Chapter 130: Loki and Freya’s Date (Bonus)

Loki and Freya stood as the Twin Kings of Orario. Their influence was immense—so much so that even Ouranos couldn't afford to ignore their counsel.

Hephaestus, as the city's largest supplier of equipment, carried just as much weight in Orario's political arena.

Hestia, the rising star, had shaken the city with the emergence of Rune Stones—an innovation born from her own Familia. Coupled with her alliance with Loki Familia and cooperation with Hephaestus Familia, Hestia had also become one of the gods whose voice mattered.

With all four of them aligned against Ishtar, Dionysus understood that the verdict had been set in stone from the start.

"I see."

Dionysus gave a small shake of his head and sat back down.

Now that his doubts had been addressed, he had no reason to keep pressing like some stubborn fool.

Besides, he hadn't opposed the ruling itself—he'd simply raised a question. And even if he had objected, what difference would it make? The sentence wouldn't change.

"In addition to myself and the four previously mentioned gods, Miach, Takemikazuchi, Goibniu, and Hermes also support Ishtar's repatriation."

Hermes?

Dionysus cast a slightly puzzled glance at him.

Given what he knew of Hermes, this wasn't the kind of situation where he would usually stick out his neck. Why choose to take a stance now?

It was then that Dionysus realized just how large Loki's camp had become.

But something else weighed on his mind.

'How did Ouranos come to agree to this?'

'He would never be swayed by numbers alone. On the contrary, he adheres strictly to rules and would never render judgment based on personal sentiment.'

'So... there must be another reason. Something Ouranos himself found unacceptable.'

Without more details, Dionysus could only speculate.

Still, his doubt was just a minor footnote in the greater picture.

Ganesha's statement clarified both the stance toward Ishtar and how many gods in Orario truly viewed her.

It was now undeniably clear: the two highest authorities had decided she had to be sent back.

And beyond them, several other influential gods had echoed that judgment.

In truth, this entire meeting had become a reflection of how little regard the gods had for Ishtar. Being targeted by so many of her peers—it could only mean one thing: her reputation among the gods was utterly abysmal.

"That concludes the main agenda of today's meeting. Next, we'll address the matter of Ishtar's Familia."

"According to the Guild's investigation and our own findings, the captain of the Ishtar Familia was fully aware of everything and directly carried out Ishtar's plans. As such, Phryne Jamil is hereby stripped of her status as an Adventurer and permanently forbidden from ever receiving the Falna of any god."

No one raised objections.

She had cooperated with the Evilus and served as the executor of their schemes. The fact that she wasn't sentenced to death was already a mercy.

Some speculated that the only reason Phryne Jamil wasn't executed outright was because Ishtar had already been sentenced to repatriation.

Had that not been the case, her punishment might have been far worse.

After all, Orario's prisons already held many Evilus members.

It would have been no surprise for Phryne Jamil to join them—had fate not turned against Ishtar so severely.

In the end, her captain had simply benefited from that misfortune.

"Well then, that concludes this Denatus meeting. Tonight, Ishtar will be brought to the Guild for her repatriation ceremony."

"Also, until a new god is chosen to take over the Pleasure District, my Familia will temporarily manage it. If any god is interested in taking over, speak to me privately after the meeting."

...

The Pleasure District was no small business—it was one of the most profitable sectors in Orario.

Now that Ishtar was being repatriated, the district was effectively left vacant.

But such a void needed proper handling. Otherwise, it could throw Orario into disarray.

Even Ganesha acknowledged the necessity of the Pleasure District's existence.

It was a place where many prostitutes gathered and where adventurers often went to unwind.

After all, adventuring was a life-or-death profession. Dying in the Dungeon was hardly unusual. For those still breathing, living in the moment and blowing off steam was sometimes essential.

Besides, shutting the Pleasure District down wouldn't be easy.

Most of the women working there had no desire to leave. They earned good money as prostitutes—giving it up meant possibly being unable to survive in Orario.

So for many reasons, the Pleasure District wasn't something that could be abolished.

The only question that remained was which god would take over.

As the meeting concluded, most of the gods chose to leave.

With such a major incident involving the Ishtar Familia, the other gods also needed to return to their own Familia to speak with their children.

But Loki, the central figure in this case, wasn't in a rush to go back. Instead, she walked over to Freya.

Freya hadn't left either. She was waiting for Loki.

"Freya, got a minute?"

"Oh~ you're actually inviting me? That's rare."

Loki pouted, clearly unimpressed.

"Drop the act. You, standing on my side out of goodwill? I'm not messing with you, so don't start trying to mess with me."

Freya just smiled at the sharp tone, unfazed by Loki's thug-like attitude.

"I really do have a few things I want to ask you—about Ishtar."

Loki wasn't surprised. But she knew this lovesick woman didn't care about Ishtar herself. Those two never got along, and Freya had never once shown concern for her.

What she wanted to ask must be about the incident—not about Ishtar as a person.

Still, Loki was curious about what Freya's real intentions were, so she didn't refuse.

"Fine. Let's go to the Hostess of Fertility."

"Sounds good."

With the location set, the two left together. They certainly had a lot to discuss.