"A discussion about magic?" Alice looked at Riveria in surprise.
Truth be told, Alice knew a great, great deal about magic.
Although in Gensokyo, very, very few people actually used magic.
But due to her asthma (heh), Patchouli—known as The Unmoving Great Library—truly possessed the knowledge of an entire magical library.
The Seven Elements Magic was developed by Patchouli, who was over a hundred years old, by drawing from numerous magical systems to create what suited her best.
Though Patchouli often used Seven Elements magic, that didn't mean it was all she mastered.
Alice chose to study Seven Elements magic simply because, in her [Knowledge Repository], it had a very detailed learning process.
[Seven Elements Magic—From Beginner to Master]
It was precisely because of this well-documented system that Alice chose Seven Elements magic. Besides, it was genuinely powerful and had a fairly broad range of applications.
Riveria's proposal, to be honest, intrigued Alice greatly.
Alice was fairly familiar with Riveria's name, though not from anything heard in Orario—street gossip didn't interest her.
She'd learned about Riveria from Lefiya some time ago.
Back when Lefiya used to come to her place to commission dolls, she often complained to Alice about how harsh Riveria's training was. So, bit by bit, Alice had come to know quite a bit about her.
The most powerful mage in Orario.
Even though Alice had her own vast knowledge and Seven Elements magic offered a solid learning path, being able to discuss magic with such a knowledgeable mage would still be a wonderful opportunity for her.
Learn one thing and you'll understand ten more.
Alice believed that this world's completely different magical system could offer her significant growth.
When it came to knowledge, Alice never refused—any kind of knowledge.
"A discussion about magic? If I'm qualified, I'd be very welcome to it," Alice said, smiling at Riveria.
"Mm." Hearing Alice's agreement, a smile also appeared on Riveria's face.
Lefiya, meanwhile, sat to the side holding a teacup, blinking her large eyes as she quietly watched the two.
"So, Alice-chan, how about visiting our familia?" Loki chose that moment to invite her. "My study has plenty of books on magic. You're welcome to read them anytime, you know?"
"Huh? Really?" This time, Alice was genuinely surprised. Every familia had its own collection of books—she'd learned that from Eina and Hestia already.
As one of Orario's top familias, the Loki Familia's collection was undoubtedly rich, and the knowledge inside must be incredibly valuable.
"No problem at all~" Loki waved a hand dismissively. "None of those kids in the familia like reading anyway. I went through all the trouble of gathering those books for them, but aside from Riveria and Lefiya—"
"Not a single one's interested in my collection. It's honestly a little heartbreaking. If you're willing, Alice, feel free to come by anytime. Even if you don't join the Loki Familia, that's fine. As long as you maintain good relations with us."
"I've got a real soft spot for you, Alice-chan."
"And besides books on magic, there are plenty on martial arts too. You're free to borrow any of them, just don't damage anything."
Loki had put a great deal of effort into collecting those books.
Though Loki's personality might be a bit… questionable, as a patron deity, they were remarkably responsible. Every book was gathered with the children of the familia in mind.
But as adventurers, hardly any of them enjoyed reading. Among the Loki Familia's top ranks, aside from Riveria and Lefiya, only Finn ever read anything, and even then it was mostly management-related.
The others got sleepy at the sight of text.
Loki's generosity, however, made Alice hesitant. Knowledge was priceless. She'd even traded meals to Hestia in exchange for learning Divine Letters.
Loki's offer was undoubtedly a significant favor.
If the Loki Familia were weaker, Alice wouldn't have minded—such a debt would be easy to repay.
But given the Loki Familia's strength, compensating them would be far more difficult.
So, Alice found herself deeply conflicted.
Noticing her hesitation, Loki spoke up casually.
"No need to overthink it, Alice-chan. Letting you read in my study is an investment on my part. If you want to repay me…"
Loki set down their teacup, leaned forward, and slightly opened their narrowed eyes. Their entire demeanor shifted, a sly smile curling at their lips as they spoke to Alice in a meaningful tone.
"You could teach the Loki Familia some of that knowledge of yours. How about it?"
Though Loki was still smiling, it sent a chill down Alice's spine.
The pressure of a god—even sealed, the weight of billions of years was nothing ordinary.
But what concerned Alice more was the implication behind Loki's words.
"My knowledge?" Alice asked tentatively.
Hearing her question, Loki's smile widened—so much that it no longer looked human. In that moment, their face resembled that of a cunning fox.
"That's right. The knowledge you possess, comparable to an entire world."
Loki's voice was soft.
"Besides, didn't you just agree with Riveria to discuss magic in your free time? Just share a little here and there. Is that alright?"
Alice gazed quietly at Loki, then let out a soft sigh.
"So, Lord Loki, you know my identity now?"
"Nope~ To be precise, I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you, Alice-chan. Never underestimate a god's perception, alright?" Loki relaxed back into their seat, expression easing.
"By the way, Alice-chan, you're planning to reopen your doll shop, right? We'd like priority purchasing privileges. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, that's fine. At equal prices, the Loki Familia will have priority. But since I'll be focusing on custom orders, I'll prioritize your familia's requests."
Alice picked up her teacup and calmly asked,
"As the price for accessing the Loki Familia's library, is that enough?"
"Mm, that's plenty. We'll also be seeking your friendship, Alice. If you have any needs, feel free to tell Riveria or come directly to me."
"Understood. We can discuss any further matters as they come up in the future."
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