Bang! Bang! Bang!
Morning.
"Who is it? Knocking like a spirit summoner this early in the morning!"
A series of urgent knocks woke Eiji up.
Annoyed, he muttered under his breath, then got out of bed and opened the door.
Standing outside was the head deity of his familia, a cross-dressing goddess with fiery red ponytailed hair—Loki.
At this moment, she was staring at Eiji with a serious expression. The moment he opened the door, she walked straight into his room without waiting for an invitation and casually closed the door behind her.
"You finally lost your mind?"
"...Be serious. I'm not here to sleep with you."
Loki's mouth twitched.
Good grief.
So you do know that I came looking for you because something's wrong!
Very self-aware, huh?
"Tell me the truth—did you kill Phryne?"
"Huh?"
Eiji's face was immediately filled with shock.
"Phryne's dead? Hell yeah, what a joyous occasion! I've been sick of her for a long time!"
"It wasn't you?"
Seeing his schadenfreude-like expression, Loki narrowed her eyes like a cunning fox.
"I heard that quite a few members of the Ishtar Familia seemed to have been enchanted last night, and they still haven't regained consciousness."
As soon as she heard this from Raul this morning, she immediately suspected Eiji. Coincidentally, he hadn't shown up at the cafeteria either, and the timing fit perfectly.
"I went to the dungeon last night."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"I see..."
Loki swayed her head from side to side, as if contemplating something. Then, she suddenly smirked.
"You went to the Ishtar Familia before heading to the dungeon, right?"
Eiji: →_→
"Hey, don't look away! You can't lie in front of a god!"
Oh, right. That passive ability of theirs.
Well, guess there's no helping it.
"…Fine, yeah, I killed her."
Eiji looked unwilling.
"Damn it, I even took all the necessary precautions—burned my clothes, scrubbed myself clean multiple times, even ran all the way to the dungeon to create an alibi… Gods' passive abilities are so unfair!"
If he wanted to take Phryne out, assassination was the only option. A direct duel was out of the question.
But she'd been staying out of the dungeon lately, not even leaving her familia's base. That's why he had to sneak into the Ishtar Familia.
After all, he was about to roll into a new world and leave this one behind. He had no interest in wasting more time on that toad-woman.
"Oh ho! So it really was you?"
Loki clicked her tongue in amazement.
Though she had expected this outcome, it was still hard to believe that after reaching Level 4, Eiji had actually managed to take down a Level 5 in a frontal assault.
"No one else suspects me, right?"
Eiji asked her quietly.
"Relax, no one else knows you have charm abilities."
Loki patted his shoulder reassuringly, as if to say how could they?
"Everyone who knows what happened last night thinks Freya did it. No one's even considering you. Finn and Raul have dismissed their suspicions too."
Loki had been the only one to immediately suspect Eiji, which was why she came to confirm it herself.
"You didn't leave any evidence behind, did you?"
"Shouldn't have."
Eiji shook his head. He hadn't taken anything that could be traced back to him. There was simply no evidence to leave behind. Then, he couldn't help but ask, "You're not mad at me?"
Loki had just learned the truth, yet instead of scolding him for acting recklessly, she was actually more concerned about whether he'd been exposed.
Is there really such a biased god in this world?
I love it!
"As long as you weren't exposed, it's fine."
Loki waved her hand dismissively, then deliberately put on a menacing expression, her eyes narrowing sharply.
"You think my familia rose to power without making enemies?"
That was true.
Anyone who became a major power would have to walk a path paved with blood—whether their own or their enemies'.
"To be honest, when that toad first set her sights on you, I already wanted to get rid of her. But you and Finn decided to make peace, and of course, I was glad you two were thinking about the familia's interests."
"But remember—Loki Familia never starts trouble, but we never fear it either. That's my policy."
Did that toad have any idea who she was messing with?
If Ishtar had personally been involved in that past incident, Loki would've raised all hell. But since it had been Phryne acting alone, and Ishtar had apologized sincerely, she had let it go.
Most importantly—
"That toad dared to hit my precious Ais-tan!"
Loki gritted her teeth in pure hatred.
So Eiji's actions were completely in line with her wishes.
Her only complaint was that he hadn't told her in advance—otherwise, she would have thrown a party to celebrate!
Besides, with Phryne dead, the girls in the familia were overjoyed. They were all shouting, Serves her right! That'll teach her for trying to touch our prince!
Even Finn, after hearing the news, simply asked a few questions before dropping the matter.
Of course, that was under the assumption that the killer wasn't from Loki Familia. If there was any evidence left behind and Ishtar came knocking, then there'd be trouble.
And Loki had come to confirm exactly that.
Eiji: I'm touched.
"By the way, you said everyone thinks Freya did it?"
"Yep. After all, I'm the only one who knows you can charm people. But Freya's ability to do so is common knowledge. Heh, she's in for some trouble this time."
"Plus, Ishtar's always provoking Freya. She usually ignores her, but everyone thinks this time, she finally got fed up and personally went to the Ishtar Familia to take out their captain…"
With a satisfied mood, Loki turned to leave Eiji's room.
She didn't see the oh shit expression on his face.
"Holy crap! What if Freya rats me out?"
Very few people knew about his Charm ability.
But Freya… had sparred with him personally!
***
"You actually had the guts to come see me?"
Tower of Babel.
Led by a cat-person youth who was exuding a faint hostility, Eiji made his way to the very top floor, where he found the goddess lounging lazily on a sofa.
"This time, I'm taking a huge fall for you. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
Half-reclining, Freya crossed her slender legs, turned her head toward Eiji, and smiled faintly with an expression that was neither amused nor angry.
"Uh… How about I owe you one?"
"You're making me take on such a hassle, and you still won't join my familia to make it up to me?"
"I could compensate you in… other ways."
Hearing this, the cat-person at the door frowned in confusion, pondered for a moment, then shot Eiji a murderous glare, making him feel a chill run down his spine.
"Aaron, leave us."
"…Yes."
After the cat-person respectfully exited, Freya slowly rose from the sofa, her silver hair cascading over her full, voluptuous figure.
Eiji suddenly felt parched.
"That's not out of the question."
Freya walked up to him, draping her arms around his neck, gazing at his hooded face with intoxicated eyes.
This man.
Flawed in so many ways… yet she couldn't resist him.
"I get to be on top."
She leaned in, her breath hot against his ear.
This is happening?
"Fine, then I'll take the loss!"
Eiji put on a reluctant expression.
Not long after, soft, melodic sounds filled the room, making one's blood boil.
***
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