[D.C] Ch 7: Goddess of Beauty

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Strictly speaking…

The "Syr" in front of him right now was none other than the goddess Freya herself.

Freya—the unrivaled Goddess of Beauty—was known for her enchanting charm and otherworldly looks.

It didn't matter if you were male or female—once you laid eyes on her, you'd be instantly captivated.

She normally resided at the top of Babel Tower, the tallest structure in Orario.

One of the wealthiest women in the entire city.

And yes…

Freya's body was still "untouched." No man had ever laid a finger on her.

Also, there was no story involving her trading herself to four dwarves for a necklace—don't believe the rumors.

In the original story, after losing a War Game, Freya ended up becoming a subordinate deity under Hestia.

Most of her powerful Familia members moved into the Hearth Mansion.

Thanks to the addition of the Freya Familia, Hestia's side saw a massive boost in combat power—so much so that they briefly overtook Loki Familia as the strongest group in all of Orario!

…

Klaus gave her a once-over, his eyes full of curiosity.

"What's up?" he asked casually.

Even though he'd already seen through Syr's disguise, he chose not to call her out.

After all, even if Freya tried to charm him, it wouldn't work.

Thanks to his skill, [Sanctum of Divine and Demonic], he had automatic immunity to all forms of charm.

Even from the Goddess of Beauty herself.

And all gods were capable of seeing through lies instantly, but none of them had actual mind-reading powers. They couldn't peek into what someone was really thinking.

…

Right now, Klaus's outfit was as plain and casual as it could get.

No weapons, no armor.

Even the legendary Thousand-Feather Wand he got as a reward last night was still tucked away in his storage space.

He didn't want to draw attention, so he left the nearly 10-billion-valis wand hidden.

To anyone else, he looked completely ordinary—just another face in the crowd.

And yet…

Freya spotted him at a glance.

Why? Because she saw something that no one else could: the pure, immaculate white glow of his soul.

It caught her attention instantly.

Freya pondered for a moment.

She wanted to confirm—was this man already an adventurer?

And so...

With a gentle smile in her eyes, she extended a soft, fair hand toward him.

Resting in her palm was a small, bluish-purple crystal.

With her signature soft voice, she asked, "Did you… drop this?"

It was a basic magic stone.

This was her way of probing him—a classic pick-up line dressed up as concern.

But Klaus wasn't dumb.

He immediately understood what she was getting at.

Reject her?

That would mean saying goodbye to the secret support of Orario's richest sugar mama!

Only a fool would turn that down.

Plus, the system was staying mysteriously silent for now.

If he could gain Freya's behind-the-scenes help, why not?

When Freya felt generous, she'd casually hand out million-valis grimoires without expecting a thing in return.

She wanted his one-of-a-kind soul.

He wanted her absurdly wealthy Familia.

"Thanks for picking it up for me," Klaus said, smiling with a calm expression as he took the crystal.

Freya—still in Syr's disguise—blinked in surprise.

She clearly hadn't expected him to go along with it so smoothly.

But she quickly composed herself.

"Then… here you go," she said with a graceful smile, handing him the magic stone.

He took it.

"You heading to the Dungeon?" she asked gently, her tone polite and warm.

She didn't press him about which Familia he belonged to.

"Yeah," he nodded.

Then shot back with a playful question of his own: "Your work uniform looks really nice. Which place do you work at?"

"Once I earn some cash, I'll come by and pay you a visit."

Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Really? I work at a tavern called The Hostess of Fertility. I'll be waiting~"

Then, without warning, she stepped forward, leaned in close to his ear, and whispered: "You better not stand me up~"

Their faces were so close now, they were practically brushing cheeks.

"I won't," Klaus replied, a little stiffly.

"I believe in you~" Syr said playfully, and then blew a soft breath across his ear.

The teasing gesture sent a shiver down Klaus's spine.

The warmth of her breath, that faint floral scent—it was almost enough to make his face turn bright red.

No doubt about it—this Goddess of Beauty really knew how to flirt.

Luckily, his passive skill was working overtime.

Without it, he might've actually fallen for her right then and there.

Wait... he wasn't a simp, was he?

"..."

After finishing her little game, Syr took a step back.

When she saw the dazed look on his face, she giggled. "Hehe~"

Her laughter was bright and cheerful—and annoyingly cute.

After a moment, she added, "It's almost noon already."

"Were you planning to grab something to eat?"

Klaus snapped back to reality and shook his head slightly.

"Nah, I was just gonna—"

Before he could finish, Syr placed a finger to her lips and looked away dramatically.

"Hmm~"

Her mischievous gray eyes scanned the area before settling back on him.

"If… you don't mind," she said sweetly, "why don't we eat together?"

"Sounds good!" Klaus replied without hesitation.

He hadn't eaten breakfast yet.

The fried potato balls from last night weren't enough to fill him up.

Sure, he had a passive skill that restored stamina…

…but even he couldn't survive on fumes forever.

He wasn't a god—just a regular guy. He got hungry too.

A free meal? Of course he'd take it.

Besides, he didn't think Freya would do anything drastic to him.

After all… he was still a Level 1 nobody.

Anyone with half a brain would know you don't slaughter the pig before it fattens up.

And Klaus didn't believe for a second she could wrap him around her finger.

"Then let's go~"

Syr smiled brightly and turned to lead the way, hands clasped behind her back as she skipped ahead.

On their way to a nearby restaurant, Syr chatted non-stop—warm, open, and full of laughter.

During their walk, she managed to learn Klaus's name.

But Klaus didn't reveal which Familia he was part of.

And little by little…

The more time he spent with her, the more he felt himself getting pulled in by her overwhelming charm.

Right now…

Hands behind his head, Klaus strolled casually beside Syr, exchanging lazy banter.

To any passerby, they looked exactly like a pair of young lovers enjoying a date.

But deep inside, Klaus sighed.

"Sigh~"

"My dear Riveria and other girls…"

"If you keep waiting, someone else might snatch me up…"

"I don't have a skill that lets me stay loyal forever, y'know…"

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