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August studied Takemikazuchi. This was one of the male Gods who had visited the Hephaestus Familia a few days prior.
Noticing August's peculiar stare, Takemikazuchi blinked in confusion.
"Is sothing wrong? Hello, August. I believe this is our first formal eting," Takemikazuchi greeted smoothly, though he self-consciously rubbed his cheek. "Is there sothing on my face?"
"No, it's nothing. Just observing," August replied calmly. He wasn't harboring any complicated feelings—he was just assessing the God standing before him.
"Ahaha..." Hestia laughed awkwardly, clearly sensing August's caution. "August, I can promise you that Take is one of the good ones. He's an honorable god. You don't need to worry about him."
Hestia understood that calculating look imdiately. After spending the previous night cramming the history of August's world, she knew that "war gods" there were often associated with tyranny, bloodshed, and world-shaking destruction. She wanted to reassure him that Orario's Takemikazuchi was different. He was a disciplined martial artist, not so warmongering tyrant.
"It's fine. I can tell the difference," August replied. He was not so petty that he would judge a god from this world by the history of another.
"I am curious about one thing, though," August continued. "Lord Takemikazuchi, why is your divine aura so much weaker compared to Hestia and Miach?"
Whether it was Hestia, Hephaestus, or Miach, August had sensed their overwhelming divinity the mont he t them. Their presence carried a transcendent aura that was impossible to miss.
Takemikazuchi felt different. His presence was calr, steadier, and far more grounded. Compared to the others, he felt much closer to an ordinary mortal.
"If Hestia hadn't introduced you, I wouldn't have even recognized you as a God," August asked, eager to understand the chanics.
Facing August's piercing gaze, Takemikazuchi felt an inexplicable pressure, as if this mortal possessed sothing that naturally restrained him. Still, the boy's earnest attitude, and with Hestia vouching for him, Takemikazuchi chose to answer honestly.
"It's a form of presence concealnt," Takemikazuchi explained. "Unlike Adventurers who hide their presence for stealth, I do it out of necessity. As a God of War and Martial Arts, my natural aura is inherently aggressive and intimidating. To live peacefully among the mortals in the lower world, I have to consciously suppress my combat aura."
"I see." August nodded, recalling the established lore regarding Takemikazuchi.
In the original story, Takemikazuchi was essentially a struggling orphanage director. He and his Familia worked odd jobs around Orario just to send money back to the Far East to support war orphans. August had absolute respect for a God willing to go to those lengths for children.
"Take, what are you doing here anyway?" Hestia asked, tilting her head. "Shouldn't you be working your shift at the potato snack stall?"
"Oh, right. I ca to pick up a batch of healing potions for my children," Takemikazuchi said, pulling out a small pouch of Valis.
Hearing this, Miach sighed apologetically.
"Take, I'm sorry. Hestia just bought out our entire stock. If you need potions, you'll have to wait at least a week for the next batch."
"Hestia bought everything?" Takemikazuchi looked confused. "Why do you need so many potions? If I recall correctly, August is registered as a Supporter."
"To pay off debt," Hestia sighed dramatically.
"My child might be incredibly talented, but our Familia is currently drowning in debt. To gear him up, we had to requisition a massive stockpile of weapons on credit. We're talking tens of billions of Valis."
Putting aside standard firearms, they had placed massive backorders for modern fighter jets, main battle tanks, mobile missile launchers, and even tactical nukes from Earth's military. The bill was astronomical. Without exporting these potions back to the modern world, they would never balance the books.
"Hiss..." Miach, Takemikazuchi, and Naaza all inhaled sharply.
TENS OF BILLIONS OF VALIS??
"I... I see. I won't ask you to share your stock, then," Takemikazuchi said, taking a step back. He had originally planned to ask Hestia to spare a few potions, but hearing the sheer scale of her debt, he realized she needed them far more than he did.
"I had no idea you were carrying that kind of burden, Hestia," Takemikazuchi murmured sympathetically. What kind of gear could possibly cost billions of Valis?
Only Miach sensed sothing else at play. Hestia buying out his stock felt more like wholesale trading than personal use. He couldn't fathom how she planned to flip them or who she was selling them to, but he decided not to pry.
'As long as I'm making a profit, it's best not to ask...' Miach decided.
"Let get those packed up for you," Miach said, standing up. He and Naaza headed to the storeroom to bring out the heavy crates of healing potions, all neatly labeled and sealed.
August stepped up to the crates and swept the entire shipnt into his [Spatial Backpack] with a wave of his hand.
"That really is convenient," Takemikazuchi and Miach murmured, watching the heavy crates vanish into thin air.
With an ability like that, most logistical problems simply disappeared.
Once the cargo was secured, August and Hestia did not linger at the Blue Pharmacy. After saying their goodbyes, they headed toward the city's old abandoned district.
It was ti to visit the ruined church—the temporary ho Hestia had secured for them.
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