As expected, there was quite a difference between the Apollo Familia and the Ganesha Familia—when it came to hosting banquets, at least. The ones hosted by Ganesha were far more extravagant.
Charles, dressed in formal attire, couldn't help but think this as he surveyed the venue before him.
Perhaps because this particular event included their children, the gods were less uninhibited than usual, and the atmosphere resembled that of a banquet from his previous life.
Hephaestus, accompanied by Charles and Stella, immediately attracted attention upon entering the hall.
However, no one took the initiative to approach them. Hephaestus, after all, didn't have many friends among the gods due to her reserved nature.
But there was someone who didn't fall into that category. Loki, dressed in a men's suit this time, walked over and said, "Yo, Hephaestus, you came too, huh?"
Seeing Loki, Charles immediately recalled the last time she had been ridiculed to tears by Hestia. No wonder she changed outfits this time.
Naturally, Loki had brought her beloved Ais along. Dressed in formalwear, Ais looked even more delicate and beautiful than usual.
Hephaestus didn't believe for a second that Loki was unaware of Apollo's true intentions behind hosting this banquet, and said coldly, "As expected, Loki. You never miss a chance to enjoy the spectacle."
Loki narrowed her eyes and then looked toward Stella. "So this is your new child?"
Hephaestus' tone dropped several degrees colder. "Let me be clear. Even if it's you, if you lay a hand on my child, I won't let it slide."
"C'mon, Hephaestus, you're still as stiff as ever. We're old friends—why would I target your kid?"
Hephaestus shot Loki a look. As one of the gods with an infamous reputation in the divine realm, she could hardly expect her to believe such words.
Charles chuckled. He didn't actually think Loki was planning anything.
Since descending to the lower world, Loki was no longer the chaos-loving god who had once stirred up wars for fun. Especially after rising to the top of Orario, the Loki Familia now benefited from the city's rules—and had every reason to maintain them.
Unlike Freya, Loki ran her Familia like a family, treating every member as her own. She wouldn't do anything outrageous that could jeopardize them.
Unlike the slightly tense exchange between the two gods, Ais took the initiative to greet Charles. "It's been a while, Charles-sensei."
Charles nodded. "It has. You've grown stronger again."
Stella scrutinized the girl in front of her. Sensing no threatening aura from Ais, she let out a small sigh of relief.
Perhaps Ais noticed Stella's gaze, because she turned her head and gave her a cold stare.
Stella fidgeted uncomfortably and tugged on Charles' sleeve. "What's with this girl?"
Charles replied, "Don't worry, that's just her personality. She means no harm."
After introducing the two to each other, they were now at least acquaintances. While they chatted, Loki seemed to have spotted someone and wandered off.
Charles followed her line of sight and, sure enough, saw Hestia and her group arriving. He and Hephaestus walked over as well.
As always, Loki and Hestia started bickering the moment they met.
Because of that, neither of them noticed the subtle change in atmosphere between Bell and Ais—complete with metaphorical pink bubbles floating between them.
But it didn't take long before the two goddesses did notice, and chaos ensued once more.
The rest of the gods around Hestia took the opportunity to greet everyone.
Those present were all gods close to Hestia—or more accurately, the two other gods who, along with her, were often referred to as the "Trinity of Poverty."
First was Takemikazuchi, the war god. Despite his divine status, he lived in a cheap apartment and worked at a fried potato stall with Hestia. His situation was quite tragic.
His follower was Yamato Mikoto, who would eventually join the Hestia Familia.
If Hestia and Takemikazuchi were poor because their Familias were still young and undeveloped, then the last of the trio had a more complicated story.
That was Miach, god of medicine.
Despite his modest clothing, Miach carried an elegant air. His Familia had once been a mid-tier group, owning a well-known pharmacy and producing unique potions that even the famed "Saint of the Battlefield" had not mastered.
But his follower, Nahza Erisuis, had lost an arm in the Dungeon. To create a prosthetic for her, the Familia incurred massive debts.
As a result, many members left, and the Familia's standing plummeted.
Miach's devotion to his follower was beyond question—but his overly generous personality had also contributed to their decline.
Even while saddled with debt, he still gave away potions for free to struggling adventurers.
It was no wonder that, along with Takemikazuchi and Bell, Miach was one of Orario's infamous "Three Pretty Boys."
All kinds of gods truly existed in this world.
Hestia glanced at Stella and then smirked at Hephaestus. "So, I heard from Bell. You're not just here to show off your new child, right?"
Hephaestus slapped her forehead. Is this girl really that clueless?
Most of the gods present had already guessed Apollo's motives, and Hephaestus had come specifically to support Hestia in light of that.
But Hestia remained as carefree and airheaded as ever—it was frustrating and funny all at once.
While the group was chatting, another god arrived.
Hermes joined the fray, accompanied by the "Omnipotent" Asfi. Most likely, he was here for the same reason as Loki—to enjoy the show.
That said, Charles couldn't rule out the possibility that Hermes was involved behind the scenes.
After all, he'd shown up in the background of nearly every major event Bell had encountered so far.
Maybe this was another "hero's trial" he had arranged for Bell. After all, it had never made sense how Apollo became interested in someone he'd never even met.
That's why Charles was particularly wary of Hermes. Unlike Freya, whose twisted personality was clear, Hermes' goals were completely opaque.
Perhaps he didn't have a goal at all—maybe he was just here for entertainment. But that made him even more dangerous. People who acted for fun were capable of anything.
If Charles had to choose which one he was more on guard against—Hermes or Freya—it would be a tough call.
And speak of the devil—just as he thought of her, Freya entered the room.
Standing beside the bulging suit of muscle known as Ottar, Freya looked especially delicate and alluring. The reactions of every male—mortal and god alike—proved it.
Nahza and Mikoto both reached out and pinched the soft flesh at their gods' waists.
Hestia went even further, jumping into Bell's arms and covering his eyes with both hands, muttering, "That goddess eats men whole—leaves nothing behind!"
Hephaestus leaned toward Stella and whispered something into her ear, prompting Stella to immediately cling tightly to Charles' arm.
Charles chuckled. He had never been charmed by Freya's power. Stella really didn't need to overreact.
Still, he had to admit—being held like this felt surprisingly nice. Her warmth made his body temperature rise.
But Stella might be underestimating her own allure.
Especially now, with her wary yet bashful expression—if she kept this up, Charles wasn't sure he could keep himself in check…
(End of Chapter)
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