Morning broke over the Hestia Familia's residence, the City of Ideals. In his sleep, Altair felt his body being shaken and groggily opened his eyes. The sight of Saeko holding her katana, Murasame, snapped him awake.
"Saeko, what's wrong?" he asked, heart racing. Waking me up with a blade first thing in the morning? Are you trying to scare your husband to death?
Saeko wasn't threatening him, of course. Her expression was serious as she pointed toward the window. "Altair, something happened in the courtyard. Come take a look."
"Huh?" Puzzled but alert, Altair carefully disentangled himself from the still-sleeping Est and Hestia, tucking them in before dressing and following Saeko downstairs.
"What's going on?" he asked once they were in the hall.
"When I got up this morning, I noticed the traps you set in the courtyard were triggered," Saeko explained, leading him to the wall surrounding the compound.
Altair saw it immediately: a pit trap gaped open near the wall, and a metal-sensing mine had detonated.
"Saeko, you cut the power, right?"
"Yes, I turned off the power first thing this morning," she confirmed.
"Good." Altair's defense system relied on a magic stone energy converter in his underground workshop, powering the traps and mines. Each morning, Saeko disabled the system, and it was reactivated at night before bed. Whoever went to bed last or woke first handled it to prevent accidental triggers.
Examining the pit, Altair noted bloodstains but no debris, not even clothing. The intruder had been injured but not gravely, and the mine's explosion suggested they carried metal, likely a weapon. Yet, the lack of significant blood on the ground indicated the mine hadn't caused serious harm.
"This intruder was cautious," Altair remarked.
"Agreed. The surprise traps and mine didn't stop them. They're likely a high-level adventurer," Saeko said, nodding.
"Any guesses, Altair?"
"No clue," he admitted. He hadn't made enemies recently. Freya, the goddess of beauty, hadn't targeted him. Apollo, that lecherous god, might still hold a grudge, but he was too busy working as a host to bother Altair. The Apollo Familia was already decimated, its high-level adventurers taken out by Altair's hand.
"Who could it be?" Saeko mused.
Seeing Altair's furrowed brow, she added, "I'm sorry, Altair. I slept too soundly last night and didn't hear a thing. If I'd noticed sooner, you wouldn't have to worry now."
"Saeko, don't say that," Altair chided, noticing her guilt. "How could this be your fault? If anyone's to blame, it's me. I'm supposed to be the most vigilant in the Familia, and I didn't wake up either. You're not allowed to take the blame."
"Understood?" he pressed.
"Understood," Saeko replied with a smile, despite his scolding tone.
Satisfied with her response, Altair crouched to inspect the trap closely. Truthfully, this was his oversight. He hadn't felt the explosion last night, thanks to his renovations. Every window was fitted with ultra-strong blast-proof glass, offering excellent soundproofing and shock resistance. The walls were coated with advanced sound-absorbing materials, and he'd installed vibration-dampening measures. While not perfect, these ensured that an external mine explosion was barely noticeable inside, with only a slight tremor felt. Only an intruder breaching the house itself would trigger the internal alarms to wake everyone.
Lost in the bliss of his partners' company, Altair hadn't sensed a thing, and neither had Saeko.
Standing and dusting his hands, he glanced at the wall. "Saeko, head back inside. I'll check outside for any other traces to follow."
"Alright," Saeko agreed, trusting him to handle it. If her man was up, she'd leave it to him and start preparing breakfast.
As Saeko returned indoors, Altair stepped out through the courtyard gate.
The morning streets were already bustling, but Altair's sharp eyes caught something immediately. At the spot outside the wall where the mine had detonated, faint bloodstains marred the ground, worn by foot traffic but still visible. In Orario, the adventurer's city, blood was commonplace, no one batted an eye.
The bloodstains outside contrasted with the minimal blood inside, leading Altair to a conclusion. "The intruder was blasted outside by the mine and then fled."
Following the trail was straightforward. The blood was fresh, though scuffed, and traceable. Lowering his presence, Altair moved stealthily through the daylight, tracking the bloodstains.
The trail led to the entrance of the pleasure district, where it abruptly vanished, likely bandaged or healed. One thing was certain: the intruder had come here after the injury.
The pleasure district thrived at night. Why would an injured intruder come here? Either they were hired here to target the Hestia Familia and returned to their employer to abandon the job or demand more payment, or their base was in the district.
Among the Familias Altair knew, the Ishtar Familia was the most prominent in the pleasure district. "So, the Ishtar Familia is behind this?" he muttered, reaching a tentative conclusion. He wasn't well-versed in their details, only knowing their goddess had a notorious reputation and their adventurers were courtesans.
Unnoticed, his lowered presence faded as he spoke, drawing attention from passersby and the district's courtesans. Among them, a towering figure, over two meters tall, locked onto him. Her massive eyes, larger than eggs, gleamed as drool nearly spilled from her gaping mouth.
"Oh! This man is exquisite! He must've heard of my beauty, rivaling any goddess, and came for me! Gwahaha!" she bellowed, her frog-like laughter echoing as she charged toward Altair, her colossal frame shaking the ground.
Lost in thought about the Ishtar Familia, Altair sensed the tremor and looked up to see a massive shadow looming over him. A gaping maw, large enough to swallow his head, grinned down, and a repulsive voice oozed from it.
"Darling, are you here for me?"
Altair's eyes widened, staring at the behemoth. Orario had its share of oddities, but this creature was new. "Who are you?" he demanded, stepping back, his brow furrowed in displeasure.
As if answering, the grotesque voice rang out again. "I'm your beloved goddess, Phryne! Phryne Jamil, the Level 5 adventurer with a monstrous body, and the leader of the Ishtar Familia!"
***
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