Monsters’ Utility

"Wait! Don't just start talking casually! The Violas are still alive!" Tione shouted at them.

In response, however, Kisuke just turned towards the Violas who were already regaining their balance after the crash, and suddenly threw the pouch he'd been holding. The pouch flew over and attracted the Violas' attention and they jumped after it into the depths of the sea.

"Now there's no problem~." Kisuke uttered as he dusted his hands off.

"What do you mean there's no problem!? You let a dangerous monster escape!" Tione couldn't accept it.

Kisuke peeked at her rattled expression and calmly said, "You think that a monster's presence is always bad?"

Tione, as well as the other girls from the Loki Familia, couldn't answer him and could only make confused expressions, "Thank you for such an honest answer," Kisuke sighed at their response, 'I guess they're also trying to avoid thinking deeply about the monsters. 'Monsters need to be killed', such a simple notion is actually an advantage for everyone in the Adventuring community. No need to think about complicated stuff that would question the morals of Adventurers.'

Tione didn't like Kisuke's response, but she didn't want to become unreasonable and just accuse him of whatever. With a frown on her face, she asked, "Then are you saying that there are situations where a monsters' presence is actually good?"

Kisuke nodded, "Correct. Maybe you'll understand if I say that those Violas attack other monsters, but not marine life?"

While the others became even more confused, Loki instantly understood it, "So that's what you mean..."

"Loki, please explain!" pleaded Tiona.

Loki nodded and started talking, "Normally, monsters attack not just people, but also livestock. If a monster lives underwater, it would obviously attack the fish. However, Violas are different as they come after other monsters for their magic stones."

"If there are no monsters that prey on these marine lives, it means that it can prosper and the fishermen would have a great harvest every time they go to sea. In other words, those Violas are actually protecting those fish from other monsters, resulting in the entire fishing industry improving."

"B-but wouldn't those monsters still be dangerous to the fishermen?" asked Lefiya.

"Correct," answered Kisuke, "However, if you think about it, considering the strength they possess, they are actually a lot easier to deal with than most monsters. After all, all you gotta do is to keep some magic stones on you and use it at the right time, essentially controlling those monsters."

They finally understood what he meant, but some people still couldn't accept it. Kisuke knew of their biases so he added a few words to ease them, "It really isn't a new idea to use monsters for people's convenience. It's actually in the same breath of some Familias using tamed Wyverns as a form of air transportation."

Thinking about it with that line of thought, everyone from the Loki Familia easily accepted it, except for one person.

With a serious expression, Ais stared straight into Kisuke's eyes and asked, "Are you saying that people and monsters could coexist?"

Kisuke stared back at her for a few seconds before turning away and answering, "You wouldn't like my answer."

As he walked away, Ais bit her lower lip in frustration.

To ease the atmosphere that had gone somewhat cold due to them, Yoruichi changed the topic, "So, Loki-sama. What're you doing here?"

Having the same intention, Loki answered with a laugh, "We came here to have some fun and cure my eyes!"

"...You're a Deity yet you're having eyesight problems?"

"Let me reword it. I came here to wash over a disgusting scene," Loki already suspected that it was either Yoruichi or Kisuke who had been planting those terrifying images around the Twilight Manor, and this suspicion strengthened when it stopped happening the moment Kisuke apparently left.

However, she still didn't have any sort of evidence, so she could only just watch for any changes from Yoruichi's reaction to get some clues. Nevertheless, Yoruichi's expression didn't even break, "I see that you wanted to overwrite some bad memories~!"

And as a follow-up, Medusa appeared beside Loki in her maid-themed swimsuit while holding a tray containing a few glasses of fruit drinks, "Would you like some cold beverages?"

"Ah, thanks," but the moment Loki picked up a glass off Medusa's tray, she finally saw Akeno properly, who was currently offering the same drinks to her children. Since Akeno was facing away from them the moment they'd arrived, they didn't see how she looks, "I... I didn't think I'd meet a child who's at the same level as Demeter."

In addition to Akeno's excessive figure, she was also wearing a green, borderline skimpy bikini that made others afraid that her assets might spill out in an accident.

"Would you like some?" Coming in front of Tiona, Akeno offered drinks. However the former could only look at the towering peaks with almost teary eyes, "This is injustice!" she shouted. Still, she took a glass, "...Thanks."

Akeno then proceeded to offer the rest of the Loki Familia members the same drink. And while she was doing that, Yoruichi introduced her, "She's Akeno, a new member of the Artemis Familia."

With her tray empty, Akeno bowed slightly to them, "It's nice to meet everyone. I'm Akeno Himejima. Let's get along in the future."

Without missing a beat, Loki wrapped her arm around Akeno. Displaying an old man's face, Loki said, "Say, why don't you come over to my Familia? I'll welcome you warmly and I'll give you a lot of benefits~!"

But instead of Artemis, it was Hestia who took action. Headbutting the perverted Goddess, both of them tumbled back and recoiled in pain, however, Hestia immediately recovered and pointed at her with an angry face, "That's bad manners, Loki! Don't try to poach our members!"

While nursing her forehead, Loki complained, "Dang it. Every time we meet, you become more and more rabid. I fear the day when we meet on the streets and you start biting my face for no reason."

On the other hand, Artemis just chuckled, "You two really get along well these days."

Since Artemis knew that Loki was just joking, she wasn't really angry at her.

""We're not!"" Just as before, they answered in sync.

"Loki, allow me to introduce you to my other children too," Artemis added.