บท 342: CH. 350: A Date Invitation
Asahi's thoughtful expression caught Loki's attention. Feeling something amiss, she patted his shoulder.
"In a dilemma?"
"Freya is here," Asahi answered. "I don't know her motive."
"What does that bitch want now?" Loki cursed as she placed her hands on her waist. "Fei Fei, you called her?"
Hephaestus shook her head. "I don't think I did. We haven't met since Denatus. We hardly talked there."
"She came to order some weapons?" Loki asked.
"Maybe." Hephaestus shrugged. "Why would she come in person for that?"
Asahi's instincts went off. Freya was alone this time, climbing the stairs. He could feel her strong intent and aura.
'I haven't interacted with her in a long time.'
He wasn't intimidated, just genuinely confused.
(Don't worry, my love. You can always 'smash' her if she goes too far.)
Klyscha's double-meaning joke gave him a bright idea. He wrapped his arm around Loki's waist. "Let's do something different to greet her."
Loki didn't resist and went along with his tease. Hephaestus followed the two, having doubts of her own about Freya. She didn't have the best relationship with Freya or any other deities. Loki was a client, an extremely generous one at that. Any person who appreciated her work could become her friend. Even then, her only goddess friend in Orario was Astraea. Hestia was still stuck in Heaven, waiting for her opportunity to descend.
Asahi returned to Hephaestus' office room and waited for Freya.
Freya twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. Three pairs of eyes scrutinized her.
Did Loki's narrowed eyes count as one?
Asahi stopped himself from cracking a racist joke and smiled at Freya. "Welcome to Ninth Hell. What would you like to order, Ma'am?"
Freya tried to decipher his words. Was there a hidden meaning or was he just spitting random bullshit at her? His amiable smile hid a sharp dagger ready to pierce her heart.
'A threat?'
She didn't let the surprise show on her face.
"I'd like to see the menu," she replied with a smile that could charm the strongest of warriors in Orario.
Asahi's response was utter nonchalance, confirming her doubts about his charm-immune constitution.
"Sorry. Our menu isn't printed yet. We only have two things on our menu so far. Gate to Heaven and Eternal Doom."
Freya smirked. She was used to serving the customers as a barmaid. Asahi was creating an atmosphere similar to Hostess of Fertility with his words alone.
'He knew I'd come to him, so he found my second identity to blackmail me.'
She misinterpreted Asahi's 'spicy' greeting.
Asahi's greeting was clear. Death in the mortal world led a deity through the Gate of Heaven. Eternal Doom referred to a slave-like life similar to Apollo's. The moment she stepped into the room, her intentions were like an open book in his eyes.
She came to cause trouble.
Asahi stopped caring about his peaceful life in Orario after he revealed his secrets to the women of Astraea Familia. The other people he cared about were a few members of Loki Familia. He couldn't care less if others came to fight him or hate him.
'Come on. Give me your best, Freya.'
Freya got the chills of her life from his smirk. She hadn't even started her game, but he disrobed her plans.
She wasn't disappointed.
She wasn't angry.
The abruptness of the situation was a pleasant surprise; one she never saw coming.
'This is a true god.'
The slackers loitering in the mortal world lost their right to be worshipped as deities in her eyes.
Loki looked between the two of them, feeling a bit lost. "Freya, the hell are you making that twisted face for?"
Freya stopped smirking and giggled. "Your menu was a bit… disappointing."
"Life is often disappointing, don't you think?" Asahi said with a sigh. "Alright, enough drama from me."
Hephaestus took the cue and tapped her pen on the table. "What's your reason for intruding?"
"Hephaestus, I came to meet him." Freya pointed at Asahi. "Lux Lanceam, the most talented adventurer in all of Orario."
"Wow. I'm pretty popular."
The tempo of the situation was out of Freya's hands. Honestly, she never had to control a situation until now. Her mere presence caused people and gods to shut their mouths, giving her easy reign over them.
"So what can a humble adventurer like me do for a goddess?"
The three goddesses felt sarcasm in his voice. If he was a humble adventurer, what about the adventurers who were stuck at level 1 all their life? None of them said it out loud.
Freya's face twitched when nobody showed the respect to give her a seat. "I'm here to invite you to a dinner at Folkvangr."
"A dinner date?" Asahi tilted his head. "I know I'm a dashing young man, but inviting me out of the blue like this… my wives won't be happy."
"You can bring your wives too," Freya answered humbly. Their reaction would make the game all the more entertaining, especially Astraea's reaction.
"I'll be cursed by every man if I refuse Freya-sama's offer. When is our date?"
He wasn't afraid of openly addressing this as a date. Freya flashed a dazzling smile, scattering her charm in the room.
"Tomorrow night at Folkvangr," she repeated.
"I don't know where that is."
"…"
How could someone living here for a month not know?! Freya didn't have enough retorts to throw at his innocent face. So she stopped thinking of one and told him about the place. After Babel and the Guild, her Familia base was the most popular place in Orario. "Why invite him?" Loki asked indifferently. "Ya know he is already claimed by Astraea."
Freya's eyes gleamed. "Astraea can also come. I'm not going to 'steal' her man."
'Like I'd believe that.'
Loki held back the retort on her tongue.
Freya nodded at Hephaestus before she turned around and left. She had gone to Stardust Garden before, only to find Asahi wasn't there. She only walked halfway and charmed a carriage man for the rest of the ride.
'I have to walk again…'
She cursed her mortal shell for being so weak. Her Familia members would have lifted her on their shoulders if she had said so. But causing an unnecessary ruckus wasn't her cup of tea.
Back in Hephaestus' office room.
Asahi shook his head in disappointment and turned to Loki. "You expected that?"
"She definitely got something on ya. Be careful there."
"You're worried for me?"
Loki grinned. "Isn't it normal to worry for a 'friend'?"
A friend who almost showed her the heights of pleasure.
"Asahi, are ya free now?"
"Yeah—no. I have to attend a very, very, very important meeting. People will die if I don't make it t—"
Loki squeezed his hands, bringing them to her chest. "H-Help me with one thing…"
He returned a blank stare at her cute act. "What is it?"
"Come with me."
As Loki began to pull at him, Asahi glanced over his shoulder. "Chiaki can stay here for a day or two. You don't have to make that face."
Hephaestus stopped her smile from widening. "I'll take good care of her."
Chiaki was an adorable girl who warmed her by her presence alone.
Hephaestus watched as Loki dragged Asahi away. Chiaki waved her hand energetically, squealing to say goodbye to her 'father.' Chiaki burrowed into Hephaestus's hair and relaxed.
"You really take me for your mom…" Hephaestus murmured.
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