Lili looked into Roy's eyes. To her, he looked like a prince from a hero's tale, a beam of light in her dark world.
"Why do you care about this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Roy thought for a moment and laughed. "I'm a member of the Astraea Familia. We're a bunch of busybodies. Didn't you know?"
Lili almost laughed. She had never met an adventurer who called himself a "busybody." Usually, people like that died first in Orario, but this boy... he was different. He was a good person.Lili wanted to wail out loud. Why was her luck so bad that she was only meeting this person now?
"Let's go. We'll solve the problem together, otherwise, this shop will just keep being destroyed," Roy said softly. His voice was like a gentle whisper, guiding her out of the abyss.
"Yes," Lili nodded, following closely behind him.
The onlookers parted to make a path. In their eyes, Roy was a hero accepting a young girl's quest to strike down a dark, cruel, and corrupt Familia. Lili clutched the hem of Roy's coat, a warmth spreading through her heart. She had never felt this safe in her life.
Roy didn't head straight to the Soma residence; he went back to the Starry Garden first. Why fight alone when you can bring the whole squad? It was time the world saw what the girls of the Astraea Familia were capable of.
Roy called out, "Lyu-san! Daphne! Cassandra! Time to work!"
When they heard Lili's story—how she had been abandoned by her parents and forced to beg to survive—Daphne and Cassandra were moved to tears. Even in a city as chaotic as Orario, such a tragic life was rare. Compared to this, Daphne's flight from the Apollo Familia felt minor. Cassandra, a former rich girl, was even more heartbroken.
Lyu's blue eyes flashed with a cold light. The Soma Familia was, in some ways, more disgusting than the Dark Sects. They were like parasites eating away at the roots of Orario.
"What's the plan?" Lyu asked.
"The Soma Familia's mess is entirely due to the Divine Wine," Roy explained. "The Captain, Zanis Lustra, uses it to hoard power and force members to do anything for money. He's the first one we need to deal with."
Everyone agreed. The wine was just a tool; Zanis was the source of the evil. They geared up and marched straight for the Soma residence. Astraea smiled and stayed behind to watch the house, fully supporting their "Justice."
Meanwhile, Zanis had waited all night at the teahouse and returned home fuming. He immediately received news that Roy had sent several of his men to the Guild prison. Before he could process the implications—
BOOM!!
An explosion rocked the residence. Flames licked the night sky. "It's the Astraea Familia! They're attacking!" a member screamed.
"What?!" Zanis's face contorted. He knew he'd tried to track Roy, but he was the one who was supposed to be the predator. How did the "Justice" kids have the nerve to strike first?
With Lili acting as an internal mole, Roy had every bit of intel: numbers, locations, and gear. The Soma Familia was large—over six thousand members—but most were Level 1 addicts who cared more about a drink than their combat skills.
Roy, Daphne, and Cassandra broke through the front gate with magic, while Lyu blocked the rear exit.
"Justice Sapling! What are you doing?!" "Counterattack! Kill them!"
The quiet night was shattered. Hundreds of Soma members swarmed out, weapons in hand. They surrounded Roy's group, their eyes fixed on Lili with murderous intent. "Arde! You traitorous brat! Kill the traitor first!"
Lili turned pale, but Roy's calm gaze settled her heart.
"Daphne, Cassandra, you know what to do!"
"Yes!"
The girls were nervous—this was their first time fighting adventurers instead of monsters—but they weren't afraid. The Gods and high-level adventurers had already gathered on nearby rooftops to watch the show with snacks in hand. "Go, Roy-kun! Cut him in the middle!" a god shouted.
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