Two people of different heights glared at each other.
Their foreheads kept bumping together until they finally pressed hard against each other, gradually turning red.
One was a tall, silver-haired wolfman with dog ears; the other was a short catman with black hair and cat ears.
They stood before the lavishly decorated doorway, facing off like children.
To the right of the doorway, the towering Boarman carried a broad, pitch-black greatsword on his back. He watched the entrance steadily, paying no attention to the two dueling off to the side.
Behind the wolfman, a tiny, blond prum watched the pair with helpless resignation. Behind him stood a dwarf of about the same height, along with several young men and women.
The curvaceous, brown-skinned girl kept her eyes fixed on the back of the little prum ahead of her, her face enraptured.
Beside her, a similar-looking girl with a flat figure watched her lovestruck older sister in speechless disbelief.
The black-haired boy stood with his arms crossed, watching the scene before him with a calm expression. He could feel someone looking at him from nearby.
He turned toward the source of the gaze and saw the blond girl beside him standing primly.
He glanced around, then turned back with a puzzled look.
As soon as he faced forward, the girl beside him stole another look at him.
The scene continued for a while.
"Bang!"
The sudden noise drew everyone's attention, including the wolfman and catman who had been facing off.
They saw Loki stride out through the doorway, hands in her pockets and an annoyed look on her face. A number of gods filed out behind her.
Many graceful goddesses spotted the blond prum by the entrance. Their eyes lit up, and they gathered up their dress skirts and hurried over to him.
"Oh! You're so cute! Finn, would you like to come over to my place later?"
"That flat-chested Loki doesn't have much appeal. Why not join my Familia instead? Then we can always be together~"
"Did you get hurt last night? Come here and let big sister take a look."
The goddesses crowded around Finn, even pushing his companions out of the way.
Tione watched the goddesses surrounding Finn, her expression growing more and more frightening. Her black hair swirled behind her like a demon's.
"You women! The captain is mine!"
She started to lunge at them.
Tiona grabbed her around the waist and stopped her.
"Calm down, calm down! They're all goddesses. You have to trust the captain!"
The others watched the sisters helplessly.
Surrounded by goddesses, Finn kept a wary eye on their hands as they roamed over him, politely turning down their offers with a smile.
"Thank you all for your kindness, but I have no plans to join another Familia. I still have matters to take care of within my own Familia, so I'm sorry."
Hearing Finn's words, Tione looked at him, deeply moved, and stopped struggling.
"Capta~in~"
Behind her, Tiona slapped a hand over her face, mortified by her sister's constant mood swings.
Loki stood at the entrance, looking annoyed as she watched the goddesses crowd around Finn. The corner of her mouth twitched.
With her hands in her pockets, she swaggered over like a crab and craned her neck to look at them.
The goddesses stared at her in confusion. Before they could ask what she wanted, Loki took a breath and shouted.
"What are you crowding around him for?! Let go of our Finn right now! If you don't, I'll bite you to death!"
Startled by Loki's sudden outburst, the goddesses backed away. They rolled their eyes at her vulgar words, waved dismissively as one, then said to Finn:
"Thanks for all your hard work. Come visit us when you have time~"
"With a deity like that, you must have your hands full. I look forward to seeing you again."
They mocked Loki as they said goodbye to Finn, then turned and left.
"What are you talking about?! Stay and fight me one-on-one!"
Loki had been acting all high and mighty, but when she heard their taunts, she waved her arms and shouted after the departing goddesses.
Finn let out a sigh of relief and turned to Loki.
"Thanks, Loki."
"Hmph! Bunch of harpies."
Loki calmed down a little. Hearing Finn thank her, she huffed.
Finn looked at the annoyed Loki helplessly.
By the time the goddesses had surrounded Finn, most of the other gods had already left.
After the goddesses departed, only the members of the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia remained at the entrance.
Loki was about to lead everyone away when she heard ingratiating voices drawing closer from inside the meeting room. She looked toward it.
Freya emerged through the open doorway, surrounded by male gods.
When she spotted the people at the entrance, she quickened her pace and left the male gods behind.
She walked up to Ottar and Allen and nodded to them. They straightened and bowed to Freya in return.
Loki watched Freya turn to look at her again, then twisted her mouth into a sneer.
"What? Is there something else?"
Freya ignored Loki. She nodded to Liber, standing among the others, and smiled.
"We meet again, sweet child. Would you like to come over to my side?"
Loki immediately stepped in front of Freya, glaring at her menacingly.
"Wh~at~ did~ you~ say?"
At Freya's words, everyone else looked at Liber.
His Familia companions stared at him in surprise. Across from him, Allen glared at him viciously, jealousy in his eyes.
Liber watched their surprise turn to worry, then lowered his arms from where he had crossed them over his chest.
He sighed and said,
"Allow me to refuse.
Being under a drunkard who doesn't act like a goddess is already exhausting enough. I don't want to serve another goddess who's even more trouble."
Loki had been trying to intimidate Freya, but when she heard Liber's remark, she turned toward him in displeasure.
"I'm not a drunkard! I just enjoy drinking, and I happen to drink quite a lot."
Tiona had just relaxed, patting her chest, but at Loki's reply she was left speechless and muttered,
"That's exactly how a drunkard would try to justify it!"
Freya heard Liber's refusal and shrugged. She had only asked because she wanted to collect him, and she wasn't particularly bothered by his answer.
She called to Ottar and Allen, then turned to leave.
Loki was still arguing with Tiona when she saw Freya walking away. She hurriedly called after her with a warning.
"Hey, I'll let you off this time. Don't cause another commotion like this again."
Freya turned around, clasping her hands behind her back. She leaned forward slightly, and her robe clung to her body, outlining her graceful curves.
She tilted her head and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Fate is calling me. I can't promise that~"
A vein throbbed at Loki's temple. She strode over and landed a hard punch on Freya's head.
"Fate can call someone else!"
"Ow!"
Freya clutched her head and let out a muffled cry of pain.
Behind her, Ottar and Allen recalled how worried they had been that night when they heard what she said. They could only look helpless.
They didn't stop Loki from hitting their goddess, hoping it would dissuade her from getting similar ideas in the future.
The two sides soon stopped bickering and prepared to disperse.
At the back of the group, Liber followed along with the others.
"Hey, you black-haired kid over there."
He suddenly heard Allen's voice calling to him and turned around.
Everyone else stopped and looked back at the call.
Freya and Ottar also stopped, looking at Allen as he stood there staring at Liber.
"What is it?"
Liber asked, seeing Allen glare at him with hostility.
"What's your name?"
"Liber Miller. What do you want?"
He asked Allen in return.
"Liber, huh? Just you wait. One day, I'll tear you apart!"
Clutching his spear, Allen left those threatening words behind, then turned and followed Freya away.
Liber watched him go and shrugged.
"What a self-important guy."
Behind him, the blond girl gazed at Liber's back with a complicated expression.
Before you continue