Horn, maintaining her Goddess transformation, pulled up her hood and made her way through the crowd.
From the northwest gate of Dian Cecht, past the central Babel Tower, she proceeded directly to the Soma Familia residence near the southeast commoner district.
The Soma Familia grounds were unusually quiet at this hour. Only a few drunks lay passed out by the roadside, with barely anyone else in sight — extraordinary for a Familia of nearly a thousand members.
"Freya" took a deep breath, studying the compound behind its fence. She was about to activate her charm to make one of the drunks inside open the door.
As she stepped forward, a dark shadow loomed over her from behind.
"Lady Freya. If you continue, this won't remain a simple matter."
A muscular man appeared behind her, standing two meters tall with round pig ears atop his head. His expression was resolute, his muscles defined like iron, an eight-pack visible beneath his simple tank top.
"Ottar..." Freya turned around, glaring at the tower-like warrior, "Are you trying to stop me?"
"No." Ottar's lips turned down as he lowered his proud head, "I just want to confirm if this is truly your will. After all... this could escalate into a faction conflict."
Though he didn't know the whole story, he couldn't allow Horn to arbitrarily use the Goddess's identity to cause unnecessary trouble for the Familia.
Moreover, during this dark period, the streets were filled with Evilus spies. An accidental assassination of the city's largest faction's main deity would cause catastrophic problems.
Ottar's eyes held both worry and reproach for Horn.
"Ottar." "Horn's" panicked expression transformed into one of solemn nobility, "Assist me."
…
"...Yes." Hearing the familiar tone and command, Ottar nodded instinctively.
That was the divine will of the Goddess, as the experienced Boaz well knew.
Looking at Freya again, that unique aura of the beauty Goddess had vanished.
A trace of defeat flickered in Horn's eyes. Though she could recreate the appearance and divine presence through magic, she couldn't capture Freya's unique beauty — that which ruled over all.
In essence, Horn was nothing more than Freya's doll. That's why Ottar would willingly follow the orders of a mere level 2.
Horn pushed aside her dejection. She felt no resentment, only disappointment at not meeting Lady Freya's expectations. But now, she had something else to confirm!
"Ottar, open the door."
"Yes."
The straightforward Boaz obeyed the Goddess's will, breaking open the Familia's barrier with one hand. Freya stepped inside, ignoring the drunk Familia members as she strode directly to the most luxurious room.
After crossing the courtyard hall and entering the townhouse, she walked down the corridor until she encountered a cat-person handling some business at the corner.
"Hey, who are you?"
Freya raised her head, her long eyelashes fluttering, "Take me to your captain."
"Yes..." The cat-person's eyes drooped instantly, and with a foolish smile, they turned to lead her toward the top floor room.
Without hesitation, Freya pushed open the doors adorned with carved golden chalices.
The sound startled Zanis from his thoughts about Kael's plans.
"Who?!" He turned his head, and in the next moment saw a face of devastating beauty, "Fre... ya..."
Before he could express his surprise.
"Silence."
A pink light flashed in Freya's eyes, and Zanis's shoulders instantly relaxed as his mind went blank.
She walked with graceful, cat-like steps past the desk with its fine liquors, coming to stand before him. She lifted her head slightly, her bewitching lips parting like those of a witch.
"Tell me, where have you hidden Kael?"
Horn secretly blamed herself for her oversight — she remembered her parents were once Soma Familia members but hadn't considered her brother would join as well.
"Kael? That kid isn't here right now." Zanis replied blankly.
'Freya' grabbed his collar, "He was so badly injured, and you're saying he's not here?"
"He went to the Dungeon."
Bang!
"What? You brought him back just to force him into the Dungeon?" Freya slammed him hard onto the ground, scattering furniture and shattering wine glasses, "Don't you know what condition he's in?"
Even after being thrown down, Zanis continued answering expressionlessly,"Cough cough, he went of his own accord."
"Impossible! That child is so weak and afraid of pain, he gets lost if you don't watch him carefully — how could he possibly go to the Dungeon willingly at a time like this? In the past, whenever he helped our parents carry supplies home, he would cry and beg his sister for hugs and kisses until she lifted him up!" Horn grew more and more angry.
To force such a Kael into the Dungeon!
Freya smiled with a twisted expression, "You must have forced him. Why did you force him?"
Speaking thus, she kicked Zanis again in rage, sending his body sliding several meters, cut by glass shards.
In Horn's memory, her brother was just that kind of person. In fact, two days ago, Kael had still seemed like such an honest person.
Who doesn't start out honest? Isn't everyone forced to change by this cruel world!
"I didn't force him!" Covered in wounds, Zanis stood up as if nothing had happened and answered her question again.
"Did I say you could speak? Open your mouth!"
"Yes." Zanis slapped himself hard, his face filled with devoted admiration.
Under the charm's influence, lying was impossible.
Freya calmed herself and questioned him thoroughly about everything — from when Kael joined the Soma Familia to his current physical condition and quality of life.
After learning of her brother's experiences, Horn once again couldn't suppress her fury.
"Is he really alright?"
Zanis nodded rapidly, "More energetic than me! Except for..."
"Except what?"
"Except for the Soma."
"Soma?"
Zanis pulled out a handkerchief, wiping blood from his palm, "It's specially brewed by Lord Soma — so delicious it's impossible to resist."
"He wants it?"
"Yes."
"Then give it to him!" Freya's uncompromising voice echoed through the room.
"But, that's Lord Soma's..."
"I said give it to him! Are you deaf?"
"Yes." Zanis bowed his head respectfully.
Faced with this colossus that was Freya, no force could resist submission — especially not him in his charmed state.
Having gotten news of Kael, this man was now useless.
Freya walked straight out of the room, her mind consumed with thoughts of her brother.
Would that child be alright alone in the Dungeon? Would he encounter danger? At least before, he had parents watching over him, but now...
No, she had to find him and bring him back — at least keep him somewhere visible, better yet locked up...
Horn stood there in a daze, when another voice echoed in her mind:
"No, you can't go see him."