Despite some complaints, disagreements and even the constant barrage of `why?´, the few who have passed the first test moved to the mead hall while both Skadi and Ragnar headed to the small office they had within this big building.
The process was simple: Call the different prospects and ask them a few questions to get to know them better, how they could fit within the Familia among other things.
This interview would be conducted by the Captain and the Goddess, albeit there were some internal discussions about this.
The first candidate entered the office and the door closed behind him.
"Please, have a seat."
The quiet Alain sat on the chair, in front of him was an empty desk and on the other side of the room was the two people who would interview him.
He felt slightly uncomfortable, being in a strange place and in front of people he barely knew, especially since one of those was a deity.
The first test was perhaps challenging given his rivals, especially the loud archer who was able to best him, or rather tricked him into going outside of the arena's bounds, a dishonorable way of fighting but as much as he hated it there was no way to convince the Captain that it didn't count.
While the blond was writing something on the parchment, he could feel the eyes of the Goddess looking back at him, piercing into his soul and peeking into his deepest secrets, how he got to Orario and the trials and tribulations that happened before his arrival.
He felt an immense weight over his shoulders, like he was about to be judged and executed, just because those eyes were similar, not of a God but perhaps of a monster.
"Alright, I-"
"I'm sorry." Alain lowered his head, his hands clenched into fists as if waiting for the verdict.
"Uhm…" Ragnar looked at Skadi and she shrugged. "You… you're not in trouble, so no need to be sorry."
"Oh? Ah, I apologize, I was just nervous, that is all."
"It is understandable, after fighting outside you are now pulled into this office for some questions. Uncertain whether the reason that the Captain of my Familia was for a good or a bad one, although if you reached this far then I can only assume it is a good one."
The words from Skadi felt soothing, it calmed the nervous duelist who found his victory earlier, albeit still with some twisted ideas within his mind. "Thank you, Lady Skadi." Alain raised his head and looked at the two of them.
"If I may ask, what is it that you need to know, Captain? " The quick twitch in the blond's eye after hearing that word, the newcomer quickly picked up that it was something that he did not like.
"Right…" Ragnar looked at the parchment. "These are some questions that came out to me during your combat and they are not necessarily the same to everyone else but it is mostly a formality, so to speak."
"Now, I want to know more about your fighting style. Why choose a rapier of all weapons? "
"I suppose it was my best option." Alain commented. "When I had to take up training, I was told that I needed to choose a weapon. I tried plenty but in the end the rapier felt like my calling… in a way."
"In a way? " Ragnar repeated, rising a brow at the way the other person spoke. He wanted to ask more about it, although right now everyone else outside was probably eager to get the interview as well. "Never mind that. Do you play that instrument or… maybe what happened to your ear? " He pointed at the lute that was still hanging from the backpack that Alain brought.
"Ragnar, don't you think it's better if you ask him some more meaningful questions?" Skadi took a glance at the Captain before turning at the brunette. "Why do you wish to join my Familia? "
"I…" It took him a bit to answer, he could think of many reasons but many of them would paint him in a bad light.
Or that's what his head made him believe. Overthinking a situation when he could just utter a lie, what would they know?
"I want a place to belong. Far from home and… I guess finding some meaning to things." Alain nodded, not meeting the Goddess' gaze. "Rakia is far away and I don't think I need to explain further on Ares' antics."
It was impossible for Ragnar not to hear comments about Rakia, despite how far they were. Even the news of that kingdom reached his village every now and then and feared that a war against them would be impossible and their only option was to bend the knee, then again, that probably meant protection but at what cost?
"If you were to join us, how would you contribute to the Familia?" This time the question was from Ragnar.
"I may not be overly strong but I can defend myself and will try to defend others. Perhaps I am more of the offensive type of but what I mean is: I can deal with monsters if necessary, even if I'm not experienced in fighting them."
Ragnar could understand this. Much like him, he never fought a monster before joining the Familia and while he has seen a few before the attack on the village, it was someone else that dealt with them.
Although his role could overlap with his and Noel's, there were still more people waiting that could have good synergy and who knows? Maybe they could all make a good team.
He already made up his mind and Skadi knew that the answer would be. Ragnar smiled at his decision.
…
The second person – or rather second and third – were the pair of siblings that showed their prowess during the first part, although the feline bested most of her rivals, the human mage had a different type of test in which, according to a certain criteria, she passed.
But there were many questions that can be asked about the two of them. The one named Livialiska was sitting on the chair with the desk in front of her, looking happily at the Goddess and the Captain; Fanis, the so-called sibling was in the room with them although she was not by the feline, instead she was standing in the corner of the room, looking at the bookcase, not because the books were interesting but because they could not face the eyes of Ragnar and Skadi.
"So…"
"Oh don't worry, Fanis takes a little bit to get used to."
"I… I don't mean to disrespect any of you, but…" She was visibly shaking and still unable to face the rest of the room.
One could say that there was no issue in doing this, two interviews at the same time but there was perhaps the bigger problem that when Fanis was summoned to the office, she could not move and it was thanks to her sister that she was able to get in, although this meant that the interview had to be done in tandem.
"A…lright? " Ragnar turned his attention at the other girl. "So… let me get this out of the way, you two are siblings, right? "
"Not by blood of course! Mom and dad… Fanis' parents adopted me years ago. If anything I am the younger sibling of the two! " Her ears twitched as she smiled while explaining to the blond. "Oh, Captain, can I ask something? " Her hand was up, swinging left and right.
"Uhm… I was going to be asking the questions but sure? "
"I just want to make clear on one thing: I know that Fanis' test was different from the rest of us but let me say that her abilities are definitely top notch, she is worthy of being called a great mage."
"Is that so? " The Goddess asked and noticed that the other girl was slowly moving to the table and sitting on the empty chair.
"N-not quite…" Fanis replied, trying to hide inside of her scarf. "Lili tends to exaggerate my abilities quite a lot."
"But tell me, what other mages out there can beat you? "
Not only Fanis but Ragnar and Skadi knew full well that outside of Fimbulvetr there were definitely mages out there that were far more powerful.
But this brought an important problem to the table: Fanis and Livialiska were siblings and if one of them was not accepted then the other will follow and thus two less people.
Livialiska was a bundle of energy that has proved more than enough that she can fight, perhaps it would be a similar situation like Alain where she hasn't fought monsters.
But then there was Fanis who lacked any energy, or rather was too timid. Her magic looked strong but that did not mean everything, she could crumble under pressure and if they ever needed some support then she wouldn't be a reliable source.
That was the conundrum.
"Fanis." Ragnar spoke up. "I don't have any reason to doubt your ability, and I am sure you are aware that there's room for you to improve. But it is not your skill that I am wondering about. If the situation was dire and we needed your help, will you be able to assist us?"
"I…" She didn't know what to answer. Of course the most straightforward response would be yes but she had her doubts. The question implied that her sister would not be there to help or rather that she was in the middle of this dire situation.
From her point of view, this small Familia did not have a mage and she would be the first one. This wasn't a matter of strength or ability, it was all about her nerves, and how she would shake in fear if a battle was not going well.
"Mind if I change the question a little bit? " Skadi interjected. "It is completely fine to be nervous and to rely on your sister in times of need, but if you join my Familia then everyone else will rely on you and I am sure you will rely on them as well." The Goddess smiled. "Can I count that you will overcome this barrier and assist your peers in a time of need? "
Fanis looked down and then at Skadi. Her eyes were gentle and meant no harm, it was common for a Goddess to be kind to their children and wanted nothing but the best for them. How could she say no to that? To disrespect a deity would be a bad omen for the future but at the same time…
She sighed. "I… I can promise that I will try…" The mage tried to hide into her scarf once again only for Livialiska to hug her from the side and shake her around.
"Fanis I am happy that you are trying to change, you are so going to become the strongest mage in Orario. No. The whole world. And I can't wait to see it how you become so popular and then go back home and…" The feline kept talking and neither Ragnar nor Skadi could find a spot to talk.
"Lili, please stop, I'm getting dizzy…"
"Oh… sorry."
"Now then." Ragnar cleared his throat to get the attention of the two girls on the other desk. "I have made my decision and I hope that you understand it. Fanis, Lili, I-"
"Wait a moment." The cat girl raised her hand forward. "Stop that thought. But I would appreciate that regardless of your decision, you don't call me Lili. Only Fanis and my parents can call me that."
"So… what should I call you then? "
"That's a good question, nya." She made a last remark that made the Captain wince. "How about Livia? "
"I guess… that works." Skadi giggled at his side as he prepared to give the answer to the siblings.
…
The next interview was quieter and once again with a single person. The quiet adventurer who fought during the tests was sitting behind the desk, looking directly at the Captain and the Goddess.
His expression was neutral, serious and overall quiet. Ragnar thought of Brynhildr but this felt different, unlike the girl who at the very least had some form of expression every now and then, even if those meant mostly anger directed towards him.
"So… Albrecht, right? " The silent man nodded. "You showed great prowess during the fight and you also volunteered yourself to help another of the candidates. But it's important to ask: What kind of experience you have? "
"I used to be part of a bodyguard group for a noble family in a town not too far from Orario. Our job was to deal with bandits and monsters that would approach."
"Which explains the emblem on your shield." Once again, Albrecht nodded. "What happened? Or rather what made you consider joining the Familia? "
"…" The silence reigned again as the serious one in the room calculated his next words. "The noble family unfortunately perished in an attack and with the death of our contractor we had to look for work elsewhere."
"As… mercenaries? " But Ragnar received no response, yet the answer was more than clear. "I see... what will you do if I were to accept you as part of Skadi Familia? "
"I will make sure to protect my peers; I will not deny that my strength is far from being comparable to those of higher levels or from any other Familia but my loyalty is unquestionable and my will to fight will not break."
The fancy words attracted Ragnar, like a moth to a flame but Skadi found it strange, not because of the way the man spoke but because there was something off that he immediately noticed.
"If I may." She interjected again. "While I do not doubt your loyalty or your will, Mister… Glig." She took a peek at the parchment that the Captain had. "You say that you will protect my children but your experience with your previous contractor ended in an untimely manner. How will I trust that you can protect them? "
"…" Albrecht frowned, although the Goddess could see that his eyes meant more than just seriousness, he knew that she made a good point and had to concede. "I am afraid there is no guarantee other than my words, even then I can only hope to earn the trust of others so they can rely on me as a shield."
"Goddess? What do you think? "
"I made my judgment about it but you're the one who decides." This did not give much confidence to the Captain, was she approving of him or the complete opposite? Skadi tended to be protective of him and Noel and even trusted them but was the same with Albrecht?
The blond was certain that he could fight and withstood Fanis' attack but if his previous `job´ was a failure did it mean that he failed at protecting? This made him curious now, if his loyalty was as good as his defensive capabilities then he could be a valuable member but at the same time what if he failed again?
"Sorry to make you wait, but I made decision…"
…
While the previous interview was mostly quiet, this one took a complete different turn. Albrecht was a quiet person who only spoke when he was questioned but Hilda…
"Behold, for I shall be the new member of the Skadi Familia, a star adventurer that the whole city of Orario shall remember!" Hilda had one foot on the table and the other on the floor, raising her fist as she let out an evil laughter.
Ragnar and Skadi were looking at her in disbelief, the former not being able to say anything while the latter was just watching her in silence. As her monologue continued, the Goddess leaned to the Captain.
"Ragnar, why did you consider her in the first place? "
"I thought she was a good archer if she managed to reach far, and I thought her outbursts were just for show, never thought she would be… this."
"Now! Let me tell you about my adventures before I joined here! About how I slew a hundred goblins that were swarming the surface or the time I had to fight killer wasps that were gigantic and full of poison and terrorized nearby villages!"
As the human archer continued with her story, Ragnar and Skadi nodded at her every word, leaning closer to keep talking while she was still narrating.
"At least she is a good storyteller, I think…"
"But I don't want a story teller, I need someone who can fight though." Ragnar cleared his throat. "Hilda." She stopped talking and looked at him. "I am not doubting your stories or your experience when fighting but I want to know what can you for the Familia."
"Ah, certainly! The Grand Duchess excels at long range combat and shall provide support with my unparalleled ability. If not me, then who?! "
And both Ragnar and Skadi thought of plenty of options who could also fill her role, be stronger and of course, quieter. But that also meant turning away a possible candidate.
"I have seen that none of your Familia members deal in ranged affairs and as such I could prove quite useful. A good eye on the battlefield means that you will be covered from a fair distance and even my voice can soothe you with the warnings of nearby enemies for my sight will always be tru-"
And she kept on talking.
Unlike the last candidate, Skadi did not have a formed opinion on Hilda but considered to be quite loud. Ragnar on the other hand saw how effective she could be and while her stories sounded slightly exaggerated (if not impossible), he did not have any grounds to disbelieve her. She could've killed monsters in the past so maybe she had some experience.
He considered her for the same reason she was selling herself: An archer that could provide ranged support and have a better eye-view when they were fighting in the Dungeon.
"Miss Renos, would you please answer me something? Do you think you can work together with other members in my Familia or will you try to outshine everyone else? "
"Of course! " Her energy was well noted. "It is the reason why I wanted to join this group, it is to expand my legend, although that will not mean that my own goal is selfish for I shall assist my peers and my glory hounding will not be block the need to help the Familia."
"Uhm… very well… I think" The Goddess was confused. "What do you think? "
"To accept a loud member with high energy into the Familia who can also be a potential archer for the team while also being a… glory hound as she calls herself…" It was a difficult decision. Combat-wise she could fit but personality? She could be a ticking bomb that could disrupt the Familia to its core.
Even then…
"Well, guess I made a decision… for better or for worse…"
…
And so the final interview arrived, the one that caused a big discussion between Ragnar and Noel since there was a major confrontation between the two. While one was completely against the idea of recruiting the individual, the second one wanted to bring the warrior in.
That is why under the circumstance there was a little change in the interview and rather than having Ragnar in the room, it was Noel who sat on the Captain's chair with the Goddess at his side.
On the other desk was the Amazoness that has caused trouble to the blond earlier and then was promptly defeated by the soldier of Odin Familia. She had a smug look on her face, looking at the room around her.
"Nice place, well decorated, a bit too enclosed for my tastes."
"Now." Noel coughed. "Uhm…" He looked at the empty parchment, there were no questions or any information other than the woman's name.
"So? I can tell already that the reason I got this far was because of you, that stuck-up Captain of yours has a beef with me and anyone could see that."
"Uhm… well…" The young boy was nervous, it was not like he could deny Theresa's words but at the same time he needed to step up, he just didn't know how.
But he calmed when he felt the Goddess' hand on his shoulder along with a gentle smile.
"I understand that my Captain has an issue with you, why is that? "
"I challenged him since he was the strongest in the Familia. It was an easy fight but I did not expect that woman to fight me, much less beat me in such fashion and with my own weapon…" The Amazoness frowned, still remembering the lingering pain to the back of her head. "Those eyes of her, I saw nothing but contempt, I was truly nothing to her."
She looked at the Goddess. "That is why I want to join here."
"But why? " Noel added, tilting his head. "I thought you would consider Ragnar to be weak after the battle, wouldn't you be a better fit for Miss Brynhildr's Familia? "
"No." The response was quick and cold yet it had so much weight and fury behind it. "I will never be part of the Familia as that girl, I will not live under her shadow, knowing full well that I would have to be under her makes my blood boil."
"That's a very… aggressive response." Said the boy. "But you still haven't answered my question."
"It's simple: I will further my goal to get stronger in order to beat that girl in a fight again. But I know that I cannot do it alone so I will tag along."
These words made Noel smile a bit, it reminded him of his Captain albeit his target was a monster rather than a girl, although perhaps Brynhildr was Theresa's personal monster who needed to beat.
Yet this also another problem to the table and that was her attitude. Compared to the other candidates she was far more aggressive and the type of person who would pick up a fight with anything and anyone, in the Dungeon that could work but at the same time what if she went to fight a creature far stronger than her and dragged everyone else with only to end in bad news.
Noel saw some promise in her, perhaps she could be reformed or at the very least direct her anger in a different way. Maybe she could work alongside others but what else? The last thing he, Ragnar or even Skadi would want is a mob of people at the gates of Fimbulvetr asking for that woman's head!
"I do want to ask this: How do you feel about working with others? "
"As long as I'm not disrespected I don't mind." Theresa shrugged as if it was a simple question.
"Now… there is one issue that needs to be solved."
"If you're going to tell me that I need to apologize to that girl then I'm going to leave, simple as that! That girl deserves nothing but-"
"No, it is actually something far simpler, otherwise I feel like both me and Ragnar couldn't accept you." Even if there was some grudge left there was one thing that the blond was definitely not going to forgive as easily as other things, the combat could've been just a spur of the moment but there was something else that irked both of Skadi's children.
"I need you to apologize to the Goddess."
"Huh?"
"You called her puny." Skadi's eyes widened after that statement and looked at Noel, perhaps it was surprise but she was not angry.
"Apologize now."
"Fine, sorry." The girl shrugged again and turned her attention to Skadi. "I don't know much about you, Goddess, maybe you could be the greatest person this city ever has, I am just someone who arrived recently and didn't have the best experiences with people."
Noel looked at Skadi who nodded. "Understandable, I accept your apologies."
"So? What is it then? Am I in this thing or what? "
…
The day was finally getting to an end, the candidates were selected and the Skadi Familia went from three members to nine. A very special group with different personalities, abilities but with hopes that they can grow and improve.
The rules in Fimbulvetr have been very loose for a long time since it was only Ragnar and Noel, but with more people on board there had to be some boundaries set as well as some home rules.
Other than the usual type of rules that anyone would set at any home. Everyone would be helping at the kitchen given that the amount of mouths to feed increased, the residences dorm rooms would not be mixed and of course no starting trouble with neighbors or other Familias.
Additionally there was one last important detail that everyone was concerned about.
The `Familia Tax´
Simply put, each member would have to contribute ten percent of what they earned in the Dungeon. All of this money would go into the Familia's vault and be used in case of emergencies or similar events.
While most of the money that Skadi had was spent in renovating Fimbulvetr and in the medical expenses of Ragnar and Noel after the bear fight, there was still some Valis that were used to sustain the three of them but now that their numbers grew the expenses would also be higher which meant they needed more money.
Everyone agreed with it, despite some concerns that appeared but it was all for the good of their new home.
With all the duties done and the new members getting used to this place, they all retreated to their rooms, the only exception was the Captain who was sitting on the hallway right next to his room, rubbing his ankle which was slightly aching.
"Oh, Ragnar! " Noel was surprised to see the blond still awake, even less in the hallway like that. "Where's the Goddess? "
"She went to her room a few moments ago, I just wanted some time to relax after this long day." Ragnar groaned, leaning his head back against the stone wall. "I still can't believe that we recruited people into this, I was not expecting that many."
"But we got a fancy group."
"Yeah except for her. Oh, and by the way? I still think you made a mistake."
"She apologized, and it looked sincere… at least in her own way." Noel sat down by the wall opposite of Ragnar. "And her fighting style looked interesting, moving like flowing water and her weapon was… yeah."
"Well, as long as she behaves and doesn't pick up a fight with everything in her path, she can stay." The memory from the fight earlier in the day still lingered, even more so for the pain. "There's so much to think about."
"Such as? "
"Well… a lot, to be honest. Past, present and future. I'll need to go to the Guild and tell Esther that we got more people and… I guess ask for some directions since I don't know. Maybe plan ahead for what we can do and what not."
"Already speaking like a true leader!"
"Please, I'm just an adventurer with a fancy title, that's all." But he knew that was not the case anymore.
If it was him and Noel, belonging to a Familia was nothing like a hobby in a way, there weren't strict rules and even though he was the leader of the Familia, they behaved like friends going to the Dungeon to fight monsters.
But now? Now it was different, many members would look up to him as a leader, someone who was at the front. The same dilemma that kept plaguing him ever since the idea of recruiting new people was brought up.
"But now I need to think further, there was something I forgot about because of our fight against the bear but seeing that woman's weapon made me remember that." The sword-whip or rather the whip itself.
"I don't think I ever told you but when I had to escape my home I saw two people observing the destruction from far away, and I believe I saw one of them carrying a whip with something glowing."
"Like… a gem or something?"
"No… or maybe, they were far away and even wore cloak so I couldn't distinguish if they were even humans, just-…" It was pointless, as much as he explained to Noel what happened, it was still a painful memory and without any leads or evidence this small investigation would lead to nowhere.
"Bah, whatever, I'll figure it out eventually." He stood up. "By the way Noel, have you ever heard the name Sigurd? "
"Sigurd? " The boy also stood up and put his hand on his chin. "Sigurd…"
But the Captain's luck was not on his side. "It's alright, guess there are things that even escape you."
"No, I remember the name. I believe it was in one of the stories from my books. Some old adventurer or hero I believe. Why? "
"When I went to find some information about the axe, that drunken God mentioned that name, and the one person I hoped had answers…" He looked at the closed door that led to Skadi's room. "…refused to say anything."
"Don't worry, I'll look into it."
"Thanks Noel." Ragnar turned around and opened the door to his room. "Good night, Noel."
"Good night, Captain." Despite hating being called that, the young boy sometimes found it fun addressing him like that, it was perhaps a good exercise since he will have to get used to that title now that their Familia grew in numbers.
And with that we put an end to this small recruitment arc at the beginning of Act 2 and with new members within the Familia there will be new interactions between them both inside and outside of the Dungeon. Yet there are still a few mysteries left to solve and questions that require answers.
As always, thanks to everyone who's been following the story and giving their support, it always gives me a smile getting the notifications on my email.
There is not much to be said here other than hoping that you have a great week and a great June! I'll go back to the drawing board for the next chapter but until then: See you in the next chapter!
