Chapter 192 - Danger

Deciding to ask the two if they could feel the connection he felt, the two shook their heads as they asked themselves why he asked.

But before he could conclude they couldn't feel it, Ethan saw another panel appear in front of him.

'Really..at this rate I'll have my sight completely covered again'

He decided to keep the other panels regarding the [Subordinates] function for the moment as he had to first talk with Loki, but that didn't mean they weren't annoying to keep in his sight.

[The two can't feel the connection at the moment. They will feel it the moment the Host gives an order...]

Reading the contents of the newly appeared panel, Ethan saw it disappearing from his sight immediately after.

"...By the way, we had no time to talk about other matters. Now that we're done with our contract, you should go to the elf with golden yellow hair and blue eyes you saw earlier in the kitchen, her name is Lefiya, and she's in charge of managing the house..."

At his words, Glenda nodded while taking Reyna with her as she realized now wasn't the time to further disturb her Master...

"I understand, then we'll see Master later..."

'..Even if that's the case, I believe with Master's attitude soon more maids will come to help us, even if we don't need that at all..'

With these thoughts in mind, Glenda reached what were the stairs leading the first floor with Reyna's hand in hers.

"...I wonder if these two will be able to clean this house alone..it's pretty big..."

Ethan couldn't help but worry about this. Even if he knew he could trust Loki, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, but to his doubts, Loki smirked.

"There's no need to worry about them. The Werewolf has good physical capabilities, but the Chienthrope is actually stronger...that's why she leads her around like that. As of cleaning the house, I only had these two I could entrust to you, so if you're worried, you should find someone else to help them out, I won't help you further than this."

Loki had made her contribution, but now she had decided not to help him further with his search for maids willing to work at his service. This was because if she was the one who provided Ethan with everything he needed, Loki was afraid that he might be spoiled too much. Depending more and more on her, rather than on himself, but it was also the truth that she had no other person willing to accept this type of work.

Obviously there were candidates, but Loki would never put her trust on outsiders, in fact she took her time as she had to understand the nature of both the Werewolf and the Chienthrope. Once she could see the whole scenario happening in front of her, Loki decided to bring the two over his place, confident they would be loyal to Ethan.

But, what happened after destabilized her. The problem wasn't the others' nature, it was Ethan's she had underestimated. That's another reason why Loki didn't want to put him in her schemes anymore, afraid he could somehow ruin her plans...

'I had this feeling from quite some time, but I can't predict Ethan's actions at all...that's interesting, but at the same time annoying...'

"I can't depend on you for everything and I understand you have your own business to attend, there's no need for you to search, I have in mind to found someone when I have free time."

Sitting on the couch where Glenda and Reyna were previously seated, Ethan said these words as Riveria, realizing this time she would be part of the conversation, sat next to Ethan without hesitation.

"...I didn't say that."

Loki whispered these words without even thinking, obviously she felt a little angry as Ethan was assuming she wouldn't help him anymore because she was 'busy', while she was doing that for him.

"..Mmh? Did you say something?"

But his question wasn't answered by Loki as the latter changed the topic of the conversation immediately.

"...By the way, what I wanted to talk you about is Freya. I don't know if you remember, but tomorrow she'll come to see you, do you have a plan to deal with her?"

Hearing her own words, Loki sighed. She knew more or less what was her reason for coming all the way to her Twilight Manor, but she couldn't do anything to stop her, since her hands were tied the moment Ottar saved her own Familia's face.

"..There's no way for you to refute seeing her, since if you don't she'll probably come all the way to your house."

Loki knew the situation wasn't simple. If Ethan decided to see her, Loki knew Freya would come to threaten to hurt his loved ones if he didn't follow her instructions, and Ottar's power was something neither Ethan, nor the people who were close to him, could face, given the power of the latter who was known with the alias 'King'

"Freya wouldn't openly threaten you, but that doesn't mean she can't act in the shadows. If she can't harm you, she will harm your loved ones, if she can't harm your loved ones, she'll find something else to harm, if you don't want to submit to her, power is needed, but at the moment we don't have enough power to stop her as she even holds a favour from me, and she can ask for something equal to me losing face in front of the entire Orario..."

Loki couldn't take Freya lightly, she would never underestimate her, so that's why she wanted Ethan to not underestimate her too even for a second, as that would be courting death.

Obviously Ethan knew that as well, but the fact was he had no actual plan to deal with Freya properly at the moment.

"...She can't openly deal with our familia since that would cause a war to erupt between our familias, and the results would be disastrous for both parties..."

The thing worrying them the most, was the 'favour' Freya could ask her. Since it wasn't possible for Loki to go back her words, she could only let Ethan figure things out...

'There would be no way for me to keep Ethan here if she asks to cancel the contract. Since we established one, it's possible for him to leave my familia only if we agree with the decision...If the favour will be paid with that and Ethan would have no way to protect his own family but to join Freya's...there would be no way to stop her.'

That was what worried Loki the most, since if Freya wanted to, she would be forced to retract her contract.

'In the worst scenario, I'll likely lose Ethan tomorrow, but that doesn't mean I'll let Freya act as she pleases. I already have a friendly relationship with the Ganesha Familia, if only I had a more powerful influence over Orario, Freya wouldn't be able to touch him...'

This wasn't the first time Loki had these thoughts. She in fact was thinking about this since the moment Ottar stepped foot in the Arena, protecting Ethan from the others. She could easily see this outcome, so her plan was to slowly build friendly relationsh.i.p.s with the most influential familias in Orario, to pressure Freya down in one go, but the fact was she probably needed at least a few years to do so, and even if she tried, the moment Freya understood what she was trying to do, she would surely be able to respond, and that would lead to a long game where both Loki and Freya would fight a 'Cold War' to obtain power faster than the other.

'This Cold War would last decades, and that's not only that. Considering all the outsiders having eyes on us, they'll have the perfect occasion to strike, meaning we would also have to prepare for an invasion..and this time not only from the Ares Familia...'

It was more complicated than what she initially thought, as every action she would take, at this moment, had the power to influence the whole continent's future.

'I can't believe we would have so much to deal with if only I move one more chess piece. Is this truly a checkmate?'

Loki was so driven in her thoughts that she didn't even hear Ethan's speech at all.

"...And that's why I think it's best to first gain more power and influence over Orario, and I may have some idea how to gather influence easily.."

Hearing the last part of his speech, Loki was confused. She was thinking for weeks and weeks on how to gather influence over Orario, but now not only Ethan said he had a way, but he also said it would be easy to do so...

"W-Wait, what do you mean you have some idea...?"

From her question, Ethan narrowed his eyes with an accusing gaze.

"..You remember what I made you vow? I have more secrets than you can imagine, that's why I can gather influence for our familia easily, but I'm not able to do that just yet..."

If he only had the [Blacksmith] development ability and some basic knowledge, Ethan could be able to instantly create something useful for their cause. Obviously, the Book regarding [Blacksmith] wasn't the only cause, he had the [System:Shop] from his previous world where advanced things could be found, so he believed if he created a new league of products under his own name, or his familia's, Ethan's influence over Orario would sky-rocket.

'The only problem is that if someone casually brings in the Market products exceeding the quality of the goods you can find everywhere else, that would bring the exact opposite, everyone would start wondering where do I come from, or how can I have such products, and I have no explanation to give for that..'

Certainly Ethan could easily introduce goods considered over the top in every single field, but if he 'went all out', that would surely cause havoc in the population. In the worst case scenario, even Nobles and Gods would seek him out, and Ethan didn't want that amount of influence, it was too much for him who only wanted a peaceful life to begin with.

'I can't be careless. Revealing I can gather influence easily for now is enough. I have to create an item that would be able to let me enter the Dungeon without making Loki worry anyways, so I guess it can be translated as I have to create an item able to let Gods enter the dungeon freely..that will be my starting point...'

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(Alternate Titles: "Could Ethan's aim truly be so easy..? I wonder..", "Loki is triggered to her core lol", "I mean, Ethan could easily bring a new era to the world if he wanted to, it's just that he's not aiming for fame in the first place..")