At dusk, Altair returned to Orario with Saeko and the two lolis. The city gate guards gazed at him with awe, a testament to the world of strength, where power earned reverence.
As they entered the city, they were met by throngs lining the streets.
"Wooo!" The crowd erupted in cheers the moment Altair appeared. Though many had lost fortunes betting against the Hestia Familia, far more were captivated by their War Game performance.
A "Sword Demon" And two untitled lolis had toppled the Ishtar Familia. As for Altair, no one doubted his prowess, only a formidable leader could command such a Familia. The question on everyone's lips: if Hestia's Level 3 could crush Ishtar's Level 5, just how strong was their Level 4 leader?
Altair's ascension to Level 4 had been announced, as the Guild required public disclosure of both sides' stats. The previous night, he and Saeko had updated their levels at the Guild: he was Level 4, she Level 3, while Kayo and Tina remained Level 1. For the lolis, reaching Level 2 was only a matter of time.
"Altair!" Hestia, their goddess, pushed through the crowd. She sprinted forward, leaping into Altair's arms. He caught her effortlessly, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, arms clinging to his neck, hanging onto him like a koala.
"You were amazing! I watched with Take and Miach, and we were on edge, but you won so easily!" Hestia gushed, oblivious to the surrounding adventurers, nuzzling Altair unabashedly.
"Relax, Hestia. It was just the Ishtar Familia, not worth getting worked up over." Altair said calmly. "Besides, you saw, I didn't even need to fight."
"Right! They didn't stand a chance against you. You're the best!" Hestia beamed.
Their public display drew playful protests from the others.
"Lady Hestia, I know Onii-san's awesome, but you can't praise just him!" Tina pouted.
"Yeah, you're so biased! We worked hard too, and no compliments for us?" Kayo chimed in, their daily theatrics in full swing.
"No, no! You two were incredible too! I didn't mean to leave you out!" Hestia, despite her history of falling for their antics, panicked and began explaining, still clinging to Altair.
Altair chuckled at the lolis' teasing of Hestia. His choice to stay out of the fight was deliberate, letting Saeko, Kayo, and Tina shine. He could have stormed the fortress alone, mowing down enemies in a blaze of glory. But that would only cement his strength, overshadowing his team. By letting them take the stage, he proved the Hestia Familia, though small, was packed with powerhouses. Now, Orario's schemers would think twice before targeting them.
The plan worked flawlessly. Altair overheard the crowd's chatter: some marveled at the Sword Demon's prowess, debating whether she outshone Loki's Sword Princess; others raved about the lolis, speculating that a Level 3 kill now meant they could fell Level 7s at Level 5. The trio dominated the buzz.
Keep talking, Altair thought. Soon, Kayo and Tina would hit Level 2, making the Hestia Familia's lowest rank Level 2. Once the lolis reached Level 3, every member would be a high-level adventurer.
"Hestia, how's the Ishtar Familia's asset transfer going?" Altair asked.
"Oh! I've handled all of Ishtar's assets!" Hestia said, snapping out of her debate with the lolis to answer seriously, prioritizing Altair. "Per your instructions, we've claimed their entire row of properties in the pleasure district. The battle courtesans have been disbanded, except for one apprentice, Haruhime, as you requested."
Hestia tilted her head. "Do you know this Haruhime?"
She doubted Altair had any ulterior motives, how could he, with a charming goddess like her by his side?
"I don't know her personally, but I've heard of her. Her ability is valuable, so I wanted to keep her." Altair explained.
"Oh, got it!" Hestia nodded, satisfied.
Before the battle, Altair had researched the Ishtar Familia. Prominent adventurers' details were easy to gather, ask around, and passersby would spill. Haruhime's name came up by chance from an adventurer leaving the pleasure district, jogging Altair's memory of her role. In the original story, she joined the Hestia Familia, and while he had no personal interest, her magic, a spell that boosted others' levels by one, was too potent to let slip.
A skill that openly broke balance couldn't be left with others. Even if he didn't care for her, keeping her in the Familia was strategic, if only to empower his team.
"And Ishtar?" Altair asked.
"She's being exiled from Orario. The Guild will escort her out tomorrow morning. Any remaining battle courtesans can join her, but I doubt anyone will. Haha!" Hestia laughed heartily.
"Since everything's settled, let's celebrate!" Altair said, spinning Hestia from his arms to his shoulders, letting her perch on his neck.
"Yay!" Hestia cheered, her soft thighs pressing against Altair's neck, their warmth palpable. Unfazed, she clamped her legs to stay secure, raising her arms in triumph. "To the party!"
Amid the crowd's cheers, the Hestia Familia departed.
From this day, they were cemented as one of Orario's elite Familias.
Among Orario's many Familias, the top two, dubbed the Twin Kings, were the Loki Familia, with the most Level 6s, and the Freya Familia, boasting the unrivaled Level 7. The Ganesha Familia followed, with the largest membership.
Next had been Ishtar's battle courtesan Familia, until three Hestia members obliterated them. The Hestia Familia now filled their slot, becoming a powerhouse despite their small size. Each member could take on multiple foes alone.
Their leader, Demon Sword Knight Altair, had reached Level 4 in mere months since arriving in Orario. The deputy leader hit Level 3 in the same span. At this rate, who knew what levels they'd reach in a year?
After the War Game, some adventurers dubbed Orario's top four Familias, Loki, Freya, Ganesha, and Hestia, the Four Emperors, marking a shift from the Twin Kings era to a new age.
***
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