As the final day before the expedition, it was a particularly hectic one for the Loki Familia.
"Alright! Next!"
At Loki's call, the next person waiting outside her room opened the door and stepped in.
Moments later, a girl walked out, adjusting her clothes and holding a sheet of paper, making the whole scene look oddly similar to a hospital waiting area.
The line was ridiculously long—stretching all the way from Loki's room out to the open space beyond the Familia's headquarters.
What was going on?
Anyone unfamiliar with the routine might've asked that.
But for those in the know, this was something that happened every time before an expedition. It was simply called a "Status Update."
Every member of the Loki Familia had to update their Status before setting out.
Since there wouldn't be another chance to do so for quite some time, the updates had to be done in advance. It wasn't just a matter of timing—by checking for changes in their Status, they could better assess and ensure safety during the expedition.
And for those two reasons, this was always Loki's busiest time.
Since the update process required divine blood from the gods themselves, Loki's fingertips were now peppered with tiny needle marks from all the pricking.
In just two hours, over seventy members had passed through her room. Each one took about two minutes, meaning Loki had pricked her fingers over seventy times.
"Ugh... If this keeps up, my fingers are gonna rot off one day."
Loki looked at her hands in dismay. Sure, they looked fine now, but only because of divine healing.
"Why can't those guys come a few days earlier instead of always waiting until the last day?"
"Loki, whose fault do you think that is?"
Riveria couldn't help but complain as she recalled Loki's behavior over the past three days.
"What, rallying morale is a bad thing now? I was just trying to fire everyone up before the expedition."
Loki shamelessly brushed off all responsibility, claiming it was all part of her motivational strategy and boldly taking credit for it.
Riveria responded to her righteous act with a cold, sarcastic smile.
"You mean sneaking off to cling to Ais every time people were drinking? Do you think I don't see what you're doing?"
Even after being called out, Loki didn't look the least bit embarrassed. She had long since shed any pretense of shame. Instead of continuing the argument, she turned a lascivious gaze toward Riveria.
"Riveria, it's your turn now."
Can you get any more shameless?
Riveria sighed inwardly, but she had no real way to deal with Loki.
She turned around and slowly began to undress.
Under the lights, her fair, radiant skin—so pristine it could only belong to an elf—was exposed, and just the sight of it made Loki audibly gulp.
Gulp~
The sound of Loki swallowing reached Riveria's ears. Her fists clenched on instinct.
Every time!
This pervert is always like this!
Riveria forced herself to stay calm, taking a deep breath in an attempt to keep her sanity intact.
Using her removed clothes to cover her chest, Riveria held them in one hand while brushing her hair aside with the other.
"Hah~"
That single motion was almost too much for Loki to handle. She could barely suppress her wild instincts.
"Ohhh~ As expected of Riveria. You must really take care of yourself, huh?"
That lecherous tone finally broke Riveria's patience. With a flick of her hand, she hurled a sharp blade straight at Loki's fingers.
Thwack!
The knife pierced through the wooden bedframe and left a bloody gash on Loki's finger.
Oh gods!
Cold sweat instantly soaked Loki's back. In that moment, all her inappropriate thoughts were completely wiped out, her desire mercilessly snuffed out.
She recognized that move immediately.
"Ais learned that from you, didn't she!?"
That technique—it was exactly the same as how Ais dealt with her. The style, the target—it was all too familiar.
Riveria shot her a frosty glance, her eyes gleaming like drawn blades. The chill made Loki shudder from head to toe.
"Can we begin?"
"Y-yeah, yeah..."
Chastened, Loki didn't dare push her luck any further. She knew full well that "Mama" would seriously throw hands if provoked.
Getting serious at last, Loki started updating the Status on Riveria's back.
"Hmm... Mama, your growth really has hit the ceiling."
After finishing the update, Loki saw only the slightest of changes—just two or three points total, and even those were in Agility, Dexterity, and Magic. Strength and Endurance hadn't moved at all.
Riveria had expected as much. Honestly, her growth had been crawling at a snail's pace for a long time now.
"Your last update was half a year ago, right?"
"Yeah... it's been six months since I last saw Mama's back."
"...Be serious, Loki."
"Yes, ma'am~"
Loki finally dropped her playful tone, her expression turning thoughtful.
"Riveria, you've long since hit your growth limit. You know that as well as I do. So why bother updating your Status like the rookies today?"
Riveria let out a quiet sigh and finally voiced what had been on her mind.
"I think Bell-kun might cause a massive upheaval."
Loki didn't disagree. She'd known for some time that the boy was going to stir up something big—something that would shake Orario to its core and overturn decades of calm.
"Mama, what makes you say that?"
At those words, Riveria folded her arms and turned around, locking eyes with Loki. Her stare made Loki squirm under the pressure until Riveria finally spoke.
"Loki, you've known all along, haven't you?"
How was she supposed to answer that? Even if she did sense that another era of change was coming... that wasn't something you could just say out loud.
"Mama, what are you even talking about? I don't get it~"
Watching Loki feign ignorance, Riveria didn't push for an answer.
"Loki, do you remember your expression when we first bought those Rune Stones?"
"I..."
"I know you've forgotten. But I haven't. You were shocked. It was like you saw something in them—something familiar."
Gods... don't be so sharp-eyed... Loki broke into a cold sweat. She had no idea Riveria had remembered that.
"Then, during our second meeting with the Hestia Familia, when those strange symbols showed up—you recognized them immediately, didn't you? I remember the look on your face. It was the same one you get when you see Ais with another man."
Damn it! Was I really that obvious!?
"And do you remember when you said, 'Even if something happens, that brat won't be the one in danger'? What exactly were you basing that on? I don't even have to explain—you already know, don't you?"
As Riveria pressed further, Loki's options slowly vanished. She hadn't expected Riveria to observe her so closely—or to piece together so much.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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