Venus Familia ch 1: The goddess
Ganesha's party was full, gods and goddess talking, cheering and partying all round, in the midst of the fun four goddess could be seen as the center of attention, not for good reasons, Hestia and Loki were bickering wile Hephaestus and Freya were watching the whole mess, the deities were watching making bets and cheering for their chosen side.
Loki tired of "fighting" decides to depart from the situation, leaving a swelled cheek Hestia feeling victorious over their quarrel, with the ending of the show, the gods started to scatter throughout the hall. But a deity decided to stay and started to approach the three goddesses that remained.
"What a spectacle!" said the deity.
The three goddesses turn to look at the source of the voice.
"I didn't know a goddess cheek could stretch so much! Hahahaha!" Laughed the voice.
Hestia frowned with teary eyes as she touched her pinched cheeks.
The deity in front of them was a goddess, she was about the same height as Hephaestus, long hair in a deep red color, tied on the base and sitting at the top of one of her shoulder. Different from other goddesses, she used a black tuxedo and a blue tie over a white shirt. She seemed young, around 27 years if she was human, a soft nose and narrow eyes with a red like fire color irises, she seemed to be carrying something under her arm.
"And who are you exactly?" Asked Hestia, she didn't recognize the goddess in front of her, which was weird for her as she should have knowledge of all the gods that were in heaven that descended, at least the majority of them, she thought.
"She is Venus." Said Freya, surprising both goddesses, she had an annoyed look in her eyes.
"Hello Freya! It's been a while huh?" Freya just adverted her gaze; Venus turned her head to the redhead goddess; "You must be Hephaestus, right? And the little one is…?" She asked getting closer to the smaller deity.
"I'm Hestia."
"Ah! A minor goddess then."
"EXCUSE ME!" Exclaimed Hestia with widened eyes.
Hephaestus ignoring Hestia outburst wanted to know more about this goddess.
"Never heard of you before, do you have a familia?"
"I do of course, who comes to Orario without a familia! We aren't really big so our name isn't really known, but every each one of them are my pride and joy! And besides you probably know a member of my familia, just doesn't know that she is part of mine"
The statement given by the goddess confused Hephaestus, how can a member be known, but the familia which she is in not?
While Hestia started to get up to insult back, Venus decided step back and to focus her attention on the goddess of beauty.
"So, Freya... May I ask you a question."
"… Sure." Freya answered, unsure, getting the attention of Hephaestus while Hestia started to try get the attention of her offender.
"What was the lowest floor Ottar achieved?" Hephaestus looked confused by the sudden question.
"I think it was the 50th floor." Said Freya hesitant, afraid of what would happen.
The moment that the words left Freya mouth a smile formed in Venus' face, and she started laughing, startling the other two goddesses.
"HAHAHAHA… Well it seems like I won against you this time!" Exclaimed the goddess. Her voice so loud that caught the attention of the other gods and goddess of the hall, she ignored and started laughing again.
The two goddesses outside of the conversation were looking at the odd goddess.
"What is she so happy about?" Asked Hestia.
"Well…" Started Freya. "It seems like she started a competition between Ottar and her captain. At least one that she's the only participant."
"Why exactly?" Asked Hephaestus this time.
"Because it seems that both are lv. 7 adventures." Answered Freya.
The response surprised the other 2, the only lv. 7 adventurer was Ottar, so to hear that there was another lv. 7 adventurer was surprising, especially coming from a less well known familia.
"Wait…" Hephaestus turned to Venus. "Your child is the Living Arsenal?"
The Living Arsenal, an anomaly, the only other adventurer that achieved lv. 7, and the only to achieve it in six years, for many she was just a myth, such fast growth surpassed even the sword princess, so much so that Loki suspected of Venus, she gave the excuse that she was training with her brother who were lv 2 and so, when she went to the dungeons, she was a high level 1 already, Loki did NOT believe that it was just that, but without any other evidence she decided to keep her mouth shut.
Since she's not seen much in public, mostly because she spends most of her time in the dungeon, in her manor training or outside the Orario with her siblings, because of this supposed myth, her name is more well-known than of that her familia.
Venus stopped laughing after hearing the question.
"Exactly!" Exclaimed Venus, with a proud smile, she puffed her chest and continued. "Miryth, managed to get to the 55th floor a few days ago, she and her brothers weren't even that tired coming back, meaning that my sister is better than your champion Freya!" She said pointing her finger direction of the goddess of beauty.
Hephaestus interest perked even more, the gods always referred the mortals in their familia as their children, but Venus called the mortals her siblings, quite unique, thought Hephaestus, Hestia didn't care as she was still insulted for being called a minor goddess "I'll let you know I gave my place in the Olympus to avoid in fight between the Greek Gods I am not just a …" She started to mumble.
Freya annoyed moved Venus hands out of her direction, she despised this little game of who was better because of how much of a nuisance was the goddess in front of her, and also because she knew Ottar was much better. But after a deep breath she recomposed herself and with a smile in her face decided to play this game a just to annoy the other player.
"Your child managed to get really low, surprising, but I may add that Ottar managed to reach the 50th floor alone, and as far as I heard, you said that your child had the help of your other children, am I correct?" Freya said.
Upon hearing Freya Venus smile left her face, replaced by frown, her eyes once full of pride started to wander all-round the hall, trying to escape the eyes of the goddess in front of her, she was caught off guard.
"Uhm.. Well… Uhh… You see!.."
She couldn't find the right words to speak, just letting a nervous laughter. Freya giggled at the goddess reaction.
Deciding to end this game, she prepared the nail in the coffin.
"So, may I ask, what floor did your champion reach on her own?" asked Freya with a grin in her face.
Venus now looked at the floor, she couldn't look at the goddess face, and stalled time before answering, she seemed to have regained some of her composure, ashamed she whispered her answer.
"… oor."
Or at least, tried to.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat it louder please." Freya had a smile and Venus had look of anger.
"… the 45th floor" whispered the ashamed goddess.
"Where is that proud goddess that was laughing a while ago, speak louder please." Teased Freya, enjoying every little moment.
Venus started to get red and redder of embarrassment.
"THE 45th FLOOR GODDAMMIT!" She almost screamed, the gods and goddess that were looking at the debacle startled at the scream. "HAPPY?!"
"I'm satisfied." Freya answered, with a grin that only angered the embarrassed deity even more.
"That doesn't mean your champion is still better than my Miryth! Your champion was an adventurer for a longer time, what floor did he achieve in his sixth-year adventuring huh!?" Venus tried to salvage her pride, the little that remained.
Freya wanting to end this game quickly decided to put the final nail in the coffin.
"Well I don't quite remember, but I remember that he was well equipped, with expensive armor and swords, and well supplied, with the most variety of potions, something that you may find difficult right?"
As if Freya was putting salt in the wound, Venus flinched hearing the statement, Freya teased about the seemingly lack of valis inside the familia, even with a party that can go to the deeper floors, it seemed that the familia always was short on valis, and it had just enough for rations and some equipment, nothing high quality, the gods started to whisper to one another, Venus face started to redden as she could only look at the ground.
Hestia looked at the embarrassed goddess and felt sorry for her, knowing how it felt like to not have enough valis to support their familia, she forgot about the insult thrown at her, even though Venus didn't really mean any harm, and felt some sympathy for the target of Freya's attacks.
"Money may be problem in my familia, but that never stopped them at being one of the best adventurers out there." Said the goddess lifting her head to look at Freya. "They never had high end equipment, but they never needed it, with their raw skill and talent they managed to become top tier adventurers, they know why they go to the dungeon and I am always grateful for having them in my life." She exclaimed with life and pride coming back to her eyes.
Freya was surprised for such a comeback of energy on the other goddess, the gods around also looked surprised and seemed to enjoy her little speech about her familia, Freya wanting to instigate the conversation a little more now that she curios about them, decided to involve the children a bit more.
"But have you never put thought on where all the money went?" Freya asked.
"What do you mean?"
"As you said, your children can go to deeper levels, so they should have lots of loot, and yet, your familia seems to struggle to make ends meet, but even with a small party of adventurers around lv. 2 would manage to bring enough valis for rations and new equipment given the time. Where exactly is the valis for the high-level loot going?" Freya's logic was true and the gods started to question, and the gods started once again to whisper.
"Well the valis…" Exclaimed Venus, who was interrupted by Freya, not wanting to give her time to explain.
"I'm sorry for not believing that your children are that advanced, but that records don't match, so my only conclusion is that they are either stealing and lying to you how much they make, or all that story of them going to lower floors is a lie." The crowd listened Freya reasoning and started to whisper a debate among them, her story made sense, having an adventurer of such renown and not having enough money was definitely weird.
Hestia didn't like where conversation was leading to and Hephaestus started to sense that the atmosphere started to feel heavy around them. Venus tried to retort but the whispers and murmurs were starting to get into her head, and her thoughts started to become clouded. Hephaestus could see in Venus' eyes that she was lost, not knowing what to do, Hestia wanted to intervein to help her but the redhead goddess stopped her friend of doing so, becoming another target of Freya would just worsen the situation.
Freya sensing her 'opponents' hesitation continued.
"I mean… I wonder what your children could be doing with that kind of money, maybe wasting on booze…" Freya suggested, the whisper around them started grow louder, as the gods were drinking in the event in front of them, unbeknownst to Freya and the others, Venus face started to become crimson, not of embarrassment, but of anger this time.
"Stop that…" Said Venus in a low voice.
"Betting it away…"
"I said to stop it…"
"Or maybe even…" Freya continued.
Veins now started to pop on Venus' forehead. "Don't you dare." Said still in a low voice.
"They are having some night funs in the Red-Light District, who knows!?" What were whispers started to become murmurs and laughter. Mockery could also be heard. "Maybe her children are bunch of sluts…" "Maybe they are drunks that dream too much and keep telling fantasies…" "Her familia are probably in dept and are ashamed of telling their goddess…"
That was the tipping point for her.
"DO NOT CONTINUE THAT!" Screamed Venus, scaring all the deities looking at them, even Freya who was not expecting such a big reaction. The goddess who until now seemed somewhat composed lost all her temper and started to lash out at the goddess of beauty.
"MY FAMILY IS NOT SOME BUNCH INAPTS OR IDIOTS TO SPEND MONEY LIKE THAT, THEY WERE RAISED WELL, DON'T YOU DARE INSULT THEM LIKE THIS! I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY IS, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO WITH IT, IF WE'RE SHORT ON MONEY IS MY FAULT! INSULT ME HOW MUCH OU WANT, I DON'T CARE! BUT SPEAK ILL OF MY FAMILY AGAIN, AND I'LL PERSONALY HUNT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!" She Screamed looking to Freya, and later turning at the other gods in the hall.
The room became silent, no god or goddess dared to make a sound, even Freya, shocked by the reaction took almost a minute to recompose herself, with a sad small smile she decided to end their conversation now.
"Oh my… I'm sorry if I took our game a little further than expected, my sincere apologies, I just wanted to see how much your familia meant for you." Freya said. "I will take my leave now, after all, I got the information I wanted and I've gotten bored of all the man here." She said winking at the goddess around her.
With the last statement, Freya bid farewell to Hestia and Hephaestus and left the halls. Venus eyed the goddess of beauty with anger until she was out of sight. Hestia and Hephaestus looked at each other before turning their gaze to Venus, she seemed to be shaking out of anger, and looked like steam was coming out of her head.
Venus was blind in rage, she was livid that Freya would try to insult her family like that, but after hearing murmurs her vision started to clear and seeing that other gods were looking at her she started to take deep breaths and calm down, with her thoughts now collected she turned to talk to the two other goddess that were close to her.
"I'm sorry for making such a scene." Venus apologized. "I lost my temper in ways that shouldn't happen." She lowered her head of shame.
"It's okay, really, I sort of understand how you must feel." Hestia said trying to comfort the downcast goddess.
"Still, this shouldn't be how us gods should act, I should also apologize to Freya later, since I'm the one who started all of this." Venus felt like once again, she went over her head, proudly gushing about her siblings and always in competitive mode when their feats were brought up. "I should start to tone down my approach before it starts to cause problems."
Hestia kept herself besides the goddess and decided to stay silent for a while, she had business with Hephaestus but the other redhead at her side needed some comfort, trying to distract her she looked around the hall trying to think what to talk about, she could always gush Bell and his rapid growth to her.
She was going to open her mouth until she saw that what Venus was carrying the entire party seemed to be a box, so Hestia questioned.
"What's inside that box?"
That question piqued the interest of Hephaestus and seemed to break Venus out of her melancholy and looked at Hestia, before looking around as if she didn't want anyone else to see she gestured to the smaller goddess and the smith goddess to come closer.
"Don't tell anyone in this party ok?" She asked as she opened the box.
Hestia and Hephaestus looked inside and had completely different reaction, inside were foods and drinks that were on the tables of the hall for everyone to eat, Hephaestus looked with disbelief in her eyes, while Hestia looked like she just saw the most brilliant idea, she was sure to remember about this trick the next she went to a party. Hephaestus looked at Venus as if incriminating her and the target of that shivered in fear.
"I'm bringing food for my house." Venus defended herself. "You heard about the achievement in my familia. They just came back from a long expedition in the dungeon, and they achieved a new floor and I wanted to celebrate, so I gave them a few days of rest and decided to be here and bring the delicious food from the Ganesha familia and everything here is high quality and… Hey! Hey! Stop with the judging eyes!" exclaimed the goddess under Hephaestus deadly gaze.
Said goddess just sighed to herself and looked at the smaller goddess with a shine in her eyes, she wondered how much of a bad influence this meeting was on Hestia, but decided to talk to her another time. For now, she decided to leave, Hestia seeing this pulled Hephaestus to talk about something, Venus seeing that as a sign she decided to bid her farewells to the goddess and leave for the day.
"Let's catch up again in a calmer area!" Exclaimed the goddess as she parted away from them, waving her hand high in the air.
As she walked in the night streets of Orario, she wondered about the day, and how much she still had to learn about the big city, being from outside and from a poor village, everything here was still so big and new to her, even being six years here, she still felt like a stranger in someone's house.
"I wonder if I got enough food for all of them?" She thought about her 5 siblings waiting at home, she told them that she would bring a banquet for them, so she told them to reserve space in their stomach for today. But now looking at her box full of goods, she wondered if all of that would suffice 5 people, she hoped that it would, otherwise she would hear complains all night.
"Well… it is what it is, I guess."
And with that, the goddess went deeper and deeper in the houses inside the city of adventurers, and disappeared out of sight in the darkness of the night.