The Ultimate Lich King of the Multiverse

"Ahhh… now that was entertaining. What a delightful show."

After Yoru's daring kiss and dramatic exit, a red-haired woman with narrow eyes from the Loki Familia chuckled while pouring herself a drink, her Kansai dialect adding a peculiar lilt to her voice.

"Usually it's Ais-chan getting confessed to by greenhorns in public. Never thought I'd live to see the day Riveria-chan gets hit on instead. What a twist!"

"…Lord Goddess, you saying that doesn't make me feel any better at all."

Riveria let out a long sigh, unsure what expression to make as she looked at her goddess, who was clearly enjoying this far too much.

This red-haired, narrow-eyed woman was none other than Loki, the goddess of one of Orario's most powerful and influential Familias.

"Well hey, being confessed to means you're still irresistible, right? Riveria-chan, you've still got it."

Loki laughed cheerfully, downed her drink, then suddenly frowned in surprise.

"To think that brat's with Hestia's Familia… or more shockingly, that idiot Hestia actually managed to get a Familia member? Now that's news."

Muttering to herself with amusement, Loki suddenly raised her glass toward Riveria as if coming to a decision.

"Alright, I've decided! Riveria, boldly accept that kid's confession! Play with his feelings, get him wrapped around your finger so tight he can't breathe without you—and then, when he's completely addicted, bam! Dump him in the flashiest way possible!"

"L-Lord Goddess, please have some decency! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"

Riveria looked completely exasperated.

"That's not nonsense—I'm totally serious! If you seduce Hestia's one and only follower, I'll get to mock that busty loli airhead for ages!"

Riveria looked like she had a migraine. Is this another leftover grudge from the divine realm? But still—why her? Why must she be the one to use such a shameful method?

Playing with someone's feelings…?! Even as a joke, Goddess, that's going too far!

"Oi, Bete's long gone. You still planning to stay sprawled out under the table like roadkill?"

As Loki loudly stirred up trouble at the table, someone nearby finally realized that Bete still hadn't gotten up.

Even if he had passed out from a mix of booze and rage, surely he'd have stirred by now.

One of the Familia's adventurers muttered in confusion and bent down to help pull Bete up—but the moment his hand touched Bete's body, he yelped in pain and recoiled instantly.

"…What's wrong with Bete?"

Noticing something was off, a young-looking boy from the group asked. Though he appeared childlike, he was in fact the Loki Familia's trusted commander—an intelligent leader by the name of Finn.

Despite his childlike appearance, as a Pallum, he was actually over forty years old.

"Captain Finn… B-Bete, he's freezing cold!"

The adventurer stammered as he shook from the lingering chill. Just from that brief touch, it felt like he'd been frozen solid.

"…What in the world?"

Even Loki stopped drinking and crouched down to examine Bete.

The beastman lay motionless on the ground, his face eerily pale. On his exposed skin—his face, hands, and feet—a faint layer of frost had formed at some point.

Loki's brow furrowed as she reached out to touch Bete's hand. The moment her fingers made contact, the frost clung to her like a greedy serpent, and she quickly pulled back.

"…Magic. Ice-element magic."

Riveria frowned deeply as she observed Bete's condition and quickly attempted a healing spell.

"…Why isn't it working?!"

To her shock, the spell had no effect whatsoever. The healing magic was swallowed up the moment it touched Bete, like it had been absorbed into a void.

"Don't act recklessly, Riveria. This magic is strange—it's absorbing mana to strengthen itself!"

"Damn it… when did Bete get hit with something like this?!"

The Loki Familia was completely baffled. During today's expedition, they hadn't run into any ice-type enemies, and Bete hadn't fought any strong ice-element adventurers recently, either.

And besides—did such a powerful ice-wielding caster even exist in Orario? Someone capable of silently cursing a Level 5 adventurer like Bete right under the noses of an entire elite Familia?

While everyone else stood around confused, Riveria suddenly noticed something alarming—Ais was gone.

Where did Ais go? Could it be…?

A thought struck Riveria.

If anyone could've gotten close enough to curse Bete, it was the person who slapped him earlier—Yoru.

…But no. She hadn't felt any magical fluctuations at all. And Yoru really was just a Level 1 rookie.

No matter how much of a prodigy he might be, could a Level 1 truly injure a seasoned Level 5?

"…Either way, Ais must've noticed something. Otherwise, she wouldn't have slipped out silently like that. I need to find her."

Riveria stood up decisively.

"Wha—? Hey, where are you going, Riveria?"

"To find Ais. She might've discovered something."

It was only then that the rest realized Ais had vanished.

"Wait! I'll come with you. Everyone else—keep an eye on Bete. Don't try to move him!"

Loki barked orders at her Familia, then hurried after Riveria out of the tavern.

They didn't know what exactly had happened, only that Bete had somehow been ambushed. But Loki herself… she had her suspicions.

That frost on Bete's body—it reminded her of someone she hadn't seen in ages.

Someone who should no longer exist in Orario.

"…It can't be… This doesn't make any sense…"

As she ran after Riveria, Loki looked down at her own hand—at the faint, almost invisible frost forming at her fingertips.

Only one person could pull off something like this.

The goddess of ice and snow from the divine realm:

Dione.

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