Author's note:
I'm back!
Sorry, this chapter was finished like a week ago but I had no chance to finish editting and posting. Hopefully less of a break before the next one!
Cheers,
-asdf
20210628 edit - replaced a few typos
Chapter 41: Negotiations
Kirito:
"Urrrggh…" Moaning loudly, Kirito clutched his arms around his stomach. Each jolt of the cart heading back to Orario sent another round of nausea through him.
The shockless vehicles had none of the comfort that Kirito had come to associate travelling with. Built on a wooden chassis and pulled by horse, the open-top carriage jarred its passengers every second they were moving.
Having barely survived his food poisoning from Yui and Strea's 'food', Kirito's stomach had barely settled enough to allow them to make the return trip today.
"Urrrgh!" Letting out another groan as the cart rocked particularly dangerously, one of Kirito's hands flew up to his mouth. If any of his taste buds still worked, Kirito was sure he would be tasting bile in his mouth.
Accompanying the nausea was an extreme light-headedness. Every few seconds, the thread of the conversations around him would slip away as his head filled with fog. At the same time, his whole body felt sort of numb. He had heard that people with hypothermia sometimes felt hot and wondered if it was a similar experience.
"Hey, Kirito," Hestia smiled at him for her position at his side. How she had gotten it, Kirito wasn't sure. Sitting across from Hestia was Bell with Lili guarding him from Eina and Haruhime who sat nearby. Completing this cart were Silica, Leafa, and Mikoto. Everyone else was following in the second one.
"Y-Yes?"
"If you are getting tired, you can use my lap to rest on."
"I - urp! – appreciate the offer." Kirito struggled to speak through the sensation of being constantly on the edge of vomiting.
"Wait a second," Eina frowned, "how did none of the Miach familia members end up in the carriage with the sick patient?"
"Now that you mention it…" Lili murmured.
"Umm… Kirito," Bell started hesitantly. "Sorry about thrusting that sword on you so randomly the other day…"
"Huh?" Sword? Kirito's thoughts were too blurry. He vaguely had the impression that this was important to Bell.
"D-Don't tell you forgot already!?"
"No, of course not. I'm just… a little…" Trailing off, Kirito wavered side-to-side slightly. His vision went black for a moment as another headrush overcame him. Shivering, Kirito wished for death for a brief moment.
"A-Are you okay?" Bell asked. "You should lay down."
The comment sent tension through the cart.
"Hehe, what a great idea Bell!" Hestia nodded rapidly, sending her large chest bouncing in time with her head. The lascivious scene only curdled Kirito's stomach further as the bouncing motion reminded him of his current up and down rocking. "Kirito can lay down on my right leg, then you can use my left leg!"
"I-I'm not sick though…"
"No way! If Kirito lays on you, then Bell should lay on Lili!"
"I still don't understand why I'm laying down…" Bell mumbled to no one in particular.
"Umm, K-Kirito should lay down over here!" Silica called out. "P-Pina and I will take good care of him!"
"H-Hold on Silica! Onii-chan should lay on me! He used to take care of me when I was young and sick. T-Therefore I should get to do it now!"
"…You are all so desperate," Eina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I agree," Mikoto added on scathingly.
"I-I'm not sure what's happening, but if you're cold and need warmth, p-please feel free to use my tail Bell!" Haruhime said.
"H-Hey!" Hestia pointed a finger at her standing up. "That's cheating. I don't have a tail to use!"
"Like you can talk," Lili muttered darkly as Hestia's chest continued to sway as the cart bounced along the road to Orario.
"P-Please calm down everyone!" Bell called, the voice of reason in the chaos that was breaking out. "H-How about Kirito takes turns resting on everyone's lap who wants him?"
"W-What did you say, Bell!?" Kirito gasped. "W-Why would you betray me like that!?"
"B-Betray?" Bell replied weakly as Kirito staggered to his feet with a wild look in his eye.
"How do you not understand yet? Now I'll never get to rest."
"S-Sorry?"
"You… Should…" Wavering on his feet, Kirito barely kept his balance on the uneven surface.
"Kirito!" Multiple voices rang out. Worried about him falling, Hestia, Silica, and Leafa rushed forward seeking to catch him.
As Kirito's knees crumpled sending him back onto the bench, their approaching hands connected with his head from various directions.
"…Oops."
"Urgh…" Letting out one final groan, Kirito collapsed forward. With a soft thump his head landed softly upon a lap.
"E-Eep!" Eina let out a little squeak. It was less from having Kirito's head on her lap and more from the circle of disappointed stares focused her way.
Seeing Kirito's peaceful expression though, none of them had the courage to recommend moving him from his perch safe in the arms of his advisor.
"Are you alright Bell?" Haruhime asked, "you have a strange expression."
"N-No I don't!" Bell protested, blushing.
"Jealous," Lili judged harshly.
"Am not!"
"Are too!" Lili huffed decisively.
"W-Well if you're ever knocked unconscious Bell I'll let you do this as well," Eina laughed awkwardly as she stated a situation that would never happen.
"Y-Yeah!" Bell nodded. "Things like l-lap pillows are only acceptable when unconscious!"
"Urgh," Hestia winced. "If only I was a powerful adventurer, then I could knock Bell out under the guise of it being training!"
"D-Don't say things like that Goddess. Such a situation would never happen!"
Amid the ongoing chaos, Kirito slept quietly, at peace for the first time since he woke that morning.
Asuna:
"Ah, how is the meat coming along, Lefiya? I'll be finished with the vegetables in just a moment."
Hands a blur, Asuna wore a small smile as she made her way around the kitchen. She was unsure why she had started volunteering to do familia cooking instead of cleaning or guard duties, but Asuna was glad that she had.
The task was far more enjoyable and brought a smile to her face. Dragging along the mopey elf, Asuna's reluctant help moved lethargically for an upper-level adventurer.
"Leeeefiya?" Asuna prompted when the elf didn't reply.
"Huh? Vegetables? I'm almost done…"
Asuna glanced at Lefiya for a long time out of the corner of her eye. With her status and refined skills, Asuna's motions didn't slip in the slightest despite the division in attention.
The elf was cute in a girly way. There was no doubt that she would be truly beautiful when she grew up, but she wasn't quite there. Currently, no guy would dare approach the elf due to the look of death that lingered in her gaze. Even for Asuna it was a struggle to talk to her.
"Is there something on your mind?" Asuna broached. The kitchen was currently theirs as they began prep for the evening meal. Other familia members would be along shortly to aid in cooking and getting the utensils and plates ready.
"Always," Lefiya sighed heavily, her knife stopping in place. "I feel like I shouldn't have survived."
"Err…" It's been over a year and you're opening up about this now!? "D-Did something happen recently?"
"I-I'm not sure…" Lefiya admitted. Her eyes were filled with worry. Asuna was shocked that the reclusive elf was freely talking about her feelings on this. "But the nightmares recently… I think she's disappointed in me…"
"She?" Asuna prompted, wondering if she would finally get an answer as to who this person is.
"…Aiz." Lefiya's voice sounded so broken as the utterance was forced past her lips. Food forgotten, Asuna put down her knife and laid a hand on Lefiya's shoulder.
As expected, the elf shook it off. "Please finish supper without me."
"Ahh, wait…" Holding out a hand, Asuna sighed as the girl dashed away and out of the back exit. The manor was big enough that she could easily find a spot by herself that Asuna wouldn't think to look.
Rubbing her head, Asuna sighed forlornly. "Mirel, you could do this so much better than me…" For not the first time since the raid on the twenty-seventh floor, Asuna briefly wished that their positions had been reversed.
"Just make food…"
Motivating herself, Asuna picked up the knife which she flourished slightly. The well-worn wooden handle fit snugly in her hand as she started in on the vegetables that Lefiya had left behind.
Most of the cuisine in Orario was what Asuna would have described as Western food back in the old world. Which made sense since the Far east here was similar to Japan in many ways.
The main dish would be a vegetable stir-fry with a variety of vegetables. The meat of choice was similar to chicken. It was white, and fairly bland letting it compliment the flavour of choice for the dish. That was where Asuna's knowledge came into play.
Smirking, she patted a pouch on her apron that contained the bottle she had finished making just yesterday. The project had helped distract her from the recent sorrow and absence of Kirito.
It wouldn't be a total lie to claim that making this sauce had been driven by an urge to watch him taste and beg her for food.
"Hehe, I'm sure he'd agree to any request…"
Chuckling evilly to herself, Asuna missed the entrance of other familia members.
Sighing, Astrid flicked Asuna on the back of the head eliciting a startled yelp of pain. "What was that for!?"
"Being too sinister." Astrid declared. "Also, for driving Lefiya away, although that probably wasn't your fault."
"No… it was," Asuna admitted with a wince as the other members that came to help flittered along the edge, pretending not to listen. "I pried too much."
"Hmm…" Eyes hooded, the young cat woman appeared to age a decade. "Maybe that's what she needs… After Elfie quit…"
"Hmm?"
"You're currently staying in a room by yourself…" Astrid said, "what about moving into the empty bed in Lefiya's double room?"
"Ehh…?" Blinking, Asuna chuckled slightly. "Very funny Astrid. For a moment I thought you were serious."
"I am serious."
"You can cut out the sarcasm," Asuna chided, combining the ingredients into a large wok. "It isn't funny with a topic this serious."
"Asuna."
"Yes?"
"I'm serious. It would help you both if you slept together."
"Astrid," Asuna muttered in a pained voice, "the last thing I need is someone else in my room. No, even worse, to go to someone else's room and randomly sleep there."
"So inconsiderate," Astrid muttered under her breath so that only Asuna could hear.
Flushing from the indignant comment, Asuna sent a glare at the familia's executive. "Why don't you do it then?"
"Asuna," Astrid sighed, grabbing at her upper arm. Held by the contact, Asuna stared into Astrid's black eyes. Like Kirito's they weren't hard, but swirling pools of emotion. So many emotions Asuna wasn't sure where one began, and the others ended. "One night. It will help you, I promise."
Unsure why she was even agreeing, Asuna nodded.
Haruhime:
"Wow…" Breathing out in wonder, Haruhime lowered the hood of her thick cloak as the front door of Hestia familia's home closed behind her. It was just now approaching midnight, nearly a week after she had been saved by Bell.
Searching him out, Haruhime gave him a bright smile. "Thank you so much, Bell!"
"I-It's nothing," the boy blushed as Silica and Leafa giggled. Lili and Hestia looked less amused. For some reason she hadn't figured out, those two seemed to disapprove of her presence.
Haruhime was used to girls not liking her. Back in Ishtar familia, besides Aisha, none of the other amazons ever treated her kindly. It was like every action she made was an insult to them. This was the same feeling that she got from Lili and Hestia. The two appeared affronted nearly every time Haruhime interacted with Bell.
"W-Well, let's get you to your room and go to bed," Bell spoke quickly.
"Eh? Don't I get a tour?" Haruhime pouted. The day had been long, but far from hard. Most of it was sitting around. First, there was the eventful cart ride back. Haruhime didn't really understand everything that had gone on. Why did it matter whose lap Kirito slept on? After that, Eina managed to get them all through the gate with relative ease. Leaving Orario had been far harder, illegal as well Haruhime now understood. What had really eaten up all day was the scouting that they had to do upon arriving back. Haruhime had been forced to hole up in a bar near the wall while the others had investigated the city and got info on where Ishtar familia was staking out.
After many tense hours, they finally determined that their house wasn't being watched. Haruhime took it as a sign that Ishtar familia had given up on her. Just entering into the building had erased the tension of waiting.
Maybe a wargame won't even be necessary!
Filled with positive thoughts, Haruhime turned back to examining the house that was completely new to her. Running a finger along the dining room table, Haruhime marvelled at how new everything was. The building had been a church previously, which she could still feel. These renovations couldn't be newer than a few months.
Yet, despite it all being new furniture, it still felt like a home. The space was clearly used extensively. Every part of it serving some functional purpose for the people within. It was a complete change from Ishtar's home in Belit Babbity. There the walls were lined with hundreds of pieces present only for their aesthetic.
"I-I guess I can show you around for a bit…" Bell muttered awkwardly. "Though that really should be Kirito's job…"
Haruhime looked at the empty space where the boy should have been. The familia's captain had been given over to Miach familia to stay the night and recover. Rain and Philia had muttered something about the 'long-con' being successful. Haruhime had no idea what they meant.
"Come on!" Haruhime decided, her tail swishing side-to-side in excitement. This was her first time in the home of the familia that she chose. Undaunted by Bell's lack of co-operativity, Haruhime grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the back where there were stairs that went up and down.
"W-Wait, you don't have to pull!" Bell whined.
Giggling at the stricken boy, Haruhime smiled as she struggled to reconcile the fierce warrior that had saved her on the roof to this self-conscious boy.
Going first down the stairs, Haruhime realized that she was entering the part of the church that hadn't been renovated. "It's so small down here…" Glancing around, Haruhime thought for a moment it was only used as storage. A more thorough examination showed her that there was a bathroom at the end. A makeshift kitchen had been stuffed with other objects as its purpose got relegated elsewhere.
"They used to live down here apparently," Bell replied with a small nostalgic smile. "I think it was preserved out of Hestia's desire to keep her first home intact."
"Ahh, so this is a special place," Haruhime nodded satisfied with that answer. "Hmm, why is the bed kept clear though. Couldn't you free up a lot of floor space by getting rid of it, or piling boxes on it?"
"Why she kept the bed, huh?" Bell stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You know, I have no idea."
"Me either!" Haruhime nodded strongly.
Unheard by either, Lili and Hestia facepalmed with sound smacks. How a prostitute managed to be this innocent, neither of them understood.
It was over an hour before Haruhime finished her tour of the house. There weren't very many rooms, but there were a lot of people to talk to. Yui and Strea shared a room where Haruhime got to examine the sword collection that Strea was collecting with money she saved from the dungeon. Yui wanted to start a small library of books that will help the familia grow and prosper.
Getting to see their rooms and be greeted into the house itself was a different experience for Haruhime. Her eyes lit up at each small detail that was shared with her. The existence was so different from Ishtar familia that it was hard to compare them at all. The only time in her life she had experienced something similar was when the orphans in the far east had let her visit their shrine.
Leafa and Silica's room was similarly exciting. While Yui and Strea had a very strange older sister, younger sister dynamic, Silica and Leafa acted like twins. The two girls who had been forced to spend a lot of time together had grown extremely close. Just hearing their back-and-forth casual rapport reminded her of Mikoto and Chigusa.
While Haruhime was slightly sad that she wouldn't see as much of them anymore, she wasn't upset about her choice. This was the familia she chose. For the first time in her life, she had made a choice and refused to regret it.
Leafa's side of the room was very orderly. There was a mount on the wall where she hung her blade. Many of the other implements she had were all tools to maintain and repair it. "Hehe, is this your heroic blade?" Haruhime asked Leafa.
"H-Heroic blade…? I don't understand."
"Oh… Umm…" Blushing awkwardly, Haruhime's tail flicked awkwardly from side-to-side. She had forgotten that not everyone here was like Bell and her.
"She means the sword that you smite the bad guys with!" Silica explained with a dramatic showcase, shadowboxing an exhausted Pina.
"D-Do you like heroic tales as well!?" Haruhime asked Silica excitedly.
"Err… I-It isn't that I like them. But I always liked watching fantasy anime and seeing the wondrous worlds in those stories!"
"A-Anime? Wait… you've travelled to other worlds before!?" Haruhime asked in disbelieve. It was her first time truly interacting with people from the other world. In Ishtar familia there had been no one she met who had come from there.
"Umm…"
"You confused her," Leafa sighed. "I hate saying this but… can we explain another day? It is getting pretty late."
Despite Silica's recent burst of energy both girls were sighing. Unlike Haruhime, they had been active today, scouting out the city and gathering information.
"R-Right." Haruhime pouted slightly. Before she left for her next destination, Haruhime observed Silica's half of the room. It was more disorganized, with small little knickknacks spaced about the area. They appeared to be babbles picked up off street vendors. Like everyone else, Silica had her own wall of weapons where her short sword and daggers hung.
Leaving Silica and Leafa's shared room, Haruhime headed for the largest room. The door was ajar and a magic lamp burning inside. Knocking briefly, Haruhime skipped in. Unfortunately, her time exploring for the night was coming to an end. She had yet to find the place that she would sleep.
This room clearly belonged to Hestia, the goddess of the familia. Haruhime had already heard complaining that she had wanted Kirito to have the room as the captain. Despite her complaints, Hestia had no issue utilizing all of the space. There were books stacked everywhere with a haphazard arrangement.
"Only a goddess could remember her place in all of these…" Finding a new respect for the deity, Haruhime nodded seriously. The tomes varied widely in size and content. There were even some that she couldn't read. Being a goddess, language must be no issue for Hestia.
"Uh wah! A wild Haruhime appeared!"
"I'm not wild!" Haruhime protested. "I'm finishing my tour of the house!"
"Yeah, I know, I was just… You know, never mind. So, what did you think so far? Think you'll fit in?"
"Hmm…" Ignoring her first instinct of answering yes, Haruhime considered it for a moment. "I… I hope so! I-I don't really have many skills but… but I'll work really hard!"
Hestia's stern expression melted. Giggling, she stepped forward and ruffled the taller girl's hair. "With that attitude you'll be just fine. As you may have noticed, we're a little short on room right now. There are a couple options for sleeping arrangements that we can discuss tomorrow. For now, you'll be sleeping in my love nest—err, I mean you'll be sleeping in the basement."
"…What did you call it the first time?"
"I said basement!" Hestia insisted loudly.
"Sure, sure." Answering with a bit of a singsong, Haruhime felt her eyelids droop. It must be nearly one in the morning. The excitement of the new home was finally settling down. Bowing slightly to Hestia, Haruhime left the master bedroom.
Standing in the hallway was Bell. When he saw her, Bell's head ducked back down awkwardly. Haruhime realized that this was one of the first times since they had met that they were alone together. "Umm, c-can I help you?"
"I-I asked Strea for these!" Bell spat out quickly, holding out a pair of light cotton pants and shirt before him. "You've been in those clothes for a long time now so I thought umm… You could… and Strea's the only one of a similar s-size so…"
"Size?" Haruhime tilted her head. "Leafa and I are about the same height as well."
"W-Well I mean she's getting there but… Ahh, what am I saying!?"
"B-Bell?" Confused by the outburst, Haruhime stepped forward. Placing a hand on his, the renart couldn't figure out what Bell was referring to.
"Eep!" The boy squeaked, releasing the clothes.
"Aah," leaning down, Haruhime picked up the loose nightwear that Bell had gotten for her. "Oh, these look good! The chest is nice and loose. I don't like all of the tight clothes that women wear in Orario."
"Guh!" Bell's face darkened further.
"Is something the matter?"
"Y-You just came out and said it…"
"It…?" Haruhime queried. With how Bell kept averting his face, Haruhime was struggling to interpret all of his words.
"Y-Your c-ches… n-never mind! It isn't important!"
"O…kay?" Haruhime's ears twitched from the awkward tension. Was it something I said? Haruhime wondered.
"A-Anyway, have a good night! The bath downstairs works if you want to freshen up before sleeping."
"Thank you," Haruhime smiled. "Umm, Bell, it seems the lights have been turned off. Could you walk me downstairs?"
"Oh, sure!"
"Grrr…"
Twisting her head, Haruhime was sure she had heard a noise. Her sensitive fox noises picking up the unmistakable sound of a predator's growl. "Did you hear that?"
"You mean Lili and Hestia growling? I have no idea what you mean."
"O-Okay…" Unsire if she was supposed to hear that, Haruhime meekly walked up to Bell and grabbed his lower arm. Pulling it toward herself, she hugged it against her body.
"H-Haruhime!?"
"I-I don't have a high enough status to see in this light…"
"But that!" Cutting his words, Bell just nodded once in the low light of the hallway. The only light source was the faint bit pouring out from under the doors of the adjoining bedrooms.
Approaching the stairs, they started down slowly. Haruhime could tell by Bell's solid steps that the boy had no issue seeing. Indeed, it was a tad brighter than she had feared. She could have done the stairs down to the main level without an issue. It was going down to the basement where she would need him.
Halfway down they had settled into a rhythm. Bell would step down, Haruhime would follow, hugging Bell's arm tightly. Bell would then let out a strangled noise and the cycles would repeat.
Figuring it out, Haruhime asked Bell a question. "Umm, Bell. Are you one of those boys that like flat-chested girls?"
"Uhh, AHHH! Y-You can't just ask me something like that Haruhime!" Turning around, Bell waved his hands in front of his face. His rubellite eyes widened briefly in surprise before he fell backwards in slow motion.
"Bell!" Reaching out a hand, Haruhime grabbed unto his collar as he fell. "Uff!"
Without the strength to restrain him, Haruhime was pulled from her delicate perch as well. Bell's head hit the hardwood floor with an audible crack before she landed on him.
"A-Are you alright?" Haruhime asked, her voice cracking with worry.
"Yes." Bell moaned, sounding very much not alright.
"Umm… S-Sorry. I didn't expect you to panic like that when I asked."
"H-How was I not supposed to panic!" Bell shot back.
"W-Well, I thought men talked about that kind of stuff all the time," Haruhime frowned. "I know on the days off, a lot of the women do the same. There was one prum who was requested all the time due to her child-like looks."
"…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."
"S-Sorry. I guess no one wants to hear about my time there, huh?"
"T-That's not… its just… I-I'm sorry. I'm bad around girls…"
Haruhime giggled and let her head lay against Bell's chest. True to his word, it was hammering loudly against his ribcage.
"I don't think that is true. You rescued me from nearly thirty of them barely a week ago, remember?"
"Urgh. I-It's okay when I have a goal but…"
"It's speeding up again," Haruhime warned Bell.
"Gah! I'm so pathetic…"
The last whispered sentence made Haruhime snuggle in a little tighter. It was somehow reassuring hearing that her hero wasn't completely sure of himself. He still had room to grow. Growth that they could do together.
"Umm… Haruhime?"
"Yes?"
"Are you going to get off me?"
"Maybe." Leaving him wondering, Haruhime let her eyes close. Bell's chest was so warm she was already drifting off to sleep.
Afterall, would her bed be any better?
Wondering this, Haruhime's mind drifted into the abyss, not to return 'til the morn.
Asuna:
"P-Please excuse the interruption…" Voice cracking slightly, Asuna entered the room without receiving an answer.
Awaiting her was a startled Lefiya. The elf was almost completely naked. "Ah…" It was like a cliched scene from a shounen manga. Lefiya was frozen in place, Hands on her undershirt, ready to finish stripping for the day.
"W-What are you doing!? You can't just barge into my room like this!"
"Err…" That's a very valid point. Asuna trembled slightly under the very unfriendly glare. This had started poorly. On the other hand, Astrid was probably right, if Asuna wasn't assertive, Lefiya would never let her stay. "I'm sleeping here tonight."
"…What?"
Strolling to the unused bed, Asuna began fluffing it. It had clearly been maintained while Lefiya was away. By whom, Asuna didn't know. Loki maybe?
"Asuna…?"
"Hmm, seems to be in decent shape still. Glad I brought my pillow with me, as there is none here!"
Placing it at the head of the bed, Asuna sat on the mattress and observed the double room. As was typical of every room, the floor was wood. Unlike some of the twilight manor rooms however, the walls were as well. It almost reminded Asuna of the log cabin that her grandparents had lived in.
There were very few decorations or accessories, just a vanity and space for clothes. Her staff was held elegantly by a holder made of a dark-red wood. Besides those few accessories, the room barely looked lived in. Even Asuna's had more personal touches.
"I-I don't… what?"
"Oh, please go ahead and change." Asuna waved a hand at the elf still stuck in the process of undressing. "I'll just be sharpening my sword."
Doing just that, Asuna released the strap holding the sheath to her waist. It looked extremely strange over her nightclothes. Glad to take it off, Asuna scooted back so that her back was against the wall. Legs perpendicular, she removed the sword from its sheath.
Examining it with a keen eye, Asuna felt a brief moment of despondency. It was coming as sure as the dawn each day. The first blade that Loki gave her after Asuna made a fool of herself. She was outgrowing it.
"That rapier…" Lefiya muttered.
"You recognize it?" Asuna asked in surprise.
"Yeah… It was one of Anakitty's old ones."
"Anakitty?" Asuna asked. The name was a little… odd?
"Astrid's sister."
"Oh." Just like that, the mood crashed through the floor. "Astrid never mentioned it."
"I doubt she even knows." Lefiya answered, finishing changing into her night wear. Sitting on the other bed, she assumed an identical stance to Asuna. "That goes for more than just the blade."
Flushing slightly, Asuna knew that she had been seen through. Well, Astrid had been anyway. "We may know these things if you shared them."
"You think that will help?"
It wasn't said angrily. It was an honest question. Lefiya cradled her knees to her chest. Her eyes were filled with dark shadows. "Why do I keep seeing all these things?"
"Tell me." Asuna ordered.
"I…" Biting her lip, Lefiya shook her head. The elf lost five years with the childish action. She had seemed older than Asuna, early twenties. Looking at the vulnerable girl now, Asuna knew that she had overestimated by a lot. Even with the elves strange aging that Asuna didn't fully understand.
"Don't worry," Asuna smiled, "we have all night."
"You really are something else," Lefiya sighed. "Very well. I will tell you."
Staying silent, Asuna sheathed her sword. She hadn't actually done any repairs or polishing, but that was secondary. This was the reason she was here.
"They started that night we spent on the twenty-seventh floor."
Asuna nodded.
"I felt like I was living in an endless haze. Surrounding me were my fallen familia members. The ones that survived until the end of the fight. The ones that were taken in the Great Reckoning."
"Reckoning?" Asuna asked quickly, "or calamity?"
Lefiya shrugged. "Both are used. I guess it depends on how they perceive the event." Her voice was calm, but the emotion was there the whole time, threatening to break loose.
"Sorry. You said you see the ones taken from you?"
"Yeah… I've heard that Shakti's little sister had a similar experience to me that day. A feeling like a cold hand gripping your soul, then an image of someone fending it off."
Asuna nodded at the unfamiliar name, not daring to interrupt for more questions.
"I had failed to reach level four in time for the fight."
"That was the benchmark for taking part?" Asuna asked. If she was being honest, that wasn't as bad as she feared. She'd heard rumours about how powerful the previous generation was, but if a level four could fight with them…
"No. To participate as a supporter, you had to be at least level four. Adventurers were at least level six. That upset some of my familia members… but that's another story."
"I-I see…" Level six!? Just to fight!? Asuna grabbed her hands together to prevent them from shivering. She had thought that her power was coming along nicely when she hit level three. How far away was level six?
"Loki didn't think I should sneak in at my level but…"
"You refused to let them go without you." Asuna murmured compassionately. She would have done the same thing.
Lefiya nodded as her throat closed up, preventing words. "I… I was worse than useless. I… I can't even convey the terror of that monster in words. It felt like we were fighting a deity with their arcanum unlocked. It wasn't just raw strength it was…"
Asuna could only sit there and listen as the elven adventurer's eyes filled with sorrow from her memories. Even with the beast long dead, she quacked in fear at the thought of it.
Even worse, Asuna wasn't sure if she could sympathize. She didn't really know much about the gods' arcanum. Only that they were the ones that allowed an adventurer to use falna and gain a status.
"Never mind, none of this is important. The fact of the matter is that the reason the great calamity occurred is my fault."
"Your fault?" Asuna struggled to believe that.
"Yes. The dragon's fire breath was powerful enough to melt the very ground. I was trying to deliver medicine to a group of injured adventurers and tried to run around the edge of the fight."
"Makes sense…"
"But I didn't account for the topography!" Lefiya frowned angrily. "The molten rock had flowed downhill, and I trapped myself. I couldn't breathe through the hot air."
Still not your fault…
"She came to save me." Lefiya concluded with a sigh. "She should have been the one to kill it. I know she could have before it finished. But I delayed her. It… Its all my fault…"
Asuna felt with sinking certainty, a harsh truth. "You haven't told anyone about this, have you?"
Lefiya shook her head quickly, tears flinging with each shake. "Not even Loki knows."
Staying silent, Asuna got off the bed. Without asking, she plopped down beside the forlorn elf. "You don't want to hear what I have to say."
"…Just say it." Lefiya spook dully.
"You're being selfish."
"W-What?"
"This girl made her choice. You're disrespecting it… or at least, I think so." Losing confidence in her deduction, Asuna blushed and trailed off.
Who am I to judge the trauma of someone else? Asuna thought bitterly. She was a girl who had just turned sixteen. It wasn't her place.
"That's why she resents me now," Lefiya agreed to Asuna's surprise. "I wasted her sacrifice… I ran away."
"Hey," Laying her hand on Lefiya's, Asuna leaned in so that their shoulders were touching. "What matters is what happens next, yeah?"
"Maybe… I'm just worried"
"About what?"
"That we aren't strong enough anymore."
With that ominous proclamation, the elf fell asleep, leaving Asuna to puzzle over the significance of the tale.
Kirito:
Sitting alone in a room at Miach familia's house, Kirito stared into the blade Liz had made for him. The poison's effect had faded hours ago. After another long night's rest, Kirito's mind was focused.
Vacation was over. Rest was over. It was time again to fight.
This time, Kirito knew well his opponent. He had no idea what the rules of the war game would be, or the situation, but he knew what would happen. Aisha and he would finally have their third fight to decide once and for all the victor.
Kirito's vision was consumed by his reflection in the blade. Those black eyes of his stared lifelessly back at him. They were what he would have to become if he wanted to save his familia members. He wouldn't have the luxury of hesitating.
They were outnumbered and going up against veteran adventurers. The situation was extremely dire. Kirito doubted his ability to take Aisha in a one-on-one. Last time they'd fought he had gotten lucky with a magic sword. That wouldn't work again.
Knock, knock.
Time's up.
Standing up, Kirito sheathed the blade and opened the door. On the other side were Rain and Philia as Kirito had expected.
"Are you…?"
"Perfectly fine." Kirito assured them with a small smile. It quickly faded as an air of tension materialized. It was impossible to think of anything else except the rapidly approaching clash with Ishtar familia.
"Do you need anything?" Rain asked.
"Actually, I do." Kirito replied. "It has been a long time since we met randomly after helping Nazha get those eggs for the dual potions…"
"I suppose…" Philia muttered, both girls looking on with guarded expressions.
"Err…" Failing to say exactly what he wanted, Kirito's eyes wandered for a moment. At the same time though, he saw a pair of hard blue eyes judging him. He had to push on, for her. "What I'm trying to say is that we've grown close, but we've never fought before."
"Kirito?"
"Spar with me. Two on one."
"EHH!?" Philia shrieked while Rain's jaw dropped. "Umm, b-but don't you need to talk to Hestia or something?"
Kirito shook his head. "Hestia needs to be the one to challenge Ishtar. I can only help by getting stronger. Please, will you help me?"
"Can't exactly say no," Rain sighed, finding her voice. "Next time though, can you make a more romantic request please?"
"How's this?" Kirito replied, "if I survive because of your training, we can do whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?" Rain smirked.
"Hehe, you sure know how to motivate a girl." Philia added on, her smile positively nasty.
Kirito wondered if his recent brush with death had mentally injured him. Such an evil smile should not excite him as much as it did. With the promise of an interesting time ahead of him, Kirito led them to the run-down courtyard they didn't have the manpower to maintain.
Surveying it with a critical eye, Kirito nodded. The area was covered with tall weeds, furrows, and rocks. It would make a horrible arena, as such, it was perfect.
Too often Kirito had found himself unable to fully utilize his power due to uneven footing. Just a few days ago against Imizael was a perfect example. While she was sliding easily over the crystal floor, Kirito had been forced to take that extra tenth of a second to double check his footing.
Drawing his sword again, Kirito leaned it against the house wall and took off the sheath. The wood was more uncomfortable than the leather grip of the sword, but it would be good enough.
"Sheaths huh? Guess its probably not wise to use real blades," Rain smirked confidently as she put her swords beside Kirito's.
"I feel like it puts me at a disadvantage," Philia whined, doing the same. Despite her words, she was smiling as well.
Rain entered a fighting stance before stopping. "What are the rules?"
"Uhh, don't kill me?" Kirito shrugged. "Other than that… Do what you want."
"Hehe," the girls giggled in sync.
Sweating before the fearsome display, Kirito quickly leapt back three metres and assumed a fighting stance.
For adventurers of their level, the courtyard was rather small. It was a rough square, only a dozen metres in each direction. The material forming the wall was a rough brick material that was starting to break down.
Kirito's time to observe the terrain was cut short as Rain started moving to his left. Philia stayed where she was, body tensed and ready to lunge at any moment. Kirito was impressed by how into it the girls were.
Maybe they sense how important this is?
Perhaps sensing the momentary distraction, the girls charged in unison. Expecting this, Kirito had seen them dismember hundreds of monsters with this precise teamwork. Thousands of hours spent together had built an uncanny ability to read each other.
Kirito hadn't been wasting that time either. Pushing off his right foot, he got a moment of satisfaction as Rain's eyes widened in surprise.
His sheath blazed a high arc, faster than her own strike. It would have been a direct strike to her forehead, if Rain hadn't gotten her secondary sheath up in time to deflect the attack.
The shivering thud of contact was a pleasing sensation to Kirito as he danced past Rain and her counterattack. Gaining more distance, Kirito watched as she shook out her right hand that had taken the attack.
"I didn't expect you to be this much stronger than that Samira chick…"
"The gray-haired amazon?" Kirito asked. He owed her a lot for what she had done both to him and his familia.
"Yeah." Rain confirmed as Philia slunk in behind her. They didn't separate this time, instead approaching in a cautious line.
Not waiting for them to get closer, Kirito fired off a warding horizontal slash. Rain responded with a lunge that Kirito parried. Using the reach from his slight height advantage and longer weapon, Kirito easily fended off her attacks.
Within a couple of seconds, Kirito had forced her back a step, and then another. With impeccable ripostes and superior agility, Kirito easily began hemming her in.
And right about… NOW!
Giving up the reach advantage, Kirito rushed at Rain. He felt the wind from Philia's slash snap at his black t-shirt. Surprised by the frontal assault, Rain locked her sheaths together in a cross guard. Jamming his sword against the intersection, Kirito pushed.
Rain's arms trembled for a moment, her face a grimace. Concentrating fully on the fight, Kirito felt the thrill of the fight bring on a massive smile.
Crack!
A moment later, Rain's sheathes snapped under the force, her body stumbling backwards. Unable to stop the strike, Kirito's sheath slammed into her head a moment later. "Ahh…"
Unable to contemplate the action, Kirito's instincts flared causing his body to twist. Bending over, his left foot came up behind him. A force resonated up his leg informing him his foot made contact.
Dropping his sheath, Kirito's left arm reached out and grabbed Rain's body before it hit the ground and his right arm Philia.
"I-I really screwed this up…" Mumbling to himself, Kirito sunk to the ground with his unconscious girlfriends. Unsure what else to do, he let their heads lay upon his thighs. There was no way he could just lay them down on the uncomfortable ground.
"Ahh, I guess this works as well."
"True…"
!?
Flinching, Kirito wondered if he imagined the girls' whispers. Assuming he did, Kirito waited patiently for his sparring partners to wake back up.
Hold on… How did I knock them out? Frowning at the discrepancy, Kirito looked at his discarded sheath at his side. It hadn't even broken from the contact. Rain was a level three now.
Philia as well, Kirito had aimed for where he thought her attack would have been. How did he hit her head?
Feeling like he had somehow managed to lose the sparring bout after all, Kirito sighed heavily. Maybe it was his imagination, but Kirito felt like asmile materialized on both girls' faces when he did.
Staring at them now, Kirito felt the sensations of the uneven ground fade away. Continuing to survey their strangely content faces, Kirito decided he wouldn't mind if they stayed asleep for awhile longer.
Hestia:
"P-Please be reasonable Hestia!" Hephaestus yelled at her friend frantically. They were sitting in a now familiar room in Babel, the denatus chamber.
Hestia kept her hands folded before her as she stared at the door on the far side. Hephaestus was standing up, taking quick glances at the door. As the pre-eminent blacksmithing familia, Hephaestus was safe even from the likes of Ishtar.
A few gods began filtering into the room. If nothing else, Deities were exceptionally good at sniffing out drama and excitement. Hestia wasn't sure how word had spread so fast, but she had sent a letter via courier to Ishtar. It read:
Yo, Ishtar.
I have your fox girl and you lost your hostages (haha!). I'll be in the denatus chamber to discuss terms of our wargame (or you could surrender) to determine who gets to keep her.
TTYS,
Hestia
They had belonged to different regions of Tenkai, but Hestia knew that goddesses like Ishtar would hate the informal tone and taunting.
Despite the probability that Ishtar would get baited into the wargame, Hestia couldn't help but wonder if her time on the mortal plane was over. If Ishtar rushed in with her amazons and executed her, there would be nothing Hestia could do to stop her.
That would render her familia powerless and allow Ishtar to easily reclaim Haruhime. The only card Hestia had in her hand was the fact that Ishtar should still assume that they managed to get Haruhime out of the city.
Click, click.
The sound of high heels on polished stone. Tensing, Hestia watched the door expectantly as Hephaestus took a step back, standing protectively behind her.
"HESTIA!" With a roar, Ishtar ferociously flung open the heavy double doors. They crashed against their doorstops and shattered them. The feat indicated that Ishtar's body was overflowing with arcanum. It was worthy of expulsion from the lower world, but no one would back Hestia up on that claim.
"Why Ishtar, I almost mistook you for a minotaur."
The goddess of beauty flushed deeply as the surrounding gods giggled loudly, making no effort to hide their mirth.
Slamming her hands on the nearest bench, Ishtar glared from across the circular room. "Give her back now, and I won't snap that scrawny neck of yours!"
Hephaestus cracked her knuckles menacingly. The goddess may not have her arcanum, but she was still a blacksmith.
Hestia sent her friend a silent thank you. Even without followers, Ishtar would probably win a brawl to the death since she had almost a foot on Hestia.
"Don't get mad at me because the prostitute you abused ran away from home."
"Only because you helped her!"
Hestia's eyes hardened as she glared at the goddess of beauty. "I am the goddess of the hearth. I will always give those suffering a warm place to rest their head."
Hephaestus coughed awkwardly. "You probably shouldn't admit to stealing her adventurer…"
Hestia nodded curtly. She had to walk a fine line here. Say too much and the guild would launch an investigation into Hestia familia. Say too little and Ishtar wouldn't accept the wargame.
"Why you little, impertinent… thing!"
"Thing?" Hestia raised an imperious eyebrow. "You have the vocabulary of a child, so I'll ask you slowly. Do you accept the wargame?"
"Damn you, you virgin bitch! Fine, whatever! I will watch with glee as my girls tear your familia members apart. It will be a castle siege, I'm attacking."
There's no way to win that! Hestia recoiled mentally.
"No, a duel." Hestia countered, trying to hide the forming sweat. This was probably the weakest part of her plan. If Ishtar started using her charm on the gods in the room to convince them of her castle siege idea…
"Oh my… A little bird informed me something fun was going on down here. I never would have imagined it was you two."
"F-Freya!"
"Ah, it was worth coming just to get to see her…"
Shattering the tension was the second goddess of beauty residing in Orario, Freya. Hestia glared in distaste at the woman who now dominated the room. Gliding along the upper ring, Freya grabbed a chair as far away from the action as possible. Somehow, rather than a loner, she resembled a judge arbitrating the proceedings, and in a way she was.
With Freya's power and influence, she could probably pressure either of them into changing the rules to suit her whims.
"Tsk, cocky bitch got lucky…"
It was only Ishtar's hard glare at Freya that reminded Hestia of the original reason that Haruhime was going to be sacrificed. Ishtar had wanted the power to dethrone Freya. To Ishtar, Hestia was still no more than an annoyance.
"Grr… Typical, my entrance gets stolen by a pair of big boobies…" Pouting, Loki made her presence known on the opposite side of Freya.
Hestia knew she was sweating now, as her eyes split in opposite directions to keep a look out for the two most powerful familias in Orario. This was a hard position to be in.
What happened to my life of lounging around and reading books!? Even as she thought it though, Hestia knew she didn't want to back. Even as infuriating as her children could be—especially that Lili girl—Hestia loved them all. Watching their successes and growth was worth more than any ancient tome.
"Y'all are discussing terms yeah?" Loki drawled. "Whatcha each betting?"
"Oh yeah, the terms!"
"It's been so long I had forgotten about those!" The peanut gallery chimed in unhelpfully.
"It seems like a simple trade," Ishtar spoke frostily. "You will take the prostitute you desire, and I shall all of your familia members."
"A-All of them?" Hestia blinked in surprise.
"Well, whichever ones survive the war game," Ishtar continued, a sadistic smile turning her lips. "I'll turn the women into prostitutes of course. The men will become my thralls. A fitting punishment, no? And of course, you will ensure the safe return of Haruhime. Failure to do so will result in you being sent back to the heavens."
"Oooooh!"
"Ishtar's playing nasty!"
Shut up! Hestia grinded her teeth silently.
Composing herself, Hestia coughed to focus attention on herself. "Well, in that case, I need far more than one person! I was willing to let you continue living here, but whatever. If I win you will disband your familia!"
"Ooooh!"
"Who knew Hestia could be so ruthless!?"
"Whatever!" Ishtar claimed. "I really don't care what you ask for because you have no chance of winning. I'm just accepting because it is the easiest way to crush you. You understand that, right?"
Yes, and I understand that you're a fool! Hestia rested her chin upon her folded hands to hide the smirk that was trying to manifest. Ishtar was behaving according to predictions. Now how to get her to agree to that duel…
"I'm afraid I'll need to interrupt."
"Huh?" Turning Hestia was surprised to see a third deity enter the lowest circle where Ishtar and Hestia sat across from each other.
Pulling out a chair, a red-headed god with a crown of gold laurel leaves took a seat. Apollo. "I'm afraid I cannot let you take Hestia's children, Ishtar."
"You?" Ishtar shot the god a look of disgust. "Stay out of this. She challenged me."
"You misunderstand," Apollo smirked. "I want in on the wargame."
"WHAAT!?" The watching gods exploded. Even Freya and Loki gaped in surprise.
"Has there ever been a three-way war game!?"
"Who cares, this is awesome!"
Hestia wasn't sure who started it, but a chant slowly took over the room. Gods had been piling in for the past ten minutes, more than ever attended denatus.
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump.
Each deity was pounding their fists against the wooden tables in sync. The rhythmic pounding drowned the circular room in noise.
"Battle! Royale!"
"Battle! Royale!"
Speaking in time with the banging created an oppressive force of noise that Hestia could do nothing against. Every deity here was now looking forward to a bloody, chaotic, three-way fight.
Hestia's goal of a rigged duel against Ishtar's captain was but a faint memory at this point. She was roped along for the ride and unable to change the flow.
"I-I'm sorry it has come to this…" Hephaesuts whispered into Hestia's ear.
Squeezing her hand, Hestia took solace from her friend's presence. Staying silent, Hestia waited as the chant finally began dying down.
"So what are the rules here, TDM?"
"Nah dude, that's the wrong world!"
"Huh? Really? What about CTF?"
"…"
"Huh?" Hestia was confused by the sudden silence that had captured the arena. The spectator's eyes were gleaming like a kid in a candy store.
"That… That could work."
"H-Hold on!" Hestia protested standing up. "What the hell do you mean that could work!? This is ridiculous!"
Not a single person even acknowledged Hestia. Instead they took up a new chant. Pounding a slightly different beat, the gods chanted their favorite idea. "CTF! CTF!"
Groaning, Hestia laid her head on the table and waited. Thankfully, this chant ended sooner than the last one. This time they wanted details.
"What are the rules!?"
Lifting her head, Hestia slumped, not jumping up to suggest anything.
"I think it is obvious." Ishtar spoke coolly. While slightly perturbed, her confidence remained unshaken. "Each familia has a base with a flag bearing their familia's sigil. The first familia to own all three wins."
"H-Hold on!" Hestia spoke up, realizing something. "You two have way too many adventurers! It would turn into a boring war. There should be a restriction to a dozen- err, half a dozen of so."
"Ohh, like a tactical shooter!"
"Still the wrong world!"
Ignoring the strange interruptions, Hestia waited as her idea swirled around in the minds of those she had to convince.
"Hmm, no." Apollo shook his head. "It is your fault you can't compete in numbers Hestia. You've had months to recruit and yet have posted no notices or recruitment statements."
Ishtar nodded. "Agreed. Actually… here is my proposition." Leaning forward, Ishtar assumed the most serious expression Hestia had seen on the goddess. "You two can decide all the rules, I get total say in location."
"Hrnghh…" Hestia wished she had five minutes to cool down. Things had gone sideways so quickly that she couldn't process all of the changes. First Apollo joining to steal away Bell and Kirito, then the deities taking over the wargame as a result. Hestia couldn't even start considering the reason behind Ishtar's suggestion.
"I am fine with that." Apollo nodded.
Hestia felt hemmed in now. It was feeling less like a battle royale and more of a 2 on 1. It was still possible it could turn into one if Ishtar and Apollo negotiate terms about what happens to Bell and Kirito.
"Whatever." Hestia growled out. "As long as the guild double checks the area to ensure there is no advantage."
"Of course I'll get the guild to sanction it."
With that assurance, Ishtar leaned back and began pulling on her pipe. Her body behaviour made it clear that she was done speaking.
Rotating her body, Hestia glared at one of her least favorite gods: Apollo. Unfortunately, Hestia knew that this encounter was just a matter of time. Apollo loved children deeply, too deeply. Bell and Kirito were unlucky enough to possess all of the traits Apollo desired most: male, feminine, and cute. Hestia had no doubt that Bell and Kirito would be treated well within his familia, but she refused to let them go to such a deity. His obsessive love had no right to any of her children.
"Now, now, Hestia, don't give me that expression. Did we not once sing the chorus of love together in tenkai?"
"We did not!" Hestia growled. She had fit enough of Apollo's criteria to get targeted as well. "Stop making up stories and come up with rules!"
"I have a proposition!" A god announced loudly, standing up. "Each familia will have forty or fifty points with which to select their adventurers. The higher the level of an adventurer, the more points they take. This will turn the wargame into a strategic choice of quality versus quantity."
"…"
"Umm…"
An awkward silence filled the chamber as the occupants stared down the sweating god.
"Too complicated, rejected!" Loki announced from her perch.
"REJECTED!" The chorus of deities echoed.
"You should have spoken up," Hephaestus muttered in Hestia's ear. "A ruleset like that would have benefitted you greatly.
"A-Ahh!" Gasping, Hestia held her hands down to prevent her from facepalming. She had made so many small mistakes already. Each one could be another dead familia member.
"What about adding a defeat rule?" Hephaestus chimed in, trying to help. "It would promote fair combat and reduce the risk for death."
"Hmm, I can't say I'm opposed…" Apollo muttered. "Ishtar's horde do tend to be brutes. It would be unfortunate if Bell or Kirito died before we got to make love together."
Ishtar, true to her promise, grinded her teeth but otherwise stayed silent.
"How would you enforce that though?" One god asked.
"There would need to be a punishment for killing…"
"Outright disqualification of the familia." Hestia proposed.
"Nah, too strict," the gods denied her.
"How about… The killer and four nearby adventurers are expelled from the battle?"
"Deal," Apollo nodded.
Ishtar simmered with displeasure. This rule countered her the hardest and she knew it.
"Exact technicalities on this will need to be verified by the guild," Hephaestus finished the discussion. Hestia followed her pointed words to where the only mortal in the room sat. A guild member had arrived recently and began taking notes. It would vastly speed up guild approval and ensure the least number of inconsistencies.
Hestia could already envision the issue with implementing such a rule. Just having it though helped put her mind at ease. Even if she ended up banished, at least her members should survive.
"Now then," Apollo cracked his knuckles before leaning forward. "We know roughly the victory conditions. Last thing we need to determine is the participants."
"We clearly need to restrict the number." Hestia huffed. "No one wants to watch dozens of level one noobs pound on each other."
"Hah!" Apollo smirked. "Stop trying to worm your way out of your self-imposed disadvantage!"
Hestia kept her face composed. The children may not be able to lie to a deity, but other gods could. Raising an eyebrow, Hestia looked on in surprise. "With the no killing rule in place though… is it wise to have that many level ones? Having one of your executives strike the final blow could lose you the entire game."
"Urgh!" Apollo stopped to think for a moment. "Hyacinthus isn't good at controlling himself…"
Hah! He's too easy! Celebrating her victory internally, Hestia was starting to feel like a proper goddess.
"Thirty."
"Twenty-five." Hestia countered.
"Fine." Apollo agreed.
Ishtar glared at both of them and stood up in a huff. "Your stupid rules won't change the outcome."
"Oh my, Ishtar," Freya giggled, instantly bringing all attention to herself. "Could it be you don't trust your familia members? Maybe… you have no love for your children?"
"Ooooh!" Coming from a goddess of beauty to another, Freya's insult was about the worst possible. She had insinuated that Ishtar was a failure of a deity.
"Shut it, vixen! Your day will come, mark my words!" Leaving it there, Ishtar stalked from the assembly room. Apollo followed shortly after. He looked stunned by the outcome. As if he still couldn't fully believe the rules he had agreed to.
"Twenty-five…" Hephaestus murmured. "Its better than the worst case but you're still extremely outnumbered."
"I-I know." Hestia replied rubbing her temple to relive the strain building there. Watching the deities beginning to filter out, Hestia caught glances from both Loki and Freya. Neither had truly mettled with the proceedings. Nodding at them as they left, Hestia hoped she conveyed her gratitude.
"So?" Hephaestus pressed again. "I won't force any of my children to convert. You'll have to manage this on your own."
"I know, I know!" Hestia repeated as the room finished emptying. No longer having to put on airs, Hestia slumped against the table, her massive chest acting as a pillow. "I just hope there are a few who are willing to join. If we can get close to a dozen… it should be okay."
"Okay? You'll be outnumbered two to one and be the target for both familias most likely. I just… good luck."
"Thank you." Smiling, Hestia departed to tell her familia the result of day one of negotiations.
Ishtar:
"Those fools… Urgh, I never thought Hestia would manage to drive me into such a corner… and what is that fool Apollo up to? Has love really blinded him that much?"
Muttering to herself, Ishtar was flanked by one uneasy follower. The gray-haired amazon Samira followed hesitantly to the area below Orario. Not the dungeon, but Knossos. Thanatos' hidden keep. Realm of Evilus who had recently taken a massive blow to their fighting potential.
Ishtar didn't care about what they thought about her. Thanatos had wanted Ishtar's girls to attack the other adventurers and join in on the twenty-seventh floor. Aisha had made the call not to and Ishtar didn't really blame her. The whole trap sounded like it fell apart.
Waving the magic object before a hidden door, the metal object silently drew back using invisible hinges. Ishtar was impressed every time she came here. It was such an impressive feat of construction. Most baffling was how they had managed to hide it not only from Ouranos, but Zeus and Hera familia.
"Ishtar, some would say you are not welcome here."
"Out of my way, fool," Ishtar cursed the figure standing before her. As she had predicted, Thanatos was not happy. The death on the twenty-seventh floor was a far cry from the all-out slaughter that he had expected.
"…Where do you think you are going?" Thanatos asked, his voice chasing Ishtar down the metal corridor.
"To claim my prize!" Ishtar cackled out loud. Her familia had failed her for the last time. She would ensure that the war game was a success for her. With or without the help of her adventurers.
"…You can't be serious!?" Thanatos yelled after a delay.
Ishtar smirked that she had finally managed to destabilize the composed god. Too often he seemed able to read how things were going to play out. "Its asleep. Everything is sleeping since that day."
"I am a goddess of beauty!" Ishtar announced as she reached the appropriate door. Flinging it open with the magic item in her hand, Ishtar sauntered into the giant reinforced chamber. "All creatures answer to my charm."
"A-Are you sure about this goddess?" Samira asked. Her voice trembled with trepidation.
"Silence! You failed me as well Samira. I thought that you were a ruthless fighter that would defeat any opponent. I heard you ran scared and let them escape with our hostages!"
"Urgh!"
"Now then… what do we have here…" Ishtar ran a hand across the lower body's snout. It was misshapen and separated into two distinct parts. Still, in Ishtar's violent eyes, it was beautiful. "Rise and answer my voice, my beautiful Bull of destruction."