"Lord Hermes, this…?" Asfi froze. She couldn't comprehend the scene before her.
The goddess had unleashed her divine power regardless of the cost, yet she failed to kill Antares, and was captured instead?
"This monster… it's immune to divine power. For us gods, it's the absolute worst possible matchup!" Hermes gritted his teeth, his face revealing an exasperated look for the first time. "Dammit! Artemis is finished! This is a massive crisis! Hurry and run, if we don't leave now it'll be too late!"
He shouted loudly, commanding his Familia members, "Retreat!"
"No! I'm not leaving! I'm going to rescue Lady Artemis!" Lante struggled to her feet, her eyes filled with unyielding determination.
"That's right, rescue Lady Artemis!" Even though the girls of the Artemis Familia were trembling with fear, they had long since cast aside all regard for their own lives for the sake of their goddess.
"You guys go first." Captain Rethusa remained silent for a moment, then looked at the members of the Hermes Familia. Her voice was hoarse but unusually steady. "Even if it means death, we must be with our goddess."
"Are you out of your minds?! That monster isn't something you can fight against! You'll die!" the Chienthrope girl Lulune shouted, unable to understand this determination to die.
"Asking us to abandon our goddess is more painful than death," Rethusa answered decisively.
The members of the Hermes Familia instantly fell silent.
Just then, from Antares's chest, Artemis—whose lower half was already completely sealed by the blue crystal—suddenly materialized a long spear shimmering with starlight in her hand.
Using the last of her strength, she forcefully hurled the spear while issuing her final order in an unquestionable tone: "Lante, Rethusa, this is an order—retreat!"
The spear tore across the hundred-meter distance, landing precisely in Hermes's hand.
At the same time, Artemis's voice echoed in his mind. Hermes, you know what you must do.
Hermes gripped the spear tightly and fell silent.
The light in his eyes dimmed for a moment before he nodded. His voice was slightly low, completely devoid of his usual frivolity.
"…I understand, Artemis."
Under the goddess's final order, the maidens of the Artemis Familia could no longer resist.
They could only cry, watching unwillingly and helplessly as their patron goddess was swallowed inch by inch by that eerie blue crystal, ultimately becoming completely sealed upon Antares's chest.
----
Orario. Palais Mermonia, the luxurious headquarters of the Focalors Familia.
Furina had just finished updating everyone's Status.
This was the advantage of a Familia with few people; the patron deity could personally inspect the details of their members' growth almost every day.
At this moment, everyone in the hall had finished their updates. Only the carved wooden door to Furina's room remained tightly shut.
Behind the door was the newcomer the Familia had just welcomed, currently undergoing the engraving of her first Falna. Everyone was waiting; after all, newcomers were a rare sight in the Focalors Familia.
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