[Tanya von Degurechaff]
Tanya looked over herself in the mirror. If she was being honest with herself she felt like one of those Princely female butlers or Saber from that one Fate anime he watched as a teen that he never finished. King Arthur was a woman? Get real. Things like that could only happen in anime.
Thanks to the wonderfully destructive nature of the Dungeon, seamstresses were in abundance in Orario, so it wasn't to difficult to get a suit made for a woman, but she felt that she pulled it off quite well. She went with a classic black three-piece with a crisp white shirt and a red tie; gold cuff-links adorned her sleeves, and she had a beautifully tailored set of thin black leather gloves. The shoes were polished and felt comfortable on her feet, and that was what mattered.
Hair brushed and pulled into a low ponytail? Check.
Teeth clean? Check.
No bags under the eyes? Check.
Skin clear? Check.
Tanya blinked and gazed at her reflection intently; the falna really did do wonders for a girl's skin.
The enhancements to her vision were also incredible, the fact that she could be two meters from the full-length mirror in her room and study the pores of her skin if she focused... it was akin to looking through a rifle scope and seeing the target more clearly, but without losing the rest of your vision. Without the added benefits of the proprioception and balance, this would have been incredibly jarring and likely nausea-inducing, but with everything working in concert, it was a beautiful feeling to experience.
After her Rank Up Tanya idly flicked a coin into the and she was able to watch it complete every single rotation in the air as if it had been captured via a slow-motion camera, and yet it still landed in her palm barely a second later. It reminded her of having one of the slow-motion mechanics in some of the old games that Salaryteen used to play, but it was always on, so she didn't really notice the difference in her perception of time along with the heightened reflexes she was capable of.
It was astounding just how far a mortal could be improved via the falna, and yet even less than a day after she didn't feel like she needed to undergo some special training to learn how to use her newfound strength. Sure, she might have crumpled the door handle to her bedroom after coming back from her bath this morning, but she was going to have that replaced with a levered handle anyways.
The young teen fiddled with the bangs that framed her face for a few moments, but she realized that she was stalling, which was uncharacteristic of her. She eyed the leather-covered briefcase hanging from a coat hook on the wall near the door in the mirror for a moment before she spun on her heel and took it off the wall.
Okay, you've done hundreds of similar presentations before, you can do this Tanya!
Tanya hefted her briefcase and opened up the window to take off into the sky.
"Apologies miss, you say you're from the Loki familia and that you are here to give a... briefing to Inari-sama?" A Far Eastern Adventurer guarding the entrance to the Inari familia compound scratched his head as he looked over at his companion.
"Just tell the kid to get the hell out of here, Kazura, Inari-sama doesn't have time to entertain the trash that walks off the street." His reynard companion grumbled.
"I don't know, Mikuno, I think this girl might be that Loki familia kid that killed that Monster Rex a few months ago. Maybe we should send a runner to ask?" The man rubbed his chin as his other hand shifted its grip on the plain spear that rested against his shoulder.
The woman grunted and her ears flicked. "Send her away, Kazura, I said Inari-sama ain't got time to entertain trash."
Tanya felt her customer service smile come into place as she began speaking Far Eastern to them. "I did say that my name was Tanya von Degurechaff, did I not? I did identify myself as an Executive member of the Loki familia, did I not? Yet you insult me and insult your Goddess. Who are you to judge worthy to stand before her and speak?
"When I make my way through those gates to speak with her and your Captain, of which there is no doubt that I won't," The reynard's ears fell flat onto her head as Tanya continued. "Should I tell her that Mikuno the Gate Guard has deemed herself Inari-sama's keeper? I am sure she would be thrilled to hear that one oh so esteemed as yourself has been appointed the position. Surely your numerous feats and praiseworthy deeds won you the most auspicious position of Gate Guard, heroically sweating out in the sun and shooing away beggars."
The pair of them paled and Tanya's eyes widened and she pounded a gloved fist into her open palm as if she was coming to some sort of epiphany. "Yes, why didn't I think of that sooner? With Mikuno the Gate Guard here, there is no possible way I could advance! How foolish I am. My apologies for disturbing you, I will be sure to humbly reflect on my mistake as I return to my Goddess and inform her that I am naught but trash, wholly unworthy of seeking out an audience with Inari-sama because Mikuno the Gate Guard sagely decreed it so."
The Far Easter human choked on his spit a little bit, but he was the first to recover as his companion looked like she would blow her top from the embarrassment. "Maa, I think that maybe my companion here is being a little too hasty, Degurechaff-sama."
Tanya hummed but nodded her head demurely. "Of course, it must be as you say. However, I may be just a humble guest to your home, but if I may be so bold to suggest that perhaps you should send a runner to the familia Captain and ask first?"
Tanya was inside the compound in five minutes and was sipping tea in front of Maiko Kizuna, the reynard Captain of the Inari familia, the familia's sole Level 6. "Greetings to you, Degurechaff-dono, it is a pleasure to meet one of Orario's rising stars. My gate guards informed me that you had arrived to speak with Inari-sama, but before we proceed might I ask what it is you wish to speak to her about? My Goddess is quite busy this time of day."
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Kizuna-dono. The nature of my visit pertains to the unfortunate incident that happened two months ago during Monsterphilia. I am sure you remember this, yes?" Tanya sat her teacup down and folded her hands in her lap demurely.
The woman's golden eyes widened slightly, but she hid the rest of her surprise behind her hand and teacup; her ears were perked, however, and her tail flicked behind her. The woman didn't have nearly as good of a poker face as she believed she did. "Yes, those monsters escaping, along with the monsters that sprung up from the ground- not to mention the Monster Rex you slew. That is a day that I believe will live in everyone's memory. What of it?"
"Well, since that incident, my familia has been conducting a number of separate but intertwining investigations, and we have reason to believe that the incident in question was not just some new type of monster wandering to the surface." Tanya buried her grin deep under layers of professionalism with just a touch of apathy; the perfect combination of someone that had been working on a particular project for a long time and was just now being allowed to speak about their results. "We have reason to believe that the two things weren't mere coincidences, but a coordinated and targeted effort."
Tanya opened up her briefcase and pulled out two of the leather binders with her oh-so-painstakingly made presentations and sat them on the table. "However, the results of this investigation are being confined to the Five Pillar Goddesses and their familia Captains. If you wish to know more then I would ask that you please find me a time that I may speak with Inari-sama so that I can report our findings thus far. I have the whole day blocked out for this, but seeing that I have three more presentations to give the soonest available opportunity would be very helpful."
"Yes, you are preparing for your next expedition, are you not?" The reynard turned to her side and lounged against the large cushion, the woman was trying to appear seductive, but unfortunately, she lacked the assets to make such a ploy; her skin was very nice though. "Might this investigation and your unscheduled expedition be related?"
"I will reveal all that I know when I speak with Inari-sama, someplace where we are secure." Tanya gave a shallow but polite frown. "Someplace where there won't be... unauthorized ears to listen in."
The woman blinked and then sighed before standing up, "Why does that never work? Very well, please wait right here while I go and inform Inari-sama of your arrival."
"- as you can see, we believe that the Violas, the acid-spewing insects the Loki familia encountered on the 51st floor, the Death Cult, and this mysterious woman are all connected by a fairly substantial amount of evidence, and we believe that their plans do not bode well for our fair city. The Loki familia is very strong, and while we should be more than able to deal with the threat as we know it, we would be remiss to keep such a thing under wraps for too long, especially when cooperation would be far more beneficial."
Tanya paused to take a sip of water to wet her throat. She managed to condense the meeting down into 30 minutes, which was fairly good since her few practice runs had lasted almost 40. She had to gloss over a few small details here and there, but those were all annotated in the binder that Inari, the Goddess of Reynards, was currently digging into with great interest.
"I see, you wanted to conduct multiple independent investigations to provide more credence to your theories before you approached us, is that correct?" The Goddess asked, her ears flicking as she flipped through the book. "Also, would you mind showing me that illusion, 34b, again please?"
Tanya nodded as she pulled up the footage of the Violas moving away from the Colosseum, and the footage of the Violas erupting from the streets of Daedalus. "Indeed, Inari-sama. Loki-sama and Finn-dono have been conducting their own investigations, but they are still compiling their findings. What little information I have here for you now I have been authorized to spread to the other Pillars for the purposes of information sharing and opening communications between our familias. She specifically wanted me to give everyone a 'heads up' on the threats that are currently pointing themselves to Orario."
"So, going back to my initial question," Kizuno spoke up, "How does this all tie into your current expedition? I heard that you were going back down to re-do a quest that was botched, not to investigate monsters and Death cults."
Woman, did you not pay attention this whole time?
Inari's exasperation was palpable; it was becoming quite clear that she was chosen as the familia Captain purely for her combat ability, and not for her intelligence. It must be terribly grating on a Goddess who created the race of demihumans who were renowned throughout the world for their cunning an intellect.
"The botched quest was a polite fiction, merely to give us an excuse to return to the Dungeon ahead of our usual rotation. The Loki familia hasn't failed a high valis request such as this in over a decade, at least to my knowledge. The Guild has been keeping silent because they obviously don't want to start a panic, however, due to the fact that they have to work through proxies instead of a single, unified apparatus, their information-gathering capabilities were not as sufficient down in the Lower Floors." Tanya spoke easily, "I'm quite certain that if we can show the Guild that the Pillars are united in stopping this threat then they will show the fruits of their own labor as well."
"Hmmmm... this is indeed quite worrying. Level 6 Adventurers of unknown affiliation working with possible remnants of Evlius is indeed a terrifying prospect for the city." Inari murmured as she flipped between two pages showing different maps and charts. The woman ran her finger over the laser etching she did and Tanya couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride swell within her breast. Pleasingly aesthetic and well-organized reports certainly made things much easier!
"Tell me, Tanya-chan, why-"
"-why couldn't those Evilus bastards just stay dead!" Skadi growled as she clenched the binder in her hands.
"Please, Skadi-sama," Her Captain Bjorn rumbled beside her, the large werewolf placing a hand on her shoulder. "We all still remember the horrors of Evilus, but getting angry and ruining the report that Tanya-dono likely worked very hard on is not going to solve anything."
Thank you, Bjorn. While your Goddess might not appreciate all of Tanya's hard work, you certainly understand!
The white-furred werewolf was a mountain of a man, persistently barechested with only a superfluous leather strap over his shoulder. He looked like a Conan the Barbarian villain, but his golden eyes belied a keen intellect as he scanned through the binder before him. "Please, Tanya-dono, if you would show us item 47a again?"
Tanya spun up her illusion formula and pulled up the footage of the Violas being birthed from the walls and ceiling of the Monster Pantry on the 24th Floor.
"This is such bullshit," The Goddess grumbled as she grabbed a bottle of ale and took a long pull, "I thought that nightmare was over, and yet like a cockroach they just cant' stay dead! Degurechaff, tell me-"
"- that this isn't true." Tsubaki looked at Tanya with a pleading look in her eyes. "I lived through those years as a young Adventurer, Tanya-chan. They were absolutely horrid. The Dungeon wasn't your worst enemy, no, you had to worry about Evilus adherents ambushing you in the Dungeon every time you went down there! We cannot have a return to those days, or the city will break!"
"Calm yourself, Tsubaki-chan." Hephaestus leaned over and squeezed the woman's hand, "I too remember them, those that we lost in the maelstrom of chaos that was Evilus. They won't return, not as long as we draw breath."
Hephaestus turned her lone eye to Tanya and she gave her a sad smile. "Apologies, Tanya-chan. This was an incredibly thorough report, and knowing what I know about Evilus I am inclined to believe that if they aren't directly responsible for the monsters, then they are at least aligned with those responsible for the monsters."
Tsubaki clenched her fists and took in a deep, shuddering breath. "So this Expedition wasn't just to get some Cadmus Spring Water? It is to seek out more information on Evilus?"
"Indeed, the return for the Spring Water, to my knowledge, was only a ruse so that we could enter outside of our expedition cycle without alerting Evilus' eyes and ears on the surface. If they are quick enough to respond to a chance outbreak of monsters at Monsterphilia, then they are just as likely to learn about any advance into the Dungeon for the purposes of seeking their organization out." Tanya nodded, "We will be conducting thorough surveys of each floor past the 18th to ensure that they aren't conducting smaller growth operations elsewhere, and to investigate this mysterious woman on the 59th floor."
Hephaestus nodded and looked back at Tsubaki. "Thank you for giving us this wonderful presentation, Tanya-chan. It was incredibly insightful, and it makes a lot more sense as to why you and the Royal Rats have bonded together so well."
Tanya blinked. "You know of the RRs?"
The Goddess chuckled behind her fist and leaned back in her chair. "Of course I do, how could I not? Welf-kun Adventures with them every other day; he speaks well of them, just as he does his other party."
Tanya flushed in embarrassment, of course she would know! Welf Crozzo was practically there from the beginning! She took a deep breath and steadied herself. "That concludes my presentation, do you have any questions before I leave?"
Tsubaki and Hephaestus both shook their heads as they flipped through the pages of the binders she provided. Tanya stood up to leave, but Hephaestus reached out and touched the back of her hand, stopping the diminutive teen from seeing herself out.
"Also, before you go, Welf wanted me to let you know that he is getting close to finally being able to perform the Spring Vitality spell. Your instructions and training have been most helpful for him, you know; he was getting worried that he might only know Will-o-Wisp. While it is an excellent anti-Mage spell, he has had some feelings of... inadequacy over the limited nature of his magic, so you teaching him, and showing him that he is capable of learning more magic has done a great deal for his self-confidence."
The Goddess bowed lowly in her chair, much to Tanya's surprise. "Thank you very much for caring for our Welf-kun, and taking him into your tutelage, Tanya-chan. We are very thankful."
The girl blushed and shook her head as she waved her hand in front of her face dismissively. "A-ah, no, please, Hephaestus-sama, raise your head. I taught him because I wished to do so, but in the end, it was Crozzo-san that put in the hard work and effort to do so; to be able to take my teachings and exercises and apply them is a hallmark to his dedication and skill. He has to attend to his duties at the forge, his duties as an Adventurer, and his duties as my student all at the same time; that he finds time to run through the exercises at all is a testament to his commitment and will."
The Goddess' genuine smile grew even wider, and Tanya wasn't sure if it wasn't because Tanya was heaping (well deserved) praise on one of her favored children, or if it was because she just genuinely enjoyed seeing Tanya flounder.
One was okay, but the other was most certainly not!
Tanya took a deep breath in and then let it out.
Okay Tanya, this is the Number 1 familia in Orario. No pressure. You've given this presentation three other times and they've all gone off impeccably, just one more and you can go retrieve the Goliath core and drop it off at Lenoa's.
She used the mental image of the greedy witch rubbing her hands together to steady her nerves as she slowly lowered herself down in front of the main gate of the Freya familia compound; her suit coat flapping only just barely as she touched down.
The two gate guards were in sterling silver armor and one politely raised a hand and raised the visor of his helmet. "Greetings Tanya von Degurechaff, Executive of the Loki familia. How may the Freya familia assist you this fine day?"
Ah! Finally some recognition! They were incredibly polite and professional too boot!
Tanya smothered her pleased grin in the cradle and gave the man a polite bow. "Greetings to the Freya familia. I have come because there is some urgent information that I must deliver to Goddess Freya-sama and her Captain. Might you be able to direct me to someone who can help me schedule a meeting?"
The man bowed back and raised an arm high, and within a dozen seconds, a man dressed in a crisp butler uniform alighted onto the stone wall behind the two guards. "Yes, Silvar, what is the request?"
"This is Tanya von Degurechaff, an Executive of the Loki familia. She says she has urgent information that she needs to present to Freya-sama and Ottar-sama." The guard spoke evenly.
The uncanny butler adjusted the glasses on his nose before turning to look at Tanya. He leaped down from the wall and gave Tanya a polite bow, which Tanya returned. "Greetings Tanya-sama. I am not privy to our Lady Goddess' schedule today, but I can bring word to someone that does. Is this information vital?"
Tanya shook her head, "It is urgent, but no one is going to perish today if it is not heard. However, I would insist that I be seen at her earliest possible convenience today if that is possible; I have spoken with the four other Pillars and I believe I would be doing Freya-sama disservice to deliver this information to her any later than necessary."
That was the key, right there. Tell them that everybody else important already knows, so that way they can't delay you or try and brush you off. That way the ball is in their court, and you can get pushed to the front of the line without asking for them to do so. It certainly wasn't because Tanya had other things to do today, no sir!
The man chewed over this bit of information for a few moments before he bowed. "Our lady is currently out of the compound, but one of our Executives would know of her schedule and location. I will inform them now. If you would please, wait here. Do you need any refreshments?"
The man would seriously send someone with a glass of water all of the way out here? Their main compound was a hundred yards from the gate! However, she was indeed quite parched. All of this talking was taking a toll on her throat, falna enhanced physiology or not. "Yes, if I could merely ask for some water, with ice if available."
"I will see to it that your water is delivered, thank you for your cooperation, Tanya-sama."
Tanya had scarcely finished the water off when an armored figure descended in front of her. He was a Pallum and wearing armor but lacked a helmet, and he didn't have a weapon on him other than a knife at his belt.
Spoiler: Alfrigg Gulliver
"Tanya von Degurechaff, I am Alfrigg Gulliver, an Executive of the Freya familia; it is a pleasure to meet you." The man placed a hand over his heart and bowed politely.
Tanya returned the bow and smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Alfrigg Gulliver. I am thankful that someone of your importance could meet with me so soon."
The man chuckled politely, "It is only proper for one Executive to meet another, especially when our two familias are so closely ranked together; we are the scales that keep Orario in balance, are we not?"
Tanya raised a gloved hand and rubbed the bottom of her chin as she adjusted her grip on the briefcase. "While I do not claim to know the direct impact that Freya-sama and Loki-sama have on ruling the city, their mere presence does indeed seem to provide some sort of guidance for the citizens of Orario."
Alfrigg nodded in response before he straightened himself up and placed his hands behind his lower back. "Now then, I was informed that you had information that needed to be directly given to Freya-sama and Ottar-sama, yes?"
"Yes, I have documents with me that I believe are critical, and I have an accompanying presentation to provide a summary and context to the information that some investigations that the Loki familia has been conducting." Tanya reached down and tapped the briefcase in her hand.
The Pallum Executive hummed as he stepped forward, "You seem very well prepared, I am sure my Goddess will no doubt appreciate whatever it is you are wishing to present. However, if I may inspect the contents of your briefcase before we proceed?"
Tanya nodded and hefted the case up and rested it on her forearm before she flipped open the two latches and opened the lid. Alfrigg stepped forward and thoroughly inspected the case, lifting the two binders out and feeling the bottom, inspecting the stitching on the liner, and just generally putting his hands on everything until he was satisfied and placed the binders can inside and motioned for her to close it.
"Thank you very much for indulging me, Tanya-dono. I know it might seem excessive, but we take the security of our Goddess very seriously." The Pallum gave her a warm, professional smile as he stepped back.
She shook her head, "No, if anything I am very pleased to see that you take security as seriously as you do; no doubt she is quite safe wherever she goes."
He nodded and then stepped to the side and extended his hand towards the gate. "Very well then, if you will please accompany me I will escort you inside."
Once they were inside the gate the Pallum Executive gave her a brief rundown- 'Don't wander off, don't do things you know you shouldn't do, don't be rude to our Goddess' etc, etc, etc. A standard fare that she received from her previous escorts with the Inari and Skadi familias, and of course, she agreed entirely; guest rights could only get one so far, after all.
During their walk he informed her that she was quite fortunate to get here when she did; she makes weekly trips to Folkvangr to update the statuses of her Adventurers, but her apartments are in the Tower of Babel due to there not being any room in the compounds because their familia was so large. Tanya had just managed to arrive at the tail end of those status updates and had some free time available before she moved to another part of the city to attend some meetings.
When they reached the primary compound, which looked more like a large, overly furnished University dormitory, Tanya signed in at a Guest Book, stated her purpose, and then was escorted to a wide staircase that went all of the way up to the roof.
When the large wooden double doors opened up, Tanya was greeted with quite the sight.
On the rooftop of the Freya familia dormitory, there were three identical wood and stone construction pavilions equally spaced apart. They had canvas sunshades that could be extended, torches and braziers for a more warm ambient lighting during the evening versus the magic stone lamps, and plenty of couches and cushions in a variety of styles from different cultures. No doubt to make her Children and guests as comfortable as possible during the long nights of feasting and revelry her familia familia was known for.
Spoiler: Pavilion
Tanya nodded in appreciation, while it was eclectic, it was by no means unaesthetic; whoever arranged the pavillions should be praised for their efforts.
The Goddess of the Freya familia was seated on a large couch filled to the brim with soft, plush-looking cushions, and was lounging rather comfortably as she looked to be enjoying a light lunch of finger foods with a glass of wine in her hand. Freya wasn't currently looking in Tanya's direction as she chatted animatedly with her subordinate, the Strongest Man in Orario- Ottar, alias King.
As they approached Tanya couldn't help but feel her cheeks heat up as she struggled to keep her eyes from zeroing in on all of the exposed skin the woman had. She couldn't even look at her face because her brilliant silver eyes and plump, pouty lips made her feel something that she'd never experienced before.
Was she getting... moist?
Tanya bit her tongue when the Goddess finally took note of their approach, and for some reason the woman seemed incredibly shocked to see her. Did no one inform her of Tanya's arrival? That couldn't have been the case, these men and women seemed wholly dedicated to their Goddess in a fashion that Tanya found rather admirable; they reminded her of the soldiers and Mages she trained if they didn't all wear a common uniform. Their appearances were almost all crisp and clean; even the few she saw that looked rough it was done rather artfully.
The Goddess' lips parted and a rosy blush came to her cheeks, and the only reason she didn't drop her wine glass was that Ottar's hand blurred out to catch it the moment it slipped from her hands. He gently parted her fingers and slid the stem back between them. The Goddess recovered her composure and chuckled, "Thank you, dear, I would have been terribly disappointed in myself if I were to have ruined this rug."
Just like that, the mystique of the woman vanished somewhat, making it just a touch easier to focus. Loki had gone on and on about how wherever Freya went men and women alike couldn't help but drool at the sight of her. She complained about her fellow Goddess frequently every time she came back from a meeting with her; no doubt it was steeped in jealousy, because Freya would never have to beg her children to let her touch their boobs. No doubt Freya's children offered with smiles on their faces.
Tanya swallowed and coughed light to clear her throat. "Freya-sama, thank you very much for finding time in your busy schedule to allow me the opportunity to speak with you."
The woman nodded her head and slowly leaned against the cushion to her right in a maneuver that the Captain of the Inari familia tried but spectacularly failed at; it took all of Tanya's will to keep her eyes locked with the Goddess and just enjoy the sight of her oh so generous and soft looking bosom squish against the fabric.
Eyes up. Eyes up. Eyes up.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
The woman tittered behind her hand, which squished her breast, and her laughter caused said breast to jiggle enticingly. Everything about this woman was purpose-built to make mortals think only of sex. She had to be, there was no way in hell Tanya's Iron Will (tm) could possibly be damaged by such a blow!
No! Go away hormones! You're not wanted here! Stop getting in the way of Tanya's presentation!
"No, Tanya-chan, if anything I am quite happy to see that you're here. While Loki-chan and I are on good terms, and close friends behind closed doors, when it comes to familia business she is quite competitive." The woman smiled tenderly as she placed her wine glass on the low table in front of her and gave Tanya her full attention; it was honestly something Tanya felt she could do without, as those molten silver eyes seemed to be keen on stripping everything away from her. "So when my Children inform me that you have been visiting the Five Pillars of Orario and distributing information with Loki's blessing... it was something that I felt should at least be heard."
It wasn't lust, but there was something about Tanya that seemed to catch her interest; the Goddess was notorious for surrounding herself with exceptional mortals, be they Adventurer or artisan. What could she possibly see in Tanya that would garner such a response?
Was Tanya... in danger?
Her brain deliberated for a moment and decided that logically she was safe, but her hormones took the ball and decided that if it was Freya, then they didn't mind being in danger.
Tanya had to bite her cheek to regain her focus. "Indeed, Freya-sama, this is the case. However, at my Goddess' request for me to be discreet, this information should be privy to your ears, and the ears of Ottar-dono only. I cannot, and will not stop you from distributing this information to those you believe capable of discretion, but at least humor me in this, please. This is very sensitive."
The woman smiled broadly, "Of course, Tanya-chan. If Loki-chan is willing to let such sensitive information outside of her walls, then it must be very important."
Freya turned her head towards Alfrigg and nodded at him. "Thank you for escorting Tanya-chan here, Alfrigg-kun. I will call for you if I am in further need of your services."
Alfrigg for his part blushed slightly and bowed at the waist. "Of course, Freya-sama. Call for me and I will be here. I will take my leave."
The Pallum Executive straightened himself out and strode over to the double doors and closed them securely behind him. Freya looked at Tanya and motioned for her to sit down on the couch across from her, however, the diminutive teen shook her head. "I thank you, Freya-sama, but it is easier for me to concentrate while standing."
Tanya sat the briefcase down onto the couch and opened it up, pulling out two copies of her presentation and handing one to Freya, and striding around the couch to hand one to Ottar. The man looked incredibly intense, his eyes tracking her every step, but when the folder met his hands he gave her a polite if stiff nod. "Now then, before I begin, let me preface this presentation off with a question: Do you remember the incident that Ganesha familia had two months ago during Monsterphilia?"
"- so in conclusion, we at the Loki familia believe that there is a very real and present danger to not only the citizens of Orario, but the surface world as a whole. The enemy, or enemies, are highly organized and are potentially armed with Adventurers of unknown affiliation capable of fighting most Executives on equal footing. They are breeding monsters for a goal that hasn't been explicitly stated but we believe that it is fairly easy to deduce; given the ferocity of their attacks and the sheer lengths they are willing to go to ensure that their operations weren't discovered- up to and including the assassinations of dozens of Adventurers- they are likely wanting to destroy our fair city and return to the days of old, when monsters freely roamed the earth." Tanya kept her back stiff and hands clasped behind her back as she spoke.
She was in the zone, and it felt good that even the Goddess' unearthly beauty couldn't pull her out of it. There was nothing like the feeling of vindication- all of those hours practicing in front of a mirror were not wasted! The Five P's come through once more!
"More information has come to light that these Cultists are likely a splinter group of an organization that had terrorized Orario in years prior by the name of Evilus, and while they don't appear to be anything but partners of convenience with the Monster Tamers, based on their previous manifesto of Death and Chaos for all, it is highly likely that working together fulfills both of their goals."
Tanya let out a small breath. "This concludes my report, do you have any questions, Freya-sama?"
The woman's flirtatious countenance had steadily disappeared the longer Tanya's presentation went on, and now the woman was incredibly focused, her lips were pressed into a firm line and her eyes were as sharp as a knife's edge as she devoured the binder in her hand.
Slowly, the Goddess pulled her eyes away from the material and Freya gazed up at Tanya. "Yes, would you mind playing out the entirety of the battle with your illusions again, Tanya-chan? From the moment you entered into the Monster Pantry. I would appreciate it if you included the sound this time, however; I understand that you didn't include it the first time so that I could focus on the information you were giving me, but I would like to see it in its entirety."
Tanya rubbed her tongue along the roof of her mouth. "It will be quite graphic, Freya-sama. Are you certain you wish to see it all?"
The woman's face softened and she closed the binder so that she could set it off to the side. With her hands now free, she grasped her wine glass and held it up, the Boaz filling her glass up almost to the rim. "Please, Tanya-chan, indulge me if you would? I have never seen such detailed illusions before from a mortal mage before, outside of the few demonstrations that your familia's Nine Hells has given of course, but you need not fear for me or my stomach; so many people only know me as a Goddess of Love and Beauty, but so few remember that I am also a Goddess of War."
Her gaze was intense, and Tanya couldn't help but hear the chattering of gunfire and artillery in her ears, a vision forming in her mind of this beautiful Goddess in front of her standing on top of a ravine with a sword drawn and held high in the air as men rushed through fire and death to accomplish her will.
It sent a cold shiver down her spine (it sent a thrill of heat into her core).
She swallowed and steeled herself as she spun up the formula and began to play the recording, the Goddess at the edge of her seat as Tanya, Bete, Aiz, Lefiya, and the party of the Hermes familia waged a war of survival against staggering odds and won.
She didn't even blink when Tanya suffered injuries that should have crippled her, if anything the woman leaned forward, and when Tanya slew the Monster Tamer who had so thoroughly dismantled Asfi al Andromeda she looked like she was a statue that wished to break out into cheers. It was almost unsettling how intent her gaze was, but Ottar was entirely composed; only the barest widening and narrowing of his eyes visible.
When the fighting was finished Tanya ended the illusion. With a pensive look on her face the Goddess looked down at her hands before downing the rest of her wine glass. "I must say, that the showing of Loki and Hermes familias was truly inspiring to watch. While I didn't get to experience the sense of urgency as I would from updating one of my Children's statuses, I was able to see the entirety of the fighting; unrestricted from viewing it through only one set of eyes."
Freya sat her glass on the low table and intertwined her fingers together, giving Tanya a warm smile. "You truly did wonderful, Tanya-chan. You should be very proud of this accomplishment; your foes were defeated utterly, and you kept all of your party members alive. That is what truly matters. Dare I say that I don't think even a party of my most seasoned Level 4s could have managed this engagement as well as you did. It shows that no matter how capable one thinks they are, there is always someone who can show just how much further you can go. Bravo, Tanya-chan."
Her praise sounded canned, but there was something within Tanya that knew that it was completely genuine.
"Now, I think I know exactly why Loki wished to keep this information so close to her chest for as long as she did." Freya reached over and grabbed a cracker that had a slice of meat and cheese on it and brought it to her lips.
Tanya nodded her head as she looked down at the finger food and felt her belly rumble just a little bit. Maybe stopping by the Hostess wouldn't be too much of a delay? "Yes, it is my belief that Loki-sama, along with my Captain Finn-dono, wished to conduct several parallel investigations to try and lay a foundation for future cooperation between our familias. While they were hoping for something more concrete than the ideas and postulations expressed here in my report, such findings can only be possible in the Dungeon."
The Goddess chewed her food with a hum, and how the flying fuck could something as inherently disgusting as mastication be so damn sexy and alluring!? Freya wiped the few crumbs that clung to her lips with a napkin before returning her attention to Tanya. "Yes, I believe that is the case as well."
There was a cute, knowing smile on her lips, the woman's silver eyes twinkling. "I was just so surprised when Loki-chan allowed you to share this presentation with us today, but I am nonetheless grateful. While there have been some whispers on the streets, there hasn't been anything substantial to work off of... until now."
The diminutive teen blushed slightly and averted her eyes over the balcony to observe what was most assuredly the training yard behind the dormitory; off in the distance, surrounded by a copse of trees, a red roof could be seen peeking just above the treetops. "Yes, with the date of the expedition growing closer, she stated that she was fine with me giving everyone a 'little heads up', as she called it. I believe that I have done just as she wished with that; this paltry amount of information is the culmination of many months of investigation, but the streets of Daedalus are not so keen on giving up their secrets. I think she believes that we will find the answers we are looking for on the 59th Floor."
"Well, this has been a most informative experience, Tanya-chan, and I thank you for coming all of the way out here when you are no doubt very busy with your expedition preparations-oh?" The Goddess stood up and walked next to Tanya and tracked her eyes. "Saw that, did you? Curious?"
Why does everyone always have say it like that!?
"That is a new training pavilion that we constructed for our Executive members; would you like to see it? It is based on the one your familia constructed not too long ago." The woman held out her elbow and smiled, "Please, indulge me. I wish to hear your thoughts since you were the one who pioneered this style of training, were you not?"
Tanya had no other choice but to link her arm with the most alluring woman she'd ever met and go along for the ride.
Curses! Trapped by the conventions of polite society!
As they walked through the compound and along the paved road Freya made small talk, and they turned heads wherever they went; Ottar silently following along with seemingly zero discomforts at his Goddess being so friendly with an outsider.
"So, you mentioned that this training pavilion was based on the one I designed for the Loki-familia?" Tanya spoke as they walked into the treeline.
"Indeed. One of my children was training on the wall and just so happened to spot the construction, and when it was completed we asked the familias involved what it was all about; Hephaestus-chan boasted to me that she was working on making equipment that would challenge even my dear Ottar-kun, so with such glowing praise how could I not have one built myself?" The Goddess tittered behind her hand and smiled wanly. "Ottar-kun hasn't had a true challenge in a long time, so I thought that since we weren't using this space, why not give him and my other Executives a place where they could train in earnest without the gazes of their curious yet well-meaning juniors?"
When they broke through the treeline Tanya was greeted with an exact one-for-one copy of the familia training pavilion Tanya had designed. Tanya couldn't help but feel her lips quirk up. "Well, I heard it is said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery."
The Goddess didn't speak, but the amused smile that the teen caught out of the corner of her eye let her know that her comment wasn't viewed negatively.
As they approached Freya spoke again. "Hephaestus-chan was quite pleased with the equipment provided; Ottar-kun and Alan-kun had to work together to bring all of this back, the heaviest weights took the combined might of four of my Executives. It was quite a procession I was told; the people lined the streets to see my beautiful Children make their way back to Folkvangr from Hephaestus-chan's forge district."
Tanya nodded in response, "I would imagine it would be; to my knowledge, the Executive members of the Freya familia are rarely seen out in the public, so for them to be out and about in such a fashion must have made it a spectacle to behold for the common citizen."
She turned her head towards Ottar and tilted her head. "I had to give my familia basic instruction as to what this equipment could be used for, and how the exercises should be conducted to prevent injury. Would you like for me to give you the same? This is equipment designed from my home country, and while I was not the manufacturer, I was the one who supplied the designs. It would be remiss of me to not at least provide you with the knowledge needed to not injure yourself using my equipment."
The man stared at her for a moment before he bowed slightly at the waist. "If you would, please. I have not had a chance to test myself in many years; your guidance would be appreciated."
The Goddess' small smile became a beaming beacon of love and satisfaction at the Boaz's words.
Apparently, the man didn't speak much? Or was he the type to not usually ask for assistance? In either case, she must be quite pleased with him taking this step, as most of the equipment looked unused; only a few of the machines were simple enough to ascertain their function at a glance.
Tanya nodded back, and as she spoke she projected an illusion for a wooden board about one meter in height and two meters in width. "Very well then, it would help out a lot if you could have someone bring us some large wooden boards that could be hung up, at least a dozen, so that I can inscribe some instruction pictures as well."
Freya squeezed Tanya's arm before nodding. "Of course, thank you for indulging my Ottar-kun, Tanya-chan. I will return shortly with what you have requested."
The Goddess slipped her arm out and walked back down the path, a black blur appeared at her side, revealing itself to be Alan Frommel- one of her Level 6 Adventurers- and the woman whispered into his ear before patting him on the head and walking off. The catkin leapt back into the trees and out of sight a moment later.
Tanya ignored it for now and removed her suit jacket and hung it up on a post on one of the wooden pillars before she un-did her cufflinks and started to unbutton her shirt, exposing her tank-top underneath.
"Alright, Ottar-dono. I will give you the same safety briefing that I gave my own familia-"
Well, getting the Goliath core would be delayed another hour, but this shouldn't be a problem; if anything this should improve the relationship between the Loki and Freya familia by a fair amount! The Top Two powers should support one another after all.
By the end of the hour, Tanya had inscribed every exercise, along with a step-by-step instruction on how to safely perform them onto the wooden panels with her Inscription spell; well, it was just her low-powered Refracted Beam, but calling it her 'Xerox' spell just felt too corny for her taste; besides, with everyone else lacking context, it wasn't even that funny of a joke.
She ran Ottar through every exercise with light enough weight for him to be manipulated into the proper positions, but still heavy enough to put a proper load on his muscles. "Good, now remember that when coming up, the bar should be ghosting over your shins, and up, squeeze at the top, hold... good, now set it back down."
Through a combination of illusions and hands-on instruction, the Boaz picked up her teaching incredibly quickly, the man seemingly committing every action to muscle memory the first time he was shown how to properly perform the exercise. It was rather scary how good he was, but the man had the most intense mind-muscle connection she'd ever seen; watching the lower head of the bicep and the upper head of the bicep flex independently was... something else. However, that was just him showing her that he was paying complete attention when she was telling him how to properly conduct the various curls.
During her instruction a small team of men and women were walking around the pavilion, hanging up the informational boards she made. They were quick, efficient, and utterly professional, a fact that tickled Tanya; they didn't even try to interrupt once!
The Boaz released the bar and stood up, his massive, muscled body turning towards her. "This was the last exercise you wished to show me, yes?"
The man's voice was rough- like he gargled gravel every morning- but Tanya didn't feel the least bit intimidated. "Yes, unfortunately, this is all I can provide for you; the training regimens that I put together for my familia are something that I should at least keep secret."
The King of Orario shook his head. "No, even this much is... generous. May I ask why you are so free with this information?"
Tanya blinked before she mulled her answer over in her head for a few seconds. "I could have been upset at the blatant copying, but at the end of the day, I am an instructor, a teacher just as much as I am an Adventurer. If someone wishes to improve themselves, and they have already provided their own means to do so, then it costs me only a small bit of my time to aid you, Ottar-dono. I wouldn't allow my pride in my familia to get in the way of helping someone else who wishes to grow, so by merely taking a hour out of my day I have ensured that you will not injure yourself unless you do something foolish."
Tanya nodded to herself. "We might be from opposing familias, but you are a person that is vital to the stability and safety of this entire city, at least until we gain a new Level 7. I think that you don't get much time to test your limits in the Dungeon these days due to your duties with your Goddess, and I think that it is a wonderful thing that you've found a way to safely challenge your limits here on the surface in the meantime."
The man's rock-hard expression soften minutely, and his posture relaxed ever so slightly. "This is... true. I will cherish this gift you and Hephaestus-sama have provided for me."
The man bowed at the waist. "Thank you for your instruction, Tanya von Degurechaff."
Tanya returned the bow and then dressed back up. When she was ready the man was already racking on plates. He affixed the locking collar and looked up at her. "I trust that you know the way to the front gate?"
The young teen straightened her suit out and smiled as she activated her Flight formula and lifted off the ground. "No need, thank you for being such a pleasant student, Ottar-dono. I will leave you to your work."
With that, she floated out of the pavilion and shot off into the beautiful clear sky.
Success!
Oh shit, she forgot her briefcase!
When she touched back down at the Pavilion she saw the King of Orario hard at work and next to him stood Alan Frommel. The catkin was watching Boaz intently, and as she approached the man held up a hand, her briefcase dangling from a single outstretched finger. Thankfully he didn't say a word, not even a smirk, as she sheepishly took her briefcase and returned to the sky.
"Oh? What's this? A beautiful young man in a suit coming take an old crone like me out on the town?" Leona the Witch chuckled as she eyed Tanya up and down.
There was no way she could be mistaken for a beautiful boy! Do you not see these breasts!?
Well, considering she was carrying a massive Goliath core in front of her, maybe she couldn't? No, impossible. The old bitch knew who she was, she was just messing with her! "Get your head out of the clouds, you old Witch. I'm here with the core to be refined."
The old biddy clicked her tongue. "Oh fine, ruin my fun why don't you? I haven't had any action in two centuries, give me a break! You kids with your beautiful, youthful bodies..."
She continued to grumble about the follies of youth while Tanya moved through the door to the backroom. The witch took the stone out of Tanya's hands and placed it into a shallow pool that was filled with glowing water. "Ah ah ah! Nope! Get out, get out! Can't let you see my secrets, now can I? Hehehe!"
Tanya frowned as she was poked in the rear by the woman's cane as they walked out of the back room. "Riveria-dono mentioned that you might have a spell that would interest me? Some Shape-Chant combat magic?"
"Heh, yeah, ol' Riveria-chan came by and asked me to look in my 'Restricted Section' for a combat magic that would be suitable for you to use. She even paid me for it!" Leona chuckled as she hopped back onto her chair with surprising grace for a woman who walked like she was about to fall over every other step.
Tanya's eyebrows climbed towards the ceiling. "She offered to pay for the spellbook? And what do you mean 'Restricted'?"
"Oh, heavens no! She just paid me to look, s'all. It is rather dusty back there, messes with my sinuses something fierce; why last time I went back there I sneezed so hard I lost a tooth! Had to take a potion to grow it back. Hehehehe! So to ensure that I have to go back there as little as possible I just charge people an absurd amount of money to look! Ingenious, ain't it?" The witch grinned as she went back to stirring her bubbling pot.
"And?" Tanya knew better than to play her game by now.
The old woman frowned but reached under the counter and pulled out a book of some thickness; she estimated it to be no thicker than a light novel from back home in Japan, but considering that was all information for a single spell? It would be quite the read. "As for why it's 'Restricted', it is because the spells back there are for more powerful mages, those who have the Mind capacity, as well as the control necessary, to actually cast them. The books I have out on display are ones that most competently trained mages should be able to learn, but this one right here?"
The woman patted the book's cover. "This one is a bit of a doozy. It is a long chant, wide-area destruction magic of a wind nature titled 'Fang Laden Tempest'. This spell creates a veritable storm of razor-thin blades that can make mincemeat of even monsters on the Lower Floor. However, the amount of Mind and Mind control needed to make it function are well outside the safety threshold for even the most seasoned mages; you, however, are not most mages. Considering you managed to learn two spells from a book without outside instruction, I'd imagine that this one is well within your capabilities as well."
Tanya would say that her curiosity was piqued, the fact that it synergized with Riveria's Rae Levantine fire spell was probably why the elf princess chose it. However, her purse shrank away in fear. "How much?"
The old woman shook her head from side to side. "Oh, 10 Million valis, I suppose."
Tanya blinked, the healing spellbooks were only 2 Million valis, why did this price sound so reasonable?
"Before you ask, it's because I've had this copy on my bookshelf for almost one hundred years; the only mages I know that are capable of using this spell in Orario are Riveria-chan, yourself, Hedin of the Freya familia, and maybe one day your Thousand Elf. However, Hedin is a Lightning Magic enthusiast who scoffs at anything else, the young Elf Girl has the power but not the control, and Riveria already has a stable of similarly destructive spells... thankfully you're buying it, so I'll finally be rid of it!"
Tanya's face scrunched up, but she dug into her coin purse anyways. Haggling with the woman was next to impossible, especially since she was already getting a 'discount'.
The Old Witch gave her a quick wave as Tanya left and flew down the street towards the Miach familia store to get her next batch of nutritional potions, as well as a crate of High Potions and Mind Potions.
The kindly God gave her a quick check-up to ensure her health and then handed her over the potions. "Nazza-chan didn't water these down, did she?"
The God bowed apologetically. "Yes, I've spoken to her about that, and she will not do it again. I am very sorry that she caused you such trouble."
Well, it didn't cause her any more trouble than getting her potions replaced. Thankfully she carefully inspected each item before going down into the Dungeon; she only caught onto the fact that potions had been diluted because they were more a pink color than the dark red she had grown accustomed to. "It is fine as you reimbursed me fully, however, she should be more mindful. While I am understanding and sympathetic to your familia's financial plights, there are others who wouldn't be so kind."
The man gave her a sad smile, "She knows what she did was wrong, and will not do it again. Thank you for your discretion in this matter, Tanya-chan."
Tanya hefted the crates up and left the shop.
As she took off into the sky she made sure to get a good look at the clouds and feel the sun on her face; this would be the last time she would be able to do so for a number of weeks.