Danmachi, Ch 181-185

Chapter 181 – The Female Smith’s Gratitude

The forge glowed bright under the light of molten lava. Tsuna held a short kukri in one hand, its guard inlaid with two different crystals—one blue, one green.

A faint chill shimmered along the blade’s edge, proof that this was no ordinary Magic Sword. Even without invoking its enchantments, the weapon itself possessed considerable cutting power.

“This dragon fang is even sharper than I imagined. Even without using magic, this Magic Sword’s performance rivals that of a standard second-tier weapon.”

“And it has two completely different types of magic—‘Red Mist,’ which blocks and weakens spells, and flames that can reach extreme temperatures. There’s no usage limit, but… it still needs an energy reserve, right? Otherwise, where does its power come from?”

“That,” Hephaestus said with a smile as she approached, pointing at the two differently colored crystals on the guard, “is another reason this Magic Sword transcends normal rules.”

“These crystals formed naturally around Amphisbaena’s twin heads. They already possessed energy storage properties. When combined with the other materials and refined through the sublimation of Excellia, they became self-sustaining. The two crystals generate their own energy and have incredibly high efficiency—each one can store enough to unleash three spells.”

“Once they’re fully drained, the crystals dim to their lowest brightness. Recharging them takes about thirty minutes.”

“That fast?” Tsuna couldn’t help exclaiming. “Only thirty minutes to fully recharge? Can these crystals absorb energy from the air?”

“That’s why I said this Magic Sword breaks all conventions.”

Hephaestus herself rarely forged such unusual weapons, but there was no rule stating that all Magic Swords had to come with usage limits.

And with Excellia as a forging catalyst, of course the result would be something extraordinary.

"Of course, besides absorbing ambient energy on standby, it can also be recharged temporarily through direct Mind infusion or by using a Magic Stone."

"However, the Magic Sword's Mind consumption is quite high—it would take at least a Level 4 professional mage to replenish its energy manually."

“For ordinary Adventurers, they’ll just have to wait the thirty minutes for the automatic recharge.”

Tsuna chuckled. He had been a bit too optimistic.

After all, this Magic Sword could store six spells' worth of power. Naturally, an average mage's Mind would be drained long before completing a recharge.

Still, the fact that it could replenish itself in only thirty minutes made it absurdly powerful.

“I see. I was overthinking it.”

Tsuna looked down at the kukri in his hand and voiced the thought forming in his mind.

“Tsubaki, Lady Hephaestus—if Excellia-based forging can elevate materials into higher forms, then the amount of Excellia used and the materials chosen must influence the weapon’s direction of sublimation, right?”

Even from this single weapon, that much was clear.

Weapons forged through Excellia would inevitably reflect the properties of their materials, affecting the kinds of magic or skills they manifested.

For example, the materials dropped by Amphisbaena had directly shaped this kukri’s abilities.

Tsubaki and Hephaestus exchanged glances, smiles spreading across their faces.

“You guessed it. Lady Hephaestus and I have already thought of that.”

“So we plan to conduct further experimental forges using other materials. This time, we’ll incorporate ultra-hard metals and Unbreakable alloys.”

Tsuna wasn’t surprised. If he, a relative newcomer to forging, could think of that, there was no way these two masters hadn’t.

The moment he felt both of their gazes on him, he already knew what was coming.

“So… I’m guessing there’s something you need me to do?”

Tsubaki’s grin deepened, her tone turning half-playful, half-pleading.

“Hehe~ well, you see… we’ll be forging a lot of experimental weapons, and we might not have enough Excellia for it.”

“Oh, that’s all?”

Seeing her almost fawning expression, Tsuna had expected something more serious. Turns out, it was just about gathering Excellia.

“Excellia isn’t too hard to get, but right now, only Goliath’s left in the Dungeon. Amphisbaena’s still regenerating, so our supply will be limited.”

It was something that needed to be planned in advance.

Currently, there weren’t many Floor Bosses in the Dungeon that could yield enough Excellia. Goliath, which was about to respawn soon, was the best target available.

“That’s plenty!”

Tsubaki didn’t seem worried about how much Excellia Goliath would provide. Even if it produced less per kill, its respawn cycle was fast.

Amphisbaena took a full month to return. Goliath, only three weeks.

She did the math quickly—before the Joint Expedition began, she could harvest Excellia from at least two Goliaths.

That would be more than enough to forge several prototype weapons.

The thought of new creations being born from her hands filled Tsubaki with barely restrained excitement.

Tsuna could clearly feel it—the thrill of crafting, the joy of refining one’s skill. That was what made Tsubaki happiest.

Lowering his gaze, he paused for a moment, then lifted the Magic Sword and gave it a small shake.

“Tsubaki, what are you planning to do with this kukri?”

“Sell it, of course. I’d rather see my weapons used than sitting in a display case. The price will definitely exceed that of a standard first-tier weapon. After all, it can be used infinitely and even recharges on its own. It’ll sell for a premium, no doubt about that.”

Tsubaki’s tone brimmed with confidence.

Both in performance and enchantment, this Magic Sword easily rivaled—or even surpassed—top-grade first-tier weapons.

“Oh, right,” Tsubaki suddenly said, as if remembering something.

She stepped closer to Tsuna, meeting his curious gaze. Then, without warning, she leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against his.

When she looked up again, a faint blush colored her bronze skin.

“That was my way of saying thank you.”

Chapter 182: Hephaestus’ Auction

The next morning, the Hephaestus Familia had already spread the news—

a new kind of Magic Sword had been forged.

“A Magic Sword without usage limits?”

Freya perked up as soon as she heard the news.

“What’s gotten into Hephaestus? She actually managed to forge something like that.”

“What kind of weapon is it exactly?”

Hedin adjusted his glasses lightly before answering his goddess.

“The information comes from the Hephaestus Familia. The weapon was forged using materials from an Amphisbaena. The main components are two types of energy-storing crystals, dragon teeth, a dragon’s heart, and… an unknown material.”

He placed special emphasis on that last part. Hedin was convinced that the very reason this Magic Sword could be forged at all was due to that “Unknown Material.”

For the Hephaestus Familia to complete such a weapon, they must have gained significant understanding of this “Unknown Material.” Otherwise, it would have been impossible to incorporate it into the forging process.

“Lady Freya, I believe this ‘Unknown Material’ that the Hephaestus Familia refuses to disclose is precisely the key to the sword’s creation.”

“‘Unknown Material,’ hm? Since when did Hephaestus start playing coy?”

Freya murmured softly.

“Continue, Hedin.”

“Yes, Lady Freya.”

Hedin nodded slightly.

“The Magic Sword’s abilities are identical to those of the Amphisbaena. It can generate the Red Mist, which weakens and neutralizes magic, as well as unleash flames of extreme heat.”

“The sword can store up to three charges of each spell. Once all stored magic is expended, it takes half an hour to recharge, though it can also be replenished manually by infusing mana.”

“The weapon itself is of second-tier quality at minimum. The starting bid is three hundred million valis.”

Freya nodded faintly.

“I see. Its abilities justify the price. The sword is certainly valuable, but only a handful of Familias would be capable of affording it.”

Judging by its design, this Magic Sword was meant for a team rather than an individual.

It would be difficult for a lone adventurer to draw out its full potential. But in a coordinated party, Red Mist would be invaluable.

To weaken and nullify magic—such a defensive spell directly countered mages, much like how Floor Bosses targeted magic users specifically.

With three charges per spell, most team battles would end long before the sword’s energy ran dry.

The weapon’s versatility was remarkable.

Still, Freya’s interest didn’t lie in the sword itself. Her children were not known for teamwork, and this weapon favored those who excelled at it.

Given its price and purpose, only a few Familias could realistically compete for it—

the Loki Familia, the Ishtar Familia, the Ganesha Familia, and the Astraea Familia.

What intrigued Freya far more was the Unknown Material used in its creation.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll attend Hephaestus’ auction.”

“Yes, Lady Freya.”

“A Magic Sword with no usage limits?”

Ishtar was just as taken aback when she received the news.

“Are you certain?”

“Positive. The information came directly from the Hephaestus Familia. Many Familias have already been invited.”

The Amazonian girl nodded firmly.

Then she began explaining the details.

“Hephaestus suddenly created something like that?”

Ishtar couldn’t hide her astonishment—but soon enough, her mind turned to the implications.

She didn’t particularly care about unlimited use. Her Familia had money to spare; she wasn’t stingy about buying ordinary Magic Swords.

What caught her attention were the abilities—especially the two spells imbued within.

The Red Mist alone was incredibly valuable for group combat.

“Freya’s Familia has quite a few mages…”

The thought of Freya made Ishtar’s mind race.

“Freya’s been notified too?”

“Yes, Goddess. The Hephaestus Familia informed every Familia capable of bidding.”

“Excellent. Then we’ll be there too.”

Ishtar’s expression darkened slightly.

She didn’t care who won the sword—as long as Freya didn’t.

Freya’s Familia was already too strong. Allowing them to grow even stronger would only diminish Ishtar’s chances further.

She had made up her mind. Her Familia would attend.

The announcement of this unprecedented Magic Sword drew nearly every major Familia to Hephaestus’ auction.

The auction that day was hosted by Tsubaki. She appeared as always—white top, wide red trousers resembling a shrine maiden’s garb, and her signature eyepatch covering her left eye.

“Welcome, everyone, to the auction for this special Magic Sword.”

“This weapon represents the result of an ambitious new forging experiment conducted by Lady Hephaestus and myself.”

“The outcome of that experiment is the Magic Sword you see today.”

“By adding a unique material, we’ve achieved an upgrade unlike anything before.”

Tsubaki’s sharp gaze swept across the gathered gods and goddesses. Seeing their eager faces, she decided to cut straight to the point.

“I imagine all of you are curious about the special material used in this new craft.”

“Indeed, we are.”

Hermes grinned, immediately picking up on her words. If Tsubaki mentioned it openly, then it clearly wasn’t a secret.

“Tsubaki, the materials you and Hephaestus used weren’t particularly rare—everything came from an Amphisbaena. But that alone couldn’t have produced a weapon like this. We’re all curious about the so-called ‘Unknown Material.’ Care to enlighten us?”

“Of course.”

Tsubaki smiled brightly, showing not the slightest hesitation.

“As for that ‘Unknown Material,’ it’s not some mysterious substance.”

“It’s simply that no one before us has ever managed to extract it—or use it in forging.”

“That ‘Unknown Material’... is Excellia.”

Chapter 183: The Birth of a Great Fool

“!?”

Every god in attendance froze for a moment, their eyes turning toward Tsubaki in unison.

And yet the answer they received was the truth.

In other words—Hephaestus had discovered a way to materialize Excellia itself, turning an abstract concept into something tangible. Otherwise, how else could Excellia become a forging material?

“To turn Excellia into a material… Hephaestus has really done something remarkable.”

Even Hermes hadn’t expected this. Something as conceptual as Excellia—made solid by Hephaestus? It seemed impossible.

But did Hephaestus truly possess such an ability?

Obviously not.

The gods were immutable beings. What they couldn’t do before, they still couldn’t do now.

Which meant one thing—Hermes was almost certain the one who had materialized Excellia wasn’t Hephaestus herself.

The other gods exchanged glances, their expressions subtly shifting.

“So, Hephaestus recruited someone new?” Ishtar asked cautiously.

“Yes. He’s a newcomer to our Familia. His skill is indeed in Forging. But by order of Lady Hephaestus, all information about him is sealed. Other than myself and Lady Hephaestus, no one else in the Familia knows.”

Tsubaki’s answer was shockingly direct—so direct that every god present was stunned.

Yet with their divine senses, they could all tell she was telling the truth. There wasn’t even a trace of falsehood.

So it’s not only the Loki Familia that’s gained a gifted newcomer… the Hephaestus Familia has as well.

Someone capable of materializing Excellia—a concept born from the very essence of adventuring itself.

“This auction isn’t just about selling this Magic Sword,” Tsubaki continued, “it’s also to promote our new line of business.”

“After further development and testing, our Familia will begin taking commissions for new-style weapons forged using Excellia.”

With a proud smile, Tsubaki boldly announced Hephaestus Familia’s next venture.

“Of course, weapons of this kind will be significantly more expensive to order.”

“As for their quality, I believe today’s Magic Sword speaks for itself. I have full confidence in my craftsmanship.”

“This is the reputation of the Hephaestus Familia.”

The word reputation carried weight—it wasn’t just Tsubaki’s confidence speaking. It also showed that this forging technique must already be mature. Otherwise, Hephaestus would never risk her name by making it public.

A child who can materialize Excellia…

Freya had never heard of such a thing before.

What’s going on? First Loki finds a child who can manipulate Puppets and even space itself. Now Hephaestus brings in someone who can turn Excellia into matter.

It was as if gifted children with impossible abilities were suddenly appearing all at once.

Such phenomena hadn’t been seen since the age of Zeus and Hera.

Could this be the dawn of another Heroic Era?

Freya found herself bewildered by the strange surge of talent in the lower world.

She’d considered whether there might be a connection between the two cases.

Unfortunately, Tsubaki had already made it clear—the child was part of the Hephaestus Familia. And with so many gods present, none could lie without being instantly exposed.

There was no link between them.

“Well then,” Tsubaki said once the murmuring subsided, “let’s begin the auction.”

The crowd quieted.

A Magic Sword without usage limits—that headline alone was enough to draw bidders. And the sword’s quality was excellent besides.

What truly mattered, though, was that it could wield both of the Amphisbaena’s spells. Strategically speaking, it was a massive boost for any Familia.

The only issue—the starting bid of three hundred million valis was steep.

“Starting bid: three hundred million valis.”

“Three hundred million.”

Freya crossed one leg over the other, smiling as she gracefully raised her hand.

That woman…!

Ishtar’s irritation flared immediately. Her long-standing resentment toward Freya and her desire to keep Freya Familia in check made her lift her hand almost without thinking.

“Four hundred million.”

Freya only smiled, glancing at her with calm amusement.

“My, my… Ishtar, I didn’t think you’d take such an interest in a Magic Sword.”

That graceful, taunting tone made Ishtar’s blood boil. She let out a sharp, angry snort.

“What I’m interested in has nothing to do with you.”

Freya shook her head lightly, her voice dripping with teasing sympathy.

“You really do enjoy opposing me, don’t you, Ishtar? But I’m not sure what you gain from it. Don’t blame me if I stop bidding suddenly and you end up overpaying.”

“Five hundred million.”

Freya’s easygoing arrogance only fueled Ishtar’s temper. Her anger spiked.

“Even if I overpay, I won’t let you have it!”

“Ten billion.”

Freya nearly laughed aloud.

Ishtar really is such a child. So easy to provoke.

Freya sighed softly.

“Well, since you seem to want it so badly, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Though, you might be overpaying just a little. The Pleasure Quarter’s finances can’t handle this sort of recklessness, can they?”

“Unlike me, I’m not very good at production,” Freya added with a lazy smile. “That’s why my children manage those things for me. The Familia’s economy runs just fine without my involvement.”

“…”

Ishtar’s nails dug into her palms.

Her anger had burned hot, but now—now she just felt pain.

The Pleasure Quarter demanded enormous upkeep. Even though it was Orario’s greatest gold sink, her Familia’s available funds were limited.

Ten billion was the most she could possibly spend.

To blow half her reserves on a single sword… it was extravagance bordering on madness.

What stung even more was that despite spending all that money, her anger hadn’t been satisfied at all. If anything, Freya’s smug expression made it worse.

“Heh.”

Freya watched her rival seethe, struggling to swallow her frustration.

She smiled faintly.

No—she couldn’t let Ishtar self-destruct too quickly. That would make things far less entertaining.

Chapter 184: Flaws in the Plan and How to Fix Them

Loki managed to hold herself together through the entire auction, all the way back to the Familia, and even into her own room—only then did she finally burst out laughing.

“Pffft—ahahahaha!”

“Ishtar, that poor fool. Freya practically spelled it out for her, and she still walked straight into the trap! She’s even dumber than that little runt!”

“Don’t laugh too hard—you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Tsuna appeared behind her, warning quietly.

But Loki was already doubled over, gasping for breath.

“Ahahaha—ow, ow, ow! Tsuna, help me—my stomach!”

“I told you to take it easy.”

He sighed and reached around from behind, gently pressing his hand against her abdomen to ease the cramp.

His palm met a smooth, taut belly with no trace of excess flesh. He could feel the twitch of her muscles beneath his fingers—it really was from laughing too much.

“Was it really that funny?”

“Of course it was!”

Her voice rose slightly—and immediately, her stomach spasmed again.

“Watch your volume. Did you already forget your stomach’s still cramping?”

“Mmm…”

Loki made a small whimper before going completely quiet.

She could feel the warmth of Tsuna’s fingers against her skin—so soft and steady it made her skin prickle with sensitivity. The gentle tracing of his fingertips left faint trails of warmth that made her shiver pleasantly.

It felt unexpectedly good—comforting, even.

Her laughter-induced cramps began to ease, but she didn’t want him to stop. She simply leaned back against him, letting his hand continue to move softly over her stomach.

Tsuna didn’t rush it. But standing there wasn’t ideal—it was tiring.

“Loki, let’s sit down.”

“…Yeah.”

He guided her to sit at the edge of the bed, and Loki shifted sideways to perch on his lap.

Before he could say anything, she caught his hand and pressed it back to her stomach.

“Keep it there. Still hurts.”

Tsuna blinked but didn’t argue. He simply continued the gentle massage.

Loki closed her eyes, letting out a content sigh as she rested against his chest.

“Honestly, that woman Ishtar doesn’t have a single brain cell to spare. Freya told her outright not to fall for it, and she still went in headfirst.”

“Loki, even if Ishtar hadn’t fallen for it directly, Lady Freya would’ve driven the bidding so high she’d regret it anyway.”

“You don’t think Ishtar could’ve turned the tables on Freya?”

“If she could, she wouldn’t be Freya’s plaything.”

“Pfft—”

His blunt remark showed no mercy at all. Loki couldn’t help but snort out a laugh.

Her stomach twitched again, forcing her to stifle it quickly.

“The thing is, Ishtar’s never going to let Freya have her way. She’s been opposing her from the start.”

“As long as Freya keeps bidding, Ishtar will keep pushing back. In the end, Freya’s trap works either way—Ishtar can’t avoid falling for it unless she gives up completely.”

“Impossible. Asking Ishtar to back off from Freya is a joke. If she could let it go, she wouldn’t be Ishtar anymore.”

Loki dismissed the notion instantly.

That possibility was as good as zero.

Ishtar and Freya stood on opposite ends of a war. Freya didn’t even view Ishtar as a serious rival, yet Ishtar convinced herself she could challenge Freya.

That was precisely why she’d always end up dancing in Freya’s palm.

Freya understood Ishtar’s nature far too well.

“So everything went exactly how you two predicted?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that Ishtar was the most likely buyer. She can’t resist what she sees as a chance to strike at Freya.”

“That woman… always the same.”

Loki knew Ishtar’s temperament all too well.

Expecting her to drop her grudge against Freya was harder than killing her outright.

That was why she’d always end up dragged along by Freya’s schemes—because Freya knew precisely how she’d react.

“This auction wasn’t just about promoting Hephaestus Familia’s new project, was it?”

“No. The real reason we leaked news of the ‘Excellia’ was to make it clear that a newcomer in the Hephaestus Familia achieved something impossible. With Tsubaki openly acknowledging that I’m with Hephaestus Familia, no god will doubt it.”

“That way, my two identities are neatly divided. No god will ever think to connect the rookie of the Hephaestus Familia with the rookie of the Loki Familia.”

“You’re really cautious, huh.”

Loki couldn’t help but remark.

“It’s just to be safe. Lady Hephaestus agrees with the plan—both identities will remain hidden, and no god will be able to confirm either connection. But the key is that I must never appear before Lady Freya.”

It was a flawless plan.

As long as both identities were registered with the Guild and officially recognized by both Hephaestus and Loki, no one would ever suspect they were the same person.

The only problem—the unpredictable factor—was Freya.

Unlike the other gods, who could only sense lies, Freya possessed the power to see directly into a person’s soul.

“You’re worried she might see through your soul and recognize you as the same person?”

Tsuna shook his head slightly.

“It’s not that I think my soul is special, or that someone like me would ever catch Lady Freya’s attention. What I’m worried about is how her ability actually works—whether souls can resemble one another, whether she might realize my two identities share the same essence through that.”

“So the best solution is for me to never stand before her.”

“As long as she doesn’t see me, even her eyes won’t turn my way.”

Chapter 185: Turbulence Within a Stabilized Familia

After the Hephaestus Familia’s auction, they quickly became the center of attention among Orario’s gods.

Unfortunately for them, Hephaestus Familia was a production-based Familia. Most of its craftsmen spent long hours inside their workshops, and those “eyes” sent by other gods could not penetrate the walls of the compound.

As for the spies that had been uncovered inside the Familia, Hephaestus wasted no time in expelling them right after the auction.

The entire Familia became as solid and impenetrable as a sheet of steel.

Hephaestus made no effort to conceal the reason for their removal from her children either.

Betrayal.

They were spies for other Familia.

That simple and direct explanation filled every Adventurer with disgust.

Traitors were despised no matter where they appeared—especially when those traitors turned out to be informants for rival Familia.

The smiths of the Hephaestus Familia had absolute faith in their goddess’s judgment. After all, with Hephaestus’s personality, she would never expel someone on such a serious charge unless it were true.

And a god’s power to discern lies made the truth impossible to hide from her.

For a deity, uncovering deceit was far easier than for any mortal.

Thus, when Hephaestus branded those expelled craftsmen as Betrayers, everyone else quickly chose to forget them.

After all, those “traitors” were merely expelled, not executed. They would simply return to their former Familia. Why bother thinking about them further?

“At last, things have settled down,” Hephaestus exhaled, exhaustion showing in her tone. Stabilizing her Familia after such unrest had been draining.

“As expected, making such a commotion has drawn far too many gods’ attention.”

There had been a high-profile auction, the introduction of a new forging technique, and even talk of the talented “special child” she had recently taken in.

It was no wonder that so many gods had turned their eyes toward her.

“You’ve worked hard, Lady Hephaestus.”

Tsuna appeared behind her chair, smiling pleasantly. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders and began to knead the stiffness from them.

“Ahh… I’m truly worn out this time.”

Hephaestus let out a soft groan, her words half a complaint.

“Expelling spies from the Familia was one thing—but I also had to calm the children afterward. Without an explanation, they’d think I was some tyrant who threw people out on a whim.”

If such matters weren’t handled properly, doubt and whispers could easily spread through the Familia.

Thankfully, this time the situation was managed perfectly.

After explaining the reason behind the expulsions, and with Tsuna’s beast constructs helping to soothe emotions, the Familia’s unrest gradually subsided.

Within three days, peace had returned.

Under his hands, Hephaestus’s shoulders slowly loosened.

“With your character and integrity, Lady Hephaestus, no one in your Familia would ever suspect otherwise,” Tsuna said calmly.

He wasn’t worried about the internal stability of the Hephaestus Familia.

“Betrayal is the gravest of sins, no matter where it occurs.”

“A Familia cannot be stable if it harbors those who play both sides. Once someone is branded a Betrayer, no one within will offer them sympathy.”

Hephaestus understood that as well as anyone.

“Those children who were sent away… they won’t cause trouble, will they?”

They were, after all, the biggest concern in this entire matter.

“No problem,” Tsuna replied confidently. “I used the Memory Worm to read their memories and identified the erased sections. Then, I reinforced the gaps—so they’d realize on their own that something was missing. They’ll understand why they were branded as Betrayers.”

“When that awareness sets in, they won’t dare make a scene. You’ve already expelled them—an unmistakable message that you know what they did.”

“Once that realization exists within their minds, any attempt to deny it becomes a lie—and every god will instantly perceive that lie as proof of their guilt.”

Tsuna had already accounted for every possible outcome.

Just in case any of them tried to cause trouble with the Guild after being expelled, he had implanted the perfect safeguard into their memories.

There was no need for invasive modification like the gods who had originally planted them. It was enough for them to believe that their memories contained inconsistencies—and to recognize that they had indeed been spies.

As long as they held that belief, raising a commotion would only dig their own graves.

Because once that awareness took root, any word that contradicted it in front of a god would immediately reveal itself as a lie.

It was the cleanest, most effective way to silence those expelled craftsmen.

“Well done.”

Hephaestus closed her eyes briefly. She knew she couldn’t have done it herself—Tsuna’s method was far kinder than anything she could’ve devised.

After all, those children had been traitors. This was the most merciful outcome she could offer them.

Her aching shoulders finally eased, and she leaned back into the chair with a long sigh.

“The other gods have their eyes on me now, but it’s not a big problem.”

“I’m a craftsman. I don’t influence Orario’s power balance. Still, those obsessed with the unknown will never miss an opportunity to pry.”

That, too, was something Tsuna had already anticipated. He’d seen the same behavior before with the Seimei Familia.

“Gods’ curiosity fades with time. As long as we keep a low profile, their attention will move elsewhere soon enough.”

“All we need to do now is remain quiet.”

Tsuna understood the nature of gods all too well.

After finishing his words, he continued massaging her neck and shoulders.

“And now, I’ll have to trouble you a little more, Lady Hephaestus.”