章節 7: Picking out a Familia
Misha took me to the furthest table we could find and sat down with a prompt thud. She sat down so heavily that the cushioned seat puffed out releasing air. She blushed shyly at her lack of care before she coughed and laid out a few papers before me.
I slid into the seat opposite her and watched as she organized the parchments in her hand one by one. After she nodded, satisfied in finding whatever order she intended t put them in, she laid them out before me.
"So before we get started, what type of Familia are you expecting to join?" she asked me.
"I was hoping to join an exploration type Familia. Preferably a more powerful one that sets out on expeditions to the dungeons at regular intervals."
She nodded and appeared to take some papers out of the bunch she'd laid out. Among them I saw Hephaestus's name.
Ah yes. my second favourite goddess. In some ways, I preferred her over Freya, She was more mature and down-to-earth despite her insecurities. Plus despite the fact she had a bit of muscle on her, she also had a really sweet side to her as well.
And someone like her who would appreciate anybody that truly devoted themselves to her in the way lovers would would be someone the she would cherish and love. In this chaotic world full of gods moving mortals like chess pieces in a Great Game, she was indeed a breath of fresh air.
But there were several reasons why I couldn't join her Familia.
One, because that family was mostly comprised of people that chased a blacksmith route. And yes indeed, there parties in her Familia that were purposed solely for dungeon exploration in order to bring up material sand goods which she could then utilize to make weapons along with her most experienced children.
I had no wishes to become a blacksmith simply because I could create any weapon or armour I needed with a simple [CREATE GREATER ITEM] spell.
Two, if she ever did find out I could create such higher tier weapons with a simple spell, she'd probably ask for my children. As a goddess of smithing and the forge, I'm pretty certain that's how far she would go to get me to join, and then once I did join, I'd never be able to go into the dungeon because she'd want to see exactly everything I could do with the spell.
Three, simply being able to summon such weapons would create hostility and discourse within her ranks and she was too adorable of a person to do something horrible like that to.
Four, it was possible that I might make the weapons market collapse on itself. I was not yet sure if the inhabitants of this world could learn the spells I used. While they used chants and songs to cast magic, I used sigils and hieroglyphs to make my magic circles. Something might I add, was reserved only for gods. It was wonder Riveria didn't clock that when she first saw me cast magic. One could not be certain that magical talent like the momma elf herself could not learn my spells. And even if it was higher tier spell, what's to say someone with skill and talent couldn't discover the [CREATE LESSER ITEM SPELL]. Once they learned that, then it wouldn't be long down the line until somebody with the ability to cast that spell was in ever Familia and hooray, free weapons for all and no use for a smithing Familia.
Five, I had other priorities. I know I keep saying it but it is fact.
Although...perhaps I should see if I could cure that curse of hers with one of my holy spells. If I did that, then I'd automatically have a waifu in my arms, one that would never leave me ever simply because I took aw ay a burden she had walked with for several hundred million years. I'd feel bad for Welf though.
"There is the Ikelos Familia-"
"Nope." I said straight away. She looked at me blankly.
"That was an immediate response if I ever heard one. May I inquire why?"
"Their god is creepy."
"..."
"..."
"Fair enough. Let's have a look here. I kind of feel like I know the answer to this one, but the Ishtar Familia...?"
"GOD NO! No way am I ever joining her. She's even worse!"
She grimaced in understanding and sharp relief as well. She shuffled a few papers in her hands.
"Although an alchemical Familia and one of the smallest which I understand was against your conditions, the Miach Familia still want an explorer to bring them monster drops for their brews. Would you consider that?"
I shook my head. She acknowledged and went back to shuffling again. Again I felt bad for Miach, but I still didn't want to join him, especially after giving him that potion. He would probably be scouring Orario for me once he properly appraised the potion.
The guy was such a nice dude though. I'll make sure to help them out whenever I can.
"Apollo Familia?"
I crinkled my nose in disgust. That was all the answer she needed before turning back to the papers. I did not even need to explain why I wouldn't join that festering bowl of scum. Just the snooty little rat himself was enough of a reason not to join.
In every fiction or non-fictional iteration, Apollo was an arrogant sadistic bastard as much as Artemis was a man-hating feminazi hellbent on ripping the batteries out of every man that came within a light year of her.
Not that the Artemis here was such a militant misandrist considering even she was able to love a man. She was just a spearhead of chastity and purity before marriage. Which is a very noble thing. Her followers were not bad either, although it is very clear that they all agreed no male should ever be allowed to enter the Familia.
She went through several other names including Ganesha's which honestly wasn't a bad idea. But the big man was too boisterous for my tastes, and way too loud for his own good. So play pass.
Finally she ended upon the last piece of paper, which she widened her eyes upon seeing.
"This is unusual." she said confusedly.
"How so?"
"The Freya Familia doesn't really post recruitment notices all that much these days. Partly because the conditions to join are not met easily, but mostly because her followers are a little...fanatic. And they don't treat newcomers kindly."
"Is that all that is strange about it?"
"Well now that you mention it, no. According to this, the request was posted early this morning. I doubt anyone's even looked into it yet before this point."
'Can't keep still can you Freya?' I thought to myself. 'To be expected though. I did design my new self entirely with the intention of attracting your icy gaze. But how about I punish you a little longer.~'
"I'd like to join her then."
Misha looked up at me in shock.
"I'm sorry."
"I'd like to join her."
She paused again before placing the sheet slowly on the table.
"Listen Garth, don't take this the wrong way..." she stopped seemingly thinking on her next words. "...but I think you should think a little more about this."
"Whatever do you mean Miss Misha?" I asked feigning ignorance.
"Excluding the fact that you have to be something special or have something special to offer that family in return for them taking you in amongst their ranks, they are known to be quite unforgiving and...unhospitable to newbies. Their Familia is full of...ensnared talent as opposed to ones that joined them out of their own volition. And those that did try to do so never really had the purest intention."
"Purest intention? Why did they try out for it really?"
"Apart from the allure of joining the currently strongest Familia in existence, most joined out of a lustful want for the goddess herself. Something which neither she nor her followers took kindly to. It takes a lot of guts and ambition, usually of the empty kind, to try out for a spot in their circle. Considering all of the risks, are you still sure you want to proceed?"
I nodded. She sighed and picked up the paper.
"Well okay then. But still, you need to possess something worth their attention. But then again, when it comes to you, I'd imagine you have plenty."
I blinked in confusion.
"I'm afraid I don't follow Misha. What exactly do you know about me? I only arrived here yesterday."
She smiled at me in an inquisitive way.
"You mean you haven't heard the rumours?"
"No."
"Word is flying around everywhere. About 'a barbarian with hair like silk of moonlight, and eyes like molten gold, who walks around with an aura so heavy that it makes one choke.' Apparently said individual claimed to have never been a part of any Familia in his life. Yet despite that claim, and Goddess Loki herself attesting to the truth of his words herself, he was able to snap Bete Loga's arm, a level five adventurer's arm like a toothbrush. Not only that, but he even had the stomach to reject Loki's invitation into her huddle."
"You suspected it was me from the start didn't you? Hence why Loki's name never came up on your recommendations."
She smiled at, while doing that weird closed eyes thing again. I tell you that is not a normal thing!
"Precisely, and also because Loki opens recruitment only at allotted points of the year and it is not that time just yet. So, is that mysterious and elusive barbarian you or not?"
"Yeah it's me. And for my sake, I only did that because Bete pissed me off with his obnoxious attitude and the fact he touched me in aggravation. It was purely self-defense."
"I understand he can be...overbearing. But please be more lax with him in the future. You'll find that he does have redeeming qualities...probably."
"Hm."
She leaned back in her seat with her arms folded.
"That being said Garth, you still have to show me something worthy of Freya's attention. Your request can only be acknowledged by such a busy and powerful Familia if you have something worth their while on you."
"I do possess some talents that they will find noteworthy. But I'll only tell them to you on one condition."
I was leaning forward at the time, my head positioned over the table. I sad this to her with a suggestive look on my face. She smiled and leaned forwards as well, our faces coming close to each other.
"~Oh. And what condition would that be Sir Garth.~"
I stared at her for a little while longer before leaning in closer.
"Will you be...?"
"Yes?"
.
.
.
"...my dungeon advisor?"
She blinked at me. I smirked and leaned backwards in my seat.
"Huh." she asked dumbly.
"I possess certain abilities and talents that would be considered outrageous and blatant unfair by most. I'm not willing to part with those secrets to just anyone. I need you to be in a position where I can trust you enough if you want to know such details."
"Oh. I see." she nodded in understanding. I detected a little disappointment in her mannerisms.
"Well, what do you say?"
She though for a moment.
"Well I can't take your request to the Freya Familia without knowing this secret of yours. And I'm the only receptionist you know so far, so I might as well accept your proposal. Would you mind telling me now what precious ability you have guaranteed to warrant Freya's attention?"
I gestured to the side of the table out of everyone's view. A swirling black hole filled with purple light appeared before a bunch of daggers, bottles and Valis dropped out.
Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped.
"W-w-what just...?"
"I call it my Inventory. It's a storage magic which allows me to store anything and everything in a pocket dimension accessible only to me regardless of size and quantity."
"B-but with a skill like that, there's no telling how much loot a party could bring to the surface at once without having to carry everything!" she exclaimed in a high pitched whisper.
"Now you see why I had to keep it a secret. Think this is enough for them to consider letting me join?"
'gulp' "Well it is certainly a rare skill. And Freya does love rare things if her children are anything to go by..."
She looked a little conflicted before shaking her head in relent.
"Alright. I'll put your request through. We should have an answer by the end of today since you're the first to apply. What do you plan to do until then?"
"I'm going to enter the dungeon for a bit."
"Why? Can't you wait until you've joined a Familia first? It's why we spent the last hour going over several different ones."
"I understand your concern Misha, but I just want to explore the upper floors to kill some time."
"You want to enter a pit full of bloodthirsty monsters, in risk of death every second you spend in there, just to kill some time?"
"Yeah."
...
"You're unbelievable. But alright. As your advisor though, I must ask you stay in the upper floors until an answer comes back to me. And don't exchange any cores when you come back, if you don't want the guild to impose the extra large tax on you."
"I appreciate the warning and the advice."
I took her hand in mine, watching as her cheeks flushed dark red. I lightly kissed her fingertips like a proper gentleman, and savored the deep scarlet she turned, which honestly paired well with her pink hair.
"Fear not, fair maiden. For I shall return victorious and in time for your grace."
I let go of her hand as she quickly whipped it back to her chest, her face flushing darker and darker. I chuckled before swinging around with a dramatic flourish of my cape and walked out of the guild building.
I set a course for Babel tower at last. I could hear the call of the dungeon. What mysteries did it have in store for me that I could not see off-screen?
This I wondered as I finally came upon the spiraling staircase that went around the inside of a gaping hole in the ground. It went further and further into the earth, slowly becoming a cluster of shadows at the bottom.
Ignoring the adventurers that decided to take the stairs, I for the first time decided to test my endurance and jumped off the edge into the unknown, eliciting gasps of horror from the spectators as my impressive form rocketed towards the bottom.
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