"Incredible. What did you do yesterday? Why did your status increase again?"
Elise had returned to the Familia very late last night. Although there was no blood on her body, Astraea could still faintly smell the scent of blood.
The goddess simply chose not to ask.
But after updating her status the next day, Astraea let out another sigh of admiration—though this time she was not quite as shocked.
For some reason, when it came to Elise, things like this almost felt normal.
"You haven't gained any new skills. Only your status values increased, so I didn't bother engraving anything new," Astraea said.
"Your status has risen from SS-1000 to SSS-1243. So tell me—what exactly did you do?"
"You didn't even go into the Dungeon yesterday. Did something happen?"
The goddess' concerned voice sounded by her ear, but the content left Elise momentarily confused.
"My status increased again?"
After thinking it through, Elise finally grasped a possibility.
"Could it be... related to my eyes?"
After all, she had not done much yesterday. She went to the Guild, helped an elderly woman who was being robbed on her way home, and then at night she was kidnapped by members of Evilus and taken to trade with the Ishtar Familia.
If there was anything unusual in all of that, it was the fact that she had used the power of her eyes and devoured quite a few souls.
"Can that really increase my status as well?"
Elise recounted everything that had happened the previous day. Astraea immediately understood the situation.
"That must be the reason..."
"I never expected it to manifest directly in your status values."
The first time Elise had tried it in front of Astraea, she devoured the soul of a captain from the royal squad and eliminated a monster in ancient ruins. Even then, her status had only risen to G-297.
But this time, after devouring so many people, her status had increased by 243 points.
Did that mean the higher one's status became, the harder it was to raise?
"Elise, I don't oppose you killing people, but..."
Astraea understood Elise's reasoning. There was no need to show mercy to evil. But devouring souls—would that truly have no effect on Elise herself?
Those she consumed were all the souls of evildoers.
From a fundamental standpoint, they were wicked and undeserving of sympathy.
"But Elise, my thoughts remain the same as before. You need to think more about yourself."
"Are you certain that devouring the souls of evil people won't affect you?"
"They may deserve death, even death beyond redemption, but there's no need to tamper with their souls..."
And so, Astraea lectured Elise for a full two hours. Only when Elise was nearly unable to endure it any longer did the goddess finally stop.
"In short, that's how it is."
"I'm not against you using those eyes, but you must be cautious."
"If your life is in danger, then use whatever power you must. But if there are other options, try to rely on them instead. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Astraea's words echoed by her ear, making Elise shudder.
"I... understand!"
At that moment, Elise not only understood Astraea's words—she also understood just how terrifying the goddess could be.
Although Astraea usually appeared gentle and kind, if something she cared about was touched, she would discipline you mercilessly—without the slightest leniency.
She was practically like a mother...
"By the way, Lady Astraea, regarding the Ishtar Familia..." Elise suddenly remembered the unresolved issue and brought it up.
Instead of answering immediately, Astraea asked in return, "Compared to the battle courtesans of the Pleasure Quarter, how does your strength measure up?"
"I observed them yesterday. Most of them were only around Level 1 or Level 2..." Elise recalled what she had seen and continued, "This may sound arrogant, but even if they all attacked at once, they wouldn't be able to touch even the hem of my clothes."
"Is that so?"
A smile spread across the goddess' face.
"With that assurance, I can rest easy."
"There's no need to concern ourselves with the Ishtar Familia for now. Their strength is not yet something to fear."
"The Pleasure Quarter is also an indispensable part of Orario. As long as they don't cross the line, we can turn a blind eye."
"Oh? Lady Astraea..." Elise's interest was piqued. "May I interpret that as arrogance on your part?"
"Is that justice as well?"
"Of course."
Astraea answered without the slightest hesitation.
"You may call it arrogance if you wish. After all..." She rose to her feet, walked behind Elise, and embraced her from behind. "I have immense confidence in my Familia."
Elise's head was immediately buried in the goddess' ample chest.
"There is someone here who could face the entire Pleasure Quarter alone—and not only defeat them, but completely wipe them out."
"Losing a handful of members doesn't even count as punishment for Ishtar. It wouldn't affect her Familia in the slightest."
"And besides... we have magnanimously spared the entire Ishtar Familia, haven't we?"
"Tolerance is also a form of justice."
After hearing Astraea's words, Elise could not help but look at her in a new light.
"Your other side is truly rather frightening, Lady Astraea..."
Whether in the original novels or the game, whenever Astraea appeared, she maintained an image of gentleness, kindness, and dignified grace.
She brought warmth to people and earned countless admirers, even ranking highly in some of Orario's more peculiar popularity lists.
But the Astraea before her now, though still gentle, carried a sharp edge beneath that softness.
Compared to a purely benevolent goddess, she now seemed to possess a trace of a valkyrie's spirit.
Elise had never imagined Astraea possessed such a side.
Is this the butterfly effect caused by me, the proxy of a chief deity? Or was she always like this, simply choosing not to show it?
"Hehe! After all, I am the scales of justice!" the goddess explained with a laugh.
A pair of scales contains both good and evil, reward and punishment.
Gentleness and severity coexisted within Astraea as well.
"Haven't you already seen my divine crest, Elise?"
Wings encircling it, and at the center, a blade shaped like a pair of scales.
What is a sword used for? There was no need to elaborate.
"Oh, right!"
"Don't tell anyone about this, Elise."
The goddess of justice smiled as she leaned closer to Elise's face.
Yet Elise felt no warmth from that smile.
Instead, her sense of danger flared wildly, as if something dreadful would happen should she speak of it.
Driven by pure survival instinct, Elise surrendered and nodded frantically.
"Mm-hmm!"
"Don't worry! My lips are sealed!"