The Fallen Argonaut
Rated; M (Blood/Gore)
Disclaimer; I do not own Danmachi or anything created by the author Fujino Ōmori, all rights go to him. This chapter may also include dark themes such as rape, torture, extreme gore, and suffering.
Authors: Eli-er01 & ViceroyChalister
Patreon: Elier01
Chapters 72 (Plans and Traps) and Chapter 73 (Assault) are already available on my Patreon
Summary: The will of a hero is strong, yet unwavering but all good things must come to an end, even at the cost of one's Heroic Will. Imprisoned and blamed for a crime he hadn't committed, Bell seeks a way out of his predicament so that he can live without fear of being hunted by the people he once looked up to.
71: The March
=Orario, Western Gates, Morning=
Finn honestly, felt giddy inside at seeing the number of adventurers that had gathered here. The sheer amount seemed to spread far enough that it was almost nauseating.
Four thousand… while the number may not seem like much compared to the times of old when armies could number in the hundreds of thousands, but in the case that the age they currently reside in where quality, is always preferable to quantity, and that most here, were quality…
It was probably the first time, since the time of the Zeus and Hera Familia's that such a large force of quality had been amassed. At least Finn believed that to be the case, though there was no way for him to confirm that thought.
Now, here he was, standing on top of the wall above the gate, overlooking all these adventurers, smiths, doctors, and in some cases… Commanders. He glanced at where Soma Familia stood, the prum girl standing in front of them proudly.
A small smile played on his lips with a hint of pride in his heart. That prum girl he'd seen the potential in had truly grown into her own. He'd heard tales of how she commanded her expeditions into the deep floors and the sheer trust she inspired in those who followed her.
All of it had gained her an Alias that quite literally translated into what she was to those adventurers. Commander.
There were other notable members around. Welf Crosso, who'd kept his name of Ignis simply due to it fitting him so well, being the smith, that never stops burning, no matter where or when.
Yamoto Mikoto, whose alias does justice in her mastery of both swordsmanship and martial arts, Kensei.
He could spot many more, Aisha Belka, Daphne Lauros, Airmid Tesenare, Kashima Ouka… the list went on, each name being one person that was powerful and had proven their strength with time and effort, though was not the ones mentioned when one talked about the strongest. They'd all have their roles to play, and he trusted, that they'd play them well. Though…
His eyes moved back towards the Takemikazuchi Familia, drawn towards the golden fur of a green-eyed renard. Out of everyone he'd mentioned, and all the names he'd listed, Sanjouno Haruhime had been one that he'd classified as 'odd'. She had no spectacular feat, no extraordinary ability or capability that set her our from the norm… her entire career, apart from being part of one of the most successful parties in Orario, was in one word…
Ordinary
The best he could guess, would be that her magic was special… but every report, no matter what held no detail of her action, essentially making her seem like a ghost in battle reports.
Every report in fifteen years… and not a single mention of what she can do. It had put him in quite a pickle on where to place her. He'd considered for a while to contact Taliye for information, after all, he would need it to find a suitable position for her properly… but in the end, he figured it would be best to place her wherever Taliye went.
She knew her, knew her capabilities, and how to properly guide her to her most effective use.
Thus, he'd placed both the Takemikazuchi familia and Soma Familia in the Southern front, where she'll assume command.
This wasn't the Knossos, and he would not have the time, nor capability to assume command of all three fronts for such an extended period of time instead of the span of a single battle…
Just thinking of keeping that up for what could be months was… he almost shuddered at the thought.
He knew deep down that if he truly wanted to and set his mind to it, he could do it, but it would without a doubt tax him to the point that it would impact his capabilities in battle in the long term.
So, instead, entrusting it to others was the next best choice, though, in the end, Finn was still the unofficial (practically official) commander.
Clearing his throat, holding out his hand towards Gareth on his side, the two looked at each other as the dwarf just shook his head with a bemused expression on his face before handing him his axe.
The moment it was in the prums hands, with a noise that echoed and probably nearly shattered the eardrums of some, echoed across the entire are as he smashed his own spear into the metal hard enough to reverberate, trusting the durandal attribute to keep them from chipping alongside using the flat sides of the weapons.
The entire area was instantly silenced as everyone had turned to look in his direction.
"Everyone! The time has come for us to depart, thus I'd like to repeat all critical information in case there is anyone left out of the loop. Three weeks ago, the empire launched a siege on Rakia, sending in their strongest force to strongarm and seize control of the capital, leading to the predicament we have experienced since." He began as most listened in rapt attention.
"Our goal, is to liberate Rakia and its territories, so that Rakia and his people may return and rebuild what they've lost. Some of you may wonder why we have to help them, after all the times they have launched their attacks on us." He waved towards the backside of the large gathering where the Rakian soldiers were positioned. He could see how some of them were looking away at the mention, and how there were some adventurers seemingly miffed at them as well.
"There are many answers to such a question. For one, we do not have the space to house all of these refugees. By estimate, over one hundred and twenty-three thousand refugees, soldiers and Rakia included have been living with us since, packing our streets tightly enough for it to be hard to breathe, but there is one more reason for us to commit to such an act." His gaze hardened as he looked out towards every adventurer.
"The Empire itself, without a doubt has its sights on Orario. Their motives are as of yet unknown, but they've made it clear that they desire war with us. Thus, we cannot sit by, and instead, bring the fight to them. If they want to take us on, then we will show them what it means to challenge adventurers!" His voice grew louder and louder, slowly cascading and booming across the entire area as the expressions of the warriors, healers, smiths, and Adventurers alike. Smiles and grins spread as their hearts began to hammer.
"For their lives to constantly be at risk!" Finn slowly raised his spear.
"To feel true fear and overcome insurmountable odds!"
"So if they want to fight us…"
"Then we will fight to the bitter end!" With that, his voice reached its summit, the entire force cheering out with the Rakians looking on in slight shock but also seemingly excited as well.
"All familias, organize for each front! Southern front headed towards the plains of the southeast, to the left!" He pointed the spear in the direction as people began to move.
"Northern front headed to the Berum Canyons, to the right!" His spear made an arch as he aimed it to the right before slowly moving it up and pointing it straight in the middle.
"Lastly, The central front headed towards the Ardian Forest, gather in the middle!" With that, Finn put the butt of his spear against the ground as he held it, turning and handing the great axe back to the draw who stroked his beard.
"Ya know, I'll never understand how ya can inspire so many with a few mere words." Gareth mused as Riveria smirked to the side.
"I do believe that is all he's good for. Similarly to how you're only good for being either a brute or a drunk…"
""Oy, like you're any better you damn arrogant elf!"" The two lashed out at her at once as Riveria simply looked to the side, hiding her bemusement at the scene.
"Wow, you three remind me of the kids…" Bache cut in, rubbing the back of her head as the level sevens turned to the Amazon.
Finn could do nothing but smile at her with closed eyes, shaking his head.
"Is that what it looks like from the outside?" He mused.
"Yeah, me and Elora used to bicker like that… honestly, I miss it…" A sad look entered her eyes before it was squashed.
"So, should we go?" Bache asked.
"The Amazon is correct…" Riveria said with a smile as she moved to head to her designated front, seeing Tiona already down there. "Should we heat out, Bache?" She asked as the Amazon nodded. "See you, Finn, Gareth. Good luck."
"To you as well." With the two departing, Finn smiled softly at the dwarf.
"Don't die on me, alright?" Gareth almost scoffed at the prospect before butting their fists together.
"Ain't planin' on it, Finn. Smash their asses for me, will ya?"
"Will do."
Finally, with that, both Finn and Gareth left. It was time to head out towards war.
Within the hours, The Rakian soldiers had been delegated and split up into each front, all departing at the same time in separate directions.
War was about to begin, and unbeknownst to most, on top of one of the in the distance, a figure stood, witnessing it all.
It had begun… now… all he had to do was watch.
=Alv Mountains=
The carriages traveled on the rocky roads, the central one decorated in ornaments, signifying its importance over the others as the guards remained on alert.
Inside the carriage, a certain black-haired empress sat, looking out at the trees and vegetation that surrounded them in the pass between the mountains.
The trip so far had been long, but it was slowly nearing its end. Over a month had passed since their departure, with an estimated arrival of two months from the start.
For the most part, Asuka had found it boring, and eventless. Almost every day remained the same, travel by cart, take a few breaks to eat and stretch, and camp at night.
That did not mean she did not enjoy it at times. Where it was boring, she found it liberating as well. Asuka had been cooped up in the palace for so long, buried in her duties to the Far East that she could not even remember the last time she'd been able to go on a trip even remotely similar to this.
It made her all the more grateful to her mother for taking up her duties in her stead until she returned.
Peeking her head out of the carriage, she looked over the Horizon and smiled. In the distance, she could see it. The walls and Babel Tower were a sight she'd never seen before but heard so much about. Their elevation gave them the perfect outlook, despite the distance.
Soon they'd be there. A few days at most…
She almost chuckled at the fact that it would have taken weeks more if they'd followed their original route. They'd actually planned to go around the mountain, but some of the local villagers had informed them of this passage in good faith, and she was glad she'd taken the risk to trust them.
Just thinking of reuniting with Bell-kun and everyone else made her giddy. She'd be able to get to know his kids better as she hadn't had much of a chance so far.
Though… the information of the passage wasn't all she had received from the village… but also some… troubling news and quite frankly, questionable information that had her more conflicted than anything.
Tales of Bell breaking Loki Familia's floor record, Rakia falling to the empire, and lastly, something about intelligent monsters calling themselves Xenos.
The first was believable and sounded much like Bell, the second was concerning and honestly made her wary, and the last one was… well, conflicted, confused, and just completely lost.
Monsters with intelligence?
Monsters with feelings?
Monsters who didn't want to fight?
It all sounded far too strange, and out of left field… but it came from Bell. He had stated it, clearly and in front of a god who had confirmed his words as truth, at least from what she heard… and it just made it all the more conflicting.
Because she knew Bell, and she knew he was as honest as they came. He would rather bite his own tongue than speak a lie if he could help it. Of course, it didn't make him unable to lie, just… not predisposed to it, and given all the information and facts (if what she heard was true), then as much as she hated it, she had to believe it.
The issue came with what the people would think. Without a doubt… mixed, but mostly, it would be bad. She knew how people thought, having grown up with an extensive and wide education that went above and beyond to make sure she was not only knowledgeable and capable in the culture, politics, and various other subjects pertaining to the Far East and how to rule, she was also taught other cultures around the world from Amazonian customs to the mild Prum faiths that had slowly died out.
That all included history… and if there was one thing History was good at teaching, it was mortal behavior and the similarities the various species could have.
While differences such as pride were apparent in some, and others were more predisposed to violence, history had taught her one thing that was common in every mortal.
Fear leads to hate, and hate… leads to cruelty.
This concept has remained true, no matter what age one looks into. People who experience fear will hate the cause of that fear, and that hate will push them to attempt to remove that threat… most likely violently.
Few rare exceptions appear maybe once a millennium, but mostly concentrated in the age of heroes, people capable of overcoming their fear, and instead rising above it.
People like that, were rare… and she was fortunate to know one such person… well, at least someone that had done it in the past, and seemed to have continued to do so.
The thoughts of the white-haired man made her smile momentarily before the carriage hit a particularly bumpy spot, resulting in her head slamming against the window as she let out a strangled sound of pain.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" The second inhabitant of the carriage spoke, one of the hidden ones, and their captain, Kasumi.
"Y-yes… Just did not expect that. I suppose that is what I get for letting myself become distracted."
"Distracted, milady?"
"Ah, just thoughts on the current happenings of the world. Events are happening one after the other and it has become more difficult to keep up." Asuka's answer spoke enough as she quieted down.
"I see…" Kasumi answered as he looked out the window, his bright blue eyes remaining stoic as he seemed to ponder.
"I am just… worried… the empire has a level eight as well, and… they are most likely the most closely matched opponent Orario has ever faced before." Asuka continued after a long moment, deciding that she might as well get her thoughts out.
"If I may, milady, but the way I see it, Orario still holds the advantage. While the empire may have one level eight, same as the labyrinth city, they do not hold the same numbers of level sevens or below."
The words seemed to take a while for Asuka to really think about as she thought about what he had said. She knew where he was going but…
"That may be true, but there is one other card that the empire has in play, one which is the main source of my worry. They possess artifacts… more specifically…that…" She whispered the last word as Kasumi froze, silently acknowledging her point as they fell into silence. Asuka honest to gods hates that such a thing had made its way into their hands.
The Far East had attempted to retrieve it before the empire over a hundred years ago, but… they had been too late. The empire had somehow beat them to it, and snatched it right out of their grasp.
And what a failure it had been…
The most twisted artifact that surpassed even that of the sword of oath… it was so twisted, that the only reason they had even been looking for it in the first place, was in order to make sure it could be sealed away much more securely, so that no one has to suffer due to it.
That… thing… was without a doubt going to be used during the war, one way or the other… and that…
That scared her more than anything else.
=South West of Orario=
Bache walked slowly, stewing to herself as she silently fretted for the other children. Despite having earlier felt somewhat content, now that she was getting further and further away from them all, while they were heading to war…
Her heart hammered at the thoughts that plagued her, of the possibilities. The children had seen some of the worst of humanity when Bell took them out at times to accompany him during his 'mercenary' days, but war… they had never really experienced war.
She had though, in a sense. The Telskyuran death fights were a good imitation of the mentality that war can bring, at least from what she hears. The way one compartmentalizes the entire situation, the way one changes to adapt and do anything for survival.
She had walked away from Kali to live away from that life, to give her daughter a life different from it… but here she was, in a sense walking into a different kind of war… and her daughter and… step-children?
For a moment, Bache tilted her head in confusion, not really having thought about what to call them. They were like her own children, but she wasn't their mother… maybe… step-aunt?
"Bache-sama, Lili wonders what's on your mind." Bache blinked, turning to look down to her side at the prum voice. She looked worried… or more fearful in a way- no…
She seemed nervous.
Ah, that's right. She forgot that she was assigned to lead this entire front, to command over a thousand adventurers and soldiers.
That… that's quite the trust placed in her, and Bache couldn't help but feel pity for the brunette prum. The pressure must be real, to the point that it must be crushing.
"No, just thinking about the children. I'm worried, you know… a rational part of me knows they can take care of themselves but… this is still war…" The Amazon spoke. If Lili was feeling so much pressure, perhaps they could try to… calm each other down.
The prum seemed to take that in for a second before her gaze turned forward with a nod.
"Lili understands… or Lili thinks she does. Lili still remembers the fear she felt when Lili heard of Kauhea Forbande. It was… numbing." And isn't that right? The fear was numbing if anything, numbing to everything but itself. All you could think about was that fear, and the possibilities.
"The best advice Lili can give, is to trust in them. The fear does not go away, not until you see them yourself, no matter how much anyone tries to reassure you. Lili should know, you all tease Lili and everyone too much." Bache couldn't help but laugh as the prum pouted. They did tease them about Bell's safety quite a lot. She wouldn't go as far as to say it was too much, but it was definitely fun…
"Thanks, Lili. I needed that." Bache grinned, the two smiling at one another for a moment.
"Oy, little prum. It's been a while, hasn't it!" Bache blinked as she turned to see… another Amazon, who seemed to enjoy the color purple. Lili grumbled slightly, muttering something she couldn't quite catch before she too turned towards the new arrival who had taken up a spot next to Lili, walking with the three at the center of the entire front.
"Lady Aisha, I would say it hasn't been long enough."
"Oh, don't be like that! We had quite a lot of fun last time!"
"Your idea of fun is Lili running for her life from monsters, so no. It was not fun!" Lili fumed as the Amazon just burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, Welf would agree with me. Back there, he was laughing as much as me!"
At this point, Lili was practically growling, but Bache couldn't help but spot that tiny glint in her eyes that held a bit of affection in a friendly platonic way.
"Well, seems you two get along just fine… and you… Aisha was it? I'm Bache." Bache interjected as both Aisha and Lili turned towards her, the Amazon seemingly taking one moment before her grin widened.
"Well, if it ain't the Amazon that snatched the rabbit! Tell me, how'd you do it?"
"Rabbit?- Oh, you mean Bell." Aisha only seemed to grin wider at that.
"Yeah, who else would I mean? Now come on, share the deets, one Amazon to another." Bache hesitated for a long moment, glancing at Lili before her gaze shifted away.
"I'd rather not. It's not something I am proud of." Bache's words froze the two's expressions for a long moment before Lili narrowed her eyes. As for Aisha… well, the moment those words were spoken, her mind homed in on exactly what she meant.
She was an Amazon too, after all.
"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to hit a sore spot." She apologized, letting out a frustrated breath before deciding to switch the conversation topic.
"Hey, where's Haruhime anyway? I've been looking for her, for a while but no luck. It was actually why I came up to you, little prum."
"Stop calling me that!"
Bache, happy about the change, laughed at the frustrated expression on Lili as she seemed to stomp her little feet on Aisha's leg, causing a wince from the Amazon.
"Oy, stop that! You just leveled up you moron!" Lili simply huffed at that, crossing her arms as Bache blinked.
"You leveled up, Lili?" She asked, a smile slowly breaking out as the Prum's eyes instantly glowed and she nodded.
"Lili did! Our adventure helped push Lili over the edge, and Lili thought it was better for her to be first class when commanding a large force." She reasoned, still smiling as she thought back to her status update. It was the largest jump she has had… well, for as far as she can remember. Her total stat increase was over a hundred and fifty points. For a level four closing in on level 5, that was a massive jump.
"Congrats, it was well deserved." Bache smiled down at the prum, genuinely happy for the woman before she turned towards Aisha.
"By the way, you're Antianeira, right? Bell has spoken briefly about you. What level are you now? Last I heard, you ascended to level four but I haven't really kept up with anyone but Loki and Freya familia… and this group." She asked, finishing by rubbing Lili's hair roughly, much tot he prums annoyance.
"Hey! Stop that!"
"Level six. Been there for the past four years." Aisha answered, returning her own smile. "Just need a push, but it's damn near impossible I tell you. How you reached level seven, I will never get." She continued, grumbling to herself.
"Oh, I understand perfectly. I was stuck as a level six for over a decade, so I guess I had you beat."
The two laughed at that as Lili just shook her head. It is nice to have some peace before all the stress begins.
"Though I was actually serious, where is Haruhime?"
"Ah, I think she's with Mikoto further in the back… I think Welf is there too."
"Oh? Good, now I can pester Haruhime about finally taking on a partner. Lord knows she needs one." Aisha grinned wickedly, licking her lips as she slowed her walk to fall behind.
All Lili could do was shake her head, praying the Amazon wouldn't cause the Renard to pass out.
=Orario, Traveler's Inn=
Hermes was bored. That was the only thing that went through his mind as he entered the inn after having a small excursion out into the city.
Everything was boring. With his familia and the vast majority of adventurers following suit, the city was quiet, so much so that it reminded him of that day that comes each year. The day that sets off the memory of the dark age, of when the city was plunged into flames and despair.
He still remembers it as if it had happened yesterday. The way Zald and Alfia had torn through their strongest like it wasn't even worth their time, and the despair it had plunged the city into.
After all, if those two could do that to the Freya and Loki familia on their own, what were they even supposed to do? Zald's defense was seemingly impenetrable, and Alfia appeared untouchable.
The only reason they'd been able to overcome that hurdle, was due to the two being sickly and weak, at least compared to their prime.
Hermes almost shuddered at the thought of Orario trying to face Alfia without her sickness.
It was just… unthinkable. The woman had one-shotted the Leviathan with her strongest magic, a monster that was terrifying enough that it hadn't been defeated once, since the time of Albert Waldstein.
One thousand years, and a single woman comes along and kills it in one blast.
That didn't even account for Zald, who himself was no slouch, finishing off the Behemoth.
But the thought of Bell-kun… he was like them. He was an absolute monster by mortal standards and he'd bet everything that he could take on the behemoth and leviathan on his own.
In fact… it would be an apt descriptor to say that he was what Alfia or Zald could have been in a different world, unburdened by their diseases.
And the way things were going…
The god chewed on his fingernails as his godly mind attempted to think of where this path they were treading on led.
None of them were to his liking. Not one bit.
The way things were panning out, they would come to clash… Loki and Freya familia would try to stop him eventually… he just knew it, at least if they get the chance, and he knew they would get that chance eventually.
He could already picture it, the way they'd all fall, one after the other. If Bell-kun went all out, with no hesitation whatsoever and no holding back… Even Ottar would be laid low with relative ease.
"Hermes-sama! You've received a correspondence of your 'Priority contact'" One of the few children he'd kept here, one of the fairly new ones held a letter, smiling softly as she waited for him to take it.
Then it hit him. Priority contact…
Everyone in his familia knew he had a priority contact, but only one of his children knew who that actually was.
…
And he hadn't received any correspondence in fifteen years… so why now?
'What are you up to, old man' Hermes thought as he took the letter.
"Thank you, Mira." The girl nodded with a smile as she turned around and headed back to tend to the bar. While nowhere near as popular as the Hostess of Fertility, they did get their fair share of customers, mostly looking for information of course.
Walking up the stairs and into his office, he sat down in his chair, holding the letter up into the air, staring at it for a long moment.
The seal was right… and the handwriting bore that old man's signature handwriting. He always did have sloppy handwriting, too concerned with the finer things in life… heh, he too had the same priorities, only he is required to write well.
Breaking the seal and opening the letter, he unfolded the paper found within and began reading.
Hermes, my old friend.
It has been a while, hasn't it? Have you finally managed to peep at Demeter and others in the Pantheon's bath?
Hermes snorted at the question. He did manage to… but it cost him. Not that it wasn't worth it, it was. Those beautiful curves…
He almost drooled at the image that had been lovingly imprinted into his memory. Turning his eyes back to the words, he continued onwards.
Unfortunately, this letter is not meant as a mere correspondence. I have been indisposed of for quite a while, but I must inform you of the dire news.
Ouldrin has begun to move. For whatever purpose, I do not know, but it can not be for any purpose other than his primal directive.
Hermes instantly shot up, slamming his hands onto his table-
"WHAT!?" He shouted, sweat forming on his forehead as dread filled him. They were supposed to have more time!
Clenching his fists, he continued down the letter, the news only getting worse and worse.
I have also received information that 'she' is moving as well, though similarly to Ouldrin, her purpose is unknown. If events keep spiraling as they are, I fear that the promised time will arrive far sooner than anticipated, and Orario is yet to be ready.
I have a few thoughts and ideas I'd like to share, but they are not to be written down, thus I'd like for us to meet, preferably in 'that' place.
Your friend, Zeus
For a long moment, Hermes stood there, shaking mind swirling before he finally collapsed into his chair, letting his hands close around each other before leaning on it.
This…- this was news that, to some would cause fear and panic, but they truly did not know the sheer severity of it.
If Ouldrin was moving, that meant that their predictions had failed. Most thought that the Zeus and Hera familia's attempt at the three great quests was caused by the pressure from the world.
That may have played a role, but it was not the deciding factor. The real reason behind it, was that they needed to delay Ouldrin, even if it meant sacrificing the pinnacle of their efforts at that point, even if it meant the entire Zeus and Hera familias were slaughtered in the attempt because the alternative was much worse.
So… they set forth, managing to complete two of the three great quests, not including her, before they departed to take on the final quest.
He knew that Zeus and Hera had hated every second of watching their children celebrate their prior successes, because they knew that soon, they'd set out on what would be a suicide mission.
The old man had broken down in front of him from the sheer despair he felt as they had departed. They didn't want to do it, to send them there. They were their children, the ones he'd nurtured and grown close with.
But they did it anyway, because it was required.
If Ouldrin was allowed to fully recover enough to move on his own with no one disturbing his rest, the world would be plunged into absolute anarchy, the same anarchy it had seen before the Sword Hero had injured and tired it out enough to hibernate.
So when the Zeus and Hera familia had attacked, he could still remember the agonizing screams of both Zeus and Hera, feeling the connections being cut in the dozens every second, as if they were being slaughtered like cattle.
It was a pain, Hermes hoped he would never have to face. To feel of thousands of connections, forcefully cut, lives snuffed out with such ease.
What was a day of shock and horror for the world, was a day of despair and guilt for them.
But with the sacrifice, they'd drained it's stamina enough to buy them time, after all, a recovering Ouldrin, is easier to tire, than a recovered one.
But now…
If he was moving…
And they weren't ready… damn it! He cursed Kaius from the deepest pit of his divinity. Did he have any clue of the consequences of his actions!?
Bell-Kun was so close to being ready, he was more powerful than both Zald and Alfia, with the heart and compassion of his mother, but none of the naivety of his earlier years.
He was on the cusp of truly ascending to what he'd seen in him, that spark that Zeus had given up on.
To be the final chapter in Dungeon Oratoria, the story of the last hero.
And now, he was out there, chasing vengeance with brutality and disregard for the pain he was inflicting.
Hermes felt like he was going to have a panic attack as every plan they'd made slowly went up in smoke, how everything was spiraling out of control in a way his godly mind couldn't even fathom.
How were they supposed to handle this? Their children were not ready, and Ouldrin was already on the move.
Even if they sent both Loki and Freya's familia to be slaughtered by him, it wouldn't even put a dent in his stamina now that he was fully recovered.
Was there anything they could do… or…
Had they already lost to 'them'?
No… he couldn't sit here and panic. Taking deep breaths and trying to calm down, Hermes banished the thoughts from his mind as he leaned back.
"This is too much… What do you expect me to do… old man…" He muttered, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.
Well… he could at the very least follow through with Zeus' request. Quickly pulling out a pen and paper, he wrote down a short and curt reply, simply stating that he'd be there in three days.
Standing up and throwing Zeus' original letter into the fire, he watched the parchment catch flames and burn. That was not information that could get out under any circumstances…
Once satisfied, he walked back down and headed straight towards the bar before taking a seat.
"Mira, one drink here please." The girl smiled and nodded, quickly pouring one before putting the mug in front of him.
"Is something wrong, Hermes-sama?" Her question only served to sour his thoughts. He couldn't tell her… how could he? It was the same as telling her that she was going to die soon, no matter what she did.
"No, don't worry. Just some problems between gods, nothing you mortals would find interesting." He lied expertly as the girl slowly nodded.
With a quick swish, he downed the entire mug in one go before pulling out the letter he'd written, placing it onto the counter between his arms, just enough for her to see.
"Mira, I'm going to be leaving to visit an old friend tomorrow. Can you deliver this to my 'Priority contact' At the usual spot?" he asked, as the girl nodded.
"Of course, it will be there as soon as possible." Her words were spoken with enthusiasm which most lost with time as she took the letter, probably to deliver it tonight.
Zeus was much closer to their meeting point, so he'd need less time. That's probably why he left the date of the meeting to his liking.
Shaking his head, he ordered another drink, deciding that at least tonight, he could drink away his worries.
The stress was going to eat him alive otherwise…
=Orario, Archian Manor=
Erebus watched as the numbers changed slightly, Fina down on her knees as he updated her status. It wasn't anything large, or impressive, but it was better to update the status once in a while, even for a non-combatant.
He smiled slightly as the girl was humming softly, looking down at her son who slept in her arms.
Focusing back on the status, he began finalizing the update before pushing it all back onto her back, copying the status before locking it.
"Here, even some household chores can have an effect at the start, but it won't push you anywhere near the double digits." He informed as she looked at the paper.
Name: Fina Cremond
Lv 1
Status:
{STR} I-0 - I-1
{VIT} I-0
{DEX} I-0 - I-2
{AGI} I-0 - I-1
{MAG} I-0
Magic:
Skills:
Development Abilities:
Fina nodded, putting down the parchment before reaffirming her hold on her son, not really liking only holding him in one arm, despite how easy it was.
"Erebus-sama, I still do not see the point of updating my status. Four points in total isn't much from what I know." She said, still a bit miffed that he'd practically forced her into it.
"True, and it might seem pointless, but even a single point makes a tiny difference, and you will notice it if you really try. If you were to do some training, then you might be able to breeze through the chores." Erebus smiled, as Fina grumbled.
She didn't like the idea of training… something in her just feared it, as if it would lead her down that path that got Rye and the others killed. She couldn't help but think to herself that even if she tried, she probably had no talent for it whatsoever.
"Anyway, that's about it. I'd like to update your status in a month from now as well, by then you should be able to raise most basic abilities by another point from the small amounts of Excelia you gather." Erebus stated as she sighed out, knowing it wasn't a fight she would win.
"Alright…" She stopped, glancing back at the god. Maybe… this might be a good time to ask…
"Hm? Valis for your thought?" He spoke softly as she blinked. Was she that transparent? Or… was he just that good at reading people?
"It's just… I have been thinking about what Bell-san is doing… but… Erebus-sama. Are you helping him?" The god blinked, then blinked again, surprised at the question and honestly didn't know what to answer with.
"It's just… I heard him and Aralaya-san three days ago… and… I can't help but wonder if you knew." She looked up at him, her furry ears twitching in anticipation at the answer as her eyes bore into Erebus' own.
Sighing out, the deity leaned back as he looked up at the roof.
"Fina, you do know what I am the god of, correct?" He asked as she nodded slowly.
"Yes, you're the god of malevolence…" Her answer was met with a nod as Erebus leaned forward with a soft smile on his face.
"You see, when I helped Alfia and Zald attack Orario to bring forth new heroes, my views of chaos and evil were different than they are now. I used to believe that true evil was to be hated by everyone, something absolute, but a fellow deity gave me some much-needed perspective." He smiled, reminiscing on the words she had told him.
"This god, had reasoned, that my evil wasn't absolute, but inevitable, something that was required to make the world a better place. Without it, growth would not be possible, because, in the end, it is evil that spurs good in others, and inspires growth. Without it… stagnation would be inevitable… and having had so much time to think, I came to understand what she meant and admit that I, the god of it, was wrong." Fina seemed completely enraptured by his words, listening intently.
"So, when I met Bell, I saw an opportunity. I saw someone who had experienced so much Evil, and was on the verge of breaking, that I had to act, if not for myself, then for Alfia who gave her life for my vision. So I went with him, watched him grow as Evil and chaos continued to batter him time and time again, pushing him further and further to grow and grow, proving what the god had said again and again. The moments he grew the most, were those that were the most chaotic, so I strive to follow that ideal, to improve on my vision and embody that chaotic good. I still hold true evil inside of me, but I now instead channel it to inspire growth." He paused.
"So… you changed? I thought that was impossible for gods." Fina voiced, confused and honestly flabbergasted at the revelation.
"So did I… and the rest of us as well, but it appears that even the unchanging gods, can learn and grow as well. In the end, we aren't so unchanging, only unwise. Our lifespans end up holding us back because we don't truly think we have to act in the moment, after all, why would you if you have eternity to encounter the same lesson and learn from it then?" He laughed bitterly.
"It's a foolish concept, but it is one all of us gods have fallen for… but that's beside the point. What I was trying to convey, was that what Bell is doing now, is answering the chaos and evil that has been thrown his way… and even if he is going at it in a way that is not healthy, or good, I believe that it is needed for him to grow and learn."
With that, Erebus finished, the room filling with silence as Fina stared at the god in surprise as her features morphed into a myriad of different emotions. Surprise, Thoughtful, realization before understanding.
"You… you're helping him to… push him to grow? To learn? I… I see. You want to…" She stopped as Erebus nodded.
"That's right. This is a trial for him, one that will push him to grow even further, and it is also a trial for you all, to allow you to grow as well." His smile was soft, genuine. "After all, isn't that what a patron deity is supposed to do? To help their children grow?"
With that, Erebus stood up, walking over to the door before looking over his shoulder one last time.
"I truly look forward to seeing how much you all grow. I have found that it is a feeling that is irreplaceable, one that fills me with pride." He finished before disappearing down the hallway, leaving the chienthrope with a different view of her patron god, but nonetheless a better one than before.
Out of every thought that was circulating in her mind at the moment, only a single one stood out above the rest.
That she was glad, that out of every deity, it was Erebus who was their god.
=North West of Orario=
Bell held the paper in his hand, reading through the list of sixteen names.
Morel, Carmilla, Arcs, Firo, Sharon, Naki, Sorel, Inko, Cynthia, Lox, Rakta, Elfy, Riko, Anna, Narvi and Makishiro.
Those were the names that were suspect due to varying reasons which were listed next to their names.
It all ranged from inconsistent stories or suspicious behavior such as paranoia. He had quickly crossed out the ones listed due to suspicious behavior. This Epsilon had to be very good at what they do, to the point that Finn hadn't discovered them for a long time given that each name listed was of people that had been in the familia for over a decade apart from Firo, who had joined nine years ago.
Thus, they have practically been masters at blending in, and acting in the manners that had been listed would not reflect that whatsoever. Chances are, they are probably acting as such due to the current circumstances.
He could understand why they were listed, Freya had without a doubt taken his words to the letter and hadn't given the actual reason for why the information was needed, and as such, Hermes had been working on incomplete intel, thus he'd simply gone the safe route and included everyone.
When he had finished crossing out the final name he listed as 'Suspicious behavior', he was left with only five names.
Sharon, Lox, Narvi and Arcs.
And, well, his luck seemed to have struck. All those listed… they'd all departed in the same group, headed towards the central front… the same front the twins were in…
Bell clenched his teeth. If anything happened to them, he'd make what he'd already done look like a child throwing a tantrum.
All of that, had led him here, watching the entire force from a distance. He knew that getting too close was a bad idea. He didn't really have a good disguise and his armor was a bit…
He looked down at the gear, scratches, and a few bent places here and there. It was in rough shape, to be honest. He hadn't had any opportunity to actually work on his gear… in fact, he hadn't even considered it.
Frowning slightly, he couldn't help but chastise himself. How stupid could he be to not repair his own armor? Sure, he was strong enough that the only ones that could so much as leave the tiniest of bruises on him were level fours. The rest were pretty much either doing the equivalent of softly pinching his skin or throwing grains of sand at him.
That information outpost had a quite a few second-class and above soldiers. He'd even counted a few level sixes, three of which had managed to get a hit in simply due to how many he had to focus on at once.
He still wasn't truly used to being a level eight. The difference in perception and strength of his body put his entire alignment off course.
The only part he'd somewhat managed to put back in good shape was his reaction, which he attributed to how much he'd been running around at top speed.
Honestly, when he wasn't completely focused on his task, he was a bit scared of how strong he felt. Just a hundred points in agility into level eight and he knew that compared to his last training session with Ais and Fiona… it was night and day.
How would he fare now down in the scorched earth?
He couldn't help but ask himself. He knew the logical answer… it would be incomparable to his time there during the expedition.
Good
That meant that at this point, Kaius was, for all intents and purposes, royally screwed. Last time he had been surprised at how strong Kaius was, and after having thought on it, he had to guess that he was at the peak of level eight, most abilities at rank S. Nothing else could explain his strength and speed otherwise…
And that skill.
He remembered how his sword had seemed to move in unpredictable ways and sped up to the point it was a blur to him at the time.
It's no wonder why he was considered such a threat. By the standards of the world, Kaius was a monster… just not on the same level as Zald and Alfia were.
But even if that was the case, with his perception, reaction time, and speed having increased so drastically, something that had been a blur, should be clearly visible to him now, and he was sure that Kaius did not level up from that fight… no, he wouldn't even have said a level one would have leveled up with how little Kaius actually strained his status at the time.
No, He was still at the same strength… of that, Bell was sure of.
Turning his gaze back towards the large force, his eyesight homing in on a few forms he knew. Daphne and Cassandra were there near the back, at the center, he spotted two of his targets, Lox and Arcs, and a bit further along was Narvi who was talking to an elf, and close by was Sharon.
Good, he knew where they were… instinctively, his eyes moved to look at the front of the entire formation, where Gareth walked, talking to Tione and next to them…
His eyes softened as he laid eyes on Aralaya, smiling as she was talking to Jannor, the back of his head only visible to him before long black locks of hair entered his vision, Jannor seemingly shifted his entire body towards them as whoever it was, softly hit his shoulder.
Ah… Fiona. The way he saw Jannor's eyes shine a bit brighter as they began talking, Aralaya adding in her own things as well made Bell's heart swell.
He knew all too well what that look was. He'd seen it so many times before in the mirror.
His boy had a crush, and from the looks of it, he seemed to have a good chance too, given the way Fiona was laughing and grinning in turn. He mentally cheered his son on before his vision spotted golden locks, waving in the air as his eyes were drawn towards them on principle.
Ais. He hadn't realized she was here as well. She was walking silently, seemingly contemplating something in her head.
Idly, he wondered how she was doing…
No, he can't be distracted by that. He needed to stay vigilant, and alert at all times… so, he focused back on his targets.
He was going to watch them… and when the fighting began… he'd make his move.
=Central Front, Nightfall=
When the sun began to set, it did not take long for Gareth to order them all to set up their tents. Hammering the nails of the support to the tent, Jannor tilted his head slightly as he checked the stability of the support.
'Alright, it's ready' he thought, content that he was done before getting up and moving towards where he left Aralaya to help with the sorting through their rations.
Moving through the large camp, he couldn't help but feel a bit strange. He wasn't really used to camping out with so many people, and the fact that he was to sleep in the same tent as his sister, already had him on edge.
They may be blood-related and twins, but she was still a girl for crying out loud. He felt a bit put off about it, but he swallowed it.
He knew that he had no room to complain, and to be honest, that it wasn't really that big of a deal.
…
Though he knew that with his luck, he'd probably manage to do something stupid, like accidentally walking in on her changing…
He shuddered. He'd made that mistake more times than he'd like to admit… for crying out loud, if you're changing, then lock the damn door. Sometimes, she doesn't even answer if he knocks, and still blames him.
Shaking his head out of the thoughts, he made it to his destination, finding his sister going through a list alongside Fiona as Tione was nearby, handling a few other tasks.
"Hey, sis. The tent is up." He called out as her red eyes met his own before she focused back on the list.
"That's good… can you check that we have twenty-eight crates of elixirs?" She asked as Jannor nodded, moving to where he saw the crates were… but which ones were the right ones?
"They should be the ones with two green stripes on them." Ah- guess that solves that issue. Finding them, he quickly counted them before giving her a thumbs up. He was a bit intimidated by what that would cost.
A single elixir could go for up to one point three million valis. They were not cheap by any means, and they had twenty-eight crates of thirty elixirs contained in each one. How did they even manage to fund all of this?
If he did the maths quickly, he came to a total of over a billion valis…
Shit… and that was only for the elixirs here, and didn't even account for those the other fronts had with them.
'Did Ouranos bankrupt Orario for this?' Jannor sweatdropped. Well… there wasn't much he could do about that, as in the end, whatever it was already done by whoever funded it.
Shaking his head, he walked up next to his sister, peeking over her shoulder as he read the list.
It seemed that she was almost at the bottom of it, close to finishing… all that was left were…- nope, never mind, she just ticked it off the list.
"Alright, I'm done." Aralaya smiled, and turned her head to the side, looking towards Tione as she was carrying a few crates around.
"Tione! I'm done, and all of it is accounted for!" The Amazon turned and looked at Aralaya with a smile, nodding in thanks.
"Alright, thanks, Aralaya. Jannor, are you done with the tent?"
"Yeah, it's up and ready."
"Good, now get some sleep you two… and Fiona, how are our rations looking?" Jannor turned, drawn to the black hair that moved in the air as the girl looked at her mother.
"It is looking good so far, but we are going to need a resupply in two weeks at the latest unless we want our morale to take a major hit." Looking at the large gathering of food and water, the half-elf boy couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly at the thought of so much food being consumed that quick… though given that there were so many people…
Yeah, he could see how they would run out that quickly.
"Come on, I want to get some sleep" Aralaya grabbed his wrist, practically dragging him along as he shook his head.
"Hey, no need to drag me along" Jannor complained as his sister simply put her tongue out at him he rolled his eyes at her fondly.
As she let him go, they walked side by side as they headed back to the tent. The silence was somewhat comfortable as he glanced at her, noticing that she was staring at him with a small smirk.
'Uh oh…'
"So… you and Fiona, huh?" Aaaaand his face was red, great.
"I-it isn't like that, I mean, yeah, she's cute and nice but… we're in different familias and… oh man." He stopped, covering his face with his hands, eliciting giggles from his other half next to him.
"Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm honestly happy for you, I kind of wish I had someone like that." Oh… that was new. He had never seen his sister as someone that desired that kind of thing but… well… he supposed she was a girl who was in her teens. Of course, she'd have those types of thoughts.
"So, really, I am happy for you. Just… you know, try not to mess it up? She's nice." Jannor blushed, hard as he slowly nodded.
"Yeah… I'll try"
The two fell into silence, the only thing that broke it being the chattering of other adventurers and soldiers around them, in and outside their tents.
Finally, once they reached their tent, Jannor stopped outside before motioning for her to enter.
"I'll wait here until you're done changing" he told her as the girl smirked.
"Oh? Looks like someone's learning, even if it took this long." She teased before entering. God, what was he going to do about her, she was worse than Adrienne at times.
Well, guess that just comes with the closeness of being twins. Shaking his head, he looked up at the lightly clouded sky, the crescent moon peeking between two clouds as he took in the sight of the stars.
It was peaceful, almost tranquil, the complete opposite of what he knew awaited them tomorrow at the earliest.
Closing his eyes, he simply let himself be, calming himself down as he felt the wind and the chilly air, something he had come to enjoy as a small smile played on his lips.
"I'm done." Jannor's eyes snapped open at his sister's voice before reluctantly entering the tent, wanting to enjoy that feeling for a bit longer, but he knew he needed the sleep.
When he entered, Aralaya smiled at him as she was bent over, placing her folded clothes to the side, her formfitting sleepwear on, a garment made just for times she slept somewhere she could have to act quickly at any time. After all, a nightgown wouldn't be the most practical out here, when one goes to fight a war.
…
Or goes goes into the dungeon.
As the two tucked themselves into their sleeping bags and the lights outside slowly went out as others went to sleep, Jannor lay there, looking up at the roof of the tent.
Thoughts swirled in his mind as minutes passed, one after the other. For how long? He honestly had no clue, but by the time the words of her sister interrupted him, it was pitch dark.
"Jannor, I can practically hear you thinking."
…
"I'm just worried… scared honestly. This is the first time we are to going to fight without our parents watching over us" He said slowly as Aralaya nodded, the two feeling each other's movement in the dark.
"Yeah… I guess, if you don't count our first few dives into the dungeon" And wasn't that the truth, he smiled at the memory. That had been the first time they'd actually gone out on their own, just him, Aralaya, and Adrienne… well, apart from some trips into the forest of the damned.
"True, but every one of those times, we were facing monsters that were weak compared to us… now… we're going to fight people, some who are much stronger than we are… and that… knowing we don't have that safeguard…"
Aralaya remained quiet for a long moment as Jannor stewed in his fear, fighting it before she got up and out of her sleeping bag, walking over to him as he blinked up at her, only for her to begin climbing into his sleeping back with him.
"W-what a-are you d-doing!?" He stuttered out, going beet red as she simply told him to move. Some shuffling and awkward movements later, she lay there and took a deep breath.
"Jannor…" She began as the boy's blush vanished, knowing that that tone meant she wanted him to listen.
"I may always call you an idiot and be mean to you at times… and that is because you are an idiot at times but… I love you. You are my brother, and the closest person I have in the world, and watching you scared, and hurting like you are… it hurts me too, and right now, you need someone to be there for you." She smiled at him before wrapping her arms around him, burying her face into his chest.
"We haven't done this since we were eight… I forgot how cozy it is." She mumbled against him as he chuckled.
"Yeah… thank you, sis. Really… and yes, I am hurting but… having you here… it helps… more than you know." He smiled, returning her hug before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.
"And for the record, I love you too."
She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. He felt her smile against him, and that was enough for him. They were both hurting… but Jannor knew, deep inside of him that as long as they had each other, then they'd be alright.
=Einhente=
Her lips quirked, the gem in her forehead glinting in the moonlight as she read the report she'd received on her balcony. The night was chilly, with a soft cool breeze, but not to the point of inconvenience, but instead in a pleasant manner.
The report she held in her hand the current state of their military capabilities and detailed the change between the years.
To say she was pleased was an apt description as each year, it had increased steadily and she felt like they were getting to a point where they would soon be ready. They now had the logistics required for what was to come as well as the equipment. The only remaining preparations remained in the manpower.
They had the numbers, but training those numbers to a level that would be enough was another task entirely, but the progress in the last year had been beyond their expectations, and in an estimate of one year, they'd finally be where they needed to be.
A feeling of relief filled her as she let her quirked lips spread into a full soft smile. That weight of pressure on her shoulder had lifted slightly. One task was done, meaning one less source of stress to worry about.
It did not mean that she was free from it, but she was grateful for any relief whatsoever… it all was close to perfect.
…
Her eyes shifted as her smile waned slightly, eyes glaring down at the second report on the table.
It all would be perfect if not for that. A report that had been delivered to her earlier today, one that was deeply troubling, and could lead to cataclysmic errors in her previous judgment.
She knew that Ouldrin had begun to move, and that he had begun flying north. She did not know why, at least not at a one hundred percent certainty, but the only thing that existed where he was going, was one city.
Lakrios… and there was only one reason that he would head there…
He's still tired…
And he's seeking a different source of energy and sustenance for his magic core than hibernation. If she had to make an assumption, then that was it.
She'd love to stop him, but at this point, nothing could. He'd rested enough that even if her entire army attacked at once, they'd be slaughtered as if they were nothing but fodder.
Her original plan to finally bring him low had changed, but it remained the same in principle, and for it to work, she needed time… and a response from Bell Cranel.
He was the key to it all, and without him, most of her current plans would fall apart.
She softly chuckled at the irony. How such a small occurrence could change so much… She'd gone to check on her strongest soldier, and because of the choice to do that, she'd come across a mortal who held more potential than she'd thought possible.
The potential to surpass even him. Albert Waldstein… the sword hero. What the gods say was really true. The lower world has infinite possibilities that are impossible to predict…
And Bell Cranel without a doubt was the perfect representation of that.
…
Now, if only-
Her balcony door opened as her eyes moved to meet that of Milia's, her expression grim as she walked up to her.
"What's the matter, Milia? You look… worried."
"I am… I just got word back from one of our spies." The Vouivre instantly became alert as she sat up straighter, eyes hardening as she nodded.
"And?"
"Bell Cranel is not in Orario. Apparently Kaius mortally wounded his wife and put her in a coma, and he seems to have… lashed out"
Oh… that was not good. It meant a longer delay to her plans… or maybe not, she did not know and found it hard to predict.
"Fool. I almost pity that knight of knights. It seems that his fear of 'Silence' and 'Gluttony' is going to be the end of him." Kita commented.
"Of that, I agree… from the details in the report, Bell Cranel has been tearing Kaius' operations apart, burning supply lines, and disrupting all flows of information while simultaneously slaughtering his soldiers in droves. It is even estimated he has slain three of the empire's nine-level sixes in one attack"
Kita nodded slowly as she took the information calmly.
"That is a considerable hit to the empire's strength, and if Bell Cranel's goal is what I believe it is, then I do not think that Kaius, or his 'lieutenants', are long for this world. They have truly poked a sleeping dragon… but this also means a potential delay in a response to our invitation… but it also means that the empire's strength will potentially be neutered for the coming conflict" Kita stated, finding a bit of positivity in the news as Milia seemed to brighten slightly.
"Y-you're right, Milady, that would be a boon. Though what shall we do in the meantime?"
"What else?" Kita smiled before turning her head, gaze intently looking upon the city.
"We shall continue preparing in any way we can… but if Kaius and his army don't retreat within a month… then we march in assistance to end that conflict. After all, in the end, we need Bell Cranel's assistance, sooner, rather than later." Milia slowly bowed as she nodded.
"Of course. We'll have to wait and see if we have to act or not… that human is full of surprises after all." The harpy smiled at the Vouivre, who seemed pleased.
"You've come quite the way. A few years ago, you would have scoffed at what I said." Kita teased, smiling slightly as the harpy rolled her eyes fondly.
"Please, I still have my qualms with mortals, but… I guess they do have their purposes." She threw back, eliciting a sigh from the Vouivre.
"One day, Milia. One day."
The harpy left with a small laugh, waving her hand, leaving the thousand-year-old monster to shake her head fondly.
They were so close… soon… so very soon, this would all end. Perhaps then, she could finally rest.
Aaand finished! That's chapter seventy-one for you all! Last pre-war chapter, I promise, haha. Anyway, The march begins, Asuka is closing in on the city and a few moments to look deeper into the emotions of the kids and Bache with some added setups for the future. Now before we get into the reviews, let's get to the shameless self-promotion like last time. Chapters 72 and 73 are already up only my Patreon which my name for it is at the top of the chapter.
With that out of the way, let's get into the reviews.
Ninjafang1331: Really liked how this chapter played out and am wondering if the goddess of justice will be putting Bell in danger if she reveals her findings and truth.
Author: Thanks, as for Astraea (I'm not even gonna attempt to hide which goddess it is, ninety percent of people if not more know already), we'll have to see if that is the case.
Stevenpiskunov2: What chapter was it when Bell met Astraea? It's been a long time so I can't remember
Author: Actually, they didn't in the main series, though I am working on the second chapter of TFA Side Stories (yeah, I forgot about this one for a long time), and am planning on adding a bit more there as there are a lot of scrapped scenes haha. It should be up in about a day or so, might be Monday as I am going to be busy Sunday, but sometime next week should be a safe bet in the worst-case scenario.
Pix25: Great chapter
Author: Thanks!
That's all, not many reviews this time, but that has its own charm! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and to see you all next time!