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The inside of the Familia headquarters, which resembled a palace, was just as grand as its exterior.
Upon stepping into the entrance hall, a vast first-floor lobby unfolded before Ryoji's eyes. The floor, paved with white marble, was covered in thick red velvet carpet, and elegant porcelain artworks, clearly high-grade, were placed throughout the space.
What drew the most attention were the stairwells stretching upward on either side of the hall, their design bearing a notable resemblance to the Tower of Babel.
Not only that, seen from the outside, the palace was at least thirty floors tall, easily qualifying as a landmark of Orario.
Anyone unfamiliar might assume the Goddess of this place was in some kind of competition with Babel, having built her Familia's headquarters to be just as luxurious and similar in structure.
"We definitely asked for too little."
Standing in the main hall, Ryoji suddenly came to a realization.
A Familia like Ishtar Familia, raking in gold by the hour, probably had far more capital flowing through its coffers than a purely exploration-based group like Loki Familia. Back then, when Finn and the others had only demanded a billion, it really was too low.
"Is this your first time here, customer? Why are you just standing around? Don't you have a favorite sister to visit?"
An Amazoness appeared before Ryoji, dressed provocatively with a strapless bust wrap for her top and a dancer-like violet gauze skirt below. Her attire radiated allure, and her long, narrow eyes shimmered with silk-like seduction.
"It is indeed my first time." Ryoji tightened his cloak and looked around.
There were quite a few people in the lobby, dozens of scantily clad Amazonesses and muscle-bound adventurers.
"I'll choose you. Let's go to your room."
After a moment's thought, Ryoji stepped forward and wrapped his arm around the Amazoness's waist. The Amazoness gave a charming smile and melted into Ryoji's embrace as she led him toward the stairwell, heading for a room on the third floor.
On the floors below the third, each level had over a dozen rooms, and from each one came faint, indulgent moans and sounds, business was clearly booming.
"This one's empty. Let's go with this room."
The Amazoness scanned around and picked a room that was relatively secluded, the rest were already occupied.
"So, are you the type who likes to do it clothed or unclothed?"
Once inside, the Amazoness collapsed into his arms.
With one hand, she tugged at the collar of her bust wrap, ready to strip at any moment, while the other reached toward Ryoji's hood.
And then, She pushed it back.
In that instant, her breath caught, and her body trembled as though seized by a sudden spasm.
The lingering scent of incense wafted from his body and sent a dizzying shock through her brain. The heat in his eyes paralyzed her senses. Just breathing him in, she was instantly captivated by an irresistible charm.
"I have a question for you."
The cloaked boy leaned close to her ear, asking in a low voice:
"Where is Phryne?"
"...In the underground prison."
Her mind went completely blank, and she replied out of reflexive obedience.
His overwhelming, inescapable charm deprived her of all thought. Her mind, body, and soul were utterly seized.
Having gotten the answer, Ryoji released her and walked out of the room.
The Amazoness collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut. Her strength drained, she fell limp to the floor, her face flushed red, her body twitching in waves, and her expression vacant, like someone in a trance.
'What just happened...?' She couldn't remember anymore.
The Amazoness girl, whose cognition and ability to think had been completely shattered, had lost all memory of what happened after Ryoji took off his hood.
Ryoji was not good at stealth.
With his kind of luck, trying to sneak around would definitely lead to stepping on branches and other ridiculous accidents.
But the highest level of assassination didn't require stealth at all.
Just charm everyone, and no one will even realize it was me who did it.
Ryoji left the room and began descending the stairs to the underground levels.
Everyone he passed, whether Amazoness or Adventurer, man or woman, collapsed the moment their eyes met his. Their rationality evaporated, their expressions turned dazed, and they lost all will to resist.
…
Underground
In the pitch-dark passage, the only light came from dim magic stone lamps, and the damp wind howled and skittered through the tunnels.
Ryoji walked completely unimpeded into the depths of the dungeon, stopping before a particular cell.
Then, he disabled his charm.
No way was he going to charm that hideous frog woman. He'd have nightmares.
"Bang!"
Before Ryoji could even pull out the key he'd taken from a guard's body, a deafening boom erupted from within the cell.
"I smell the scent of a beautiful boy!!"
The guttural roar sounded like it had been blasted through a loudspeaker, exploding from within the cell with impatient hunger.
With a massive crash, a deep fist-shaped dent appeared in the solid iron door, as if steel had turned to cotton, fragile and weak.
"BOOM!"
Another thunderous bang. The iron door was blown clean off, slamming into the wall with a metallic clang that made the marble walls tremble three times.
"Hahaha! Have you come to offer up a tribute to this queen!?"
Then, a massive toad-like woman ducked through the doorway and stepped into view. Her wide, horizontal mouth split nearly to her ears, grinning with undisguised lechery and excitement.
"This cell was meant to imprison someone?!" Ryoji scoffed inwardly and casually tossed away the key.
The Chief God Ishtar must've been feeling helpless. She probably knew the dungeon couldn't contain Phryne, but had to at least put on a show for the sake of her divine dignity.
"It is you!"
The enormous frog woman's shadow stretched long under the glow of the magic lamp. The dim lighting only made her appearance even more grotesque.
But upon seeing Ryoji, her eyes lit up with joy. She burst into loud, mad laughter, her expression like a laughing evil spirit from the depths of hell.
"I knew you couldn't resist my beauty! Ever since I got back, I've been waiting for you! And now you're here! No more waiting, let's get to it!"
Still cackling wildly, she stomped toward Ryoji with alarming eagerness.
What the f*ck!? This woman's insane!
"You're right, I did come to 'take care of business.'"
Faced with Phryne's repeated narcissistic delusions, Ryoji couldn't help but feel a wave of nausea. Disgust was written all over his face.
With a shimmer of light particles gathering around him, a brilliant katana, glowing with rippling silver light like water, materialized in his hand from thin air.
"But the kind of 'business' I came for… is a little different from yours."
Ryoji slowly closed his eyes.
When they reopened, they burned with a relentless, unstoppable battle spirit.
"Swoosh!"
In an instant, a fierce wind kicked up thick dust around them.
With a sharp, ear-piercing ring, brilliant sword flashes tore through the darkness. Dozens of strikes chained together in a single breath, twinkling like stars, flickering, deadly.
"So fast!"
Phryne flinched instinctively, her body reacting in alarm.
"I'M ABOUT TO F*CKING LOSE IT!"
Ryoji's eyes sharpened. He couldn't hold it back anymore, he finally snapped and cursed out loud.
At the same time, his sword grew even faster, slashing toward Phryne without mercy.
(End of Chapter)