In this chaotic world, it all started when they found an elf girl

　Even Tiona, who always has a smile on her face, is simple-minded, not stupid.

　"Let's go!" Roy smiled gently.

　The group accompanied Ryu to the graves of former members of the Astrea Familia, where they each laid a bouquet of flowers before entering the seventeenth floor. From there, they could proceed to the first floor without any monsters appearing to block their way.

　The group seemed to be something taboo.

　This keeps the monsters in the upper levels of the dungeon away.

　When they emerged from the Tower of Babel and saw the light again, the warm sunlight bathed them, filling them with a sense of peace and purification.

　I couldn't help but close my eyes and enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

　In Babel Tower Square, many adventurers stared in astonishment at Roy and his group; they were simply too eye-catching.

　Roy and his group were travel-worn and looked quite disheveled. Almost everyone had thick bandages wrapped around different parts of their bodies, and the original white bandages had been discolored by sand and spilled blood.

　Their equipment was damaged, and they were covered in dust and dirt, looking no different from workers who had just crawled out of the mine.

　The Astrea Familia is at least a B-rank, with a Rank 1 adventurer like Gale (Ryu Leon), yet they ended up like this. It's hard to imagine how difficult the battles they went through in the dungeon!

　"Roy, Ryu, Tione, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, Lily!"

　A warm and gentle voice rang out, and Roy and the others turned to see the goddess Astraea and the stunningly beautiful figures of Eina appearing on the other side of the plaza. They were surrounded by a number of adventurers.

　Roy and Ryu, both Level 5 with keen hearing, overheard the adventurers' conversation and immediately realized it was a rescue team. Zagnat's roar could be heard by adventurers on several nearby floors; the news reached the surface, causing a violent tremor and shocking countless people. The goddess Astraea, through her blessings, could sense the life and death of her followers. She naturally felt the death of Tione and the others; the sudden loss of five followers was like a knife twisting in her heart, as if countless sharp blades were cutting through her.

　The kindness shown by Roy and Ryu still remains!

　Without hesitation, the goddess Astraea contacted Eina to issue an adventurer's request, sending people into the dungeon for rescue. However, it did not go smoothly. Few adventurer teams were able to enter the deeper levels, and even fewer dared to enter the dungeon after hearing Zagnat's deafening and extremely intimidating roar.

　The two were communicating with the adventurers when Roy and the others rushed up and bumped into them.

　"Just come back! Just come back!"

　The goddess Astraea's deep blue eyes trembled slightly, filled with a layer of mist, showing no disgust at her filthy subordinates, she held Ryu and the others tightly, radiating a gentle maternal glow.

　If Ryu were to experience the annihilation of her entire clan twice, not only would she collapse, but she too would.

Chapter 253 Having multiple partners at once, it's impossible to keep up.

　"Waaaaah, Lady Astraea!"

　Ryu, Tione, and the other girls were held tightly in the arms of the goddess Astraea, as if they had returned to the warm embrace of their mother. All their grievances and pressures were released in one go, and their voices were filled with sobs and choked with emotion.

　This expedition encountered too many crises.

　Exploring the thirty-seventh floor, they found themselves trapped like a meat sandwich, with the upper and lower floors sealed off by the Dark Faction and the Ishtar Familia, unable to move forward or backward. A fierce battle ensued against the Ishtar Familia's war prostitutes. Floor Master Udeos, "Calamity" Zagnat, Ryu and Roy were severely injured, and the others perished.

　This was their first deep-sea expedition; most people would be traumatized by such an experience…

　“Mr. Roy, it’s fine to submit the expedition report later. Please get some rest.” Eina’s emerald eyes trembled as she looked at Roy. Roy said softly, “Thank you for your trouble.”

　"No, these are all trivial matters." Eina carefully wiped away the glistening tears from the corners of her eyes with her slender, pale fingers; her eyes were red from crying. Having learned from the goddess Astraea that the expedition had encountered an accident and that the favors of several people had been lost, Eina's face had turned deathly pale. When she saw Roy and his group emerge from the dungeon, the excitement and emotion she felt were unimaginable. If not for her rational mind suppressing her emotions, she would have wanted to hug Roy and weep bitterly.

　Wearing glasses, Eina's delicate and pretty face exuded an intellectual and intelligent beauty, and the slim-fitting guild uniform seemed to be tailor-made for her.

　Roy stared at the beautiful half-elf girl, his unrestrained gaze making her blush.

　Roy turned around and looked at the goddess when he heard her call.

　"bring it on!"

　The goddess Astraea opened her arms slightly, a serene and peaceful smile gracing her flawless face, her gentle and alluring demeanor captivating. Her gown perfectly showcased her stunning figure, outlining breathtakingly beautiful curves, like a work of art sculpted by the heavens. Roy was taken aback. He wanted a hug too? That would be too embarrassing. In public, he was, after all, a Level 5 adventurer, and although it hadn't been officially announced, he was still a prominent figure in Orario.

　In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Roy's mind, as if two little people were fighting.

　But Roy acted faster than he thought, ignoring the chilling gaze of Miss Ryu behind him, and threw himself into the warm embrace of the goddess Astraea, where his weary spirit was soothed.

　A faint, pleasant scent emanated from the goddess Astraea, a fragrance mingled with the orchid aroma of milk.

　It was that goddess-themed body pillow he knew!

　Roy's hot, large hands gently glided over her snow-white skin, embracing her soft, boneless body. A shy blush appeared on Goddess Astraea's face. "I only asked you to hug me, how dare you take advantage of me?"

　"Captain, I want a hug too!"

　"Tione, don't you dare run away!"

　"Eina, what brings you here too?!"

　Seeing this, the girls in the clan were consumed by jealousy, vying for their leader's attention and throwing themselves at him, turning the plaza into a paradise of blooming flowers. The surrounding gods and male adventurers gritted their teeth in envy, their eyes bloodshot. If looks could kill, Roy would have been killed countless times over. This was the harem-building bastard the gods spoke of!

　Everyone gets it and kills it!

　The female adventurers reacted similarly, but mostly with envy; they wanted to join in as well.

　Roy is a regular on all the Orario leaderboards, a perfect catch!

　After a playful commotion, surrounded by countless surprised, envious, and admiring gazes, Roy and his group crossed the street and returned to the Star Garden. As the gates of the Star Garden closed, the spacious and bright hall fell into a deathly silence.

　Roy, who had just been smiling and greeting the gods and adventurers he knew outside, along with Astraea, Ryu, and everyone else, put away their smiles, their eyes now filled with anger and murderous intent!

　The innocent and naive Diona, and the goddess Astraea who often wears a gentle smile, are no exception.

　This matter is far from over!

　The Dark Faction and the Ishtar Familia dared to scheme against them, even ambushing them in the dungeon. They were determined to settle this score with them. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

　Blood debts can only be repaid with blood debts!

　"Alright, alright, don't make such a scary face in your own home." Roy clapped his hands, breaking the tense atmosphere in the hall. The girls responded, their icy expressions melting away, replaced by smiles. They switched between these two personas with ease, trusting Roy to handle things. After all, their leader was known for being ruthless…

　The girls smiled knowingly and, amidst their playful banter, went to take a bath to cleanse themselves.

　Ryu, Tione, and the others had expressions that seemed to say they knew everything, leaving Roy speechless.

　He couldn't help but recall the interrogation of those three members of the dark faction, whose initial attitude of "believing in a lying ghost and never trusting the mouth of a budding righteousness" forced him to make an oath.

　It seems those people outside really weren't framing him; he truly corrupted the Astrea Familia's morals...

　The girls in the clan are quick to kill entire families! They have no semblance of gentleness or virtue.

　Roy looked at Astraea helplessly. "Even you? Goddess, where is your justice?"

　"Hey!"

　Astraea placed her delicate white index finger on her rosy lips, blinked her right eye, and a playful and adorable smile appeared on her beautiful face. "Trying to be cute won't work!" Roy thought to himself.

　Roy wasn't as complicated as the girls. He took off his gear, went into the shower room, washed himself, and was done in three to five minutes. Listening to the sounds coming from the large women's bath next door was also quite enjoyable.

　Poor Tiona is subjected to a barrage of attacks from the other girls, and ends up sitting at the same table as Lily, a dwarf.

　Cleaning is complete.

　Wearing the casual clothes Astraea had prepared for him—likely made of high-quality silk—Roy felt cool and refreshed, and the heaviness in his chest eased somewhat. He returned to his commander's private office.

　The goddess Astraea was already waiting there. She had just taken a bath, and her loose bathrobe wrapped around her beautiful figure, emitting a faint steam. Her skin was fair with a rosy glow, and crystal-clear water droplets dripped from her brown hair, making her even more radiant and captivating.

　Her deep blue, clear eyes held a serene expression, and her lively, vibrant features were flawlessly beautiful. Her divine power was completely concealed, making her indistinguishable from an ordinary person. Roy openly admired the goddess's beauty, even though he had touched her countless times before—but that was in the dark, when the lights were off and he couldn't see anything. While admiring her, Roy also had to report to the main god, one of his duties as the leader of the group.

　Roy recounted the events of the expedition to the goddess Astraea, telling her everything in detail, except for concealing his own secret. Astraea could sense that there wasn't a single lie, and she listened with a chilling dread. Her smile faded, her face gradually darkening, and her voice turned icy. "The Ishtar Familia!"

　The last annihilation could be considered an accident, and no one else was to blame. This time, her own followers were plotted against and almost wiped out. Even the usually calm and smiling goddess Astrea was furious.

　Did those people think she was easy to bully?

　"And what about Tione and the others?" Astraea asked, puzzled. She clearly sensed that Tione and the others' favor had vanished for a period of time. Even now, the goddess Astraea could barely feel Tione and the others' favor; the connection was extremely weak. Roy explained, "They are temporarily in a state of suspended animation. Their souls are being forcibly preserved using some kind of magical artifact, allowing their bodies to move." Hearing this, Astraea closed her eyes in anguish. The children had indeed died once.

　Roy said firmly, "I will handle it!"

　Astraea's eyes trembled slightly.

　"It must be very hard."

　Looking at Roy again, the weariness on the boy's face was obvious, as if a heavy burden was pressing on his shoulders. Astraea reached out her small hand with heartache and gently stroked Roy's cheek.

　Roy grasped the goddess's soft hand; her smooth skin was like the finest jade, and it felt wonderful to the touch.

　"what can I do?"

　Astraea asked, knowing that Roy and the girls of the Familia wouldn't let it go.

　Roy played with the goddess's skillful hands, "Attend the divine assembly and condemn the goddess Ishtar."

　"That's it?" Astraea's pretty face flushed slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in her bright phoenix eyes.

　“Distract her!” Roy added with a smile, his calm eyes seeming to harbor a volcano about to erupt. Astraea immediately understood; before engaging in battle with the Ishtar Familia, Roy needed to prepare, and his actions couldn't be detected. Her task was to lower Ishtar's guard.

　Roy's approach was to act swiftly and decisively, eliminating the threat of the Ishtar Familia completely! "I understand. Do as you say. I will support you no matter what!" Astraea smiled warmly. This trust deeply moved Roy.

　Roy's eyes darted around, and he grabbed the goddess's hand, grinning mischievously, "Goddess, since you're offering unconditional support, why don't you stay tonight?" Astraea's smile remained unchanged. "Don't you already have Liu? This goddess who has lived for countless years is old and faded; it's time for her to retire!" As she spoke, her tone became somewhat resentful.

　From the moment they left the dungeon, the innocent elf girl kept stealing glances at Roy, her shy little face incredibly cute. Astraea could easily guess that something must have happened between the two of them in the dungeon.

　After this life-or-death battle, the naive Liu has come to realize her own feelings.

　For some reason, Astraea felt a pang of sadness. The memory of falling with Roy into the thirty-story dense forest canyon was still vivid in her mind, unforgettable. A hint of jealousy lingered in the depths of her eyes.

　Roy keenly sensed this; if he didn't please the goddess today, there was no chance he'd get the pillow to cuddle and soothe her soul. "Old and faded," Roy thought with a smirk. "How dare the goddess say that!" In terms of both temperament and appearance, Goddess Astrea was second to none. Compared to Freya, a goddess of "perfect" beauty, she was slightly inferior, but still a 99.9 out of 10!

　Especially since she is the embodiment of justice, elegant and noble in ordinary times, and heroic in battle, she is equally adept in both social and domestic settings. Compared to Freya, who is merely a pretty face, Goddess Astraea is far more attractive to Roy.

　"Look at what you're saying! Of course, the older a woman is, the better. As the saying goes, 'A woman three years older brings a golden brick! A woman thirty years older brings an empire, a woman three hundred years older brings an elixir of immortality, and a woman three thousand years older brings a place among the immortals!'" Roy laughed, putting his arm around the goddess Astraea's perfect waist and holding her in his arms. Her softness made him fantasize.

　"I'm not just a top-tier beauty~" Goddess Astraea's delicate lips curled up slightly.

　"A woman 30,000 years older, a goddess will feed her! A woman 300 million years older, she'll control a galaxy!" Roy smiled, thinking, "Little brat, you want to shut me up with words? Just you wait!" "Hehehehehehe!"

　Astraea pursed her lips, smiled gently, and tapped Roy's nose with her delicate, jade-like index finger, her eyes filled with affection. "You're so good with words." The two sat tenderly in their office chairs for a while.

　"There are so many girls in the clan, you'd better handle their relationships well." Goddess Astraea lay in Roy's arms, her little head pressed against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.

　This statement was both a reminder and a warning; those children were also her family. If Roy were to abandon them after starting something, she would be very disappointed. "Don't worry, Goddess!" Roy's expression was serious and resolute. His attitude on this point was clear: trying to have your cake and eat it too will inevitably lead to disaster; trying to have multiple affairs will only result in endless trouble!

　"Ok?"

　Astraea stared at Roy with puzzled eyes, her deep blue eyes like the sea. Her intention was for Roy to seriously choose a partner and not waste the time of those good girls, but she always felt that Roy's understanding was different from hers.

　The next day.

　The bright sun hung high in the sky, and the world presented a thriving scene. The adventurers of Orario began a new day. With his mental energy almost completely depleted and his injuries not yet healed, Roy rested longer than usual, sleeping until noon before slowly waking up refreshed and with the pain in his chest much relieved.

　The goddess Astraea, who had been sleeping with him, had vanished. Only the faint fragrance remaining in the silk quilt proved that the two had shared a bed, a memory that haunted his dreams.

　"Doraemon, something terrible has happened!"

　As soon as Roy entered the hall, Tiony, Tiona, and others surrounded him, looking anxious.

　Roy yawned. "Take your time."

　Amid the girls' confused statements, Roy gleaned key words and quickly understood what had happened.

　His other conjecture was confirmed!

　The expedition ended, and the goddess Astraea naturally wanted to update their stats. However, when the divine blood was dripped on them, nothing happened. Unable to update stats!!

　This unusual situation left Tione, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily extremely anxious. They were about to go to war with the Ishtar Familia, but suddenly this happened, and they were unable to become stronger!

　Updating stats is a top priority for adventurers. Before coming to Orario, Tione and Tiona had to register under the names of other neutral gods and exchange money for it.

　The goddess Astraea showed little surprise; she had vaguely guessed this from the fact that Tione and the others were in a state of "feigned death." Only Ryu had successfully updated her stats.

　Strength is now at F, and all other attributes have been upgraded to E, resulting in a total increase of over a thousand in all stats. For a LV.5 adventurer, this is an incredibly significant boost. Even the Great Achievement has been accomplished!

　"Calamity" Zagnat was a nightmare in Ryu's heart. After killing him, she was able to resolve her inner conflict.

　If Ryu reaches D-rank in just one more ability, she can level up to LV. 6, becoming one of the top adventurers and entering the top ten of Orario! Seeing Ryu's awakened new skill, Inheritance of Justice, the goddess Astraea understood that her and Roy's plan to save the elf girl had succeeded. Only Roy hadn't yet allowed her to update her ability stats.

　Her sense of involvement! What a capricious familiar, how can she update her stats on her own! Goddess Astraea wore her usual gentle smile on her beautiful face, but her mind was racing.

　"Ugh!"

　Roy sighed softly. Perhaps they weren't truly alive, or perhaps it was a clash between the systems of two worlds. He couldn't understand the reason, but the result was that Tione and the others couldn't update their ability values.

　They must be resurrected!

　“I’ll handle this. It won’t take long, don’t worry!” Roy said.

　Hearing this, the girls felt relieved and placed their complete trust in Roy. They would probably believe him even if he said the world would end tomorrow. Roy's gaze swept over everyone. "Let's clarify the mission. I'll go handle your stat updates. Ryu will recuperate at the Deankat Familia's sanatorium. Cassandra will stay with Ryu. Daphne will remain at the Star Garden. Tione and Tiona will protect Astraea at the Divine Assembly. Any questions?"

　"Yes, leader!"

　The girls immediately followed Roy's instructions without hesitation, acting swiftly and decisively.

　Seeing that everyone else had left, Lily, who was left behind, looked around and felt a sense of alienation, as if she had been abandoned. "Lord Roy, what about me?" Roy half-squatted down to look Lily in the eye. "Lily, your mission is the most important."