“Mm-hmm-hmm… Ais-tan is full of energy practicing her sword again today~ Now, let me sneak over and…”
The two had just entered the mansion when a figure came thumping down the stairs from above.
Her vermilion hair swayed as she moved, her narrow eyes curved into crescents, and she was muttering something to herself.
Her attention was not on her surroundings at all.
In fact, she did not even notice the two people standing in front of her.
Only when she was just a few steps away from Ize and the gatekeeper did the woman finally snap back to her senses and notice them.
“Lady Goddess, I offer you my greetings.”
At that moment, the gatekeeper suddenly straightened his body and bowed deeply to her.
The woman who had come bouncing down from upstairs was none other than a god.
More precisely, she was the goddess of this Familia—Loki.
“Oh?
If it isn’t Simon.
What’s going on?
Why are you standing by the entrance all of a sudden?
And you even brought an unfamiliar face with you?”
Simon was the gatekeeper’s name.
Since he was a member of her own Familia, Loki was not so careless that she could not even remember his name.
However, compared to Simon, Loki was clearly more interested in Ize, who stood frozen beside him.
“Lady Goddess, this kid came here hoping to join the Familia.
His name is… uh…”
He had intended to introduce him to his goddess, but then Simon suddenly froze.
He realized he still did not know Ize’s name.
“Ize.
My name is Ize Elward.
It is a pleasure to meet you, Goddess Loki.”
Ize smoothly introduced himself and gave Loki a slight bow.
“Oh?
Someone hoping to join the Familia?
The Guild sent me a message yesterday saying that someone had applied for that announcement we posted ages ago.
Looks like that person was you, huh?”
Loki looked Ize up and down with great interest.
Her narrowed eyes opened just a crack, revealing her vermilion divine eyes.
“Blond hair, blue eyes, and a pretty handsome face.
You’re pleasant enough to look at.
But… I don’t sense the presence of a god’s blessing on you.
Kid, I think you might need to explain yourself.”
Many gods, depending on their authorities and abilities, still differed from one another even after sealing their divine power and descending to the lower world.
For example, Freya, the goddess of beauty, possessed eyes capable of seeing through souls.
Even without using divine power, she could still release a certain degree of her authority of “Charm.”
Hephaestus, the goddess of forging, possessed smithing skills that had reached the “divine realm.” The equipment she forged was extremely useful for the development of her Familia, making hers a wealthy Familia famous throughout Orario.
Loki was the goddess of trickery, and in this regard, she had no particular advantage compared to those two.
However, something as simple as seeing whether a person had received a god’s blessing was still well within her ability.
Ize, someone without a god’s blessing, had applied to join the Loki Familia as a supporter.
This situation slightly piqued Loki’s interest.
“As you can see, I’m a newcomer in the truest sense.
I only arrived in Orario yesterday.
Since I wanted to join the Loki Familia, I used a small trick to get the chance to meet you~”
Although Ize had long since mentally prepared himself to be seen through, being exposed at a single glance still made him smile bitterly.
He honestly revealed all the little schemes he had been hiding in his heart.
One could not lie in front of a god.
Of course, Ize had never intended to lie in the first place.
After some time passed, Loki finished listening to Ize’s honest confession.
Unlike Simon, whose expression had already changed into one that seemed to be looking at a brave warrior, Loki instead smiled with some appreciation and nodded.
“Not bad.
I didn’t expect you to be a complete newbie.
Personally, I quite like smart kids.
Your looks pass too~”
After all, Loki was the goddess of trickery.
To her, using a little cleverness was not something that would lower one’s evaluation.
In fact, depending on her mood, it might even be a plus.
And today, she was in a very good mood~
Wait a minute.
Is this Familia even serious?
Why does joining a Familia also depend on looks?
In his heart, Ize had a retort stuck in his throat, but his rationality temporarily suppressed it.
“Then, what is your reason for wanting to join my Familia?
If your answer satisfies me, I’ll agree to let you in!”
In truth, Loki had already made her decision.
The reason she asked was because she wanted to tease Ize a little.
Wasn’t bullying newcomers a tradition?
“My reason?
Naturally, it’s because… I feel that you and I, Lady Goddess, might get along very well~ Mm, in all sorts of ways.”
Ize had originally planned to give a serious answer.
However, when his eyes met Loki’s, he caught the undisguised teasing in them.
So he immediately changed his words and directly addressed her as “Lady Goddess.”
“In all sorts of ways?”
The unexpected answer made Loki pause slightly.
“Yes.
In all sorts of ways.”
Ize nodded solemnly.
In a certain sense, Ize and Loki actually shared the same thoughts.
They were both serious people~
After all, what serious person would come rushing to join the Loki Familia just because it was powerful?
Wasn’t it obviously because there were so many beautiful girls in the Familia?
At this moment, one serious person meeting another serious person would not have made it strange even if both of them suddenly teared up.
Hearing his words, Loki could not help narrowing her eyes again, treating Ize’s ambiguous answer with a slightly more serious attitude.
Somehow… this kid’s words seemed to carry a hidden meaning…
What exactly was he hinting at?
And why did he give off the familiar scent of one of her own kind?
Beside them, Simon, who had been silently acting like an invisible background character, could not help speaking up.
Even if Lady Loki’s personality was extremely free-spirited, surely she would not be fooled by such words, right?
Looks like this kid’s chance, which had been practically handed to him, is about to go cold!
Simon had just made that judgment in his heart, but what happened next began to develop in a direction he could not understand at all.
Loki put on a serious expression and pondered for a while.
Then, all of a sudden, she seemed to let it go.
“Forget it.
Right now, I’m not really suited to pretending to be serious and digging into every little doubt.
In any case, you’ll be one of my Familia’s children.
There’s no need to overthink it.
Your name is Ize, right?
I hope we really do get along well from now on~”
Loki’s current behavior made question marks silently appear over Simon’s head.
To Ize, it looked more like she had simply given up thinking.
Then, wearing a carefree smile, she stepped forward.
“Then it’s decided!
From now on, you’re a child of my Familia!
It’s been a long time since our Familia had a new recruit!”
Loki repeatedly patted Ize on the shoulder and laughed freely, looking to be in an extremely good mood.
Ever since descending to the lower world, Loki’s personality as a goddess had become much gentler and much more casual.
According to a certain old acquaintance goddess, she had “become like a small-time character.”
However, it was precisely this casual and unconstrained personality that created the family-like atmosphere of the Loki Familia.
“It is my honor~”
In response, Ize also smiled.
The notification that floated up in the lower left corner of his vision—Mission Complete.
Reward Issued—made his mood equally wonderful.
“Simon, go tell everyone the good news.
We’re holding a welcome party tonight!
I’ll take Ize to complete the ceremony first!”
With a wave of her hand, Loki grabbed Ize and began walking toward her divine chamber.
At the mansion entrance, Simon’s expression went from confusion, to speechlessness, and finally into a rather helpless bitter smile.
“Lady Goddess really is… as free-spirited as always…”
Something as important as joining the Familia had been decided so casually by the two of them in just a few words.
However, he could understand it as well.
It had a lot to do with Ize’s clean background.
If Ize had already possessed a god’s blessing, Loki definitely would not have been so easy to talk to.
After all, there were schemes and struggles between Familias too.
But Ize did not have one.
Therefore, whether or not he joined the Familia depended entirely on the goddess’s will.
It could be said that the moment Ize and Loki met face to face, this matter was already halfway settled.
Still, a welcome party, huh…
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Simon’s mouth.
If Ize’s talent turned out to be disappointing after the ceremony, then Simon would have to properly enjoy watching his misfortune.
Congratulations!
The Loki Familia’s gatekeeper squad has gained another new member!
Gehehehehehehehe~