The Denatus. An event that occured every three months, to check over the leveled up children during that time period and decide new nicknames for them. For the mortals it was the greatest of honors. The names they would be granted a thing of legends, marking their lives with the amazing naming sense of the gods. It was an event Hestia only participated once so far, where her cute captain Solaris would gain a title herself. Naturally the girl loved that name. For Hestia, a goddess however, she knew better. The taste of the divine was different from those that weren't. She was fully aware... how embarrassing those titles were! That the Denatus was nothing more but to shame the gods and goddesses while the mortals were completely ignorant of the power plays! She would forever have nightmares of that day. The moment where her child's dignity was forever a joke to the gods, without her knowing. Today was the day she had to go through that mess twice, because her two new children just had to be fast growing geniuses! And if that wasn't bad enough, one of them had a special wish! Like the doting goddess she was, she even agreed to it! Hestia let out a muffled scream as she pulled at her twintails, ignoring the looks she received.
"Hestia, have some dignity."
At the voice of an old friend, Hestia sniffed and turned her head, looking at the red haired woman with the eyepatch. Puffing up her cheeks in frustration, she cut the air in front of her with her arm.
"Dignity dies in that room, Hephaestus! Dies, I say!"
"Well, I can't argue about that... " The goddess of the forge muttered, arms crossed as she looked away. A polite giggle gained their attention, seeing Astraea walk up to them.
"Well, I wouldn't worry too much."
The goddess of justice seemed to glow, completely at ease despite the trials they were about to face. Hestia let out a whine, hugging her and burying her face into her chest. Getting her head patted by Astraea, she looked up with teary eyes.
"Nobody wants to mess with you, Astraea!" She frowned and poked Astraea's cheek accusingly. "Not to mention you don't mind those names anyway!"
Still her smile was in place. Covering her mouth with a giggle, Astraea gently pushed Hestia away.
"They are cute. I do wonder if people will come up with something new for Lyra or not."
Hearing a bell ring, they all perked up. Hephaestus brushed her hair back before glancing at the two.
"Girls, it's starting." She gave a pointed look at Hestia. "I will not help you with this, friendly reminder."
Under normal circumstances she would be mentally crushed that an old friend would drop her like a hot potato. Then again, she had the feeling if Astraea didn't take Hestia up and motivated her to do some actual work, Hephaestus might have just thrown her onto the streets. She still felt a bit guilty for being so lazy back then. However, in today's circumstances? She laughed. Empty as her soul and eyes, she laughed before shaking her head slowly, her hand reaching into a pocket and crushing the piece of paper that was within it.
"Oh, no worries, I'll ruin myself this time," she muttered to herself.
"...?"
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow at Astraea who could only shrug with a sympathetic smile. With that said and done, they entered the halls, taking their seats at the large round table. Many gods chatted with each other, while others, like Ishtar and Freya, made a big show of their entrance. Soon enough, it was Loki who rang the bell once more before clapping her hands together with a smirk.
"Alright people, Denatus time. I'm hostin'. Bad timin' honestly, with my kids going to the expedition, but what can ya do?" Chuckles sounded in the room. Then the atmosphere began to change when Loki's smile disappeared. Folding her hands, she leaned forward, her eyes open in a rare occasion. "Before we start, I gotta address an elephant in the room."
"I am Ganesha!"
"Not you!"
"Actually, yes him." Ignoring the incredulous looks she received, Loki nodded at the muscular man wearing the elephant mask. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Loki!" The man flexed his muscles once more. "I am... Ganesha! And I have some things to say!"
"Is it about what happened in Rivira?" Hermes asked, raising his hand. Ganesha spun around, flexing once more before nodding. Then tears began to well up and escape his eyes as he crumpled to his knees. Hestia bit her lip at the sight. Ganesha looking sad was just wrong.
"Harsharna…! Why?!" He roared towards the ceiling, hands formed into fists. "Why did you have to die by a hot beauty?!"
The mood was instantly ruined by his words. The women especially stared at him as if he was garbage, something Hestia felt was a bit too much. While yes, his words were crude, his child still died here! Loki rolled her eyes and slapped the god over the head.
"That's enough from ya!" As Ganesha sulked, sitting down, Loki grinned in an evil manner as she looked into the round. "Anyway, if any of ye see anythin' suspicious, better fess up or my kids're gonna wreck ya shit!"
As a small commotion sounded, people whispering to each other, Hestia leaned towards her housemate, trying to hide her mouth with her hand.
"Astraea, what happened in Rivira?"
"Irregular monsters and a murder." She smiled wryly with a shrug. "The usual."
Hestia shuddered before leaning back against her chair again.
"...I feel for you if that's usual for you."
"The path of justice is a harsh mistress."
The bell rang once more, with Loki grinning as she spread her arms.
"Enough about that! Time for the fun parts!"
Immediately the room exploded in cheers, with only a select few, like Hestia, cringing their soul out. Ah, here it was. The wave of shame. The gods eyed the first victim with shining eyes.
"Alright, Set, here you go!"
"Have mercy!" The god begged with folded hands.
"Denied!"
Naturally, there was no mercy. Thus, Desert Bandit was born. The next names were not any better, causing Hestia to shudder. She wished Loki would've at least included the "news exchange" section of this meeting but apparently that would come later. One by one, souls of gods were utterly shattered, tears streaming down their eyes. Of course, at some point, there came children who were essentially untouchable.
"Aiz Wallenstein. Level six, phew."
"Well, why not stick with Sword Princess?"
"Sword Saint might fit too?"
"It's obvious, you guys!"
"Our wife!"
"I'll tear ya apart."
"Please forgive us!"
As expected, Loki had enough sway to discourage any names she herself did not approve of. Hestia puffed her cheeks up. The girl, the Sword Princess, seemed like a nice enough girl. Someone she would usually pat and rub her cheeks, as she often seemed like a lost animal if she wasn't in the dungeon.
Usually, that was. If it weren't for the fact that her Bell was clearly heads over heels with that Whattelstein! She sighed, a dark cloud forming over her head, something Astraea and Hephaestus noticed and tried to lean away from. She knew that her child had no interest in her like that. It was only normal. Yet... was it so wrong to chase after her own love?! Was it so wrong to want his attention only on her?! She slapped her own cheeks lightly before taking a deep breath. Ah, she needed to relax. Any further and she might end up like some crazy people who were obsessed with screwing their children.
Like Ishtar. Nobody wanted to be like Ishtar.
"Lyra." One male god clicked his tongue in annoyance, glancing at Astraea whose face as a perfect smile that did not waver in the slightest. "Still bothers me she doesn't have a last name."
"Well, she has one in mind. It's just a matter of time." She gave a pointed look at the Trickster. "Loki."
Loki rolled her eyes in exasperation, raising her hands in a 'leave me out of this' manner.
"Yes, yes, I keep tellin' Finn to stop hesitatin', but y'know how he's like." Licking her lips, she looked over the profile of Lyra, who was flashing two fingers and a wide grin, her scars hidden behind the shades as usual. The Trickster shrugged before shoving the paper away. "Well, don't see a reason to go from Tiresias. Still blind as a bat, yet movin' like she can see everythin'. If it fits, it fits."
The other gods nodded in agreement. Then however, the unthinkable happened. Astraea sighed, holding her cheek before looking around in disappointment.
"What a pity. Do none of you have any ideas?"
It was like being saved from a mud pit only to jump right back in. Astraea appeared to be like a monstrous entity, challenging the gods to do what they usually wanted while making them feel bad. They pointedly averted her eyes, coughing and gulping nervously.
"Only so many blind jokes we can make before it gets tasteless…"
"It's a rare condition too."
"Why fix what ain't broke?"
Astraea narrowed her eyes before puffing up her cheeks, crossing her arms.
"Moh."
Cute! That word entered the minds of male and female gods alike. They thanked the heavens and fate to see that rare expression of the usually mother like figure. Loki blinked before coughing, shaking herself out of her own daze before pointing at her.
"Only you would complain about this!"
The next profiles were revealed and Hestia stiffened up. Ah. Here it was.
"Sasaki Kojiro and Bell Cranel. Newest record holder and runner up respectively."
Muttering and suspicion went around the room. Hestia gulped before glaring at Hermes, who had the most giddy expression of them all. She took a shaky breath, her hand clutching the piece of paper in her hand. She felt a squeeze on her shoulder. Astraea gave her a pitying, but encouraging smile. Hestia sniffed. Ah, what she didn't do for her kids. As arguments rose, ones she ignored, she meekly raised her hand. Loki raised an eyebrow at that before allowing her to speak.
"Err, can I give a name for Kojiro?"
She received incredulous looks and scoffs. Yet the Trickster's eyes gleamed, as if she spotted something. Dramatically, she hummed loudly while tapping her chin.
"It's usually against the rules... " Showing her teeth, she snapped her fingers at Hestia. "But go on, Itty-Bitty! Let's hear it!"
"No guarantee we will accept it though!"
Here it was. The moment of truth. She took out the piece of paper. She unfolded it. A wave of agony and pain filled her heart as she saw the words. She knew what they meant. She couldn't fathom why they existed.
"It's... It's... !" She choked up. By now the gods, even Loki, stared at her with what could be actual worry. Tears dropped down on the paper before she let out a cry and snapped her head towards her housemate. "Astraea, I can't do it!"
The goddess of justice patted her head, ignorant of the spectacle they were making this out of.
"Be strong. It is his wish after all."
"S-S... " Screw it! With anger filling her heart, she took a deep breath and forced the words out. "Swallowslayer!"
Silence reigned, with Hesta's head turning bright red. Loki dug her finger into her right ear, checking if there was something plugging it up. Then she looked back at Hestia with an half open mouth.
"...What?"
"Swallow Slayer, you flat board! Kojiro wants Swallow Slayer!"
Her eyebrow twitched but Loki took a deep breath. Leaning forward with a serious expression, the Trickster had only one word to offer, as the other gods leaned forward as well, just as confused.
"Why?"
By now her tears were rivers that streamed down her face. She threw her arms up in the air, the paper fluttering away.
"I don't know! He went on about how his life was spent taking down swallows and that the Infant Dragon was like an Infant Swallow and that it was only natural to be called Swallow Slayer because he took down an oversized swallow!" At the expressions she saw, she covered her face, trying to sink into her seat. "Don't look at me like that, I know that he's insane!"
Even she as a goddess couldn't understand his logic! What did he mean he spent his life taking down swallows?! Why them?! What did they do to him?! And how could dragons count as swallows in any way?! They don't even have feathers or beaks! At her despair, the gods soberly nodded, pondering over the wish of a mortal child.
"That sounds dumb."
"Stupid even."
They all looked at each other. They nodded in agreement. In that moment, the gods were one. As one entity, they looked at Hestia and showed her their most charming smile as they all raised their thumbs.
"We gracefully accept it!"
It was like an arrow was shot at her heart. Clutching her chest in agony, she did slammed her fists on the table.
"Gaaaagh! No! Reject me! Deny me with all your strength!"
Her pleads fell on empty ears. The name was official. To believe it was her own child that ruined her own dignity…! She would never forgive this betrayal, Bell's teacher or not! However, suddenly, a hand was raised. A goddess, wearing a hood, her white streak in her black hair hidden by it, raised her hand with a sneer.
"Am I the only one bothered by that time frame?" She calmly asked, smirking at the goddess of Hearth as if she was beneath her, causing Hestia to flinch. "One month and a month and a half. It is... suspicious to say the least. Especially with a newbie like Hestia."
Hestia bit her lip. The gods murmured among themselves, wanting answers as well….But she had none to give! At least for Kojiro! He was a freak on his own! And Bell... well, she needed to give him a rank up once he fully recovered from his injuries, but she was confident his growth was entirely on him as well! She had no justification to give as there were none! But that made her only seem more suspicious!
Fortunately, she was not alone with this. Astraea calmly raised her arm, covering Hestia from the judging look of the goddess of discord.
"They do live with me, Eris." Politely smiling, she put her hand on her chest. "While it is strange, it is not impossible. Remember Arash?"
The Starfall. They all recalled his "debut". An archer was an unpopular role to say the least. The costs to maintain bows and get arrows that would do anything against lower floors were too high to make it efficient. Yet the infamous level seven went and did it anyway. And he only took three months, not by some great feat like taking down a big monster, but by diligently mowing down monster after monster almost twenty four hours per day until the Falna seemingly gave up and just gave him the level up he deserved.
"And they took down those Enhanced Species, didn't they?" Hermes commented, chuckling at the information. Eris clicked her tongue in annoyance. Then with a sigh, she went back down on her seat, but not before sending Astraea and Hestia one last glare.
"...Point taken." Taking up the profile, she waved it at the others. "Screw it, what are we giving the white one?"
The suggestions came like a waterfall. Each one was as bad as the other.
"Little Rookie!"
"Too generic man!"
"Bun Bun Boy!"
"Rabbit Head!"
"Burning Fighting Fighter!"
Each one was worse than the other. It meant something that "Little Rookie" was the best out of all of them so far. Hestia felt like she would be crying blood by now. Yet the worst was yet to come. A polite cough. But it was enough to get all the attention in the room. As expected of the goddess of love, Freya, who raised her hand with a coy smile.
"May I suggest one?"
"Hoh?" Loki crossed her arms as she leaned back. "Let's hear it then."
Freya glanced at Hestia and she could swear that Freya winked at her. Then she rested her chin on her hands as she tilted her head.
"The Blank Potential. White Fool."
The goddess of Hearth felt the world shrink down around her.
"Eh?"
"With his white hair and his actions, he can be nothing but a White Fool." Putting a finger on her lips, she closed one eye as she looked into the round. "Besides, it's the title my dear Mimir came up with."
Hestia paled. Mimir. Hans Christian Andersen. Known as the best author of this era. If he came up with that name... ! She looked around in horror. The buildup of excitement. The looks of disbelief, of hope. She wheezed. No, it was too late!
"Hold up, does that mea-"
"Look forward to his new work."
"Booya!"
"Finally! I waited so long!"
"White Fool it is!"
"Hold on, aren't there alternatives?!" Hestia shouted, trying to fight back against the inevitable. Sending a glare at Freya, who was already leaving like a confident victor, she threw her arms up in the air."You guys are calling my kid an idiot!"
The gods looked at each other. Then they raised their eyebrows at her.
"He solo'd a minotaur."
"Enhanced one too."
"He's totally an idiot."
"The shoe fits."
"Can't you reconsider?!" Hestia screamed. Yet it was to no avail.
"Not at all!"
"Aaaaaah!"
Thus, Swallow Slayer and White Fool of the Hestia Familia were born.
/
As Hestia had to be dragged away by Astraea, her strength long having left her, Hermes adjusted his head, leaning against a pillar with a chuckle. Loki was already leaving, having had her talk with him over the non so fun matters in life. Because of that, he observed Hestia, as a way to lift his own mood. With a sigh, he shook his head in a self deprecating manner.
"I can't believe I missed that." A laugh escaped him. "Guess first impressions do fool me. Here I actually believed Zeus!"
Having no guts and no character his butt. While at first he only seemed to be a fast growing rookie with no accomplishments, he fortunately proved Hermes wrong. Taking on a monster far above his level... ah, he wished he could've seen it personally! He could be the one. The last hero that this era needed. His ears twitched and he tried to calm his features. Turning around, he spotted Asfi and Filvis, professional as always. Apparently he wasn't quiet enough, as his captain adjusted her glasses, giving him a pointed look.
"Perhaps that book of Mimir will reveal more information."
"From the sounds of it, it would be about what Bell Cranel did before coming to Orario," Filvis added. Hermes clicked his tongue in irritation.
"It better not be or else I lose my pride as a travelling information god!" He proclaimed dramatically, pointing to the sky. Sure, he heard some rumors here and there that some outsiders contributed to some events in the Far East and Altena. But both countries weren't places he usually visited. The Far East was, as the name implied, very far away. Altena meanwhile was under the control of that stuffy Odin, who had a "kick him out on sight" order! Hermes still couldn't believe that god was so salty for losing that bet back in heaven!
"Hermes, do you want to hear our report now or not?" Filvis asked in a dry tone. The god's smile faltered ever so slightly as he pulled his hat over his eyes.
"Sorry, sorry." He gave them a somber glance. "So, how was that pantry in the twenty fourth floor with Astraea's kids?"
Filvis bit her lip before as Asfi glanced at her. Looking around, to make sure no one overheard them, she leaned towards Hermes' ears. Usually a maiden getting so close would make his heart flutter, but this was hardly the time now.
"It is as expected. Evilus is still acting even with my absence." She closed her eyes, her expression twisting in a myriad of emotions. "It's basically confirmed. Lord Dionysus was replaced."
Hermes clicked his tongue. Hah... as expected, one evil god went down, another would crop up again. Here he thought four years ago they were finally done with this. The question was... who replaced him now?