"Although many gods in the Celestial Realm are indeed fond of having their children always mouth words attributing all credit to the gods."
"But I don't like that kind of thing."
With that said,
Heimdall's tone became serious.
"The so-called blessing of the gods is, in the end, just another entry ticket I gave you."
"A chance for you to break through the limits of mortals and touch a higher realm."
"As for the weapons..."
Heimdall reached out and pointed at Rin's [black crow].
"It is indeed a fine sword."
"The craftsmanship of the Hephaestus Familia is impeccable."
"But even the sharpest sword depends on who is wielding it."
"If the user is a coward, a wretch who doesn't even dare to look the monster in the eye."
"Then even if he holds a divine artifact capable of cleaving heaven and earth."
"The moment the monster roars,"
"He will still tremble out of fear, drop the weapon, and turn his back to the enemy."
"At that time,"
"Even the most priceless weapon will ultimately only become a funerary object left behind by its user in the Dungeon."
"It will even become evidence for later generations to mock the former's incompetence."
"So..."
Heimdall paused, his tone softening slightly.
"These weapons are certainly good; they are the hard work of the Hephaestus Familia."
"But without your decisiveness to swing the blade at that moment,"
"Without your resolve to face death head-on and live in the face of death,"
"They are still just a pile of scrap metal."
"Therefore,"
"You don't need to please me, or forcibly push the credit onto me, completely ignoring the sweat you yourselves shed."
"That is not only a desecration of the sweat and blood you shed."
"At the same time,"
"It is also a slighting of my judgment in choosing you, of me, your god."
"..."
At these words, the tavern fell silent.
Everyone was stunned.
Rin opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but couldn't find the words.
Inaba Tsukiyo's tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, as if processing the weight of these words.
People were accustomed to placing themselves in a humble position, accustomed to looking up to the gods.
But they never expected that,
The god at this moment was personally shattering that concept, instead lifting them up in return.
"Of course,"
"I am not saying this to blame you."
Finally, looking at the girls' stunned expressions, Heimdall smiled helplessly.
"On the contrary, the reason I am making this so clear now,"
"Is precisely because you are the children I chose."
"Since you are the children I favor,"
"Then be confident."
"Even being a little arrogant is fine."
"Because this is the glory you deserve."
"You have accomplished what others could not; that is a fact."
"Clap"
A crisp round of applause followed.
"That's right!"
"Strength is strength; there are no excuses for that!"
Tsubaki applauded this, and her single eye shone with undisguised admiration.
"Lord Heimdall's words make me want to switch Familia!"
"If Lord Hephaestus hadn't treated me so well, I'd really want to follow Lord Heimdall."
After speaking,
Tsubaki grinned at Heimdall, then looked at the still somewhat dazed girls.
"Now, you little monsters should understand, right?"
"In Orario, having great ability is the absolute rule, and battle records are the best calling card."
"Today, you genuinely broke the Guild's rookie record."
"Pushing straight to the 12th floor on the first day and returning fully loaded—that's not something you can do on luck alone."
"And you didn't look closely at the Guild just now."
Tsubaki seemed to recall something amusing, her smile deepening.
"If you had looked back, you would have seen how wonderful Eina's expression was."
"I've known her for so long, and it's the first time I've seen her look so utterly inexperienced."
"Her quill almost stabbed right through the documents, and she forgot to push her glasses up from the tip of her nose."
"And those Guild staff members who are always dozing off around her."
"Every single one of them had their eyeballs nearly popping out, jaws dropped."
"Just the magic stones brought back by the Fierce Person, converted to currency, are enough for a small, ordinary Familia to eat and drink well for a whole month!"
"This matter, we won't even have to wait until tomorrow."
"Tonight, this news will probably spread through every tavern."
"By then, you little monsters of the Haimo Familia will find it hard not to become famous!"
Being praised so frankly by their own deity, Lord Heimdall, and Tsubaki,
The girls, who had been somewhat stunned, instantly blushed.
Even Amaha Zansan couldn't help but slightly lift her chin.
Though she didn't say it aloud,
The slight upturn of her lips clearly revealed her pleasure at the compliment.
Being recognized,
Especially by someone they considered a strong individual,
Felt quite good.
Seeing that the moment was right,
Lord Heimdall nodded and continued,
"What Tsubaki says is true."
"As a deity, what I can do is actually quite limited."
"I merely provide you with an opportunity to become stronger and acquire a suitable weapon."
"That's all."
"How you live your lives in this world,
"How you write your own stories, whether you become heroes or legends...
"That is your own journey."
Lord Heimdall's voice was gentle and sincere.
"The path is before you."
"How far you walk, how high you climb, is up to you."
"I won't be a nagging mother figure."
"I only need to watch you at the finish line."
"Or, when you're tired, let you know that someone is still behind you. That's enough."
With that,
Lord Heimdall raised the glass on the table, looked at everyone, and smiled.
"So,"
"To your efforts,"
"And to your glory,"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The cheer rang out again.
This time,
The girls' voices held less restraint and more of the spirited enthusiasm of youth.
Glasses clinked in the air,
The crisp sound
Echoed like the prelude to a new era.
"Gulp, gulp—ah!"
Tsubaki downed her drink in one go and wiped her mouth heartily.
"Awesome!"
"But speaking of fame,"
Tsubaki put down her glass, picked up a large piece of roasted meat with her chopsticks, and said with her mouth full:
"Tomorrow, there will probably be quite a few flies buzzing around, drawn by the scent."
"After all, a new group that performs so spectacularly on their first day will surely attract attention from other Familias, whether they want to recruit or suppress you."
"You better be prepared."
Tsubaki's words sounded like a well-meaning reminder to the uninformed, quite normal.
However, after hearing this, Shakti couldn't help but twitch her eyelids.
-------------------------------
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