.

"*Huff* *Huff* *Huff* Woah, Boss, you´re a natural when it comes to this..."

"*Huff* You think so?"

"Yeah, I´m all sweaty and sticky now...you really know how to move." Lena let herself fall down, exhausted.

"Well I trained a lot with my Mom."

"She showed you this?"

"Yes."

"Hah..."

Bell also sunk to the ground, sweating heavily.

Lena grinned slightly. "You were already good with one of these things, but now with two...this might actually be your true strength. Especially since they´re so long and hard."

Both looked up when they heard a sigh.

"Lena, why does everything you say have such a naughty tone?" Haruhime crouched down next to her.

"Hehe, I´m am amazon after a-Mff!"

Haruhime threw a towel over Lena´s face. Daphne was also there, but could just pant after the intense training session. Cassandra knelt down next to Daphne and gave her a water bottle.

"You did really good, Daphne."

"Thanks..."

Lefiya took care of Bell, gently wiping his forehead while she held a bottle with water to him too.

Bell had trained with Lena and Daphne at the same time, using Silence and the sword of Albert Waldstein for the first time. They had two days until they would leave Orario for the small vacation.

He didn´t really know if he should dare to use the sword or not, it belonged to Albert Waldstein after all. .

Bell had talked with Alfia about this, she had simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Your grandfather intended to give you both swords in the first place. I have no really use for it. Also, don´t you think you would honor this Albert Waldstein more when you use his sword to defeat monsters than just let it get dusty and rusty?"

"Hm..."

"Or do you think you´re not worthy?"

"I..."

"Bell, no one is allowed to call you unworthy, not even you! What did I taught you about the dungeon and being an adventurer? Did I say something about holding back and not using everything you have?!"

"No, you said survival is everything."

"Exactly!"

.
"You did really good, Bell."

When he returned Lefiya´s smile in his special way, at first smiling slightly, then smirking and eventually grinning, she fell for him again.

Haaah~~ This wonderful, innocent smile! I love it!

"Thank you."

"I have to say I was really surprised how well and easily you use two swords at once. I saw Ms. Ryu training with her swords and she said it needs a lot of training, focus and skill to use them really together."

"I can believe that."

"Yes, but you did so well right from the start. Did you train with two swords in the past?"

"A bit, while I trained with my Mom. I wanted to be able to use a wide range of weapons, since there are monsters that aren´t easy to fight against with a sword."

"With other weapons too?"

"Yes, like an axe and a sword, a warhammer and a sword."

"Why always two weapons? Do you want to become a sort of barbarian?"

"Not really, no. I also trained with shields and spears."

"Makes sense I guess."

Deep down, Lefiya blushed when she imagined Bell only wearing as little clothes as a barbarian, very muscular...pushing her against a wall...leaning in for a demanding kiss...

Hauuu~~~ I became a naughty elf!

Lefiya...didn´t really have a problem with her fantasies, all of them were about Bell or Haruhime...or both.

Daphne was still panting on the ground. "Dammit...you´re really strong, Bell. Are you really only level two?!"

"Uhm, yeah?"

Lena grinned while she sat up again. "Well he is our captain, in more ways than one. He is already stronger just because Haru-Haru, Cassandra and I are here. And since both of his girlfriends are watching the fight, there is no way that he can lose."

Bell grinned abashed. "You´re...not wrong."

Lena looked at her scimitar, Welf still had to work on her mirror swords. "Yikes...your silver sword there really does a number on other weapons. Even more than the black one. I wonder what it will do to monsters."

"Welf also said it is a really special sword and that he would love to show it to Lady Hephaistos and Ms. Tsubaki."

Haruhime´s eyes shone when she came over to him. "Is it really the famous sword of Albert Waldstein? The sword that destroyed the eye of the black dragon?"

"My grandfather said so, appearantly he found it since he watched the fight from heaven and saw where it fell down."

"Wow...can I...touch it?"

"Of course, here."

Bell turned the sword around and held it towards Haruhime with the hilt forward. Haruhime moved her hand carefully and closed it around the hilt.

"Wow...the sword of Albert Waldstein...it is so light. I can´t believe I´m touching such a famous sword, it´s like a fairy tale."

"I thought so too, I couldn´t bring myself to use it. It felt...wrong. But then my Mom washed my head and scolded me."

Lena grinned. "Now you can use it to protect Haru-Haru and Lefi."

"That is my plan."

When Bell said something like that with such a serious face, Lefiya and Haruhime couldn´t help but blush slightly.

"Phew...gonna take a shower." Lena jumped up to her feet, waved over her shoulder and went to the house. Cassandra helped Daphne to get up.

When Daphne had trouble to stand and walk, Cassandra supported her.

"You don´t need to, I´m all sweaty."

Cassandra smiled. "It´s okay, I don´t mind."

Daphne smiled slightly, then she noticed how Lena grinned over her shoulder and she rolled her eyes. It didn´t look like Lena would stop shipping them soon...

Haruhime moved the sword very carefully around, before she gave it back to Bell. "It is really fascinating. To touch something like that...and that I will get later get a chance to visit an elven forest...I´m so happy!"

Bell and Lefiya felt their hearts jump when they saw Haruhime´s happy smile.

The Renard wiped her hands and turned to the house. "I will prepare a small snack."

Bell remained on the gras for a moment, catching his breath. When he wanted to get up, Lefiya held a hand to him and smiled.

"Thank you, my love."

"Ehehe~~Eek!"

Lefiya yelped when Bell suddenly pulled on her hand instead of getting up. She stumbled forward and fell on top of him.

"B-Bell?"

"I love you, Lefiya."

"Mmmh.."

She closed her eyes when he moved his arms around her back and kissed her, the long pointy ears wriggled happily up and down.

Kissing felt very nice. And since they were alone, it was no problem, no one could see them. Even when Lefiya was deeply in love with Bell and Haruhime, she only got lovey dovey with them when they were alone. She was an elf after all, things like these should be done in private.

Lefiya didn´t wait for the kiss, she pressed her lips onto Bell´s, his scent when he had sweat made her weak and she loved this feeling. Feeling his muscular body pressed against her own, his hands on her back, it was really nice. Lefiya sighed when Bell couldn´t resist and gently stroked her right ear with his left hand.

They spent five minutes just kissing and snuggling up to each other.

When they finally separated their lips from each other, Lefiya was bright red, but looked really happy.

"Bell..."

"Yes?"

"I ahm...I heard from Haru...what you two did...on the 18th floor..."

"O-Oh..."

"Did that...feel good?"

"It did..."

"Mmh..."

She leaned down and kissed him again.

"You...need to take a shower..."

"Y-Yeah..."

For an elf like Lefiya, "making out" was still too early, but of course she was a bit interested in it...

T-T-Too earlyyy!

.

.
It wasn´t Bell´s only training of the day, so he would actually wait with his shower. While Lefiya and Haruhime trained together with Cassandra on concurrent chanting...Lena helped too and she had a lot of fun chasing Cassandra around..., while they did that, Bell ran a round around Orario, but for a change of his usual training, he used the top of the wall. Of course he asked the guards first, they didn´t mind but thanked him for asking.

As soon as he arrived on the wall, he turned south. Running around Orario took a while, but Bell enjoyed the sight of the city from every side. As usual, when he arrived above the Entertainment District, he averted his eyes. The weather was really nice, it was warm, but the summer would soon end and make way for autum.

He smiled while he ran, his life was really good at the moment, Bell was glad that all his friends were okay and that even Alfia felt better again.

As usual, Bell was amazed how big Orario and Babel were.

I wonder how they built the tower, how they made it so big, that it doesn´t lean to one side and falls or breaks.

When he arrived at the north side of the city, close to the home of the Loki familia, Bell noticed a figure climbing up the stairs. It was a familiar young woman with long, blond hair.

Bell saw even from afar that she had a bandage on her head, covering one of her eyes, one hand and one foot were in a plaster, there were bandages here and there on her body.

The Sword Princess...

The sight of Ais Wallenstein hurt Bell, to see a woman badly wounded like that was hard to bear with. When she climbed on top of the wall, her foot got caught and she fell down to her knees. Bell sped up to get to her. Something fell out of her hand when she stumbled.

"Ms. Wallenstein!"

When he came close, Bell saw that Ais didn´t get up to her feet, she crouched there and shivered slightly.

When Bell came even closer...he heard her sobbing.

"Ms. Wallenstein?"

Bell stopped next to her and crouched down. Ais looked up to him...she was crying.

"Ms. Wallenstein, are you hurt?"

He felt really dumb when he asked her that...

"My potato snack..."

"Huh?"

He looked to the side, the item that had fallen out of her hand was a potato snack, it was now smashed and all dirty...

Ais clenched her good hand to a fist, then she repeatedly banged her fist on the stone floor.

"Dammit...Dammit...Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!"

Bell looked shocked at her when she started to scream. But the expression on Ais´ face wasn´t an infuriated or enraged one...she was crying heavily, tears streamed endless down her cheeks. Bell understood that this wasn´t about the potato snack. He already heard that she got wounded by that creature.

Ais shivered while she sobbed. "Dammit...Mama...Papa...*Hic*"

In the moment, instead of the usual picture of a strong, stoic adventurer, Ais Wallenstein was just a crying heap of misery.

Bell dared to gently touch her right shoulder.

"Ms. Wallens-..Ms. Ais?..."

She looked up to him, her lower lip quivered, the tears didn´t want to stop. In the next moment she threw herself at his chest, hugged him as strong as her broken arm allowed her and cried even louder.

"Papa!...Papa! *Hic*"

Bell couldn´t know that his mere presence was what caused the breakdown of Ais. Everything that happened lately to her was just too much. And since he had started to touch and use her father´s sword, she deep down felt this somehow, it opened all her emotional wounds even more.

He held her carefully, but even when he gently hugged her and let her cry her heart out, she just wouldn´t calm down. .

.
"Ais!"

"Ais!"

"My little girl!"

When Bell arrived at the Twilight Mansion, carrying the still crying Ais in his arms, three women ran out of the Mansion towards him before he even had the chance to enter the grounds or the guards announcing his presence.

The one in the front was the vice captain, Riveria Ljos Alfr, followed by the amazon twins.

Riveria immediatelly took Ais out of Bell´s arms, Ais clung to Riveria´s chest and still cried.

"Mama...*Hic*...Mama..."

Bell felt a hard push against right shoulder, an infuriated Tione glared at him. "What the hell did you do to Ais?! Did you force yourself onto her?! I´m gonna kill you!"

"I did nothing to her! I was on my trainings run along the top of the walls and found her up there!"

He pointed to the spot of the wall where he found her.

"Oy, Tione! Argo isn´t like that, stop pushing him just because you´re worried and angry!" Tiona immediatelly came to Bell´s help.

Riveria held Ais close to her chest, it was obvious that she wanted to protect her at all cost. "I thank you for bringing her back, young man. Thank you."

The adult elf nodded one time, then she turned around and brought her into the house. Tione followed her immediatelly.

Tiona sighed. "Sorry that Tione pushed you, we´re all really worried about Ais at the moment, she has a hard time."

"I hope she gets better."

"We hope that too."

It was unusual to see Tiona this worried.

"She ahm...she cried for her parents..."

Tiona made a face. "Sorry, Argo...can´t talk about that."

"I understand, well ahm...I´m going then..."

"Yeah...sorry about all that...thank you for bringing Ais home." Tiona smiled wryly and went into the house.

"Mh, time to go back home and take a shower I guess."

While the Loki familia took care of their princess, who had a hard breakdown at the moment, Bell went home. Neither Riveria, nor Ais would forget what Bell had done.

.

.
A few hours later, strange noises came from the living room. Lena couldn´t believe her luck, she heard Haruhime...moan!

No way! Haru-Haru is finally getting her cherry popped?!

"Oh Bell...that feels so good! Haaaah~~~~"

In bright daylight! I´m so proud of you, Haru-Haru!

"It looks really good..."

Even with Lefi!

Since she didn´t dare to become a cockblocker again...Aisha had seriously scolded Lena when she told her what happened ont he 18th floor...Lena sneaked away into the other direction.

But did Bell, Lefiya and Haruhime really dare to "get it on" during daytime in the living room? Of course not, Bell just showed them his amazing shoulder and back massage technique, while they remained completely clothed of course. Haruhime had the problem that her shoulders often got stiff, the reason...the two reasons...were pretty obvious. Even when she wore a kimono, it was hard not to see that she had quite the chest. Lefiya knew that Haruhime´s chest was bigger than her own, but she didn´t feel like she lost in any way...it was a nice sight. And...to her great shame and also happiness...Lefiya had noticed that Bell sometimes glanced at her butt, much more often than he did at Haruhime´s, since her tails blocked the sight.

Even when she was an elf...Lefiya was a bit proud of her butt.

And massages like this were okay in the open, this wasn´t something lewd. To pay Bell back for the back massages, Haruhime and Lefiya each gently massaged his hands, elves had a certain technique for that, just like people in the far east. Of course Haruhime got taught many more massage techniques, but these weren´t okay in public and absolutely not so soon in their young relationship.

The others moved around on the grounds or in the house, almost all preparations had been done for the trip, they had the permission from the guild, even Miach, so they took their time to relax.

"Haaaaaaahn~~~~" Haruhime really enjoyed the massage...

And she enjoyed the presence of her two lovers.

"L-Lefiya?" Haruhime had a bit trouble to speak normally.

"Yes?"

"I ahm..I learned a special massage technique once, for elven ears. It is supposed to help relax and shall feel really good."

"Oh? I heard such a technique shall exist, but I never knew how it works."

"Shall I try it?"

"Yes please." Lefiya smiled happy.

So while Bell gently massaged Lefiya´s nape, shoulders and back, she lowered her head and let Haruhime gently massage her very sensitive ears. Haruhime was really careful when she touched Lefiya´s ears, the elf chuckled slightly since they were a bit ticklish.

Haruhime was really fascinated how smooth Lefiya´s skin was, elves were fascinating in that matter. And just like Bell, she couldn´t help but glance at Lefiya´s exposed neck.

Both got a bit lost in the sight of Lefiya´s beautiful body, also each other´s eyes and the sight of Haruhime´s fingers moving along Lefiya´s ears, gently caressing the tips.

They learned pretty fast just how sensitive an elf´s ears were. And Haruhime forgot to think about something, all massage techniques that she had learned...were erotic massages.

But at first these techniques should relax someone, before she would come to the point where they would cause arousal.

Lefiya shuddered happily from time to time and sighed. She trusted both of them absolutely not to touch any place that was indecent. Without realizing it, she moaned very softly, sagging slightly forward and relaxing completely.

"Oh..." Haruhime blinked surprised.

Lefiya got so relaxed that she moved forward more and finally came to rest on Haruhime´s heavenly pillows. It looked like the elf liked that spot as much as Bell did. Her slender arms went around Haruhime´s waist, the fingers touched Haruhime´s tails.

"Zzzzz..."

She had fallen asleep. The combined massage of Bell and Haruhime had relaxed Lefiya so much, she felt so safe between them, that she had fallen asleep. Lefiya snuggled slightly up to Haruhime, who let herself sink back against the armrest of the couch.

"Ehe~~" Haruhime smiled while she looked at Lefiya, not minding where her face rested.

Bell gently caressed Lefiya´s back. It was a blessing that the couch was so big, Haruhime curled her tails to the side, using one like a pillow for herself, two like a blanket for Lefiya and two for Bell. He smiled, leaned his head onto the tail pillow.

Miach found the three later, all three napping together.

When he heard a knock from the door, Miach went outside to not disturb the three.

.

.

"Loki? What brings you here."

"Yo, Miach. Your house is looking good. Came here to say thank you for your little rabbit bringing my Ais-tan home. Is he here?"

"I´m sorry, he is currently asleep, but I will tell him that you were here."

"Can´t ya wake ´im up?"

Miach smiled gently. "I´m sorry, he is currently taking a nap in a way where I don´t have the heart to wake him up."

Loki shrugged her shoulders. "So be it. Anyway I came to say my thanks and I did. Also I would "appreciate" it if there would go no word around how my little Ais was looking like when he found her."

"Bell isn´t the type to gossip about these things. I hope she will get better. If you need any special heal potions, just tell me, Naza is really good in making them."

"Thanks but I have Amid looking after Ais."

"Alright."

"`Nother thing, Finn would like to have a talk with your rabbit."

"His name is Bell."

Loki just grinned.

"What does your captain want to talk with Bell about?"

"Dunno, he said it´s important. Looked a bit pissed. And Finn never looks pissed."

"Did Bell do something that could anger him?"

Loki just shrugged her shoulders.

"I will tell Bell about it. But I can´t promise you it will be soon. We will go on a short vacation in two days."

"Hah...look Miach I don´t really want to force you...don´t wanna stress with Astrea and her girls and you. But it would be really nice if he could talk with Finn before you go on your vacation."

Miach smiled in a special "gentle" way. "Loki, you´re telling me you don´t want to force me or him, but at the same time I really have this feeling."

"Come ooooooon! Can´t you do me this itsy bitsy tiny little favor? Pleeaaaase."

"Hehe, that might work with your children. Hm...I would say if you owe me a favor in return, I will ask Bell to do it."

"Hah...I have the feeling you were much softer before the wargame."

"I was, but I have to protect my children. Even now I´m not sure if it was wise to banish Apollo for just ten years."

"Well you took all of his stuff, his money and forced him to release his children. With the few that followed him he won´t become strong outside of Orario. And to be honest, even when you just banished him for ten years...most of the others won´t let him back to Orario. Artemis especially."

"Maybe this is for the best. Anyway, do we have a deal?"

"Yes Yes, I owe you a favor, pleased now?"

Miach held his hand towards Loki and smiled. She clicked her tongue and took his hand, the contract was sealed. She waved over her shoulder when she left, one of her children waited at the gate.

.

"Lady Astrea?"

"Neze?"

"We have a visitor, two visitors."

"Oh? Who might that be?"

"Lady Freya and her captain."

"Oh?"

Astrea went to the door, accompanied by Neze. Freya waited outside in the garden. She wore her usual black and red outfit, which showed a lot of skin.

"Freya, good morning."

"Ah, Astrea. I wish you a wonderful morning."

"What brings you to our home?"

The Goddess of Love smiled. "I finally know what I want as the favor you owe me."

Freya talked about the time when her children took care of Ryu and how much Freya and Syr had argued in the secret court hearing. Astrea told Freya she would return this debt to her, as long as she asked for something reasonable.

"Oh and what would that be?"

Freya put her left hand on Ottar´s muscular chest. "It is more a request from Ottar than from me. He would like to train with your captain."

"With Alise? Why that?"

"He was impressed how strong she was in Knossos. And Ottar always looks for a strong opponent to fight against."

"Hm, Neze can you get Alise? She is somewhere in the garden."

"Of course."

When Neze left, Astrea looked a bit worried to Ottar. "What kind of training do you have in mind? I know that Alise is strong, but I know that you´re even stronger, I don´t want her to get seriously hurt."

"Just a normal training, Goddess Astrea."

Freya smirked. "I told Ottar to hold back a bit and don´t fight like he would against the others."

"Hm.."

Neze soon returned with Alise, who looked a bit strange compared to her normal attire. Alise was wearing dungarees and a white shirt...which was pretty dirty. In addition a straw hat and boots, as well as gloves that were full of earth. Her pants were also dirty, with dirt spots here and there on her skin. In her right hand she carried a shovel.

Astrea looked confused. "Alise...what were you doing?"

Alise grinned and wiped her forehead...which meant she left more dirt there since she forgot about her glove.

"Planting trees."

"Trees?"

"Jup, ten trees in a large circle."

"I don´t remember you asking me for permission for that, they will take a lot of space."

"I´m aware."

"Then why did you do it if I may ask."

"For Ryu...oh and me of course. I want us to have our own small forest, even when ten trees aren´t enough, but there isn´t room for more."

"Oh?"

Alise grinned and showed Astrea a peace sign with her left hand. "Our own small love forest if you want to call it that. But I don´t mean anything lewd with that of course."

"Hm...well I think I can forgive that. But please ask me next time first."

"Will do."

Freya giggled. "Ho...so you became serious about Ryu, yes?"

"Jup! Very serious! She is mine forever now! In two weeks we will leave the city for a weekend."

"Because there will be a full moon?"

"You know your stuff, Lady Freya."

The goddess chuckled. "I´m a Goddess of Love after all. I wish both of you the best luck for your future together."

"Thanks!"

Astrea smiled. "Well, back to topic. Ottar here would like to train with you from time to time, Alise."

"Oh?!"

Alise looked up into Ottar´s serious face.

"A training against the most humble me? I feel honored."

"You´re a strong warrior, I need strong opponents to improve myself."

"I feel the same. Sure why not. But please not today, I´m too busy in the garden at the moment. Oh and I will personally beat every member of your familia who dares to joke about this."

Alise´s happy smile showed that she was dead serious about what she said.

Freya looked pleased. "I look forward to see you two train."

"Where shall we train? The arena?"

Ottar shook his head. "Our home. You will get permission to enter any time."

"Sounds good."

Freya smiled. "And if you want to bring Ryu along, I will tell Syr that she comes."

"Sounds good, but I don´t want to bring my pure, innocent Ryu into a home with so many men that are fighting all out, ripping their clothes off and such things."

"Hm..I like this sight when it happens. But I can see why it would be too much for her."

"I will send you a note when we I have time, I think at least once a week should work."

Ottar just nodded.

Freya turned around. "So then, I thank you for your time. Ottar, come."

"As you wish."

Alise looked confused when they left. "They leave, just like that?"

"Freya is like that sometimes."

"Hah...well back to my trees, I want to surprise Ryu when she comes back home."

"You really love her, do you?"

"You bet!"

Alise waved over her shoulder and went back into the garden.

"Hm."

"Lady Astrea?"

"Neze, is there someone you´re interested in?"

"Huh?"

"I reeeaaally want to see some grandchildren one day...I mean soon."

"Huh?! I don´t even have a boyfriend!"

Astrea´s smile told her everything.

It wasn´t like Neze didn´t want one...

.

.
"*Hic* *Hic* *Hic*"

Alfia slowly got really annoyed by all this sobbing and crying that she heard ever since the familia returned from Knossos. At first it only came from the room where they put Aura in, now it came from the young, sacred, elven tree. It looked like Aura had at least made it out of the room for now.

Of course Alfia understood why Aura felt that way and was so devastated...but that crying and sobbing really ticked her off!

So annoying!

Alfia finally had enough and went into the garden, to the tree. It was early morning, Bell and his friends would leave the next day.

There was no one else in this part of the huge garden. Maybe the others had decided to leave Aura alone for now. It was obvious that Aura didn´t care for her appearance at the moment, her hair was a mess and she wore simple clothes. With her white hair and blue eyes...maybe Meteria would´ve looked a bit like her if she had been an elf.

"*Hic* *Hic*"

"Hey."

Aura sobbed, she sat leaned against the young tree. That was Alfia´s favorite spot, another reason to get Aura away from here. The young elf didn´t react at first, but Alfia had a natural intimidating aura, so she looked up after a while.

If Alfia would´ve looked at Aura with her gentle smile...which was only reserved for Bell and Bell alone...the elf would´ve maybe calmed down a bit. But like this...Aura got also seriously scared, Alfia´s glare was hard to bear with.

"Can you stop crying already? This doesn´t help anyone."

"What?..."

Alfia let out an annoyed sigh. "How long do you intend to cry?"

"My familia is dead!"

"And? So is my former familia."

"They died because of my g-...because of "him"!"

"So? My familia also died because of the silly idea of the goddess."

"But they didn´t get killed by her, did they?!"

"No. Take relief in the fact that your god got most likely devoured by the dungeon."

"What?!"

"Only one god returned to heaven that night, that was Thanatos. No one reported of seeing Diyonisus escape, there was a saying of a black monster running amok. So he most likely got devoured by the dungeon. Does that make you happy?"

Aura just looked with a crying face up to Alfia.

"He is..."

"Dead. Most likely. In the way a god can die. So cheer up...and stop crying."

Alfia didn´t help Aura because she liked her or took pity on her. She was just seriously annoyed with all that crying! Alfia understood her, but that didn´t change the fact that these noises annoyed her! Even Alise´s happy hum and low singing while she planted trees or that dark elf working in her laboratory...or that prum making new bombs! Everything was so annoying for Alfia! It truly was a hard punishment for her...

So her motivation to "help" Aura was completely wrong and for some disgusting, but it would do the trick.

Aura didn´t get upset, she freaked out, yelled and screamed into Alfia´s face. But it was better for Aura to let everything out or her grief would eat her up.

Even when Aura screamed, no one came to that part of the garden. Alfia knew that Astrea was hiding behind the corner of the house, looking at them, so it was her order that kept the others away.

Astrea saw and understood what Alfia did. The method was cruel...but maybe the best for Aura. Alfia didn´t stop, she kept poking at the elf´s pride.

Like that...Alfia maybe saved Aura´s life.

"Ms. Alfia! Let her be!" A furious Filvis stormed towards them, she ignored Astrea´s order, she couldn´t bear with that.

"What do you want?"

"Get away from Aura!"

Filvis went down to her knees next to Aura and pulled the surprised elf towards her, hugging her slightly. It didn´t bother Aura, Filvis had saved her, so it felt okay.

While Alfia helped Aura to let her anger and sadness out, the one who would truly heal Aura would be Filvis, she was her saviour after all.

Later, when she slowly caught herself again, Aura would become part of the Astrea familia. It wasn´t like she had any other place to go to. And the Astrea familia could protect her from the people who might say she let her familia die and escaped only on her own.

.

.
"So you came, Bell Cranel."

"Lord Miach said you would like to talk to me, Mr. Braver."

"Yeah, I do..."

Bell noticed that Finn was not only annoyed, he seemed to be angry.

"Is something wrong?"

"I heard an interesting story about you, in the Pallum tavern."

"There is a pallum tavern?"

"Yes, but you don´t need to know where it is. Pallums from all of Orario come to this tavern and lately there was a bit of a ruckus there."

"Oh?"

"Luan Espel, who belonged to the Apollo familia before he came to your familia, is spreading some interesting...heretic...news."

"Heretic news?!"

Finn´s expression darkened. "He said these informations came from you, about Fianna."

"Oh? That? Yeah, I told him everything that I know."

"How dare you mock my people like that! By making fun of us!"

"Huh?!"

"How dare you tell him some crap about Fianna?! Do you know how hard it was for us Pallums to understand that there was never a goddess with the name Fianna?! And now you dare to make fun of that and tell him some stories to spread around?!"

"What do you mean? I didn´t tell him anything weird."

"You told him that Fianna existed! That she was a person! It took the Pallums a long time to accept that Fianna was just a false mythos! Why would you do something like that?!"

Bell was seriously confused. "I don´t know what you mean? Fianna did exist."

"She did not!"

"Yes she did, I read the story about her more times than I can count."

"What story?!"

"I got a very old book once, from a god. He told me it is the only remaining book about the story of the Knights of Fianna. That all the other versions got lost over time, so that the knowledge about Saint Fianna got lost."

"And I shall believe that?!"

"If you want to I can show you the book. Luan and Lily also read it. They said it now made sense how history was so distorted when there was only this one record. Personally, I think since the story was just retold but never written, things have become distorted over the years. After all, it was over a thousand years."

"And you have the only copy that still exists?"

"Not a copy, no. The original."

"You have the original?"

"Yes, written down by the famous poet Wishe."

Finn´s eyes spoke mostly of disbelief.

"Did you ever hear about the story of Argonaut?"

"I did, Tiona spoke of this story."

"I also have a very old exemplar of this story and as far as I know, Tiona has one of the original copies. So you can check the handwriting."

"Are you telling me...all this years we have been wrong? That Fianna did exist? That she just wasn´t a goddess?"

"I can lend you the book, but you have to be very careful when you read it, it is very old."

"Why would you give me a book that is so precious?"

"Tiona wanted to read it too, that would be two birds with one stone. Also, it looks like the Saint Fianna is really important to you."

"Why are you calling her a saint?"

"Because she was one. The story about her and the knights is part of the founding story of Orario. Without them, this city wouldn´t be here."

Finn´s eyes widened slightly. "Is that...is that true?"

"It is. If you will come with me, I ask Lord Miach if it is okay when you come inside our home and take a look at it."

"You would do that even when I yelled at you like that?"

Bell smiled. "My grandfather and Mom always told me, people mostly get angry because they don´t get the full situation, so I should talk to them and make things clear."

It was a simple statement, but this truly ashamed Finn...he had let his feelings get the better of him, instead of talking normally with Bell. Maybe all that happened in Knossos affected him stronger than he thought.

"You have my thanks then...Bell Cranel."

.
Finn would be allowed to enter the Mansion, as he said Bell lent him the book. The pallum promised he would not forget this and that he would now owe Bell a favor. Yet Finn dared to ask if he could keep this book for a while and spread the message together with Luan.

Tiona would also be really happy to read this amazing story.

.

Lily would not be so happy...now even more Pallums that heard about how Fianna looked like took her for a new saint...

She would get a lot of confessions and proposals...a fact that made Luan Espel not really happy.

.

.
"Ooooooy, Welfy!"

"It´s Welf, Lena."

"Hehe, how are my swords coming along?"

"Not good."

"What?!"

"I´m missing something. I need some good, special metal in addition to the other stuff."

"Adamantite?"

"No, something different."

"Hm..."

Lena would soon get the bright idea to ask Bell, since he knew all kinds of "weird" old stuff.

Bell would then tell her a story about the Forest of Elan. Welf would also get fascinated by that story. But mostly because Bell mentioned two things.

Oathtree Walnut and Valorian steel.

This would lead to an interesting idea, it would include Welf, Lena, Lily and Luan. But it had to wait after their small vacation was over.

.

.
On the morning of the next day, after Bell went with Lefiya to her home so that he could wish Alfia goodbye for now, while Lefiya said that to her familia, the Miach familia and Lefiya left Orario to go on their small vacation.

Lefiya and Haruhime were both a bit nervous to meet the man that raised Bell together with his Mom.