Inside the luxurious room, the elegant goddess reclined sideways on her jade throne.
Beside her, her delicate feet were being massaged in a man's hands.
The atmosphere in the room felt strange.
Especially for the goddess—her dissatisfaction was almost overflowing.
Slowly opening her eyes, Freya looked at Cao Ye, who was lowering his head while serving her.
"Alright, that's enough. You can stop."
After only a few minutes, Freya had already grown annoyed and spoke.
Hearing this, Cao Ye released her feet.
He also knew that his attitude lately was problematic.
But he had never been someone good at hiding things.
He hadn't exposed everything directly only because he was living under Freya's roof and had received a lot of help from her.
Freya sat up, pulling back her jade-like legs.
Her gaze fell upon Cao Ye.
She was a queen-like goddess, and arrogance was etched into her divine nature.
"Cao Ye, you've changed a lot these past few days."
"I'm just a little tired. After all, I'm still too weak."
"The contrast before and after is so big."
"I'm curious what caused it."
"Did someone tell you something, or did you realize something yourself?"
With a single sentence, Freya pierced through the thin veil between them.
Though she didn't say it directly, the matter was practically laid bare.
Cao Ye didn't expect Freya to confront him like this.
For a moment, he was stunned.
What did this mean?
Was she planning to clear the air with him?
Or was she warning him?
What should he do?
Take a step back and pretend nothing changed?
Or speak everything plainly?
"A few days ago on the 17th floor of the Dungeon," Cao Ye began.
"First there was a Monster Feast, and then a monster riot."
"I almost died there."
"I heard about that from Ottar," Freya replied.
"What I want to say is this."
"Lady Freya… that wasn't a coincidence."
"Someone wanted to kill me."
"It was a trap."
Freya tilted her head slightly.
"Someone wanted to kill you?"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because that day's Dungeon riot wasn't caused by me."
"It was because a god angered the Dungeon."
"I was just caught in the crossfire."
When Cao Ye said the word god, he raised his head and looked directly at Freya.
A thin layer of paper separated them now.
One push—
And everything would be exposed.
"That was the will of the Dungeon," Freya said calmly.
"The Dungeon hates the gods."
"As soon as it senses divine traces, it riots."
"It can even give birth to black monsters."
Freya said it plainly.
Cao Ye frowned.
"So… you're admitting it?"
He asked directly.
Freya nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
"It was my order."
"I had Ottar bring my divine aura to the Dungeon."
"The purpose was to trigger the riot."
"And force you into a desperate situation."
"WHY?!"
Cao Ye stood up suddenly, his tone rising.
He couldn't understand.
Freya had allowed him freedom and treated him differently from other members of her Familia.
Yet behind his back she had designed a deadly test.
He couldn't understand it.
"Because I dislike your laziness and complacency."
Freya answered calmly.
"Your potential is enough to reach the top of Orario."
"But the path there must be paved with blood and tears."
"Not idleness."
"That's your reason?"
"Is that reason not enough?"
Her question made Cao Ye fall silent.
Is that reason not enough?
This was no question at all.
Freya was the goddess of the Familia.
Her blessing marked his body.
Most importantly—
She was a god, and he was a human.
"…It's enough."
At this point, what else could he say?
Freya could clearly see it now.
Cao Ye felt resentment and rejection toward her.
His attitude was completely different from before.
This revealed the biggest difference between Cao Ye and the people of this world.
He was an outsider from another world.
He had never grown up with gods.
So he didn't possess the deep-rooted reverence that people in this world had.
Having consumed countless anime and novels, Cao Ye's perception of gods was… complicated.
Before, he liked Freya because she was the most beautiful goddess.
Now, he resisted her because she had nearly cost him his life.
And unlike other members of Freya Familia—
He wasn't her worshipping devotee.
He would never sacrifice everything for a goddess.
In fact, he had always been attracted to Freya physically, nothing more.
Freya observed him.
Her expression didn't change, but no one knew what she was thinking.
"I know you're full of resentment right now."
"Anger. Dissatisfaction."
"… "
Cao Ye remained silent.
But his silence was basically an admission.
Anyone who went through what he did would feel the same.
"But this world works like this."
Freya's voice carried faint mockery.
"If you don't have strength, you can't even decide how you die."
That sentence was impossible to refute.
The rule of the world had always been the same:
The strong rule. The weak suffer.
Especially in Orario.
Strong adventurers could do as they pleased.
Weak ones could only endure.
Freya stood up and walked toward Cao Ye.
The tense atmosphere in the room should have made such closeness impossible.
Yet she approached him anyway.
Cao Ye didn't understand what she was doing.
He could smell the fragrance coming from her body.
Even though the timing was terrible—
His heart still wavered slightly.
"You resent my actions," Freya said softly.
"But you can do nothing about it."
"Because you're too weak."
"However…"
"I can give you a chance."
"Ottar is the strongest in the Freya Familia."
"If you can defeat him…"
"You may do anything you want to me."
As Freya spoke, her Charm ability quietly spread.
"Anything?"
"Yes. Anything."
"Even if you want the goddess herself."
Cao Ye looked at her.
Then spoke slowly.
"Anything?"
"Yes."
Freya smiled.
"Even if it's putting a collar on you… and keeping you by my side forever?"
The moment he said that—
Freya froze.
Her eyes widened in genuine surprise.
She had intended to use Charm to influence Cao Ye.
But she hadn't expected him to say something like that.
This was truly an unexpected delight.
Putting a collar on her?
Freya had imagined countless possibilities.
But that one—
She had never considered.
Access full story at just 25$ please check out patreon.com/UchihaAce