Boom! Boom! Boom!
One by one, bursts of magic flared brilliantly in Rin's hands. At that moment, she stared at the magic crystals in her hands with astonished eyes, as though she couldn't believe their power. She looked ready to devour them whole.
"Alexander, these magic crystals... they're incredible!"
For Rin, life had always been tough. As an ordinary high school girl, her livelihood depended entirely on the inheritance her father had left her. Yet, the magic she practiced demanded costly gemstones, making her finances even tighter.
Her frugality defined her life—constantly saving, constantly struggling. Meeting Alexander had eased her burdens somewhat, but money was still a resource that inevitably ran out.
Now, though, her worries vanished. Holding the seemingly endless supply of magic crystals, Rin realized her days of financial hardship were over. She no longer needed to scrimp and save. She could even dream of becoming a wealthy woman!
Seeing Rin's excitement, Alexander couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, take it easy. I've made plenty of magic crystals. These should last you for a while," Alexander said, handing Rin a large bag filled with even more crystals. Rin clutched them tightly as though they were the most precious treasures in the world.
In her excitement, Rin impulsively kissed Alexander on the cheek. The sudden display left Hestia fuming with jealousy, her eyes practically spitting fire.
Hestia couldn't explain the strange, uncomfortable feeling bubbling inside her. Perhaps it stemmed from loneliness—after all, she'd spent so long on her own before finally gaining a Familia member she truly cared about.
"Alright, alright, stop dawdling! Aren't we going to see Hephaestus? Let's get moving already!"
Unable to contain her frustration, Hestia stormed to Alexander's side, ready to drag him away.
---
"Fine, let's all go together," Alexander agreed, then turned to Artoria. "By the way, Artoria, can you find us a bigger place to live? This rundown church isn't cutting it anymore."
With that, Alexander tossed a handful of magic crystals to her. Watching this, Rin let out an audible gasp and instinctively hugged her own stash tighter. It was clear her humble upbringing still influenced her behavior.
Hestia, however, was overjoyed at Alexander's suggestion. She'd endured the dilapidated church for far too long, unable to move due to her lack of funds. Now, the thought of living in a larger, more comfortable home filled her with excitement.
"Joining Alexander's Familia might not be so bad after all," Hestia thought with a sigh. Although the gods descended to the mortal realm out of boredom, no one would willingly choose a difficult life over an easy one if given the option.
And so, under Hestia's guidance, Alexander and his group set off for Hephaestus's workshop in a lively procession.
As they walked, their unusual group quickly drew attention. Hestia and Alexander led the way, followed by a stunning lineup of beautiful girls. Passersby couldn't help but stop and stare.
"Hey, look at that! What Familia is this? They're all gorgeous!"
"I know, I know—that's the Hestia Familia. Wait, isn't that the Familia with the broke goddess who has to work part-time? Where did she get so many members?"
"Beats me. But wow, those girls are stunning. Do you think I should go introduce myself?"
"Introduce yourself? Are you crazy? What if they're high-level adventurers?"
"High-level? Ha! As if! I'm an esteemed Level 2 adventurer. You think I'd be scared of them? And come on, do you really believe anyone strong would join Hestia's Familia?"
Another adventurer chimed in. "Exactly. They're probably just a bunch of rookies who barely scraped together enough valis to register. There's no way a high-level adventurer would stoop to joining the Hestia Familia."
"Hey, little beauty!" one of the adventurers called out to Rin. "Why don't you join our Familia? We're led by a mighty Level 4 adventurer!"
Hearing these mocking words, Altair's patience snapped. In a flash, gleaming sabers materialized around her, their edges radiating cold menace.
Before she could act, Alexander raised a hand to stop her.
"Don't, Altair," Alexander said calmly.
"But Alexander!" Altair protested angrily. "How dare they insult us! Let me teach them a lesson!"
Alexander shook his head. "I'm not saying you can't retaliate. I'm just saying... a little punishment is enough."
Hearing this, Altair reluctantly lowered her weapons, intrigued to see what Alexander would do.
With a wave of his hand, Alexander summoned several massive boxes that appeared out of thin air and crashed down onto the offending adventurers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The stunned adventurers screamed in panic.
"Brother, we were wrong! Please forgive us!"
"You can't do this! I'm a member of the Apollo Familia! If you don't let me out, our captain will make you pay!"
"Help! Somebody help! Where are the guild members?!"
Ignoring their cries, Alexander regarded them coldly. "Listen carefully. If even one of my things goes missing, you won't live to regret it. Understand?"
The adventurers whimpered pitifully, nodding in terror.