Loki Familia

"Cheers to you for nearly defeating that Minotaur." Thor raised his beer mug and clinked it against Bell's.

"Thank you, my deity."

Bell took a sip of the juice in his cup, a smile finally appearing on his face.

It seemed he was gradually emerging from the shadow of being brutally insulted by Bete earlier.

Syr, who had been sitting beside Thor and quietly listening to their conversation, now wore an expression of surprise.

She couldn't help but let out a soft "Oh," her bright eyes widening slightly as she looked at Bell with curiosity: "Mr. Cranel, you nearly defeated a Minotaur?"

Bell felt a bit embarrassed by her question. His cheeks flushed, and he habitually reached up to scratch his soft white hair, saying honestly: "Well... actually, that was only because I had my deity there to guide and help me."

He paused, his tone filled with sincere humility.

"Besides, under Lord Thor's guidance, I only managed to knock out one of its legs so it couldn't stand. I'm still far from truly defeating it. In the end, it was only resolved thanks to the help of some passing adventurers."

Syr looked at the white-haired, red-eyed boy before her, whose face still held a touch of childishness, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She remembered clearly: "But, Mr. Cranel, I recall that you... only became an adventurer five days ago, right?"

To be a complete novice five days ago and now be able to face and severely wound a powerful monster like a Minotaur—which should only appear on the seventeenth floor—was an astonishing speed unheard of in any adventurer's history she knew!

Without a doubt, this could already be called a remarkable "feat."

Bell felt even more shy at Syr's blunt assessment. He lowered his head and repeated once more: "I did indeed become an adventurer five days ago, but this is all thanks to my deity's teachings. Without Lord Thor, I never could have done it."

Thor, sitting beside him, finally set down his beer mug after taking a sip.

He said: "You may well be proud of the achievement you have attained, my child. Even with my guidance and assistance, not everyone possesses the courage to seize that fleeting opportunity and act upon it."

"Defeating a strong enemy is indeed a feat, but finding the faint possibility of victory in a desperate situation through one's own will and putting it into practice is equally a glorious chapter worth being proud of."

His deep gaze fell upon Bell: "Your potential is far more vast than you realize at this moment."

Hearing such direct affirmation from Thor, Bell felt a strong wave of warmth surge through his entire body; the previous frustration and inferiority seemed to be washed away in an instant.

His eyes lit up, and he suddenly straightened his back, responding excitedly: "Yes! My deity! I understand!"

Watching this scene, seeing Bell change rapidly under Thor's words as if injected with courage—transforming from shy and dejected to spirited and confident—Syr felt a complex mix of emotions.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and she whispered almost subconsciously: "How wonderful..."

"Hmm?" This soft sigh was caught by the newly invigorated Bell.

He blinked, naively assuming that Syr had developed an interest in the challenging and glorious profession of an adventurer.

He asked with eager curiosity: "Miss Syr, are you interested in becoming an adventurer too?"

Facing this innocent and direct inquiry, Syr merely tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a larger, more meaningful, yet elegant smile.

She neither answered "yes" nor denied it with a "no." In those eyes that seemed to see through the heart lay deep ripples that Bell, at his age, could not yet understand.

She simply smiled gently, though her gaze drifted, intentionally or otherwise, back to Thor, who was sitting beside her quietly drinking his beer.

Rather than being interested in the adventure itself, it was more that she was interested in something else entirely...

Just at that moment.

Anya, who was greeting guests at the door, suddenly shouted, her voice crisp and loud, instantly overpowering the noise in the restaurant: "A reserved guest has arrived, nya~"

This greeting seemed to carry magic; the restaurant, which had been bustling a second ago, fell silent as if the sound had been abruptly cut off.

Swish—

The eyes of almost every customer in the shop turned involuntarily toward the open front door of the restaurant.

A group walked in.

Leading them was a woman whose figure showed no discernible curves.

Her eyes were habitually narrowed into two slits, and a half-smile hung on her face. At first glance, her neutral temperament and attire made it difficult to distinguish her gender.

However, when Thor's gaze pierced through the facade and cast upon her soul, he saw a perfectly round sphere, devoid of ripples from past experiences or undercurrents of future change.

These clearly revealed her essence.

She was a deity who had descended to the lower world, just like the gods.

Following closely behind the deity into the restaurant were adventurers exuding powerful auras.

Their steps were steady; they were clearly elite adventurers.

In the crowd, a flash of striking white pierced Bell's line of sight.

Bell recognized at a glance the white-haired, wolf-eared young man who still wore a look of obvious impatience: Bete.

However, even more eye-catching was the figure walking slowly at the very back of the group.

That remarkable long golden hair, under the warm lights of the restaurant, flowed like molten gold, swaying slightly with her light footsteps and refracting a soft luster.

That cold, doll-like face instantly captured the hearts of everyone in the restaurant.

Someone immediately couldn't help but whisper in amazement: "Hey, hey, look! That's an incredible super beauty!"

His companion, clearly smarter, quickly nudged him with an elbow, reminding him nervously.

"Idiot! Keep it down! Look at their emblem! That's the mark of the Loki Familia!"

The questioner's expression shifted instantly, their voice laced with a hint of awe: "The Familia of the Giant Slayer? Then, that blonde one... could it be the legendary Sword Princess?"

The whispers of the restaurant's patrons, filled with reverence and curiosity, reached the ears of Thor and Bell clearly.

Bell gazed at that familiar figure, a surge of gratitude rising in his heart: "Miss Ais is here too."

Unlike his complicated feelings toward the werewolf Bete, he felt pure gratitude for the girl who had extended a helping hand in his moment of peril and generously gifted him a precious spoil of war.

It was her kindness that allowed them to sit here and enjoy dinner at this very moment.

Thor hadn't paid much attention initially, but hearing the surrounding praise for Ais's appearance, he spared a moment of interest.

The girl revered as the "Sword Princess" wore a pure white one-piece miniskirt, simple in design yet incredibly form-fitting.

The back of the garment featured a bold, large-scale cutout, its fluid lines perfectly outlining a physique that was well-proportioned, powerful, and yet retained a feminine grace.

Looking at the outfit Ais wore, Thor found that the god Loki possessed a certain "admirable" ingenuity in this regard.

However, just as Thor's gaze was about to trace the details of that cold, elegant figure more closely—

"Mr. Thor~"

Syr suddenly stood up, her figure perfectly blocking his line of sight toward Ais.

She wore an impeccable, perhaps overly sweet professional smile, and at some point, she had picked up a small wooden fork.

With elegant movements, she speared a small piece of fish drizzled in sauce and held it out to Thor's lips.

"This is our shop's special recommendation for today, pan-seared white fish. Won't you try it and see how it tastes~?"

Thor looked up in silence, his gaze landing on Syr's face, which was beaming with a smile that nonetheless held a trace of subtle, complex emotion.

It was like a mix of minor dissatisfaction and forced composure.

He did not eat the fish as Syr had expected; instead, he calmly reached out, took the fork directly, and fed it to himself.

He mumbled a word of thanks.

By the time Syr sat back down, Loki and her elite Familia members had already taken their seats at the large table reserved for them.

From the corner where Thor and Bell sat, Ais's figure was completely obscured by the tall companions surrounding her, rendering her entirely invisible.

Bell was oblivious to the small interlude that had just occurred at the table.

His attention was entirely captured by the powerful adventurers who had just sat down.

He leaned over slightly, lowered his voice, and asked curiously: "Lord Deity, is that the Loki Familia...?"

Having come to the labyrinth city Orario to pursue his dream of being an adventurer, he had long heard of the two most dazzling powers in the city—the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia.

They were recognized as the strongest Familias in Orario today, the pinnacle that countless rookie adventurers looked up to.

His gaze drifted involuntarily across the crowd, eventually landing on the white-haired, wolf-eared youth, Bete.

That fierce expression and irritable attitude now seemed to have some explanation under the halo of the Loki Familia.

So that werewolf was a member of the Loki Familia; no wonder his strength was so astonishing, capable of finishing off a Minotaur with a single kick that had pushed Bell to his absolute limit.

Seeing that her small maneuver had successfully prevented an unpleasant situation, Syr felt a quiet sense of relief, the tension in her nerves finally easing.

She took the opportunity to pick up where Bell left off, her tone returning to its usual warmth and enthusiasm: "That's right, Mr. Cranel. Besides, Lady Loki and some of her core Familia members are regulars here at the Hostess of Fertility."

Hearing Syr confirm that the Loki Familia frequented the place, Bell's eyes flickered, and a look of hesitation appeared on his face.

He whispered to Thor: "Lord Deity... about that..."

He was debating whether to take this opportunity to go over and offer his thanks.

Thor had already seen through Bell's simple intentions.

He took a light sip of his beer and spoke calmly, stopping Bell from rising: "I understand your desire to express gratitude, but now is not the appropriate time. Look,"

He gestured with his eyes toward the lively scene at the Loki Familia's table.

"They seem to be celebrating a successful expedition today, and the atmosphere is quite intense. If you were to rush over and interrupt them now, your words of thanks would seem out of place, perhaps even tactless."

His analysis was cool and pragmatic.

"I understand, Lord Deity."

Bell realized his mistake, immediately abandoning the idea of going over, and replied with a touch of embarrassment.

But his curiosity was soon piqued by a new term in Thor's words: "Celebration... expedition? Lord Deity, what exactly do you mean by 'expedition'?"

The term sounded filled with the grandeur of adventure, and he was eager to know its meaning.

Thor set down his glass and explained patiently.

"An 'expedition' refers to a Familia organizing its main force, carrying a large amount of necessary supplies, and conducting a planned, large-scale exploration and conquest of the deeper levels of the Dungeon—places far beyond the usual adventuring zones and extremely dangerous."

"Due to the vastness of the Dungeon and the power and ferocity of the monsters in the deep levels, a complete expedition often takes weeks or even months. This is by no means something that can be easily accomplished by a lone individual or a small party; it requires the precise coordination of the entire Familia, from personnel allocation and logistical support to strategic planning—nothing can be left out."

He concisely outlined the concept and scale of an expedition.

"It actually... requires such long preparation and exploration?"

Bell's eyes lit up as he listened, gaining a clearer understanding of the vastness of the Dungeon and the scale of deep-level adventuring for the first time, his sense of the Loki Familia's strength growing even more tangible.

Watching Bell's amazed expression, Thor took the opportunity to steer the conversation toward their own situation.

"That's right. For me, to recover my strength faster and accumulate enough Stardust, delving into the deep floors of the Dungeon is almost an inevitable path. The monsters there are stronger and contain far more abundant energy. However,"

His tone held a hint of regret: "Relying solely on the two of us, it is far from enough to organize a party capable of reaching the deep floors and sustaining an expedition. Therefore, recruiting reliable companions to join our Familia is also a very important and urgent matter at the moment."

He pointed out the current key mission—recruitment.

Upon hearing the words "recruiting new companions," Bell's face instantly bloomed with pure anticipation and excitement.

New companions!

What kind of people would they be?

Would they be rookie adventurers like himself, or seniors with rich experience?

His heart was filled with longing and curiosity for the partners he might fight alongside in the future.

Speaking of recruitment, Thor shook his head helplessly.

"However, recruiting new partners is not something that can be achieved in a rush."

His tone was steady, as if stating a simple fact.

"Just as seeds need time to sprout, once our strength grows a little, our reputation will naturally spread throughout Orario. At that time, perhaps someone will see the radiance of the Starry Heavens and be willing to join."

Syr, who had been listening quietly with her gaze never leaving Thor, parted her cherry lips slightly upon hearing this, as if wanting to say something.

"Actually..."

She had only uttered two syllables, her voice soft and seemingly containing some thought or suggestion.

However, in that brief moment, a loud and abrupt burst of laughter exploded from the table where the Loki Familia was sitting, instantly drowning out the noisy clamor of the tavern!

"Hahahahahaha!!!"

This laughter was filled with undisguised and extremely grating mockery, even carrying a sense of condescending disdain.

The one who let out this laugh was none other than Bete.

He was slamming the table and laughing loudly, as if he had heard something utterly absurd and ridiculous.

That sharp laughter precisely pierced through the tiny atmosphere of longing for the future that had just been brewing at the small table in the corner.

Syr's subsequent words were thus abruptly cut off in her throat by that malicious, mocking laughter.