Chương 120: Apollo's Opening Speech

"Haa... Thank goodness." Hestia patted her chest as Freya walked away.

"My children all have Skills that resist mental charm. Otherwise, I would be worried sick." Then she gave Cael, Kyojuro, and Tanjiro a playful thumbs-up.

"Everyone did very well."

"Lady Goddess," Kyojuro asked with a solemn expression, "who was that goddess?" For a moment, he had felt as if his entire body had been seen through. It was not hostility. It was closer to having his soul caught by a frightening pair of eyes. His back was damp with sweat.

"That was scary," Tanjiro said, finally breathing again.

"That goddess was beautiful, but also frightening." Cael watched Freya's retreating figure and slowly calmed down. Of course. With so many brilliant souls from the Demon Slayer world entering Orario, there was no way Freya would fail to notice. The gods loved watching heroes grow. A hero they personally shaped brought even more satisfaction. That was the entertainment these gods chased. Freya's methods were still those of a Goddess of Beauty. In front of a Hestia Familia filled with heroes, it might not be enough.

Cael imagined Freya trying to keep up with every hero in Hestia Familia and almost laughed. The Hashira had brilliant souls. They were heroes of humanity. If Freya only had to deal with Bell, she could do it comfortably. But with so many heroes appearing at once, could she really watch all of them?

"Freya, Goddess of Beauty," Hestia said seriously.

"She is not a goddess you can handle casually. Pure children like you would be eaten alive if she set her eyes on you." Hestia was deeply worried. Hephaestus had told her before that Freya loved stealing excellent children from other Familias. If Freya tried to steal Hestia's children, Hestia had no confidence she could win.

"There is only one goddess in my heart," Cael said with a smile. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"That goddess was frightening," Tanjiro said again.

"Of course she was," Cael replied.

"She is the goddess of Freya Familia, one of Orario's two strongest Familias. Her Familia has the only known Lv. 7 adventurer in the city." Cael's expression grew slightly serious. He had looked at Ottar earlier, but he had felt almost nothing from him. It was like looking at an ordinary person. The gap was too great. If Cael was Level 1 and Ottar was Level 100, then whether he sensed something or nothing, both results would tell him the same thing. The difference was overwhelming.

"Freya Familia also has several Lv. 5 adventurers," Cael continued.

"But they are not very united. To compete for their goddess's favor, they nearly beat each other bloody." Freya Familia was powerful, but it did not act as a united force unless Freya personally commanded it.

"Cael knows a lot," Hestia said.

"But to me, everyone being happy together matters more than anything. A small surprise now and then would make it even better." She wiped sauce from her cheek and smiled sweetly. For example, a date between goddess and child. Or a confession. Something like that. Right, Cael?

"Familias are not always happy together?" Tanjiro asked.

"I thought everyone in a god's family would live happily with one another."

"I understand it," Kyojuro said at once.

"In Orario, gods are like daimyo from the Warring States period, and Familias are like their retainers and children. Whether the household is good or bad depends on the lord who leads it."

"Two strongest Familias?" Tanjiro asked.

"What is the other one?"

"The one belonging to the goddess who was arguing with Lady Hestia earlier," Cael said.

"Loki Familia. They have three Lv. 6 adventurers and several Lv. 5s. They do not have a Lv. 7, but as a group, they may be the strongest Familia in Orario." In Cael's memory, Loki Familia was indeed the strongest overall Familia in the current Orario. They were united, well-liked, and had excellent leadership.

"But I believe Hestia Familia will surpass both of them and become the strongest Familia," Cael said confidently.

"Exactly," Hestia said, eyes full of pride.

"Loki came to Orario only a hundred years before I did. Give Hestia Familia a hundred years, and we will definitely be stronger than Loki Familia."

"Hestia, you are as confident as ever." Hermes walked over, gently swirling red wine in his glass.

"Still, your children really are excellent." His gaze rested on the three for a few seconds. Excellent was too mild a word. They were already beginning to shine. Zeus, the task you gave me is becoming troublesome. Still, making your chosen hero outshine every other hero would be very interesting. At that moment, a cheerful voice spread through the entire hall. The gods and their Familia members quieted and turned toward the host of the banquet.

"Thank you all for coming tonight." Apollo walked from the center of the hall in formal evening clothes, a red cloak over his shoulders and an olive branch on his red hair. Behind him stood three Familia members he was clearly proud of.

"He finally came," Hestia muttered, looking at Apollo's serious face. If she did not know his true nature, she might have been fooled by his handsome appearance.

"I changed the theme of tonight's Banquet of the Gods without asking everyone first. I hope you do not mind." Apollo smiled broadly as he spoke.

"Dressing up the children we love and bringing them to a banquet like this has its own charm, does it not?" His eyes slowly swept across the unfamiliar faces in the hall before stopping at Hestia's corner.

"To see so many of my fellow gods and their beloved children gathered here is my honor. Tonight, I feel that new encounters await us." He looked toward the three behind Hestia and showed a bright white smile.

"Everyone, please enjoy the wine, the food, and tonight's encounters to your heart's content."