Chapter 90: Night Meeting

Night in Orario remained as lively as ever. The main streets and shopping districts bustled with nocturnal activity, and adventurers still flowed in and out of Babel's grand first floor, plunging into the dungeon. Above it all, the clouds slowly parted, unveiling the nearly-moon that shone down at the city. 

Its gentle light poured into the fiftieth-floor penthouse at the very top of Babel, spilling through the curved glass walls that made up the entire outer perimeter of the room. The moonlight bathed the suite in a pale, dreamlike glow, casting delicate shadows across the polished floor.

Only a few furnishings occupied the space, yet despite their scarcity, each item was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. This includes a dark-red bed with its headboard resting against the wall opposite the glass, so grand in size that it defied conventional thought. Floor to ceiling bookcases carved directly into the walls either side of the bed, the books' spines adding color to the refined space. And a crimson carpet, matching the bed's hue, that spreads across the entire floor.

Near the panoramic glass stood a woman so captivating that even the moonlight seemed to pause to admire her. Her slender and luscious body was draped in a sheer, black nightgown that cascaded down to her ankles, shimmering softly under the lunar glow. Silver hair flowed nearly to her waist, glistening like spun ice, framing a face of divine perfection. 

Her silver eyes gazed intently down at Orario below, a distant city illuminated by countless magic-stone lamps and obscured by clouds drifting lazily around the tower. From this lofty height, nothing distinct was discernible, but her gaze remained steadfast, intense yet unreadable.

A moment of silence passed, then the door at the back of the room quietly opened, spilling briefly a slice of hallway light into the moonlit chamber before silently closing again.

"Ottar," The woman spoke softly, not turning away from the glass, "I assume you've brought what I needed."

"I have, Lady Freya," came a deep, calm, and respectful voice.

"It took you longer than expected." Freya's brow furrowed slightly in mild annoyance. 

At her annoyance, Ottar gave a small bow and stoically replied, "It was difficult to track down Hermes."

The Goddess of Beauty said nothing further, moving to a throne-like red chair positioned conveniently near the window and taking her seat. Ottar—a Boaz whose massive, boar-like frame was as imposing as a mountain—stepped respectfully beside his mistress, carefully placing a neatly arranged stack of documents onto an extravagant table sculpted like an overflowing basket of fruit.

Freya glanced momentarily at the documents, noting its size. "It's less than I expected," she remarked idly as she fixed her silver hair.

"I took the liberty of removing unnecessary details of the Familia." Ottar explained briefly.

Freya nodded absently, trusting his judgment without further question, and took up the topmost folder purposefully placed there by her faithful attendant. As she opened the folder, Ottar was suddenly holding an elegant wine glass, filling it three-quarters full from a half-empty bottle of rich red wine. He then placed the glass beside the documents and the bottle right next to it.

Freya lifted the glass to her lips, sipping languidly as she perused the documents, mild boredom in her silver eyes. Several silent minutes passed before Ottar respectfully asked, 

 "Does it bore you, ma'am?"

"It does," Freya replied softly as she flipped through the file laying on her lap. "There's nothing worthwhile about this man, except perhaps his leveling speed."

This man in question was, of course, the Vice-Captain of the Soma Familia—Rex Magnus.

After it came to her attention that Bell had gone to the Soma Familia alongside his companions for a private meeting with the man, Freya had immediately ordered her Familia to gather every scrap of information they could. Particularly after Alfrigg of the Gulliver Brothers reported seeing Bell skipping joyfully out of Cupidinem.

Her only prior exposure to the man had been the Denatus surrounding the war game and the event itself. But even then, she had scarcely noticed him—too distracted at the time to spare a single glance. Now that Bell had grown closer to this man and his Familia, it was only natural she investigated.

And what she found was... disappointing.

According to the documents, he had officially been registered as Level 4 by his captain this very afternoon, and from the timeline, it appeared he had been leveling roughly once every one and a quarter year since joining his Familia five years ago. Admittedly, that speed was impressive—almost comparable to the Sword Princess. None of her own executives had advanced that quickly in their early levels. 

But whether his basic abilities had reached even C-rank before leveling was another matter entirely.

Aside from that, the files were devoid of anything remarkable. No grand achievements. No fame prior to the recent war game. Nothing. 

"Ottar, was there anything Hermes said that isn't in these documents?" she asked lazily, elegantly holding her glass out while Ottar refiled it.

The Boaz reply came not a moment late. "He claimed this man is the reason the Soma Familia has a business contract with Dian Cecht and Panacea." He said, closing the wine bottle and returning it to the table.

"Is that so…?" Freya murmured, the glass pausing at her lips.

She remembered that deal—Apollo had spoken of it during the last Denatus, wishing to seize it from Soma if victorious. She, like many of the other gods, had assumed it was a simple arrangement for the medicinal use of Soma's wine. But clearly, it was not.

Returning Rex's folder to the table, she reached for another, reading through it. Until a month ago, the Soma Familia had been impoverished. Then, abruptly, they got an exclusive contract with Dian Cecht and Panacea. Thanks to Freya's own contacts, this folder of the Soma Familia information contained a copy of the deal.

A guaranteed weekly income of twenty million valis. Even more so, the contract had granted the Soma Familia medicinal licensing by both Familia, allowing Soma's products to be sold legally while sidestepping Guild oversight. It wasn't wine they were peddling—it was an alchemic base known as Papilio Crystallinum.

A base powerful enough to create the two so-called 'Supreme Potions' her Familia had recently purchased. Potions Allen himself claimed, when taken together, gave him a temporary boost so significant it bordered on half a level's worth of enhancement in both combat and regeneration.

"Insane," Allen had said. Others agreed. And for one man to be capable of enabling such a creation, there was undoubtedly something missing from this report.

"I'll have to call Hermes," she said at last as she continued through the document on the Soma Familia. "Clearly, he knows more about this man than he's letting on."

She couldn't allow an unknown element to linger so close to Bell. Not if it might interfere with his growth. Not if it might pull his shine. 

"Ottar, you watched the War Game, did you not?" she said without looking up from the document. "Surely, you must have seen him. What is your opinion of the man?"

Her assistant's answer came after a short pause. "He possesses… an interesting magic," He said, tone as composed as ever.

That caught Freya's attention. For something to earn the word 'interesting' from Ottar, it had to be remarkable. Her silver eyes lifted slightly, glancing at Ottar out of the corner of her eye as he continued.

"With a single word he brought six Level 2s to their knees, rendering them unable to continue." Ottar continued. "Hedin believes it to be a mind-based curse."

"A quick leveling speed, a capable alchemist, and bearer of a curse," Freya murmured as her eyes slid across the details of Soma Familia's deal with Ishtar Familia. After a few seconds, she pulled the now nearly empty wine glass from her lips and turned her head slowly to her assistant. 

"Has Ishtar made any moves?" She asked.

Two days ago, word had reached Freya from a certain god—that another Goddess of Beauty, Ishtar, had become aware of something significant. Freya had wasted no time and gave quiet orders to her children to watch Ishtar's children. This way, if Ishtar dared to make a foolish move, Freya would know.

At her question, Ottar responded without hesitation. "No irregular movements have been observed from her children."

Freya gave a small nod, almost to herself. "My, has she learned her place?" She spoke the words, but she didn't believe them. 

She knew who the woman was and if there was a true beginning to all this... it started with one-sided animosity. 

Ishtar had hated Freya from the moment the two goddesses first met. Perhaps it was the instinctive rivalry between goddesses of beauty, or a jealousy born of wanting what she could never have. Whatever the cause, Ishtar's spite had always burned hot, resulting in her trying and failing countless times to tear Freya down.

Freya, on the other hand, had never felt anything for her, not truly. The provocations, the schemes, the failed attempts to claw her way higher—Freya had merely laughed at them. Laughed at her. That was the only time she had ever truly noticed Ishtar.

Perhaps it was because Freya had everything—power, fame, reverence. She stood at the summit of Orario, unchallenged, adored. Meanwhile, Ishtar's ascent had stalled, only becoming queen of the Pleasure District. Freya's name was legend. Her beauty, a divine rumor. Her followers, feared and respected in equal measure. Compliments and envy chased her like shadows.

Freya was well acquainted with the envy of other goddesses—especially Ishtar's. It amused her. 

Given their history, she already had a sense of what the woman was scheming. And now, with a boy like Bell Cranel—a boy who Freya had taken interest in—left relatively unguarded in the city… it was almost surprising that Ishtar hadn't already acted.

She placed her empty glass with a soft clink on the table, eyes still fixed on the city below.

"Send word to Hermes," she said calmly. "We are to meet first thing tomorrow." 

As for Ishtar, as long as she doesn't do anything stupid; as long as she doesn't cross the line, then her knowing about Bell is not a problem. But if she does, then Freya wasn't going to continue turning a blind eye to the other goddess.

—✦—✦—✦—

A few minutes after Airmid left him alone in the hospital room, Rex opened a door to Zanis and asked him to send a letter to the Ishtar Familia. The letter was to inform Ishtar that he would visit her again at midnight. It was a way to show respect rather than intruding unannounced while she might be occupied. Now, five hours later, the clock struck midnight. 

Rex, who had just finished brushing after his sleep, wasted no time and opened a door from his bathroom in Cupidinem to the Belit Babili. The exit door appeared right inside the room where he had previously met Ishtar, letting the bright light from the goddess's chamber spill into his dark bathroom.

Stepping through the door, Rex entered the warmly lit room illuminated by magic stones lights and a glowing fireplace. Ishtar stood by the large window in her usual attire, smoking her pipe as she stared silently at the distant Babel.

"Goddess Ish~tar~!" Rex called out enthusiastically.

Ishtar tilted her head slightly, not fully turning her head as she glanced at the smiling man. "Spare me the enthusiasm, darling." She exhaled smoke, her tone flat. "Say what you came to say."

Rex just kept smiling as he shut the door behind him. The reason for his sudden burst of energy was simple—he had just woken from one of those rare, perfect naps that left you filled with happiness and energy. After everything he had been through in Knossos and beyond, the five-hour reverie had done wonders. 

'After I finish here, I should go into the dungeon and test my new magic,' he thought as he said. "Goddess, today I've come bearing good news and bad news. Which would you prefer first?"

Ishtar exhaled heavily, fully turning to face him. "Fine. Amuse me—what's the good news?" she asked, deciding to humor him.

Rex opened his mouth, then paused, closing it again and clearing his throat. "Actually, it's just one piece of news, and it's bad."

This made Ishtar frown deeply. She stared at him, noting how different he seemed from the calm, dignified man she was accustomed to. His announcement of bad news didn't help either.

Rex gestured toward one of the couches. "Please have a seat, Goddess."

She watched him carefully before walking over and plopping down heavily on the couch, crossing her legs gracefully. Rex moved behind her couch toward the window, pulling the curtains closed before sitting across from her. Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked, eyes locked with hers.

"Goddess," he began calmly as Ishtar took another puff from her pipe, "You're going to die very soon."

"Gahk—! Cough-cough!" Ishtar immediately began choking, coughing violently. 

She coughed and sputtered, saliva dripping from her lips as she hit her chest repeatedly. Rex watched silently from his position. After finally calming herself somewhat, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Then she looked up at him, her eyes were red with irritation—not from the smoke.

"You should try leading with a kiss next time, darling," she rasped weakly, throat still hoarse from the choking, "Or are death threats your idea of pillow talk?"

Rex took a breath, his earlier excitement now gone, and began to explain. "You see, although we've stopped our plan to attack Freya and you've decided not to go after Bell to provoke her wrath, there's something we overlooked—something I just discovered today."

Ishtar, finally composed again, spoke sharply, "I am waiting."

Internally, she was annoyed—not just because he'd caused her to cough violently, but also because he'd merely watched her struggle without offering even a hint of concern. Outwardly, however, she revealed none of this frustration.

"I'm quite close to Bell, you know." Rex met her gaze steadily. "Close enough for him to come to me asking for ten million valis to buy something from you. Do you know what that is, Goddess?"

"Get to the point." Ishtar spat, growing more irritated by his roundabout approach.

Rex nodded slowly. "Bell has made contact with Sanjouno Haruhime."

There was a moment of silence, then Ishtar's eyes narrowed sharply. "What?"

"Turns out, Bell met her two days ago while escaping from your Berbera. He stumbled into the Pleasure Quarter during his escape." Rex continued calmly, "This morning, about an hour after our meeting, Bell approached me for money to buy Haruhime from you through 'Redemption.'" 

Two days ago—that was when Ishtar first saw Bell, being dragged into the Belit Babili by Aisha and her girls. From what Rex said, Bell had somehow escaped afterward and crossed paths with Haruhime.

"Now, even though we decided not to launch an attack to provoke Freya, she's likely to attack us anyway," Rex said plainly. "I doubt Hermes has abandoned his plan to eliminate you. Even though you haven't attacked Bell like he expected, there's another route he can take."

Ishtar's gaze sharpened, but she said nothing as Rex continued. "All he needs to do is casually mention the Killing Stone he delivered to you. Once Bell learns what you plan to do with Haruhime, he'll try to save her—even if it means facing your entire Familia alone. Freya and her children will be right behind him, and she would use that to take you out, which would lead to Freya sending you back to heaven."

There was another heavy silence and the room felt colder now, the light casting shadows across Ishtar's beautiful face. "…Bell Cranel, is it?" She murmured. "That vixen would burn half this city... for a boy?"

Was the silver-haired Goddess of Beauty truly so attached to the boy? Was she so obsessed that even a single attack against him would lead her to go to war? She snarled bitterly, gripping her kiseru tighter. Rex's words had clearly struck a nerve, but Ishtar knew Freya wouldn't act so recklessly just for that reason alone. Freya—

"Do you really think Freya likes you?" Rex spoke suddenly, and Ishtar's attention snapped back to him, meeting his gaze sharply. "Do you truly believe Freya doesn't know about all your plans against her, all your schemes to overthrow her? Do you think she'll tolerate your actions forever? She's probably grown tired of your plotting, and Bell is just the convenient excuse she's been waiting for." 

He paused as Ishtar's pupils contracted to pinpoints. "Or maybe she really does care that much about Bell. Either way, Goddess Ishtar, I believe you'll soon be sent back to heaven." He finished bluntly.

Silence reigned for a long moment. The fire popped in the hearth as Ishtar stared at Rex, but her gaze was unfocused. 'Was this what it had come to?' Her ambitions… her empire… would it all be undone by a slip of a boy's feet into the wrong alley?

With a sudden crack, she hurled the kiseru to the floor. Embers scattered across the rug like golden fireflies, and the scent of burning perfume filling the air. No—she won't allow it.

"What to do, what to do?" Should she hide the Killing Stone and Haruhime, and then go down to Knossos for protection and to buy time? Or should she escape from her home—no, from Orario entirely? Or should she...

At the realization of her train of thought, her jaw clenched. She tasted blood on her lip but ignored it. 'In just a few days...' Were her years of plans crumbling in just a few days? 

Just like in heaven, whenever her plans neared fruition, something—some cosmic joke—would tear them apart. Some bullshit that came out of nowhere, ignoring all her contingencies, all her foresight, just to ruin everything. And it was happening again...

Was she always meant to be beneath Freya? Was this the will of the world—to always fall just before the summit?

"But there is a way to win against Freya." Her thoughts shattered like glass underfoot as Rex spoke. She blinked—once, then again—as if waking from a deep trance.

Her hand was shaking. Blood welled at her palm where her nails had dug crescent moons into the skin. Her jaw ached from how tightly she had been grinding her teeth. She stilled her bouncing right leg, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Then her amethyst eyes met Rex's calm amber gaze.

"Speak," she commanded, acting as if she wasn't in full-blown panic mode earlier.

"We have to make sure you survive, starting by removing the thing that would draw Bell—and by extension, Freya—to you." He paused for dramatic effect. "Get rid of Haruhime and he'll have no reason to come charging in to save her."

There was a pause. Then the goddess of beauty narrowed her eyes. "You do understand, I hope, that without that girl, my plan to destroy Freya dies?" she asked sharply, glaring at him. "Do you think I built my entire strategy around her just for fun?

"Well, what other plans do you have?" Rex asked, shrugging.

Ishtar was silent for a while before closing her eyes in bitter frustration. Of course, the thought of charming the boy had crossed her mind. But what would it change? Goddesses of beauty could always sense when someone was under the influence of charm—and Freya would not tolerate her toy being touched. 

And then there was Hermes. The idea of charming him now to keep the meddling god's tongue in check briefly crossed her mind but was quickly shut down. Tracking Hermes down would be no easy task, and he certainly wouldn't stroll into her palace just because she invited.

Worse, by now, whatever plans he had set in motion might've already been happening beyond her reach. There was no value in entertaining the notion further.

A few seconds later, she opened her eyes, and Ishtar came to a decision. 

"Since you're already so friendly with that child," Ishtar said, disdain notable in her voice, "why not take Haruhime into your Familia? Wouldn't placing her under your care dissolve all this cosmic nonsense?"

It made her sick to admit, but Rex was right. What had once been her secret weapon had become a great vulnerability. Somehow, everything had fell apart. Now she found herself grasping at scraps, handing over the last valuable piece she possessed to a mortal. 

It was humiliating. She might as well have been kneeling before him, begging him to help her. But what choice did she have?

"Well, that would definitely solve the problem," Rex sighed, his eyes dropping to the table in front of him. "But it would draw Freya's attention to me—and I don't think it's wise for her to know about me."

"If Freya's as obsessed with that boy as you claim, then she's already done all the research she needs—on him and everyone around him." Ishtar scoffed. "That's exactly what I would do in her place. And I don't doubt she has. We're far too alike in that regard…" Too alike, and yet Freya always seemed to come out on top. The thought made her skin crawl.

Rex sighed again. He didn't need Scavenger to confirm that he had already drawn Freya's attention. Looking back now, he realized he hadn't been thinking clearly this afternoon. The moment Bell came to him for help, it was bound to happen. His name—and his Familia's—had been tied to Bell far too often. Liliruca, the War Game, and now this.

Scavenger had only confirmed what he already suspected: Freya had begun investigating him and his Familia.

"Besides," Ishtar added coolly, "the most she can uncover is your public level. I highly doubt that Loki will tip her hand and let that bitch glimpse your true strength."

She paused, eyeing him. "So long as you keep playing the role of a mundane... the illusion holds." Then, almost lazily, she shifted the topic. "And Hermes... That god will learn when to hold his tongue." 

She had shown restraint out of courtesy. It was considered gauche, after all, to wield charm against another deity. But Hermes had overstepped. Since he had forced her hand, she would not hesitate.

"Well, whatever," he muttered. He was done worrying about Freya. "But you're really willing to give me the girl? Are you—"

"This was my choice," she snapped, cutting him off sharply, almost like she was trying to convince herself this wasn't a reluctant surrender. "You are to keep that girl safe. I don't care if that child lingers near her, so long as she remains under your care."

Of course, none of this would convince someone like Hermes that she had truly abandoned the Killing Stone. But that was never the point—it was to stop Bell's reckless heroism, to rob Freya of her excuse for an attack. All she needed was time.

By next month, Kali would be back at her side. And with the full moon, the ritual could proceed. The Killing Stone would be completed, and her plan would finally take shape.

'Isn't that the same time Rakia plans to begin their invasion?' she thought. 'Perfect.' That chaos would serve as the ideal distraction.

A slow smile formed at her lips as a new plan began to form. This setback was nothing more than a temporary irritation. So long as she evaded Freya's wrath now—and silenced that meddling tongue—next month would mark her rise. She would ascend to the top of Orario. She could already taste it.

'Now all I need to do...' Ishtar's gaze drifted to the man seated across from her, elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely interlocked between his legs as he stared down at the table, deep in thought. '...is keep him by my side.'

She had handed him every card in her deck. Stripped of leverage, she was—unthinkably—at his mercy. If he decided to take Haruhime and walk away, there was quite literally nothing she could do to stop him. Her charm can't work on him, and if she dared to attack, he was strong enough to raze her entire Familia in a single night… and personally gift-wrap her for Freya.

Now that she thought about it—why? Why was he helping her? He had appeared out of nowhere, speaking of her downfall, revealing his true power, aiding her without demand or debt.

'Could it be…?' A brow lifted as a slow, amused smirk grew on her lips. Perhaps it was time to offer a reward—to show her appreciation, of course… and perhaps bind him more tightly to her in the process.

"For your assistance," she purred with a slightly sultry voice. "I'll give you anything you desire."

Rex looked up immediately, locking eyes with her.

"Money," she said first, reclining into her couch with newfound ease. "A captain's title, once I overthrow Freya," she added, casually flipping a lock of purple hair over her shoulder. Her smile deepened, confident, inviting. "Or… a night with this goddess—"

"Money!" Rex blurted without hesitation, his face lighting up as if he had just struck gold.

...

Ishtar blinked, stunned into silence for a heartbeat. The echo of his answer bounced mockingly in her mind. 'Money?' And now it clicked. Wasn't her Familia the reason Soma Familia was now drowning in wealth? That had been 'her' doing. 

'So that's all this was? All this time, he's only been helping me because his Familia profits from mine?' It made perfect sense… and for some reason—

"Money, hmm..." Ishtar hummed, masking her irritation behind a lazy smile. "How much do you need?"

"I need five billion, if possible." Rex replied without hesitation, holding up five fingers. "Three billion to clear my Familia's debt—" he folded down three fingers, "—and two billion to strengthen the members of my Familia."

"Five billion..." Ishtar echoed. It was a considerable sum—but not beyond her means. "I'll have a check prepared for Zanis by tomorrow," she said. "He'll need to sign off, of course. That kind of money requires captain-level authorization and Guild oversight."

Rex's eyes practically sparkled. "A-and Zanis also needs help gaining control of El Dorado Resort," he added, stammering like a child asking for a Christmas gift.

"Not a problem." Ishtar didn't even blink.

"And… can I get one billion?"

She stared flatly. "Why?"

"I just want it…?"

There was a long pause. Then Ishtar sighed. "Fine. That won't be an issue either."

"Ishtar..." Rex said, voice soft, almost reverent. "I fucking love you, mommy."

'Mommy?' Ishtar blinked. Her head tilted slightly. 'Don't tell me… that's what he's into?' She forced down a smile, asking, "Do you need anything else form 'mommy?'"

"Not at this moment, no," he said, still beaming like a fool.

"Something that isn't money?"

"Nope."

"Really?" She crossed one arm beneath her chest, subtly lifting the weight of her full bust. Her cleavage pressed together, bronze skin glinting as the scant strip of red-orange cloth shifted slightly—just enough to reveal the faintest edge of her areola. 

But Rex's eyes never left her face, his excitement keeping him from noticing her obvious signals. "Absolutely nothing at all."

A vein ticked in Ishtar's temple as she clenched her teeth. 'I can't believe I'm being frustrated by this.' And yet… she was. Any other man—even gods—would've fallen to their knees at her offer. It annoyed her, but she didn't let it show on her face.

"Tomorrow morning," she said, collecting herself, "we'll transfer the girl to your Familia. With luck, things will settle down afterward."

"Alright!" Rex clapped his hands once as he stood up. "See you in a few hours, sugar mommy—I mean, Goddess Ishtar."

Rex left the Belit Babili with a grin.

Originally, Rex's plan for coming here was to 'get rid' of Haruhime in a way that would leave Ishtar grasping at straws, her entire plan falling apart. Then—bam—he would do what Zanis suggested and reveal his real status. That would give him leverage over Ishtar.

But when Ishtar unexpectedly suggested handing over Haruhime to his Familia, Rex had been taken off guard—and a bit irritated he hadn't thought of it himself. As he was still scrambling to come up with a way to regain the upper hand, she suddenly offered him money as payment.

Ishtar wouldn't have just done that as thanks. 6 billion Valis wasn't cheap change and after using Scavenger, he discovered he had Ishtar in a dog leash—literally. If he betrayed her, she was cooked. And since she didn't want that, she was basically under his control now.

And he had achieved that position without even needing to reveal his stats.

'Everything is going all according to plan.'

[Author's Note: I was originally planning to formally introduce Freya into the novel much, MUCH later in the book. But I felt like that would make things feel kind of stale. This felt like the perfect moment to bring her in, with Bell visiting Rex for help and all, and I couldn't let that opportunity slide. So—ta-da! Freya now knows about Rex Magnus Lapis Beifong Senju, the Red Spirit Dragon of Infinity, AKA HIM (His Immortal Majesty).

As for writing Freya's POV, it was annoying as fuck. You might've noticed the writing style and grammar were a bit different, but that's because I wanted to make her feel more like she does in the show and light novel. I even tried reading some other Danmachi fanfics to see how they portrayed her, and nine times out of ten it was some OOC trash that made me question if the person I was reading about was Freya. 

Now, maybe it's just different writing styles, but holy shit, fam. Some of them are good, I'll admit—but most? Bleh. I guess. I just hope my portrait isn't one of those Bleh. I am sure of myself, but you never know.

Anyway, this chapter marks the beginning of the end of the Ishtar Arc. I hope it served as a solid conclusion. A reader had suggested (multiple times) that him revealing his status wouldn't make a difference, so I tried coming up with another way to make it work without turning Ishtar into some sudden OOC mess. Hope it worked out.

Updates have been slower lately, and for that, I apologize deeply. This author hopes you enjoyed this chapter, and that you have a damn good rest of your day~!o(*￣▽￣*)ブ]