At 8:30 in the morning, it was time to depart.
"No need for extra words. I hope this expedition lets you see the deeper scenery."
Loki was nothing like a corporate boss giving a long pep talk before the job. Just a blunt blessing, no wasted time. As she finished, her eyes slid toward Tsunayoshi standing a bit farther back in the crowd. Her lips moved slightly.
"Keep an eye on yourself."
"I understand."
The moment he received the message, Tsunayoshi's lips moved in reply. He brushed a finger across the medal on his chest—and vanished from Loki's sight.
For Tsunayoshi, this expedition wasn't about direct participation. He was going to broaden his horizons in the Dungeon and serve as support in case of "abnormal incidents." He didn't need to stand under the spotlight just yet.
"May fortune favor your spears!"
Finn gave a small nod and called out in a clear voice:
"Everyone, move out!"
The Loki Familia setting off on their first expedition in two years was quite a spectacle. The column headed straight for Central Avenue, flanked on all sides by Orario's adventurers—plenty of gods who lived in the city were among the onlookers as well.
As one of the two strongest familias in Orario right now, any move by the Loki Familia drew the eyes of most adventurers and deities. And this time, with the Guild helping to publicize the expedition, it attracted even more divine attention.
"So it finally begins—after two years, they're marching to probe the Dungeon again. Loki really can hold back when she wants to. What do you think, Asfi?"
"Lord Hermes, I believe Lady Loki certainly has her reasons."
"She's coddling her child, plain and simple. Reached Lv.5 that young—Loki worried the remnants of those buried Dark Faction types would go after her. A year ago, those guys would've set an ambush in the Dungeon for sure, willing to pay any price to cut that child's future short."
From a second-floor inn balcony, Hermes enjoyed a clear view of the whole formation. Under the brim of his dome hat, his gaze was fixed on the girl at the very front—the one hailed as the Sword Princess.
"A year of tempering, and her edge shows through the sheath. Her strength is more stable, even if her temperament hasn't changed. But that stability alone will make those people give up. Rather than headbutting a prodigy with a bright future, they won't throw away their recovery and hideouts."
The cost-benefit just wasn't there. If they could truly erase a future genius, they'd never miss the chance; but if they couldn't—and even risked exposing themselves—it simply wasn't worth it.
"Asfi, any recent news from Loki's side?"
"Regrettably, Lady Loki's internal information control has been exceptional. All the easy channels are sealed. We don't have a good grasp of their internal situation. We did notice, however, that Loki Familia has enacted a lockdown of late."
"Oh?"
A small smile touched Hermes' face.
"Loki wouldn't lock things down for nothing. If she's doing that, she has a reason. Have Lulune keep an eye on them. A lockdown means there's something fun to hide."
"Understood. I'll have Lulune watch Loki Familia."
Propping both hands on the railing as he looked down at the marching host, Hermes had a thought.
"Asfi, do you think Loki Familia will break into a new floor this run?"
"Not this time."
"Your reasoning?"
"This is their first expedition in two years. For them, it's like rehab. I doubt they'll crank the intensity high enough to push new floors. More likely they'll reacclimate to Dungeon operations and call it once they hit a certain depth."
"Any hard evidence?"
"Yes."
Asfi wasn't guessing. She gently pushed up her glasses.
"The evidence is in their purchasing. Their initial buys were medicines, tools, and magic swords—in large quantities. But in the last week their pattern shifted. Temporary reallocation to medicines, in amounts exceeding before."
"A last-minute pivot toward medicine?"
That wasn't meaningless. Hermes knew it. For Dungeon forays, medicine purchases were always large—supporting a familia's dive devours supplies. But changing from a balanced procurement to medicine-heavy was odd.
"What about food?"
"Reduced."
"More medicine, less food. Looks like Loki's really going for a rehab-style exploration. I wonder if this is her payback for the Guild's 'mandatory expedition.'"
With Loki, you never knew. Hermes could easily believe it. Whether the target was Uranus or not, Loki was never a particularly docile deity.
"Asfi, when the kids get back from this expedition, keep an eye on that 'Extraordinary Fellow.' No matter how it turns out, that kid likes to haunt the Pleasure Quarter. Leak the word to Ishtar—she'll probe for us."
"Lady Ishtar will probably realize someone's feeding her on purpose, won't she?"
"It's fine. With her temperament, even if she knows, she'll still bite. Last time it was a tidbit from that 'Extraordinary Fellow' that let her mock Loki for ages. Once you've had a taste, you don't pass up seconds. And I'd rather not do the frowning work myself."
With a roguish grin, Hermes pushed the trouble outward—something he did often. In a city where he prided himself on neutrality, why pick needless fights with other gods?
(End of Chapter)
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