Chapter 58 - Loki Arrives
"Bell, have you thought about which Familia you want ask for support?"
After a moment, Hephaestus brought up the topic again.
"Well, if I had to choose now, there are only two Familia that could provide support for me and Hestia."
"One is the Freya Familia, and the other is the Loki Familia."
"With either one as a backer, I wouldn't need to worry about troubles."
Hephaestus nodded.
However to her, one of the Familia posed a potential danger, which Hephaestus felt compelled to warn Bell about.
"Bell, I suggest you avoid the Freya Familia."
"Hestia should understand why I'm saying this."
"Uh-huh!" Hestia nodded in agreement, fully aware of the reason.
"With Freya's personality, she would simply try to charm you."
"Most of the children she favored eventually succumbed to her charm."
"So, Bell, it's best to keep your distance from Freya."
"If you approached her now, with her personality, she might take action herself."
"I don't want Bell to be taken away by Freya."
By the end, Hestia was nearly in tears.
Freya's presence clearly had a strong influence on Hestia. In fact, it would affect any Familia with promising members.
No mortal could resist the allure of the goddess of beauty, Freya.
"Hestia, I have no intention of choosing the Freya Familia as my backer."
"Although the Freya Familia may be the strongest in Orario, this power could easily turn against me and you. I'm well aware of Freya's nature. At this time, I need to stay away from her."
'It seems I need to use a rune to Counterattack Freya's innate ability. Although I won't necessarily get charmed by her. But caution is still needed.' Bell thought.
"Anyway, I need Loki Familia to be a reliable support for Hestia and me."
"Convincing Loki isn't too difficult. Hestia could simply talk to her."
"No, that won't work!"
This time, Hephaestus's suggestion was outright rejected by Bell.
"Although I can tell the relationship between Hestia and Loki is more like a rivalry between friends. But.."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"No, it's the worst."
Bell knew that Hephaestus was correct.
But he didn't want Hestia to use herself for such a trivial reason.
"If Hestia made this request, she'd owe Loki a favor."
"In my opinion, that's a complex obligation."
"Even if Loki didn't expect anything, it would mean Hestia could no longer hold her head high around Loki."
'Bell, You truly cherish her too much!'
Hephaestus couldn't help but feel a bit speechless at this.
While Bell's words were reasonable, would a goofy Hestia really care about such matters?
She'd likely forget about it immediately.
At most, Loki would bicker a more often.
"If Hestia won't approach Loki, then it falls on you to speak to her. So, what do you plan to offer Loki in exchange for her protection?"
"There is something."
Today, Loki once again arrived at the door of Hephaestus' shop.
For the past three days, Hephaestus hadn't returned to her Familia's, choosing instead to stay in her shop without stepping outside.
This wasn't surprising to Loki. She understood Hephaestus's current situation all too well.
The appearance of the runestones had created ripples in Orario.
Everyone recognized the immense value of these runestones, and by extension, the worth of their creator.
It wasn't hard to imagine that the runestones still held many undiscovered secrets and functions.
Given the circumstances, it made sense for Hephaestus, now the center of attention, to stay put.
"Loki-sama."
"Huh? So, Hephaestus still isn't seeing anyone?"
Loki's musings were interrupted as she glanced at the receptionist and inquired about the situation.
She had assumed Hephaestus would avoid meeting with anyone until things settled down.
"Hephaestus-sama invites you upstairs for a discussion."
Loki, who had been ready to leave, paused at this unexpected response.
She turned to the receptionist, unsure if she had heard correctly.
"Hephaestus wants to meet me?"
"Yes, Hephaestus-sama is waiting for you upstairs."
"This…"
Loki was momentarily caught off guard by the sudden change.
She had been certain Hephaestus would continue avoiding everyone, yet now, Hephaestus had agreed to meet her.
Loki's surprise quickly turned into understanding.
She doubted Hephaestus simply wanted to chat. In times like these, every action Hephaestus took carried meaning.
'It's about that little runt, isn't it?'
Almost instinctively, Loki thought of Hestia.
Her expression grew serious as she narrowed her eyes.
"Alright, lead the way."
Loki already had an idea of what Hephaestus and Hestia were planning.
Even though this wave of chaos had swept across Orario, there were always ways to calm the storm.
The key was finding someone who could take control of the situation.
At the moment, only two Familia in Orario had the strength to do so—Freya's Familia and her own.
It wasn't hard to see why Hephaestus and Hestia were seeking her now.
Loki followed the receptionist up to the second floor of Hephaestus's shop.
The moment she entered, she noticed Hestia, dressed in a waitress outfit.
The dress highlighted Hestia's fair shoulders and petite frame, while her ample chest made her figure all the more striking.
Loki found the sight irritating.
Every time she looked at Hestia's figure, it reminded her of how Hestia always mocked her own physique.
"Tch! It's so big, it's bound to sag sooner or later!"
Loki couldn't help but mutter this curse inwardly, though the envy still left her feeling red-faced.
Outwardly, however, she maintained a calm demeanor and casually sat down on the sofa in the room.
The moment she sat, something felt off.
"Strange, why does this sofa feel warm?"
After a quick glance around the room and finding nothing unusual, Loki dismissed the thought.
"Hephaestus, and… little runt, you both know why I'm here, don't you?"
"Of course."
Hephaestus, noting that Loki wasn't in the mood for small talk, got straight to the point.
"It's about the runestones—and our situation."
"That's right."
Loki's eyes briefly shifted to Hestia, who was brimming with pride.
Seeing Hestia so pleased over something other than her figure was, admittedly, a bit vexing for Loki.
"Though I hate to admit it, You really struck gold this time."
While Loki was confident in her own children, she had to acknowledge Bell.
If managed properly, Hestia's Familia could rise to become the top Familia in Orario, thanks to the runestones.
After all, the runestones were incredibly versatile, and any adventurer would want to carry a few of them.
The variety available also hinted at the possibility of even more powerful versions in the future.
What Loki really wanted now was a glimpse of the hidden inventory.
Everyone knew the runestones currently on sale were just the safe, basic ones.
The truly valuable ones were undoubtedly being kept secret, reserved for special purposes, and not sold to just anyone.
"Hmph! Call it luck if you want, but my meeting with Bell was destined!" Hestia declared proudly, savoring her chance to gloat in front of Loki.
"Bell…?"
The unfamiliar name immediately caught Loki's attention. Clearly, it was Hestia's child.
"Huh? Loki, don't tell me you don't even know his name?"
Hephaestus glanced at Loki, surprised that, despite Loki's extensive network, she didn't know something as simple as this.
Even Hestia raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
"Ah! I couldn't find out!" Loki snapped.
"That guy hardly talks with anyone, though I heard his name before but at that time I thought he's just a newbie so I forgot!"
Loki vented her frustrations before slumping back against the sofa.
"I've never seen an adventurer like him. His presence in Orario is practically invisible. Even in the dungeon, no one's caught sight of him."
If Loki hadn't spotted Bell at the Hostess of Fertility, she wouldn't have even had a lead to go on.