Ryuu walked to the western mainstreet, she looked troubled, asking one day off or two from Mama Mia was one thing...but asking for two weeks...a shiver ran down her spine. It was early morning so the pub wasn´t open for customers yet. She came from a back alley to the building, making sure no one was seeing her when she climbed quickly over the roof to her window, that she let open, it was the best no one saw her entering the pub in these clothes. The moment she started to climb Ryuu knew they heard her, but Mias ears as well as Ahnyas and Chloes were sharp enough to recognize her movements. Her window was on the courtyard side of the building like all the other windows from the personal rooms. This way they could change or walk around in casual clothes or in Chloes case her underwear, without the chance someone might be peeping. Ryuu took a quick shower and washed her clothes in a wooden tub, she was glad after over a day to have the chance to be clean again, as a woman and an elf she didn´t like it to not wash herself or her clothes regularly. Statisfied she left the bathroom, a sleepy Ahnya waiting leaned against the wall. .
"´Bout time nya..." The cat girl dragged herself with hanging ears and tail into the bathroom.
For now in casual clothes Ryuu went over to Mias door. She gulped before raising a hand to knock.
"Come in." Ryuu hadn´t even knocked yet.
Ryuu opened the door carefully, Mia sat on a chair and laced her boots. She looked at Ryuu with a steadfast gaze, it made her gulp again.
"So...how much time off you want to ask for ?" One eyebrow was raised.
"I...um...two..weeks..maybe...one and a half." Ryuus voice became really small.
"Hooo...quite bold of you..." Mia stood up and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Mia sighed. "No helping it...you will be no help here when you´re like that."
Ryuu looked at her. "You let me go ?" .
The dwarf shrugged her shoulders. "Just don´t think this will become standard. Depending on how much days you´re gone, you will be missing your next days off...and payment."
That meant work, work and more work for Ryuu. She bowed deep in front of Mia. "Thank you !"
Mia waved it off. "When will you go ?"
"In three days." Ryuu had her normal face again.
"Hmm...then you should buy the necessary things before we open...and the next three days you will work like never before." Now Mia had an evil grin on her face.
"Sounds fair..." .
The next three days Ryuu would fall into her bed after work, completely exhausted. At least the extrem amount of work didn´t gave her much time to worry before the journey.
But for now she left the pub and went to buy the stuff she needed. Syr reminded her, that she would need a few items because Bell was with her. One of the items was a magic stone item from a shop that specialized about traveling. It looked like a tiny waterfall and would produce the sound of flowing water, it was pretty loud for such a small thing. The sound of flowing water would be needed as a cover in time of...needs. Another looked like a fishing hook, if they put this thing into water it would purify it, so it was save to drink.
Next she bought a set of magical torches, they could be used to make light but the real function was to heat nearby water, after all washing oneself at evening or night in a flowing river was beyond cold. Back in the old days in the forest Ryuu had nothing like these things, it was a bit of luxury she allowed herself. The last item she bought looked like a lamp but it didn´t produce any light but gave off a scent to scare away insects, she was once bitten by a mosquito in her ear...that was no experience she wished to repeat. All in all came about 20.000 Vals.
The other stuff she bought at a special shop was a security measure, Ryuu would have forgotten it but thankfully Syr asked her. "Ryuu...isn´t "that" time approaching ?" To be honest Syr was a bit overprotective, when she first heard about the journey she clung to Ryuu.
"My little Ryuu alone in the wilderness with a man ! What if something happens ?" She hugged Ryuu.
"Syr nothing will happen, you know how Mr. Cranell is." She tried to calm Syr down.
Syr looked at her teary eyed. "You´re not going to climb the stair to adulthood will you ?"
Ryuu became flustered. "Syr !"
.
They didn't have to worry about food, Mama Mia would prepare them rations for five days, enough time to reach the village. Of course they had to pay for the rations and it would be plenty,
but Mama Mia wouldn't accept no.
"You can´t travel without eating healthy, and you wouldn´t prefer something else than my food don´t you ?" There was a dangerous glow in her eyes.
Ryuu knew it was Mias way of taking care without showing that she was worried. After she finished all her errands, Ryuu changed into her uniform and prepared for work, it would get hard.
.
Around the same time when Ryuu arrived at the pub, Bell arrived at Hearth Mansion. He opened the door and Hestia launched herself into him.
"Waaaah my cute little Bell is finally back !" She was a bit overdramatic.
"Sorry for leaving in such a hurry goddess." Bell apologized while smiling. .
Hestia buried her head in his chest. "Well now you will stay with me !" .
"Ahm...the thing is..." Bell scratched his cheek while he looked awkwardly to the side.
.
"Haaaaa ? You want to go on a Journey with that elf ?" The familia sat in the living room. .
Bell had explained the situation to them, about Ryuu wanting to find her goddess and that he wanted to help her. .
"My cute little Bell...alone with a lone girl in the wilderness...your purity will be in danger !" Hestia cried out.
"Ah please calm down goddess...Miss Ryuu isn´t like that." .
Welf looked at him. "How long will you two be on the road ?"
"Between one and a half, and two weeks. Depends on how long we will need to reach our destination." .
"But why do you have to go with her Master Bell ?" Lily wasn't particularly happy about Bell being away for so long. .
"Miss Ryuu is...afraid...she don´t know how her goddess will react." Bell tried to explain his desire to help her.
"Lady Ryuu seemed so strong and composed to me." Haruhime had met Ryuu only a few times, but heard about her.
Welf leaned back on the couch. "Mh I guess everyone has things he has problems with." .
"I just...want to help her...that she can talk to her goddess...see her smile again..." Bell wringed his fingers. .
Hestia put a hand against her forehead and sighed. "Here you go again...helping a girl in need." .
"Goddess I.." He tried to say something.
"I can´t blame you for that...thats who you are." Hestia smiled.
"Then...you let me go ?" Bell looked at her.
"Why is it so hard for me to spend some time alone with my Bell but every girl gets the opportunity..."
"Goddess ?" .
Hestia sighed in defeat. "Fine...you can go."
Bells face brightened. "Thank you gode-"
"However ! You two will sleep at least one meter away from each other !" Hestia interrupted him.
"Of course." He nodded.
"And you will not try to peep on her when she is bathing !"
"I won´t !" Now it was Bell who cried out.
"Just what did I do wrong...my cute little Bell wants to elope with another girl..Hic..Hic.." Hestia cried crocodile tears.
"I said I won´t ! I´m sorry for making you worry ! I´m sorry !" Bell bowed down repeated.
"Smart move. Just apologize." Welf nodded approving with closed eyes.
"And you will only think about me when you go to sleep !" She became more desparate.
"Lady Hestia thats absurd..." Lily looked over to her goddess.
"What did you say little supporter ?!" .
"Why should Master Bell only think about you ? Lily is here too !" These two were at it again.
Haruhime turned to Bell. "Sir Bell...why do you two have to go alone ?" .
"Well I´m pretty sure Miss Mia won´t let any other girl go with her...she needs her staff." Bell explained as far as he understood.
"And why not one from our familia ? Like...me ?" Haruhime looked at him with puppy eyes. .
""Whaaat ? You try to sneak to him behind my back ?"" Lily and Hestia heard Haruhime very well and pounced on her.
"Man brother...you don´t have it easy..." Welf patted Bell on the shoulder and smiled compassionately. "Bring your equipment to my forge, I want to check it before you go."
"Ah thanks Welf, meanwhile I can go to the guild." Bell was happy at least one of his familia members was calm.
The squabble continued for a while, before Bell had the chance to got to the guild.
.
One permission down, one to go.
.
While Bell was walking to Babel he looked around the streets he came along. The daily business had begun and there was a steady flow of people in both directions. The weather was nice and warm, so it might not be to hard to sleep outdoors. Bell bought himself a snack at a street stall, he had missed the opportunity to eat something at Heart Mansion. It took him around half an hour to reach the gates of Babel. Entering, he looked around until he found Eina staying at a counter and doing paperwork. .
"Ah Bell good morning." Her smile rivaled the sun.
"Good morning miss Eina." He returned her smile.
"What brings you here today ? Did you just come to see me ?" Eina giggled.
"Ah no not today, I need a permission to leave Orario." He came straight to the point. .
"Oh a permission ? Why that ?" Eina sorted her paperwork.
"I have something to do outside, sorry I can´t tell you the details." Bell apologized politely.
"How long do you want to leave ?" She watched him out of the corner of her eyes while she seeked the form. .
"About two weeks." .
"Hmm two weeks...when do you want to leave ?" Eina had found the paper.
"In three days." .
Now she looked at him perlexed. "In three days ? Thats way to early !"
The higher ranked an adventurer were the harder was it to get a permission from the guild, for one part the Adventurers defended Orario, for the other they had to keep a look on them. .
"But its important." Bell tried to convince her.
"That may be but these forms need time to get checked." Eina remained iron. .
"Is there no way to get it done faster ?" .
"In which direction do you want to go ?".
"To the north, the Beol mountains." .
Einas eyes widened. "The evil mountains ? Why ? It´s dangerous there !"
Bell remained calm. "I´m sorry its an urgent business, I can´t tell you more."
She sighed. "That will not make it ea-"
.
"Excuse me." A voice appeared behind them.
.
When Bell turned around he was slightly frightened. A giant of a man stood right behind him, at least two heads or more taller than him and more than twice as wide. He seemed to be made of muscles.
The man had a serious face and boar like ears on his head. .
Eina found her voice back after being startled. "Ah Sir Warlord...h-how may I help you ?"
The mans eyes fixed on the half-elf who shrunk under his gaze.
"My goddess wants to issue a quest. She needs a second class adventurer to check the road to the Beol mountains." .
"Eh..ah..b-but why not someone from your familia ?" Einas voice shaked a bit.
"I don´t question my goddess wishes." He still looked her in the eyes.
"Ah ehm okay...B-Bell here wants to travel in that direction...w-would that be okay ?"
The man turned to Bell and eyed him in silence. Bell gulped. "That will be acceptable."
"A-and about the payment ?" Eina brought to light the form for quests.
"100.000 Vals." He sat up a moneybag on the counter.
Eina looked over to Bell. "Will that be okay ?...Like that you get an immediate permission." .
"I-I think so." Bell still tried to find his voice back.
"Then we´re done here." The man turned around and left.
"Miss Eina...who was that ?" From behind the man was even more intimidating.
"You don´t know him ? That was the captain of the Freya Familia, known as Ottar "the Warlord".
Bells face turned white. "That was him ?!" Of course he had heard about this man, but never seen him.
"So Bell...here is your permission, good luck with your business and your Quest..." Eina handed him over the paper.
"Thank you.." He was baffled.
"After returning, please come and see me immediately okay ?" Eina looked at him pleadingly.
"I promise, the first day I come back." Bell put the pass away.
.
A Quest from the Freya Familia...Bell never thought he would do something like that.
.
Three days later Bell packed the last things in his backpack he would need for the journey. Some spare clothes, his toothbrush and other things. A rolled up travel blanket would come on top of the backpack. Hestia still lamented how she should survive two weeks without seeing Bell and so did Lily...and Haruhime...and Eina. Despite the seriousness of the journey, it warmed his heart to see that everyone would miss him. Maybe he would find some souvenirs. Bell tied his backpack and swung it onto his back, the weather outside allowed him to not wear his coat for now.
When he thought about it, that would be the longest time for him to leave Orario since arriving here.
His familia waited for him at the door downstairs. .
"Sir Bell...do you have your tissues ? And your handkerchief ?.." Haruhime looked worried.
"Who are you ? His mother ?" Lily scolded her.
"Yo Bell, good luck on your Journey for a maiden in distress." Welf winked and they locked hands for a moment.
"Bell...you will come back to me, will you ?" Hestia looked with puppy eyes.
"Of course goddess, I will come back to all of you." Bell smiled as he went to the door.
""""Have a save trip !"""" The other two familias waved out of the windows from the side wings.
"Then...I´m on my way !" He waved and ran off.
.
Bell followed the streets to the north gate of Orario where he would meet with Ryuu, he got a short notice a few days before that everything from her side was okay. He was looking forward to the journey, it would be interesting seeing something new. After a while the gate came into view. He spotted a green hood at the side of the street and went over, to his surprise not only Ryuu awaited him but also Syr. .
"Good morning you two." Bell greeted them with a smile.
"Good morning Mr. Cranell." Ryuu nodded.
"Morning Mr. Bell, I´m here to see you both off." Syr smiled. .
"Ah thank you. I´m sure everything will be okay." .
"I will practice on my cooking while you´re away, please look forward to "Welcome Back" meal from me you two !" Syr smiled innocently. .
Ryuu and Bell froze for a second. .
Ryuu coughed silently. "I think we should go, it is a long trip." .
Syr hugged Ryuu for goodbye. As Ryuu went to the gate Syr leaned over to Bell and whispered in his ear.
"Mr. Bell...you will take care of Ryuu will you ?" .
Bell looked serious. "I will." .
"Then have a save trip you two !" Syr waved as they disappeared into the crowd.
They had to wait for a few minutes until they reached the guards from Ganesha familia who checked the papers. .
"Your permission please." Bell handed him over the pass.
"Alright, going on a quest, all looking good." .
The guard turned his masked face to Ryuu. "And your permission ?"
Ryuu lifted her hood a bit so the guard could see her face. "I am no adventurer."
"Hmm...never seen you before...do you belong to a Familia ?" The guard asked nonchalantly.
"Not to one from Orario." Ryuu was calm as always. .
"Okay everything alright. You may pass." He turned to the next in line.
Bell and Ryuu stepped through the gate, the street lay before them. .
"Shall we go Mr. Cranell ?" Ryuu looked at him, a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Yes, let´s go !"
