Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
I hovered in the sky, watching the entire Ishtar entertainment district panic and run around like headless chickens. My eyes focused on the hooded figures running in the opposite direction from the district. I could see them heading towards Twilight Manor. Good, one less thing to worry about.
I descended to the ground outside the entertainment district, undid Aria's invisibility, and began walking slowly in the direction of Blue Pharmacy, where Bella was right now.
Today was a really productive day. I obtained most of the spells and abilities I was looking for. I still need to get Mystery; I need to find someone who is capable of using it.
I only knew three people: Asfi Al Andromeda, the captain of the Hermes familia, Airmid Teasanare, the captain of the Dian Cecht familia, and Fels, of the Urano familia. Mmm, Airmid is actually the easiest of them all.
I had no idea where Asfi was, but I didn't want to get involved with Hermes at all. Hermes would ask too many questions, and Merlin didn't want me involved in his quest to find a 'hero'. It was a shame, because Asfi had some interesting things going on.
With Airmid, on the other hand, I only had to convince Dian Cecht, and even from what little I knew about him, I knew that simply paying him enough valis would be enough for him to agree and have Airmid give me a demonstration of what I needed. Presenting myself as a scholar and showing the process of creating a magical object with Mystery would be convincing enough. It would be much easier to convince him than Welf and Aisha.
Airmid 's healing magic is also appealing. Dia Fratel was a first-class magic capable of healing almost anything—wounds, stamina, status ailments, and curses—within a 5-meter radius. It even acted as a barrier that continuously healed. Best of all, it was a truly potent healing magic, capable of overcoming the elixirs and antidotes available in Orario.
Furthermore, she also possessed Tuired Well, a magic that created healing holy water. I was genuinely curious whether that holy water would harm me, as the sacred water of the biblical God did. It would be quite something to have a holy water fountain surrounded by demons.
Finally, Fels… he was also a good option, especially since Fels was possibly the person who would best know how to use the Mystery development skill, not to mention that the magical objects he had created were quite interesting.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to convince Fels to demonstrate Dia Orpheus, Fels' magic capable of resurrecting people. Still, Dia Panakeia, his healing magic capable of creating spheres of light that heal like an elixir and remove curses, should be possible.
But convincing Fels would be—terribly easy. I blinked a few times. It would be ridiculously easy; I'd just have to help the Xenos. Intelligent monsters, a combined appearance of both, which, while it might seem strange in the world of Danmachi, wouldn't be at all strange in the underworld.
It would be easy to convince Fels that I could give the Xenos asylum in my city; I wouldn't have to mention at all that it was the underworld. And regarding the Xenos themselves, I would only have to create an Unbreakable Vow, or some way to ensure they literally didn't mention that they came from practically another dimension.
No one in the underworld would comment on their appearance in the slightest; that... was actually possible—something to keep in mind if he wanted to convince Fels.
Maybe I'll just go for Airmid —less trouble, faster, easier. I could do it tomorrow if the panic over Ishtar's death doesn't shut down Dian Cecht's pharmacy. Once I'm completely done acquiring the magic and abilities I came to Orario for, I can finally return to Night City to deal with Adam Smasher, and possibly all of Arasaka.
Perhaps I'll return to Orario sometime; there was definitely more magic I wanted to acquire, but I couldn't go around Orario right now trying to convince everyone with interesting magic. It would attract too much attention and suspicion.
Even so, there were quite a few very interesting magics. For example, Mikoto's gravity magic was something I could try to get; I'd see if I could get close enough, maybe convince Haruhime to help me.
And then there were all the members of the Freya familia. Hadin was one of those she truly loved. Her magic, Caelus Hildr, creates enormous, powerful lightning arrows with a range of over 500 meters, capable of creating and firing hundreds of them in just a few seconds.
And also Laurus Hildr, an enchantment magic that could boost its user to the same level as Haruhime's Level Boost or Ais's Ariel.
It was a shame about the family she belonged to; I had no intention of going near Freya. The further away I was from them, and especially from her, the better. Perhaps I'll try to ambush them in the dungeon; I could force them to use all their magic so I can search them.
Hmm, that wasn't a bad idea. Freya couldn't get into the dungeon, so it was the safest way to do it. I'd have to have Bella keep an eye on the Freya familia to see when they go on a big expedition, at least when Hedin is one of the descendants.
"You're really hard to find." A voice said, making me freeze completely before I shuddered intensely.
You mention the devil, and she appears. I groaned loudly as I turned to see Freya behind me, covered in a hooded robe.
"Freya, I'd say it's a surprise, but are you... okay?" I asked curiously, as I saw Freya slightly flushed, not from embarrassment, but from overexertion. Her legs trembled, and her breathing was ragged as she tried to hide her light sweat and exhaustion. "You... came running?" I asked, surprised. Freya pouted, catching her breath.
"Of course you are, you're a cruel woman, Serena Prince, making a woman chase you all over Orario. Do you know how hard it is to see your soul when you want to hide it? I could barely see it; I had to run before you decided to disappear again." Freya said with a pout. I sighed wearily.
"I think it's obvious that means I didn't want you to find me." I said dryly, Freya just smiled.
"I know, and I ignored it," Freya said with a happy smile. I groaned loudly.
"So what do you want?" I asked directly.
"You caused a scene in the Entertainment District, killing Ishtar? I'm impressed. I don't know what that goddess did to you, but if you wanted to destroy her, you only needed to mention it, and I would have done it for you," Freya said flirtatiously. I snorted.
"Accusing me of killing a goddess? That's a serious accusation." I said, shrugging. Freya's eyes flashed with amusement.
"I felt your soul in the tower of Ishtar before she was sent to heaven," Freya said directly. I snorted dryly.
"Spying isn't attractive at all, Freya." I said dryly; she just laughed.
"I think otherwise, my dear. Spying on my beloved, my Odr, is one of my favorite pastimes," Freya said playfully, gazing at me with desire. I stifled an annoyed groan.
"Get to the point, Freya, what do you want?" I repeated to myself once more.
"I want you to take me with you." She said without hesitation. I blinked several times.
"No thanks, I'm not taking you anywhere," I said curtly.
"Now, my dear, I plan to be your wife, and I cannot be so if I am not by your side. I will go wherever you go," Freya said, as if it were obvious.
"I didn't accept anything," I said curtly. Freya stared at me before smiling brightly.
"You will. I'll make you fall in love with me," she said with complete confidence. I paused for a few seconds before sighing.
"Not again, no thanks. Go back to your familia, Freya." I said wearily.
"I don't have a familia. I just dissolved it," Freya said without hesitation. I froze at her words and stared at her in disbelief. She... said what?
"What did you just do?!" I squealed incredulously, taking that statement completely by surprise. Freya smiled gently.
"I broke up my familia. You said I was selfish. I am, you're right. That's why I'm doing this, being selfish once again. I broke up my familia to be by your side, whether you like it or not. That's my selfishness. I'll make you fall in love with me, one way or another." Freya said, her eyes shining with complete determination as she smiled broadly. I stared at her in disbelief.
"Tell me you're joking." I said incredulously. Freya laughed slightly.
"Of course not, my dear, no deceit, no lies, no tricks, I'll only seduce you with all my might, and believe me, I may think my beauty is a curse at times, but I also know it's my greatest strength. In terms of beauty, I know I won't lose to any of your other wives."
"I could feel your eyes roaming over my body. Don't worry, it's completely yours to do with as you please," Freya said, purring confidently as she slightly opened her robes. My eye twitched a little. Unfortunately, she wasn't lying.
"I never denied that you're beautiful," I said curtly with a sneer. Freya blushed slightly and smiled foolishly. I closed my eyes tightly. It really was unfair how beautiful Freya could be, especially acting that way. "You are, but that doesn't mean I'm accepting your company. I'll simply leave without you coming." I said curtly. Freya nodded.
"You can try, but I will follow you. I don't know where you are, but I know you're an elf, and you'll live for thousands of years. I am a goddess, I am immortal. It may take me hundreds of years, but I will search this entire world, step by step, until I find you again. If you escape again, I will keep looking for you, again and again." Freya said this without the slightest doubt, without the slightest hesitation, and I believed her. Her eyes were so full of determination that she would do exactly that. I closed my eyes tightly.
I was truly cursed at attracting the craziest people possible.
"I still can't believe you broke up your familia, and so quickly, too. It's only been a damn day since we met, Freya." I sighed wearily, pinching the bridge of my nose to change the subject. Freya shrugged.
"I did it, but that doesn't mean I've abandoned them. I'll make sure my children are well cared for before I leave. I'll make sure they find good families where they can grow up and be loved as they deserve," Freya said softly. I sighed wearily.
"It's still an n-"
"Did I tell you I have a huge library? Possibly the largest in all of Orario." Freya interrupted me with a wide smile, and I froze. "I had little time, only one day, to dissolve my familia. I still have to go back to them to settle all the issues, but I also had time to investigate everything I could about you."
"You are married to Miach's daughter, that Ab- that High Dark Elf, Bellatrix Prince. She has mentioned more than once to different people that she is looking for books on magic, magical tools, or anything remotely magical that might be of interest to you."
"My familia has an enormous library, many of which are magical books. I divided much of the familia's treasure among my children as compensation, but I kept the library and some unusual magical artifacts. They're all yours," Freya said with a smile. I closed my mouth and my eyes.
"A-A library won't change my mind." I hated how I stuttered at first. Freya noticed and smiled even more widely.
"You know, I've been wandering around Orario for a long time, and since I couldn't find you, I decided to go out and run some errands. Many of the gods in Orario owe me favors; others simply want to fulfill any of my requests to please me—ridiculous, but certainly convenient."
"I took advantage of them and got books, really unusual magic books and very interesting magical tools," Freya said seductively. I stared at her in disbelief. I squirmed in my seat.
"N-nothing you've acquired could tempt me," I said, my eye twitching slightly. Freya laughed amusedly as she watched me squirm.
"And what if I told you that Dian Cecht 'generously' 'donated' to me a book with instructions on how to create her magical prosthetics?" Freya said, almost purring. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut again. Don't fall for that damn trap. "I'll even have members of my old Familia perform a demonstration of their magic." I tried not to react strongly, just opened my eyes and looked at Freya, confused.
"And what's that for?" I asked easily, and Freya looked at me amusedly.
"There's no need to pretend, my dear. I said I looked into you. It was truly a stroke of luck to run into some of the Loki Familia children. They mentioned a demonstration of magic and skills organized by their Familia's vice-captain, Riveria, to show magic to a High Elf scholar with black hair and starry eyes, who happens to be her fiancée. It's already been spread throughout Orario that Nine Hells is engaged." Freya said with an amused smile. I grimaced.
"That doesn't change anything," I said with a grimace, almost pouting. I really, really wanted Hedin's magic. But I definitely wasn't going to let Freya near me.
"Are you sure? My lovely Ottar has some pretty interesting magic, or Allen, or Hogni, or Hedin—they're all really strong with unique magics and skills. I'm sure you'll be really impressed with their performances," Freya said with a smile. I grimaced.
"I truly pity your familia, Freya, discarding them instantly and then reusing them." I said with a grimace. Freya's face softened.
"Yes, me too," Freya agreed, looking at me intently. "They need better than a selfish goddess like me, which is why I dissolved the familia, and I don't mind using them or calling them back if it helps you in any way," Freya said, sounding completely honest. I grimaced.
"You're playing with fire, goddess." I said hoarsely. Freya laughed happily as she stared at me.
"Luckily for me, I don't mind getting burned if it's for you," Freya said hoarsely. I sighed with a groan. This damn lunatic. I slapped my hand against my face and slowly dragged it away.
"What do you want, Fraya?" I grunted wearily. She stared at me.
"I want to follow you, go with you wherever you go, no matter where it is. I want a chance, I want to be by your side. I'll make you fall in love with me, no tricks, no lies, no manipulation—well, just seduction on my part, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it." Freya said huskily as she stared at me. I stared back at her for several long seconds, finally sighing wearily.
"And how are you so sure that I'm your Odr, that I'm the 'chosen one' you've been searching for?" I asked directly. Freya just smiled.
"I don't know!" Freya said cheerfully. "You were right, just following and seeing the beautiful souls, the shining souls, wasn't enough. I deluded myself into thinking that was exactly what I was looking for, that my Odr would be perfect!"
"But it's possible I was terribly wrong from the start. And you made me see it. But it's not something I can change; I've spent centuries searching for the perfect soul, and your soul still sings to me, draws me like a moth to a flame. Whatever your soul is, it draws me with such intensity that it's impossible for me not to be drawn to you."
"So I'll try, one last time, one last chance, I'll bet on you, you'll be my Odr, and I'll finally be complete, or not, and I'll be destined to have no destined one." She said with such firmness and determination, I frowned.
"I won't accept you just because it's your last attempt; you won't find compassion from me." I said dryly. Freya just smiled and shook her head.
"And you shouldn't, but I'll make you accept me, make you fall in love with me, with all my might," Freya said with a wide smile. I groaned loudly and ran my hand wearily over my face again.
"One chance, that's all you have." I finally said. Freya smiled broadly, childlike, so brightly, as if Christmas had come early. "But! There are rules!" I said quickly. Freya just kept smiling and nodded.
"As many as you need," Freya said without hesitation. I took a deep breath.
"First, you will not antagonize my fiancées, wives, or anyone I date, in any way. That means you will not manipulate them, treat them negatively, or do anything harmful to them. I will not hesitate to kill you if you do, and believe me, I have my ways of killing a god." I said bluntly. Freya just nodded, not seeming the least bit scared by the threat.
"Of course, I'll make sure to treat them with respect. I won't deny that... I'll feel jealous, I will, but I'll control it. Don't worry, I have no problem with Riveria, and I... I'll manage with... Bellatrix." Freya said, making a small grimace at the end. I snorted.
"I have more fiancées than those two, so treat them well, too. As for Bella... I'll make sure to tell her to stop bothering you, but I don't think it'll work, so... you're allowed to get revenge on her as long as you don't do any real harm to Bella." I sighed wearily. Freya smiled more dangerously now.
"Thank you, my dear, that Ab-Bellatrix owes me a few blows," Freya said with a dangerous smile.
"And stop calling her an abomination," I said wearily.
"But her soul..." Freya tried to say with a grimace, and I nodded.
"I already know what her soul looks like; I made her that way," I said dryly. Freya stopped and opened her eyes wide.
"Excuse me, what?" Freya asked, surprised. I smiled mysteriously.
"That goes to the second point, you can't tell anyone what you learn from me. I was going to place an Unbreakable Vow on you, a soul-bound magic that forces you to fulfill the vow made. Breaking it, even as a goddess, would kill you, but instead I will set you free, so that you may keep my secrets freely." I said easily, and Freya just smiled broadly.
"I won't disappoint you, but I still want to know all about Bellatrix's soul," Freya said cheerfully.
"And third... actually, I can't think of a third." I said with a grimace. "Besides that, I don't demand anything of my fiancées or wives; they're capable of doing whatever they want most of the time, as long as it doesn't result in something that hurts others." I said, shrugging before stopping.
"Well, I don't demand anything besides loyalty. I told you I was a hypocrite, too. As long as you're with me, I won't let any of you sleep with anyone outside the harem. Even flirting is forbidden, and I'm saying it straight up. It's non-negotiable, even if you're not part of the group yet." I said firmly. Freya just smiled as she nodded.
"Of course, it hadn't even occurred to me to think of it," Freya said with a smile. "And if you think of any more rules, I'm all ears. Thank you for giving me a chance," she added cheerfully. I sighed.
"Just... let's go, and don't make me regret this." I said wearily. Freya nodded happily. I simply created a portal and pointed it at her. Let's see how this all turns out.
I could use The Company's seal and secure her love, trust, and loyalty, but… she wanted a chance, and color me curious, I really wanted to know how Freya would take the chance, besides… it was flattering that a goddess of beauty was trying to seduce me, so there was that too… yes, we'll see how this ends.