Familia of (Greed)

It has been about half a week since my fully formed party has started going into the dungeon. We were getting quite good at teamwork, even reaching the tenth floor together. However, yesterday Bell asked for the weekend off so that left me with a day to do nothing. So of course, Loki appeared in my door frame with a grin on her face. "Viole~ Take me out on a date!"

"No" Of course I refused. I had seen this routine far too often. Whenever Ais or... anyone in the Familia had a day off, she found a way to get in on it. Not that I minded per say, but I know that I was just her replacement for now since Ais and the gang were still in the dungeon. "Sorry Loki, but I've actually got a plan today. I need to get my gloves repaired and maybe upgrade my gear." I had packed my gear into a black backpack and slung it on. "How about next time I get a free day, I treat you to lunch. No drinking though."

"Hehe. It's a date then!" With that, my carefree goddess left me to my own devices, though I felt like I had made a mistake for myself. Oh well. I should thank Loki for everything.

Walking by the center of town, I noticed Bell waiting for someone. We gave each other a wave as I went about my business. Entering the tower of babel was strange. The tower was split into two entrances. Once that went down into the dungeon. The other was a large elevator that led up into the shops in babel. "It's always nice to see this place." The floor that I stopped on was filled with shops with their shop advertising in front. Of course, this was just a place for cheap armors and weapons. I had visited this floor a couple times and was heading towards a simple shop at the back of the floor.

"Mornin to ya." A shop owner in a hoodie said to me as I entered his store. The man was lying back into his chair at the front of the shop. I dropped my bag onto his desk. "Oh, is this what you meant yesterday?"

"Yes Sir. Can you see if you can make my armor a bit surrender but lighter? Also my gloves are in need of a patch up. I've whittled down the steel way too much."

"I can see that!" The man's care free attitude changed as he looked at the state of the gloves. The gloves had holes on the fabric, showing the steel that lay near the knuckles and back of the palm. "Did you let a killer ant chew on these or somethin?" The man sighed before taking his hand out, awaiting payment. I handed him a bag of ten thousand valis. "I'll have my best guy look into these for ya. Come back tomorrow and it'll be ready." With a nod, I left the shop and the tower.

"Now...that lasted about an half an hour. What do I do now?" Leaving the tower filled me with a sense of boredom. I didn't really have any errands to do, and the only friends that I have are either in the dungeon or are busy. I should train for- "Shut up." Shaking my head, it hurt far too much. Going into the dungeon was not an option. Loki forbade me from going in without my equipment. Which was fair. "Might as well use the place Ais told me about..." With that I headed off to waste my day punching the air on top of the wall that surrounded Orario. Ignoring the feeling to run into the dungeon for real action.

Before I knew it, the sun was already down on the city and night had swallowed it. Wiping the sweat off my head, I moved across Orario, using the allies to not get caught in the crowd. But, just as always, I saw something that put a real damper on my good mood. Something that really pissed me off.

SSS

Supporter

To anyone else in Orario, getting robbed and being thrown onto the ground would be... semi-memorable given how often it happens. But to me, it was just another Saturday. The three bastards that were standing on top of me were, of course, just more damn alcoholics from my familia. Adventurer's are all the same... I've gotten soft lately, cuz of those two idiots. I had to be grateful to these maggots, they were giving me a wake up call. Just because those two idiots were nice now, didn't mean that they wouldn't screw me over later. All adventurers become jaded eventually. "Is this all ya got, Little Lady? I would hate to see what would happen to you if you were holding out on us."

"Tell me, what would happen if you did?" Before I could get the bastards off my back, a voice rang out of the abandoned ally that forced a chill down my spine. Even my contemporaries looked towards the source of the voice who was standing near the cross section that attached this ally to another.

"Sir Viole?" He didn't look normal. Instead of the strangely distant yet warm aura he had, now it seemed... full of blood lust. His gaze to my three familia members were harsh and his pupils were in the shape of a snake's. I had never paid attention to his eyes, but I was almost certain that they were not blood red. "What are you-"

"Lily. Are you hurt?" His intense aura dissipated for a moment, waiting for my answer. When I gave him a swift nod he gave me a small smile before his intensity came back. "Good. Now then, I'll give you pieces of human filth two options. You give Lily her money back and leave this place quietly, or I rip your throats out." H-Huh?

"HahahAHHAHAHA!" The old man who was the leader of these damn addicts walked up to Viole, obviously calling his bluff. "You're probably only a level 1! I've got no reason to be scared of you!"

"Is that so?" Before the old bastard could react, Viole had his magic infused hand wrapped around his neck. His fingers digging into the skin with a small bit of blood trickling down them. "Do you want me to show you why I'm a part of the Loki familia?" They stared at each other for a tense second before the old guy jumped back and threw the sack of money into my lap. Ouch!

"Let's get out of here. It's not worth the trouble of involving Loki of all people." I was honestly surprised by how sensible the bastards were being. They were right to be too. There had been rumors of Loki having a new favorite and I was betting on it being Viole. The fact that the Sword Princess had been calling him a friend was a huge sign. I kinda feel bad for using him to get closer to the familia now. Only a little bit. "If I ever see you again though, I'll kill ya myself!"

Viole's smile was unnerving. It reached ear to ear. However he immediately covered his mouth for some strange reason. If you want to intimidate them, shouldn't you show off that kind of smile? The three guys cringed and left the ally promptly. With a sigh, Viole's entire attitude flipped on a dime. Gone was his intimidating aura and instead was the same, clumsy aura I felt every other time I met him. "Lily! Are you okay?!" He ran towards me on the ground and looked over my body, careful to not touch me. "Wait...you ears are gone. Did they-"

"N-No! I'm fine Sir Viole. Thank you." He helped me up from the ground and I looked into his eyes for the first time since I've met him. His eyes...they're Violet. They're pretty... I felt heat rising into my cheeks so I did what I always do when I get too attached. Disengage. I shook off his hand and tightened my grip on the bag of money. The only thing that hasn't betrayed me...yet. "Thank you for the help. But I must be on my way."

"Lily, wait." I was tempted to ignore him but, I owed him this much at least. "Those guys, who were they?"

"They are fellow members of my familia. You don't have to worry about this. I'll take care of it." Viole stared down at me, his eyes filled with pity. I wanted to punch him in the face for that. "Don't bother."

"Lily, how long has this been going on?" His tone changed. Back was the intimidating aura. Back was the slight change in his eyes. They weren't fully red but there was a tinge of it there. "Lily, please."

"Since I became a supporter." His gaze hardened. "I've been a part of the familia since my birth, I only became a supporter a couple of years ago." He returned to normal once again and let out a sigh and scratched the back of his head. "Now can I leave?"

"Lily, do you want to crash at my place for a while? Until we get these bastards off your back."

"Why..." It made no sense to me. This guy was clearly more fucked up than he let on initially. A level one who started a month ago doesn't threaten to kill someone and mean it unless something is wrong with them. So why? "Why do you want to help me so much?"

I expected the same damned answer that he gave me every time he paid me, the same answer that made no sense but I accepted anyway. The answer that made me want nothing more than to use him while I can. "Because I care about you, Lily." My heart hurt when he said that. He's a whole different kind of idiot!

The whole time that he led me to the Twilight Manor, I couldn't take my eyes off his back. Idiot! You're a complete idiot who I can't ignore!

SSS

Adventurer

Loki's grin was absolutely unbearable as I explained the situation to her. Of course when we got to the mansion, my first instinct was to tell Loki about it. Not because I necessarily felt like I needed her permission. But because if I snuck a girl into my room and let her sleep here for an extended amount of time, Loki would eventually find out. I'd rather die than hear the jokes that she would say about me. Or the rumors that she'd spread. I'd rather not have my familia think that I'm some playboy. I've got an image to build. "So you're sure that you just don't want some Pallum pus-"

"Loki."

"Sorry, sorry. Alright so I get the gist of it. Those guys have been shaking down little Lily here for some Soma wine! Can't say I blame them. That stuff is to die for!" Damn drunk.

"What do you mean? What does wine have to do with anything?" Loki's grin moved to Lily for a second and the girl flinched. "Lily?"

"In the Soma familia, if you bring in the largest amount of money, then Lord Soma will give them a jug of Soma wine. Special wine that Lord Soma creates himself." Lily... "B-But the reason why I've been collecting money is not because I want to try the Soma Wine. I only want to get enough Valis to leave the Familia! I promise that I am telling you the truth, Sir Viole!"

"Don't worry Lily. I trust you." I patted the smaller girl's head and turned to Loki.

"No."

"I haven't even asked the question yet!"

"You didn't need to. I'm not going to give this girl a loan or a gift or nothing. You two will have to figure this out by yourself Viole. I've realized that I have been far too nice to you. Treating you with kiddy gloves. You've gotta become an adventurer on your own! So think of this as your first adventure. There is nothing that says 'hero' like saving a girl from crippling debt." Loki let out a hauling laugh before standing up and walking to the window. "I won't be helping you in any way and you gotta find a better hiding place for her. Can't risk a War Game with Soma... but I heard that Ais, Lefiya and the gang were coming back sometime tomorrow. Maybe they will have some advice?"

"Seriously, now is when you decide to go hands off?" My very own generous goddess let out a disgusting cackle that matched more with a witch than with a god. "Do we at least have any extra rooms for Lily for now?"

"Nope!" That's a damn lie! This place is huge!

"I hate you Loki."

"Kehehehehe! That's definitely not gonna to be the last time you say that!" Leaving the cackling witch alone in her cave, I led Lily to my room, which was not that far from Loki's office. All the while thinking up the best ways to get revenge on her without getting kicked out the familia.

"It's more organized than I thought..." My bed room was as normal as one could come. No decorations or anything. The only things out of place were some shirts on a desk chair near the edge of the room. "You don't have any 'material' here, do you?"

"Sit down." Lily giggled before finding a seat and taking it. After I rummaged around in my drawers for a bit, I found a clean set of pajamas and threw them at Lily. "Sorry but this is all that I have to spare."

"I-Isn't this a bit intimate?" Her strangely shy answer earned a sigh out of me. But it was adorable.

"It's just for now. We can get your other belongings tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay then, Pervert." I really need some sleep.

SSS

"Interesting place..." After picking up my equipment, Lily had brought me to a strange side of town. The area was filled with abandoned buildings and churches, and not a single soul was in sight. We were in one such abandoned building, one with a secret room that Lily had a stash of money and equipment. "Gotta say that this is a pretty good hideout, I doubt that those bastards could find you here."

"They already have." My instant failure hurt but I quickly bounced back. "They found me here last night. They clearly didn't know about this room though, since everything's still here." Lily packed everything into her over-sized bag . It was honestly impressive to see what she shoved in there. Bags of cash with a large V on them. Kinda obvious, huh? Magic Swords, weapons, monster drops, all the bells and whistles. "I'm done with this hideout."

"Of course you have multiple ones." Resigning myself to this waste of a day off, I followed my short teammate across Orario, emptying a total of five hideouts that she had. It came to the point that I had had to question just how much Valis did she need to leave the Soma familia? She had to have at least two mil saved up. Maybe more. But, I kept my mouth shut until we reached the gates of the Twilight Manor. Of course, standing in front of the gates were a few familiar faces. "Welcome home, guys. How was your trip?" Ais was the first one to turn to me when I spoke. Her speed when doing so was honestly amazing.

"Viole." Ummm? Yes? Ais just kept staring at me for a while before Finn, the tiny blond captain of our familia began to laugh at the strangeness of it all.

"Sorry, Viole. But I think Ais is a bit tired. Our trip was eventful to say the least. Ais here taking the brunt of it." To show it off, Finn pulled on her cheeks, which she didn't pay any mind to. Now that he pointed it out, I noticed their clothes. Finn's clothes were torn and he had brushes all along his body. Same with Leafiya, Tiona and Tione, who were all barely conscious and looked ready to sleep for days. Ais' clothes had an unfortunate tear that caused the underside of one of her...breasts to be exposed. I made sure to not look in that direction but a part of my mind was screaming at me to look once more. No! It is not polite to look at a woman that way! Let alone a friend. The only one who seemed unharmed was Lady Riviera who was carrying the three girls. "So how have-"

"Viole, are you okay?" Ais' mind and body finally merged once more. Though it did stun Captain Finn when she spoke again.

"I'm fine. Found a party since you guys left. Let me introduce one of them." I looked back and saw that Lily was using me as a sort of shield to not get noticed, though her large backpack didn't make that possible. "This is Lily, you met her the day that you left. Remember Ais?"

Ais made eye contact with my supporter and Lily hid once more. Since when was this your personality? "Viole, can we just go inside?" While I wanted to speak with Ais for advice, it was obviously not the time. Not with her wobbling in place.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for stopping you guys, you're all clearly tired." Taking that as a sign to leave, Lily went ahead of me and quickly entered the manor. Finn nodded, gave me a wave and left Lady Riviera with three girls in her arms and a yet again frozen Ais. "Do you need help Lady Riviera?"

"I'd appreciate that, Keres." I shivered at her use of my last name but let it go. Lady Riviera is a formal person so it makes sense for her to treat me as such. Lady Riviera trudged into the manor, the sheer weight of the three girls on her back threatening to take her to the ground. Now, how the hell am I supposed to drag Ais in without feeling like a creep?

"...Hello Lily, nice to meet you again."

"You need rest, bad."