby was Tsubaki, who looked like a curious squirrel. Despite her attempt at a serious expression, her one visible eye kept darting back and forth between the couple. Levi, being thick-skinned, didn't react, but Hestia was already blushing furiously.
Hestia cleared her throat and made the introduction. "Hephaestus, Tsubaki, this is the dependent I recruited, Levi Bright. As you can see, his main style is swordsmanship, but he's also a skilled archer."
Knowing Levi couldn't hide his skills in a fight, Hestia had decided to reveal some information beforehand with his consent. Both Hephaestus and Tsubaki nodded. One was a Goddess, and the other a Level 5 Master Smith who often joined the Loki Familia's expeditions; their eyes were sharp. They could estimate his strength just by looking at his physique.
"You've trained quite well, little one," Hephaestus noted.
Levi bowed politely. "Thank you for the compliment, Lady Hephaestus."
"No need for such formality, since..." She paused, smirking. "After all, you're the one Hestia loves."
"Hephaestus!" Hestia squealed. Even though half the Gods in the city knew by now, hearing it out loud still made her heart race.
Hephaestus shrugged. "Fine, fine. I'll stop. Anyway," she patted Tsubaki's shoulder, "this is my Captain, Tsubaki Collbrande. Levi, for the entire day, she will be your Supporter and your protector."