Chapter 352: Ishtar’s interest
Chapter 352 - Ishtar’s interest
"Let’s go."
Aisha cast a meaningful look at Mahiro, a flicker of reluctance settling across her face.
After giving him one last glare, she turned and departed.
Watching her leave, Mahiro chuckled to himself.
Aisha truly was quite the actor.
If he did not already know the storyline, knowing that her primary concern was Haruhime, he might have been fooled into believing she harbored genuine malice toward him after her defeat.
"But what about Haruhime?" a short haired girl from the Ishtar familia asked, following close behind Aisha.
She cast a hesitant backward glance at Haruhime, who stood quietly beside Mahiro.
Although Haruhime held a lowly position within the Ishtar familia, her ability was prized above almost all else by Ishtar.
"I lost to him," Aisha grunted, glaring at the girl who had spoken.
"If you think you can do better, why do you not go up and try?"
"No, no, I am fine," the girl frantically shook her head.
What a terrible joke.
Aisha was an adventurer nearing level 4, yet she had been easily defeated by that man.
What could a level 2 like her possibly accomplish?
Throwing herself at him would only result in a beating and a wasted potion.
Besides, she was just an unimportant subordinate.
Even if Ishtar sought someone to blame, the responsibility for losing Haruhime would fall squarely on their captain’s shoulders first.
’I hope you can actually protect Haruhime.’
Aisha thought with a silent sigh.
She had never expected Mahiro to hold enough power to defeat her so swiftly.
Even so, worry still weighed heavily on her mind.
Ishtar’s obsession with Haruhime was clear to everyone.
To make matters worse, Mahiro had issued an outright declaration of war.
There was no way the Ishtar familia would step down now.
A war game was inevitable. However, a war game was typically a clash between entire factions.
With only Mahiro on the side of the Hestia familia, their strength was severely lacking and their chances of victory were slim.
Seeing their strongest fighter fall, the remaining members of the Ishtar familia abandoned any lingering thoughts of retrieving Haruhime.
They followed Aisha and quietly withdrew.
"Hahaha! Hestia, I must admire your boldness," Apollo laughed triumphantly as he watched the Ishtar familia depart.
"To go out of your way to provoke that woman Ishtar like that, it seems I won’t even need to move a finger."
A conflict between the Ishtar familia and the Hestia familia was precisely the outcome he desired most.
"Apollo, have you truly stooped so low as to hide behind others?" Hestia gave him a disdainful glare.
"Think whatever you wish. You cannot even protect yourselves now, yet you still dream of waging a war game against me?"
"You had better spend your time worrying about how to handle Ishtar’s retaliation," Apollo replied, long past caring about her taunts.
"Do not concern yourself with us. Even if the Hestia familia is not as large as the Ishtar familia, we have more than enough power to wipe the floor with your Apollo familia,"
Mahiro said casually, meeting Apollo’s gaze without a shred of respect.
"Regardless, a war game between our factions is bound to happen sooner or later, and we will certainly settle our score with you then."
His calm offhand manner irritated Apollo to the core.
Having been pampered for so long, the deity trembled with rage, completely unable to find a proper retort.
Beside him, Hyakinthos glared with bloodshot eyes, furious that his beloved god was being humiliated like this, yet unable to avenge the insult himself.
"Enjoy your arrogance while it lasts," Apollo snarled at Hestia before turning to leave, surrounded by his disgruntled followers.
He had previously intended to use his numbers to pressure Hestia into handing over Mahiro.
Instead of getting what he wanted, he had suffered one humiliation after another.
Before long, today’s events would undoubtedly turn Apollo into the laughingstock of Orario.
"Let us head back inside," Mahiro said, guiding Hestia and Haruhime into the residence.
With the main figures gone, the surrounding crowd of onlookers slowly dispersed.
News of what had transpired quickly spread through Orario like wildfire.
Inside the pleasure quarter, at the headquarters of the Ishtar familia, Aisha and the others returned and reported everything that had happened at the Hestia familia’s residence to their goddess, Ishtar.
"Is this some kind of joke? Failing your mission is bad enough, but trying to shift the blame is disgraceful."
"That Mahiro is only level 2. There were so many of you, all level 2 or higher, and you could not take down a single opponent?" Phryne smirked.
"Or perhaps you intentionally let Haruhime escape and made up this pathetic story to cover your tracks?"
"You fool, do you really think anyone could hide something like that from Lady Ishtar?" Aisha retorted, looking at Phryne as if she were an idiot.
"Besides, anyone can verify what happened with a quick inquiry. Why would I need to make up a lie?"
Phryne bristled with rage and prepared to strike but Ishtar called out softly.
"Enough!" Her voice made everyone shudder, immediately squelching any urge to fight.
"That child in the Hestia familia, I recall Freya spoke up for him during the denatus, did she not?" Ishtar murmured as she narrowed her eyes as she fell into deep thought.
"That bitch never shows interest in ordinary adventurers. That means she must have taken a liking to him."
A mocking smile curved Ishtar’s lips. "To easily defeat Aisha while only at level 2, such potential is indeed enough to catch that bitch’s eye."
"I must admit, her eyes for talent are as sharp as ever."
Hatred welled up in Ishtar’s eyes.
Freya held the ability to perceive the souls of mortals, a gift denied even to most gods from heaven.
It was this power that allowed Freya to uncover talent after talent, elevating her familia into one of the two ruling powers of Orario.
"Then we shall grant his wish. Submit an official request to the guild for a war game against the Hestia familia," Ishtar ordered.
"When you retrieve Haruhime, capture Mahiro as well. If we snatch away the boy she has her eyes on, the expression on her face will be magnificent."
Already imagining Freya’s fury at having her prized target stolen out from under her, Ishtar burst into a cruel triumphant laugh.
Having received their orders, the members of the Ishtar familia bowed and departed to file the paperwork for the war game at the guild.
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