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/Chirp chirp!/
Sunlight beamed from above, shining through the curtains and into the sleeping deity's drowsy face.
"MMMMnnn…"
Hestia opened her eyes after moments of rolling around in bed, her long hair drifting around the mattress as her glistening eyes opened in full.
She smacked her lips together with a light yawn, crawling to the edge of her oversized bed before pulling the curtains open with a strong tug.
The golden light bathed her, and she recoiled faintly before smiling.
The clouds in the sky were numerous, yet in this moment, they seemed to part open so she could enjoy her morning.
It was another brand-new, beautiful day!
…
Hestia stepped down to the first floor of her home, still somewhat unfamiliar with its layout as she stumbled left and right, her eyes opening and closing between dream and reality as she fought her way out of drowsiness.
/Scribble…/
"Hmm?"
But as she reached the living room, she rubbed her eyes in confusion.
"Silver?…"
"… Good morning."
"You woke up early today… eh?! Did you even sleep?"
Hestia noticed Silver's dark eyes as he took a sip of his coffee… that was the first time she had ever seen him drink some.
Silver didn't immediately reply. He grunted and adjusted his body, as if gathering the energy to even answer, "I didn't sleep well, that's all" He replied as he brushed his face and sighed
'I actually didn't sleep at all. I spent the entire night trying to figure out the reason behind the return of my powers. But failed to make any meaningful progress.'
'So far, it seems like whenever I try to open a Tear, I only end up creating the same one. Why that is the case… I haven't found a concrete solution. I'd be willing to say it was a coincidence, but that doesn't satisfy me.'
With her answer, Hestia approached him with slow steps, looking over his shoulder and what he was doing.
Multiple stacks of paper with numbers and calculations on them… names, dates, and more, "What is all of this?" She asked, curious.
He tapped his pen on the table before putting it aside, "I'm counting my total contribution to the expedition. In fact… I should go take another shower to wake up and move on."
Silver rubbed his face for the third time since they met, worrying her slightly, but she understood he was working this hard to afford his dreams and aspirations.
She too wanted to be part of it, to support him in his endeavors in the same way he fulfilled her luxuries and daily life.
"… You're having it hard… I can't be lazy either!" She said as she closed her hands, "I'll go shower as well. Hephaestus' workshop opens early after all."
Hestia wasn't required to work from morning to dusk, but there was little stopping her from getting up early and surprising Hephaestus.
Assuming she'd be there, of course. A busy deity like her couldn't spend every day in but one of her multiple shops across the city.
He chuckled drily, "Want to bathe together? Preserve some water?"
Hestia froze in her tracks as Silver laughed aloud. To that, he shrugged again, merely taking another sip of his bitter coffee…
"… What? Don't look at me like that."
"You… you shouldn't joke about those things! Heresy against the virgin goddess!" She exclaimed as she turned around, jumping at him with a ferocious expression
Laughing without end, the morning passed in a heartbeat.
…
"… Let me just put on some clothes and I'll go with you to Babel."
Inside one bathroom on the fourth floor, Silver checked his armor with a heavy gaze.
'I almost forgot it had been damaged. Hestia doesn't know my black armor shattered in the Dungeon, but this one she knows I don't use and would be quite confused to see it had been damaged.'
He reached out for the damaged parts, 'Thankfully, this is only treated steel.'
His hand transformed, bubbling as metal balls floated to his skin from the depths of his flesh… almost as if his palm had turned into molten metal.
/Crunk…/
The twisted metal of his armor bent and realigned, and in no time at all, it looked almost as good as new.
He exhaled, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he inspected the armor for further damage and other scratches.
'I couldn't do this before, but now its quite simple. Sometimes I wonder what is the true connection between my increasing Magic Stat and my Plasmids.'
He exhaled, 'To some degree, some Plasmids can only be performed with a heightened state of consciousness, too complex otherwise for an ordinary mind to control directly.'
'Ambrosia gave me the creativity to mold myself around my limitations to achieve greater things… but it doesn't mean those possible abilities have faded into nothingness.'
'That said, some simple, albeit costly Plasmids remain beyond my reach of control…'
Silver looked at his hands as his skin split open. His muscles underneath trembled, weak tentacles flailing from within the wound as they shone in weak, prismatic light.
'Perhaps i's time I stopped looking at them as such… are these even truly Plasmids as I once understood?'
'Even if my magic requires me to transform my body, the principle behind it has changed from what it once was.'
"I've thought about it these last few years, but before, I had far too little energy to experiment with them." He mumbled aloud as he splashed some water onto his face, and cleared the dark rings around his eyes
'… Though perhaps now that I've attained Level 2 and my range of ability has risen, the answer to this dilemma will become clearer. Some other functions I previously cast aside as unattainable seem rather close now.'
He looked at his palm as it turned back to normal, 'But at the same time, I don't think there's a need to follow the process to a T. Following my past understanding might not exactly be the most effective method.'
"… This might explain how the ability to manipulate Tears came into fruition. In the clash against the Minotaur, my Status grew beyond its limits, unlocking something within I previously did not realize."
He grunted quietly… it wasn't an answer he personally liked, but so far, it was the most likely outcome.
That possibly meant that other abilities and applications might return as his Level rises. Though only time would tell.
He thought about experimenting some more, but the world beckoned, "Phew… I'm still a bit tired from before. I shouldn't overexert myself like this often."
/Creak…/
Silver stepped out of the bathroom. Fully encased in red armor.
…
"W-W-Why are you in armor?!"
Silver smiled, "I wanted to try something today."
"What do you mean by that?!"
In the living room, Hestia, already in her working uniform, was met by the hulking mass of metal as Silver walked downstairs.
"Excuse me, my goddess."
"Ah?!"
Silver took her into his arms with little hesitation, much to her constant complaints and embarrassed remarks. But all were ignored by the marching paladin.
He walked to the door, opening it with a mere glance before stepping outside.
"Shall we? Today you'll be arriving quite early."
Hestia held his neck with both fear and trepidation, "I've been seeing this a lot, but… what do you mean by thaaaaaaaat…"
/Fwoosh!/
Silver took to the skies as Hestia screamed loudly!
/Clack…/
And the door behind them closed gently on its own.
…
The chilly wind blew past them as the red knight carried the deity across the skies, just high enough for them to stand between the clouds and the highest buildings that stood beneath Babel's glory.
"Huff… okay…"
"Have you calmed down?"
"Don't talk in such a dismissing manner! It's all because you didn't warn me you were going to do such a reckless thing!" She said as she held Silver tightly, even though it wasn't needed
"It isn't reckless. I would even dare say you're safer up here than down there."
Hestia looked at the street below, it wasn't that far from them, maybe ten floors beneath them? She wondered if they could see her right now… just thinking about it made her so ashamed!
Silver continued, "Up here, you aren't going to stumble or come across trouble. It's just us and the clouds… and whatever bird fancies a visit." He added as he turned to look at the storks flying abound.
"Maybe we should leave the skies to the birds." She said with a pout as Silver smiled once more
"Says the descended deity." He replied with a laugh
But seeing her utter lack of a response, he continued cautiously with a cough, "… Is it really that uncomfortable?"
"…"
The truth… was a strong no. Silver actively controlled the surrounding air, allowing her brushed hair to flow gently around her.
At the same time, she felt as if she were lying on a couch and not in his arms. She could still feel them, yet her head and legs were being supported by an invisible force.
At this rate, she'd also skip a lot of walking… What was there to complain?
"… Do you want some music? A snack? A massage? Flight attendant Silver will cater to your needs, ma am."
"Haaa… " She sighed and rolled her eyes, brushing her hair aside to face the approaching tower, "You always do these silly things with the straightest of faces."
"It's not silly if it works. To me, there's no shame to be had if its what I want to do, to see someone dear smile… Much less if that someone is you."
"I mean, which man wouldn't want to carry a god across the skies?"
Closing her eyes, Hestia too smiled, "Right…"
She tapped his helmet, "But next time you decide to do something like this, tell me beforehand!"
"And where would be the fun in that? Would you like to see the picture I took of your face? Your surprise was quite memorable…"
She opened her eyes wide, "B-Burn it!!"
"Hahahaha!"
The red knight flying into the horizon, the tower of the Gods visible as it pierced the clouds.
…
/Fwoosh…/
Silver gently landed around the entrance to the tower. And barely had he done so, Hestia jumped from his arms, face flushed crimson.
"Did you have to drag us all the way here! Look! Everyone's looking at me!… Arg, so embarrassing!"
'Is it because of the Rank Up? Or is it because of the expedition? Suddenly he's acting like this without care!'
Silver laughed, "Let them look, it's fine. A goddess should not have to fear being revered."
"From now on, everyone will know that if they see someone in the sky, then it belongs to the Hestia Familia."
His words did not alleviate her embarrassment. She only flushed harder at his wholehearted determination, "You're the only one in the world that can fly!… Ah? H-Hephaestus!"
Hestia bolted past Silver as she spotted a red-haired woman looking at them from afar.
"Good morning, Hestia. Quite the entrance you had today…"
But Hestia put her hands on Hephaestus' back, pushing her up the stairs leading to Babel, "F-Forget about that! Come on! We have a shop to open…"
"Not only did you arrive this early, you're also this eager to work… mark me impressed." She added with a teasing smirk as she waved at Silver
"Stop it!"
Silver waved back at them as they vanished inside the tower, sighing faintly before turning around to face the plaza that spread around him.
He looked at the half-bright skies, one hand over his eyebrows, "Seems like it'll snow today."
/Fwoosh!/
And he took to the skies, leaving the shocked onlookers behind.
…
"… You certain he isn't toying with ya?"
"It's the fifth time you've asked that. The kid isn't that reckless… at least when it comes to this."
Back at the Loki Familia manor, Gareth could be seen in the gardens waiting patiently as Loki stood beside him, pestering him as he exhaled in annoyance.
Like an adult trying to get a kid to move away, alas, she did not seem interested in being anywhere but there.
"Everyone thinks quite highly of him. So I've been quite curious… I didn't have the chance to speak with him last night so…"
"That's because you were dead drunk for the most part."
Loki scratched her head unapologetically, "You know me…"
Her eyes then grew a little serious, "What do you think of him, old man?"
Gareth puffed through his nose, "… He's a kid with too much energy and an unhealthy amount of drive. He's so unpredictable I can't even think of the things he'd do that would surprise me."
"Because just when I thought I had seen everything, he appeared."
She tilted her head, "You're not that old, Gareth. There's still a lot to see out there."
But her reply was another measly puff of his nostrils.
/Shua…/
The cold wind passed by her, and the deity held her arms as she shivered, "Ughhh… it's damn cold! How much longer will he take?"
Gareth threw her a peek, "Maybe you should go back inside, I'll stay here for a little longer."
/Loom…/
Suddenly… the wind stopped blowing, and a dark shadow covered the small garden.
They raised their heads, only for Loki to frown.
"I have arrived." Silver proclaimed as he slowly descended from above, a white cape fluttering behind him, the sun at the perfect angle…
Loki's expression twitched, "Gareth… pull him down!"
"What?"
"Who does he think he is? Acting cool in my airspace?! Unforgivable!"
She pointed at Silver, "Go back and get inside through the door or face the consequences!"
"…"
Silver silently returned to the skies as Gareth's annoyance grew even more, "Was that necessary? I'm the one who's waiting for the lad and here ye are getting in my way."
"Humph! You don't understand how important this is!"
/Burn…/
But then, right before her, a circle of fire ignited in the ground as Silver slowly rose from within…
"I have been summoned… argh?!"
/SLAM!/
Loki slammed her foot on his head, "Get back down! Do you think you're a demon or something?!"
"…"
Gareth witnessed the bizarre scene of the goddess slamming her foot against a knight as he rose from within a circle of fire…
'I need a drink.'
…
Inside the Twilight Manor, Silver and company made their way to the higher floors, but not before stopping by the warehouse where Silver opened his pocket space, allowing the others to unload everything from within.
They didn't take long in there, and after a few minutes, Silver left the gate open before following Loki to Finn's office:
After a warm welcome and greeting, Silver passed everything he had written in the last few days to Finn, who read through it all with grace and speed, finishing an entire page with so much as a brief glance.
"… I've gone through it all. You've done a fine job."
"Thank you, sir."
Finn took another glance at Silver's reports, "Everything is written perfectly and in an easy-to-understand manner. You've outdone yourself."
'Or rather, is this his usual behavior?'
"Also, for the items you used before, don't worry about it, consider those voided this time."
Loki snickered, "Lucky bastard, aren't ya? You break my things and get a pass?"
Finn smiled as he looked at Loki bicker at Silver, "While it's too soon to discuss the exact impact… it's safe to say your assistance has massively impacted this expedition. So much so that I'm unwilling to go in another without you."
His tone and motives were clear enough to him, but when it came to him, there was always something more behind his actions.
Silver, who had already taken off his armor after Loki's insistence, raised an eyebrow, "I'm glad to hear that… is it okay if I raise my fees then?" He asked with a smirk while Loki threw him a side-eye.
"You sure are greedy, huh! At this point, you'll be making more than our executives!" She claimed as she elbowed him from the side
Silver laughed drily, while Finn pointed out that Silver… "He's already making more than us."
"But even if we paid him several times more, we'd still be above our usual profit margins."
"Is it that big a deal?" She asked as she leaned forward, placing her hands on the table
Silver threw her a glance, "… Shouldn't you already know of it?"
She clicked her tongue, "Tche! That's not my thing. I just leave it to Finn and call it a day. It's better that way… it's just not my kind of thing."
Finn smiled awkwardly as he closed his eyes, "It is indeed better that way for all involved… even more so when you aren't spending our money buying wine. Do you know how many bottles you drank since the new year?"
But Loki's gaze was adamant, her expression sharper than usual, "Do you know how many loaves of bread you ate?"
"Could a fish live without water?"
""…""
Finn wasn't surprised at all by her behaviour. For anything, Loki was somewhat tamer compared to other deities when it came to spending her money.
She wanted only one thing, and he was happy to provide it. Loki's interference usually came in the form of guidance, even though her methods could be considered out of the norm by most.
Finn rested his hands on the table, "… Just by helping us haul so much has significantly cut our costs."
"Considering everything we could've done differentially, it would've been quite easy to halve our expenses even further.. but that's a story for another time."
"You must've already talked with the others, right?" Finn asked as he turned to Silver
"Yes. They said they were going to process everything first and come back some other time?"
"That's it. We usually give everyone their shares in the following days of the expedition, but its not uncommon for us to write checks in advance so everyone can start getting their repairs done."
Finn crossed his fingers, "If you want, we can do that for you too. We can also handle the processing of the loot you collected."
"For a fee, of course." Loki said with a smirk as she jumped in
Silver stretched his right shoulder, "No problem. I can handle some items, but there's quite a bit and I don't have the contacts… And if it's not too much, can I get a little in advance?"
Finn smiled, "Of course, I'll have the amount ready. How much do you need?"
"Just enough for me to pay some of my bills. I haven't finished paying for my house and I have some expenses checking out soon… twenty million is fine."
Loki coughed loudly, "Since when is twenty million pocket money?!"
Silver looked away, "Hahaha…"
"… Twenty might be a bit difficult, but I can give you half right now."
"That's good enough."
/Scribble…/
Finn looked at his table, pulling a few documents as he dipped his writing pen in some ink, "You can just go to the Guild and they'll process the rest. Or use it to trade with another merchant, either is fine."
/Stamp!/
"There you go." He said as he handed him a piece of paper
Loki pouted, "… You sure are good to him, Finn. When I ask for pocket money, you keep blabbering about our finances, but here you are handing ten million…"
"We need to get everyone paid first, so…"
Loki scoffed, "I get it, I get it… anyway, can we move on to what really matters?" She asked as she turned to Silver.
She jumped from her seat, circling him with interest.
"I've been meaning to ask… how was your night? You don't look too good."
Silver sighed, "I didn't sleep very well… or rather, I didn't get a wink of sleep."
"After I woke up in the middle of night, I went for a walk before sitting down and getting to work."
Silver tried to look away from Loki's doubtful eyes, "Speaking of that… I'd like to thank Bete for yesterday. I heard he carried me back home."
Loki nodded, "That surprised me too. It's rare to see that guy do anything without throwing a fit or two around. Especially for anything he deems a 'chore'."
"Seems like he likes ya quite a bit, haha!" She teased as she clenched her stomach
"… Don't let him hear that…" Finn said as he exhaled faintly as he pushed himself back
He got up from his seat while Loki turned to him, "Going somewhere?"
"I'm going after Raul, I need him to deliver a few documents to the Guild for me."
Loki waved at him, "Okay! Have fun~"
Finn merely waved at them without turning back.
/Clack!/
And as the door closed behind him, Silver felt something off, "…"
'Couldn't he have just called for someone?'
But the answer to his confusion soon became clear…
Loki sat down at Finn's table after pushing the messy paperwork aside, pouring herself some wine she took from who knew where while he wasn't looking, "Alright… how about we get down to business?"
Silver turned to face her, a little more serious as he noticed the change in the God's aura. It was difficult to verbalize, but he could easily feel her intent through the air.
Her eyes had opened a little more as her smile grew suave. She seemed to look at him, but Silver felt something uncanny about it all as he approached her, following her gestures and sitting down next to her.
And she began… with a rare apology, "Yesterday we had a bit of an awkward scuffle. Don't get me wrong, I was just that surprised… and a bit tipsy."
'Tipsy?' Silver thought quietly as Loki's gaze sharpened, "You're thinking something rude about me, aren't ya? You're cheeky, but I'll let it slide today."
/Gulp!/
Another wide gulp as she smacked her lips together, "Huaaa… this is the stuff!"
She leaned forward as she wiped her lips, the purplish wine inside her glass, swirling gently, but not spilling anywhere, "But enough apologizing."
Her eyes grew heavy as she pointed at Silver, "Your Rank Up. Is it legit?"
"Legit? I don't get it."
She leaned back, voice grave, "… From our previous conversations, I understood that it hasn't been long since you received your blessing, isn't that right?"
"Yes, it hasn't been that long at all."
She put one hand over her lips, "Pardon my rudeness… but it doesn't make a rat's ass sense that you ranked up this fast!"
"So spill it out! Has your goddess used any underhanded means to boost your Status?!" She asked as she raised her first, pointing at him with a fiery determination
"… You can do that?" Silver asked, tilting his head, genuinely curious
Silver looked at the ground, mumbling yo himself, "I mean… that sounds plausible. Hestia doesn't enjoy talking about it, but the blessing is a construct of the Gods… so I wager they can change the rules if they so feel like it, yes?"
"Oi…"
Silver stepped forward, eyes shining with wonder as he grabbed Loki's shoulder, "Can you tell me more about this? How exactly can a God meddle in a Status, and would you be so kind to share the details as well? How does it work, and…"
"Okay, okay!! Stop talking… and put me down before I kick yer balls!" She exclaimed with a frustrated gaze as her feet wobbled beneath her
His excitement getting the best of him, Silver had lifted Loki off the ground… so much for being respectful to the second most powerful deity and woman in this city…
"Oh… my apologies."
As Loki got her feet on the ground, she dusted her shoulders before raising her head at him, "Really… you need to control yourself a bit more, you can't just put your hands on a lady like that!"
'These damn tall, brutish boys! They know nothing of class.'
"I know, I got a little overzealous." He said as he nodded at her
She put her right hand on her forehead before sighing, "Haa… I think this answers it… But it doesn't clear you of guilt! Just because you don't know, it doesn't mean she didn't do it."
"Do what?"
"Using her Arcanum to enhance her child's Falna! It's extremely illegal, and discovery means being immediately being booted back to Heaven." She replied as she pointed at the skies
"And how exactly, in a hypothetical scenario, could she employ her Arcanum to enhance my Falna?" He asked with a smirk as Loki threw him the stink eye, "And wouldn't you like to know!"
She waved him off, dismissive about the subject, "Forget it, that's not between the two of us to discuss."
Silver crossed his arms, "You're right, but there's no need to investigate anything, because she's not guilty of whatever you're thinking."
"And what makes you think that?"
Silver pointed at his own chest with his thumb, "Because my Goddess is that kind of deity."
"…"
Loki rolled her eyes before snickering… because deep down, she felt the same way.
She shrugged, speaking through her nose, "Right, the NEET goddess who spent the better part of the last three thousand years in her temple wouldn't waste her time on something like that."
Silver raised an eyebrow at her words, "I heard of it, but was Hestia really like that?"
'Three thousand, huh… I wonder if that's little or a lot in godly terms.'
"Don't even get me started…" Loki said as she raised her index finger, "You see, she used to be all serious just like Artemis, Athena, and those other brutish deities."
Just thinking about the past made her frown in both disgust and fear, "When it came to tending to that little ember of hers, she was the most zealous and daunting of all those annoying women back at its temple, and was the first one to cuss anyone off at the mere sight of its defilement."
Silver looked at the ceiling, trying to picture the scene, "I just can't see her cussing at anyone…"
But then he looked at her, "… Never mind."
"#!! Whatever you're thinking… you better forget it, punk!" She said as she as she held the urge to throw something at him
Loki took another sip of her wine, wiping it clean as she put it over her tongue, letting the last few droplets drip down, "… But then, it all came crashing down when Prometheus stole and cast down the divine fire, she lost her purpose and became a total girl failure."
Silver looked Loki up and down before raising an eyebrow, pissing her off instantly, "You want to die, punk?! Ya think I don't know what you're insinuating?!"
'Both deity and child… they both know how to get on my nerves!'
Silver looked at the city through a nearby window, a faint smile on his lips, "It takes a baller to know ball…"
/Crack!/
Silver turned back to Loki to see her crush her wineglass between her fingers. So before the deity went on a rampage, he quietened down and let her continue.
Her eyes were serene as she gazed deep into his eyes and Soul, "I took you for a gentleman of sorts, but it seems you're just a brat after all."
"Haha…" He laughed drily before clearing his throat, "But… if this is just about lacking viridity… won't it all be cleared away if you look at my Status?"
"And would you?"
He shrugged, "I don't mind. A Status is just numbers on a sheet of paper."
"You're confident in yourself, but don't get too carried away. There's a reason Familias are so adamant about protecting the info of their kids… Far too many out there could use those for evil."
Silver smiled, "Are you one such person? I've already shared so much, a little more won't change anything… though I'll leave it at only my Basic Abilities. If I show anything else…"
Loki dismissed him, "As if I'd want to look at it. You're valuing yourself too highly. Do you even know how awesome my kids' statuses are, humm?"
She crossed her arms, raising her nose high, "You'd be insane to think I'd be impressed by yours!"
"It's not a matter of being impressed or not, but confirming suspicions, isn't it? I know how impressive the executives of your Familia are, so I just want to get level with you."
Loki looked at Silver quietly. Somehow, she felt something was odd about his words… as if he were trying to trick her…
'This kid is really trying to get me to see his Status. Does he think I'm new to this?'
'He's definitely confident about it and wants to brag about it… there's likely some secret to it he wants to have it blow on my face and get a reaction out of me.'
She smirked mentally, 'But too bad. He won't be getting a single reaction from this experienced deity! I've seen thousands of statuses! I've seen them all! Of all shapes and sizes!'
As such, Silver took his Status from his pocket space…
…
"… WHAAAAAAAA…?!"
And Loki's screams rank in the Manor soon after.
…
/Later…/
"… Was this really the right choice? I feel like we've left without addressing the… what do they call it again? Elephant in the room?" Tiona said as she walked down the street with a few others beside her
Her sister sighed, "Loki's actions were indeed a bit off, but is there a day she doesn't act weird?"
"You wouldn't know anything about this, would you? You were the last person she talked with after all." She said as she turned to Silver, who followed behind them in full armor
"… You can just ask her when we're back, no?"
She scoffed, "Acting all mysterious…"
"No fair!" Tiona added as they kept walking
"Changing the subject… where are we going again? Gareth told me to follow you, but I wasn't told much aside from that." He asked as he looked at Tiona's backpack
Tione pointed at her chest, "Oh, me? I'll be going around the city to sell our drop items. The rarer ones, I mean… and she's just tagging along."
And indeed, she held a large backpack on her bag, the kind of massive bags he'd often see being hauled around the Dungeon by Supporters.
Tiona followed them as they crossed a small arched bridge, walking on its railings with her arms behind her head, "I had nothing to do after I sent Urga for repairs, so I'm killing some time."
"You mean that gigantic doubled hunk of metal of yours that weighs several times an adult person?"
"That's Urga!"
Silver nodded awkwardly, "I do remember it… difficult not to."
He then turned to Tione, "That said, I didn't know you were in charge of selling such things."
She patted her chest proudly, "It's much better for our relationships if the Loki Familia's executives directly handle the negotiations of high-priced luxury items."
"And with Captain being as busy as he is, it falls on me to get things going!" She added as her eyes sparkled
Tiona sighed, "You just want to show off to him, don't you?"
Her sister scoffed, "A lady must put in some work to not shame her hard-working husband."
"Since when did the two of you marry?"
"Husband-to-be!"
Silver looked at them in silence as he wondered about her words. Despite her statement, out of the executives, it's not like there were that many options…
While it would do wonders for propaganda, sending Ais to negotiate with others was an impossibility, while Tiona was probably not market-savvy enough to discuss prices with merchants… or perhaps, patient enough to stand her ground and get what she wants.
By no means was she stupid, and neither was Ais. It's just that between a girl who was consensually considered an airhead and one who would likely accept the first price she was offered without a second thought, the better option was to just pick neither.
Of the rest, Bete had his own responsibilities, and perhaps even the most hardworking of them all.
But Silver could already imagine that with his face and attitude, even though he was likely one of the more mature members of the Familia, he wasn't apt to represent them in anything, really…
As for Gareth and Riveria, they were likely just as busy as Finn, which meant that only one executive was truly available… and thankfully, it was a rather beautiful Amazon who was willing to do anything to represent her captain and be worthy of his standards.
Silver could also imagine how they felt, 'As if those two would try to argue with her over this… Just leave her be and don't get in her way when she's like this.' He thought as he silently shook his head.
He had learned that was often best not to get in Tione's way when she's acting like this. Somehow, Silver was slowly understanding the thought process of the Loki Familia.
"… So where are we going?"
Tione raised her hand, finger on her chin, "Let's see… first stop is… the Dian-Cecth Familia!"
"Yay!"
"… Phew…"
'What a coincidence, I also needed to go there.'
With a light sigh, Silver smiled as they continued on their journey…
…
/A bit later…/
The air was tense, almost freezing over as two warriors stood before one another…
"… Nineteen million, four hundred thousand Valis. I'm not going any higher than this, and if you push back, I won't even consider you a client any longer."
Tione looked forward with a cold, emotionless gaze before exhaling as she straightened her back, "… You're a hard bargainer, Airmid. Deal."
""…""
Silver and Tiona watched in silence as the serious Amazon and the cold, platinum-haired saint battled each other over the price of numerous drop items.
Tiona lifted the pedestal of whatever stood between them while Airmid slashed it down… it was a brutal negotiation so tense Silver wondered if there wasn't any bad blood between them.
"Then I'll be taking Amphisbaena's Blood and Liver drop items. What's next?"
Tione reached out for her backpack, taking a few more items from within, "Let's see… there're a few bottles of Mermaid Blood, and a Carbuncle Mystic Crystal, interested?"
Airmid merely glanced at the items before closing her eyes, "We can buy the Mermaid's Blood, the crystal is better sold to a magic item shop instead."
But Tione leaned on the counter, trying to get Airmid to look at her, "Not even a tint interested? Don't you like making magic tools, Airmid?"
"The magic tools I make are all prosthetics, and I'd rather make none if I could. Stop trying to sell me something I don't need, you're wasting both of our times."
Tione sighed, "You're so stiff… three million."
"For all of it?"
"You're joking. It's per bottle."
Airmid opened her eyes to glance at the bottles, closing them again, "There's barely one hundred milligrams in there. We can't run a profit with such a price, one million."
"Can't run a profit with three million, but you sure can slash down the price! Two million five hundred thousand!"
"One million five hundred. It's not too far from its market price."
But Tione merely tapped the table, "You're joking, Airmid. Mermaid Blood has no market price. From how rare mermaids are, and how hard they are to catch, it's merely a suggestion." She added with a scoff of her own.
"One bottle of these can make dozens of Elixirs, and even their price is subjective. This isn't the kind of material you can get just with a commission… Do you even know when was the last time you got your hands on such a material?"
Airmid momentarily faltered, "… Two million."
"Two million two hundred thousand."
Airmid eyebrows furrowed, "Make it two million and I'll give you some potions to cover the rest."
"Deal."
Silver and Tiona watched their exchange in silence, eyes jumping from one girl to the next…
"Scary." Tiona said as she looked from the side
Silver laughed, "Next time I need to buy something, can I bring you with me?"
"I only sell and buy on captain's orders." She replied with a small smile as she reached out for her bag again
Tiona sighed, "There's still more?"
"That's why I never bring you with me." Tione replied as she threw her a glance, "We've only sold the drop items up to the start of the Lower Floors. There's still everything else we got after… this is only the beginning."
She cracked her neck, "From here on out are rare materials difficult to get even with commissions. No matter what, there's no way they can look over these items."
"We'll see." Airmid replied coldly
It was hard to say what she was thinking. Airmid's poker face was immaculate… perhaps from dealing with such customers on a daily basis.
As the captain of her Familia, she needed that much composure to make sure their pharmacy ran smoothly… And having a deity known for his unusual love for gold probably helps with her training.
"… Seems like this will take a while." Silver muttered as Tiona "melted" beside him, "Interested in a match of chess?" He asked as he turned to her
"Anything is better than doing nothing at all…"
"Twenty million!"
Airmid turned around, unwilling to face Tione anymore.
"Tsk! Fine… nineteen million!"
"…"
"Oi, I didn't know you were a coward!"
"And I didn't know you were insane. I'm not paying that much just for a few poison sacs…"
""…""
As the two bickered away, Silver and Tiona sat down on a couch nearby…
…
/Moments before, back at the Twilight Manor…/
"… So? What was all that ruckus before? You startled half the manor with that scream." Riveria said as she crossed her arms
But Loki's thoughts were elsewhere, "I still can't believe something like that's possible… It's ridiculous."
"What is? You aren't helping us right now with all that mumbling." Gareth said as he stepped inside the office, "Finn? Why's your expression that tense?"
"…"
Finn's gaze was utterly serene as he rested his forehead on his fingers, lost in deep thought as he even ignored the query of his closest companion.
Gareth could only turn to Riveria who shook her head in response. They both knew what went on with him whenever he was like that. Something of the highest priority.
Loki finally turned to them as her expression tensed, "Just take a look at it and you'll understand."
She gave them a piece of paper, and Riveria immediately recognized it as a Status, but it was clearly not from their Familia given its style and calligraphy.
—
Mellios Silver
Level 1
Strength SSS 1200 -> SSS 1507
Vitality SSS 1200 -> SSS 1689
Dexterity SS 1087 -> SSS 1312
Agility SS 1177 -> SSS 1453
Magic SSS 1200 -> SSS 1560
??? -> I
Mixing -> I
Alchemy -> I
Mystery -> I
??? -> I
>Magic:
—
>Skill:
—
—
—
—
—
Most of the Status itself had been censored. Be it magic or the skills listed on it, everything was covered in a deep dark sheet of ink, leaving behind only the outline of what might've been written there once.
"… What is this nonsense?" Gareth asked with a deep frown, but he knew the truth better than anybody
Riveria's eyes showed a rare kind of emotion, shock beyond awe and even a tint of disbelief. The unwillingness to accept whatever she was seeing as reality, which was unusual for her mind of steel.
So she turned to Finn, finally realizing what her captain had been thinking about in utter silence, "How did you get your hands on this?"
Loki almost spat on the ground in frustration, "That boy gave it to me as some form of reconciliation… and I fell for it!"
"From the beginning, all he wanted to do was to see my reaction to this absurdity!"
Her face went red with anger, "And he took a picture of it!"
"… So this is real? I knew the boy had something in him… but this…"
Gareth took a deep glance at the status, "I didn't even know this was possible. A Rank beyond S Rank… no wonder… no wonder the boy was that strong for his Level."
"No one knew!" Loki claimed as she tugged at her hair
"S Rank, SS Rank, and even what stands beyond it…" Gareth mumbled as he patted his beard with a complex expression, "If they heard about it…"
Riveria cut him right there, "They won't, because this ends here."
Gareth sighed, "I suppose that's only proper. God knows what they'll do if they get hold of something like this is possible… Though I'm curious as to how he did it."
"Oh, I know exactly what they'll do." Loki said with a scoff
But she was ignored as Gareth continued, "There must be a method… since just acting the way he does wouldn't be enough. So I wager its hidden within those black bars."
Riveria sat down, resting her hand on her forehead as well, "With values this high… he'd be as strong as a Level 2. I can only see someone with a B Rank Stat surpassing these raw stats with a Rank Up."
"But how many even get that far, right?" Gareth added as he sat opposite to her
Seeing their expressions, Loki laughed drily, "Welcome to the boat."
"That's not all either. It's rare to see a First Class adventurer with more than three Development Abilities, and somehow he already has five as a Level 1?" Gareth pointed out as Riveria sighed loudly
"It's not just the number, it's what they mean as well. Mixing and Alchemy already make him a top-class alchemist, but adding in Mystery only makes this situation that more abnormal… it's like seeing the second coming of Perseus."
Gareth scratched his beard, "The girl from the Hermes Familia, huh… indeed."
"And that's not considering what he decided to hide." Riveria added as she put her arms under her chest, "If he was willing to reveal this much, it shows that whatever he opted not to must likely be too consequential to declare without a second a thought."
"Or he could just be trying to toy with us again!" Loki claimed as she crossed her arms, pouting
"… Do you think he's lying about all of this?" Gareth asked, mildly doubtful
Loki did reply as she grit her teeth, "There is a faint possibility he isn't being exactly honest…"
Riveria sighed, "Which only means he's telling the truth and you're jealous of his Status."
She stomped her foot on the ground, "Come on! I'm supposed to be your main hype man! I can't just praise another like that! Its just… it leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth, that's all!"
Finn raised his head, finally joining the conversation, "At the end of the day, his Status doesn't matter."
He smiled faintly, "Though it's true we'll have to keep this between ourselves… Since I don't want to see Ais attempt anything close to everything he's done recently."
'I also think I finally get what he was trying to convey with this.'
Loki exhaled loudly, "Yeah… if Ais hears of this she isn't letting go of him anytime soon… and I'd hate to see my Ais acting all chummy with that brat of all people! Her child!!"
The deity walked around the room with a furious expression, almost tearing into her body as she circled the couch with bloodshot eyes.
"Unacceptable! That damn arrogant prick who thinks he's better than everybody and then shows me why he's better than everybody! Shame on him!" Loki claimed as she raised her fists up high
""…""
She snapped back, pointing at them, "Don't get me wrong! You three are still a thousand times better than him!"
Gareth interjected, "… The question is until when? I never thought I'd say this, but… the kid might end up passing me by the time he reaches Level 5. Hell, he might even get the best of me before that."
"If we're talking about pure basic abilities, of course. Though whatever Skills he's hiding under all that paint, there's likely far more to it than what we can infer." He added as Loki's expression fell even more
Loki jumped at him, shaking his shoulders, "Gareth! You need more confidence! Where's that brutish Dwarf that cussed at the Elven princess without a second thought?!"
Gareth grunted, "He grew up over the course of two decades."
He looked at Finn and then back at Loki, "I get it why you were startled..."
"I wasn't!"
The Dwarf grunted, "… Doesn't matter. I just want to know… why did you send the boy away? We weren't finished with the unloading and everyone was left hanging."
"That…"
Finn laughed drily, "She was embarrassed."
Loki paled as she turned her back to them, "How can you disclose my greatest shame without a second thought?!"
She gritted her teeth, "It's all his fault! He kept teasing me and I'll be honest, I couldn't handle it so I kicked him out before I ducked it out on him. Happy now?! I lost to him! Your deity… aren't you guys going to do anything about that?!"
"Ducked it out… you mean nag him to death?" Riveria asked as she raised an eyebrow
"One of my many talents."
"… Sigh…"
Gareth shook his head, "At least let him finish his job once he returns."
He got up from his seat, "Since everything's fine here, I'll go back to work."
"And if the boy returns, try not to press him too much? Last time you got him, you almost drowned the boy with words." He added as he turned to Riveria
"Weren't you busy? Move along." She said as she closed her eyes
He grunted, lightly closing the door behind him with a "clack".
Riveria lightly oppened her eyes, "… I should leave as well. Before the others think this "event" was of any importance and start asking questions."
Loki cringed, "You talk as if I were a child who just pissed his mattress!"
"If that's how you see yourself, I'd say it's rather fitting."
"Hey!"
Finn rubbed his face before his usual smile took hold, "Let's discuss this another time. But at the end of the day, the status of another Familia's child is of little importance."
"Instead, we should start thinking about how we'll continue cooperating with him and the Hestia Familia in the future. After all, I have an inkling that it won't be long before he ranks up again."
"And if it's anything close to this, we might be seeing him diving with us once we continue our expedition into the 51st Floor and beyond."
'We should see such a Status as an inspiration. The underlying potential of Falna…'
But the crimson-haired deity frowned, "… Can we not? I don't want a reason to meet with that chest maniac over anything…"
But Riveria had to shoot her down, "His set of abilities alone already justifies bringing him along with us, whether you want it or not."
"Once his skills grow enough to keep up as a Supporter, then there really is no reason not to invite him along. Maybe we should even be more proactive, stake our claim over him before others realize his true worth."
Loki paled even harder, "E-Even you… I've never seen you act like this before… No… NOO! Not my SSR Elven Princess! Damn you!!" She exclaimed as she raised her fists to the air.
/BONK!/
"BUGHO?!"
"And what exactly are you thinking about?"
"… Indeed, Loki. This time its difficult to compromise." Finn said as he adjusted his paperwork
'This time, a gem has made its way to us, one that might be far more dazzling than I originally expected.'
He turned his gaze to the window, looking far into the horizon where a tall tower stood.
And so, their day continued.
…
"… Thank you for your patronage." Airmid said as she organized the ledgers on the counter
Tione wiped her forehead, "Huff… you fought well. Next time… it won't be so easy."
"Are we done here? I'm getting hungry."
"It hasn't even been an hour since you last ate!" Tione said as she looked at her sister
The Amazon pouted as she leaned over, "Can't I have a dessert?!"
"…"
As the sisters bickered on the side, Silver approached the counter, "Do you still have time?"
"Of course. This much was nothing." Airmid said as she brushed her hair aside
Silver smiled, but didn't try to beat around the bush too much, "I'd like to pay a bit more of my debts." He said as he put Finn's check on the counter.
"The Loki Familia's seal…"
Tiona jumped between them, curious about it all, "Debt? Do you owe Airmid anything, Silver?"
"I do. Last year, I made a considerable purchase and am still paying it off even now."
"You certainly have courage." Tione said as she stepped forward, "The Dian Cecht Familia has some of the worst rates out there."
Airmid seemed to frown at her statement, "Can the customer step aside if she has no more business with us?"
But Tione just stuck her tongue out at her as she exhaled in frustration.
Silver stepped in, "It's nothing like that. In the first place, there isn't anything like that in our deal."
"Really?" Tione asked as she leaned over the counter, putting her hand over Airmid's forehead, "Are you sick? I suppose even the doctor needs treatment…"
"#!! Get out…" Airmid said as her cold expression cracked for a moment
But as Tione smiled and Tiona exhaled awkwardly, Airmid continued, "In the first place, this was an unusual transaction. There isn't even a proper contract in place…"
"Now I'm really starting to get worried…" Tione said as she grew a little serious
"That's enough, sis…"
Airmid rolled her eyes as she gave the envelope back to Silver, "Either way… there's no need for this."
"Pardon?"
"In the first place, this all occurred because of Lord Dian's emotions. Sometime after our first meeting, he told me it was fine to call back the offer if you showed enough sincerity."
"And since you've been here without missing a day, I deemed it wasn't needed to continue accepting your payments for something otherwise inexpensive."
"In fact, I was waiting for your return to give back the excess." She said as she put her arms around her stomach
"… And what would've happened had I missed a day?"
She opened her eyes a little, tilting her head to him, "Then I would've processed it all as always."
"I… I see…"
'Being honest paid off for once…'
Tione was shocked, "Just what did you buy to get a refund? I don't think I've ever seen them give a refund for anything before."
"Just some alchemical materials for an experiment of mine…" Silver replied as Airmid crouched down to pick a few bags of coin, "I had to throw away some nonsensical value to convince Dian Cecht to agree…"
/Clack!/
She put two large bags on the table, "Thirty-five million Valis. The total amount for the materials was left at five million."
Silver sighed, that amount was still ridiculously expensive. Nonetheless, it was several times less than he expected, so he was elated regardless!
"Just what kind of alchemical materials cost that much?" Tiona asked as she looked at the bags
Silver chuckled, lifting the bags with telekinesis, "Definitely not these, but I'll take being overcharged for once."
"… Is there anything else I can help you with?" She asked without reacting to his sarcastic remark
Silver smiled, "Do you guys have Elixirs available? I'd like one."
While Airmid walked to the side, Tione sighed, "Are Elixirs something you can buy like groceries? Do you even know how much a Dian-Cecht Elixir goes for?"
"I do, but my life is just as valuable."
"Fair enough."
Tiona finally had enough, "Can we go now?"
"For someone burning time, you sure know how to complain!"
As the sisters bickered again, Silver got what he wanted and they all stepped out.
…
/Fwoop!/
After entering an alley, Silver threw the coin bags inside his pocket space as Tione checked out where to go next.
"Now then… let's stop by Goibniu's workshop and sell some materials."
Tiona exhaled as she slammed her head on the wall, "Here we go again…"
"… How about we spice things up a little?"
"Huh?"
"Oh?"
Silver smiled, rising to the sky… "How about a low "fly-by" Orario?"
"That…"
"YES!"
Seeing her immensely eager sister, Tione was forced to swallow her words of disapproval.
"Haaa… fine. As long as our items don't ramble up."
"I won't cause a mess, that I promise."
Tiona couldn't hold it anymore, "Let's go, let's go already!"
After giving Tione a short nod of agreement, Silver lifted Tiona into the sky as she laughed aloud like a little kid, "Oaaah!"
Tione also felt a little odd as a sense of weightlessness struck her, "I'm starting to regret this…"
"Too late." Silver said as they flew past the buildings, standing several floors high in the sky
"YAAAAY!"
He let Tiona fly wherever she pointed, paying attention to her sister instead.
"How is it?"
"… Let's move on. This feeling of being unable to move as I wish… isn't anything pleasant."
Silver had nothing to say to that, so without further ado, he pulled them along, cruising through the heavens and beyond.
Their day had just begun.
…
.
.
.
Notes
We'll soon be getting into the next time skip that will jump through most of January, and put is February where the next section of the story will take place, where some major events like the first meeting of the Gods will take place.
For now, Silver will rest after his Rank Up and Expedition, but soon after, he'll resume his training, either with Leon for the time they have left, Takemikazuchi for the short the long future, and the Loki Familia as they continue to mangle with his endeavors.
I plan to use these Familias to tie with other events in the future, including, but not limited to the Hermes and Freya Familias!
Obviously, the new Familia who caused a ruckus with the Freya Familia will become a centerpoint of the next few minor story arcs as their story and purpose are revealed.
Until then, Silver has much to do, be it in his training, studies, or personal affairs.
Some old readers might know of what arcs we skipped and what arcs will appear before us, either way, I'm happy with how things are going, and I have a far more organized story board for the future when compared to when I first started writing this story.
We'll see how things go. Peace, thank you for reading!