She stood with her arms folded, her full attention fixed on the center of the room.
A mocking curve lingered at the corners of Loki's mouth. Her cheeks were still flushed, but her eyes remained guarded and appraising.
She had given Genichi a fragment of her Authority. It wasn't the whole thing, only a small portion, but even that was an enormous concession on her part.
Now she needed him to fulfill his promise.
"I've given you what you wanted. It's time for you to uphold your end of the bargain."
Loki's voice was calm, but Genichi could hear the faint tension beneath it.
She was worried that he might go back on his word, delay the resurrection, or find some excuse to avoid doing it altogether.
Genichi looked at her, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
"Of course. That won't be a problem."
In truth, the heroes he had promised Ouranos he would revive weren't limited to the former members of the Zeus and Hera Familias.
Albert Waldstein, the hero Loki wanted him to resurrect, had already been one of his intended targets.
Ouranos needed those resurrected heroes to confront the threat of the Black Dragon. He needed them to stand before that monster once again and bring Orario a new hope of victory.
Genichi was simply being paid twice for the same job.
He had earned a favor from Ouranos and obtained a fragment of Loki's Authority. There was no downside to the arrangement.
Ouranos didn't care. As long as those heroes could be revived, he was willing to pay any price.
Loki, meanwhile, had been kept entirely in the dark.
Even if she learned the truth, what could she do about it?
She had already surrendered part of her Authority, and the transaction had been completed. It was too late to change her mind.
As far as Genichi was concerned, Loki had already served her purpose.
He raised one hand.
"Ninth: True Genesis."
His crisp voice echoed through the living room like a pebble dropping into a still lake and sending ripples across its surface.
A strange force began surging through the air. It was warm and gentle, like a spring breeze or a river beneath the summer sun.
Two faint figures gradually appeared in the center of the room.
They went from transparent to solid, from indistinct silhouettes to living, breathing people.
One was a man, the other a woman.
The man was tall and handsome, with long, dark-blue hair drifting gently through the air.
He wore a suit of ancient armor. A deep claw mark ran across the breastplate, a scar left by the Black Dragon.
His eyes were closed, as though he were sleeping or patiently waiting to awaken.
The woman was slender, with long golden hair framing her face. Her features were delicate and gentle, and a faint smile rested on her lips.
Albert Waldstein.
Alicia Waldstein.
They were legendary heroes who had died beneath the Black Dragon's claws.
Now they were returning to life.
Their bodies became increasingly solid and distinct.
Genichi felt his magic power draining at an astonishing rate.
Resurrecting Albert and Alicia was nothing like bringing back ordinary adventurers. They were two beings who had once stood at the pinnacle of their era.
Their souls were incredibly powerful. Pulling them back from the abyss of death required a tremendous amount of magic.
Genichi's attributes plummeted from SSS 1499 to I 0.
Every point he had painstakingly accumulated vanished in that instant.
If he hadn't already advanced to the level of an Ultimate-class Devil, granting him hundreds of times more magic than a Low-class Devil, this resurrection might not have succeeded.
The light gradually faded.
Albert and Alicia stood in the middle of the living room and opened their eyes.
Their gazes were unfocused, as though they had just awakened from an impossibly long dream.
Albert lowered his head and stared at his hands in disbelief.
He could feel that his body was real. Blood coursed through his veins, his heart beat within his chest, and life had returned to him.
Alicia looked around at the unfamiliar room and the unfamiliar people surrounding her, confusion filling her eyes.
"Where... are we?"
Albert's voice was hoarse and filled with disbelief.
No one answered him.
Ais stood in the doorway, staring at the two figures with her golden eyes as tears silently streamed down her cheeks.
Her lips trembled as she tried to call out to them, but no sound emerged.
Her hand clutched the doorframe so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her entire body resembled a bowstring pulled taut and ready to snap.
"Ais..."
Alicia looked at her.
In the young woman's golden eyes, she saw the infant daughter from her memories.
She recognized her child.
The baby girl she remembered had grown into a beautiful young woman.
Alicia had missed her childhood, her growth, and every precious moment along the way.
"Mom..."
Ais finally managed to speak.
Her voice broke, carrying more than a decade of suppressed grief.
She rushed forward and threw herself into Alicia's arms, hugging her tightly and burying her face against her mother's shoulder.
Alicia embraced her and gently patted her back as tears poured uncontrollably down her face.
Albert stood beside them, his own eyes turning red.
He reached out and gently stroked Ais's hair, his rough hand trembling.
Warmth welled up in Genichi's heart as he watched them, but he didn't allow himself to dwell on the scene for long.
He turned away and walked toward the wall.
"All right. There's nothing else to deal with here. You can all leave."
His voice was calm, carrying an unquestionable coldness.
He waved dismissively, as though sending away a group of unrelated strangers.
Albert raised his head and stared at Genichi's back.
After a moment of silence, he still didn't know what he should say to the young man, whether he should thank him or ask him what had happened.
But one thing was obvious.
His resurrection had undoubtedly been connected to this young man.
Albert didn't press him for answers. He merely gave Genichi a long, searching look before taking Ais and Alicia by the hands and leaving the Demeter Familia's home.
The living room fell silent.
Loki remained where she was, staring at Genichi as complicated emotions surged within her.
She had obtained what she wanted. Ais's parents had been resurrected, and Ais's long-held wish had finally been granted.
Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling that Genichi had somehow manipulated her.
Eventually, she shook her head and left.
"Let me update your status."
Demeter's voice broke the silence.
Genichi turned around and nodded.
He removed his shirt, exposing his muscular back.
Demeter stepped forward, pricked her finger, and allowed a drop of divine blood to fall onto his back.
Light flared as the numbers and symbols began to shift, revealing his updated status.
His attributes had fallen to I 0. The SSS 1499 values had completely disappeared.
His Development Abilities, magic, and skills, however, remained intact.
Genichi's attention settled on Goddess's Love.
[Goddess's Love]
Demeter's Love: Grants the Development Ability Spirit Healing S
Astraea's Love: Grants the Development Ability Justice S
Loki's Love: Grants the Development Ability Language S
Loki.
Genichi stared at the name, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
It truly was an Authority perfectly suited to Loki.
As the Goddess of Trickery and Deception, her Authority didn't revolve around strength or wisdom.
It revolved around language.
It was a power capable of manipulating the world, deceiving its laws, and even misleading fate itself.
Obtaining that Authority meant Genichi could deceive the world to a certain extent, making reality yield to him and causing fate to bend in his favor.
"It seems Goddess's Love requires a goddess to genuinely care for you before you can obtain her Authority."
Astraea approached from behind, still looking somewhat shaken by the realization.
"If I had only given you my blood back then without that kiss, you might not have obtained my Authority either."
Genichi turned and looked at her.
"Are you saying that was Loki's first kiss?"
A trace of uncertainty flickered through Astraea's eyes.
"Not necessarily. Heaven may speak of the three great virgin goddesses, but that doesn't mean they're the only virgin goddesses in existence. Who knows? Perhaps that really was Loki's first kiss."
Genichi's expression became strange.
He would sooner believe he would become a transcendent being tomorrow than believe that had been Loki's first kiss.
Loki, the Goddess of Trickery and Deception?
Her first kiss?
She had probably lost count of how many people she had given it to.
Demeter saw his expression and couldn't suppress a laugh.
"All right, stop pretending. What are you planning to do next?"
Genichi's smile faded.
"Wait. I'm waiting for news from Artemis."
He walked to the window and gazed up at the sky.
The sun was shining brightly in a cloudless blue expanse, but dark clouds still seemed to drift through his heart.
Artemis had departed several days ago. Judging by the time that had passed, she should have reached the border of the Great Tree Sea by now.
Antares was an essential part of his plan.
The monster could imprison a goddess and drive Artemis into a desperate situation, forcing her to expose her vulnerability.
Genichi needed it to do exactly that.
He needed Artemis to see him when she was at her weakest, most desperate, and most in need of salvation.
(End of Chapter)
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