The Denatus was a meeting held every few months in Orario.
The gods gathered together to discuss their gains over the past few months and boast about the improvements of their Familia members.
In other words, the essence of the Denatus was idle gods gathering together for casual chat.
Because of this characteristic, the Denatus was also used to resolve internal disputes.
For example, the War Game.
"You are calmer than I expected."
"Well, there's no reason to be nervous, right?"
"That's true, but you used to cry and scream often when you were short on money."
"Eh? Is it really that exaggerated?"
"It's ten times more exaggerated than what I described."
Inside the hall on the thirtieth floor of The Babel.
Hephaestus and Hestia, the two goddesses, stood in a corner, chatting about what had happened not long ago.
"So, what's the situation now? How did you suddenly get into a conflict with Soma?"
"Actually, we aren't really in a conflict."
Hestia scratched her cheek. "It's just that I unilaterally couldn't stand Soma's attitude toward his children, and as it happened, Lynn suggested to me that there was a way to solve this matter..."
"So, you supported it?"
"Yeah."
"You're being way too reckless."
Hephaestus raised an eyebrow.
She had heard about Soma slacking off, as well as the high-pressure management within the Soma Familia.
But regardless, that was an internal matter for the Soma Familia, and outsiders had no right to interfere.
Launching a War Game just because of reasons like 'couldn't stand it' and 'had a way' meant that, to some extent, Hestia was quite a willful goddess.
"Hey~ Fifi! Shorty! So, you two are here; I've been looking for you for ages!"
Just then, a new voice came from not far away.
"Tch, the annoying one is here."
Hestia looked toward the goddess walking toward them.
Compared to her casual attire on normal days, she was wearing a proper suit today.
Her vermilion hair was tied back with a hairband, and she emitted a faint fragrance; one look and it was clear she had carefully dressed up before coming to the banquet.
As the other person approached, a visible trace of hostility appeared on Hestia's face.
"Loki! What are you here for!"
"I originally wanted to mock someone for not even having a formal outfit to attend the Denatus, but now it seems I underestimated you."
Loki leaned in front of Hestia and reached out to touch the blue dress she was wearing.
"The material is actually Heavenly Silk. I remember this stuff is quite expensive. Shorty, where did you get the money?"
"Mind your own business!"
"Alright, alright, then I'll change the question."
A look of curiosity appeared on Loki's face. "Shorty, you should understand what a War Game is, right?"
"Of course, I do."
"Then why did you accept the War Game from the Soma Familia? No matter how you look at it, it's impossible to win."
The Soma Familia is an established Familia in Orario, possessing two Level 2s and numerous Level 1s, with a large number of members.
And as the other protagonist of the War Game, the Hestia Familia has been established for less than a month, and the Familia members can be counted on one hand.
The gap in strength between the two sides was so vast that Loki really couldn't understand why Hestia would agree to hold a War Game with them.
"Could it be that you feel life in the lower world is too difficult and want to find an excuse to return to Heaven to continue being a shut-in goddess?"
"How is that possible! What do you take me for!"
Hestia snorted. "I launched this War Game with the certainty of victory!"
"Certainty of victory? Really?"
"Of course, it's real!"
"How many people are in your Familia right now?"
"One."
"Did you recruit a Level 3?"
"No, Lynn is Level 1."
"?"
Then what are you so certain about?
Loki's eye twitched; she suddenly couldn't understand Hestia at all.
The other party was clearly shockingly weak, yet she possessed a mysterious confidence.
"Soma is here!"
"Oh, oh, oh! Finally, here; I was almost falling asleep waiting!"
"Brother Soma! Over here, over here!"
A series of voices suddenly rang out.
Hestia and the others stopped talking and turned their heads to look at the entrance not far away.
Amidst the cheers of many gods, a male god wearing a loose robe appeared in the hall.
His long, unkempt hair covered his eyes. He stood in place, opened his mouth, and made a faint sound.
But amidst the cheers of the gods, Soma's words were completely drowned out, and no god heard them clearly.
"Everyone, please be quiet."
Just then, the silver-haired goddess who had been sitting quietly by the round table spoke up.
As if a mute button had been pressed, the hall fell into silence in an instant.
"Huh? Freya, you're here too."
Loki found an empty seat and sat down.
She had gone to find Hestia as soon as she came up, so she really hadn't noticed that Freya was also present.
After greeting her, she looked toward Soma, who was still standing in place, dazed, not far away.
"Hey! What are you still standing there for! Come over and start the meeting!"
"...Hello everyone."
Soma walked silently to the round table.
"Alright, everyone is here. I will act as the mArdeator for this Denatus."
Loki pulled out a small gavel from who knows where and tapped the tabletop, drawing the gods' attention.
"First, let's confirm the thoughts of both sides."
"Soma, Hestia, you two are certain you want to hold a War Game, right?"
"I have a question."
"Certain!"
Two voices rang out one after the other.
Loki, who had been ready to continue speaking, paused, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Soma.
"What question do you have?"
"Why launch a War Game?"
Soma looked at Hestia, who was sitting opposite him.
"The one who launched the War Game isn't me; it was your child."
Hestia said, taking out a prepared crystal ball from her bosom.
"Call your god and launch a War Game!"
Zanis's figure appeared in mid-air.
He waved his arms with a ferocious expression, combined with what he was saying, it looked like he was declaring war.
Of course, it only looked like it.
The gods present were not stupid; they could tell that this footage had been taken out of context.
However, as gods who love entertainment, they all selectively ignored this and did not stand up to point it out.
"Soma, is there anything else you want to say?"
Loki looked at the god involved.
"This was Zanis acting on his own; it has nothing to do with me."
Soma replied calmly.
Although he didn't manage affairs on a daily basis, Soma was still a god by nature.
When Zanis had found him earlier and asked him to attend this meeting, he had already sensed something was wrong.
Seeing this footage now, he could be certain that Zanis had been caught with leverage by the Hestia Familia.
However, Zanis being caught with leverage, what did that have to do with him, Soma?
He just wanted to find a place to brew wine quietly; War Games and such had nothing to do with him.
"Oh my, I didn't expect a problem to arise in such an unexpected place."
Loki hadn't anticipated this situation and looked at the other party involved who was present.
"Hestia, it seems Soma doesn't want to participate in the War Game anymore. What do you think?"
A War Game is a war between Familias.
Therefore, this matter requires not only the consent of the Familia captain but the attitude of the god is equally important.
But just as Zanis didn't want people to know about his collaboration with the Remnants of the Dark Faction.
Soma, as the god of the Familia, similarly had a fatal weakness.
"I have a way to make Soma wine even more delicious."
Hestia pulled out another trump card.
As if waking from a deep sleep, the aura around Soma changed instantly.
"Are you serious?"
"If I deceive you, I am willing to accept any punishment after the War Game ends."
"I understand." Soma looked at Loki. "I agree to participate in the War Game."
"Both sides have agreed. Next, let's determine the content of the War Game!"
Loki tapped the tabletop with the small gavel, pushing the meeting to the next stage.
"Soma, Hestia, as the two protagonists, you can decide the game content yourselves."
"Let's draw lots."
Soma gave his answer first.
Although he didn't know what Hestia's confidence was based on, it was clear she had come prepared.
In this situation, it was impossible for him to support her proposal; drawing lots was better.
"Then let's draw lots."
Hestia had no objections to this.
The gods present began to act, and soon a box filled with slips of paper was placed on the table.
"Yosh! The lottery box is ready!"
Loki rubbed her hands together. "As the mArdeator, next I will..."
"Loki, let me draw."
Freya's voice suddenly rang out.
"Sure, then you draw it."
Loki pushed the box over.
More than being curious about the content of the War Game determined by the lottery, she was now more curious about what Freya was planning to do.
Under everyone's gaze, the silver-haired Goddess picked up a slip of paper from the box and opened it.
[Capture the Flag Game]
...