So-called goddess-like beauty must look something like this, right?
This was the impression Leon had formed the very first time he met this sword-wielding girl.
Her golden hair reached down to her waist, flowing naturally along the slender and graceful curve of her back. She wore pale blue light armor that accentuated her refined silhouette. Her skin was porcelain-white and supple, and her facial features were so exquisite they seemed not to belong to the mortal world—flawless as a work of art. She possessed a pair of eyes that were golden like her hair, shimmering with a transparent brilliance.
It was a beauty capable of attracting countless men and even making women swoon.
Not only did her beauty rival that of the elves, but it was also not inferior to goddesses famed for their perfection. Furthermore, she exuded a mysterious aura that only added to her immense charm. Even though Leon had grown accustomed to this face, he still found his gaze drawn to her from time to time.
"——Leon?"
The golden-haired, golden-eyed girl and the youth looked at each other. Seeing that he was staring at her without saying a word, she spoke softly, calling his name.
Her voice, just as it had been a year ago, lacked modulation and emotion, yet it was as melodious as divine music.
"Good morning, Ais."
Leon snapped out of it and greeted her with a smile.
Ais Wallenstein. That was the name of the girl before him, a figure known to everyone in the Labyrinth City, Orario.
She was hailed as the city's strongest female swordswoman. At only sixteen years old, she was already a world-famous First-Class Adventurer, one of fewer than forty Level 5s in the entire city. She was also a literal executive of the Loki Familia and a pillar of the group.
A year ago, it was this girl who had brought Leon back from the Dungeon and recommended that he join the Loki Familia.
For this, Leon was profoundly grateful.
Especially since... back then, he had taken a rather huge advantage of her.
Thinking back to the scene at that time, Leon unconsciously rubbed his nose.
To some extent, he had actually been quite lucky. Although he had experienced a high-altitude freefall, at least he hadn't slammed into the hard ground and turned into meat paste. Instead, he had fallen into the water and witnessed a goddess emerging from her bath—
It was possible the reason he nearly drowned was because the sight he witnessed was simply too shocking.
Unfortunately, this was a secret that could not be told. Whether Ais herself would be embarrassed was one thing, but Leon Eligos would certainly be furiously dismembered by the countless male and female familia members who would weep tears of blood out of envy and jealousy.
Particularly a certain main goddess who doted on the girl excessively—if she accidentally found out about this... Leon shuddered, not daring to think further.
"——Morning."
The golden-haired girl had no idea the youth was thinking about that unspeakable incident. Her eyes were fixed on Leon, and her attitude seemed a bit distant.
To an outsider, her manner would seem quite unsympathetic and cold, making people afraid to approach.
Only those close to her knew that she wasn't actually cold; on the contrary, she was a kind-hearted girl. Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought Leon back despite the circumstances and given him a place to stay when he had just arrived in this world.
The girl simply didn't know how to express her emotions, which was why she appeared somewhat aloof.
Knowing this full well, Leon naturally didn't take Ais's attitude to heart.
"Up so early to practice your swordplay again?" Leon walked over and spoke naturally. "Working hard as always."
"It's just... a habit." Ais sheathed her sword. Compared to Leon's natural expression, her exquisite face was notably lacking in variation. She said softly, "It's been like this for so many years."
"No wonder you're so strong." Leon looked into the girl's golden eyes. "With this much effort, it would be strange if you didn't become strong."
Hearing Leon's words, Ais lowered her head.
"——It's not enough."
The girl whispered.
"I am... not strong enough yet."
Her faint words seemed to hide countless untold stories and a heavy obsession, causing the atmosphere to shift slightly.
"Are you going to the Dungeon today as well?"
Leon was silent for a moment before changing the subject.
"Probably——"
Ais nodded, her words concise.
Even on days without missions or expeditions, the girl would train herself relentlessly for years on end. When no one was watching, she would slip into that monster-infested subterranean labyrinth to kill and swing her sword, intending to squeeze out every drop of her potential and convert it into strength.
A year ago, Leon's encounter with her on the 18th floor of the Dungeon was thanks to this habit of hers.
Even though many people worried about her, fearing she would act recklessly or encounter danger in the Dungeon, the girl refused to compromise on this point.
Therefore, Leon did not try to dissuade her.
"Remember to come back early."
Leon simply gave this smiling reminder.
"——Okay."
Ais looked at the smiling youth and nodded.
These weren't polite formalities. If she promised, she would remember and fulfill it.
For some reason, Leon just had that feeling. Perhaps it was because every time he said this, she would respond seemingly casually, but then would suddenly and quietly return earlier than usual to put his mind at ease.
"You're going to receive it today, aren't you?"
Ais seemed to remember something important, and her transparent eyes brightened slightly.
"God's Blessing."
It seemed the girl was paying attention to Leon's affairs after all. After all, Leon hadn't told Ais about this yet, but she already knew.
"I was just planning to head to the God's Room," Leon replied with a smile, his mood lifting.
"Congratulations," Ais said seriously. "You can finally formally join."
"Yeah." Leon opened his mouth to say something grateful, but seeing her serious expression, he swallowed the words and laughed instead. "Once I get a bit stronger, you'll have to teach me swordplay again."
Ais was silent for a while before she nodded.
"——Mhm."
There wasn't much sentimentality; she was concise as always.
Leon waved to the girl, turned, and walked into the Central Tower.
Top floor of the Central Tower, the God's Room.
This was the private room of the Loki Familia's main goddess and the highest point in the entire Twilight Manor.
Leon finally managed to climb the spiral staircase set within the tower, arriving in front of the main goddess's room and knocking on the door.
When he first knocked, there was no response, only dead silence.
Leon was patient. He knocked several times and waited for a long while before finally hearing a lethargic voice.
"Come in——"
Hearing the voice, Leon pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A room cluttered with a chaotic mess of miscellaneous items appeared before his eyes. The room wasn't very large, but it was so messy that it was clear it was rarely organized.
Leon took a quick glance and saw an expensive quill tossed carelessly on the table, a white crystal shimmering with faint rainbow colors left sitting out, and old shoes and hats hanging on the walls. The bed was a mountain of thick books and daggers, devoid of any order.
The most prominent items in the room were the various types of alcohol in the corners. Bottles of all colors and shapes were placed everywhere, some even half-finished.
One bottle was currently being held by a figure slumped by the bedside, radiating a strong scent of booze.
"I knew it was you, kid. You're here early——"
The figure clutching the bottle spoke lethargically to the entering Leon.
She was an incredible existence. She had vermillion hair that brought to mind the colors of dusk. Her eyes were squinted so narrowly they were almost invisible. She wore a white shirt and trousers like a salaryman and spoke with a Kansai dialect. If one didn't know better, they would think she was a sloppy middle-aged man.
Yet, despite her disheveled appearance and the way she sprawled carelessly, there was an indescribable sense of transcendence about her—as if the person before him didn't belong to this world but existed in another dimension.
That was only natural. Because the being before him was a celestial who had grown tired of life in the heavens and descended to the lower world in pursuit of entertainment—a self-willed deity.
She was a transcendent being of another dimension, entirely different from humans, sub-humans, or even monsters. she was the most noble, perfect, and powerful lifeform in this world.
She was the main goddess of this familia, the one who had entered into contracts with Ais and the others—Loki.
Looking at this transcendent being, Leon found it hard to associate her with the legendary gods of myth.
"You were binge-drinking last night, weren't you?"
Leon, who used honorifics even with seniors like Raul, always seemed to forget to be respectful when facing the main goddess.
"It wasn't binge-drinking."
Loki didn't seem to care about his lack of respect at all. She stood up shakily and made a pinching gesture toward Leon.
"I just had a little bit. Just a tiny bit."
Her grinning, playful manner took her even further away from the concept of a "God."
Fortunately, Leon was used to it.
"If Miss Riveria finds out, she'll probably scold you again."
Leon simply said this, causing Loki to raise an eyebrow.
"You aren't going to tattle on me, are you?" Loki said with a wary look. "Kid, I've treated you well. If you return kindness with enmity, I'll curse you."
What god would curse someone just for tattling?
Oh, a god from this world. Never mind then. After all, Leon knew only too well how free-spirited, bored, and arbitrary the gods of this world could be.
"Hmm? Are you secretly bad-mouthing gods in your head?"
Just as Leon was thinking that, Loki leaned in with her narrowed eyes, making his eyelid twitch imperceptibly. The gods of this world were famously sharp; mortals couldn't even lie in their presence. Where was the justice in that?
"The Captain told me that you've allowed me to formally join the familia."
At this point, Leon could only bring up the main topic to move past the previous matter.
"Hmph, I suppose that's true."
Loki snorted, seemingly deciding to let him off the hook for now as she followed his lead.
"It's already been a year, and I've observed you for that long. If I don't let you become a regular member, little Ais is going to throw a tantrum with me, isn't she?"
Speaking of which, Loki herself started to look grumpy.
"I really don't know where little Ais picked up a stray man like you. She used to only be interested in getting stronger. Sigh, my heart is breaking."
As she spoke, Loki looked genuinely distressed. She grabbed her bottle and took a large gulp, her face full of gloom.
"So, what do I do now——?"
Leon knew better than to say too much on this topic, otherwise, the goddess who doted on the golden-haired swordswoman would never let him go.
"Take off your shirt and sit in front of me."
Loki glanced at Leon and spoke slowly.
Leon was prepared. Without a word, he pulled off his shirt, revealing his upper body. His build was somewhat slender and his skin was pale, but he wasn't particularly muscular, which made Loki pout.
"This pampered look... it's obvious you haven't suffered a bit. One would think you were a young master from some noble family. You don't look at all like someone who would stumble onto the 18th floor of the Dungeon."
Leon acted as if he hadn't heard a word and sat down directly in front of Loki. Loki sat down behind him, taking a needle from a nearby box while speaking softly.
"Well, regardless, since I've decided to accept you, you're part of our family from now on."
"I won't pry into where you came from or why I can't find any trace of your past. There are plenty of kids like you here with secrets. If you don't want to talk, I won't care."
"As long as I'm certain you don't have ulterior motives and truly want to join us, that's enough."
The goddess's words gradually became profound, filled with pleasure as if she were beginning to enjoy this unknown factor.
"Let me see just how far you can go in the future."
As she spoke, the needle in Loki's hand pricked her finger, allowing a drop of blood to seep out.
Drip——
The divine blood dropped onto Leon's back, actually creating a ripple. Then, sacred characters emerged, and together with the emblem of a clown, they were carved into Leon's back.
This was "God's Blessing," the only miracle the gods of the lower world could exercise in this realm. It could awaken the dormant possibilities within the people of the lower world, allowing ordinary mortal lives to undergo a transformation and step toward the extraordinary.
Only by receiving this could the lives of the lower world shed their weakness and gain the strength to fight monsters.
At this very moment, he had finally obtained it.
Leon felt a slight surge of excitement.
Behind him, Loki slightly opened her eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. Her divine eyes stared fixedly at Leon's back, their expression inscrutable.
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