Chapter 142
Early morning.
The first sunlight of the day spilled over Twilight Manor.
Ais was already dressed, wearing her usual simple open-backed battle dress.
Her pale skin caught the morning light, and her long golden hair made her look even more delicate and distant than usual.
She fastened Desperate at her waist, looked at herself in the mirror, and gave a small, determined fist pump.
"Okay. I’ll do my best today too."
With that, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
To her surprise, Loki was already standing there. From the look of it, she had been waiting for quite a while.
"Yo, Ais-tan. Morning!"
Loki greeted her with a grin, though her eyes were already wandering all over Ais.
"Mm, mm. Ais-tan is as cute as ever today."
’Her chest looks a little better than before too.’
’And those legs... ahhh, they really do hit me right in the kokoro’
’And that butt... wait, is it even perkier than last time?’
While those thoughts raced through Loki’s head, her hand had already begun sneaking toward its target.
Thwack!
Ais shifted Desperate slightly, and the sheath "just happened" to smack Loki across the back of the hand.
The goddess let out a miserable cry.
"Waaah! Ow, ow, ow!"
She blew on her reddened hand and complained,
"We know each other so well by now, and you’re still this guarded around me. That really hurts my feelings, Ais!"
"Only if you’d learn to behave a little more, Loki." Ais’s expression didn’t shift at all, her voice flat.
"And reach out like that again, and I’ll break your bones."
"So cold." Loki laced her hands behind her head and, feeling a little guilty, whistled and quickly changed the subject.
"Right, Ais, let’s go get breakfast together. I know a place. The food’s really good."
"I have things to do... maybe another day." Ais refused without a second thought.
She had something very important to do today and couldn’t waste time eating.
"Oh? What things? Tell me, let me know." Loki’s interest was piqued.
She pointed at herself proudly.
"It doesn’t concern you." Ais made to step around her — but after two steps she stopped cold, because there was now a very heavy weight clinging to her leg.
"Waaah, Ais-tan is ignoring me. I really am a useless, good-for-nothing goddess, shunned by my own Familia!" Loki wailed at the top of her lungs, clutching the girl’s thigh, putting on a truly pitiful show.
But all of that was just cover.
The real killing move was always in the hands.
Seizing the moment Ais went stiff, Loki quietly slid her hand toward that absolute territory between the girl’s thigh-high boots and the hem of her skirt.
’Ohohoho, Ais-tan’s absolute territory. That smooth, milky skin. Finally, I can—’
"..."
Ais’s innocent little brain stalled for a brief second.
Then her eyes sharpened.
Smack!
Ais brought a hand chop down on Loki’s forehead!
The impact sent Loki straight to the floor, a steaming bump rising from her head as she lay there, completely defeated.
Ais ignored the perverted goddess and walked away at a brisk pace.
"When are you going to fix that awful habit of yours?"
Riveria stepped out from behind a door and sighed at the sight of Loki sprawled on the floor.
"I can’t help it. When I’m facing Ais-tan, I lose all self-control."
Loki climbed back up as if nothing had happened, wearing the satisfied smile of someone who had still gotten something out of the exchange.
"Hehe. Today’s dose of Ais energy has been secured—Ow!"
Riveria lowered her staff, looking at Loki as if she were a hopeless degenerate.
"Can you stop saying things like that? This is exactly why Ais doesn’t get close to you."
"No way. If I can’t tease beautiful girls, what’s even the point of my life? My divine life?"
Loki protested fiercely, but when Riveria’s gaze grew colder, she quickly raised both hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine, I get it. You really are strict, Mama Riveria."
"Who are you calling Mama!"
Riveria snapped back, then her expression turned serious.
"She’s going to see that boy. Aren’t you worried?"
"Worried? What’s there to worry about?"
Loki’s face went stiff as she forced out a smile.
"My Ais-tan is just going to learn his special moves! Once she learns them, she’ll come right back to the Familia, and we’ll have another trump card. That’s a good thing, isn’t it?"
She lasted only a few seconds before her mask cracked.
Then she started stomping the floor furiously.
"If that brat dares lay a hand on my Ais-tan, I’ll bring the whole Familia and flatten that shorty’s Hearth Manor! Then I’ll throw the lot of them into the mountains to feed the wolves!"
With that, Loki stormed away in a huff, walking like she was ready to fight the whole world.
Riveria watched her go and sighed.
"You look less like a goddess and more like a perverted old man."
"Shut up! I’m fine with that!"
Loki waved her fist angrily from up ahead.
...
Hearth Manor.
Kiriya had woken up early and was making breakfast.
Fried eggs, steak, soft bread, and milk warmed to just the right temperature.
It was nothing fancy, but Hestia still felt a deep, cozy satisfaction just looking at it.
’Mm, this feeling... Is this what the children of the lower world call husband material?’
With that thought, the sight of Kiriya moving around the kitchen in an apron suddenly became even more appealing.
Normally, she would have already rushed over to cling to him and act spoiled.
But not today.
Last night’s "battle" had drained far too much of her energy.
Her eyelids kept drooping, and she could barely stay awake.
"Ahh..."
Hestia let out a long yawn, propped her chin on one hand, and sat at the table with her little head bobbing up and down.
Kiriya noticed and found it funny.
"Didn’t I tell you to sleep a little longer? I would’ve brought breakfast to you when it was ready."
"I can’t help it. How am I supposed to sleep without my pillow?"
Hestia complained sleepily.
"Then I truly apologize."
Kiriya placed the food on the table and rolled his eyes.
"Hurry up and eat. After that, go back and take a nap. I have something to do later, so I can’t stay with you."
"Ehhh?"
Hestia puffed out her cheeks in protest, looking unbearably cute.
But she was also a reasonable goddess.
She could not really drag Kiriya back to bed and make him sleep with her, so she settled for the next best thing.
"Then feed me."
"What am I going to do with you?"
Kiriya shook his head, pulled Hestia’s soft body into his arms, and began feeding her bread piece by piece.
"Mm..."
Hestia’s face heated up so much it looked like steam might rise from her head.
She was embarrassed to the limit, but she could not bear to give up this special treatment, so she simply let him feed her like a baby bird.
Then, somewhere in the middle of it, Hestia snapped back from her daze and noticed the thin, clear thread at the corner of Kiriya’s mouth.
All at once, she felt strength returning to her body.
Maybe a little morning exercise would not be so bad!
Knock, knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
The sound poured a bucket of cold water over Hestia’s rising enthusiasm, putting it out on the spot.
"G-Go open the door."
Hestia pushed weakly against Kiriya’s chest, though there was barely any strength in her hands.
That half-resisting, half-clinging posture only made Kiriya’s thoughts wander further.
Knock, knock, knock.
The second round of knocking dragged him back to reality.
He knew this was not the right time.
All he could do was quietly add it to the account for later and go open the door.
A beautiful blonde girl stood outside, clear and graceful in the morning light.
"Good morning, Kiriya."
Her voice was crisp and pleasant.
"W-Wallen-something-kun?!"
Hestia’s voice suddenly shot up!
---------
Read 30 Chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator