Asfi silently sifted through the sea of recent intel, trying to recall another detail worth reporting.
"The Astraea Familia came into contact with a man resembling a cadre on the 18th floor. He was subdued by Morning Star and half of the Astraea familia."
"Ohh? So a new rising star's making waves, huh?" Hermes chuckled, tilting his hat forward with a theatrical flourish. "At this rate, that Familia might surpass even Loki and Freya's powerhouses."
Hearing the name 'Astraea,' Hermes' lips curled into an intrigued smile.
"Level 3 in just a few months, huh? How enviable."
The teenage girl beside him let out a long sigh, eyes filled with complicated emotion.
"I've been stuck at Level 2 for ages."
"Ahaha, don't worry." Hermes waved his hand dismissively, ever the smooth talker. "Monsters like him only show up once in a thousand years. Besides, your ability to make various magic tools is more valuable than brute strength."
Still, Asfi's expression remained placid, like calm water untouched by wind.
"Thank you for your kind words, Hermes-sama. I do take pride in my craft. But in combat, I still want to achieve greater heights."
Indeed, it had been Asfi's magic tools that played a key role in suppressing the last Evilus incident and supporting the aftermath.
"Speaking of which, isn't Gale over there one of your close friends?" Hermes asked with a sly grin, twirling the brim of his hat.
Asfi gave him a sidelong look that was half-glare, half-exasperation. "Rather than friends, it's more like we share a mutual understanding born of dealing with unreasonable people."
The truth was, their friendship hadn't started under typical circumstances. It began when Asfi was dispatched to an Evilus incident site. Upon arrival, she encountered a rowdy bunch of chatterboxes who stood out even amidst the chaos.
Yes. The ever-lively Astraea Familia.
After the dust settled, Asfi took a moment to observe them from afar.
There was the red-haired loudmouth teasing the poor elves, a mysterious Far Eastern beauty, and a stubborn pallum arguing about meal rations.
Then, amid the noise, the masked girl known as Ryuu turned her misty eyes toward Asfi.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Are you mocking me?!"
Asfi, taken aback by the sudden hostility, offered a smile in response.
"You've worked hard too."
"Don't tell me you're like me?"
Despite the odd start, that moment of mutual suffering sparked something unexpected. Asfi, often scolded by both her god and captain, found a strange comfort in seeing Ryuu at her wit's end.
Oh, I'm not the only one getting dragged through hell every day. Hang in there, comrade.
Ryuu, recognizing the same tired old-soul energy in a girl barely fifteen, nodded as if she'd met a kindred spirit.
And so, the Hardworking People's Alliance was born, out of shared trauma, no less.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Last night, Akira and a certain pallum girl had trained together until long past midnight. Their intense sparring left the air around them electric, buzzing with the aftermath of a battle fought with both grit and skill.
When morning arrived, he was gently woken by Lyra's sweet and shy voice, her soft body still close to his. Despite the late-night workout, both of them rose without complaint.
Extraordinary adventurers, after all, possessed stamina and recovery far beyond that of ordinary mortals. What would have left a regular person bedridden for days barely fazed them.
Still, the look in Lyra's eyes betrayed a certain something.
At breakfast, with toast in one hand and eggs on the plate, Akira found himself caught in a gaze, one filled with hope and anticipation.
Then, under the warm, slightly mischievous glow of Astraea's eyes, she finally spoke her request in a whisper, "Akira, as a guardian, would you accompany me to the orphanage today?"
He blinked, caught off guard for just a moment. Then, with a smile, he nodded.
After all, a promise to a goddess was never taken lightly. And Akira, as always, was the kind of person who kept his word, even under cloudy skies.
At the orphanage, Akira felt a wave of warmth the moment Maria and the children came rushing to greet him. The lively laughter of the little ones, the bright smiles on their faces, and the way Maria's usually calm eyes softened, it all wrapped around him like a cozy blanket.
He had intended to donate another pouch of Valis to improve the children's lives even further, but Maria had gently stopped him.
"Akira, the funds you gave us last time are still more than enough. We haven't even finished using them yet." She said firmly, though her voice carried gratitude.
Seeing her determined expression, Akira could only give a small, helpless smile and let the matter drop. Forcing her to take more would only trample on her pride.
So instead, he spent the morning with the children, letting them cling to his arms, chasing them in playful games, and listening to their cheerful chatter.
It was Astraea who eventually suggested they head to the shopping street to lend a hand.
With Evilus attacks spreading throughout the city, many families had lost their homes, their livelihoods, and in some cases, their hope. The streets were no longer bustling with only merchants and customers, now, they were lined with people huddled in corners, clutching meager belongings.
The honest but unfortunate had no choice but to beg humbly for scraps just to keep their stomachs from aching. The unscrupulous, however, resorted to robbing others without the slightest shame.
Astraea, being who she was, could not simply look away. She had prepared large pots of soup and baskets of bread, stationing herself in the market with the children's help. They ladled out steaming portions to the hungry, their presence softening the coldness of the city's recent tragedies.
Akira joined in without hesitation, smiling at the children as they earnestly mimicked Astraea's manner, offering food with polite words, even to rough-looking strangers.
By the time the sun had climbed high, their work had brought at least some comfort to dozens of people.
That was when Astraea suddenly remembered that she had a tea party to attend. And given her nature, "remembered" meant immediately deciding to go.
Soon enough, Akira found himself taking to the skies with Astraea in his arms, the wind tousling her silken hair. They soared above the streets, the buildings beneath them shrinking into neat rows until the fashionable cafés of Orario's First District came into view.
The one they approached was particularly refined, with elegant carvings along the balcony and the faint scent of roasted coffee drifting outward.
Meanwhile, on that very balcony—
"Ah, really. She's still not here? Is Astraea at home hugging that kid and making eyes at him?" Loki's crimson hair whipped around her face as she leaned back with the casual insolence of a street punk. There was nothing dignified about her posture.
Across from her sat a goddess whose orange curls tumbled like a waterfall over her shoulders, framing a figure generously blessed even by divine standards, fuller, in fact, than Astraea's own.
Demeter's smile was serene, her tone gently chiding. "Now, now, Loki. There's no need to be impatient."
At the third seat, a silver-haired goddess in a crimson hood cradled her teacup with lazy elegance. Most of her face was concealed by the hood, but the pale strands that slipped free gleamed like moonlight, and the grace in her movements alone was enough to suggest unparalleled beauty.
Freya spoke without looking up from her drink, "Mmm. If I had a child that outstanding, I might be reluctant to part with him too."
Loki's eyes narrowed instantly. She crossed her arms, snorting. "Hmph! Astraea's not the only one with talented kids. My children are the best of the best. I just didn't get lucky enough to pick up a treasure like she did."
She punctuated the statement with a sharp sip of her drink, as though daring anyone to argue.
(End of Chapter)
[New FF]
Bleach: Template Gacha System
Mc can use points (gained from system missions or killing Hollows) to spin for anime character templates. He can also get items or weapons from missions.