Inside the cramped storeroom.
No lamp was lit; only the faint morning light seeping in through the cracks between the wooden boards.
Ryu leaned against a wall stacked high with flour sacks and baskets of potatoes.
Both her hands covered her cheeks, taking in that pair of slender, pointed elven ears along with them. Through the gaps between her fingers, she could clearly feel the temperature of her own palms.
Hot. Burning hot. As if a fire had blazed straight up from her neck to her hairline.
Lord Haimer's words kept replaying endlessly in her mind.
I like you very much, Miss Elf. I like you very much…
The moment she thought of that sentence, a whimper couldn't help but escape Ryu's throat; she buried her face even deeper into her knees, her body growing rigid beyond measure from the tension.
After all. To an elf who clung steadfastly to tradition, such blunt words, stripped of any embellishment, were practically equivalent to the most solemn declaration of courtship!
And in the forests of the elves, only a partner who had sworn an oath to spend their whole life together would say such a line in that kind of tone. But. Just how had she answered him a moment ago?
She had actually gone and told Kami-sama that she had no experience.
Ahh, how mortifying…
Ryu bit down on her lower lip, her fingers digging hard into the fabric of her skirt hem.
In that situation just now, not only had she failed to give a clean refusal, she'd gone and said something like that instead.
How was that any different from directly telling Kami-sama, "I'm interested in you too"?
But he was a god, and she was nothing more than a Lower World adventurer burdened with a sea of blood-feud vengeance.
What's more, she had merely come to deliver a sword-belt pendant as an apology gift—so why had things suddenly escalated to this point?
Kami-sama always looked so composed and unhurried; he was so indulgent toward Lady Hestia, and just as gentle toward the girls of the Familia, and even toward the monsters.
Could it be that Kami-sama treated every single girl this way?
No, impossible! Ryu shook her head, trying to fling the thought away.
The look in Kami-sama's eyes when he regarded people was not that of a frivolous philanderer.
Which meant—Kami-sama was being serious?!!
"Uuuu—!!!!" "No good." Ryu suddenly drew in a deep breath.
She couldn't keep thinking about it.
If she thought about it any further, her heart would practically leap out of her throat.
Right now she didn't even have the strength to walk out of this storeroom.
If she stepped out now and ran into Kami-sama, she honestly wouldn't know where on earth to direct her gaze.
At this thought, Ryu kept on breathing heavily.
…Meanwhile. In the kitchen. "Ryu's absolutely overthinking it—she thinks that 'I like you' Kami-sama said just now was a confession of love to her, nya!"
Chloe lowered her voice, the flames of gossip blazing fiercely in her green cat eyes.
"And then she went and yelled out that 'no experience' line at the top of her lungs—she might as well have confessed everything herself!"
Lunor, for her part, rubbed at her brow, utterly in despair over the pure-hearted obliviousness of this elven coworker of hers.
But in any case. Haimer did not go to knock on the storeroom door.
After all, pressing too hard would only shatter that paper-thin pride completely.
At a time like this, disturbing an elf who had fallen into extreme embarrassment would likely only break Ryu entirely.
And so. Haimer thought to himself. He casually hung the pendant at his waist, then turned to look at the trio still poking their heads out around the kitchen doorway.
"You lot, how's breakfast coming along?"
Hearing Haimer's question, Chloe and the other two immediately straightened their backs.
"It'll be ready in a moment, nya! Kami-sama!"
Anya, while running back to the stove to flip the fried eggs in the frying pan, didn't forget to add a remark over her shoulder.
"Kami-sama, please don't be angry at Ryu, nya—she's just got the kind of personality where she turns into a fool whenever she runs into matters of the heart…"
"How could I possibly be angry?"
"If anything, getting to see Miss Elf show such fluster is far more interesting than her keeping a stiff face all day long."
"That's right, that's right, nya!" "Anya thinks so too, nya."
Anya nodded along in eager agreement. Soon. As it turned out.
From the top of the second-floor staircase came the pitter-patter shuffle of slippers.
Haimer raised his head. He saw Hestia coming down in a loose white nightgown, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning.
Her head of black twintails looked somewhat disheveled, a few strands of hair sticking up restlessly atop her head.
"Haimer… so early in the morning, who was it just now slamming the door so loudly… gave me a real fright…" Hestia grumbled, her steps still a little unsteady.
But when she came down the last step, her gaze swept across the hall and landed on the gift box in Haimer's hand—clearly bearing exquisite wrapping.
Hestia's blue eyes went wide.
In a few quick strides she rushed up before Haimer, fixed her stare on that gift box, and even leaned in with the tip of her nose to give it a sniff.
"Wait! What is this?!"
"There's a… a scent of forest and flowers! It's an elf's perfume!"
"And this wrapping! This sort of bashful, fidgety bow!"
Hestia lifted her head, her small fangs flashing in and out of view.
Before Hestia's little jar of jealous vinegar could be knocked over.
Haimer spoke up, his face full of helplessness.
"Rather than concerning yourself with this."
"It's rare for you to be up this early—shouldn't you be giving more thought to what you ought to be preparing?"
"Prep… prepare what?"
Hearing these words from Haimer, Hestia was instantly diverted onto the new topic, her momentum already mostly deflated, and she blinked somewhat blankly.
She really couldn't think of any special occasion today.
It wasn't just Hestia—Anya and the others eavesdropping by the kitchen doorway likewise pricked up their ears.
Haimer looked at Hestia, who really did occasionally lack a screw or two, and felt helpless as well.
"Give some thought to what you're going to wear tomorrow."
Haimer walked over to the round obsidian table and poured himself a cup of warm water.
"Tomorrow you're going to attend the gods' assembly."
"You're surely not going to show up without a single presentable gown to your name, and stand there drooling over everyone else's jewelry, are you?" "The Denatus?"
Hestia stood frozen on the spot, her head practically creaking as it turned.
A few seconds later.
She abruptly sucked in a sharp breath of cold air!
And let out a scream that nearly blew the roof off.
"The Denatus?!!!" "Tomorrow is the Denatus?!!"
Hestia clutched her head in both hands, her blue eyes bulging like brass bells, her whole face filled with incredulous terror.
In Orario, the gods held a grand assembly once every three months.
Nominally it was to discuss the affairs of the Lower World and exchange intelligence among the various factions, but most importantly, to bestow upon those adventurers who had achieved great feats and newly leveled up the unique titles that belonged to them alone. But that was only the surface-level pretext.
For those gods who, with their endless lifespans, treated the Lower World as a playground.
The Denatus was, in essence, a grand social banquet for showing off pomp and outdoing one another in flaunting their own children.
Who wore the most expensive gown, whose Familia they brought was the most dashing, who could secure the most resounding title at the meeting.
This was the sort of thing the gods could relish chattering about for months on end.
And as for Hestia—it was, moreover, her very first time showing her face before the gods in the Lower World.
Although she'd previously been lodging at Hephaestus's place, a down-and-out deity who could only sponge off meals and drinks all day long.
But now things were different!
Haimer had descended to the Lower World as well. In the eyes of outsiders, her relationship with Haimer had long since been bound together. What's more. Those monster newcomers in Haimer's household had collectively leveled up to Lv.2 in the span of just a few days!
These dazzling battle records, which had shattered Orario's own benchmarks, were certain to become the focal point upon which the gazes of every deity at tomorrow's Denatus would converge.
This was a rare moment—indeed the very first since descending to the Lower World—where she could truly hold her head high and shine before the gods of the Lower World!
At this thought, Hestia was instantly as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, pacing in circles around the hall, her hands ceaselessly tugging at her twintails. "This is bad, bad, bad!"
"I haven't prepared anything! My hair hasn't had any care done! And more importantly——I don't even have a gown!" With that.
Hestia abruptly stopped and looked at Haimer, on the verge of tears.
"Haimer! What do I do?" "If I go wearing this outfit, they'll absolutely laugh me to death, and drag you down into the disgrace along with me!"
Haimer looked at Hestia's frantic, panic-stricken state and felt helpless too. "If you know you'll be disgraced, then hurry up and go prepare."
"There's still a whole day until tomorrow evening."
"This…" Hestia twisted the hem of her nightgown in both hands, her face flushing crimson, her voice suddenly shrinking to a mosquito's hum.
"But… that kind of high-class gown you can wear to the Denatus, just any old one easily costs over a hundred thousand, even tens of thousands of Valis…"
Within her own scrawny, empty wallet, right now even buying ten fried potato balls required careful budgeting.
Let alone a custom-made gown. "Haimer…" "Won't you come buy it with me, please?"
"You've got a great big fortune anyway—Ganesha paid you back all that compensation money…"
"And besides, if I get all dressed up pretty and stand by your side, that brings you honor too, doesn't it?" Having said this. Hestia lifted her head, her eyes glimmering with a pitiful light, like a little pup begging its master for food, and she even tried to close the distance, going so far as to reach out and grab at the cuff of Haimer's sleeve.
Watching this girl's expectant, eager gaze.
Haimer was inwardly at a loss for words too.
If he didn't take her, she would in all likelihood be ridiculed at the Denatus by the other gods—especially Loki—until she couldn't lift her head.
"Fine, then."
"But this money still counts as something you owe me, and you'll pay it back sooner or later—got it?"
"Got it!"
"Go wash up properly."
Haimer reached out and flicked Hestia on the forehead.
"We leave in one hour. Miss it and I'm not waiting."
"Yaaay! Haimer is the best!" Hestia burst out cheering.
She threw her arms around Haimer's arm and nuzzled it, then spun around and dashed toward the second-floor washroom at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint.
Watching her reckless retreating figure, Haimer could only shake his head helplessly. Meanwhile. From the top of the second-floor staircase came several faint footsteps as well.
The songstress-bird Rei, along with the red-haired harpy Fei, both walked out.
It seemed birds all had the habit of rising early. "Kami-sama, good morning."
Rei folded both hands before her and bowed slightly.
Fei, too, flapped her wings and called out a crisp "Good morning."
"Mm, good morning." Haimer nodded.
Afterward, Rei also turned her head toward Anya and the others busy at work, likewise revealing a gentle, friendly smile. "Good morning to you all as well."
"Good morning." x2 "Morning, nya! Breakfast will be ready in a moment, nya!"
Anya waved the spatula in her hand.
After these past few days of contact, although it was still somewhat hard to believe, Anya, Chloe, and Lunor had grown considerably desensitized to Rei and the others, who could speak and were even well-mannered.
Meanwhile.
Compared to things on Haimer's estate side. Over at the headquarters of the Loki Familia, inside the Twilight Manor, the situation was no better. If anything, it was even worse.
In the luxurious dressing room on the very top floor.
"Oh dear, oh dear, this one won't do, the color's too plain!"
Loki stood before an enormous full-length mirror, arms folded across her chest, her brows knit tightly together. "How can I look so shabby at a time like this! Change it out, quick!" With that. Loki tossed the dark-purple gown in her hand aside without a care.
Several maids hurriedly removed the set of dark-purple gowns that had only just been brought in.
As the chief deity of one of Orario's largest factions.
Loki was, one could say, equally brimming with anticipation for tomorrow's Denatus. But what she anticipated was not the dull, dreary intelligence exchanges, nor the going-through-the-motions title-bestowing ceremony.
Rather, it was because tomorrow would be Haimer's first time formally attending the Denatus in his official capacity as chief deity of the Haimer Familia, since descending to the Lower World.
The fellow who had stirred up a bloody storm in the Heavens was finally about to make his appearance before that crowd of self-important types in the Lower World. Just thinking about it felt rather thrilling.
"Heh heh, come to think of it, that face-obsessed little squirt Hestia is definitely fretting right now over what to wear tomorrow." As she spoke. Loki turned around and walked along a row of clothing racks hung with all manner of gorgeous garments, her fingers gliding slowly over those expensive silks and velvets.
"But there's no way I'll give that little squirt even the slightest chance to turn things around!"
Loki's narrowed eyes opened a crack at this moment, a glint of cunning flashing across them.
"Riveria! Ais!"
Then, Loki raised her voice and hollered toward outside the door.
The heavy wooden door of the dressing room was pushed open.
In walked Riveria, dressed in a set of dark-green casual clothes, looking helpless.
Following behind her was Ais, expressionless as ever and still wearing her light armor.
"Loki, what on earth are you making such a racket about in here so early in the morning." Riveria looked at the room piled high with gowns in a chaotic heap like a little mountain, and frowned slightly.
"Tomorrow is just attending the Denatus, not entering a beauty pageant."
"Why don't you just do as you always do and pick a decent one befitting a chief deity's status? Is there really any need to turn the entire wardrobe upside down?"
"How can that do!"
"This concerns the face of our Loki Familia!"
Loki at once strode briskly up before Riveria, extended a single finger, and waggled it forcefully in midair.
"Just think about it, Riveria."
"That gown Haimer's going to wear tomorrow—I personally went and picked it out at the clothing shop for a hefty sum!"
"When he stands in the center of the venue tomorrow, that's basically an outright advertisement for my taste!"
"If I dress too carelessly, how could I form a perfect pairing effect with him at the venue?"
"How else am I going to make that little squirt take one look and weep with jealousy?"
"Oh-ho-ho-ho! Just picturing that Hestia all worked up and beside herself is enough to make me feel utterly refreshed from head to toe!" At this point. Loki's mind automatically began conjuring up a scene:
At the resplendent, golden venue.
She herself, wearing a gown that would dazzle the entire hall, walking gracefully over to Haimer's side.
The two of them looking like a match made in heaven.
While Hestia could only wear that shabby outfit, hiding away in some dim corner, biting a tattered handkerchief as wide noodle-like tears of jealousy streamed down.
That scene—simply perfect.
"Loki, you… seem to really care about Lord Haimer."
Ais had been standing quietly off to the side all along.
Watching Loki sunk into such extreme, fervent fantasy that drool was practically about to run from the corner of her mouth.
A trace of deep puzzlement showed in those clear golden eyes of hers, and in the end she couldn't hold back, asking in a flat tone.
The reason she could ask the question so bluntly.
Was because, in Ais's impressions over these past few years.
Loki had always regarded other male deities with utter disdain, even a degree of revulsion.
After all, in Loki's eyes, it seemed only pretty girls held any value.
But these past few days, Loki's attitude toward Lord Haimer had been consistently full of contradiction, and unusually attentive.
Hearing Ais's sudden question, Loki ceased her exaggerated laughter, turned around, and looked at Ais. "Care about him." "Of course I care."
As it turned out. Unexpectedly. Loki not only did not deny it upon having her thoughts laid bare, she even nodded openly and frankly.
She walked over to a velvet sofa in the center of the room and plopped herself down on it without the slightest reserve, idly crossing her two long legs.
"What's so strange about that."
"You should know, there isn't a single goddess in the Heavens who doesn't care about Haimer."
The instant these words came out. Not only Ais, but even Riveria, who had not intended to get involved in the matter, couldn't help being taken aback.
After all, judging by Loki's previous remarks.
Haimer was a fiend who had slaughtered gods.
Could such an existence really still be welcomed by the goddesses of the Heavens?
Even though Ais held respect for Lord Haimer, faced with this complete reversal from Loki's earlier statements, she couldn't help feeling puzzled. "Of course."
"And it's far more than just being welcomed."
At this, Loki gave a light snort and dug at her ear.
"You should know, that fellow's temple has goddesses finding excuses to come and go at every hour of the day."
Hearing this gossip that could be called a blockbuster bombshell, Riveria couldn't help frowning. "Loki."
Riveria offered a word of caution.
"Isn't it a bit too rude of us to be casually discussing Lord Haimer's private affairs here?"
"Especially since Lord Haimer is still our close ally right now… and a deity of considerable prestige besides."
Riveria, being of elven royalty, had a naturally prudent character after all.
Loki, however, waved her hand carelessly, not minding in the least, signaling Riveria not to be so stiff.
"Aiya, what does it matter—Haimer's no outsider." With that.
Loki leaned her back fully against the soft cushion of the sofa, gazing up at the intricate magic-circle patterns on the ceiling.
"That fellow won't care about trivial little things like this."
"Besides, it's precisely because he never takes those goddesses seriously that they find him all the more irresistible." "However…" Loki's tone took an abrupt turn.
"Regarding Haimer."
"There's actually one more thing I can tell you two in secret." Loki suddenly turned all mysterious.
____
👻🔥Seek: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: COTE: Counterattack System
Let's hit these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = 1 extra chapter for the public!