"Let's go."
Freshly changed, Loki walked out of the dressing room looking bright and smug, one arm slinging casually around Tsuna's shoulder.
Her outfit—a tank top, short shorts that showed plenty of thigh, and her hair tied into a loose ponytail—caught him completely off guard. It was nothing like the image of an elegant noble lady he'd had in mind. Combined with her easy, friendly posture, she felt more like a tomboyish friend than a goddess.
"What's with that look? Never seen me dressed like this before?"
"Not really. You don't look much like a lady—more like a guy."
Loki didn't take offense. In fact, she burst out laughing.
"Ha~ I hear that all the time. Especially from a certain little runt."
The first part came out with her usual cheer, but when she mentioned "runt," Tsuna could almost feel her grinding her teeth. The mix of irritation, helplessness, and jealousy in her tone made it very easy to tell how she felt about said "runt."
"Hey, Tsuna—don't you think I'm pretty?"
"Yeah. You are."
He couldn't deny it. Aside from being a bit flat-chested and rough around the edges, Loki was undeniably cute—and beautiful in her own mischievous way.
"Right~?"
Her lips curled up in a grin she couldn't hide. She didn't even need to use her lie-detecting power to know he meant it.
"Sure, my personality's a little boyish and my figure's not the most… feminine, but come on, I'm still gorgeous~"
That much, she was confident in. If gods had one universal trait, it was that not a single one of them was ugly.
"So," she asked, eyes gleaming with amusement, "what do you think of my personality?"
"What do I think? Nothing bad. It's normal. Where I'm from, girls who act like you are usually outgoing, easy to talk to, and popular—both with guys and girls. Some of them don't even try to act cool; it just comes naturally, and that's what draws people in. I'd say you'd be pretty popular too. You seem like the type who could hang out with anyone."
"Oh~ is that so?"
"Yeah. A girl who's confident, fun to be around, and not afraid to be herself—most guys like that kind of thing. Miss Loki feels like someone you could actually have fun with."
"Hahaha~"
Flattery or not, it sounded damn nice. Loki couldn't help but smile to herself.
Still, she knew better. No god—at least none from the upper world—would ever feel something like "love" toward her. Up there, she was more of a nuisance than anything. Most male gods avoided her like the plague.
Compared to those pompous bastards, the kids down here were so much better—honest, warm, and far more interesting. The upper world was full of chaos and politics. The lower world, though… this was where the fun was.
"So, Tsuna—does that mean you like my type?"
"Eh? Me? Well… I'm not great at dealing with girls, to be honest. Probably because I didn't hang out with people my age much. My hobbies were things like camping, climbing, swimming, and fishing—not exactly social stuff. But if I had to choose, I do like girls who are a bit tomboyish, like you."
Pretty, easygoing, not clingy—that kind of girl was always appealing. Tsuna thought for a moment. A girl you could actually get along with was every guy's dream. Shared interests made all the difference.
"You sure know how to say the right things."
Loki went quiet for a second, then grinned again. But her gaze drifted just slightly, betraying the flicker of something else—awkwardness, excitement, maybe even… a strange thrill.
After confirming that he wasn't lying, her heart twisted in an odd, possessive way.
This kid's mine.
She made the decision on the spot. No matter what, she wasn't letting anyone else take him.
With that thought burning bright, Loki's arm tightened around Tsuna's shoulder as she led him through the hall at a brisk pace.
Soon, they stopped before a door. Loki pushed it open without hesitation and strode in, dragging Tsuna along as if showing off a prize.
"Finn! This kid's mine."
The pride in her voice was unmistakable—like she'd just struck gold.
Finn Deimne, Gareth Landrock, and Riveria Ljos Alf all exchanged looks, their eyelids twitching in unison.
A minute ago, they'd been discussing the mysterious intruder who'd somehow slipped into Loki's bath mid-shower. Before they could even reach a conclusion, Loki had brought him here herself—and now she was announcing he'd joined their Familia.
That was… impulsive, even for her.
But seeing Loki's excitement, the three of them couldn't help but turn toward the boy standing beside her.
He looked young, maybe around their new recruits' age. About Loki's height, a little taller than a Pallum, and definitely human rather than demi-human.
Finn, as captain of the Loki Familia, studied him for a moment before speaking.
"Loki… you didn't just pick him because he managed to get into your bath, did you?"
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Loki snapped instantly. "Do I look that shallow to you?"
You absolutely do, Finn thought, but wisely kept that to himself. Better to hear her reasoning first.
"The details aren't something I can explain right now," Loki continued, waving her hand dismissively. "Honestly, it's better if you three don't know. If Hermes catches wind of it, he'll sniff around and cause me all kinds of trouble."
Finn raised an eyebrow. That serious, huh? He nodded slightly, deciding not to pry further. If Loki said it wasn't something to joke about, then it wasn't.
"As for the real reason…" She grinned, eyes gleaming. "It's simple. The kid's ridiculously strong. If he learns to fully control his power, even if those two bastards from three years ago came back to life, they still wouldn't be a match for him."
"What?"
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all stared at her, disbelief written all over their faces.
Three years ago—the Great Strife. When all of Orario clashed with the Dark Faction. The two most dangerous opponents back then had been Silence of the Hera Familia and Gluttony of the Zeus Familia.
And now Loki was saying this boy—this newcomer—could surpass even them?
Could defeat Level 7s?
None of them could quite believe it… but looking at the expression on Loki's face, none of them could bring themselves to dismiss it either.