Hand Lin Yuan Over to Me
The following evening, the carriage sent by Apollo stopped outside the abandoned church.
The invitation was not cancelled because Lin Yuan refused to transfer his affiliation. On the contrary, the invitation sent to Hestia was stamped with the official seal of the Divine Feast, and many gods of Orario would be attending.
"They're definitely up to no good." Hestia the invitation on the table. "We're not going."
"Since Apollo isn't going to give up, avoiding this banquet won't solve the problem."
Lin Yuan changed out of his clothes, which were covered in dust from the Dungeon, and picked up the invitation.
"Let's see what he's planning to do."
The banquet was held at the residence of the Apollo Familia.
Bright magic stone lamps illuminated the hall, and long tables were laden with wine and food. The gods, usually scattered throughout Orario, gathered in small groups, their most frequent topic of conversation still being the record of reaching Lv.2 in fourteen days.
As soon as Lin Yuan and Hestia entered the hall, their conversation quieted down.
Several gazes simultaneously fell upon Lin Yuan.
Loki stood at a distance, holding a wine glass. Her instinctive disgust upon seeing Lin Yuan hadn't vanished, but this inexplicable anomaly only piqued her more interest.
Freya was also present.
She gazed at Lin Yuan through the crowd, her silver-gray eyes filled only with unanswered curiosity, without taking the initiative to approach him.
"Welcome, Hestia, and the most dazzling guest of the evening."
Apollo walked in from the front of the hall with a warm smile on his face. He seemed completely unaffected by yesterday's rejection, and even personally brought a glass of wine.
Lin Yuan did not answer.
"You can say whatever you want to say."
"Don't be in such a hurry. The divine feast has only just begun."
As Apollo finished speaking, Hyakinthos entered the hall from the other side.
The young man, who was perfectly fine yesterday, now had a bandage wrapped around his forehead, his left arm in a sling, and large bruises on the side of his face. Two members of the Apollo Familia followed behind him, their expressions angry.
Hestia immediately understood. "What do you want to do?"
Apollo's smile gradually turned into sadness.
"Yesterday, Hyakinthos was merely delivering the invitation on my behalf when he was attacked by Lin Yuan on his return journey. My child only woke up this morning."
"I didn't touch him," Lin Yuan said.
"We saw it with our own eyes!" the man following behind Hyakinthos shouted. "You were the attacker!"
The surrounding deities remained silent, but their eyes held little belief.
The performance was hardly brilliant. The edges of Hyakinthos's bandages even showed traces of recently applied ointment. But Apollo didn't need everyone to believe him; he only needed a reason to publicly challenge him.
Loki swirled the wine in his glass, making no attempt to hide his mockery. The other god simply turned away, too lazy to watch Hyakinthos feign serious injury any longer. Everyone knew Apollo was lying, but they also knew that what he truly relied on was never this testimony.
"Since the two sides have different versions of events, I will propose a solution."
Apollo reached out his hand to Hestia.
"Rescind Lin Yuan's Falna and hand him over to me. This conflict ends here, and I will compensate you for losing your first child."
"Dream!"
Hestia blocked Lin Yuan's path, her blue eyes filled with rage.
"Lin Yuan is not something that can be used to compensate for losses, nor does it belong to you!"
"Then let us decide in the fairest way among the gods." Apollo spread his arms, his voice echoing throughout the hall, "Hestia, I propose War Game to your Familia."
A cacophony of discussion immediately erupted in the banquet hall.
The Apollo Familia has over a hundred members, with its leader, Hyakinthos, reaching level 3. The Hestia Familia, on the other hand, only has Lin Yuan. Regardless of which War Game format is chosen, the difference in numbers is almost absurd.
"I refuse," Hestia replied without hesitation.
The War Game between the gods must be agreed upon by both sides. Apollo cannot force the start of a ritual by performing a show unless she agrees.
Apollo simply smiled.
"Hestia, you'll say yes."
Looking at that confident face, Lin Yuan knew that this banquet was just the first step.
He did not make a move in front of the gods, and left the mansion with Hestia.
Night had fallen over Orario.
As the two returned to the abandoned church, figures draped in white cloaks appeared one after another on the rooftops in the distance. The streets were also blocked off by members of the Apollo Familia.
Hestia stopped in her tracks.
Lin Yuan looked up and saw that the area outside the church was already filled with people holding weapons.