"Freya-sama, Loki-sama."
As the leader of the Ganesha Familia, Shakti immediately left her post at the perimeter and came to the entrance to greet them upon learning of the arrival of Goddess Freya and Loki-sama.
"Oh, Shakti. It's rare to see you handling order around here."
Loki looked genuinely surprised to see her, glancing around curiously.
"Don't tell me that troublesome guy came along too?"
The one Loki referred to was none other than Ganesha-sama—a fact Shakti understood perfectly.
"No, Ganesha-sama is currently maintaining order elsewhere. Though the Evilus have been quiet lately, there are still plenty of areas that need supervision."
"Well, it is Orario, after all. That kind of situation is only natural."
Even though Orario stood as the center of the world, chaos was never far behind. The city was crawling with small-time thugs, and cases of bullying and exploitation weren't uncommon. Some Familias even used their power to oppress weaker ones among the twenty-eight recognized groups.
Loki wasn't speaking in generalities—she was talking about that fool Apollo. That guy was practically the poster child for such behavior.
Although Loki looked down on Apollo entirely, she knew there were gods even worse than him.
That was exactly why Orario needed those who stood on the side of order. Without them, this Labyrinth City would likely destroy itself from within.
"But if you're not by Ganesha's side, does that mean things here are more troublesome than over there?"
Loki's curiosity was clearly piqued.
"...Yes."
Knowing she couldn't hide it any longer, Shakti didn't try to deny it and simply admitted the truth.
"Something has happened with the manager of this Grand Casino."
"The gray market?"
"Yes."
"Wow~ How stupid can this manager be? Even Ganesha's side caught wind of it?"
Loki couldn't help but sneer.
She had already heard from Freya about what had happened to her child—how someone had set a trap, and that her adorable child had been lured into this Grand Casino.
When she first heard about it, Loki had immediately thought, 'Is this guy an idiot?'
There were plenty of fools in Orario, but for the manager of a Grand Casino to act so blatantly—to the point that even Orario's Order Keepers were aware of it—was beyond stupid.
Now, after hearing Shakti's words, Loki was certain of it. The man truly was an idiot.
Worse yet, he seemed to be deeply entangled with a gang, all to lure girls he fancied into this den of debauchery.
Once those innocent girls stepped foot inside this golden pit, they'd be devoured by it completely—down to the last bone.
In the end, they'd end up as nothing more than playthings for the rich.
"So the guild knows about it too?"
"Yes."
Holy crap. Loki thought to herself.
"What an idiot."
Running these shady operations so openly that even Ganesha and the Guild found out? That was practically asking for death.
The gray market was never something meant to be out in the open. Yet some fool had decided to drag it into the light—might as well have signed his own death warrant.
"Fine, I'll just sit back and watch the show."
Loki had no intention of dealing with any troublesome work today. Since Ganesha was already handling the matter, she was perfectly content to spectate from the sidelines.
Her attitude made Shakti exhale in quiet relief.
This time, they were fully prepared—ready to sweep away the chaos within the Grand Casino in one clean strike, including the noble members entangled in the gray industry.
Shakti then shifted her gaze toward the other goddess, Freya.
Freya smiled faintly and offered a brief explanation.
"My child got caught up in one of the gray industry's dealings."
"!?"
Shakti was startled.
Someone dared to involve a member of Freya's Familia?
"My child wasn't implicated. They just happened to stumble upon it."
Ah, so that was it. Shakti relaxed slightly.
Her thoughts paused for a moment as she recalled the two people who had gone inside earlier. One of them was a former comrade—Shakti knew she was now working as a waitress at a certain tavern.
'Could it be connected to Ryuu?'
But Shakti quickly dismissed the thought.
Whether connected or not, it wouldn't have much impact on their operation—especially since those involved weren't from Freya's Familia.
With that, Shakti's gaze drifted to the hooded figure whose face was half-hidden.
'Why is he moving together with these two?'
Even without seeing his face, Shakti could tell who he was. There was only one person in Orario who matched that description—Hestia Familia's sole member, Bell Cranel.
"Shakti, can we go in?"
"Of course."
Shakti withdrew her gaze, bowed slightly, and stepped aside.
Loki took the lead, Freya followed, and Bell walked behind them.
As the three disappeared inside, Shakti watched them go.
"A truly unusual trio."
...
Inside the Grand Casino, Loki's eyes roamed across the dazzling, gold-lined interior.
"So, where's the biggest casino?"
Bell scanned the area and pointed toward the central building.
"Loki-sama, that one right there."
"Then let's go see what's inside."
Loki strode ahead, excitement in her steps.
"Kid, since you're at the casino for once, why not join us for a game?"
"Me?"
Bell instinctively glanced around the casino, his eyelid twitching slightly. He had little interest in gambling. In the past, he knew he lacked the talent for it, and now he simply had no desire at all.
"Loki-sama, I'm really not that interested in gambling."
"You're such a bore, kid. You're at a casino—don't you want to have a little fun?"
"It's meaningless. Besides, if I join in, I'll draw too much attention. I'd rather not have everyone staring at me."
No sooner had Bell finished speaking than a sweet fragrance wafted toward him, followed by a soft arm wrapping around his own.
"You don't have to draw attention to have fun, you know."
The voice, tinged with both maturity and playfulness, made Bell stiffen slightly.
"Nervous?"
"...No, just not used to this."
...
Hey everyone! New Danmachi fanfic is out. Add it to your library to follow the upcoming chapters over there.
Danmachi: There's Absolutely Nothing Wrong With Seeking a Harem