Meeting Ron again, compared to their encounter in front of the ancient ruins, Daphne found it difficult to associate the well-dressed, refined young man in a suit before her with the adventurer from that time.
Most importantly, she could not understand why, knowing full well the intent behind the Apollo Familia's ballroom invitation, he would still come here with a goddess. After thinking it over and over, the only conclusion she could reach was—absolute confidence.
Daphne kept a neutral expression and took the initiative to greet them. "Lady Hestia, Mr. Ron, the banquet is about to begin. Please follow me to the manor."
"Thank you for the reminder."
Even if a War Game were to be initiated, that would be a choice made by the gods.
Hestia, of course, would not vent her anger on members of the Apollo Familia. Yet when she looked toward the banquet hall inside the manor, and at the gods gathered there, her originally calm and composed mood still tightened with unconscious nervousness.
'Accept the War Game.'
Delay as much time as possible for Ron, and strive for favorable conditions.
She raised her head. When her gaze met Ron's beside her, the boy's calm eyes—even carrying a hint of encouragement—instantly helped Hestia relax.
Yet as she held his hand, she could not help but tighten her grip considerably.
Following Daphne's guidance, as soon as he entered the banquet hall of the manor, Ron saw several gods who seemed familiar, yet whom he had never encountered in Orario.
A flat-chested, narrow-eyed goddess with red hair tied into a single ponytail.
'Loki.'
The goddess who leads Orario's strongest faction, the Loki Familia. And standing beside her—judging purely by appearance—seemed as though she belonged to an entirely different plane.
Her smooth white hair flowed over her shoulders.
A fitted evening gown perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure. As a 'Goddess of Beauty,' she possessed a face capable of captivating even the gods themselves.
Freya's pale violet eyes wove together cool detachment and alluring charm, forming a uniquely captivating aura.
However, Ron's gaze was mostly fixed on the banquet buffet, which could be said to encompass every delicacy from land and sea. In both presentation and aroma, everything was exceptionally exquisite.
It was clear that
For the sake of laying the groundwork for this War Game, Apollo had prepared an exceptionally comprehensive banquet, considering the need to entertain the gods who remained in Orario.
Reasonable.
But he still felt an inexplicable pang of heartache, as though the other party were wasting the Familia's assets.
And when he followed Hestia to stand before the two goddesses, Loki and Freya, Ron did not speak. He simply stood quietly beside the girl.
"..."
There was not even any need for greetings.
Loki, habitually squinting her eyes, directly bypassed Hestia and let her gaze openly appraise Ron. As the goddess of one of Orario's top-tier Familias, when it came to information about adventurers, Loki naturally had dedicated channels to obtain it. She knew clearly that it was the boy before her who had broken the world record set by Ais, and that even their ability values were comparable.
It was just that he looked…
Somewhat ordinary.
"Shorty, is this… the child you recruited?"
They had been old acquaintances back in the heavens. Although there were some personal grudges, it was not to the extent that they would start fighting on sight. Yet now, the other party had taken the initiative to open fire.
Hestia frowned and immediately retorted, "Who are you calling shorty, you flat-chested brat!"
"But you're not wrong—Ron is indeed my child." When the girl's peripheral vision caught sight of Apollo walking over not far away, She declared her claim without hesitation.
She corrected once more, "Whether now or in the future, he belongs to me!"
"..."
The smell of gunpowder gradually spread.
Especially when she noticed Apollo's gloomy expression, Loki had the feeling that tonight's ball might not be as simple as it seemed.
Noticing the slight curve at her friend Freya's lips, she chose to ignore the annoying big-breasted dwarf in front of her, but did not mind making things difficult for Hestia.
"Hey."
"Boy, interested in transferring to the Loki Familia? With your talent, only in one of those powerful Familias can it truly be realized."
"No."
"If possible, I want to stay with Lady Hestia forever."
Known fact:
For a Tarnished to become a king, he must marry a goddess.
But regardless of whether he would choose that path in the future, Ron felt the outcome would not change. Who would refuse a gentle, adorable, beautiful girl?
"Tsk, tsk…"
"That sour smell."
The corner of Loki's mouth could not help twitching. Still, her gaze shifted next to Apollo, the Sun God, who, as the host of the banquet, was walking toward the stage.
If the banquet had already officially begun, she would not have bothered teasing Hestia. Were not the few bottles of excellent-quality wine on the table far more interesting than these two?
However, what followed exceeded the expectations of countless gods present.
There was no speech before the ball began. Apollo locked his gaze onto Hestia in the center of the banquet hall, and onto Ron standing beside the girl.
"Thank you all for coming to the Ball of the Gods that I am hosting."
"However…"
"Before it begins, in the presence of you all, I wish to announce something—that is, on behalf of all members of the Apollo Familia, I hereby declare a War Game against the Hestia Familia!"
His exceedingly calm words were like a bomb thrown into deep water. The ballroom fell into brief silence, and then discussion erupted.
'War Game.'
Even in Orario, it was something filled with amusement.
And back in the heavens, Apollo's public proposal to the goddess Hestia—and his rejection—was something everyone knew. Was this a grudge match?
Setting aside the gods of Orario's top-tier Familias, the vast majority of the gods did not know of the miracles created by Hestia and Ron. Yet that did not prevent them from turning their gazes toward the center of the banquet hall.
Even Loki looked at the two before her with disbelief.
If she remembered correctly—Hestia had only descended to the lower world a few months ago, and had only Ron as her sole child.
"…"
It was not exactly schadenfreude.
Loki's shifting gaze fell upon the upright young man whose expression did not waver. The reason, of course, was the talent Ron possessed.
There was no need to guess.
This was a profoundly unfair War Game. The Apollo Familia had nearly one hundred adventurer members, and even included the Level 3 Hyakinthos Clio.
Even by sheer numbers, they could overwhelm their opponent.
She had no intention of acting as a 'mediator.' She was more curious, in the face of the gods' attention and Apollo's openly declared War Game, how Hestia intended to handle it.
"…"
'More direct than we anticipated.'
Becoming the focus of the gods, and facing the sharp issue of the 'War Game,' even though she had long prepared herself mentally, Hestia could not help feeling tense.
She had not forgotten Ron's needs.
She withdrew the smile that had filled her face, lifted her head to look at Apollo towering above her, her expression calm as she voiced what she had originally thought.
"First…"
"I do not know what grievance has led you to declare a War Game against my Familia. Second, this War Game has been unfair from the very beginning."
"Even if I refuse… that would be entirely reasonable!"
Apollo's expression flickered between light and shadow.
He had, of course, prepared for Hestia to refuse the War Game. His tone turned direct, a naked threat. "If you refuse the War Game,"
"Then…"
"Have your child prepare himself mentally for what comes next!"
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