The atmosphere at the breakfast table that morning felt warm and serene.
The simple wooden table was surrounded by three extraordinarily beautiful women and one young man.
However, their composition was unusual: Astraea was a goddess, Aishia was a High-Rank Spirit, and Est was a Holy Sword Spirit.
All three were not human, and their beauty stood at the pinnacle, surpassing mortal standards.
In their midst was Charlie, the only man at the table and the only true human in this circle.
If other men in Orario knew that Charlie could live under the same roof and share his life with such unparalleled beauties, burning envy would surely ignite in their hearts, longing to take his place.
"How's the taste of my cooking?"
Astraea's gentle gaze shifted from Charlie to Aishia, then to Est, eagerly awaiting their verdict.
Aishia: "Delicious."
Est: "Quite good."
The two spirit girls weren't particularly skilled at expressing their feelings with words.
"Sorry for doubting you earlier, Goddess Astraea. Your home-cooked meal is truly delicious." Charlie praised sincerely.
Astraea's face lit up at their responses.
"Good to hear you all like it. People's tastes vary, so I was a bit worried it wouldn't suit you. Seems I was overthinking."
As they continued enjoying breakfast, Astraea shifted the conversation to a more serious topic.
"Charlie, today is the Denatus. You know that, right? You still don't have an alias despite reaching Level 5. Is there a specific alias you want? I'll do my best to secure it for you."
The Denatus was a gathering of gods held every three months at Babel Tower. It was a chance for them to socialize, but more importantly, it was when adventurers received their official aliases.
An alias was a second name given to all adventurers during the Denatus by the gods once they reached Level 2. Aliases could potentially change each time an adventurer leveled up.
"An alias, huh…" Charlie let out a light sigh, seeming unenthusiastic. "Honestly, I don't really care what alias I get."
"Think carefully, Charlie. If I don't advocate for your alias and let the gods decide, who knows what weird alias they'll give you." Astraea warned seriously.
Some mischievous gods often used the alias-giving moment to assign chuunibyou-sounding names to adventurers from weaker Familias, purely for amusement.
However, because Lower World residents viewed them differently, they considered such names cool.
This process usually didn't apply to large, powerful Familias, as their gods typically prepared fitting aliases for their members.
Though Charlie was the sole member of Hera Familia in Orario, that name still carried significant weight.
"How about Charlie's alias being… ###?" Aishia suggested.
Astraea nodded in agreement. "That's a great suggestion, Aishia. It suits Charlie perfectly."
Not rushing to decide, Charlie turned to Est, who sat beside him.
"What about you, Est? Don't you have any alias suggestions?"
Est shook her head gently. "None. Onii-chan's already cool with that alias."
Seeing the three women around him in agreement, Charlie finally relented.
"Alright then. I'll leave the alias decision entirely to you, Goddess Astraea."
"Mm. Rest assured, I won't let those gods and goddesses slap you with some bizarre alias." Astraea promised confidently.
With that settled, the alias discussion concluded.
They continued their breakfast in silence.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On the 30th floor of Babel Tower, the Denatus was underway.
Many gods gathered with various agendas. Some came to discuss and review events in Orario, others to determine aliases for their adventurers, and some simply for entertainment.
The requirement to participate in the Denatus was that a god must have at least one Familia member who had reached Level 2 or higher. Attending the Denatus was a sign that their Familia was among Orario's stronger forces.
(Haaah, Denatus is always so boring.) Loki thought, observing the arriving gods and goddesses, all dressed far more elegantly and extravagantly than usual.
(Well, at least there are some sexy goddesses to enjoy.)
With a lecherous grin, Loki approached a goddess with a rather ample chest.
"Loki! What are you doing?"
Astraea quickly stepped back, her face wary.
"Hey, Astraea! Long time no see. It's surprising to see you at this Denatus. It's been years since you last attended. Are you rebuilding your Familia?"
Loki grinned as she closed in again, relishing Astraea's discomfort as she edged away.
"Your perverted nature hasn't changed, Loki. Unfortunately, your guess is wrong. I'm here to secure an alias for Charlie Avalon."
Astraea maintained her gentle smile despite feeling uneasy under her acquaintance's lascivious gaze.
"You're representing that kid? I thought Aphrodite was his guardian."
"Aphrodite's busy accompanying Harmonia on her world tour concert."
"Hey, Astraea, is it true you're living under the same roof as that boy?"
"Yes. Why?"
"So jeal—ahem, I mean, that's surprising. You used to keep your distance from men. But look at you now. Aren't you worried that kid might lose control seeing your curvaceous body and… attack you?"
Loki's usually half-closed eyes opened, gleaming with a predatory look.
"Charlie's not that kind of person. And honestly, I think my chastity is in more danger around you, Loki."
"Hahaha… You know me so well, Astraea."
"That's not a compliment, Loki."
The two then walked toward the main hall. Their arrival immediately drew attention. Loki, as the Main God of one of Orario's strongest Familias, was always a focal point.
As for Astraea, her Familia had upheld justice in Orario in the past. Moreover, she was a beautiful goddess with many suitors among the gods. Unfortunately, she chose to remain chaste, like the three Virgin Goddesses—Hestia, Athena, and Artemis.
Suddenly, another commotion erupted at the entrance.
"It's Freya!"
"Freya's here! What a blessing for my eyes!"
The male gods went wild as one of the most renowned Goddesses of Beauty entered the room.
The Goddess of Beauty had long, shimmering silver hair, mesmerizing silver eyes, and flawless snow-white skin. Her body proportions were perfect, like a living embodiment of the golden ratio, as if she herself was the source of all perfection.
Freya's beauty was extraordinary, even among other goddesses.
"Ishtar!"
"Oh! She stepped on me!"
"Please step on me too!"
On the other side, many male gods also eagerly approached a brown-skinned Goddess of Beauty with a stunning figure.
Ishtar wore revealing Amazoness-style clothing, consisting of a single orange-red cloth draped around her neck, barely covering her ample chest, and a matching pareo wrapped around her waist down to her ankles.
Gold jewelry—bracelets, anklets, a necklace, and a tiara with sparkling gems—completed her sensual, captivating appearance.
The atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic with the arrival of two contrasting yet equally mesmerizing Goddesses of Beauty.
"Is everyone here? Let's get started!"
Hermes' booming voice suddenly cut through the clamor, drawing all attention. He stood at the front podium.
"This is our thousandth Denatus. I, Hermes, am honored to lead this momentous gathering!"