"Good news?"
Hestia's excitement was contagious, leaving everyone—including Su Hai—curious about what exactly had her so elated.
"The Gods' Banquet is happening tomorrow!" Hestia declared proudly. "And this time, the rules have changed—each god can bring their Familia members to attend!"
Hestia's chest swelled with pride. "Now that I have my own Familia, I'm finally eligible to attend! And I'm taking you, Ah Hai!"
It was clear that this meant a lot to Hestia. In the past, without any Familia, she had been unable to attend such gatherings. Now, things were different.
Su Hai immediately understood why she was so eager.
"Let's go out and buy outfits for the banquet!"
Hestia, unable to contain her excitement, grabbed Su Hai's arm and was about to drag him outside.
"No way! How could Lady Hestia sneak off alone?"
Liliruca suddenly clung to Su Hai's other arm, pouting. "Lily is going to the banquet with Lord Su Hai, too!"
Hestia instantly frowned. This was supposed to be her exclusive time with Su Hai!
"No," Hestia huffed, puffing out her cheeks.
"Why not?" Liliruca shot back, eyes narrowing.
"Even if Lady Hestia is our goddess, you don't have the right to monopolize Lord Su Hai!"
She stood her ground, her entire aura radiating defiance.
"Because… because someone needs to guard the Familia's home!" Hestia stammered, looking away.
It was clear to everyone—including Su Hai—that she was making excuses.
"The Familia doesn't need two people to stay behind," Liliruca countered swiftly. "Bell can watch over the home by himself!"
Hestia was speechless.
Liliruca was simply too sharp!
Realizing she had lost, Hestia reluctantly pouted and crossed her arms. "Fine! But only because Ah Hai agreed!"
With that, the group of three headed out to buy their formal wear.
Bell, left standing alone in the yard, blinked as the wind blew past him.
"…Wait. No one even asked if I wanted to go…"
Though he didn't really mind, he still felt a little left out.
The Night of the Banquet
By evening, Su Hai, Hestia, and Liliruca arrived at the grand estate where the Gods' Banquet was being held.
The massive manor, surrounded by dazzling lights, was a breathtaking sight. Including the villa and its surrounding lands, the estate easily covered over 100,000 square meters—an extravagant display of wealth and power.
Inside, the banquet hall was already lively. Numerous gods had arrived with their Familia members, engaging in animated discussions over food and wine.
"Ah Hai, say 'Ahh'~"
Hestia, already indulging in the lavish feast, picked up a delicate pastry and held it up to Su Hai's lips.
Su Hai raised an eyebrow but played along, allowing her to feed him.
"Lord Su Hai, Lily's steak is even better!"
Not to be outdone, Liliruca speared a piece of perfectly cooked steak with her fork and held it up for Su Hai.
For a moment, the two women locked eyes, their auras crackling with competitive energy.
Su Hai, caught in the middle of their silent battle for his attention, simply sighed.
He had long since grown used to their antics. In their own way, this was how Hestia and Liliruca bonded—through playful rivalry.
Suddenly, the villa doors swung open again.
Two figures strode in, drawing the attention of the crowd.
Leading them was a tall woman with fiery red hair and mischievous crimson eyes—Loki, the infamous trickster goddess.
Beside her walked a strikingly beautiful blonde girl with golden eyes as calm as a still lake—Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Princess.
"Hoh~? If it ain't the little pipsqueak Hestia!"
Loki smirked as she approached.
"I heard ya finally got yourself a Familia. That's real rare!"
With a teasing grin, Loki quickly positioned herself above Hestia, looking down at her condescendingly.
"But tell me, why does it look like you've gotten even shorter, you tiny dwarf?"
Loki's grin widened as she deliberately stretched out the last few words, drawing chuckles from a few nearby gods.
Hestia's eyebrows twitched.
A wicked smile slowly spread across her face as she looked Loki directly in the chest.
"Loki… for someone so flat, you sure like wearing such low-cut outfits."
Hestia tilted her head. "Are you sure you shouldn't be stuffing that dress with socks instead?"
Critical hit.
Loki's eye twitched violently. "Y-You little—"
Loki lunged at Hestia, grabbing her cheeks and stretching them in frustration.
Before long, the two goddesses were openly wrestling in the middle of the banquet.
Far from stopping them, the surrounding gods simply laughed and enjoyed the show.
For immortal beings who had lived for eons, entertainment like this was rare.
Suddenly, a hushed silence spread across the room.
All eyes turned toward the staircase leading to the second floor.
A woman of ethereal beauty descended gracefully down the steps.
Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight, and her violet eyes held a mesmerizing allure—a presence so enchanting it felt almost divine.
Following closely behind her was a towering, muscular man with dark skin—his every step radiating power.
Freya, the Goddess of Beauty.
And beside her, Ottar, the strongest adventurer in Orario, and the only Level 7.
"Freya-sama is here!"
"She's as stunning as ever… truly the Goddess of Beauty!"
The whispers of admiration filled the room as Freya descended, her hypnotic gaze sweeping over the gathered gods and adventurers.
Then, her lips curved into a knowing smile.
Her amethyst eyes locked onto Su Hai.
A strange gleam of recognition flickered in her expression—as if she had found something truly fascinating.
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