Strength: I90 → H102 │ Endurance: H101 → H111 │ Dexterity: H135 → H148 │ Agility: H133 → H153 │ Magic: E444 → S905
"Not exactly a surprise."
Seeing Sawada Tsunayoshi's numbers, Loki wasn't as shocked as the first two times. His ability had an overwhelming edge in Magic. Compared to the steady, ability-driven surge in Magic, the other four stats hadn't grown out of proportion.
"Your Magic growth fits perfectly with the way you've been researching your power. You've been digging into it nonstop these days, haven't you?" she asked.
"Mm. Since we're heading into the Dungeon, I want some safety guarantees against monsters' attacks. I made a set of defensive tools you wear directly, and also some multi-purpose weapons."
"Weapons and armor are indeed your specialty. Your power can create all sorts of utility-type beasts, so naturally it can produce diverse armor and weapons too. But you'll have to keep part of that hidden when the time comes. Planning to hide the summoner side—or your side as a 'normal' adventurer?" Loki asked.
"I think I'll hide the summoner's side."
That answer actually surprised Loki.
"The summoner's side? Wouldn't that be tantamount to exposing your power?"
"No. Exposing a summoner's façade is how I hide my real ability. If I have a puppet act in my place, any god will notice something's off about the construct. But they'll conclude that the puppet is simply my 'magic.'"
"Outside of you, Loki-san, and people within the familia, no one will know my real 'magic.' It's unrealistic to expect everyone to keep it secret forever. But if we spread the rumor inside the familia that my magic is 'Summoning,' and then let the gods confirm that the thing I put out front is just a puppet—"
"Ooh, nice plan. You hide your true 'magic' and also bury your talent as an adventurer. Outsiders only learn that you have a magic that summons a 'puppet.' No one will grasp the truth of your power, and any god curious about you will relax once they think they've seen 'what's really going on.'"
It was a clever approach. Loki was delighted he'd thought of a way to tuck himself out of sight. As one of the gods, she knew all too well how idle the down-descended deities were—only interested in "novelties."
If you hide everything, you only inflame their curiosity. But if the hidden part turns out to be nothing special, that curiosity fades. A very good tactic indeed.
Rather than keep everything under wraps unchanged, it was better to reveal a slice no god would fuss over. Much better than covertly clutching all your secrets.
"I'll talk to Finn and the others later. We'll handle it your way. As for spreading it, we'll make Raul do it—he's the loosest mouth we've got, especially in front of the courtesans of Ishtar Familia," Loki said, a sly, amused smile on her face. Information that leaks from a big, "pure" sieve is the kind people believe.
"Uwah, Loki, you look like a bona fide villain right now. If Raul heard this he'd cry himself to death," Tiona said.
"He can cry after he thinks about how many times Ishtar mocked me because of his antics," Loki sniffed. "I couldn't even hold my head up around her. Not giving him a harsher punishment was me being merciful."
"On that point Raul's in the wrong," Tiona admitted. She wanted to defend him, but the fact was he'd spilled familia intel—while drinking with flower girls, no less, and caving after a few flirty pulls. Loki had been merciful not to come down harder.
"That guy will always be useless in front of women," Tione declared flatly, though a wrinkle of worry crossed her face. "Loki, are you sure Raul can handle this? Don't let him blab Tsunayoshi's real information by accident."
"No problem. This time he won't dare. If he botches even this, I'll cut off half of his male parts. Let's see if he still wants to gamble away his future happiness," Loki said.
Holy—! Tiona and Tione's eyes went wide. They tried to keep straight faces, but laughter burst out anyway.
"Pfft! Then he definitely won't spill Tsunayoshi's stuff," Tiona said.
"No doubt. As long as Loki isn't joking, Raul's brain will keep that warning front and center. That fledgling won't wager his future happiness," Tione agreed.
They didn't dislike Raul much. Usually he was steady—except where women were concerned, where the little head ruled the big one. Worst of all, though ruled by the little head, he was still a fledgling. So he kept making the same mistakes, each worse than the last.
Given what they knew of Raul, if Loki truly threatened his future happiness, he might even dare to mouth off at Ishtar's pet frog.
"Anyway—check your growth."
Loki handed Tsunayoshi the status sheet she'd just imprinted. He skimmed it. The other stats hadn't surged; only Magic remained absurdly high.
Time to schedule some solo Dungeon training afterward, he decided. Once this "expedition" ended, he'd head down to grind. The other stats needed to catch up.
As he confirmed the numbers, he felt two gazes drilling into him. That curious? He shook his head and passed the sheet to Tiona and Tione.
"If you want to look, go ahead."
"Then I won't hold back," Tiona chirped, taking the page. Her eyes froze on the leaps—especially Magic blasting past 900.
"Magic grew this fast?"
"From 400 straight to 900… that pace is insane. Even Riveria didn't climb that quickly," Tione said, equally stunned.
"Which is why Tsunayoshi is a genius," Loki said. "You two can look, but don't spread it around. Also—your turn to update."
(End of Chapter)
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