Chapter 71 — Believe in Me, Hephaestus!
Ottar didn't look the least bit surprised by Freya's earlier words.
There was no hesitation. No confusion.
Because from the very beginning, he had known exactly what kind of goddess Freya truly was. In fact, so did everyone else in Freya Familia.
They all understood that once a "child" had been touched by Freya's interest, they would inevitably lose their worth.
Even someone as powerful as Ottar, or Allen, or even the formidable Gulliver Brothers, were still just tools in her eyes. Useful for a time, until her desire faded.
To her, they weren't comrades. They were chess pieces—no, tokens—to be spent when necessary.
And yet… they all remained unwaveringly loyal. They gave themselves to her completely, body and soul. Without regret. Without hesitation.
That's what made Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, so terrifying.
What she wielded wasn't simple charm. It was divine enthrallment—a power that could dominate the body, mind, and even the very soul.
Now, her meaning was clear: If someone wants to kill, let them. Freya had no reason to stop them.
Because those "children" who had been slaughtered… no longer held any value to her.
— — —
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of Loki Familia—one of the two reigning powers of Orario—the rumors of the bloodbath had already reached their ears.
"What a damn mess. Fifteen confirmed murders, all clean kills in a single strike. Tch… and just when Finn and the others are off on an expedition. I would've loved to stir the pot myself!"
The Trickster Goddess Loki grumbled irritably, legs propped up on the table, swirling a half-empty wine glass.
She was never one to sit still. Even back in the Upper World, Loki had caused more chaos than anyone could count. Plenty of gods still shivered just thinking about her name.
She lived for disorder.
And now, fifteen members of Freya Familia were dead?
Oh, she was very interested.
On the surface, she and Freya maintained a cold sort of peace, but beneath that civil façade was a silent war. A competition to dominate Orario.
So when Freya suffered a blow like this… Loki couldn't help but grin.
After all, weakening Freya's influence only made Loki stronger.
— — —
Elsewhere, within the quiet halls of Hephaestus Familia, two people stood together in the stillness of a sunlit room.
Naturally, Hephaestus had also heard about the recent string of brutal killings. And she was deeply disturbed.
She never imagined that Akira—her own contractor, the man she'd come to care for—could be capable of something so ruthless.
"Are you really okay with this…?" she asked, concern lacing her voice. "If you provoke Freya too much, this could spiral into something we can't control. We should prepare ourselves."
"Even if I told you not to worry, you wouldn't listen, would you?" Akira replied with a small smile. "You've been stockpiling Magic Swords these past few days, haven't you?"
He glanced toward the hidden vaults where she'd stashed her latest creations. He knew—she was preparing for war, just in case.
"Of course I'm worried about you!" Hephaestus snapped. "You told me you wouldn't fight her directly—and now you've gone and started killing her followers in secret?! If she goes berserk, what are we supposed to do?!"
"Relax. It won't come to that," Akira said calmly. "Even if things get worse… I believe I can handle it."
"Hmph… fine. But if it does come to that, I'm breaking the seal on my divine powers and going back to the Upper World. I'll protect you with everything I have."
Her words weren't an empty threat—they were a solemn vow.
In her heart, Hephaestus had already made her decision.
If Freya went too far, she would sacrifice everything to defend him. Even if that meant clashing with another goddess and vanishing from this world altogether.
Because if Freya returned to the heavens, her Familia would lose their blessings. Their power would vanish.
Akira too… would be powerless.
But at least, he'd be alive.
"Idiot woman," Akira said with a grin. "I'm a man. In times like these, you should be standing behind me."
"Excuse me? I'm a goddess, you know! How dare you call me an idiot?!"
"Hephaestus… trust me," he said suddenly, his voice lower, firmer. "I've got a trump card of my own. Think about it—do you really think I'd be this confident if I didn't? So please… believe in me."
"…Fine… I believe in you…"
She stared at his face for a long moment.
Something about his eyes—so resolute, so certain—stirred something deep inside her. Her shoulders relaxed. She gave a small nod.
And then—
[Lady Hephaestus… allow me to say something. His trump card is far greater than you could ever imagine.]
The voice echoed softly through the room—resonating from deep within Akira's palm.
Hephaestus blinked, startled. Her gaze shifted to the glowing emerald jewel embedded on the back of his hand.
"Eh…? Red Dragon Emperor? You know something?"
[Of course. Before arriving in this world, he already possessed power far beyond mortal limits. I don't know what caused him to lose it, but you'd be a fool to underestimate him now.]
"Wait… power beyond mortal limits… before this world?"
Just that little hint was enough to ignite the gears in Hephaestus's mind.
She narrowed her eyes, heart pounding.
"Shin Akira… tell me the truth. Who are you, really?"
Akira's eye twitched.
He was going to strangle that dragon.
"It's… complicated," he muttered. "I'm not from this world. I came here by accident—some kind of dimensional rupture pulled me in. That's why I showed up in that bathhouse that day."
"So that story was true..."
Hephaestus nodded slowly. Her eyes never left his.
Somewhere in her heart, a strange thought began to form—was it possible… that this man had been sent to her by the will of the world itself?
After all, she was a goddess born from the will of the planet. It wasn't strange for her to think of the world as a parent—and all life as its children.
"Hold on… Akira, before you came to Orario, you had overwhelming power, didn't you?"
"Yeah. I was what they call a Transcendent. I'd already passed the limits of humanity."
"That explains everything," she muttered. "I've been wondering why your growth rate was so abnormal. It didn't make any sense… but now it does."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"The Falna—the blessing we gods grant—records all of a person's battles and experiences, then uses that to unlock potential. Even if you've lost your strength… your body still remembers it."
"So what you're saying is…?"
"You're not developing new power. You're restoring what you already had."
"Wait… I didn't even realize that was possible."
Akira stared at his hand, slightly stunned.
He had started from zero. His power had been sealed away.
But somewhere deep within… something remained.
Something waiting to awaken.
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