*****

"Are we still needed here!?" Ever the troublemaker and prankster, Loki shouted with a grin plastered on her very punchable face, ruining the moment the two shared.

Needless to say that she received quite a bit of dissatisfaction.

"Lady Loki…" Muttered Riveria who wore a scowl on her face, clearly tired of her Goddess' antics. Although the said Goddess' grin only grew from her words. "I warned you about getting banned, don't say I didn't once it does happens." Only for it to then fade away.

"Well, I'm starting to consider it." Teased Mia, chuckling shortly as she and Abhi broke off the hug they shared, Abhi's tears already being wiped away for her by Syr.

"Thanks Syr…" She muttered in Kione, somewhat groggily from crying so much, with Syr nodding in understanding.

"On a more serious not though, we're here to apologize. Since you look like you're pretty much settled with whatever problem you had." Loki scanned over the expression and faces of the people present, ending with a satisfied nod, before continuing.

"Riveria here told me that none of this would have happened had my children not bothered her back in her home. That's why we want to offer-"

"Fetch my stuff for me then." Abhi interrupted Loki and offered her demands.

"Wait, hold on!" Loki shouted in haste. "Let me finish! I was going to offer Valis! Not services!"

"You said it yourself, it's your and your people's fault. So spend that Valis and fetch my stuff for me." With a flat expression her face, Abhi didn't relent and pressed on.

Normally, Abhi would be quite timid and have difficulty talking to someone due to having been alone for five years without the need to converse through words. Bird understood her and she understood him, after all. She spent her time with him instead of making any friends and learning the language. Although she does know some words she usually heard from strangers that just won't stop visiting.

But when it comes to her property, especially her food, she is a different person altogether. She is unrelenting if it comes to her property and food. Don't even mention the last time someone tried hunting down Bird, it didn't go well for the people who tried, and for Abhi's mental health. It was traumatizing for both parties, to say the least.¹Totally not foreshadowing a possible trauma attack.

"Now now, don't be so demanding. Remember that it was also because of them that you're here with Mia, right?" Kodori mediated, interrupting the potential argument from building up. "I'm not really sure about what happened, but from what I have heard so far, if they didn't bother you, you wouldn't have been forced to go back here in Orario and you would have not made up with Mia, right?"

"Right… I guess that's true?" Upon hearing Kodori's explanation, Abhi relented. Of course, she didn't forget to scowl at Loki who stuck her tongue out in response.

"Well, we still are offering that Valis though." Loki said, clapping her hands together.

Abhi's scowl deepened as she heard her words. "I don't really need it though… I'm rich." She said nonchalantly.

"How rich we talking? I promise that my familia is not to be scoffed at when it comes to Valis." Grinning at Abhi, Loki replied. 

Though we spend most of that Valis on expeditions and equipment. She didn't add.

"A dozen and a half million rich…" She replied with a scowl, surprising everyone in the pub, their eyes widening in shock. Kodori's been translating the whole time, you see.

It's true. Remember the people she thought to be bandits? Remember that they're actually challengers? The "Hunter of the Beol Mountains," or Abhi, actually has quite the reputation. This is mostly outside of Orario, but it is certainly making its way into the city. Rumors says that this person is a powerful adventurer in retirement and that she would fight you for Valis or essentials! Yet in the end, all these people were all the same to Abhi; bandits. Such rumors started spreading two years after she settled down when she first beat a strong adventurer searching for enlightenment in the mountains. Oh, that adventurer was enlightened, alright. He broke through level four the same week, which prompted him to spread the rumors.

After choking on air for a moment, Loki replied. "H-how on earth? N-no, that ain't what's important." Loki recomposed herself. "Damn, I was plannin' to offer up a hundred thousand and be done with all these problems involvin' her, but I didn't expect her to be so rich…" Loki scratched the back of her head in slight frustration.

"What now?" Asked Abhi.

"Now… hmm…" Loki hummed in thought.

"We're going on an expedition within a week, Lady Loki. How about we do as she says and pick up her belongings once that's over?" Riveria suggested.

"Ooh! Nice thinkin', mama! That should do it. Shoulda agreed to it in the first place, that way I wouldn't know that some random adventurer in the mountains has half of my own personal stash. Phew, what an experience." Loki chuckled loudly.

A certain word caught Abhi's attention though. "Adventurer? What's that?"

Both Kodori and Loki who understood her words stared at her in disbelief.

"Hey now, ain't no way you're asking that question now with that kinda strength, you tryna insult us?" Although Loki asked such question, she was grinning all the way from the implications of her question.

A powerful individual who does not know of the term adventurer? Wouldn't that mean she does not have a falna nor a familia? There's also the fact that she does not know the language, just like the demon fox, Kodori, when she first arrived in Orario, which brings more evidence that she is indeed not in a familia! That's a treasure trove waiting to be discovered! Ignoring how she is so strong without a falna, she has to catch this fish

Abhi was confused. Was there some information she's missing here? Does she have to be this "adventurer" in order to be as strong as she was?

"Let's leave it at that!" Mia intervened after hearing Kodori's translation of the current conversation.

Of course she would. The conversation has taken a potentially dangerous turn.

"So says Mia! Welp, I could try another time! We have agreed on compensation for the troubles me and my children has caused her so we'll be going now! Wouldn't wanna intrude any further into your supposed reunion after all!" Loki said as she stood up, her children doing the same.

She has gotten what she wanted and more, now she just need to gamble some and see if she could win. But that will have to wait another time.

"Well then! Cya in a week and a half! We can chat about the stuff ya need fetched when the time comes!" She said as she made her way toward the door.

With a nod from everyone, including a reluctant looking Abhi, Loki left the pub alongside her two companions, with Aiz giving the girl a subtle glance before leaving along with her Goddess. Seems like she's now curious about the girl's strength despite her lack of falna, wondering if she could get stronger if she learned her secrets.

With the Loki familia gone of the pub, the rest of the audience gathered around Abhi. The sudden close attention prompted the girl to hide behind Mia, gone was her former confidence, replaced with an adorable shyness.

Don't blame her! She has not properly spoken to anyone for the last five years! It is not her fault that she is shy or awkward! Even more when the people she is trying to interact with was people she has caused troubles for. She knows that she instead should be doing her best to interact with them and apologize, but it's hard!

Seeing the girl's reaction, the girls couldn't help but looked at her with adoration. She looked so cute and shy, it was unbearable! But alas, some buttons must not be held pressed, and the girls backed off to give the girl her needed space.

Abhi released her tensed shoulders in relief as the girls walked steps away.

"Well nyow, she's going to nyeed some work, won't she? With that shynyess and all." Said Chloe with a smile, Lunoire standing beside her and humming in agreement.

"But with what she requested from Loki, that means she will be staying, right?" Mia said as she patted the girl on the head. Kodori translated for Abhi, and she nodded in confirmation.

"She will need to learn the language too, need my help with that?" Kodori offered.

"Yeah, she needs it. Would be easier too since you share the same language." Mia readily agreed, getting a quick nod from Kodori.

"Speaking of which, how come you share the same language? That's strange nyaa." Questioned Anya.

"Let's just say that we share the same homeland, alright?" Kodori said a with a wink.

Indeed. Kodori is from the same world as Abhi. After finding herself transported butt-naked in a back alley in Orario and helping Syr deal with some ruffians hitting on her, Kodori then stayed with the pub for a period of time before settling with the Hestia famila as their captain, achieving various achievements thought to be highly difficult. Like beating the Sword Princess' record, moving up to level two just within more or less than three weeks, with Bell following behind who reached level two in a single month.

Although the secrecy garnered even more curiosity from those who were listening, they passed it off as another Kodori thing. She is weird like that, being involved with ridiculous things such as the invention of a glider.

Leaving Kodori entitled to her own secrets. Maybe Abhi will tell them when she have finally learned the language.

"That aside, the rest of the day will be off! Get back to cleaning up the pub and once you're done, you're free to do whatever you want or need to." Mia declared with three loud thumps on the table which gathered everyone's attention.

Everyone left to do their previous tasks, leaving Mia, Kodori, and Abhi on their own in the middle of the pub.

"Where would she be sleeping then? I can only offer to teach her before bed, I'm in the dungeon with the rest of my familia most of daylight. Should I visit or should she? We can also offer another room for her if you want, that way she would be staying in the manor." Kodori offered to Mia who nodded as she thought about it.

"That would be best if we want her to learn faster, but for now she will be visiting, and not staying. Your manor would be an entire new environment for her and that would disorient her. I don't want to bother you further with visiting the pub every night either. One of us will be accompanying her."

"Got it. That's what I thought too." Kodori replied with a nod.

Kodori then translated to Abhi what she and Mia have just discussed.

"Got it! Although I'm a little scared and anxious, please take care of me!" She said with a bow. "When will we start?"

"How about tomorrow night? You still need to get settled here, so for now you do that while I inform everyone in the manor about it, alright?"

"Got it!" Abhi replied with a simple nod before turning to Mia. "Until then, I'll be doing some work here! Like five years ago!"

Mia looked at the determined look on the girl's face affectionately, glad that her adopted daughter is back home.

*****