Altair had completely forgotten about his agreement with Loki. He really had forgotten. After spending over five months in the Kabaneri world to deal with the Kabane issue, the time was too long, and he had been constantly thinking about playing the Sengoku period game, which caused him to completely overlook it upon his return.
It had already been more than a month since he made the promise with Loki. During the first month, Altair had been busy leveling up after creating the Beam Saber, then he went to the Kabaneri world, and upon returning, he was occupied with crafting musical instruments for his skills and recording music. He hadn't contacted Loki at all during this time. If he were Loki, he would have been anxious by now.
So, the next morning, Altair set out with Saeko, heading straight to the Twilight Manor.
"What a hassle, I let the time slip away and forgot as soon as I got back."
"After all, Altair-kun, you were in that world for over five months, nearly half a year. It's normal to forget after returning."
"Well, the reason it took over five months this time was that that world was so backward. The efficiency in dealing with the virus was significantly lower. Industrialization really is better; at least for ordinary people, the efficiency it brings is immensely high."
In a world with swords and magic, personal strength might be formidable, but in a world without special abilities, the power of industry is incredibly comfortable.
"The power of industry is indeed impressive, but the world we live in now is also pretty good. I enjoy this lifestyle."
"Exactly, a world of swords and magic is equally fascinating."
The two chatted happily as they arrived at the entrance to Loki's Familia, but were immediately stopped by the guards. Without a prior appointment and not being particularly famous individuals, let alone gods, gaining entry into Loki Familia was quite difficult.
"Could you please announce my visit to Loki-sama? It's Altair from the Hestia Familia."
"Please wait a moment."
One of the guards nodded and turned to enter the Twilight Manor. Within three minutes, he returned.
"Please follow me."
Following the guard, they entered the Twilight Manor. There were many members of Loki Familia, and naturally, their manor was much larger than Hestia's. After navigating several twists and turns, they finally reached the main hall, where Loki was lounging on a sofa, waiting for them. Even though it was still early in the morning, Loki was holding a goblet, swirling what appeared to be... orange juice?
What a strange combination.
As Altair thought this, he approached her.
"Yo, Loki-sama, good morning!"
"Yo, Altair, good morning!"
Altair greeted Loki without a hint of formality, and Loki reciprocated the greeting without regard for their statuses, both of them relaxed in each other's presence.
"Sorry, Loki-sama, I've been stuck in the dungeon leveling up and didn't have time to come over."
"Don't worry! It's just good to see you here now."
Loki still had that usual smile on her face, her eyes almost completely obscured.
"Say, Altair, are you here today to help my children as we discussed earlier?"
"Yes, as promised, I'm here to check on my idols."
"Oh! That's wonderful!"
Loki jumped up from the sofa with excitement.
"Come, tell me how many you plan to help today."
"Uh..."
Altair felt a bit speechless; while they were supposed to be partners, she was treating him like a tool, and expecting him to mass-produce results was a bit much.
"Which members need help at the moment?"
Since the boss had spoken, as the subordinate, it was time to get to work. The first step was to gather information.
"Well... since Bete has leveled up to Level 6, the remaining Level 5 children want to reach Level 6 too. They don't want to fall too far behind Bete, especially Ais. Ais has been going into the dungeon whenever she has the time, even staying overnight."
At this point, Loki's attitude suddenly became resentful.
"It's all because of you, saying things about pushing limits and pushing their bodies to the max right in front of her. Ais wants to be like Bete! By the way, Bete is impressive; he managed to push his limits based on just a few words from you. How did you do that?"
"Well, I didn't do anything special, just said a few words. Sometimes, the power of words is beyond your imagination."
Altair shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, looking indifferent.
"Indeed, the power of words can sometimes be very effective."
As the Goddess of Trickery, Loki excelled in the power of language, but hers was more about deception, not about directly making people stronger.
"Let me tell you about the children who need your help."
Loki Familia had many members, from high-ranking ones to ordinary ones. Altair couldn't possibly remember every single one, especially the nameless fodder who didn't have the right to be introduced!
"The one who is most eager to level up right now is Ais. Like Bete, she is Level 5 and has the strongest drive for power among our members."
The Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, could be seen as the heroine of this world. Before the main character, Bell Cranel had his rise, she had always been the record holder for levels. Her desire to grow stronger was pure; it wasn't for power's sake but simply to become stronger!
"Then there's Lefiya. She's someone my mom has high hopes for; she's the future of our Familia."
The Delusional Elf, Lefiya Viridis, was someone who often daydreamed, her fantasies usually revolving around Ais.
"And then there are the Amazoness sisters."
The Amazoness sisters, both Level 5, were Tiona Hiryute and Tione Hiryute, known respectively as the Crusher and Jormungand. Both were Amazoness.
Tiona had a carefree and boyish personality, able to get along with everyone as if they were siblings. In contrast, Tione was more composed and had a crush on Finn Deimne, the Captain of the Loki Familia.
In short, these were the key members of the Loki Familia; the rest were lower-ranked members who didn't have the privilege to appear.
"Great, I've noted down the roster. According to the current order, I plan to first help Ais. What do you think, Loki-sama?"
Altair mentally sorted out the four idols waiting for upgrades, with Ais naturally at the top of the list.
"Sounds good, let's do as you say!"
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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