"Isao-kun!"
When Isao returned, Hestia quickly jumped on him and clung to him, feeling relief that he wasn't at Eina's place.
"..."
Isao, who caught Hestia on his arm, stared at this goddess of his, who buried her face in his chest, feeling helpless since it felt like he had another daughter in this world.
"Mama, Syr, Ryu, Chloe, Anya, and Runoa, thank you for the treats. They are all delicious. I will treat you all next time."
"Oh, I can't wait for that!"
"Yeah, bring us to your new place later, nyaa~!"
"....."
All of them directly fell into silence and stared at Chloe, who said those words, causing this naughty cat to feel nervous.
"I will when we're ready." Isao nodded. "Let's go, Cassandra, Daphne."
"Um!" 2x
"Hephaestus, do you want to stay with us tonight?" Isao asked.
"Er..." Hephaestus wished to, but when she saw Hestia's eyes, she sighed helplessly and said, "I will visit you again the next day."
"Okay." Isao nodded. "I will be waiting." Still, when he said those words, his shoulder was bitten by Hestia. "It hurts! Why did you bite me so suddenly?"
"Hmph~!" Hestia pouted, but she still clung to him like a little kid.
Isao rolled his eyes and lightly patted Hestia's soft buttocks. "Don't be so naughty."
"It hurts!" The slap on her buttocks wasn't that hurt, but Hestia sulked, feeling hurt by the lack of respect that this cheeky young man had for her. "How could you treat your goddess this way?!"
Still, compared to the fact that she couldn't have him alone, frankly, it was nothing.
"Hey, are you going to ignore us?" Loki suddenly said.
"There is no way that we're going to ignore you, right, Loki-sama?" Isao said with a gentle smile. "But my goddess seems tired, so I have thought to bring her back to rest."
After saying so, Hestia lay directly on Isao's shoulder, pretending to sleep. Many looked at her in jealousy, but as his goddess, she had this privilege.
Still, frankly, while Isao didn't fear the Loki Familia, he knew that fighting them was troublesome. His advantage lay in his unpredictability, and it was impossible to kill him. Moreover, he had confirmed that his fragrance manipulation could even affect everyone in this place.
Yes, fragrance manipulation.
It was the ability that he gained from Tamayo, one of his wives.
While Tamayo could only use it to create a flower-like illusion that surrounded someone, Isao had developed it further, making it into a quite strong ability, which allowed him to manipulate the senses of someone through their sense of smell.
Naturally, this wasn't the only ability he had, especially when the demons from the "Kimetsu no Yaiba" gave him various unique abilities.
Still, there was no merit in fighting the Loki Familia, and it only brought a disadvantage.
As for Bete?
That guy's status in his family wasn't good, to begin with, and Isao knew that even if he didn't do anything, Bete would be troubled by others. Moreover, as he had said before, it would be unfair to the others if his impression of the Loki Familia became horrible just because of Bete.
Bete wasn't the only member of the Loki Familia, and there were many of them, and unlike Bete, they knew a manner.
Still, it would be amazing if Loki could be in a good mood, especially when her Familia had just gained a 100 million debt. Nevertheless, while they had agreed that they had to pay 100 million Valis, in reality, it would be different since there was no doubt they would only repair the door and those that were broken.
As for the rest of the debt, it would be thrown to Bete, as this stupid dog was the cause of everything.
Yet, watching Isao, who could leave with ease while ignoring them, made Loki feel a bit irked for some reason.
So what if they were poisonous shrimps?
She didn't care at all!
At that moment, Loki wanted to ease her heart, which was troubled by many things, by bullying the weak!
Loki smiled, then asked, "By the way, I have said sorry to Hestia, and you should forgive Bete, right? If so, then tell me how you defeated Bete?"
"Oh, no. I didn't forgive him," Isao said calmly. "But like him, if you kept provoking me, then it would be different."
"..."
While they didn't want to become Isao's enemy, if Isao provoked them like this, how could they accept it?
Loki narrowed her eyes at Isao and asked lazily, "Are you sure that you want to become our enemy?"
"I don't want to, but you force me." Isao then looked at everyone and said, "So how about we settle everything with a duel?"
"Duel?"
While the Loki Familia was startled by Isao's sudden proposal, Mia, Syr, Hestia, and the others, who were familiar to him, looked at him strangely.
"If I lose this duel, then I will apologize to all of you, but if I win, I want you all to apologize to me."
Isao looked at all of them with a determined expression and said, "Let's settle this in a fair and just manner. One-on-one duels."
"There is no fairness in this world, but since you dare to say so, how about you face our princess?" Loki looked at Isao with a sweet smile and said, "She is a Level 5 adventurer, and unlike our dog, she is much stronger. If you win against her, then I will forgive you."
"Sure."
Isao looked at the blonde-haired adventurers, whose appearance was much better than some goddesses. He then looked at Loki and asked, "But are you sure that you are okay? Aren't you a little dizzy from the alcohol?"
"Well, yeah, I drink too much." Loki nodded.
"Then, take a rest for a while there. I will prepare myself outside."
"Good." Loki felt happy by Isao's care somehow.
"When you are ready, let's do it right away under everyone's eyes."
Isao then walked out, then being followed by the others.
Somehow, Syr and Ryuu also followed up, ready to ask them what this bad guy planned to do.
Still, somehow, Riveria also followed, thinking that she should try to educate Isao not to be too arrogant and to watch himself out, especially when he wanted to fight the Loki Familia. If it had been before, she might not have cared about him, but this time, it was different, especially when she learned about his relationship with Eina.
Nevertheless, watching Isao's action, all of Loki Familia were surprised, as they didn't expect him to be brave enough to fight Aiz. Unlike Bete, Aiz should be stronger, especially in terms of sword and magic.
"Loki..." Aiz, who had to fight Isao, frowned, but then again, she also anticipated this battle as she wanted to know the reason why Isao was so strong.
"It's fine. It's fine." Loki waved her hand, trying to recover from her drunkenness. "Just breaking one or two of his bones should be fine. Moreover, I want to know the secret of his ability, so try to search for that, Aiz.
"....."
While Aiz wouldn't break Isao's bones, she wanted to know Isao's secret, so she didn't try to stop this duel.
Still, others had various reactions when Isao dared to fight Aiz.
"Is he really going to fight Aiz-san?"
"How dare he!! Who did he think he was?! How dare he challenge Aiz-san in a duel?!"
"Dammit! Why has it become like this?! I want him to become my husband?!"
"....."
Somehow, some of them shut their mouths when they heard the last words from Tiona, which caused a slap on the back of the head from Tione, her sister.
"I thought you would stop it," Gareth said to Finn, who was silent.
"It's his provocation anyway. Why should I stop it? Moreover, his ability is dangerous, and I want to know about it."
Even if the thumb was unable to detect what was happening, while Finn didn't want them to become enemies, it wouldn't be hurt to prepare for the future in case something happened.
"He is just a Level 2. Don't take him seriously," Gareth said while drinking alcohol with ease.
"Many might forget it, but he has become a Level 2 adventurer in just two weeks. How long do you think he will reach our level, Gareth?" Finn asked with a gentle smile.
"....." Gareth.
"Anyway, Loki, are you fine now?"
"Wait a moment. I am still dizzy."
Loki rubbed her temple, but when she tried to recover, Isao made a similar decision.
"Run."
"Huh?" 4x
Hestia, Hephaestus, Cassandra, and Daphne were dumbfounded.
However, as Isao ran, Cassandra and Daphne quickly followed with swift speed.
"....."
Watching this, Syr, Ryuu, and Riveria, who watched him running away after saying such a brave provocation, were lost for words.
"See you later, Syr, Ryu, Riveria-san. Bye~!"
Isao then quickly ran as fast as he could, hugging Hestia and Hephaestus in his arms while maintaining a speed where Daphne and Cassandra could follow him.
"Wa-Wait! Are we just going to run away like this, Isao-sama?"
"M-My stomach is full! I can't run too fast!"
"Run first, and talk later!"
"Okay!" 2x
Daphne and Cassandra ran with all of their might!
Hestia and Hephaestus looked at Isao, sighing helplessly, then laid on his shoulder, trying to rest.
Only—
"Are you going to stay at our place, Hephaestus?" Hestia asked with narrowed eyes.
"I-I feel a bit dizzy..." Hephaestus said with a blush while leaning on Isao's neck.
"...." Hestia.
"Run faster! Faster!"
As he laughed, they were all helpless, but they were also affected by his smile, and they laughed as they ran as fast as they could.
"...he never changes." Ryuu looked at Isao's back helplessly.
"Hahaha..." Syr laughed happily. "But it's fun, right?"
Riveria opened her lips, then closed them again before she sighed helplessly. She thought that Isao would be reckless, but it seemed... he was more reliable than she had thought.
On the other hand, inside the pub, everyone discussed how the duel between Isao and Aiz would start. Some were in disdain, yet some thought that they should be careful, especially when his feat to defeat hundreds of Apollo Familias wasn't something that everyone could mimic.
Yet, at the same time, everyone inside the pub discussed the duel between Isao and Aiz.
Unlike Bete, everyone believed in Aiz, their princess, and there was no way that Aiz would lose, but then again, Isao had defeated Bete, even if it was a sneak attack.
Still, all of them urged Loki to recover from her drunkenness as they wanted to watch their duel as soon as possible.
Only when they went out did they not see Isao anywhere.
"Riveria, where is he? I don't see him anywhere?" Loki looked around and asked, "Is he going to use a sneak attack again?"
When Aiz heard so, she readied her sword, looking around cautiously, wondering where Isao would come out.
"...run away."
"What?"
"He is running away."
"..." Everyone.
Loki looked at Riveria and asked strangely, "You don't stop him?"
"You want me, freezing the entire place, then gaining more debts for our Familia?"
"....." Everyone.
"Then, can you use physical ability?"
"Do you want me to hold him?" Riveria asked.
"...." Everyone.
If it were others, they wouldn't think too much, but Riveria was the high elf and even princess of the elves, someone who protected her chastity very much. Even the closest in the Familia never touched her skin, and those around her thought of her body as sacred and worshipped it.
With all of that in mind, do you want her to hold Isao?
"Then, why didn't you tell us anything?!" Loki asked helplessly.
"I was also at a loss when he said that he was going to run away, and it was too late when I realized everything..." Riveria sighed, then said, "Anyway, don't cause more trouble. We already have so much trouble in our hands. Let's just have a celebration, then go back."
"....."
Still, somehow, at this moment, their expression was so weird. After all, Isao showed such courage, yet why the hell was that guy running away?
Only Aiz looked at the distance, the place where Isao probably had left without saying anything.
"Aiz, what's wrong?" Riveria looked at Aiz with doubt.
"No..."
Yet, Aiz sighed inwardly, wondering whether their relationship could only become an enemy.
'No, I have to apologize, and at the same time...'
Aiz wished to know the secret of Isao's power.
---
Sorry for the wait. I should have mostly recovered. Thank you for waiting.