Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Loki Almost Drooled (Bonus)
Although there were a few minor hiccups along the way, Loki still got what she wanted—Aisha Belka and Sanjouno Haruhime had successfully joined her Familia.
'These two really are excellent.'
Looking over the printed status sheets in her hands, Loki couldn't help but feel glad she'd made the right decision.
'Aisha's strength and dexterity are both at B. Her endurance and agility are at D, and her magic is at E. She's already close to the peak of Level 3. With just a bit more growth, she'll be ready to move up.'
'And then there's Haruhime.'
Haruhime's data was what Loki cared about the most.
[Name: Sanjouno Haruhime
Lv. 1
Attributes:
• Strength: I9
• Endurance: I30
• Dexterity: I10
• Agility: I30
• Magic: E401
Spells:
"Uchide no Kozuchi":
• Level-Boosting Magic. Can only be used on one person and cannot be used on oneself. Requires a cooldown period after casting.
Skills:
"Mikuzumenohou":
• Increases the effect of magic
• Improves mental power efficiency]
Purely going by her stats, she's completely unremarkable—almost depressingly so.
But her magical ability more than makes up for that lack.
This spell is just insane.
The phrase 'Level-Boosting Magic' carries so much weight that even Loki's heart was racing with excitement.
Sure, it has strict limitations—usable on only one person and not consecutively—but even with those restrictions, its value is undeniable.
Still, Loki was fully aware of Haruhime's glaring flaw.
She only had one level-boosting spell.
Once her excitement cooled, Loki began considering giving Haruhime a Grimoire.
'If this kid can awaken another type of special magic, her impact on the front lines would be even greater.'
'I'll ask Mama if she's got any Grimoires. I should find one for Haruhime too.'
Since Haruhime showed potential in magic and possessed the strongest support spell, it was only logical to continue enhancing that strength.
"Aisha, Haruhime, how are you feeling?"
The attribute tattoos on their backs had already changed to the mark of Loki Familia. Loki had also locked their "Status" to prevent any trouble if someone with divine script saw them.
"It's the fresh feeling of freedom."
For the first time, Aisha felt truly free and at ease.
Back in the Ishtar Familia, she never had that. Especially after helping Haruhime and getting punished by Ishtar, she always felt like an insect—crushed at any moment.
But now... it was a completely different feeling.
Of course, Aisha didn't easily trust others or accept just any Familia. But the atmosphere within Loki Familia was genuinely welcoming. There was no scheming, no infighting—nothing like the chaos back in the Ishtar Familia.
"The atmosphere within the Familia is way better than in the Ishtar Familia. You don't have to worry about someone stabbing you in the back at any moment."
"Well~ that's one of the rare perks of my Familia. But don't be fooled by how friendly they seem now. Finn, Riveria, and Gareth didn't exactly get along at the start."
"Even those three had conflicts?"
"It's more like a clash of personalities between different races. You and Haruhime just joined, so the only one you really need to watch out for is Bete and his foul mouth." Loki took the chance to throw some shade at her own tsundere wolf.
"That guy offends people constantly, even within the Familia. But you don't need to worry too much. Once you've spent some time around him, you'll understand what that sharp tongue is really hiding."
Even though she was poking fun, Loki was also giving the two newcomers a proper heads-up.
At the very least, she knew that Bete's way of speaking could be hard for most people to handle, even if it was just his awkward way of showing concern.
As for what that hidden meaning was, Loki didn't bother explaining. Once they got used to Bete, they'd figure it out themselves.
Aisha and Haruhime both nodded slightly to show they understood.
"But to think you actually ran into that kid yesterday..."
Loki had already learned the day before that Ishtar Familia had targeted Haruhime. That was why she had Aisha take her to a safe place, which eventually led them to the hideout of the shorty's Familia.
Still, that really was unexpected.
Who would've thought Shorty's kid would come through right when it mattered most?
"By the way, Aisha, you mentioned yesterday that the kid used magic to completely immobilize you and the other members of Ishtar Familia?"
"Yes."
Aisha's expression grew noticeably more serious.
"At the time, everyone—including myself—was completely paralyzed."
"Even someone at the same level as me couldn't move at all. We didn't even realize when the magic was cast."
That didn't surprise Loki one bit.
When they first met, she hadn't even noticed the kid sitting on the sofa. She'd sat right down on his lap without realizing it. If the kid hadn't spoken up, she never would have known he was even there.
His ability to hide himself was frighteningly good. It wasn't surprising that he could cast magic unnoticed in such conditions.
But the real issue was the type of magic he used.
"Aisha, your 'Abnormal Resistance' didn't react?"
Aisha shook her head slightly.
"My resistance didn't trigger at all."
"I was badly injured at the time, so maybe that was why I couldn't move. But the other person with me was also Level 3 and had 'Abnormal Resistance'—and she was taken out just as easily."
"But Loki-sama, I don't think the magic he used caused any abnormal status."
"Hmm. I don't think so either."
Loki had never believed it was some spell that inflicted abnormal conditions. Any abnormal status should be countered by the Development Ability 'Abnormal Resistance.' But if two Level 3s were affected without resistance, that meant the spell clearly wasn't applying abnormal effects.
"'Abnormal Resistance' should block most status effects, including that paralyzing sensation you felt."
"But since your resistance didn't activate, it means that the kid wasn't using abnormal-type magic."
"And that's exactly what makes it so concerning."