Hearing that familiar voice, Hestia froze, then shot back a defiant glare. "Who'd use Hephaestus's money?" she huffed, bristling.
"Then you're not here to mooch a free game with that goddess face, are you?" Loki teased, a playful smirk curling her lips.
She darted to Hestia's side in a few quick steps, leaning in with mock shock. "No way, Shorty, you wouldn't be that shameless, would you?"
"You're the shameless one!" Hestia snapped, glowering.
"I don't know who was out there a few days ago, dragging random folks into her Familia, no care for godly dignity. Talk about embarrassing!" Loki said, her smug grin widening as she gave Hestia a knowing look.
"What's it to you?" Hestia retorted, crossing her arms with a huff.
"Hah! Hestia," Loki cackled. "You've been freeloading at Hephaestus's, haven't you? Bet she's sick of your useless mooching. Once she kicks you out, you'll be slumming it in Orario's gutters with the snakes and rats!"
"Don't worry, I'll swing by with leftovers for you," Loki added, patting Hestia's shoulder with exaggerated pity.
"Sorry to disappoint, Loki!" Hestia said, puffing out her chest proudly. "I've found a child who's joined my Familia!"
"What?!" Loki's eyes bulged, her disbelief plain. "You, Shorty, snagged a member?"
"Think I'm as hopeless as you?" Hestia said, squinting with a triumphant smirk.
"Who's hopeless? Me? You're the one!" Loki yelped, hopping in agitation.
"Oh?" Hestia's lips curled, her gaze flicking to Loki's flat chest with a pointed jab. "Plenty of things come to mind when I think of 'no taste'—like that washboard of yours."
"You can't strut just 'cause you're stacked!" Loki roared, her temper flaring like a stepped-on cat.
"Your sad little chest's on display in that skimpy outfit. Showing off what you don't have?" Hestia pressed, her victorious grin widening.
"Argh! Don't get cocky, Shorty! You think snagging some random child makes a Familia?" Loki fumed, her anger stoked by Hestia's taunts. "That nobody'll ditch your broke Familia soon enough!"
"Wrong again," Hestia sneered, her smugness peaking. "My child believes in me, and we're building this together!"
"Huh? What kind of moron buys that?" Loki scoffed, dripping disdain. "Work hard together? Sounds like some backwater dreamer's nonsense."
"Don't trash-talk my child!" Hestia shot back, her sharp gaze pinning Loki. "One day, Roy'll make our Hestia Familia Orario's strongest, and your Loki Familia will bow at our feet!"
Loki's shoulders shook with laughter. "It's daytime, Shorty! Save the sleep-talk for night!"
"Who's daydreaming?!" Hestia growled.
"Your big talk's cute, but you've been in Orario long enough to know my Familia's strength," Loki said, her arrogance swelling as she bragged. "Loki Familia, one of Orario's Twin Kings. Ring a bell?"
"Uh…" Hestia faltered, her bravado stalling. Months in Orario had taught her the Loki Familia's might—a titan built over decades, brimming with elite adventurers. Her fledgling Familia, with just Roy, faced a steep climb to rival that. Her bold words were a heat-of-the-moment jab, fueled by their spat.
"Orario's Twin Kings?" Roy interjected, strolling over from the registration desk with a faint, unsettling smile. "That title's too small for our Hestia Familia. From now on, we'll be Orario's Emperor."
He flashed a nameplate from the arena staff, signaling his entry. "Hestia, let's go," he said, turning toward the competitors' entrance.
Hestia threw Loki a final glare before hurrying after Roy with quick steps. Loki stared at their retreating figures, stunned.
"Where's Loki?" Riveria Ljos Alf asked, returning with tickets to join Tiona Hiryute.
"Riveria, you missed a show!" Tiona said, grinning, her eyes on Loki.
"Loki didn't stir up trouble in the few minutes I was gone, did she?" Riveria asked, following Tiona's gaze with a sigh before rushing over.
"Hot, hot, hot!" Loki snapped out of her daze, stomping furiously. Roy's parting shot had left her no chance to retort—a cheap hit-and-run. "Orario's Emperor? As arrogant as that Shorty!"
"What happened?" Riveria asked, seeing Loki's tantrum.
"Got smoked in a trash-talk battle," Tiona said, shrugging.
"I'm not letting this slide!" Loki fumed, chasing Roy and Hestia into the competitors' area, ignoring the staff's protests.
"Loki, stop!" Riveria called, her head throbbing. Apologizing to the staff, she leveraged the Loki Familia's clout to follow, Tiona in tow.
In the LV1 competitors' area, several adventurers prepped for duels, glancing curiously at Hestia's arrival.
"What's a goddess doing here?"
"Maybe she's dueling!"
"A war goddess slumming with us lowbies?"
Gods had VIP seats in the arena, not competitors' zones, as most lacked combat power post-sealing. Exceptions, like war gods or valkyries, could still dominate with martial prowess.
"She's my main god, here to watch me fight," Roy explained politely, smiling.
The adventurers nodded, dropping the chatter. As opponents, pleasantries weren't needed.
"Hold it!" Loki's voice rang out as she barreled in, hot on Roy and Hestia's heels.
"Loki, you're relentless!" Hestia groaned, spotting her pursuer.
Loki ignored her, sizing Roy up before scanning the room with a mocking laugh. "A green rookie, huh? Thought you snagged a hidden gem, Shorty. Just some child!"
She'd assumed Roy was a convert—someone with Falna who'd switched Familias—but his LV1 status dashed that notion.
"Sorry, folks, our god's causing a scene," Riveria said, arriving with Tiona to restrain Loki, offering apologies.
"Nine Hells and Amazoness!" the LV1 adventurers gasped, wide-eyed at the legendary duo, rarely seen up close.
"My apologies, Lady Hestia," Riveria said, bowing slightly.
"Your children have better manners than you, Loki," Hestia sniffed, nodding.
"Riveria, don't make me the bad guy! This child's too cocky!" Loki protested.
"Enough. Back to our seats," Riveria said, shaking her head.
"Nope, I'm staying here. View's fine, and I paid for a ticket," Loki said, plopping into a seat. "Tiona, bet on Roy's opponent—bet they'll win."
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter