Chapter 21 - Meeting Loki -1
If it weren't for the fact that the other party had done a favor to Ais last time and had just had a conflict with Evilus, Riveria would never have brought an unidentified person into the Twilight Manor.
Of course, more importantly, no one can lie in front of a god. As long as Loki asked, "Will you harm the Loki Familia?", any spy would be exposed. Therefore, there was no need to worry too much about the other party being hostile.
Well, if the other party could even deceive the gods, then he probably wasn't an opponent Riveria needed to worry about anyway.
Ais was very conflicted. After walking for so long, she had finally managed to clear her head. Although she still couldn't sort out the complicated thoughts in her mind, she knew she should at least express her gratitude to her savior first. The problem was that she hadn't said anything.
But if she were to say it now, the timing seemed wrong.
It's so annoying.
Why didn't I think of saying thank you first?
It was the kind of suffocating feeling you get when you're so angry during an argument that you can't think, and then suddenly come up with the perfect counterattack in the middle of the night when the opportunity is long past.
This irritability made Ais puff up her fair cheeks slightly, giving her an adorable expression.
The three of them, each with their own thoughts, soon reached the end of their short journey. It was a tall tower that could be seen from afar, even though it was located on a street surrounded by other houses.
The high-rise complex was much taller and larger than the other buildings around it, composed of several towers stacked together. A clown flag fluttered in the wind from the tallest central tower.
"Lady Riveria! Miss Ais!"
In front of the gate stood seven or eight fully armed adventurers, respectfully greeting their deputy captain and the Familia's highly promising rookie. They then looked at the only stranger among the three.
"Thank you for your hard work. Did anything unusual happen today?"
"Apart from the recent attack on the food distribution and some commotion nearby, there's nothing unusual. It seems the Captain and Mr. Gareth were summoned by the Guild to discuss matters."
"I see. Stay alert."
Seeing that Riveria had no intention of introducing Noah, the guards did not ask any more questions and turned to report inside. "Open the gate!"
While waiting for the door to open, Noah felt several curious eyes on him. He knew without looking that they belonged to the guards. After walking through the gate, they passed a courtyard pond, which, while not spacious, was full of various flowers and plants.
They crossed a red-brick courtyard and entered the mansion that occupied more than 70% of the area within the walls. As if to make up for the narrow ground, they had simply built upward, and the top of this mansion was obviously larger than its base.
Just as the three of them entered the mansion, a figure came running down from upstairs and hugged Ais at a speed that even Noah, who was immersed in thought, could hardly react to.
"Ais-tan! Are you okay?! I heard those bugs attacked the food distribution again. It's so scary!"
She was a woman with short red hair that was the color of a sunset, a mischievous face, and eyes narrowed into crescent shapes. Although her chest was so flat that her female features were almost invisible, her beautiful face, very different from that of a mortal, still allowed people to recognize her identity: a goddess.
Of course, if she hadn't been acting like a pervert, screaming and yelling while rubbing her face against the blonde girl, she might have seemed more god-like.
Well, now Noah was a little shaken about his idea of joining the Loki Familia. Because a god has almost unilateral control over their Familia members, the god's inclinations, personality, likes, and dislikes determine the development direction and upper limit of a Familia.
Every newcomer to Orario would be told that choosing the right God is the most important thing before becoming an adventurer, no doubt about it!
So, was a goddess like this, who was acting like a perverted uncle, really reliable?
Riveria, standing next to him, didn't know Noah was thinking such a thing, but perhaps from long experience, she could feel the complex meaning in his eyes. Although it was not the first time she had been embarrassed in front of outsiders, Riveria still felt her face getting hot.
"Loki!"
The strongest magician in the city clenched her small, pale hand and brought Magna Alfs down on the head of her own goddess. "There are other people here! Seriously!"
There was a crisp "thwack," and Loki let out a scream. She was knocked flat to the ground, where she lay spread-eagled. A wisp of imaginary smoke seemed to rise from the top of her short red hair.
Ais, who finally broke free, took a quick step and hid behind... Noah. She vigorously combed down her messy hair, puffed out her fair cheeks, and stared fiercely at Loki on the ground with her wide, moist golden eyes.
Her mouth was pouting so much you could have hung a bottle from it. She looked like a small, fluffy kitten with all its fur standing on end. In truth, after a year, Ais was long since used to Loki's behavior. She was just flustered this time, and Loki had managed to get the jump on her.
Noah and Riveria were both stunned by this. They even forgot about the goddess still on the ground.
Noah: Why are you hiding behind me?
Riveria: Why are you hiding behind HIM?
The two of them subconsciously met eyes and remained silent. For some reason, there was a hint of resentment in Riveria's emerald-green eyes. Noah, unsure why, felt like he had done something wrong and was almost afraid to look the high elf in the eye.
Time passed quietly in the eerie silence. Loki was lying on the cold floor, but the three people in the corridor tacitly made no move to help their goddess up.
---
Read 20 Chapters In Advance:
patreon.com/heavenlydawn