Hello good people and welcome back. Well, it's finally time to find out what happens when Achilles meets Wiene and the others, so let's hop right into it.
I do not own Danmachi
Achilles checked over his gear once again, making sure he had everything he could ever want for the little 'visit' they were about to have with their Dungeon residing friends.
Friends, he thought as his frown deepened. We'll see about that.
Bell and the others all watched him with unabashedly concerned eyes.
"Bell-sama, do you really think this is a good idea?" Lili whispered, asking what she knew everyone was thinking.
"We need to trust him. He's probably just nervous and confused," the Hestia captain replied, doing his best to sound optimistic, even smiling at her, though neither she nor the rest of his familia was convinced by the obviously forced movement of his lips.
"I hope so, Bell-sama," the prum maiden replied, truly meaning it even as worry about the upcoming meeting ate at her heart.
"Alright," Achilles called. "Ready to go."
Bell and the others nodded, placing whatever came next in the hands of hope.
"Then let's head out," Bell replied. "We'll be back soon Hestia-sama."
His goddess smiled and nodded.
"Stay safe everyone. This may just be a visit but you'll still be travelling through the Dungeon, so make sure to keep your eyes and ears open."
"All our senses will be on full alert," Achilles said seriously.
The firmness in his voice caused the worry everyone was feeling to weigh even more heavily, but Bell still tried to force ahead with a smile.
"That's right. We'll be careful, Hestia-sama," he told his goddess.
Giving her best smile back, the goddess nodded.
"Then off you go, no need to keep Wiene and the others waiting."
"Right! Let's get going!" Bell called out and within moments the Hestia familia was filling out of Hearthfire Manor towards the Dungeon and the Xenos.
The moment the door closed behind her children, Hestia lost her smile.
"Please Achilles-kun, don't let whatever is weighing on your soul cause your heart to turn against them."
The Hestia familia made their way through the streets of Orario without a word, no one sure what exactly they could say or even if they should speak at all. Instead they focused on the member of their familia who they knew was keeping silent about something, but to which they neither knew nor were willing to inquire about.
Achilles knew they all wanted to ask him what was weighing on his mind, Bell especially, and truth be told, he did feel guilty about worrying them so much. He did trust them, Bell especially, but he could not hide how deep his anxiety ran with regards to these 'Xenos'.
Things will be alright. Bell and the others trust them, hell this 'Wiene' is apparently even a member of Hestia familia, at least spiritually, there's nothing to worry about. They aren't...him.
His attempts at convincing himself weren't working and he knew that only by meeting and seeing Wiene, Lyd, and the other Xenos, would his mind finally be at ease, if that was even possible. Luckily for him, he gained a distraction when he noticed the looks being sent towards their group, most notably, Bell.
The wolf was telling the truth, he recognized as he saw the fear and hostility in the eyes of those they passed. They truly do think he's a monster.
The hand on his sword tightened and he began to glare at those around them, daring them to try anything. Given his current state of mind even an unkind word might have very well set him off like a volcano.
"Dad."
He blinked and turned to see the terribly concerned eyes of Bell staring up at him.
"Are you alright?" he asked as gently as he could.
Realizing he had exasperated the matter of Bell's worry and, a quick check later, the worry of the rest of their familia, he stopped and took a breath.
"The people around us are being idiots."
Confused, Bell looked around. Most, he found, weren't looking their way, though he couldn't fail to notice that many seemed to quickly turn away once his eyes focused on them. However, a few were looking their way, or should he say, his way.
He was shocked when he saw the fear and more concerningly, the rage pointed his way. For a moment, his confusion only deepened as he wondered what could possibly have caused such animosity to be sent his way, but then he remembered what Bete had said the previous day.
They're scared of me, because of what I did, he realized, his heart feeling heavier.
"Bell." He looked up. "Don't let those fools make you feel bad for even a second," his father stated firmly.
Despite the situation and the fact that the newest member of the Hestia familia was clearly trying to keep control of his anger, Bell smiled.
"That goes for you too, Dad."
Achilles looked at him for a moment before huffing.
"Fine, but if any of them try anything, I'll use them as a training dummy."
Bell chuckled.
"Alright."
Content with that, Achilles turned back towards the Dungeon, Bell and the rest of the Hestia familia, who were glad that whatever was going on was apparently resolved, following after.
Freya stared down at her dearly beloved with euphoria, smiling adoringly as she focused on the one who held the greatest amount of her affection.
Oh Bell, you just keep finding new, wonderful ways of surprising me, she thought as he remembered the news of his reaching level five. An upper-class adventurer in less than a year, how do you do it? She wondered, sighing happily as the intensity of her eyes grew. Then again, she turned her gaze. You're not the only one proving to be full of surprises.
Her eyes were focused on Achilles who she had noticed seemed quite tense.
I wonder what has been dear Olympian so ill-at-ease.
As if to answer her, his gaze shifted and she turned her gaze to follow, soon discovering the looks directed towards the Hestia familia, in particular, her dear rabbit.
She lost her smile.
What is the meaning of this? being who she was, it did not take her long to think of the reason, and she frowned. They fear him. His power. In their mediocrity they turn against the exceptional and become hostile, her frown deepened. Fools.
"Freya-sama."
She turned.
"What is it, Ottar?"
"A letter has come for you from the Guild. I was told it was urgent."
"Oh?" her interest was piqued.
She went over to her captain and took the letter and opened it before quickly reading it.
Her smile returned.
"Well now, isn't this interesting?"
They had made their way through the Dungeon, successfully making it all the way to level 20 without any issue.
"Fels-san said he would meet us around here," Bell said.
"And this Fels is someone trustworthy?" Achilles asked.
"Yes," the Hestia captain answered with a nod. "He's helped us a lot and I'd even call him a friend."
"Hm," Achilles responded, still stuck between trusting Bell and being his concern with everything that was happening.
"He works for Ouranos-sama directly and is pretty mysterious, but Bell-sama is right in that we can trust him," Lili added, noting his distrust.
"I'm glad you think so, Lili-san."
Everyone turned to the voice, and a moment later, a cloaked figure appeared out of the shadows.
"You snuck up on me. Not a lot of people can do that," Achilles said, clearly not pleased.
"It wasn't easy. Your skills are legendary and I had to use every trick in the book just to make sure that I could both watch all of you and make sure you weren't followed," Fels explained.
"I'm guessing since you're here that means we weren't," Achilles replied.
"Indeed. Beyond the standard, curious eye, no one followed you or showed any abnormal interest."
"Which means we can meet these...Xenos?"
No one failed to notice that the continued strain in Achilles's voice, but even so, Fels nodded.
"Indeed. I warned them we were coming ahead of time, so that no one would be alarmed. Wiene-san was very happy at the prospect."
Bell and the others smiled.
"I'm happy that we get to see her again too," the young captain said.
"Then let us not daly, we wouldn't want to keep her waiting," Fels said.
The Hestia familia followed after Fels, a bit anxious, but eager and optimistic to see everyone again.
"I hope Wiene has been doing alright," Haruhime said.
"I'm sure she has been. She has Lyd and the others with her after all," Bell responded.
"You're right. Even so, it will be wonderful to see her again. I've missed her terribly."
"So have I," he responded, turning to give her a smile.
Haruhime blushed lightly, but happily returned the smile in full.
Off to the side, Achilles watched the exchange with interest.
"They were the closest to Wiene," Welf explained. "When she was with us, she was practically attached at the hip to those two."
"Is that so?" Achilles asked.
That's a bit of a relief. If she was so attached to them, and they to her then that goes a long way of easing my concern, at least with regards to Wiene.
His eyes shifted to something, or someone who hadn't eased his concerns. In fact, with each breath he took, his concerns grew and his eyes narrowed more.
"What are you?"
Everyone stopped.
"Pardon?" Fels asked.
"My heightened senses allow me to detect many things. The smell of sweat and someone's heartbeat, for example, both of which I've noticed you curiously lack. In their place, I smell dry bone and the sound of air passing by said dry bone. So, I'll ask again. What. Are. You?"
Nervous glances were passed between the members of the Hestia familia.
"Dad, we can trust Fels. He's helped us, Wiene, and the Xenos so much. Without him, Wiene wouldn't be here and I'm not just saying that. If it wasn't for him, she would be dead. She," Bell's voice cracked. "She would be nothing but dust in my hands."
The sound of Bell's voice cracking, pulled Achilles back, unable to bear the sound of the young man in pain, and turmoil entered his eyes as he tried to figure out what to do.
"It's alright, Bell-san," Fels cut in, causing everyone to turn to him. "He is right to ask. He does not know me and this situation would be unnerving even for the most open-minded and resilient adventurer. Besides, you have put your trust in me many times, and Achilles-san is putting his trust in me right now. It is time I repaid that trust." Fels turned to Achilles. "I apologize in advance."
Achilles's eyes narrowed for the split second between the cloaked figure saying that and reaching to up to pull back his hood.
"Well," Achilles said, taking in the skeletal sight before him. "Can't say I was expecting that."
"You're taking it better than most," Fels responded. "But to answer your question I was, at one point, a mortal and adventurer like you. I was known as the Sage or the Fool and have been alive for many centuries courtesy of a stone that gave me immortality, though as you can see, not in the way I had hoped."
"You're the Sage? The famous mage from eight hundred years ago?" Achilles questioned.
"Yes. Due to my circumstances I can't live as most would and so serve Ouranos-sama who has seen fit to bring me into his service. I have been serving as the point of contact between Ouranos-sama and the Xenos since they were first discovered fifteen years ago."
"They first appeared fifteen years ago?" Achilles asked.
"Yes."
"You're sure it was fifteen years ago?" Achilles quickly pressed.
"Completely. I have been exploring the Dungeon for many years and I did not discover a single trace of the Xenos until fifteen years ago," Fels confirmed.
Damnit, Achilles mentally cursed. Then that points in only one direction.
"Fine then," he said, temporarily disregarding his worried thoughts. "You're a skeleton. A famous talking one. Strange as that is for most people I'm not sure that even enters my top three."
Everyone blinked, if they could. Achilles was really taking this well.
"Really? I am curious what those three things are," Fels said.
"Perhaps I'll tell you in the future, however I do believe we still have an appointment to keep with the one thing that might be stranger than you that I'll come across today."
Surprised though they were, the Hestia familia was more than happy with the outcome, given they were not sure how Achilles would react given his already on-edge state. The easiness of his acceptance to what would have stunned most others was, therefore, not a small relief.
"Of course. They're not much further now," Fels said, putting his hood back on and restarting their trek through the Dungeon.
The Hestia familia followed after, but Bell made sure to place himself next to Achilles.
"Thanks Dad."
Achilles turned to his smiling son, but couldn't find it in himself to smile.
"You don't need to thank me, Bell, I just don't want to be in the dark about this, and I can't honestly tell you I'm no longer anxious about all this."
Bell lost his smile, but nodded.
"I understand. But I promise, once you meet them you'll understand that they're good people."
'People', he says, Achilles thought, not sure what to make of that.
"I'll put my trust in you then."
Smiling again, Bell ran towards the front of the group, now more excited to see Wiene and the others.
The new hidden village of the Xenos had been moved deeper into the Dungeon since the events on the surface, forcing the Hestia familia to delve to level thirty for the first time as a whole, a fact that made the less experienced members a bit nervous. However, remembering they had with them a famous level seven captain, two levels five, and a shadowy figure who regularly moved through the Dungeon at will, they calmed.
Likely it was this mixture of factors that made reaching level thirty almost a walk in the park, a fact that Lili was resoundingly grateful for, alongside the grand haul they had managed along the way.
"This way," Fels said, leading them through the level.
The Hestia familia followed and soon came to what appeared to be a dead-end. Fels walked forward and with a few words and a flourish of his hand, the dead-end disappeared, showing a narrow passageway.
"It would probably be best if Bell-san takes the lead and for you to wait here for a moment, Achilles-san, until we can make sure that everyone is calm and ready," Fels suggested.
"Very well," Achilles assented. "I'll wait here until you call me."
Gives me time to prepare myself for what I'm about to see, he thought.
"Alright. We'll be right back," Bell said before he and the others went their way inside.
He proceeded slowly, just to make sure that he didn't startle anyone inside. Even if they knew they were coming, as Fels said, he didn't want anyone frightened unnecessarily.
Finally entering a dark space, he looked around, seeing if he could discern anything before calling out.
"Hello? Wiene? Lyd? Ray? Gros?" he called.
He suddenly found himself blinded as light filled this room. He didn't have much time to adjust as a body crashed into him, nearly causing him to fall over.
"Bell!"
Recognizing the voice instantly, he looked down and found Wiene hugging him tightly and switching back and forth between smiling at him and snuggling into his chest.
"Wiene. I'm so happy to see you," he said, returning her hug.
"I'm surprised you managed to stay up, Bellucchi. She's been practically bouncing off the walls ever since she heard you were coming to visit," Lyd said as he and the other Xenos came forward, no longer hidden in darkness and all smiling, except perhaps Gros, though even he seemed mildly pleased to see Bell.
"Well I'm happy I get to see her too. And all of you as well," he replied.
"Ah, you're so sweet," Ray said, coming forward, getting as close to Bell as she could without risk of ruining Wiene's moment.
"Don't forget us," Welf called, entering the hidden area with everyone else.
"No risk of doing that," Lyd said, smiling at seeing the others come in.
"Welf. Lili. Mikoto," Wiene said, getting more and more excited as she said each member of the Hestia familia until she finally saw a familiar wave of gold. Haruhime!"
"Wiene. I'm so happy to see you," Haruhime called, going up to the Xenos and gently stroking her hair.
"And I'm happy to see all of you. I've missed you all so much," she said, trying desperately to somehow snuggle into both Bell and Haruhime.
"I'm sorry it's been so long. A lot's happened recently, but I promise to visit more often," Bell swore.
"Yay!" Wiene proclaimed, somehow snuggling even more into him.
Everyone took a moment to enjoy the sight before them, letting the joy wash over them, before Lyd spoke up.
"So, Belluchi, I've noticed that someone new is with ya. Is this the new person you wanted to meet?" Lyd asked, signally to Ryuu.
Bell turned and quickly realized that Ryuu herself had not actually been properly introduced to the Xenos herself, even if she had known of their existence.
"Actually no, but we do need to do introductions. Everyone, this is Ryuu. She's the second newest member of our familia," Bell introduced.
"She looks familiar," Gros said, his eyes narrowing.
"You may have seen me on the eighteenth floor after the attack on Rivira. I was one of the adventurers sent to respond."
"Ah," the Xenos responded, seemingly not pleased by that, but keeping his displeasure restrained.
"Well, any friend of Bellucchi's is a friend of mine," Lyd happily declared.
In spite of her own reservations, she had after all only ever really seen the Xenos when she was fighting them, Ryuu smiled, though she was internally grateful she had time to process all of this before being confronted by it.
"Likewise," she returned.
"But that raises the question. Fels told us you wanted us to meet someone and if it's not Ryuu then unless they're invisible or really small, I don't see them," the lizardman said.
"If he was invisible you wouldn't be able to see him, silly," Wiene commented.
"Guess you got me there."
Bell smiled, glad about the easy air in the room and hoping it would last.
"Here's waiting outside, we just wanted you to make sure you guys didn't get startled before we introduced you to him. He is a bit unsure of what to think of you all, but said he was willing to trust our judgment as long as he got to meet all of you."
"That seems fair. We are monsters after all," Lyd said, getting a few laughs, though no one failed to notice that not everyone was laughing or how some frowns began to deepen.
"Okay, then I'll go get him. But, as one final warning, he's very strong. He might be stronger than Asterios, in fact," Bell added.
That caused a bit of a stir amongst the Xenos and a few anxious looks were shared before Lyd decided to jump in again.
"Ah, we're pretty strong too, I'm sure he's nothing we can't handle if he gets a little scared of us."
False bravado it may have been, it was nonetheless appreciated by all and Bell smiled and nodded.
"Then I'll be right back," he said, before finally parting from Wiene, with Haruhime quickly taking up the mantle of cuddle buddy.
Bell's exited the hidden village and found Achilles still waiting outside, hand on his sword as he watched for monsters and adventurers.
"Dad, you can come in now."
Achilles turned and looked at Bell for a moment before taking a deep breath.
Alright, let's go meet the talking monsters.
The two made their way inside with Bell taking the lead.
"Everyone," he said upon reentering, Achilles following immediately after. "I'd like you to meet Achilles Caesar."
Achilles entered and instantly froze.
There's quite a lot of them.
Everywhere he looked he saw monsters. Big ones. Small ones. Some he could tell were weak, others he could tell were stronger than the vast majority of adventurers. Amongst the latter category he noticed that were at least a few who appeared to be hostile.
His grip on his sword tightened, a fact that was not missed by anyone.
Bell, afraid that things were rapidly turning towards the worse, quickly pressed on.
"Dad, this is Lyd, Ray, and Gros, I told you a bit about them already," he said as he pointed towards the three, the last of who glared and bared his teeth when Achilles's eyes moved towards him. Bell did not fail to miss that, but pretended not to see it, and moved to the person he hoped beyond hope would save this from turning out the exact wrong way.
"And this," he put on the best smile he could manage. "Is Wiene."
The Vouivre, who was still latched onto Haruhime looked at the ex-captain nervously.
"It's okay Wiene. I know he seems a bit scary, but he's actually very nice," Bell tried to reassure, though he couldn't tell who he was really trying to reassure at the moment.
Wiene looked at him for a few moments, feeling like something was a bit off about the way he said that, but in the end doing what came naturally to her and putting her trust in him, and pulling away from Haruhime to approach Achilles.
"Hello, my name is Wiene. It's nice to meet you."
Achilles looked down upon the little monster, his eyes boring into her own.
No sound passed through the halls of the Dungeon as the two stared at each other, everyone simply watched and waited.
If he tries anything, we'll tear him apart, no matter how strong he is, Gros swore.
Bellucchi, you've always been a true friend, so I'll put my trust in you, Lyd thought.
What's he thinking? Lili wondered.
Please let this end well, Haruhime prayed.
Dad, Bell called internally, for that was all he could manage as he stared at the two, feeling the terrible temptation to reach for his knife playing in the back of his mind.
Achilles stared into the amber eyes before him, looking for just one thing. Something that he failed to find.
It's not there. The malevolence. His malevolence.
His gaze finally broke away as his head dropped and a heavy sigh escaped him. With that sigh he finally let go of his sword and brought the hand up to gently stroke Wiene's hair.
"Hello, my name is Achilles Caesar. It's nice to meet you as well. Bell's told me quite a bit about you," he said, giving the girl a small smile.
Wiene's eyes widened and so overcome with relief and joy was she that she instantly surprised the former captain by throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms around him.
"Oof," he looked down at her. "She's a hugger. Alright."
And just like that, the tension was gone. All the fear and anxiety evaporated as Wiene's radiant smile glowed brightly up at Achilles who chuckled and smiled back as his hand went back to stroking her hair.
"So," Achilles said as he continued to stroke Wiene's hair. "I suppose we should do proper introductions now."
Lyd, Ray, and most of the other Xenos smiled, along with the entirety of the Hestia familia, Bell primary amongst them, with the rabbit-like young man immediately jumping in to do just that.
Everyone was now sitting or laying about as they completed their introductions. Wiene had, after getting her complete fill of physical affection from the newcomer, went back to Bell to receive as much affection from Bell as she could before they had to part again.
"Whew, sounds like you guys have been busy up top. Better than bored though, right?" Lyd asked.
A few people chuckled.
"I suppose so," Bell agreed.
"That said, I'm not sure I've heard of this Zeus familia," Lyd continued. "Are they a small familia?"
A silent tension suddenly fell over the village and a sad smile grew on Achilles's lips.
"The Zeus familia isn't around anymore. We were officially exiled from Orario after losing most of our members."
Lyd and the other Xenos instantly understood what that meant.
"Monsters?" the lizardman asked.
"Monster," Achilles specified.
"Really? Given how strong you are it must have been a really strong one to be able to defeat someone like you."
"The strongest in fact. We were defeated by a monster called the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
The Xenos all froze.
"You fought that?"
Achilles's brow furrowed at that.
"You know it?"
"Not directly," Lyd answered, a bit fidgety. "But there's a part of us monsters that tells us that there's something out there that's a lot bigger, stronger, and much meaner than we are. Like it's some sort of king that we all instinctively know to bow to."
That explanation caused Achilles's frown to deepen.
"That's...interesting."
Things fell silent again as no one knew how to proceed. Eventually Lyd, in both an attempt to get things back on track and because he felt a bit guilty from his questioning, jumped back in.
"Sorry about that. This is supposed to be a celebration and here I am causing everyone to be all glooming and making you feel bad," he bowed his head. "I hope you can forgive me."
Achilles did not answer immediately, and for a few moments everyone wondered if he would at all as he simply looked at the bowing lizardman.
He doesn't have the malevolence either, Achilles thought.
He sighed and let out a long breath.
"Lyd-san, while I can't say that I'm ready to completely accept all this, I can say that I don't think poorly of you. You are not the Dragon. None of you are the Dragon, and I won't think of you in the same category as I think of it. That would be unjust. Besides, as I told Fels, you aren't the weirdest thing I've ever seen. That honor goes to my fellow captain, Briseis and her very… odd attempt at making a birthday cake. To this day I'm still not sure what I saw nor can I properly describe it, all I know is that everyone agreed to never allow her near cooking utensils again."
Everything was silent for a moment before the smiles returned and a few laughs echoed through the village.
"I wish I could have seen that. Anything that's weirder than us must have been quite the sight," Lyd said with a laugh.
Achilles smiled.
"It really was. A pain to clean up though."
A few more laughs passed through the hidden section of the Dungeon as the anxiety burned away. However there was one person who was not laughing.
Achilles's smile dropped as a shadow fell over him, causing him to turn to see Gros glaring down at him.
"Don't think that just because everyone's smiling and laughing that we trust you. Only Bell has earned the right to our trust," the Xenos warned.
"I wouldn't dream of it," the Olympian replied. "It's your right to be suspicious and on guard, just as it is mine to be the same with you; though I suppose I should be glad that Bell has managed to earn the right to your trust."
The monster growled.
"Well, here's something else you should know, human. We have our own heavy-hitter and he would squash a pipsqueak like you."
"Gros," Ray called, trying to calm her fellow Xenos down before things got out of control.
"Asterios. That was his name right? The black minotaur-like creature?"
"That's right," Lyd answered, giving Gros a silent signal to back down, which the Gargoyle reluctantly did. "We had to make sure that he wasn't here when you all visited or else we would have had a fight on our hands," he finished with a laugh.
Within seconds he realized his mistake.
"Why?" Achilles asked.
Everyone began to fidget and turn away, which made him very suspicious.
"Um."
Achilles turned to see a very fidgety Bell.
"That may have something to do with me," the young man said.
Achilles did not like the sound of that.
"Explain."
"Well...you see...Asterios and I are kind of...rivals."
Achilles blinked. Then he blinked again.
"Pardon?"
Bell's fidgeting got worse.
"We both kind of promised that we would both get stronger so that we could have one final fight in the future."
"A final fight?" Achilles asked. Bell nodded. "Between you and Asterios?" Another nod. "The monster that defeated numerous level sixes single-handedly and which you told me you only managed to hold your own against because he was heavily injured?"
"To be fair I was a level three then, not a level five."
If that was meant to make Achilles feel better, it didn't.
"We are having a talk later."
Bell, knowing this was not a fight he had any hope of winning, nodded even as he lamented what was to come.
The rest of the meeting had gone off without issue as even Gros had decided to keep quiet after realizing he had gotten Bell in trouble.
The parting was the hardest part for most of them as Wiene latched onto Bell.
"Promise you'll visit again soon?" she pleaded.
The Hestia captain smiled at her.
"I promise."
Her smile practically glowed as she threw her head back into Bell's chest.
"I love you, Bell."
Achilles brow furrowed.
Is there any girl whose heart this boy hasn't stolen? he wondered.
"Be good," Haruhime requested, joining the love fest as she gently stroked Wiene's hair.
"I will!" the Vouivre vowed.
"Keep safe everyone," Welf said.
"Don't worry, we're always on top alert. We're not going to have any repeats of last time," Lyd swore.
"Please don't. I don't think Lili could handle it," the prum maiden said.
"It was good to see all of you," Ray added.
"It was nice to see you all as well," Mikoto said, smiling.
"It's time for us to depart, there is still business to attend to," Fels said, stepping forward.
"We'll see you again soon, Bellucchi. Everyone. It was nice to meet you, Ryuu and Achilles," Lyd said, giving his best smile.
"Likewise," Ryuu responded.
"It was certainly one of the more interesting sets of introductions I've had," Achilles stated.
With one final tight hug and vow to return soon, Bell and Wiene separated, slowly walking away from each other, waving the whole time and giving the other their best smile.
Once they were out of the hidden base, Achilles let out a heavy breath.
"Well...that was...something," he managed, before instinctively reaching for his pipe and quickly lighting it and placing it in his mouth.
Everyone was silent as they watched him for a few moments, a few glances being exchanged as they tried to figure out how to respond.
"Does...does that mean you aren't concerned about them anymore, Achilles?" Haruhime asked as gently as she could.
Achilles blew out some smoke.
"I see no reason to be in any way concerned about Wiene beyond worrying about her safety given she's far too kind and gentle to be living in the Dungeon." The light of hope entered the eyes of the Hestia familia. "Lyd and most of the others seem to be decent as well. Gros seems to be a bit of an ass, but so am I, so I suspect we'll get along fine." Smiles appeared as Haruhime and Bell began beaming. "However!" Achilles suddenly roared, fully removing his pipe from his mouth as he spun on Bell. "I am not pleased to learn about Asterios and your little fight. I am very tempted to go hunting for him myself and see how he likes me as a challenger!"
Everyone flinched under the power of Achilles's fury, none more so than Bell, who was actually at risk of falling on his butt given how hard he was flinching.
"That said," Achilles continued, taking a deep breath. "For now, I will hold my peace. But I am doubling your training regime Bell! I am not risking losing you because a wannabe minotaur learned about the concept of rivalry. And I swear if I come across him at any point I don't care what you or he has to say about it, I will summon a storm that would cow the Dungeon itself on his horned ass!"
As much as Bell might have wanted to argue with this, his own desire to defeat his rival being no small thing, he understood he was in no position to even try and argue and so simply nodded, quite vigorously as well.
"Good. Now, we should probably get home. I'm sure Hestia wants to know how things went."
"Actually, Achilles-san, she will be at the Guild, alongside Takemikazuchi, Miach, Loki, Hephaestus, Ganesha, Hermes and Freya, along with all the members of their familias who are aware of the Xenos."
"To what end?" the Olympian asked.
"With the sudden increase in the number of people who are aware of the Xenos's existence, Ouranos-sama thought it would be wise to discuss the matter. Share information, answer questions, and see if we can come up with a plan of action."
"Hm, not exactly a bad idea, but I doubt the others will be as generous as Bell and our familia has been with the great dream the Xenos share."
"That is undoubtedly true. Even so, if we can get them to agree to not infer at the very least, that would be a boon. There is also the issue of monster trappers who continue to try and capture the Xenos to sell them to the outside world. The Ikelos familia and Dix may both now be out of the picture, but the knowledge of the Xenos is well-known enough in the darker corners of society that there will assuredly be those who will attempt to capture them. Forgive me if this is uncouth of me, but Wiene-san would be a primary target for such hunters."
Fists tightened amongst the Hestia familia, none more so than Bell's.
Achilles nodded.
"True enough. Not only is she a rare monster but given her form she would be a perfect target for…" his face contorted in disgust and took a moment to spit. "Certain preferences."
Haruhime, shivered, understanding better than any of them what that meant. Suddenly, her hand was taken, causing her head to fly around to the source and found it was Bell who had taken it. Normally that would have been enough to make her blush and swoon in happiness, but this time she could only gasp in surprise.
"They won't touch her," the young hero swore, his voice filled with the same hatred that currently burned in his eyes turning them into...something different.
Bell-sama.
Unable to bear seeing him like this, she quickly wrapped her other hand around his and brought it up.
"We will protect her, Bell-sama. No matter what, she will be safe."
Her gentle pledge cooled the fire within him, and slowly brought him back to the kind, gentle person she loved.
"Thank you, Haruhime," he said with a smile.
Glad to see the eyes she adored back to normal, she smiled back.
"She's right."
Both of them shot their heads around, suddenly remembering that they were surrounded by others.
"We will protect Wiene, especially from such filth," Achilles continued, feeling a bit bad about ruining their moment, but afraid that if he didn't cut in, either a certain prum or determined elf would do so instead. "That said, we should probably hurry. While I don't care so much about keeping Freya and her kids waiting, if Hestia is there I'm sure she'll want to hear from us as soon as possible."
"Right!" Bell quickly agreed, hoping to force things forward and quickly brush his little moment with Haruhime under the rug before someone decided to yell at him.
Haruhime, meanwhile, was simply hiding her face, her cheeks a nice shade of red, yet overjoyed that she had managed to get another moment with Bell.
"Then let's get going. It's been too long since I've gotten to see Hephaestus," Welf said, both trying to cover for his little brother and eager to see his favorite red-headed goddess.
"It will be nice to see Takemikazuchi and the others," Mikoto added as they began their climb back.
After making their way through the rest of the Dungeon and parting with Fels, the Hestia familia made their way directly towards the Guild and were soon entering its doors.
The first thing that they all noticed was that they were instantly the center of attention. For many there seemed to be an aura of awe directed their way, something they all appreciated given that some of the other eyes held the same suspicion, fear, and anger that had been witnessed earlier.
Grow a spine and some brains why don't you bastards, Achilles thought, his own hostility being shot right back at the eyes.
Bell did not fail to notice the hostile eyes, but pretended not to, which in turn was not missed by his familia who collectively and without a word, moved closer to him to both protect and comfort him.
"Bell-kun!" came a familiar voice.
Everyone turned and saw Eina approaching them.
"Hello Eina-san," Bell said, giving her a smile, then noticing her serious look, he asked. "Is something wrong?"
"No. At least I don't think so. I was told that, once you arrived, I was to escort you and your familia to the back rooms," she explained.
"I see. Is it possible for us to drop off our magic stones first?" he asked.
"Well, Royman-san made it seem urgent, but I don't think taking a couple of minutes to receive your reward will be that big of an issue," she said, finally smiling.
"Thank you, Eina-san."
"You're welcome," she replied, a small dusting of red joining her smile.
Another one? Really Bell? One might begin to wonder if you're not doing it on purpose, Achilles thought with a small chuckle.
The familia quickly dropped off their stones and gathered their reward after which Eina escorted them towards the back.
The Hestia familia plus one made their way deep into the Guild, no one speaking though all were wondering how this meeting would go.
"This is as far as I go," the half-elf maiden stated. "Just continue down the hall and you'll arrive at your destination. The others are waiting for you," she explained, still smiling.
"Thank you, Eina-san," Bell replied.
"My pleasure, Bell-kun. I'll see you later."
With that, she departed, leaving the Hestia familia to complete their journey.
"You two seem rather chummy, Bell-sama," Lili said, eyeing him suspiciously.
"She's been a great help to me since I first became an adventurer. I doubt I'd be nearly so successful without her," was Bell's innocent answer.
"Uh-huh," the prum returned, her gaze unwavering.
The Hestia familia all made their way down the hall and soon the sight of dozens of gods and their children came into view, all scattered around a dark room and all surrounding a lone throne where the god of the city sat with his usual, unwavering gaze.
They all walked in, sparing glances to the many people in the room who, in turn, stared right back at them. Lili shot her eyes toward Hestia to try and communicate with the goddess and assess the situation. Welf turned his eyes to Hephaestus for familiarity. Mikoto turned to hers Takemikazuchi and her former familia for assurance. Ryuu focused on Aisha who stood next to Hermes whose eyes shot between Bell and Achilles. The two captains focused ahead on Ouranos, sparing only brief glances at a certain gold swordsman and emerald elf. Perhaps the most interesting though was Haruhime whose eyes turned towards where the tingling in the back of her neck was originating, soon discovering the gemstones called eyes of a certain goddess of beauty.
Freya had watched all her dearly beloveds walk in, her smile growing just the tiniest bit at seeing them all. Her eyes, naturally, had gone to Bell first, reveling in his ever-growing strength, before shifting towards Achilles and noting how tense he was before pondering what she could do to ease him. Finally, she turned to her newest love, the second sun in her life, who was so full of goodness that the goddess could practically feel herself absorbing it. When the delightful fox turned towards her, she was tempted for a moment to use Charm, but quickly cast that thought aside.
I will have them all soon enough, and better yet, they shall all come to me of their own volition.
"My sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting, Ouranos-sama," Bell said, bowing, the rest of the Hestia familia following suit.
"It could not be helped," Ouranos replied, the boom of his voice sending chills through most of the Hestia familia's spines. "You have been informed as to the purpose of this meeting?"
"Yes, Ouranos-sama," Bell answered politely.
"Then we may begin. We shall start with you, Achilles," the god decreed.
Achilles, expecting this, came forward.
"How may I be of service, Ouranos-sama?"
"You have now met the Xenos?"
This began the first stirrings of noise as most were unaware that Achilles had gone to meet the monsters.
"I have."
"And what are your thoughts on the matter?"
"Are you asking me if I'm still anxious or unnerved by the knowledge of their existence?" Achilles questioned, wanting to get to the heart of the matter.
"Yes," Ouranos replied simply, not one for games either.
Achilles's hands went to his hips as his eyes turned to the floor and he let out a long breath.
"In all honesty, I still can't say that I'm very happy to learn about them."
The Hestia familia shot their eyes to him, shocked and heartbroken at hearing that. They had thought he had accepted the Xenos, everything he had said in the Dungeon seemed to indicate that, as long as mentions of Asterios were excised.
"Dad," Bell quietly called, his voice shaky.
"I want it noted, however, that it is not Wiene and the others I met today that make me uneasy," Achilles quickly added, noting the hurt behind him.
"Then what is the reason?" Ouranos questioned.
"The reason is," Achilles's knuckles led white and a pained look filled his features. "That they were not my first Xenos."
There was not a person in the room that was not surprised to hear that and for a few moments everyone wondered where he could have met one before. That was until Bell remembered the incident on the Eighteenth floor.
"The monster that you killed," he began. "The one that came out of Knossos and attacked."
This was news to some, but not to all, and so a few whispers were shared amongst those there. Within a few moments, everyone generally understood the situation and realizing what Achilles met, they calmed.
"That wasn't the first."
Then that understanding disappeared as they all refocused on Achilles with renewed confusion.
Achilles's nails were now biting into his hand hard enough to draw blood and the anger and terror in his eyes would have overwhelmed all present had it not been directed at the ground.
"I met my first Xenos...fifteen years ago."
For a brief, peaceful moment, everyone wondered what that meant. Then that peace shattered.
Everyone's eyes, from Bell to Hestia, Aiz to Freya, Riveria to Ottar, and even Ouranos's own eyes, opened wide in horrified shock at the suggestion being put forward. Achilles however, did the opposite and closed his eyes.
"Did you really think you could beat me, insect?"
The world stopped as they all took in the new, terrible voice that emerged from Achilles, but none were more affected than Aiz.
That's...That's its voice. The voice of my father's killer. My mother's captor. That's what it sounds like, she thought as her body began to shake in rage and terror. Unfortunately for her, and indeed for all, Achilles was not done.
"Did you really think that such treacherous creatures as yourselves could lay me low? No faithless worms like yourselves could destroy me. I'd never allow it. I'd sooner devour my own wings then let such back-stabbing creatures be the end of me. Though I will admit, you had more fight in you than most. I suppose that means you will make a good snack at the very least."
Achilles opened his eyes.
"The Dragon…" Ouranos tried.
"Was a Xenos, yes," Achilles finished.
All was silent. No one could speak. What would they say even if they could?
"The Dragon…" Achilles bit his lip as the painful memories once more began to flood his mind. "He...was intelligent. Not just capable of speech. I can still remember, plain as day, how he picked us apart."
Wave after wave of anguish rolled off the Olympian, filling all in the room, mortal and god alike, with dread.
"First, he went for the mages. Made sure we didn't have any healers and limited our options of attack. Then he went for the archers and ranged units, likewise making it even harder to hit him once he took to the sky. Then he started going after everyone else. During the entire fight he also knew to try and take out whoever appeared to be a leader. Whoever seemed to be giving commands. I can't tell you how many attacks me and Briseis dodged during the fight, but I can still picture how he tricked her. How he went after a group of injured Hera familia members, knowing she would try and rescue them and then," bile entered his throat. "And then, as I desperately tried to reach out to her, trying to save her from the trap, how he sent down a river of hell fire, consuming her in an instant. That was the last time I saw my fellow captain."
Dad, Bell thought, wanting to reach out towards his father, yet finding himself unable to.
Achilles, Riveria thought, wanting to do likewise, but likewise unable.
My poor Achilles. You have suffered so much. Don't worry, beloved, I shall soon take it all away so that you may shine fully once more, Freya thought, hand over her heart as she made that vow.
Blood leaking through the cracks of his clenched fist, Achilles pressed forward.
"I had hoped, desperately, I had simply made the whole thing up. That in my grief and confusion I had simply imagined it all. That...he...hadn't been real. And for fifteen years I was able to pretend that it was all a figment of my imagination. A fiction my mind had come up with. And then...well. I was forced to confront the truth. That's why I was so anxious, nay terrified at learning there were more. Why I'm still not entirely comfortable with it. Luckily, I did remember one important thing during all this."
Ouranos, being the only one who had enough power over himself to speak, asked the natural next question.
"What is it that you remembered?"
Instead of answering, Achilles turned towards his captain.
"Bell."
The young man jumped, suddenly snapped back to reality.
"Yes?"
"Do you fear Tiona and Tione?"
Now everyone was practically drowning in confusion, except perhaps the mentioned amazons who, after a moment, turned towards Bell, the former with concerned eyes. True, she didn't mind so much if people were afraid of her in general, she could kick their butts after all, but with her Argonaut-kun things were different. She didn't like the idea of him being afraid of her. Luckily Bell, once he recovered from his own confusion, gave the best answer he could.
"No, of course not," he replied, brow furrowed. "Why would I?"
"You've had some pretty nasty run-ins with amazons have you not?"
This still didn't answer the question for most with regards to the purpose of Achilles's question, indeed for most this question only made things more confusing, though for the cleverest in the room, the pieces were beginning to fall into place as to where this was going.
Aisha, who was still next to Hermes, began to fidget as her eyes fell to the ground, remembering just how involved she was with those 'nasty run-ins'. Indeed, it was not long until she started to feel just a touch of hostility pointed her way.
"I suppose so," Bell admitted. "But I couldn't blame all amazons for that. That would be wrong. In fact," his gaze turned towards Aisha and he smiled. "In a way I'm grateful. If not for one of those run-ins I wouldn't have met Haruhime and been able to rescue her. Not only that but Aisha taught me a very important lesson with regards to what it takes to be a man."
The amazon's eyes widened, unable to do anything but stare as the young man and object of her affections smiled at her.
"Hm. I see," Achilles returned. Not wasting a moment, he shifted his attention. "Ryuu. Riveria. Lefiya."
All three elves jumped.
"Yes?" they all replied.
"Do you hate Welf?"
It took a moment for anyone to react as Achilles's new question seemed to be just as much out of nowhere as his first.
"Why would you ask that, Achilles?" Riveria questioned.
"He's a Crozzo. The family that profited from magic weapons that were used against the elves. I figured it was a legitimate question."
A few more moments passed as everyone fell into thought. Welf, for his part, looked down in shame, pulling at the heartstrings of both his familia and his beloved goddess. However, this lasted but a moment as a resolute voice responded.
"My village was never attacked, but I can say, without a shred of falsity, that even if it had, I would not hold any animosity towards Welf-san. I have seen his good heart and know he is a good man. Besides that, he did not, in any way take part in the attacks and has gone so far as to reject his family's legacy," Ryuu answered.
Riveria, smiled and nodded.
"I agree. He was far too young to hold even a modicum of blame and he has impressed me with his resilience, steadfastness, and loyalty. I hold nothing more than respect for him," she stated.
Finally came Lefiya who fidgeted for a moment before answering.
"I don't really know Welf-san that well. I can't say that I'm not bothered by the fact he's a Crozzo, but I think it would be unfair to think badly of him just because of the family he was born into."
Achilles nodded and finally turned back to Ouranos.
"There's your answer," knowing that most were still confused with what he meant, he elaborated. "I used to think of monsters in the same way as I think of earthquakes, storms, and forest fires. For most I still do. They're natural disasters. Things you don't wish to confront but which are a part of life. You don't hold any malice towards them because they hold no malice themselves. They just are. They just exist. However," fury roared to life in his eyes. "I do hate the Dragon. Because he is malevolent. Because he is cruel and truly monstrous. But I hate him as an individual," he emphasized. "The fact that we now have these Xenos, monsters who are not simply mindless creatures but have their own thoughts, feelings, and most importantly, personalities, changes things. Having met Wiene I can say that to describe her as: malevolent, cruel, or truly monstrous would be perhaps the biggest lie I've ever told. Indeed the words: sweet, gentle, and, dare I say, even cute, would be far more accurate descriptors."
Relief quickly filled the hearts of the Hestia familia as they finally understood, completely, where this was going.
"So, the thing I remembered, Ouranos-sama, is that I must treat individuals as individuals. Generalizations can be helpful for quick reference, but don't do the subject justice. I cannot, nor should I, treat Wiene as I would treat the Dragon, so I won't. I'm still a bit anxious about all of this, but I suspect, in time, I shall be able to fully accept the Xenos and their dream."
The tension in the room finally ebbed away and a calm returned.
"I see," Ouranos said, his normal unflinching demeanor restored. "You are a wise man, Achilles Caesar. Many would do well to take your words to heart."
"I suppose that's one positive to getting old," the Olympian half-heartedly joked.
"I don't think there is one person here who would dare use that term to describe you, Achilles," Hermes said, entering the conversation. "If anything I think I speak for all of us when I say that our respect and admiration for you has only grown given these new revelations."
Achilles frowned.
"Thanks, I suppose."
"No need to thank me," Hermes replied, ignoring the frown. "Though I do wonder how you could have escaped the Dragon. It must have truly been a tale of epic proportions given what you have told us."
Hermes knew full well he was entering dangerous territory, but as a purveyor of knowledge he was willing to take risks in its gathering, especially with regards to heroic deeds that could be used to help Bell fulfill his destiny.
Achilles's frown deepened.
"I didn't escape. I was rescued."
That was not the answer Hermes, or indeed anyone but those who already knew, were expecting.
"By whom?" Ouranos asked.
Achilles turned towards the god.
"By Aria Waldstein."
As most of the room once more fell silent in shock, Aiz's fist tightened and it was only through the calming touch and eyes of Riveria that she managed to calm down.
"Aria Waldstein? The wind spirit? Wife of Albert Waldstein?" Hephaestus asked, shocked.
"Yes. It appears the Dragon has been holding her captive all these years. She jumped in right as he was about to finish me off and stopped him."
"How?" Hermes asked, a nearly invisible hint of eager desperation in his voice.
"She…" Achilles fell silent.
What did she do? Everything from back then is so hazy. Everything except the horrible and miserable things.
Achilles closed his eyes and used all his might to try and remember what had happened. Slowly the picture began to form and once more, a new, but far gentler voice came from his mouth.
"I accept your deal."
Aiz's breath hitched at the sound of her mother's voice, unable to stop herself after hearing it for the first time in years.
It really was her. She was there that day, she thought, hope and determination filling her heart.
"Deal?" Ouranos asked the question they were all wondering. "What deal?"
"I have no idea," Achilles said. "But whatever it was was apparently good enough for the Dragon because he let her heal me as best she could after that and flew off with her. However, given the timing, I suspect that it may have something to do with the Xenos."
If Achilles didn't have everyone's attention before, he certainly did now.
"Explain," Ouranos said.
"I was told the Xenos first appeared fifteen years ago. That does not seem like a coincidence. Nor does this deal. That deal may have something to do with the emergence of the Xenos. It could also be that the destruction of the other Great Beasts spurred on the Xenos. The Behemoth and the Leviathan were, after all, out in the world for over a thousand years and were very powerful. Maybe their deaths and return to the Dungeon was like a sort of injection of power and knowledge into the Dungeon. I'm not sure, that's just a hunch. All I know is that the timing is too perfect and that whatever this 'deal' was can't be good, especially since the Dragon was so happy to accept it."
Ouranos and a few others nodded their heads.
"No it cannot be. Unfortunately for now, we can only speculate," the god said.
"Then I'll take that as my queue to leave, if that is alright with you, Ouranos-sama. Today's been a hell of a day and I'm in desperate need of a smoke and time away from thinking about monsters," Achilles said.
"You are excused. As are the rest of you. We can discuss the Xenos's future more in the future, but at the moment I believe everyone is far too preoccupied with this new information for any real progress on that front to be made."
More than a few people nodded at that and most everyone turned to leave.
"Pardon me, Ouranos."
Everyone turned to a certain smiling goddess of beauty.
"I was hoping to speak with you and Ganesha about another matter, if I may take a bit of your time."
A few people frowned at that, none deeper than Achilles.
"What is this matter?" Ouranos asked.
"I'd like it to be a bit of a surprise for everyone else, if you're willing to indulge me," she replied.
The frowns in the room deepened.
Normally, Ouranos would not have been so willing, but he knew that if he did not indulge her now, she would simply wait or, worse yet, raise some sort of issue later.
"Very well. Ganesha, are you willing to stay?"
"Of course," Ganesha replied, having long since dispensed with his usual playful persona.
"Then we shall hear what you have to say, Freya," Ouranos consented.
"Thank you," she returned, signally for her familia to exit alongside the others, though everyone else was eyeing the goddess of beauty with extreme curiosity and suspicion the whole way out. "Oh, and Bell," she called.
The Hestia familia tensed as their captain turned to the goddess.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Would you mind waiting for me to finish speaking with Ouranos and Ganesha. There is something I wanted to speak to you about as well."
Bell knew what she meant and knew he had put it off for long enough.
"Of course, Freya-sama," he replied.
"Thank you, beloved," she said, giving him a smile that would send most people to their knees. "I'll be with you shortly."
Bell nodded and departed, the rest of his familia following after, their worry growing with each passing moment.
"What do you think that was about?" Hestia asked out loud, not caring who answered.
"Whatever it is can't be good," Loki replied, frowning.
"You can say that again," Achilles said, taking out his pipe.
"Achilles-kun, we're still indoors," Hestia chided.
"I'm really stressed right now, so I beg your forgiveness, but you're all going to have to deal with the smoke for a little while," he replied, lighting his pipe and placing it in his mouth. He took a deep breath and let it out, some of the tension leaving his body.
He was not the only tense one as, off to the side, with a motherly elf watching over her, was a certain Sword Princess who was still trying to process what she had heard. Lucky for her, a certain heroically minded object of her affections took notice.
"Are you alright Aiz-san?" he asked quietly enough to not draw attention.
Though still recovering, Aiz could not help but smile once Bell appeared before her.
"It's all a bit much to take in. Knowing that the Dragon is a Xenos, but also that my mother really is alive, even hearing her voice again, it's all a bit much."
Bell nodded, though a tinge of fear passed through his heart as he wondered if the knowledge of the Dragon would turn her against the Xenos.
"I can only imagine, but I'll be here if you need anything," he swore nonetheless.
Her smile grew just a bit.
"Thank you, Bell."
Riveria was more than happy to watch the two interact from the sidelines, knowing they were inching closer and closer to becoming one. She was not alone as Hermes had noticed the two's interaction and smiled as he imagined the union between Orario's two great heroes. However, these were not the only reactions to the two as, only a few paces away, the eyes of nearly all the Freya familia were pointed towards the two, hostility radiating off of them like heat radiating off a forest fire. Amongst these vicious eyes, none was more vicious or hateful than those of Allen Fromel.
Just you wait, Rabbit. You'll get what you deserve soon enough and I'm going to enjoy giving it to you, he internally growled, hate consuming him as he watched the object of his contempt, smile in blissful ignorance towards what was to come.
"What is it you wished to speak to us about, Freya?" Ouranos questioned.
"There's no doubt that all three of us have taken note of the recent tension in the city," she began, still giving her usual smile.
Ganesha frowned.
"Yes, the city is on edge given the multitude of recent events. I have done my best to ease them, but there's only so much even I can do," the god of the masses replied.
"Your efforts are admirable, Ganesha and I'm sure you and your familia have done much to unburden the worries of the city, however, and no insult is meant by this, it is not enough."
Ganesha's frown deepened, but he could say nothing. He knew she was right.
"And you have a suggestion?" Ouranos asked, not in the mood for her to play games and desiring the she get to the point.
"I do," she responded immediately. "They need a distraction. Something that can get their minds off the recent concerns. Something big and spectacular. Something that captures their attention," her smile grew. "Like a tournament."
"A tournament?" Ouranos questioned.
"Yes. Think about it. A simple War Game is enough to grab the whole city's attention for days, even weeks. People eat, drink, bet, and celebrate all around the game, the recent fight between Hestia and Apollo being a recent example, and that lasted only a few hours. Imagine that, but for weeks and with every familia taking part. Dozens of gods with thousands of adventurers participating for prizes, fame, and prestige. Not only would all eyes be unable to resist the spectacle, but it would do wonders for business, especially if we sent word out before the grand event so that visitors could come and see the tournament themselves. Food, fun, wealth, and spectacle, a perfect combination to ease the minds of Orario and get things back to a calm, optimistic spirit."
The two gods thought about the proposal. Neither was foolish enough to dismiss it outright, this was Freya after all, and one of the best things she was known for, after her beauty, was her intelligence and wit. However, there was one question that they both wanted answered.
"What do you get out of this, Freya?" Ouranos asked.
Freya continued to smile, but a fierceness suddenly entered her eyes that honestly surprised the two gods.
"You two have heard the whispers circulating through the city about my Bell?"
Now they understood.
"The recent spectacle my dear Bell-kun provided has caused many of the more timid within the city to turn towards some dark thoughts and propositions. I have tried to discourage these lines of thinking, but with little success." Both gods wondered precisely how she was 'discouraging', but kept silent for now. "As such I need an alternative strategy to protect my dearly beloved. Thinking on the matter, the answer was obvious. People are scared and a sense of pessimism has begun to sink into the spirit of the city. So, if that fear and pessimism was dealt with, say with a grand event that would captivate, enthrall, and entertain the city, then that would help my Bell tremendously. That is what I get out of it, Ouranos. My Bell, safe and happy. A worthy cause, no?"
The god of the Guild did not fail to notice the suggestion she made at the end, nor the meaning of her newly reinvigorated smile.
He's helped you more than you could have ever possibly asked him to. You owe him this.
And, in a rare moment that someone else might have joked deserved to be recorded in a history book, Ouranos agreed with her.
"We shall take your suggestion under advisement," he said.
Freya's smile grew. She knew what that meant.
Good.
"Thank you," she said, giving the tiniest bow, then waved goodbye to Ganesha before turning and leaving.
With the goddess gone, Ganesha turned to Ouranos.
"I will begin preparations immediately."
Freya made her way towards Bell and the others, Ottar and the rest of her familia immediately taking their place around her as she reached the objects of her affections.
"Thank you for waiting, Bell," she said, smiling tenderly at him.
"Of course, Freya-sama. What is it you wished to speak to me about?" the young adventurer asked, already knowing the answer.
"I wished to know if it would be possible for us to finally have our meeting. I do not wish to pressure you, but I do so wish to put your mind at ease and show you my intentions are completely pure."
Good luck with that, Achilles thought.
"I understand. Well, I think it would be possible for us to have our meeting tomorrow, if Loki-sama is willing," Bell replied.
"Loki?" Freya questioned.
"Yep," the redhead trickster goddess jumped in. "Got a personal request from Chibi to have the meeting at my place so we can make sure you don't play any tricks. Got a problem with that?" she asked, her eyes opening just a sliver.
Freya was silent for a moment, but only a moment, before she smiled.
"Not at all. As I told Bell, this is to earn his trust and show the depths of my affection for him, as well as his father," her eyes turned to Achilles, who stared right back without so much as a flinch. "And the most recent person to garner my affections. My dear, sweet, Haruhime," she finished, turning towards the renard who could not help but turn away with a blush.
"Right," Loki responded, clearly not buying it. "Then my place, noon tomorrow. We'll have lunch while you show us all your 'pure intentions'."
Freya nodded to her fellow goddess, before turning her eyes towards Bell.
"Noon tomorrow," she said.
Bell nodded.
"Noon tomorrow."
And finished.
Once more I must apologize for this taking so long to get out, I truly did not expect it to take as long as it did. I thought I'd have it out two or three days after the previous chapter, but I once more came across one of the great difficulties of writing. Finding the right words. You wouldn't figure finding a way to say something would be so difficult but, goodness, it can be.
Anyway, as per usual, please tell me what you thought of the chapter. Did I miss anything important? Do you have any requests? Feel free to share them as I do like to hear back from you all. With that said, thank you for joining me again and I'll see you all next time for our meeting with Freya. Bye for now.