[Chapter Size: 1974 Words.]Lucius POVSomewhere, Orario.

  ...

  ...

  Orario, Streets of Orario.

  As I navigated the bustling streets of the city, the atmosphere pulsated with the freiergy of erd urban activity. Life thrived in every er, and I blended into the crowd, a discreet observer amid the stant buzz.

  The absence of Riekling by my side tributed to my retive invisibility. Without my fshy panion, I went unnoticed by most, enjoying a brief respite from my notoriety. My usually fmboyant cloak remained cealed, and only the distinctive star tattoo on my forehead remained as a tray identity. For now, I was just one among many in the busy city.

  However, the ey name reverberated silently in my mind, and a restless curiosity made me pohe niames that had been attributed to me. Yet, prudence held me back, and I chose not to open that Pandora's box. Knowing my niames could unleash a torrent of frustrations, and I preferred to keep that mystery.

  Entering the city ter, he imposing Babel Tower, erce reached new heights of activity. The crowd, a symphony of voices and offers, enveloped me as I seemingly went inito. However, the smooth course of this journey tly interrupted by a sharp, peing gaze, as if trying to access my soul.

  "Damn! What is this?!" Escaped from my lips, drawing curious looks around me. A quick s revealed the source of the intrusive gaze: the Hostess of Fertility pub. Ryuu, sweeping the entrah determination, and Syr, holding a tray with grace, caught attention. However, I khat behind the mundane fa?ade, it was Freya staring at me, trying to probe my soul.

  A shiver of paniveloped me as I faced the goddess's relentless gaze.'Darn, don't tell me she's monit me now?!' I excimed internally, feeling the pressure of Freya's scrutinizing look on me.

  Surveying the situation, I analyzed the nuances of the goddess's gaze. It wasn't a glimpse of surprise or perplexity but of curiosity and questioning. I cluded that, for now, my true soul remained hidden from her. Even though she noticed that I had detected her surveilhe waitress just smiled, leavih the uling feeling of being observed by deities as I tinued dowh, deliberately ign the stalking goddess.

  As I advanced, I left behind the bustling ercial area aered the wealthier region of the city. The se ged drastically, revealing an opulent enviro filled with luxurious residehis region trasted deeply with the atmosphere of the abandoned church.

  It didn't take long for me to catch sight of the grand Twilight Mansion. Level two guards, imposing in their armuarded the entrahe question from the armor-cd man, wielding a spear, cut through the air.

  "Who are you, and what is your purpose with the Loki family?" he inquired, his serious expressioing the gravity of the situation.

  As I approached, my casual attire iably raised the o question my identity and iions there.

  "My name is Lucius Drakenar, a level two adventurer from the Hestia family. I have some business with Princess Riviera. I'm sure Captain Finn firm my words." I asserted, the exge of gnces between the guards, aware that my presence was a cause for and curiosity."I'll send a message to them, but don't expect much; there's a meeting going ht now. I'll just say you're here because the captain told me to inform as soon as you arrived at the gate." The guard instructed seriously.

  Surprised by the guard's willio announce my presence during the meeting, I realized that Bete had probably already informed about my visit after our enter the day before. While one of the guards went to inform the executives, the ranted me passage through the gate.

  The enviro extended beyond the majestision, enpassing a spacious courtyard where members of the Loki family engaged in training. Some sedary team members were involved in sparring, and a closer look revealed the presence of Raul Nord, a level four adventurer who seemed to lead the sed team of the Loki family.

  Without an immediate purpose, I decided to approach the group, as the guard had suggested I wait in the courtyard while he returo the gate.

  "Yo!" I announced my presence as I approached close enough to attract attention.

  "Hm? Who are you? -Nyah." Inquired a ao Raul. Her dark hair echoed the tone of her ears and eyes. Realizing she didn't reize me, she promptly questioned, "Are you... Lucius from the Hestia family? He was at our family's camp while we stayed on the eighteenth floor to rest from the st deep dive. Don't you remember him, Aki?" Raul, notig my presence, quickly provided this information to Anakitty Autumn.

  "Ah, yes! He's the one who caused that otion near Rivira. -Nyah." She firmed, referring to my intervention at the se and going there to report the situation to the family captain.

  "I believe so, but anyway. o meet you. I don't think I've formally introduced myself to you. I'm Lucius Drakenar, a member of the Hestia family." I smiled as I made this formal introdu, reizing that I had never exged words with them before. My presence caught the attention of other members, who briefly interrupted their activities to observe the higher-level sparring. However, they remained silent.

  "I'm Raul Nord, level 4 member, and captain of the sed expedition team of the Loki family." Raul announced, extending his hand for a handshake.

  "I'm Anakitty Autumn-nyah. Level 4 member under Captain Raul in the sed team-Nyah." Anakitty added, dispying a friendly expression. I accepted Raul's handshake, realizing that both were approachable individuals. My previous experiences with them had not geed any misuandings, although there had been a period when I was frowned upon in the family after an i with Aiz.

  I was about to initiate a more detailed versation when I was interrupted by someone whose approach I didn't expect, although a ck of surprise permeated my face."YOUUUUUUUUU!!!!" The thunderous shout of a young girl echoed through the courtyard, interrupting even the ongoing sparring. All eyes turo the source of the otion, where a goddess approached with ical steps, eyes closed, and an expression of exaggerated anger.

  tinuing her approach, the goddess reached me, and before anyone could react, she grabbed my shirt, staring at me with closed eyes aing out a scream.

  "You're the darn member of that chibi who's stealing Mommy!!" Her words carried fervent indignation.

  "Hm? I don't know what you're talking about, Goddess Loki." I responded calmly, though a smile formed on my face. The revetion that the Loki family had this perspective that I would be "stealing" Riviera added an ued touch to the situation.

  "HMMMM!? You may be an iing human, but I'll never hand Mom over, and I'll do everything to keep her from falling into your hands, because those, those huge aiful, those huge aiful brea..., Hm? Ouch!" Loki tly interrupted as she took a hit on the head from a staff. Riviera had appeared behind her, eyes closed and a slight blush on her face, as if feeling ashamed by her goddess's impulsive dispy, who now put her hand to her head in respoo the pain caused.I stared at this woman for a moment, a bit lost in the whirlwind of ret events. I wasn't sure how to proceed after the episode with Loki, but I was saved by Finn's arrival, eared shortly after with the whole team.

  "So, you're here. I hope my goddess hasn't bothered you too much," he said, appearing friendly, although I knew he was ag diplomatically.

  o him, Tiona was visibly excited, while her sister observed Finn ah a curious look. Little Lefiya beside her dispyed eyes of rese, an expression that intrigued me. Aiz, by her side, maintained her usual gaze, while Gareth wore a pyful look. Bete, oher hand, s me with his eyes.

  While each acted acc to their perspective, Riviera gave me a ral look and spoke in a ral tone: "I believe you're here because of my invitation and proposal."

  "Yes, I am. I want to learn about magic. Despite having my own abilities, I'm quite ignorant of magical principles, as I've udied them before," I replied sincerely. Despite enjoying the time with the elven princess, my main motivation was the pursuit of magical knowledge.

  "Are you willing to bey student then?" She asked, but with no blush anymore, there was a dangerous look in her eyes as she uttered those words. Lefiya and even Aiz seemed to sweat at this mention, as they were students of Riviera, an experience I had no knowledge of, but judging by their faces, it didn't seem very pleasant.

  "I-I believe so," I finally said with a smile that started to bee nervous.

  "WHAT!! Mom is going to teach him? I disagree! I don't want him near Mom! hose beautiful curves!! OUCH!!" Loki once again received a hit from Riviera's staff with another blush.

  "OUCH!! Mom, why are you doing this?!"

  "Silence, Goddess Loki, I promised him and warhat this may be us some time ago," Riviera said with closed eyes.

  "But he's dangerous!"

  "Silence."

  "But Mom..."

  "Silence."

  "But..."

  "Silence."

  The goddess Loki could only be in depression at this moment, seeing that her daughter didn't eve her speak anymore. But she looked at me again and grabbed my shirt again.

  "Listen here, I don't care if you're the son of that chibi, I'll even allow you to be taught by Mom, but if you touo! If you look at those precious and soft curves of Riviera, which I always wao touch, I will curse you for eternity! Something that even yoddess won't be able to protect you from my wrath! OUCH!!!" While Loki had a dangerous look with open eyes as she pronounced her curses, she took another hit from the staff of the elf, who couldn't stand her mischievous goddess anymore.

  I really didn't know what to do; these gods are aleculiar. After f a personality for thousands of years, it would never ge. I was even fused by Loki's uhy desire for female breasts.

  While Finn sighed with this and the rest of his family looked at the se in a amusing way, the members of the sed team were lost with these decrations from their goddess. However, a visibly impatient werewolf couldn't tain his displeasure any longer and interrupted the se with a powerful growl, capturing the attention of everyone present. "Wait a moment!" he roared, direg his fierce gaze in my dire. "I have waited long enough, you and I," he poi me with an evident challenging expression. "In the sparring field, now!" His irritation alpable, a tent eagero frohat had grown since our first enter.

  Bete, as he was called, received enthusiastic support from Loki, whose words echoed in agreement. "That's right, Bete! Teach him so he eals Mom!!" The goddess's statement added a of excitement to the proposed challenge.

  I looked at them for a moment and sighed; it was time to face their stant fights and provocations. "Okay, let's fight then," I said, casting a g the enthusiastic Bete, aware that I was about to face a siderable physical challenge. However, a sileermination shone in my eyes, indig that it wouldn't be as simple as he imagihe sparring field awaited, and as the sun indicated mid-m.

  ------------------------------