The Gods' Assembly had come to an end. The gods returned to their respective homes—some dejected, others delighted, each carrying different emotions. Yet this was precisely the kind of life in the Lower World they wished to experience.
When Daphne returned to the luxurious mansion of the Apollo Familia, she witnessed a scene exactly as she had anticipated.
Her patron god was raging in the main hall, jumping about in fury and spewing vulgar curses at the other gods.
He was a man with orange hair, a red cloak draped loosely over his shoulders, and a wreath woven from green leaves resting upon his head.
"Damn those bastards!"
"They actually dared to mock the title I gave him—'Companion of the Sun'! What's strange about that?! It's the most fitting title for that child!"
"Only by bathing in the sun's radiance can that child grow properly!"
God Apollo's face was flushed, like a maiden fallen deeply in love, completely immersed in his own world.
Daphne lowered her head. Apollo's interest in Roy had long surpassed mere fascination—it had reached the point of obsession.
The Apollo Familia consisted mostly of men, largely due to Apollo's personal preferences. Setting that aside, the boy truly was exceptional—brimming with wisdom and courage, having achieved an unprecedented record of leveling up. Whether anyone might surpass him in the future was uncertain, but he was unquestionably without precedent.
The gods all eyed that boy with undisguised greed.
If Lady Astraea were to expel Roy from her Familia, every god in Orario would immediately extend an olive branch to him.
"Seize that child at once—no matter the cost! I must have him!"
Apollo's eyes burned crimson, overflowing with desire.
Faced with their willful patron god, the members of the Apollo Familia wore rigid expressions. It wasn't that they lacked the will to act—they simply lacked the ability.
Even Hyakinthos, the captain who revered Apollo the most, remained silent.
"What are you all standing around for?! Go!" Apollo roared. What one cannot obtain only fuels greater longing. Without Roy, he felt he could not endure even a single moment.
The Apollo Familia members turned pale.
In any Familia, the patron god held absolute authority, capable of deciding all matters great and small.
This was because a god could freely strip a follower of their blessing. Once that happened, the person would instantly become an ordinary nobody, plummeting from the heights straight into the abyss.
The only exception was Roy.
At that moment, Daphne stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention.
"Lord Apollo, please allow me to speak."
"Daphne—"
The Familia members were taken aback. They hadn't expected the newly inducted Daphne to speak up. Was she trying to stop this?
Daphne said calmly,
"Gale Wind possesses Lv.4 strength, and Roy is Lv.2. Even if everyone attacked together, defeating them would not be easy. Moreover, the Astraea Familia has ties with many other Familias. If we move against them, the others will not remain idle."
Her words voiced the unspoken worries of the room.
Many nodded in agreement.
Especially the Ganesha Familia. They usually maintained public order and seemed little more than background figures, but if truly angered, even a single squad of theirs could wipe out the Apollo Familia. The old method of forcibly taking people would no longer work.
"I don't care! I must have that child!"
Apollo shouted petulantly, like an overgrown infant demanding a toy.
A chill flickered deep within Daphne's eyes.
"Lord Apollo, I have a plan."
"Speak!"
Apollo's eyes lit up, already treating Daphne as his external brain.
Daphne's clear voice echoed through the hall.
"We initiate a War Game, under special rules, limiting the conflict strictly to the Apollo Familia and the Astraea Familia."
The hall fell into dead silence. Everyone stared at Daphne in disbelief.
Only Apollo was overjoyed. With a War Game, there would be no concern of interference from other Familias.
"Wait!"
Hyakinthos finally spoke, his voice heavy.
"The Astraea Familia won't agree so easily. They only have two members."
Indeed, no one believed the Astraea Familia would accept a War Game with such a disparity in numbers.
Everyone knew there had been something suspicious about their battle with the Rudra Familia. No one believed Roy and Ryuu alone could have defeated over a hundred adventurers head-on.
And the Apollo Familia was no weaker than the Rudra Familia—if anything, they were stronger, because they understood coordination.
Apollo ignored Hyakinthos entirely, his gaze fixed expectantly on Daphne.
Daphne did not disappoint him.
"I've heard that the Astraea Familia owes the Guild sixty million valis. If Lord Apollo approaches them from that angle, they may agree to the War Game."
The Astraea Familia had just lost many members and was burdened with massive debt. Tempting them with overwhelming profit was the key.
The more Apollo thought about it, the more excited he became.
"But how do we win?"
asked a blond elf youth.
If they wanted the Astraea Familia to participate willingly, the rules would need to give them the illusion of a chance.
A hundred people surrounding two was clearly impossible.
Daphne replied,
"We use an arena-style format. Three versus three. Each side sends out three adventurers."
"Isn't that just throwing it away?"
some protested. With a Lv.4 Gale Wind on the opposing side, victory seemed impossible.
"Lord Apollo," Daphne continued,
"I once heard a story about horse racing."
"Two merchants raced three horses each—top-grade, mid-grade, and low-grade."
As Daphne explained, understanding gradually dawned on the room.
Each participant could only fight once.
They would sacrifice a low-grade fighter to eliminate Gale Wind, the top-grade fighter.
Then Hyakinthos, their top-grade fighter, would defeat Roy, the mid-grade fighter.
Because the Astraea Familia lacked manpower, they could be allowed to recruit outside help—provided the level matched the fighters they fielded.
They would send out a veteran Lv.2 adventurer.
A mid-grade fighter defeating a low-grade one.
A flawless victory.
When her explanation ended, the hall was utterly silent.
The Apollo Familia members stared at Daphne in astonishment. This girl was exceptionally sharp—calculating, meticulous, every step interlocked, gradually drawing the Astraea Familia into a carefully laid trap.
"Daphne, you are truly my lucky star!"
Apollo praised her without restraint.
In the corner, Cassandra watched Daphne bask in the spotlight. A trace of sorrow surfaced in her eyes.
"It can no longer be stopped…
The Thunder of Justice is about to descend,
and the sun's light grows dim—"
Apollo decided to initiate the War Game, and the entire Familia sprang into motion.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Hyakinthos confronted Daphne, his gaze icy.
Every word she spoke appeared to be for Apollo's sake, yet he sensed something amiss.
Daphne replied innocently,
"Lord Apollo wants that boy. I'm simply helping him find a way."
Hyakinthos said coldly,
"Do you dare prove your loyalty before Lord Apollo?"
"A person who was forced to join and has only been here for a week—what loyalty could they possibly have?"
Daphne sneered, recalling the scene of her own pursuit.
Hyakinthos' expression darkened.
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