Loki had agreed and imdiately received Ouranos’ support—but with it ca a burden of responsibility.
Yet more than the responsibility itself, what lingered in Loki’s mind were the words Ouranos had spoken to her earlier.
’A stepping stone for a hero...’
’That old guy Ouranos actually sees that shorty’s kid as the next-generation hero.’
’Seems like there’s more to that kid than ets the eye.’
Loki had always sensed sothing unusual about the child.
Anyone who could gain access to such unnatural magic and craft those strange rune stones clearly wasn’t ordinary. Still, she hadn’t expected him to be this exceptional.
’Phae might know sothing.’
’But with how close she is to that shorty, even if she does know anything, she probably wouldn’t tell .’
Loki sighed inwardly.
She and Phae weren’t exactly on bad terms, so why did the shorty have a closer bond with her than Loki did?
’A hero, huh...’
’How many of my children are chasing after that title?’
The first to co to mind was her captain, Finn. With his personality, he would absolutely want a title like that. Just like that kid—this kind of title could bring tangible advantages for what he wanted to achieve.
The sa went for the others. A title symbolized honor—and also gave them the drive to keep moving forward.
’But that shorty’s kid doesn’t seem to care about any of that.’
From their first eting, Loki had seen how the child kept all his thoughts hidden behind those eyes. Yet no matter how deeply he tried to bury them, she could still catch glimpses of sothing.
Deep down, there was a hunger for power.
It wasn’t overwhelming, but compared to having no desire at all, it was the one visible ambition he held.
’And now that sa kid is the one Ouranos has recognized as a hero—and even granted a trial.’
Ishtar might be a courtesan, but her Familia was no joke.
With a Lv. 5 leading the charge, supported by countless Lv. 2s and a good number of Lv. 3s, they stood firmly among the upper-middle tier of Orario’s Familia hierarchy.
Yet such a Familia was being used as a re stepping stone for a trial.
’So does Ouranos believe that child’s potential exceeds Lv. 5?’
’No, if Ouranos isn’t planning to deal with Ishtar directly, but is instead handing this chance to that child... then does he really think that kid can handle Ishtar already?’
Still, Loki couldn’t shake the feeling that Ouranos might just be laying a trap for her to fall into.
From any angle, it sounded impossible.
How could a rookie adventurer—soone who had only just started—possibly topple a Familia as formidable as Ishtar’s?
But Loki couldn’t be entirely sure.
She had to consider the possibility that Ouranos wasn’t joking.
’I still need to find a way to dig up the truth about that kid.’
"Yo~ What’s with that doom-and-gloom look?"
That smug, annoying voice made Loki’s brow twitch. She looked up to see a handso man not far off, wearing a feathered hat.
Seeing this irritating guy made Loki’s temper spike.
"Hers, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I just noticed your kid stirring things up around the Pleasure District. Figured it might have sothing to do with you, so I ca to ask."
"Well, isn’t this a surprise. Never thought you’d be the one asking for information."
Loki hadn’t expected Hers, of all people—normally the one selling intel—to ever be the one asking for it.
But Hers just laughed it off.
"I an, it’s not like I know everything in the world. There are tis I need to ask too."
Loki snorted.
"Hers, don’t tell you’re clueless about what’s going on with Ishtar?"
"Hmm~ I suppose you could say I know."
Hers rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a mont, then smiled and gave a casual answer.
Loki shot him a glare. This smug bastard definitely knew.
Now she was sure—Hers and Ouranos were in deep. The two of them had clearly been doing things behind the backs of the other gods.
"Then why bother coming to ?"
"Oh, because there are still things I don’t know—but I really want to."
Loki looked at this sleazy bastard with open disdain, but her curiosity about that child only grew stronger.
"So that shorty’s kid really caught both your and Ouranos’ attention?"
Hers didn’t look the least bit surprised. Once he realized Loki was out to bring down Ishtar, he knew she’d eventually co to a decision.
What Ishtar had done was serious, sure—but it paled in comparison to the madness stirred up by the Evilus.
Besides, Ishtar was a simple woman. She just loved butting heads with Freya.
Even if she was left alone, the mont she lost her grip, Freya would finish her off.
Ishtar was nothing more than a minor nuisance.
Which made her the perfect target.
That had been Hers’ plan all along—but unfortunately, it hit a snag.
Loki had suddenly jumped in from the sidelines and completely threw everything into chaos.
"I’m just curious about the truth behind that kid."
"Ouranos is watching him because he sees sothing far beyond what I can."
"You actually expect to buy that?"
It was always best not to take Hers’ words at face value.
Loki didn’t believe for a second that this smug bastard was only ’curious.’
She was sure Ouranos saw sothing special in that kid. And the sa could be said for Hers.
"If you want to get anything out of , you’d better start by telling that kid’s identity and background."
"Of course, if you think you can get any intel out of Shorty or Phae, be my guest."
That gave Hers a real headache.
Honestly, he never thought finding information on a single kid could be this difficult.
But now, he was starting to feel the strain.
Hers even saw a sliver of his own shadow in that child. Branded as talentless by Zeus, and yet—how could he hide himself so perfectly, every single ti?
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