Although Tione grumbled in her heart, she ultimately didn't make a move. Even after everyone went to sleep, she restrained herself and didn't sneak into Leon's room.
The next day, early in the morning, officials from the Guild headquarters in Orario, along with representatives from the Melen branch, arrived at the hotel where Leon and the others were staying.
Their visit was urgent—they wanted answers. They needed to understand what exactly had transpired that led to Ishtar's sudden return to heaven.
News had spread fast.
The night before, after Ishtar was forcibly sent back to the heavens, the Ishtar Familia had fallen into chaos.
The red-light district, once a hub of nocturnal activity, had collapsed almost overnight. Whispers became rumors, and by morning, all of Orario was abuzz with the news. The once-flourishing pleasure quarter was now under the Guild's direct control, pending investigation.
It was Guild President Roy himself who dispatched officials to investigate. Among them was Eina, who found herself standing in front of Leon, her brows furrowed and her voice tight.
"So… to confirm. Ishtar-sama attacked you, Leon. You and Loki-sama responded, and ultimately forced her return to the heavens?" Eina asked with clenched teeth, trying to remain composed despite the shock.
Meanwhile, Loki was being questioned separately by the branch director of Melen.
"Yeah, pretty much." Leon replied casually, his tone calm.
"She tried to make me hers. I refused, and she used her charm ability on me. Unfortunately for her, it didn't work. So… I fought back."
"You did the right thing." Eina said without hesitation, nodding. Her voice carried a rare trace of fierceness as she praised him.
However, her expression soon turned concerned.
"Even so, Leon... even if you had a reason, and even if Ishtar-sama essentially brought this upon herself, the Guild won't overlook this. You'll still face punishment."
Her words weren't an exaggeration. Forcing a deity to return to heaven wasn't a trivial matter. It would send shockwaves through the divine community.
If such actions were allowed without consequence, it would lead to chaos—gods taking liberties, mortals retaliating. That balance couldn't be shaken.
If Leon had done it through a formal war game, it would have been a different story.
But this? Ishtar wasn't from Evilus. Her influence and presence had been part of Orario's ecosystem.
Gods only get one chance to descend into the lower world. Once they return to heaven, that opportunity is gone forever. The divine community guarded that rule strictly. For Leon and Loki to forcibly remove one of their own, even with justification, repercussions were inevitable.
"Don't worry. I'll speak to the Guild myself." Leon reassured her with a small smile, his calm demeanor easing Eina's worry.
"Alright…" She exhaled softly, visibly relieved.
Then, after a brief pause, her tone lightened with curiosity, "By the way, Leon, why are you in Melen?"
Her sudden shift caught Leon off guard for a moment, but he chuckled.
"Oh, I just happened to be passing through and met up with Loki and her team when they were heading this way to investigate a certain letter. I got dragged along."
Eina blinked, then smiled faintly. "You really do get along well with Loki Familia, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Leon shrugged with a relaxed grin.
"Well then, since you're here and I'm here, how about we go out and explore the city a bit? It's rare for both of us to be in Melen at the same time."
With most of the others gone—Ishtar Familia having returned to Orario that very morning—there weren't many people left in the hotel.
Leon had already asked Haruhime to return to Orario with Aisha, and had informed Hestia of the situation. Hestia had gladly agreed to welcome Haruhime into her Familia.
Meanwhile, the members of the Loki Familia had scattered to carry out Loki's orders and continue the investigation into the man-eating plants.
With nothing else on his plate for the moment, Leon figured a stroll around the city might not be such a bad idea—especially with Eina.
"Alright, sure." Eina smiled.
"It's been a while since we went out shopping together. About a month?"
"Yeah, around that." Leon nodded.
"You really have been busy, haven't you? I mean, you actually managed to level up twice in that time." Eina's voice carried admiration and disbelief.
"Why didn't you report the second upgrade before the expedition?"
"I forgot." Leon replied simply, "Besides, there's no rule saying I have to report it the same day, right?"
"Technically, there's a grace period of two weeks. So it's fine. And honestly, you're not just any adventurer. The Guild staff aren't idiots—they understand your situation."
"That's a relief. Otherwise, if they tried to fine me, I wouldn't pay."
"Haha, that's very you." Eina said, chuckling.
The two left the hotel, chatting and laughing, as they wandered through the bustling streets of the port city. The blue sky, the sea breeze, and the marketplace's energy gave the day a sense of peace—if only briefly.
They spent the whole day like that—walking, talking, enjoying the fleeting calm.
Meanwhile, back in Orario, the city was in an uproar.
Two pieces of news had detonated like thunderclaps.
First, Leon's sudden level-up.
Just a short while ago, he had been a Level 2 adventurer. Yet now, upon his return, he was already Level 4.
Anyone with half a brain could deduce that Leon had leveled up once before the expedition and again after. Since deities couldn't grant updates in the Dungeon, both must have occurred on the surface—before and after the Loki Familia's mission.
No one even considered the possibility of a double upgrade through a single update. The gods simply wouldn't believe it.
Still, the fact remained—Leon had gone from Level 2 to Level 4 in a month. It was unprecedented. A bombshell that had exploded across the city.
When the Guild officially posted Leon's new level on the announcement board, the adventuring community lost its collective mind.
As word spread, the entire city seemed to rally around the news. In taverns, Guild halls, and Familia homes, everyone was talking about it.
In comparison, the recent level-ups of Loki Familia's Anakitty and Alicia were completely drowned out—barely a whisper in the shadow of Leon's meteoric rise.
If this were any other time, their accomplishments would have drawn crowds. But now?
There was a second bombshell that competed with Leon's.
Ishtar's forced return to heaven.
Her Familia disbanded. The red-light district was in shambles. The pleasure quarters, a vital part of the adventurers' nightlife, had been gutted.
Many male adventurers were in mourning. The cries of dismay, the wails of heartbreak… it was as if an era had ended overnight.
For them, it had.
The fall of Ishtar Familia was as much a cultural upheaval as it was a power shift.
But for Leon, all of that was noise. After a long, relaxing day with Eina, he returned to the hotel as night fell.
***
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