"So bored..."
Tiona sprawled across the table, listless as a dried-up salted fish. It was rare to see the usually boundless ball of energy in such a state, but today she truly had nothing left to do.
Her ability values had hit the ceiling. Strength and Endurance were both at 1001; Agility and Dexterity had maxed at 999; even her Magic had been pushed up to 999. Aside from building real combat experience, only promotion remained—and that needed enough great feats.
But without the familia launching an expedition, how was she supposed to earn those great feats in the Dungeon?
"I keep challenging the Goliath that refreshes every two weeks. The normal one isn't even a match for me anymore," she grumbled. "If I crack its knee at the right moment, it can't even resist."
"That black one, though... it never shows up no matter what we do. There's no chance to face it head-on."
"I know." Tione understood her sister's mood all too well. "We've proven in the Challenge Space that we can kill the black Goliath, but the Dungeon just won't spawn it. It's always the standard version." They'd prepared so thoroughly, only for the Dungeon to keep offering the ordinary target. It was deflating.
"Mm... mostly it's because Tsunayoshi isn't here."
...Right.
Tione silently agreed. The Dungeon was part of it, but the real problem was that Tsunayoshi wasn't around.
As core members of the Loki Familia, the sisters knew he'd been staying with the Hephaestus Familia lately—necessary, to dodge the prying eyes of the gods. They understood that. But it was lonely.
They had only just gotten to know him, just gotten closer, and then he had to lay low elsewhere to avoid divine attention. The distance suddenly yawned wide.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound at the door snapped through the room. Tiona flipped off the table, somersaulted through the air, and landed by the entrance. The instant she opened it and saw who stood outside, her eyes lit up and she leapt like an octopus onto him.
"Tsunayoshi!"
He paused, then instinctively braced her by the thighs. "Careful, Tiona."
"Hehe." She only laughed, hands on his shoulders. "Long time no see. It's been over a month. You've been at the Hephaestus Familia so long I thought you were actually joining them."
"No, no," Tsunayoshi waved it off. "Hephaestus and Tsubaki have been working on a new forging process, and I've been watching over it."
The sudden surge of pressure rising behind Tiona made him glance past her. Tione stood there with her head lowered, bangs shading her eyes, but the murderous glint leaking through them was impossible to miss.
What's going on?
Tsunayoshi quickly set Tiona down and stepped over to Tione. "Tione, I haven't come by for a while. Are you that angry?"
"Eh?" She snapped out of her grim mood to find him already close. Her usual cool returned—mostly. "No, no, I'm not that mad."
I was just thinking about how to deal with this annoying sister.
Her anger wasn't for Tsunayoshi. It was for Tiona. Remembering how practiced Tiona's pounce had been—like she'd rehearsed it for ages—Tione felt a prickle of jealousy she wasn't proud of.
She stopped herself from denying it outright. Fingers twining a lock of hair, she muttered, "Not completely... If I get a hug, I'll probably stop being angry."
"A hug? Are you sure?" Tsunayoshi hesitated. Wasn't Tione into Finn? Why did she want a hug from him?
But her faint blush and flustered look stirred a treacherous thought.
Could Tione like me?
He knew Tiona had a bit of a crush—she wore her feelings differently with people she liked, and it was easy to tell. But Tione? He'd never noticed. Maybe it was his fixed idea about her, and the fact everyone in the familia "knew" she liked Finn.
I should talk to Finn about this later.
"I'm sure," Tione said, cheeks warmer now.
Since she was certain, he had no reason to refuse. He wrapped his arms around her taller frame. The sudden embrace washed away the jealousy and simmering irritation Tione had been harboring toward Tiona.
After a while, Tsunayoshi let go. Looking up, he saw the unhidden flush on her bronze skin.
Yeah. Tione really might like me. Not just my imagination.
"Tsunayoshi, Tsunayoshi," Tiona piped up, hijacking his attention again. "You said Tsubaki and Hephaestus-kami have been busy with a new forging method. What is it?"
He turned and explained to the sisters. "It's mostly process improvements and some new material integration. Craftsmen in Orario haven't used anything like it before. Simply put, the substance we're adding into the weapons is called 'Great Feats.'"
"...Huh?"
Both sisters blinked.
Great Feats... as a forging material?
(End of Chapter)
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