From early morning, Orario was unusually lively.
Especially in front of the Hephaestus Familia's home—every God in Orario had their eyes on that place. It wasn't because of anything else, but because a rift the height of a massive gate had been opened there. The artisans of the Hephaestus Familia were already at work, hauling all sorts of materials into the spatial tear's inner side.
"Well, well! Looks like Loki's not even trying to hide it anymore!"
The Gods watching from afar instantly understood what this meant—Loki was ready to publicly reveal one of her child's abilities. The zipper-like tear led to another space entirely, and the children of Hephaestus were busily moving supplies into it.
The message was as blatant as it could be: "My child has spatial powers. I'm done pretending."
Though rumors about Loki's child's abilities had long circulated, this was the first time such an obvious display had been made right before their eyes.
"That's definitely pure spatial manipulation. But… doesn't it feel like it's not the full extent of it?"
"Puppet."
A Goddess suddenly spoke that one word, and at once the others around her caught on.
"This isn't true spatial manipulation—it's spatial control being used through a Puppet. Which means Loki's been concealing her child's real power all along. That ability must go far beyond what we're seeing now."
"Indeed. If any of us had a child with that kind of gift, we'd keep it secret too. Loki must have a reason for letting this one show off. That reason is probably to disguise the child's other ability—something tied to their control over Puppets."
None of the Gods were fools. Each of their minds worked quickly and sharply.
If Loki was willing to let the child she had kept hidden for so long display this power, then clearly, she was doing so to mask another, even greater one.
They suspected that whatever other ability that child possessed had already surpassed the limits of the Falna system itself—something not inferior to spatial power, and perhaps even more extraordinary.
"For a child of the Loki Familia to create a space where both people and materials can enter and move freely… this Expedition of theirs will definitely bring back some unprecedented results."
"Spatial abilities are just too broken. No need to worry about carrying supplies—just store everything inside the created space. It lightens the load and ensures the supporters' safety. And if they can even live inside that space, then there's no fear of danger while traveling through the safety floors."
"No wonder Loki kept her child hidden. But what I'm curious about is—if she's showing off the spatial power now, what exactly is she trying to cover up?"
Loki's child's spatial ability had opened the Gods' eyes.
The diversity of the children below truly exceeded their expectations—there were even mortals capable of manipulating space itself. Yet amidst their astonishment, curiosity grew stronger. Just what kind of power was this ability meant to conceal?
Every God there had the same thought.
Whatever Loki was hiding had to be something even more unconventional than space itself.
And as for what that power might be—well, that needed some serious investigation.
"Investigate? Heh~ With Loki's personality, do you really think she'd let us dig up anything that easily?"
Across the street from the Hephaestus Familia, on the second floor of a tavern, Hermes chuckled over his drink.
No one knew Loki's temperament better than he did. He'd been quietly investigating her Familia for some time, but the entire Loki Familia was sealed tighter than iron—there wasn't a single crack through which information could slip.
"Asfi, how do you think Loki managed to turn her whole Familia into a solid wall? No matter what I try, those kids' lips are sealed tighter than a vault."
The best way to investigate a Familia was always through its members. That's what Hermes had been doing. But even the children who were once on good terms with him acted like their mouths were sewn shut.
If it were only one or two, he wouldn't have cared much—but for every single one of them to behave the same way? That was worth paying attention to.
"How did Loki pull this off?"
Asfi watched her god's frustrated expression and shared what she had gathered.
"Lord Hermes, I don't think this is difficult to explain. You've approached many of Loki Familia's Adventurers, but every time they realized you were trying to gather intel, they went completely silent. You've tried various ways to win them over, but nothing worked. I believe they're well aware that speaking would bring them trouble."
"And by 'trouble,' I don't mean from Lady Loki herself. I think the real trouble lies with that hidden prodigy you're trying to investigate."
Asfi's words made Hermes pause in realization.
So Loki wasn't the obstacle here. The real barrier was the one being investigated.
"Asfi… you're saying the child we're looking into might be even more troublesome than Loki herself. That they're the reason the entire Familia refuses to talk, refusing to leak even a shred of information. But why?"
Why could a mortal child accomplish something even Loki couldn't? Hermes couldn't quite figure it out.
"I think the answer lies in the ability Loki is trying to conceal. If that ability benefits not just Loki herself, but the entire Familia—perhaps even every single member—then it's only natural they'd keep it secret on their own."
'People protect what profits them most.' That, I think, is why the entire Loki Familia is united in silence."
"For the good of the Familia… and every member within it…"
Hermes repeated Asfi's words, a thoughtful look flickering across his face.
"Asfi, starting today, investigate every member of the Loki Familia. If your theory is correct, then the truth we're after lies hidden within all of them."
"I understand, Lord Hermes."