Familia Myth: Journey to Hero Chapter 45

Hey friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Familia Myth: Journey to Hero! Bell makes a promise to the forlorn and resigned Haruhime to save her, no matter what it takes. But as the situation comes to light for the Hestia Familia, just what options are available for freeing Haruhime from the Ishtar Familia? Will friends be able to help the Hestia Familia since connections have been made and grown over the last couple of months.

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 45 – Connections and Options

In the dark of the early morning, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon and bringing light to Orario, two people quietly made their way through a small back alley that was partially hidden. Haruhime led the way with a small lantern as they walked down a flight of stone stairs and underground. Bell followed after her without a word, his eyes gazing at the underground passageway, only able to guess that it was something like a drainage tunnel for heavy rains that would divert water into the sewers and out of Orario to prevent flooding.

“Beyond here, the road connects to Daedalus Street.” Haruhime said as the two of them walked up another set of stone stairs at the end of the long underground tunnel. “Do you know to follow Ariadne?”

“Yes…” Bell confirmed. After all, the one street that would lead from anywhere in Daedalus Street to East Main Street or Southeast Main Street was information that practically everyone in Orario knew.

Haruhime stopped walking halfway down the back alley that the underground tunnel had led them to. With a soft smile, she lowered the lantern a bit and looked onto Bell’s eyes. “Thank you for conversing with me for so long, Cranel-sama. I won’t forget your kindness.”

Bell saw the warmth in Haruhime’s green eyes, but her smile was small and still resigned. Despite the silent promise that he’d made to her, to save her and take her out of the Pleasure Quarter, it was obvious that Haruhime herself considered being saved a forlorn hope. So, this time, Bell spoke his promise to Haruhime as he gently took her left hand into both of his and looked into her eyes. “I will come save you, Miss Haruhime. No matter what, I’ll find a way to free you.”

“Cranel-sama…” Haruhime felt her heart flutter in her chest, and her cheeks went pink, but she had to suppress those emotions. Despite having wanted to hear such words and receive such a promise for years, she still felt that she didn’t deserve it. That if she wanted for anything, someone else might be hurt. “…thank you.” She smiled softly, though it barely reached her green eyes. She was unable to tell Bell that her time was limited, and that Ishtar would never let her leave.

Bell gently pulled on Haruhime’s left hand as he took a step backwards, as if to take her from the Pleasure Quarter right here and now. But Haruhime wouldn’t take that step with him. Rubellite eyes landed on the black metal collar around Haruhime’s neck, knowing that it was her slave collar and that Ishtar would be able to know her location if Haruhime left the Pleasure Quarter.

“I’m going to save you, Miss Haruhime.” Bell told her seriously, his voice warm and strong.

Haruhime felt her heart thump in her chest again as Bell gently squeezed her left hand. “Please don’t get hurt on my account, Cranel-sama.” She requested softly, looking into his eyes, her green gaze showing how much him being hurt for her sake would hurt her in turn. “Please be careful on your journey, Cranel-sama.” Haruhime said softly as she gave him a slightly warmer smile while pulling her hand back from Bell’s hands.

The two stood there, just looking at each other for a long moment. Eventually, Haruhime gave Bell a short bow and turned to walk back down the stairs into the underground tunnel that would take her back to the Pleasure Quarter. Bell watched her go until he couldn’t see Haruhime anymore…

Bam

…and slammed his fist into the wall next to him, gritting his teeth at having to watch the kind Renard walk back to her ‘prison’ like this. The paint and plaster over the bricks shattered and fell to the ground as Bell pulled his hand away and turned. The cracks in the bricks themselves were ignored as Bell took off and reached Ariadne Street before bolting down it towards Southeast Main Street. He needed to get home and tell Hestia and everyone else what had happened and what he had discovered.

-Hearth Household ~ Morning-

Lili, Eina, and Hestia had barely slept at all last night.

The three women were worried about Bell, especially considering where it was that he’d disappeared. The only reason the three had slept at all was because Eina was pregnant and excess stress wasn’t good for the baby. Lili and Hestia had snuggled up on either side of Eina to even get a few hours of sleep together.

Mikoto, Welf, Daphne, and Cassandra weren’t much better. Daphne and Cassandra had been in Orario long enough to know about Ishtar Familia and how they ruled the Pleasure Quarter with an iron fist after wiping out the Familias that had stood against them five years ago. Welf and Mikoto were both blaming themselves for Bell even being in the Pleasure Quarter last night in the first place. If they hadn’t already searched as much of the Pleasure Quarter as they could last night—to the point that they’d attracted the attention of the Ishtar Familia and had to retreat lest they start an altercation—they’d STILL be out there looking for Bell.

The front door opening got everyone’s attention instantly.

“Bell!” Hestia was off the couch and practically flying across the open space with her arms wide open, almost tackling Bell as she hugged him and squeezed him tightly. “Bell! Are you okay?! What happened?! Did someone hurt you?!”

Bell hugged Hestia warmly, gently running his fingers through her long, raven-black hair as he held her close. “I’m alright, Hestia.” He said to her softly, gently squeezing her close while leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

“Bell…” Eina said as she quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Bell.

“Eina.” Bell hugged her back as soon as Hestia let him go. “I’m okay.” He assured her while kissing her softly as they held each other.

“We were worried…” Eina said with unshed tears in her green eyes. She felt the tension bleed out of her body as Bell softly cupper her cheek with his hand and held her close as they looked into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

Bell smiled and placed his free hand on Eina’s tummy, gently resting it over the special spot where their little blessing was. “I’m sorry that I made you two worry.” He said softly as he rested his forehead against Eina’s as they both smiled lovingly at each other.

Lili hugged Bell from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. “No more going anywhere near the Pleasure Quarter for you, Bell.” She said while gently squeezing him a bit tighter.

“Sorry about losing you in there, Bell.” Welf apologized as he walked over to Bell. “We didn’t realize you’d been grabbed until after we caught up with Mikoto and Chigusa.”

“It’s alright, Welf. It wasn’t your fault.” Bell shook his head while holding Lili in a warm hug while Eina leaned against him. “I should’ve been more forceful to keep up with you and Lili.” While he may not have wanted to accidentally harm any of the ‘ladies of the evening’, he wouldn’t have been separated from his friends if he’d been a bit harsher in his declining of their offers. ‘But then I wouldn’t have met Haruhime…’ Bell thought to himself as he moved over to the couch and sat down.

Mikoto bowed to Bell at a nearly ninety-degree angle. “I’m so sorry that my sneaking around has caused such trouble for the Familia, Bell-dono.”

Bell gave Mikoto a reassuring smile. “I don’t blame you, Mikoto.” Everyone, including Cassandra and Daphne as new members of the Familia, noticed the way Bell’s expression changed. “In fact… I think while I was running from the Ishtar Familia, I may have met the one you were looking for.”

Mikoto’s eye widened and she barley restrained herself from leaping over the coffee table to ask what Bell meant. “Did you meet Haruhime-dono?!”

“I met a blonde Renard name Haruhime that was from the Far East, yes.” Bell said, noticing how everyone’s attention was locked on him now. “She mentioned that she used to be a noble before being disowned years ago.” He began to explain everything that had happened last night from his separation from Welf and Lili, to being literally carried off to Belit Babili, briefly meeting Goddess Ishtar, and then his escape that had led him to meeting Haruhime and how they’d spent the night talking before the kind girl had led him out of the Pleasure Quarter in secret. The entire time, Bell noticed Mikoto’s eyes filling with tears as she learned why her old friend had suddenly disappeared all those years ago and what had happened to the sweet Renard ever since.

“H-Haruhime-dono…” Mikoto’s tears finally escaped her control as she cried, covering her face at her childhood friend having been disowned, practically abducted, taken across the continent, and then sold into slavery. “…sh-she doesn’t d-deserve any of that… She was only trying to be kind to us…” She sniffled and wept for the misfortune that had befallen Haruhime for being kind to them who were mere peasants struggling to eat and avoid the cold back in the Far East.

Hestia quickly wrapped Mikoto up in a warm hug, gently rubbing the young woman’s back while offering all of the love and affection she could through her Domains of Family and Home, filling the entire Hearth Household with her Divine Aura. “Let it out, Mikoto… It’s going to be alright. We’ll figure this out.” Hestia whispered to Mikoto softly, warmly.

Eina looked a little put out as she spoke up. “Unfortunately, the Guild can’t do too much in this situation.” She told everyone about the incident five years ago where multiple other Familia had accused the Ishtar Familia of lying about their Levels.

“Lili heard about that.” Lili mentioned telling everyone about it last night. “But why can’t the Guild intervene in this case?”

“Ishtar Familia has enough influence within Orario that they can make many things problematic while claiming that the Guild is trying to interfere with them directly.” Eina explained as everyone looked at her curiously. “When the Guild investigated last time, there was no difference in the Levels reported to the Guild and the Levels of every member of the Ishtar Familia. Such an in-depth investigation is highly unusual as the Guild seeks to maintain neutrality with all Familias. If the Guild tries to investigate again, and on the word of only a single Adventurer from a different Familia, then the Ishtar Familia could very easily raise a revolt with other Familias that feel the Guild is no longer neutral.” Eina said with a grimace. “With the support of a Familia as rich and influential as Ishtar Familia, Orario could very well end up in a similar situation as it was back in the time dubbed the ‘Dark Age’ when various Familias under the Deities that dubbed themselves ‘Evil Gods’ roamed Orario freely, committing heinous acts and constantly fighting with Ganesha Familia and other Familias that tried to restore the peace.”

Bell clenched his jaw at not being able to go the legal route—through the Guild—to perhaps free Haruhime from Ishtar Familia. “Isn’t there anything we could do? I thought slavery was illegal in Orario?”

Eina nodded to confirm. “It is. But if Haruhime was already a slave before coming to Orario, then the Guild can’t impose our laws on those from outside. It’s not illegal for a slave to reside in Orario, even for years, as long as they were a slave BEFORE they took up residence in the city itself.”

“Sounds like a loophole.” Daphne said with narrowed eyes. “There should be a time limit on how long anyone can be a slave if they actually live in Orario.”

Cassandra nodded in agreement. “Considering how close some towns are from Orario, it wouldn’t be more than a day trip to buy a slave and bring them back to the city with the current law.” It made her a bit sad to know that people could be enslaved to a Familia. ‘Lord Apollo was bad enough since he refused to let anyone leave. But this is even worse.’

“I doubt we can force the issue though.” Welf mentioned with a grimace. “I’d say our Familia is fairly strong and all…but Ishtar Familia is one of the largest in all of Orario.”

“Their numbers aren’t the only problem with that.” Eina shook her head once. “Ishtar Familia’s Aisha Belka is currently Level 3, but it’s rumored that she could Level Up soon. The Vice Captain of the Familia, Tammuz Belili is already Level 4, and the Captain, Phryne Jamil, is Level 5. A few years ago, Phryne fought with Ais Wallenstein in a close battle shortly after Miss Wallenstein became Level 5.”

Lili looked down at her hands, clenching the hem of her dark red skirt. “So, we’re outnumbered, overpowered, and have no legal recourse available to us?” She hated the feeling of powerlessness as she watched Hestia hold and comfort the still sniffling Mikoto.

Eina nodded once before perking up, her pointed Elven ears wiggling just slightly as a thought came to her. “You did say that Miss Haruhime is a Renard, correct?” She looked between Bell and Mikoto. When both looked at Eina and nodded in confirmation, the Half-Elf gained a thoughtful look. “Then there may be something the Guild can do. It’s against the law to lie about your Familia members’ Levels. But it’s also against the law to lie or not report members of your Familia to the Guild. Renards are incredibly rare, since most don’t leave the east, and even in Orario there’s probably less than a hundred of them total. I’d have to check at work to make sure, but I don’t think Ishtar Familia has any Renard Familia members on record.”

“Then the Guild would have reason to demand to see this Haruhime to prove whether she’s a member of Ishtar Familia or not.” Hestia smiled at Eina for potentially opening up a legal route to getting Haruhime away from Ishtar Familia.

“Exactly.” Eina smiled at Hestia. “I’ll check tomorrow while I’m at work and if there’s no record of a Renard member in Ishtar Familia, then I’ll bring it up with my superiors.”

“Thank you, Eina-dono.” Mikoto gave Eina a smile as she wiped the last of her tears away. “I can’t thank you enough for helping my friend.” She gave Eina a bow of gratitude.

Eina waved off Mikoto’s thanks with a beautiful smile. “It’s my job, Miss Mikoto.”

Hestia smiled as she saw the mood of her Familia improve. ‘Perhaps I can invite Hephaestus and Freya over for tea and see if they have any advice about this situation.’ It couldn’t hurt to ask some of the largest and most powerful Familias in Orario about this difficult situation that her Familia found itself in.

“Hestia-sama, may I share the confirmation of Haruhime-dono’s location with Takemikazuchi Familia, please?” Mikoto requested with a polite bow. She wanted…needed…to let her friends know that Haruhime was indeed in Orario and what had happened to her in the time since she’d disappeared from the Far East.

“Go ahead, Mikoto.” Hestia granted permission with a warm smile.

Mikoto was out the front door only a moment later, rushing through the streets to get to the Takemikazuchi Familia Home as fast as she could.

“Well, we might have an option to help Haruhime, but we should do what we can in case this situation becomes an issue with Ishtar Familia.” Bell said in his role as Captain of the Familia. He’d been overpowered by a group of Level 3’s from the Ishtar Familia last night, so he knew their strength. If they tried to attack the Hestia Familia like the Apollo Familia had done, then it would be far worse if they didn’t get stronger.

“Daphne and Cassandra’s new armor is complete.” Welf said with a grin, shooting a thumbs up to the two women. “So, we’re good there! We can head into the Dungeon to get stronger and to raise more money in case this becomes a legal battle.”

-Daedalus Street ~ Sewers-

“The hell? There weren’t any stairs here when Loki and I checked this place before.” Bete said as he looked at what the group had found hidden away down here.

“Found it… Or maybe got shown it would be more accurate?” Gareth eyed the large, decorated metal door before them, his huge axe resting on his right shoulder.

Finn held up the lamp to further shine light on the door, his spear in his right hand in case of any surprises. “This is a trap… A challenge meant just for us.” He eyed the demon statutes on either side of the double metal doors and the larger demonic statue atop the doors.

“Should we regroup with everyone, Captain?” Raul asked Finn as he looked between the Prum and the eerie double doors.

“Yes. Mark this location and the route leading here on the map.” Finn nodded as the four men walked away from the metal doors. They needed to get back to the surface and gather everyone in the Familia that was currently searching Daedalus Street. The confrontation with the Evilus remnants and the ones behind the oddly-colored Monsters was approaching…but this seemed almost bold for their enemies to show them their hidden lair. ‘My thumb is throbbing…’ Finn thought as his left thumb tingled while holding the lamp. It was a feeling that he’d grown used to heeding over his many years as an Adventurer. Every single time his thumb throbbed like this, something dangerous was about to happen. ‘As Captain, it’s my role to mitigate the danger as much as possible and lead the Familia to victory. But what move can we make that will throw off the enemy’s reckoning?’

-Hearth Household ~ Afternoon-

Knock Knock Knock

Hestia blinked from where she was reading on the couch at the knocking on the front door. There weren’t any deliveries scheduled that she was aware of, she hadn’t heard any rumors of any Deity holding a Banquet of the Gods…so the likelihood of this being an invitation to such an event was slim as well. “Maybe someone else applying to join our Familia?” She marked her page in her book and set it on the coffee table as she stood up.

Eina was upstairs napping from the restless sleep that they’d all had when Bell was missing last night. Mikoto was still at the Takemikazuchi Familia, getting them caught up on the situation with Haruhime. Bell, Lili, Welf, Cassandra, and Daphne were out back training so that Daphne and Cassandra could get used to fighting in their new armor that Welf had made for them. That left Hestia the only one that could even hear the knocking on the door and answer it.

“Yes?” Hestia asked as she opened the door, only to blink when she saw who had come to visit. “Can I…help you?”

It was normal to be a little confused when Braver Finn Deimne, Nine Hells Riveria Ljos Alf, Ais Wallenstein, Tione Hyrute, Tiona Hyrute, and Loki came knocking your door out of the blue.

“Hey, itty bitty…” Loki seemed like she didn’t really want to be here, but didn’t have much choice. “…got a bit of a favor to ask ya.”

Hestia blinked once, rubbed her ears, then asked the most eloquent question she could. “Huh?”

“We apologize for visiting without prior notice.” Riveria said with a short bow of her head to Hestia. “But a situation has come up that our Familia could use assistance with.”

“While we’d prefer to keep our Familia’s troubles from inconveniencing anyone else, the situation has…expanded in scope.” Finn said delicately as they were still on the Hestia Familia’s front step where they might be overheard.

“Come in, I’ll make some tea.” Hestia opened the door all the way and let the visitors from Loki Familia enter.

“Is Argonaut here?” Tiona asked, already looking around for Bell.

Tione glanced around as well, but lightly chided Tiona for her question. “We’re here to make a request. We can see Bell afterwards.”

Ais kept her expression composed, but she’d like to see Bell as well.

“Bell is out back with the others. I’ll call them in once I’ve got the tea ready.” Hestia gave Tiona a soft smile. “Please, make yourselves comfortable.” She motioned towards the couch and the sofas around the coffee table and the hearth. While the Loki Familia was getting seated, Hestia headed into the kitchen to make some tea.

“This is a very welcoming home.” Riveria mentioned as she took in the atmosphere of the Hearth Household. The warmth of the Hearth, Family, and Home permeated the air and softly welcomed all who entered Hestia’s domain.

Loki shrugged once. “It’s because of itty bitty’s Domains.” She wouldn’t say anything bad about it. Both because it WAS very welcoming and because they were there to ask a favor.

“It’s…nice.” Ais said with a small smile as she settled into the atmosphere of the Hearth Household again.

“Yep!” Tiona beamed, her sunshine-like smile warm as she basked in the welcoming warmth beside Ais.

Hestia returned a short time later with a tray that had several cups of tea on it. She set the tray on the coffee table and handed a drink to each of her guests with a small smile. “Enjoy.” She nodded just as the sound of footsteps from the backdoor filled the air.

“Tione? Tiona? Ais?” Bell stopped as he entered the large living room and saw his three girlfriends. “Goddess Loki.” Bell greeted the other Goddess politely with a half bow. “Miss Ljos Alf, Mr. Deimne.” He nodded to the Vice Captain and Captain of Loki Familia. “I didn’t know you’d all be coming to visit.”

Welf, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lili all looked at the Loki Familia in surprise from behind Bell. When Hestia motioned them over to the couches and sofas, they all quickly complied with Bell taking a seat right beside Hestia. Even though the five Adventurers were still a bit disheveled from their practice, when Hestia had called them inside, they came quickly.

Finn, Riveria, Tiona, Ais, Tione, and Loki all noticed the armor that the Hestia Familia was wearing. The experienced Adventurers may not be blacksmiths, but after years of using various equipment, they could all spot quality armor with only a brief glance. The breastplates, vambraces, and greaves that Daphne and Cassandra were wearing had to be at least Skillful Grade if rated on the equipment scale used by Adventurers. More than likely enchanted by Welf Crozzo who sat on the armrest of the couch that Hestia, Bell, and Lili were sitting on.

“So,” Hestia picked up her own tea cup and sipped from it before setting it back down. “…what is it that you’ve come to ask, Loki?”

“I never thought I’d be making a request of you, itty bitty.” Loki admitted honestly as she picked up her own tea cup. “But as things stand, we need all the advantages that we can get.” She sipped her tea, noting the flavor and the perfect temperature, before setting the cup down again. “I need you to understand that everything said here MUST stay an absolute secret.”

All of the Hestia Familia shared looks between each other for a moment before Hestia focused back on Loki and bid her to continue.

Loki let out a long sigh before beginning to explain what her Familia had been dealing with for the last few months without going too deep into the personal affairs of her Familia. Everything from the strange oddly-colored Monsters, to the remnants of Evilus, until finally reaching the current situation. “And that’s why we’re here now. Finn wants to secretly bring in some outside help to have on standby as a ‘hidden card’ to play if necessary.”

Hestia took a long sip of her tea before setting down her teacup again and then rubbing her temples like a headache was forming. “Let me get this straight… You’re fighting the remnants of Evilus, and some strange Tamer Woman…or Creature thing… And the one that approached you about it was Dionysus…?” She DID feel a headache coming on now. “And your other helper is Hermes of all Deities?”

“Yeah… Aside from the dandy, and the fact that I can’t really say that I trust Dionysus as far as I could throw him, they approached me and I wanted to deal with the ones that hurt my Familia.” Loki said plainly, making her opinion of both Hermes and Dionysus obvious.

“Well, at least you know better than to honestly trust either of them.” Hestia gave Loki a lopsided smile…it was the best that she could do at the moment. “Hermes won’t go out of his way to hurt others…normally. But Dionysus…” Hestia shared a look with Loki, one that was a clear message—at least between Deities—to remember just what Dionysus’s Divine Domains were. “…it’s best to be wary of anything that he’s involved with.”

Loki nodded once. “I’m keeping my eyes on both of them as much as I can.” She said, her red eyes visible to all, a sharpness in them that was almost scary as it focused the chaos that represented Loki’s true divine nature to a terrifying point. “So, can we ask for your Familia’s assistance on standby as we check out this place that we’ve discovered?”

Hestia looked at Bell and then Lili, and then Welf, then Daphne and Cassandra. She’d rather not put them in any danger, which is clearly what Loki Familia was dealing with, but she saw the desire in Bell’s rubellite eyes to help. Sharing a look with Bell, the blazing determination behind his eyes making her smile just a little, Hestia came to an idea of her own. “Perhaps, though I’d want an equal exchange of assistance.”

Loki blinked at that. “Equal exchange of assistance?”

“Yes.” Hestia nodded once. “My Familia has our own issue going on right now.” She said and when all of the Loki Familia leaned forward a little, Hestia gave them the overview of what had happened to Bell last night in the Pleasure Quarter and the general situation with Haruhime.

“THOSE WHORES DID WHAT TO MY BELL?!” Tione was on her feet in a rage the instant that she heard about Bell being dragged off to Belit Babili.

Tiona, surprising more than a few people, was equally enraged, her normal smile nowhere to be seen. “We should go over there and make sure they understand that Bell is OURS!” She nearly growled while punching her right fist into her left palm.

What stopped both of them from heading for the door to carry out their vengeance upon the Amazons of Ishtar Familia was Bell’s arms wrapping around their shoulders and pulling both sisters into a warm hug filled with his love and affection for them.

“Tiona, Tione, I’m alright.” Bell whispered into their ears as he held them both close, feeling their arms wrap around him and gently squeeze him as close as possible to them. “They didn’t get to do anything they wanted. Not a single thing. I wouldn’t let them. My body is only for the ones that I love.” He said softly, reassuringly, making both Tiona and Tione snuggle into him as they slowly calmed down.

Ais had managed to handle her own sudden spike of anger better, mostly due to her many years of emotional repression. However, she HAD briefly considered going with Tione and Tiona to the Pleasure Quarter, Desperate in hand, and taking revenge for what Bell had gone through. “I’m…glad that you’re okay, Bell.”

Bell smiled warmly at Ais and leaned over to place a soft kiss on her cheek once Tione and Tiona had let him out of their arms. “Thank you, Ais.”

Riveria watched as Ais’s cheeks turned just slightly pink from the kiss and felt a small smile form on her lips. The closed off girl that Riveria had helped take care of for years had finally opened up and let others inside. It brought a warmth to Riveria’s heart that the High Elf couldn’t help but enjoy.

It was Finn who got the meeting back on track as Tione and Tiona sat back down and Bell retook his seat next to Hestia. “This is quite the coincidence then. Your Familia’s current issue ties into our Familia’s problem.” Seeing the confused looks from the Hestia Familia, Finn explained. “While our current evidence would still be considered circumstantial, we have very strong reason to believe that Ishtar Familia has ties to the Evilus remnants and those that’re involved with all these oddly-colored Monsters and strange Demi-Spirits. If you’ll assist us with our current situation, then our Familia could assist you with dealing with the Ishtar Familia in the course of our continued investigation into their ties with the Evilus.”

“Does that sound like an equal exchange of assistance to you, Hestia?” Loki asked Hestia directly, not even using her nickname for the other Goddess, seeing as Finn had worked out a fairly good deal for them. Not only could this secure them a ‘hidden card’ to play if the current situation went bad; but it aligned perfectly with their own goals of rooting out everyone that had a connection to both the Evilus and the one called Enyo.

Hestia conferred with Bell and everyone present from her Familia quietly. While Lili was slightly hesitant because of the various unknowns, and both Daphne and Cassandra were of similar minds to Lili, wanting to be cautious, Welf made it clear that he’d follow Hestia and Bell’s decision.

“We’ll provide standby assistance, Loki.” Hestia agreed as she returned her gaze back to the other Goddess, bright blue eyes meeting deep red. “Aside from combat, Lili is an excellent Supporter, Welf can help with weapon repairs, and Cassandra can heal and cure.”

One of Riveria’s delicate eyebrows raise slightly as she looked at Cassandra—making the blue-haired young woman squeak slightly—and assessed her with the experienced eyes of the greatest Mage in Orario. “Magic that can cure poison and the like is very rare. It would be a great favor to us to have you on standby in case something goes wrong.”

“Th-Thank you…” Cassandra managed to get out, clearly nervous at being under Riveria’s eyes, even if she was being sort of praised. “I-I…also have the T-Treatment Developmental Ability.”

“As do I.” Riveria gave Cassandra a soothing smile, helping the younger woman to calm down a bit. “We should make sure to have Miss Cassandra fully prepared with Mind Potions for this…raid, I suppose we can call it.” She said while looking at Finn and Loki.

Finn nodded, a small smile given to Cassandra. “My thoughts exactly.” He turned his smile onto the Hestia Familia as a whole. “Thank you for your assistance, Hestia Familia.” While he’d not expected to ask for assistance from bell Cranel (or his Familia) so soon after the young man had earned the nickname ‘The Slayer of the Sun’, Finn couldn’t help but feel like this was the best course of action that he could take right now. ‘Even Goddess Hestia has made it clear that we shouldn’t trust either Dionysus nor Hermes completely. So, we need to have an extra move or two and a few extra pieces that we can play in the event that something about this entire situation proves to be the Divine Will of an ‘Evil God’ like it was years ago.’

“L-Lady Riveria?!” Eina’s sudden exclamation shattered the serious air in the room as she stood in the doorway of the living room, looking at Riveria in surprise.

“Eina?” Riveria was curious what Eina was doing at the Hestia Familia Home. Especially considering that her younger—if distant—family member was in pajamas like she’d been napping until now. “I did not expect to see you here.” She stood up from the couch and walked over to Eina with a smile, even if her jade green eyes showed her curiosity.

Ais, Tione, and Tiona all shared a look with each other, realizing that Riveria didn’t know about Eina being in a relationship with Bell. The High Elf had never pried into the relationship, only happy that the three of them were happy and loved. They’d never thought to tell Riveria who all WAS part of their relationship…until now.

Eina fidgeted a little before catching Bell’s eyes and getting a warm and loving smile from him as he stood up and started walking over to her. She couldn’t help but smile back and feel her heart settle a bit as she looked at Riveria. “Lady Riveria…”

“I’ve told you that you don’t have to be so formal, Eina.” Riveria reminded the Half-Elf with a soft smile. “This isn’t the Elven homeland.”

“Yes…” Eina returned the soft smile with a warm one of her own. “I live here now.” She told Riveria and saw the confusion form in the High Elf’s eyes. “Bell and I are together and…” She leaned into Bell as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her with love and affection. “…I’m pregnant with his child.”

Both Bell and Eina could swear they heard Riveria’s mind crashing to a halt as her jade eyes widened in shock, her normally composed expression shattering like glass as she looked at Eina, then Bell, and then down at Eina’s stomach where both Eina and Bell’s hands rested gently.

“P-Pr-Pregnant…?” Riveria managed to get out a lengthy moment later.

Eina nodded once, a glowing smiled on her face as she leaned into Bell more. “Yes. I’m only about a month along right now.”

Finna and Loki shared a look while almost everyone else was distracted.

‘Did you know?’ Loki’s red eyes asked without a sound.

‘I was not aware of the full situation with Mr. Cranel’s relationship, no.’ Finn conveyed with his own gaze.

“Do your mother and father know?” Riveria was slowly regaining her composure as she looked at Eina, the daughter of her oldest friend: Aina Tulle.

“Of course, I sent them a letter as soon as I confirmed it.” Eina said with a nod. She’d ben both nervous and yet joyful to write that letter and send it off to her mother and father. She hadn’t heard from her little sister Nina in a couple of years now, ever since she started attending the School District, but she hoped that her sister would be thrilled to be an aunt once the baby came.

Riveria looked at Bell, her jade eyes boring into Bell’s rubellite with a gaze so intense it was like she was trying to read his very soul. For his part, Bell didn’t back down in the slightest, holding Riveria’s gaze with unyielding resolve for Eina and their future child. For just a brief instant, Riveria would nearly swear that she saw a blazing flame deep within Bell Cranel that towering over her and everything else…a flame that would never be extinguished…an Eternal Flame.

Breaking her gaze with Bell, Riveria looked back at Eina, seeing the happiness and love in the Half-Elf’s eyes, and smiled warmly. “Congratulations on your blessing, Eina.” She said softly and was rewarded with Eina’s beaming smile.

“Would you like to feel?” Eina offered with a happy smile, moving her hand to the side of her tummy.

“Yes, thank you.” Riveria’s smile was motherly and warm as she gently placed her hand on Eina’s—still flat—tummy and closed her eyes. There was nothing to really feel yet, of course, but by closing her eyes, Riveria hoped to get a small sense of the tiny life that was growing within Eina.

It would be a while before Riveria would leave Eina be, her motherly side coming out as she gently asked questions about Eina’s condition and her work. But no one could bring themselves to interrupt as Eina blushed cutely while clearly happy to talk with Riveria about her pregnancy.

Once the Lokia Familia did depart—with Ais, Tiona, and Tione all getting hugs and kisses from Bell—the Hearth Household became a whirlwind of activity.

“Lili will back all the supplies that we could possibly need!” Lili was already searching for paper to start writing a list. “Hestia, we’ll need to dip into the savings a bit!”

Welf was already collecting everyone’s armor and weapons. “I’ll have everything sharpened and maintained before tomorrow!”

“Slow down!” Daphne called out as she tried to get her new armor off quickly before Welf tried to remove it himself at the speed he was going.

Cassandra nearly panicked as she had a hard time removing her new breastplate as Welf walked towards her. “I-I can do it!”

Bell sat Eina down and poured her a cup of the still warm tea before softly kissing her lips. “You relax, Eina. We’ll be a bit busy for the night.” He smiled warmly at his lover.

“I’ll look into Miss Haruhime in the Guild’s records tomorrow at work.” Eina promised with a smile of her own as she sipped the tea and watched the activity of everyone as they prepared for tomorrow.

“Thank you, Eina.” Bell kissed her lips once more. “Love you.”

Eina giggled softly at Bell’s affection. “Love you too.”

While her Familia began to prepare for tomorrow, Hestia headed for her office and pulled out two pieces of paper. She set to writing out an invitation for tea on both of them, mentioning that she’d like advice about a certain situation that her Familia had found itself in. Once both invitations were complete, Hestia placed them in envelopes and then sealed them with a small amount of wax, pressed with a stamp bearing the emblem of her Familia. Picking up the two letters, she walked back down stairs and got Bell’s attention.

“What’re these?” Bell asked as he saw the letters in Hestia’s hands.

“Invitations for tea for Hephaestus and Freya.” Hestia explained with a cute smile as she looked at Bell warmly. “Could you deliver them for me?”

Bell took the letters and leaned down to kiss Hestia’s lips. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Will you tell Miss Mikoto everything that’s happening when she gets back?”

Hestia nodded with a giggle. “Of course, I’m her Goddess too.”

Bell nodded with a grin before he moved quickly around the living room, telling Lili and the others where he was going, and then heading out the door to deliver the letters as fast as he could.

-Valka’s Crimson Chamber ~ Late Afternoon-

“Goddess, a letter from Hestia Familia has arrived for you.” One of the newer members of the Familia said while knocking on Hephaestus’s office door.

“Enter.” Hephaestus called out, smiling a little at her ‘child’ when the young woman entered and handed her the letter. “Thank you.”

The young woman smiled and nodded. “Of course, Goddess.” She excused herself, eager to get back to learning forging techniques from her seniors, and closed the door behind her.

Hephaestus easily broke the wax seal and pulled out the letter. “An invitation for tea?” She smiled slightly until she got to the part about Hestia wanting some advice about a ‘situation’ that her Familia was in. “Hah… Should I bring a flask of good liquor, just in case?” It seemed Hestia’s Familia couldn’t catch a break, and while she’d do what she could to help her aunt out, the constant abnormal situations were going to give her grey hairs if they kept up.

-Folkvangr ~ Early Evening-

Freya smiled as Hedin handed her a letter that had arrived in the afternoon while she’d been at Babel Tower. Judging from the slight damage to his clothing—too small for most to notice—there had been a fight to decide which of her closest ‘children’ would get to hand deliver it to her when she returned. “Thank you, Hedin.” She smiled at him, showing the Elf man the love that she had for him as she took the letter.

“Of course, Lady Freya.” Hedin bowed to her, the picture perfect example of etiquette. However, to Freya, she could see the warmth and love in his eyes as easily as if Hedin was beaming at her and professing it aloud.

With a warm giggle she placed a delicate kiss upon Hedin’s cheek before she turned and walked away with the letter. Freya suppressed her airy, beautiful laughter s she’d caught the faint blush on Hedin’s cheeks when she’d pulled away. “A letter from Hestia?” She said to herself while walking, easily peeling off the wax seal and pulling out the letter. “Oh, tea time? I’ve been looking forward to this.” When her purple eyes got to the part where her friend was asking for advice about a ‘certain situation’, Freya cocked one of her perfect, thin eyebrows as she easily read between the lines. ‘I will be most displeased if someone is attempting to harm my friend or her Familia.’ Her Divine Aura briefly slid into her War Domain, becoming sharp and coldly aggressive instead of the light, playful, and tempting feeling of her normal Love, Beauty, and Desire Domains.

With a moment to breathe, Freya collected herself, her War Domain receding and her regular aura returning. “Horn.” She addressed the young woman at the top of the stairs that had apparently been waiting for her.

“Yes, Goddess?” Horn—who looked identical to Syr, just with her hair down and a bit of a colder expression on her face—asked with an obedient little bow.

“I’ll be going out for tea tomorrow. Will you tell the others, and make it clear that I will not require a guard at my side.” Freya knew that she’d still be guarded and protected from the shadows, but tea time would be ruined if one of her loves was standing in the room eyeing Hestia and Hephaestus suspiciously the entire time.

Horn looked like she’d just been tasked with something ridiculously difficult. “Yes, Goddess. I’ll inform everyone.” Getting the Executives of the Familia to NOT try and bodyguard Freya was an exercise in futility. But she’d deliver the message as Freya had spoken it and let them argue amongst each other.

Freya pressed a gentle kiss to Horn’s cheek. “Thank you.” She walked away while Horn gently touched the spot where she’d been kissed.

-Guild ~ Morning-

Eina flipped through the third and final binder of all the documented members of Ishtar Familia. The first two had yielded no records of a Renard member, which Eina had marked on her own report. Pairing it with the report that she’d had Bell right up last night as witness to Haruhime’s admittance to being a member of Ishtar Familia, along with everything she’d told him of her past, gave her legitimacy to present this to her higher ups in the Guild.

“There’s no record at all.” Eina breathed out as she got to the last page of the binder without seeing any documentation for a Renard in Ishtar Familia. Technically, since every Adventurer’s record was listed alphabetically by name, she could’ve stopped a while ago, but Eina was nothing if not thorough in her work. She made sure to write that into her report as well, listing the exact binders that she’d checked to reference her suspicions of an undocumented member of the Ishtar Familia. This was a breach of the law that related to both the Guild’s overall information as well as taxation, since a Familia’s number of members and overall strength all counted towards how much tax they were required to pay each year.

Finishing up her report, Eina took both it and Bell’s written testimony to Rhemer the Section Chief’s office. With a gentle knock on the office door, Eina waited only a short moment.

“Enter.” Rhemer called out.

Eina opened the door and stepped into the office, closing the door behind her. “Sir, I believe we have a case of an undocumented member of a Familia.” She said professionally as she approached Rhemer’s desk.

Rhemer looked at Eina through his glasses and held out his hand for the two reports that he could see. “Which Familia?” He was already pulling out the required form to open a formal investigation. This wouldn’t be the first time since he’d become Section Chief that a Familia was found lying about their members or their member’s Levels to try and dodge taxes.

“The Ishtar Familia, sir.” Eina said and saw Rhemer go still for a second before placing the two reports on his desk.

“You do recall what happened the last time the Guild investigated the Ishtar Familia, don’t you, Eina? I know you weren’t part of the Guild at the time, but we use that incident as part of our training material these days.”

Eina nodded once to show that she understood. “Yes, sir. But this report comes from Bell Cranel, the Captain of the Familia that I’m directly in charge of, and was made based on the testimony of the undocumented member in question.”

Rhemer looked down and began to read Eina’s report, seeing the familiar thoroughness that he’d come to expect from the Half-Elf. Finishing that report, he picked up Bell’s and began to read. Eina could practically follow along with where Rhemer was in the report by the pauses he made to write down short notes. Once he finished reading, Rhemer set down Bell’s report and pulled off his glasses with a heavy sigh. “Why did it have to be Ishtar Familia?” This report HAD to be investigated. If it were any other Familia—aside from say, Freya or Loki Familias—the Guild would come down on the perpetrators like a hammer. “I’ll open the investigation, but I’m sure Royman will drag his feet on this, so be prepared for that.” He began to fill out the form for an investigation into Ishtar Familia on the grounds of falsifying records and tax evasion…their second such accusation in five years.

“Thank you, sir.” Eina gave Rhemer a short bow. She couldn’t do much more, given that she was a Familia Advisor and it wasn’t part of her job, but she could follow the investigation and keep Hestia Familia updated. With any luck, they could find this Haruhime and force Ishtar to reveal the young woman’s Falna. If the Renard had Ishtar’s Falna, then punishment would follow swiftly. If Haruhime DIDN’T have the Falna, then her enslavement would have to be investigated to ascertain whether or not it had happened outside of Orario or not. In that time, Haruhime would be taken in by the Guild until such time as the investigation was complete.

Either way, it was likely that Haruhime would be freed from the Ishtar Familia which was all that Bell, Mikoto, and the rest of both the Hestia Familia and the Takemikazuchi Familia wanted for the Renard.

-Daedalus Street ~ Sewers – Morning-

“Whoaaa…” Tiona gaped at the large, ornate doors and their demonic sculptures. “This whole door is made outta Orichalcum?! This has gotta be their secret base!”

Every member of the Loki Familia at Level 2 or higher was now standing in front of the large ornate doors that Finn’s group had found. Each member was fully equipped for battle and those acting as Supporters were checking their supplies in case the decision to try and raid the newly discovered ‘base’ was made. The large doors were a mystery though, as it seemed like the hiding place of the Evilus remnants and those that had something to do with the oddly-colored Monsters that had practically been plaguing the Loki Familia for the last couple of months.

Ais’s golden gaze nearly bored into the large doors as she rested her right hand on Desperate. ‘The same material as my sword, the one metal even stronger than Adamantite: Orichalcum. It would be nearly impossible to destroy that door.’ It made for a formidable first line of defense.

“Given our current location, there’s no doubt that this hidden passage was likely used to smuggle the Flower Monsters out of Orario and into Melen.” Riveria said as she looked over the Orichalcum doors, while at the same time considering how this location connected to the sewer system of Orario which they knew had been used by their hidden enemies for their schemes in Melen.

“It’s how we found it that’s buggin’ me.” Gareth admitted as he eyed the ornate doors suspiciously. “Feels like…it was askin’ to be found.”

Lefiya looked at the large closed doors. “Then…do you think it’s a trap?”

Before the eyes of the Loki Familia the Orichalcum doors creaked open slowly, not stopping until the two doors lightly tapped the walls on the other side.

“It opened…?” Tione said, both of her hands on the handles of her kukri knives.

Ais had her hand on Desperate’s hilt as well, while Tiona had brought Urga to bear, the large double-bladed weapon ready to act as shield or sword, whichever was needed.

A faint blur disappeared around the far corner at the end of the empty corridor beyond the doors. The light from the lanterns on the walls more than enough to see by, even if it wasn’t quite as bright as certain parts of the Dungeon.

“Finn…” Riveria only needed to say his name.

“Yes, I saw.” Finn confirmed, his eyes having followed the motion the instant the doors had opened even partially. “It’s our masked friend…for sure. That ‘Creature’ opened the door for us.”

Loki blinked as she gazed down the revealed corridor. “Whew…! Caught that in a glimpse? I didn’t see nothin’!”

Riveria looked over at Loki. “Our senses have been amplified thanks to your Falna. Do not group us with ordinary folk and Gods such as yourself. Besides, Prums like Finn are known for their keen eyesight even among all other races.”

“Cruz, Bete…” Finn looked at the two men in question. “Scout the path up ahead. But don’t go too far. Return as quickly as you can.” He gave the first orders of this raid.

Cruz, a Level 4 Chienthrope, nodded to Finn. Bete merely started walking through the opened Orichalcum doors. Both Beastmen sniffed the air and their ears moved slightly as they listened for even the slightest noise while they walked along the walls, Bete on the right side and Cruz on the left.

The rest of the Loki Familia waited for a few minutes while the scouting took place. A few last minute checks of supplies were made, and there was a bit of chatting between people as they wondered just what they’d find beyond the Orichalcum doors.

“They’re back!” Tiona called out as she saw Bete and Cruz returning.

Once the two were back on the outside of the doors, Bete stood to the side while Cruz gave Finn the verbal report.

“There are no people or Monsters in the direct vicinity of the entrance, sir.” Cruz said to Finn. “However, the path branches in multiple directions like a maze… No. It’s like the Dungeon.” He corrected himself, making it abundantly clear that he saw this underground structure as being just as dangerous as the Dungeon itself.

Raul looked at Finn and the Executives of the Familia. “Wh-What do you think we should do…?”

“There’s no need to worry about that door anymore, right? Let’s check it out!” Tiona said with a small grin.

“But it’s clearly a trap.” Tione reminded her sister that the doors had been opened for them for an obvious reason.

“W-Well…we could just not go into the trap.” Raul said, raising his hand, index finger pointing straight up in a silent signal to return to the surface.

Gareth shook his head once. “Nope. Every second that goes by gives that Demi-Spirit more time to get to the surface.”

Aki put her hands together with a soft clap. “Why not destroy it from the outside?”

“That is not an option.” Riveria said, briefly glancing up at the ceiling. “The layout and all within are unknown. The city is also directly above us.”

Tiona grinned as she raised her fist into the air in front of her. “Then we bust it up from the inside!”

“That would mean accepting the invitation…” Finn reminded though he knew what they’d do already. “…not like we have a choice.” He tapped the butt of his spear on the ground to make sure that he had everyone’s attention. “We take the fight to them!”

Alicia Forestlight, an Elf Mage that deeply respected Riveria, smiled at Finn as she secured a small bag over her shoulder. “It’s a good thing that we came prepared.”

‘Even if this is a trap, we’re most definitely closing in on the enemy. Yet…my thumb keeps throbbing.’ It was noticeably less than yesterday, leading Finn to believe that the plan to bring in the Hestia Familia in secret had eased his intuition’s warning of danger, even if only a little bit.

“Finn, we’d better cut the dead weight.” Bete said with his arms crossed. “There’s one hell of a stench in the air, can’t have anyone holding us back.” While his tone was harsh and his words blunt and insulting, it was his way of trying to keep the weaker members of the Familia out of danger.

“C’mon, Bete! We’re all Familia, so quit talkin’ like that!” Tiona admonished the werewolf with an annoyed look.

Tione backed her sister up. “How far do you think we’d get without Supporters to help? This place is basically the Dungeon, right? I don’t want to hear you complain when we run out of items and weapons.”

Finn considered both points for a moment, but had to go with the option that gave them the highest chance of success. “Tione is right. We’ll need as many people as we can to investigate inside.”

Bete ‘tsked’, but didn’t say anything against it. He didn’t like the smell of this place though and if it put him on edge, the weaker members were definitely in danger.

“Form a front and back line, as well as a healing unit. Gareth and I will lead the attack. Riveria will remain here as emergency backup.” Finn delegated roles quickly and efficiently, just as everyone in Loki Familia had come to expect. “Everyone else, gather information on the hidden path and wait here with Loki.”

“Yes, Captain!” Everyone called back as they quickly divided up into their groups.

Loki eyed Lefiya talking to the Elf woman from Dionysus’s Familia, Filvis Challia. While it was cute that Lefiya had clearly found a ‘knight in shining armor’, she hadn’t forgotten her own lack of trust in Dionysus, nor Hestia’s warning.

“Ya sure about lettin’ that Elf from another Familia come along?” Gareth asked Loki quietly, briefly glancing at Filvis and Lefiya.

“Eh, it isn’t the first time.” Loki said, seemingly unconcerned. “Besides, I did a little pokin’ around myself. According to her, that idiot Dionysus has nothin’ to do with this and she’s acting on her own. That much wasn’t a bluff, at least.” Mortals couldn’t successfully lie to Deities, so Filvis was definitely telling the truth. “Not to mention, we have a secret of our own.” Loki whispered under her breath, barely loud enough for a Level 6 like Gareth to hear her even when he was standing so close.

-Outside of the Sewer-

“So, we just have to wait here until someone comes to get us?” Welf asked as the Hestia Familia waited outside of the entrance to the sewers in a corner of Daedalus Street.

The entire Familia was fully equipped in their normal gear, all of it freshly maintained by Welf. Bell had Kokutogenishiki resting against his right shoulder, the Hestia Knife and Zan Kyojin sheathed at his hips, Ushiwakamaru was in his thin backpack, secured near the top so that Bell could reach in and grab it at a moment’s notice if he needed to. His armor looked almost brand new after Welf’s thorough maintenance. Lili had her Goliath Robe on and beneath that her breastplate and greaves. Her bowgun was attached to her wrist and she had a quiver full of bolts ready, each of the Magic Bolts that Welf had made for her previously were secured in their special place within the quiver. Lili honestly believed that this might be the first time that she had to use one of the powerful bolts. Her large green backpack was strapped to her back, filled to the brim with potions, antidotes, Mind Potions, other medical supplies, and even spare weapons. Mikoto was armored and lightly rested her hand on the hilt of her katana, having been caught up to speed when she returned home yesterday evening. Daphne was wearing her new breastplate, vambraces, and greaves while leaned up against the brick wall next to Cassandra, her sword sheathed on her hip. Cassandra was also wearing her new breastplate, greaves, and vambraces, holding her staff with both hands as she stood next to Daphne.

“That’s what we were asked to do.” Bell confirmed with a nod.

“It’s to keep us a secret from anyone that might be watching the Loki Familia.” Lili reminded Welf as to why they were in a back alley out of sight from any street or window. Their placement by Finn was specifically to maintain their secrecy from any watchers.

Cassandra worried her hands on her staff, her dreams last night plagued by visions of blood and terror. “U-Um…. C-Captain?” She finally worked up the courage to speak, knowing that no one ever believed her.

“Yes, Miss Cassnadra?” Bell looked at her with a smile.

“I…had a dream last night.” Cassandra said, her voice growing a little louder as she looked at Bell.

Daphne sighed. “Cassandra…” She looked at her friend, silently telling her not to start on about her dreams.

Bell raised his hand, making Daphne blink. “It’s fine. What kind of dream was it, Cassandra?”

Cassandra looked worried, and perhaps a bit terrified. “It was…bad. Blood…pain…death and terror… Something is going to go wrong. You have to believe me!” She begged as she took a step closer to Bell.

Bell’s expression went from concerned to serious as he gently placed his hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. “Can you be more specific? What goes wrong?”

Daphne nearly choked on her own breath that Bell was actually believing Cassandra.

Cassandra was just as stunned, if not more than Daphne was, as she looked into Bell’s rubellite eyes in shock. “Y-You believe me?”

“I don’t want to take any chances.” Bell said plainly, gently squeezing Cassandra’s shoulder to reassure her. “Can you tell me anything specific?”

“I think I need to be somewhere specific to help… And you, there was a woman with a strange sword…” Cassandra tried to piece together her dream from last night and the words that ghosted through her mind like wisps of smoke before she woke up sweating.

Welf, Lili, Mikoto, and Daphne all looked at each other in confusion, wondering why Bell was taking a bad dream so seriously. Daphne especially as she’s been dealing with Cassandra’s strange dreams for years now.

But listening would prove to be the absolute best thing that Bell could do, soon enough.

-End Chapter-

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The first raid of Knossos begins!

But because of all the changes to this story as compared to Canon, the Hestia Familia is present (in secret) this time! A stronger and larger Hestia Familia at that!

While Hestia requests help and advice in order to try and help free Haruhime from Ishtar Familia. Eina makes her own inquiries at the Guild and finds a lack of record on a Renard member in Ishtar’s Familia. That needs to be looked into appropriately by the Guild.

Loki Familia begins their descent into Knossos, unknowing of what awaits them all. Grudges, curses, traps, zealots, and deception. The machinations of those behind the Evilus remnants and Enyo use everything the madness of the Line of Daedalus can throw at them.

Will Bell listening to Cassandra’s warning change the fates of some people?

Keep reading to find out!

Let me know what you thought!

Until next time, later!