The Wandering Devil
Chapter: 52
Disclaimer: I don't own High School DxD or any other universe used in this story.
(On The Road)
We reappeared in a brilliant flash of light.
The familiar pull of jumping worlds washed over me, that slight pause in the weird space deleted them, and was immediately followed by the heavy drop of my demonic power settling back into place.
The mansion courtyard materialised under a vast night sky, the moon shining overhead, surrounded by countless stars, and a gentle breeze brushing across my skin.
But none of that held my attention for long.
The moment we arrived, Hestia was already moving, crossing the distance in a heartbeat to throw her arms around me. I wrapped mine around her narrow waist, pulling her close as I breathed in her familiar sweet scent.
"Hey, Hestia," I said softly.
"Zeph," she murmured, tilting her head back to look up at me with those dazzling blue eyes. "I missed you."
We were alone except for Sebas, who politely turned away and began inspecting the garden as if it suddenly required his full attention.
"I missed you, too," I chuckled, then leaned down to capture her lips in a deep kiss.
When we finally parted, Hestia asked, still a little breathless, "Did you get what you were looking for?"
"Unfortunately, I could not bring back the Elder Wand or convince Reginald's family to come with us," I admitted. "But I did manage to breach the fort."
Hestia frowned slightly. She had never liked that part of the plan. "I assume you were interrupted?"
"I was," I replied soothingly, "but it was handled quickly enough. Sebas even earned himself quite the title in the process."
Sebas gave a small, dignified cough into his white-gloved fist.
Hestia's curiosity immediately sparked. "What title?"
"The White-Gloved Demon," I said in a dramatic tone.
Hestia burst into laughter, the sound bright and infectious. Even Sebas remained perfectly composed, though I could have sworn I saw the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Once she calmed down, she wiped a tear from her eye and asked, "So you have taken the title for Zeph?"
"It would appear the humans decided to name me based on my elemental gloves," Sebas replied evenly.
"It is well-deserved," I added, cutting in to give him some credit. "From what I heard, he pushed back the entire assembled Ministry, and that was with Dumbledore helping them. I would not have finished so smoothly without him."
Sebas looked slightly surprised by the praise and bowed respectfully.
Hestia grinned. "Then I am glad they think so highly of you. Though you only need to look at Zeph's new name for comparison." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Scarlet Disaster."
I frowned, which only made her laugh harder.
"My hair is not even scarlet," I grumbled. "It is crimson."
I shook my head and focused again. "Where is Artemis? I expected her to be here waiting."
"Well… it is the middle of the night," Hestia said sweetly. "I only stayed up to make sure you came home safely."
Guilt hit me instantly.
"Don't give me that look," she added softly, reaching up to cup my cheek. "It just feels uncomfortable sleeping without you anyway."
"Here I was, ready to head out on the quest the moment I got back," I commented.
"There's no need to rush, especially if it's delayed for tomorrow," Hestia responded, her tone light. "Arty and I will need to prepare."
"It'll also give me some extra time to practice with my new arsenal of spells." I considered. "While I opted for taking his stronger spells, there were still quite a few. Which reminds me of one of his strongest spells that I wanted to speak with you about."
I frowned.
Hestia caught the subtle shift in my tone, and her expression grew more serious. "You found a spell that worries you?"
"Not worried, it's just dangerous." I opted to respond with. "It's perhaps his strongest spell, and while elemental magic exists, it's just… when I used it. I'm not sure if my power of destruction could truly stop it."
Hestia's eyes widened at that.
Hadn't that been a shocker? It was most definitely due to the strange concept within the magical fire itself.
"You think it can stop your bloodline power?" Hestia asked. "Zephyrion, your bloodline ability is absurd; it's a divine-level power. If anything can stop it…"
"I was going to show you, but I think it's better if we wait. It's late, and you must be tired."
"Goddesses don't need to sleep," Hestia replied immediately.
"You sleep all the time, though," I said innocently.
She blushed.
"T-that's not the point," Hestia replied quickly. "The point is, if another being has this, I want to see it and determine how dangerous it is."
One of the rare times Hestia was serious.
"Are you sure?"
"Mm." She gave a noise of confirmation.
With that, we headed inside. I took her down to the basement while Sebas went to bring my trunk up to the living room.
The basement had been reinforced to withstand my power, though with varying amounts of success. It was a difficult task. The wizarding magic helped greatly, but even that only went so far.
"What spell is it?" Hestia asked once we were alone. "You said it was related to fire?"
Her domain.
It was precisely why I asked, beyond the fact that she was my closest companion.
"It's a fire spell that's explosive and highly destructive," I explained. "It takes on the appearance of black fire, and the most notable part is that I can direct it not to harm people."
"Do you mean directing the fire to make no contact?" Hestia asked.
"No. The flames can stop their heat from burning them. Even if they're in direct contact." I clarified. "Other than that, the fire itself is hard to control, to a degree that's above my power of destruction."
"Is this what concerns you?" Hestia asked thoughtfully.
"No." I denied. "It's because I believe the fire holds a concept."
"A concept?" Hestia asked.
"In terms of my old world." I clarified. "I think it acts like the fire that belongs to a god."
Hestia's eyes widened. "You got this spell from a human wizard."
"That's why I wanted you to see them, especially with your domain over fire."
Hestia blushed at that, as if I had said something pleasing.
"To be honest, if I were facing these flames myself, I would probably have to seriously consider retreating or using my power of destruction to obliterate them." I continued.
Hestia frowned. "I remember you telling me this wizarding world was safe."
"Compared to my old world, the highest powers are ones I could fight," I replied.
My Goddess pursed her lips.
"Didn't you say the wizarding world didn't have any gods? While I knew you said that those two wizards were in your realm of power." Hestia chewed her lip. "I should have accompanied you."
"This doesn't mean gods exist in this world," I replied thoughtfully. But it does suggest that the scope of wizarding magic is more dangerous than I had thought it to be."
"These are different worlds, right?" Hestia broached carefully. "Couldn't there be all sorts of different worldly laws? You said that a version of me existed in your world."
"Yes, I haven't met her, but the Greeks are known famously as a pantheon," I responded.
"Mm," Hestia murmured. "Show me."
"I'll try, but I can't go too far, or the mansion will be burned down," I warned.
"Be careful," she said, her eyes suddenly glimmering with divine power.
I could tell she was prepared to enter her true godly form if things got out of hand.
Protego Diabolica
Black flames exploded outward with terrifying fury the moment the spell activated.
I immediately yanked back on the power, desperately reining the flames in before they could spiral completely out of control.
Instead of the massive swirling vortex I had unleashed before, what emerged was a focused, explosive stream of black fire that tore straight through the protective wards in front of us.
Hestia watched them, her eyes deep in thought. I found myself almost jumping when she took a step into the flames and towards me. A frown formed, and her hand touched mine, the fire instantly becoming easier to control.
By the time I finally managed to regain full control, my breathing had grown heavy, and the sheer danger of this magic hit me all over again.
Hestia stood beside me, her brows deeply furrowed, with a deathly serious expression.
"Zeph…" she said gravely. "Those flames definitely carry some deeper force behind them. It is not aimed purely at destruction, yet the fire itself is terrifyingly destructive."
"Can you sense what it is?" I asked.
"Not precisely without entering my true form," Hestia replied, her voice gradually returning to its usual gentle tone. "I would say it's not offensive or attack-based, in fact, it feels the opposite and yet the same…"
"Like your domains?"
"A bit." She smiled. "Though I can't say that's how godhood works for us."
We stood in silence for a moment, the lingering heat from the black flames still warming the stone walls around us.
"There may not only be one 'concept' in the fire." She finally said.
I blinked. "What?"
"It's a mystery, but while I can't say it's close to the level of the sacred flame I guarded for so long. It's definitely within that realm." Hestia finally finished.
Hestia reached out and gently took my hand, her fingers squeezing mine.
"Let us speak more about this spell later." I decided. "When I have a place, I can try it a bit more."
Hestia agreed. "Just be careful and don't use them without me. For now, at least, or if the situation is too dire."
I agreed without hesitation.
If a god with a domain in fire told you not to use it without her, you would feel the need to listen.
My voice turned flat. "Though I feel like I need to remind you about my bloodline power and the fact that I'm technically a half-demon with my R'hal bloodline."
Her shoulders relaxed a little at my words, a giggle forming.
I brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and smiled down at her. "Speaking of things I have been worried about while I was gone… how has the familiar been doing? My familiar, I mean. Has he been behaving?"
Hestia's eyes lit up instantly, the serious mood melting away as her usual bright energy returned. She puffed out her cheeks in that adorable way she always did when she had a lot to tell me.
"Oh, you would not believe it!" she exclaimed, tugging me toward the stairs as we left the basement behind. "Bell has been feeding her magic stones every single day while you were away. At first, I thought it would not do anything, but the Basilisk has actually started reacting to them."
"Really? I did notice she had been gaining some signs and patterns on her; the theory that magical stones would react specially to her hasn't been unfounded."
"He is growing, just a little, but enough that I noticed right away. You said Basilisks like her were not supposed to grow anymore, right? Well, something about those stones is changing that."
We reached the top of the stairs and continued down the hallway toward our bedroom, her voice bubbling with excitement as she walked beside me.
"What about the Familia?" I questioned.
"Bell and Lili have been training together every single day. They are getting so much stronger. I tried to get Welf to join them, but he is completely glued to that new forge of his because of the strange metal you gave him. I swear he sleeps down there now." She puffed her cheeks out even more. "Honestly, I am starting to think he loves that furnace more than fresh air. Transforming the old house into a smithy was a good idea."
I'll have to visit him. I had some new metals and techniques after all. I didn't have enough time to get into them with my interests, but that's why I had a Familia with me. To fill in the roles I couldn't take.
I chuckled and wrapped an arm around her narrow waist as we stepped into our room. "It is a pretty impressive forge, but I think it is more about the metal I gave him than the forge itself."
Hestia giggled and leaned into my side. "That metal you gave him was a nightmare to work with, according to Welf. It took him two full days to figure out the right temperature, and he burned through three hammers before it started cooperating. But the gauntlets he pulled out of it? He says they might be the best pieces he has ever made. Their durability alone would make those smug people from Hephaestus Familia green with envy."
She climbed into bed first, patting the spot beside her with a bright smile. I slid in next to her and pulled her close, letting her rest her head on my chest while I stroked her hair.
"Seriously, just what was it?"
"Goblin metal."
"From the wizarding world? Since I don't think I recognise that one." Hestia replied thoughtfully.
"You know about metal types?" I asked with surprise.
"I did live with Hephaestus for a long period." She smirked at me. "I can only imagine what she will do if given the chance, actually to study and work on it."
I became thoughtful.
She laughed outright. "Did I accidentally give you a way to tease Hephaestus?"
"Maybe. Only a little bit." I admitted.
She shook her head. "You don't need to dislike her on my account; it was my fault for being so inexperienced."
"She should have taught you then," I replied.
"I don't think that's her responsibility," Hestia noted with a soft smile.
"Of course not, but it's not my responsibility to like her either."
"You're so petty sometimes." She said, rubbing her hands over my hair. "I wonder what Apollo would think."
"I think he's seen the extent of my anger."
Hestia's touch made me yawn.
"Exactly." She said in a whisper. "The last thing he saw was the powerful Scarlet disaster destroying his Familia.
"That oddly reminds me we need to continue hiring for the Familia," I said, staring at the ceiling. "How are the new members doing?"
Bell had mostly been managing them. They didn't live in the mansion yet, as I had left that as an inner circle thing for now, at least until they proved themselves more.
"They are doing well. While you gave Margaret the position merely due to her cooking skills, she's proven adept at collecting monster stones and is surprisingly nimble. Your choice in her white light has solidified her loyalty." Hestia said, eyes closing slightly.
"I didn't choose her as a joke." I shrugged. "I saw potential, and at the very worst, she could have acted as a cook."
"Marcus is proving adept at 'tanking' as you put it, and Lyralei is a good archer." Hestia listed, evidently recalling the words I assume Lili told her. "Altogether, I'm surprised at how well we managed to choose. Truthfully, I hadn't expected much."
"It's good to hear they're doing well. I did see this on our last dungeon dive." I replied thoughtfully. "I did try and get the classical party route, while they aren't some monstrous prodigy like Bell, I can see them rising, especially with our methods."
"You mean saving them from death when you put them on a floor that should kill them?" Hestia asked flatly.
"Yeah…"
She sighed. "It does work, you're lucky I trust you more than anything."
"Would you stop me if you didn't think I was capable?" I asked with a blink.
"…no, but I wouldn't be happy."
"Then it wouldn't happen anyway," I smirked, wrapping her in my arms. "As for Welf, I'll have to get him some more," I murmured. "Perhaps we can finally move forward with that plan we talked about."
Hestia yawned softly, her voice growing sleepier by the second. "He would love that… he has already saved up enough for his share of the shop, you know. And he has made over a dozen test sets for you to try. Some of them turned out terrible, in his words, but a few… mmm…"
Her words trailed off as her breathing slowed and deepened. Within moments, she was fast asleep in my arms, warm and peaceful, exactly where she belonged.
I took a chance to relax.
While having a few more days off would be nice, I was planning to leave Orario tomorrow. I had delayed Artemis long enough, and her urgency hadn't gone unnoticed.
I'd have to do a few things before I left.
Talk to Balsen for a starter.
This would be a good opportunity, given the distance we were leaving.
I lay there for a while longer, listening to her soft breathing and feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest against me. The mansion was quiet, the only light coming from the moonlight filtering through the window.
My mind, however, was still wide awake.
I slipped out of bed and crossed the room, gently leaving the bedroom, so I would not wake her.
I didn't feel the need to sleep just yet.
As tempting as it was to stay right there cuddling with Hestia, she had already drifted off into a peaceful sleep. I gently slipped out of bed, careful not to wake her, and decided I might as well get my trunk ready for tomorrow.
The hallway was quiet, allowing me to slip through it with ease as I made my way downstairs toward the storage room where my trunk waited. The faint moonlight from the windows guided my steps.
I had barely reached the bottom landing when I noticed a lithe figure standing by the open balcony door that overlooked the garden. A familiar goddess whom I had come to know over the past week.
Artemis stood motionless, her blue hair glowing softly under the moonlight, eyes fixed on the large moon hanging above the city.
Her posture was sombre, her shoulders slightly drawn in, a way I had grown used to seeing over the past few days. She stared directly at the massive moon hanging above.
When she heard my footsteps, she blinked and turned, surprise flickering across her face for a brief moment before her lips curved into a small, genuine smile.
It was softer than the cold, annoyed expression she had worn lately.
"Artemis." I greeted quietly as I approached the goddess. "What are you doing up so late? I thought everyone was asleep."
"I feel no need for sleep," she replied, her voice calm. "Though that does, in turn, raise the question of what are you doing up at this hour?"
I joined her at the balcony railing.
The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of flowers from the garden below. I looked up at the moon with her, its silver light washing over the rooftops of Orario.
"I'm not doing much. I was going to read up on a few things while Hestia slept." I returned. "I can't blame you for being up, though. It really is beautiful tonight."
Artemis looked back up at the moon, her lips pressed into a line. "When did you get back?"
"Just an hour ago," I responded. "Hestia stayed awake to make sure I got back home."
Artemis tilted her head slightly.
"I did not see you come through the front gates."
I shrugged with a small grin. "One of my abilities. I can draw circles to teleport or be summoned through my contracts. Hestia uses the contracts to summon me back most of the time."
I'm pretty sure teleportation circles didn't work across worlds.
She looked impressed for a moment, her emerald eyes widening just a fraction. Then silence settled between us again. She turned her gaze back to the moon.
"I see."
I watched her for a second before speaking.
"To be honest, I expected you to ask when we were going." I broke the silence. "I did say that we would go when I arrived back."
She sighed tiredly. "It will happen… or it will not."
I felt a pang of guilt.
Artemis finally turned to me, soft green eyes staring at me. "All I can say is that I know my spear does not make you a part of my Familia. My weapon gives me no hold over you, but we are connected. You are my Orion and only hope."
Her speech took me aback.
"Make no mistake about that, chosen willingly or not, I can sense you will be the hero I need." Artemis continued; her words hardened as something shone through her eyes.
"I will," I replied seriously.
Artemis shot towards me.
"I wasn't lying when I said I would help you-"
She wrapped her arms around me in a firm hug, and I found myself further surprised by the actions of the previously cold and reserved goddess.
I found myself hugging her back, strangely unbothered by it.
Perhaps it was the vibe she gave off? I had experienced that once upon a time, or it could be that she was Hestia's friend… I guess there was also the fact that she was a hot goddess, but I didn't find myself focusing on it.
"If it helps, I am done with my business, and I was going to say that we will leave tomorrow," I said, enjoying the look that swept over her. "Or well, today.
She pulled back, slightly abashed. Her eyes met mine again, hope shining through the sombre eyes. "Truly?"
"I have delayed you long enough," I affirmed. "It's time to get moving and deal with whatever is causing you so much distress."
She gave a small, relieved breath.
I tried to lighten the mood with a teasing tone. "It is the least I can do after I most definitely stole your divine weapon."
Artemis did not reply, but the corners of her mouth lifted.
"If you say so." She said, placing her eyes back on the large moon.
"It would be easier, though," I added carefully, "if you explained some things."
She sighed once more, looking back at me and evidently enjoying the fresh air. "I have already told you it's powerful, but I must say again, the creature is strong. It has an incredible regenerative factor and can drain the very life from the earth."
She stressed the words. "It is a creature that greatly hurt my Familia."
I kept my voice steady. "And you think this monster is a problem? Or do you want revenge?"
Either way worked.
"Revenge… no, that is not what is driving me." Artemis shook her head. "The monster is dangerous and will hurt a truly terrifying number of people."
"Then why not inform the Guild?" I questioned curiously. "If it's in the wild and if it's truly gained that much power, informing them would mobilise a large force."
"Perhaps… but my weapon will be its downfall and weakness. I truly believe you can defeat it on your own." Artemis said truthfully, with a hint of passion. "Even if you are brash, and the trust I put in you is undeserved. At the end, you'll be able to do what needs to be done."
How ominous.
"I'll have you know I'm very trusted," I replied flatly. "I rarely lie."
"Let me hope I am not a rare case." She said with a small laugh.
"I do feel the need to point out that many powerful adventurers are in Orario, though," I said. "You could give this responsibility to someone else."
"I can't." She replied, her smile becoming dimmer and her words coming out softly. "I am at fault for allowing this to happen. Only my champion can be trusted to do what needs to be done."
I placed a hand on the railing near hers. "If that's your wish, then I'll get it done, though don't feel shy, you can bring some of your Familia if you wish. I won't let anything happen to them."
She turned to me fully, her expression softening in a way I had rarely seen. "Thank you, Zephyrion." Then she gave me one last quiet look and stepped back from the railing. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Artemis," I said, watching her slip away down the hall, leaving me alone.
What a confusing goddess.
There was clearly more to the story than Artemis was letting on. It was not hard to guess that a few of her Familia members had probably been killed. If that were the case, I would make sure the monster responsible paid for it dearly.
For now, I pulled out the thick leather-bound Rune Tome I had taken from the wizarding world and opened it under the soft glow of a small lamp.
I shook my head slowly.
I still could not believe they had actually sold this.
-{Hermes}-
Hermes dropped down from the edge of a low building near the southern quarter and landed softly in the alley below. His orange scarf fluttered behind him as he adjusted his wide-brimmed hat and checked the street in both directions.
Nobody was around at this hour.
He found her exactly where he expected.
A small park near the city walls, tucked between two residential buildings where the moonlight pooled between the gaps in the roofline.
Artemis sat on the edge of a stone bench, her bow resting beside her, staring at the sky with an expression that would have fooled most people into thinking she was enjoying the evening air.
Hermes knew better.
He'd known Artemis for a very long time. Long enough to recognise when the huntress was preparing herself for something she didn't expect to survive.
"You know," he said, stepping out of the shadows with his hands raised in a show of casual peace, "sneaking around Orario at night is supposed to be my thing."
Artemis didn't flinch.
Her eyes shifted to him, cool and unsurprised.
"Hermes." She greeted with a small smile.
"Artemis." He smiled, taking a seat on the opposite end of the bench without waiting for an invitation. He leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, the picture of careless ease. "Lovely night. The moon is shining beautifully tonight, and I'm not talking about the one in the sky."
Artemis didn't react to her words. "You got my message?"
"I did, I must say I was pretty insulted when you asked for help a week ago, and I delivered," he said, letting a touch of the real Hermes slip through the friendly mask. "And then you told me to leave after finding your champion. Which I did, because I'm nothing if not accommodating."
Artemis was quiet for a moment.
"He agreed," she said.
"I gathered." Hermes tilted his hat back and studied her face. "I also gathered that it took you almost a week of waiting around while he vanished off to do whatever it is the Scarlet Disaster does."
She said nothing. "He had business to attend to."
"I'm sure." Hermes let the silence sit for a beat, then sighed. "You know, this whole thing could have gone a lot smoother if you'd let me handle explaining it. I'm sure I could have gotten them to go that night, I even had Ganesha's dragons lined up."
Artemis shook her head slowly.
"No."
"No?" He raised an eyebrow. "Just no? No explanation?"
"He's different," Artemis said, her voice quiet but firm. "I could tell from the moment I saw him at the festival. The way the spear reacted when he held it, even before Bell pulled it free. And Hestia..." She paused. "Hestia is acting strangely. She's protective of him in a way I've never seen from her, yet she's also less clingy than she should be."
Hermes' easy smile didn't waver, but behind his eyes, something sharpened. He'd noticed the same things.
The Scarlet Disaster was an anomaly that had been nagging at him for months.
The boy had appeared from nowhere, dismantled Apollo's entire Familia in a war game, made Ouranos nervous enough to schedule a private meeting, and now commanded a butler who most definitely wasn't normal.
And nobody knew what he actually was.
"It's best this way," Artemis continued. "If the Guild or the other Familias get involved, it becomes political. Weeks of preparation while the corruption spreads further. By the time they mobilise, it could be too late."
Hermes couldn't argue with that logic, even if he wanted to.
"What's your plan then?" he asked, dropping the playful tone entirely. "Now that he's agreed."
Artemis looked at her hands, resting in her lap. "We will travel to the Elsos Ruins and do what must be done. I believe he won't have a problem finishing the job."
The way she said it made Hermes pause. There was something underneath those words.
"Are you sure about him?" Hermes asked carefully. "The kid is powerful, I won't deny that. Not much is known about him compared to the Little Rookie, who is his self-proclaimed lieutenant, but there's no question he could hold his own against most things in this world." He leaned forward slightly. "If the monster is as dangerous as you've implied, perhaps he could truly defeat it?"
"No." Her reply was immediate. "You don't understand. The monster is too powerful for a normal approach. It isn't a matter of brute force."
Hermes frowned.
That confirmed what he'd suspected.
The details Artemis had given him weeks ago, fragmented and reluctant as they were, painted a picture far worse than anything the Guild was equipped to handle.
He studied her profile in the moonlight.
Artemis's long, blue hair streamed behind her in the night breeze, a sombre expression lingering on her face. The expression remained beautiful on her visage, more so with the moon's light shining on her clear skin.
There was a slight tremor in her hands that she was trying to hide. The way her eyes kept drifting back to the sky, as if she was memorising it.
She knew she wasn't coming back.
Hermes felt a pang of hurt for her.
"Do you truly not wish for me to go with you?"
"It's for the best," Artemis replied.
He frowned deeply.
He pushed that thought aside for now.
"How does the kid plan on travelling, anyway?" Hermes asked, changing the subject. "The ruins are on the other side of the continent. Even with a fast route, that's over a week."
"I'm not sure," Artemis admitted. "He said he had a method but didn't elaborate."
Hermes scratched his chin. "I can get Ganesha to lend you some dragons. Three should be enough for your group. They won't be the fastest, but ten days of flying beats a month of walking."
Artemis looked at him, and for the first time that evening, her expression softened.
"Thank you, Hermes."
He waved a hand dismissively. "It's the least I can do."
And it was.
Because the truth was, for all his schemes and manipulations, there were moments when even Hermes wished he could help a friend without an ulterior motive attached.
This was almost one of those moments.
He stood, brushing off his trousers, and resettled his hat. "I'll have my Familia keep an eye on the situation from a distance."
Artemis nodded once.
He searched her face.
"Then good luck." He tipped his hat and stepped back into the shadows, his footsteps fading into the quiet streets of Orario.
Artemis sat alone on the bench for a long time after he left, her bow across her knees and the moon hanging heavy above her.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
Orario's market district was as busy as ever. The afternoon crowd swelled with adventurers restocking supplies while merchants shouted prices like it was a competitive sport.
I cut through the main street and turned into the eastern quarter, heading for a shop front that looked completely unremarkable to anyone who didn't know better or hadn't been tipped off by a certain merchant that this would be the new business location.
Balsen was leaning behind the counter when I stepped inside, sorting through a ledger with casual focus while vaguely waving a hand at the servants scrambling around him.
He glanced up coldly for a split second, purple eyes assessing me with bored indifference, before recognition hit and his face lit up with a genuine smile.
I had learned by now that Balsen wasn't nearly as charming with others as he was with me. He wasn't rude, exactly, but he wasn't the humble merchant type either, unless you were someone who mattered.
"Ah, Zephyrion, my friend! It's good to see you," he said, dropping the ledger into a waiting servant's hands.
"Hey, Balsen," I greeted.
Balsen shook my hand.
"What brings you here today?" Balsen asked, his voice warm.
"I just came to let you know I'll be leaving for a little while," I told him.
"Mm? Again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep," I replied. "But I'll finally be able to kick off part of the plan."
He perked up immediately.
"It's time?"
"It is."
His face lit up. "What brought this on? I thought I'd have a few more weeks."
"My path will put me right in the direction of Melen. Seemed like the perfect chance to get things moving."
Balsen stepped around the counter. "Very well, we are mostly prepared and starting the network up early could never hurt. I'll send word ahead to my contacts at the port."
"I'll set one down here as well before I leave. Have you got any location in mind?"
He clapped his hands together. "In fact, I thought you'd never ask."
We walked. It wasn't far, just three streets over, past the bustling storefronts and into a quieter stretch of road lined with warehouses and guild offices.
The deal had been simple. Balsen would receive 10% of the revenue in exchange for promotion, logistics, and management. At the worst, I could remove my circles, and that would be the end of it.
When he first proposed that number, I had been genuinely surprised. Ten per cent was practically nothing.
Then I realised what it truly meant. He wasn't taking such a small cut because he was generous. He was taking it because he expected the total revenue to be enormous. 10% of something massive was still massive.
We stopped in front of a building.
The last time I had been here was months ago; it was a sagging old storehouse with a cracked foundation and weeds growing through the stonework.
What greeted me now was something else entirely.
The old storehouse was gone, and in its place stood a wide, solid building of clean-cut stone with a proper entrance featuring double doors wide enough for both foot traffic and carts. A reception area with a polished wooden counter sat inside, and to the right, a separate wider entrance designed for carriages.
I whistled. "Someone's been busy."
"Best not to waste time when we have such an opportunity," Balsen said. "A new avenue in the merchant market is rare. Even Hephaestus had to fight to keep her hold on the weapons and armour market. This, however, is multi-continental."
He led me through to a courtyard behind a massive steel plate. A large platform sat in the centre, watched over by several guards. The courtyard was designed for large carriages to be pulled through easily, with two lanes, one noticeably shorter and cutting into the other.
I looked at it, then at Balsen.
"A chance for premium access," he said brightly.
"You may be more of a devil than I am."
He chuckled. "We aren't devils, my friend. We are just businessmen."
I looked at what he had built from what was once a half-collapsed ruin. Orario had so much to offer: enchanted blades, powerful healing potions, armour forged by actual gods, and rare dungeon materials that could not be found anywhere else. Yet everything was bottlenecked by the city's geographic isolation.
If I could remove that bottleneck entirely, that was the whole idea.
"How are things progressing with our other business?"
"Demand is growing nicely," Balsen replied. "Your name is known, not only from the war games by now. We've already got regular buyers attempting to become closer with us."
"I'm guessing the magical artefacts that don't need magic is a big selling point."
"I must say, a few of them I merely bought myself instead of auctioning. At double your acceptable selling price, of course." Balsen admitted with a wry grin.
I laughed.
"Though I must warn, many Familias have begun looking at the more active artefacts," Balsen continued. "The Loki and Freya Familia especially. And some of the shadier Familia's have begun sniffing around again. Do be careful, my friend."
"I'm not too worried. It wouldn't be the first time."
"When I come back, I'll have a few people under me managing it," I decided. "They're interested in commerce of this nature and they are hardly defenceless in their own right."
The conversation didn't last long after that.
I said my goodbyes to Balsen and made my way back through the market district toward the southern gate as the sun began its descent, casting long shadows between the buildings.
Before I had left I had quickly gone by the forge.
I had gotten Welf three more goblin metal ingots and the forging scroll with their techniques. I smirked at the excitement when we could start testing my runes on finished pieces.
He had taken the gift well.
Truthfully, he was far more valuable then I had assumed he would be. I'd chosen him because I knew he could be trusted and integrated into the Familia.
He was proving himself to be a skilled blacksmith though. He was more than eager to get me to try to use my runes on his creations after learning Hephaestus did somewhat the same method.
With that, I had gotten what I had meant to do.
It was finally time to get this show on the road.
Artemis and Hestia had already been told to wait for me at the gate. I had said goodbye to Bell, Lili and Welf, all of whom I had decided to spend the morning with.
The Familia was progressing nicely.
Soon, they would be strong enough to join me on more adventures. The only thing holding them back right now was the massive gap in raw power.
Bell's training had never slowed. Level four was starting to look realistic within the next few months, which still felt insane to think about.
Those brutal life-and-death sessions we ran together had turned him into something frightening.
There was a special kind of growth that only came from dancing on the edge of death, and I had watched every second of it with my senses stretched to the limit, ready to step in the instant anything went wrong.
The results were still showing. He was faster, stronger, and far more ruthless than before.
And it was no longer all one-sided losses. Sometimes, he actually won against monsters well above his weight class.
Lili was not far behind. She was on the verge of levelling up her Falna, which meant she would soon receive her own adventurer name during the next Denatus, just like Bell and me.
Welf, for his part, had been all too eager to accept every new batch of goblin metal I brought back. The man practically vibrated with excitement every time I handed him another ingot.
Then there was the experiment with Sebas.
It had worked.
The thought was more than a little dangerous.
Whatever invisible cap had once limited him was slowly rising. Unfortunately, the magical side of the Falna did not affect his Ki, but his physical abilities were improving steadily. Strength, speed, endurance, everything measurable was climbing higher with each passing week.
As for my own progress, with all the work lately, it had halted in that regard, but level five was proving itself to be pretty difficult. It was impressive, honestly, that there were higher-level adventures than I.
Then again, I couldn't just rely on killing powerful monsters technically above my level.
I'd have to go deeper.
For now, the two goddesses came into view. I spotted them before they noticed me.
Artemis stood with her arms crossed, bow slung over one shoulder. Beside her, Hestia waited with a packed bag, just the three of us, along with Sebas, who was already at my side silently.
I observed our small group.
They both turned at my arrival.
"Did you get everything you needed?" Artemis asked, back to her usual self as she regarded me.
"I did," I responded. "The teleportation circle is set up with Balsen. We will be making a quick detour to Melen before we go to the ruins you spoke of."
"Very well." Artemis accepted easily.
"At least we will have a quick trip home," Hestia commented lightly.
Artemis remained silent at that.
"That we will," I replied fondly. "Have you got everything you need?"
"Mm." Hestia nodded. "We didn't need much. The bottomless pouch can carry large amounts of food, and those magical tents fix any need for us to carry more."
A nifty artefact from the wizarding world. A tent that could set itself up, with 5x the space inside the tent itself. It'd do for the few nights that we would be staying here.
A part of me wanted to fly over there by myself. It would take a day, and I could merely set up the teleportation circle then, but something told me it would be best to go this way.
Which would be a three-day journey.
"Let's get started then," I announced.
Artemis fell into step beside us, followed by the dragonoid butler. We made for an interesting group that didn't go unnoticed by the many guards residing at the gate, watching us pass.
We passed through the southern gate without issue. The guards recognised me and didn't bother with questions, though a few of them stared at Artemis longer than was polite.
The Goddess of the hunt didn't notice or didn't care.
"What method of transportation do we intend to take?" Artemis questioned. "If needed, I have contacts in the Ganesha Familia willing to provide us with tamed dragons."
"The Ganesha Familia?" I questioned. "You already had that prepared?"
"I can have them called here in a few minutes." Artemis returned. "I haven't already, due to being unsure if we were truly going."
"How long would it take with such a creature?" Hestia asked, her eyes bright. "I heard the Ganesha Familia had all sorts of creatures tamed. I haven't seen a dragon up close yet, though."
"10 days." Artemis frowned. "Truthfully, I had hoped you had a faster method. 10 days would have been acceptable if we had gone when I requested your aid."
I stared at the worried Goddess.
"I've got a solution." I considered.
Hestia already knew who I planned on summoning.
Vermsynth was nearby.
We reached one of the many rivers scattered around Orario.
Artemis watched curiously.
I dipped my hand in and sent a pulse of demonic power through the water, a slightly red glow briefly pulsing out and washing uselessly over the water's surface.
Not a minute later, a large shadow appeared beneath the surface, instantly drawing the attention of our small group.
Artemis's hand flew to her bow, but she relaxed the moment one of the two heads gently rose above the water in a surprisingly peaceful manner for such a fearsome monster.
Artemis looked between the creature and me. "You could have mentioned you had this. At any point during the three days I spent waiting for you, that would have been relevant information."
A second head emerged, both rising from the water with enough force to send small waves rippling outward.
I stepped forward and patted Vermsynth's hard scales. The massive creature had grown far more relaxed these days, especially since I had stopped teleporting him deep into the dungeon to hunt.
"Are we actually travelling on him?" Artemis asked, genuine surprise in her voice.
"We are." I pulled out the large saddle I had prepared for exactly this purpose. It was wide and sturdy, with plenty of room for all of us to move around comfortably.
"Are you sure?" Artemis pressed, still eyeing the beast. "A creature this size would normally draw a lot of attention unless we took a remote route. I can see the advantage of his long legs, but a dragon would be far superior in the air."
"Perhaps on land or through the air," I said with a smile, "but we will not be using either. We are travelling by water."
She blinked. "Water?"
"Yep," Hestia chirped happily. "Vermsynth is an aquatic monster. He can move through the water at incredible speeds."
"Be that as it may, being restricted to the water will complicate things," Artemis replied, doubt clear in her tone. "I doubt anything could match riding through the sky with so few obstacles."
"This river connects to a lake that will take us close to our destination," I explained easily. "But besides the speed, you are forgetting one important thing."
"What is that?"
"We will be able to sleep while he glides through the water," I said, patting the thick leather of the saddle for emphasis. "That is why I made it so large."
Artemis opened her mouth, then closed it again.
"That… actually makes sense," she admitted, sounding almost speechless. "It would effectively cut the travel time in half if he could truly match the speed of dragons."
"I am confident he can surpass them," I replied. "Of course, we will still take breaks on land to cook and rest. Maybe even spend a night there if Hestia starts feeling seasick."
Hestia puffed out her cheeks in a playful pout.
"You really came prepared," Artemis said, nodding with a strangely quiet expression.
I jumped up onto Vermsynth's back and reached down to help Hestia climb up. Artemis joined us easily, hopping onto the saddle with graceful confidence. She glanced around the wide leather surface while I opened my bottomless pouch.
Sebas followed, jumping up with perfect ease.
With a quick tug, the tent unfolded and settled perfectly at the rear of the saddle. The simple brown fabric hid an interior far larger than it appeared from the outside.
"My Lord." He addressed me.
"Mm?" I turned to him.
"If you were to desire, I imagine Lady Mare could find a much more capable beast. Would you desire a far superior and luxurious ride befitting your existence?"
Artemis was practically judging me based on his words.
"There's no need for that," I replied, offering a grateful smile. "Vermsynth is capable of the trip, and contacting Mare or anyone for that matter from Nazarick would cause a large delay."
My familiar glared daggers at the unmoved butler.
"Very well."
I gave Vermsynth a firm pat. "Hold on tight."
As if annoyed by Sebas' words, he surged forward without warning. Water exploded around us in a splash as his powerful body cut through the river, both heads dipping beneath the surface. The speed built rapidly, smoothly and steadily.
Artemis looked down in open surprise. "I take back my words. To think a creature could move this quickly through water…"
"It will probably be easier to talk inside the tent," I suggested, already following Hestia who had ducked through the flap.
Artemis blinked once, then nodded and followed us in.
-{Artemis}-
They stepped inside the tent, and Artemis paused the moment the flap closed behind her.
The wind that had been whipping across the saddle vanished almost completely.
The ground beneath her feet felt steadier, less like they were riding a living creature and more like standing on solid earth. But the biggest surprise was the space itself.
The tent looked modest from the outside, barely large enough for three people to sit comfortably. Inside, it stretched far wider and deeper than should have been possible, easily the size of a small room with space to walk around and even store supplies.
She blinked, turned around, and pushed the flap open again to check the outside.
The modest brown tent looked exactly as it had before.
She stepped back in, looked around once more, then frowned deeply.
"How is this possible?" she asked, voice laced with genuine confusion.
Zephyrion chuckled softly from where he was already arranging a few cushions. "The space inside has been expanded using a rare branch of runic magic. It is bigger on the inside than it appears."
Artemis frowned harder. "I've never heard of such magic."
"Zeph is amazing, isn't he?" Hestia boasted.
Artemis stared at her.
"You can't merely sidestep the question by saying he's amazing," Artemis replied flatly.
"He is, though?" Hestia replied with mock confusion.
She stared at her fellow Goddess.
"And if the tent were to break or tear?"
"The extra space would collapse instantly," he said with a shrug. "Everything would shrink back to its true size and pile together in whatever room was actually there. Messy, but not deadly."
She stared at him for another moment, then gave a slow nod, still clearly processing the idea. "You continue to surprise me, Zephyrion."
It was an entire day later that they finally took the chance to rest. The tent had made the trip surprisingly comfortable, and she had admittedly slept well, a comfort for what was to come, but the feeling of constantly being on water, sure enough, made Hestia a little dizzy.
They stopped to make camp where the river widened into a shallow basin, giving Vermsynth plenty of room to settle in the water.
The creature half-submerged itself with a satisfied rumble, its evolved plating catching the last of the daylight. Sebas had a fire going within minutes and was preparing a simple meal from their supplies.
The butler was still an enigma to her; she was curious about what caused such loyalty and just exactly what Nazarick was. Perhaps a noble house? She had considered Zephyrion some noble, yet he went by the name 'Gremory.'
Artemis truthfully wanted to learn more about the man who had somehow managed to sway her weapon. Perhaps it was best if she refrained, as long as he was able to fulfil what she needed him to finish.
His dislike for her would serve him well if it could drive him to end her when the time was needed.
Artemis sat on a flat rock near the edge of camp, bow resting across her knees, and watched quietly.
Hestia had curled up in Zephyrion's lap while he spoke with Sebas about the route ahead, his hand resting gently on her waist. Now and then, he would shift her slightly to make her more comfortable, and she would murmur something soft that made him smile before he continued talking.
It was a scene Artemis could not help but watch, even with the heavy weight of what waited for them. She had never seen Hestia so at ease with anyone.
At some point, Zephyrion left with Sebas, leaving her with Hestia.
Artemis stared at her pouting best friend.
"Arty," Hestia whined. "Can you at least pretend to focus on something else? Seriously, it's not like you at all. You do know we haven't seen each other since you descended from Tenkai."
Artemis blinked, caught off guard. "I was simply observing."
Hestia gave her a flat stare. "You've been staring at him the entire time."
"Mm, I am just keeping a focus on him," Artemis responded calmly, her lips curving at Hestia's reaction.
Hestia huffed.
"Are you finally going to tell me what's wrong?" Hestia asked with a hint of seriousness. "This is not how you used to act. The Artemis I know would never let herself get distracted like this."
Artemis felt conflicted.
Even as a shadow of herself, she couldn't deny her best friend.
"I guess things change down here," Artemis admitted.
The scenes came back to her.
The tears at the carefully built family she had spent every day with, killing monsters, came undone as the large monster slaughtered them with ease.
Before Artemis could reply, Hestia suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her in a tight hug, throwing them both off balance. They tumbled backwards onto the soft grass together, Hestia giggling on top of her.
For a moment, Artemis stiffened. Then her expression softened. She let out a quiet sigh and gently wrapped one arm around Hestia's back, patting her lightly.
"…You really have changed," Artemis murmured, her voice unusually gentle. "You used to be so lonely. I'm glad you found someone who makes you this happy."
Hestia nuzzled closer. "He makes me very happy."
Artemis felt a small, rare smile tug at her lips. But it didn't last.
Restlessness bloomed inside her, making it impossible to sit still any longer. The anxiety she had been trying to suppress was growing stronger with every passing hour.
She carefully disentangled herself from Hestia and stood up, picking up her bow.
"I'll be back."
With that, she left.
Artemis felt restless, unable to sit around as anxiety bloomed in her chest, and she walked the perimeter out of habit. She didn't announce it, merely slipping off with her bow.
Even with her Familia, she had enjoyed going out and hunting alone. While her Familia had gone on dungeon runs, the relatively strong group was able to go down to the 20th floor.
In that time, she had gotten used to doing small tasks like this, especially with the monsters that occasionally roamed the lands. She would scout the area around her and then sleep in a tree.
This often happened when she occasionally went hunting with people, or at least, she used to.
Perhaps it was another part of her wanting to enjoy one last hunt. Even as fragmented as this form was, her true form being locked away and imprisoned as it was, she was projecting herself.
She wasn't truly alive.
To be truthful, she didn't dislike the man who had become her champion; it was merely what she felt was the best way to act with him after assessing him for a few minutes.
It'd be for the best in any case.
That's why she had sent Hermes away and opted to explain the situation herself, slowly.
It was halfway along the eastern ridge when she heard clicking. Undeterred, she drew her bow and knocked an arrow in one motion, watching the patch of ground that shifted. Something black scuttled out from between the stones.
Then dozens of scorpion-like creatures poured out in a massive wave of plated bodies, each the size of a large dog, with a single red eye in the centre of their heads. Their tails curled high, and the stingers dripped something that hissed when it hit stone.
Artemis flinched back slightly, not hesitating to loose her first arrow, and it punched through the lead scorpion's eye. The creature dropped. The second arrow was already flying, catching another through the joint where the tail met the body.
The Goddess nimbly took steps back, pulling another arrow that blurred through the closest of the monsters. Three more arrows made another two slump while the remaining one thrashed.
The monsters appeared to realise what was going on, a worrying fact, as four of them scattered to flank her. She pivoted, tracked the fastest, and dropped it at a sprint. Her body did the work without her mind needing to get involved.
She was reaching for her fifteenth arrow when the ground erupted beneath her.
A larger one. It had been buried, and it came up fast, mandibles snapping. She threw herself sideways, but her foot caught on loose stone, half a second of lost balance.
The tail lashed forward. She twisted and felt the wind of it pass her face, venom spattering across her shoulder. It burned through fabric. She raised her bow to block the mandibles, and the wood creaked under the pressure.
An arrow that was already knocked was pulled back and sent directly into its face, lodging in thick armour and forcing a screech of pain as she ducked under a sharp, piercing thrust of its tail.
Multiple scorpions moved in from behind, and she attempted to pull another arrow out.
Then a hand caught her arm and pulled her clear. Zephyrion was past her in the same motion, dark energy crackling in his palm as he drove it into the scorpion's head.
The creature folded, the mandibles holding her bow releasing and allowing her to backtrack quickly.
She pulled an arrow out and drew on the familiar crimson-haired man for just a moment, until her eyes widened slightly and she instead directed the arrow towards a nearby monster.
He looked back at her. "You good?"
"I'm fine," she replied calmly.
"You know," he began, "when you suddenly said 'I'll be back', this wasn't quite what I had in mind."
"I didn't plant the monsters here," Artemis replied, releasing another arrow.
"Fair, though I think it was you who said there was an increase in monsters roaming around," Zephyrion replied, using a sword to cut through a lunging scorpion.
Artemis frowned, feeling something as she witnessed him using another weapon in place of her own. "You know, my spear would serve you better than any other weapon."
"I'm sure it would."
Artemis felt a hint of satisfaction at that.
"Still, this was made by Hephaestus." He said. "As much as I dislike her, she is a good smith. If only I could find a way to combine the weapons."
The crimson-haired adventurer moved again in a rapid motion, the sword cutting through another scorpion with ease in a brutal display. He didn't attempt to find any weakness in its carapace; he slashed right through it.
Another scorpion went for his back, and he spun around, slicing the massive monster in half.
Artemis began releasing a volley of well-timed and aimed arrows, most debilitating them as Zephyrion tore through them. It wasn't without style, but the brutality of it was something to behold.
Indeed.
He was the right hero for the job.
The last of them slumped; dozens of corpses littered around the area.
She breathed.
"I have to say, you're pretty lethal," Zephyrion said, genuinely surprised.
Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Do you think the gods are weak?"
"In their mortal forms," he considered. "I don't think you're outright weak, but it does feel like you rely on adventurers."
Artemis smirked. "We aren't useless without our divine powers, Zephyrion. We merely tend to try not to put ourselves in harm's way. A great many of us would be your superior in skilled combat."
"That's my mistake then," he said easily. "Maybe Hestia should be the one teaching me."
Artemis' lips twitched. "She's an exception, and mostly due to her lack of desire to fight truly."
She began recollecting her limited number of arrows, fifty in total.
"How did you get here so fast?" Artemis asked.
"I was around," he replied. "I was also going to remind you that we were only staying here to relax a bit. My familiar's speed, while good for time, isn't what I'd call comfortable."
"You're familiar," she nodded. "It's a monster, correct?"
"It is."
"From the dungeon," she half-asked.
"You could figure that out?" He asked, not surprised but slightly impressed.
She fell into step beside him without deciding to. They moved along the ridge together, checking crevices and overhangs. He moved well enough, not like a hunter but functional.
"A beast like this would be known," Artemis responded, then paused. "How did you manage such a thing?"
"Through a deadly fight and the right words." He smirked.
This was the thing.
She could dismiss it as a joke, except she felt that it wasn't.
Artemis opted to glance up at the horizon. "How long until we arrive?"
"About two days at this pace," Zephyrion considered. "We are having a good time, so the monster that has got you so stressed will be dealt with soon. Obviously, I'm assuming it hurt some of your Familia?"
Artemis looked down, unable to hide a frown at his words.
She didn't like acting this way; even if she had found a way to kill what was a powerful monster, it wouldn't be easy. At the very least, she was sure he would be capable.
"Well, whatever it is, you don't need to worry," he said, waving his hand towards the butler, who had appeared at some point. "Since you're Hestia's friend and now my friend, we will sort it out."
Artemis didn't quite know what to say to that.
They returned to camp, where Hestia poked her head out of the tent, eyes darting between them.
"Any trouble?" she asked.
"We found little trouble," Artemis replied with a small smile.
Two days until they would arrive at the Elsos Ruins, and two more days until she died.
-End-
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