Chương 119: Freya's Gaze

"There are so many gods," Tanjiro whispered.

"I do not know what to do with myself." For him, seeing so many gods gathered for a banquet was overwhelming.

"If you do not know what to do, do nothing special," Kyojuro said directly.

"Follow Captain Cael." He copied Cael and Hestia, eating from the banquet table without hesitation.

"Is that really all right?" Tanjiro asked, flustered.

"Is it not disrespectful to the gods?"

"Respect and stiffness are different things," Cael said, picking up another plate.

"Apollo Familia is paying for this. Why be polite to someone trying to cause trouble? Eat properly and ignore the stares." Cael did not care about the eyes around him. Hestia was also eating happily, so why should he hesitate? Gods were wildly selfish beings. When they wanted to be unreasonable, they would not ask whether mortals respected them first. When Cael had first arrived in Orario, he had still been polite and restrained around gods and strangers. Now he was much more relaxed.

Adventurers were willful by nature. Letting loose, showing your personality, and enjoying adventure openly were all part of being an adventurer.

"Cael is right," Hestia said, cheeks smeared with sauce.

"Respect gods in your heart, but do not make yourself suffer over useless formalities."

"Understood, Lady Goddess!" Kyojuro laughed brightly and joined the eating with full enthusiasm. The four members of Hestia Familia began what looked almost like an eating contest, paying no attention to the surrounding gazes.

"Hehe. They really suit you, Hestia," Hermes said with an unreadable smile.

"They must be happy in your Familia."

"A household takes after its goddess," Loki cut in.

"Good kids ruined by Hestia's habits." The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"As long as everyone is happy, that is enough," Hestia shot back.

"All your fancy posturing is what looks boring." Just as Hestia and Loki were about to start arguing again, the hall stirred. Gasps and whispers spread across the banquet. A strong Boaz man entered first as an attendant, escorting a goddess whose every movement carried irresistible charm. She seemed to embody every kind of feminine beauty at once. The moment she entered, she became the center of the hall.

"Freya," Loki muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead.

"She came too? What a headache. Every time she appears, all eyes go to her."

"Lady Freya..."

"So beautiful."

"Even in the Lower World, she is still that beautiful." Hestia's eyes widened. Then she immediately lunged at Cael and covered his eyes with both hands.

"Do not look! You are not allowed to look! If you look at the Goddess of Beauty, you will be charmed!"

"Lady Goddess, wait." Cael was pulled into her arms with his eyes covered.

"I will not be charmed. You know that." He had Skills that nullified mental interference. Even a god's charm did not work on him.

"Oh. Right. Cael is immune to divine charm." Hestia finally remembered and patted her chest in relief. Cael looked toward Freya as she entered the hall. Beautiful. She truly was beautiful, beyond easy description. But that was all. Do not look this way. Please do not look this way. If Freya noticed him, trouble would follow. Cael did not know whether his soul was bright enough to interest her. Before, he might not have worried. Now, after being loved by the world, he could not be sure.

Compared with Freya, he was more interested in Ottar beside her. The only known Lv. 7 adventurer in Orario. A demigod-level hero. A man who could descend into unknown Dungeon territory alone. Whether by chance or intention, Freya turned toward Hestia, who was trying to hide at the banquet table.

"Long time no see, Hestia. Have you been well?" A polite opening.

"I-I have been fine," Hestia said with a stiff smile. Freya's purple eyes moved to the three behind Hestia. Her charming smile paused. At the same time, Cael's heart tightened. A chilling sensation swept through his body, as if a lens had scanned him from skin to soul. Freya was looking at his soul. A bead of sweat formed at his temple. Was his soul really that bright? Kyojuro also stiffened for a moment. Tanjiro looked at Freya as if something terrifying had stared directly at him, barely daring to breathe.

"Are these three children yours, Hestia?" Freya asked, her purple eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yes. They are my children. I brought them here to broaden their horizons." Hestia stepped in front of them like a hen protecting chicks. She was clearly afraid Freya might steal them away.

"What adorable children." Freya turned away after saying that, but excitement and heat burned deep in her violet eyes. Such brilliant souls. She had not seen soul light like this in a thousand years. Not one, but three. A soul that blazed like the sun, burning with fighting spirit. A gentle soul like a spring breeze, nourishing everything around it and healing wounds. And a mysterious soul loved by the world itself, firm and towering like a World Tree, almost divine. Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable.