"Ah~ so this is how miserable you've become, Valetta?"
Thanatos smirked as he entered the room, looking down at the woman lying bandaged on the bed.
"Tch! Those two brats were nothing but bait meant to lure us in," Valetta spat, her voice dripping with frustration.
"Bait, huh? You sure about that?" Thanatos' expression said it all—he clearly thought she was just trying to shift the blame.
"'The Mad Serpent' and 'The Great Cutter' are now key assets in Loki Familia," Valetta hissed. "You think Finn, that calculating bastard, would ever let two of his most promising children wander into the dungeon alone?"
Thanatos raised an eyebrow, his smirk fading into a thoughtful frown. He didn't fully buy her excuse—but he couldn't deny that her reasoning made sense.
Judging by the outcome, Finn had likely planned this from the very beginning. Using those two sisters as bait to draw Valetta out fit perfectly with his style.
"The Mad Serpent and The Great Cutter are both the future of Loki Familia," Thanatos mused. "So this whole thing… was a trap."
"A damn big one," Valetta growled. "Finn knew my personality too well. He must've expected I'd take the bait."
Thanatos chuckled softly, folding his arms. "Finn's plans are always bold. Using his own people as bait to catch a monster like you… I have to admit, that's impressive."
He tilted his head. "You're lucky to still be breathing, though."
"I know," Valetta muttered bitterly. "I was already as good as dead, and yet somehow I'm still alive. That alone tells you how absurd this whole thing was."
Her expression twisted into something darker. "Before treating me, that bastard examined me from head to toe to make sure there was nothing wrong with my body. Only after several months—and after exchanging a few harmless pieces of information—did he let me move freely again."
Thanatos observed her silently for a while before giving a slow nod.
His gaze wasn't as penetrating as Freya's, but he could still discern truth from tone. Valetta wasn't lying—she genuinely believed what she was saying.
That meant one thing: Finn's plan had worked perfectly.
But Thanatos had another question. "How exactly did Finn's plan succeed?"
"Because of Loki Familia's new recruit," Valetta answered through clenched teeth. "That mysterious one they've been hiding. I thought it was just a smokescreen Loki used to throw off rumors—but it was real."
Thanatos' eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah, that kid… the one said to control puppets—some even claim the puppets have spatial abilities."
He tapped his chin, recalling what he'd heard months ago. The rumor had come from the Divine Assembly itself, a whisper that Loki was sheltering a prodigy.
He'd doubted it at the time.
After all, knowing Loki, she'd never let such a secret leak—not to Ishtar, and certainly not to him.
But looking at Valetta's stormy expression, Thanatos realized the reports were true. Instead of anger, curiosity filled his face.
"How interesting… a mortal child with such a rare ability," he mused. "A pity he belongs to Loki."
He grinned, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Still, with Freya's… appetite for unique children, I'm sure she'll be in contact with Loki soon enough."
"As long as Freya and Loki aren't working together," Thanatos continued, "that's actually a good thing for us."
He could already see it—the unspoken tension between the two goddesses, and how it could be used.
"Freya and Loki… hah. Never thought I'd see that kind of rivalry brewing again."
Valetta snorted. "Well, that's good information. Making sure that tension stays alive is important. If they ever unite, it'll be a problem for us."
"Exactly," Thanatos agreed. "Though I admit, Loki's new child is… troublesome. The extent of his spatial ability needs further observation. Until we're sure, no more surprise attacks on Loki Familia."
"Or Astraea Familia either," Valetta added bitterly. "From what I've learned, that little girl from Astraea was rescued by Loki's group. Judging from the contact between the two goddesses since then, I'd say they've already allied—under Loki's lead."
Thanatos nodded in approval. "Good. Then listen carefully—until we've probed that hidden child's capabilities, you'll restrain yourself."
"I know… I've already learned my lesson," Valetta muttered. "I won't fall for the same trap twice."
She sank back into her bed with a sigh. "Guess I'll take this as a forced vacation."
Thanatos chuckled. "As for me, I'll handle the rest. We'll keep an eye on Loki's child—but we won't have to do it ourselves. Ishtar's obsession with Loki's affairs will make her do the legwork for us."
"Just like last time, when she leaked those secrets at the Divine Assembly."
He wasn't about to expose himself unnecessarily when someone like Ishtar would eagerly do the work.
"And with such a flashy ability, Loki's kid will attract plenty of curious gods," he added. "We won't be the only ones watching."
Valetta waved a hand lazily. "Fine. Just don't get caught in my room again. Until suspicion clears, your visits are dangerous."
Thanatos smirked. "If there really were something implanted in you, you'd have attacked me already. Consider this a test."
"Tch. You gods really do love your games," Valetta muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Then rest well, Valetta," Thanatos said, turning to leave. "And try not to destroy the room out of anger next time."
The veins on Valetta's forehead twitched violently. "You're lucky I'm still too injured to stand, damn it…"
Thanatos chuckled as he walked away.
Behind him, Valetta clenched her fists beneath the sheets, her anger boiling silently.
Finn… next time, I'll make sure it's you lying in this bed.
(End of Chapter)
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