That day, Loki Familia's captain Finn, executive Gareth, and patron goddess Loki were summoned by fellow executive Riveria.
"What is it, calling us so suddenly? Did some problem occur?"
"Ah~, it's probably about that book, right?"
Gareth tilted his head at the sudden summons, while Finn spoke as if he had an idea of the matter at hand.
"What? What's 'that book'?"
"It is THIS—!!"
Riveria slammed the book onto the table with a violence unlike her usual self. Loki glanced at the book presented to her, opened her eyes—which were usually shut so tight one wondered if they were even open—to their limit, and picked it up.
"Wh-What is thiiiiis!? My Ais-tan is half-naked and clinging to the Shrimp's brat!!!?"
Reacting to the cover illustration of Bell and Ais embracing half-naked, Loki flipped through the book. The contents were even more stimulating than the cover.
"Um, Ais-san..."
"Bell, are you nervous? It's okay. I'm the older sister, so I'll lead you properly ♡"
The exquisite art, the easy-to-read paneling, the faithful reproduction of the models... if this were just a manga, one might praise it unconditionally.
That is, if it weren't a "Real Person Erotic Doujinshi."
"N... No way. My Ais-tan making such sensual moves and having S*X with that Shrimp's brat..."
"Wha—! Do not say it out loud, you fool!!"
Watching Riveria overreact to Loki saying "S*X," Finn and Gareth felt a strange nostalgia seeing the Elf so flustered for the first time in a while.
Nevertheless, having a book sold without permission that humiliates a member of the Familia—an executive, no less, and someone like a daughter to them—was not amusing.
"Still, who on earth drew this?"
"Umu. That youngster wouldn't do something like this."
"Agreed. He wouldn't prefer this kind of method. Well, he's famous as the Record Holder, and honestly, his appearance has mass appeal. He's perfect model material."
It would be troublesome if weird rumors damaged the Loki Familia's reputation. But more than that, thinking about another certain Elf who would be even more furious than the Riveria standing before them gave Finn a headache.
Usually calm and composed, she tended to go berserk whenever Bell Cranel and Ais were involved.
"For now, let's have Raul head to the Pleasure Quarter and capture the author. I don't know what their goal is, but they'll have to pay the price for mocking the Loki Familia."
"Right. However, content aside, the precision of this art and the readability... this isn't the work of an amateur."
"Why are you reading it so seriously!?"
Riveria smacked the head of Gareth, who was reading the book depicting Ais's affair with an innocent look on his face.
An attack from Riveria, a backline mage, was merely a gentle breeze against the durability of Gareth, a frontline tank. Gareth ignored Riveria's protest, scratched the spot she hit, and closed the book on the desk with a resigned look.
"Good grief. We must give appropriate punishment to whoever drew this!"
"Well, that's obvious. But if you or I went to the Pleasure Quarter to investigate, rumors would spread immediately, and it would reach the ears of the artist. That's why we're sending Raul, who won't stand out. So please, don't get emotional and run off on your own."
"...I know."
He wanted to ask about the slight pause before her answer, but pressing the issue when she claimed to understand would be boorish. Finn stayed silent.
The members of Loki Familia all trusted the wise and noble High Elf, Riveria. That was exactly why her rampage had to be stopped at all costs.
If she charged into the Pleasure Quarter in a fit of momentum, not only the Familia's Elves but every Elf in the city might join in the manhunt. If that happened, attracting the Guild's attention was guaranteed.
It was better to crush a future that might stain the Loki Familia's honor early. In both senses...
"Anyway, we need Raul to catch the culprit quickly."
Wondering how to explain this to Raul, Finn and the others left the room.
That same day, Ais came to Loki's divine chamber for a certain reason.
"Loki, are you there?"
She knocked, but there was no answer. Thinking Loki might be out, she opened the door and peeked inside. Loki wasn't there.
Wondering what to do, she decided to wait inside, thinking Loki might return soon. While hesitating over whether she should touch anything, a single book on the desk caught her eye.
"What is this?"
The cover depicted Bell, stripped of his clothes just like the half-naked Ais next to him.
Thinking it was an extension of Loki's sexual harassment, she succumbed to curiosity and looked inside. Written there was content far too stimulating for the pure and innocent Ais.
"Ais-sa—n... Chu ♡"
"Nn... ♡ This is my first kiss... ♡"
At first, it depicted training on the city walls—a scene from back then, though she didn't know when they had been watched. But the development changed after the book-Ais accidentally injured Bell.
On the next page, Bell and Ais's lips overlapped. The page after that showed Ais pushing a confused Bell down.
Bit by bit, she stripped off her clothes and Bell's clothes, developing into an act she didn't quite understand.
"Is this... Bell's p*nis?"
In the book, when she forcibly removed Bell's pants and underwear, Bell's "thing"—the symbol of a man she only knew by existence—was in full view.
She did this to it, and that to it, flirting and loving—
"Ais? Was Loki there~?"
"Ah—!!?"
Tiona, who had been searching for Loki with her, called out from the doorway behind the engrossed Ais.
Startled, Ais reflexively closed the book and accidentally dropped it on the floor.
Clatter!
As the sound echoed through the room, Tiona peeked inside curiously. The moment she took a step in, Ais kicked the fallen book with Level 6 agility, sliding it under the desk.
"N-No, Loki wasn't here."
"What's wrong, Ais? Your face is red."
"I-Is it?"
Indeed, now that she mentioned it, her body felt hot and flushed.
"Anyway, she wasn't here either. Where should we look next?"
"Um, well, I'll wait here until Loki comes back, so Tiona, you—"
"Ah, Aki! Hey, do you know where Loki went?"
Ignoring Ais, Tiona spotted Aki passing by and asked for Loki's whereabouts. Aki seemed to know, mentioning that Loki had just sent Raul on an errand.
"OK! Thanks. Come on, Ais, let's go!"
"Ah, wait!"
Without leaving room for argument, Tiona dragged Ais away, running toward where Loki was.
"What was that about? Hmm..."
Aki noticed a book lying under the desk in Loki's wide-open room. Thinking Loki had dropped it while drunk, she casually picked it up. But seeing the characters and situation on the cover, she froze in shock.
It was unmistakably a picture of Ais and the currently trending Rabbit Foot—from another Familia—embracing half-naked.
Thinking it couldn't be, she flipped the pages to check the content. Depicted there was a sex act so passionate they looked like lovers—un-Ais-like, yet somehow retaining her character.
"...Phew."
Even skimming it, Aki finished the book. She took a deep breath to calm and organize her confused thoughts.
Ais and Tiona left this room to find Loki. Loki dotes on Ais; while she harasses Ais frequently, she would never permit a relationship like this with a man from another Familia.
And earlier, Loki sent Raul on an errand. Organizing the facts...
"Someone is drawing and selling unauthorized books of Ais and Rabbit Foot?"
Arriving at the truth, Aki hid the book on the bookshelf in the way middle school boys hide their stash so no one else would see it. Then, she too left the room to find Loki and learn the details of the situation.