"Sorry about this, Alice. You finally make it over to my place, and I've got nothing prepared for you."
Stepping into Hephaestus's room, the goddess spoke with an apologetic tone.
"I never expected Hestia to bring you over so suddenly tonight. Please, make yourself at home."
"It's quite alright," Alice shook her head. "Actually, I've been meaning to visit you for some time now, Lady Hephaestus."
"Is that so?" Hephaestus's eyes lit up. "Is it about blacksmithing?"
Having consulted Hestia earlier, Hephaestus already knew what Alice was seeking.
"Yes," Alice nodded, then quickly added, "But of course, if it's inconvenient—"
Before she could finish, Hephaestus interjected, "It's no trouble at all. For us gods, it's a genuine pleasure when someone reaches a comparable level of skill in our crafts."
A knowing smile graced Hephaestus's lips as she leaned against her desk. "Besides, every member of the Hephaestus Familia has the right to learn the 'Divine Artistry'—it's just a matter of whether they wish to pursue it."
"After all, techniques we gods have honed over hundreds of millions of years aren't something a human can master in a single lifetime through effort alone."
A flicker of wistfulness crossed Hephaestus's face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Her gaze softened as she looked at Alice.
"So, if you're willing to learn, I'm certain many gods would be eager to teach you. That incident with the Apollo Familia has made you quite the celebrity throughout Orario, you know."
At this, Alice offered an awkward smile.
"In that case, I'd be grateful if you could instruct me in blacksmithing, Lady Hephaestus."
"No problem at all," Hephaestus replied generously.
"Hephaestus, you still haven't explained why you were so eager to see Alice," Hestia interjected, voicing her curiosity. "Like you said, if you'd gone to her place instead, I'm sure Alice would have welcomed you properly."
"Ah, that." Upon hearing Hestia's question, Hephaestus turned and picked up a thin, modestly sized booklet from her desk. "The reason I asked for Alice is because of this. It's some strange book that suddenly became wildly popular in Orario about three days ago."
She handed the booklet to Alice.
Taking it, Alice felt a peculiar sense of familiarity, as if she'd seen something like it before.
"I'm sure the contents are fabricated, so try not to get too upset when you read it, Alice."
A faint smirk played on Hephaestus's lips.
Knowing her friend well, Hestia immediately recognized that look—Hephaestus was clearly anticipating some entertainment.
What could be inside? Hestia wondered.
She was an avid reader herself. During her stay at Hephaestus's home, she'd spent nearly every day buried in books at Orario's library. Though most of the collection consisted of shallow hero tales, Hestia had devoured them all with relish.
Curiosity piqued, she stood up and moved behind Alice to peek at the contents.
But Alice flipped through the pages rapidly.
By the time Hestia had circled around, Alice had already finished the entire booklet—a mere seventeen or eighteen pages, not even twenty.
Hestia couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment.
"Lady Hephaestus! Where did this booklet come from?" Alice's cheeks were faintly flushed as she looked at the goddess.
"They're being sold on practically every street corner. It seems you really had no idea this existed," Hephaestus replied, her amusement barely concealed.
"On every street?!" Alice's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice rising several pitches.
"Mmm-hmm~ That's right. Basically, throughout Orario, I'd say about three out of every five people have a copy." Hephaestus looked at Alice teasingly. "So, what do you plan to do about it?"
Alice's expression darkened.
"Alice-chan, can I take a look?" Hestia asked softly.
In response, Alice shot her a glare but said nothing, simply handing over the booklet.
If Hephaestus claimed 60% of Orario already had a copy, then trying to hide it was pointless.
Taking the booklet, Hestia immediately saw the cover illustration: Loki dressed in male attire, riding a white horse, looking every bit the prince.
"Pfft!" Hestia burst out laughing at the sight of Loki. "Hahaha! That Loki! Has she given up all hope for her figure and decided to become a man now? Hahaha!"
But as her eyes fell upon the depiction of Alice in the book, Hestia couldn't help but marvel.
"Hey... Alice-chan looks so beautiful and adorable here. Who drew this? Could it be Dionysus? But his artwork isn't this crude..."
As Hestia flipped through the pages, she noticed the booklet resembled a picture book more than a traditional storybook. The art style was different, and the presentation felt entirely novel compared to conventional books. Having spent so much time in the library, Hestia instantly recognized this as a fresh, innovative artistic form.
"The story itself is cliché—a prince slaying a dragon to save a princess—but this presentation makes it far more engaging than a typical storybook. I wonder who came up with it."
Blinking, Hestia looked up at Alice, whose cheeks were still tinged with pink.
"Don't tell me... this is a form of expression from your world, Alice?"
Hearing this, Hephaestus also turned a surprised gaze toward Alice.
After a moment's silence, Alice nodded.
"This format is called 'comics.' I showed some to Loki a few days ago..." she said calmly.
"So you're saying Loki drew this booklet?" Hestia stared at Alice in astonishment.
But Hephaestus furrowed her brow. "That doesn't add up, though. The people selling these are members of the Soma Familia."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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