Loki's lips twitched. "You..."
Hestia: "(=ↀωↀ=)"
Combined with the large fruits on her chest swaying naturally with gravity, it was as if she had said everything without uttering a single word.
Because of the overly significant gap between them, even Loki, who stood at the pinnacle of Orario, couldn't help but burst into tears at this moment.
With a "Wah!" she started crying, taking the opportunity to try and grope Ais next to her.
But Ais, having anticipated it, stepped back to dodge, causing Loki to fall flat on her face.
For a moment, the scene was filled with joyous laughter.
But it wasn't long before the atmosphere in the area changed abruptly.
The gods, especially the male deities, couldn't control their gazes. As if bound by gravity, they all turned to look at the gray-haired goddess in a silver-white dress at the hall's entrance.
Following Loki, the other goddess who stood at the pinnacle of Orario—Freya—had arrived.
As the Goddess of Beauty, Freya, with Ottar by her side, was clearly accustomed to being the center of attention. A faint smile remained on her face as she walked. Her steps seemed slow, yet she moved with surprising speed, arriving before Hestia and Loki.
"Hestia, it's been a long time."
Although she was greeting the twin-tailed goddess, her eyes were constantly wandering.
Hestia pouted upon hearing her words. "Ah, it has indeed been a few hundred years."
Seeing the blue-ribboned goddess show unexpected hostility, Freya, who had been about to ask about Levi just as Loki had, was taken aback for a moment. But then, as if something occurred to her, she understood.
"Hestia, you seem to dislike me a little, don't you?" The gray-haired goddess stepped forward, raised her right hand, and gently touched the twin-tailed goddess's cheek. "Even though I'm quite fond of you."
"Cut the crap." Hestia took a step back. "You know exactly what you did."
The smile on Freya's face widened.
Then, completely ignoring Hestia's disgust, she suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "'The Goddesses' Loving Protection,' isn't it?"
"!!!!!"
Hestia's expression was one of pure shock. "You..."
How could you possibly know?!
That's what she wanted to ask.
But Freya gave her no such chance. "Have you seen Levi as a child? He was very cute back then~"
After delivering those ambiguous words, Freya, who had already guessed that Levi hadn't been brought to the banquet, paid no mind to the instantly infuriated blue-ribboned goddess before her. She simply smiled, turned around, and said, "Ottar, let's go."
"Yes."
The brief confrontation between Hestia and Freya was actually witnessed by quite a few people.
But since it had nothing to do with them, most simply treated it as a bit of entertainment.
Loki, however, who had a certain rivalry with Freya, raised an eyebrow. "Looks like your kid has been targeted by someone quite troublesome."
Hestia crossed her arms, her silver teeth clenched tightly.
Hestia had actually been fully prepared for Freya to take an interest in Levi.
After all, the goddess across from her was second only to herself in appearing on the protection magic—or so she had originally thought.
But if Freya wasn't lying just now...
Then that means... Levi was already targeted by her when he was very young?!
At the very least, they had met before!
The thought that the Goddess of Beauty had come all this way just to tell her this made Hestia's 'fruits' ache with anger.
So I'm the one who came later, is that it?
Seeing Hestia ignoring her, Loki, standing to the side, became even more surprised. "Hey, hey, is there any need to be so angry? Freya's always been like that, falling for one person after another, right? Just hide that kid of yours, Levi, and don't bring him out casually. Worst case, you can ask Hephaestus for help. That should be enough to keep that woman in check to some extent, right?"
Hearing this, Hestia gave her a sidelong glance. "You don't understand."
"???"
I don't understand?
What don't I understand?
Loki pointed at herself, completely unable to comprehend the petty thoughts of these goddesses who had fallen in love.
—Even though she was a goddess herself.
Just then, Hephaestus, the goddess of fire and forge mentioned by Loki, walked over after finalizing a weapon deal with other deities. She lowered her voice and asked, "So, what did Freya just say to you?"
Hestia looked frustrated. "She said she was here first!"
Hephaestus: "Huh?"
"She told me she met Levi when he was a child."
"Ah, well..."
Hephaestus fell silent upon hearing this, but unlike Hestia, her heart wasn't filled with anger.
So she quickly cleared her thoughts.
If I recall correctly, Levi only recently came to Orario, right?
In other words, Freya must have visited Levi's hometown during one of her excursions and met him there.
Knowing Freya as she did, Hephaestus knew that woman wouldn't let a tasty morsel right in front of her go untouched.
To put it more bluntly, the Levi of that time did not attract Freya's attention.
Now, that's very interesting.
A child she once overlooked, she now desires to possess.
Heph, you sly woman...
Seeing Hephaestus shake her head with a strange expression, Loki had to admit her curiosity was piqued.
"So what's with all the riddles?"
Hephaestus glanced at her friend, who was still lost in her own world, and after a moment's thought, decided to share what she could.
But just then, all the magic stone lamps in the hall suddenly went out.
Only a single spotlight in the very center remained.
The host of this banquet, Apollo, wearing an olive branch crown, a red cape, and a white, semi-bare-chested robe, appeared before everyone with his arms outstretched.
"Everyone, welcome to my banquet..."
This was followed by a celebratory speech that was neither too long nor too short.
When Apollo wasn't acting crazy, he was actually a fairly normal god.
—After all, he was the patron god of a mid-tier Familia with Lv.3 adventurers.
However, it was a great pity.
The reason he had taken the initiative to host this banquet today was because he had ulterior motives.
And sure enough, after just a few minutes of being serious, Apollo began his antics.
"Oh my, isn't this my dear friend from the heavens, Hestia?"
As if he had just discovered something, Apollo suddenly looked toward where the goddesses were standing.
Hestia was already in an unstable mood because of Freya's earlier words.
Seeing that he seemed intent on provoking her, her voice took on a hint of impatience. "You'd better not bother me right now."
Unfortunately, if Apollo didn't stir up trouble, he wouldn't be Apollo.
"You seem unhappy to see me, but my children can't stop thinking about your child... hmm, I believe his name is Levi Bright, isn't it?~"
_____
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