Chapter 20: Gold Rush

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"You're all aware of last night's chaos," Loki began, her voice carrying a rare edge. "The question now is how to deal with the aftermath."

"Shouldn't our first priority be to take down the Erebus familia?" a fiery voice interjected. "That scoundrel dared to overturn everything—we can't let him walk away unpunished!"

"He has to pay for the suffering he's caused my children!" added another god, the vehemence in his voice echoed by murmurs of agreement around the room.

It was clear from the strained looks and hardened expressions that the damage each of them had suffered the previous night was no small matter. Normally, the gods might have teased or quipped to ease the tension, but tonight, the atmosphere was too serious. Those present were allies with Loki, each sharing a vested interest in bringing down the Erebus familia. Last night's attack had served as a powerful unifying spark, pushing the alliance to set aside any lingering differences.

Inwardly, Loki could almost thank Erebus; his attack had streamlined her work of unifying support. With no one wanting to risk further losses, the group had come together in a way that might not have been possible otherwise.

"So, let's accelerate our plans," Loki continued, a subtle smile touching her lips. "The longer we wait, the more chances we give Erebus to regroup." Her expression might have seemed playful, but her intent was deadly serious.

Nine of Orario's powerful gods had been forcibly returned to the heavens overnight. The attack had rattled every familia, leaving no one feeling safe. Even the bravest among them feared the dark faction's attacks on their gods, and now each familia member stayed close to protect their God from further ambushes. With trust and safety eroded, the dark faction had to be eliminated if any of them hoped for stability again.

"The dark faction took heavy losses as well, so now is the time to strike back! Let's make sure the children's sacrifices weren't in vain," urged one of the gods, stirring the room.

"No argument here!"

"I'm in."

"Send that bastard Erebus to heaven!"

The intensity within the Twilight Pavilion reached a fever pitch, and the gods' resolve strengthened with each word. When they finished finalizing their initial plan, Loki subtly signaled that they were dismissed. Catching the cue, Sol led his group out of the Twilight Pavilion with an air of satisfaction.

But as they began walking, Riveria noticed something unusual. "This doesn't look like the way home… Where are we headed?"

Hands in his pockets, Sol strolled ahead, a carefree look on his face. "Several gods were sent back to the heavens last night, remember? I thought we'd go and check out their inheritances."

Sol's face lit up with expectations. The familias of those fallen gods had all been mid-level in strength, which meant there'd be a solid cache of wealth and resources left behind. Even if some of it had been scavenged by the dark faction, there was still something left to be gained.

"Their familia members are also valuable assets," he added with a gleam in his eye. "With the main gods gone, those children are now without allegiances."

Among them, he anticipated there would be skilled adventurers and assets worth bringing into his own familia. These adventurers, fresh from the night's trauma, would likely be looking for both protection and a chance to avenge their deities—a dual service Sol could provide.

Riveria had to concede: Sol's foresight and pragmatism were undeniably impressive.

Had she been in this predicament, she would most likely have accepted Sol's invitation.

While she pondered this, the group arrived at the area the guild had set up for the victims.

It wasn't just remnants of a few families—many poor people affected by the dark faction had also gathered there.

The area was filled with tents, and most of the people looked weary and dispirited.

The battle from the previous night seemed to have shattered their spirits.

"These kinds of people can't join my family." Sol patted his forehead helplessly.

Things here were worse than he'd hoped.

Or had he come to the wrong place?

Not only were there no higher-ranking family members, but the faces of those present practically had "despair" written across them.

Sol hardly recognized anyone here.

If they could show even a hint of determination or a desire to improve, Sol felt there might be hope for them yet.

Or did everyone resigned to their fate simply wait on the guild's arrangements in this refugee shelter?

"Sol-sama, over there…"

Riveria, standing beside him, gently tugged Sol's sleeve, speaking softly so only he could hear.

Following her gaze, Sol noticed half of a face peeking out from behind a tent.

Unfortunately, the person seemed to sense his gaze and quickly ducked out of sight before Sol could get a good look.

However, the pointed ears were unmistakably elven.

"Let's go have a look."

Even though she had relinquished her throne, Riveria was still willing to help when she saw her kin suffering.

Sol, eager to honor her wishes and fulfill his recruiting mission, nodded.

Perhaps this trip wouldn't be in vain after all.

Riveria approached the tent quickly, soon finding two elves curled up in the corner. 

They looked like children and appeared to be sisters.

"Are you two all right?" She knelt down and spoke gently.

The two young elves recognized Riveria and seemed a bit cautious in her presence.

"Don't be afraid. What are your names, and which family are you from?"

"My name is Veronica, and this is my younger sister, Liate. We just arrived in Orario and haven't had a chance to join a family yet…" Veronica replied with clarity and confidence.

"So you haven't joined a family yet, then?"

"Not yet!" Veronica's eyes sparkled, while Liate showed a shy hint of anticipation.

"Then, would you like to join the Sol family?" Riveria smiled warmly, extending the invitation.

Compared to her sister, the younger Liate seemed far more timid.

Still, they both seemed like good kids.

It seemed this was indeed the right time to follow Sol-sama's orders to recruit new members.

Perhaps these two were truly hidden gems.

"C..can we really be in the same family as R..Riveria-sama?!"