Chapter 100: 200 Million Valis

However, Akira remained blissfully unaware that the banquet he was currently enjoying had been meticulously orchestrated by none other than the goddess Loki herself—head of the notorious Loki Familia and a deity renowned throughout Orario, and among the gods, for her unrestrained mischief and bottomless appetite for scheming. At the head of the hall, Loki sat reclined in her chair, a sly smirk curling her lips as she gently swirled the wine in her hand. The crystal goblet shimmered under the lights, glowing with hues of ruby and gold. Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly, flashing with an unmistakable glint of ill intent as she observed the bustling crowd. More specifically, her eyes were locked onto Akira, who was still surrounded by a mob of overly enthusiastic adventurers bombarding him with all manner of invasive questions. She wasn't just watching. She was plotting. Loki's expression turned even more playful, lips quirking as she mouthed two exaggerated words across the room, deliberately slow and teasing—"Enjoy it~!"—before spinning around with dramatic flair, as if she had just pulled off the greatest prank of her life. She strutted off like a mischievous child who had successfully stolen a cookie and gotten away with it. Poor Akira had no idea what kind of trouble he was really in. Still flanked by smiling faces, curious voices, and overly affectionate women, he continued to fend off awkward questions and friendly ambushes one after another. But as everyone knew—or rather, as everyone would eventually find out—this entire scene was nothing less than a meticulously crafted farce, a spontaneous play written and directed by none other than Loki herself. And while Akira navigated the tide of people, Loki was seated a short distance away, gleefully reveling in her victory. Her mind was practically dancing as she celebrated her own genius in silence, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. A moment later, pretending as though nothing had happened, she gracefully approached Gareth and took a seat beside the burly dwarf. Without a word, she plopped down, picked up a mug, and challenged him to a drinking duel. The air between them crackled with the unspoken energy of countless past battles—liquid battles, that is. Meanwhile, Finn, who sat nearby, turned his head slightly and allowed his gaze to drift toward Akira once again. The boy was still surrounded. Akira wore a helpless but genuinely warm smile, doing his best to maintain his composure. Despite the whirlwind of conversation, hands tugging at his sleeves, and an onslaught of questions flying at him faster than arrows in a dungeon ambush, he remained patient—graceful even. He gave each person a fair share of attention, nodding here, replying there, trying not to let anyone feel ignored. It was awkward. It was chaotic. But it was real. Finn smiled softly. How rare... It's not often the Familia gets to laugh and talk like this. And now they have something new to bond over—something to bring up with Ais. Three birds with one stone, indeed. Finn chuckled to himself, his thoughts drifting inward. Later, I'll have to explain everything to Akira—why everyone's acting like overzealous fans. But for now... let him suffer a bit. It's good for him to get used to this kind of attention. Eventually, just when it looked like Akira was about to be swept away by a second wave of admirers, a savior descended. Riveria stepped forward with elegant grace, reached out calmly, and pulled Akira to her side with an air of quiet authority. The crowd instinctively backed off. Thus, the crisis was finally resolved. As the feast gradually neared its end, and people relaxed with food and drink, an unexpected figure approached Akira once more. Gareth, cheeks already tinged red from alcohol, sauntered up beside him with surprising stealth. With a quiet smile, he handed Akira a glass of richly colored wine that sparkled faintly under the chandeliers. It had a mellow, fruity fragrance—clearly a potent variety of fruit wine. Although Akira's physical resilience far exceeded that of most adventurers—possibly even surpassing Gareth himself—the alcohol still triggered a slight flush on his cheeks. His metabolism neutralized the intoxication quickly, but it couldn't completely prevent the warmth from spreading across his face. Even so, compared to the two drunken veterans wobbling beside him, Akira's condition was nearly pristine. Loki was now clinging tightly to Gareth's shoulders, laughing uproariously as she half-yelled, half-slurred, "Pfft—! Hahahaha! I'm still standing! Gareth, you're wobbling already!" "Hmph!" Gareth snorted, swaying but refusing to concede. "Don't be ridiculous, woman. You're the one who can't even sit straight anymore!" "Me? Unconscious? In your dreams!" Loki laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair. "I could drink circles around you!" "Keep dreaming, Loki," Gareth grunted. "You've got the tolerance of a squirrel!" And with that, the two launched into another heated argument/drinking contest, much to the amusement and quiet resignation of those around them. By the time the festivities concluded, the group of rowdy drunks had staggered off somewhere toward the office quarters, arms linked, feet uncoordinated. Finn, who had only sampled two glasses, and both Riveria and Ais, who hadn't touched a single drop, watched the comedic scene unfold in resigned silence. Riveria sighed heavily and rubbed her temples. She glanced at Akira and murmured with a hint of exasperation, "Sorry you had to witness that. Those two lose all sense of decorum every time there's a banquet. They're... troublesome people." Akira gave a sheepish grin and raised his hands in a pacifying gesture. He said, "It's alright. Really. I mean, it is a party held in my honor. As long as everyone's happy..." He paused, then mumbled under his breath, "Even though I still don't understand why they're throwing an actual banquet just for me." His words made Riveria and Finn exchange a knowing glance before the two of them simultaneously burst into quiet laughter. After a few moments, Finn stepped forward, gently patting Akira's shoulder. "Not long ago, Akira... you gave us something very valuable. A magic tool." Riveria continued, her voice steady and sincere, "That kind of thing isn't something we can accept casually. We needed to express our gratitude. A simple thank-you wouldn't suffice." "So, we decided a banquet was the least we could do." Finn concluded with a smile. He looked Akira directly in the eye and added, "And if there's ever anything troubling you, no matter what it is—don't hesitate to tell us. We'll do everything we can to help." Akira nodded seriously, visibly moved by their sincerity. "I understand. And... even though magic tools are precious, I gave them to you because I don't want to lose friends like you when danger comes." But then, with a shift in tone, Akira added casually, "Besides, making them isn't really difficult for me." His words stunned both Riveria and Finn. "And honestly... only I can make them." With that, Akira pulled out a bag from [Backpack] and handed it to Finn. Inside were over a dozen newly crafted magic tools—freshly forged and neatly packed. As his level increased, the rate at which Akira could produce these tools had soared. He could easily make over a dozen per day now. If not for his concerns about destabilizing the market—or worse, letting these fall into the hands of Evilus—he might have already sold hundreds. At present, he had nearly a hundred teleportation props tucked away in his room. If sold at market price, they would easily net the Astraea Familia billions of Valis. Seeing the contents of the bag, Finn and Riveria's jaws nearly dropped. Akira smirked and said, "Well, I'm trying to make a little money too, so this time I'm charging you—discounted price, of course. Two hundred million Valis. Take them all." He added with a grin, "Since everyone keeps saying the familia's running out of money, I figured I'd collect a little." Finn's eyes sparkled like he'd just struck gold. He eagerly accepted the bag, but in his excitement, he accidentally gripped Akira's hand too hard. Despite being a pallum, Finn's strength—backed by his Level 5 status—still made Akira wince slightly in pain. "Only two hundred million Valis? That's it? Should we pay more?" Finn asked breathlessly. "We can pay more!" "Oi! You're hurting him!" Riveria immediately grabbed Finn's hand and pried it away from Akira's with a frown. Turning to Akira, she asked gently, "Are you sure this is enough? Just because we're friends, you shouldn't lower the price by this much."