Chapter 80

Chapter Eighty-One: The Veteran Driver Takes a New Lady on the Road and Suffers a Crash (First Update)

“What are you doing? Why are you all… staring at me like that!?”

Blushing slightly under the gaze of her children, Artemis pouted her cherry-colored lips and lifted her head to feign seriousness.

“It’s n-nothing!”

“Right! We’re just so happy, no other meaning~”

“Long live Lady Artemis!!”

The girls, startled from their daze by Artemis’ words, quickly snapped back and began chattering cheerfully, expressing their joy.

Amidst the laughter of the group, only Lanti clutched her stomach with a distressed look, clearly unhappy.

Of course, considering how she was innocently dragged into this situation to accommodate two certain individuals and got hurt in the process.

Who would be happy after being made to endure stomach pain by the guild leader’s special method?

And realizing that everyone else is having fun except for her, Lanti grew even more glum.

Blue and sad mushrooms…

“You should probably let go of my hand now. It’s not good to hold it like this…”

After announcing her decision to the girls, Artemis retracted her gaze and looked at Izay with an enigmatic expression.

“Hmm? If hugging is fine, why not holding hands?” Izay feigned confusion.

“That! That situation was different!”

Responding somewhat anxiously, recalling the past incident, Artemis’ cheeks flushed red.

Meanwhile, outside West Street,

“Divine wine~ divine wine~ soma’s divine wine~”

Clutching a sealed ceramic jar, the goddess with crimson hair bounced down the street like a child.

“Don’t get too carried away. We’re still on the main street; if you spill it, I won’t buy you another one.”

Beside the goddess, the green-haired Elven royal glanced towards the side of the street, sighing helplessly.

“It’s impossible… I naturally take great care of such a fine thing. How could I possibly let it spill?”

Though saying this, Loki instinctively hugged the wine jar more carefully.

“With all this wine, looks like we’ll have a good drink tonight! Let’s hurry back, Riviria.”

“……What about Izay?”

Riviria hadn’t forgotten the other reason they came out.

“He’ll come back when he’s had enough fun. Drinking is more important now~”

“……”

Riviria fell silent upon hearing this.

If Izay were here, he might cry…

“Ah, there’s Mama Mia’s place. Business seems as usual, bustling as ever.”

Passing by The Bountiful Mistress tavern, Loki glanced briefly at the familiar inn, commenting.

She certainly didn’t intend to go inside; she was eager to return home and drink.

Tonight, she must drink her fill!

Initially, Loki planned exactly that.

But just a brief glance at the tavern’s interior caused her to stop in her tracks.

Her half-closed divine eyes opened wide, revealing evident shock.

“Artemis?”

“Huh? What Artemis?”

Unaware of the situation, Riviria, walking beside her, repeated the name without thinking.

Then, following Loki’s gaze toward The Bountiful Mistress, Riviria noticed.

“Izay?”

The Elf royalty and the goddess seemed to focus on different points.

However, soon both felt a similar doubt arise.

“What is going on between Izay and Artemis???”

“Could the blue-haired goddess Raul mentioned, who ‘kidnapped’ Izay, be Artemis!?”

Due to her seat near the window, Loki could easily see the scene inside.

Seeing Artemis sitting so close to Izay and blushing made her speechless.

Moreover, Artemis, the goddess of ‘Chastity’, was quite renowned in Heaven, and Loki shared some acquaintance with her.

Precisely because of their acquaintance, Loki was utterly astonished.

When did President Artemis of the Impure Inter-Species Friendship Extermination Committee ever get close to a male presence?

Anyway, over countless years, Loki had never heard of such a thing happening.

And now, it was happening right before her eyes, involving her own child.

These two facts combined created a surreal and wondrous moment.

No, Loki felt she must be dreaming.

How long has Izay been in Orario? How could he have hooked up with Artemis?

There shouldn’t be time for such things, logically speaking!

Curiosity, astonishment, bewilderment… many emotions filled Loki’s heart.

For a moment, she decided not to go home, putting drinking aside to investigate.

Riviria blinked and followed Loki into The Bountiful Mistress.

“Would Lady Artemis like more wine? I’ll pour you some.”

At the window-side table, Letsha held a bottle of wine, smiling brightly.

Beside her, Izay subtly signaled to her.

‘Sis, this isn’t working. You’re being too obvious, your intentions are too clear!’

Letsha’s desire to assist was understandable; the guild master of Artemis Familia was already on his side, so what worry could there be in winning over the goddess?

But everything requires a gradual process. Haste makes waste, and excessive eagerness could backfire.

Letsha’s earlier attempts to offer wine to Artemis had nearly crossed the line.

Isn’t this equivalent to admitting guilt?

However, Izay’s signals reached Letsha but were misinterpreted.

Hmm? Should I intensify the effort?

She understood.

In the next second, Letsha gave Izay a knowing look.

No, what did you understand?

Izay was confused just as Artemis’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Letsha…”

“What is it, Lady Artemis?”

“I feel like you’ve been intentionally trying to get me drunk since before, and you’ve been exchanging glances with Izay… Are you two trying to make me drunk?”

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Artemis’s calm tone immediately caused cold sweat to break out on Letsha’s forehead.

Ah, the veteran driver taking the new lady on the road has crashed…

Izay sighed helplessly, supporting his forehead with his hand. He knew this would happen.

“Hey, Letsha, your thoughts are too predictable. Next time, follow my lead.”

“What!? This is my first time doing something like this!”

“I know, which is why I’ve been signaling you the whole time.”

“……I thought you were telling me to step it up…”

Since the plan was exposed, Izay stopped hiding and directly corrected Letsha’s mistakes, discussing openly as if no one else was around.

“???”

Beside them, Artemis couldn’t help but raise a question mark.

What do you two mean?

Caught in the act of mischief, yet showing no signs of repentance, and even discussing the next plan right in front of her?

Are you really not taking me, this goddess, seriously?

It’s simply… outrageous!!

Just as Artemis was about to speak up and rebuke them, a third party joined in.

“Izay! You little brat, you’re secretly hooking up with Artemis behind my back!?”