"Tch."
Hestia clicked her tongue in annoyance at Soma's words.
But just as Soma had said, since he was about to be sent back to Heaven anyway, the issue with Lily would resolve itself without them needing to lift a finger. Once Loki sent Soma back, it would all be over.
"Loki, when are you planning to send Soma back?"
"Our familia is heading on an expedition tomorrow, so let's make it today. Anyway, from top to bottom, from the god to the captain, right down to the lowest member, the Soma Familia is a bunch of good-for-nothings. As long as the Guild approves my petition for dissolution, we can send Soma back today."
As she spoke, Loki glanced over at Riveria.
"Speaking of which, Riveria, I told you to go to the Guild, didn't I? Why haven't you left yet?"
Riveria shrugged.
"At the moment, everyone in the Soma Familia is completely drowned in his wine. That captain of theirs, the one who's supposedly Level 2 but can't even beat a Level 1 with S-rank stats, is currently under Ais's watch."
"We might as well just take God Soma and that useless captain to the Guild together. It would actually be faster that way."
The so-called strength of the Soma Familia was nothing more than Soma's divine wine, and the money its members scammed from others. They had a bit of coin, that's all.
Having wealth but no real power in Orario made you a sitting duck, just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
The only reason the Soma Familia hadn't been targeted before was that they hadn't amassed such large sums in the past, and also because any god who wanted a taste of that divine wine had to buy it directly from Soma.
As for the other god of wine, Dionysus, he brewed very rarely, and his wine was grape wine, while Soma's was a clear, strong liquor.
They were completely different.
Loki's method for dissolving the Soma Familia wasn't a full-scale Familia War. Instead, she was using the justification that the Soma Familia had wronged them and infringed upon the Loki Familia's property as grounds for a punitive dissolution.
Given the current state of the Soma Familia, just as Riveria said, taking Soma and Zanis directly to the Guild would be much quicker.
The lower-level members were currently dead drunk, and Zanis, who was weaker than a capable Level 1, was someone even the Hestia Familia could handle with ease.
Let alone the Loki Familia.
Loki found herself in complete agreement with Riveria.
"Hestia, let's take Soma to the Guild together," Loki said, turning to the other goddess.
"Right! Leave it to me!" Hestia responded eagerly.
Even though she disliked Soma, he was still a god. Certain formalities had to be observed, if not for his sake, then for the sake of Alice and Riveria and the others.
Alice probably wouldn't care.
But if Riveria and the others were seen manhandling Soma through the streets, it would definitely become gossip fodder for the other gods.
So, this task was most suitable for Loki and Hestia themselves.
And so, the two goddesses somehow produced two lengths of rope and advanced on Soma with sly smirks, their intentions plain for everyone present to see.
Soma, seeing this, let out a soft sigh.
"There's no need to bind me. I'll come with you willingly."
"Oh?~ Well, if you're coming quietly, Soma, that saves us the trouble. How wonderful," Loki said, sounding pleased as she stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder.
She then turned and headed for the door.
"Alright then, Alice-chan, Shortie! Let's get going!"
Watching Loki's retreating back, Alice shook her head slightly and followed.
Seeing this, Soma had no choice but to sigh in resignation and follow as well.
When the group exited the Soma Familia's mansion, Ais was still standing guard over Zanis. The injuries Zanis had sustained were slowly healing. Useless as this Level 2 was, he was still an adventurer of that tier, and possessed a certain degree of regenerative ability.
"Hey~ Ais! Bring that trash, we're going to the Guild. The Soma Familia is getting dissolved," Loki called out loudly.
Hearing this, Ais walked over to Zanis, reached out, and grabbed him by the scruff of his clothes like a dead dog. She began dragging him behind her as she walked over to Loki's group.
Everyone present witnessed Zanis's pitiful state, including Soma himself.
Yet, Soma showed not a flicker of emotion upon seeing his captain's condition.
"You're something else," Loki remarked. "He's still your captain, you know. You bear a lot of responsibility for him ending up like this. Not even going to offer a few words of comfort?"
Loki was still hoping to see some kind of reaction from the wine god.
But Soma merely cast a cold glance at Zanis and said calmly, "He is merely another child lost to the wine. There is nothing to say."
"You..." Loki shook her head in disappointment, then said dismissively, "...Whatever. My goal is just to dissolve your Familia. What you do or don't feel is none of my concern."
"But the you of today is truly infuriating. Even a scumbag like Apollo was willing to break the divine rules and release his Arcanum to protect his children, accepting being sent back to Heaven."
"I used to think Apollo was disgusting, but now I feel that compared to him, a god who doesn't even care about his own children is far more repulsive. And to think I used to be so fond of your wine."
Hearing Loki's words, Soma finally furrowed his brow, a rare shift in his emotion.
"Apollo... was sent back for his children? For these children of the lower world?"
His voice was filled with disbelief.
Noticing the change, Loki said with surprise, "Oh?~ You're actually interested in something other than brewing? Don't tell me you and Apollo had something going on?"
Soma shot Loki a sidelong glance and said nothing.
"Tch, boring." Loki shrugged, finding his lack of response dull.
But from Soma's earlier question, Loki had already understood.
"Soma," she said quietly, "Don't tell me you actually believe that all the children of the lower world are hopeless degenerates, utterly lost in your divine wine?"
The implication of her words surprised everyone present, and they all looked at Soma with curiosity.
"Is that not the case?" Soma's tone held confusion, but the meaning behind it confirmed that was precisely what he thought.
And, as the group had now reached the main courtyard of the Soma Familia estate, the sight that greeted them seemed to lend credence to Soma's words. Dozens of his familia members lay sprawled across the grounds, dead drunk and completely incapacitated by the divine wine.
But Soma's matter-of-fact attitude only made everyone present sigh in unison.
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