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/Evening settled over Orario like a velvet curtain, the first stars shimmering faintly above the lantern-lit streets…/
The soft hum of the crowd filled the air, a blend of laughter, chatter, and the rhythmic sound of boots striking snow-covered stone. The smell of roasted nuts and warm drinks drifted from nearby stalls, carried by the cool wind…
"Hehehe… It's time! I can't wait! What do you think it'll be about?" Hestia asked as she pulled at his shirt, her eyes wide and gleaming with childlike excitement.
She looked like she might start hopping in place if he didn't answer fast enough. A strange side of her he hadn't seen before, but this might be due to unique circumstances that surrounded them… and also because Silver pampered her severely.
The man in question chuckled softly at her enthusiasm, brushing a bit of snow from his sleeves as he grew comfortable around the theater.
He thought for a moment before replying, "I'm waiting to be surprised. I heard they came from the Land of Opera, Maelstrom, so it should be good."
"Maelstrom?"
Silver shook his head, a little embarrassed, running a hand through his hair as if to hide his uncertainty.
"Don't ask, I don't know much about it myself."
As night drew close, Silver and Hestia found themselves inside a large theater at the northern edge of the Entertainment District.
The air inside was warm and heavy with the scent of perfume and polished wood.
The largest and most prestigious theater in the city, Orario's Great Theater!
(Image)
(Image)
While the Entertainment District was also known as the Red-Light District, it wasn't like that in its entirety. Large resorts and casinos were spread around its expanse, being protected by the Ishtar Familia, who acted as the militia of the area, cooperating with the Ganesha Familia whenever the situation called for.
Theaters and other famous opera houses could also be found here, each in its specific corner so clients wouldn't end up crossing each other… albeit traveling between them was made easy.
Hestia wasn't thrilled about coming here at all; however, once they arrived, her opinion changed faintly. The beauty of the place… softened her frown.
While she still felt aversion to the district itself, as a goddess of purity, she could tell that this area's focus wasn't that but culture itself.
Ishtar was a goddess who loved such rich cultural displays, and while she was very explicit and public about her lack of care for her sexuality and that of others around her, she placed borders within her own little realm. In here, one would be hard-pressed to find anything related to what most thought at the mention of the Red-Light District.
In here, another type of indulgence was laid bare… some might even say it's the appetizer and prelude for what this place was truly about… to that, Silver wanted to walk around and see what facilities this place had, curiosity flickering in his expression as they walked through the main street… but Hestia was extremely adamant about it.
She squeezed his hand tightly and dragged him forward, puffing her cheeks whenever they came across what she called "free-spirited women."
Ishtar's forces consisted mainly of amazons, and like most amazons, one can imagine what kind of clothing they wore. Even in this extreme cold, most walked around in over-glorified swimsuits as if the cold was of no consequence… it didn't help that most of them, despite their power and fame, were actually courtesans in profession.
Seeing an amazon here, 96 out of 100 times, meant she was indeed available… Hestia didn't seem to mind their jobs or whatever they were doing, respecting their choices, but whenever one of them blew a kiss in his direction… she would pull him away while grumbling something he couldn't understand.
Silver simply smiled in defeat at those instances, raising his free hand as if to say, I didn't do anything… but that wasn't her concern.
It was what he could do…
/Chatter…/
Listening to the surrounding crowd, Silver's thoughts derailed from the past to the present… 'Quite a few people here,' he thought as he looked around.
The theater's grand hall shimmered with chandeliers, each reflecting hundreds of tiny golden lights. The murmurs of nobles, adventurers, commners, and gods alike mixed into a low, pulsing rhythm of excitement.
'I recognize quite a few. Many minor deities have gathered here… if I can even call them small… mostly from descriptions rather than anything. Dozens of deities and famous adventurers are here.'
'I didn't expect this play to gather this much attention… was it that large?'
Silver knew most Captains from each large Familia, not their names, but their faces and Aliases. The Guild provided those quite freely after all.
His eyes scanned the crowd, 'There she is, the "lady supreme", Ishtar.'
A beautiful goddess with tanned skin sat on an elevated booth in the theater. She sat down with a bottle of wine in hand as she waited for the play to begin.
Next to her were some rough-looking amazons. They were extremely beautiful, but their posture and defined bodies told another story to him…
He turned from her, looking at the crowd below, 'Short red hair… I can't see the face, but that style belongs only to one person. So Hephaestus is here too.'
His eyes kept darting around, '…Deep blue hair and a kind expression… that man must be Miach, a deity of alchemy. There aren't many like that in Orario, so I recognized him right away.'
'The other famous one is Dian Cecht, but he doesn't seem to be around… I was planning on contacting one of them to build a connection for the future, but it seems fate is playing favorites.'
His thought soon moved on from the deity, reaching someone a bit further away…
'That woman with orange hair… that must be Demeter, the goddess in charge of Orario's crops. Hestia often mentions her, so maybe we should stop by if we can…'
'We have quite a few famed deities in here. It seems I have much to catch on culture… I had no idea people liked these so much… Maybe I should consider writting my own books and songs. I still remember many top-hits…'
Smiling to himself and envisioning his non-existant success, Silver's gaze wandered… 'That one over there… that must be Hathor, and next to her… Damia? Two goddesses of harvest. They, together with Demeter, Ishtar, and Freya parade for three days during the goddess festival. A shame I missed that.'
'Aside from Freya, this means we have all the goddesses here today. What a haul… it's crazy to think that in this place alone we might have enough people to topple the entire surface world… just the nations though.'
/Dim…/
The ceiling lights dimmed, casting the theater in darkness.
The audience hushed, and the orchestra's faint tuning echoed from around the stage. A cold draft passed between the rows, a grand silence spread arount the hall.
"It's starting!" Hestia said excitedly as she held onto the armrests, her feet lightly kicking against the floor
/Step…/
From the darkness behind the stage, echoes of footsteps reached their ears…
"The dark stage is like the night sky." a woman said, "There, our carefully selected children shine."
/Step…/
"!!!"
'I can't believe it.' Hestia thought as her eyelids twitched
Strong lights shone on the stage as a woman stepped out of the shadows. She wore a simple yet complex outfit that exposed much of her body, a light green tank top with a single pink dress wrapped around her waist.
A single look was all he needed. The moment his eyes fell on her, the overwhelming aura of divinity fell on him.
(Image)
'This deity sure isn't humble…' He thought as she proudly stood on the stage.
The goddess gestured to the crowd, "Please, don't miss the unfolding of the twinkling stars. I, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, promise you won't get bored."
Hestia's expression was a mix of surprise and helplessness, "I heard she would be here, but this really is Aphrodite's theater troupe…"
"…"
Silver was focused on the deity's words as she smiled. Her presence commanded every pair of eyes in the room like gravity itself.
Even he could hardly resist looking at her. Her beauty was so perfect Silver couldn't help but think of when he first saw a deity… it was like watching a cartoon come to life, a perfection so otherwordly it made him question reality itself.
"You're probably tired of hearing a god's words, right? So… open your eyes and enjoy the supreme performance!" She exclaimed as she oppened her arms, letting her golden hair swail
/Swoom!/
With her captivating smile, the curtains fell, and the lights receded. When the curtains were pulled up, a scene of ruin was shown to all.
A single woman stood before the rubble of what seemed to be a village, ragged and broken, her back to the audience as she cried faintly…
"My voice hoarse, my sadness rotten, and the song long since dried up. Yet the drops that slide down my cheeks never stop."
"!…"
'This is… I know this passage… I know this story.' Silver thought as a small smile crept up his face, 'This actress' voice is also amazing.'
A sweet and melodic voice without fail. It made Silver realize what it meant for a literal god to oversee a concert.
"Ah, the fangs are coming. The dreadful jaws! Many stars rise, my frosts fall, yet the prey of evil does not stop!" She claimed as she twisted and flaied on the ground
/Boom!/
/Gasps!/
An armored man fell from the ceiling, kneeling behind the woman's back as he landed heroicaly.
The woman turned to the audience, her face as gorgeous as her voice was smooth, "Ah, hero. Will you confront that wicked dragon yet?"
/Clang!/
The knight slammed his hand against his chest, "Princess, I must speak out. Serene melody and harmony come again. To restore your vocals, I resolve to crush the dragon's wrath."
"Sorrow to love. Ruin to immortality. Thy song transcends time. To sing the world's praises… now I become a dragon slayer!"
She held his arm, a face full of yearning and desire, "Then take me with you. Thy song is for you, the dragon slayer."
The curtains fell. It was the end of the opening act.
"Impressive." Silver blurted out as he crossed his arms, "The man's acting was good enough, but the woman's control over it all is fantastic."
'I've seen many operas in my spare time, but so far, this one is quite high up there.'
Hestia turned to him, she could tell from his face that he seemed to know where this was going, "Do you know this story? Don't spoil it though!"
He exhaled faintly with a smile, "This is the story of Cadmus and the songstress, the Diva. An ancient tale of heroism as they march to defeat the ancient beast."
'The name for the beast comes from the Hero of legend, Cadmus! The strongest of his generation, who marched the world with his lover to defeat it… in fact, Cadmus can still be found in the Dungeon.'
'In modern times, Cadmus still remains as one of the strongest monsters of all. Its lair remains on the 51st floor, its power enough to crush half the world, for it is said to be stronger than even Udaeus, the Floor Boss of the 37th floor… a Level 6 monster.'
'How a hero like him defeated such a monster in ancient times… I have no idea. Though as thousands of years come to pass, the accurate depiction of what came to be has been twisted. Only the gods now know for certain what happened.'
'But if we were to ask, would they answer truthly?… This one over here certainly can't help…'
…
The story continued as the hero and the songstress went around the world in pursuit of the beast. From one scenery to the other, they crossed ancient mountains, rivers, forests, and other helish envyroments as they grew ever closer to the Dragon's rampage.
At its end, as the hero stood against the mighty beast, he beckons the diva for a final song. Her voice empowering him, he sacrifices himself in one last strike to defeat the evil dragon. His true name stolen, he is now remembered not by his actions, but by the beast that now contains his spirit.
That is the end of Cadmus, the hero, and the birth of Cadmus, the beast.
The ending of the opera was a majestic play of instruments with the diva at the center as she sang an ancient song. Her voice was so perfect and captivating that even Silver couldn't help but feel moved.
'Some people are indeed blessed with otherworldly vocals… if there is one person worthy of singing besides a deity, then it's this woman… and the others seem to agree.' he thought as he looked at the other deities
/Sniff…/
"Hm?… Are you crying too?" Silver asked as he looked at Hestia
She wiped her tears quickly but failed to hide her quivering smile. "It's just… sniff… it's just so sad!"
"Haha… most heroic tales are tragedies after all; people remember those more than the happy ones. How much of this is true… we may never know. Sometimes heroes are killed by those who sing their tales to make them more fantastic. For all we know, Cadmus might have lived a fulfilling life with the Diva afterward, leaving behind descendants who still carry her heavenly voice."
"But there is some truth to it, isn't there? Just thinking about it makes me quite sad…"
Silver couldn't deny that. To the deities, what was mortal death? No matter how much he tried to rationalize it, perhaps he would never truly understand.
The best he could do was offer her his words within what he did understand… in his own way, "To feel sympathy for someone who passed thousands of years ago… maybe we should find a god of death to ask them where their souls went. This way, you can give them your heartfelt words directly."
"That's not funny!" she exclaimed as she pointed at him, puffing her cheeks and glaring, "Does it hurt to show a little bit of emotion?!"
Silver smiled mysteriously, the corner of his mouth lifting as he leaned back, "But I am showing emotion."
/Shaaa!/
As the curtains fell down, the Diva, Cadmus, and the other actors stepped onto the stage and bowed together. The applause echoed like a wave, filling the grand theater with warmth and awe.
/Cheers!/
Everyone clamored for their play, even Silver. It was indeed a fine piece. The audience rose in a storm of applause, nobles waving handkerchiefs, adventurers stomping the floor, and gods clamoring in admiration.
Once they shared their final words and left the stage, Aphrodite returned and thanked everyone for participating. With a few last words, she recommended the next few plays of their troupe before doing a cute pose and ending the play once and for all.
The crowd laughed and cheered again, the sound echoing through the marble hall and beyond.
"Haa… this is an ending very much like her." Hestia said as she exhaled loudly, her shoulders slumping as she rested her head on the chair
"How so?" Silver asked, glancing at her sideways
"Aphrodite is… a bit of a... attention seeker…"
"An attention whore?"
"!! D-Don't say it like that and for all that's sacred don't let her hear you…" She exclaimed as she covered his mouth with both hands, eyes darting nervously toward the stage
"No-tched. Mnmn…"
As he pulled her hand from his mouth, "… So? Shall we take our leave, or should we stop by and talk with some people? I see quite a few familiar faces…"
"It's quite a bit messy this time. This isn't the place to have a talk, so let's leave it…"
The crowd was already moving toward the exits, emptying the rolls. Just as they started heading out as well, a familiar voice rang like a dagger thrown across the room:
"Oia, if it isn't the smallest shrimp on the block?"
Hestia slowly turned her head, her eyes falling straight onto another woman's chest… "Egh!… Just when the day was getting good… what are you doing here, Loki?"
"Oho… What? Am I not allowed to be here like everyone else?"
"Ugh… I see you haven't changed. You're as sharp as always." she said with a smug smile as she looked at her chest
"#!! Damn shrimp, just when did you come down? So that annoying whispering I was hearing throughout the play came from you."
Loki looked at Silver for a moment, but before she could say anything, Hestia interjected, pointing at her like an indignant prosecutor:
"You sure have sharp ears. That seems like a recurrent trait of yours!"
Loki's face grew slightly red as her hands twitched, but as she was about to move, the woman beside her shook her head.
"Ais! Don't hold me! I need to teach this pimple a lesson!"
But Hestia stepped back, hiding behind Silver, gripping his arm like a lifeline, "Silver, help me! She's going to shred me with that sharp chest of hers!"
Silver blinked, deadpan. "What do I have to do with this?…"
He looked around, noticing a few gazes, some amused, some entertained. Among them, the familiar red-haired goddess Hephaestus caught his eye. He tried to gesture to her for help, but she just left with a small smile…
'Oi! Don't leave me like this!' He wanted to shout, but kept quiet
As she disappeared into the crowd, her expression shifted from amusement to quiet thought, a faint frown crossing her face as if she were weighing something heavy.
'What happened?…'
His musings were cut short as he sighed, realizing the only way to escape this storm was to redirect it. Straightening his posture, Silver bowed slightly, "Goddess, please… sigh… A pleasure to meet you. Mellios Silver, captain of the Hestia Familia."
"Hello again." Ais replied politely and quietly
Seeing this, Loki calmed down a bit. She straightened her back, brushing imaginary dust from her coat, ready to reply… but then she caught sight of Hestia making a face at her.
"You annoying…!! You're lucky we're in public!…"
She cleared her throat and forced a smile, "At least it seems you picked a decent child. Well-mannered, a polar opposite from his deity."
"What did you say?!" Hestia exclaimed as she stepped forward, "What part of me isn't well-mannered?!"
Loki glanced pointedly at her chest, "There is an evident reason right here."
Hestia looked at her own chest and smiled triumphantly, "Better to have something than nothing. To be rude than resentful!"
"#!! As I thought, I still can't stand you!"
"Then you should add some weights."
"Hm?"
"I mean, with how flat that chest is… no, your whole body is. I fear a gust of wind might throw you far into the sky like a blade of grass. Isn't that right, Silver?"
"##!!"
"Please… don't…" Ais said with a heavy expression as she held Loki in place, clearly used to this sort of bickering
"Don't pull me into this conversation…" Silver thought, averting his eyes as if hoping to disappear into the crowd
Loki was wearing a large coat that was honestly rather plain, while Ais beside her was dressed neatly, a single thick white coat reaching her thighs, paired with a red cap and gloves. On her legs, two thick socks kept her warm despite the chill.
(Image?)
"I do like the clothes." Silver noted, his tone casual but honest
"Silver… that wasn't the plan." Hestia whispered as she elbowed his waist
'Since when did we have one?' He wondered silently as he put his arms behind his back
"Well-mannered and with a fashion sense? How did the shrimp get her hands on you?" Loki teased, tilting her head
Loki stepped forward, her grin widening, "Not only that, but a troublemaker too?"
"Hm…"
Her words cut deeper than she knew. He knew exactly what she was implying.
"I…"
"That's none of your business, matchbox!" Hestia cut in like a thrown knife
Loki's frown returned, "Matchbox?…"
"Yeah, with a flat chest as rough as yours, and with that bright red hair, most would think of that when seeing you, no? Maybe you should just accept it and light it on fire once and for all. I can do it for you, just ask."
"###!!! That's it, Ais! Don't hold me back any longer!!"
"Please… hold it in this time."
Silver looked at the two goddesses struggling against each other, one fuming, the other smirking, both completely shameless. He exhaled through his nose and steered the ship before it sank:
"Say, is it true that you guys accept other Familias whenever you go on an expedition?"
"Hm? Oia, kiddo… are you proposing an alliance?" Loki asked, curiosity flickering behind her sly grin
"Is that the term?"
Of course, Silver already knew most of the intricacies, but he couldn't call this an alliance when it was just him trying to hitch a ride.
"It is true we go on expeditions with other Familias… but they all have a role to play. What can you even do? Planning on catching a ride for free?"
"Certainly not for free…"
'Maybe its time to get a real job and make some money…'
"Loki! Are you saying he's incapable?!" Hestia shot back immediately.
"When did I say that, shrimp?!"
"…"
'I feel like they have this urge to jab at each other regardless of the reason…' Silver thought, rubbing his temples
"He could be a supporter." Ais said suddenly
"That's what I was going to offer. I'm a pretty good supporter." Silver added with a faint smile
"As if we lacked that." Loki muttered, pouting and crossing her arms
"She's right, Silver." Hestia said mockingly, "She's too grand and dignified to associate with the likes of us. She's like a skinny tower, face too high to notice anything else."
"Was that adjective even needed?! At least I can see my own feet, shrimp!"
"You wish you didn't though, right?"
"UGH!!"
""Can you two not fight…""
Silver and Ais bonked their deities on the head, causing both to recoil with identical groans.
"… Anyhow… we can talk more about this later, I imagine… it was a pleasure meeting you, goddess Loki, you as well, Sword Princess."
"Ais. Ais is fine." she corrected softly
Loki grumbled something under her breath, but Silver ignored it, "Very well. If you see that amazon again, tell her I'm sorry for what happened."
"Yeah! I finally remembered. Just how did you do it? You didn't use any underhanded tactics, did you?" Loki asked, poking a finger into Silver's chest
"Underhanded? Like what?"
"Hmm… hey, cow."
"Am I a cow now?! And take your hand off him! You would throw a fit if I did the same, so quit it!"
"… You didn't do anything illegal, did you?" Loki asked, raising a brow at Hestia
"As if I would do that!"
"Right. I was just asking… let's go, Ais, we've gathered quite the audience, and I'm getting a little bothered."
"Okay… then, see you."
"See you. Goodnight… and happy holidays." Silver added with a polite smile
"Happy holidays." Hestia echoed, waving
"Tche!…"
/Smack!/
"Be polite." Ais requested as she turned back, "Happy holidays."
"On whose side are you on?!"
"There is no side to politeness."
Loki turned back to look at the smug Hestia, gnashing her teeth before forcing a smile. "Happy holidays… shrimp and boyo."
With that, the two left, their footsteps fading among the chatter of the dispersing crowd. Hestia and Silver stood together in the slowly emptying theater.
"That was… something." He muttered as he adjusted his coat
"How about we greet a few others? If we leave right now, we could still catch up to Hephaestus, or rather, we could go greet Demeter. She left not too long ago."
'I'm most interested in getting connected with Miach. I'm very interested in what a god of alchemy has to say on my experiments and ideas…'
She, however, shook her head, "I'm a little tired, and I'm sure the others are so as well… especially Hephaestus, I'd rather not talk with her right now…"
"Hm?"
"Let's leave the networking for another day." She replied with a faint yawn as she tugged at his shirt
He smiled faintly, "Sure. We're not in a hurry anyway."
'The holidays will go on for a few more days. We'll get enough chances to meet everyone…'
/Step…/
"Oh my, if it isn't my favorite small candleholder that has never experienced love and forever denies romance yet isn't as insufferable as Artemis and Athena, Hestia."
"Aphrodite…"
From the side of the theater, the smiling and gorgeous goddess stepped out of the service rooms, the light glinting off her jewelry as her perfume swept through the air like a breeze in spring.
Aphrodite reached for her hair, brushing it so it would wave in the wind, "It's been so long, Hestia! You still look the same as ever. Although I'll give it to you, I like your clothes. It seems you've finally listened to us and started wearing some good clothes to put that cuteness of yours into practice."
"I uh… don't you feel cold, though?"
She touched her chest, as if offended, "Me? As long as this ever so gracious and beautiful me is in this dress, such fickle elements won't bother me, atchiu!… Besides, it's not like anything would change if I were to put on anything else, for I would remain the most beautiful and fair in heaven and below."
""…""
She approached Silver, her gaze sliding over him appraisingly, "And who's this boy beside you? Is he your child? How curious… is he your first child? To think you'd choose a man… he's not bad, albeit a bit too young for my tastes."
She leaned closer, smiling wickedly, "He has the looks though. Give him a year or two and I'd accept him. Strong arms, and a well-proportioned body… he'd do just fine as an actor too."
Hestia jumped before Silver, hands out like a wall. "Absolutely not!"
She straightened her back as she rested her hands underneath her chest, "Oh dear, they say it's the starving kitten who's the most protective of its food… very well then, you can have him."
"Since when was that a question?!" She asked loudly as she stomped the ground
"Oh, Hestia, you know full well that no one, be it man, woman, monster, divine or mortal, can resist my charm," Aphrodite said with a wink before turning around, waving at them, "Give it a thought, boyo, I might consider it."
She then left with grace and elegance. Her hips swaying ever so faintly and seductively in the wind…
"… She's very… frivolous…"
"Don't say anything… and don't you dare consider it!" Hestia exclaimed, jabbing his stomach, only for her to pull her hand and rub her elbow in pain
"She's beautiful but just not my type… I'm not that kind of man."
Hestia gave him a long look, the kind that could pierce armor, causing him to look away awkwardly. Just when she was about to say something…
"I guess now you understand why virgin goddesses are so respected in the lower world…"
A voice echoed behind them. They turned to see another deity approaching, cloak fluttering, with a sly grin on his face.
"Hermes! So you were here as well?"
(Image)
"In what sense — the theater or Orario?"
"You know what I meant!"
"Haha! Knowing you, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the latter! But regarding your question, how could I miss such a performance? It's Aphrodite's troupe after all, the most famous in the lower world."
"While most deities here in Orario seek strong children with the potential to dive the Dungeon, Aphrodite seeks the most talented in the creative arts. You've heard her, right? Her Diva, the songstress Harmonia, singing. Her voice was truly inspiring on many levels."
Silver nodded, "Her performance was indeed amazing."
"I liked it too. It's been a long time since I've seen a play." Hestia admitted with a sigh as distant memories passed by her eyes
"Say… who is this young child beside you, Hestia? Would he be the child on everyone's lips recently? The one who slew Goliath?"
"Eek… even you know?… Rather… of course you know… can we not talk about that?"
"Hestia! How could you leave such an interesting thing from me?! I thought we were buddies!"
She lookkked at her with accusation, "Says the guy who tried to sneak into the deities' bathhouse on numerous occasions with Zeus and the others!"
"Ahem… those were… other times. I am a reformed man…"
"As if… Hermes, did you come alone today? Most came with at least one more to watch the play."
Hermes stepped back dramatically, "Oho! My beautiful child, Asfi!… She left not too long ago. The poor thing has worked a bit much recently, and I kind of dragged her here to watch the play. She left ahead of me as I noticed you arguing with Aphrodite, so I thought it'd be proper to say hi."
He bowed to Silver, tipping his hat, "A pleasure to meet you, I am Hermes! Our Familia specializes in getting minor tasks done. If you have a request, you may come to us and we'll get it done one way or another… for a price, of course."
He nodded, "Mellios Silver, captain of the Hestia Familia… thank you. If we need such services, we'll contact you."
'This is one deity I didn't want to associate with… deities are already near-impossible to predict and follow… much less one that excels at being crafty.'
"I couldn't ask for more… well then, I suppose I should go on my way. Can't leave my precious child unattended."
He turned around, smiling. "Nice seeing you again, Hestia. In the name of the others, welcome to the lower world and Orario!"
"See you around, Hermes…" She said as Hermes left
"… You don't seem too eager for that."
She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, "It's just that whenever I see him, he's always with his hand in trouble… more than once was I dragged into his shenanigans… We should leave now, before another troublesome person stops by."
"I'm having fun though."
"That's just because you just met them! Be it the board, Aphrodite, or that nosy guy, they're always surrounded by problems! Problems I'd rather not be a part of, let's go!" She said with resolution, grabbing his hand and pulling
"Alright, I'm going. No need to drag me… but say, how about we take a look around…"
"REJECTED!"
"…"
…
Silver and Hestia left the entertainment district. They went home without stopping anywhere, having dinner at the Church instead.
Hestia jumped into the bathroom and showered without delay while he cooked them something to last them till tomorrow. And once they ate together and went through everything they did, Silver bathed as well before slumping onto bed.
It didn't take long for Hestia to find her way to his bed, somehow… but this time, he let her be. He was never against it to begin with. It's just that before, he didn't want to leave her sleeping on an old, dusty couch.
With their new beds and mattresses, what was there to worry about, anyway?
Perhaps only…
With such a busy first day, Silver wondered if he'd be able to keep up.
"ZZZzzz…"
With such thoughts, he closed his eyes, falling into the realm of dreams soon after.
…
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Notes
Thanks for reading!