The night breeze carried a slight chill, blowing through the bangs of the two people standing on the balcony.
The noise and liveliness of the banquet hall seemed isolated by an invisible barrier. Here, there was only the tranquil night and the scattered lights of the city in the distance.
"Have you ever thought about welcoming Goddess Astrea back, rebuilding the Familia, and starting over?"
Aiden handed a glass of fruit juice to Ryuu, his gaze following hers toward the distant area that was once known as the Stardust Garden.
Ryuu took the glass. The icy chill against her fingertips brought a sliver of clarity to her chaotic thoughts.
She slowly shook her head, her emerald eyes instantly dimming. Her voice was low and hoarse:
"I... have no right."
Those words seemed to drain every ounce of her strength.
Back then, she was the one who, in an almost forceful manner, begged Goddess Astrea to leave Orario and escape the conflict.
And it was she who abandoned her companions and shamelessly survived alone, selfishly distancing herself from the Goddess for the sake of revenge.
Having done all of that, she believed she had long lost the right to bear the name of "Justice." She had no right to face that gentle Goddess again, much less invite her back to Orario to rebuild the Familia.
Over the past few years, she suffered in torment every single moment.
But she felt she deserved it.
This was the price and punishment she ought to bear for abandoning her comrades—for personally ending the life of her best friend, Alise, just to survive.
Aiden let out a soft sigh, shaking his head without trying to persuade her further.
Do not urge others to be kind if you haven't experienced their suffering.
The same logic applied to Ryuu's current situation.
This psychological knot was an absolute dead end. She could only rely on herself to think it through and step out of that dark past on her own.
No matter what bystanders said, it would only be scratching the surface, utterly useless.
And untying Ryuu's knot would be incredibly difficult.
Especially for a noble elf like her, accepting the ugly, unscrupulous version of herself driven solely by revenge was profoundly hard.
In Aiden's eyes, that wasn't ugly at all. It was merely the natural human reaction of someone forced into a corner, doing whatever it took to survive and avenge her comrades.
But Ryuu didn't see it that way.
When it came to untying the knot in her heart, the opinions of others were meaningless. The key lay in whether she could reconcile with her past self.
"Then don't think about it so much," Aiden raised his juice glass and said softly to Ryuu. "Today is our housewarming banquet. Try to be a little happier."
"I'm sorry. Today is an important day for you, yet I..."
A trace of apology appeared on Ryuu's face. She raised her glass, clinked it gently against Aiden's, and downed the fruit juice in one gulp.
"It's fine. I understand completely."
Aiden hesitated, his lips parting, but ultimately held back the words that could turn Ryuu's entire world upside down.
—Regarding the red-haired girl in the Dungeon who was suspected to be a resurrected Alise.
He couldn't say it.
Firstly, he wasn't entirely certain if it was truly Alise. After all, he had never met the real Alise in person.
More importantly, it was very likely just a counterfeit crafted by the Dungeon—an empty shell without a soul.
After all, according to the rules of this world, Alise's soul should have long returned to Heaven.
Therefore, Aiden ultimately suppressed this shocking speculation deep within his heart.
He knew without even thinking that once Ryuu heard this news—even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance—she would absolutely disregard everything and charge into the Dungeon to search for traces of that red-haired girl.
Regardless of whether she could find her in the end, Ryuu would put herself in extreme danger because of it.
Aiden didn't want a moment's slip of the tongue to cause the death of an elf who already bore far too much pain.
. . .
The banquet officially began. The luxurious long table was laden with exotic delicacies jointly prepared by Tifa, Chigusa, Mikoto, and the others. The mellow aroma of fine wine interwove with the fragrance of the food, permeating every corner of the Palais Mermonia.
Since everyone present were acquaintances, no one felt overly restrained, and the atmosphere quickly heated up.
"Everyone!"
Hermes was the first to raise his wine glass, wearing his signature smile that seemed capable of making anyone drop their guard. "To the Focalors Familia's new home, and to our gathering tonight! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Everyone raised their glasses in unison. The crisp clinking of crystal and laughter merged into a joyful symphony.
Because it was a rare, festive occasion, Aiden made an exception and allowed Furina to drink.
He specifically picked a fruit wine with the lowest alcohol content, figuring that since they were all acquaintances and the drink was basically juice, she shouldn't get drunk.
However, he quickly paid the price for his naivety.
After barely three glasses, Furina's delicate little face had flushed bright red.
She suddenly jumped up from her chair, performed an agile flip onto the long table, and, under the stares of all the gods and adventurers, began loudly singing an original opera. The content generally praised her own greatness and the splendor of her new home, accompanied by a dance.
"You've got to be kidding me... It's only been a few glasses, and she's already drunk?" Aiden slapped a hand over his face, revealing an expression devoid of the will to live.
"Hahahaha! I can't take it! Focalors, your alcohol tolerance is actually this terrible?! You're an absolute disgrace to Heaven!"
Loki clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she rocked back and forth, tears nearly streaming from her eyes.
The gentle Goddess Demeter couldn't watch any longer. She stepped forward to carry the rowdy Furina down.
She pulled Furina's soft body into her bountiful embrace, attempting to soothe her.
However, the deeply intoxicated Furina clearly misunderstood something. She began struggling desperately within Demeter's "abyss"—which was deep enough to suffocate any man—mumbling incoherently: "Let me go, you evil slime! Don't even think about devouring the incarnation of justice!"
The scene became exceptionally merry for a time.
After the banquet ended, Syr and the other pub girls enthusiastically helped clean up the mess.
Afterward, the goddesses and girls headed together to the highly anticipated hot spring.
Meanwhile, the male gods and the men went out to the balcony outside the palace to enjoy the night breeze.
Tonight, almost everyone had a little to drink.
When men gather together, topics inevitably veer toward deeper, more serious matters.
"So, little brother Aiden," Hermes broke the ice. Leaning against the railing, he wore a mischievous smirk. "You're the only guy in your Familia, surrounded by so many beauties. Don't tell me you're still single? How many have you won over already?"
"Hmph, you underestimate me."
Aiden had also drunk a little wine. Although he wasn't drunk, his spirits were much higher than usual.
He gave Hermes a thumbs-up, his face full of smug pride. "I've already successfully won over one."
"Ooooh!"
At this, not only Hermes, but even Takemikazuchi and Miach beside them piqued their interest.
Ouka's ears perked up, and he leaned over with a look of pure curiosity.
When they learned the partner was Robin, Hermes and the others weren't surprised at all.
During the banquet, they had noticed the undisguised intimacy between Aiden and Robin. In fact, it wasn't just them; most of the people present had picked up on it—with the exception of a certain few notoriously dense individuals.
"Since we're on the subject, why don't we all share our preferred type of girl?"
Hermes proposed enthusiastically.
He cleared his throat and declared openly: "As for me, I like classic beauties with long, lustrous black hair. For example, Mikoto from Takemikazuchi's Familia, and that girl named Tifa in yours are both excellent."
Clearly, he was an absolute fanatic for straight black hair.
Hearing this, Miach smiled gently. "Well, using the word 'preference' might be a bit inappropriate. To me, all women are beautiful and lovable existences. As long as I feel a girl is pitiful, I can't help but want to protect her. If she wants to become stronger, I'll do my best to help her. It doesn't matter where the girl is from, or even if she's a goddess. I don't think it makes any difference."
Aiden instantly understood. This guy was the legendary philanthropist—a walking central AC unit.
Takemikazuchi, who shared the same archetype as Miach, nodded deeply in agreement. "Exactly. As long as a girl is kind, strong, and in need of help, I will extend a helping hand."
As the two biggest pretty-boys among the numerous male gods, these two deities—who were immensely popular with women but completely oblivious to it—both expressed that they had no specific preferences or biases. They essentially specialized in casting a wide net of gentleness.
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