"Did you just ignore my charm?"
Freya sat up from the bed, her slender hand pressing against the sheet covering her chest, unable to hide the surprise on her face.
Gods possess passive abilities.
However, most gods only have trivial passive abilities like "mortals cannot lie in their presence." But Freya was different.
She was the Goddess of Beauty.
For her, beauty itself was a power.
To be specific, she possessed an incredibly powerful allure, capable of driving people to lose their rationality, shatter their perceptions, and even rewrite their memories.
Not just mortals, even gods couldn't resist her charm and would inevitably fall under her spell.
This allure, born from beauty, was her passive ability. It didn't require the use of divine power, so using it wouldn't result in her being banished back to the heavens.
Throughout the day, she had used her charm on Eiji several times, trying to win him over. Yet, he remained completely unaffected?
Why?
Isn't he a pervert?
Normally, no matter how righteous a person was, they couldn't escape her charm. So why could a pervert, who had invited her to sing upon their first meeting, remain unaffected?
It didn't make sense!
"It is indeed quite alluring... but not today. I'm abstaining today."
Eiji waved his hand again, his expression wistful.
He indicated that he couldn't handle any more physical strain.
"You..."
Freya's expression shifted several times.
Then she got out of bed, let go of the sheet, not caring about her exposed body, and walked over to Eiji. She reached out and turned his head to face her.
"Look at me properly."
Eiji, filled with confusion, looked at her.
Instantly, Freya's overwhelmingly beautiful and enchanting face filled his vision once more. Her charm was aggressively captivating, as if just looking at her would strip away all ability to think or perceive.
"Ugh! Please spare me!"
Eiji couldn't help but take a step back, his face pleading.
He was utterly overwhelmed.
He had already fallen for this move seven or eight times today, each time leaving him unable to cope.
"Really unaffected...?"
Freya was momentarily stunned.
After recovering, a look of keen interest appeared in her eyes.
Originally, she had planned to use her charm to win Eiji over, then sow discord between him and Loki, gradually alienating him from the Loki Familia. She would then find a scapegoat within the familia, using this roundabout method to bring Eiji into her own familia.
After all, Loki was not someone to be trifled with. In the heavens, that troublemaker had repeatedly incited conflicts and even wars among the gods, earning her a notorious reputation as an evil god. Freya had always been wary of her.
But she hadn't expected the first step of her plan to fail so completely.
Eiji was completely immune to her charm.
Mortals shouldn't be capable of such a feat. Even among gods, only a handful of high-ranking deities could resist her allure.
This unexpected turn of events only piqued Freya's interest further.
"You're really interesting!"
Her eyes sparkled with intense curiosity, as if she had found a fascinating toy.
"Even gods fall under my spell, yet a pervert like you can resist it... Hehe, you make me want you even more!"
She looked at him as if he were a delightful toy, yet her eyes also held a deep affection, making it hard to tell whether she wanted a plaything or a lover.
"Wait, are you saying you have some kind of charm ability?"
Hearing Freya speak so bluntly, Eiji finally realized.
Wow, so I've been treating a charm skill as a flirtation technique.
How awkward!
"What's so strange about that? Don't you have one too?"
Freya picked up her golden dress from the floor, speaking nonchalantly.
"No, I don't."
"...Really?"
"Really."
"How can that be?"
Freya couldn't help but show a puzzled expression.
"With your level of charm, almost on par with mine, it's impossible that you don't have any allure. Have you never explored this power?"
"This counts as a power?"
Eiji found it hard to believe.
Isn't charm just about being good-looking?
Since when did being good-looking count as a power?
Oh, right, the ability to live off others does require good looks.
"I see, I understand now."
Freya put on her dress, every movement captivating, forcing Eiji to look away again.
"It seems you haven't yet discovered your potential in this area."
***
As the evening approached.
The streetlights, powered by magic stones, gradually lit up. The surrounding hotels, casinos, and other establishments began to open for business. Adventurers returning from the dungeon started to fill these places, seeking entertainment and pleasure.
"What potential are you talking about?"
The two had checked out of the inn and were now walking side by side on the street.
At this moment, although both were cloaked, Eiji noticed something unusual. Passersby couldn't help but hold their breath and show infatuated expressions when they caught a glimpse of the goddess Freya.
Even though her face was hidden, the mere sight of her skin peeking out from under the cloak was enough to cause a commotion.
"This is what I mean."
Freya adjusted her cloak, hiding her skin completely under the black fabric. The surrounding pedestrians immediately showed expressions of disappointment and regret.
Eiji began to ponder.
"Are you saying I also have this kind of charming potential?"
"Of course. Didn't I say your charm is on par with mine? Denying you would be denying myself."
Freya's tone was matter-of-fact.
"You may not have realized it, but you must have had similar experiences in the past. Simply smiling at someone could make them obey your every word. That itself is a manifestation of your charming potential."
Eiji fell silent.
Since his rebirth, he had rarely interacted with outsiders. He spent his early years in intensive care and, after entering Hagun Academy, only associated with a handful of people. Thus, he had never noticed such a thing.
So, charm is also a kind of power?
"What if I said I could help you master this potential, but you would have to leave the Loki Familia and join mine? What would you choose?"
Freya continued walking.
But the words she spoke carried a tempting undertone.
"Beauty is an invisible force."
Before Eiji could answer, Freya continued explaining.
"Mortals always chase after physical strength or magic, but they don't understand that some powers are far more formidable than muscles or spells. To me, whether my opponent is strong or weak doesn't matter. As long as I show them love, no one can stand against me."
Her charm would erode their minds, destroy their perceptions, alter their memories, and utterly crush a person on a spiritual level. And all this could be achieved without lifting a finger—just a gentle smile was enough.
Truly, "A beauty's body is like silk, her waist wields a sword to slay fools. Though no heads roll visibly, in secret, it drains the marrow dry."
"But I refuse."
Eiji immediately responded.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹