Chapitre 53: Is it wrong to foreshadow?
I shut the door to the basement of the church and walked back upstairs. When I did, Welf waved at me from a spot by the end of the hallway. He smiled and said, "Yo. Finally finished venting?"
"No. But I'll sort it out later."
As much as I wanted to keep pummeling the idiot who tried to create a time paradox to twist fate to his whim after creating Quantum Magic out of desperation, I'd have to settle for locking him away in a cold and dark corner of my inventory for the moment.
I brushed off my clothes and then looked around. "Where's everybody else?"
I would have thought that Tia and the kids would be around, and I wasn't gone *that* long. But the place was empty and I didn't hear or see them nearby.
"Well..." Welf scratched the back of his head and said, "Uh. Apparently the kids had a bit too much fun earlier so they're having a talk with the adults."
I raised an eyebrow and said, "And you're not included?"
Welf coughed. "...Fae said that I'd set a bad example."
I walked towards the main hall and nodded. "Right, right. Dumb idiot who ran headfirst into danger without backup."
"Hey!" Welf walked next to me and said, "I don't want to hear that from the crazy bastard who jumps into hordes of monsters without blinking!"
"*I* always do that with a plan and about 25 trump cards. Did you have any in mind when you ran off?"
"Uh..."
"And that's why."
Glancing around our little home, I noticed that there was a room upstairs that had a faint trace of mana around it. Something I wouldn't have noticed if not for Welf pointing out that the kids were having a talking to by Tia and the others.
"Huh. I guess that makes sense considering she's a former moon goddess...?"
It was definitely from Artemis. While she had lost her divine powers, I guess that getting Falna gave her something else that symbolized her authority a bit?
Maybe since she was a shadow of her self, instead of the Goddess of the Hunt aspect, the Goddess of the Moon was highlighted with some concealing abilities and magic?
I should ask sometime. Mostly to see if I could learn that. Needed to start looking into barriers and barrier breaking considering that it was a thing high-level adventurers could apparently do.
Welf blinked and said, "Considering who's a former moon goddess?"
"Artemis."
"WHAT?!"
"...Did we not tell you?"
"NO!"
"...Bro. Her name is literally Artemis. And she's the spitting image of Lady Artemis... Are you sure someone hasn't told you?"
Welf coughed and then said, "...Okay, maybe. But I forgot, okay? I've been thinking about a lot of stuff recently."
"Like I haven't... But sure, Bro."
We walked outside to the courtyard and were met by the fading sunset. Although the sky was mostly clear, bits of smoke were still visible in the distance.
Welf glanced over there and then clicked his tongue. "...I still can't believe it. Orario's going to be chaos after this."
"You say that like it won't be already with everything going on around me, Bro."
Welf paused and then nodded. "True... But this is the first big thing that's happened in Orario for a while. It's been safe until now, but at this point, things are going to get hectic."
"Mm. Probably."
Adventurers were going to get blamed a lot. Both for it happening and for not being fast enough to stop it from happening.
The Ganesha Familia was going to get the worst of it for sure... And might even get banished. I hadn't gone around polling public sentiment, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that everyone in Orario was going to shove the blame that way.
The Guild was in a tough spot too. Since they technically approved it, they'd have to pin the blame on the Ganesha Familia in order to preserve their integrity. Something like it was something that they couldn't foresee or that the Ganesha Familia hid something from them.
Whatever the case though, tensions would definitely rise between non-adventurers and adventurers.
Maybe it was time for me to toss my own pebble in the mix to try and offset some things?
I didn't know what the guy behind all of this was after, but if it was maximum chaos and despair, I would put good money on him stealth dropping some sort of item that could put normal people on the level of at least rookie adventurers.
Maybe a drug or artifact that demonized people? Something that overclocked human potential for a bit or maybe fused them with monster characteristics?
Either way, it'd be unstable and reckless.
...I wish I could've learned more about this stuff from that idiot living in my head rent-free, but his memories were useless anyway since Bell's biological mother was supposed to be a lady called Meteria.
Since my biological mother was that crazy strong Alfia woman I fought instead, any hopes of future knowledge were thrown out the window since the timelines were different from the very start.
Dumbass. This is why you shouldn't mess with time travel without going through all the contingencies... especially if you didn't know whether Attractor Field Theory, Parallel Worlds, or some other operating principle applied.
"Bell?" Welf waved at me and said, "You're doing that thing again."
I rolled my eyes and said, "That's because I'm thinking hard on how to keep my family safe and prevent any issues in the future. Speaking of which..." I glanced at Welf and said, "Have you sorted out what you're going to do now?"
Welf blinked and said, "What do you mean?"
"Well." I crossed my arms and said, "You kind of rushed in to save Hephaestus when she gave up hope like a hero. Considering how she was barely holding herself back with flimsy excuses, after all of that I doubt she's going to be able to hold herself back anymore."
Tia's friend was the rational sort, but she was also someone who didn't know what to do when it came to love. As a result, she had made a whole lot of irrational decisions out of panic... but now that Welf pulled a big hero moment, she was about to make a bigger irrational decision to be with him.
Probably.
I mean, there were stories of goddesses who fell for less, right?
Welf started to sweat and said, "Ahaha... R-Right..."
"...You didn't think it through at all, did you?"
Welf let out a nervous chuckle.
I sighed and said, "Well. Since we've reached this point... Your family is famous for magic swords, right?"
Welf slowly nodded and said, "Infamous, but yeah. Why?"
"Well. Considering all of the shenanigans we pulled today, we need a reason to get the gods off our backs. And you need a reason to be able to justify marrying Hephaestus, so..." I glanced at my inventory at the stacks of material I got earlier and said, "It's time we make you Overgeared."
"...I still don't know what that means, Bell."
"Just shut up and follow me to the forge. I'll give you some prototypes, you just have to refine them."
xxx
Hestia let out a deep sigh and rubbed her face. "What a day..."
Hephaestus slouched back in her lounge chair and stared at the ceiling. "Don't remind me. Ugh..." She winced and then rubbed her shoulder. "I'm still sore all over."
Freya smiled and said, "Loving someone will do that to you."
Hephaestus rolled her eyes and said, "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Freya."
Freya chuckled.
Hestia lowered her hands and then glanced over to the side where Fina, Bella, and Pyrrha had fallen asleep hugging each other.
It seemed like the three girls were tired out after their shenanigans and scoldings.
Hopefully it meant that they wouldn't do that again. But knowing Bell and Welf...
Hestia let out another deep sigh and then took a look around.
They were in one of the bedrooms upstairs, recently renovated and refurnished by Welf.
The children were asleep on a bed, huddled up together.
Hestia was sitting on a table on the other side of the room with Freya sitting on her right. Meanwhile, Hephaestus had made herself comfortable in a lounge chair after complaining about her muscle pains from fighting.
Artemis and Ryuu had been there earlier, but they had left a bit ago.
Artemis went to get some refreshments for the goddesses since they planned to have a longer talk to discuss the future.
As for Ryuu, after the children fell asleep, she excused herself while saying that she had to make some preparations.
Hestia wasn't sure what the elf woman had in mind, but considering how Ryuu had helped out and was also concerned about the children, Hestia wasn't worried. If anything, Hestia was hoping that she could stick around a bit more to help rein the kids in considering how strict she was.
But now...
A tense silence filled the air, broken only by the soft breathing from the sleeping children.
Freya glanced over at Bella and Fina, smiling as she did. But then she looked back at Hestia and Hephaestus, her smile fading.
Seeing that, Hestia frowned and said, "Time for business?"
"Yes." Freya narrowed her eyes and said, "We need to discuss what will happen next." She glanced at Hephaestus and said, "Especially with you, Fae."
Hephaestus let out a deep sigh and then sat up. "I know."
Hestia raised an eyebrow and said, "Not me?"
Freya paused. "...No. There's something we have to discuss there as well. Especially if that woman was who I think it was."
Hephaestus frowned and said, "So you think so too?"
"Well. I know that <Gluttony> survived, so I suppose it wouldn't be too much of a stretch that <Silence> also survived. They never found her body, correct?"
Hephaestus placed her hand on her chin and said, "That's true... Wait." She blinked and said, "<Gluttony> survived?"
"He is a bit different now, but-"
Hestia held up her hands and said, "Hold on. <Gluttony>? <Silence>?" She frowned and said, "Could one of you explain first?"
"Ah." Freya paused and then let out an apologetic smile. "I forget that you only recently descended, Tia." She chuckled and said, "My. It feels like we've known each other far longer than that already. But in any case... I suppose this is relevant. Someone seems to be trying to recreate those times, so... Tia." Freya looked at Hestia and said, "Have you heard of the group called 'Evilus?'"
xxx
Ryuu walked out from the gates of Orario and glanced at the sword sheathed at her side.
'...I hope it will be fine to borrow it a while longer.'
An extraordinary blade sheathed in an ordinary and worn-out leather scabbard. The wind magic sword that Bell loaned her to use during the incident.
There hadn't been a chance to return it after everything unfolded. But since there hadn't been, it meant that Ryuu could hasten her plans a bit.
It was clear now. She couldn't just keep hiding away like this. Although she was strong, it was still far from strong enough. Staying at level four... it had been enough to protect herself, but to be able to protect others...
Ryuu shook her head and then rested her hand on the sword hilt. Wind gathered around her. Magic being performed without incantations by using the sword as a medium. Mana swirling without any strain on her mind or body.
Ryuu wasn't sure. She still didn't think that she deserved to stand in the light again after all she did. After betraying 'justice', she had resolved herself to just live out her days living a mundane life at the Hostess of Fertility as a waitress.
But.
"...Those people need all the help they can get."
The rude and shameless flirt who ruthlessly stole hearts and tossed them aside while focusing on his family. Someone who seemed to always be thrown into all sorts of troublesome situations.
That man's adorable and innocent daughter who seemed to have inherited her father's knack of finding trouble. The cheerful young girl who was so happy to call Ryuu as her first friend.
The kind-hearted goddess who welcomed a woman like her into their home, despite all the circumstances.
Then there was that thick-headed blacksmith who caused giant mess through seeking his ideals along with his shy and earnest daughter.
Not only that, but Lady Artemis who had somehow lost her divinity and become an ordinary mortal adventurer...
...Now that Ryuu took a proper accounting of the situation...
"Pft." Ryuu smiled and said, "I suppose Bell was correct. Compared to the trouble he's brought in, I suppose my situation will be insignificant in the grand scheme of things."
A Crozzo who could make unbreakable magic swords. A goddess turned mortal adventurer. Children who were half gods and half humans. And the crazy dastard who was at the center of the chaos who performed impossible feats on a daily basis but still kept trying to live a normal life with his family.
"Hah." Ryuu let out a wistful sigh and then kicked off the ground, heading towards the last known location of her goddess Astraea.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone