The topic then changed to new star adventurers in the city. Surprisingly, Daphne Lauros joined Naaza's Familia instead of Apollo's. When Freya brought up Natsumi, Loki stared at me for an answer. She shouldn't know my relationship with Natsumi, then why that suspicious stare?

  "What?"??

  "Ya know that woman, right? Ya both are from the Far East and appeared at the same time."

  "……Yeah. She is an old friend."

  "Ha, knew it!" Loki declared with a triumphant grin.

  "On that topic, yer harem seems to love you too much. What's the secret?"

  Hephaestus held her chin, humming to herself. Astraea stared at me with her full attention. Freya was contemplating something with her eyes closed.

  "I don't know really. Maybe they find me too attractive."

  "That ain't the answer I was lookin' for," Loki said. "My disappointment is immeasurable and my night is ruined."

  "……"

  "Ever tried bedding them at the same time?"

  "Yeah…"

  "Bedding? As in… sleeping together?" Astraea asked in a curious voice.

  What was this awkward talk about my harem? Weren't we here for some super serious business?

  "Ya… forgot you were like that loli big boobs. A goddess of purity."

  Astraea, a Goddess of Purity? Wasn't she a Goddess of Justice? Then again, many of the gods had two or more divinities, like Freya with Love, Lust, and War divinities. Still, to think the woman I adored was a virgin goddess. That also explained her dense behavior at times.

  "Hephaestus, how is yer shop doing? My Aissu is gonna need better equipment. She is growing too fast."

  "Sword Princess," Hephaestus said. "She's had that Goibnu's blade ever since I met her. Her armor is pretty rough for a Level 4 in my opinion."

  Goibnu was her only real competition in smithing. Well, the only one whose skills she acknowledged.

  "Ye, I've got some excellent ideas for her armor."

  Loki's smile at the moment was like a creepy old man dreaming of little girls. The armor Ais wore in the anime should be her doing. The armor barely covered her body, making the defensive aspect almost useless.

  The redheads started discussing the armor.

  Astraea silently contemplated something, leaving only one person for me to talk to. I looked at Freya. She was eerily silent for a host. She narrowed her eyes with a delicate smile and brought the glass to her lips.

  I shrugged my shoulders at her attempts to charm me.

  'Klyscha, how are you holding up there?'

  (I am in my best condition, my love. You haven't gotten any sleep for two days. I know you can pretty much cheat when your avatar sleeps… still, you should relax your body too.)

  She wasn't wrong. I barely got a wink last night because of the dungeon and making love to Klyscha. Staying awake in a dream doesn't count as sleeping……

  '……Prepare a bed for me. I just wanna cuddle right now.'

  (Yes, I'll get to making the comfiest bed in the world!)

  'One for Astraea. I forgot to give her one… Mmm… the mattress and pillows should have the blue color of her eyes and chestnut-colored frame.'

  (I sent it to your ring.)

  I acknowledged her efforts with a smile. Something touched my shoulder. Looking over, I found Astraea leaning her head on me with her eyes completely shut. She must be exhausted after running around all day. Her tiny smile looked damn cute.

  The three goddesses were looking straight at Astraea. Loki was about to say something. I put my finger on my lips to shut her up. Astraea deserved some sweet dreams, and she'll get it.

  (Should I help? It's my specialty.)

  'Yes, if it's not too bothersome.'

  (Anything for my love and your lovers.)

  "She did walk to my shop," Hephaestus said in a low voice. "It's too far for a goddess to walk."

  "I see…"

  The trio talked to each other with signals then got up from their seats.

  Hephaestus pointed to the door. "We're going to another room."

  "Have fun," Loki muttered, grinning.

  Hephaestus chased the other two out as quietly as possible and closed the door on her way out. I took a last glance at the sleeping beauty before leaning on the couch and closing my eyes.

  "Guess I'll take a nap too."

  —x—x—x—


  [Hephaestus POV]

  "I wanna look at what they're doin'."

  "I don't mind."

  Hephaestus stared blankly at the two goddesses brewing plans on peeping on Astraea.

  "You both are staying here."

  "Aww. Aren't ya interested in seein' what he does to Astraea?"

  "What if he takes advantage of her?"

  Hephaestus knew the two were trying to fuel the fire.

  "Astraea won't fall asleep on anybody's shoulder like that. She trusts him, and I trust her. It's as simple as that."

  "Still though," Freya said. "Asahi is a well-known hedonist. Would you leave Astraea in his hands?"

  "……That is up to her to decide. I have no right to interfere in her love life," Hephaestus said. "But… if he made her cry, he would burn in the wrath of a fire goddess."

  "So cool." Loki clapped her hands, a mischievous grin floating on her face. "Not that ya can do anything to him."

  Hephaestus stared at the trickster goddess. Was this a provocation to create a conflict between her and Asahi? Or she was telling the truth? Honestly, she noticed something odd about the man. His presence and indistinct aura to be exact. One glance away from him, and she couldn't sense him at all. She thought of it as a skill's effect, but he wouldn't use a skill by his goddess's side, now would he?

  "What are you trying to say?" Freya tried to sound casual but the gleam in her eyes couldn't escape Hephaestus's attention.

  "I don't know," Loki said with a shrug and spread her arms on the couch. "Feels nice to loosen up sometimes."

  She was trying to hide something. Hephaestus realized that, so did Freya looking from her curious expression.

  "Ah, whatever. I'm going to head home and call it a day—"

  Hephaestus turned to the door and squinted her single eye. She felt a deep presence beyond the door, close to Astraea's room. Normally, she wouldn't be able to sense that far, but this presence spread to every part of the floor as if declaring its existence.

  "Freya…"

  "I didn't invite anyone."

  A god appearing here on this floor was too close to comfort. Hephaestus turned to Loki, who had a shadow cast over her face.

  "Idiot," Loki muttered with a smile that looked more forced than anything. "What happened?"

  "You don't feel it?" Freya asked.

  Loki raised a brow, feigning ignorance to the uninvited guest in Freya's home. She pressed her fingers on her temples, a pained look evident on her face. "I-I, my head hurts like bitch."

  Loki passed out on the couch.

  "The drink got to her." Freya shook her head. "We should check it out just in case. Ottar!"

  The mountainous frame of the Boaz appeared on the door, more intimidating than most gods. Hephaestus hoped someone in her Familia reached this level.

  'Can Tsubaki do it?'

  Tsubaki was stuck at level 5 for quite a few years now. She also didn't have much desire to adventure as she just holed up in her workshop to craft weapons. Putting the thought aside, she walked out with Freya and her bodyguard.

  Just as Ottar touched the doorknob, the aura disappeared.

  …Completely vanished.

  ***

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