When Loki pushed open the door to the divine chamber, Isis instinctively held his breath.
Then slowly let it out.
There was no solemn altar, no floating divine artifact, no fireplace burning with sacred flames.
The room was not large.
If anything, it was a little messy.
On a low table sat half a plate of unfinished dried fruit, and beneath the windowsill lay several books that looked as though they had not been touched in ages.
Meanwhile, lined up neatly on the shelves against the wall were dozens of bottles of alcohol, ranging from deep amber to pale gold—far more spectacular than the candles of any temple.
The only thing hinting at this room's significance was the chair placed in the center. Carved into its backrest was a grinning jester's face identical to the one on the banner above the main tower.
"Don't look at it like that."
Loki noticed the expression on Isis's face. Dropping herself carelessly onto a low stool beside the chair, she jerked her chin toward the liquor shelf.
"A divine chamber isn't a temple. It's just my private room."
"If you actually feel some kind of 'sacred solemnity' in here, that probably just means you've had too much to drink."
Isis suppressed the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Sure enough, just as Auntie had said, Lady Loki was even more casual in private than she was outside.
"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen Riveria show this many gentle smiles in a single day."
"She and your mother are very close. Otherwise she wouldn't like you this much."
Loki chatted with him as she sat there.
"Mm. Auntie and Mother have always kept up a correspondence. They've never stopped. Mother's told me about the two of them before, too."
Isis nodded in response.
In fact, when he first learned to read, he had practiced with the letters his aunt sent home. That alone showed just how deep the bond between the sisters was.
"I see. No wonder the first thing Riveria does after coming back from an expedition is write a letter. Honestly, with her personality, I figured there was no way she was writing to her parents."
"To be honest, your grandfather really is a stubborn old fossil. Even I had a headache dealing with him back then."
Loki nodded in understanding, then casually began criticizing Isis's grandfather. She clearly felt she was only telling the truth and had no concern about whether it might be rude.
After all, she said the same things right in front of Riveria.
"Th-That… I'll refrain from commenting."
Hearing Loki's blunt complaints, Isis let out a helpless little laugh.
But the faint bitterness hidden in that laugh made it obvious that, in his heart, he actually agreed.
Ever since childhood, he had been forced to study royal etiquette, archery, and all kinds of other things, leaving him very little freedom. And all of it traced back to that grandfather of his.
That was also one of the reasons Isis had insisted on leaving home and coming to Orario to become an adventurer.
Compared to that dull, stifling life, he preferred pursuing excitement and exploring the unknown.
"Alright then, take off your shirt. Time to carve your Falna."
After drawing the curtains shut, Loki motioned for Isis to sit in the chair ahead of her.
Isis nodded and, without hesitation, removed his upper garments and bared his torso.
To be fair, even though he was young, Isis's body was already well-built—slim in clothing, but clearly toned underneath. That was Loki's private assessment.
At first, she had assumed Isis was the frail little-kid type, but now she had no choice but to revise her opinion.
"Pretty solid, huh…"
Loki muttered to herself.
"Lady Loki, I can hear you."
Isis's aggrieved voice drifted over.
"Pfft…"
"Hahaha… well, don't worry about it."
Loki burst out laughing at that幽怨 little complaint, but quickly reined herself in. She pricked her finger and began carving the Falna onto Isis's back.
At the same time, Isis's heart filled with nervous anticipation.
This Falna would accompany him for the rest of his life. It would determine both his ceiling and his floor as an adventurer.
And it was not just Isis who felt tense.
Even Loki felt a little nervous herself. She had high expectations for Isis, after all.
This was Riveria's nephew.
After finishing the engraving, Loki picked up a cup of water while waiting for the Falna to activate. But after swallowing a mouthful, she suddenly froze, her fingers loosening around the cup and letting it fall to the floor.
Fortunately, it was not glass, and the water inside had already been finished, so only a dull sound rang out.
"Lady Loki?"
Hearing the noise, Isis called out in confusion, anxiety rising in his chest.
Had something gone wrong with his Falna?
No way he was that unlucky, right?
Or had Loki somehow engraved his entire identity card onto his back?
Wait, what?
Did Falna activation come with a doxxing phase too?
At that moment, Loki wore an expression as though she had seen a ghost. She could no longer put her feelings into words.
"To be honest… Isis, I have never seen skills and magic this ridiculous in my life. I really ought to thank Riveria for bringing you into my Familia…"
After the initial shock, Loki slowly calmed herself, though her eyes remained fixed on the divine text on Isis's back as though she were staring at a priceless treasure.
"Eh? Ridiculous?"
Isis blinked.
The knot in his chest loosened a little. Judging from Loki's stunned reaction and the awe in her voice, this seemed… good?
"Well, I'll translate it into the common tongue for you and you'll understand. But remember this—don't let too many people know about your skills and magic. Other than me, Riveria, and Finn, do not mention them to anyone."
"Protect your back."
As she spoke, Loki began writing out a translated version of the divine text, her tone heavy with warning.
Even someone as well-traveled and experienced as she was could not hide the mixture of delight, shock, and gravity on her face.
This had far exceeded even her expectations.
Isis was still a little dazed. Of course he knew Finn was the captain of the Loki Familia.
But…
Don't tell anyone else?
What exactly did that mean?
Very soon, Loki finished and handed him the translated status sheet to read for himself.
Adventurer: Isis Ljos Alf
Level: Lv.1
Basic Abilities:
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
Development Abilities: None
Magic:
[Attribute Shift]
Allows the user to freely switch the elemental attribute of their magic
(Four elemental attributes: Light, Dark, Ice, Flame)
Can independently cast offensive magic of all four attributes at will.
Ice: Ice Crystal Drop, Frost Soul Sword, Magic Ice Sphere
Flame: Earthflame, Spiral Flame Break
Dark: Dark Forbidden Domain, Dark Domain Expansion
Light: Lightning Chain, Lightning Barrier
(Magic can evolve independently as the user levels up. Current stage: Phase One)
Skills:
[Mana Burn]
Accelerates the flow of magic power within the body, enhancing all basic abilities, strengthening magical effects, and doubling Mind.
[Dark Eyes]
Comprehensively increases growth speed, doubles the rate of magic growth, allows the user to create magic freely, and is not limited by normal magic-slot restrictions.
(Enables the user to perceive the flow of elements, master them more efficiently, and bring their power to the absolute limit.)
[Unclear — Hidden Skill]
(Hidden skill; will only appear after its activation condition is met.)