Orario was managed by the Adventurers Guild, founded by the great god Ouranos.
The Guild was solely responsible for the Dungeon, the Gods, the Familia, public order, and the city's economic development, essentially making it the ruler of Orario. The various Familia were even required to pay taxes to the Guild based on their Level, with higher Levels incurring higher taxes.
This parchment allowed him to withdraw 80 million Valis from the Guild. The Astrea Familia certainly had some capital, befitting a Rank B Familia.
Roy accepted the bill openly and honestly.
80 million Valis. Any adventurer with the slightest hint of ill intent would likely run away with the money. The cost of living in this world was such that a single meal for a common person cost about 40 to 50 Valis. Orario was the world center; elsewhere, it would be even cheaper.
What was 80 million Valis? Unless one tried to court death, an ordinary person couldn't spend it all in a lifetime.
But Roy wasn't that stupid. Without Goddess Astrea's identification, this bill was just a piece of waste paper. People always assumed that finding a check for hundreds of millions of coins on the road meant they could cash it at the bank. More likely, they'd receive a pair of silver handcuffs or, at the very least, a certificate of commendation.
The person holding the check was the most important thing!
Having sorted out the cooperation details, Roy and Astrea stared at each other awkwardly in the mansion. This being their first meeting, they had no common topics beyond perhaps chatting about Ryuu.
Grumble grumble—
Just then, an untimely sound rang out.
Roy's gaze dropped to Goddess Astrea's flat stomach. Her flawless cheeks were tinged with two spots of red, and she offered a wry smile.
"Goddess, I happen to know a little about cooking."
Roy certainly wouldn't be so rude as to embarrass a woman, especially such a beautiful Goddess. Even if she were just a decorative vase, she was a pleasant sight. These Gods were omnipotent once they unleashed their Divine Power, yet they willingly restricted themselves within the framework of the lower world to experience the joys and troubles of ordinary people. This made Roy feel a sense of closeness to them.
Time passed. The Elf girl lying on the bed slowly woke up, her spirit and injuries completely recovered. Ryuu softly walked out of her room, quickly locating the kitchen, where she sensed the presence of two people.
"I'm terribly sorry that I had to ask for your help."
"It's fine, two people working together is better." "Here I come."
"Ouch~" "Endure it, this one is a bit big." ...
The conversation drifting from the kitchen made the pure-hearted Elf girl's sky-blue eyes instantly widen. Recalling what Roy had said when he first entered, the Elf girl's delicate face flushed crimson. No way, that's impossible. He just met Goddess Astrea!
The blush spread to the tips of the Elf girl's pointed ears. Her two crystalline ears drooped and then stood up, alternating like the wings of a bird.
"What are you two doing?!" The Elf girl rushed over and pushed open the kitchen door.
The scene before her left the Elf girl stunned.
The young man and the Goddess were squatting on the ground. Astrea held a Magic Stone lamp for light, while Roy held the Goddess's delicate, silk-like hand, carefully pulling out a bloody wood splinter.
"Ryuu?"
Roy and Astrea looked at her in confusion.
In this situation, the Elf girl instantly realized she had jumped to the wrong conclusion. A wave of shame rushed over her, and heat seemed to emanate from the top of her head.
The two were cooking. When the Goddess added firewood, a sharp splinter had pierced her finger, and Roy, with a completely simple and earnest intention, was helping to remove it.
"Why aren't you using the Magic Stone equipment?"
The Elf girl glanced around and quickly understood. The Magic Stones for the refrigerator, stove, water heater, and other equipment had all shattered. She pursed her lips. How had Goddess Astrea been living these past few days?
Fifteen minutes later, four dishes and one soup were placed on the table. The rich aroma filled the entire house: stir-fried beef and shredded potatoes, Kung Pao chicken, cold cucumber salad, steamed egg custard, and mushroom soup.
Astrea and the Elf girl stared intently at the delicious food on the table, unable to look away.
"Your knowledge of cooking is more than 'a little.' You are truly skilled to be able to lie in front of a Goddess and not be found out," Astrea said, a smile playing on her lips.
Roy gave a polite but awkward smile. "A little knowledge, perhaps, but proficient in eight or nine things!"
Since this was his first contact with a God, Roy definitely wanted to try out all his years of hypothetical tactics. As long as he sincerely believed he wasn't lying, the God would at most sense something unusual but couldn't be completely sure. He truly wasn't lying; compared to the top chefs of his previous life, he only knew a little... It mostly depended on the basis of comparison. Of course, if the God directly questioned him, no amount of verbal trickery would help.
Listening to Roy's sophistry, Goddess Astrea smiled gently. It was like a hundred flowers blooming, pure and untainted, far surpassing the lure of the food.
After the arduous "battle" in the kitchen, Astrea and Roy had become much more familiar with each other. More importantly, Astrea sensed Roy's true intention: a way to save Ryuu.
"So you came from the Rakia Kingdom. That must have been difficult, considering Ares is in that country."
"It was alright. My greedy old man (the village chief) is even better at social maneuvering than I am."
"That is truly unimaginable."
"Haha!" ...
Watching Roy and the Goddess chatting happily, the Elf girl next to them felt like the sky was falling. What exactly happened while I was resting? If she had known that letting Roy and Goddess Astrea meet would lead to this, she would truly want to go back in time and give her past self two hard slaps.
The three swept the delicious dishes off the table. After eating their fill, silence settled over the house.
They all knew that the inevitable had arrived. The tragic annihilation of the Astrea Familia demanded accountability!
"Lady Astrea,"
the Elf girl said, her small head bowed, still finding it difficult to face her beloved Goddess.
"Ryuu, follow your heart,"
Astrea said softly. With this young man by her side, she wasn't worried that Ryuu would break down.
Facing the Goddess's trusting gaze made Roy feel a little embarrassed. But this time, with the hope of resurrecting Alise and the others, and with the revenge operation being steered by him, the Elf girl didn't sink into complete despair.
"Yes!"
The Elf girl nodded emphatically. Roy and Ryuu walked out of the Starry Garden.
Once outside the mansion, Ryuu's expression instantly changed. She stared coldly at Roy.
"What exactly are you—"
Roy interrupted her with a hearty laugh.
"To the Guild Headquarters. It's time for the second step."
Seeing Roy playing dumb, Ryuu's face soured. What is going on with this person? What is his goal?
Ryuu suppressed her confusion. "How will we do it?"
Roy smiled.
"To take out a Familia of a hundred people in one go, the answer is, of course, a War Game!"