Luki ran, he was like an arrow cutting through the air toward its target, an arrow that wouldn't miss or stop until it hit.
Nothing mattered except moving ahead.
And behind him, someone was making it very clear how dissatisfied she was for not being given the importance she deserved.
— LUKIIIIIIII!!! — A high-pitched scream, louder and more annoying even than the scream of the bat monsters, filled the entire room.
Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!
— GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!!! — Hestia shouted, running with everything her short legs could muster.
But the distance between them didn't shrink.
— You ignored your GODDESS! YOUR BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING, PERFECT GODDESS!!! — she kept going, completely offended.
— THIS IS HERESY! BLASPHEMY! DIVINE BETRAYAL!!! — she pointed forward as she ran, even though he wasn't looking.
Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!
— I'LL REVOKE YOUR FALNA! …I think I can do that?! CAN I DO THAT?! I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL TRY!!!
— HEY! DON'T IGNORE ME WHEN I'M THREATENING YOU!!! THAT'S HIERARCHICAL DISRESPECT!!!
Hestia was screaming desperately and exaggeratedly; it would be a comical scene if it weren't already
But considering everything that happened, it's normal for her to be acting this way. They haven't seen each other for months; she spent months agonizing over something having happened or him being in danger, and when they finally meet, this happens?
I'm sorry, but this goddess won't accept this quietly.
That is, if she hadn't tripped over the SINGLE pebble that conveniently appeared in her path on a perfectly paved floor.
— AAH!
THUD!
Her body slammed into the ground, rolling once before stopping completely.
Silence.
Then-
— WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! — She burst into tears instantly.
A massive bump had formed on her head, swelling comically as tears poured down her face like a waterfall.
— LUKIIIIIIII!!! — she cried at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing through the Dungeon.
— YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME ANYMORE, YOU HEARTLESS MONSTER!!! — Tears kept streaming down endlessly like rivers at the sides of her face.
— The Luki I know would NEVER let me cry like this! NEVER!!! — she sobbed, shaking her head violently.
She raised a trembling hand to her chest, completely immersed in her own drama.
— He would turn around right now! He would run back to me! He would fall to his knees and say how much he regrets ignoring his beautiful goddess while gently patting her head!!!
A pause.
Silence.
…
Nothing happened.
— …Huh? — She blinked, still lying on the ground waiting for him.
— …Wait. — Her eyes slowly narrowed.
— Why… isn't this working?
Another second passed, still nothing.
Veins popped on her forehead.
— OI!!! — She shot up to her feet, fists clenched.
— YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK!!! THAT WAS A PERFECT SCENE!!! I EVEN ADDED THE HEAD-PATTING!!! — she shouted, furious now, pointing forward as if he could somehow see her.
— …UNBELIEVABLE!!! — She stomped the ground in frustration.
— FINE! BE LIKE THAT!!! SEE IF I CARE!!! She crossed her arms and turned her face away in a sulky gesture, her cheeks puffing out.
Not even a moment later.
— …I CARE!!! — She turned around, completely forgetting her tantrum and screaming loudly again.
Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!
She started running again at full speed, tears still clinging to her face and boobs bouncing with each step.
— LUKI!!! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!!!
It was useless; even though she for some reason was seemingly just as fast as him, Luki had taken the lead first and gained a significant advantage from Hestia's drama.
Unless she gets faster, she'll never catch him.
Hestia kept running, her breathing uneven but her determination absurdly high.
Whoosh!
— Hestia-sama. — Finn called out as he finally caught up to the goddess.
— What do you want, little blond thing?! Can't you see I'm busy?! — Hestia snapped back sharply.
Finn's eyes widened. For a brief moment, his step faltered, and he nearly tripped over his own feet before quickly regaining his balance.
'Little blond thing?' he thought.
As a Pallum, he had obviously been the target of countless jokes about his height and appearance, but never in his forty years had he been called anything like that.
RUMBLE!
A sudden pressure filled the air.
— …What did you just call him? — Tione Hiryute spoke, her voice low and dangerous.
Her eyes widened unnaturally, her pupils shrinking to thin dots as a sharp, unsettling smile spread across her face.
— Say that again. Bitch.
Hestia glanced at her.
— The little blond thing? — she repeated without hesitation.
— …I'll fucking kill you. — Tione's smile stretched even further, her body leaning forward as killing intent began to spill out.
— I'll tear you apart piece by pi-
— Oh please. — Hestia scoffed. — He is small and blond. I'm just being accurate.
— YOU-
— Tione. — Finn Deimne's voice cut in sharply.
She froze, the hand that had been reaching for her weapon stopping mid-motion, her fingers opening and closing as if she were still holding herself back.
— …Tch. — Clicking her tongue, she turned her face away, clearly annoyed.
Finn sighed, rubbing his temple.
— …Hestia-sama. I know you're thrilled to have finally found your child, but it's not a good idea to run off like this; something could hap-
— Pff~ as if something here could harm me, I am a goddess.
— I know, but still, wouldn't it be better if we joined the others and tried to stop him together? — he continued, correcting himself smoothly and choosing his words carefully to navigate the state of this unusually agitated goddess. — I suspect no one knows why he's acting this way, but I don't think you can catch up to him like this either.
Hestia opened her mouth to reply but couldn't think of anything; she had to admit, Luki was running far too fast for her.
At another time, she would have proudly boasted about how amazing her Luki-kun was, but now she couldn't help but feel frustrated by it.
— You're the son of that ironing board, right? Finland Demon, or whatever your name was? What do you suggest?
A cold, malevolent aura surged behind them, on the verge of exploding, but the two ignored it completely, leaving the other members of the Loki Familia to restrain the enraged amazoness.
— If you give us permission, we could 'capture' him for you, considering he doesn't seem to be in his right state of mind.
— What?! You want to capture my Luki-kun?! You want to die, you bastard?! — Hestia gasped, then immediately snapped back, baring her teeth like a territorial beast.
Finn remained unfazed, responding calmly, fully aware that the other party was under considerable emotional stress.
— All we need to do is stop him from moving. I'm sure that if Hestia-sama takes a moment to speak with him, as his Familia goddess, you should be able to understand the cause and resolve everything.
— We won't hurt him, only immobilize him. You don't need to worry about his safety, I give you my word as Captain of the Loki Familia.
Hestia glared at him, clenching her fists and grinding her teeth. She had to admit, his idea sounded reasonable, especially since there wasn't much she could do in her current state.
She didn't want to release her divine power and appear in that cold, emotionless form in front of her beloved after so long apart, what kind of impression would that leave?
Apparently, to achieve her goal, she would have to compromise, even if it meant relying on brats of that Billiard Table once again.
— Okay, I give you permission.
— Uhm. — Finn nodded, but before he could say anything else, Hestia poked him in the face.
— But!!! — she continued, her tone suddenly much sharper. — If I see you doing anything funny to my Luki-kun, then you'll answer to me. Am I clear?
— Yes, Hestia-sama. — Finn replied seriously, not intimidated in the slightest, as he had no reason to be.
— Great! That being said, there's one more thing. — she added with a mischievous smile, crossing her arms beneath her chest, pushing it up slightly as her expression shifted into something far more shameless.
…
— Forward! After my Luki-kun, don't let him escape!!! — Hestia's voice rang out with full authority, loud and dramatic as ever.
But now, she was perched high above the ground, sitting proudly on someone's shoulders, pointing straight ahead like a general leading her army into battle.
The wind rushed against her hair as they moved at high speed, her earlier exhaustion completely forgotten.
— Yoo-hoo!!! — she threw her arms wide open, clearly enjoying the situation far more than she should.
A vein pulsed on the forehead of the man carrying her.
— …I'll kill her… — Bete Loga growled, his gaze filled with a mix of disbelief and anger, as if he still refused to accept this reality.
— Pfft! Don't say that, you mutt. Look on the bright side, now you're finally useful for something. — Tiona Hiryute nearly burst out laughing.
— …I'll kill her… — he repeated quietly, completely ignoring the comment.
— Yes, all you're missing now is a muzzle and some reins, and you'd make a perfect beast of burden. — Tione said, trying and failing to hold back her laughter.
— Want a treat, Bete? Who's a good boy, huh? Who is it? Who is it?
— …I'll kill someone…
Everyone was laughing, holding back laughter, or openly mocking Bete. But that didn't last long, because Finn soon showed up to put an end to it.
— Enough joking around, let's finish this quickly and head back. And Bete, stop complaining, it's only for a few minutes.
— …I'll fucking kill someone… — he continued muttering under his breath, as if he were placing some kind of curse on them.
Finn simply sighed, and seeing that Bete wasn't doing anything drastic, he let him be.
— Ais, Tione, Tiona. You three are the fastest besides Bete, who is… unavailable, so go ahead and stop him. Try talking to him first. If that doesn't work, then you may get a bit rougher, but be careful not to hurt him. — he ordered, glancing briefly at a certain goddess as if to make his meaning clear.
— Understood. — Tione Hiryute responded immediately, her expression sharp as she glanced toward Finn with a faint glint in her eyes.
— Leave it to us! — Tiona Hiryute added with an excited grin, clearly fired up for the chase.
Ais Wallenstein didn't say a word, simply giving a small nod, her gaze already fixed ahead.
The next instant.
Whoosh!
The three of them vanished from the group's side, bursting forward with explosive acceleration. Within seconds, they were nothing more than fading shadows in the distance.
Finn watched in silence, his eyes lingering on the spot where they had disappeared.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips.
— …Let's hope this goes well. — he murmured under his breath.
— MOVE, YOU DAMN SLUG!!! MOVE!!! — Hestia's voice exploded right behind him, completely shattering the mood.
Smack!
A small whip appeared from who-knows-where in her hand, cracking sharply against Bete's rear.
— THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! — Bete Loga growled, his eyes wide with pure disbelief.
— FASTER!!! MY LUKI-KUN IS GETTING AWAY!!! — Hestia shouted, striking again without a hint of shame.
Smack! Smack!
— I SWEAR I'M GOING T-!
— LESS COMPLAINING, MORE RUNNING!!!
— …I'm going to kill someone… — Bete muttered under his breath, his voice low and filled with murderous intent as he kept running.
…
Luki steps were relentless as his body cut through the Dungeon corridor without slowing down for even a second. Dust and small debris were kicked up behind him, trailing in the air as he pushed forward.
His eyes were wide open, unblinking. The dry air and fine particles struck his face, hitting directly against his eyes, but he didn't react. His gaze remained fixed ahead with an unnatural focus.
Not to mention the strange blue emanating from him, not as overwhelming as before, but still present. It was most visible along the roots of his hair, where faint blue strands were almost hidden beneath the blond, and within his irises, which remained clear and vividly blue, like polished crystal.
Even at the extremities of his limbs, such as his wrists and ankles, there seemed to be thin, ribbon-like traces of blue clinging to him. Present, yet almost imperceptible, something that could easily be ignored if one wasn't paying close attention.
— Wow, he's still going? I had to move at top speed to catch up with you, and I'm, like, Level Six, you know? That's crazy, man. What level are you again? — a woman's voice suddenly echoed nearby, light, cheerful, and clearly impressed.
At some point, without him noticing, or perhaps he had, but simply chose not to react, three figures appeared around him, matching his speed perfectly.
To his left, a young, slender girl with a thin sword at her waist. She was blonde, with an impassive, almost doll-like expression, and wore light armor that didn't seem particularly imposing. At first glance, she didn't appear very strong, but he knew better. For some reason, Luki could almost feel a cool presence around her, like a minty, but that concealed a sharp edge beneath it.
A little further back, a woman with tanned skin and straight dark hair ran with steady movements. She wore revealing clothing and had modest curves; unlike the blonde, she carried a more aggressive yet restrained air. The calm on her face couldn't hide the liquid heat inside her. If Luki had to describe her in one word, it would be cold. As for her weapons, she carried a simple pair of kukri knives, similar to that one Luki used, but clearly of much higher quality.
To his right, another girl who looked very similar to the woman behind him in terms of skin tone, clothing style, and hair color. However, she had a shorter, messier haircut, along with more tomboyish features and a noticeable lack of curves, she could easily be mistaken for a boy at first glance, though she had her own kind of charm. Like her counterpart, she also carried a certain heat within her, but hers was brighter and almost harmless, like sunlight.
Oh, and she was wielding a massive double-bladed weapon, something reminiscent of Thanos's sword, except even bigger and heavier than her own body.
They surrounded him in a loose triangle, seemingly relaxed, yet every single one of them was watching him closely. Luki could practically see the tension beneath their skin, muscles ready to contract at any moment.
And yet, for some strange reason, Luki didn't feel afraid of them. Even knowing that each one was individually stronger than him, the only thing he could truly feel was a faint shiver caused by the woman behind him.
— Sooo… your name is Luki something, right? — Tiona Hiryute spoke up casually, keeping pace beside him as if this were just a normal stroll.
No response, she didn't seem to mind and kept talkinh to herself.
— I remember you, you know? We saw each other once. At a tavern. We were celebrating something… I don't really remember what, but there was a lot of food and alcohol involved. — she grinned, clearly amused by her own memory.
Luki kept running, his gaze fixed forward, completely ignoring her presence.
— You remember me, right? We didn't actually talk, but I'm pretty sure you noticed me. I mean… — she gave him a quick once-over, a playful grin spreading across her face — guys usually don't miss someone like me. What, don't tell me I'm not your type?
Tiona remained silent, waiting for some reaction. Although she had never had a partner, she was used to this kind of teasing, whether due to her race's culture or personality, and she was used to receiving a simple flirtation back or being rejected.
But again. Luki simply stood silently in her path, neither glancing at her nor blushing slightly.
Tiona didn't know why, but for the first time she felt a pang of anger at his reaction, even though it wasn't the first time.
— Or what? Don't tell me you didn't? That'd hurt my pride a little.
Silence.
— He definitely talks a lot, doesn't he, as if Ais were a man; the two of them are quite similar. — Tione Hiryute commented, maintaining the calmer and more composed demeanor that she always tries to maintain.
— Yeah, I can see that. — Tiona shrugged, completely unfazed. — Kinda rude, though.
Ais, who hadn't been paying much attention to the conversation, turned her face curiously to get a better look at him, but quickly turned back when she noticed that they literally had nothing in common; she had yellowish eyes, he didn't.
Tione, who was behind them, had a privileged view of the two blank-faced blondes side by side and couldn't help but see the resemblance; the two were practically siblings.
— Anyway! My name's Tiona Hiryute. First-Class Adventurer of the Loki Familia! — she declared proudly, puffing her chest just a little.
She jerked her thumb behind her.
— That's my sister, Tione. Try not to annoy her too much, she bites.
— Ignore her, she's just ruining my image out of jealousy. — Tione.
— See? — Tiona laughed lightly, as if that somehow proved her point.
Then she tilted her head toward the other side.
— And that's Ais Wallenstein. — she added, lowering her voice just a little, though still cheerful. — She doesn't talk much, but in reality, she just doesn't know how to make friends and complains to her Mama Riveria every day about how everyone treats her differently; she's a real sweetheart on the inside.
Ais turned her head sharply towards her, her cheeks puffing out with irritation.
— Kaykay, maybe I exaggerated some things, but she has a good girl.
Tiona looked back at Luki again, studying him more closely this time.
— So… what's the deal with you? You must have been running like this for a while now, and you're not even breathing hard. — she asked, her tone still light, but now carrying a hint of curiosity.
No answer.
— And that blue thing, that's not normal either, is it some kind of magic? — her eyes flicked briefly over his hair and arms — Did you awaken naturally or did you read some grimoire? No, nonsense, your family wouldn't be able to afford something like that... no offense of course.
He still hadn't answered. Tiona felt irritated and decided to test his limits, moving closer until their shoulders were practically touching. She then put her face in front of his and said loudly.
— Hey! Can you hear me? I'm talking to you! H-E-L-L-O!
Her only response was a focused stare that didn't seem to be looking at her. Disappointed, she returned to her place, running by his right.
— Wow, you're really committed to this whole "silent guy" thing, huh?
— Kinda cool, actually. I think girls like that quieter, more brooding type of guy, what was the term again...? — Tione put her hand to her chin as she tried to remember.
— I don't know, as a amazoness we learn that a good man is a strong man, but I honestly like men who are more cheerful and full of energy like me.
— You're just copying the description of that Argonaut guy from that children's book.
— Better than you, obsessed with a single man who doesn't even pay attention to you.
— You're just jealous that I have someone I like. But don't worry, little sister, I'm sure that somewhere in the world there's a man who likes girls like you, even if I spend my whole life I'll help you find him.
— Oh, you! Are you saying I don't have audience?!
— I didn't say anything, your words, not mine.
Tiona growled through gritted teeth, squeezing her breath at her sister as if she wanted to strangle her. But she quickly sighed resignedly, understanding that this would lead nowhere, and turned her attention back to him.
— Well, whatever. We were told to stop you, so… wanna make this easy for us and just slow down?
Ignored once again
— Come on, dude, I'm trying to be nice here. Your goddess is super worried about you, you have no idea how far she's gone for us to be here now. You two have kind of become the main focus of conversation between women when we want to talk about romance and shits, and I don't want to hurt you.
Without any threat, Tiona raised her arm and tried to place her hand on Luki's shoulder, but just as her hand was about to touch it, she was slapped away.
Tiona didn't take it to heart and simply withdrew her hand, then let out another resigned sigh.
— I didn't want things to come to this, you're cute, you know. — She adjusted her grip on her weapon, a slight tension rising in the air.
Tione and Ais noticed the change and also prepared to act.
Then, to their surprise, Luki finally acted differently. Raising his sword as if he were ready to fight.
The four narrowed their eyes.