Freedom for Lili and the Soma Familia
The scene shows the wide field of the countryside about a few miles close from the foot of the mountain, a carriage is power running through the path heading toward a certain city carrying two women inside. And these women are going to look for something out far away from their home, or more specifically a certain someone.
"Ugh, just how long have we been traveling?" One of the women complained.
"Not for much longer, Orario is just two days away from here now." The other woman answered.
"Two days?! That's so long and this carriage ride is boring?!" The younger woman winced moving her hands around.
"Calm yourself, Elina. All good things will come to those who wait." The older woman advised.
"I know, I know, Claudette, but all these riding is so boring." Elina complained looking out the window.
"It won't be long now, we'll see Leina soon enough." Claudette said with a small scary look in her eyes, and tiny sparks of lightning emitting.
(Hestia Church)
Leina dress in her pajama is walking outside of the church feeling the good sunlight shining onto her body as Bell, Hestia, and Melpha are watching her close to the church glad to see that Leina is back to full health and strength after the intense battle last night.
"Awww, it feels so good to get out of bed." Leina smiled.
"I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt back there; I was really worried that I might lose you." Bell walked up to her and held her hand.
"Don't worry, Bell, I promise that I'll always come back to you and our home every time." Leina promised with a closed hand.
"That's glad to hear, good thing we have some healing potions left and your armor protected you from some attacks." Hestia said.
"But I'm quite worry about the one you fought within the Dungeon, about this pink slime woman." Melpha concerned.
"Yeah, that Melona slime or whatever she called herself sounds very troubling." Hestia said doing some thinking about this Melona girl.
"I know, it's very weird to have fought a monster that can talk and sound like a human not to mention she know how to fight like a warrior too." Leina mentioned, remembering how dangerous Melona was fighting against her.
"Goddess Hestia, are you sure there has never been any monsters like her before?" Leina asked.
"Not one that I can think of, I'm more surprise that Melona was a slime of all things. Guess you really can't judge a book by its cover." Hestia phrased the old saying.
"Shouldn't we inform the Guild about this?" Melpha asked.
"We already told Miss Eina about Melona when we exit the Dungeon, she said she's gonna inform Ouranos about it and see what she can learn." Bell mentioned.
"I'm not sure if he'll tell us anything about a talking, intelligent monster since Ouranos always love keeping big secrets to himself." Hestia rolled her eyes.
"I'm worry that Melona is on the surface right now, disguising as another Adventurer or some random citizens probably waiting to ambush us anywhere in the city." Leina feared, wondering what Melona is doing right now.
"Let's not worry about that slimy woman right now, we should be glad to be alive today and lives to tell about it." Hestia said placing a hand on Leina's shoulder.
"Besides, I believe you two have another matter to attend to." Hestia said confusing her two young mortals.
"Going down the Dungeon?" Bell asked.
"No, helping Lili be free from the Soma Familia!" Hestia yelled at Bell.
"Oh right, once that is finish, we'll have two new members of the Hestia Familia!" Bell excited to make his Familia a bit bigger.
"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Leina asked with a deadpan expression.
"I… have no idea." Bell hung his head in shame.
"This is why you should always try to think this through." Hestia sighed.
"Don't worry, little Goddess, Lili's fate in the Soma Familia is already set in stone with my help. If that's okay." Echidna appeared right behind Bell wrapping her arms around him as he becomes surprised with his face turning red.
"What the…?!" Leina gasped.
"HEY?! What do you think you're doing to Bell!" Hestia snapped at the strange elf woman.
"I'm just saying hello to our white rabbit warrior, and I must say, he is quite the cutie." Echidna flirted and lick Bell's cheek making him extremely.
"Could you please let go of him and explain to us what you are doing here!" Leina forced Echidna off Bell.
"Oh my, it looks like I scored myself two cuties at the same time." Echidna winked and stroke Leina's cheek making her shock and blush.
"Hold on now, I don't roll like that!" Leina tried to back away, then suddenly she heard a kissing noise.
Leina slowly leans her head down and her eyes widen of shock with the sound of glass shattering in her head once she saw the snake looking back at her, sticking out his tongue for the hissing as his own way of greeting the human woman. Her face went pale like she just died and sweating like crazy like she just did some running exercise in the morning, all around the city, then she let out a loud scream as she jumps backward in fear.
"S-S-S-SNAKE?!" Leina pointed at the snake in fear.
"Oh, I think Keltan has started to like you. Being all jumpy like that." Echidna chuckled.
"Why do you have a snake around your waist like that… AAAHH! Why aren't you wearing any underwear?!" Leina realized that Echidna isn't wearing underwear at all.
Bell's face became even redder than before when Leina pointed this out and notice this with his own eyes as he couldn't find the strength to turn his head away, Hestia quickly cover his eyes with her hands to at least not look at Echidna's nearly exposed private part anymore.
"Oh my goodness, such a lewd action to do out in the opening!" Melpha shocked as well.
"Aw, what's the matter. Not comfortable with the old traditions of the elves?" Echidna asked playfully.
"What are you talking about?" Hestia asked.
"Back in the old days, Elves never wear underwear because they were always uncomfortable down there and let just say I'm the old fashion kind of gal." Echidna explained.
"Did you just come here to rub it in our faces?" Hestia asked a bit angry.
"No, Goddess." Lili said as she and Risty walked up them.
"She came here to help me." Lili answered.
"Lili! How are you feeling?" Bell asked feeling more concern for Lili than Echidna not wearing any underwear.
"Okay, you could say I'm feeling better." Lili smiled.
"That's good to hear." Bell relieved.
"So, are you ready see God Soma?" Echidna asked the little supporter.
"I am." Lili nodded, ready to face her Familia one last time and see God Soma.
"Glad to hear it, I just hope Soma hasn't forgotten that one last favor he still owes me after all this time." Echidna said as she walks ahead.
"If you don't mind me asking, Miss Echidna…" Bell said then pause when Echidna turns her head looking at him.
"Please, no need for formalities, you can just call me Echidna and maybe more if you make me fall for you more." Echidna licked her lips.
That line cause Bell to blush again feeling that this woman is hitting on him and for some strange reason seems to like that, but his spine started shivering in fear as he turns around to see Leina, Hestia, and Lili giving him the death-glare.
"Aw, isn't that sweet, Bell is just very kind to girls." Melpha smiled.
"Yeah, maybe too good." Lili muttered.
"(Damn it, Bell. Just how many girls do you intend to make them fall for you?)" Hestia thought sighed.
"I think we should be more focus on going to the Soma Familia." Risty reminded them of what they're supposed to do right now.
"She's right, we'll be wasting daylight with all this flirting." Echidna teased.
"YOU'RE THE ONE DOING IT!" The other girls screamed at the elf woman though she just giggles it off.
(Soma Familia Home)
"Yes, yes, more money for the Familia… Or more just for me." Zanis chuckled evilly looking at all the Valis some of the other Adventurers have made.
"Those fools would do anything just to get one more sip or more of the Soma liquor, even though the ones they're getting is the reject product than the real one, but still quite effective to bring me more men." Zanis looked out the window of the city.
"And the best part is that God Soma doesn't give a damn of what I've been doing to his Familia as long as he keeps making his booze." Zanis laughed a bit as he walks out of his room.
"Soon, I will reach my goal of having everything I want. Money, women, everything a man could dream of, and nothing will stop me!" Zanis proclaimed.
"Sir Zanis!" A man called out running up to him.
"What is it?" Zanis asked.
"We… We got some visitors from another Familia, requesting to see God Soma to let go a member." The man reported which made Zanis shock.
"What? What idiot dare to make such a request like that?" Zanis demanded to know.
"Well, the group is from a small Familia and one is that Mercenary red hair woman who always hangs out with that little supporter." The man answered.
"(Risty, that woman never had the nerve to come up here and demand Lili to be release, knowing what would happen if she tried, so why start now?)" Zanis thought wondered.
"And that's not all, another woman is with them, one said to have been a former member of the Familia a little over fifty years ago." The man added.
"What?" Zanis gasped.
(Outside, Soma Familia Front Yard)
Bell and the others look around as they are being surrounded by dozens of Soma Adventurers, mages, and others all glaring at them and most is on Lili because of how she wants to leave the Familia again like a coward and some are ready to fight.
"Something tells me these guys are here to put out the snacks." Risty said sarcastically.
"I hope we can get through this without any fighting." Leina worried as she is ready to reach for her sword.
"Easy, little lady, not everything has to resolve into a fight." Echidna stated.
"Hello there, I apologize for the men's behavior, they tend to be… on edge when it comes to those outside of our Familia." Zanis said as he walks out from the house and to the group.
"So, you're the current captain of the Soma Familia, Zanis Lustra." Echidna looked at the Zanis man and she can already tell this man is a scumbag despite the gentleman-like appearance.
"I see you have heard of me, it feels such an honor from a former member of the Familia such as yourself, Echidna the Veteran Adventurer." Zanis bowed a little and revealing Echidna's former title.
"I'm still surprised you used to be in the Soma Familia." Lili said.
"Being in this Familia were the good times, before it became the money-grabbing and alcohol obsessing creeps caused by this little boy." Echidna mocked Zanis.
"Come now, surely you can see how strong and big I made the Soma Familia under my leadership as captain. Perhaps more than it was for you before leaving." Zanis bragged.
"Maybe so, but you just made everyone here into little children with stupid temper tantrum over a silly little drink." Echidna insulted most of the men around her.
"Why don't you shut up, you stupid bitch!" One member tried to attack Echidna.
But she moves quicker than he could react as he was knocked unconscious by one kick to the face and back about five feet.
"Now, now, we don't need to play dirty. We only came here to talk to Soma." Echidna said.
"I'm so you had to come a long way to visit your former family, but I'm afraid Master Soma is currently unavailable and won't take any visitors for a while." Zanis informed which wasn't entirely a lie since Soma is always focus on making his booze.
"Let them come in, Zanis." A man's voice said.
Zanis's eyes widen of shock upon hearing that voice and turns around seeing the God himself, Soma standing on the balcony of his working office.
"God Soma!" Zanis shocked as so the other members as they have never seen their God talking to others before and coming out to speak to them.
"Echidna, it has been a long time." Soma said to the dark-skinned elf woman.
"It sure has been, I see fifty years hasn't made you changed one-bit you Gods have the immortality to show for." Echidna greeted back.
"Same to you, now come in." Soma said walking back inside.
Echidna smirks at the shock Zanis before she gestures the others to follow her in and Kelten goes up to her shoulder to hiss at Zanis showing his fangs making the captain scared a little.
They arrive at Soma's working place where he is doing some mixing with the ingredients for his booze and stop when he saw Echidna and the other guests come in as Lili becomes nervous of seeing the God for the first time in a long time since she was given her blessing by him.
"Still making booze as always, you really need to get another hobby." Echidna commented.
"You always told me that." Soma said as he sat the long stick in the pot.
"So, what brings you back here after all this time?" Soma asked.
"I'm just here for support, it's Lili here who wish to ask you of something." Echidna pushed Lili forward.
"Uh, hello Master Soma." Lili greeted nervously.
"Lili, I think I remember you from long ago." Soma said which made Lili a little angry though kept up her composure.
"God Soma, I wish to leave the Familia and be transfer to the Hestia Familia." Lili said.
"I see, so you wish to leave because you want to find where you truly belong just like Echidna." Soma recalled that day.
"That's your reason for leaving?" Leina asked Echidna.
"It was fun, but the spark became dim, and I decided to leave hoping to find the next best thing." Echidna explained.
"If you wish to leave this Familia, then you first must prove yourself if you can overcome the true Soma drink just like Echidna had fifty years ago." Soma said.
"Overcome your original drink." Lili gulped and looked at the pot.
"Does it really make you all drunk beyond belief as the rumor says?" Risty asked Echidna.
"Even I had a hard time pulling myself together when I took that first sip, but I was able to summon the willpower to get through it and passed his trial." Echidna remembered.
Lili was hesitated at first doing this hearing the stories of how it would make people act even when the ones they've been drinking were just the rejects, but she had already come to join Bell's Familia to live a better life for them and for herself.
"Okay, I'll do it." Lili determined to pass this trial.
"I should warn you; you might be out for a while if you can't keep yourself together." Soma picked up a small spoon and scoop a duce of the booze.
Soma holds up the spoon up to Lili's mouth and she took the sip from the spoon, the first second didn't do anything until her mind started going hazy with blurry visions and her expression became so drunken like she is doing something erotic without anything else touching her.
"Lili!" Bell worried tries rushing to her, but he is stopped by Echidna.
"This is something she needs to do on her own." Echidna said with a serious look in her eyes.
Lili continues looking dizzy and crazy as she fell on the floor as she couldn't keep her mind focus for long and started seeing hallucinations of many things, this made Risty worried even more seeing the little girl acting like a drunken idiot beyond reason as she clutches her hands and pray for Lili to snap out of it.
"Lili." Risty whispered to herself.
But somehow even in her drunken state, Lili was able to hear Risty's voice say her name and her eyes widen a little as the hallucinations starts showing her memories of Risty which also led to seeing Leina and Bell together in her mind.
That's when Lili remembers what she was doing just now and started to get up back on her feet and look straight at Soma's eyes.
"Master Soma, please, I wish to leave the Familia." Lili asked again, fighting against the powerful booze.
Seeing Lili overcoming the booze has made Risty, Bell, and Leina smiling of exciting joy that the little supporter has overcome the Soma booze, and this surprises Soma as well seeing the second person to have overcome his booze since Echidna.
"Way to go, kid." Echidna smiled.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
I decided to have Lili be free from the Soma Familia early in the story than in the anime as Lili was able to power through the powerful Soma booze, now she is free to join another Familia and can truly begin a better life along with Risty.
I'm sure you noticed in the beginning of the chapter that Leina is going to have a couple of visitors soon.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!