Facing the gods' questioning gazes, Fron showed no hesitation, he simply nodded, openly confirming Takemikazuchi's guess.
------------------------
"Yes, Lord Takemikazuchi, actually more than a month ago, when I returned from the expedition, my great achievement was already ready to be upgraded. It's just that my ability values hadn't reached their limit yet, so I only underwent sublimation a few days ago."
"Hissss…"
Takemikazuchi, Miach, and Hermes all gasped at the same time, feeling their scalps go numb.
The Loki Familia was already absurdly strong. The seven Level 6s of the first echelon alone made it hard for others to breathe. And now, good grief, it wasn't over yet.
That monster known as "Unrivaled Among Equals", Fron Argon, had quietly become a Level 6 as well.
No wonder everyone's hearts were pounding with shock. Especially those dumb gods who had once picked fights with Loki or mocked her.
"Holy crap, Level 6!"
"Damn, that's cheating! That's blatant cheating! He was just Level 5 a few months ago, and now he's Level 6? Get outta here! Level 6 and Level 5 aren't even in the same league!"
The nearby god of wine and feasting nodded gravely in agreement.
"That's right. Level 6, that's Level 6, just a level below The King."
"Good grief, I can't even! The more you think about it, the scarier it gets! Just how many Level 6 kids does the Loki Familia have? Damn it, are they gonna leave us any chance at survival?"
"The Braver, the Nine Hell, the Elgarm, the Sword Princess, and now the freaking Night Weaver!"
"Cheating! Loki's totally cheating!!!"
"Heh, Loki cheating? The real cheater is that one, isn't it?"
"Who?"
"***"
"Whoa, hey, if you wanna die, don't drag me with you! I've got no desire to return to that hopeless bastard!"
...
The news that Fron Argon, had become Level 6 spread through the banquet hall like a hurricane in the blink of an eye.
The gods all looked at Loki, who was currently whining and begging the goddess Hephaestus for money, with complicated expressions of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
"Ahh, why can't I have that kind of luck?"
"Right? Then again, I'm running a commerce Familia, so I don't have as much pressure as you exploration types, hahaha!"
"Tch, forget it. Come on, let's drink!"
...
Meanwhile, Fron and the others were chatting near the edge of the hall by the open-air balcony.
"So, Fron, what do you think of my child, Mikoto?"
Takemikazuchi proudly showed off his brave child, after all, Mikoto had only just reached Level 2 recently, and he was still riding that high.
"Congratulations on reaching Level 2, Mikoto."
"Th-thank you." Faced with Fron's naturally warm smile, the straightforward girl bowed stiffly in return.
"Of course, Miss Naaza's dress tonight is truly beautiful as well."
Now that's emotional intelligence.
Naaza's gown was quite special, her entire right arm was wrapped in a fitted sleeve, contrasting sharply with the bare left shoulder of her vest-style dress.
Clearly, the god Miach was a thoughtful one; he had specially designed the gown to conceal Naaza's prosthetic arm.
Yes, Naaza had lost her right arm in a dungeon expedition, and ever since, she had developed a deep psychological trauma toward monsters, forcing her to retire as an adventurer.
As the saying goes, fate is unpredictable.
After changing careers to become a pharmacist, Naaza's talent in potion-making and alchemy was extraordinary, calling her a genius would not be an exaggeration.
Thus, The Blue Apothecary was born.
"Thank you for the compliment. But we can't compare to your lady companion. Among everyone in this hall, she's the brightest star tonight!"
Naaza winked playfully at Fron, her teasing gaze darting between him and Ais, who was clinging to his arm in her gown, face blushing scarlet.
The meaning was all too obvious, the teasing was merciless.
"..." Suddenly, Fron felt his other arm tighten.
Noticing the surprised, curious, and knowing looks from those around, he immediately felt a headache coming on.
Even through the expensive, distinctive perfume, he easily recognized the scent of the one now holding onto his other arm.
Princess Asfi Al Andromeda.
Glancing at Loki, who was still pestering Hephaestus for money, Fron and Ais could barely look at each other.
Better to just turn away and avoid the embarrassment.
"Uh, Asfi, you look beautiful tonight too."
"Thank you."
Hermes: "..."
Unaware of her god's expression, Asfi smiled gracefully, her poise perfectly composed.
"I'd only just returned from the Great Tree Sea a few days ago, and already I'm hearing more about your Loki Familia's exploits."
Her cheeks slightly flushed, Asfi leaned closer, subtly cornering Fron between herself and Ais.
"You mean the incident at the harbor town, right? Well… that was kind of a misunderstanding."
Since Asfi wasn't exactly an outsider, and it wasn't a secret anyway, Fron briefly recounted what had happened.
When he finished, the girl looked slightly astonished.
"I didn't expect warriors from outside Orario who reached Level 6. In my kingdom, there are not even Level 4's."
"The Sea Kingdom, huh? If I recall, you're a princess of its royal family, right? What's your country like?"
At the mention of her homeland, Asfi tugged awkwardly at her tight dress and sighed.
"My country is just a small island nation, constantly under attack from sea monsters. But… thanks to the efforts of the Poseidon Familia and other ocean-type familias, things have improved in recent years."
"The Poseidon Familia? Oh, right… I remember Dionysus mentioning that the town of Melen was supported by those marine exploration familias over a decade ago. After the Leviathan was defeated, they left the town to embark on new voyages."
Thinking about it, Fron couldn't help but sigh.
After the total collapse of the Zeus and Hera familias, Orario had truly declined.
Thankfully, the three great familias, Loki, Freya, and Ganesha, had held the line through that dark period, or else… Orario might not even exist today.
Where there is conflict, there is sacrifice.
And among the noble deities of justice, the Astraea Familia was the one that fell.
Once equal in fame to the other three, the Astraea Familia's brilliance had drawn the attention of the Evilus faction. Targeted and trapped, they were ultimately wiped out on the 30th floor.
"Hmm? Look over there."
As the small group chatted idly, someone's gaze caught a new pair entering the banquet hall.