Half an hour later.
The mansion had finally regained a measure of calm.
The burnt stench that had pervaded the first-floor hall—nearly strong enough to trigger a fire alarm—had mostly dissipated.
In its place was an enticing aroma, a blend of fried-egg grease and the wheaty fragrance of toasted bread.
At the top of the second-floor staircase, a series of light, shuffling footsteps gradually emerged.
"Yaaawn——"
"Morning..."
"That bed was way too comfortable. I didn't want to get up at all..."
Onigawara Rin rubbed her eyes, yawning as she walked at the front. Her black hair—normally maintained with meticulous care—was sticking up in places, clearly the battle-damaged state of someone who had just wrestled herself out from under the covers.
Behind her followed Kikakujou Mary, still looking completely out of it, drifting along as if sleepwalking.
And then came Hanasaka Warabi, who was attempting to brush her bear cub's fur even while descending the stairs.
As for Nomura Satori—she was lurking in the shadow of the staircase railing, rubbing one eye while surveying the activity on the first floor.
When the girls arrived at the first-floor hall and their gazes swept across the spacious living room to land on the open dining area beyond—their previously languid footsteps all ground to a halt in unison.
The moment they reached the first floor, they spotted three figures bustling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining table.
The Elf lady was already an old acquaintance by now. She'd been showing up punctually every morning these past few days to clean and cook—though the results of the latter were usually catastrophic.
The girls had long since grown accustomed to this and would even politely nod in greeting.
"Good morning, Miss Elf."
"Morn...ing..."
Ryu, who had been wiping a table, stiffened at the sound. The motion of her hands paused for a beat before she lowered her head, responding in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's hum.
Written all over that still-faintly-flushed face was a sense of shame that screamed: "Don't look at me, I'm just a useless maid who can only wipe tables."
However.
When the girls' gazes shifted slightly, landing on the two figures beside Ryu who were carrying plates and beaming with radiant smiles—
Their footsteps came to a dead stop, all in perfect unison.
"Huh?"
Hanasaka Warabi rubbed her eyes, peering over with some uncertainty.
"Aren't those the two people who came with that military police captain yesterday?"
"What were their names again...?"
Yesterday, while they'd all been upstairs and hadn't participated in everything directly, they knew the gist of it. The cat-eared girl and the human girl had been caught red-handed by Captain Shakti—the "Military Police Chief of the Labyrinth City"—for tailing the Elf lady, and then Kami-sama had detained them for hard labor, right?
They'd originally assumed it was a one-time punishment. After all, who would willingly come here every day to serve as free labor?
And yet... they'd actually shown up again today?
And judging by the looks of it, not only had they come, they were working with tremendous gusto.
Just as the girls were exchanging bewildered glances, still digesting this little surprise—
On the other side, the sharp-eyed Chloe had already spotted the group of girls who had just come downstairs.
"Ah! Good morning, ladies, meow!"
Chloe hastily set the plate in her hands down on the table. Her tail shot straight up behind her, and she plastered on a dazzling, customer-service-grade smile before delivering a textbook ninety-degree bow.
"Breakfast is all ready to go, meow!"
"Come try it, meow!"
With that, Chloe took an exaggeratedly dramatic half-step backward, sweeping her right hand before her in a perfect "after you" gesture.
That expression of "praise me, praise me" was written all over her face.
"Uh..."
Faced with this sudden burst of enthusiasm, Onigawara Rin and the others were momentarily stunned. They instinctively exchanged glances, each seeing the same bewilderment reflected in the other's eyes.
This attitude... wasn't it a little too good?
"Um... well..."
Kikakujou Mary, being the most proper-natured among them, hesitated for a moment before politely responding.
"There's really no need to be so formal."
"Miss Cat, you're..."
She remembered the face well enough. But the name? That she truly didn't know.
"Just call me Chloe~"
Chloe immediately jumped in, smiling so hard her eyes curved into crescent moons, her pair of cat ears even giving two timely little twitches to match.
"I'm Chloe, and the airhead next to me is Lunor, meow~"
"Who are you calling an airhead?!"
Lunor, who had been setting out tableware nearby, shot Chloe an irritated glare.
"Just call me Lunor."
"Well then... Miss Chloe, Miss Lunor..."
Kikakujou Mary nodded somewhat awkwardly. This kind of enthusiasm that completely seized the initiative from the host was genuinely hard to handle.
However.
When everyone's gazes followed the girls' gestures and landed on the dining table—all doubts were instantly swept away by the wave of fragrance that hit them head-on.
"Wow..."
That long dining table, large enough to seat over a dozen people, was now laden with a lavish breakfast spread.
At the center of the table sat several exquisite large porcelain plates. They held sunny-side-up eggs fried to perfection—edges crisped to an enticing golden-brown while the yolks remained tender and glistening.
Beside them lay thinly sliced bacon, pan-fried until the fat rendered out and the surfaces curled slightly with fragrant oils.
And then there were the sausages, still steaming, plump and golden-brown, even still sizzling faintly.
Beyond these main dishes, there were also thoughtfully arranged platters of fresh, colorful fruit cut into bite-sized pieces.
And a basket of freshly baked bread, just out of the oven—crusts crisp, insides soft, still radiating a rich wheaty aroma.
The presentation alone was enough to make one's appetite surge and mouth water.
"Heh heh heh~"
Seeing the clearly awestruck gazes of the group, Chloe—who had been closely monitoring everyone's reactions—seized the moment. She puffed out her chest and launched into a frenzy of credit-claiming.
"So? How about it?"
"This is a special love-filled breakfast that Lunor and I made together, crafted especially for all of you!"
Having said that, she didn't forget to use the corner of her eye to cast an utterly contemptuous sidelong glance at Ryu—who was standing in the corner, still clutching a rag, furiously scrubbing at a table corner, not daring to make a sound.
"This is absolutely ten thousand times better than anything that idiot Elf can make—the one who can only turn kitchens into infernos and food into charcoal, meow!"
"You should know, that idiot nearly tore Kami-sama's Magic Stone stove apart just a while ago!"
"If Kami-sama hadn't swooped in to save the day..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Chloe shook her head with dramatic exaggeration as she spoke.
"This beautiful house might already be a pile of rubble by now, meow!"
Hearing this merciless roasting—
Ryu's body gave a violent tremble in her corner. The veins on the back of the hand gripping the rag bulged visibly.
She desperately wanted to retort. Wanted to say she'd been trying her best, that it had been an accident.
But...
Looking at the dishes on the table—perfect in color, aroma, and presentation—and then thinking about the still-smoking lumps of charcoal she'd produced, currently sitting in the trash bin...
Facts spoke louder than words.
Ryu could only lower her head in humiliated frustration.
The girls watched this scene unfold. While they did feel a bit sorry for Ryu, looking at that tempting breakfast, they ultimately gave a silent thumbs-up to Chloe and Lunor in their hearts.
After all, no matter how you sliced it—for the sake of everyone's stomachs, having these two stay was genuinely a good thing.
"Alright."
"Since everything's ready, take your seats."
"Don't let their handiwork go to waste."
With Haimer taking the initiative to speak, the girls who had been watching the show hurried to sit down.
Even Inaba Tsukuyo, who had been hiding behind the sofa playing ostrich, walked over under Haimer's meaningful gaze—face red, head lowered—and obediently took her seat.
Breakfast officially began.
It had to be said—while Chloe and Lunor usually didn't seem particularly reliable and were prone to running their mouths, they were veteran employees of the Hostess of Fertility. When it came to cooking, the two of them genuinely had real skills.
The sunny-side-up eggs were cooked to perfection, the bacon was crisp and fragrant, and even the simplest toasted bread was done just right.
Perhaps it was because the excitement from last night hadn't worn off yet. Or perhaps they were simply starving after an entire night.
The girls ate with considerable enthusiasm.
Aside from Inaba Tsukuyo, who kept her head buried low the entire time, eating in tiny bites, occasionally stealing a furtive glance at Haimer—the atmosphere at the table was actually quite harmonious for the moment.
Haimer looked at Inaba Tsukuyo's still-hasn't-recovered state and sighed inwardly. This child... her skin was still just a bit too thin.
If he teased her right now, steam would probably start pouring straight out of the top of her head.
Fortunately, Haimer pretended not to notice and turned his attention to the food in front of him instead.
"Kami-sama, how does this sausage taste, meow?"
"Mm, not bad."
"What about this? I made this jam myself! I added a little special spice—isn't it unique?"
"Also not bad."
In their bid for leniency—to shed their hard-labor status as soon as possible—Chloe and Lunor had maxed out their ability to read the room. The instant Haimer's cup went empty, Lunor immediately topped it off with hot milk. The moment Haimer's gaze lingered on the fruit platter for even a second, a piece of honeydew melon already skewered on Chloe's fork was being offered to the edge of his plate.
Haimer, naturally, saw right through the pair's little schemes.
Before long, the food on the table had been mostly demolished. Everyone had eaten their fill and set down their utensils, leaning back contentedly in their chairs.
Haimer picked up the warm red tea beside him and took a light sip.
"That should about do it."
"Miss Lunor."
"?"
"What does Kami-sama need?"
Lunor immediately leaned in upon hearing him.
"Could you portion out the remaining food and deliver it to two rooms on the second floor?"
"Mm! Leave it to me!"
Lunor gave a light nod and deftly fetched a tray, neatly portioning out the two servings of the generous breakfast.
Just as she picked up the tray, however, she suddenly paused, blinking her large eyes as she asked:
"Oh right, Kami-sama, which rooms should I deliver these to?"
"I know about Lady Hestia, but who is the other portion for? That Miss Amou?"
As someone formerly known as "Black Fist," Lunor's impression of that black-haired girl who could tear apart Killer Ants with her bare hands was quite vivid.
"Mm."
Haimer nodded. "For Hestia, it's the second guest room on the left side of the second floor."
"As for Kirukiru—"
"Just deliver it straight to the master bedroom at the end of the second floor."
"Got it, Kami-sama."
Lunor agreed readily.
However.
The moment those words left Haimer's mouth—a chain reaction erupted.
Clang.
A crisp sound—the fork in Onigawara Rin's hand slipped and clattered directly onto her plate.
The air seemed to freeze solid in that instant.
Every single one of the girls' gazes locked onto Haimer at the exact same moment.
The end of the second floor... the master bedroom?
If they remembered correctly, the master bedroom of this mansion had been voluntarily assigned to Kami-sama by them from the very beginning, hadn't it?
Amou... she spent last night in Kami-sama's room?!
And not only did she spend the night—she still hadn't gotten up even now? She even needed someone to bring breakfast to her?!
The sheer volume of information contained in those words was far too enormous, nearly overloading the brains of Onigawara Rin and the others.
After all, last night, even though everyone had been excited, they'd all obediently returned to their own rooms to sleep. And while nobody had seen any sign of Amou Kirukiru, who could have imagined that the woman who normally seemed so cold and aloof had actually been this bold?!
Regarding wanting to monopolize Kami-sama—Amou Kirukiru had certainly shown signs of such intent before. She'd even said things like "I want to monopolize Kami-sama" right to their faces more than once, even inside the Dungeon—words bold enough to make a wolf blush.
But at the time, Onigawara Rin and the others had interpreted it as an obsession with the strong, or perhaps a fanatic possessiveness toward a deity acting up—nothing more.
After all, he was a God. An eternal, flawless divine being who presided high above in the Heavens.
No matter how gentle and approachable their Kami-sama usually was, no matter how much he indulged their antics—
Between Gods and mortals, there would always be an invisible chasm as vast as the sky itself.
A gulf in the very hierarchy of existence. The difference between clouds and mud.
Therefore, no matter how much they admired him, no matter how deeply they yearned, there always remained a kernel of reverence buried deep within their hearts—the understanding that they were merely mortals, and should not presume to desire a relationship that transcended those boundaries.
After all, Kami-sama certainly didn't look like the type who would develop worldly desires toward them.
And yet?
Who could have possibly imagined?!
That Amou Kirukiru—that woman!
She hadn't just thought about it!
She'd actually gone and done it!
And the most outrageous part—she'd actually succeeded!!!
If she'd spent the night in the master bedroom, that meant Kami-sama hadn't refused her!
"That Amou... she's actually... that fierce..."
Even the red tea cup in Kikakujou Mary's hand had grown unsteady. Her usual elegant, refined ladylike composure was on the verge of crumbling.
After all, being slightly older than the others here and possessing a naturally delicate sensibility—Kikakujou Mary had always harbored a special longing in her heart.
A hope that perhaps she might have a cross-race romance with her own Kami-sama—the kind that only ever appeared in novels.
But constrained by a maiden's modesty, and by Kami-sama's perpetually benevolent, fatherly demeanor, Kikakujou Mary had buried that tiny wish deep in her heart, never daring to cross the line.
After all, she'd reasoned—since Kami-sama wasn't making any moves, and since everyone lived under the same roof, they should all be standing at the same starting line in that regard.
Even if Amou Kirukiru was a bit stronger or a bit more domineering—winning over a God was an incredibly difficult feat. Everyone should be equally clueless beginners. Nobody had that much of a head start over anyone else.
And yet? Amou Kirukiru!
She'd thrown all sense of fair play out the window and gotten a running start!
"Damn it..."
Onigawara Rin bit down on her fork, her eyes brimming with frustration.
"That Amou..."
"She definitely took advantage of the fact that Kami-sama is too kind to refuse our requests..."
"Or she just shamelessly forced her way in..."
"After all, Kami-sama possesses a transcendent mindset; he probably doesn't care much about that sort of thing..."
"So that woman just kept pushing her luck! Actively clinging to Kami-sama!"
"So underhanded!"
The worst! That was the absolute worst it could be!
"No!"
"I can't keep going on like this!"
"If I just keep passively waiting around..."
"With that woman's insatiable personality..."
"Sooner or later she'll devour Kami-sama whole and leave nothing behind!"
"I have to... I have to start being more proactive too!"
At the very least—next time an opportunity arose to be alone with Kami-sama, she absolutely could not shrink back from shyness like before!
And so.
For the moment, although the girls at the dining table continued eating their breakfast in silence—every single one of them was furiously working the abacus in their minds.
Sparks flew in the glances they exchanged.
Even the very air seemed to be permeated with a faint aura of a battlefield of love.
The sole person who actually knew the truth—Inaba Tsukuyo—had by now practically buried her face under the table.
...
Lunor, oblivious to this subtle atmosphere, saw that Haimer had no further instructions and headed upstairs with the tray to deliver the meals.
The remaining Chloe, her cat tail swaying cheerfully, displayed impeccable situational awareness as she began clearing the empty plates from the table.
"I'll go ahead and clear these away, meow."
"Take your time, everyone."
As Chloe began gathering the empty plates—
"Alright."
"Seeing how none of you can seem to focus."
Looking at the distracted group, Haimer thought for a moment and decided to take the initiative.
"Since breakfast is almost finished—do any of you have plans for today?"
Hearing this, the girls who had been lost in thought immediately snapped back to attention, exchanging glances.
Since they'd already been beaten to the punch by Amou Kirukiru in that department—then in terms of strength, they absolutely could not fall further behind!
"Kami-sama!"
"I'm planning to head to the Dungeon!"
At the thought, Onigawara Rin straightened her back, her voice clear and sharp.
"Since Tsubaki-senpai already had all our weapons serviced and returned last night, and we've all leveled up to Lv.2..."
"So..."
Onigawara Rin's gaze drifted for a moment—she didn't dare say outright "while that Amou woman is out of commission"—and instead rephrased:
"I want to take advantage of being in good shape today and go train in the Dungeon again!"
"Same here."
Kikakujou Mary nodded as well.
"Although we only just leveled up, now that we possess Lv.2 strength, we need to adapt to it in actual combat."
"I also want to see how far I can go on my own power."
In an instant, the girls had all opened the floodgates.
Looking at this group of fired-up young women, Haimer nodded.
Their little schemes were written all over their faces, of course. Calling it "training" was just a cover—they simply didn't want to lose to Amou Kirukiru.
But this kind of healthy competition wasn't a bad thing.
Moreover, although the previous two Dungeon expeditions had been overseen by the captain of the Hephaestus Familia—Lv.5 Tsubaki Collbrande—serving as their safety net, Tsubaki had essentially only observed from the sidelines during those trips, never intervening unless circumstances demanded it.
Their combat capability had long since been validated through real battle.
"Go if you want to go."
Haimer nodded, making no move to stop them. As a God, he naturally had to support this kind of drive.
"However."
"This time, without Miss Tsubaki accompanying you, this will be your first truly independent expedition."
"Even though you've all leveled up and grown significantly stronger—the Dungeon is always full of unpredictable variables, especially without a guide."
"So remember this."
"No matter what, staying alive is what matters most."
"If you encounter danger you can't handle, don't hesitate—retreat immediately."
"Neither your pride nor any spoils of war are worth more than your lives."
"You each only have one life."
"If I'm up here waiting and you don't come back..."
"No matter how deep you are—"
"I will come find you."
"Yes! Kami-sama!"
At these words, the girls felt warmth flood their hearts. The fighting spirit in their eyes blazed even brighter.
As expected—Kami-sama was kind.
He wouldn't favor any single one of them!
"Um... Kami-sama, meow~"
Chloe, who happened to have overheard this exchange, got an idea. She couldn't resist sidling over, wearing that ingratiating grin, attempting to score another round of brownie points with Haimer.
"Actually, for something like this, if you're worried, you could leave it to us, meow~"
Chloe thumped her own chest, striking a pose of supreme reliability.
"Even though Lunor and I are currently working at the tavern to pay off our debt—our strength is nothing to sneeze at, meow!"
"If it's just the middle floors or something, as long as Kami-sama gives the word, Lunor and I can totally help keep an eye on things, meow~"
"No matter how you look at it, that's way better than having Kami-sama personally go to a dirty place like that, meow!"
After all, even though Haimer appeared wealthy and well-connected, a God was still a God—a being whose Divine Power was sealed in the Lower World. In terms of combat ability, he was absolutely someone who needed protection.
Sending a sealed God down into the Dungeon to fish people out? That had to be a joke!
No matter how strong Haimer was, could he really be stronger than them at Lv.4? That was practically throwing a lamb into the tiger's den!
Just as Chloe was saying all this—trying to demonstrate her value, curry favor with Haimer, push for an early pardon, and maybe slack off a bit on the side—
Knock, knock, knock.
A series of knocks suddenly echoed from the direction of the mansion's front door.
"Meow?"
Chloe turned to look, her tail flicking once in puzzlement.
At this hour? They'd barely finished breakfast.
Who could be visiting?
Was it someone from the Ganesha Familia again? Or had that rigid Captain Shakti come storming back?
The mere thought of that perpetually stone-faced woman made Chloe shudder involuntarily.
"I'll get the door, meow!"
Still, eager to prove her enthusiasm, Chloe steeled herself after a moment's hesitation. Internally pumping herself up, she volunteered and trotted over to the mansion's front door.
She drew a deep breath. Her mind was still chanting "Can't see me, can't see me," terrified that Shakti's ice-cold face would be waiting on the other side—
Then she cautiously opened the heavy, ornately carved wrought-iron door.
Creeeak—
As the door slowly swung open, morning sunlight spilled inside.
However.
When Chloe squinted through the gap in the black wrought-iron door and saw what was parked outside—
Chloe froze.
There stood an extravagantly decorated carriage. Its body was crafted from fine ebony, the surface carved with intricate patterns and inlaid with gold trim that glinted in the morning light.
Four horses with pure white coats—clearly impeccably groomed—pulled the carriage.
But that wasn't what shocked Chloe the most.
What shocked her the most was the emblem prominently emblazoned on the carriage door.
That emblem—she knew it all too well. And it wasn't just her; there wasn't a single adventurer in all of Orario who wouldn't recognize it.
It was the insignia of the Guild!
And that wasn't all.
When the carriage door slowly opened and the figure inside prepared to step down—
Chloe's cat eyes went perfectly round on the spot, her jaw dropping into a flawless "O" shape—big enough to stuff an egg inside.
Her entire body turned to stone in the doorway. Even her tail forgot to move.
Because what she saw was—
Laboriously clambering down from the carriage was a figure bearing Elven features, yet whose physique completely defied all Elven aesthetics.
A face that every adventurer in Orario would recognize even if reduced to ashes.
Royman Mardeel!
The Guild chairman!
That lofty pig of the Guild—the one who held the economic lifeline of Orario, who acted as if gracing adventurers with so much as a glance was a supreme favor—was walking this way?
...
A short while later. Inside the hall.
"This is unbelievable, meow..."
"This God's influence seems absurdly massive..."
"Meow-my-meow..."
Chloe stood by the door, having shut the heavy carved door behind her, still looking somewhat dazed. She felt like her brain wasn't functioning properly and was beginning to wonder if this morning's breakfast had contained some hallucinogenic poisonous mushrooms.
Yesterday, Captain Shakti of the Ganesha Familia—a woman who was nothing if not stern, even borderline rigid—had treated this God with the utmost deference. Even the chief deity Ganesha himself had personally come to apologize.
While that operation had been shocking, it still fell within the bounds of Chloe's comprehension. After all, even though the Ganesha Familia called themselves "the Military Police of the Labyrinth City" and maintained urban order with great authority—at the end of the day, they were just one faction among many.
To put it bluntly, they were nothing more than an officially sanctioned group of high-class enforcers. Offend the wrong person, and bowing to apologize was hardly unusual.
But the Guild was different!
It was the administrative body that governed all of Orario! The absolute core of the Labyrinth City! A colossus that held the very lifeline of every adventurer!
In a certain sense, the Guild even represented the will of the great god Ouranos—who had been stationed in the depths below since the dawn of the divine era!
Ordinarily, even a lowly Guild counter clerk walked with pride because of that association. Let alone the chairman who oversaw the Guild's entire operations—Royman.
This was a man rumored to show no deference even to the patron deities of top-tier Familias—someone bold enough to settle accounts to their faces!
And now?
This pig of the Guild—normally perched so high above everyone—had actually come running here in person?
Moreover...
Looking at that rotund figure currently standing in the center of the hall, his portly body trembling slightly, wearing an ingratiating smile uglier than a crying face—
Chloe could only think: impossible.
Even Ryu, who was normally slow on the uptake, was now staring with a complicated expression at the black-haired God seated calmly in the place of honor.
This deity... just who on earth was he?
In the center of the hall, Haimer sat in the place of honor, holding the hot tea that Ryu had just refilled for him.
Seeing Royman drenched in sweat, he raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Chairman Royman, making a personal trip so early in the morning."
"How diligent of you."
"Huff... huff..."
Royman gasped for breath, hurriedly fishing out a handkerchief to haphazardly dab at the dense beads of sweat on his forehead. He walked stiffly up to Haimer, stopped, and plastered on a strained smile.
"Lord Haimer jests."
"A matter of the Guild's highest priority—how could I possibly delay?"
Royman said this while bowing and scraping, wearing a fawning grin.
If an outsider heard these words, they would surely assume the sun had risen in the west. But only Royman himself knew that every single syllable came straight from the bottom of his heart.
After all—after witnessing the great god Ouranos personally converse with this deity down in the underground altar, his entire worldview had already crumbled and rebuilt itself.
Ouranos was the creator of Orario! The very foundation of this magnificent city! The embodiment of order!
Even during the golden age of the Zeus and Hera Familias at the height of their power, Ouranos had never treated anyone with such gravity!
As for why exactly Ouranos was so wary... as a subordinate, Royman didn't dare ask, and didn't dare speculate.
But after all those years navigating Orario's cutthroat, power-ridden political scene—the instinct he'd honed, keener than a hound's nose, told him one thing.
This was a thigh so massive it couldn't possibly get any thicker!
As long as he could cling tightly to this person's coattails! Even if all he managed was to become a familiar face and leave a good impression!
Then his seat as Guild chairman would only become more secure.
With that thought, Royman's pandering intensified, his smile growing ever more earnest and humble.
While speaking, he carefully placed a black metal briefcase from his arms onto the obsidian round table before Haimer.
"This is what you requested, Lord Haimer."
"Per your instructions, Lord Ouranos has granted special authorization at the highest intelligence clearance level."
"It contains everything the Guild currently possesses regarding..."
At this point, Royman's voice cut off abruptly.
Behind those small eyes, nearly squeezed shut by the surrounding fat, a shrewd glint flashed. He cast a wary glance at Chloe, Lunor, and Ryu standing at a distance—as well as the girls who were either leaning over the second-floor railing or peeking out from the stairwell corners, craning their necks with curiosity.
Clearly, intelligence of this caliber involved deep secrets of the Dungeon that were not meant for public knowledge. It wasn't suitable for too many ears.
Especially given that several people present were clearly outsiders—those gossip-prone employees of the Hostess of Fertility.
If word of this leaked...
Royman may have been greedy and power-hungry, but he wasn't stupid. He still had that much professional integrity.
Haimer naturally understood what Royman was leaving unsaid. But he made no move to send anyone away.
After all, to him, this intelligence was merely to verify a few hypotheses. As for everyone else—they'd find out sooner or later anyway.
For now, Haimer simply gave a slight nod without saying much, reaching out to rest his slender fingers lightly atop the metal briefcase.
"Mm."
Seeing that Haimer offered no comment, Royman didn't dare speak either. He simply assumed this deity wasn't as difficult to serve as he'd imagined.
And so, Royman inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, the taut nerves relaxing just a fraction. He hurriedly produced several exquisite carved wooden boxes from his voluminous sleeves.
A faint herbal fragrance seeped out even through the wood.
"Oh yes, Lord Haimer—there's also this!"
Royman arranged the wooden boxes neatly on the table, his expression carrying a mix of ingratiating eagerness and a hint of pride.
"These are a batch of specially allocated medicines I pulled from the Guild's strategic reserve."
"They're all the latest products from the Dian Cecht Familia—top-of-the-line goods not yet available on the market!"
"These are premium recovery potions personally compounded by 'The Saint of the Battlefield'—Miss Amid herself."
"As long as there's still a breath left, drinking one of these will keep you alive!"
"And there's also this..."
Royman introduced each item while carefully gauging Haimer's expression, terrified of falling short in any way.
These had cost him a late-night exercise of personal authority, and he'd even offended several old codgers in logistics to obtain them. All for the sake of making an impression and demonstrating his loyalty to the deity before him.
After all—offering charcoal in a snowstorm was hard; adding flowers to a brocade was easy. While this deity's Familia was still in its infancy and hadn't yet grown to the point of needing no outside help, even something as simple as delivering supplies would establish a genuine favor.
If the Guild ever found itself in trouble down the road, this deity might lend a hand on account of that kindness.
Royman's mental abacus was clacking away furiously.
Looking at Royman's display of extreme flattery—groveling so deep it was practically etched into his bones—Haimer saw through the man's petty calculations with perfect clarity.
Greedy, but pragmatic.
Cowardly, but shrewd.
Life always found a way.
Was it pitiable? Not really.
When faced with a higher order of existence, every living creature essentially arrived at the same answer on the multiple-choice test.
However—Haimer had no intention of simply playing along.
Especially not with this kind of attempt to buy closeness with petty favors.
"Chairman Royman."
And so, Haimer's voice dropped low without warning.
It carried an inexplicable pressure that made it hard to breathe.
Royman, who had been rambling on in full flow, instantly clamped his mouth shut—like a duck seized by the throat.
"These things..."
"You just took them and brought them to me on your own like this..."
"Aren't you afraid of Ouranos holding you accountable?"
"Or rather..."
"If I'm not mistaken, these should be strategic materials that the Guild only mobilizes in emergencies—such as a large-scale monster rampage or a state of war, correct?"
"You just took them and brought them to me on your own like this..."
"Aren't you afraid of Ouranos holding you accountable?"
"Or rather..."
Haimer leaned forward slightly.
Those deep, fathomless eyes pierced like twin blades, driving straight into Royman's now-panicking beady eyes.
The corner of his mouth curved into a smile that wasn't quite a smile—carrying amusement and appraisal.
"Do you think I'm the kind of God who would become your accomplice over something this trivial?"
"!!!"
The instant those words landed, Royman felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his skull.
The hand that had been frantically mopping sweat froze mid-motion. His entire body felt as though it had been plunged into an ice pit.
This wasn't how the script was supposed to go! What kind of God turns down free goodwill?! And phrases it this harshly?!
Had he slapped his flattery onto the horse's hoof instead of its rump?!
"N-No! Absolutely not!"
Royman's legs buckled so hard he nearly dropped to his knees right then and there. That previously ruddy, plump face drained of all color in an instant, turning deathly pale.
"Lord Haimer, please see clearly!"
"Th-th-this..."
Royman's stammering tongue seemed to tie itself into knots; he could barely string a sentence together.
"This was all done with Lord Ouranos's tacit approval!"
"It was with Lord Ouranos's tacit approval!"
In his desperation, Royman hauled his own patron deity out as a shield. Never mind the details—shove the blame out first!
Ouranos surely wouldn't come up here in person to dispute something this minor!
"Lord Ouranos said so himself!"
Royman gulped, forcing himself to calm down as he began to... creatively embellish—oh no, reasonably paraphrase.
"He said your Familia was just established and this is precisely the time you need support!"
"I also figured that rather than letting these supplies collect dust in the warehouse, it would be better to have your Familia members keep them on hand, just in case!"
"This is absolutely by the book! Specially approved! No issues whatsoever!"
"Even if I, Royman, had a hundred times more nerve, I would never dare try to hoodwink you with something like this!"
Royman rattled all this off while frantically wiping the cold sweat that had broken out on his forehead with the back of his hand.
In his mind, he was cursing himself to high heaven.
Looking at Royman—scared so thoroughly out of his wits that he looked ready to rip his own heart out to prove his innocence—
The dark glint in Haimer's eyes vanished in an instant.
In its place spread a gentle smile.
"Fine, then."
"Relax."
"I was only asking."
"Since it's a gesture of goodwill from Ouranos—"
"Then I'll accept it on behalf of my children."
"Thank you for making the trip, Chairman."
"Leave the items here. You may go."
"The Guild's affairs must be keeping you busy. I won't keep you."
With that, Haimer gave a casual wave of his hand.
Hearing this, Royman felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His entire body deflated with relief in an instant, the taut nerves finally giving way.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"Lord Haimer, please take your time!"
"I'll be on my way then!"
Royman bobbed his head repeatedly, nodding like a chicken pecking at grain. He didn't dare linger even half a second longer.
He was terrified this mercurial God might suddenly change his mind, or remember something else to torment him with.
He set the items down and bowed deeply once more—bending so low his waist nearly touched the floor.
Then he spun around on those stubby little legs and made for the front door with an agility that utterly defied his physique—looking, frankly, rather undignified in his haste.
It wasn't until he was through the mansion's front door, feeling the cool morning breeze against his face, that Royman finally realized—
His back was already completely soaked through with cold sweat.
That expensive silk robe was now plastered against his body, clammy and utterly miserable.
"Haaah..."
Royman hurriedly let out a long, shuddering exhale, fished out his handkerchief, and wiped the lingering cold sweat from his brow. He cast one look back at the mansion—standing imposingly in the morning light, as though wrapped in an aura of mystery—
The reverence in his heart, which had previously been perhaps a three out of ten, now shot straight to a full ten.
With a hint of genuine unease mixed in.
After all—sure enough, those little schemes of his hadn't gone unnoticed. The other party had seen right through him and issued a warning.
____
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