Chương 121: Chapter 121 – Even Hephaestus has fallen for your charm
I wanted to let you know that I'm translating another fanfic and hope you'll check it out after this one, haha. I know the chapters have been short, so I looked for novels with longer chapters this time. The new fanfic is titled "One Piece: Getting Stronger by Writing a Diary," which you can directly access from my profile. Thanks for all your support, guys. Hope you have a great day!
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"It's so delicious, as expected, Aston's cooking is the best. I'm going for seconds."
"Yep, two days in a row now."
"Hestia was right, Aston's cooking is incredibly delicious."
"Getting to eat Aston's food again."
"Little one, your tone really hurts my pride. If only I had been in the Familia back then, Aston would have surely been part of the Loki Familia."
"Just eat your food, discuss the alliance afterward and then get lost!"
Ais: "…"
Naaza: "…"
Riveria: "…"
Hephaestus: "…"
At the long table, a group of people voraciously devoured the food, enjoying every bit of it, completely disregarding their image. Only Ais, Naaza, Riveria, and Hephaestus maintained their composure, eating more gracefully. However, graceful as they might be, the food on their plates disappeared just as quickly as the others'.
As for Hestia, she was purely competing with Loki, vying for food. Although their relationship had improved a lot, there was still some underlying tension between them, leading to verbal sparring. However, it was just that—words, with no other issues.
Aston sat at the head of the table, resting his chin on one hand, chuckling as he watched the scene unfold. Cooking dinner for everyone tonight had been quite a task. Wanting to treat everyone, Aston prepared meals for the entire Familia, with the other members dining in the large kitchen area.
Though tiring, seeing everyone enjoy his cooking so much filled Aston with a sense of satisfaction. This might be a common sentiment among chefs. Watching diners savor the meals they've prepared and seeing their enjoyment is the highest praise for a chef's skills.
The banquet was a great success, pleasing both guests and hosts. After the dinner, Hestia, Hephaestus, and Loki moved to the parlor to discuss the alliance. Riveria went to meet with the elven members of the Hestia Familia.
As for Tione, Tiona, and Ais, they were invited by Lyd and others for a sparring session. Although calling it a sparring session might be giving Lyd and his group too much credit. After all, they were only at the Iv.4 level, while Ais and her companions were Iv.5. So it was more of a coaching session than a sparring one.
As for Aston, he was back in the workshop, guiding Naaza in alchemy and instructing Tsubaki in advanced forging techniques.
Aston's workshop was small but fully equipped, containing everything from an alchemy workbench to a mini forging station. The team worked efficiently, and two hours flew by in a blink.
The alliance between Hestia and Loki was formalized with Hephaestus as the witness. The alliance, named "Watchguard Alliance," committed each side to unconditional support if the other faced difficulties.
"I knew there was a reason you suddenly wanted to ally with me; Aston charmed those two Amazonesses of yours, didn't he?" Hestia teased Loki after finalizing the alliance.
Hestia now understood who had captured Aston's first time but, contrary to expectations, she wasn't upset. Instead, she felt triumphant because Aston had managed to charm members of the Loki Familia, giving her a sense of pride.
Hephaestus looked contemplative by their conversation.
"Who knows who's really at a loss here," Loki retorted, unbothered by Hestia's tease and responding with a smirk.
Hestia snorted coldly and turned her head away, not wanting to engage further with Loki. Loki didn't pursue the matter and, waving her hand, went to join Riveria and others, preparing to leave for the Twilight Manor.
After Loki's departure, Hephaestus spoke up, "Hestia, I need to discuss something with you."
"What is it, Hephaestus?"
"Let's go to your room. It's not a conversation for here."
"Sure, follow me," Hestia replied, leading Hephaestus to her room.
Shortly after they left, Loki returned with Riveria, Tione, Tiona, Ais, and Aston.
"I really pity the Apollo Familia right now. Even without Aston's involvement, they stand no chance in the War Game. It's unfortunate," Tiona said with a chuckle as they walked beside Aston.
"Which Familia were Lyd and her companions from?" Tione inquired, curious about their origins.
"I'm not entirely sure. I met them while I was visiting Demeter. It seems their previous god met with some accident and ascended, so they came to Orario," Aston replied with a prepared answer, maintaining his cheerful demeanor.
"Loki, feeling so frustrated about this, huh?" Aston remarked, noting Loki's dissatisfaction. Loki, after all, felt that Aston and the strength that Lyd and others brought, initially destined for her Familia, had slipped through her fingers.
Loki couldn't hide her discontent. To her, Aston and the strength of Lyd, who possessed Level 5 prowess, should have been part of her Familia. She regretted the missed opportunity, feeling a profound sense of loss.
Tione and Tiona exchanged knowing glances with each other, understanding Loki's sentiments to some extent. They too had the chance to be in the same Familia as Aston. But now, their relationship had grown even closer than that, transcending mere Familia bonds.
In the meantime, Aston just chuckled and shook his head, escorting everyone to the villa's entrance.
"Well, Aston, we'll be heading back now," Tione waved goodbye, and the others nodded in acknowledgment.
"Goodbye, everyone," Aston nodded back.
After the group departed for the Twilight Manor, Aston returned to his bedroom. After a refreshing bath, he fell into a deep sleep, leaving Naaza and Tsubaki to their own devices. Naaza had already left, and Tsubaki was waiting for Hephaestus in the main hall.
However, Aston's sleep was interrupted by a subtle disturbance. Waking up, he found Hestia perched on his abdomen in the dark, causing him to tense up. Not just because she was sitting on him, but due to the intense, almost vengeful look on her face.
"Aston, even Hephaestus has fallen for your charm, huh?" Hestia spoke through gritted teeth, her words laced with a mix of jealousy and frustration.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Aston fell silent for a moment before gently holding Hestia and bringing her head to rest on his chest.
"I'm sorry, Hestia."
"Ugh! I'll bite you!" Hestia expressed her vexation, though her actions betrayed a deep affection for Aston.
***
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