The Gods' Council.
As more and more deities arrived, the host of the meeting, the "Elephant God" Ganesha, always maintained extremely high enthusiasm for occasions where the gods gathered together.
Stir things up!
This time, there were a total of seven adventurers who needed to have their titles decided.
Ganesha looked at the documents in his hand. As his gaze swept across them, the people listed at the front failed to arouse his interest. Only the adventurer at the very bottom of the documents—
Ron.
—was able to generate strong interest in him.
Including the many deities present at the scene, there were even quite a few rare faces. Even with his eyes closed, Ganesha could guess exactly who they had come for.
But how could the protagonist of a meeting appear right at the beginning!
"I am Ganesha."
"The objective of this Gods' Council, I believe all of you understand very clearly. That is to grant titles to the adventurers who have recently ascended to Lv.2 in Orario."
"First, the one from…"
Even though Ganesha's tone was passionate, and he tried his utmost to heat up the atmosphere at the venue, it produced no effect whatsoever. Occasionally, a deity would propose a suggestion for an adventurer's title.
But that was merely to fight for the children of their own Familia.
Even those idle fellows who usually had nothing better to do did not even have the idea of interrupting, let alone Hestia, who wished to fight for a title that Ron would want.
"Agree to whatever suggestions the other deities propose."
By using this method, she could at least leave a good impression on those deities—at minimum, when it was her turn to speak, she would not have established too many opponents.
'There shouldn't be a problem, right?'
"..."
The girl supported her cheeks with both hands. Her slightly childish face was filled with worry.
The strangely silent atmosphere at the venue—no deity caused trouble—but this did not reassure Hestia. Instead, her mood gradually became more tense.
And the development of events did not go beyond her expectations.
When the adventurer list reached the final entry, Ganesha, wearing the elephant-trunk mask, stepped directly onto the table. His gaze swept across the deities present.
"Now."
"The adventurer who needs to be granted a title—surely the deities present already know his name. Let us open the curtain with the most enthusiastic applause!"
"From the Hestia Familia."
"He broke the world record for the fastest breakthrough and shortened the time to sixteen days. In the War Game against the Apollo Familia, he created a miracle that belongs to him."
"His name is…"
And when it came to heating up the atmosphere, no one was more skilled than Ganesha.
He pointed the microphone toward the deities present. Although it had no amplification effect, the burst of discussion that erupted was still unprecedentedly heated.
"Ron!!"
"I've finally been waiting for this guy!"
Some deities who had originally been seated at the table even feared their voices would be drowned out by others. They all stood up one after another, and in an instant the atmosphere became as noisy as a marketplace.
"Damn it, I've already thought of what title to give this guy."
"'God Bankruptcy Machine.'"
"All the Valis I worked so hard to save are completely gone. Even though a bet is a bet, when it comes to the matter of titles, I must say a few words."
"Wouldn't that be a bit too frivolous?"
Among them, there was also a deity who enjoyed watching the commotion and did not mind making things worse. Smiling, he suggested: "Have you all forgotten what happened to Apollo?"
"How about this guy's title…"
"Backdoor Demolisher!!"
"…"
The world was far too noisy.
It was completely out of place compared to the earlier silence when suggestions had first been raised. As the deity involved in the matter, when Hestia heard the endless stream of titles, the girl could not help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
Sure enough.
These guys, after holding it in for so long, were definitely up to no good!
As the host of the Gods' Council, Ganesha did not allow the noise to continue unchecked. After bringing the venue back under control, he cast his gaze toward Hestia at the edge.
As the deity of the adventurer, she was allowed to propose a title suggestion.
However, whether it could ultimately pass would be decided by the vote of the deities present. At the same time, they also possessed the right to nominate titles for the adventurer.
"Hestia."
"Regarding the title of your Familia member Ron, do you have any suggestion?"
"…"
Whether she could secure the title Ron wanted in such a chaotic setting was also an unknown for Hestia.
She slowly stood up, her tone firmer than ever before.
"Regarding Ron's title, there is already a clear target."
"Tarnished."
After stating it, the girl swept a pleading gaze across the deities present, hoping it could pass smoothly. As for the worst outcome, she had already prepared the corresponding countermeasures.
"I hope everyone can give it a chance."
"Very well."
"The current candidate title is 'Tarnished.' Do any of you have additional suggestions?" Ganesha did not mind giving Ron an opportunity.
But the procedures that had to be followed absolutely could not be skipped.
When the actual title selection truly began, the deities who understood Ron's potential did not start a farce like before, though there were still those who enjoyed watching the commotion.
"Backdoor Demolisher."
"Super Rookie."
But when Ganesha's gaze stopped on Loki, he asked, "Loki, what do you think?"
"Me?"
It was not retaliation for the wager.
Rather, it was the enormous debt owed to Hephaestus and Ron's performance in the War Game that gave Loki a pressing sense like "a hyena tearing at its prey."
With both hands behind her head, her posture extremely relaxed, she narrowed her eyes and said casually, "Then call him 'Brown Hyena.'"
"Very well."
"Since the candidate titles have already been determined, it will be left to the deities present to vote. You each have three voting opportunities. The one with the highest number of votes—"
"—will be confirmed as Ron's adventurer title."
"Backdoor Demolisher."
A total of twenty-three deities raised their hands.
"Super Rookie."
Forty votes.
Meanwhile, "Brown Hyena," proposed by Loki of Orario's strongest faction, temporarily obtained sixty-one votes, far ahead of all the title nominations present.
After all, no matter what, Ron was a member of the Hestia Familia, and whatever title he received had nothing to do with them.
"Finally."
Ganesha's gaze swept across the gods.
"The title 'Tarnished,' proposed by Ron's Familia's deity, Hestia. Please cast your votes."
"…"
There were not few deities who agreed.
Most of them were deities who had interacted with Hestia in Tenkai and did not mind supporting her in a matter like this.
However, compared with Loki's proposal, the number of votes was clearly much lower.
'Consider it… a corresponding payment for the lively Orario of the future.'
She had remained silent the entire time.
But when the title "Tarnished," which Ron wanted, was clearly behind the other nominations, the beautiful goddess Freya's gaze shifted as she looked around at the gods present.
She was considering announcing her own interpretation of the title "Tarnished."
Yet instead, the goddess seated at the edge of the meeting seemed unable to remain seated.
Hestia stood up.
"Everyone."
"If I remember correctly, every time an adventurer undergoes a level-up, they have the right to obtain a brand-new title, and titles cannot be repeated."
"In that case, I have no objection to the title 'Brown Hyena.'"
"…"
Facing the curious, probing, and teasing gazes of the gods present, she spoke in a relaxed tone: "Then we won't need to hold another Gods' Council when the time comes."
"Next, let's just fast-forward to selecting Ron's title for Lv.3."
"???"
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