Chapter 341 - Finding Ais
When the Ishtar Familia came knocking, Ais had vanished.
Whether Ais truly poached a member from the Ishtar Familia was unclear, leaving the Loki Familia at a loss.
They needed to find her to uncover the truth.
As one of Orario's twin kings, the Loki Familia boasted numerous first-class adventurers, while the Ishtar Familia had only one.
Outmatched, the Ishtar members didn't dare push too hard, merely urging the Loki Familia to locate Ais swiftly and provide answers, avoiding any bold moves.
Though eager to find Ais, the Loki Familia wasn't as frantic as Ishtar's.
A first-class adventurer like Ais faced few threats in Orario, and her speed made escape near-certain if needed.
They planned to search after handling immediate tasks.
"Ais, doing something like that?" Mahiro chuckled, amused.
The idea of the stoic, strength-obsessed girl "stealing" someone was absurd, as outlandish as a model student skipping class to hit an internet café.
"Maybe Ishtar's girls are framing Ais," Bete scoffed.
"Her, interested in them? Their captain's had it out for Ais forever. Probably stirring trouble on purpose."
"Don't jump to conclusions without facts," Finn said calmly.
Ais' prior clash with Ishtar gave motive, but poaching seemed out of character, and Finn hesitated to believe it.
"Did Ishtar's people say who Ais supposedly took?" Mahiro asked, curious.
"Some Sanjo, they said," Tiona replied.
"Sanjo?" Mahiro's expression shifted as he sifted through his memories of the Ishtar Familia.
A name surfaced: Sanjouno Haruhime.
Details on Haruhime were fuzzy, but her rare magic—Uchide no Kozuchi—stood out.
It temporarily boosted an adventurer's level by one, a massive edge.
A Level 4 could rival a Level 5, making it a coveted ability.
Mahiro recalled Ais' fascination with his Boosted Gear Gift.
Haruhime's similar enhancement magic might've tempted Ais to "poach" her.
It made sense, in a way.
"If you find Ais and she did take someone, what's the plan?" Mahiro asked.
"Return them to Ishtar, obviously. Those women disgust me," Bete said, sneering.
"If it's just a regular member, we'll pay compensation," Finn added.
"But Ishtar's reaction suggests this person's important to them. If we don't return them, it could spark a Familia conflict."
Finn's reasoning prioritized the Loki Familia's interests.
Haruhime belonged to Ishtar; clashing over her wasn't worth the cost.
A pragmatic leader avoided such losses.
"Got it," Mahiro said, then asked, "How long will your Guild business take?"
"Just reporting our expedition's haul," Finn said.
"No new floors this time, just a new monster type. Shouldn't take long."
"I'll wait outside," Mahiro offered. "I've got time. Let's find Ais together after."
The gods' fervor seemed fleeting.
Though many still coveted Mahiro, their pursuit had cooled since yesterday's frenzy.
For them, the chase was a fleeting amusement. Today, Mahiro strolled Orario's streets unhindered.
"Finding Ais is Loki Familia business, outsider!" Bete snapped, bristling.
He dreaded Mahiro, a formidable romantic rival, growing closer to Ais.
"Hey, Bete, don't be petty!" Tiona shot him a disdainful look.
"I'm going with Mahiro to find Ais later."
"Who cares, you dumb Amazon!" Bete fumed.
"Thanks, Mahiro," Finn said, smiling gratefully.
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