"Don't forget. The leveling speed of Hestia's child, Bell Cranel, is also incredibly fast; he even broke the Sword Princess's record. He reached Level 2 in a month and a half."
Her gaze swept the room, Freya ensuring everyone was listening.
"On the other hand, Charlie Avalon leveled up to Level 2 in only eleven days. Although there is a gap between the two, it's not too far if we view them as similar 'phenomena'."
"In short, what I want to convey is, don't compare those two young men to ordinary adventurers. Change your perspective. Both of them are special."
"Remember that."
After delivering her message, Freya no longer cared about the shock and stares of the other gods. She elegantly sat back down, crossing her beautiful legs as if nothing had happened.
What was Freya's motivation for speaking in Charlie's defense?
That question swirled in the minds of many gods.
"Wow, it's unusual for Freya to talk about someone from another Familia. Especially someone from the Hera Familia, whom she dislikes. I heard Aphrodite tried to seduce Charlie Avalon and failed. I thought that was just a false rumor. But after seeing Freya take his side, the rumor might not be baseless."
"Oh my, two of the three Goddesses of Beauty supporting Charlie Avalon? That's big news! Not to mention the goddess known to only be close to women, like Hera and Astraea, are also interested in him. Hiss... What kind of charisma does he possess to be able to charm four goddesses of that caliber?"
"Charlie Avalon... I want to meet him."
"Me too. No ordinary man can attract the attention of Hera, Aphrodite, Astraea, and Freya simultaneously."
Thanks to Freya's brief speech, the gods' attention was diverted.
Suddenly, their never-ending appetite for gossip was reignited with new intensity. Especially the goddesses, after hearing the analysis that Charlie allegedly had ambiguous relationships with some of the most influential goddesses, they became curious and wanted to meet and interact with him personally.
"Cough... Everyone, let's continue discussing the alias for Charlie."
Standing on the podium, Hermes gave a fake cough to regain attention. He reminded his colleagues who were starting to stray. Even so, he himself wasn't annoyed by this development. For him, the more unexpected and dramatic, the more entertaining.
"Wait a moment. I still don't believe Charlie Avalon didn't cheat!"
"Oh, Nergal. Since you insist on claiming Charlie cheated, you should have evidence, right? Otherwise, it's just a baseless accusation."
Hermes looked at the god who slandered Charlie named Nergal.
"That's easy! Let's use a Status Thief on him!"
Instantly, looks of astonishment and disbelief were directed at Nergal from across the room.
Normally, gods lock their children's Status, making it invisible to anyone else. The Status can only be unlocked with the permission and blood of the respective god.
However, there is an illegal item called a Status Thief. This item is created by mixing God's Blood and other rare materials, and can be used to force an adventurer to reveal their Status without involving or requiring permission from their Main God.
Revealing an adventurer's Status is a very serious violation of privacy. The Status contains the most confidential information about one's growth, abilities, skills, and even weaknesses. This information is usually not even shared among members of the same Familia, let alone outsiders.
"I disagree. That's going too far, Nergal."
Unable to tolerate it anymore, Astraea stood up and spoke.
Nergal looked at her with a cynical gaze. "Astraea, you're not even Charlie Avalon's Main God. Why are you defending him so desperately?"
Suddenly, a cunning smile blossomed on his lips. "No, seeing you so partial to a man is already very strange. Could it be... you like him?"
Then, he burst into loud laughter, his voice echoing in the silent hall.
"HA HA HA HA..."
"The Goddess of Justice who rejected the proposals of many gods, including Zeus, Odin, Anu, Indra, and Mithras, choosing to remain unmarried for hundreds of millions of years like other Virgin Goddesses, is finally falling in love with a mortal man? Hahaha... How hilarious! This Denatus is truly very surprising!"
"..."
The other gods and goddesses did not intervene. They just watched with cheerful expressions, enjoying the unexpected drama. Some even took out the snacks they had brought and started munching, as if watching a theatrical performance.
"D-Don't talk nonsense!"
Astraea refuted, but her cheeks were flushed crimson with shame and anger. Her voice faltered, losing its usual composure.
"...!!!"
Astraea's clearly embarrassed reaction stunned many of the gods. Their eyes widened.
When was the last time they saw the dignified Goddess of Justice react like a shy teenage girl?
Perhaps... Nergal's words held some truth?
Amidst the commotion, Freya sat calmly, a faint and meaningful smile appearing on her lips.
(You truly are a sinful man, Charlie Avalon. Whether it's you, or Bell Cranel, both of you seem to be able to captivate women's hearts as easily as breathing.)
As the Goddess of Beauty and Love, she understood the turmoil of emotions in Astraea's heart more than anyone else in the room.
"Have you laughed enough, Nergal?"
Astraea's voice sounded again, but now it had lost its tone of shame and confusion. After taking several deep breaths, she had managed to regain her composure and dignity as the Goddess of Justice. Her face returned to a neutral expression, her gaze sharp and focused.
"Enough, more than enough." Nergal replied with a satisfied smile still on his face. "It's been a long time since I've had such a hearty laugh. For that, I offer you my sincere thanks, Astraea."
He was not at all intimidated facing Astraea's cold stare. For him, this was all entertainment.
"Now, it's your turn, Astraea. Let's hear your defense that Charlie Avalon didn't cheat. Give us an argument that we can accept."
Instantly, all eyes in the room turned to Astraea. The gods and goddesses who were previously just watching were now fully attentive.
After all, Astraea was the only goddess in the room who lived in the same house as Charlie. They were sure she must possess understanding or information that they did not.
"Very well. What I want to discuss is the gift we bestow upon the residents of the Lower World: the Falna."
Not the slightest bit nervous being the center of attention, Astraea spoke calmly.
"...???"
The statement left many gods confused and surprised.
Why was Astraea suddenly discussing this fundamental concept?
What did Falna have to do with defending Charlie against accusations of cheating?