Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?

On the other side, Loki returned to her Familia's territory at full speed.

With her powers sealed, her physical abilities were only average, and the sprint left her completely exhausted.

"Loki-sama!"

Several Familia members guarding the gate rushed over to support her as she nearly collapsed.

"...Go gather Finn and the other executive members. We're having a meeting!"

At Loki's command, the core leaders of the Loki Familia quickly assembled. Not just the first army— even the second army members had arrived.

Because Loki, their goddess, wasn't her usual playful self, the atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

As captain, Finn was the first to speak.

"Loki, did something serious happen with the supply line?"

"That's not it."

Loki waved her hand lightly, dismissing Finn's concern.

"This time when I went to see Phae-Phae, she happened to be free and we had a talk. Even Shorty was there too."

"Though I have some bad blood with Shorty, we managed to finalize the cooperation. But when it came to the follow-up discussions, something unexpected happened."

"Loki, what are the terms of this favor?"

"...No. To be precise, they didn't set any conditions— they just tossed out a benefit I couldn't turn down."

A benefit... and one she couldn't refuse?

"...Was it really that irresistible?"

"Exactly."

Hearing Loki confirm it, Finn was clearly taken aback.

If the other side offered such a tempting benefit, it must have been to secure something even greater in return. And for Loki to feel compelled to accept it... he couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of offer that would be.

Finn wasn't the only one surprised. Everyone in the conference room looked stunned.

"Loki, since you've gathered us all here, just tell us what this benefit is already."

Riveria's curiosity was piqued too.

While Loki was usually lewd and playful, she was still someone reliable when things got serious.

And if even she considered the benefit non-negotiable, then it had to carry serious weight.

Loki took a deep breath, and her expression turned grave.

"What I'm about to say— you all need to remember it clearly. Not a word of it can get out. If it does, I might end up hunted by all of Orario."

That serious!?

There was an unspoken rule in Loki Familia:

When Loki was laughing and joking, her words could be taken with a grain of salt.

But once that cheer was gone— it meant she was dead serious.

"Listen carefully. The child from the Hestia Familia gave me information I absolutely couldn't refuse."

"And with that information, I now owe him a favor."

In other words, the value of that intel far exceeded anything Loki could offer in return.

Everyone present caught the implication instantly.

The entire room held its breath, waiting for what Loki would say next.

"The information concerns an adventurer."

"According to him, he discovered a child with 'Level-Boosting Magic'."

"!?"

A collective shock rippled through the Loki Familia.

Every member stared at Loki in disbelief.

Even Finn, Riveria, and Gareth—normally calm and composed—were visibly shaken by the revelation.

Among them, Ais Wallenstein, Orario's Sword Princess, shot to her feet, unable to suppress the surge of emotion in her heart.

"Loki, by Level-Boosting, do you mean what I think you mean?"

Seeing Ais rise, Loki gave her a slight nod.

"Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking."

"I was just as stunned when I heard it."

'How could any child possess such an absurd kind of magic?' That was her first thought.

But in that kind of negotiation setting, Loki couldn't bring herself to dismiss such outrageous information as fake.

The idea of "Level-Boosting" being a kind of magic was undeniably ridiculous.

It was hard to believe any child in Genkai could possess such a spell.

And yet, Loki knew that in certain situations, even the most far-fetched things might be true.

"The child didn't share any specific details about their identity. But clearly, unless certain conditions are met, they won't reveal anything more."

"Can't we just investigate on our own?"

Bete Loga asked with a scowl, clearly irritated by their passive stance.

"That's not an option, Bete," Finn replied firmly.

"Bete, do you really think the Familia God wouldn't go out of their way to hide such an adventurer?"

"If we start poking around, there's no way we'd find even one adventurer like that, let alone four."

"And even if, by some miracle, we did find them—what do you think would happen next?"

Bete's brows furrowed deeper. This kind of reactive waiting was deeply frustrating.

"Besides, if we resort to underhanded methods just to get more Rune Stones, what impression would that leave?"

"No Familia would want to partner with one that acts that way."

Bete pressed his lips into a tight line, saying nothing more.

Even for a Familia looking for a deal, deliberately targeting someone like that was disgusting.

Even a group with no pride would find that kind of behavior revolting.

At the very least, Bete himself despised those who broke the rules.

Finn cast a glance at Ais, who was visibly stirred, and sighed inwardly.

Holding onto hatred could be a powerful motivator—but taken too far, it clouded judgment.

Ais's obsession with strength had already brought her plenty of issues.

"Loki, what kind of conditions do you think they'll ask for?"

The question made Loki falter.

She had originally assumed this was just someone looking to form an alliance.

But revealing information this explosive? That alone proved the stakes had changed.

"If it were just about trading Rune Stones, I'd say that Shorty's kid probably just wanted my Familia as a backer."

"But now that he's shared something this shocking, there's no doubt he's aiming for much more."

Loki ran her hands through her bright red hair in frustration, tugging at it until strands were sticking up wildly.

"We'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see what kind of terms he puts on the table."

...

(60 Chapters Ahead)

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