"...I’m sorry, Bell-kun."
Hestia felt a bit disheartened by how things had turned out. What should have been a perfect opportunity had been spoiled by her own actions.
"Please, don’t worry about montary setbacks."
"I’m not surprised that Loki-sama caught on. The Rune Stones may be powerful, but we’re still dealing with a god—her will isn’t sothing that can be easily shaken."
"And honestly, if Loki-sama hadn’t noticed that detail, I might’ve thought working with the Ganesha Familia would be a better idea."
Bell quietly comforted the disheartened goddess. This developnt wasn’t outside his expectations.
With Loki-sama’s intellect, it was inevitable that she would notice the flaw.
Bell had hoped that the other functions of the Rune Stones might shake Loki’s resolve enough to create the opening he’d planned for.
But if Loki could be swayed that easily, perhaps she wasn’t the best choice for a partner after all.
That contradiction left Bell feeling conflicted.
He had wanted Loki to fall for it, yet also hoped she wouldn’t.
Now that it had co to this, though, there was no point in second-guessing. Loki had found their weak spot—so it was ti to offer sothing else that could convince her to back the Hestia Familia.
"Besides, over the past three days, I’ve had more than enough ti to prepare a new condition that Loki-sama would agree to."
"Oh~?"
Loki’s interest was piqued at once.
Bell didn’t keep her waiting and jumped straight to the next topic.
"After three days of investigation and intel gathering, I found an adventurer who’s truly terrifying."
"If her Skill becos public, I believe every Familia in Orario would start tearing each other apart just to recruit her."
"Loki-sama, you’re familiar with how difficult it is to level up, aren’t you?"
"Of course. Even I belong to the Loki Familia, after all."
Leveling up was notoriously difficult for adventurers. Without talent, many were dood to remain stuck at Level 1 forever.
For most, even advancing from Level 1 to Level 2 was a near-impossible hurdle.
Sure, gifted adventurers might reach Level 2 without much struggle—but sooner or later, even they would hit the wall of advancent difficulty.
That’s why growth was such a struggle.
But Loki couldn’t quite understand why the shorty’s kid was stressing this point so much.
Then Bell looked at the three goddesses and calmly dropped a bombshell.
"What if there were an adventurer whose magic could temporarily raise soone’s level?"
"!?"
Level... up!?
The phrase detonated like a thunderclap in the minds of all three goddesses.
Just monts ago, even Hestia and Hephaestus had wondered if Bell was exaggerating.
Surely no adventurer could be worth such a mad scramble that Familias would literally go to war over them.
But if the adventurer in question possessed magic that could temporarily boost another’s level...
Then yes—they could see it. Clear as day. The major Familias would absolutely lose all restraint and fight each other tooth and nail for that adventurer.
For Loki, it was like the world itself had exploded.
The mont she heard of magic that could raise soone’s level, her breath caught in her throat.
If that intel was true, then she would do whatever it took to secure that child for herself.
Soone with a skill like that wasn’t just rare—they were a strategic asset to any Familia.
As long as such a child existed, Loki would make sure they were brought into her Familia.
She already had three Level 6 adventurers in her ranks. If she added a child with that kind of ability... wouldn’t that an her Familia could, at any ti, field soone temporarily at Level 7?
The allure was overwhelming.
"This information is true!?"
At that mont, Loki couldn’t hold herself back any longer.
Learning sothing this explosive and still pretending to be calm? That wouldn’t be restraint—that would be idiocy.
"Of course it’s true."
Bell’s tone was certain. This was one of the three major secrets in Danmachi. He might be wrong about other things, but not this.
That was the advantage of knowing intel—even if he hadn’t investigated it himself, he could still provide solid, ga-changing information.
"And I’ve also thought of a way for you, Loki-sama, to deal with that Familia’s god."
Loki caught on to the word "deal," but she quickly composed herself.
Trying to snatch a child with that kind of magic outright? That would an completely severing ties.
But if it ca to that—if things were already heading toward open conflict—wouldn’t the best solution be to send that god back to Tenkai?
Besides, Loki didn’t believe for a second that a god who had control over such a child would ever hand them over willingly. There was a good chance they’d choose to go down swinging.
So if she wanted to make a move on that child, she had to be ready to send a god back to the heavens.
"It’s not sothing too over the top, is it?"
"Of course not. Given what that god has done, honestly, driving her out of Orario would be the reasonable course of action."
"But the real challenge is that just expelling her from Orario isn’t enough. For that, Loki-sama would need solid evidence."
"Oh~ sounds like that guy’s been up to a lot behind the scenes."
From the way it sounded, Loki could already tell—this so-called god had been getting into all sorts of interesting trouble.
Bell gave a slight nod.
"If that god is connected to Evilus—or worse, an actual mber—"
"Then doesn’t that an she should be sent back to Tenkai?"
The re ntion of Evilus nearly made Loki laugh out loud.
Seriously, how stupid did that god have to be to let the shorty’s kid catch him with sothing like that?
It was a gift-wrapped opportunity.
Now that Loki had this kind of intel, there was no hesitation left in her.
Anyone affiliated with Evilus was as good as done. Even if she didn’t yet have the authority to kick that god back to Tenkai herself, there was no way she’d show rcy.
For a child with that kind of unique magic, she was more than willing to do whatever it took. If it ant removing a threat to Orario’s peace and stability—so be it.
"Of course she should."
"A nace like that, a threat to Orario? I’d be ashad to even share a city with her. She must be sent back to Tenkai!"
With that, Loki knew her decision was already made.
She believed without a doubt that a child with the "Level Boost" ability existed. After all, mortals in Genkai couldn’t lie to the gods.
With that conviction burning inside her, Loki’s excitent rose.
"Wait here. I’ll give you a definite answer tomorrow."
And with that, Loki turned and sprinted off toward her Familia’s ho at full speed.
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake
Reviews
All reviews (0)