"This is my child. His class is a Supporter."
Hestia puffed out her chest, flashing a proud, triumphant smile as if she had just hatched a brilliant plan.
She announced his role with such unearned swagger that it was almost comical. Whether the other Gods believed her or not was one thing, but acting like being a Supporter was so legendary, high-tier calling? Girl, you are only fooling yourself.
"Do you take us for idiots?" Loki sneered. "That massive pillar of light. A phenonon no one has ever seen before—and you're telling it was just for a Supporter?"
Loki felt like her intelligence was being dragged through the mud by her rival. There was no way she was buying that bullshit.
"Go on, August. Give them a little demonstration." Hestia's plan was simple: have him play the part of a utility-focused Supporter to sweep the anomaly under the rug.
August didn't quite follow his new Goddess's train of thought, but he had no problem showing off his newly acquired trick.
He raised a hand. Brushing his fingers against his travel backpack, the heavy bag shimred like a mirage before being instantly sucked into a spatial void.
"Oh?" Loki, Freya, and the rest of the Gods blinked in surprise.
"Wait, what?" Hestia and Hephaestus's eyes widened in genuine shock.
If their mories served them right, August's status board didn't ntion a single thing about a pocket dinsion.
"A spatial ability??" Loki scoffed, crossing her arms. "So he really is just a Supporter..."
She shook her head in disbelief.
"Shrimp, you caused all that chaos and mobilized the entire street... just for this?" Did Hestia even realize how massive that light show was? And the result was just a glorified pack mule. If that kind of phenonon had happened in the Loki Familia, she would have expected a new hero to be born.
"Is that so?" Hestia tilted her head, playing dumb.
Of course, she knew better. August was an outsider without a traditional status board, possessing purely chanical skills—and that spatial backpack wasn't even listed on his Falna. It ant his true potential was vast and hidden. But as long as only she and Hephaestus knew the truth, that was fine.
Loki wasn't entirely convinced by Hestia's act. She wanted to dig deeper. But Freya, surprisingly, bought into the charade.
The Goddess of Beauty had been studying August with those alluring silver eyes, ticulously analysing his soul. After a long, silent observation, the mundane hue of his soul finally extinguished her curiosity.
Freya spoke, shifting her gaze to Hestia.
"Congratulations, Hestia. You finally have a Familia of your own."
Her tone was flat, devoid of her usual captivating grace. It was the polite, dismissive praise of a Goddess who had entirely lost interest in her new toy.
The mont those words left Freya's lips, Loki's deanor shifted. Her lingering suspicions vanished. If Freya—the most obsessive collector of talent in Orario—didn't find this foreigner appealing, then there was nothing left to worry about.
"Oh, stop it. It's just my first ti," Hestia giggled, waving a hand modestly.
Wait, the atmosphere shifted. Did everyone just stop caring?
If Freya isn't interested, Loki drops it too?
Perfect.
Her plan was a resounding success. By playing the fool, she had successfully managed to pull the wool over the eyes of the city's greatest Gods. With Freya backing down, the rest of the Gods followed suit.
The male Gods standing near the door realized there was nothing left to discuss. All that flash for a kid with a utility skill? Nothing to write ho about.
Still, they had to admit it was a handy trick—a spatial backpack. For any team venturing deep into the Dungeon, a bottomless inventory was a massive asset.
Hephaestus watched the entire exchange from the sidelines. She hadn't expected Hestia's clumsy acting to actually work, but it got the job done. It was the perfect out.
The fewer people who knew the truth about August's abilities, the better. The language barrier was an easy fix—they would just pass him off as a foreigner from far outside the city.
Seeing the tension diffuse, Hephaestus decided it was ti to step in and finalize things.
"By the way, this is Royman Mardeel, the head of the Adventurer's Guild." She gestured toward the chubby elf. "Since he is already here, you might as well officially register your Familia, Hestia."
Hephaestus nudged the hovering Guild Head forward so August could be properly docunted. This would give August legitimate identification within Orario. As long as he stayed out of trouble, he could walk the streets freely without drawing suspicion.
Realizing he was being put on the spot, Royman cleared his throat and stepped up to handle the registration. But unlike the dismissive Gods, the elf couldn't help but study August closely, committing the young man's face to mory.
"His na is August," Hestia stated, taking charge of the paperwork since August couldn't speak the local tongue. "He hails from a distant city outside Orario. He speaks a unique dialect, not our common language."
Royman hastily pulled a quill and a parchnt scroll from his coat, jotting down the details.
"August. Newly registered Level 1 Supporter."
The Guild Head recorded the basic information. The rest of the vetting process would require cross-referencing his entry logs with the Ganesha Familia, but for now, this was sufficient.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Lady Hestia."
At the end of the day, it was just an anomaly triggered by an awakening. Yet, unlike the unimpressed Gods, Royman saw serious value in August. A Supporter who manifested a spatial inventory and passive charm resistance right at level one? Compared to your average adventurer, that was a stellar loadout.
—•——•——•——•——•——•—
Hestia glanced at the familiar male Gods in the room—Takemikazuchi, Miach, and a few others associated with Loki and Freya. Hephaestus had only allowed them inside because they were trusted acquaintances.
With them acting as witnesses, the rumors regarding the incident would quickly settle.
Of course, August's reputation was probably going to take a hit. Triggering a city-wide phenonon just to end up as a baggage carrier was premium gossip fodder for bored Gods. It was practically a punchline.
But Hestia didn't care. Her little act had worked perfectly.
So what if his reputation was a bit tarnished? She didn't survive on good PR anyway. If a good reputation was all it took, she would have built a Familia ages ago.
The reality of being an adventurer was harsh and practical. If you weren't strong, nobody followed you. And right now, she had a hidden gem all to herself.
—•——•——•——•——•——•—
For every 100 Power Stones = I'll drop an extra chapter!
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