In the end, from the armory hidden beneath the Folkvangrs, Renjiro chose:
A massive black kite-shaped tower shield, forged entirely from orichalcum. Two meters tall, razor-edged at the bottom, with an unbreakable enchantment. Though it took both hands and all his strength to wield, it could cover him head to toe.
Two short-handled giant warhammers, absurdly heavy with oversized heads.
A compact arrow-firing device, resembling a Crossbow.
Two crimson daggers, their blades cursed to inflict wounds that could not heal.
A light mithril undershirt.
And two miniature magic swords, small enough for Paimon to wield, each capable of casting fire spells.
Of course, those little magic swords, while allowing even ordinary people to trigger the runes engraved on the blade through swift swings, were nowhere near the legendary Crozzo Magic Swords, which could surpass original magic itself.
As for the crimson daggers… those clearly weren't for monsters.
They were for people.
Because in Renjiro's eyes, Orario was never the dreamlike city where pure-hearted youths could chase their ideals without fear. Its dark side was infamous, filthy, rotten, unavoidable.
And Paimon, of all his allies, was his most reliable assassin.
Even if her Time Stop ability prevented her from directly interfering with the outside world while active, her sheer stealth efficiency made her terrifying. Before her, defenses were meaningless.
If Renjiro set his sights on someone, they had better never sleep again.
Otherwise… even an adventurer who had stepped into the Heroic Realm could be sent straight to the heavens with a slit throat and a wound that would not close.
And if he added something extra to those blades, say, a lethal poison that killed at first blood… Renjiro knew plenty of dirty tricks.
At worst, just blinding one or two eyes was enough to take many pests out of commission.
Let's hope it doesn't ever come to me having to kill a god.
Still, that night's harvest was more than generous.
When Renjiro left the armory, Ottar locked the door without asking a single question, and quietly departed. He was always like that, never speaking more than necessary, faithfully carrying out Freya's divine will.
The ultimate tool-man.
Renjiro didn't mind. Less talk, less fuss.
He returned to his assigned room in the Familia's compound and went to sleep.
================
The next morning,
CLANG!
After washing up, Renjiro teleported straight to the top floor of Babel.
Confirming no one else was around, he activated his Starfire's Flowing Light spell.
"You're planning to head to the Twilight Manor now, right?"
"Yeah."
Together with Lumine, Renjiro stepped out of the secret chamber that held a teleport anchor, only to find Freya waiting at the door.
He wasn't surprised.
After all, this room had been cleared specifically for him as a disguise chamber. Here he could safely switch between his Traveler twin persona and his true self, reducing the chance of outsiders linking the two.
And since it was so close to Freya's own quarters, she could easily check in. Just by confirming the anchor's presence, she knew he was safe.
Not that Renjiro realized how often she had been coming lately. Peeking in on him had nearly become her morning habit.
Now…
"I say, big sis, don't tell me you've been standing here waiting for me all morning?"
Renjiro (Aether) asked casually, noting her elegant yet daring dress.
He thought it was just small talk, but sometimes, careless words cut deeper than expected.
"N-no! Of course not!"
Freya's gaze shifted away, cheeks faintly flushed. "I was just… passing by."
Renjiro caught the redness on her face. For a second, he wondered if she still hadn't completely slipped out of her Syr persona.
"Ahem."
Freya cleared her throat, forcing composure. "So, how was your first night at the Familia's compound?"
"Not bad."
Renjiro answered honestly. "The place is nice. Just a bit… quiet."
That much was true. Last night, he had walked through the halls and seen no one but Ottar. Without the occasional glow from lit rooms, he'd have mistaken the place for a ghost town.
Freya shrugged lightly. "That's my Familia. Loki's side… perhaps a little livelier."
"Oh."
Renjiro responded casually. Of course he knew. The Loki Familia was like a big, rowdy family, warm, noisy, united. In stark contrast to Freya's side, with its endless silent rivalries.
Unity was everything.
It was no wonder Loki's group, though weaker in raw strength, still stood almost as equals.
When he had first come to Orario, Renjiro had honestly preferred the Loki Familia.
But now…
"Remember to come back on time."
Freya said suddenly, her eyes flicking away again.
"I know."
Renjiro smiled, Lumine beside him. "Then, we'll be off."
Waving goodbye, the two left together.
"Safe travels."
Her blessing followed them down the hall.
And Renjiro thought, This place… isn't so bad after all.
================
Orario was calm that morning.
Renjiro (Aether) and Lumine left Babel and headed straight for the Loki Familia compound in the Eighth District's high-end residential quarter.
They grabbed breakfast from a street vendor selling Fried Potato Balls. Cheap. Much better than the prices at the Hostess of Fertility.
But they hadn't gotten far when,
"Hephaestus~~~"
That familiar whiny voice made them pause mid-step.
Turning their heads, they spotted the scene:
A black-haired, blue-eyed loli goddess clung desperately to a mature, red-haired, one-eyed woman.
The goddess bawled like a child, while Hephaestus looked utterly helpless.
"Hestia, what now?"
She rubbed her forehead, dragging out the key word.
At once,
"Uuu~ nobody wants to join my Familia!"
Tears streamed down Hestia's cheeks. "I can't recruit a single child. I can't even find a job to cover my living expenses! These past days, I didn't even have a place to stay. Once the kids found out I was homeless, they all left me! My tummy's empty, QAQ."
By now, passersby were slowing down, whispering at the small commotion.
As one of those bystanders, Renjiro couldn't help glancing at Lumine and sending a thought through their mental link:
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Hestia supposed to be the Greek goddess of hearth and home?
A goddess of the hearth… starving? What a joke. Just look at Teyvat's Stove God…
"That's mythology from Earth. The version here might be a bit different," Lumine replied dryly.
Still…
A hearth without rice is just decoration.
And this world's Hestia seems to have turned her 'household' divinity into a full-on NEET attribute.
Lumine's jab was sharp as ever.
================
Footnotes:
Orichalcum – A rare, magically conductive metal known for extreme durability and resistance to damage.
Crozzo Magic Sword – A legendary type of magic sword capable of surpassing even original magic, often single-use in normal hands.
NEET – "Not in Education, Employment, or Training"; slang for someone who does not work or study, living idly.
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