The morning of the Hearth Mansion was as peaceful as usual.
Even if they could hear the bell that kept ringing from the outside, whether it was Hestia or Isao, the two decided to ignore it, pretending that they weren't present in the house.
"Where are Cassandra and Daphne?" Hestia asked.
"They should be sleeping, but then again, they are not going to help us much with our problem," Isao said, waving his hand and cruelly telling Hestia that Cassandra and Daphne were useless.
"You are right." Hestia nodded and agreed with Isao's statement.
"...." Cassandra and Daphne.
The two had a quiet breakfast together in the living room near the peaceful garden that was designed by Isao. Due to the DNA of Apollo and Goibniu, he had probably become the best architect in the world. Designing a garden was nothing for him.
Hestia also liked this part of their house since, unlike the vibrant and colorful garden that she usually saw in heaven or anywhere else, his garden was low-key, subtle, simple, modest, and imperfect. Yet, she didn't hate it, and it felt so comfortable to look at it forever.
If someone from Isao's world saw this garden, they would say that this was the ultimate "wabi-sabi" garden.
Naturally, Isao also had a vibrant and colorful garden where it shouted, "Look at me! How beautiful I am!"
Nevertheless, designing something and building a house, garden, and many others had become part of his hobby somehow.
Moreover, instead of holding all of his money without using it, he might as well invest it. Those gardens, villas, houses, and many others might seem meaningless, but he knew that he could sell them or even use them as a spot for dating or tourism, which would give him a stable income.
Enjoying their fried egg, sausage, bread, and nice bitter coffee, the two decided to take a moment of quiet, ignoring all the problems that they had encountered when he went on an expedition to the dungeon and she went to visit the "Banquet of Gods."
"Who first?"
"How about yours?" Hestia looked at Isao and asked, "I have heard from Takemikazuchi that their children have caused you trouble, right? What are the details? What did they do to you?"
"Takemikazuchi? The god from the Far East?"
"Yeah." Hestia nodded. "Are you familiar with him?"
"No." Isao shook his head and said, "I don't worship deities in my hometown."
"...I feel complicated even if I hear that from your mouth."
However, Hestia also knew that this guy didn't worship the deities. Instead, he destroyed a god and also slept with the goddesses.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Isao was simply a misfit, or rather, this guy was a heretic!
Yet, regardless of who he was, Hestia was furious when she heard that the children of the Takemikazuchi did. Fortunately, Isao was strong, but what if he was weak?
"That guy... appeared meek and apologetic, but... his heart is so ugly..." Hestia took a deep breath and asked, "What do you want to do with them?"
"It's fine. They are just minor Familia, but then, in case we have trouble, we can use them."
"They are weak, though."
"They can be used as bait."
"Okay."
Still, Isao looked at Hestia, wondering whether what was in her mind was only him that she didn't care about anything else. Yet, probably, this was what she thought, which made him helpless.
Nevertheless, he didn't change his opinion since he knew that the potential of the members of the Takemikazuchi was only so-so. More importantly, he felt that this family was weird, especially when they let one of their members wear nothing but dirty clothes when the rest of them wore goddamn, nice clothes.
"Is that all? What about the Ishtar Familia?"
"Be patient, there is more."
"Okay?"
Hestia somehow had a headache, listening to all the problems that Isao had encountered in the dungeon. Starting with the Takemikazuchi Familia, a strange monster, Revis, Udaeus, and then the Ishtar Familia.
"This Revis... what is she?" Hestia asked with doubt, wondering what kind of creature this female killer was.
"I am not sure." Isao shook his head and said, "But it might have something to do with Aiz?"
"Wallensomething from Loki?"
"That one."
"What does it have to do with her?"
"I will tell you if I get permission from her."
"Okay." Hestia nodded and didn't feel unhappy. Instead, she loved this part of him, which made him able to keep a secret from someone. "Then, what do you want to do with the Ishtar Familia?"
"They should calm down after I gave them to the Loki Familia. The Loki Familia also need money, so it is a good chance for them to get their ransom."
Isao didn't think that Loki Familia would let go of this chance to take a lot of money from the Ishtar Familia, especially when he didn't ask for any percentage of what they could get from this ransom.
In other words, all the money the Loki Familia could get from the Ishtar Familia would be theirs alone!
If Isao was in the place of the Loki Familia, he would be stupid to let go of this chance to get free and easy money.
"You want to make them into the enemy of the Loki Familia?" Hestia thought that this was a good proposal to let Loki and Ishtar fight each other.
"No, I want to fight Ishtar Familia by myself." Isao looked at Hestia resolutely and said, "Let's do a War Game with the Ishtar Familia."
"...are you serious?" Hestia was dumbfounded and quickly realized what his plan was, but then, when she thought about what she said at the "Banquet of Gods," she blushed, realizing that she was the same.
"It will be the same as before. All or nothing. Between us and them." Isao looked at Hestia and asked with a mischievous smile. "Will you follow me like before?"
'What an unfair smile...'
Hestia knew what Isao planned, and she knew that it was impossible to stop him, but—
"Okay."
She leaped into him, hugging him tightly, feeling nostalgic about their previous experiences. Yet, even though they had become wealthy and lived in a good place, the fate they encountered was similar, which made her helpless since, anytime and anywhere, there had always been someone who wanted to take what they had away.
Could everyone live peacefully?
"But you are not going to fight now, right?" Hestia had to make sure.
"Of course not. Let's wait till I have become a Level 5." Isao thought for a while and said, "Let's set up a "Banquet of Gods" at our place, then officially, formally challenge the Ishtar Familia at that time. Let's have a fair duel!"
"...fair."
Hestia was helpless since the word "fair" appeared cheap when it came from his lips, yet, like before, she didn't hate this part of his.
Still, as for when he reached Level 5, Hestia had no doubt that Isao would reach that level soon.
Enjoying their quiet morning, sitting next to each other on the sofa, Isao thought about the problem Hestia encountered at the "Banquet of Gods," but before that, he asked, "By the way, do you know Evilus?"
"Evilus?" Hestia frowned and said, "I have heard of them, but I only came to the lower world after the Evilus was destroyed, so I don't know much about them. I only heard them, but why did you mention it?"
"Well, I am afraid that they might be related to us soon."
"What?"
"Well..."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound of the bell was impossible to ignore, and it was so loud that it destroyed their serene and peaceful morning.
"Isao-sama..." 2x
At this moment, Daphne and Cassandra, who were so exhausted, also woke up and looked at him in confusion. Still, unlike yesterday, they used "-sama" in his name as their bodies were conquered by him~!
"SHORTY! BAD GUY! YOU GUYS ARE THERE, RIGHT?! HURRY UP AND OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO TALK ABOUT! I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A FEW DAMN HOURS! HURRY UP AND WAKE UP!!!"
"..."
Isao and Hestia looked at each other and let out a helpless sigh.
They just wanted to have a peaceful life, but why the heck was it so difficult?