The Banquet of the Gods

Night had enveloped the city. Magic stone lights illuminated the streets like thousands of stars in the sky.

Bars and restaurants buzzed with the sounds of happy customers. Horse-drawn carriages of various shapes and sizes gathered in one area of the city. Many extraordinarily beautiful men and women congregated.

They were the gods, all heading to a specific building.

In particular, a large statue of a man wearing an elephant mask.

The thirty-meter tall statue of a man with an elephant head sat cross-legged in the middle of the city block. The base of the building was surrounded by stone walls.

The statue sat proudly, puffing out its chest. Magic stone lights illuminated the statue from various angles, making it stand out against the black night sky.

It was built by Ganesha. What he was thinking when he used his Familia's savings to construct that statue is unknown.

The statue was called "I am Ganesha" and served as the residence of the Ganesha Familia.

Even the members of the Ganesha Familia did not like it. Most of them felt a bit sad as they entered and exited, thinking about how their hard work had been used to pay for that embarrassing statue.

"..."

Aphrodite arrived at the location of the Banquet of the Gods that night, the headquarters of the Ganesha Familia. Charlie stepped out first to open the carriage door for her and offered his hand as she stepped out.

A wide white fence surrounded the courtyard around the building. Spotlight lamps were installed atop several fence posts, illuminating the elephant man in all his glory. Charlie and Aphrodite stood side by side.

"Charlie, you seem used to this. You're a great escort."

"Well, I've attended several formal banquets that required etiquette."

"What a pity, I wanted to see your shocked reaction."

"..."

The two walked toward the entrance.

Charlie overheard several gods and goddesses commenting on the headquarters of the Ganesha Familia. The words "crazy" and "selfish" were heard several times. He had a similar opinion about Ganesha.

From what Aphrodite had told him during their journey, Ganesha might be narcissistic but was neither arrogant nor selfish.

'But making the groin the entrance... God Ganesha must be a bit crazy.' The corner of Charlie's eye twitched as he walked through the door and entered the large open hall.

At least more than a hundred gods and goddesses were present. Tables laden with food and drinks were everywhere. Their arrival attracted the attention of many gods and goddesses. Aphrodite's status as the Goddess of Beauty did not allow her to be ignored.

'So this is the Banquet of the Gods, huh...'

Used to standing out, Charlie observed the luxurious hall with great interest.

The Banquet of the Gods was exactly as it sounded: Only gods were allowed to participate. Of course, they are allowed to bring one of their children.

It was up to the hosting god to decide when it would start and whether it would officially end. These parties almost never had a purpose other than pure entertainment. For some, it was a way to cope with longing by drinking and laughing with other beings from Heaven.

Some gods and goddesses present would talk about their Familia or exchange information in an effort to maintain good relations. Life in the lower world was nothing more than a game, but this feast was the best place to recruit strong allies for the more competitive gods.

"I am Ganesha!!!"

"YAY!"

A muscular male god wearing a mask stood on the stage at the end of the room. This god was none other than the host of the Banquet of the Gods that night, Ganesha.

The gods around the stage met his extraordinarily loud voice with cheers.

Each banquet varied in terms of location and style, depending on the host's taste and the economic status of their Familia. The Ganesha Familia was one of the strongest groups in Orario in terms of numbers, which meant they had significant influence. The decorations of the ballroom reflected their financial prowess with expensive ornaments and a very beautiful color scheme.

"I am Ganesha, the host of this celebration! Seeing so many participants each time touches me deeply! This year's festival is only three days away! Please encourage your Familia to help in any way possible!"

Ganesha welcomed his guests with a booming voice from the stage in the middle of the hall. The attending gods generally ignored his greeting and continued to talk among themselves.

The party was set up as a standing buffet. Tables with white tablecloths lined the large hall, and a row of fresh food filled the hall with various appetizing aromas.

The soft echoes of the participants' and staff's shoes could be heard from all directions. A band sat behind the stage, waiting for the signal to play dance music.

Almost all the gods in Orario were present that night.

"Look, it's Aphrodite."

"I think Aphrodite is more beautiful than Ishtar, but it's a pity about her character... Sigh..."

"That's true, Aphrodite often acts silly like Hestia."

"By the way, why isn't Harmonia with her? I want to ask Harmonia to dance!"

"Damn, how dare you have that rotten idea about my Harmonia? I'll fight you!"

"Who's afraid! Harmonia belongs to everyone, not anyone!"

There were Harmonia fans among the gods. Seeing that Aphrodite did not bring Harmonia, they were disappointed and began to quarrel over trivial matters.

"Don't stop me, Charlie! I'm going to teach them an unforgettable lesson for comparing me to Hestia! That's an insult!"

Aphrodite happened to overhear the gods gossiping about her; she wanted to confront them but was held back by Charlie.

"Calm down, Goddess Aphrodite. If you really argue with them, it will only prove their words."

In public, Charlie treated Aphrodite formally.

"Ugh... You have a point. I won't lower myself to their level."

Hearing that, Aphrodite was persuaded not to cause trouble.

"Hm?"

Charlie noticed a goddess with a burning passion in her eyes approaching the two of them.

It was a goddess with slightly curly honey-colored hair, wearing a long white dress, with an elegant and graceful temperament. Her appearance was so stunning that all the winners of beauty contests would feel ashamed of themselves.

The curves of this goddess were truly astonishing. She gave an exhilarating feeling to those around her, and her entire being radiated a soft yet enchanting aura.

"Looking closer, you're more handsome than I thought."

The goddess walked closer, her orange eyes sparkling.

"Demeter, try to hide your intentions; the contents of your heart are clearly visible."

Aphrodite stood in front of Charlie like a mother hen protecting her chicks from a dangerous predator.

"Oh, Aphrodite! Who is this handsome young man you brought? I don't think I've seen him before." The goddess named Demeter smiled gently.

Although Charlie's reputation echoed loudly throughout Orario, people had only heard his name; very few knew his true appearance. That was why Demeter did not recognize Charlie, even though he had been a hot topic of conversation lately.