"Stop!"
Like the sound of thunder, a voice echoed throughout the tavern.
All present turned their gaze toward the source of the sound.
There stood a short woman with double-ponytailed black hair.
"Hestia?"
Opening his eyes, Yuki was surprised. He hadn't expected this at all, but his eyes couldn't help but light up at the sight of Hestia, whose chest rose and fell with each breath. Yuki swallowed nervously at the breathtaking view.
"Tch! This chibi!"
On the other hand, Loki clicked her tongue in displeasure. With the presence of this woman, everything had gone to hell.
With an intense look on her face, Hestia was visibly angry. She had run to get here, and exhaustion showed on her face.
"Wait for me, Hestia..."
Entering with her was Hephaestus, who, like Hestia, had run alongside her friend.
"Ha... How could I forget to close the door?"
Covering her face with a hand, Mia sighed. After all, she had knocked out all the adventurers, so she hadn't bothered to close the door. For her, it wasn't worth it, considering no one could leave with her watchful eye, but that didn't mean they couldn't come in.
"You!! Flat chest, stay away from my son!"
Striding in, Hestia ignored the adventurers on the floor, even stepping on some of them. Her anger was so intense that she didn't care about the people on the ground.
(Fortunately, I arrived on time!)
Gritting her teeth, Hestia heard the end of their conversation. Without wasting time, she entered the tavern.
"Ha?! Who are you calling flat-chested, chibi!?"
Slamming the table, a vein bulged on Loki's forehead.
"Hmp!"
However, Hestia just snorted coldly, approaching Yuki and hugging him tightly.
"My champion! I missed you so much!... This flat-chested goddess, did she do something to you? Come on, tell me! Did she try to deceive you? Did she offer you sweets? That's not good... Spit out the sweets; they're bad for your teeth."
Coiling around like a snake, Hestia touched and searched Yuki's body for children's sweets. After checking, she sighed in relief. She made sure Yuki lacked nothing and didn't have any sweets.
"Well, it's not like Loki-sama was going to eat me, and no, she didn't give me any sweets."
Shrugging, Yuki gave a blank look, dropping his face onto Hestia's plump chest.
(Ah~ I missed this feeling.)
Still hugging him, Hestia assisted with satisfaction, sending a death glare at Loki. At the same time, she protected Yuki, like a mother hen shielding her chicks from a cat.
"You!! Ironing board! How dare you deceive a child?! Shotacon! Shotacon! I'll report you for child abduction!"
(Don't bite your tongue, Hestia.)
Shaking her head, Hephaestus joined the group. She was really losing years of her life staying with Hestia, not to mention blaming Loki for a crime she committed earlier. After all, she deceived the Champion into joining her family.
(So, he's a Champion...)
Looking at the child nestled between Hestia's breasts, Hephaestus squinted her eyes. She could see that this child was very bright; the crown and aura gave it away.
(No doubt, the Champion is a child, but... a progenitor!?)
Opening her eyes with surprise, Hephaestus was speechless. This little one was the progenitor of an entire race.
Although she was amazed by this, she could still maintain her composure. She had time for questions later. Looking at Loki's children, she nodded.
"Ha?!"
Loki, on the other hand, was speechless.
"Child?! Wait... His Excellency is a child?!"
"Of course! Can't you see?"
Taking Yuki with both hands, Hestia turned Yuki's head so that Loki could see him.
"Look! He's a child!"
"Now that I see it up close..."
With a hand on her chin, Loki brought her face close to Yuki's, who responded with a smile.
Frowning, Loki scrutinized Yuki, detail by detail, touching Yuki's tender cheek.
"Is this...?! He is a child!"
Feeling the tenderness and warmth that only children possess, Loki was in shock.
She always thought Yuki was an adult. Despite his appearance, Loki knew that some races couldn't be judged by age. Finn was a clear example; Pallum were small, but Finn was no longer a child. Yet, Loki assumed Yuki, as a progenitor, was a new race born in the world. Moreover, he had mentioned Inori at his side as his girlfriend, so Loki didn't worry about his real age.
*Gulp
"Your... Excellency... How old are you?"
Swallowing hard, Loki's lips trembled. After all, if the fact that she had tried to deceive a child came to light, she would be the laughingstock of all Orario.
Even though there were children in the families, like Ais, who joined when she was seven, the Champion was different. He came from a completely different world, with different cultures, and the gods, who also visited different worlds, knew about different cultures. That's why when they choose adventurers' nicknames, they make sure to choose the most embarrassing ones to mock them—like "Saint Tail" or "Angelic Code." However, people in this world welcomed these nicknames with open arms, as it was an honor to have an alias given by the gods.
However, for the gods, it was a completely different story.
That's why, with a pleading look in her eyes, Loki awaited Yuki's response, who, regardless of her gaze, responded, shattering her hopes.
"12 years..."
"Nooooo!!"
Screaming at the top of her lungs, Loki felt like the world was crashing down on her, realizing that she was in deep trouble.
----------
TN: Hestia's shamelessness knows no bound