Chapter 77: Akira's Alias, Morning Star

In order to prevent the situation from spiraling completely out of control, Loki had no choice but to step in and mediate. She leaned forward and said persuasively, "So, Astraea, do you have any alias you'd like to suggest? If not, we'll have no choice but to proceed with a vote and let everyone decide." Upon hearing those words, Astraea slowly rose from her seat. Her voice, still gentle as ever, rang through the divine chamber with unusual clarity. "Is there even a need to ask? How could I stand by and watch my child be burdened with such a shameful alias? I am his goddess. I made a promise to him—that I would fight to ensure he receives a proper and dignified alias." Then, lifting her chin slightly, Astraea's expression turned solemn. With poise and calm determination, she declared, "Therefore, I propose [Morning Star] as the most fitting alias. It represents the dawn of a new day, the light of hope, and the beginning of something greater. It is the blessing I, as the Star Maiden, wish to bestow upon him." The morning star, as she explained, refers to the brightest celestial body that graces the sky before sunrise—typically Venus—shining in the east with radiant light. As such, it is often used in poetry and literature as a metaphor for guidance, for warmth, for resilience that breaks through the shadows. It symbolizes a beacon of vitality before the world awakens. After her impassioned statement, Astraea's demeanor changed. The warmth she once radiated faded like mist under the morning sun. Her deep blue eyes swept coldly over the gods gathered, her gaze piercing like twin bolts of lightning. Then, her red lips parted once again. This time, her tone was firm, resolute, and unquestionable. "I trust no one here has any objections to the alias I have proposed." "No objections! None at all!" "That's right!" "Astraea's got it perfectly." "I fully support Astraea!" In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere shifted. The divine assembly, which moments ago had been on the brink of a riot, now resembled an orderly procession. The gods' reaction to Astraea's forceful presence was unanimous. Her impassioned speech and her chilling aura formed a stark contrast to the gentle goddess they had known. The male gods, breaking out in hearty laughter, eagerly voiced their agreement. Meanwhile, the goddesses present simply watched in silence, their expressions cold, as if looking down on something distasteful. "Very dramatic, Astraea." Freya chuckled softly, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the goddess who had retaken her seat. "But I must admit, that alias is overflowing with... love." "Indeed." Hephaestus added, a rare smile tugging at her lips. "Even if he doesn't fully grasp the sentiment behind it, I believe your child would still appreciate it. Especially if he knows it came from you." She began scribbling the alias [Morning Star] onto the ballot. Astraea returned a bright, radiant smile. "No, he will definitely understand it. As his goddess, I pride myself on knowing him better than anyone." The sheer emotion in her words, and the soft light in her eyes, made both Freya and Hephaestus turn to glance at her with newfound curiosity. This boy—Akira—he had changed her more than they expected. And so, the name was officially decided. Akira, adventurer of the Astraea Familia, Level 2. Battle Record: Defeated an enhanced dragon-type monster spawned by divinity while still at Level 1. Advanced to Level 2 within three months, breaking the record set by the famed Sword Princess and setting a new historical benchmark. Alias: [Morning Star] Though not enough to be called monstrous, the implications were staggering. Within the spacious halls of the Guild headquarters, tension loomed thick in the air. This was not the public reception hall, but a secondary operations room lined with several desks. Contrary to its usual buzzing activity, the interior was steeped in a heavy silence, a fog of anxiety pressing down on everyone inside. "Rose, are you listening?" "Oh, sorry. Captain." Startled from her thoughts, Rose quickly responded. The person standing beside her rose from their chair. Across from them sat a muscular orc man, calmly reviewing a stack of documents penned by Rose. His tone was flat, but carried a certain weight. "I'll say it again. If you release this kind of report... you're sending other Level 1 adventurers to their deaths." "...That's true." "I know I instructed you to gather strategy reports on his floor progression, but the Guild cannot release this to the public. Not now. Akira's growth model simply isn't viable as a reference for the average adventurer." Rose stood in silence, calm yet resigned. —He'd explored the dungeon solo. —Fought a silverback head-on. —Killed a young dragon without suffering a single wound. —Ventured into the Middle Floors to hunt monsters alone. —Finally, faced the enhanced Black Wyvern in a direct duel and won. This was the secret behind Akira's rapid ascension to Level 2. If this activity record were to be made public, adventurers would go into an uproar. They'd accuse the Guild of setting unrealistic expectations. They'd feel mocked—"Are you trying to get us all killed?" "...I'll find an excuse. I'll explain this to the higher-ups. You don't need to worry about the fallout." "Thank you for taking responsibility." The orc boss gave the report one final glance before locking it away in his desk. It would never see the light of day. He scratched one of his furry ears with a sigh. It was the kind of story that could shake the entire city to its core—and yet, no one could know. "How painful." "You're dismissed." With that, the two left. Rose, the werewolf, scratched at her silky ears and detoured to the break room tucked into the corner of the floor. Instead of heading straight back to the main office, she took a moment to brew two cups of hot black tea using the familiar magic stone-powered device. From her spot in the break room, she could see the activity inside the office. It wasn't as calm as usual. Many staff members were pacing anxiously. Others sat frozen, eyes glued to the wall clock. The familiar rustling of quills and parchment was nowhere to be heard. She already knew what they were all waiting for. "It's already past fifteen... The Denatus should be over by now, right?" "Yeah. The results should be arriving any second now." At this moment, nothing else mattered more to the guild staff than the outcome of the Denatus. The aliases decided by the gods were more than just names. They inspired awe, jealousy, reverence. People in the lower world revered them as divine will. Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang. Every head in the room snapped toward it. A short, round guild clerk stood panting in the doorway, clutching a stack of parchment like it was a treasure chest. "They're here! The results of the Denatus are here!" "Finally!" "Hurry, let us see!" In an instant, the office erupted into chaos. The staff dropped everything and swarmed the clerk. The stack of parchment was quickly distributed, passing from hand to hand like wildfire. Cries of admiration echoed through the room seconds later. (End of Chapter) Read 40 Advanced Chapters on patreon.com/astralicity