In the conference room of the Big Three.
Seated on either side of the long table were the three leaders of the Loki Familia: Finn, Riveria, and Gareth.
At the head of the table, Loki still lounged in her usual lazy posture, one leg crossed over the other, a pen spinning in her hand.
But those red eyes were locked tightly on the people sitting across from her.
There were two of them.
Genichi and Demeter.
Loki looked at Demeter, who had come along with Genichi, and could not help making a snide comment.
"Demeter, you really do dote on this little member of your Familia."
Her voice carried a trace of teasing.
"You even came with him for something like this?"
Demeter looked at her, and a gentle light flickered through those amber eyes.
"Genichi is not just a member of my Familia."
She paused.
"He's also my lover."
Loki's brow lifted slightly.
Lovers?
A goddess and a boy who had only been an adventurer for two months?
She looked at Demeter, a complicated emotion flickering through those red eyes.
"You didn't use divine power to help him cheat, did you?"
She suddenly asked.
"Otherwise, how could a rookie adventurer clear the Dungeon on his own in just two months?"
Demeter's expression did not change in the slightest.
She simply looked at Loki quietly, a faint trace of mockery passing through her amber eyes.
"You should not say things you have no proof of."
Her voice was calm, but it carried a certainty that could not be ignored.
Loki's brows drew even tighter.
The more Demeter responded like that, the more suspicious she became.
"So you did cheat."
She practically bit the words out through clenched teeth.
Demeter let out a cold little laugh.
"Loki."
Her voice was tinged with ridicule.
"You really think everyone is like you, looking at a genius and immediately trying to explain it away with conspiracy theories?"
Loki's expression shifted slightly.
But before she could retort, Demeter continued.
"Genichi's strength is something he fought for himself. You cannot even imagine what he went through in the Dungeon."
She paused.
"If you don't believe it, go investigate. See how many monsters he killed in these past two months, and how many life-and-death battles he went through."
Loki fell silent.
Of course she had already investigated.
From the day Genichi defeated Bete, she had sent people to look into him.
The result...
The deeper they dug, the more alarming it became.
That boy had spent almost every day in the Dungeon.
Starting from the first floor, he had fought his way down, level by level.
In less than two months, he had already reached the thirty-third floor.
And on top of that, he had solo-killed the Amphisbaena. He had solo-killed Goliath too.
Those accomplishments were the real thing.
There was no possibility of cheating.
Loki drew in a deep breath and suppressed the emotions inside her.
She looked at Genichi, and a complicated light flickered through her red eyes.
"All right. I believe it."
She paused, then continued, "So I assume you didn't come here just to talk about that."
Genichi looked at her, and there was not the slightest ripple in those black eyes.
Then he slowly spoke.
"Loki, I want to make a deal with you."
One of Loki's brows twitched.
"A deal?"
"Yes."
Genichi nodded.
Loki looked at him, and a spark of interest flashed through those red eyes.
"What kind of deal?"
Genichi did not answer right away.
He only looked at her quietly, as if waiting for something.
Loki started to feel unnerved under his stare.
"Well? Go on already."
At last, Genichi spoke.
"Dionysus."
He said the name slowly.
Loki's gaze sharpened at once.
Dionysus?
That god of wine?
"What are you trying to say?"
Her voice had grown serious.
Genichi looked at her and spoke slowly.
"Dionysus is one of the last three major leaders of Evilus."
Loki's pupils shrank.
"What did you say?"
"I said..."
Genichi's voice was calm, but it carried a force impossible to ignore.
"Dionysus is one of Evilus."
The meeting room fell silent in an instant.
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all changed expression at the same time.
Loki herself stood up directly.
"What proof do you have?"
Her voice carried unmistakable disbelief.
Genichi shook his head.
"I don't have proof."
Loki's brows knotted tightly.
"If you don't have proof, then what are you basing that on?"
"On what I know."
Genichi looked at her.
"Dionysus is raising monsters. He's planning a massive conspiracy."
He paused.
"And at his side is Filvis Challia, a creature modified into a monster with the strength of Level 7."
Loki's expression changed completely.
Filvis Challia.
Of course she knew that name.
She had at least heard of the Banshee.
"How do you know all this?"
Her voice dropped low.
Genichi looked at her, but did not answer.
Loki took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Help me eliminate Dionysus."
Genichi's reply was brief and absolute.
Loki fell silent.
She looked at Genichi, complex emotions surging in those red eyes.
Eliminate Dionysus?
If what Genichi said was true, then yes, Dionysus had to be removed.
But if it was false...
"I need proof."
She spoke slowly.
"Without proof, I won't make a move."
Genichi looked at her in silence for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"That's fine."
He paused.
"But let me warn you..."
"There isn't much time left."
Loki's brows furrowed slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Dionysus may be about to make his move. You know about the Six-Ring Fairy Circle, don't you?"
Genichi's voice was calm, but it carried a certainty chilling enough to make the room colder.
"If you wait until you have complete proof before acting..."
"It may already be too late."
Loki fell silent.
She knew what Genichi said was true.
If Dionysus really was planning to activate the Six-Ring Fairy Circle, then they truly could not afford to wait.
But...
Without proof, how could they move?
"Give me a little time."
She finally said.
"I'll investigate."
Genichi looked at her and gave a slight nod.
"All right."
He stood up.
"I'll wait for your answer."
Demeter rose as well and slipped her arm through his.
The two of them turned and headed for the door.
When they reached it, Genichi suddenly stopped and looked back at Loki.
"Loki."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
He paused.
"Dionysus is more dangerous than you think. The cards he's holding go beyond anything you've imagined."
With that, he pushed open the door and walked out.
The door closed softly behind him.
Only Loki and her three leaders remained in the meeting room.
Loki leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling for a long time without speaking.
Originally, they had invited Genichi over because there were things they wanted to discuss.
In the end, not a single one of those things got said.
Instead, Genichi had casually thrown the problem of Dionysus at them.
And they had no choice but to catch it.
Finn stepped forward.
"Loki, what are you going to do?"
Loki was silent for a moment.
Then she straightened up, her expression turning hard.
"Investigate."
Her voice was firm.
"Dig into Dionysus. I want every last thing."
Finn nodded.
"Understood."
(End of Chapter)
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