Chapter 108: One More Chance—Will You Take It?

In the reception room, the highest decision-makers of the Loki Familia were already seated.

Three Level 6 adventurers, and the Familia God herself—Loki.

Aside from these four, there was one outsider present—an adventurer from another Familia, who was fortunate enough to be included in this meeting, though she wasn't sure if that fortune was a blessing or a curse.

Aisha couldn't tell if she was incredibly lucky or just caught up in something bigger than herself to be invited into a gathering like this.

"Aisha Belka. I'll just call you Aisha—is that alright?"

Faced with Loki's question, Aisha naturally had no objections.

"A name's just a title. Please call me however you prefer, Loki-sama."

"Mm, sensible girl."

Loki was clearly intrigued by this child—someone who might soon become a key asset to her Familia.

"You probably have some idea why I brought you here."

Aisha nodded slightly, her expression growing more serious.

"I just don't understand how Loki-sama would know about that girl."

Loki smiled mysteriously. Of course she wouldn't reveal her information source—keeping intel from the shorty's child confidential was important, especially now that they were allies.

"Just personal intelligence."

"Sanjouno Haruhime—that's her name, right?"

The moment Loki-sama accurately said the girl's name, Aisha knew without a doubt that Loki already had all the information Ishtar had tried to keep hidden.

"That is indeed her name."

"But Loki-sama, you should also know—Ishtar-sama would never agree to let her transfer."

Aisha believed any god would understand this, but she still made a point of emphasizing it.

"Yes, transferring Familia normally requires the consent of the current Familia God."

"But there are exceptions."

"If that god returns to Tenkai, then all blessings granted to their Familia members are sealed. As long as that god doesn't remain in Orario, there's no need to get Ishtar's approval."

Loki spoke slowly, but the words echoed in Aisha's ears like a devil's lullaby.

'So that's it...'

Aisha hadn't expected that Loki-sama's plan was to use this chance to send Ishtar back to Tenkai.

There'd be no need for Ishtar's consent to facilitate the transfer. If Loki really managed to send her back, she could directly help Haruhime switch Familias.

But by that point, it wouldn't be a simple "transfer" anymore.

It would be the same as an adventurer choosing a Familia for the first time. Without their god, they were like any unblessed adventurer again.

Sending Ishtar back to Tenkai was, indeed, the simplest way to make it happen.

"So, Loki-sama summoned me because I once helped that child, and now you want me to assist you with this issue?"

"But I think you're overestimating me. I'm not strong enough to pull off something like that."

Loki let out a soft laugh.

"Of course. I wouldn't ask you to do something with such low odds of success."

"And besides, I don't scheme against other gods. I won't deal with Ishtar that way either."

"But just now, you said..."

Loki waved a hand, cutting Aisha off before she could finish.

"You misunderstood."

"I never said I'd use force to send Ishtar back to Tenkai. That would only complicate everything. But there are other ways to get her sent back."

"There are many methods for returning gods to Tenkai. The most formal one is a ritual conducted personally by Ouranos."

"But that ritual requires clear evidence that the god in question has committed a grave offense."

Sending a god back to Tenkai without cause would never be approved—especially not by Ouranos, who oversees the ritual.

However, if a god were to step on one of Ouranos's landmines, and there was solid proof of wrongdoing, then Ouranos would initiate the ritual and return that god to Tenkai—permanently. They'd never be allowed back to the mortal realm.

'So it's about finding evidence...'

Aisha felt a bit of relief. If it was just about gathering evidence, that was something she could help with.

Assassinating a Familia God? That was out of the question. Ishtar-sama's charm could still affect her, even as a fellow woman. Unless it was a perfect, one-shot kill, she'd have no chance.

But gathering evidence? That was much easier.

"If it's for gathering evidence, I'll do everything I can to assist you, Loki-sama."

"Good! But I'm not just after that child."

Loki's gaze locked onto the girl in front of her.

Being a prostitute might have counted against her in others' eyes, but someone like Aisha—who had managed to stay relatively untainted even in the mud—was a different matter altogether.

"Aisha Belka, once Ishtar is sent back to Tenkai, I want you and that child to join my Familia."

The sudden offer caught Aisha completely off guard.

Only now did she realize the look of appreciation in Loki-sama's eyes, and for a moment, her emotions grew complicated. Honestly, she hadn't thought herself worthy of being admired by Loki-sama.

Was it just because she'd helped that girl?

It had only been a small act of kindness—nothing more.

"Loki-sama, thank you for the offer, but... I'm just a prostitute."

Aisha knew exactly where she stood. As a prostitute, she didn't fit into most Familias at all.

After all, in Orario, there was no shortage of people who said things like, "Prostitutes are where adventurers go to die."

Haruhime still had hope. But for Aisha, her path forward was already sealed.

Hearing her words—and seeing the lack of regret or shame on her face—only made Loki admire her even more.

"My Familia doesn't care about so-called status."

"Being a prostitute is just one choice among many. So this time, I'm giving you the chance to make a new one."

"Aisha Belka, will you take it?"

There was no hesitation in the answer.

If she had a chance to choose again, she would never have ended up in this position.

Even though Aisha had long since accepted her future as hopeless, when Loki-sama asked her that question—her heart still stirred.

She rose from her seat and dropped to one knee in front of Loki.

"I will."

...

(90 Chapters Ahead)

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