"Haa—"
Still half-asleep, Sawada Tsunayoshi pushed himself upright. It took a while for his foggy mind to catch up.
"Awake?"
He turned toward the voice. Tsubaki—already neat and fully dressed—stood there holding a wooden cup.
"You really wrung me out last night, and then you slept like a rock. Here—have some milk to clear your head."
"Mm."
Tsubaki sat on the edge of the bed and held the cup to him. Tsuna took a long swallow. The cold, sweet milk cut through the haze, and yesterday's memories returned—along with what Tsubaki had just implied. He realized what he'd done to her.
"Tsubaki, I… went a little overboard."
The apology on his face made Tsubaki burst into laughter. She tugged him into her arms and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"I'm the one who should be saying that. If Hephaestus-sama learns what happened, she'll die of jealousy. And if anyone 'overdid it,' that was me."
Her age compared to his—she'd definitely stolen a bite of tender grass. First time or not, she'd vented thirty-plus years of pressure in one night. "Wrung out" was as much self-inflicted as anything.
"We should tell Loki-sama and Hephaestus-sama, yes?"
"Yeah. Better that than Loki finding out later. I'd rather not face those eyes."
Thinking of Loki's possessiveness, Tsuna could already feel the sharpness of her gaze.
"Then it's on you," Tsubaki smirked. "You've teased two goddesses and charmed other girls besides. There's always a price. Try not to get picked clean when you go back."
Tsuna stared at her wicked grin. She wasn't wrong; once Loki's jealousy flared, he might well be devoured whole. He could only hope his next moves earned him a little mercy.
He eased out of her hug and finished the cup in a few gulps. He'd sweated buckets; the drink soothed his dry throat.
"Tsubaki… it's not that early anymore, is it?"
A glance out the window showed a sky already bright.
"Breakfast is done," she said. "Finn explained the Dying Will Flames during the meal. They were buzzing. Afterward they hit the workshops to grab their gear. Looks like they're ready to gamble against Deep Floor monsters."
"That's part of the plan—give them a jolt," Tsuna nodded. "If they're hungry for excelia, they'll take initiative. But Finn and the others won't have it easy either. Some Deep monsters aren't something Level 2s can handle."
Tsubaki understood; they had discussed it long ago.
"You aren't worried about leaks?"
"That was a concern before we checked," Tsuna said. "Hephaestus Familia did root out spies. Loki Familia, though—none inside. Likely because of Loki-sama's… 'infamy.'"
"Her infamy… right." Tsubaki recalled Hephaestus-sama's complaints about Loki in Heaven—constantly stirring up relationships and fanning fights between factions. With that reputation, few would risk planting eyes inside Loki's fold. By contrast, her own goddess was well-regarded and rule-abiding—prime ground for other familias to seed informants.
"The reason I revealed the flames so openly," Tsuna continued, "was twofold. First, to motivate our people. Second, to bind the familia—and the adventurers—to me by interest. If I'm exposed, their benefits vanish. Clear stakes make for loyal mouths."
"Mutual interest makes them guard your secret on reflex," Tsubaki agreed. She knew adventurers well; without enough shared stakes, even good people could do foolish things.
"At your pace, you won't need many years to catch your 'downgrade' back up," she added. "Delaying your own level-ups for now is smart."
Tsuna's growth eclipsed any precedent. Barely half a year in, he'd already pushed Level 2 to its limits. Give him a few more years—he'd hit Level 5, easy.
But what excited Tsubaki more wasn't just Tsuna's arc—it was Loki Familia's.
"Ne, Tsuna—think the familia's floor can rise across the board in a few years?"
"Absolutely."
He didn't hesitate.
"I don't know how many will reach Level 4, but Level 3? Yes. After Finn's bombshell, they won't take years to cross that step. I refuse to believe that many adventurers will fumble this chance."
Tsubaki nodded.
"Agreed. Hard to imagine anyone letting it slip."
Given such favorable conditions, no adventurer wanted to stagnate.
Her eyes drifted over Tsuna—bare skin, the marks she'd left on his neck—and her appetite stirred again.
"Put a shirt on. If you keep standing there like that, I might not let you out of bed."
"…?"
That was a line for a man to say, wasn't it? But the green light in her eyes sharpened, and Tsuna hunched his shoulders instinctively. Whatever else, he really did need to get dressed. Now.
(End of Chapter)
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