Just as Alice and Hestia were discussing Lili's situation.
Lili trudged into the dining room, her spirits visibly low. Her eyes were bloodshot, underscored by faint dark circles.
"Lili? Didn't you sleep well last night?" Alice asked, noticing her condition.
Lili glanced at Alice and replied listlessly, "It's because of what you said yesterday, Lady Alice. It's left my mind in a bit of a jumble."
"Then, let me ask you again." Alice smiled slightly and looked at Lili earnestly. "Lili, are you willing to leave the Soma Familia and join the Hestia Familia?"
Hearing this, Lili shot a look at Hestia, who was busy wolfing down her food. A faint trace of exasperation crossed her brow as she lifted her head to ask Alice, "Weren't the Loki Familia also an option yesterday? Why is Lady Hestia the only choice now?"
Lili's words made Hestia's eyes widen in shock.
"Hey!! What do you mean 'only one choice'?! Are you looking down on me, Lili?!" Hestia stood up, glaring at the girl.
Lili glanced at the milk at the corner of Hestia's mouth and the half-cooked egg yolk smeared on her cheek, then let out a deep, weary sigh.
"Sigh..."
"Just thinking about joining Lady Hestia's Familia fills me with despair for my own future... Who knows how many things I'd have to worry about..."
As she spoke, Lili pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and smushed it right onto Hestia's face, wiping her clean as if tending to a small child.
"Mmph! Mmmph!!" Hestia squirmed in protest.
"There, there... Lady Hestia, since you're finished eating, a goddess must maintain her dignity, you know." Lili calmly wiped Hestia's entire face with an unruffled demeanor.
"Huff!! Lili!! You haven't even joined my Familia yet! Don't get so presumptuous! I am still a deity, you know!!"
Hestia instantly flew into a rage.
"Of course, of course... So, Lady Hestia, what would you like to eat tonight?" Lili asked placidly.
"Seafood! Octopus would be best!" Hestia blurted out her craving immediately, but then just as quickly sensed something was off. "Lili!! I can't be won over with just a single good meal, you know!"
"Lady Alice, Lili can leave the Soma Familia today, right? I'd like to spend a bit of money to buy some good alcohol, would that be alright?" Lili ignored Hestia and turned to Alice.
"Of course. You manage the household funds, Lili. Get some juice for me while you're at it," Alice replied with a laugh.
"Hey!!!" Hestia grew even angrier. "Don't ignore me!"
"So, what would you like to drink, Lady Hestia?" Lili asked.
"I want some of that fruit sparkling wine Miach mixes!" Hestia declared.
"Oh? Lord Miach's wine? It shouldn't be too expensive, right?" Lili said.
"Don't worry!" Hestia gave Lili a thumbs-up. "When Daphne and the others went into the Dungeon today, I had them gather some Illusion Butterfly dust. We can trade it to Miach for plenty of wine."
"Is that so? How impressive, Lady Hestia."
"Hehe~ Of course!"
Watching Hestia go from angry to happy under Lili's coaxing, the smile never left Alice's face.
"Well then, no time to waste. Lili, eat something quickly. After you finish, we'll head to the Soma Familia."
"Yes, Lady Alice!"
--+--
Soma Familia.
It was the fourth day of selling the Loki picture books. Business was still booming, but after four days, pretty much everyone in Orario willing to read had already bought a copy.
So, even though it was lively, the frenzy had died down considerably compared to the first two days.
Even so, the members of the Soma Familia were reluctant to let go of such a profitable venture. In just four days, they had earned more money than they typically would in a year, maybe even three or four.
The sheer volume of cash had driven them all into a frenzy.
Even shut away in his room, the god Soma could hear the cheers and revelry of his children in the garden outside.
But no matter how happy the children seemed, it meant nothing to Soma.
He had long since grown disillusioned with the children of the lower world. Children who would lose themselves in his wine, become enslaved by it—they were not the beautiful beings other gods spoke of.
Still, these past few days, the children had brought him many rare ingredients. With this abundance of precious materials, the completion level of the divine wine he was brewing had risen rapidly.
Naturally, he had given Zanis quite a few batches of the unfinished divine wine. After all, the children of the lower world were content as long as they had wine, weren't they?
So, for once, God Soma was in a relatively good mood.
Just as Soma was stirring the wine in the vat with a wooden stick, while outside his children cheered and laughed wildly, intoxicated by the divine wine—
A tremendous crash echoed from the entrance of the Soma Familia compound.
Clearly, someone was attacking.
But Soma, absorbed in his brewing, paid it no mind. And the members of the Soma Familia in the garden, drunk on the divine wine and lost in their stupor, cared even less about any potential attack.
Only Zanis Lustra, the captain, came rushing out of the mansion where Soma resided, a look of urgency on his face.
--+--
The scent of wine.
The divine wine smelled wonderful, both its aroma and its taste.
It had the power to bewitch the mind, like a poppy, making one addicted.
However, the effects of the divine wine only worked on Level 1 adventurers. By Level 2, with their significantly enhanced stats, adventurers gained the ability to resist its allure.
As for Riveria, Ais, and Lefiya—the lowest level among them, Lefiya, was Level 3. In any other Familia, even Lefiya alone could make them a solid mid-tier force in Orario.
So, the divine wine had no effect on the three of them.
Loki, being a god, was naturally immune.
In fact, the moment Loki stepped into the Soma Familia grounds and caught the scent of the divine wine, she frowned. It wasn't just the smell; it was the sight of the Soma Familia members carousing and debauched.
"That Soma guy... the intel said he handed everything over to his captain, but I didn't think he'd really just not care at all. It's like he's completely detached from whatever happens to his Familia."
"What does that bastard think these children are?!"
Originally, Loki had just intended to give Soma a minor warning. If the Soma Familia stopped selling the picture books and coughed up a bottle or two of wine as compensation, Loki was prepared to let it go.
After all, the book sales had pretty much reached saturation anyway.
But seeing the scene before her, Loki, who also considered her own children as family, felt a surge of anger rise within her.
--+--
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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