The shadow of his past self smiled. "Is it... 'Infinity'?"
"Exactly." Levi nodded calmly, revealing a burning desire he never showed in the real world. "Infinite time, infinite life, infinite power, infinite knowledge, and infinite growth. I want to become an absolute existence."
The shadow suddenly burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Levi frowned. His words were sincere, yet the phantom seemed to disagree.
"It seems your experiences in this world have made you forget your truest longing," the man said, wiping imaginary tears. "Or perhaps you know it in your heart but pretend not to notice? While I'd love to grant you 'Infinity,' the rules restrict me to manifesting your true desire. I hope you like this gift."
Without giving Levi a chance to object, the man dissolved into mist. The white void shattered like glass. When Levi opened his eyes, he was lying on Hestia's lap. The sky outside was just beginning to brighten.
"You're awake?"
Hestia looked down, smiling, though her impressive chest obscured half of Levi's face.
"Yeah." Levi didn't get up immediately. After their previous night of shared sleep, their relationship had shifted. "How long was I out?"
"About eleven hours," Hestia replied, tossing the now-blank Grimoire onto the bed. She leaned down to check on him, her curiosity finally winning out. "Do you want to update your status now?"
Normally, Levi would agree instantly. But this time... he looked at his magic slot and felt a rare wave of embarrassment. "Maybe... after I get back from the Dungeon today?"
"Mmmm—!" Hestia pouted, pinching his cheek. "You're acting very suspicious, Levi!"
Levi looked away, hesitant. "I just... don't know how to explain it to you yet."
"Now I'm even more curious!" Hestia joked, acting like a "thirsty" goddess. "Be a good boy and take off your shirt."
"..."
The magic was already there; there was no escaping it. Levi decided to just let it happen. As he pulled off his shirt, he warned her, "Fine, but you aren't allowed to get mad at me."
"Me? Mad? Levi, you're so sweet, why would I get mad?"
That was her answer. At least, it was her answer until she saw the text.
[Divine Blessing of the Goddesses' Love • 5-Star (-)]Type: Status Magic Chant:"Name(s) of the Goddess(es) (Multiple names can be called simultaneously), I pray to you, grant me your blessing!"
[Each Goddess who develops feelings for 'Levi Bright' will form a new unique blessing.][The higher the Goddess's affection for 'Levi Bright', the stronger the magical correction. Upon reaching the maximum rank (V), the corresponding blessing becomes a permanent passive.][The greater the number of Goddesses harboring affection for 'Levi Bright', the higher the magic's Star-Rating.]
[Currently Held Blessings:]
Pure White Love III of Hestia (Goddess of the Hearth): Significantly increases Mana and Health recovery.
Twisted Love I of Freya (Goddess of Beauty): Moderately increases resistance to mental abnormalities.
"Levi"
The twin-tailed Goddess was currently radiating an aura so gloomy she looked like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell. Though a sweet smile was plastered on her face, her tone was chillingly bone-deep.
"Yes, I'm here."
Levi swallowed hard. He wanted to run, but since the girl was pinning him down, he wasn't going anywhere.
"Could you explain to me... what exactly is meant by the blessing of the Goddess-'es'?"
Hestia put a terrifying amount of emphasis on the plural.
"The blessing of the Goddesses means... the blessings of multiple Goddesses."
Levi adopted the serious expression of a scholar discussing academic theory. However, the moment the words left his mouth, he was met with a heavy swat to his back.
"Hmph! I knew you were a little pervert with no good intentions!"
Hestia began flailing at Levi with her fists—though the force was more akin to a light tickle. "Speak! Since when did you get to know Freya?"
"I don't know!" Levi protected his head, feeling more wronged than anyone in history. Ever since entering Orario, he had consciously avoided the 'Hostess of Fertility' where Freya might be lurking. "I've heard the name of the Goddess of Beauty, and I did consider joining her or Loki's Familia once, but I have never actually met her to this day!"
As a Goddess, Hestia could tell her dependent wasn't lying. At least in Levi's mind, he had absolutely zero contact with Freya.
But that only made her angrier. If it weren't for the information exposed by Levi's newly awakened magic, she wouldn't even have known that the "snack" she was saving in her bowl was already being eyed by a predator.
"Damn it!"
The Goddess bit her thumb. While she had guessed Levi's secret desires through the magic's name and effects, the brat currently pinned under her hadn't actually done anything wrong yet. Hestia wasn't the type to be unreasonable.
Her anger was directed at the other Goddesses. Being one herself, she knew all too well how many "hungry wolves" would be attracted to Levi once his situation was exposed. Unless she locked him away, the eyes following him would only increase as he grew.
Though Hestia was a virgin Goddess, it was because she looked down on the male Gods of the Upper World, not because she was uninterested in love. For the first time since the Familia's founding, she faced her own heart directly and quickly came to a decision.