Chapter 167

Chapter 168: Izay… So Terrifying! (Four Updates, Please Subscribe!)

Inside the camp marked with symbols of the moon and bow and arrow, a group of young girls were enjoying dinner.

Gathering around the campfire with their delicious food, the girls in the center of the camp were making quite a commotion.

“Artemis-sama! I must report!”

“—?”

“Today, after helping the village drive away monsters and gathering supplies, Chloe was talking to some passing men about things that shouldn’t be discussed!”

“Eh!?”

Chloe, unexpectedly called out, raised her head with a bewildered expression.

Then, whether from anger or panic, her pretty face suddenly turned red.

“Lanti, you’re lying! I didn’t do anything like that!”

Looking at Artemis who had turned her attention over, the little girl stood up flustered.

“I didn’t do anything inappropriate! It’s a false accusation!”

“They approached me first! Saying how cute I am, asking if I have a boyfriend, wanting to chat and all that. Of course, I didn’t agree to it! And I certainly didn’t think ‘Ah, is this what love at first sight feels like?’ or anything like that!!”

Chloe started explaining, her gestures intertwining with her actions.

But wasn’t she sort of confessing unintentionally? The thoughts of everyone around seemed to say ‘It was just a normal pick-up attempt,’ which only Chloe herself, as the party involved, didn’t seem to notice, even indulging in some unique teenage fantasies.

Listening to Chloe’s panicked explanation, Artemis opened her cherry lips but remained silent.

She hadn’t said anything yet, so why are you panicking so much?

Isn’t that proof you’re guilty inside?

At this moment, voices were heard around the camp.

Originally, there was only the sound of nearby rivers flowing gently around them, but now human voices could be heard conversing.

Seemingly saying things like “Finally arrived,” “It’s all Hermes-sama’s fault,” “Next time definitely won’t happen,” etc.

Could it be reinforcements from the Guild arriving at this moment?

The previously noisy girls immediately looked towards the direction of the sound.

Soon, a group emerged from the shadows of the woods into Artemis’ faction camp.

“Yo~ Artemis, good…?”

Hermes, Izay, and Asfi were walking at the front of the group.

Thinking he would meet an old acquaintance from Heaven, Hermes prepared to greet warmly, reminiscing about the unforgettable experiences of being coldly treated and even despised back then, but…

“—Izay! How did you come here!?”

Artemis noticed the newly arrived group, completely ignoring Hermes who wanted to greet her, focusing entirely on Izay beside him.

“Yes! I guessed right! Izay really came!”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Come on, Izay, sit over here— we’ve saved a spot for you next to Artemis-sama.”

“Mm… thank you.”

“It’s been a while! Izay-kunღ!”

“Aah, it’s been a while, Lania.”

“Woah~ ‘Izay-kunღ’? Lania, you’re so bold!”

“Don’t do that, Artemis-sama’s gaze has suddenly become sharp…”

Hermes: “…”

Is there anyone who can pay attention to me?

Seeing the girls pull Izay into their circle without hesitation, Hermes stood there stunned for a moment, unsure whether to lower his hand that was raised to greet.

“Mr. Elwood… seems to be very popular…”

‘Within Artemis’ faction.’ Asafu added mentally.

Though she knew Izay had joined Artemis’ faction when he first entered Orario, she truly didn’t expect Izay and Artemis’ faction to get along so well.

There really isn’t any barrier between factions at all.

“Hermes-sama, what should we do now?”

Beside him, the dog-person Lulune couldn’t help but ask, seeing Izay effortlessly blending into the group of girls.

“…Let’s set up camp here~ otherwise, does everyone want to sleep under tree roots tonight?”

Sighing and spreading his hands, Hermes replied with a tone full of helplessness, “This was unexpected.”

“That’s settled then, let’s camp… camp…”

In the spacious campsite, tents marked with the moon and bow, as well as those with winged traveler hats, were established separately.

Ignoring the relatively non-combatant Hermes temporarily, the arrival of his thirty faction members undoubtedly provided a powerful force for this mission.

Fully doubling the current combat power of Artemis’ faction.

With the addition of Izay, whose strength breaks limits, even Artemis, who was originally somewhat worried, felt a bit more relaxed.

“Izay, how did you end up here?”

When Lanti and the others’ excitement subsided, Artemis asked again about the question left unanswered earlier.

“Mm… to contribute my own strength to the quest commissioned by the Goddess. Is that answer satisfactory?”

Sitting beside her, Izay gave a thoughtful response after pretending to consider.

“Only that?”

Artemis slightly pouted.

“Saying I selfishly wanted to protect Artemis-sama would make me feel embarrassed~”

But you don’t look embarrassed at all…

Muttering softly in her heart, Artemis’s cheeks turned slightly red, and she tilted her face aside.

Though she was the goddess presiding over chastity and pure rituals, when interacting with Izay, she rarely displayed the usual divine dignity, instead showing reactions similar to a young girl’s.

Hermes couldn’t help but rub his eyes.

Is this really the same Artemis who was once the number one anti-love figure in Heaven!?

“Mm… Are you the leader of Artemis’ faction? Could you explain the situation between your deity and Izay?”

Looking around, Hermes found Letsha chatting with Asfi, curiously inserting himself into their conversation.

Letsha glanced at Izay and Artemis sitting side by side not far away, then blinked.

“Probably in the middle of developing romantic feelings?”

“SSS!!!”

Suddenly, Hermes took a step back, gasping sharply, his eyes filled with disbelief.

After taking several deep breaths, he regained his composure: “So Artemis has also been corrupted by life down here?”

“I think it’s more accurate to say she’s been corrupted by Izay…” Letsha corrected.

After all, Artemis doesn’t change much when facing others.

As the faction leader who has followed her the longest, Letsha could affirm this point.

“Understood. What the faction leader says makes sense. Izay… terrifying indeed!”