At the entrance of the Loki Familia's base.
"Could you please notify Loki for me? Just tell her I've got something I'd like to discuss."
After bringing Seele and Sakura all the way from the abandoned church, Hestia spoke briefly with the guards at the gate. Recognizing her as a goddess, the Loki Familia members didn't say much and quickly sent someone inside to deliver the message.
Before long, someone came out and led Hestia, Sakura, and Seele into the Twilight Manor.
Inside the main hall of the Twilight Manor, the Loki Familia's captain Finn, along with Riveria and Gareth, were already waiting to welcome the Hestia Familia.
"Nice to meet you. I am Finn, captain of the Loki Familia. These are Vice-Captain Riveria and Gareth. Welcome to our familia."
"Our goddess Loki is still upstairs preparing, so we'll be receiving you for now. Please forgive us if anything is lacking."
Finn spoke warmly to Hestia and the two girls before her.
That all three of the Loki Familia's highest-ranking members—each a Lv.6—were present was more than enough to show how seriously they were taking this visit.
If it had merely been ordinary familia members, such a reception would have been unnecessary. But this time, the one visiting was Hestia herself, a goddess.
Even if it was just a sudden whim or a matter of boredom between gods, Finn, as the Loki Familia's captain, still had to show sufficient respect to avoid any breach of etiquette in the eyes of other gods—or worse, embarrassing his own goddess.
Even if Loki herself might not care about such things, until she clearly expressed otherwise, Finn had to make sure everything was handled properly.
"That Loki brat, what is she even 'preparing' for?"
Hestia snorted irritably.
"What's there to prepare? Is she trying to put on airs and deliberately avoid me?"
She had no complaints about Finn and the others' courtesy—but Loki's excuse annoyed her to no end.
Not to mock her or anything, but with a body flatter than a plank, what exactly did Loki need to prepare? And after knowing each other for so many years, since when had Loki ever taken her so seriously that she needed to dress up just to meet her?
It was obviously just an excuse to avoid seeing her.
"I heard that, you little shrimp!"
Hestia's words had barely fallen when Loki—who had been hiding on the staircase—couldn't hold it in anymore and jumped out.
"How am I avoiding you?! If I really didn't want to see you, you wouldn't even make it past the front gate of my familia, got it?!"
Well… she had wanted to dodge Hestia for a bit.
After all, as the god of deception, Loki understood the nature of gods better than anyone. The moment she heard that Hestia had come with two children from the lower world, she immediately knew—this was definitely a visit to show off.
Still, driven by curiosity about the two kids who had shattered Ais's long-standing fastest-level-up record, Loki reluctantly allowed Finn to bring them in instead of outright turning them away.
And thus, the current scene came to be.
"So these are the two kids who broke Ais-chan's leveling record, huh?"
Loki squinted at Seele and Sakura behind Hestia, her gaze burning with interest.
"Four days from Lv.1 to Lv.2—seriously? Are you sure you didn't lie to the Guild about the timing, you little shrimp?"
"The Guild would obviously investigate something like this repeatedly before posting an announcement," Hestia retorted.
"And I wouldn't lie about something like this just to show off. Do I look like that kind of goddess to you?"
"Well… that's true."
Even Loki, who loved calling her a little shrimp, acknowledged that Hestia's character was among the best as far as gods went.
If Hestia herself confirmed the speed was real, then it meant the two girls behind her truly had accomplished the unbelievable feat of leveling up in four days.
"Seele, Sakura, say hello."
Hestia prompted the two girls behind her.
"Yes. Greetings, Goddess Loki. I am Seele Vollerei, current captain of the Hestia Familia. This is Kinomoto Sakura. Please feel free to call us Seele and Sakura."
"Hello, Goddess Loki."
The two girls greeted Loki—and Finn's group—with polite bows.
"How adorable~"
Loki stepped forward with a grin, reaching out to pat their heads.
"No need to be so formal—just call me Loki-onee-san. By the way, have you two ever considered joining the Loki Familia? Our conditions are way better than what this little shrimp can offer, you know~"
Touching their heads, Loki felt as if her soul had been healed.
So cute, such incredible talent, and obedient on top of that—and she'd run into two of them at once.
Had Hestia been eating that well lately?
It was enough to make a god jealous. She'd even heard that Hestia had been scraping by on part-time jobs not long ago—so how did she suddenly stumble into two perfect children like this?
Did she just bump into them on the street on her way home from work or something? What kind of absurd luck was that?!
Unforgivable, Hestia!
"Thank you for the invitation, Loki-onee-san," Seele replied gently,
"but I have no intention of leaving the Hestia Familia."
"Sakura also wants to stay by Hestia-onee-san's side. I'm sorry, Loki-onee-san."
Unfortunately for Loki, despite her desire to poach them, both girls politely but firmly refused.
Hestia immediately put on a smug expression.
"See that? The bond between me and Seele and Sakura isn't something you can break with a few sweet words, you flat-chested plank. If you're thinking of stealing them away, you'd better give up now."
"Tch… damn it. I really don't know where you get this kind of luck."
Loki clicked her tongue unhappily and dragged over a chair in the hall, plopping down.
"So. What did you actually come here for?"
"It's nothing major," Hestia said, her expression turning serious as she explained her purpose.
"I just wanted to find a first-tier adventurer from your familia to spar with Sakura."
"Huh?"
Loki stared at her as if she'd just heard the dumbest joke in existence.
"You want a kid from your familia—who just hit Lv.2—to spar with one of my first-tier adventurers? Someone who's at least Lv.5? And Sakura here is basically a newbie who only got her blessing a few days ago?"
Her expression clearly said:
Are you screwing with me right now?
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