Astraea couldn't help thinking: even within the Hera Familia right now, there was at least one "special girl" whose parameters had likely already surpassed the S rank limit—something Astraea, with her subtle "judge-god" perception, had managed to glimpse.
And now, she finally had the chance to raise a child with that kind of potential herself.
So she absolutely could not let anything go wrong.
At the same time, Xien's Magic: 0 confirmed another suspicion: his healing magic wasn't being powered by "Magic" in the Falna sense at all. Instead, it looked like it functioned by extracting and transferring his life force.
That was a serious problem.
It hadn't shown consequences yet, but "draining the pond to water the crops" always carried risk. For mortals, over-drafting life force wasn't a joke.
So Astraea took the paper record of Xien's updated status from the two stunned onlookers—and burned it in the candle flame.
Ryuu's eyes widened. "Astraea-sama…?"
Astraea's tone was unusually strict.
"Ryuu. This must never leave this room. I'll tell Alise and the others when they return—but for Xien's safety, no other familia can know about this growth speed."
Ryuu froze. She'd rarely heard Astraea speak so formally and decisively. She immediately understood: this wasn't "caution," it was a security order.
"Yes, Astraea-sama. I won't tell a second person."
Astraea then turned to Xien.
"And you too. Don't tell outsiders about your growth or updates. Promise me."
"Of course, Astraea-sama."
Internally, Xien couldn't agree more: only an idiot would broadcast something like this. In times this unstable, exposing your abnormal growth was just inviting disaster.
Astraea gently patted both of their heads and told them to go rest and save their strength for tomorrow. She felt apologetic—she didn't have the power to truly protect him the way gods once protected ancient heroes, and asking him to hide his brilliance must be painful…
But she didn't understand Xien at all.
Xien had no intention of "shining" publicly even if the Astraea Familia became the strongest in the city. Revealing your growth speed was how you "die in episode three." In any dangerous world, hiding your edge was the winning strategy. A "trump card" is called a trump card because it's unknown—if your stats are public, what trump card do you still have?
This world wasn't short on clever people.
When the door closed behind them, Astraea fell into anxious calculation.
She needed to go see Hera Familia's goddess—Hera.
That familia held the most complete stockpile of magical knowledge in Orario, and Astraea wanted to see if she could trade for high-level healing theory or magic—maybe even something more significant.
High-tier magic and techniques were family treasures in Orario—rarely, if ever, traded openly on the market.
And Astraea's relationship with Hera was basically "mutual non-interference." They'd gone through countless divine gatherings without even properly meeting. This visit would be hard.
But Astraea had a lever.
By now, news of Xien's life-attribute healing should have spread among the major gods. And for Hera—who had lost the absolute combat pillar known as the "Empress"—the biggest question now was: who would hold the line and lead the familia?
In Astraea's judgment, the best candidate was a surviving "monster of talent" from that failed expedition: the one titled "Silence."
Alfia.
But Alfia's negative condition had crushed that possibility.
Alfia's "Talent-Calamity Compensation" (Gia Blessing)
Alfia possessed a terrifying gift: her abilities could "unlock" into an always-at-the-limit state—but with catastrophic side effects.
When it triggered, it inflicted multiple abnormal statuses simultaneously—poison, paralysis, organ dysfunction shock, and more—causing her parameters, stamina, and mental strength to decline semi-permanently.
A skill that perfectly embodied the idea of "heaven-envied talent."
She was a genius—so exceptional she could, at Lv.7, clash with the Lv.9 Empress—yet her body might force her to stop there.
This was semi-open intelligence among the gods of Orario, because Hera had tried countless methods to save her, all failing—so the information inevitably spread.
Astraea intended to gamble on that desperation.
She would make Hera believe Xien could cure Alfia—then use that bargaining power to trade for the knowledge and resources Xien needed.
Trading Xien's future potential for present investment—that was why Astraea had instructed Alise to leak the existence of the healing ability at the right moment. Astraea wanted every possible resource for her child's growth.
Because the Astraea Familia simply couldn't give him the best.
And Astraea believed she could deliver: life-based healing wasn't just "closing wounds." At its peak… it ran far deeper.
Over in the Hera Familia
After a long day, Alfia was ready to return and rest.
But as her body worsened—and as Orario's situation grew more severe—an idea inside her sharpened into certainty.
She thought of her younger sister: born frail because Alfia had "taken" the talent, leaving her weak. And yet Alfia, trapped by her own illness, couldn't even fulfill her duty to protect her. The sickness gnawed at her body like a curse—and steadily eroded her pride.
With the familia and the city worsening, Alfia—once a child of the heavens—refused to die quietly in "silence." She wanted to do something for her sister, even if it was only the smallest thing.
Two close friends supported her.
They were prepared to spend what remained of themselves to do something—anything—for this city teetering on the edge.
Then a member of the familia came running down the corridor, breathless and urgent:
"Lady Alfia—Lady Alfia! Lady Hera wants you to come right now!"
Alfia first blinked in confusion—then, understanding, felt a burst of joy.
After the failed joint expedition and the resulting collapse of the familia's strength, Hera had roughly declared that Alfia would handle the familia's affairs… and then locked herself in her room, abandoning everything.
Alfia understood Hera's grief, but it had only increased fear and tension among those who remained.
The fact they still functioned at all was because Alfia had been grinding herself down day and night to hold stability together.
So if Hera was finally calling her…
Was she recovering from despair?
Alfia didn't waste a second. She hurried to Hera's room—using a bit of magical technique to get there faster—stopped at the door, inhaled, and knocked softly.
"Hera-sama. It's Alfia."
"Come in."
"Yes."
She entered—and her pupils contracted.
The room was a disaster.
Hera's beloved flowers had withered. Priceless magical research lay scattered like trash. Almost no furniture remained intact.
And on the bed sat Hera herself—once dazzling, noble, and imperious—now hollow-eyed and dazed, with blood on her hands that proved how violent the past days had been.
Alfia's heart twisted.
To other gods, Hera was the strongest, cruelest, most destructive tyrant of a goddess.
But to her familia—she was mother.
Back when the familia hadn't fallen, even the arrogant Empress had listened obediently in Hera's presence.
Hera loved her children as deeply as any other god.
And now she had lost so many.
Hera spoke at last, voice hoarse, lacking her old force:
"I'm sorry, Alfia… for letting you see me like this. This time…"
Alfia snapped back instinctively, emotion surging:
"Never say that, Hera-sama! You're the pillar of this home! You have to stand up—our familia can't live without you!"
Her breath hitched with the force of it.
And Hera—finally—smiled, a rare and fragile curve of the lips.
"Yes… You've worked hard. Get up. I called you for two reasons. First: I'm fine now, so don't worry. Second…" Hera said, extending a paper she'd been gripping. "This."
Alfia took it, puzzled, and opened it.
"Hermes sent this," Hera said. "It should be genuine. Given Astraea's personality, she likely released it on purpose—to lure me."
"A trap," she admitted—then added coolly, "but for us, it's still good news."
Alfia read aloud:
"Astraea Familia has a new member with a special life-attribute healing skill?"
She looked up, confused.
"It's unusual, but… why is it good news for us? And why is it bait?"
Hera answered flatly:
"You don't know because you couldn't. In all the thousands of years since Orario was founded—no one has ever possessed true life-attribute healing."
Alfia stiffened. "That rare? …Is it that powerful?"
Even as a Lv.7 mage, she realized she'd never heard of anything like it.
Hera didn't bother with complex explanations.
Instead, she used one simple word-picture:
"A master of it can bring the dead back."
Alfia's mind went blank.
Resurrection—wasn't that a divine miracle forbidden in the lower world? Even gods could only do it under full authority. In a world where gods sealed their power to descend… how could a mortal—
"Is that… something a human can truly have?"
"I don't know," Hera admitted. "Perhaps this is the strange brilliance of humanity. Some of them surpass even our expectations."
Then Alfia understood.
"So your 'good news' for us is…"
"Yes," Hera said. "Astraea will come to me soon. She'll trade our knowledge to accelerate that child's growth. And the payment she wants…" Hera's eyes narrowed. "Will be your body."
Alfia's throat tightened.
"…Can that ability cure me?"
Now she saw the shape of Astraea's strategy: obtain resources for her new member by targeting the Hera Familia's library. And if Xien could truly heal Alfia—then Hera Familia would have to protect him.
In that case, Alfia—both the patient and a magical giant with overwhelming combat power—would be the best guardian.
Hera continued, almost amused:
"In a few days we'll know. And if I'm right… you'll end up being that kid's bodyguard or teacher for free for a while. Astraea's算盘 is clean—she wants to eat the fish twice. We'll see who wins."
Alfia fell quiet.
Even if it was a scheme, they would have to swallow it.
Right now, the Hera Familia's "strength" was effectively being held up by Alfia alone—and her illness was the familia's number one crisis.
If there truly was a chance to solve it, then trading "some knowledge" and guarding a kid was a price that made sense—even if it tasted bitter.
The most classic kind of open conspiracy: you see it, you understand it, and you still can't refuse.
Alfia couldn't help thinking: Is Astraea really a goddess of justice? She looked more calculating than even Loki, who was infamous for tricks.
But then again… gods were gods.
None of them were harmless.
Hera exhaled.
"Help me clean this up. No one can see me like this."
"Yes, Hera-sama."
Alfia was honestly just glad Hera had finally started moving again.
As for whether her illness could truly be cured…
Alfia didn't know.
But the heavy shadow in her heart—after this conversation—seemed to crack open, just a little.
-------
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