"!?"
Every invited god in the hall froze. Then, one by one, all eyes locked onto Tsubaki.
What they found there was… truth.
In other words, Hephaestus had found a way to turn the concept of "Great Work" into matter—otherwise, how could "Great Work" be used as a forging material?
"Turning 'Great Work' into a material… Hephaestus really did something outrageous," Hermes muttered. Even he hadn't expected such a conceptual thing to be rendered physical.
But was Hephaestus herself capable of that?
Obviously not realistic. Most gods do not change; what they could not do in the past, they still cannot do now. Which is why Hermes was sure the one who materialized "Great Work" was not Hephaestus.
Faces shifted all around the room.
"So Hephaestus recruited a newcomer?" Ishtar probed.
"He is indeed a newcomer of our Familia," Tsubaki answered without hedging. "His ability is, in fact, suited to forging. But Lady Hephaestus has sealed information about him. Aside from her and me, no one in the Familia knows the details."
The bluntness was startling—even to the gods. Yet their divine senses confirmed it: Tsubaki wasn't lying.
"Looks like it isn't just Loki who picked up a capable child—Hephaestus did too," someone murmured.
A child who could materialize something as conceptual as "Great Work."
"This auction isn't only to sell this Magic Sword," Tsubaki continued. "It's also to announce a new line of business. After more targeted trials, our Familia will accept commissions for new-style weapons forged with 'Great Work.'"
She was already marketing the Hephaestus Familia's upcoming custom line.
"Accordingly, these orders will be priced higher than usual. As for quality, please reference the Magic Sword we're selling today. I have confidence in my work—and that is the Hephaestus Familia's reputation."
"Reputation." The word said as much about her confidence as it did about the maturity of the craft. If it weren't ready, Hephaestus wouldn't dare build a business on it.
"A child who can materialize Great Work…" Freya's eyes narrowed. This was the first time she'd seen a mortal with such an ability. "What is happening? Loki's side has a child who manipulates puppets and space. Hephaestus's side has one who materializes Great Work."
Children with special powers were blooming all at once—something seen only in the age of Zeus and Hera.
"Is this… another Age of Heroes?" Even Freya felt a touch of confusion at the trend. She had considered whether the two newcomers were related, but Tsubaki had already clarified: the boy belonged to the Hephaestus Familia. With divine lie-sense in the room, there was no falsifying that.
"In that case," Tsubaki said, "let's begin the auction."
A Magic Sword with no usage cap was a headline in itself, and the blade's base quality was far from poor. The clincher was that it could reproduce Amphisbaena's two signature magics—an immediate strategic upgrade for any Familia. The only catch was the starting price: three hundred million valis.
"Opening bid: three hundred million valis."
"Three hundred million."
Freya crossed one leg over the other, smiling as she lifted her hand.
"That woman…" Ishtar's displeasure spiked.
"Four hundred million," Ishtar said, hand up at once.
Freya's lips curved, eyes amused. "My, Ishtar—you rarely show such interest in Magic Swords."
That effortless poise only stoked Ishtar's temper. She sniffed. "What I'm interested in is none of your concern."
Freya merely shook her head, voice turning almost advisory. "You do love targeting me, Ishtar. But what good does it do you? If I suddenly stop, you'll be the one overpaying."
"Five hundred million," Ishtar snapped, refusing to back down.
Freya's languid confidence made the anger surge hotter still.
"Even if I lose big," Ishtar bit out, "I'm not letting you have this sword."
"One billion."
The number landed like a hammer. Freya nearly laughed when she heard it.
"Such a child," she thought. "So easy to provoke that competitive streak."
Aloud, she only sighed. "Since you like it so much, Ishtar, it's yours." A beat, then the knife slid in with velvet. "Though your premium is a tad much. Can your Pleasure Quarter really afford you playing like this?"
"Unlike me," she added sweetly, "I don't run production. My children are much shrewder on that front. Our Familia's finances rarely need my meddling."
"…"
Ishtar's nails nearly broke skin in her palm. She'd chased the heat of the moment—and now she felt the sting. The Pleasure Quarter bled money as quickly as it made it. Even for the Labyrinth City's gilded sinkhole, her Familia's liquid funds weren't limitless. Two billion was the most she could mobilize. Dropping half of it on a single Magic Sword was, by any measure, extravagant.
Worse was the humiliation: she'd spent the money, yet hadn't vented a shred of her ire at Freya. If anything, she'd ended up angrier.
"Heh." Freya watched Ishtar swallow the bitterness. Killing her fun too quickly would only reduce future amusement.
(End of Chapter)
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