Looking Forward to Another World - Chapter 8

At the top level of the central tower in the Twilight Manor was Loki’s divine room. This was essentially Loki’s personal space, cluttered with a variety of items. There were expensive-looking feather pens and mysterious crystals with a faint rainbow hue on a desk, ancient shoes and hats hanging on the wall, a bed buried under a mountain of thick books and ornately decorated short swords, and even a corner filled with small storage units containing bottles of wine in various shapes and colors.

Led by Loki, Riegel found himself in this unique space.
“Come in,” Loki said casually, swinging open the door to her room.

“Excuse me,” Riegel replied, oddly polite for the situation. He bowed slightly at the door before entering the divine room.

“Sit here,” Loki invited, with the enthusiasm of a child with a new toy. She cleared a chair of its pile of assorted items for Riegel to sit.

Despite already knowing about Loki’s free-spirited nature, Riegel couldn’t help but find it peculiar. After all, the being in front of him was a god, a being of supreme reverence even in his previous life. Loki’s vibrant personality was a refreshing change from his preconceived notions of divinity.

As Riegel took his seat, Loki kept her eyes, narrow and keen, fixed on him, her face always wearing a nonchalant smile. “Sorry, most of our Familia members are on an expedition in the Dungeon, so we couldn’t throw a grand welcome party for you,” she said cheerily.

“That’s alright,” Riegel responded, looking around the room. “I’m not much for big gatherings anyway.”

Loki nodded in agreement. “You might not like crowds, but now that you’re part of our Familia, you’re one of us. Don’t be too aloof, okay?”

“I understand,” Riegel assured her with a calm smile. “I’ll engage with those worth my time.”

Loki seemed to ponder his response, then shrugged. “Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. I don’t want to overwhelm our new member with too much preaching. Let’s just see how things unfold.”

The conversation shifted as Loki asked, “You haven’t received any Blessing yet, right? You’re still a free agent?”

Riegel, ignoring Loki’s piercing gaze, nodded. “I haven’t received any Blessings. In fact, I only arrived in Orario today and haven’t encountered any gods or Familia until now.”

Loki grinned, “I thought so. If you had anything special about you, you wouldn’t have been waiting at our doorstep.”

What Loki Familia represented was clear — it was one of the strongest Familia in Orario, renowned across the world. The desire to join was common, but not everyone could. Even minor Familia had certain expectations from their members, let alone one of the strongest. Joining a renowned Familia typically required having something exceptional.

Loki Familia, being among the strongest, had its own set of standards. For those who had previously joined a Familia and received Blessings, their strength was the key. For newcomers without Blessings, the potential was critical. This could mean assessing one’s race or innate talents, especially since Demi-Humans with their unique abilities existed in this world.

Humans, in comparison, didn’t stand out. Approaching the powerful Loki Familia as an ordinary human and expressing a desire to join would usually lead to being turned away without even meeting the Chief God.

Fortunately, Riegel knew this and had never planned to approach directly. His encounter with Loki seemed to be a stroke of luck, or perhaps, fate.

He was well aware of the situation he might encounter, which is why he chose to wait patiently at the entrance, hoping to catch Loki’s attention. He preferred dealing with the whimsical nature of gods, known for their impulsive and free-spirited actions, over the practical and value-assessing humans. Understanding this, he decided to wait at the door, even prepared for a long haul, confident that the free-spirited deity Loki wouldn’t stay cooped up inside the Familia headquarters forever. His guess proved correct.

“Take off your shirt,” Loki instructed as she sat behind Riegel, clarifying that he only needed to remove his upper garment. Riegel complied, exposing his back to Loki. “Tsk tsk, such fine skin, even better than the young ladies in our Familia,” Loki remarked, holding a box with a needle inside.

As Loki began to prepare for the ritual, she asked Riegel about his understanding of the ‘Falna.’ Riegel thoughtfully replied based on his knowledge. He described it as the use of ‘Sacred Text’ inscribed with Divine Blood on human bodies to enhance their abilities. This power acts as a catalyst, transforming experiences gained through various actions into tangible strength, pulling it out rapidly and effectively for quick growth.

“Correct,” Loki agreed. She pierced her finger with the needle, drawing blood. She then used her blood-stained fingertip to start inscribing on his back. As he felt her touch, Loki’s voice seemed to fade and deepen, explaining the concept of ‘Ability Value.’ It was a concrete representation of abilities, made visible by the ‘Sacred Text.’ Anyone who could read it could see the abilities of those who had received the Blessing.

Loki outlined the four parts of ‘Ability Value’ — Basic Abilities, Development Abilities, Magic, Skills, and the crucial Level. She detailed each segment, noting that Development Abilities come with Level upgrades and didn’t apply to Riegel yet. Basic Abilities were categorized into five aspects: Power, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility, and Magic Power, each ranked from S to I. Level, she explained, was the direct indicator of strength, and upgrading it was akin to evolving closer to divine beings.

Loki then spoke of Magic and Skills, the former being supernatural phenomena, and the latter being special abilities triggered under certain conditions. Both were intimately linked to the individual’s interests and identity. She suggested Riegel reflect on his life and interests, as they might reveal potential abilities.

This prompted Riegel to delve into his past life’s painful memories, reminiscing about the experiences that shaped him.