"So… is that the reason you decided to take them both in?"
In the hotel room, Yami sat leisurely on the bed, completely relaxed.
Beside him, Kaguya and Hayasaka stood quietly, looking tense and reserved. Having been warned beforehand, both girls were careful not to overstep, mindful of their delicate situation.
After all, getting "sent back" would be a disaster.
Both Kaguya and Hayasaka knew their precarious standing within the Shinomiya Consortium. Neither of them was particularly valued—especially Kaguya.
Even though she was the daughter of Gan'an, the fact that her mother, beloved by her father, had died young left Kaguya neglected by the family. This had led her older brothers to look down on her.
Despite being her valet on the surface, Hayasaka was also an undercover agent, placed within Kaguya's service to ensure that every step she took was monitored.
The Shinomiya family's infighting over succession was ruthless, and not even Kaguya could escape its grip.
If it weren't for her gender being an advantage this time, Kaguya likely wouldn't have even been allowed to come here and would have been "sent away" with little regard.
If Yami decided to change his mind because of some careless mistake they made, both Kaguya and Hayasaka would be in an impossible position. They might not be able to return to the Shinomiya family at all.
And even if they did return, they would surely be completely cast aside, with no chance of ever reclaiming their standing.
Considering Gan'an's attitude, there was no doubt about this.
"I don't see anything particularly special about them!"
Goddess Hestia, without any of the airs one would expect from a god, leaned in close to Kaguya and Hayasaka, her eyes filled with curiosity as she sized them up.
But despite her scrutiny, Hestia, in her adorable goddess form, lacked the "eyes" capable of seeing into someone's soul.
Other than their beauty and charm, there didn't seem to be anything remarkable about the two girls.
At least, that was how it seemed from Hestia's point of view.
"Yami-kun, you didn't take them in just because they're cute, did you?"
After several fruitless attempts to figure out why Yami had chosen them, Hestia began to suspect there might be a simpler reason.
The other three goddesses had already heard a brief explanation from Yami earlier.
On the surface, it seemed like a reasonable deal—offering the opportunity to grow stronger in exchange for their help in finding rare ores and metals.
But something about it didn't sit right.
"Could it really be for something as trivial as that?"
Yami rolled his eyes at Hestia's suggestion, clearly exasperated.
Did the gods really think he was that shallow?
While Yami was usually optimistic and easygoing, even he couldn't help feeling a little hurt by the accusation.
"Alright, let's stop the jokes," Goddess Hephaestus interjected, sensing that the conversation was veering off track. "I have a feeling there's more to this than you're letting on, Yami."
"Although Yami's reputation with women might be a bit exaggerated, if he wanted to do something like that, he wouldn't have waited until now."
"So what's your real plan here?"
Seeing that things were starting to spiral, Hephaestus stepped in just in time. Otherwise, who knew what wild assumptions would have been made?
"Hephaestus, you know me so well!" Yami said, instantly dropping his playful demeanor as he addressed the goddess.
Yami's gaze shifted to Kaguya and Hayasaka, his eyes filled with mystery, and a strange smile formed on his lips.
"Honestly, there's nothing particularly special about them."
"Both of them are just regular humans. Sure, they might have some talent, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at them. They'll need to be granted 'divine blessings' before we can really know their potential."
"The reason I chose them… well, I want to see something."
Yami's smile grew wider, his tone playful yet serious.
"I understand their situation well enough."
"They come from powerful families, yet they hold no real power themselves. They're being used as pawns, tools in someone else's game, unable to control their own fates."
"So, I'm curious…"
"If they gained real power, would they still devote themselves entirely to this cold, uncaring family, sacrificing their lives for others?"
"Or would they use that power to finally seize control of their own destinies?"
"This is going to be one interesting show~"
Yami didn't bother hiding his intentions. He laid it all out for everyone to hear.
Upon hearing his words, the rest of the group immediately understood.
Kaguya and Hayasaka remained silent, but inside, their hearts were racing. Yami's words had opened their eyes to something they had never considered before.
If they truly gained such power, would they still be content to stay within a family that treated them so poorly?
At least from Hayasaka's perspective, the answer was a firm no.
The Hayasaka family had once been prominent in its own right, but after losing to the Shinomiya Consortium, only a few core members had survived. Those who remained were reduced to little more than servants to the Shinomiya family.
For Hayasaka, with no power, there had been no choice but to accept this fate.
But if she gained the strength to change everything? Hayasaka had no intention of sitting by and waiting for death.
Even if she couldn't destroy the Shinomiya Consortium, there was no doubt that she could restore the Hayasaka family to its former glory.
With these thoughts burning in her mind, Hayasaka's eyes lit up with determination.
The flames of ambition were growing stronger.
Even Kaguya, standing beside her, couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion as she began to waver.
Hephaestus noticed the shift in both girls' demeanors and understood the impact of Yami's words, though she couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
"You've really got a twisted sense of humor."
"What can I say?" Yami replied with a laugh. "Probably the influence of being around gods too much!"
And with that, Yami proudly chuckled, unashamed of his mischievous nature.