บท 357: CH. 366: Guests from the Far East (II)
Many citizens were aware of the commotion at the eastern door of Orario. The eastern door and the ever lingering presence of Apollo Familia's Captain and her tamed wolves was a mystery nobody in Orario could solve. That is until today. Natsumi Aizawa halted the advance of a near broken carriage. The driver of the carriage hopped out and approached Natsumi, his left hand gripping the sheathed weapon on his left side.
Yamada scrutinized the beautiful brunette in the path of his carriage. She won't be the same as any warrior from his country if not for the silver wolves sitting near obediently.
"Why do you block us?"
"State your name and business with this city," Natsumi asked a simple question.
"Yamada, a wandering swordsman," the swordsman stated in a calm voice. "My Lord needs to talk with someone from Astraea Familia."
Natsumi teared up hearing his words. She wiped her tears with her sleeve. "My patience wasn't in vain. I fulfilled Master's orders."
The guards stared at Natsumi in surprise before their eyes followed the wolf storming deep into the city. Its speed left everyone wide-eyed.
"What does this mean?" Yamada asked as he sharpened his gaze. "Who is your master?"
"None of your concern," Natsumi spat with a vicious expression. "My master is coming here for you."
After a long staring contest, Yamada pulled out his wakizashi. Before he took any action, Lord Susanoo came out of the carriage with Haruhime following him. His frivolous appearance aside, he was a well-built man with years of training in martial arts.
"A god." Natsumi grinned. "This shit is bigger than Master thought."
"Why have we stopped?" Lord Susanoo asked. "What is happening here?"
Haruhime saw the wolves and hid behind Susanoo. She peeked her head out, her emerald eyes staring daggers at the wolves as if she had a personal grievance against them.
Natsumi's wolves reached Asahi, so she relayed the information to Asahi as well as the appearance of this new fox girl.
Natsumi didn't step back from the god and his retainer. Susanoo also didn't do anything rash in the foreign city. Fortunately, Asahi arrived shortly after. The group of Alise, Ryuu, Kaguya, Saeko, and Shiori led by Asahi caused a small ruckus.
"Please, be quiet," Astraea silenced the crowd. "Guards, what are you doing?"
The guards took a moment before they dispersed the crowd. They didn't even ask a question, and went about their duty. Now that the coast was clear, Asahi observed the guests from afar. They certainly fit the bill of a wandering swordsman and his lord.
Shiori chuckled. "They look like actors from samurai action movies."
"That's disrespectful, Shiori," Saeko scolded her sister, even though she agreed with her.
Asahi slapped Shiori's butt with telekinesis.
Haruhime peeked her head to see the new people. Her fox ears stood straight. Although a bit smaller, Asahi already knew the blonde fox girl's identity. Haruhime Sanjouno, the fox girl who awakens the ability to boost other adventurer's levels. Ishtar made her a prostitute in the canon story, but she fainted every time she saw a naked man.
'Did they save her?'
(...Probably.)
Haruhime hid behind Susanoo like a frightened creature. Asahi chuckled at her cute antics.
'Well, I'll meet her later.'
"Master…" Natsumi whispered to get Asahi's attention. "
Asahi turned to her. The black circles under her eyes showed how devoted she had been to this task. Her eyes, though, were full of vigor. The slave spell was simply too effective on her.
He plopped his hand on her head and ruffled her silky brown hair. The life element flowed into her, and rejuvenated her spirits back to somewhat normal.
"I'll handle the situation from here. You can rest now."
[Natsumi Aizawa: Affection +80]
'That's… concerning.'
"It was nothing, Master. You can give me more. Wait, no." She shook her head. "I request more work. Anything is fine… as long as I get to see Master."
"We'll talk later."
He patted her head again before he returned his attention to the guests. Susanoo was looking at him with an appraising gaze while Astraea was smiling. Alise and Ryuu whispered stuff about his relationship with Natsumi. Kaguya approached with light steps and took his hand.
"Dear, you revived her from near death. Can I have some of that magic?" she asked as she put his hand on her head.
Asahi idly patted her head. A few notifications of Kaguya's rising affection tried to distract him before Klyscha muted everything for the time being.
Astraea stepped forward. "I apologize for the inconvenience Natsumi might have caused. She didn't mean to be rude in any way."
"No harm done." Susanoo waved his hand before he looked at Kaguya getting cozy with a guy he didn't recognize. "Daughter of Gojouno Clan, who is he?"
Asahi chuckled when Kaguya ignored Susanoo, lost in her own world of bliss. Asahi stopped his headpats, dragging Kaguya back to the real world.
"Asahi," Asahi introduced himself. "Who might you be?"
"Susanoo."
"Wow," Shiori gasped in shock. "Just wow."
Her excitement died after she realized that Susanoo was just the mortal vassal of actual Susanoo in Heaven. He couldn't use his actual powers. "A disappointment."
She couldn't clash blades with him like her fantasies.
"Real one, indeed," Saeko agreed. She wondered if her sword would work on the real Susanoo, and how much XP he would give. Being with Asahi had infected her with greed for XP.
Yamada's attention was drawn to Saeko, and his eyes widened. "This elegant stance…"
Nobody had the time to pay any attention to Yamada's open admiration of Saeko.
Kaguya opened her eyes and nodded in a daze as if she was tipsy. "Lord Susanoo, it's an honor to meet you again..."
She hadn't expected to run into the brother of the Ruler of the Royal Court. The careless, drunkard god who was kicked out of the Royal Court despite being related to Amaterasu. He didn't care about it in the first place.
'Why is he here?'
Susanoo didn't have any connection to the Gojouno Clan. He wasn't here for her, but for a different purpose.
"Honor. You surely don't mean that." Susanoo grinned at Asahi. "You're the Noble Rookie I presume. You reached level 2 in less than a month?"
"Yeah."
Susanoo nodded and bowed to Astraea. "Goddess of Justice, may I have the opportunity to be invited to your place? I have something important to discuss."
The frivolous god's request put Asahi on guard. But a familiar presence closed in on him. He looked over his shoulder to find Hephaestus approaching. Kaguya took his hand back and asked for more headpats. She seemed like a drunk asking for more drinks in a bar. The solemn atmosphere had no effect on her whatsoever.
Alise was shocked by this change. "Kaguya, come back. Don't sleep now."
"I'm not sleeping. Am I?" Kaguya grinned and stepped away from Asahi. "It was a lovely experience, Asahi-kun. I shouldn't disrespect Lord Susanoo like this."
"Don't mind me," Susanoo chuckled and stared at the new goddess. "And who are you?"
"Hephaestus." The redhead goddess nodded at Susanoo and went straight to Astraea. "What's this ruckus about?"
Asahi spotted Chiaki sleeping in Hephaestus's hair. The goddess gave a sheepish smile as she realized where he was looking.
"We'll explain later," Asahi said. "Let's move somewhere else."
More and more gods will come if they stay here. He wasn't fond of explaining minor things to every god that came.
"Master, let's go to my place. It's closer than Stardust Garden."
Natsumi, who was still around, gave a suggestion.
"Sounds good. Before we go." He gave a sharp glare to the swordsman, who hadn't moved his eyes from Saeko. "Stop staring at my wife."
Yamada fumbled with his sword before he lowered his head in apology. "I'm extremely sorry."
Asahi led everyone to Apollo's Familia.
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