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It was a beautiful morning in Orario, only a few clouds in the sky and some dark clouds to the east, also some tweeting birds, a beautiful morning indeed...for the most people.
For Bell Cranel most mornings weren´t that good recently. He rubbed his eyes and groaned, still feeling exhausted, the reason was he couldn´t sleep well.
Ever since he safely returned from the 37th floor, he startled in his sleep whenever he heard a sound, almost every five minutes he woke continued until he was so exhausted that he finally fell asleep for a few hours. Thanks to Hestia´s blessing it was more or less bearable.
At night Haruhime came often to his room, to keep him company or reading a story for him until he calmed down. The stories of heroes that he loved so much never spoke about something like that. In these stories they were always heroic, knew no fear or overcome their fears. But about these sleeping troubles...never. Bell knew that many adventurers suffered from something like that. Exploring the dungeon and fighting monsters caused a lot of stress. To vent this stress was probably the number one reason why the Pleasure Quarter had been so important and why the new Entertainment District also had many brothels. Bell didn´t blaim anyone that went there, Haruhime´s "big sister" Aisha and her good friend Lena Tally did an important work. Without them and the others, many adventurers in Orario would probably break under the stress.
But it wasn´t the only thing that kept him awake at night, the face of a certain elven waitress was constantly in his mind. after their "adventure" and the time in the hospital her behaviour towards him changed. Bell was pretty confused by Ryu´s behaviour when they walked through the city, where he told her that she looked really beautiful in her white dress. He remembered how Ryu had quickly turned around, the tips of her ears had turned red and she had stammered something about not being able to look at his face. He had to admit, this moment was more than just adorable.
His heart felt warm when he watched her, confused because of her behaviour and why she suddenly ran away.
Bell didn´t know what to make out of this situation, the only thing he knew was, that he wanted to talk to Ryu. He had to talk to her, it felt important for him. For some reason he couldn't quite put his finger on, Bell wanted to see and talk to Ryu. He partially understood that feeling, Bell was still panicked and stressed from the dungeon, he needed to see Ryu to make sure she was safe and sound. But there was something more inside him, a strange feeling that he didn't understand.
And so he did as his urge told him.
At first he tried to talk to Ryu a few times, coming to the Benevolent Mistress, but she avoided him, turning away everytime he might get into her line of view, even spinning when she had to.
Bell would follow her, when she walked away, he walked after her. When Ryu went faster, he chased her for a few minutes until Mama Mia got annoyed and told him to buy something to eat or stop disturbing the work. The "dance" of Ryu and Bell got popular with the guests, so some came just to see the show of the two while eating.
Even Ryu´s friends got amused by this sight, Anya cheered for Bell as he tried to capture Ryu, while Chloe enjoyed the sight whenever Bell turned his back to her.
This continued until the evening of the party where he finally got his chance to talk to her and that made him happy...even if she knocked him unconscious first. The moment he woke up, his head resting on her tighs was...indescribable. The look from below...her smell...her face...his heart had skipped a beat.
No not her smell! And surely not the softness and warmness of her tighs! Those thoughts were impure and Ryu would surely slap him if she knew he memorized her naked back...wait!
Why was he thinking about that now?
Dear heavens...I am so tired...
But there was not so much he could do about his sleeping problems, Amid the healer said those would be normal for adventurers that had gone through that kind of experience. The time may or may not heal it. Of course he didn´t mention the other reason, what happened between him and Ryu was very personal.
Anyway...time to start the day.
Bell got out of his bed and made it, Haruhime insisted to hang out the sheets and duvet but had always a disappointed look when his bed was a mess. After that he took his towel and headed to the bathroom to wash his face, to have running water was a big plus for the Heart Mansion.
From downstairs came the sounds of breakfast beeing made out of the kitchen. Haruhime gave her all and became way better in cooking, Lily still helped her. Hestia described her maternal skills as dangerous at some point, whatever she ment with that.
As allways Mikoto enjoyed the luxury of bathing in the morning, while Welf was in the forge cleaning, oiling and polishing his tools. He treated his creations and tools as if they were his children.
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"Haaaaah~~~"
Mikoto let out a long sigh, nothing beat a bath before breakfast.
This morning she wasn´t the only one in the bath and that was good, because Lily grumbled something about wasting water...as if she would do that!
Surely not...well maybe?...A little? Yes, definetely only a little!
Right next to her sat Chigusa, who had her eyes closed and enjoyed more quietly just like the other girls from Takemikazuchi familia. But why were they in the bath at Hearth Mansion this early in the morning? Hestia allowed them to come over to use the big bath how often they liked...truly a amiable goddes.
But today was a special day. Takemikazuchi and Miach had come over with their familias for breakfast together and discuss a serious matter. A continuous alliance. The first expedition had shown some problems. The floors that lay before them would require more strength, firepower and logistic, what non of the familias had on its own. And Aisha was not avaible all the time,
nevertheless she enjoyed spending time and dungeon crawling with her "little sister". With the alliance, the two other familias would become even more often guests at Heart Mansion. Maybe moving in but that was for later. Not one member raised a voice against it.
Especially the girls from the familias with no own bath. Naza, Cassandra and Daphne looked forward to enjoy this luxury. And since the Mansion was so big, they could help to keep it clean.
This also eased the restlessness in Mikoto´s heart. One part of her wanted to go back to Takemikazuchi, the other to stay with her other familia. Now the problem was solved and she could still share a room with Haruhime, who would stay in Hestia familia.
Cassandra and Daphne also joined the morning bath, if such a chance occured, they would take it! They asked Naza but she said she would only bath alone for some reason, even though Mikoto could swear hearing her mumble "Maybe with Lord Miach..." before blushing and turning around coughing.
"So I will stil have this bath, Mwehehe~~~"
"Did you say something Mikoto?"
"Ah no no..."
Letting herself submerge a bit more Mikoto sighed statisfied "The best...".
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"Oooooy Ryu! Wake up sleepyhead, Nya!"
Anya knocked a few times loud against the door of Ryu´s room. This was a first, normally Ryu would be the first one to be awake and doing her morning training with sunrise.
For two reasons she didn´t get up this early today. For one, training wasn´t allowed for at least another week. As tender as she looked, Amid could be scary when a patient made her work go to waste. But the missing training or leg problems were not the main reason, that were...sleeping troubles, just like a certain white haired adventurer.
Also said adventurer being the reason for her troubles...and Syr.
Or to be more precisely, her heart and her brain fought an all out war inside her and Ryu was trapped between the two giants who ruled her body. Her brain refused to admit she had feelings for Bell or at least didn´t understand those feelings. Feelings however were the territory of her heart and it jumped every time she saw him or tremble with joy when his name fell in a conversation.
But her heart didn´t only go into one direction, it was torn. On one hand it jumped with joy whenever she saw Bell, letting her have all kinds of silly thoughts. On the other hand it felt like it cramped whenever she thought of or looked at Syr.
Ryu would never do something that would make Syr sad. So why out of all people did she have these feelings for Bell? Why silly thoughts about the young man that Syr had a crush on.
She looked up to the ceiling, a hand resting on her forehead.
I feel like a traitor...
Restless, Ryu had rolled in her bed from one side to the other...in a bad night whispering.
"What should I do..."
With small tears in the corner of her eyes. She even developed a new habit in putting extra pillows behind her back when she slept on the side, it helped a bit but certainly not because it reminded her of Bell´s muscular chest pushed against her back...absolutely not!
Ryu would never do that for such a lewd reason!
"I´m awake Anya thanks.."
"Good! Hurry up, we´ve much to do, Nya!"
Ryu swung her legs around and stood up. It was good she was alone in her room, so no one would see her discomforted face, it took her some minutes to regain control.
"Haaaa...puuuuuh... Hah...why am I like that?...Lady Astrea...Alise...everyone...what should I do..."
Eventually, after getting her emotions under control again, Ryu left her room with a towel and fresh clothes, heading to the bathroom. Recently Mia bought a new magical stone to could heat the running water in the shower. With the old one empty, a morning shower was many things but not pleasant. With the new stone one could tap on two different stones and adjust the heat. Ryu stripped down and held her hand under the water until it had the temperature she wanted. She stepped under the running water, eyes closed and her head leaned back, while slowly stroking through her hair with her fingers.
The sight of the showering Ryu, how the water flowed over her slender shoulders, down her back and over her rear to her legs. would be enough to let Bell faint for sure...or unleash the beast within him. As Alise told her in the past.
"Listen Lion, every man out there has a beast hidden in him and another in his pants, so watch out!"
Lyra, Kaguya and even Neze agreed to that, Ryu had seen Astrea smiling that time so it had to be true, even when she was too pure, innocent and naive to understand what they meant. Ryu who had no experience with men that time had no other option, when she finally understood the words, they were largely responsible for why Ryu had loathed men.
Smiling while thinking about the past, Ryu lowered her head and rubbed her body with a sponge. A look to her chest let her think and mumble again.
"I´m really not very womanly, aren´t I?"
What would Bell thi-..
"Stop! Why the thought about Bell now?!"
No man had ever seen her naked skin, she even wore black tights under her skirt while working...well Bell had seen her...twice.
Actually...if she counted the moment in the hospital too, where the hospital clothes had slipped from her body, revealing her nudity to Bell...again!...it were three times already.
Ryu stopped the water and dried herself, after getting dressed she hung the towel on a laundry rack and went to the changing room to get her work outfit.
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"Morning Ryu!"
Syr´s joyfull voice greeted her the moment she opened the door to the changing room. Ryu would always change alone in the room, never allow someone to see her changing clothes, with Syr being the sole exception.
"Good morning, Syr."
As always the sight of Syr´s smile eased her mind. Ryu went to her locker and started changing.
"Ryu have you heard? It seems a storm is approaching Orario."
"Oh? When?"
"About two or three days...it seems to be a big one."
"We should tell Mama Mia, just in case."
After changing into the top of her waitress uniform Ryu sat down and put on her tights. Syr was closing her top right now.
"Say Ryu.."
"Hm?"
"Is something on your mind? You look a bit troubled."
Ryu´s eyes widened a bit, of course she couldn´t hide anything from Syr.
She still tried to.
And not very good.
"H-Huh?"
Ryu started to put on her right boot when Syr stepped behind her, putting the arms gently around Ryu´s neck and hugging her softly from behind.
"You can talk to me if something bothers you, you know ?"
Ryu relaxed a bit in Syr´s arms.
"I don´t kn...I...how to sta..."
"I will just take a wild guess, it is about Bell, right?"
The question startled Ryu. "Syr I..how?"
Behind her Syr smiled and whispered in Ryu´s ear. "Just a guess. I have an idea...how about we have a talk while on break?"
"Syr I..."
"Ryu...you are very important to me...whatever it is, I won´t get mad, alright?"
"Okay..."
"Aah, we must hurry! Mama Mia is waiting for us!"
They hurried to finish getting dressed and rushed down the stairs, no one let Mia wait.
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At Babel a bit earlier.
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A beautiful woman with long silver-grey hair sat crossed legs in her luxurious chair, wearing a silk dressing gown and holding a cup of tea in her hand, looking over Orario while the sun started to rise.
Lost in her thoughts, the goddess Freya caressed the arm of the bulky man standing beside her. The man was over two meter tall and built like a brick wall, with ears like that of a boar.
A demihuman and captain of her familia...Ottar. He was used to that behaviour of his beloved goddess in the morning, caressing his muskled arm was a habit that helped her while thinking or reflecting.
Of course he didn´t mind, he enjoyed the skinship. If she wanted his opinion or view she would say something, until then he would wait. Freya didn´t only do that with Ottar, often enough Horn was here and Freya did that to her. Or she scratched Horn´s chin as if she were a cat, sometimes patting her hair. A few rare times she also did that with Heith, when Freya noticed how much of a toll the work was for the red haired healer of her familia, she ordered the young woman to sleep in her room at the top of Babel.
These nights made Horn a bit jealous, but only a bit. She and Heith were friends, one of the few friends that Horn had in her familia. And for Heith, these nights were pure bliss and magical, Freya knew how to let Heith feel better and refreshed. And be it only hugging her like a living body pillow while she slept, this was enough already for Heith.
Freya loved all of her children, so she took care of them.
What to do...what to do...
It might be an ordinary morning for everyone else in Orario but not for her. Her mind circled around two people, one was Bell like every so often, the other was...a certain green haired elven waitress. Well actually Ryu was blond, but Syr still died her hair for her.
It´s strange...or is it?
Freya was a bit troubled recently.
Since she put her eyes on Bell Cranell she made the decision that he was hers. He was not the first person she had pit her eyes on, but was special...or his soul light was special.
Freya was sure that this young man would be her Odr, with such a special soul.
No one was allowed to take away what she wanted and she would deal with every woman wo tried to do that. She even sent a few of her familia members after the sword princess at some point. Freya had crushed Ishtar only for the reason that she dared to put her eyes and hands onto Bell.
But now...said elven waitress had fallen for Bell and that was a problem...or was it? Of all the people in all of Orario only her familia was special to her...and this elf.
Some would say she had a special position in Freya´s heart or to say it better...in Syr´s. And this elf, Ryu Lyon was unique in the whole world. Ottar was special in his own way. Being the captain of her familia and her most loyal child. But Ryu´s uniqueness was that she was something to Freya that even no other god was. A true friend...her best friend. As someone living so long as Freya did, charming every mortal person and god with her beauty and standing way above most of them, a true friend was special. Only Demeter came close to it for Freya, but only close.
She would...she could never crush Ryu. Everyone else, yes. But not Ryu. So what to do with her falling in love with Bell?
How did she knew? She saw Ryu´s soul when conversation came to Bell or when she saw him. The green orb that represented her soul in Freya´s eyes would start to puls, becoming faster and faster, the closer Bell got to her.
So it was quite obvious.
Having even your soul jump and blush when he comes closer...have some shame, Ryu.
Freya desired many things, not only her own happiness because she was not as selfish as many people thought about her. She...or Syr had saved Ryu in that side street years ago and she had grown onto her heart. Syr really enjoyed being together with Ryu, laughing, shopping, working or even getting scolded by Mia.
And Syr as well as Freya wanted Ryu to become happy, both were two sides of the same coin after all. Ryu had suffered in her life and had fought hard in the dark times along with the three great familias. Many had mourn losses but Ryu lost everything. Freya couldn´t even count anymore how often Syr held the crying Ryu when her painful memories came up in her again.
Freya knew she wanted Bell, but also, also...
Something had changed, recently.
It wasn´t about Ryu or Freya´s feelings, it was something about Bell´s soul. Bell´s soul light had changed in Freya´s eyes. Instead of being colorless, crystal clear and pure, it was now clouded, with a very fine taint of green at the edges. That it got cloudy didn´t trouble Freya, these things happened from time to time with mortals when they were in trouble or experienced something like Bell had.
No what bothered Freya was the slight green color at the edges of Bell´s soul and what lay under the cloudiness. Bell´s soul light had turned white, instead of having no color and looking like a crystal for Freya. It was a pure and beautiful white, but not as unique as the crystal before.
But why did this change in color happen? Normally souls didn´t change their color suddenly. Freya had seen souls getting clouded, darkened or all sparkly, depending on what happened to the person. Like when someone got troubled, depressed or happy. And now this green color at the edges looked exactly like the green of Ryu´s soul. The slight color at the edges was something that Freya saw before, it happened when someone was under the influence of someone or extremely attracted to this person.
Yet the green color wasn´t complete, it flickered. Which told Freya a lot about Bell´s current feelings and his confusion, more than he was aware himself.
And this brought Freya to a small problem. She was as much attracted to Bell´s unique soul, as she was to his kind and friendly behaviour, as well as his innocence. But now that his soul color started to change, it...well...it became a slight problem for Freya. How a person acted or felt could change over time, Bell would probably become very heroic and manly when he grew into an adult. Freya was still sure she would like or love an adult, heroic Bell.
But his soul...his soul started to look like every other soul she had seen before. Even if the cloudiness would go away, would his soul look white for her then? With the green edge of his attraction to Ryu? And Freya was more than one hundred percent sure that it was attraction. She had seen how his soul had reacted whenever he saw Ais Wallenstein, which was never pleasant for her.
I need to watch more first.
"Ottar."
"Yes, lady Freya?"
"Could you get Horn for me? I need to talk to her. Oh and tell the others they shall take it easy with their training, Heith needs some rest."
"As you wish, Mylady."
She heard him leave, Freya hoped he wouldn´t just grab Horn and carry her to her, to be as fast as possible to fulfill her wish. It wouldn´t be the first time Ottar did that...
When she was alone, Freya dove deeper into her thoughts. About herself and Bell. And Ryu.
Freya activated her divine mirror for a moment and looked at Bell and Ryu at the same time, by splitting the image in the mirror. Both were still sleeping at this moment and out of sheer coincidence, both slept on their sides, turned towards the split of the image. So for Freya it looked like both were in a single bed, sleeping towards each other, their fingers almost touching.
Cute.
Even through her mirror could Freya see the souls of both. Just like Bell´s now slightly white soul had a green edge, Ryu´s green soul had a slight white edge. But both edges flickered. So this meant, both had romantic feelings for each other, but were a bit troubled about this. Freya was old enough to know what troubled Ryu, it was Syr. Ryu probably felt extremely guilty about falling in love with Bell, because of Syr. In Bell´s case, it looked more like he was confused and didn´t understand what he felt.
Ryu moved her hand a bit in the mirror, now it looked for Freya as if their finger tips were touching.
How naughty of you, Ryu.
Freya looked outside for a moment, judging by the brightness outside, she had about an hour before she had to go to work. Then she looked at the mirror again. She wondered what exactly had happened between them on the 37th floor, Ryu didn´t tell Syr all the details. Ryu just spoke about a safe point, under the coliseum. Was it there that Ryu fell for Bell? What Freya did know, Bell and Ryu didn´t fall into a behaviour that some mortals did in a life and death situation, triggered by fear, stress and mutual attraction.
She could see that both didn´t cross the line and became adults together, otherwise their souls would look different. But that was to be expected, both were heavily wounded and exhausted, so something like that had been out of question.
What exactly happened down there, that made you fall for Bell? Hm, then again it is probably the contact you had over time, I doubt it is just the fact that he saved your life and helped you to fight your trauma.
No, Freya wouldn´t believe that it was just that. Despite how strong and tough Ryu was, she was also a vulnerable and pure maiden. Syr actually knew just how romantic Ryu was.
She would take her time and watch these two, to confirm that she was absolutely right. And to explore her own feelings. Freya would have to interact with Bell, see how his soul would look like when his troubles would slowly go away.
And in case it would be like that and she would lose interest in him due to his now "normal" soul, what would she do then?
Support Ryu and help her?
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She heard the door getting opened and closed after a while, then soft steps. Freya didn´t need to look over her shoulder to see who it was.
"Helping..hmm" Freya mumbled.
An interesting considiration. Being immortal had the side effect of boredom and every god or goddesss strived for new experiences but at some point she had seen everything, did everything...but...helping two people like that becoming a happy couple...that would be something new.
"Horn."
"Yes, lady Freya?"
"Say, have I ever brought a couple together?"
"Not as far as I remember."
She really never did that, never before. It was something that Freya never experienced. So an interesting new experience if the love was mutual...and seeing her friend happy would make Syr and Freya happy, two birds with one stone like the mortals said.
"Thank you, Horn."
Freya emptied her glas and put it back on the small table right next to her chair, while standing up.
"Lady Freya, may I ask what you have in mind?"
"I will need your help for something, Horn."
"Whatever you desire."
"I will have you start working as a part time waitress from time to time at the pub."
"But I already do that."
"Not as Syr, but as you."
"Hm?"
"I need your help to investigate about something. And if my guess is correct, which is most likely since we´re talking about me here, I will need your help for something else."
"What would that be?"
"Bringing Ryu and Bell together as a couple."
"Huh?"
Now Horn´s expression lost her usual neutrality and she blinked confused. Due to her magic, she shared many feelings of Freya, Horn was as attracted to Bell as she despised him. At the same time she saw Ryu and the other girls at the pub as her friends, even when they sadly didn´t know that she existed.
"You heard what I said."
"Does that mean...you aren´t interested in him anymore?"
Freya turned her face to Horn, her eyes glew slightly as she smiled in her special, seductive way.
"You can see inside my feelings, you should already kno-"
"YEEEEEEEES!"
Horn jumped up and threw her hands into the air. When she landed on her feet again, she bowed down in front of Freya.
"I´m sorry you had to see that, lady Freya."
"You could´ve at least wait until you´re outside before you cheer like that, Horn. I have feelings too and you just seriously hurt them."
"M-M-My apologies, lady Freya! I´m really sorry!"
Freya gave Horn a signal to kneel down and as she did, Freya towered over her.
"You will have to make it up for hurting my feelings like that by giving it your all, understood?"
"Of course, Milady!"
Freya smiled. "Good, I have to go now. I will talk to Mia about you joining as a part timer."
"What about my other work, lady Freya?"
"I will have some of the others help with that. They are my high executives for a reason."
"It will be as you say."
"One last thing, Horn."
"Yes?"
"I want to meet with Hermes, I have something that needs to be taken care off."
"Understood."
When Freya turned around, she decided not to say anything when she heard Horn secretely doing a fist pump out of happiness.
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The next days promised to be very interesting for Freya.
