Loki threw her hands up in frustration. "Ais... I'm doing this for you!"
She wasn't even sure what she was saying at this point. Sure, she'd started this whole mess trying to steal Blake from Hestia, but now Ais was outright defending him. And if Ais was fine with it, how was she supposed to keep pushing this angle?
Hestia, sensing an opportunity, puffed out her chest triumphantly. "Hah! See? Even Ais isn't mad about this, and you're still making a big fuss. Just admit it—you're just trying to steal my Blake!"
Loki's eye twitched. "Your Blake? Oh, for the love of—"
"You!" Loki pointed an accusing finger, but no words came. Ais wasn't backing her up, and Hestia had completely outmaneuvered her.
On the sidelines, Eina sighed, rubbing her temples. "Is this seriously happening? A goddess catfight... over a man... first thing in the morning?"
Meanwhile, Blake, fed up with the endless bickering, exhaled and turned to Ais.
"Wallenstein, thanks for understanding. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry for the, uh... misunderstanding, but if you ever need help, just ask. I owe you one."
A beat of silence passed.
Then, something no one expected happened.
Ais nodded and, without hesitation, reached out and took Blake's left hand.
"I want you to teach me that power."
The guild went dead silent.
Adventurers gawked, some nearly dropping their weapons. Others openly stared in disbelief.
"The hell did she just say?"
"Did the Sword Princess just ask... him for guidance?"
Hestia, who had been basking in her victory a moment ago, nearly choked on air.
"W-Wait, wait, wait! Wallen-whatever! Just because you helped my Blake doesn't mean you can just steal him!" She pointed at Ais with a dramatic flourish, looking as if she'd just caught someone cheating on an exam.
Ais, completely ignoring her, stood there with her golden eyes fixed on Blake, her expression unwavering.
Blake, meanwhile, was just now realizing how much attention she was drawing.
Dressed in a white-and-blue battle dress, slightly backless, with a sword at her hip and long golden hair cascading down her back, Ais had the kind of ethereal beauty that could stop traffic. Her doll-like face, delicate yet unreadable, only added to the effect.
And now, this literal legend of Orario was standing in front of him, holding his hand, looking at him like he held the secrets of the universe.
This wasn't helping his reputation at all.
"The power from yesterday," Ais repeated, tilting her head slightly. "I want to learn it."
Blake blinked. "That power...?"
Ais gave a small nod. "When I attacked, you absorbed my strike. I need to know how you did that."
The guild erupted into chaos.
"She... she's serious?!"
"She's asking for help?! From HIM?!"
"WHY IS LIFE SO UNFAIR?"
Hestia, having recovered from her initial shock, now looked ready to riot.
Blake barely had time to process what was happening before she latched onto his other arm. "Blake! Don't listen to her! She's obviously just using this as an excuse to snatch you away from me!"
Ais, as if completely unaware of the scandalized reactions around her, simply continued looking at Blake, her grip on his hand unrelenting.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Loki was mumbling something darkly under her breath. The Amazon twins, watching this trainwreck unfold, were highly entertained.
Blake sighed and decided he needed more information before he made any decisions.
"Sia, scan her information."
The familiar holographic interface flickered to life.
[Name] Ais Wallenstein
Affiliation: Loki Familia
Occupation: Adventurer
Title: Sword Princess
Nickname: Battle Princess
Weapon: Short Sword "Sword of Despair"
Ariel (Surrounds the user with wind, enhancing attack, defense, speed, and allowing short-distance flight.)
Chant: "Awaken," "Strike."
Development Abilities:
Exceptional Resistance
One of Orario's prodigies. Rose from Level 1 to Level 2 in just one year—the fastest in history.
Deeply dedicated to gaining strength.
Struggling with a plateau since reaching the peak of Level 5.
Obsessed with defeating the Black Dragon.
Blake's gaze flickered as he absorbed the data.
She had hit a bottleneck. That explained a lot. It wasn't just about curiosity—she needed something new to break through.
The realization made Blake pause, weighing his options.
To the onlookers, though, his hesitation looked like something completely different.
"Is... is he actually thinking about rejecting her?!"
"That's it. I'm done. I'm gonna go live in the mountains."
Blake ignored the growing hysteria around him and finally sighed.
"You're serious about this?"
Blake ran a hand through his silver hair. "Alright. But just so you know—"
Before he could finish, Hestia practically jumped in front of him. "Blake, NO! She's going to steal you away!"
"I just agreed to teach her, not marry her!" Blake shot back.
Hestia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Same thing!"
Ais, still holding his hand, blinked, looking between them. "I don't understand."
Loki, recovering from her earlier defeat, finally grinned. "Well, well, well. Looks like someone's little Familia just got a whole lot more interesting."
Great. Now he had both a furious goddess and a famous swordswoman attached to him.
This was definitely not what he signed up for.