Asahi's thoughtful expression caught Loki's attention. Feeling sothing amiss, she patted his shoulder.
"In a dilemma?"
"Freya is here," Asahi answered. "I don't know her motive."
"What does that bitch want now?" Loki cursed as she placed her hands on her waist. "Fei Fei, you called her?"
Hephaestus shook her head. "I don't think I did. We haven't t since Denatus. We hardly talked there."
"She ca to order so weapons?" Loki asked.
"Maybe." Hephaestus shrugged. "Why would she co in person for that?"
Asahi's instincts went off. Freya was alone this ti, climbing the stairs. He could feel her strong intent and aura.
'I haven't interacted with her in a long ti.'
He wasn't intimidated, just genuinely confused.
(Don't worry, my love. You can always 'smash' her if she goes too far.)
Klyscha's double-aning joke gave him a bright idea. He wrapped his arm around Loki's waist. "Let's do sothing different to greet her."
Loki didn't resist and went along with his tease. Hephaestus followed the two, having doubts of her own about Freya. She didn't have the best relationship with Freya or any other deities. Loki was a client, an extrely generous one at that. Any person who appreciated her work could beco her friend. Even then, her only goddess friend in Orario was Astraea. Hestia was still stuck in Heaven, waiting for her opportunity to descend.
Asahi returned to Hephaestus' office room and waited for Freya.
Freya twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. Three pairs of eyes scrutinized her.
Did Loki's narrowed eyes count as one?
Asahi stopped himself from cracking a racist joke and smiled at Freya. "Welco to Ninth Hell. What would you like to order, Ma'am?"
Freya tried to decipher his words. Was there a hidden aning or was he just spitting random bullshit at her? His amiable smile hid a sharp dagger ready to pierce her heart.
'A threat?'
She didn't let the surprise show on her face.
"I'd like to see the nu," she replied with a smile that could charm the strongest of warriors in Orario.
Asahi's response was utter nonchalance, confirming her doubts about his charm-immune constitution.
"Sorry. Our nu isn't printed yet. We only have two things on our nu so far. Gate to Heaven and Eternal Doom."
Freya smirked. She was used to serving the custors as a barmaid. Asahi was creating an atmosphere similar to Hostess of Fertility with his words alone.
'He knew I'd co to him, so he found my second identity to blackmail .'
She misinterpreted Asahi's 'spicy' greeting.
Asahi's greeting was clear. Death in the mortal world led a deity through the Gate of Heaven. Eternal Doom referred to a slave-like life similar to Apollo's. The mont she stepped into the room, her intentions were like an open book in his eyes.
She ca to cause trouble.
Asahi stopped caring about his peaceful life in Orario after he revealed his secrets to the won of Astraea Familia. The other people he cared about were a few mbers of Loki Familia. He couldn't care less if others ca to fight him or hate him.
'Co on. Give your best, Freya.'
Freya got the chills of her life from his smirk. She hadn't even started her ga, but he disrobed her plans.
She wasn't disappointed.
She wasn't angry.
The abruptness of the situation was a pleasant surprise; one she never saw coming.
'This is a true god.'
The slackers loitering in the mortal world lost their right to be worshipped as deities in her eyes.
Loki looked between the two of them, feeling a bit lost. "Freya, the hell are you making that twisted face for?"
Freya stopped smirking and giggled. "Your nu was a bit… disappointing."
"Life is often disappointing, don't you think?" Asahi said with a sigh. "Alright, enough drama from ."
Hephaestus took the cue and tapped her pen on the table. "What's your reason for intruding?"
"Hephaestus, I ca to et him." Freya pointed at Asahi. "Lux Lanceam, the most talented adventurer in all of Orario."
"Wow. I'm pretty popular."
The tempo of the situation was out of Freya's hands. Honestly, she never had to control a situation until now. Her re presence caused people and gods to shut their mouths, giving her easy reign over them.
"So what can a humble adventurer like do for a goddess?"
The three goddesses felt sarcasm in his voice. If he was a humble adventurer, what about the adventurers who were stuck at level 1 all their life? None of them said it out loud.
Freya's face twitched when nobody showed the respect to give her a seat. "I'm here to invite you to a dinner at Folkvangr."
"A dinner date?" Asahi tilted his head. "I know I'm a dashing young man, but inviting out of the blue like this… my wives won't be happy."
"You can bring your wives too," Freya answered humbly. Their reaction would make the ga all the more entertaining, especially Astraea's reaction.
"I'll be cursed by every man if I refuse Freya-sama's offer. When is our date?"
He wasn't afraid of openly addressing this as a date. Freya flashed a dazzling smile, scattering her charm in the room.
"Tomorrow night at Folkvangr," she repeated.
"I don't know where that is."
"…"
How could soone living here for a month not know?! Freya didn't have enough retorts to throw at his innocent face. So she stopped thinking of one and told him about the place. After Babel and the Guild, her Familia base was the most popular place in Orario. "Why invite him?" Loki asked indifferently. "Ya know he is already claid by Astraea."
Freya's eyes glead. "Astraea can also co. I'm not going to 'steal' her man."
'Like I'd believe that.'
Loki held back the retort on her tongue.
Freya nodded at Hephaestus before she turned around and left. She had gone to Stardust Garden before, only to find Asahi wasn't there. She only walked halfway and chard a carriage man for the rest of the ride.
'I have to walk again…'
She cursed her mortal shell for being so weak. Her Familia mbers would have lifted her on their shoulders if she had said so. But causing an unnecessary ruckus wasn't her cup of tea.
Back in Hephaestus' office room.
Asahi shook his head in disappointnt and turned to Loki. "You expected that?"
"She definitely got sothing on ya. Be careful there."
"You're worried for ?"
Loki grinned. "Isn't it normal to worry for a 'friend'?"
A friend who almost showed her the heights of pleasure.
"Asahi, are ya free now?"
"Yeah—no. I have to attend a very, very, very important eting. People will die if I don't make it t—"
Loki squeezed his hands, bringing them to her chest. "H-Help with one thing…"
He returned a blank stare at her cute act. "What is it?"
"Co with ."
As Loki began to pull at him, Asahi glanced over his shoulder. "Chiaki can stay here for a day or two. You don't have to make that face."
Hephaestus stopped her smile from widening. "I'll take good care of her."
Chiaki was an adorable girl who ward her by her presence alone.
Hephaestus watched as Loki dragged Asahi away. Chiaki waved her hand energetically, squealing to say goodbye to her 'father.' Chiaki burrowed into Hephaestus's hair and relaxed.
"You really take for your mom…" Hephaestus murmured.
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