Isagi and Loki actually knew each other.
The news of the Astrea Familia's return to the city was known only by a few deities, and she was one of them.
However, thinking back to when he and his Goddess had just set foot on Daedalus Street.
This red-haired Goddess had run over noisily on her own accord, shouting "Astrea-chan, hug!!", and then pounced directly—without a shred of exaggeration, this is entirely factual—only to be mercilessly swept away by his Goddess using a scabbard, crashing to the ground with an "Ouch".
The entire process was incredibly fluid, as if it had happened countless times from the past to the present.
Back when Isagi was still in Solingen, he had heard that the deity Loki of the city was somewhat "unreliable", but he never expected it to be like this.
The Goddess had choppy red hair completely like a boy's.
Usually, she just tied a small ponytail casually behind her head, but attending the banquet today, she had carefully tied a hairpin at the back.
Her usual simple and casual attire, resembling a middle-aged man in a shirt and shorts, was gone, replaced by a gorgeous black evening dress.
But the Goddess was simply too thin, even giving people a sense of malnutrition, especially next to Goddess Demeter; the contrast was even more obvious.
She always narrowed her eyes, smiling slightly, making it impossible for people to understand what she was thinking deep down.
"Damn bastards, daring to mock my sheer cliffs. I've memorized your faces! Once we get back, I'll immediately notify Riveria and the others to finish you guys off!!!"
The Goddess seemed to be saying something terrible with a smile.
Loki, who was obviously also a chatterbox, held a glass of red wine and walked over to him and Goddess Demeter on her own, then suddenly lowered her voice.
But Isagi always felt that Loki was actually dodging Demeter's 'sharpness', not daring to look directly at the gap between her and the Goddess.
"Goddess (Astrea) is always able to find good children, isn't she."
"By the way."
"My children often mention you!"
More than just "mention"!
Thinking about how Riveria suddenly ran over to tell him earlier, saying something like Ais had been acting a bit weird lately, often sneaking out alone.
As a result, they followed her and took a look, only to discover that Ais was stalking a strange young boy.
Hah?!
Her own child became a "stalker"?!
Hearing this news, Loki simply couldn't believe it!
Riveria also looked very heartbroken.
After all, she watched Ais grow up, and their relationship was like mother and daughter—although the ninety-nine-year-old Elf should technically still be a "young girl".
"Come over here, Ais, Tiona!!"
Waving to her children in the distance.
The Monster Festival banquet was a front all along!
All of this was arranged by Loki!
It was very simple to get Isagi to attend the banquet; she just needed to mention it to Demeter, then have her speak to Goddess Astrea, and naturally, the boy would be brought over!!
Hehehe, all according to plan!
As the Goddess of Trickery, Loki's true goal today was, of course, to prove to her children that she and Isagi really knew each other and hadn't lied, greatly strengthening her "dignity" in the hearts of her Familia's children!!
The flat-chested Goddess threw out her chest and raised her head.
Very proudly, she beckoned the two girls over.
"Hello, Miss Ais."
It was only at this moment that Isagi recalled that the beautiful girl he met on the 1st Floor of the Dungeon the night he had just arrived in the city was the [Sword Princess] of the Loki Familia.
That's right!
Isagi suddenly remembered.
The girl before him seemed to be his customer as well.
Almost every morning, she would come to buy red bean and cream flavored fried potato snacks.
As long as he set up his stall, she would definitely be there.
It was just that he was too busy and hadn't put it together at all.
"Hello, Miss Tiona."
"Hello!"
The obviously lively and energetic Amazon girl greeted him loudly at once.
However, Ais at her side appeared somewhat reserved.
"Ah... He... Hello..."
She was trying to recall, how did Mama Riveria teach her to speak to strange boys again?
Ah...
Seems she never taught that.
Then what to do?
The airheaded girl, with absolutely no experience interacting with strangers, instantly fell into a "crashed" state.
Unlike her combat skills which had almost become instinct, Ais's social skills were obviously zero.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been stalking Isagi for so long—ever since discovering that the boy was actually the "Boss" selling potato snacks not far from the Familia's base (Isagi's potato snack stall was on North Main Street, which was indeed not far from the Loki Familia's Twilight Manor).
After buying breakfast as a daily routine, Ais would quickly hide in the distance and begin observing the boy's actions!
Her goal was very simple.
That was to secretly follow him into the Dungeon, and then try to fight those strange, special monsters.
That's right.
For the better part of this month, many times when Isagi was grinding mobs in the Dungeon, Ais was actually hiding in the dark corners of the caves not far away.
But later, the matter was exposed.
Not the stalking part, but her secretly going to the Dungeon was caught by Mama Riveria.
She was then banned from going to the Dungeon again, the reason being that the Familia expedition was imminent, and the goal of the expedition was specifically to allow her to obtain enough [Excelia] to level up.
If it came time to depart, but she couldn't be found because she was in the Dungeon, would everyone have to wait for her to return before setting off?
Ais felt that what Riveria said made sense.
The girl was no longer that reckless rebellious brat of the past who ignored everything and only knew how to fight monsters, getting herself covered in wounds.
But not being able to go to the Dungeon didn't mean Ais gave up on stalking Isagi!
Her idea was still very simple: master the boy's whereabouts so she could find him anytime, anywhere.
That way, when she could go to the Dungeon later, she could go with Isagi anytime, anywhere!!
[Then why be so sneaky?!]
Never mind Riveria, even Loki was greatly puzzled by this.
The Goddess certainly knew about the anomalies occurring in the Dungeon recently, and more or less knew it was related to Isagi.
But this was nothing; as Astrea had said before, all deities who knew the [Time of Promise] was approaching understood.
Change is a good thing.
As long as it doesn't temporarily affect the safety of the city, then one only needs to watch quietly.
And since Ais was interested in this, wouldn't it be fine to just tell the boy directly and form a party together!
But here lay the problem.
Ais thoughtfully believed that she was currently too strong and her level didn't match Isagi's, so it would be better to wait for the boy to level up and catch up to her before forming a party.
She was, however, trying to recall: how did Mama Riveria teach her to speak to strange boys again?
Ah...
But that's no excuse to be a stalker!
The noble High Elf princess was nearly angered to death by her "daughter".
But clearly, the airheaded girl had absolutely no self-awareness, nor did she understand why she couldn't secretly follow a boy around 24/7 to observe his every move.
Fortunately, Loki discovered it sharply.
The boy Ais spoke of was Isagi, and thus, today's scene occurred...
"Eh?! So everything Ais said was true! Was it really that interesting? So fun!!"
"It was actually alright."
"No way! Hurry and tell us about that, what happened after you entered the Goblin Kingdom's Border Fortress!!"
"About that, after we went in..."
In a corner of the banquet hall.
Isagi was speaking softly with the two girls from the Loki Familia about his last adventure story.
To Ais and Tiona, it sounded simply like a fantasy tale.
Even the blonde girl who had known a bit about it beforehand regretted it somewhat—recently, because she was banned by Mama Riveria from going to the Dungeon.
Leading to her not following Isagi and the others into that [Goblin Kingdom · Border Fortress]!!
And those powerful monsters that followed!!
"So interesting!"
The short-haired Amazon girl clamored.
However, that enthusiastic appearance was different from the Amazon women Isagi had seen before.
Tiona also had very healthy, dark brown wheat-colored skin, a pair of spirited large dark blue eyes, matched with clean white teeth and a wide mouth, giving people a cheerful, happy-go-lucky feeling.
The girl appeared very childish, and inexplicably innocent.
This was completely different from most Amazon girls who would ask if you wanted to go home and sleep with them at the drop of a hat.
That's right.
Amazons are just that direct and open, even to the point where it causes distress.
They have completely different concepts of reproduction; their tribe consists only of females, and they only give birth to females, so since ancient times, there has been a tradition of plundering men back to the tribe.
In a sense, they could even be called the "Succubi" of this world.
Or rather...
"Also, using weapons capable of killing gods, but those things are too rare, something to be hoped for but not sought..."
Seeming incredibly interested in this topic.
The Goddess of Chaos and Trickery, with a pair of slender brownish-grey eyes, looked at the boy with a smile.
"We get along quite well, don't we."
"Loki!"
Rarely, Demeter seemed to get a little angry.
Because the Goddess sensed that Loki seemed to want to snatch the child Isagi away.
How could that be allowed!
She also liked him very much, and hadn't even thought about snatching him from Astrea yet...
Suddenly, she seemed to realize something.
Demeter looked at Isagi, who was chatting with Ais and Tiona at that moment, as if suddenly enlightened.
Goblins?
Isagi didn't have any thoughts about that.
Leaving the deities to chat with the two girls here, his main goal was actually—
Recruiting teammates!
That's right, ever since the last adventure ended, Isagi realized the importance of a "Mid-guard" in the team.
Having at least one person to help cover Lefiya and himself would make battles much easier.
Isagi had thought about this seriously today!
Ryuu and Anya's levels were too high; being Level 4 wasn't suitable.
Moreover, Senior Ryuu still had her revenge.
As for Anya, she looked like she had already retired from being an adventurer.
Although the idiot catgirl would also go to the Dungeon with him and Lefiya, for her, it was actually just playing—the monsters he and the Elf girl encountered now posed absolutely no threat to her.
When they went to the deeper floors later, Anya probably wouldn't come along.
Isagi respected others' choices very much.
For the catgirl, the pub was her home.
Giving up her waitress job to become an adventurer again wasn't something he could forcibly interfere with.
The same went for Filvis.
Isagi saw the heavy weight on the Elf girl's mind.
Regardless of what secrets she had, since she wasn't willing to adventure together anymore, there was no need to force it.
Senior Ryuu shouldn't have any issues.
If she stayed in the Familia later, she would definitely go to the Dungeon with him, but that was something for the distant future.
Eliminating these options.
Isagi abruptly realized he didn't know any other adventurers.
So...
Ais before him was also Level 4, so naturally, she didn't fit either!
Thus, Isagi's target was actually Tiona!!
In a short time, he had already obtained enough intelligence from the Amazon girl's mouth.
She only came to Orario with her sister last year and joined the Loki Familia, and is currently still Level 3 (lacking [Excelia] to level up).
More importantly.
For the upcoming Loki Familia expedition, neither she nor her sister would participate, instead staying on the surface as a reserve force to "guard the house".
Wasn't this perfect!
So he prepared to invite Tiona to join his exploration squad.
And on the other side...
"Did you know, Demeter? A while back when Astrea just returned to the city, I went to find her. Isagi was there too, and he asked me a question."
"What?"
"He asked me, 'Can gods be killed?'"
Watching from afar the corner of the banquet hall where the boy and girls were chatting happily, Loki's always-squinted eyes opened slightly, suddenly exerting a very heavy pressure.
"He's really interesting, that child."
"Then what did you say?"
"I said of course they can. Divine Might isn't omnipotent; it merely 'prevents children of the lower world from harboring thoughts of harming or killing gods, and also prevents them from taking actions related to such'. That is all. So, there are actually many ways to kill a god."
"Restrict the god's movements, then have one's own god, or other gods, do the deed."
"Unintentionally destroy the terrain, such as collapsing a building, causing an explosion, spreading poison gas. As long as 'one doesn't know the god is there', or the person doing it doesn't know the target is a god, then there is no problem;"
Just like during the [Great Feud] era, the Dark Familia planted bombs in believers' bodies, waited for them to approach a god, and then had another completely unknowing believer, or simply a Dark God, detonate them remotely.
The above were all confirmed methods that could finish off a god.
"Of course, this can't count as killing, after all, it's just sending them back to Heaven."
"I told him that true killing is making a god die inside the Dungeon. That way, they will be swallowed by the Dungeon and cannot return to Heaven. But it's very troublesome to pull off in practice, because you can only make the god enter the Dungeon of their own accord, and under normal circumstances, rarely would a god choose to do so."
Loki, this guy, surely she isn't thinking of using a "Honey Trap"?!
Let the cute girls or handsome boys in the Familia get to know the favored ones in other Familias, and then abduct them to her own Familia.
This is a common, completely non-violating, upright and honest "poaching" behavior in the city!!
Oh no!
Until this moment.
Demeter, acting as the "Mom", finally realized that she seemed to have fallen into a trap!!
___
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