The 18th floor was as beautiful as ever maybe even more so after that hellish expedition. Thankfully we'd been able to tag along with Loki familia for the return trip. I wasn't all that confident we could have done it without more people dead if they weren't there.
Practically everyone besides me was still wounded to some extent or the other. Especially Lyra and Kaguya hadn't quite healed yet.
Despite their still healing wound they headed off to go and visit the graves of their friends. I'd tagged along with them but left them to it once we neared. I didn't know their friends, any respects I'd pay wouldn't be all that genuine.
I knew sorrow well. I'd wallowed in it for years and watched my dad become nothing more than a husk to it. What I felt towards those girls was only second hand. I felt bad because Astrea familia did and because I'd failed to save them.
You didn't need to save them
My respects were not needed. I just needed to stand by as the girls did their rituals. Cleaning and Tidying the grave site, Maintaining the Weapons used as grave markers and just talking.
I heard footsteps against the forest floor. Soft but clearly intended to be noticeable.
The passionate one, alone
"You don't have to stand around us all the time, Taylor." Alise said from behind me.
…She was right. But for some reason I'd grown a bit protective since we'd come so close to dying against Udaeus. It wasn't a healthy way of going about things. But when had "Healthy" ever described my behaviour?
"I needed some silence to relax a bit." I excused myself.
Alise didn't believe it for a second the knowing smile on her lips clearly told that. But she went along with it. I suppose I wasn't the only one that had grown a bit protective.
Palpable fear
…It wasn't unwelcome. But there was something that bothered me. Alise and Leon especially had been growing a bit inquisitive, Kaguya and Lyra were going about as usual, but they seemed to be paying even more attention to my responses than usual.
They must've grown concerned and suspected something was wrong with me after all that they'd seen.
Without the people around you, you'd just be another part of me
It was… uncomfortable to be honest. And every single time they probed I felt a spike of panic shoot up my spine.
"With the War Princess practically clinging to your legs the entire time even you can be exhausted." Alise commented while snickering with her hands covering her mouth.
"She's even more clingy than usual." I spoke lightly. I doubted I could've stopped the fondness in my voice even if I tried. Ais was… well she was a lot to handle, and she had issues that would've made my shrinks shrivel up in fear.
But she was also an eager kid with a lot of energy behind her despite how unemotive she was. I liked spending time with her. It made me feel more… normal.
Despite how weird that was. Just being this sort of… sister figure to her made me feel normal without feeling like I wasn't doing anything.
I suppose it was because of how many screws I myself had loose up in there.
Alise nodded her head in sagely manner.
"Well I don't know her too well but she usually so stone cold and emotionless people call her a "Doll". Seeing her act like a kid with you was so shocking I thought I was still sleeping."
"People keep saying that, but she's always been that way with me." I said.
Though I think I knew a very important part of the reason why she was like that with me.
"Apparently I look like some friend of her mother… she's gotten a bit too attached because of that." I admitted softly.
I felt Alise's gaze on me intensify for a second trying to make assumptions on whatever theory she had about me. She was really trying to find out what was wrong with me. I felt bad for walling her and the others' genuine attempts at help… but there was no way in hell I was just going to let them find out what I was.
No matter how much I hated these sorts of misunderstandings that could be solved if people just talked to each other, I hated the idea of Astrea familia finding out even more.
Was it because I thought they might shun and abandon me? Probably. Even though they'd shown for certain that they had no such inclination those thoughts still bounced around in my head. They jumped right in when I'd lost control again and despite that I was afraid.
"That's… rough." Alise commented as she walked to my side and leaned onto a nearby tree.
"I'm happy enough to indulge, though she still seems to think I'm that person and I haven't been able to make her accept that I'm not." I complained slightly trying to change the topic a bit.
Only for Alise to hit the conversation with a metaphorical battering ram.
"Taylor, if you're getting irritated with us trying to find out what problem you're having we can stop." She said simply. It was so far off her usual cheery tone that describing it as tonal whiplash wouldn't be enough.
I felt the words get stuck in my throat.
"Ahaha… sorry if that was a bit too direct but I felt you'd respond to that better." Alise admitted switching back to her usual demeanour. Even though I still struggled to string together words.
She was right about that. I wasn't fond of wordplay and verbal fencing. I preferred people got their point across smoothly and directly.
Still I was caught off guard.
"It's… I won't say it doesn't irritate me. It does." I began by admitting.
Even though I stopped to put my emotions into the right words Alise didn't interrupt me.
"I'm touched. I'm touched that you all care so much, but I just… can't." I felt myself unable to continue my thoughts.
"Can't tell us about your issue?" Alise guessed correctly.
I nodded quickly.
She needed to know that I could handle it myself, that they didn't have to worry about me like this.
"The "issue" is not something easily fixable and its not something I want you all to know either. I just… I'm working on it. I know if I can just be…complete it would be supressed. Or rather I wouldn't have so much trouble dealing with it."
Can't you feel our burning desires? We need to see the sun again
Alise looked at me oddly.
"Complete, you're missing something?" She asked with a confused tone.
I felt like slapping myself. She didn't need to know that. I'd overshared.
"You remember how I'm missing certain things, reading & writing and the sort? I had a part of me… separated from myself after an incident. It's unrelated to my other issue but if I can get that part back… I'm sure I'd sort it out." That was all I'd dare share with her.
Alise was silent for a bit just thinking silently.
"Well, if that's how you want it!" She gave ground. How rare was that in my usual relationships? How many people had given me ground when I'd asked it instead of having to take it by force?
Three at most.
"Though Taylor…. If you ever do want our help becoming complete again just ask for it, alright?" Alise mentioned as she leaned off the tree.
I felt a shiver go down my spine at that. Get their help?
A scene flashed by my eyes. The girls strewn about the ground their blood pooling beneath savaged bodies. Bite marks, crushed limbs and stab wounds littered their bodies.
Alise… her kind face twisted in fear and fury glaring at me.
The inevitable
I felt like retching. That… no.
That would never come to pass. The vision Alise's kind gesture had suddenly shown me would never become reality. I'd reach into my chest and crush the stone inside first.
"Taylor?" Alise called out bringing me back into the real world.
I was pale and breathing heavily.
"I… I will." I lied.
Alise looked at me with nothing but genuine concern. She reached a hand across to my shoulder and grasped it tightly. The weight anchored me down. I felt myself calming.
Alise nodded with a smile on her face. "Alright then!" She claimed. The smile couldn't hide the worried look in her eyes.
She hid it quickly as she stepped away from the tree. Looks like the others were already done with their visit. I followed after her as we walked towards them to return to the camp.
"Say Taylor… your problem is forbidden but your past is still free game, right?" Alise asked as we walked back.
I thought about it for a second.
"Sure."
Not like they'd ever be able to guess correctly.
We were almost at the surface. Our convoy made up out of three different familias had split apart for the last stretch of the journey with Loki familia trailing a few hours behind us. Supposedly so they could exit separately. Much to Ais's displeasure.
Astrea Familia and Ninkarrak familia along with me however had joined back together as we neared the end of the first floor.
Alise had made sure everyone looked in tip top shape. Most of our wounds had healed already so except for a few people with a few smaller cuts from the trip up we were all looking well.
It was apparently something bigger familia did to keep the people of the city happy and of course to wave the flag so to say. It made sense to me.
As we neared the exit the girls and I took point, and Alise hefted the massive sword we'd taken from Udaeus onto her shoulders.
I'd say we looked well. Our clothes were washed clean and the damaged ones replaced with others though even with Fels's special soap I'd not been able to get the blood out of my dress completely, my cloak was back to its actual white colour, but the dress had been thoroughly tinted a light red.
I'd still worn it, on Alise's insistence. She'd argued it looked the best out of the outfits we had that fit me. I'd gone along since she was being insufferable about it and that the outfit itself didn't smell bad or anything.
Though I'd told her I'd throw it out if we still couldn't get the stains out once we were on the surface.
She'd just given me a thumbs up and said that we'd get to go on another shopping trip then. "This time we'll match!" Had been her dread inducing words.
"Chins up girls. We're almost out." Alise said as we climbed the stairs out of the Dungeon.
"Sure, but try to have that grin be a little less shit eating, alright? You're looking a bit insane with a smile that wide." Lyra sent back.
Alise pursed her lips before smirking even wider.
"Please don't throw your sword at the first guy that catcalls you again, Leon." Kaguya lectured even though she had a smug smile on her face.
Leon's flustered reply was barely held back. She shook her head before putting on a cool looking smile herself.
Finally we stepped into Babel making heads turn our way. People immediately began calling that Astrea familia had returned.
We weren't even outside yet.
I took my place slightly behind the girls though since I was almost a head taller than Kaguya, the tallest among them, it didn't exactly hide me behind them.
I let a soft smile form on my face as we stepped out and I felt the sun on my skin again.
The wonderous blue sky
I felt my Passenger's attention on me immediately almost as if it was saying "Welcome Back". The smile widened slightly.
I paid no attention to the crowd slowly forming around us as we walked through the streets to the square, where we would bid Ninkarrak familia goodbye.
Alise waved at the crowd with a wide smile and raised the sword we'd taken from Udaeus in the air prompting a loud murmur to pass through the gathering people as they wondered what it was.
I simply kept walking as Kaguya and Leon talked among themselves while Alise along with Lyra gave the people around us waves and poses.
"They made it!" Was a very widespread sentiment among those gathered around us.
Which was not unexpected. The people knew our expedition had been a death march. They hadn't expected us to come back and especially since we looked so hale and hearty.
We'd survived and right now we were heroes for these people.
Though this sort of attention wasn't the sort of thing I wanted much off. Especially with how many people were talking about who I was.
"How many of us do you think will level up?" Leon asked Kaguya.
"I literally fought two levels above myself until my muscles tore off my bones. Lyra was fighting three levels up. Not even mentioning Alise and you. Taylor will as well probably, she was tearing herself apart the entire fight." She replied.
I knew for a fact that I wouldn't "Level Up". I'd gotten a lot stronger, possibly even breaking out into the lower end of six level with all of the powerful magic stones I'd gotten my hands on and the recoverable remains of Udaeus's stone. But I didn't have a Falna.
"Oh speaking of… Denatus is next month, no? We might get some new aliases!" Alise mentioned from the front.
"Ah… Lady Astrea will probably be really stressed if all of us level up at the same time." Lyra added.
Why would she be stressed because of that? Denatus… I had no clue what it was. Some sort of naming ceremony for the newly levelled up seemed likely.
"Ah! Miss Taylor… I've been meaning to ask you. What is your alias? I've never seen you on the Guild's board and you don't use it either." Leon asked me with her head tilted my way.
I didn't exactly have an alias. I didn't have a Falna, so I was fairly sure I couldn't get one. I had had names I went by in the past. But Weaver, Skitter or… Khepri weren't exactly fitting, were they? Though I suppose it could work…
"I don't have one. I've never received one. But people used to call me "Weaver"." I said.
Weaver was… despite how bad my obsession had been when I went by that name, it was the only one I'd still want as an alias.
"That's odd. You never got an alias but were given a nickname. Why?" Kaguya asked me, apparently listening for my answer to Leon.
I wasn't sure how to answer her. "I'd say because her familia probably hid her identity." Lyra guessed from the front.
I latched onto her reasoning. "Something like that." I responded casually.
Kaguya didn't exactly look convinced, but she let it go.
Though Leon had something to add.
"Weaver? Like a pun on your name?" She asked.
I almost stopped moving when she said that.
…
"I suppose…"
Though I was fairly sure that hadn't been on purpose, my debut as weaver had been fast and loose with a lot of people being rushed along processes. Or at least I filled in the blanks that way.
I remember arguments with people lots of talk about building something new. Lies, rushed conversations with tired looking people. Almost descending to tears as I left my old life and friends behind.
The name Weaver… I didn't even remember if I'd picked it out or if I'd just gone along with something picked for me.
Alise clicked her tongue.
"Don't worry Taylor, I'll ask Lady Astrea to get a good name for you as well!" She assured me.
"You're not even sure I'll get a level up." I said.
Alise raised a brow as if asking me "Seriously?".
Before shaking her head with a smile.
"Even if you don't the gods will give you one the moment, they notice you don't have one." Lyra added on.
Ugh…
I'm sure it'll be terrible. Or at least there was a 50% chance it would be terrible. Lyra and Kaguya had the aliases "Cunning Rat" and "Yamato Dragon Valor" respectively. Not exactly good names.
Though Leon's "Gale Wind" and Alise's "Scarlet Harnel" weren't exactly bad names themselves on average the given names tended towards the… embarrassing side more often than not.
Whatever… I'm sure the gods won't take much notice of me anyways.
Fels the Fool
Walking through the empty corridors of the main Guild building had always felt like home to me. When all the employees left at night, and it was all quiet this place might've become off putting to most. But roaming these halls taking care of things was something I did quite often.
The Guild ran itself, but there was always more for me to do. Such as right now. Taylor and her companions had returned two weeks ago. Triumphant but spent. When I'd seen all the blood Taylor, and her outfit had been soaked in… It had annoyed me thoroughly.
Especially since I hadn't figured out the culprit behind the fault in bureaucracy. But eventually everyone missteps. The culprit themselves hadn't but the Evilus contact, a hume bunny belonging to a supposedly extinct familia, had.
I'd tracked her down with my familiars and making her talk had been easy. I'd disposed of her already and her familia would soon also be similarly taken care of. Luckily for them Ganesha was merciful, I hadn't been.
I wasn't inclined towards mercy with this one either.
Morcan Phrys. A trusted Guild official and head of the wing charged with assessing familia strengths and assigning ranks. Surprising, he's served the guild faithfully for over fifty years. He had a troubled relationship with his ex-wife but got along well with his three daughters.
By all means I saw no reason for him to betray the Guild.
He hadn't left his office today. He had realised we were onto him. But he hadn't tried to escape.
I stopped in front of his office. There was light peaking out of the gaps, the magic stone lamps were still on.
I gently grasped the door and tried opening it. It was unlocked. I opened the door gently and stepped inside with my gauntlets at the ready.
The room inside was baren. Yes, that would be fitting. The luxury afforded to Guild employees of such high rank was nowhere to be seen except artisan made ashen wood desk and the expensive whisky on the table. A rare brand from the heart of the Empire. How nostalgic.
Morcan was behind the desk calmly sipping at his drink. The old human with a bald head and glasses had a face aged by stress and a well-kept, short beard. There was a matching crystal whisky glass at the edge of the desk. Seeing me step inside he poured me a drink without a moment's hesitation.
He didn't look surprised even by my looks as he poured simply inspecting me calmly.
"I'd always suspected Lord Ouranos had someone taking care of this sort of thing. Never expected this sort of look though." His voice croaked out.
A smoker and a heavy one. I could see an ash tray to the side with a bunch of high-quality cigars smoked down to the ends. He had been waiting for me for a while.
I carefully stepped closer to the desk and grasped the whisky glass. I couldn't actually drink it, but it was plain impolite to not accept the offer. The man was clearly ready to die and just setting the window dressing.
"Why did you betray the Guild, I could see no reason for you to do so?" I voiced the only question in my mind.
The man looked at me oddly. "Humouring a dead man? Whatever, there were notes in the desk if you killed me before hearing me out, but this is fine too."
He answered before taking another sip.
Notes? Ideologically motivated then. A rarity in this day and age.
"23 level ups. Sixteen level twos, two level threes, two level fours, three level fives. In a singular expedition. A level up record I haven't seen in the last twenty years." He said heavily.
I tried to remember the last time I'd seen something like that… If not counting what Maxim had done and the Great Feud both of which weren't expeditions. He was right. That sort of sudden growth had become rare.
"With how peaceful Orario has gotten especially with most of the more rumbunctious familia now wiped out… Adventurers have stopped fighting each other, Royman's "Wargames" are a sham. Orario is simply not producing enough high-level adventurers. Just two decades ago there were over twenty level sevens running around… There are now two."
The old human orated dispassionately. But I could see despair in his eyes. He was afraid.
I could see his point and already guessed why he'd betrayed us. This was a man terrified of the future.
"The possibility of the Dragon coming back… It terrifies you."
He was more than old enough to remember that moment when the Black Dragon had become active again. When the entire world had held its breath. It haunted him still, especially since he must've grown up when Zeus and Hera familias were in their ascendency.
Those two massive familias, often lauded as the strongest in the mortal realm, had been broken and shattered by the Great Dragon. Many of the higher ups in the Guild had had to read through the reports in excruciating detail.
The old man stared into my hood with haunted eyes.
"It does. The thought of not just myself but my daughters and their children perishing at the hands of that thing? It makes shivers shoot down my spine.
Orario must become stronger but with Loki and Freya running things it won't ever come to proper battles among adventurers. Especially with Royman getting his grubby little fingers all over everything. Even among knife ears that man is a wretch."
I disregarded the casual slur towards elves. It was a rarity but often found among older human residents of Orario. Before the Alf princess had come here along with Loki elves had been a rarity and therefore feared and hated. Such sentiments had disappeared over time, but it peaked out rarely.
Not that it mattered, Morcan was not leaving this room alive.
"You received the offer from Evilus and decided it was your chance to show us that dangerous expeditions would work." I added on.
The old man downed the last remaining bit of his whisky and poured himself another glass.
"Exactly. The Evilus lunatics were crafty. They told me about the reassignment of the expedition beforehand. All I had to do was find the old one among the shelves before Royman managed to dispose of it and send it along instead. I've detailed how I did it in my notes along with all the information I have about Evilus. Do what you will with that." He said as he continued enjoying his last drink.
This man still had some odd loyalty to the Guild, he didn't see himself as a traitor. Unsurprising, no one thinks themselves as evil except the gods and the foolish.
I'd heard enough. Whatever his intentions, he had gone against Lord Ouranos's Divine Will. He needed to be disposed of. Even if I understood his reasoning.
…
And agreed with it to some point. His method had almost cost us a vital familia and my colleague.
That could not go unanswered.
"I see. Morcan Phrys, your intentions may have, in your eyes, been noble. But you have sinned against Orario and all of the Mortal Realm by going against Lord Ouranos. Do you have any last wishes?" I asked him out curtesy.
The old man looked straight into my eyes even through my obscuring hood. There was only acceptance in those eyes, no fear of death. Perhaps this man had already been killed by his fears.
"Ensure my whore of a wife gets nothing, will you? My kids need it more than that old bag." He said instead of begging me to take what he'd shown into consideration.
He understood that he'd already done all that he could to convince me and the Guild's leadership. Now he only cared about the family he was leaving behind.
He could've stayed with them longer had he just tried to bring this to Lord Ouranos attention instead of going past him. But I would respect his death.
"Very well." I answered and assured him simply.
My hand darted out and pierced straight through his throat, I finished him off by turning the insides of his head into mush with a shockwave. Quick and mostly painless. That is how a life should be taken.
I let the corpse slump onto the table. We couldn't afford to let the public know the Guild had been compromised for all intents and purposes Morcan Phyrs had been killed by an assassin from out of Orario.
It was for the best.
I reached past him and into the drawers of his desk to retrieve his notes. I might not have been fond of how he'd gone about it…
But the desperation brought about by his fears… it had produced something worthwhile.
Expeditions needed to be more difficult, the adventurers of Orario needed to be pushed harder, further. Closer to Death. Or one day we'd all perish beneath the claws of the One-Eyed Black Dragon.
Astrea the Goddess of Justice and Purity
Denatus. That dreaded word…
I stiffened my spine to keep the shivers out even as I walked to the meeting room. It had never been something I enjoyed, even though my colleagues were always so fond of it.
I mostly attended to keep the worst names at bay… But now I was on the chopping block, or rather my children along with little Taylor, but I had come to consider her a… sort of adopted child.
Even though such a thought was insolent I couldn't stop feeling that way. I'd been intending on inviting her to the Familia, but Alise had quickly dissuaded me of that notion.
I trusted her supernatural intuition and her ability to understand other children even better than us gods, who comprehended the functioning of their souls perfectly. Ashamed as I am to admit it, I don't always say the right words to children on the brink of breaking apart. And if there was one way to describe how Taylor was… it would be that.
Alise and the girls would tell me when I could step in, her healing was not something that could be rushed through. It was a work of years. A grand work I was more than happy to strive for, that girl had saved my other children over and over again. Healing her broken soul was the least I could do.
Besides… I wanted to hear her Justice. I wanted to understand her vision. Surely… It would be something I could only find in the lower world.
But for that I first needed to power through this Denatus and get my children and Taylor some good aliases. Then with that terrible expedition behind us my children could finally recover, the familia could recover. And the spirits of my children, who'd already left us, could rest properly.
"Ey, it's Astrea!" A god shouted out the moment he saw me. I put on my usual smile, even if this one was fake, it would hide my vulnerability.
"Seriously? Her familia just got four level ups, right?" Another replied to him.
"She's open season then!" A goddess called out.
Though a number of my… admirers among the men glared at her many of them also agreed. Such was politics among gods.
Seriously… I wish Hestia had descended already; I'd have someone to complain to about all these lecherous scums. The other gods just did not get it. Well there is Artemis… but despite how lovely and friendly she was with me her… odd relationship with romance made any conversations with her in Gekai very tiring.
Ughh! Focus Astrea! Your children are counting on you!
I saw a familiar head of red hair and silently took the empty seat next to her.
"Welcome… Are you ready?" She asked with an ominous tone the moment I sat down.
I almost deflated right then and there.
"I think I am." I answered her evenly.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh you actually are anxious, that's rare. You've always been totally collected even when your children levelled up." She said.
I felt like slamming my head repeatedly into the table in front of our seats. But I held myself back.
"I have five children I need to get good names for this time… I'm not letting a name like "Yamato Rindou" be given to any of them again." I said softly and calmly.
Hephaestus looked confused for a second but then responded.
"Taylor, that's the fifth one. I didn't know she was one of yours." She replied.
I shook my head slightly.
"She isn't but apparently, she has no one to watch out for her and has no alias already. There is no way other gods haven't noticed her; I need to work for her as well." I explained.
Hephaestus nodded. "I see, I see. Well, there isn't too much known about her so it should be fine. This bunch of idiots shouldn't find anything too outrageous."
I hoped she was right but deep down I was not so sure.
Before I replied to her a fair skinned goddess with long black hair wearing a mask that hid the upper half of her face walked to the centre of the meeting room. Hathor, a veteran god in the mortal realm or rather a survivor of the times of Zeus and Hera. A moderate if well liked face among most gods.
I wouldn't have expected her to take centre stage like this in Denatus. She was fond of attention but hated being right in the centre of things.
"All right settle in. I'm Hathor and I've the misfortune of directing this… whatever number-th Denatus due to… Being voted in? Alright then, can't argue with democracy all that much."
Ah that explains it. She's another member of the "The Male gods want me to constantly pamper them" group.
"It's just the men voting you in, you hack!" A goddess I didn't recognize shouted over at her.
"Sure, sure." Hathor, as calm as always when she wasn't complaining, simply waved her off.
Hathor wandered her hidden gaze over the other gods arranged around her in a semi-circle.
"This week has been a bit eventful, not evening mentioning the new Guest that appeared in the sky, there have been over seventy level ups in the past three months. Yes seventy, you can blame a large portion of that on Astrea and Ninkarrak who collectively had twenty-three level ups happen in a single expedition-" As Hathor was speaking she was interrupted.
"Twenty-three? The guild reports your children went down in a group of… thirty eight. That's straight up insane, no way that happened!" A god screamed out from the side.
Here we go.
"I don't want to blame Astrea of cheating, she's a virtuous and beautiful and pure goddess but Ninkarrak has to have been cheating, right?" Another god shouted.
I felt like cringing when I heard that. Seconds later one of the bowls with snacks in them was thrown at the gods face. His head was knocked back and he screamed and hid underneath the desk.
"The hell did you say!? Come out you piece of shit, I'll fucking kill you!" Ninkarrak had always had a bit of an explosive temper.
Even with her friends holding her back she seemed about ready to jump the god, that was cowering behind his desk.
""""FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"""" The other deusdea cheering her on certainly didn't help.
I needed to step in.
"I-" As I was talking to stop them another voice acted before me.
"I AM GANESHA!" The reverberating claim made everyone else stop shouting and all eyes were immediately drawn to Ganesha doing a single-handed head stand and flexing.
…Ashamed as I am to admit it, I found my eyes roaming his body.
Well… surely this too was justice? Wait that sounded like something Alise would say. I needed to be better; I couldn't indulge my child too much. I averted my eyes much to Hephaestus's amusement.
"Yes… you are Ganesha, we can tell from the stupid mask." A goddess commented from the side.
"I HAVE WATCHED THE SITUATION WITH BATED BREATH AS IT WAS HAPPENING! WITH THE INFORMATION I, GANESHA, HAVE ACCUMULATED I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE WAS NO CHEATING INVOLVED!" He shouted out constantly.
"Ganesha, a bit quieter please." I asked him in between his breaths.
He nodded with a broad smile my way. I felt Hephaestus patting me on the back as I forced myself to react only with a kind smile.
"As I was saying! Astrea's children along with Ninkarrak's descended down to the thirty seventh floor to fight Udaeus! Do not take this as an insult but Ninkarrak's children aren't strong! They are weak! Even just escorting Astrea's girls down was like a Death March for them!" Ganesha defended us with all his heart.
"I'd heard they went down deep but isn't that insane? Astrea has one fourth of a familia left and Ninkarrak is well… Ninkarrak." A god commented from the side.
I beat down the onset of sorrow at the mention of my… depleted familia but didn't glare at him or gave any outward sign of weakness.
"It is… What did they have three level fours, two level threes and a bunch of level twos and ones? That's not the kind of force that can casually take that journey down let alone beat Udaeus."
"I mean if the Astrea girls did most of the work maybe…"
"Can we just move on? The details are all in the Guild report you have in front of you. If you actually read for once maybe we would be able to get through a Denatus on time." Hathor complained.
Her scathing words stopped the ongoing conversation.
Once everyone was silent, somehow, she began talking again.
"About the Guest in the sky, I'm sure everyone knows that thing doesn't belong here. Despite that the idiots above let it get this close for some stupid reason. If anyone knows anything about why that could be tell us, I'd like to know." Hathor said.
"It's because it's cute, isn't it?" A goddess voiced.
"It has to be!" A god joined her.
Well I had to agree with them. I wasn't quite sure what exactly it was, we weren't allowed to use our powers down here in the mortal realm, but even then, the little one felt like a sad lost puppy looking for something.
They'd probably let her in because of that alone…
Also entertainment. It was very boring up there. Our Guest was some sort of special mortal that had managed to evolve enough to turn into whatever it was. It was unique, interesting, something new.
And if there was one thing gods loved it was things they did not know.
"I want to squish its chonky body like a ball of puff!" Another god called out.
"""Right!?""" A bunch of others joined him.
"Even if it was a problem, it's in Tenkai, no? The others will just turn it to nothing the moment it tries something that could harm the children." One of the gods, I think his name was Thoth, added.
"Well if that's all we'll rush by the rest of the points on the list…." Hathor interrupted before someone could jump in.
"Ganesha, your familia has been really active dealing with Evilus, thank you as always. Ishtar got penalised by the Guild for a private matter, she managed to piss of Ouranos somehow, that whore. Ugh… what else, what else?" Hathor said as she looked through the mass of papers she'd gotten from somewhere.
"Oh… That unknown adventurer that was with Astrea familia… she apparently doesn't have an alias, so we'll talk about that during the naming." She added with a soft smirk.
The way she drew attention to Taylor didn't bode well…
"Then?" A goddess asked with a wicked smile on her face.
Hathor nodded with a matching smile.
"Naming Ceremony time!" She claimed and pulled out a stack and placed it onto the desk in front of her.
"I have some minor ones and then we'll get to the real meat of the matter! First of one of Magni's Dormul Bolster! A new level two here."
"Please be kind to him, he embarrasses himself enough as it is!" Magni begged the others.
A series of smiles were shot between the deusdea.
""""HAHAHAHAHA! No way!"""" They responded.
I tried not to wince.
"Hmmm… he looks very clumsy, doesn't he?"
"Kind of lumbering, perhaps?"
"The Lumbering Giant! The Mountain Eater Lumber foot!"
"AHAHAHAHA That's good, that's good!"
"Please, he's just a kid!" Magni begged.
"Let's not directly insult the child. Something other than Lumber foot please." I commented even though I knew it would weaken my position later on.
I couldn't stand that child getting a name like that and thinking it was… a "good" name.
"Well it's Astrea…"
"Hmmm… How about we change Lumber foot for Heavy Step Fighter!?"
"Then…. It's Mountain Eater Heavy Step Fighter!"
"Agreed!"
I silently rubbed my forehead.
…It was…better. Not much but better. I just couldn't do much more right now.
"Moving on then, we have Ratri's Asomia Petel! A dark elf rated 24th on the cutest elves ranking and a mage with a serious attitude!"
"Please! Let that child be! She's done no wrong!"
"Hmm… How about Duskbound Songstress Charmer of the Night?"
"No… not embarrassing enough."
"She uses a whip? Ahahahahaha!"
"Oh oh! Songstress of Night, Mistress of Dreams!"
"NOOOO! MY CUTE LITTLE PETEL IS NOTHING LIKE THAT YOU DEGENERATES!" The suffering goddess screamed in second-hand embarrassment.
I wanted to intervene but as I glanced at the series of papers right under this one, I held my words back.
It was my turn next.
"Done and done! Alright if our reporter is ready, we can move on to the real thing, Astrea Familia! All of these beloved girls have levelled up, so we have a lot to choose from! First up, the familia Captain, the beloved of energetic girl enjoyers everywhere we have our fresh level five ALISE LOVELL!"
"Burning hearted warrior of love and Justice!"
"Too long!"
"Magical Girl of Justice?"
"She's not a mage idiot!"
"Burning Idol, Immortal Flame Bird!"
I saw two gods trying to agree with the last one and stepped in.
"Rejected, my child is not your idol." I said firmly.
They backed down at my rare icy tone.
"Maiden of flame, Luminous Warrior of Justice?"
I could allow that; it was a bit too long though.
"Too Long again! Two words people! Two words to be used and two words to describe!"
"Then the Scarlet Shine, Starflame Maiden!"
"That's just aping her old name, no?"
"Is that a crime? it's a good name!"
"We need something with flowers then!"
"Screw that! Maiden does the same thing anyways!"
As the arguments continued, and I watched carefully for a place to step in, if need be, a pair of heels clacked against the stone floors.
Thee noise was right behind me, but I was too focused to turn.
A pair of delicate, beautiful hands wrapped around my neck, and I felt a woman push herself against my back. I knew this feeling, Freya.
"OOOOHHH! IT'S FREYA!"
"THANK YOU FOR THE SHOT!"
"A Beauty wrapped around another beauty." A goddess shouted from the side.
I felt Freya's breath on my neck as she wrapped herself tightly around me in a hug.
I tilted my head upwards.
"Hello, Freya. You're a bit late." I commented while trying to hide my nerves.
"Careless as always." Loki commented for the first time since Denatus started.
Freya winked at her much to the joy of many deusdea around us. She walked to my side and without even a glance his direction the god sitting there got off his seat and offered it to her. She sat down with a smile and a silent thank you.
"I wasn't going to come but I heard your kids all levelled up. Thought you'd appreciate the help." The Goddess of Beauty and War whispered.
I nodded in thanks.
"Well… if you're done swooning after her let's continue." Hathor brought people back on topic.
"Starflame Maiden is a good name, no? I think we can go with that." Freya said moments after.
She shot me a soft smile as if saying "Did I do it?". I nodded slightly.
Starflame Maiden was good, it wasn't embarrassing even if it was a bit too noticeable a play on my name.
As no complaints came from around the table Hathor looked around.
"Well… okay then, we'll go with Scarlet Shine, Starflame Maiden for Alise Lovell." She said hesitantly.
With no one saying anything she moved on.
"Another Astrea familia member, the Pallum with pink hair and a taunting look plastered onto her constantly Lyra. Now a level four with the old alias of Cunning Rat."
"Damn that alias…"
"It's bad…"
"To be fair it was really funny back then, but it's kind of gotten… well she was level two when we gave it to her."
"Hmmm… She has that dyed pink hair but she's not exactly "Alt" or anything like that. She's really smug though…"
"She visits the casino often…And I'm fairly sure she has blackmail material on them since she never gets banned no matter how often she wins. We could go with that?"
"What like Extorter? That's stupid!"
"She's still Astrea's girl, so she can't be that bad."
"Oh! Oh! Loki's kid Braver acts real funny every time she's around, we could reference that!"
"Try it and I'll kill you." Loki said bluntly.
"""Message Received""" The others chorused.
"Astrea, make her wear some chains and belts! Please I beg of you!"
"I'm not going to force my girl to indulge your fetish." I responded calmly but with a cutting smile.
Though well… with the clothes She'd been eyeing recently I feared she was going towards it on her own.
"She's the strategist of Astrea familia, right?"
"Kind of? I don't get that sort of feel from her, though she's supposed to be cunning. I mean there is a reason we gave her that name."
"Cunning Lop?"
"What is this, evolution? She went from Rat to Lop!?"
"Smooth claw?"
What?
"No? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Smooth something does fit though."
"She doesn't look innocent and pure at all…"
"Well she's kind of like a fox, right? With the smile as well…"
"Smooth Fox? It's not really all that impactfull…"
Please just settle on that! Please!
"We can't just call her Vixen, right?"
"…Can't we?"
"Smooth Sly Foxy Vixen!"
"That's beyond stupid!"
"No fake alliterations then?"
"That has nothing to do with alliteration!"
"Callidus Vulpis?"
"You just changed it into fake latin!"
"Wait that's actually kind of good?"
It wasn't embarrassing at least. Hell it was even better than the one before.
"We have to reject it then, right?"
"My child is level four now; I'd rather she gets a decent name for a change." I requested softly from them.
I knew that many wouldn't be able to resist my soft voice and innocent phrasing. I wasn't above manipulation if it was for my children.
"Ugh! That name is fine!" A goddess screamed out.
"This argument was getting boring anyways."
"…" Hathor simply looked around before sighing and shaking her head.
"Alright then, Callidus Vulpis is the new Alias for Lyra of the Astrea familia." She nodded towards the god charged with recording.
Hathor was already looking tired, and the other gods were only getting rowdier. I had been lucky my children were so early on in this massive pile.
"Okay… Okay, who do we have next? Aha, Gale Wind. Ryuu Lyon. Rated number four on "I want her to look at me with a…disgusted look" list…" Hathor trailed off as she read the information card on Ryuu.
I couldn't help but cringe. When that poll had come out poor Ryuu had been almost catatonic in shock. I was glad she hadn't managed to learn of all her other rankings.
Hathor clicked her tongue as she roamed her gaze accusingly at the other deusdea.
"Well whatever, she's a favourite so I don't really need to announce her. Do your thing." She said dismissively and sat down on a nearby chair.
"How about Fairy Diva! She's a mage, right?"
Well… she was now, she hadn't been though.
"No she's a warrior with magic, we can't be inconsistent with this sort of thing…" Another god countered quickly blowing that name off.
I almost let out a relieved sigh. I mean… calling someone "Diva"? Bad taste.
"Oh! Oh! The Perfect and Elegant Warrior, Starkwind Tänzerin!" A goddess shouted out with laughter bursting out of her.
No way!
"Absolutely not!" I countered her.
A lot of heads turned my way because of my loud denial. I didn't back down, keeping my stern smile on my face took every bit of willpower I had left. Their gazes continued boring into me, but I wouldn't give way.
Why had they latched onto singer and dancer type names so strongly anyways? Was this Fate at work? It couldn't have been, Fate was fickle at the best of times this sort of targeted thing just did not happen.
…Unless something like that skill popped up.
Ugh! I was happy about it! I was! But I remember… I remember! Those sorts of things are always ill portents!
"Qualis Artifex Vivo" Ryuu's new skill. Had it just been another skill I would've been able to just rest easily. But it bothered me! It made every single bit of my divine intuition fire!
"Then just give the choice to Freya!" Those words brought me back to the real world.
I was careless, the discussion had gone on while I wasn't paying attention. I glanced over at Freya , who was looking as calm as she almost always did.
She smiled gently my way.
"Let's just keep her old name, no?" She said mercifully. But as I was looking closely at her, I noticed something. Interest.
Deep Interest, burgeoning love, obsession. Madness. Filth. Desire. Impurity. Unvirtuous. Shameful. Greedy. All consuming.
She was interested in Ryuu. This wasn't about helping me out at all! She just wanted to take my child from me. She just wanted to take me away from them.
She-!
No. No. I can't think that way again. She had more than one intention. Her interest in Ryuu was one, the rest helping me. She was a person, multifaceted and flawed. She was a friend to me, or at least had tried to be.
To prepare to take Ryuu. She's trying to take my child. She's trying to take me away from them. Just like back when her and her ilk made the other gods take me back to Tenkai.
…
No… That was hundreds of thousands of years ago…
I can't…
I felt a hand wrap around my shaking arm. Strong and familiar, Hephaestus. I felt my heartbeat calm down. My intuition had been right. Ryuu had something bad in store for her, Fate was moving along.
…
But I couldn't know Freya's intentions. She was… she wasn't to blame for what had happened back then.
No one was to blame.
Freya might just be fond of Ryuu; she might not wish to rip her away from me.
If she did, could I stop her?
I couldn't… It wasn't even her charm; I could easily beat that down no matter how strong she was. It was her familia.
I anchored myself back into the real world. Not now…
Not now…
Her interest in Ryuu needed to be monitored carefully, I just needed to watch out.
"Well if that's it then Lyon is keeping her alias as Gale Wind. We just have one more Astrea familia girl to go-" Just as Hathor had begun speaking, moving onto Kaguya a goddess interrupted her.
"Oh! This one is Yamato Rindou, right?"
"-Yes, just as I was about to say. Kaguya Gojouno, or Yamato Dragon Valor the far eastern swordswoman." Hathor continued with a tired look in her eyes and a drawling voice.
"Well… her name is kind of good, no?"
"It is but we can give her something way worse!"
"Damn right! Shadow Cutter Dragon's Descendent!"
"Damn, that's good…"
It wasn't good at all! If Kaguya heard that and said it sounded cool I'm sure I'd lose a part of my soul.
"There is no way you're giving that name to my child after she tore apart her arms fighting against Udaeus!" I shouted out, even though I knew for a fact it wouldn't work.
"Nah, Astrea's right, she needs a topical name!"
Hook line and sinker. It wouldn't work, but it would move them away from that name.
"Hmmm… Shadow Kingslayer?"
"Kingslayer sounds too cool! We can't let her have that."
It didn't sound cool at all! It was just as cringe inducing as the last one!
"Something with Duellist?"
"She needs something Eastern, she's the Ideal Eastern Beauty after all!"
"Oi that name… Ideal Eastern Beauty?"
"Hell no! Have you met her? She's as poisonous as an entire bed of vipers!"
What did that bastard just say about my child?
"Excuse you!?" I called out.
I knew Kaguya had her… sharp edges, but that was taking it a bit too far!
The god who'd said that shrivelled back.
"Well… moving away from that. She's from the Gojou House, no? Maybe we could go for that?" A god who had originally lived in the Far East.
"Oh? She's some sort of noble?"
"Kind of, soldier nobility and assassins."
Considering Kaguya's intense hate of her family I couldn't let that sort of name be either.
"Excuse me, Kaguya's relationship with her house is not exactly on the… polite side. If you give her a name relating to them, I won't be responsible for what she does afterwards."
I cautioned them. Partially exaggerating how wrathful Kaguya would be, but not without a hint of truth in it.
"Oi that's kind of menacing, aren't you supposed to be the Goddess of Justice?"
"Well… to be fair to the children wouldn't it be justice if they took revenge on us for the names?"
"Hell no! We're gods, they should expect this sort of stuff."
"There is no absolute justice." I added to the conversation with a cool tone.
"Ugh! She would! That demon would absolutely attack us if she figured it out!"
"Aren't you a bit too traumatised because of that one time she rejected you?"
Quiet sobbing was all I heard from that god afterwards.
…Kaguya what exactly did you do?
"Ah screw it! Just go with Dragon something! We'll add Yamato somewhere as well and that'll make both parties happy." A goddess shouted from the side.
"Yamato Shadow Dragon!"
"Too close to her old name!"
"I really want shadow in the name!"
I really didn't want shadow in the name!
"Yamato Shadow Duellist!"
I felt myself cringe and it took all my willpower to not show it on my face. I could feel the other deusdea watching me for a reaction.
"Spider Lilly Swordswoman!" A goddess put forth.
"Oh oh, Shadow Lily Swordswoman!"
"That's good…"
"It's a bit too long though."
"Just call her Shadow Lily!"
"But she has a spider lily on her?"
"Shadow Spider Lily doesn't have the right ring does it!?"
It wasn't too bad a name I could take it.
"No we should just go With Yamato Shadow Kingslayer."
"I think so too."
I felt my eyebrows raising again.
No, way! They were backtracking!
"Spider Lilly Swordswoman is good, no?" Freya interrupted before I could.
I almost let out a relieved breath as the gods immediately began agreeing with her.
"Spider Lilly Swordswoman, then?"
"""Agreed!"""
"Alright, that's the Astrea girls done. We have one more included with them before we move onto Ninkarrak though." Hathor moved on quickly.
It was Taylor's turn.
"Alright folks some of you may have noted an odd sneak in the groups. Level Unknown, Familia Unknown we basically have nothing about this one other than her name. Taylor Hebert." Hathor continued and I watched as gods read through the guild report.
"Oi, this one's the Brass Sky kid."
"Old guy, did you give your blessing to a kid again!?" A god shouted out.
Moments later an answer came from Ouranos's microphone.
"No, I still do not have any children. I have not had a child in seven hundred years." The calm and wise voice of the Elder God of the Sky came in a steady monotone.
The accusing god immediately sat down.
"Astrea, do you know whose child she is?" A goddess asked me.
I shook my head.
"That child has saved my children many times she never wanted to share, and I never pushed."
"Tch, considerate goddesses." A god complained from the side.
"Wait! I recognise her! She was always visiting Loki's home! She one of yours?"
Loki shook her head as well.
"No, she's just some kid my little Aizu dragged home."
"Dragged home?"
"Apparently she saved Aizu in the Dungeon and Ais dragged her home." Loki explained dismissively. I couldn't read what she was actually thinking but I'd heard from the girls recently that Taylor and Ais had a sort of… older and younger sibling relationship.
The reason why, I didn't know but if she had that kind of bond with Ais, I doubted Loki intended anything ill towards her. No matter how much of a casual scum she was, she cared about the children.
"So she's strong?" A god asked her.
Loki looked ponderous for a moment before answering.
"About the very start of level six if I go by what my children tell me." Her words were like a bombshell with the way its ripples shook the room.
"""LEVEL SIX!?"""
I understood the sentiment, an unknown level four or five was one thing. But someone nearing the strength of some of the strongest in Orario right now? Possibly only surpassed by Loki and Freya's children?
That shook things, especially since she was known as being trusted by Ouranos and therefore the Guild.
"Oi that means someone has been hiding her for how long? Ouranos, don't hold out on us this is serious!" A goddess shouted in outrage.
"I can only tell you that I have no knowledge of her original familia other than that they no longer exist."
The reply that came silenced the discussion.
A familia with a level six or rather before the expedition Alise had called her on the level of five so let's go with that.
A person on the level of a level five could easily wipe the vast majority of familia currently in Orario. To think that one had been wiped out before anyone had even heard of them was beyond imagination.
"She's seriously not on record?"
"Well… I think she showed up around two to three months ago."
"That's it? That's all we know?"
"Kind of, she showed up around three months ago, she's strong, she had a familia that's apparently dead…"
"Oh oh! Mysterious Heroine!"
"Fuck that she doesn't look like a Heroine!"
"Yeah, she's a seven at best!"
"Oh fuck off!" A goddess shouted at the god.
"Well besides Mysterious isn't really the way I'd describe her." Hermes added.
All gazes turned his way.
"Oh he knows something."
"""He definitely does!"""
Hermes raised his hands as if surrendering.
"I just meant that she's not Mysterious, more so Unknown. She clearly keeps to herself helping out where she's needed… moreover she's been training Loki's kids, no?" I didn't believe that he didn't know something for a second.
He had that slimy look in his eyes again.
"Oi, you stalking my children again you bastard?" Loki said to him.
Hermes just closed his eyes and lowered his head apologetically.
"Tch, you can't help it I suppose, you creep."
"I'm just curious, nothing ill intentioned."
"Right."
Loki berated him with a disgusted look, whereas Hermes simply accepted it.
"So he's right, this Taylor has been teaching your kids some stuff? You haven taken teachers from outside familia in a decade or so Loki." Someone commented.
Loki leaned back as if already tired of things.
"She's good, she teaches the younger members proper teamwork and leaves my older kids free to do whatever they want. She doesn't take anything either but I'm fairly sure that's because Aizu convinces her to come over every time, bother her at your own peril."
As Loki spoke it was clearer and clearer that she was manoeuvring the conversation to protect Taylor.
Interesting, I'd thought she'd be on her side but actually putting in the effort? That was rare.
"Eh? So she's a teacher then?"
"She's also sort of exotic; you don't get that kind of hair in Orario all that often."
"Right? She looks central imperial."
"Maybe she came from there?"
"Getting to Level five or six on the surface? Like hell!"
"Ugh! Her origins can be discussed later just give her a name!" Hathor complained.
"Hey, she has a prosthetic!"
"What?"
"Holy… that looks expensive."
"More than expensive that looks priceless!"
"I recognise that work." The sudden addition from Goibniu stopped the discussion.
"You gonna tell us or what?"
"It's the Great Sage's craftsmanship."
"The Great Sage? I thought they were dead?"
"They literally made the philosopher's stone, no?"
"Didn't their god break it?"
"Did one of us do that?"
"Nuh uh, that was in Altena."
"So… even then this kid somehow found the literal Great Sage from what… eight hundred years ago and got a prosthetic from them?"
"Holy… talk about friends in high places…"
"Hermes is full of shit, this is definitely 'Mysterious'."
"Where the hell did this kid come from!?"
"Mysterious Mistress!"
"That's a stupid name, she's not even all that hot!"
"Unknown Peeress!"
"Is she even a noble?"
"She has to be, right? Where else would she get that kind of money?"
"She has a Brass Sky, she's got those premium quests!"
"Wait she's right, she's got Ouranos acting like a grandpa!"
"Doesn't that make her a little princess."
"The Sky Princess?"
"Don't just give her a copy of my Aizu's alias!" Loki countered that.
"Sky Child?"
"Nuh uh, too normal."
"Let's go with the teacher bit!"
"Mentor?"
"Unknown Mentor?"
"Nameless Mentor!"
"Well she didn't have an alias before and it's better than calling her something unknown or mysterious…"
"Let's play on the arm!"
No way!
"Please don't." I voiced out.
""Denied!""
I flinched at the simultaneous rejection; seems they had already decided on it like a damn hivemind.
"Armmaster!"
"Shit that's good, just chuuni enough but not too much. Perfect for a high-level child."
"At least make it Armsmaster, it's way too obvious!"
"Alright then, Nameless Armsmaster?"
It… wasn't too bad. A bit on the mean side but not necessarily bad.
"She really had that teacher vibe…"
"Nameless Tutor Armsmaster!"
"That! That's perfect!"
"It's not!"
"Freya you can see souls, right? Give us something from that!"
"I've never seen that child before; I can't say anything." Freya responded honestly.
Surprising, she usually noticed odd children immediately.
"Nameless Guide Armsmaster." Hermes mentioned with a smile.
"Screw it that's good!"
"Agreed!"
"Ah fuck, it's good enough then."
I wanted to step in but if I tried again, it might bring negative attention to Taylor, I wasn't her goddess after all.
Loki looked oddly amused. She glanced over at Hermes, and they smirked at each other as if partaking in a joke known only to them.
"I agree." She added.
"Well if everyone's alright with it…"
It was done.
Scarlet Shine, Starflame Maiden,
Callidus Vulpis,
Gale Wind,
Spider Lilly Swordswoman
And Nameless Guide, Armsmaster.
Not a bad naming ceremony, I just considered myself lucky I'd managed to keep the worst things out and had gotten Lyra a proper name. Though Taylor's one was a bit on the… worse side especially for someone around Level Six.
"Nameless Guide, Armsmaster." I deadpanned the name Alise told me was mine back to her.
"Yep! You got a real cool one."
Cool wasn't exactly what I'd describe it as, even if the "Armsmaster" bit didn't irritate me for some unknown reason, I'd call that name unimaginative and generally kind of shit.
Though… well Alise's new alias wasn't exactly good either. "Scarlet Shine, Starflame Maiden" or rather just "Starflame Maiden". It was a bit… well it was just plain embarrassing.
I side eyed Astrea who seemed to be the only one who realised how the names were.
Just as I was about to pop their little bubble, she held up her finger to her mouth in a "Shhh!" motion.
She smiled a bit pathetically my way.
"Well we are level fives and a four, of course we'd get new names." Kaguya tried sounding dismissive even though she had a slight blush on her cheeks that probably came from her "impressive" name.
Seriously the gods had to be doing this purposefully. But even then, Astrea was smiling through gritted teeth, she had an expression that just said, "I averted the worst!".
"I didn't get a new one." Leon said neutrally.
"That's because of your stubborn personality. They probably thought it fitting for you." Kaguya replied.
"Kaguya!"
I tuned the two out as they started arguing again. Instead I turned towards the person who was still silent. Lyra had a real content look in her eyes.
"Happy?" I asked her.
She gave me a brilliant smile.
"Beyond happy! I feel like I'm walking on the damn clouds! Level four! Do you know how many Pallums there are at or beyond that level!?" She claimed happily.
I shook my head.
"Five! There were five! Now I'm sixth and I have a better name than the four bastards. Callidus Vulpis! That's such a good name!"
It was?
It just sounded Latin to me. Well… to each their own.
"I'm happy for you?" I tried.
She slapped me on the back!
"Of course you are!"
I shook my head.
Well… this was all fine.
"Now that we've all levelled up and gotten our alias's we're going on that trip you mentioned, right?" Alise asked Lady Astrea.
"Yes, we've received that request for help from before you girls even went down for your expedition so it's best we don't waste much time." Her goddess answered with a strained smile.
I sent Lyra a questioning look. She caught on quickly.
"You wouldn't know but we tend to travel outside once every while especially when someone sends us a request for help. A few settlements and gods near Dragon Valley collectively called for us. Wanna come with?"
Dragon Valley? Some place I hadn't heard of before I guess. It wasn't necessarily all that important. I couldn't come with either way, I had things I needed to do in Orario. Ganesha familia had apparently found something worth following up and I hadn't managed to get to that just yet.
Well I had some time yet.
Though… It would be a bit lonely without Astrea Familia around…
…
I suppose I'd gotten a bit used to them and their antics.
It wasn't a bad thing, in fact… I welcomed it.
Status Sheet Bonus:
Alise Lovell
Belongs To: Astrea Familia
Race: Human Job: Adventurer
Dungeon Range: Forty-first floor Weapons: One-Handed Swords
Current Worth: 4,200 valis
Status:
Lv.4 - 5
Strength: A 811 - I 0 Defence: B 764 - I 0
Dexterity: B 778 - I 0 Agility: A 892 - I 0
Magic: S 961 - I 0
Hunter: G Abnormal Resistance: H
Fire Flash: H Relentless Advance: I
Magic:
# Agaris Alvesynth
Enchantment
Flame Element
Spell Key:
Arga,
Arvana,
Arvelia
Skill:
# Lubrude Bequia:
Enchances Strength in combat
Raises dexterity and endurance by a large amount in face of adversity
Raises immensely agility and magic when against a powerful opponent.
When all three conditions are met stats are further increased.
# Batleate Asyrath:
Increases the effectiveness of skills when in close combat
Increases effectiveness of magic in combat
Give Them No Quarter:
Active Trigger
Enhances effectiveness of magic in relation to depleted mind.
Increases mind usage the lower mind is.
Favourite Weapon: Crimson Order Alternative
A one-handed weapon crafted by Goibniu familia with Alise's old weapon, Crimson Order used as a basis. Alternative was made out of high quality mithril through Taylor Hebert and made by Fels. Obia Flare Petals were also built into the weapon driving up its cost considerably.
It has the ability to enhance Fire elemental magic and is considerably stronger but also heavier than its initial counterpart.
This weapon, though not unbreakable or enchanted in any manner, is a first-class weapon due to the sheer quality of materials needed to make it.
Cost: 55,000,000 Valis
Ryuu Lyon
Belongs To: Astrea Familia
Race: Elf Job: Adventurer
Dungeon Range: Forty-first floor Weapons: One-Handed Swords
Current Worth: 2,245 Valis
Status:
Lv.4 - 5
Strength: C 611 - I 0 Defence: D 588 - I 0
Dexterity: S 955 - I 0 Agility: S 967 - I 0
Magic: S 921 - I 0
Hunter: H Abnormal Resistance: G
Magic Resistance: I Mage: I
Magic:
# Luminous Wind:
Wide Area attack magic
Summons green pieces of stardust to be launched
Can be launched as a salvo or piecemeal
Wind and light element
Spell Key:
Luvia.
# Noah Heal:
Healing magic
Capable of healing wounds and restoring stamina
Effect raises in forested areas
Chant:
The song of a now distant forest.
The nostalgic song of life.
Please bring the mercy of healing to those that seek you
Skill:
# Fairy Serenade:
Increases effectiveness of magic.
Effect rises at night.
# Mind Load:
Active trigger
Increases strength when attacking with mind.
# Aero Mana:
Increases attack power when moving fast.
# Qualis Artifex Vivo:
Recovers stamina and boosts strength of allies nearby when chanting.
Boosts Dexterity and Agility when chanting.
Sing until the world ends, after you they will follow.
Favourite Weapon: Revolving Justice
A one-handed Elven sword made out of a twice processed branch of the holy tree in Ryumilua Ryuu's home forest. There are other reagents and materials used in its construction such as a rare mineral extracted from the roots of trees in the Wishe forest, and a core of white wood treated for five hundred years.
Boasts incredible toughness and boosts elven magic. Still it is considered a second-class weapon.
Cost: 29,500,000 Valis
Gojouno Kaguya
Belongs To: Astrea Familia
Race: Human Job: Adventurer
Dungeon Range: Forty-first floor Weapons: Single Edged Blades
Current Worth: 24,021 Valis
Status:
Lv.4 - 5
Strength: C 689 - I 0 Defence: D 510 - I 0
Dexterity: S 912 - I 0 Agility: B 711 - I 0
Magic: C 698- I 0
Night Fight: G Abnormal Resistance: G
Swordsman: I Chain Attack: I
Magic:
# Gokou
Inheritance Magic
Dark Element
Generates five blades of magic power.
Blades can be synchronised with the users own slash to create an absolute strike that cannot be avoided.
Chant:
Calamitous Higan flowers.
# Shikai
Skill:
# Kaina Blood:
Poisonous Blood
Improves users attacks if they are the first attack made against an opponent
# Sakibeni:
Attacks made using specialised sword techniques are more effective.
Improves focus when faced with despair
# Flesh May Give:
Improves dexterity, agility and strength when wounds accumulate.
Favourite Weapon: Higabana
A second-class katana of exceptional sharpness, even the Juggernaut's exceptional exoskeleton couldn't dull this blade. Though it is brittle Kaguya's immense talent and skill with the sword has brought out the true strength of this fragile but powerful weapon.
Lyra
Belongs To: Astrea Familia
Race: Pallum Job: Adventurer
Dungeon Range: Forty-first floor Weapons: Single Edged Blades
Current Worth: 55,021 Valis
Status:
Lv.3 - 4
Strength: E 445 - I 0 Defence: C 670 - I 0
Dexterity: B 703 - I 0 Agility: A 867 - I 0
Magic: D 552- I 0
Cunning: H Abnormal Resistance: H
Knights Charge: I
Magic:
# Mūs Mine
Minefield Magic
Light Element
Wingus Smite
Skill:
# Ratts Phil:
Increases speed of thought
Boosts awareness
# Agile Salt:
Boosts agility against larger opponents
Temporarily boosts agility even further when in face of great adversity
Favourite Weapon: Carnivore
Paired boomerangs shaped like a fan with bladed spines. Though unusual it has been a trusted weapon of Lyra's for many years. Besides their unusual shape and usage they cannot be considered exceptional in any manner, though their quality earns them a solid place in the lower rungs of second tier weapons.
Even then these weapons cannot be truly considered Lyra's favourite weapons as her inclination towards magic items and IED's has been noted many a times.
Taylor Anne Hebert
Belongs To: -
Race: Creature (Human?) Job: Adventurer?
Dungeon Range: Forty-Eighth Floor Weapons: Knives and Batons
Current Worth: 1,232,240 Valis
Status: -
An: Hello hello, here is your next serving of chapter! Not much here in this one as this is an intermission sort of chapter, mostly ominous set ups and a bit of fanservice. I tried making the names "kind of" bad but not so bad that it'll be like the ones given to lower-level adventurers.
On another note, every time I look at Alise's sheet, I'm reminded that she definitely would've been the main character if Bell wasn't born. I mean her skills are absurd. She's probably the most talented adventurer to pop up in her generation only rivalled by Ais and Ryuu. And even then, she's stronger than both of them right now.
Anyways! Astrea familia get their triumphant return and are welcomed with open arms alongside getting a slight bit closer to Taylor. Alise is as always, an immense people's person, seriously even in canon there is no one other than Evilus members that don't like this girl. Her charisma and intuition are off the walls.
Even after all these events people have work to do. Fels is busy cutting the "rot" out of the guild with their usual means. All the while the gods prepare for and then go through an eventful Denatus. And now there are a bunch of leads for Taylor to follow though sad to say she'll be alone in this one Astrea familia needs to go on a trip.