"I'm sorry, Lady Loki!"
Raul Nord was kneeling in front of Loki, apologizing with grave sincerity.
Loki, legs crossed, stared down at him speechlessly. What was supposed to be a simple act had somehow turned into a full-blown drama—and this idiot had gone and taken it seriously.
Ugh. Ishtar really does understand how to mess with men's heads.
Only a woman like Ishtar—someone who toyed with men's hearts for fun—could manipulate them so precisely.
People like her couldn't be openly shown on the stage, like hidden weapons only used in special circumstances.
And clearly, the effect worked perfectly on Raul.
Still, Loki couldn't bring herself to be too harsh on the poor fool.
If it had been her in his place, she wasn't sure she'd have made a different choice.
"Forget it. That woman's always been a sneaky one anyway."
"She's a mix between an elf and a courtesan—trained from the start to trick idiots like you. And you… you really fell for it, didn't you?"
She sighed, half amused, half exasperated. Seeing Raul's shoulders tremble even harder, she pursed her lips and decided not to keep scolding him.
His ability wasn't bad enough to warrant harsh punishment, but he had messed up—and sometimes, letting someone off too easily just made them soft later.
"Raul," she said, voice turning cool, "let me remind you—if you accidentally leak anything about Tsuna, I'll break your third leg."
"As long as you keep your mouth shut, I don't care if you and that little elf girlfriend of yours play around."
"But if you expose his secret, I'll personally send both of you to hell. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Raul's forehead hit the floor in frantic relief.
He knew exactly what this meant—Lady Loki was granting him mercy.
As long as he could control his mouth and avoid spilling any confidential information, he could keep seeing Liza without issue.
Of course, if he ever leaked anything about Tsunayoshi Sawada, he was as good as dead.
Loki didn't bother repeating herself. If Raul had even half a brain, he'd get the message and watch his words from now on.
Tsunayoshi's existence wasn't a complete secret within the Familia, but Loki couldn't allow any information about him to spread outside their walls.
Especially not details about him.
Once she sent the trembling Raul on his way, Loki sighed and leaned back, shaking her head.
"Being too emotional really isn't a good thing."
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
The moment she saw who stepped through the door, Loki's smile returned.
"Well, if it isn't our newest celebrity. You just ranked up yesterday, and already you're here to see me?"
"Kind of," Tsuna said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I overheard Finn giving one of his inspirational speeches in the cafeteria earlier."
He let out a weary sigh and briefly recapped what had happened, earning a burst of laughter from Loki.
"Hah! Of course Finn would say something like that."
"Honestly, you're not just capable—you've got a good head on your shoulders, too. You're careful, you think before you act, and you always look for a way to make things right."
"You might take bold risks sometimes, but your skill always makes up for them."
"It's no wonder Finn thinks you're the perfect one to lead the Familia forward."
A kid that versatile—Loki would've been an idiot not to recruit him into her Familia.
Of course, letting him actually lead right now would be a complete waste.
Tsuna's talent, potential, and growth were far too valuable to be consumed by leadership duties.
He could serve as a guiding symbol for the Familia, a source of inspiration—but until he matured, Loki wouldn't let him anywhere near the spotlight.
"Rejecting his offer was the right move."
She leaned back against her desk, her tone soft but firm. "You still need time to grow. Until you reach Level 5, I'm not letting you step into the open."
"If you show yourself too early, you'll just become a target."
Tsuna nodded. He understood perfectly.
"Yeah. I did turn him down," he admitted. "But I only refused to lead the Familia forward. I didn't say I wouldn't help push it forward."
Loki chuckled. "And that's exactly what you're suited for."
Tsuna's supporting ability wasn't any weaker than his combat potential—in some ways, it might even surpass it.
"Your ability brings too many surprises to this Familia," she said with a sly grin.
"That Training Space of yours—it pushes an Adventurer's body to its absolute limits, forcing out every drop of hidden potential."
"If someone's got the determination to endure it, they'll reap results beyond anything they've imagined."
"You can turn their desperation into growth. To them, your power will become indispensable."
"And once that happens, they'll protect you on their own."
Tsuna blinked. "Miss Loki, that wasn't my intention at all."
Loki laughed softly and stepped closer, pressing a hand lightly against his chest.
"I know it wasn't. But intentions don't matter here."
"When people taste the benefits of what you offer, they'll cling to you instinctively."
"They'll tie their success to yours, and in doing so, they'll start protecting you without even realizing it."
"It's self-preservation disguised as loyalty—a subconscious kind of calculation."
Her grin turned slightly mischievous. "Though personally, I kind of wish you were calculating enough to plan that on purpose."
Finn had that kind of mind. That was why he'd always pushed so hard to break through the walls holding him back.
But ever since Tsuna appeared, Finn's sharp edge had softened a little—he was starting to live up to the title of Hero.
Tsuna, on the other hand, was different. His thoughts were simpler, his actions more instinctive.
And that was exactly what Loki liked about him.
He'd even managed to change Finn.
If anything, that only made Loki wish Tsuna were a little more cunning.
His actions came from sincerity—sometimes from curiosity—and while that made him trustworthy, it also made him vulnerable.
Seeing Loki's expectant smile, Tsuna rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I'm not really good at that kind of thing, Miss Loki."
"I know," Loki said with a sigh. "That's what worries me."