A waitress quickly placed a few steaming platters of roasted at and potato stews at the center of the table.
Before the tray could even leave the wood, Loki's hand shot forward, successfully snatching a large wooden mug overflowing with cheap tavern liquor.
— Ahh~! That's the stuff! Drinking underground hits different! — Loki cheered, taking a massive gulp and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
— Loki, please, at least wait until everyone is served, — Riveria sighed, elegantly bringing a cup of water to her lips.
— Oh, co on, Mama Riveria, don't be a party pooper! — Tiona laughed, already reaching across the table with her fork to stab a piece of roasted at from Gareth's side. — Hey, let taste that one, it looks juicier!
— Hands off, little girl, you got your own! — Gareth chuckled boisterously, slapping her fork away with the back of his knife, though his eyes carried nothing but amusent. — Though I gotta admit, for a tavern in the middle of a cliff, this food slls incredible, we should co again.
— Pass the gravy over here, will ya? — Tione muttered, completely ignoring her sister while keeping her gaze locked fondly on Finn.
— Tsk. I still think we're wasting too much ti here, I don't care if he defeated a dragon or not, a weakling is a weakling. — Bete muttered, eating slowly with a grumpy face
— Oh, shut up, Bete. You're just upset because you didn't get a chance to get revenge on him. — Tiona retorted, rolling her eyes.
— And am I wrong? — Bete shot back, his voice flat but sharp. — You all saw the sa thing I did. That guy only won because of that broken, overpowered Skill of his. He has absolutely zero real experience when it cos to hunting giant monsters.
— That part is true, — Gareth chid in, taking a slow sip of his ale before setting the wooden mug down. — Though the fight was breathtaking, to say the least, it was obvious the boy didn't use his capabilities efficiently.
— Oh, please! You guys are just a bunch of jealous sore losers because a completely random rookie has a cooler Skill than all of yours combined! — Tiona cheered with a massive, innocent grin.
A few sour faces imdiately popped up around the table. Although they had their own pride as elite executives, they had to admit it. They felt a solid dose of envy toward Luki's incredible powers.
Finn cleared his throat loudly to catch everyone's attention, effectively brushing aside Tiona's provocative comnt.
— I would like to remind everyone of exactly why we are sitting here today. — Finn said, his calm voice cutting through the remaining tension.
A heavy silence fell over the table. The playful bickering completely dissolved as every single executive shifted their posture, giving their captain their full attention.
— We all saw what Luki Bryan is capable of during that battle. We've already discussed this before.
His words triggered a quiet wave of recollection around the table. They rembered the long, tense late-night etings they had held over the past three days. As executives of the top Familia in Orario, it was standard procedure to analyze and debate the growth of powerful mbers from rival factions.
However, Luki had forced them into a completely different tier of administrative headache.
What the boy had pulled off was simply unprecedented. If it hadn't been for Loki herself directly confirming it, no one would have believed that Luki Bryan was just a Level 1 rookie.
— Yes, — Riveria spoke up, her voice carrying a rare trace of genuine disbelief. — His powers... they are otherworldly. In all my years, I have never witnessed anything quite like it.Finn nodded slowly.
— Which is precisely why we must bring him over to our side.
The statent caught them completely off guard. Sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere, Finn looked around the table with a faint, questioning tilt of his head.
— What is it? Is sothing the matter?
Gareth swallowed the massive lump of food currently stuffed in his cheek, heavily thumping his fist against his chest.
— Well, captain, I know that's not exactly what you ant by that. But I just can't picture the lad ever leaving his current faction. You saw how he and Hestia are. Even an alliance between our Familias would be a hard sell, considering...
Gareth paused, his eyes shifting subtly down the table toward their goddess.
The entire group followed his gaze, turning to look at Loki, currently slouched completely back in her chair, happily stuffing her face with food and downing her liquor.
Finn shrugged nonchalantly, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips.
— Yes, under normal circumstances, that would be true. But things are about to change very rapidly. Mark my words, in a week or two, every single faction in Orario will be actively fighting for possession of Luki.
— What exactly do you an by that, Captain? — Tione asked, breaking the sudden pause at the table. Her voice was low, sensing the shift in the room's gravity.
Finn set his fork down, his expressions turning uncharacteristically grim.
— While Hestia didn't physically interfere in the fight, Luki essentially saved himself. But she did release her divine power, far beyond what is permitted by the God's laws, and there is absolutely nothing she can do to deny it. That ans-
— That ans she's gonna get sent packin', — Loki interrupted.
Everyone instantly turned their heads toward the head of the table. The trickster goddess looked unusually subdued, staring blankly into her wooden mug with absolutely zero desire to take another sip.
— Loki... — Riveria murmured, surprised by her sudden lancholy.
— Hestia's got a good heart, and honestly, mostly everyone down here likes the Chibi-boobs, — Loki continued, her voice flat. — But she ssed up big ti. Even the gods who claim to 'like' her and the ones who just 'helped' her out during this expedition won't think twice before turning around to punish her for breaking the ultimate rule.
— Wait, how is that even possible?! — Tiona questioned, her voice rising in a mix of confusion and anger. — Didn't everyone just band together to save Luki-kun? How can they just turn around and betray her like this?!
Loki let out a dry, cynical chuckle, rolling her eyes.
— Because that's just how gods are, Tiona. We're a bunch of clueless, children. — She didn't seem to notice or care about the blatant irony of her own words, being a deity herself.
— What's the big deal about banishing her from Genkai anyway? She broke the rules; no one told her to be so damn impatient. Besides, we're immortal. We don't view ti and relationships the sa way you mortals do. Even if Luki-kun dies down here eventually, his soul will just keep reincarnating until the day those two can et up again.
Loki shrugged, tapping her fingers against the table.
— To a god, sending Hestia back to Tenkai is literally just a silly little penalty. It's on the sa level as getting a flick on the forehead for losing a ga of rock-paper-scissors.
Tiona's shoulders slumped, her gaze dropping to her lap in a somber silence. Tione silently placed a reassuring hand on her younger sister's back, though she found Tiona's deep emotional investnt in a rival Familia's problem a bit strange.
— And that brings us back to my point, — Finn intervened smoothly, steering the conversation back to logic. — Since Hestia will undoubtedly be banished, it ans we have a Level 1 adventurer who is fully capable of going toe-to-toe with the executives of Orario's top factions completely free for the taking. Absolutely no one is going to pass up an opportunity like that.
— So you're thinking of seizing the initiative, making him an offer before the rest of the city even catches wind of the verdict.Finn nodded in agreent. — Gareth said.
— I am.
— I don't think that is a wise choice, Finn, — Riveria countered, her brow furrowing. — The boy just woke up and barely had ti to reunite with his goddess. I seriously doubt he will react well to what your offer implies.
— And what the hell is he gonna do? Refuse us? — Bete scoffed, letting out a sharp, arrogant laugh from his corner. — Get real, Riveria. We're the Loki Familia. Not even in his wildest dreams would a nobody rookie reject a golden ticket to join the strongest faction in Orario.
Loki's somber mood instantly vanished, a massive, sharp grin returning to her face as she pointed at the werewolf.
— Well said, Bete!
Everyone completely ignored Loki's sudden outburst, keeping their focus locked tightly on the strategic discussion.
— Reality is undeniably cruel, but Luki will have to face it regardless. It is much better for him to learn about it now, from us, so he can ntally prepare for what is coming.
— Still... — Riveria murmured, trailing off into a heavy silence.
The elf looked away, making it very clear that she deeply disliked the cold nature of this plan. It felt entirely unfeeling. To think that the boy had just clawed his way back from the brink of death to reunite with the goddess he loved, only to be told they would be forcefully separated forever, it was a hard pill to swallow.
Tiona, who had been sitting quietly with her shoulders slumped, suddenly gripped the edge of the table.
— Captain... — she started, her voice uncharacteristically soft, lacking any of her usual playful energy.
Finn turned his head to look at her, waiting.
— Would it be possible... for you to just not say anything to him about this? Just... let Luki-kun and Hestia-sama be happy together while they still can. — Tiona asked, looking up at him with vulnerable, wide eyes.
Finn frowned slightly, his expression shifting back into his professional, calculating mask as he countered her with cold facts.
— Hestia almost certainly knows this already, Tiona. She knows exactly what she did, and she might have even told him herself by now. And even if she hasn't, bringing it up to Luki would simply demonstrate that we are 'concerned' about their well-being, and-
— Captain, — Tiona interrupted gently, her voice cracking slightly as she cut him off. She leaned forward, locking her gaze directly onto his. — Please.
She didn't add any more argunts or shout. She just stayed perfectly still, staring into his eyes with a raw, intense desperation that begged him to drop the subject.
The entire table fell silent. Tione blinked, looking back and forth between her sister and the captain, while the others exchanged a subtle glance.
The tension stretched for several long seconds as Finn remained completely locked in that silent, emotional standoff, analyzing the sheer amount of hidden weight behind her pleading look.
Eventually, Finn closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, a small, defeated smile playing on his lips as he broke the eye contact.
— Alright, alright. I yield, — Finn said, waving his hand dismissively. — To be quite frank, I wasn't even counting on it working out anyway.
Tiona's eyes instantly widened and sparkled with pure joy. A massive, radiant grin split her face as she completely forgot all her previous sadness.
Without a second thought, she practically threw her entire body forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Finn's neck in a suffocating embrace.
— Yay! Thank you, Captain! You're the absolute best! — she cheered loudly, squeezing him.
— Hey! Get your filthy hands off my Finn, you brat! — Tione shrieked, her face twisting in imdiate fury as she leaped across her seat, aggressively trying to tear her younger sister away from the commander.
Throughout the entire chaotic display, Finn remained perfectly still, his expression completely blank and unaffected by their usual antics. He didn't even blink as the two Amazon sisters wrestled over his shoulders.
Gareth laughed heartily at the sight, taking a bite of his at before looking back at the captain.
— Alright, so since you're dropping the recruitnt pitch, what's your actual plan then?
Finn gently detangled himself from the sisters as Tione finally managed to drag Tiona back to her seat.
— I'm thinking of proposing a formal 'friendship' between our Familia, — Finn explained smoothly, adjusting his coat. — We can offer him a place to train with us. Mock battles with fighters of his own tier, access to our facilities, and above all, the opportunity to learn magic directly from Riveria.
A low wave of collective "Ohh..." passed around the table, everyone nodding in understanding as the brilliant strategy clicked in their minds. It was a win-win scenario that didn't force Luki to leave Hestia.
— It's lovely how I don't get a single say in this. — Riveria comnted dryly, crossing her arms and raising a judging eyebrow at her captain.
— Oh, don't play hard to get, Riveria. We both know you are just as dying of curiosity as I am to decipher the secrets behind his instantaneous movent ability. If you can crack how it works and create an elven magic equivalent, it would be a massive asset for us.
— Besides, it's only fair that you share so of your expertise with a fellow elf. What was that phrase you said before? Ah, righ- 'it is bad manners for a mage to pry into another's secrets without offering sothing in return,' isn't it?
Riveria let out a soft, defeated sigh, but she couldn't hide the faint spark of academic interest in her eyes.
— Fine, you win. If anything, I will try to get his permission to let Lefiya copy his magic as well. If his teleportation ability can be replicated and used to carry multiple people at once, it would completely revolutionize how our Familia conducts deep-floor expeditions.
The group continued discussing various topics over their als. Noticing that Luki and Hestia were running late, Finn ordered desserts early, willing to wait as long as necessary.
Finally, the couple erged through the heavy wooden doorway. Tiona was the first to notice. She leaped out of her chair, waving her arm frantically with an ecstatic grin.
— Hey! Over here! — Tiona's cheerful voice called out.
The two turned toward the sound of her voice, briefly waving in acknowledgnt before walking over to the large table.
Finn stood up from his seat, offering a warm and polite greeting.
— Good afternoon. We were starting to get worried. Please, make yourselves comfortable and sit down. — Finn said with a welcoming smile, gesturing toward the empty chairs.
— Sorry about that, we actually got completely lost on the way here. I've never been to Rivira before. — Luki replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly as he and Hestia took their seats.
Finn nodded understandingly, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.
— No need to apologize. I had a lot of trouble navigating this place when I first arrived too. Rivira can be... quite a ss.
As they settled in, the introductions began around the table. Tiona was the first to speak up, leaning forward with an energetic, glowing smile.
— Hey there, Luki-kun! Do you still rember , or have you still not completely regained your control yet?
Luki let out a soft laugh, catching the playful jab about his fight against them.
— I rember you perfectly, Miss Tiona. My mind is completely fine, thank you, — Luki responded politely.
— Aweso! — Tiona grinned, imdiately stepping in to introduce the rest of the group. — Well, just in case, let introduce everyone again! This is my older sister, Tione. Over there we have Mama Riveria, old man Gareth, and that grumpy wolf over there is Bete. Sadly, Ais couldn't make it today because she had so things to take care of. And, well, you already know Loki!
— It's nice to officially et all of you. — Luki said, giving a polite nod to the high-tier executives.
— Yeah, yeah, nice to et ya, rookie, — Tione muttered, barely glancing at him. — Just don't cause any more trouble for us.
— Don't mind her, she's always toxic like th glad to see you standing on your own two feet, lad. You gave everyone a massive heart attack down there. — Gareth chuckled, leaning back.
— I can only imagine. I really owe you all for the resc-
Before the conversation could go any further, the tavern waiter rushed over to the table again. Having seen the two new guests sit down, he had been waiting with a massive, fresh tray of food. He quickly dropped a steaming plate of seasoned roasted pork, fresh bread, and thick gravy right in front of Luki, along with a few extra side dishes.
The mont the scent of real, cooked, heavily spiced food hit Luki's nose, sothing snapped inside his brain. For three whole months, his survival diet had consisted purely of raw monster at. His psychological hunger for sothing tasty instantly overrode his manners.
Without even picking up his fork, Luki snatched a massive piece of the roasted pork with his bare hand and shoved it into his mouth.
— Chomp! Gulp!
He practically inhaled the at, his eyes rolling back in pure, unadulterated ecstasy. Tiny, dramatic tears of pure joy actually began to well up in the corners of his eyes and roll down his cheeks.
— Thith ith thuh betht thing ever! — Luki mumbled loudly, his voice completely muffled and distorted because his mouth was stuffed to the absolute brim.
Before anyone could even process what happened, his hand shot out like a blur, grabbing a loaf of bread, tearing it in half, dunking it straight into the gravy boat, and shoving the entire dripping mass into his face. He was chewing like a starved wolf, sauce smudging his cheek as he rambled enthusiastically with his mouth wide open.
— Xô fhucking good! I'm ith heaven!
The entire Loki Familia table froze in absolute, stunned silence.
Tiona's jaw literally dropped, her eyes wide as she stared at the handso, angelic-looking elf eating like a wild beast. Even Bete, the actual werewolf of the group, blinked in disbelief, slowly lowering his own at.
— Whoa... and here I thought I was the monster. Eat with a spoon, you psycho... — Bete muttered, looking genuinely disturbed as he stared at Luki.
Hestia quickly covered her face with both hands, groaning in deep embarrassnt.
— Luki... please... We are guests... — Hestia whispered through her fingers, her cheeks burning red.
Finn broke the stunned silence with a warm, amused laugh, waving his hand reassuringly toward Hestia and the rest of the table.
— It's perfectly fine, let him be, It is only to be expected from soone who was trapped in his situation for so long. Go ahead and eat your fill, we can always have our serious talk after you've finished.
Luki didn't need to be told twice. He kept eating like a hurricane and by the ti he finally slowed down, he had consud enough food to easily feed five grown n. A massive, ssy tower of dirty, empty plates was now stacked high right next to him on the table.
— Ahhh... I am finally alive, — Luki sighed in absolute relief, reclining heavily back in his chair and rubbing his full stomach.
As he relaxed with a goofy, idiotic smile of pure satisfaction on his face, his small, fluffy ear-wings suddenly began to flap and flutter happily, perfectly reflecting his blissful, energized mood.
Hestia and Tiona both glanced at the fluttering ear-wings, their expressions instantly lting at the sight.
'So cute!' Both thought simultaneously, completely chard by the contrast of his absurd new traits.
Luki used a napkin to wipe the corners of his mouth, letting out a long, satisfied sigh. The small wings on his ears gave one final, energetic flutter before settling calmly against his blue hair.
Finn watched the display with an amused smile, resting his elbows on the wooden table.
— Well, I'm glad the food t your expectations, Luki-kun. And I must admit, those new... biological features of yours are quite fascinating. You almost look like so sort of avian Beast Human. Do they respond to your emotions?
Luki raised a hand, his fingers gently touching the soft, feathered edge of his new ears as they gave a tiny, involuntary twitch under his touch.
— I'm not sure, to be honest. It's not like I've really tested them yet. They just kind of do their own thing.
— That's perfectly reasonable. You've gone through transformations that Orario has never witnessed before. But anyway, I must ask... what are your plans moving forward?
Luki frowned slightly, looking back at the captain in confusion.
— What exactly do you an by that? — Luki asked, tilting his head.
— It is quite common for adventurers to seek a... less traumatic life after experiencing such unexpected, near-death events. Many choose to retire and pivot toward trade or comrce. I simply wanted to know if you still plan on continuing down the path of an adventurer.
— Oh. Yeah, absolutely, — Luki replied without a second thought. — I definitely plan on continuing my adventures.
Suddenly, Hestia aggressively pinched his side underneath the table. Luki winced, his ear-wings giving a sharp flinch as he quickly caught her warning look and anded his statent.
— I an... in the near future, of course. Right now, there is nothing I want more than to finally get out of this Dungeon and spend a long, long ti far away from it, ahahaha!
A few amused smiles broke out across the table. The executives quietly watched the interaction, finding it quite rare to see a pair who genuinely cared for each other like that in a world driven purely by power.
— I see, in that case, would you perhaps be interested in forming a partnership with the Loki Familia? It is an arrangent that would heavily benefit both sides.
Luki blinked in surprise and opened his mouth to ask for details, but before a single word could leave his tongue, Hestia firmly raised her hand, signaling him to stop.
Luki looked at his goddess and went silent, completely trusting her to handle the situation.
— Loki, — Hestia called out, her tone dropping into a cold, sharp serious note. — What exactly are you planning here?
The rest of the executives at the table imdiately went quiet, instinctively recognizing that this was a divine matter far beyond their clearance.
Hestia, who had kept a cordial silence up until now, stood her ground as she confronted the other deity. anwhile, Loki took another massive gulp of her liquor, it was honestly impressive how she hadn't stopped drinking for a single second since entering the tavern, and looked back at Hestia through her narrow, slit-like eyes.
— I ain't plannin' a single thing, Chibi-boobs. — Loki replied flippantly, setting her mug down.
— Are you sure you aren't planning on coming after my Luki? — Hestia pressed, her gaze hardening.
— Who do ya think I am? I'd never pull a cheap stunt like that, especially considering your current... situation.
The two goddesses locked eyes, maintaining a heavy, suffocating stare down as if they were silently exchanging encrypted pieces of information.
Finally, a wordless understanding passed between them.
Hestia's tense posture relaxed, and she leaned back against Luki's shoulder, giving him a sutil nod to signal that the floor was his again.
Luki cleared his throat, turning his attention back to the commander.
— Alright, Captain Finn. What did you an by a partnership?
— The deal is simple... — Finn replied, a professional grin returning to his face.
The two of them spent the next hour talking through the details, laying all their cards face up on the table, openly discussing what each faction expected and what they stood to gain. In the end, a formal agreent was successfully reached.
Luki would officially participate in the Loki Familia's future Deep-Floor Expeditions as a special guest mber, with his share of the loot based entirely on his performance, a right that could eventually be extended to the rest of the Hestia Familia whenever it decided to grow.
In exchange, Luki would regularly visit the Twilight Manor to conduct mock battles with their high-level executives and allowing their mages to study the chanics of his unique skills. At the sa ti, he was granted the exclusive right to study under Riveria, provided he actually possessed the talent for it.
Luki and Finn both stood up from their chairs, extending their hands across the table for a firm, formal handshake that solidified the new partnership between their factions.
— Make sure you get so proper rest tonight, Luki, — Finn advised as they pulled their hands apart, his expression returning to his usual calm deanor. — We are planning to head back to the surface tomorrow morning, bright and early.
— Understood. We'll be ready, — Luki nodded, offering a respectful smile before turning around to leave.
— Hey! Luki-kun! Make sure you co visit our manor real soon, okay?! Don't keep us waiting! — Tiona suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs, waving her arm frantically again.
Luki looked back and raised a hand, giving her a cordial wave and a soft chuckle as he and Hestia finally walked out of the establishnt, leaving the Loki Familia executives alone with their remaining food and strategic plans.
By the ti they stepped out of the inn, the sprawling settlent of Rivira had completely changed. The colossal crystal far above now mimicked the natural cycle of the surface world, its brilliant daylight dissolving into a dim twilight that cast heavy shadows across the cliffs.
Hestia and Luki walked hand in hand through the quiet dirt pathways, basking in a serene, comfortable silence. They simply leaned into each other's warmth as they navigated the multi-tiered town together.
Eventually, as the noise of the town faded into the background, Luki broke the silence.
— Hestia... — Luki began softly, his grip tightening just a fraction on her hand. — Where is Lili?
Hestia stopped walking, her eyes searching his three-eyed face with deep concern.
— Are you absolutely sure you want to see her right now, Luki? — she asked in a hesitant whisper.
— Yes. There is sothing I need to confirm...
Hestia let out a quiet sigh, accepting his answer. She gave his hand a gentle, understanding squeeze, and silently changed direction, straight into the dark wilderness of the floor.
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