"!?"
Every god in attendance froze for a moment, their eyes turning toward Tsubaki in unison.
And yet the answer they received was the truth.
In other words—Hephaestus had discovered a way to materialize Excellia itself, turning an abstract concept into something tangible. Otherwise, how else could Excellia become a forging material?
"To turn Excellia into a material… Hephaestus has really done something remarkable."
Even Hermes hadn't expected this. Something as conceptual as Excellia—made solid by Hephaestus? It seemed impossible.
But did Hephaestus truly possess such an ability?
Obviously not.
The gods were immutable beings. What they couldn't do before, they still couldn't do now.
Which meant one thing—Hermes was almost certain the one who had materialized Excellia wasn't Hephaestus herself.
The other gods exchanged glances, their expressions subtly shifting.
"So, Hephaestus recruited someone new?" Ishtar asked cautiously.
"Yes. He's a newcomer to our Familia. His skill is indeed in Forging. But by order of Lady Hephaestus, all information about him is sealed. Other than myself and Lady Hephaestus, no one else in the Familia knows."
Tsubaki's answer was shockingly direct—so direct that every god present was stunned.
Yet with their divine senses, they could all tell she was telling the truth. There wasn't even a trace of falsehood.
So it's not only the Loki Familia that's gained a gifted newcomer… the Hephaestus Familia has as well.
Someone capable of materializing Excellia—a concept born from the very essence of adventuring itself.
"This auction isn't just about selling this Magic Sword," Tsubaki continued, "it's also to promote our new line of business."
"After further development and testing, our Familia will begin taking commissions for new-style weapons forged using Excellia."
With a proud smile, Tsubaki boldly announced Hephaestus Familia's next venture.
"Of course, weapons of this kind will be significantly more expensive to order."
"As for their quality, I believe today's Magic Sword speaks for itself. I have full confidence in my craftsmanship."
"This is the reputation of the Hephaestus Familia."
The word reputation carried weight—it wasn't just Tsubaki's confidence speaking. It also showed that this forging technique must already be mature. Otherwise, Hephaestus would never risk her name by making it public.
A child who can materialize Excellia…
Freya had never heard of such a thing before.
What's going on? First Loki finds a child who can manipulate Puppets and even space itself. Now Hephaestus brings in someone who can turn Excellia into matter.
It was as if gifted children with impossible abilities were suddenly appearing all at once.
Such phenomena hadn't been seen since the age of Zeus and Hera.
Could this be the dawn of another Heroic Era?
Freya found herself bewildered by the strange surge of talent in the lower world.
She'd considered whether there might be a connection between the two cases.
Unfortunately, Tsubaki had already made it clear—the child was part of the Hephaestus Familia. And with so many gods present, none could lie without being instantly exposed.
There was no link between them.
"Well then," Tsubaki said once the murmuring subsided, "let's begin the auction."
The crowd quieted.
A Magic Sword without usage limits—that headline alone was enough to draw bidders. And the sword's quality was excellent besides.
What truly mattered, though, was that it could wield both of the Amphisbaena's spells. Strategically speaking, it was a massive boost for any Familia.
The only issue—the starting bid of three hundred million valis was steep.
"Starting bid: three hundred million valis."
"Three hundred million."
Freya crossed one leg over the other, smiling as she gracefully raised her hand.
That woman…!
Ishtar's irritation flared immediately. Her long-standing resentment toward Freya and her desire to keep Freya Familia in check made her lift her hand almost without thinking.
"Four hundred million."
Freya only smiled, glancing at her with calm amusement.
"My, my… Ishtar, I didn't think you'd take such an interest in a Magic Sword."
That graceful, taunting tone made Ishtar's blood boil. She let out a sharp, angry snort.
"What I'm interested in has nothing to do with you."
Freya shook her head lightly, her voice dripping with teasing sympathy.
"You really do enjoy opposing me, don't you, Ishtar? But I'm not sure what you gain from it. Don't blame me if I stop bidding suddenly and you end up overpaying."
"Five hundred million."
Freya's easygoing arrogance only fueled Ishtar's temper. Her anger spiked.
"Even if I overpay, I won't let you have it!"
"Ten billion."
Freya nearly laughed aloud.
Ishtar really is such a child. So easy to provoke.
Freya sighed softly.
"Well, since you seem to want it so badly, I'll leave it to you."
"Though, you might be overpaying just a little. The Pleasure Quarter's finances can't handle this sort of recklessness, can they?"
"Unlike me, I'm not very good at production," Freya added with a lazy smile. "That's why my children manage those things for me. The Familia's economy runs just fine without my involvement."
"…"
Ishtar's nails dug into her palms.
Her anger had burned hot, but now—now she just felt pain.
The Pleasure Quarter demanded enormous upkeep. Even though it was Orario's greatest gold sink, her Familia's available funds were limited.
Ten billion was the most she could possibly spend.
To blow half her reserves on a single sword… it was extravagance bordering on madness.
What stung even more was that despite spending all that money, her anger hadn't been satisfied at all. If anything, Freya's smug expression made it worse.
"Heh."
Freya watched her rival seethe, struggling to swallow her frustration.
She smiled faintly.
No—she couldn't let Ishtar self-destruct too quickly. That would make things far less entertaining.