For the first time, a Familia member appeared who drank Divine Wine and remained sober. Soma, who had been living in disappointment, his mood can be imagined—his heart received enormous impact.
Soma's gaze toward Roy held a trace of complexity. His own main god's understanding of Familia members was inferior to an outsider's. How truly failed.
Roy's face remained calm on the surface, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Before coming, he had specially borrowed orchid perfume from Goddess Astraea.
He let Lili smell it in advance, raising the latter's spiritual power by one level. Otherwise, relying solely on that bit of ability values, she would be instantly destroyed by Divine Wine.
Of course, Lili's willpower couldn't be ignored. Roy hadn't expected she would use self-harm.
Soma's voice became much gentler, asking, "Are you still willing to stay in the Soma Familia?"
Lili's confused gaze wandered between Soma and Roy, hesitation appearing on her small face.
After a long while, Lili's eyes turned, "Lord Soma, I'm willing to stay."
No one was surprised by Lili's choice, Roy included. Just knowing each other for one day and wanting to take her away? What kind of Orario boy would be confident to this degree!
Joy appeared on Soma's face, "From today onward, you are the Soma Familia's captain!"
Lili's mouth opened wide. At this time she was only ten years old, yet had become a Familia captain.
With the main god's decision, this matter was beyond question.
Lili took quite a while to accept this fact, but she didn't seem particularly concerned about this captain title. Her small eyes occasionally stole glances at Roy.
If Soma knew that Lili stayed to use this Familia's resources to better help Roy, he would probably cough up blood in anger.
Roy, Ryuu, Daphne, and Cassandra exchanged glances, smiles appearing on their faces.
Everything seemed to be heading toward a happy ending. But Zanis, dragged into the room, his heart sank into deep despair. His power, his wealth—were they all to be taken away by a Pallum girl?
Anger, unwillingness—ultimately transformed into killing intent.
"Ahh—!"
Zanis erupted with a duck-like cry, grabbing the shortsword on the table, fiercely stabbing toward Lili.
The distance was less than two meters. No matter how trash Zanis was, he still had Level 2 ability values. The dagger's sharp edge instantly arrived before Lili's small head.
Lili's pupils widened. The threat of death had never been so close.
A black shadow appeared from the side, blocking this strike for her—precisely Roy's palm. The dagger pierced through his palm, fresh blood splashing onto Lili's small face.
The sharp blade edge was less than one centimeter from her.
Crackle! Crackle!
Golden thunder emerged from Roy's other palm's center. Clenching into a fist, it landed on Zanis's face. Terrifying force blasted the other out of the room.
Ryuu's reaction was almost synchronized with his, swinging her wooden sword, striking Zanis's abdomen.
"Kill him!"
Seeing Zanis actually dared to sneak attack and even injured Roy, Daphne and Cassandra erupted in fury, rushing out, wielding staff and sword.
In the blink of an eye, Zanis was killed, losing all life signs.
"Noah Heal!"
Ryuu rapidly chanted. Emerald green light descended upon Roy, the wound in his palm beginning to stop bleeding.
Lili stood beside, tears swirling in her eyes. Roy was injured because of her.
Roy said, "Apologies, Lord Soma. Our people were too impulsive."
"This isn't your fault."
Soma shook his head. Zanis's evil deeds—even if he survived, would be lifelong imprisonment.
A trace of smile appeared on Roy's face.
Originally, after Soma revoked Zanis's captain position, he still wanted to find an opportunity to let Zanis die silently. Seems that wasn't necessary anymore.
It was over. His matter of purchasing Divine Wine from the other—no one would ever know from now on.
Soma opened the window, taking out a jar of Divine Wine and throwing it toward the square outside. The jar fell, the shattering sound attracting everyone's attention.
Wine fragrance overflowed. Soma Familia members' eyes emitted green light. Some even lay on the ground licking that wine liquid—this appearance was utterly disgraceful.
But these drunkards didn't care.
"All members drop your weapons!"
Soma spoke solemnly, "I have already relieved Zanis of his captain position and punished him. From today onward, all Familia affairs, big or small, will be personally handled by me!"
Within the Familia, the main god's command was supreme. Not obeying meant being deprived of blessing at any time, turning back into a ordinary person. Previously, Soma gave up, which was why Zanis continuously held Familia power.
But once a God became serious, who dared to act recklessly?
Originally, after Roy's group entered the mansion, Soma Familia members secretly contacted each other, preparing to turn the tables. At this moment, they also had no choice but to drop their weapons.
Several thousand people half-knelt on the ground—the scene was spectacular.
When a hint of white appeared at the horizon, declaring tonight's battle ended. With the Soma Familia suppressed, the main god recovering his spirit, and the captain changed as the ending.
Outside the Soma Familia, all of Orario exploded.
After yesterday's battle-watching Gods and adventurers spread the word, everyone knew the Astraea Familia relied on four people to suppress the Soma Familia of several thousand.
For a time, everyone was shocked speechless.
Ryuu handled some executives at the back door. In the Gods' eyes, the most outstanding performance was undoubtedly Roy's.
Forty-meter longsword sweeping through magic!
Taking the enemy commander's head amidst ten thousand troops!
The Gods who saw that scene were too excited to sleep. They descended to the lower world precisely to see this!
The Gods who didn't run over to watch regretted so much their intestines turned green. Just from others' descriptions, they could imagine how shocking that scene was.
Some Gods also ran to the Stardust Garden.
"Astraea, give the Sprout of Justice to me. I'm willing to offer ten million valis!"
"Scram, ten million valis? Go sit at the kids' table! Astraea, I offer one hundred million valis, let the Sprout of Justice convert to my Familia!"
"I offer one hundred million valis plus one hundred Familia members—all children with potential!"
Outside the Stardust Garden, it was like an auction had begun. Facing the pestering endlessly Gods, Goddess Astraea unceremoniously swept them all out.
As for the Soma Familia's miserable state.
After Roy and the others announced their evil deeds, Gods and adventurers clapped and cheered—good riddance!
Most Gods and adventurers weren't actually hating evil as if it were a personal enemy. It was the Divine Wine! Selling defective products to them—such black-hearted merchants, even whipping their corpses wouldn't be excessive!
How much money had they been cheated of all these years?
Facts proved that only when concerning their own interests would people become active and attentive.
The Astraea Familia launched large-scale battles in the city. The Guild also turned a blind eye, fining several tens of thousands of valis and calling it done. If they really heavily punished the Astraea Familia, Orario's citizens wouldn't agree.
When Gods and adventurers looked back, they were shocked to discover that since Roy's debut, in just half a year, three Familias had already been destroyed by him—too ruthless.
His fearsome reputation made people tremble at the mention.
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