Chapter 9: God Erebus

"So, to sum it up, you took out a group of thugs with no sense of self-preservation on your way back?"

"Yes. Most were demi humans, none of whom I recognized," Riveria replied.

After returning to the guild residence, Riveria immediately reported the incident to Sol, who was reclined with his head resting comfortably on her lap. He listened absently, seeming more interested in relaxing than in her account. At some point, he even closed his eyes, as if meditating.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"That's the main update," she replied.

"You returned so late. Did you take Lulu to see other parts of the city?"

"We did stop by the dungeon after registering her adventurer's information…" She paused, catching herself mid-sentence, and carefully rephrased her response.

Both fell into a comfortable silence, and the room grew subtly warmer. 

'Enchanter of the Dragon God' was not just an empty title. They were about to share a tender moment when an unexpected knock broke the mood.

Riveria's eyes widened slightly in a brief moment of panic. She gave Sol a swift kick, dislodging him immediately. With practiced ease, she straightened her dress and resumed her usual dignified, composed appearance.

"Yes, what is it?" she called out, opening the door to an elf standing just outside.

The elf immediately noticed a shift in Riveria's mood. The intensity in her gaze suggested a hint of displeasure, perhaps at the interruption.

Even Sol-sama seemed somewhat resentful as he glanced toward the elf.

"My apologies, Riveria-sama. Miss Alise is waiting in the living room. She wishes to see you."

"Alise?" Riveria raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Though Sol and Astraea had a strong personal connection, the relationship between their familias had become distant after Sol chose to remain neutral amidst the rising influence of the dark factions. Riveria wondered what had brought Alise, leader of the Astraea Familia, to see her at this hour.

Following the elf to the living room, Riveria found Alise seated on a central sofa, accompanied by her close companions—Ryuu Lion, her expression serious; Gojouno Kaguya, eyes narrowed thoughtfully; and Lyra, a pink-haired pallum with an alert gaze. All three were prominent members of the Astraea Familia, known for their dedication to justice and their efforts to root out corruption. Despite their relatively modest levels, they were well-regarded figures in Orario.

"My apologies for disturbing you at this hour, Lady Riveria," Alise greeted her with a polite nod.

"No trouble at all. May I ask what brings you here tonight, Miss Alise?" Riveria responded, noting Alise's respectful demeanor.

Though both held the same position in their respective familias, the Astraea Familia was considerably smaller in influence compared to the Sol Familia. Alise herself was only a Level 3, while Riveria held the rank of Level 5—a gap that would've seemed even more striking had Alise known Riveria's true level was actually 6.

Alise's expression turned serious. "During our patrol on Ross Street today, we found several demi human corpses, frozen solid into ice sculptures. We thought it best to check in with you to understand the situation."

With the guild's assistance, Alise and her team had managed to undo the Grace locks on the bodies, confirming they were members of the dark faction.

Riveria had thought they were just some common thugs, but surprisingly, among them were one Level 3 and three Level 2 adventurers.

Even in the Astraea Familia, there were only three Level 3 members currently. This made the situation more complex, yet it also narrowed down the list of suspects. For a mage to instantly eliminate a group that included both Level 2 and Level 3 adventurers, they would need to be at least Level 4 or higher. There were only a handful of mages in Orario with that kind of power, and even fewer who could wield ice magic.

"You're referring to those demi humans. They tried to ambush me, so I handled it," Riveria replied coolly. 

Removing a few dark faction members was a benefit to Orario, and she felt Alise owed her some thanks. Still, Riveria only mentioned herself, leaving Lulu out of the account. She'd planned from the beginning to handle the situation alone, redirecting any potential fallout onto herself, ensuring that the dark faction's attention would focus solely on her. The only surprise was how quickly the Astraea Familia had tracked her down.

"As expected of you, Lady Riveria. Several of those demi humans were intermediate adventurers," Alise remarked.

"That may be true… but perhaps they underestimated me." Riveria responded nonchalantly, her tone dismissive. After all, the demi humans had been dispatched in seconds by a single spell—whether they were intermediate or not was irrelevant.

"Did you discover their identities?" she asked.

"They're part of a tribe that recently migrated to Orario and joined the dark faction only a few days ago," Alise replied, sharing the guild's findings.

"Ah, so that explains why they dared to target me," Riveria responded, her voice distant, as if confirming her own suspicions.

Her gaze settled on Alise, studying her intently. She doubted the Astraea Familia leader had come all this way just to share this information, but Riveria had no intention of speaking first. As a leader herself, she instinctively wanted to secure an advantageous position in any negotiation, always prioritizing her familia's interests.

"Lady Riveria, we came to discuss something with you," a voice broke the silence—it was Lyra, Alise's pallum advisor and the familia's strategist. Many familias relied on pallums to handle tactical roles, and Alise clearly trusted Lyra to speak for her.

"Feel free to say what's on your mind," Riveria replied.

"The guild is planning an attack on the Erebus Familia. They wanted to know where you stand on the matter," Lyra said, getting straight to the point as she sensed Riveria's disinterest.

"Erebus Familia?" Riveria's brows knitted.

The Erebus Familia was the dark faction's main force. If they could eliminate Erebus, it would be a massive victory for Orario—but only if they could truly defeat them. Currently, the Erebus Familia's power was unmatched, with neither the Loki Familia nor the Freya Familia able to challenge them head-on. Their most dangerous assets included the 'Gluttony' Zald and the silent but lethal Alfia, remnants of the Zeus and Hera Familias, and the only known Level 7 in Orario.