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It’s Like Nothing Changed at All Kai slept in today.
Having acquired a taste for the forbidden fruit, he and Hestia enjoyed another two intimate sessions inside the custom-made shower stall right there on the sofa.
Now, the two of them were lounging lazily together, with absolutely no intention of separating.
Kai finally understood why his grandmother had always warned him that lust would drain a man to his very bones.
Right now, he didn’t want to do anything at all except ‘do’ Hestia.
“Kai, what do you think we should name our kids?
Will it be a boy or a girl?” Hestia’s voice was full of longing for the future.
Kai couldn’t help but follow her train of thought.
Kids, huh?
He had always thought that word was incredibly far removed from his life.
Back in his rural village, the kids of his childhood friends were already running wild through the fields and chasing butterflies across the plains, but it had never really registered for him.
Now, however, he was starting to understand why the number of his childhood adventuring buddies kept dwindling, replaced by silhouettes hunched over plows in the fields.
Responsibility.
It was such an adult word.
It was a word Kai had never liked, because it usually meant being pushed into abandoning your dreams.
But now, that exact word had fallen squarely onto his shoulders.
Kai looked around the cramped basement they were currently living in.
No parent would ever want their child to grow up in an environment like this.
Children should be embraced by sunlight, flowers, and all the beauty the world had to offer.
And in that moment, Kai realized something else: responsibility wasn’t about abandoning your dreams.
It was about passing those dreams on to your child.
“Hestia…
I’m going to buy a house with a massive yard.
It’ll definitely be bigger than the Loki Familia’s manor.” “Eh?
Mmhmm, okay!
I believe in you, Kai.” Hestia only needed one glance at his expression to know exactly what he was thinking.
She hadn’t expected him to take her casual remark so seriously.
By the looks of it, she needed to get ready to bear his children as soon as possible.
“Kai~ Do you want to go again?” “Huh?” Now it was Kai’s turn to be utterly bewildered.
Was he even going to make it into the Dungeon today?
….
They’re at it again!!!
[Sigh, the resentment of a single older woman is about to overload my poor little system.] Shut up!
[Alright, don’t be mad.
Didn’t you get a reward from their little performance too?
That’s a deity’s blessing!] When I watch them do this, I just feel like I’m getting cucked!
He’s my Hero!
Why isn’t it me sleeping with him?
I wasted all that money for nothing!
[Oh, so that’s what you care about?!
Well, look at it from another angle: when Kai comes to your world, you can sleep with him then.
That way, you’re the one cucking a goddess.] That sounds…
kinda hot.
Alright, I’ll take it.
So what does this goddess’s blessing actually do?
[It gives you insanely good luck.] That’s it?
Before Himeko could even complain about how useless a vague concept like ‘luck’ was, the door to her office was violently shoved open.
A white-haired, pint-sized older woman charged right up to her, a wildly excited smile plastered across her face.
“Himeko!
Himeko!
Great news!
I don’t know if Grandpa’s hands were just shaking from old age, but he added an extra zero to our budget approval!
I can pay your back-salary in full all at once!” “…I take it back.
Luck is incredibly useful.” “What are you talking about?” “Nothing.
Just give me the money, Theresa.
It’s been way too long since I had a drink, and this time, I’m drinking until I drop.” “Don’t overdo it!” Meanwhile, on the other side of the multiverse, the Doctor was directly experiencing the sheer absurdity of this luck as she pushed deeper into Chernobog toward the Core City.
Crossbow bolts aimed right at her would miraculously graze past her clothing.
Originium Arts on the verge of exploding in her face would inexplicably fizzle out.
Even Originium bombs were somehow turning into duds for the most bizarre reasons.
It could all be summed up in a single word: Invincible.
System, is Kai still doing…
that?
[Yeah, that goddess really doesn’t know the meaning of restraint.
At this rate, I’m pretty sure she’s going to snap Kai’s waist in half.] Ugh, you don’t need to be so detailed!
[Fine, if you’re not going to watch, I’ll go watch by myself.
Call me if you need anything.] “Doctor, we’re detecting Originium fluctuations up ahead, accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature.
We suspect it’s the Yeti Squadron.” “The Yetis, huh…
According to the intel from Crownslayer and Skullshatterer, the Yeti Squadron and the Guerrillas are the only factions within Reunion that have maintained strict military discipline.
Amiya, tell everyone to avoid lethal force in the upcoming battle.
Rhodes Island is desperately short on manpower right now.” “Understood.
I will notify the Operators to exercise restraint.” Speaking of which…
System, is Kai short on manpower over there?
Can I send some Operators to help him?
[Opening a dimensional channel will cost about ten Originite Primes.] That’s not too bad.
Pretty cheap, actually.
[Tsk, tsk.
As expected of a monopolizing pharmaceutical company.
When you talk about money, you really throw it around.] ….
Back in Orario, Kai’s grand plans to enter the Dungeon were vehemently rejected by his own body.
While he wasn’t exactly weak in the knees, he definitely felt hollowed out.
Going into the Dungeon in this state would be pure suicide.
Hestia, on the other hand, felt more refreshed than she had in her entire existence.
It was as if she had expelled millions of years of accumulated toxins from her body all at once.
While Kai left the house to seek refuge, Hestia happily skipped off to share her joy with her best friend, Hephaestus.
“Boss, the usual.” “Oh, if it isn’t Kai.
How does it feel being an adventurer?” “How should I put it…
At first, it felt really thrilling.
But after swinging a weapon for myself, I realized it’s a bit different from what I imagined.” “Hahaha, plenty of people who become adventurers because of hero tales feel the exact same way.
They might start off dreaming of an exciting, adventurous life, but eventually, adventuring just becomes a job to put food on the table.
Once that initial passion burns out, stepping into the Dungeon is nothing more than torture for most normal people.” “You sure know your stuff, Boss.” The Jagamaru-kun stall didn’t have many customers at the moment, allowing the owner to chat casually with Kai.
He truly lived up to his reputation as a veteran adventurer who had safely survived until retirement age.
Every word the stall owner spoke seemed packed with life philosophy.
Occasionally, he would even share stories of his days acting as an accompanying blacksmith on Grand Expeditions with the major Familias.
“Boss, is there anywhere in Orario that teaches rookies combat techniques?” “Not really, no.
Usually, the veteran adventurers within a Familia will train the rookies.
For someone in your position, Kai, you’ll probably have to rely on Lady Hestia calling in a favor with one of her divine friends.” “I see…” “Boss, three cream and red bean Jagamaru-kuns, and one matcha Jagamaru-kun.” “You’re here quite early today, Miss Aiz.”