Chapter 350: Antianeira
Chapter 350 - Antianeira
The Amazon adventurers, their striking appearances drawing eyes, advanced toward the Hestia Familia’s residence.
Their lingering aura parted the crowd of onlookers instinctively.
The leader was well-known in Orario.
Antianeira Aisha, a Level 3 adventurer rumored to be nearing Level 4, someone in the crowd identified.
"Hestia, your Familia’s knack for trouble is something else, picking a fight with Ishtar," Apollo sneered, relishing the chaos.
The Ishtar Familia ranked among Orario’s elite, far outstripping Apollo’s second-rate group.
A clash with Hestia’s tiny Familia promised disaster.
"Mind your own business," Hestia snapped, glaring at Apollo.
"Keep quiet, Hestia," he retorted. "If you’re driven from Orario, I’ll toss you a beggar’s job so you don’t starve."
"My apologies, Lord Gods, for interrupting," Aisha said, stepping forward with measured courtesy not aggression.
"No matter. Settle your business with Hestia first," Apollo replied, his schadenfreude barely concealed.
"Thank you," Aisha said, turning to Hestia. "Goddess Hestia, I’m Aisha of the Ishtar Familia. The fox girl beside you is our member. Please return her."
Haruhime trembled briefly, then resumed her calm demeanor, lowering her head and awaiting Mahiro’s decision.
Sold to Orario as a child and bound to Ishtar’s courtesan trade, she harbored no strong opinions, only a desire not to burden Mahiro.
"Sorry, I can’t agree," Hestia said.
"Really?" Mahiro said, eyeing Aisha.
Her attire exuded allure yet carried a warrior’s edge, fitting her title perfectly.
"Why say that?" Aisha asked, her calm masking surprise.
Mahiro’s piercing gaze seemed to see through her, though she dismissed it as coincidence.
Gods could only discern lies, not read hearts.
Her words were true...she genuinely saw Haruhime as a comrade.
Among Ishtar’s Familia, Aisha alone treated Haruhime as more than a tool.
Others coveted her Uchide no Kozuchi, but Aisha cared for her well being, secretly glad when Ais took her.
She’d only half-heartedly searched, disappointed by the Loki Familia’s softness.
Their strength could’ve protected Haruhime, unlike Ishtar’s exploitative grip.
Handing her to a lone Level 2’s familia felt like a farce.
"Is that so?" Mahiro smiled faintly.
"Didn’t the Loki Familia tell you? Haruhime’s with me now."
His firm words sparked discontent among Ishtar’s members.
"Aisha, stop talking. Let’s take her," one said.
"Careful not to rough him up, he’s cuter than the Guild’s posters," another teased.
"Just a cocky rookie."
"Drag him to our base. I like taming obedient boys," a third added eyeing Mahiro like prey.
"You’re awfully sure you can take from our Ishtar Familia," Aisha sneered.
"Plenty have tried stealing our members before. They all failed."
Ishtar’s courtesan trade often lured clients to attempt redemption but the Familia’s steep prices drove some to theft.
Most ended up brutally rebuffed.
"Let’s see if Orario’s fastest rising adventurer has the chops to back that talk," She launched herself at Mahiro with a swift leap.