My 'System' Is Myself!?

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Loki Familia's home, making the empty wine bottles scattered across the living room sparkle.

The air reeked of alcohol, mixed with the sweet-and-sour stench of something that had fermented far too long.

Loki lay sprawled across the couch, one leg propped on an armrest while the other dangled loosely over the floor. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were wrinkled, and she looked like someone had just hauled her out of a wine barrel.

She had gotten drunk again last night.

No, to be precise, she drank almost every day.

As the goddess of the Loki Familia, she had far too much to worry about: managing her Familia, organizing expeditions into the Dungeon, and negotiating with the Guild and other Familias.

Her method of dealing with stress was simple.

She drank.

She drank until she passed out, until she forgot every problem in her life, and until she woke the next morning unable to remember a thing.

Today was no exception.

When Ais entered the living room, this was the scene that greeted her.

She stood in the doorway, her golden eyes passing over the scattered bottles, Loki's drunken face, and her completely defenseless sleeping posture.

Her brows drew together slightly.

Without saying a word, Ais walked over, grabbed Loki by the collar, and pulled.

Loki slid off the couch and was dragged across the floor, her back making a harsh scraping sound against the boards.

She groggily opened her eyes, but before she could see who had grabbed her, she was hauled into the bathroom.

The cold tiles sent a shiver through her body, clearing away some of her drunken haze, though her head was still spinning.

Ais turned on the faucet and began filling the sink.

Water poured into the basin, quickly filling it to the brim.

Loki stared blankly at the sink full of cold water, still unable to understand what Ais intended to do.

Then Ais grabbed the back of her head and shoved her face straight into the water.

Freezing water flooded Loki's nose and mouth. The sudden suffocation felt like an invisible hand clamping around her throat.

The numbing effects of the alcohol vanished instantly, and her survival instincts sent her into a frantic struggle.

Her hands slapped against the sides of the sink, sending water splashing across the floor and walls. Her feet kicked against the tiles as she twisted desperately, trying to break free, but Ais's hand held her down like an iron vise.

Countless thoughts flashed through Loki's mind.

Who was doing this?

Why were they trying to kill her?

Who had she offended?

What had she done?

Then she recognized the hand holding her down. It was slender and pale, with delicate, well-defined knuckles.

It was Ais's hand.

Loki's struggles weakened slightly, not because she had given up, but because she was utterly confused.

Why was Ais trying to kill her?

Seconds crawled by.

Loki's lungs began to burn. Her consciousness blurred, and her struggles grew weaker and weaker.

Just as she became convinced she was actually going to die, Ais yanked her head out of the water.

"Cough! Cough, cough!"

Loki collapsed against the sink, gasping desperately for air. Water dripped from her hair, mixing with tears and mucus as it ran down her face.

Her entire body trembled, though she couldn't tell whether it was from the cold or sheer terror.

She raised her head and looked into Ais's emotionless golden eyes.

"Ais-tan, were you trying to kill me?"

Her voice was hoarse and faintly accusatory.

Ais stared calmly back at her.

"Are you sober now?"

Loki opened her mouth, ready to complain, but the moment she met those golden eyes, all her anger vanished.

She knew Ais far too well.

Normally, Ais was quiet and seemed indifferent to nearly everything. But once she became serious about something, no one could stop her.

If she was asking whether Loki was sober, what she really meant was, I have something extremely important to tell you, and you need to be awake for it.

"I'm sober. I'm sober!"

Loki waved her hand, climbed to her feet, and grabbed a towel to wipe her face.

"What's so urgent? Couldn't it wait until I woke up on my own?"

A complicated emotion flickered through Ais's golden eyes.

"Loki, I need your help."

Loki froze.

It wasn't a request or a demand.

It was a plea.

There was something so restrained, desperate, and painfully earnest in those words that Loki felt a sharp ache in her chest.

"What happened?"

Her voice immediately turned serious.

"I want to bring my parents back to life."

The corner of Loki's mouth twitched.

Of course she knew who Ais's parents were: Albert Waldstein and Alicia Waldstein, legendary heroes who had died beneath the Black Dragon's claws.

Ais had lost her parents when she was young and had grown up alone. Loki understood better than anyone how desperately she wanted to see them again.

"Ais-tan, I really do want to help you."

Loki's voice carried a trace of helplessness.

"But I'm not a goddess who rules over death, and I can't use my divine power in the Lower World, so..."

"I know," Ais interrupted. "That's why I need you to meet the person who can revive them. He said he wants to see you."

Loki's eyes instantly narrowed.

Her mind raced through the possibilities.

Who possessed the power to resurrect the dead?

Who would offer to revive Ais's parents?

And who would specifically demand that Loki meet him?

There was only one answer.

The young man who had recently caused a sensation throughout Orario. The one who possessed resurrection magic and had even earned Ouranos's special attention.

Genichi.

The corners of Loki's mouth curved into a meaningful smile.

She understood now.

Genichi's true target wasn't Ais.

It was her.

Ais was the bait, the key that would open Loki's door, and the one reason she could never refuse.

If Genichi had approached her directly, she could have rejected him, haggled over the price, or dragged out the negotiations.

But if Ais was the one asking for her help, how could Loki possibly say no?

She couldn't.

"Interesting."

Loki's voice was quiet, with a faintly dangerous edge.

"Tell me. Who is it?"

A glimmer of hope appeared in Ais's golden eyes.

"Genichi."

Loki laughed.

There was helplessness in that laugh, along with resignation and a grudging hint of admiration.

That brat truly knew how to scheme.

He had correctly predicted that she would never refuse Ais's request. He knew she would do anything for Ais, and he knew she would willingly walk into his trap.

"Fine."

Loki nodded.

"I'll meet him."

She left the bathroom, changed into clean clothes, and tidied her hair in front of the mirror.

Her reflection still had red marks on her face from being submerged in the water, and her eyes remained slightly swollen, but she had recovered most of her energy.

She inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, trying to make herself look a little less disheveled.

"Ais-tan."

She turned toward Ais.

"Do you know what he wants?"

Ais shook her head.

"No. But he said there are conditions and that he wants to discuss them with you."

Loki's lips curved upward.

"Then let's go negotiate."

She left the room and headed toward the Demeter Familia's home.

Ais followed behind her, her steps noticeably lighter.

Sunlight fell across them, casting their overlapping shadows upon the floor.

As Loki walked ahead, she considered every possibility.

What did Genichi want?

Power?

Resources?

Or perhaps a favor from her?

Whatever it was, she would agree.

This was Ais's wish, the one request Loki could never refuse.

The Demeter Familia's living room was filled with the soothing fragrance of tea, mingling with the floral scents drifting in from the courtyard.

Genichi sat calmly on the couch, holding a cup of black tea.

Demeter and Astraea sat on either side of him, one gentle and warm, the other graceful and dignified. They resembled a pair of guardian deities silently keeping him company.

The door opened.

Loki entered with Ais following behind her.

Her hair remained slightly disheveled, and faint red marks lingered on her face from her earlier dunking, but she had mostly recovered.

She wore clean clothes and carried a bottle of wine, not because she wanted a drink, but because she needed some liquid courage.

Loki knew exactly what kind of person Genichi was.

That brat had gotten the better of her the very first time they met, and their first confrontation had left her drowning in regret.

She needed every bit of focus she could muster today.

"Brat, I'm here."

Loki dropped heavily onto the couch opposite Genichi, crossed her legs, opened the wine bottle, and took three long swigs.

Ais stood behind her, staring directly at Genichi with her golden eyes. Her gaze held hope, pleading, and a trace of barely concealed nervousness.

"Whatever you want, just say it. There's no need to beat around the bush."

Genichi looked at Loki and nodded.

"I want a portion of your Authority."

Loki had just lifted the bottle to her lips again. Upon hearing his demand, she spat the wine straight at him.

An invisible barrier instantly appeared in front of Genichi and blocked the spray.

The droplets burst against the barrier like a transparent flower before sliding down its surface and dripping onto the floor with a soft patter.

"Cough! Cough, cough!"

Loki choked and began coughing violently. Her face turned bright red, and tears gathered in her eyes.

She lowered the bottle, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and stared at Genichi with wide eyes filled with disbelief.

"Did I hear you right?!"

Her voice jumped several octaves.

"You want my Authority? Do you even understand what an Authority is? It's the essence of a god, the core of a divine law, it's..."

"I know."

Genichi calmly interrupted her, sounding as though he were commenting on the weather.

"That's why I only asked for a fragment of your Authority, one of the Twelve Authorities."

Loki opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She stared at him in silence for a moment before releasing a long breath.

If he only wanted her to separate and give him a portion of her Authority, it wasn't a serious problem.

Even if part of a divine Authority was lost, it would gradually regenerate on its own. It was like plucking fruit from a tree. Given enough time, more would grow.

Giving some of it to Genichi wouldn't cause her any lasting harm.

Still, Authority was a peculiar thing. Whether it was precious or insignificant depended entirely on the god who possessed it.

Some gods valued their Authorities more than their own lives and would turn hostile the instant anyone tried to touch them. Others didn't care nearly as much and saw no harm in giving away a small portion.

Loki belonged to the latter group.

She had lived for countless years, weathered more disasters than she could remember, and faced life and death more times than she could count.

To her, Authority was merely a tool. It wasn't her life.

She didn't care about losing a portion of it.

What she cared about was Ais.

"Fine."

Loki nodded, her expression turning serious.

"I'll give you a portion of my Authority, but you have to revive Ais's parents."

Genichi's lips twitched slightly.

"Deal."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Then how are you going to obtain my Authority? It isn't a physical object I can simply hand over. You would need a ritual, a contract, or..."

"All I need is one drop of your blood."

Genichi interrupted her again.

"After that, I can obtain your Authority myself."

Loki stared at him for a moment, then smiled.

There was an indescribable curiosity in her expression.

Blood?

He could obtain a divine Authority from a single drop of blood?

How was that supposed to work?

She had lived for ages and had never heard of anything like it.

But she also knew Genichi was no ordinary person. He possessed far too many abilities she couldn't understand and far too many methods she couldn't begin to imagine.

"Sure."

Loki casually held out her hand, bit the tip of her finger, and squeezed out a crimson drop of blood.

The bead gathered on her fingertip and sparkled beneath the sunlight.

She held it out to Genichi.

"Here."

Genichi lowered his head and licked the blood from Loki's fingertip.

It carried a faint metallic taste, along with a strange, indescribable essence unique to Loki.

He closed his eyes and felt the drop dissolve within his body. He sensed its power merging with his soul and searched for the presence of divine Authority within his perception.

Then nothing happened.

Genichi opened his eyes, his brows drawing together tightly.

No new Authority had appeared within his senses. He had gained control over no new divine law.

Nothing had changed.

The blood had entered his body like any ordinary drop, then vanished without leaving a trace.

"What's wrong?" Loki asked.

Seeing his expression, an uneasy feeling rose within her.

"I didn't obtain your Authority."

Genichi's voice remained calm, though a trace of darkness flickered through his eyes.

Loki's expression became rather peculiar.

She withdrew her hand, looked at the tiny wound on her fingertip, then looked back at Genichi as the corners of her lips curved upward.

"That has nothing to do with me. I gave you my blood, just like you asked. I fulfilled my end of the agreement. Now you can use whatever method you like to revive Ais's parents."

Genichi stared at her, the corner of his eye twitching.

This woman certainly knew how to evade responsibility.

She had given him her blood, but the blood hadn't worked. As far as she was concerned, her part was finished and everything else was Genichi's problem.

He wanted her Authority and had failed to obtain it. That was his fault, not hers.

Meanwhile, he was still obligated to fulfill her condition and revive Ais's parents.

"Loki."

Genichi's voice lowered.

"You're cheating."

Loki spread her hands, wearing an utterly innocent expression.

"How am I cheating? You asked for my blood, and I gave it to you. You wanted my Authority, but you couldn't take it. How is that my fault?"

Genichi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He knew she had a point.

He had failed to obtain her Authority, not because she had refused to give it to him, but because there was a flaw in his method.

When he obtained Authorities from Demeter and Astraea, he had used a combination of blood-wine and Schrift.

They had drunk the blood-wine, received their Schrifts, and established a connection with his soul.

Only after that had devouring their blood allowed him to obtain their Authorities.

Loki, however, had merely given him a drop of blood.

There had been no blood-wine, no Schrift, and no spiritual connection between them.

That was why he couldn't obtain her Authority.

(End of Chapter)

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