Chapter 367: Conditions

Standing far beyond the outskirts of Orario, Mahiro naturally could not hear Hestia’s reply.

Even so, he was certain that Hestia would not reject his request.

And indeed, she didn’t.

Hestia accepted Mahiro’s proposal, turning to look at Ishtar and Apollo.

"Since Mahiro said so, we’ll wait until he returns."

Hearing those words, both Ishtar and Apollo breathed a silent sigh of relief.

A glimmer of comfort and expectation stirred within the hearts of the two proud gods.

The relief came from the fact that Hestia actually deferred to Mahiro.

The expectation was that Mahiro himself would determine their punishment.

Humans respected the gods.

It was an unwritten rule observed since ancient times.

Whether during the dark age a millennium ago when monsters laid waste to the world or in the era following the descent of the gods, divine guidance had always aided human kind.

That reverence was carved into the very bones of humans, handed down through generations.

Even when gods committed wicked acts, no human dared to truly slay a god.

It was precisely because of this tradition that Ishtar and Apollo held onto hope.

Even though they had been bitter enemies with Mahiro during the war game, they assumed he would still show some baseline respect toward their status.

In any case, placing their fate in Mahiro’s hands was far better than being cast out of Orario without mercy by Hestia.

Ishtar in particular, felt even more delight than Apollo.

As a goddess of beauty and passion, much like Freya, her arcanum was sealed upon descending to the lower world, yet her innate nature remained intact.

Charm.

That singular power had allowed her to build a powerful standing within Orario.

Among humans, virtually no one could withstand her charm.

Ishtar believed that if she could find an opportunity to entrance Mahiro with her charm, she couldn’t only wipe away today’s disgrace but also parade her victory right in front of Freya.

"You two can wait here yourselves."

Hestia cast a cool glance at the scheming gods, then turned around and departed Babel.

Night fell.

Inside the Apollo familia manor, lights burned brightly.

As a prominent organization that once boasted multiple high tier adventurers, the Apollo familia compound was remarkably grand.

This hour marked the start of the Apollo familia’s evening feast.

The lively atmosphere usually rivaled that of a grand festival.

Tonight, however, not a single trace of joy remained within the grounds.

Everyone sat in heavy, suffocating gloom.

It felt like the quiet dread before an oncoming tempest.

From Apollo down to the lowest member, everyone waited in anxious suspense for their ultimate judgment.

Ever since the war game concluded that afternoon, the members of the Apollo familia had hurried back to Orario.

Apollo had returned from Babel as well, remaining seated in the main hall.

He was waiting for Mahiro to arrive and pass judgment upon them.

He waited through the afternoon and deep into the night.

Yet there was still no sign of his visitor.

Even a god was growing restless under the pressure.

Waiting was its own form of agony.

For the adventurers who had just suffered defeat in the war game, the waiting only deepened their physical and mental exhaustion.

"Mahiro is here!"

An adventurer near the hall entrance suddenly shouted.

The entire room stirred, every eye turning toward the doorway.

Through the night darkness, a handsome young man walked slowly into the familia manor hall.

Under normal circumstances, if an intruder dared to march openly into a familia’s home, the members would swarm him without hesitation.

Now, not a single person dared to raise a blade.

They simply stared at Mahiro.

"Mahiro, how rude of you to keep lord Apollo waiting so long!"

As Apollo’s most faithful devotee, Hyakinthos sought to take the initiative and gain leverage before negotiations began.

"You are still alive? How fortunate for you."

Mahiro glanced at Hyakinthos with slight surprise.

"And your wounds are fully healed. It seems you used up quite a few potions that rightfully belong to me, didn’t you?"

Hyakinthos drew a sharp breath.

Before he could utter another word, a figure teleported beside him.

A heavy crash sounded as Hyakinthos went hard into a marble statue.

He spat blood, his entire frame feeling as though it were shattering.

Multiple ribs snapped, leaving him in a state even worse than his condition during the fight with the thunder legion.

He stared at Mahiro in horror, having never imagined that Mahiro would strike him down right inside the familia manor.

"Since you consumed my potions, I will simply take back what they repaired."

Mahiro spoke in a calm flat tone... nearly sending a cold shiver down everyone’s spine.

After a harsh war game, it was impossible for combatants to remain unscathed.

Yet these Apollo familia adventurers all appeared remarkably healthy.

The only method to achieve such rapid recovery was the lavish use of expensive potions.

Normally, members of the Apollo familia would never dream of using such valuable items so recklessly for ordinary injuries.

However, believing that their familia assets were about to be confiscated, they had decided to consume the supplies before Mahiro arrived, attempting to salvage what they could.

Now, seeing Mahiro’s brutal strike, fear gripped the crowd, every member trembling lest they share Hyakinthos’s fate.

"Remember, even though I no longer view you as active enemies, that doesn’t give you permission to disrespect me," Mahiro swept his gaze across the gathering.

"You are merely my captives now."

"And captives should act like captives."

Under the crushing pressure of Mahiro’s presence, the members of the Apollo familia lowered their heads...looking genuinely terrified.

Not only could he cast magic of catastrophic proportions but he held the power to defeat their captain in a single blow.

Against a force like that, even if every last one of them joined together, they would still end up on their knees.

"Mahiro, speak of your terms. What do you intend to do with me and my familia?"

Apollo finally spoke up to intervene.

Even he felt a deep sting of humiliation.

Inside their own stronghold, right in front of his face, Mahiro was intimidating his children without giving him a second thought.

It suddenly dawned on Apollo that Mahiro might prove far more difficult to handle than Hestia.

"Apollo, if you wish to avoid disbanding your familia or being exiled from Orario, my demands are quite simple."

Mahiro shifted his gaze toward the god.

"Very well, tell me."

Apollo felt a sudden rush of relief upon hearing those words.

So long as his familia could remain in Orario without being dissolved, he was prepared to accept almost any condition.

"First, the Apollo familia will become a subsidiary under the Hestia familia."

"Should any trouble arise for the Hestia familia in the future, you must obey our summons."

"Second, the Apollo familia must hand over fifty percent of its monthly revenue to the Hestia familia."

"As for the third..."

Mahiro paused, glancing across the adventurers filling the hall.

"Everyone else, get out."

Apollo understood immediately, recognizing that the third condition required complete privacy.

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