Terra's barrier ended up lasting nearly twenty hours but the storm raging overhead continued for nearly three days and nights before it finally cleared up. Vahn had been tempted to chase away to clouds but he also understood that his pure flame orb had likely been one of the causes for the bad weather. Though it was obvious that Zeus had influenced the event, Vahn's last usage of the orb had caused it to rain for a few hours previously.
With the flame elemental energy dispersing through the air, causing it to heat up, it created a large draft as the heated air rose further into the atmosphere. When the air cooled later, it would intermix with small dust particles that would become frozen as the temperature continued to drop. Eventually, rain clouds would form and, as the attack Vahn had used was on a somewhat 'drastic' scale, Zeus wasn't solely responsible for the current foul weather plaguing the City.
Of course, this didn't stop Loki from pinning it completely on him, quickly circulating the fact that Zeus had antagonized the Alliance. She even spun things slightly to make it as if he had been peeping in on underaged girls with 'ill intentions'. Those that remembered Zeus from the past, completely bought these rumors without questioning them in the slightest. Since it was also known that Vahn was very protective of the women around him, especially the younger ones, everyone readily placed the blame on Zeus. This didn't just extend to the general populous either, as the matter had been inflated within the majority of Familia in the City, as most of them were run by goddesses that favored the Alliance. Many of the goddesses had 'suffered' slights from Zeus in the past, so they were the first to take up the torch to slander his name, not that he didn't deserve it.
As for the 'infamous' god in question, Zeus hadn't made an appearance ever since he disappeared from the skies above the City. Even so, Vahn remained on alert until the weather began to return to normal, mid-morning of the fourth day. The long period of cold rain had made the temperature in the City cold and humid but Vahn found it very refreshing as he stood in the sky overlooking the territories of the Alliance. Fenrir, as she was prone to doing, hovered at his side a bit shakily. Her ability to levitate still needed a lot of work, but she managed to stay in the sky by creating footholds with [Koku Shundo], linking both points to the same spot over and over. It made her body flicker strangely, but Vahn thought it was actually an ingenious way to familiarize yourself with the incredibly useful spell.
He made a mental note to add it into the advanced training block for the future magic classes that would be held at the Sage Aldrnari School, a name that still made him feel more than a little embarrassment. Still, it was very useful naming the School in such a fashion as it served to increase his own reputation while also serving as a legacy for the Alliance itself. In the far future, when Scholars looked back on these moments, they would be able to track the transition from the old era into the new, marking the establishment of the Sage Aldrnari School as the moment things began to change. Besides, he didn't really use his Sage title for much just yet, something that Riveria would occasionally complain to him about.
Her pregnancy had progressed into its third trimester and it looked like she had a little over two months left before she was due. Even while pregnant, however, Riveria had constantly been trying to do things to help her people back within the Elven Kingdom. The blockade was still ongoing and the inner turmoil had increased greatly at this point. Since the High Priestess Faction had created some distance with the Alliance, Riveria had been making use of her contacts to help Elves flee the forest. This led to a very small exodus of the Elven people, who had been coming into the City with the assistance of the Alliance, even though some of the Nobles tried to accuse them of the same backdoor methods they themselves used.
Unlike the crooked Nobles, however, the Alliance offered protection and work to the Elven refugees without forcing them into slavery. As long as the Elves made public vows promising they were not agents of the Elven Kingdom, they would be given leeway to take up residence in the Alliance controlled territories. Since there were a lot of vacant residences, this killed two birds with one stone. Not only did the Alliance manage to allocate their properties more effectively, but there were now almost 1,400 Elves that had migrated into the City, the majority of which had now created a small community for themselves.
Riveria actually wanted to visit and show her support but Vahn had managed to talk her down until she had delivered their child. Understanding the importance of the budding life within her body, Riveria obediently stayed within the Manor. She spent the majority of her time between sitting in Terra's Garden, writing letters to the Elven Kingdom, while the rest of her time was split between sitting in the Library or occasionally coming to find him. It was during these moments when Riveria showed a side of herself that made Vahn feel much closer to the beautiful High Elf. Though it was only something as simple as 'complaining' to him, just knowing she confided in him willingly, all while allowing him to hold her body, made Vahn feel like he was doing his duty as her Husband...
---
Around the time the rain had stopped, Vahn had been playing chess with Erika, the latter of which had a very serious expression on her face as a result of intense concentration. Vahn had a gentle smile but, even though he tried to hide it, there was a humorous glint in his eye that made Erika feel frustrated. They had already played eight rounds in a row and, even though she had done her best, Erika had lost every single one of them. It wasn't that he was actually good at chess, but Vahn had a few books on the subject and 'knew' the best move for almost any given action she took. The thing was, if he didn't actually try to win, Erika would instantly see through it and be even more upset...thus his current winning streak.
After staring at the board for nearly twenty minutes straight, Erika clenched her teeth before gently setting the crystal king on its side. She had visualized several hundred different moves in sequence but none of her moves ever resulted in her victory. Vahn began to wave his finger, using telekinesis to move the pieces back into place while Erika flopped onto her back and released a loud sigh. Vahn chuckled lightly, saying, "Your belly is showing...", causing Erika to blush as she pulled down the hem of her off-black tunic. Though her clothes were different, Vahn noticed Erika dressed in a similar color scheme as himself, something that always made him happy.
Once the pieces were reset, Erika sat back up and began staring at the board again as she asked, "Papa, how is it that you are able to know the counter to all my moves? Is it really possible that you have memorized every move and its counter...?" To this question, Vahn shook his head and honestly answered, "Though there are a fixed number of variables in the pieces themselves, the number of iterations in which they can be moved is functionally without limit. There is no 'perfect' counter to every strategy, but I do know counters to most of the moves you would make. Though you are a very intelligent girl, to the point where you're very likely unmatched in the entire Continent, your mind doesn't have the flexibility of someone more experienced...as for how I'm able to win...well, I've just memorized a lot of books on the subject and compiled them together in my head."
As he explained, it wasn't as if he truly knew every possible move and its counter as, according to one of the books he had read about chess, there were potentially anywhere between 10^80 and 10^82 potential combinations. Some estimates even put the total number exceeding a googleplex, totaling more than one-hundred zeroes in sequence. In theory, it was possible for Erika to come up with numerous strategies to counter his own moves. However, she would have to stop thinking about the 'best' move in the present, or in the future, and instead, start considering how her moves could influence the opponent so that her seemingly 'weak' moves could circumvent the logic derived from the game's core mechanics. It was a very difficult thing to achieve but Vahn felt that Erika had the potential to pull it off in the future...
For several minutes, Erika just sat in front of the board, staring at the pieces on the table as she mulled over her Papa's words. She knew he was telling to truth and, knowing there was a quantifiable chance of her victory, Erika was determined to find it. It felt like she would become more 'complete' if she performed the seemingly impossible task before her. If she managed to pull it off, Erika believed that her future would be limitless. It would make other 'seemingly impossible' decisions she had to make much easier to deal with...
Finally, after eight minutes had passed, Erika moved her first piece, quietly muttering, "Crystal Pawn, D4..." Vahn's eyes glanced over the board, somewhat confused at what strategy Erika had come up with to use such a basic opener. Still, deciding to see how things played out, Vahn grabbed his left center pawn, saying, "Onyx Pawn, E6..." For a very brief moment, Erika's eyes parted and Vahn could see her aquamarine green eyes peer at the pieces. Grabbing her rightmost knight, Erika muttered, "Crystal Knight, F3..."
Vahn noticed that Erika's moves weren't anything exceptional but, that small peer through her slit-like eyelids brought a smile to his face. She seemed to be cooking up something and he wanted to see how far this brilliant daughter of his could go. Right now, they were playing a round of ten and, if he managed to sweep her, Erika had to wear a brand new pair of pajamas he 'made' for her. Since she didn't seem too keen on the koala pajamas, Vahn found out what Erika's favorite animal was and handcrafted her a very powerful set of tiger pajamas. She claimed to like tigers because, not only were they very powerful and territorial, but they could also be very sneaky. When she saw the jammies he had made for her, however, Erika adamantly refused to wear them...thus leading to this situation.
Picking up his next piece, Vahn smiled as he said, "Onyx Pawn, F5..." while imagining that adorable image of his daughter wearing the A-Rank pajamas he had made for her. Erika trembled slightly, almost as though a shiver had run up her spine as she grabbed her second knight, saying, "Crystal Knight, C3..." Seeing this move, Vahn blinked and re-evaluated the board before grabbing his own knight, stating, "Onyx Knight, F6..." At this point, he realized there was something different about Erika's way of playing. She was simultaneously more casual, but also decisive in the moves she was making...almost as if she had already mapped out the entire game within her mind.
The next series of moves confirmed Vahn's suspicions as he carried out each of his moves in sequence, eliminating possibilities while opening up others. Erika had started by moving her bishop into the G5 square, leading him to counter with his bishop at E7. When she used her bishop to take his knight, Vahn realized what had changed almost instantly. It was almost like Erika was proactively sacrificing her pieces, obviously attempting to set up a board state that would be preferable for her strategy. Thus, after her bishop took his F6 knight, Vahn moved to take her bishop, now setting his own on the F6 square.
It was at this moment that Erika's eyes closed once again, a small smile appearing on her face as she said, "Crystal Pawn, E4..." before asking, "Papa, how did you and Mother meet~?" Vahn had been considering his next move but, hearing Erika's question, uttered a confused 'Nn?'. Moving his pawn to take her E4 pawn, Vahn said, "That is a peculiar question to ask...are you really that curious, or did you just want to distract me~?" Erika picked up her knight, decisively taking his E4 pawn as she said, "I'm curious. I can see that you...love each other...but I'm not sure how you fell in love. Mother, she..." Even without finishing her sentence, Vahn knew what Erika was trying to say so he grabbed his pawn and moved it to the B6 position before saying, "Honestly, our first meeting almost made us into enemies..."
Erika wasn't surprised at all by her Papa's words but, seeing the loving and reminiscent look in his eyes, she felt fluttery in her stomach as she muttered, "Crystal Knight, E5..." Vahn persued the board, still unsure about Erika's strategy. She seemed to be setting up a position to pin in his king with her queen so Vahn did a king-rook swap, placing his king at G8 while his rook fell into a defensive position at F8. Then, considering what he wanted to say, Vahn smiled and explained, "She had made me angry, talking about how people had a certain value and, in order to get what I wanted, I needed to 'exchange' for it...honestly, I was very angry at the time..."
Nodding her head, Erika moved her bishop to the D3 square before asking, "Then how did you manage to fall in love? Did you...fall into her scheme?" It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility so Erika began to feel slightly anxious. She was scared to know if the only reason she existed was that her Mother had plotted against her Papa. He was one of the most important people in her life, and Erika didn't want to imagine that he only loved her because he had been 'tricked' into doing so...
Moving his own bishop to B7, Vahn smiled as he explained, "I got to see your mother exposed, without any tricks or schemes. She laid her heart bare in a situation outside of even her own control...it was at that moment we truly began to love each other. Ever since then, even though she still has her quirks, your Mother had always worked hard for our family...she is a good goddess, but an even greater woman...and, even if she might not come off as such, she is also an excellent mother." Vahn sent a small wink towards Erika, earning a parted eye from his brilliant daughter who then hung her head as she muttered, "Crystal Queen, H5..."
Though she had lowered her head, Vahn noticed the small smile on his daughter's lips. She seemed to be relieved by his words and Vahn's heart melted seeing her bashful behavior. Even though she had moved her queen into a position to try and pin in his king, Vahn was still very happy at this moment as he chimed, "Onyx Queen, E7~." Erika gave a small nod in response before quietly muttering, "Crystal Queen takes H7 Pawn...Check"
Vahn was still in a jovial mood, but he was somewhat confused by Erika's move, essentially giving up her queen in exchange for a pawn. He realized she was up to something but, as any other move would lose him the game, Vahn had no choice but to take her queen with his king, moving it into the H7 position. However, the moment he made this move, patterns flashed in Vahn's eyes as a large grin appeared on his face. At the same time, Erika also smiled more radiantly than he had ever seen before as she playfully asked, "Checkmate~?"
Even though there were still numerous potential moves, Vahn could tell that each successive move only put his king further into a compromising position. By moving her pieces in a strange pattern and maneuvering them as if she were haphazardly sacrificing them, Erika had put him into a position where his 'optimal' moves, which would make it appear as though he was winning, would assuredly lead to his defeat. They were currently on the twelfth move, relatively early in the game, but Vahn could see his demise on the eighteenth...
Realizing what had just happened, Vahn began laughing in a loud and unconstrained voice, causing Erika to flinch as she peered through her slightly open eyes at him, clearly confused. She became even more so when, after Vahn had laughed his heart out, he then collapsed backward with a mournful expression on his face as he muttered, "I never knew it was possible to feel pride, joy, and sadness, all at the same time...is this what it means to be a parent...?"
As he stated, Vahn was very proud that Erika had been able to get the final victory against him. At the same time, he was very happy for her, to the point where he hadn't been able to contain it at all. Still, knowing that he had lost and, as a result, the painstaking hours he had put into her tiger pajamas were a waste, Vahn couldn't help but 'mourn' his defeat. He was completely unaware of the conflict going on his daughter's mind, as she was also feeling a mixture of emotions. The fact that she had won made her feel incredibly vindicated and, hearing her Papa talk about how he had come to love her Mother, only made this happiness more apparent. However, when she saw her Papa's 'mournful' expression, Erika's tiny heart twisted in its chest and she began to regret winning all of a sudden.
Erika didn't like this feeling and, even though it made her cheeks feel like they were on fire, she mustered up her resolve and asked, "Since I won...does that mean I can ask for a reward...?" Vahn, who had been laying on the ground, rolled up into a seated position and smiled as he said, "Of course. As long as it's something within my power, your Papa will grant you a single wish~." Seeing her Papa's quick recovery, while still having a visible sadness in his eyes, Erika stalled for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Can...can...*inaudible*..." Vahn craned his head, inclining his ear towards Erika as he said, "I can't really hear you, Erika...please speak up..."
With a beet red face, Erika's thoughts raced as she restructured her request and asked, "Can you make a matching set of t-t-tiger pajamas for Doppel? I want to see w-what it looks like if w-we wear the same outfit..." It took Vahn a moment, but he soon realized that, while Erika's request was for Doppel, she also expressed that she was going to wear the tiger pajamas he had made for her. This brought an amused smile to his face and, as Erika looked towards him with confusion, Vahn pulled out 'two' pairs of matching tiger pajamas. Since she and Doppel were almost inseparable, Vahn had, of course, already made a pair for both of them. Seeing the surprised blush on his daughter's face made Vahn feel like he had reached the apex of what it meant to be a contented father...
---
(A/N: There may be some people that were curious, so this was the game that they had played: 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4 fxe4 7. Nxe4 b6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+ Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3 16. Be2+ Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1 18. O-O-O#. It was a game played between Edward Lasker and George Alan Thomas, two great chess players in their time (UwU)...)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nobody is surprised that Zeus is a perverted cuck (UwU)','Climactic Battle of Wits!? Will Erika be able to escape her fate...!?','No, no she won't (^o^)~!')
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Fresh off the embarrassment he had suffered at the behest of Vahn, Zeus slowly made his way through the sky, supported by his Magic Item, [Sky Chariot]. They took on the form pero-like sandals with golden bands that allowed him to move through the sky as fast as he could run on the ground. Though he would have been able to easily fly in Heaven, Zeus had lost that functionality in the mortal world. Unless he activated the fragment of his Divinity, he was limited by the powers he had developed during his stint in the mortal world. If not for this fact, he would have easily just collapsed the space around Vahn's imposing fire magic.
Remembering the heat radiating from that small orb, which exploded to create a second sun in the sky, Zeus couldn't help but smile with excitement. He knew Vahn was strong, but he hadn't expected the boy to be capable of performing such a powerful attack so quickly. Still, the truly impressive thing was the speed at which Vahn had moved. Zeus didn't know what method they used, but he saw that the Dragon Xenos woman, Terra, had used a strange magic on him moments before. After that, Zeus couldn't even trace Vahn at all until he had appeared in the sky, striking a majestic and heroic figure amongst the dense thunderclouds.
Even so, Zeus couldn't help but feel that the technique Vahn had used was somehow 'evil' and, as hard as it was to imagine, part of his instincts said it could even surpass the strength of normal Divinity one day. It was because of this that, though Zeus had been disappointed by Vahn's arrogance, he didn't harbor any malignant intent towards him. In face, Vahn standing up for his women in such a manner made Zeus feel the boy embodied what it meant to be a true hero. After all, if a man couldn't stand up for his women against the odds, then he wasn't suited to call himself a hero at all. Still, Zeus couldn't easily get the image of that Chienthrope girl out of his mind, realizing it had been a while since he took on a lover with their unique qualities...
Landing in the mountains near the small village where he cared for his grandson, Bell, Zeus walked straight through a wall and disappeared from view. There were hundreds of powerful magic formations in this area of the mountains and, when he wasn't taking care of Bell, this is where Zeus spent most of his time. After all, he couldn't continue the guise of a homely farmer for very long before it became incredibly boring. Here, in this secret retreat Hera had created for him, after a great deal of insistence, Zeus could release the tensions of his body as much as he wanted.
After making his way through the ornately decorated halls, Zeus smiled with a lascivious grin on his face when he saw his current 'companion' splayed out on his circular-shaped bed. Her dark-grey metallic wings covered nearly the entire surface and, even though she had a face full of resentment and indignation, Zeus found her beauty and charm to be quite remarkable. Walking over to her side, earning a glare from the tightly bound woman, Zeus humorously intoned, "Róta, still so resistant? Surely it hasn't been all that bad staying here~? If memory serves, I've tended to you quite a bit...you know, most women would feel gratified being favored by a god..."
Clenching her teeth, Róta tried to jerk her wings free from her restraints once again before releasing a sigh. The prideful expression she wore in the past had lessened greatly ever since Zeus had decided to give her his 'favor'. If her sisters were to see her now, Róta wasn't sure she would be able to live with the shame. The only reason she had even tolerated these grievances, in the beginning, was due to the loyalty she had towards the Allfather, Odin. However, after she and her sisters had unwillingly served Zeus, he had decided to 'keep' her as his prize. Unable to refuse, she ended up in this hell hole and, after finally losing her patience with Zeus' constant demands, he used a powerful magic item to bind her to his bed. Ever since then, she had been stuck in this place, only eating and drinking whenever the despotic god 'remembered' to bring sustenance to her. If not for the fact she was a demigod, Róta was certain she would have died during her stint as this arrogant god's 'pet'.
Zeus, seeing the look of distaste on her face, released a sigh as he began to peel away her robe, remarking, "Things wouldn't have been so difficult for you if you simply accepted my favor obediently. I was led to believe that the Valkyrie's were prideful women who never reneged their duty. Who would have thought that one of their Captains would have set aside her loyalty so quickly just for her pride..." Hearing this, Róta glared towards Zeus and practically spat the words, "I am loyal to the Allfather, not some despotic swine who does whatever he wants without regard for the consequences!" Then, as if not satisfied by her words alone, Róta truly spat towards Zeus but, as she hadn't had anything to drink for nearly three days, only dry spittle flew from her lips.
Now wearing nothing but his [Sky Chariot], and a pair of golden laurel brief that reflected the rather intense lighting within his private bedchamber, Zeus began to laugh uninhibitedly before remarking, "Well, I'm actually quite fond of prideful women, Róta. It is because of that nature of your's that I took a fancy to you, after all..." Zeus stroked his beard in a thoughtful manner, completely ignoring Róta's glare and her futile attempts to break free. He had an interesting thought cross his mind so he said, "Well, I'm certain you want to leave this place, correct~?"
Hearing Zeus' words, Róta's eyes squinted in suspicion as she coldly asked, "What are you playing at, old man...?" Being called old, Zeus' brows furrowed slightly as he retorted, "Hmph, I'll show you that this 'old man' can make a proud woman like you beg like a common whore...tch...!" Róta pulled at the magical bindings with all her might but, with all of her powers completely sealed, they didn't budge a single millimeter beyond the slack Zeus had 'considerately' given her. Zeus enjoyed this reaction of her's but still wanted to play with her more so he said, "I'll give you my promise as a God...if you can satisfy me completely today, I'll let you leave this place. In exchange, you'll have to find a beautiful Chienthrope woman to serve as your replacement. What say you, Róta?"
Róta wouldn't believe Zeus under normal circumstances but, if he was willing to promise on his status as a god, she knew he would make good on his words. The troublesome thing was, he would easily be able to make an excuse that she 'hadn't been able to satisfy him completely', or some other tasteless drivel. She was almost certain, given how he acted normally, this was just a means of getting her to 'willingly' service him, meaning he likely intended to make her do a variety of shameful and nerve-wracking 'plays' with him. Her pride would never let her do such things willingly and, if she could get free of these bindings, Róta was contemplating taking her own life to deny him the satisfaction of his 'games'.
Zeus could see the fire of resentment burning in Róta's eyes and realized she wasn't intending to play along, even though he wasn't actually trying to trick her. Chalking it up to her 'foolishness' as a mortal, Zeus just shook his head and prepared to remove his briefs-shaped magical item before a small alarm began sounding throughout the chamber. It was a very annoying sound that caused Zeus' face to darken in an instant, small sparks of electricity dancing across his eyes. With a loud huffing sigh, Zeus looked to Róta and said, "Think of my offer seriously. If you haven't made a decision by the time I return...don't blame me for using your body to ease my frustrations..."
Ignoring Róta's glare, Zeus ran to a small wardrobe at the side of the chamber and put on a set of clothes that gave him the appearance of a farmer once again. The alarm that was sounding was tied to a small formation he had set on Bell's body in the past. If the boy was ever in danger, or a heightened state of stress. it would begin to sound with a frequency related to the level of stress Bell felt. Since it was currently 'annoyingly' loud, Zeus figured the boy was in a lot of trouble and he needed to act quickly. Thus, after wearing his outfit in a flash, Zeus didn't bother to remove his [Sky Charior] as he ran out of the concealed entrance and bolted towards Bell's location.
As he was quite frustrated right now, storm cloud began to brew in the sky as Zeus raced across the void as quickly as he could, moving several times the speed of sound for a brief moment. He had placed his hopes upon Bell's shoulders as Heracles and Gilgamesh hadn't met his expectations at all. Though Vahn also seemed to have a great deal of potential, Zeus still favored the grandson he had raised since the boy was a young child. Though it was unlikely, with how strong Bell's fate was, Zeus would never forgive himself if harm befell his grandson before his journey could even begin...
Without controlling his momentum, Zeus crashed into the ground and caused small explosions every time his foot struck against the ground. He finally managed to slow himself to a normal pace and ran forward with the speed of an aged man while tracing Bell's tracking signal with the ring on his left ring finger. Zeus was confused about what kind of trouble Bell could have gotten in near their own cottage but, with how loud the signal had been, he couldn't leave it to chance. He needed to confirm Bell's safety and, if the boy was hurt, treat his wounds and give him a pep talk to make sure he didn't stray from his path.
With a great deal of concern in his voice, Zeus called out, "Bell, my boy, are you okay...!?" He had confirmed there weren't any enemies nearby, so Zeus was trying to act as if he just noticed an abnormality. When Bell didn't call back, and the ringing in his ears increased greatly, Zeus furrowed his brows and broke through the small door sectioning off their bath from the rest of the cottage. Inside, he saw his grandson balled up in the tub with his back facing the door, completely avoiding eye contact while he muttered, "Ahhh, please don't look, please don't look...." in a small voice.
Zeus felt his body tilt a few degrees off its axis as he looked towards his grandson with a face full of confusion. He tried making sense of the situation and assumed that Bell was trying to conceal an injury or something by hiding within the tub. The boy hadn't even heated up the water and, as they were rather far to the north, he was certain to get sick if he didn't properly warm himself up. Thus, after releasing a small sigh and uttering a small curse under his breath, Zeus kindly spoke out, "Bell, it's okay...you don't have to hide away from your Grandpa. Here, let me take a look...I can help you..."
Ever so slowly, Bell turned around in the tub with half his face in the cold water, displaying a teary-eyed and confused expression. Zeus always had a soft spot for this grandson of his and, though he lamented how girly Bell was, it still broke his heart to see him in such a state. In as kind a voice as he could manage, Zeus softly said, "Come now, Bell, my boy... it's fine...show your Grandpa what's wrong." This time, Bell's teary-eyes began to full on generate tears, almost like the floodgates had been loosened as he cried out, "Grandpaaaaaaa-!" in a strangely high-pitched voice.
Zeus was stunned as his grandson jumped out of the bath, revealing his fair skinned boy before running forward and hugging his waist tightly. Bell began to cry as if he had suffered a terrible grievance but, the only thing going through Zeus' mind, other than the sound reaching his ears, was the flash of skin he had seen when Bell jumped out of the bath. He was certain his eyes were playing tricks on him but, hearing the high-pitched whine coming from Bell's cries, Zeus' body began to tremble as he placed his hand comfortingly on Bell's soft and tender shoulder...
While his mind was racing to try and make sense of the situation, Bell managed to calm down enough to form words, each syllable doing a great deal of mental damage as the latter said, "Grandpa, it's gone! I don't know what happened, my body, it became strange! Waaaaaaah-!" Zeus swallowed hard as Bell tightly hugged his body, causing a soft feeling to press against his abdomen. With this 'confirmation', combined with what he had seen and heard, Zeus was now certain his suspicions were correct. Though Bell had always had a frail and feminine appearance, Zeus never expected there would be a day when the grandson he had proudly touted as a budding hero...would become a heroine...
Bell continued to cry, hugging 'his' Grandpa tightly as he asked, "Grandpa, what am I going to do!? Please tell me...*sniff*..." Zeus, still feeling his mind dulled by the sudden unexpected situation, habitually pat Bell's back while saying, "Don't worry, Bell, it's going to be okay...I..." Realizing he didn't actually have any advice to give in this situation, Zeus decided to stall by saying, "Ah, yes, this is perfectly natural...don't worry...there is nothing wrong with your body. It's just that you..." As he was trying to find his words, Zeus realized that, though he had talked to Bell about girls a lot, he never really 'explained' the differences between boys and girls to his young grandson. This could have been dangerous as, if he had sent Bell into the world without the 'requisite' knowledge, the boy might not have even been able to function in the capacity of a man until he was 'eaten' by a carnivorous woman...
When this thought crossed his mind, part of Zeus realized that would have still been better than the current situation. He had no experience training female Heroines because Hera would almost always take any capable Demigoddesses to 'protect' them from him. This had always troubled Zeus but he knew her fears weren't ungrounded as it was a fact he had taken an interest in his first daughter in the past. He had also been very fond of Helen but, considering himself a strong a virile male, Zeus didn't believe this was wrong. If any 'man' claimed they weren't interested in Helen's beauty, Zeus would have struck them down with a thunderbolt for daring to lie.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, something made more difficult by the sweet aroma wafting from his grands...daughter's body, Zeus pulled Bell away and said, "Here, let me get a clear look. Don't worry, I'll explain what is going on later. Your Grandpa knows a few people that...will..." When Zeus pulled Bell away, he found his words trailing off of his tongue as a carnal fire began to ignite in his lower abdomen. Bell always had a unique appearance, with fair skin, white hair, and red eyes, but now it had been elevated to another level. His previously feminine appearance, which would have made anyone mistake him for a girl if he wore cute clothing, was now, very clearly, that of a woman's. He, she, was still young, but it was very obvious that Bell would grow into a beauty in the near future...
Cocking her head to the side in confusion, Bell couldn't help but feel the instinct to step back as she asked, "Grand...pa...?" in a small voice. She had never seen her trusted Grandpa look like this, almost like there was a hungry and possessive look in his usually calm and caring eyes. Fortunately, he seemed to snap out of it when she showed her fear, regaining the kind look as he said, "Sorry, Bell...I just got a bit distracted. Even your Grandpa is a bit taken aback by this situation..."
Turning his head to the side, Zeus tried to remind himself that, though Bell was now his granddaughter, she was also the grandson he had painstakingly raised and cared for. If he had groomed her as a girl for the last few years, it might have been possible to make her into a capable Heroine. Now, however, it was far too late for such things and, if he actually acted on the beastly instincts inside of himself, Zeus knew he would 'break' his precious granddaughter. With the powerful flow of fate around her body, such a 'tragic' experience would undoubtedly turn her into a monster that would endanger the entire world...just imagining such a thing made Zeus unbearably sad.
Taking off his tunic, Zeus covered Bell's body and said, "I'm not sure what happened, but your body has changed from a boy's into that of a girl's..." Hearing this, Bell released a started 'Eeeeeeeeh~!?", making her seem even more like the girl she was. Zeus released a sigh, wondering what he was going to do about this granddaughter of his. As a boy, Bell could have gotten away with being airheaded since, with the flow of fate around his body, it would have actually benefited him as a Hero. Now, however, that airheadedness would almost guarantee he became a 'victim' after some disreputable sorts got their eyes on him. Bell could be easily exploited because she had a very trusting nature and, with her exotic and charming appearance, almost like a small white rabbit, Bell would make an undoubtedly popular slave or prostitute...
Zeus realized he was in over his head and, resisting the urge to stroke his granddaughter's head, said, "Bell, I'll be back in a short while. I'm going to get someone that will be able to help you...stay here and behave like a good bo...girl..." Bell was still very confused by everything that was happening so she just nodded her head while tightly holding onto the tunic her Grandpa had given her. She watched as his back disappeared out into the rainy weather and began to feel scared and insecure about the future. Bell had no idea what she was going to do as a girl since her dream had always been to become a Hero that had a large family of girls around her...could she still do that, now that she was no longer a boy...?
After walking off a fair distance, Zeus pulled out a parchment and wrote a message, this time addressed to Hera. She had always been the brains of their partnership and Zeus believed she would be able to come up with a solution. At the very least, she would be able to prepare for dealing with life as a woman. Though Bell might now be able to become the Hero Zeus had desired, it would be enough as long as she was happy and managed to avoid any great tragedies in life. Even if meant she would have to stay and train with Hera for a few years, it was better than his granddaughter becoming the meat slave of some perverted noble, or getting sold to a brothel as an exotic prostitute...
Thinking of tragic fates, Zeus suddenly began to feel very guilty about what he had done to Róta. Truthfully, she didn't deserve what he had put her through and, in retrospect, Zeus understood he had been out of line with a lot of his behaviors. When Hera came to retrieve Bell, he would go and free the bound Valkyrie and, as long as she didn't intend to kill him, he would try to make it up to her. It would probably cost him an arm, but it would eventually grow back after a few months...
While he was lost in thought, Zeus heard the alarm ringing in his ears once again, startling him from his reverie as he looked toward the cottage on the far hill. He understood that Bell was likely very confused right now but Zeus didn't think it justified such a drastic reaction. Bell's emotional state almost made it seem like he was in mortal peril but, considering the protective formations around the cottage, Zeus knew he would be safe. Bell was probably just freaking out after 'discovering' something about his new body. Realizing this, Zeus shook his head with a sigh and tried to get the image of his granddaughter's nude figure out of his mind. He needed to turn her over to Hera soon or, knowing himself, there was a non-negligible chance he would do something regretful...
Unfortunately for Zeus, such an opportunity would never come, regardless of what actions he took as, the moment he had decided that Bell wasn't in any danger, he had sealed the young Heroines fate. As a result of his earlier crash landing, Zeus had caused a crack in the formations protecting the cottage. Since they lived far on the outskirts of the village, they were very close to a forest that was filled to the brim with weak monsters that were the bane of farmers all over the world. As it would happen, Zeus breaking down the door to the bathroom had left Bell completely unprotected when a group of three Goblins wandered into the premises. Bell, seeing the three monsters appear, had completely frozen up. Without offering any resistance whatsoever, Bell was struck down by the sharpened wooden club of the slightly larger Goblin, passing into the afterlife moments later as the Goblins feasted heartily on her soft and tender flesh...
Title: April Fools' Day
(A/N: This is a non-canon chapter, if it wasn't very obvious xD. I tried riling people up by showing Zeus being a scumbag, threw a curve ball at them with some casual genderswap, and then wrapped things up with an ill-fated end to our young Heroine's journey~!...please don't kill me xD...)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's just a prank bro...','Seriously, put down the pitchforks...!','Aaaaaah, I'm sorry, don't bully the Author-san please ( ; ^ ; )...')
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