Narrowed eyes watched absentmindedly as a golden coin spun in place on a lavish desk. Whenever it showed signs of slowing down, a quick flick of a finger would set it on a renewed rotation. This process had been going on for several minutes now as she allowed her thoughts to wander, the buzz of gold humming ever so lightly on her wooden desk helping her focus.
If any of her Familia members saw her like this, the tilt of her brows would immediately give away the fact that she was plotting something. Unfortunately, all of the senior members that would regularly barge into her office were off on a trip to the deep floors of the Dungeon and wouldn't be back for a while, so her schemes went unknown.
"Ahhhhh," she sighed dramatically, "I hope they come back soon! We picked a terrible time for this expedition. Damn it!"
She really could use Riveria's insight right about now.
Barely a day after her children had departed, a huge event had swept through Orario. A level 8 had popped up out of no where, registering with the Guild under some unknown Familia. At first when she heard the news she thought it may have been Freya's kid leveling up, but when that turned out not to be the case she became invested in learning more. Adventurers like that don't just sprout out from the ground. Loki had tried more than once to get additional details from Ouranos, but that damn old man had clammed up and refused to share anything. He even ordered the Guild staff to keep quiet! It added an extra dose of frustration to the mystery.
Loki both loved and hated mysteries.
Unraveling them was incredibly satisfying. Putting together a series of clues and conjectures in order to arrive at a conclusion was always something that felt amazing once it was finished. However, the actual process of gathering those faint clues was significantly more frustrating than it was fun. Couldn't all of the hints just be put in a room for her to figure out? She really didn't want to keep run around gathering bits and pieces from the town.
Slumping onto her desk, she allowed her head to rest as she stared at the golden coin, which had stopped spinning by now.
After several days, this was the only thing she had found.
It was a somewhat promising lead.
A new arrival to Orario had paid the entrance fee with a currency she didn't recognize. The guards had provided her with a description of the man; he certainly appeared to be a seasoned adventurer based on the look of his equipment.
Of course, while interesting, that alone wasn't enough to draw her attention.
The next day after arriving in town, he set off on a mission to eliminate a nearby bandit gang accompanied by a chienthrope boy. He even worked out a deal with Orario's guard captain ahead of time to transport those he captured. The bandits had a rather large operation considering how close to Orario they were, but they had been quiet enough to avoid any major attention from the Guild. It wasn't unreasonable for a high level adventurer to take on a large group of people who had not been blessed with a Falna, but his methods had spooked some of the less seasoned guards tasked with retrieving the bandits at the end of it.
He hadn't killed a single person. Instead, they were all locked within their own bodies, in prisons of stone.
She wasn't terribly familiar with petrification magic, but after checking out some of the frozen bandits that had been retrieved so far, she discovered that it was quite a strong spell. Apparently, based on the guard captain's words, the effect would last until it was dispelled. She was sure that Riveria could break it, but it spoke highly of the mysterious mage's talents that she would have to compare his spellwork to the Nine Hell's to find a weakness in it.
She didn't have any real evidence that he was the person she was looking for, but he was suspicious enough to warrant a look. Well, he was the only suspect in her investigation anyway, so unless something new came up it's not like she had other avenues. Now she just had to find him.
A frustrated hand scrubbed through her hair.
Unfortunately, she had run into a dead end. Outside of the stranger visiting the Guild a few times, she hadn't found any additional information yet. With how tight-lipped Ouranos was being, trying to sneak some hints from them would be a futile effort.
It was annoying as hell!
Standing up, she slammed both palms on her desk as her eyes burned with determination.
"Forget it! I'm going back out to dig up something new!"
Storming out of her office, she cut a path of determination to the front door. Several curious eyes watched as their Goddess went forth on her self-appointed mission…again. It had become a regular occurrence over the past few days, ever since the news of a new level 8 spread throughout the city. Loki had burned with curiosity and tried everything she could to find out who it was, but she had yet to succeed. Her ventures usually lasted a few hours before she would come home and mope around after being unable to discover anything, then after renewing her resolve the cycle would repeat itself.
The Familia members watching her had become used to the routine by now, but many grinned at the fire in the Goddess' eyes. A few valis exchanged hands as she stomped past, though the Goddess was too focused on her goal to notice.
"Aki! I'm going out! You're in charge while I'm gone." Loki's voice called out.
"Have fun on your clue hunt. Don't forget to come home in time for lunch." The black-haired cat girl responded with a smile.
Loki said something in return, but the door slamming shut behind her made her words indecipherable.
Anakitty could only shake her head in bemusement. She loved her Goddess, but she could be a real handful when she felt like it. Hopefully today's search wouldn't warrant another complaint from the Guild.
Well, she'd keep her expectations tempered.
"Here you go, kid! Be careful, they're still hot." The boisterous voice of the stall owner rang out, "That'll be 40 valis."
"Thank you very much."
Bell Cranel gratefully accepted the two sticks of shish kebab, passing the older man the money he owed. It had been a long day so far, yet he still had several hours of travel ahead of him before he reached his destination. He had initially planned to rush through the small town he now found himself in, but the scent of roasted meat and vegetables in the air had been too alluring to resist. Giving in, he opted to take a short break.
Although his nerves urged him to get back on the road quickly, Orario wasn't going anywhere. Besides, the butterflies in his stomach might enjoy some hot food instead of the travel rations he had been subsisting on. The white-haired teen blew on his food a few times before taking a bite, savoring the succulent flavor.
As he ate, he surveyed the townsfolk. Everyone seemed to be happy about something. He wouldn't go so far as to call the mood festive, but something good must have happened to the town recently.
"Excuse me, but is something going on today? Everyone seems to be in high spirits." Bell asked the owner of the stall.
"Yeah!" The man grinned as he answered. "We've been having trouble with a troupe of bandits for a while, and just a few days ago one of our own went and hired the Guild in Orario to take care of 'em. He got inspired to take up the life of an adventurer while he was there and today's the day he's setting out."
The stall owner chuckled, causing his large belly to jump up and down.
"The kid's a few years younger than you, I reckon, but he's a fiery little thing. He wanted to rush back out of town as soon as he delivered us the news that the bandits were taken care of, but the mayor managed to convince him to wait so we could have a proper send-off. It's not often one of us goes out to be an adventurer, after all."
"I see, thanks for filling me in." Bell smiled in turn, finding the man's good mood to be infectious.
The situation was easy for him to relate to. While his own village hadn't been quite as as set on celebrating his departure, he still received many wishes of good fortune from those that he knew once he made his decision to leave. He had been on the road for a while now since his home was quite remote, but his destination was drawing close. To find someone else also embarking on their own journey to become an adventurer made the white-haired boy feel a sense of camaraderie despite never having met the other party.
He himself was inspired by his grandfather's tales of heroes as he grew up; he wondered what drove the other boy to seek out a life in Orario.
His mood became melancholy for a moment as he thought of his grandfather. The old man's death was still a recent wound in his heart, but he shook off his shift of mood quickly. A hero would continue moving forward no matter what adversity they faced, and he knew that his grandfather would wish for him to remember him fondly rather than be weighed down by his shadow. Bell Cranel wanted to be an adventurer, to be sure, but more than that he wanted to become a hero. Both for himself and for his grandfather's memory.
Still, he mused, he had a long way to go before he reached his goal.
He had barely taken the first step by leaving his village. For now, he needed to focus on making it to Orario and finding a Familia to join.
With a final thank you and a farewell to the old stall owner, Bell set off once again.
The trip to the edge of town was a short one. The teen took this final opportunity to relax, stretching his hands overhead. Once he was back on the road, he would need to remain alert in case he encountered any monsters. They were uncommon, especially this close to Orario, but if he ended up getting ambushed and dying before even reaching the starting point of his journey he would never be able to face his grandfather in the afterlife.
Bell had only taken a few steps beyond the town's boundary before he heard a quick series of footsteps approaching from behind. At the same time, a voice called out.
"Hey! Are you heading to Orario?"
The white-haired teen turned curiously. He was met with the sight of a young chienthrope carrying a traveling pack.
"Ah, yes." Bell answered, before flipping the question back, "Are you going there as well?"
"Yeah!" was the spirit-filled answer, "How about we travel together?"
Bell blinked at the offer. Even though they were strangers, he wasn't against the idea of traveling together. In fact, he nearly jumped at the opportunity to help someone, but he caught himself just before opening his mouth. He didn't want to encourage any bad habits for a young child. What would his grandfather say at a time like this?
Ah. He had it.
"Isn't the trip a bit dangerous for a girl your age?" the teen was concerned, "Besides, you should be careful about approaching strangers. One of the stall owners I talked to earlier mentioned that someone in the town here is planning to leave to become an adventurer today, so why don't you travel with him instead of going with someone you don't know?"
The chienthrope's face went through a myriad of emotions within a second. Anger, horror, and resignation flashed before finally settling on indignation.
"I'm not a girl!" The defense was put up.
Bell's eyes widened. No matter how we looked, the young boy completely did not look like one. Even his voice was high-pitched enough to easily give a feminine impression. Perhaps it was his age, but somehow Bell doubted that was all it was.
"O-Oh, I'm sorry!" He managed to stutter out an apology, embarrassed at his mistake.
Even if he still only half-believed it.
The chienthrope huffed and crossed his arms, grumbling about his luck when it came to meeting new people and their inability to tell his gender. It seemed that this wasn't the first time this had happened to him. Now that, Bell could believe with complete confidence.
"Well, whatever. It's fine." The dog-eared boy settled for the apology before going on. "But anyway, the person who's leaving to become an adventurer today is me. Even if you're an annoying guy, it's still better than traveling alone. Besides, I know how to judge people and you don't look that bad."
"You?" Bell was surprised that the person he heard about was so young. He barely formed a question, but the chienthrope seemed to catch his meaning.
"Me!" The boy's eyebrows tilted in a scowl, daring Bell to go on.
Bell backed out of that line of conversation quickly in order to avoid putting his foot in his mouth any further.
Well, if he was set on taking the trip anyway, it would probably be better to just go along with him, right?
"Sure," he replied unsurely, "It would be nice to have some company on the road."
"Great! I'm Julius. You already know that I'm going to become an adventurer, but what about you?"
"My name is Bell…and I'm going to become a hero!"
From the top floor of his residence, the mayor of Agris stood with his assistant as he watched Julius interacting with another traveler just outside of the town's limits. After returning with good news from Orario, the young chienthrope had his heart firmly set on leaving again in order to take up the life of an adventurer. The mayor would be lying if he said that he hadn't expected it to some extent, but he thought that Julius would at least wait a few more years before making such a decision.
Still, considering the story the boy had told of his trip to Orario, he wasn't surprised. To think they would be saved by the pity of a lone adventurer rather than the Guild. It was a bitter-sweet taste.
"Are you still worried?" His assistant asked from his side.
"Of course I am." The mayor couldn't hold back a sigh, massaging a few fingers into his forehead.
"Then why give him your approval in the first place?"
"I've known that boy his whole life. He's smart, resourceful, and can be mature when it suits him. However, he can be as stubborn as a mule when he gets an idea in his head. If I had said no, I doubt he would have stayed in town another week before running off on his own. Better that he goes with our blessing rather than without it."
A fond smile tugged at the mayor's face as he shook his head.
"Besides, he already met up with a Familia to join. They sound like good people. Far be it from me to deny him a chance to find somewhere he belongs."
"It will be quieter here without him." His assistant sounded sad.
"That it will."
"I'm going to become a hero!"
Julius' voice was dramatic, as if he were the lead actor in a high-class play. He struck a heroic pose for a few breaths before collapsing into a fit of laughter. He barely managed to keep himself upright as he struggled to get air into his lungs.
Bell could only cover his face with his hands as it turned cherry-red.
He knew he shouldn't have introduced himself like that!
A few hours had passed since they agreed to travel together. They kept a good pace in the direction of Orario; Bell was initially surprised at the young chienthrope's stamina, which practically matched his own. At first they had kept the conversation light, speaking a bit of Orario and what they anticipated from an adventurer's life. Bell was especially interested in hearing that Julius had visited the city the week prior, getting a brief overview of his experience. It hadn't been for long, but considering that the white-haired teen had nothing but his grandfather's stories to go off of the new information was a welcome addition.
As they grew more comfortable with the presence of the other, they shifted to more personal topics such as their goals, dreams, and so on. It was easier than either of them expected. Perhaps it was because of their shared goal, or perhaps it was something else, but Bell and Julius found themselves getting along very well.
Unfortunately for Bell, that increased closeness brought out a mischievous part of the young chienthrope.
Mercifully, the dog-eared boy collected himself after a few moments.
"Phew, I needed that." Julius sighed happily.
"You don't have to keep bringing that up." Bell attempted to glare at his companion, but it ended up as more of a pout.
"I know, I know." The boy grinned. "It's not a bad goal. I mean, I'd like to be a hero as well. It's just too funny how serious you were."
Bell most certainly did not let out a whine in response.
Julius got a few more chuckles before shifting the topic.
"Anyway, we're getting close to the city. We should see it soon. I know you want to join a Familia, but do you have a plan for getting in one already?"
"Um, not really." Bell admitted. "I don't know anyone in Orario, so I was just planning to wander around and see which Familias are recruiting. It shouldn't be too hard to join one, right?"
"Hmm." Julius let out a non-committal hum.
"I'm not really sure, to be honest. I didn't intend to join a Familia when I went to put in a request with the Guild, but things just sort of worked out that way. I got pretty lucky all around. I can't say what the normal recruitment process is like."
Bell acknowledged the boy's response. He had indeed gotten rather lucky.
Julius had shared the story of his first trip to Orario, and Bell couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of envy, though it was largely drowned out by happiness for his new friend. He hoped that his own adventure would also have a similarly smooth start. Well, without the bandits, anyway. Julius spoke of the adventurer who helped him take care of his request with admiration, and the white-haired teen had to agree. For an adventurer to accept a quest despite it being denied by the guild was pretty cool. Someday, he wanted to be in that position as well - to extend his hand to someone else and be their hero.
Distracted by his thoughts, he nearly missed the chienthrope's next question.
"Say, would you be interested in trying to join the same Familia I'm joining?"
Bell missed a step at the unexpected query.
Was it…that easy?
His expression must have said it all, because Julius went on to clarify himself.
"I mean, I can't give you a guarantee or anything since I haven't even officially joined myself, but knowing Alm and Hestia neither of them would turn you away. In fact, I think we'd all be happy to have you." The young boy looked at his traveling companion with an expectant gaze as he awaited his answer.
The teen stayed quiet as he mulled the offer over. It was tempting.
He found his answer after a quick pause.
"I'm sorry," he bowed to the younger boy, "but while I'd love to accept, I want to start my adventure on my own terms. I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."
Julius looked at Bell for a moment before huffing in amusement.
"I got it. You don't have to be so solemn about it, it was just an offer. It's not like we can't be friends just because you join a different Familia. I'm sure we'll see each other around Orario anyway."
Bell straighted up with a smile. He was glad that there weren't any hard feelings about his rejection.
The topic then shifted to what kind of Familia Bell hoped to join, as the two travelers continued chatting as they made their way along the road. As promised earlier, it didn't take long before they crested a hill and were met with the sight of Orario in the distance. To Bell, it was a brand new sight; he couldn't hold down the excitement brewing in his chest. Julius was not too different. Although the younger boy had been in this same position barely a week ago, his intentions this time were very different, causing his expectations to bubble.
Unable to restrain themselves, both boys opted to have a race to the front gate rather than take a slower approach. It was still a fair ways to the city, but neither seemed to mind.
The distance was eaten up swiftly.
About thirty minutes later, several amused guards watched as two boys reached the eastern gate huffing and puffing as if they had just ran a marathon. Which they had, to a degree. The guards with keener vision had seen the two figures running down a hill several miles from town. They eventually dipped out of sight again, but assuming that they had kept up their pace it was quite a substantial distance to cover.
The gate was devoid of other travelers, which was a rarity around this time of day. Bell and Julius took several moments to catch their breath before approaching the guards to pay their entry tolls. Julius noted that the taciturn guard he had met previously, Tobias, was no where to be seen. Perhaps it was his day off.
They passed through the gate without issue.
As they prepared to go their separate ways, however, they were interrupted by a woman's voice.
"Hey! You two, hold it!"
Julius' gaze shifted to the person who had called out to them, while Bell blinked in confusion for a second before following the chienthrope's line of sight.
A red-haired woman with narrow eyes approached them from a nearby alleyway.
She was immediately labeled as suspicious.
"Are you two from Agris?" she asked, causing Julius' tail to shift in mild surprise.
"I am, why?" he asked cautiously. Bell, on the other hand, shook his head in the negative.
"Finally!" The woman seemed thrilled before letting out a put-upon sigh, "I've been asking everyone that all day and I haven't so much as gotten a bite. I was seriously getting bored hanging out here. But things are looking up at last! Even if you're a kid, maybe you can help me out."
She sidled up to Julius, leaning in close, causing the chienthrope to lean away from her.
"Hey, tell me, do you know anything about that old castle on the way? The one that was full of bandits until recently?"
"Shreme? Yeah, I know about it." The chienthrope's eyes were distrustful, but he answered truthfully.
"Great! See, I'm trying to find the guy who cleared it out. Do you know anything about him? Name's Almod, apparently he's a mage in a pretty distinctive black outfit. High collar, pointed hat. Looks like he'd die of heatstroke if you left him in the sun for an hour. The guards said he went out and cleared the castle after making a deal with the guard captain here. The only other thing I know about him so far is that he traveled with a brown-haired chienthrope…kid."
Toward the end of her explanation, the woman's narrow eyes widened. The red glint of her irises settled on Julius, causing a shiver to run through his spine and into his tail, which bristled slightly. Definitely suspicious.
"W-What do you want with Alm?" Gathering up his courage, Julius set his face in his best scowl.
The Cheshire grin stretching across the strange woman's face made him shrink back further.
This person…might be dangerous.
"I-I'm gonna call the guards." He warned, doing his best to keep his voice steady. They were still within sight of the eastern gate, so hopefully the guards would respond if he started shouting about a strange kidnapper trying to touch him.
His threat seemed to do the trick.
Just like that, the air of danger around the woman evaporated as if it were never there.
"Wait, wait! Lets not be hasty! I'll be in serious trouble with Finn and Riveria if I get another complaint while they're gone!"
Julius blinked at the sudden change in tune. Bell, who had been observing their interactions from the side, also relaxed since it seemed the red-haired woman wasn't intent on making trouble for his friend.
"Jeez, you're a cautious kid." The woman scrubbed a hand through her hair in exasperation, "I'm not trying to do anything bad, I just have some questions for your friend. Do you have an idea of where I could find him?"
Julius frowned as he stared at the odd stranger. He weighed his answer for a moment before responding.
"I'm not sure, I haven't seen him since last week."
Technically, it was the truth. He might have an idea of where to find Alm, considering that he probably moved in with Hestia by now, but he didn't know that. It was merely his best assumption. And he didn't feel like sharing that bit of information with this person, despite her self-proclaimed innocence.
The woman gave no indication that she caught his half-truth.
"Aw man!" She pouted, before tilting her head in thought.
"Well, in that case, would you mind sitting down with me and answering a few of my questions? Even if I haven't found Almod directly yet, maybe you can still help me out. It would be better than nothing. I'll even buy lunch for you and your friend here while we talk." She attempted to sweeten the deal for them.
Julius wanted to refuse immediately. In fact, his refusal was on the tip of his tongue before he stopped himself. His instincts were giving him mixed feelings about this woman, which was off-putting. Normally his gut led him in the right direction when it came to his impressions of people, but she seemed to trigger his danger sense while simultaneously appearing to be a good person…somewhat.
It would be easier to refuse, but if she wanted something from Alm then maybe he should humor her. If he could find out why she wanted to meet with the black mage, then he could give Alm a heads up about some weirdo looking for him.
Making up his mind, he turned to Bell.
"What do you think? Should we have lunch before we split up?"
Bell nodded his assent. He was eager to begin his search for a Familia, but he had planned to get some food before starting his search regardless. Seeing that his new friend was going to follow this suspicious lady, he didn't want to leave him alone.
"Perfect!" The red-haired woman clapped her hands once.
"In that case, I know just where to go. Follow me, Doggy and Bunny!"
Doggy made no comment about his new nickname as he trailed along, while Bunny's eyes widened in surprise.
"B-Bunny?" he stuttered out.
"Well, you just give that sort of impression." Was the careless answer he received.
Maybe…this was a bad idea after all.
Hestia, who had just fished a customer's order out of the deep fryer, felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine.
It was so sudden that she actually dropped the jagamarukun held in her tongs. Giving a yelp, she barely managed to catch it before it fell on the ground. She apologized profusely to the customer, assuring them that it didn't hit the ground be she would make them another one regardless.
After frying a second order the customer departed, leaving the Goddess alone at the stall.
"Huh, I wonder what that was?" She mused, rubbing a hand under her chin.
The door to the Hostess of Fertility was slammed open with extreme prejudice.
A loud bang echoed through the pub, causing several customers to jump in their seats and begin cursing as they turned to see what kind of idiot came into a building like that. Upon spotting the red-haired vixen standing in the entrance, many rolled their eyes, muttering about how they should have known as much. Most simply went back to eating with a huff, while a few laughs rang out. Several glowers were still fixed on the woman, but she seemed to pay them no mind as she barged in like she owned the place.
"Mia! I need a table for three!"
"Damn it, Loki!" Mama Mia had come out of the kitchen in a rush, ready to tear into whoever had abused the Hostess' front door. Seeing that it was the Trickster Goddess, her glare lost its edge, but she'd be damned if she let the Goddess get away with it scot-free.
"It seems Riveria didn't set you straight enough the last time you got it in your head to destroy my tavern. Just because she's off on an expedition right now doesn't mean she won't hear about it, so you better start counting the days."
Loki's previously confident expression wilted.
"N-Now hold on a sec, Mia. We can talk about this!"
"You're right, we can." Mia grinned. "And nothing talks louder than money, so you better start spending if you wanna sweep this under the rug."
Loki could only give in sullenly.
Bell and Julius, who had remained a few paces behind the odd red-haired woman, shared a glance. The chienthrope could only give a shrug, which Bell seemed to agree with. Neither of them had been sure what to expect when they followed along for lunch, but this had still come a surprise regardless.
Their presence drew the eye of the restaurant's owner, getting a raised brow.
"Say, Loki, have your tastes changed since you've last come here?"
All three of them blinked curiously at Mia's question. It took Loki only a second to register what she had just been asked, causing her to instantly begin sputtering in denial as the other two looked on without understanding. How could the owner know that Loki's tastes had changed if she hadn't even ordered anything yet?
"No way!" the red-haired woman declared loudly, "Ais-tan is my only love! I don't have eyes for anyone else!"
"Whatever you say." Mia agreed half-heartedly.
"It's true!" Loki only got more passionate at Mia's attitude.
Luckily, they were interrupted by one of the waitresses before the one-sided argument had a chance to gain more traction.
"Ah, Chloe." Mama Mia gestured toward them, "Go ahead and show these three to a table. Make sure you don't let them go until they've each had a full course. Loki's paying."
"No problem." The black-haired cat girl smiled at them, eyes lingering on Julius. "If you'll please follow me."
The two boys followed along without complaint, while Loki grumbled her way to the table at a slower pace. They were settled in without further fuss, each ordering a drink and a meal from their waitress. Chloe's eyes jumped between Bell and Julius several times before she reached some kind of inner decision and focused more on the chienthrope. Neither of them noticed the attention, but Loki huffed in amusement.
"Anyway, Doggy, lets get back to what we were talking about earlier." Once Chloe had left, Loki brought up the reason they were together.
Julius straightened in his seat at the shift in topic while Bell remained relaxed.
"Before you ask any questions, could you tell us why exactly you're looking for Alm?" The dog boy put forth his request.
Loki leaned to the side, resting her head on an open palm. She tapped her cheek a few times in thought before giving a shrug.
"I don't see any harm in it. It's not really a secret or anything. Have you two heard that a level 8 showed up in the city a few days ago?"
Both boys were surprised, though Bell significantly more-so than Julius.
"But I heard from my grandfather than only the Zeus and Hera Familias had level 8's, is it a survivor from one of those?" The white-haired boy questioned.
"Not as far as I can tell," Loki shook her head, "Though it's not impossible. The issue right now is that no one knows who this level 8 is, aside from the Guild, and they're keeping quiet about it. I've been digging around trying to find them, but I haven't uncovered much. Almod is my primary suspect at the moment since the timing of his bandit extermination is just a day before the level 8 registered with the guild, but that's not nearly enough information to draw a conclusion."
"So, the most straight forward question I can ask is," Loki stared at Julius, "do you know if your mage friend is level 8?"
Julius scrunched his brow at the question. He recalled asking Alm about his level shortly after they met that troupe of goblins, but the mage had never given him a serious answer. Come to think of it, Alm had accepted his bandit elimination request without truly indicating his strength. Though there was nothing to complain about as far as the result went. The chienthrope couldn't be certain, but he had to admit that his own curiosity was piqued. If Alm really was level 8…wouldn't that be super cool?
Loki and Bell both waited for Julius' answer, the latter having become more interested as well.
"I don't know," Julius admitted honestly, "I never figured out Alm's level."
The red-haired woman let out an exasperated sigh.
"Figures." She complained, "Things just can't be easy."
"In that case, could you tell me what you know about him? You don't seem to be in a Familia, so how did he end up taking you with him on a bandit extermination quest?"
The chienthrope mimicked Loki, leaning on his hand and tapping his cheek in thought.
After gathering his thoughts, he told the red-haired woman his story. He spoke of meeting Alm on the way to Orario, the two of them deciding to travel together, and even about the goblins they encountered along the way. He told her of his attempt at putting in a request with the Guild and its subsequent denial, then about how the black mage offered to take his request as a private commission. He went over their trip to visit the guard captain and the raid on Shreme Castle that occurred on the same day. Finally, he went over their parting, and his trip back home.
Throughout it all, he never so much as hinted at Hestia's presence. Bell, who had already heard the full story on the road, did his best to remain neutral. It wasn't entirely clear how successful he was.
As his story finished, he considered his approach. He didn't dislike Loki. He hadn't liked her at first, to be sure, but after observing her and her interactions with Mia he admitted that she seemed like a decent sort. She seemed fun, even. However, since she hadn't gone to Hestia before, it was unlikely that she was aware of the Goddess' involvement. Since he planned to join Hestia's Familia soon, it didn't seem right to bring her into this without consulting her about it first. He'd talk to her about it later; if she wanted to help Loki then he could apologize for his omissions at that point. He was feeling a bit guilty, but it was a necessary evil for now.
Unaware of his thoughts, Loki hummed as she went over what she had been told.
"Hmm, that's a bit more than I had before, but it doesn't really answer the question of level."
She sighed a final time.
"Oh well. Guess it's good enough for today. I'll just have to keep looking for him around town."
Their food arrived a moment later, carried in Chloe's arms. For some reason, after placing dishes in front of Bell and Loki, she offered to feed Julius his portion. Preferably while he sat in her lap.
She was swiftly denied, but the waitress didn't appear unhappy about it.
Surprisingly, the conversation hadn't completely died down while they were eating. The topic had moved away from the mysterious level 8, but Bell and Julius still engaged with each other in a playful manner, causing Loki to throw her words in as well. It was an unexpected bit of fun for the red-haired Goddess.
After finishing their meals, the two boys thanked Loki and departed without any further fanfare.
The Goddess, however, remained seated as she absentmindedly snacked on a dessert that Mia had forced on her while her thoughts turned over the previous conversation. Doggy's story wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly good enough. He might have fooled some of the more oblivious Gods, but he still had much to learn when it came to deception. That wasn't even considering Bunny's acting, which almost made her feel sorry for him with how easy he was to read. Even if Doggy's tale had been air-tight, one look at Bunny's face would have unraveled the whole thing.
Ah, to wear one's heart on their sleeve like that. She couldn't imagine it.
Mmm, this cake was good. May must have come up with a new recipe.
As Bell and Julius exited the restaurant, the white haired teen couldn't hold back a sigh of relief.
"That could have gone worse, I guess." He mumbled, glad to be back on the street.
"Yeah," Julius agreed, "But at least we got her off our back for now."
Bell nodded along, but he had the sinking feeling that this wouldn't be the last time they met Loki. An unfamiliar feeling bubbled just underneath his conscious thoughts. She was odd, to be sure, but his instincts told him it went deeper than that. How deep, he didn't know, but hopefully he would have a Familia with him the next time he had to worry about it.
On that note he decided to begin his search in earnest. He turned to his younger companion with a smile.
"Thanks for traveling with me, Julius. I'll see you again once we've both taken our first step as adventurers."
"You know it!" the chienthrope chirped, tail wagging in excitement. "Good luck finding a Familia to join! I've gotta go find mine as well!"
With that, the two shared a final gaze before they went their separate ways.
"Hestia!"
"BWAH?!'
The Goddess jumped in fight as she let out a noise that she would later deny with every ounce of her divinity.
She had finished her shift a while ago. The walk home wasn't usually a long one, but she found her steps dragging along the way, causing her to arrive at the old church later than she typically would. She had only known Alm for a week, but already she had gotten used to his calming presence. Her first child had departed early that same morning and she wasn't really looking forward to an evening spent by herself, only her worries keeping her company. It would be lonely, but she could handle it. Probably. Mostly.
However, she hadn't accounted for a stranger in her home scaring her to death. Maybe worrying herself to an early grave would have crossed her mind, but this was unexpected.
It would be a poor way to go, hopefully Alm would forgive h-
Her thoughts were cut off as a bundle of excited chienthrope threw itself into in her arms.
The twin-tailed Goddess blinked once in confusion before her mind caught up with the situation.
"Julius?" she sounded surprised as she looked down.
"I'm back!" he declared, tail wagging at full force.
"You're back!" she crowed, returning the young boy's affection as she wrapped him in a firm hug. Unable to resist the sudden spike of happiness that shot through her, she spun him around in a circle as they reunited. It hadn't been long, but they had been unsure how long exactly it would take for Julius to wrap things up in Agris. Hestia's grin said more than her words ever could, and the expression was shared by the dog boy in her grasp.
After all, his presence here meant that Hestia's Familia would officially gain an new member.
"How have you been? Did everything go okay with your caretakers? Did you eat dinner already? How was your trip back to the city? What about…" A torrent of questions flowed out of the diminutive Goddess' mouth, not giving Julius a single moment to reply. The chienthrope didn't interrupt her, content to let Hestia tire herself out before he attempted to get a word in.
It took a moment, but she eventually realized what she was doing and cut off the flood.
"I'll tell you all about it," he promised, "but where's Alm? It would be easier if we can all talk about it together."
The Goddess' smile didn't leave her face, but it dimmed just a little bit. Most would not have noticed, but Julius recognized the change immediately, causing his tail to go still for the first time since Hestia had walked through the door. A slight worry fluttered in his stomach, but before he could voice his concern the Goddess ruffled a comforting hand through the chienthrope's hair.
"Alm went off on a trip in the Dungeon," Hestia admitted, "He won't be back for a few more days, so you're stuck with me for now."
Julius let out a relieved huff.
"Aw, I was hoping he would be here. Oh well, I guess you'll do instead…" he groused.
"Hey!" The Goddess scowled in mock offense.
A moment passed before they both started laughing. Hestia's heart, which had been quietly fretting about her first child the entire day, lightened considerably. Once the pair settled down, Julius couldn't resist asking the question that had been gnawing at his mind since his arrival in Orario earlier in the day.
"Hestia, since you're our Goddess you know what level Alm is, right?"
The twin-tailed Goddess tilted her head in confusion at the sudden question.
"Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I ran into a weirdo today. She was looking for Alm."
"A weirdo?" Hestia's brows knitted in consideration. She knew that a few people had figured out that Alm was the mysterious level 8, but many were still in the dark about the matter. If Julius was asking about Alm's level as well, that was probably the direction this conversation was going. Well, if there was anyone she planned to share the black mage's level with, it was definitely Julius.
"Mhm!" The boy nodded, "She was asking about Alm's level, but she was being kinda sketchy about it -"
Ah, she knew it. Hopefully the 'weirdo' wasn't too rude to her new Familia member, or she'd have to go out and find them for…reasons.
"- she said her name was Loki."
Hestia froze mid-thought.
What.
"What?" her voice echoed with a hollow chill.
Julius looked confused at the sudden change in Hestia's demeanor, but he repeated his last statement regardless.
"She said her name was Loki."
The Goddess said nothing as her bangs shadowed her eyes. Just as Julius was beginning to grow concerned, however, her gaze shot back to him with a blazing fire burning in them as she tightened her grip on his shoulders. The young chienthrope had never seen such an expression on his normally happy-go-lucky Goddess' face.
"What did that washboard do to you!?"