Chapter 23 - Joining the Loki familia
"Interesting! I haven't met a kid as interesting as you in a long time! I'll take you in!"
As soon as the goddess spoke, the stunningly beautiful high elf subconsciously glanced at Noah, gritted her teeth, and raised an objection.
"Wait a minute! Loki! Aren't you going to discuss this with Finn and the others? Isn't this a bit too hasty?"
It was hardly news in Orario when gods caused trouble for their own Familias due to their impulsive actions, causing them to lose face, clean up the aftermath, or work hard to pay off debts.
Although Loki was also very willful, she was usually reasonable in Familia affairs and listened to the opinions of the three executives. Especially when it came to new members, reliability was crucial for the Loki Familia, who often launched expeditions to the deepest front lines of the Dungeon.
In the deep floors, a slight mistake could lead to the entire Familia being wiped out. If there was a problem with any member, whether it was an injury to a vanguard, a logistical error, or a conflict with teammates, it could cause huge casualties.
So before adding a new member, Loki would at least let the captain, Finn, observe them first.
Why this time...
"Huh? Riveria, there's no time to think about that! What if this guy runs away while we're waiting for Finn to come back?"
Like a willful child throwing a tantrum, Loki once again displayed the willful characteristics of the gods and stared at Noah.
"Hey! Kid! Once you join the Familia, you're family. Do you know what family means? Never, ever, ever think of betraying or abandoning your family. Otherwise, even if I have to run all over the lower world, I'll definitely kill you once I'm sent back to Tenkai! And when I get to Tenkai, I'll capture your soul and torture it! Got it?"
Noah wondered if Loki could still catch him if he left this world.
Seeing Noah lowering his head in thought, Loki showed a shocked expression, as if to say, "You're actually considering such a thing?"
"Hey! Kid! What are you hesitating about!?"
"Well, I was just thinking about whether I can follow through on your policy of never betraying family, but I'm afraid it's going to be difficult."
"Huh?!!"
Not only did Loki roar, but even Riveria and Ais showed surprised expressions.
"The best I can do is to ensure that I won't betray you while I'm still alive. What happens after I die is probably not something I can decide."
Noah was no longer at the age where he thought all the world's difficulties could be solved with a sword.
The human heart was more difficult to defeat than any Demon King. Saving a person was much more difficult than killing them.
After hearing the silver-haired boy's answer, the three women...a god, an elf, and a human fell silent, and then revealed indescribable expressions of resentment.
"Boy, you're quite good at playing with women's hearts, aren't you?! If you dare to make a move on the other girls in the Familia, I will never forgive you!"
"Huh?"
Being described as a scumbag, Noah truly showed a confused and surprised expression this time. Forget being a scumbag; Noah had never even held a woman's hand outside of a battle.
But Loki didn't intend to explain. She waved her hand and walked deeper into the corridor. "Come with us!"
This time, Riveria did not stop her. She just crossed her arms and glanced at Noah unhappily, as if he had really done something wrong. Ais, next to her, had a similar expression, but her face was puffy and a little red.
Confused, Noah had no choice but to quickly follow Loki into the depths of the Twilight Manor.
The Twilight Manor was composed of many towers connected by suspended corridors.
On the top floor of the most central and tallest tower was the "God's Chamber," which was Loki's bedroom. After climbing the entire spiral staircase, Noah followed Loki to the top floor and entered the room.
Although the room was spacious, it was filled with all sorts of miscellaneous items. The door was piled high with wine bottles, and there was a half-drunk bottle on the table.
However, Loki didn't care at all. She just pulled the curtains shut and waved to Noah.
"Hehehe, take off your shirt and lie on the bed."
Noah was not used to being touched. In fact, he typically refused physical contact with others because it was difficult to know when or how an enemy might try to poison him.
But after taking a deep breath and overcoming the strangeness in his heart, Noah didn't say much. He unbuckled his sword and took off his tattered coat.
Unlike the thinness he projected when dressed, Noah's body, although fair-skinned, was covered with firm, smooth muscles. But his skin was also covered with various scars, making it look a little hideous.
After Noah turned around and lay down on the bed, Loki's eyes swept over his back. Compared to his scarred chest, Noah's back was smooth. Because of this, the few wounds that were there appeared even more glaring.
Having seen the backs of many adventurers, Loki could tell at a glance that these wounds were caused by short, thin weapons such as daggers and needles. In short, attacks from behind...
This guy...
However, after a moment, Loki's scarlet eyes narrowed into crescents again. She jumped onto the bed behind Noah and clapped her hands. "Hoho, you look so thin in your clothes. I didn't expect you to have such a good figure! To be honest, you're so good-looking, I was wondering if you were just skin and muscles!"
Noah didn't know how to answer, so he just closed his eyes and waited.
"The lower world is full of unknowns and mysteries! To think someone like you could be born here! Please don't let me down!"
---
Read 20 Chapters In Advance:
patreon.com/heavenlydawn