Loki Familia gathered around the abandoned building outskirt.
Finn, as the commander in this operation already planned everything perfectly.
He had predicted various possible scenario, sealing off escape routes and stationing people at every potential teleportation point based on where Kazuma appeared before. It was a perfect plan, tight, precise, with no crack left.
In that day, Finn not only bring the core members but also most of the Loki familia.
All of that under one objective.
Capture the Masked Menace, Mitsurugi Kyouya— that's the name that they thought original from many aliases.
Operation begin!
Finn along with Bete, Amazon sister, Ais, Garreth, and Lefiya. Broke through the front door of the abandoned building, weapons drawn, ready for confrontation.
But what they see there make all of them stood silent in confusion.
"You are cheating, aren't you?!" Loki slammed her cards on the table. "I swear if you are cheating again I will hire some gigolo to cry really hard at your funeral! I'm betting my precious memories about 7 years old Ais in her 'swimming training' here, don't you dare cheat on me!"
"O-OI! Don't even think about hire some gigolo! At least let me die in peace." Kazuma snapped back."And how many times I already told you, if you think I cheated bring the proof! Why would I need to cheat against you of all people? The goddess whose only divine trait is being drunk and pervert!"
"Hear me, you perverted goddess! First, I'm not interested in your 'little Ais' thing, It's really outside my strike zone. Second, I'm also betting my precious story about how I force the holy knight to wash my back in the middle of the night. I'm not letting you to called it off by accusing me cheating! You pulled this dirty trick when you about to lose, don't you have some dignity?"
"Woah, you really have no shame to lecture me about dignity, underpant thief."
"Talking about shame now? At least I'm always fulfill my bet when I lose which luckily not gonna happen."
"That's because you are cheating!"
"I'm not!"
"Then how the hell did you pull a Royal Straight Flush three matches in a row? Do you even realize how low the odds of that happening are?"
"I suppose it's one in about 250 quadrillion? But hey, I'm just lucky, okay!"
"Your luck gonna make any casino crying."
"Actually it's really happened before."
"Seriously?"
"Dead serious."
Realizing the shocked truth Loki lost her power and lay her back on the couch.
Her gaze turned to the front entrance where her familia stood silence. "Oh, you all finally here! Good timing, Finn. Help me settle things with this lowly cheater."
Finn Deimne, as a tactician narrowed his eyes. His gaze already swept every inch in the room, noting all the possible escape route, imagining various battle scenario, and the advantage that the opponent would use.
But honestly, it really looked like the man don't want to fight? That thoughts really troubled Finn.
"Relax Finn," Loki raised her hands. "The kid said he tired of this game, and wants to surrender to the guild. As long as they judge him fairly, he is willing to cooperate."
"... Is that true?" Finn asked calmly, eyes locked on brown haired man in front of him.
"Yeah," Kazuma muttered. "I miss normal food, hot water, and not continously hiding and fighting."
"Fine."
The tense atmosphere dissolved as fast as it came.
Without further words, the Loki Familia surrounded Kazuma, not with blades this time, but a quiet, mutual understanding.
No restraints, no harsh threats. Just a man choosing to walk—
"Wait!" Kazuma stopped after one step. "We haven't settle the game before."
"You sly goddess! you try to lure me in the flow of conversation and make me forget the bet? Let's finish it first"
"Cih, you noticed it, brat." She clicked her tongue, before made a toothy grin."But fine, this time Finn will act as dealer, your dirty trick is not gonna happen again!"
"You mean like stacking the deck with four jokers?"
"That was strategy, kiddo."
"Say what you want." Kazuma raised his shoulder before sitting on a crate again. "Anyway, change your bet, Loki. I prefer some embarrassing story about Riveria or others, I'm fine with anyone as long as it's not child."
Loki agreed.
In the end Kazuma won again even after Loki caught cheating three times.
"Alright, pay time. Let me hear the stories as we walk to the guild."
"Fine fine." Loki walked beside Kazuma surrounded with her familia whose still can't keep up with all of happened.
When they get out of building, Finn told Riveria what's happening making her lose all her composed behaviour.
"If this come from another person I would think it's lie." Said Riveria.
"Thanks for your understanding." Finn smiled. "Anyway, Alicia, please take the others back to the manor. We'll handle this from here."
Alicia nodded and leaving with other members.
"So?" Kazuma break the tense as he walk to the guild surrounded by Loki Familia. "Let's hear the story."
"Fine." Loki made a sly grin. "It's about Garreth, once a time, back in our early years—"
"Stop there! I have zero interest with that dwarf stories."
"Didn't you said you are fine with anyone as long as it's not child?"
"I mean woman! You did it on purpose, didn't you?"
"Kekeke... It's your fault falling for this, kiddo." Loki chuckled.
"Tcih, you will regret playing this game against me."
"Bring it on, kiddo."
Meanwhile, the remaining person there have the same thought on their mind,
'They have become friends.'
***
The group went to the Guild, Kazuma— now infamous not only for his chaotic rampage across the city, but also for being the first person to kidnap a goddess and somehow still end up on speaking terms with them.
As they passed through the Guild's front gate, Finn slowed his steps.
Telling others to go first with Kazuma.
"…Loki." Called Finn.
"Hm?"
"When you told us not to attack, even though we had the advantage... was there a reason beyond the surrender?"
Loki chuckled.
"I lost a bet. Plain and simple."
Finn didn't respond.
The goddess kept walking, hands behind her head.
"…But that's not all of it," she added casually. "I don't think making him our enemy is a good idea."
"Hmm?" Finn raised his eyebrow.
"That guy is a threat, sure. But he got really weird moral of not getting anyone seriously injured."
Finn nodded slightly.
"Garreth got the worst of it," Loki continued. "That water lightning freezing nonsense, remember? But even then… it's like the boy knew Garret would survive. He's reckless, but he's not malicious."
"It's also the reason you don't rush to save me, right?"
Finn exhaled slowly.
"…You noticed it too, huh?"
Loki smirked. "Yup. He holds back. A lot. He got something up his sleeve. Something dangerous. But he only uses it when he has to. Actually I started to think we kind of bullied the kid, you realized he hold himself and used that to your advantage."
The pallum was quiet for a beat, then gave a slow nod.
"You trust him?" Finn asked.
"I trust the fact he doesn't want to be the bad guy, and that's enough."
"In the end, yeah, we could have beaten him," Loki admitted. "But it wouldn't have been worth the cost. If that kid gets serious…"
She turned her gaze to Kazuma who is being processed by the Guild.
"…Some of us might not walk away."