Leaving the divine chamber, Xia Jia ran head-on into Cecile, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.
Cecile tilted her little head up: “Where is the Captain?”
Xia Jia shifted his gaze away sheepishly, reached up to scratch his cheek, and said softly, “Are you calling me?”
“What?!”
The girl’s willow-leaf brows instantly shot up: “What are you pretending for?
From the moment you officially became a member of the Familia, you should have been using the formal title of address for me!”
Cecile had clearly been looking forward to this for a long time, having waited outside the door specifically for this moment.
Regarding this…
“I’m sorry, but some small issues have arisen.
The position of Captain…
might not be something I can just hand over to you so easily.”
“Hmph.” Cecile puffed out her cheeks, her face full of disdain.
To go back on one’s word like that—how could a person like this be a member of Astraea-sama’s Familia?
A captain like this was someone she, Cecile, would absolutely never acknowledge!
At this moment, Astraea also spoke up: “Cecile-chan, I’m sorry.
Due to certain reasons, Xia-chan has a reason he absolutely must become the Captain…”
“What kind of reason…” Cecile muttered.
“It’s regarding his skills…” Astraea glanced at Asfi, hesitating, but ultimately clasped her hands together: “That’s just how it is, so I’m asking for your understanding!”
“Even Astraea-sama is siding with him…!!” Cecile’s eyes widened.
She looked like a rural wife who had supported her husband through the civil service exams, only to be ruthlessly abandoned after he passed, her face full of resentment.
Xia Jia, truly feeling bad about it, proposed:
“How about this?
We compete for the position of Captain fairly.
We’ll set a three-month deadline.
Whoever recruits more members to the Astraea Familia during that time becomes the Captain.
How does that sound?”
“Of course, these recruits must gain Astraea’s approval—no padding the numbers with just anyone!”
Although Cecile was unhappy, seeing Astraea clasping her hands together and tilting her head in a plea behind Xia Jia’s back, her resolve crumbled.
“Fine!
Three months, it’s a deal!”
Cecile glared viciously at Xia Jia, then huffed, crossed her arms, and turned her head away.
A mere newcomer has no advantage against a veteran blacksmith like me!
Besides, the Sword City is my home turf; when it comes to connections, I have the upper hand!
Plus, I have my rare skill!
I’ve already won!
Cecile was certain of it, recalling the rare skill she had awakened:
[Sword Creation]
When forging sword-type weapons, proficiency increases rapidly.
When forging sword-type weapons, attribute stats are enhanced, with a low chance to increase the rank of the materials.
Although she didn’t have [Forging] and the weapons she made would be “white” (common) grade without innate attributes, Cecile was confident that her skill was enough to create high-quality plain weapons that would attract enough adventurers!
As for Xia Jia, he was equally confident; a rather bold plan was slowly taking shape in his mind.
The members of the newborn Astraea Familia high-fived, sealing the competition contract.
“Ahem.”
At this point, Asfi, who had been watching the drama from the side, gave a soft cough.
“You’re still here.”
Cecile and Xia Jia spoke at the same time.
“Why are you two acting so in sync now when you were at each other’s throats just a moment ago!”
Asfi rolled her eyes:
“Ah, ah.
Even though sending someone over here was just a side task for me, being left on the sidelines after you’re done using me like this is truly disheartening.”
Heh, woman, do you really not have your own ulterior motives?
Xia Jia rolled his eyes back: “Isn’t that obvious?
We’re partners in the same Familia!”
Cecile added: “United against outsiders.”
“Tch.” Asfi clicked her tongue, though she didn’t intend to probe further.
“Since things are settled here, I’m heading back to report to Hermes-sama.
I really don’t know what Astraea-sama sees in you.”
“If I had failed the interview, it’s you who would be in trouble, right?” Xia Jia narrowed his eyes.
“Hmph.”
With a tsundere-like huff, she was about to turn away when Astraea’s voice rang out from behind: “I’m sorry, please wait a moment.”
Astraea stepped forward and requested: “I heard that child sent a letter.
I would like to write a reply—could you wait for me a little longer?”
Upon hearing this, Asfi’s small face slumped, and her glasses even slid halfway down her nose: “Good grief, even Astraea-sama is like this…”
“So, I’m sorry, but I have to rely on you, Asfi-chan.”
Astraea took the letter from Cecile, read it seriously, and then took out parchment and a quill to consider her response.
Xia Jia, curious, came over as well and casually pulled stationery and a notebook from his bag, gesturing for the Goddess to use them.
“This seems much more convenient.”
The Goddess didn’t mind, swapped her tools, and began to write character by character.
The content of the letter was as tender as a mother worrying about a child who had traveled far away.
Astraea-sama…
she’s very much like a mother.
Seeing the Goddess at such close range only made Xia Jia feel more at ease.
In short…
She’s completely maxed out the “devoted wife” attribute.
As the Goddess wrote, she hit a snag when she reached the part about the situation here, tapping her chin with the pen tip and thinking, appearing troubled.
“Are you having trouble?” Xia Jia asked.
“Yes, it’s a letter to a senior member of the Familia.
Due to various reasons, that child had stopped in her tracks, unable to move forward.
But based on her recent letters, she seems to have finally stopped drifting and started looking for her direction.”
Astraea spoke bit by bit about Ryuu’s story, then said with distress: “It’s just…
I’m not sure how to reply.
That child is also very concerned about things over here.”
Xia Jia smiled: “Why not tell her about us?
The fact that the Familia has fresh blood is definitely something worth showing off.”
“That’s true.” Astraea’s eyes lit up; she clasped her hands together and clapped happily.
And so, words rapidly appeared on the paper, introducing Cecile and Xia Jia, even including Xia Jia’s “ambition.”
However, the clever Goddess omitted Xia Jia’s actual abilities.
Witnessing his “black history” being exposed yet again, Xia Jia could only cover his forehead:
“Why are you telling her everything?
Please, write more good things about me.
If I can raise Senior Ryuu’s favorability toward me, wouldn’t I be able to instantly possess impressive ability values?”
“Oh, you’re right!”
Astraea tapped her forehead, though she didn’t erase the previous text; she simply added many phrases praising Xia Jia afterward.
How to put it—as a protagonist with the standard “orphan template,” Xia Jia didn’t dislike the feeling of a mother showing off her son and revealing interesting stories.
However, when Xia Jia saw the Goddess write at the end: ‘That child has hair with the same fiery passion as Alise’s’—
Xia Jia went quiet.
He seemed to understand why the Goddess had been half-willing when he applied to join the Familia using that reason.
“I hope Senior Ryuu won’t have too bad an impression of me when she sees this letter.”
“She won’t.
Ryuu is a very gentle child.
Even if she is a bit stubborn,” Astraea laughed behind her hand.
I hope so…
Xia Jia sighed.
If things went smoothly, based on the relationship of being a fellow Familia member and a new junior, this great senior—who was far away in Orario and whom he had yet to meet—should provide him with a substantial boost in ability values.
After all, that was a top-tier adventurer at the peak of Level 4 who had already met the requirements for leveling up!
‘At the very least, it could be 1-10%…
at the very least, an average boost of 100-1000 points across all stats.’
It was practically an instant rise to greatness.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
“Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Chapter250)
Can Playing Games Save the World?
65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
“I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I’m Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 20
From Trilobites to Titans 10
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 17
Arknights: Starting Out as a S 27
DanMachi:
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80) Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220) “Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Chapter250) Can Playing Games Save the World?
65 Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Junkman to Wasteland 66 Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31 I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220 Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42 Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65 Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 The Way the Umamusume Look at 68 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248 Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65 Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76 Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66 My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230 Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154 I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 145 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 115 Summoning an Evil God, but the 75 Supernatural Multiverse 110 My Harem Is Indescribable 100 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105 “I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105 Still playing traditional Honk 80 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85 What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78 Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55 Transmigrated as Sukuna 80 Checking In in Demon Slayer 85 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90 What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80 Why did they assign me to Uma 75 MYGO Beauties 70 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
80 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57 The Uma Musume Who Became 55 I’m Definitely Not the King of 60 After Maxing Out Every Class 45 Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 35 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34 I, the Elden Sword Saint 27 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24 No One Knows Pokémon Better 18 I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 20 From Trilobites to Titans 10 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 17 Arknights: Starting Out as a S 27 DanMachi: