13 New Familia

She asked him as if what she was proposing him was not one of the most important choices a mortal could make in their life...

Ryuu was surprised and raised an eyebrow. Just seconds before, he had been thinking about the need to join a Familia, he was even preparing grand plans to gain enormous wealth in one fell swoop, yet...

'Is it Destiny?'

He knew there were unfathomable [Laws] that existed. He could not see or understand them, but in certain situations, he was able to sense them.

One clear example could be Ryuu Lion, every time he gazes at her, a thin white line extends all the way from her head to the sky, as if connected to something...

Though his current level of power was abysmal, to ever hope to be granted sight of anything more.

Although Ryuu could not see any lines on the unknown Goddess' body, what his eyes couldn't see, his sixth sense could.

'... Golden Fate?'

He felt a sense of familiarity and believed this was connected to the concept of [Golden Fate]. There was no concrete evidence to support this conclusion, but Ryuu trusted his intuition.

Fame and Wealth were laughable matters for him.

As for Fame, there was no need to even say anything. Anyone in the city by now knew his name, was that not enough?

As for Wealth, just revealing some methods already made all the various Familia in Orario come under his heel. Could someone as cunning as him really not manage to make a few Valis...?

In his opinion, Strength was the most important quality. Wealth and Fame would naturally follow someone who was strong. He held contempt for those who placed a high value on these things.

"... I guess I do."

He uttered these words outwardly as his gaze was now profoundly staring at the twin-tailed Goddess he would soon come under.

'... Let's test her a bit.'

He, of course, wouldn't move without proper information. Golden Fate? Destiny? Yes, all these [Laws] could make him faintly see whatever they wanted, but if he did not find her trustworthy, then he would never accept her, no matter what.

Although Ryuu had been testing Hestia's trustworthiness, he was overthinking and his efforts were ultimately meaningless.

After a few seconds of silence, Ryuu began to feel awkward as Hestia simply stared at him without saying anything.

Suddenly, she exclaimed, "You're serious!" and launched herself onto him, laughing.

"Finally... Finally, someone accepted me!"

She could almost feel tears bursting out of her face. While Ryuu terrorized the entire City, Hestia kept trying for months, heading almost everywhere in Orario to find someone to start her Familia! The fact she finally found someone made her smile like never before, as if what she accomplished was a legendary tale.

As it would be impolite to simply evade her, Ryuu found himself uncertain of what to do for the first time since he stepped in this world.

'... Are you mad?'

He wanted to ask her such a question, but if he knew what kind of hardship Hestia had to endure to finally find someone, perhaps he would've patted her shoulder and agreed with her.

"... It may be a bit awkward to ask this once again, but may I know your name, Goddess-sama?"

While he let her cling onto him, he was close enough to discern several things about the Goddess.

'... What is this?'

As Ryuu tried to understand more about Hestia, he saw a strange, white flame wrapped in a green aura, which he assumed to be a symbol of kindness. However, Hestia was too focused on her victory of finally finding someone to start a Familia with to pay attention to Ryuu's observations.

"My name is Hestia! Please, I'd like to know your name as well..."

As Ryuu and Hestia were talking and exchanging information about each other, The Loki Familia issued a declaration, stating they will accept his conditions...

This did not elicit much of a reaction from the other adventurers, as it was expected that the Loki Familia would not be able to resist the entire City's anger, as even the Freya Familia could not refuse Ryuu. If the Loki Familia dared to defy him, it would be akin to courting death.

While all this made Ryuu famous enough to be better known than first-class adventurers, the man in question was lying on an uncomfortable mattress as he sighed. He ascertained multiple times the honesty of the Goddess known as Hestia during their journey from their previous location to their... Home, which managed to finally convince Ryuu to go with it. No matter what, a [Golden Fate] paired with [Destiny] was too significant for him to ignore.

'... I'll have to earn some Valis, as it seems I'm poor now.'

He may have dismissed Wealth as unimportant, but he did not want to live in poverty. Ryuu was honest and did not deceive himself…

While his thoughts swirled on how to procure some wealth in days as he couldn't bother to try and understand how living in an Abandoned Church was, Hestia, the Goddess that would soon gain a terrifying adventurer under her heel, was smiling brightly as she admired Ryuu's impressive physique, specifically his toned muscles and wide back, which were sure to attract the attention of any woman.

'… Not only is he kindhearted, he's even a well-trained specimen! My Familia will finally raise with him!'

... Alas, if only the poor Hestia knew what she did get herself into, perhaps she would not have offered him to enter her familia so easily...

Sitting on him unceremoniously, Hestia saw Ryuu did not even flinch from such intimate contact, which made her smile somewhat awkwardly as she expected at least a small reaction...

Though this was unimportant, as her mind soon concentrated on the task at hand.

"... Did you understand? Even if it's painful, you have to endure it. Only then can I concentrate properly and make you into a proper adventurer."

She reminded him with a gentle voice as Ryuu nodded, knowing pain was nothing much. He also already knew about how it worked for adventurers to officially join a Familia, as he always accepted new information, no matter the kind, as long as it was useful...

The procedure went on as Hestia used a needle she had prepared months ago to cut her finger enough for a single drop of divine blood to fall from her hand.

Though, the moment that drop of blood landed on Ryuu's back, something Hestia could never have expected unfolded.

Normally, to make a mortal an official member of their Familia, Gods had to personally imbue their divine blood in it and then start 'Constructing' the 'System' that could allow an adventurer to store something known as 'Excelia' inside their bodies...

"This...."

Hestia was dumbfounded. Why was it constructing itself on its own!?

She was scared out of her wits. A myriad of questions swirling in her mind as she felt her divine drop of blood...not respond to her anymore. Moreover, before the shocking events could sink in, she saw her blood fusing with something on Ryuu's body even she could not properly see before, as her Familia Emblem soon appeared on his back.

While Hestia was almost exploding in worry, the man himself knew none of this, as he merely tilted his head in confusion.

'... Wasn't this supposed to be painful?'