Chapter 230: Normally, I Would Join the Loki Familia

It was all because her Familia was too strong—Loki could only sigh helplessly to herself.

A Familia growing that powerful wasn't a problem—it was something she took pride in. What god wouldn't want to see their children excel?

But in this case, having such a strong Familia felt... oddly inconvenient.

After all, who could've expected a child from Genkai to awaken Authority? That was completely absurd.

No, calling it absurd didn't even cover it—it wasn't just improbable, it was something that should have been outright impossible.

And yet, it had happened.

'Is this a sign?'

Loki couldn't help but wonder.

When an era changes, it often comes with a series of omens—strange and unusual occurrences that signal a shift.

A child from Genkai wielding Authority could very well be one such omen.

'Then maybe... this child is closely tied to that coming change.'

Loki didn't voice the thought aloud. It wasn't something that could be proven anyway.

"So, if you had known about your situation from the start, which Familia would you have chosen?"

"If the choice were mine, it'd obviously make sense to go with a Familia that had better resources. Orario's strongest, the Freya Familia, would be ideal—if I had known more about it. But I'd have passed on them because there's too much internal strife."

Given Loki's question, Bell thought it through carefully and answered with an objective analysis.

"By comparison, the Loki Familia offers a better living environment, and it has plenty of resources for growth. If I had to make the choice now, I'd choose to develop within the Loki Familia."

That answer made Hestia purse her lips.

In truth, she already knew it. If Bell-kun had known from the beginning about his potential and had to pick logically, choosing Loki's Familia would have made the most sense.

It was the obvious choice. Loki, now visibly less annoyed, felt her mood improving.

After all, her Familia had worked its way up to second place in Orario. Of course capable children would want to join her if they knew what she had to offer.

But when it came to awakening powers in Genkai, it was like opening a mystery box—no one could predict what they'd get. Naturally, a major Familia wasn't going to believe some random kid claiming they could awaken immense power.

Loki certainly wouldn't have.

Feeling a lot more satisfied now, Loki gave Bell a much friendlier look.

"See? Now that's the answer I like."

"If you'd known your abilities from the start, picking my Familia would've been the logical move."

The only unfortunate part was that her Familia, being second-best in Orario, rarely got first pick of newcomers.

At least from the perspective of an average kid just arriving in Orario, Loki didn't expect many would choose her Familia right away. And in her opinion, any child who made that choice probably had a decent head on their shoulders. Maybe not the strongest, but at least self-aware.

So really, it was just a string of circumstances that had let Shorty scoop up this jackpot.

And for once, Loki found herself genuinely jealous.

"Shorty, your luck's ridiculous."

"Hmph! Everyone says big-chested girls are lucky. Loki, maybe it's time to reflect on how... underdeveloped you are."

That line made several giant "井" veins pop out on Loki's forehead, and even Bell started to worry that Loki-sama might actually keel over from a brain hemorrhage.

Bell's eyes darted downward in a quick glance before he quietly sat beside her, pretending like he hadn't just snuck a peek. Still, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

'It really is... the Wall of Despair.'

After all, gods didn't grow.

Which meant Loki-sama, stuck with the build she had now, was doomed to remain a permanent "Wall of Despair."

In contrast, both Goddess-sama and Hephaestus had beautifully proportioned figures—just looking at them was a visual treat.

Even if Bell had no particular preferences about body type, he had to admit—girls with better figures really were nice to look at.

"What did you just say, you busty cow!? That oversized thing is gonna sag to your knees one day anyway!"

"Hmph! You fool, Loki—gods' bodies don't change. No matter how long time passes, my figure will always stay perfect. It'll never sag."

Hestia flicked her gaze at Loki's infamous "Wall of Despair" and let out a smug little laugh.

"Just like how your body will never develop."

"What did you say!?"

Having her sore spot jabbed twice in a row, Loki sprang off the couch with a single bound and lunged at the shorty, grabbing Hestia's cheeks with both hands.

"Say that again, I dare you!"

"I'll say it again and again... mmph! Mmph!"

"You really dared to say it, shorty!"

"Mmmph!"

This time, Loki completely silenced Hestia by grabbing her face, and once she had control, a mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Let's see what you have to say now!"

With her face squished, Hestia couldn't even manage a proper shout, reduced to muffled whimpering.

Meanwhile, Bell had quietly moved to the opposite sofa. He tuned everything out and gazed up at the clear blue sky, as if mentally muting the chaos around him.

Hephaestus also walked over and plopped down beside Bell with a tired look as the two goddesses continued their scuffle.

"Seriously... those two never get tired of this."

Leaning back on the sofa, Hephaestus watched the scene unfold with a look of distaste, arms crossed, tapping her leg in mild annoyance. After a bit, perhaps out of boredom, she shifted her gaze to Bell.

"Loki's already agreed, so now it's just a matter of waiting for the expedition. Bell, what's your next move?"

Her eyes turned toward the window, which cast a warm light over her features. From Bell's angle, Hephaestus-sama looked like she was glowing, her whole figure bathed in a soft brilliance. It was enough to make him think, 'She's beautiful...'

A faint blush crept onto Hephaestus's face as she caught his gaze. She rolled her eyes at him.

"I asked what your plan is."

"Ah—right! I was planning to start preparing for a deeper-floor dive."

Snapping back to reality, Bell quickly straightened up and answered.

"Maybe I can train up my Status a bit more before the expedition."

"I also need to begin some experiments with monsters—to see if they really can be controlled, and if so, how much control is possible."

"And there's also the order from Loki Familia. I've still got a bunch of Rune Stones left to craft, and they all need to be completed."

All things considered, Bell still had a lot on his plate.