The Focalors Familia's new headquarters was named the "Palais Mermonia" by Furina, and it was situated in one of the most expensive districts in Orario.
Its neighbors were either incredibly rich or highly noble. Not far away was the former headquarters of the Astrea Familia, the Stardust Garden, and the Demeter Familia's headquarters, the Wheat House.
When the group arrived at their destination, not a single person wasn't stunned by the sight before them.
This could no longer be called a "house"—it was a literal palace.
The entire structure was built from immaculate white marble. Its lines were fluid and elegant, and the blue glazed tiles on its spires shimmered brightly under the sun, as if a small patch of the ocean had been frozen atop the roof.
The main entrance to the palace consisted of two massive doors, each five meters tall. Meticulously carved into them in mithril was the crest of the Focalors Familia: an ornate scale symbolizing "Justice." On the trays of the scale rested a sharp sword on one side, and a crystal-clear water droplet on the other.
Passing through the gates, the first thing that met their eyes was a massive circular plaza. In the center of the plaza, a magnificent three-tiered fountain bubbled tirelessly with clear spring water.
Countless water droplets refracted rainbows of light under the sun. And at the very top of the fountain stood a chibi statue of Furina. One hand was on her hip, the other pointing to the sky, her expression vivid and lifelike.
"This aesthetic... can only be described as lightyears ahead," Aiden muttered a quiet roast.
On the right side of the plaza was a meticulously manicured, European-style garden where various rare and exotic flowers vied for attention. A cobblestone path wound its way to a white pavilion deep within the garden.
Beside the pavilion was an artificial fish pond fed by running water, where several colorful koi fish swam leisurely.
On the left side of the plaza lay a sprawling, professional training ground.
Not only was the ground paved with impact-resistant special stone, but the area was also partitioned into various simulated terrains, including sand, stone pillars, and grass.
However, the most eye-catching feature was the statue standing right in the center of the training ground.
It was a life-sized statue of the Goddess Furina. Dressed in luxurious attire, she held a rapier symbolizing judgment, a look of profound compassion on her face as she stared solemnly ahead.
Looking at her own statue, Furina nodded in satisfaction.
With the reverence of pilgrims, the group stepped inside the palace.
In the spacious and brightly lit grand hall, massive crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and a soft blue carpet covered the floor.
On the left was a reception lounge furnished with several sets of sofas and coffee tables that looked incredibly expensive at first glance.
The right side branched off into various functional areas:
A dedicated pharmacy room filled with various alchemical tools and neatly organized herb racks—prepared specially for Hyacine and Cassandra.
A massive warehouse, large enough to store the Familia's loot and supplies for years to come.
A super-luxurious kitchen that made Tifa's eyes light up, fully equipped with everything from a magic-powered stove to a refrigeration unit, and even a dedicated oven for baking cakes.
Adjacent to the kitchen was a temperature-controlled underground wine cellar.
An elegant library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls. Aiden was already calculating what kinds of books he would use to fill it.
Next to the library was a music room lined with soundproofing materials. Inside rested a grand piano, a harp, and various string instruments—clearly custom-tailored for Robin.
Passing through a long corridor led to the members' residential wing.
Everyone's room was spacious, comfortable, and featured an en-suite bathroom.
And at the very deepest part of the building, there was actually an indoor hot spring.
The hot spring pool was built from natural rock, surrounded by curling mist. Beside it rested a small rockery and a bamboo water feature, brimming with Eastern Zen aesthetics.
"From today onward, this is our Focalors Familia's home."
Furina spread her arms and twirled in the center of the resplendent grand hall, her face radiating a smile of unparalleled pride.
. . .
That night, the massive living room of the Palais Mermonia—large enough to host over a hundred people—was brightly lit. The laughter and chatter were loud enough to nearly lift the ornate blue roof.
Furina, as the master of the new house, officially announced the start of the housewarming banquet.
To celebrate this historic moment, she had specifically invited several gods she maintained good relations with.
The God of Martial Arts, Takemikazuchi, arrived with his loyal children—Yamato Mikoto, Kashima Ouka, and Hitachi Chigusa. The moment they stepped through the door, they were struck speechless by the palace-like mansion.
Miach brought along his capable assistant Naaza, wearing his usual gentle smile.
The Goddess of the Forge, Hephaestus, and the Goddess of Agriculture, Demeter, arrived together. The aura of the two goddesses instantly elevated the elegance of the entire banquet.
However, banquets always had uninvited guests.
"Yo, Furina! Heard you finally struck it rich and moved into a new place? How could you not invite the great Loki to something this good?"
Accompanied by her trademark Kansai dialect, Loki brazenly pushed the door open, her arms full of what were clearly highly expensive bottles of wine.
According to her, the main force of her Familia had gone on an expedition, and staying in the Twilight Manor was simply too boring. Hearing there was a lively gathering here, she naturally had to come crash the party.
"Where did this sentient cutting board come from? You aren't welcome here." Furina turned her head away in disgust, but ultimately didn't actually kick the thick-skinned goddess out.
Immediately after, another uninvited guest arrived at the door.
"Please forgive my presumptuous visit." Hermes wore his signature traveler's hat and an impeccable smile. Behind him, Asfi held a beautifully wrapped gift box, looking apologetically at Robin, who had come to open the door.
Robin glanced at the gift box, then at Hermes's harmless, smiling face, and courteously invited the two inside.
After all, you don't slap a smiling face, especially one bringing gifts.
Soon after, Eina from the Guild arrived alongside her best friend, Misha. They had been invited by Aiden.
In addition, Syr, Ryuu, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire from the Hostess of Fertility arrived together.
Due to today's special circumstances, their manager, Mama Mia, had unprecedentedly given them all a day off.
Looking at the palace before them that could only be described as "luxurious," looks of sheer envy were written all over Mikoto and the others' faces.
"This kind of headquarters... is something I'd only dare dream about."
Especially when they heard there was actually a massive hot spring inside, the eyes of those from the Far East practically glowed.
"Feel free to come over and soak whenever you want," Aiden said. He knew about the hot spring bathing customs of the Far East, but due to financial constraints, it was very difficult for the Takemikazuchi Familia to afford building one in their own headquarters.
"Brother, then we definitely won't hold back," Ouka slapped Aiden's shoulder without standing on ceremony.
"No need to be polite with me." Aiden shrugged. It wasn't a big deal, and he certainly wasn't that stingy.
As guests, everyone naturally brought gifts.
The Goddess Demeter was the most practical. She directly had her Familia members cart over several loads of top-tier fruits and fresh vegetables from the nearby Wheat House.
Loki brought her prized vintage wines, while the shrewd Hermes presented an exclusive, high-end cake from Furina's favorite dessert shop, clearly having put thought into investigating her preferences in advance.
Once the guests had mostly assembled, Tifa and Hyacine dove headfirst into the luxurious kitchen, preparing to show off their skills.
Chigusa and Mikoto also volunteered to go over and help.
As for the girls from the Hostess of Fertility, despite being pub employees, not a single one of them knew how to cook.
Syr enthusiastically offered to help in the kitchen, but the moment the words left her mouth, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire's faces instantly changed. The three frantically shot looks at Aiden, their expressions practically screaming: Stop her immediately, or we are all doomed.
Aiden vaguely remembered that there was something seemingly... 'off' about Syr's cooking skills.
He immediately smiled and intercepted her. "Miss Syr, having Tifa and the others in the kitchen is more than enough. Too many people will just make it crowded. Why don't you rest properly out here?"
Syr finally dropped the idea, looking slightly regretful.
The deities spontaneously gathered in their own circle.
When the goddesses learned that Robin and Jeanne had both leveled up, they all revealed expressions of awe.
Loki stared at Robin, her face full of jealousy as she muttered non-stop, "Why isn't this kid in my Familia? I'm sour. I'm so sour."
Her eyes looked Robin up and down, growing more fond of her by the second. That breathtaking beauty, that elegant temperament, and that practically cheat-like skill—if Loki hadn't already graduated from her "Evil God" phase, she truly might have resorted to unscrupulous methods to steal her away.
On the male gods' side, Takemikazuchi looked at Hermes with disgust as he stuck to him like glue. But Hermes's skin was as thick as a city wall, smiling mischievously as he wedged himself between Takemikazuchi and Miach, chatting away merrily.
The mortal circle was even more lively.
Somehow, Anya had attached herself to Robin, hugging her arm and whining cutely, "Robin, please teach me how to sing, meow!"
Before she could even finish her sentence, Chloe and Lunoire's faces went ghastly white. Without another word, they grabbed Anya by the arms from the left and right and forcefully dragged her away.
They knew better than anyone just how terrifying Anya's singing voice was. If they really let Anya sing here, rumors would spread across Orario tomorrow that a certain cat-girl pub employee had assassinated multiple deities and numerous upper-tier adventurers with her voice.
It would go down in history as the Palais Mermonia Massacre.
Aiden was chatting with Ouka. As the only two male Familia members present, the two shared quite a bit of common ground.
But just then, Aiden caught a glimpse of a solitary figure out of the corner of his eye.
Ryuu stood alone on the balcony, the night breeze blowing through her hair, which had been dyed green to hide her identity.
She wasn't looking at the bustling banquet hall inside, but was instead gazing quietly into the distance.
Aiden remembered that direction—it was the exact location of the Astrea Familia's former headquarters, the Stardust Garden.
He excused himself from Ouka, picked up two glasses of fruit juice, walked out of the noisy living room, and arrived at Ryuu's side.
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