(A/N: 100 Chapters! Let's go!)
"I woke when I sensed movement in the halls."
"It seems my intuition was right."
Riveria said, her voice carrying a composed and mature grace.
"From what I've heard... Silence may be a violent woman, but she is not an enemy... at least for now. Am I right to assume so?"
Hearing this, Judas nodded in agreement.
"Yes. I'm sure of it."
He had interacted with Alfia just enough to know that she harbored no ill will toward Orario, nor the Loki Familia.
On the surface, she was a tough, no-nonsense woman who wouldn't hesitate to use excessive violence.
But deep inside, there was a quiet warmth she kept buried beneath layers of pride and scars from the past.
"If Ais wishes to join your training," Riveria continued, "I have no objection. Consider it... an educational opportunity."
"Do take care of her. She has a habit of losing herself in the moment."
Her eyes softened as she looked at Ais.
Riveria turned back to Judas, offering the faintest of smiles... rare, but genuine.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her."
Judas said with a short laugh and a nod.
"Oh, and Judas... if you are free, can you come and meet me in the library this late afternoon?"
Riveria's sudden request made Judas raise his brow.
"Hm? Sure, but may I ask the reason why?"
Hearing his question, Riveria folded her arms lightly and spoke with composed clarity.
"As a fellow mage, your... unconventional methods and the nature of your magic intrigue me, to say the least."
She let that hang in the air for a moment before meeting his eyes directly.
There was no hostility... just sharp, scholarly interest burning beneath her calm expression.
"Would it be alright if I studied your magic?"
Her tone was even, but the slight quickening in her voice betrayed her excitement.
There was no helping it.
The moment Judas revealed his abilities as a mage, Riveria's innate curiosity flared to life, and the urge to drag him straight into one of her study sessions took root.
Riveria Ljos Alf, the High Elf who was hailed as Orario's greatest mage felt her curiosity flare so strongly she nearly dragged him away on the spot.
"Yeah, sure."
Judas said after a brief pause.
"I wasn't planning on diving into the Dungeon today anyway. I'll drop by once Alfia's done killing me with her training."
"Good... and thank you in advance."
Riveria nodded, her gaze lingering on him just a fraction longer than usual, as if already analyzing him in her mind.
Ais stepped forward and dipped her head gratefully.
"Riveria, thank you."
The elf softened.
"Just come back in one piece."
Her gentle smile followed them as they walked past, watching their backs fade into the distance.
...
"So this giant crack is the result of your clash with Alfia, right?"
Ais commented as she looked up at the eastern wall, her golden eyes tracing the jagged fissures that ran along the stone surface.
Even under the morning light, the damage was unmistakable.
"Yeah, right after that bi—"
Judas caught himself mid-sentence, clearing his throat.
"I mean, that woman dragged me all the way here from the middle of the city."
As they drew nearer, the faint sound of hammering echoed through the air.
A group of workers were already at the base of the wall, their hammers and chisels clinking rhythmically as they replaced shattered stone and reinforced weakened sections.
The smell of dust and freshly mixed mortar filled the breeze.
"This way."
Judas said, veering toward a smaller path that curved behind the scaffolding.
His tone was casual, but Ais could sense that he was deliberately avoiding the crowd's curious eyes.
She followed him silently, her footsteps soft and measured.
After a while, Judas spoke again, his voice breaking through the steady sound of their boots against stone.
"So, Ais... aren't you going to ask why I was able to take control of your wind?"
Ais blinked, slightly caught off guard by the question.
They were halfway up a narrow staircase now, the wind brushing against their faces as the city slowly unfolded below.
"Umm... I am curious,"
She admitted, fingers brushing the hilt of her sword absentmindedly.
"But... um... that's your secret, right? Just like how I have mine. I didn't want to pry."
Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.
"You're surprisingly considerate."
Judas glanced over his shoulder, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"I just... know what it feels like."
"When someone asks about things you're not ready to talk about."
She said, her gaze drifting toward the horizon.
Judas could sense the sincerity in her tone.
He turned his eyes forward again, the faintest of smiles crossing his lips.
The two continued their climb in silence... comfortable, unforced silence... until they reached the top of the wall.
The morning wind greeted them, strong and clear, carrying with it the faint scent of dew and stone dust.
Below them, Orario stretched endlessly, its streets beginning to stir with life once more.
And though neither of them said it out loud... the view, the moment, and the unspoken understanding between them felt strangely perfect.
"So you got here before us."
A feminine voice rang through the quiet air.
The sound of measured footsteps followed, boots clicking softly against the stone floor.
"And I see you've brought an uninvited guest."
There was something unsettling in her tone... a strange blend of warmth and coldness, like fire hidden beneath ice.
Both Judas and Ais turned toward the source of the voice.
Alfia approached them with her eyes closed as usual, her silver hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Despite her calm gait, an invisible pressure radiated from her presence... the kind that made even seasoned warriors feel small.
'So this is Alfia the Silence... the woman who used to beat up Riveria in the past.'
Ais swallowed hard.
A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.
Just from the aura alone, that quiet, suffocating power she exuded... Ais instinctively knew.
This woman was dangerous... far beyond anyone she knew.
'Probably as strong as Father's companions...'
She thought, her golden eyes narrowing.
Then her gaze shifted slightly and caught sight of a familiar face standing just behind Alfia.
'Belle Cranel...'
Hearing directly from Judas' words, she already knew that the white-haired girl was Alfia's niece.
That would certainly explain how she was so skilled despite being a newcomer.
And then, another figure emerged from behind them... stumbling, panting, and nearly tripping over the last step.
'A goddess?'
Ais realized instantly.
'Wait... Judas said there would only be two of them.'
Mortals in DanMachi had the innate ability to distinguish whether someone was a deity or not.
A god or goddess emitted a unique aura that mortals could sense.
For most deities, this hidden aura was something they could not conceal no matter what.
However, there were a few chief-level gods who could mask their presence and disguise themselves as ordinary people... examples being Zeus, Odin, and even Kali.
This was why Bell, in the original anime, never suspected his grandfather to be a god, even though he had lived with him throughout his entire childhood.
"Why do you guys climb those stairs so frickin' fast?!"
"You almost left me behind!"
Hestia wheezed, clutching her chest dramatically.
"You guys have no consideration at all!"
She continued, flailing her arms until Belle quickly stepped forward to help back on her feet.
"It's fine, Goddess. Please, take a breather."
She said softly, offering her a towel and wiping away some sweat from her brow.
Once Hestia had calmed down, Belle lifted his gaze... only to freeze when she spotted someone familiar.
"Huh? Is that... Ais Wallenstein?"
She blurted, eyes wide in surprise.
Having only met her the day before, she hadn't expected to run into her again so soon.
"Mind telling me why you brought her with you, my dear disciple?"
Alfia's voice cut through the brief silence.
Judas met her half-lidded gaze calmly.
"She wanted to join today's training. And since you never said I wasn't allowed to bring anyone along, I figured it was fine."
Ais shifted slightly under the exchange, her fingers brushing the hilt of her sword as Alfia's attention turned toward her.
"You seem familiar," Alfia murmured.
Her eyes opened slightly, revealing her gray and green gems hiding behind her eyelids.
"Wait a minute..."
"You've grown a lot, so I didn't recognize you right away," Alfia said softly.
"But are you... the girl of the Dungeon?"
Ais froze, her pupils trembling.
"!"
'Girl of the Dungeon?'
'What is Alfia talking about?'
Judas' brows furrowed in confusion.
"I see. I get it. I'm not sure how things were done, though..."
Alfia said at last, crossing her arms.
"It was the Loki Familia that managed to get you. No wonder Ouranos wouldn't give up on Maquia."
Alfia muttered to herself, seemingly ignoring the confused looks everyone was sending her way.
"Well, it doesn't matter. My goal hasn't changed."
Alfia said, turning her back to them with an air of indifference.
"However... there are some things I will have to set in order and add a few rules."
She added, and then her figure flashed... vanishing into thin air.
'Shit!'
Judas sensed the danger and instinctively crossed his arms to defend.
In an instant, Alfia appeared in front of him, her arm already cocked back.
"Rule number one... do not bring anyone here without my permission ever again."
Before Judas could even respond, a blast of compressed air exploded between them, sending a shockwave that nearly burst everyone's eardrums.
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