*Meteria POV*
The Hera familia compound was just starting to rise, a few women doing their morning training while others went to the baths to freshen up. Though it was oddly barren, the grand halls and rooms remained mostly empty save for a handful of women.
I hummed quietly to myself as I moved around the kitchen. The early dawn light had just started to invade the sky, and the quiet hum of insects was replaced with the soft singing of birds.
It was shaping up to be the perfect morning for a picnic. Which was why I was trying so hard to make sure the food was ready. This change was too big to miss.
I moved around and gathered the food I had begun to prepare. Freshly baked bread popped out of the oven, sausages were taken out of the smoker, and the juice that I had been making was unearthed from the back of the pantry.
Next, the plates, cups, and utensils were packed in the basket. Afterwards, I went to the laundry room and picked out a great big blanket. It would feel perfect underneath my feet when we placed it down on the grass.
And after a few final touches, the basket was complete. We were ready for the picnic that I had been planning for weeks now. This morning was pretty much the only free time that everyone had. After this, it was back to dungeon diving and training for everyone.
Everyone except me, that is.
After today, I'll go back to making food, clothes, and the little art pieces that decorate the halls.
So, because everyone else is going to be busy after today, I have to make sure this picnic is perfect. I triple checked everything before nodding and lifting up the basket.
I let out a grunt as I adjusted it in my arms, surprised it weighed so much, but I fought through it. I slowly made my way through the door and down to the courtyard where we were supposed to meet today.
My steps, usually quiet, echoed throughout the empty halls as the sun rose ever so slightly. I sniffed the dew in the air and let out a sigh. Yep, this morning should be perfect for a picnic.
I arrived at the courtyard and smiled when I saw who was there. Sitting at a small table, enjoying their early morning coffee, were two of the people I had promised to meet with.
"Good morning, Calypso, Elena. Where is Lady Hera?" I greeted and asked.
Calypso and Elena stopped talking when they heard my voice before turning toward me. Elena gave me a small wave with a smile on her face while Calypso jumped from her seat and rushed over.
"Good morning, Meteria. How are you feeling today? Alright? Here, let me take that from you; it looks so heavy," Calypso flushed before lifting the basket from my arms.
"I'm fine, Calypso. I actually woke up early because I have a lot of energy today. So, don't worry about me. Please," I said, slightly exasperated by her fussing but thankful nonetheless.
Still, I'm not letting my health get in the way of today. I wanted to do something nice for them; it's been so long since the four of us had been together.
"Of course, of course. Still, you shouldn't push yourself just because you're feeling alright. You never know when it might creep back up on you," Calypso smiled at me.
"I know. That's why I wanna make the most of it. So, where's Lady Hera?" I smiled back and asked again. I pushed any discomfort I had at the reminder away.
She was right to worry, after all. I'm not the best at staying stable. Every day was a gamble on how I would feel, and there were days when I couldn't even leave the house.
But this wasn't one of those days. So, I needed to make the most of it before it happened again.
"Lady Hera got called to the guide again. She should be back soon," Elena said after Calypso and I made it over to where she was sitting.
Calypso took a seat next to Elena and set the basket down in the center of the table. I took a seat across from them, eyeing their coffee enviously. I couldn't drink it, not anymore, but I still liked the smell of it in the morning.
"They wanted to talk to her this early? What about?" I asked. I felt an unsettling feeling boil up in me when I heard those words, and my feelings were usually right.
"The same thing they've been yapping about the past few days.The lightning storm, though I'm not sure what more there is to talk about. Maybe they just like hearing their voices," Elena waved a hand, only for said hand to get slapped by Calypso.
"Stop that. Don't disregard their concern so readily. It must be serious if they are holding this many meetings about it," Calypso scolded Elena, who just crossed her arms and huffed.
I gave a strained smile at their antics as the funny feeling in my stomach grew.
The gods have been in a frenzy for a few days. I'm not sure why they care so much about the lightning storm that happened, but Lady Hera has been called in multiple times these past few days.
I asked Lady Hera what was wrong, only to get waved off. Nothing unusual for me, but it seems she didn't even tell Calypso and Elena about it either.
They are supposed to be the acting Captain and Vice Captain while Olympia and Medea were away. If Lady Hera didn't tell them, then…
"Ah, I'm back. Honestly, they really like listening to the sound of their voices." Suddenly, the front doors opened, and in walked Lady Hera. She had an annoyed frown on her face and kept muttering.
She looked around, clearly looking for someone. Her eyes landed on me before surprise and delight replaced her annoyance.
"Meteria dear, how are you feeling this morning?" She said with a small smile as she approached and took a seat next to me.
"I am well, Lady Hera," I replied automatically before I hesitantly followed up, "Um, a-are you alright this morning?"
Lady Hera's face tightened up for a moment before she smiled again and said, "Of course I'm alright. Better than alright. The other gods finally decided to listen to me and made up their minds on what we are doing."
"Really? What did you decide on then?" Elena piped up curiously.
"It has been decided that we are going to send people to find out where the lightning struck. Which is exactly what I first suggested, but everyone else needed time to come around on it. The old bastards," Lady Hera grumbled and crossed her arms.
"Huh, it took you days to decide that?" Elena said, dumbfounded, only to get a snort in return.
"Of course. Everyone's just so panicked that it seems their brains have stopped working. Even that old, gross, good-for-nothing bastard that I call a husband wouldn't agree with me until I talked to him… personally," Lady Hera spat out the last word, like talking to someone in person was the most disgusting thing she had to do ever.
Considering that the person in question was Lord Zeus, I could uh…I could see her reluctance.
No Meteria! That's rude to think about someone, much less a god. Lord Zeus may be…eccentric, but that doesn't mean I should be rude. He's still the leader of the Zeus familia.
"Oh, so you two are fighting again? What was it this time, and who started it?" Elena asked only to get an elbow in the rib from Calypso.
"I am so sorry to hear about your relationship misfortune, Lady Hera. Still, who is going to investigate the area? The Ganesha Familia or Astraea familia, perhaps?" Calypso asked and pointedly ignored Elena's grumbling.
"Ah, well…they, as well as the other familias, will investigate the surroundings. Zeus, Demeter, and Hermes volunteered. I've ordered Freya to lend some people, and Loki was eager to help out as well. Even that whore Istar was weirdly enthusiastic about the whole thing," Lady Hera grumbled the last bit, which caused all three of us to flinch at her tone.
Lady Hera did not like Lady Demeter or Lady Istar. Or Lady Aphrodite. Or Lady Astarte. Or Lady Rati. Or a lot of goddesses now that I thought about it. The only reason she tolerated Lady Freya was that she had already 'been defeated'.
Defeated how, I'm not sure. Lady Hera refuses to elaborate, though Captain Olympia and some of the others who were around back then always had weird expressions when it was brought up.
In any case, the fact that Lady Hera had accepted Lady Istar and Lady Demeter's help with this matter spoke volumes about how serious it was.
"Unfortunately, as I was the one who championed the idea, I was forced to volunteer us as well. So, we have been given the main area to investigate. Hence, I need you two to go and investigate the suspected area where the lightning strike happened," Lady Hera grimaced as she said the words like they left a foul taste in her mouth.
Calypso and Elena both looked surprised at the news, while I wrung my hands together under the table. I didn't like that. I didn't like that at all.
Lady Hera didn't get forced to do anything. Not as long as I can remember, at the very least.
Yet another clue that something bigger was happening.
"When are we going and what are we looking for?" Calypso, even the serious one, was the first to recover and ask the important questions.
The feeling in my stomach reached its peak as I dreaded Lady Hera's answer. Please no.
"You need to go immediately. As soon as possible to prevent any further degradation of the scene," Lady Hera said, and I felt my heart drop to my stomach.
No. We were supposed to spend time together. We were supposed to go out and be a family for a bit. I was supposed to finally be useful.
The ugly feeling of wanting to protest boiled inside of me before I pushed it down. I didn't deserve to get in their way. This was far more important; I couldn't afford to be spoiled.
"As for what you're looking for," Lady Hera paused, carefully considering her words before continuing, "…I guess it should feel like lightning is dancing underneath your skin. Once you find that area, look for any signs that anything is left. If you do find something, track it before reporting back to me. Do not fight it. No matter what, do you understand?"
Lady Hera's tone at the end took us off guard and snapped me out of my thoughts. She was serious. Dead serious. When was the last time she told us, no, them, not to challenge something?
Calypso's face morphed into a frown, and Elena's face turned as serious as I've ever seen her.
"I- Why would you–," Elena began, only to quiet down in the face of Lady Hera's glare. "I understand," Elena relented and sagged her shoulders after a few moments.
Calypso just nodded, still clearly unhappy and confused about the order, but willing to follow it despite that. It was then that Lady Hera nodded and took out a map from her bag.
She handed it to Calypso and said, "It is marked with an 'X' and shouldn't be too far for you. Gear up and head there now."
Calypso nodded before she turned to me and gave an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Meteria. Looks like we will have to reschedule our outing for later."
Elena's face turned into one of realization before she winced as she looked at me. Lady Hera's eyes grew wide before turning to me. It seems she forgot.
'How typ–'
I bit my lip and pushed down the terrible thought before it could even form. She was just busy; it's normal for her to forget. How dare I think that? This was important.
"Oh dear, was that today? I…I'm sorry, Meteria, but this has to get done as fast as possible. Any further delay, and we could lose clues," Lady Hera said gently, sorrow and regret in her voice.
'Why didn't you tell us earlier, then?' I thought with sadness, frustration thick in my throat. Luckily, Elena seemed to have the same thought as me.
"If it was so important, why didn't you tell us to go check the day it happened?" Elena snapped. Calypso went stiff but didn't reprimand her, while Lady Hera gave a quiet and tired sigh.
"I know. I should have told you earlier, we should have decided earlier…We should have gone on our little outing earlier. I'm sorry, Meteria. We–no, I will make it up to you," Lady Hera turned and put her hand on my cheek.
"So, please don't be so upset, okay? I promise, we will go out together later after everything has settled down. You, me, Calypso, Elena. Even Alfia, Olympia, and Medea," Lady Hera gently wiped my cheek, making me realize a tear had escaped.
Embarrassment rushed through me as I realized I had cried over this. Cried. Over something as simple as not getting my way. How childish.
"I-I'm fine, Lady Hera. S-something just got into my eye. I think my allergies are acting up again. I-it is spring after all," I pulled back and smiled, wiping my eyes as I did. I hate how shaky my voice is.
Lady Hera didn't say anything else, just gazed at me with a sad smile. Calypso chose that moment to get up and come over. She leaned down and hugged me.
"We will be back soon. We'll eat together later tonight, promise," She said. I nodded and returned the hug.
"Stay safe," I whispered.
I didn't like how Lady Hera and the other gods were acting. They were too jumpy, too panicked. Lady Hera hid it well, but I could tell she was worried about it. Even more so than when everyone else set off to go hunt Beamoth and Leviathan.
Calypso nodded before pulling away and going to get ready. Elena huffed before she got up and gave me a quick hug, too.
"I'll be back. Don't get too upset, it's bad for you," She said, worry in her voice.
Here she was, going out and facing something that had the gods jumpy, and she's still worried about me.
"Thank you. You stay safe," I responded and hugged her back.
"Always do," She responded with a smirk before she left. Thus, it was just Lady Hera and me sitting at the table. I felt my eyes begin to sting before I got up and grabbed the basket.
"Meteria! Where are you–?" Lady Hera began to say, only for me to run away.
"I'm going to go get some fresh air! I'll be back before lunch!" I called back behind me, rushing through the front door with the basket in my arms. I needed to get away and calm down.
Frustration and embarrassment boiled in me as I walked. I couldn't believe how I was acting. They were off to find something that even the gods were antsy about, and here I was making them more concerned about me.
More tears ran down my cheeks as I thought of it. The frustration of the picnic getting canceled was just the start of it. The frustration that worried more about me than themselves ate at me the most.
I couldn't go with them. I couldn't help. Not with the investigation, not with fighting, and now I couldn't even help them by letting them relax. I was getting left behind, and I couldn't do anything about it.
And yet, somehow, they were more concerned about me. Because I had overreacted like this, because I couldn't keep it together. Now they're focusing on me when they should be focusing on the investigation.
I wasn't just being useless; I was hindering them. And they saw it. They saw my little break, the tiny moment when I let it get to me, and that made it all the worse. Because they aren't going to see it like that.
They aren't going to see it as the moment of frustration where I got too emotional. No, they'll see it as me deteriorating more. Me just being me.
More tears escaped my eyes as the cycle continued to build in me. I just wanted to show them that I was capable of helping. That I wasn't a burden, that I could be relied on when they needed me. That was the whole point of this damn picnic.
Instead, I turned into another spectacle of 'how weak is Meteria today?' And I felt awful for even thinking that because I know it's not true, damn it!
They care for me. I know they do! They don't think I'm a burden, or a hindrance, or any of those nasty things. They are my family, they're my sisters just as much as Alfia is. And here I am being annoyed that they care!
What is wrong with me?
I just want to help. I want to show them they can rely on me for something, anything. To show them that I could do things on my own, too. Because that's what you're supposed to do, you're supposed to help the ones you care about. That's why they are always taking care of me.
So why can't I take care of them too?
I let out shaky breaths as I tried to suppress my sobs. I wiped my eyes and blew my nose with a handkerchief and tried to get everything under control. I sniffed for a moment and let the final sobs rack my body before it stopped.
I took a deep breath in through my nose before letting it out through my mouth. I looked at the picnic basket in my arms, the weight making my arms shake slightly as I laughed at my situation.
"I'm being ridiculous. All this effort to make the food, and instead of saving it, I ran off with it like an idiot," I muttered before catching my reflection in one of the windows I was passing.
My face was red from the long walk and the crying. My eyes were slightly puffy, and my cheeks were still damp. My breathing still hasn't calmed down either, leaving me gasping slightly.
I couldn't go back like this. Lady Hera will know what happened, and that would just make me feel worse. I blinked away any remaining tears and looked around, only to find myself in a very familiar place.
I was near the old church that Alfia and I used to stay in before Lady Hera took us in. I gave one last look at my reflection before making up my mind and walking to the church.
It would help me get my mind off everything and give me time to calm down. Besides, I had been meaning to come back to clean up soon. No better time than the present to get that done.
I enjoyed the morning air and admired the sky as it was painted with pink and yellow. It was calming, relaxing. Exactly what I needed right now. A walk under the beautiful sky and a familiar place to settle for a moment.
Unfortunately, that peaceful relaxation was shattered the moment I opened the door and saw something terrible.
There, lying on one of the pews, was a man covered in blood. His face was mostly clean, save for some stray drops and dirt, but everything below his neck was caked in a thick layer of it. I had just walked into a murder scene.
I couldn't help it. I screamed.
"AHHHHHH, HE'S DEAD!" My voice pierced through the peaceful morning air.
What should I do? Do I tell the guild? Or do I go back home and tell Lady Hera? I was panicking.
"Wh-What. W-who's dead? What's happening?" The corpse suddenly talked before jumping to his feet and looking around.
I panicked even harder as sheer terror coursed through me.
"AHHHHH ZOMBIE! PLEASE DON'T EAT ME, I'M NOT TASTY, I PROMISE," I screamed as all rational thought left me. I could handle this. Especially not this early in the morning. I heard zombies were very hard to kill, but they were slow. Maybe if I throw the basket at him, I can get a head start–
"Why are you screaming?" The zombie interrupted my thoughts by shouting at me. Oh gods no, he can talk. He has to be an advanced zombie.
"Because there's a zombie! A zombie is walking and talking– Y-you're not a zombie?" I started saying before rational thought entered my brain, and I realized I was talking to someone.
"I don't think so. Why do you think I'm a zombie?" He asked hesitantly.
"W-well, because you're covered in blood, have tattered clothes, and stink. I-I thought you were dead, but then you started moving, so…" I tried to explain myself only trailed off at the end and looked down at my feet when I realized I had just insulted him.
"So you thought I was a zombie," He finished before looking down at his clothes and nodding. "Yeah, I can see that."
"Wait?! You're not mad that I thought you were a zombie?" My head snapped up as I looked at him in shock. He wasn't mad despite being insulted so much? Why?
"I can't really get mad at you when I do look like a zombie. But I'm not dead…or undead, I guess. I just haven't had a chance to wash and change my clothes," He scratched his head and said.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Good, I'm glad he's not upset. I mean, he does look like a zombie, covered in rags, cuts, and blood…
Wait a minute. That's still not normal!
"Oh, I see…W-why are you covered in blood? I-if you don't mind me asking," I stuttered. What if whoever hurt him is still around? What if they come back and kill him? Ah, maybe I should run back and tell Lady Hera after all…
"I-uh, I got hurt in the dungeon, so most of it is from that." His voice broke me from my thoughts, and he gave a very reasonable explanation.
Not.
Who the hell gets that hurt from a normal dungeon dive? And why would you just leave him here in an abandoned church? What is his familia doing?
"Oh, I see. What familia are you in?" I asked, feeling anger on his behalf. Once I figure out who his god is, I'll give them a stern talking to. Familias are supposed to take care of each other, not leave one of their extremely injured members in a random building.
I studied the young man in front of me, trying to see if I could place his face. He was about my age, with medium-long blonde hair and green eyes. He had a few scratches on his face, but nothing too serious.
His body was a mess from what I could tell. Numerous cuts and puncture marks dotted his arms, torso, and legs. His clothes were ragged and nearly torn to ribbons. They could hardly even be called clothes at this point. And everything was just soaked in blood.
I noticed he didn't even seem to have a weapon or a backpack, or anything resembling supplies. There was a balled-up cloak on the pew that he was using as a pillow, but that was it.
"I can't tell you," He said, pulling me from my thoughts. I wanted to push, but I held my tongue. What could I do even if he did tell me? No god would take me seriously, and if they just left him here, then something more wrong was going on.
"Oh…That's okay then," I nodded, disappointed with myself. What could I possibly do?
"What's your familia then?" He asked. He didn't recognize me?
"I can't tell you," I said automatically. I didn't want him to know I was in the Hera familia. Not because I was ashamed of them, but because I didn't want to be treated differently.
I didn't want to scare him off. Maybe, if I stick around long enough, I can figure out what familia he's in. Then, I'll reveal I'm in the Hera familia and demand they treat him better. Yeah, that'll work.
His laughter broke me from my thoughts. I'm thinking of how to help him, and he's laughing at me!
"Hey, it's rude to laugh at people. And don't think I didn't notice you staring at me either. That's rude, too," I said. He didn't even try to be subtle about looking at me either. I mean, I wasn't either, but that's different.
He's out here looking like a dead person; it's completely normal to stare at him.
"I'm sorry. It's just funny that we both said the same thing. Also, you were never gonna tell me your familia before I refused to tell you mine, were you?" He asked with a smirk.
I hesitated before nodding. Yeah, it wasn't every day that I got to meet someone without my familia being around. And once they find out I'm in the Hera familia, they always treat me differently.
More cold, more calculating, more fearful. Less genuine. Less normal.
I want to try and be normal for once.
"Yeah, you're right," I said.
He fell silent for a moment before looking me up and down again. I shivered a bit when I felt his gaze. He was staring so intensely. What was he thinking about?
"You're staring again," I said eventually. I could feel the blush on my face as I started fidgeting. Did he recognize me after all?
"Sorry, I was thinking about something," He said before pausing for a moment. I kept silent, wondering what he was going to do.
"I've been rude, I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself, I'm Leon. What's your name?" He introduced himself with a smile that made my mind go blank for a moment.
"Oh, uh, you weren't that rude, it's okay," I said eventually, debating if I should say my real name or not. I don't think I was as well known as Olympia or Alfia or anyone really. So, it should be fine, right?
Right. It'll be fine. It's normal to introduce yourself with your real name.
"Oh, and I'm Meteria. It's nice to meet you, Leon," I said with a nervous smile.
A small silence overtook us as I looked him up and down. He didn't have any reaction to my name, letting me relax for a bit. Good, looks like I'm in the clear.
Now, what to do? I shifted the basket in my arms again, feeling them start to shake from the weight of holding it so long. Hmm, food was the best ice breaker there was, wasn't it?
"Would you like to eat breakfast with me?" I said after a few seconds. I held the basket out in front of me, a tremble in her arms from the weight, before adding, "I think I packed too much for just me."
I know I packed too much. There were supposed to be four people here; instead, there was just me. This was enough food to last me for days. Besides, it looked like he could use the help.
"You sure? I would love to, but I am covered in blood. I wouldn't want to gross you out," He said, gesturing to his whole body.
"O-of course! I would love to eat with someone. A-and I'm sorry for calling you a zombie before. I should have realized you weren't, but I was half asleep when I first got here," I explained, worried that he was still angry about the zombie thing.
I was half asleep and upset. I never would have thought he was a zombie normally. It was extenuating circumstances, that was all.
"It's okay. As I said, I do kind of look like a zombie right now. Come on, let's eat. Here, let me take that. It looks heavy," He smiled and reached for the basket.
"Ah, thank you," I said as I handed it to him. It felt good getting rid of the weight. It was starting to get heavy. I opened the basket for a moment and took out the blanket I had picked out.
There wasn't any grass here, but it would make a nice tablecloth.
"Here, put the basket in the middle. I'll get everything unpacked," I said after I had laid out the cloth, and Leon obliged. I started digging through it and unpacking everything.
"I'll go get the chairs then," He said before walking toward some chairs next to the wall.
"Ah, wait! Please don't worry about it. You're injured, I wouldn't want you to get hurt," I stopped setting the table and rushed over to stop him. What was he thinking? He's injured, how can he keep walking around like it's nothing? Doesn't it hurt?
And why is he laughing at me again!?
"Haha, don't worry about it. I can manage a few chairs, I think. Besides, I can't let you do all the work," He said, before gently pulling a pair of chairs toward the table.
"You really shouldn't be moving, though. Your injuries look bad, even if they are healing," I tried to put on my big sister voice that I used when some of the younger girls misbehaved.
Honestly, why can't anyone let me take care of them? Now, even this half-dead man is doing stuff for me.
"I'm fine, I promise. It just looks worse than it is. Most of the blood isn't even mine. Also, you invited me to eat your food. I need to contribute something," He explained, to which I begrudgingly agreed.
Well, I can understand wanting to help.
Until he started pulling stuff out of the basket. Ah, he's gonna get blood everywhere!
"Ah, wait! You'll get blood on everything! Please don't touch it, I'll unpack everything," I said and rushed over to top him.
"Oh, you're right. I'm sorry, I'll uh, I'll just sit over here then," He said awkwardly before shuffling around and taking a seat.
I sighed in relief and started unpacking everything again. Good, the food is safe. I might cry again if all of it were ruined because blood got on it.
Soon, the table had a full spread of bread, fruit, dried meats, some cheese, jams, butter, and a bottle of juice. I then produced some wooden cups and poured both of us some of the juice.
"Here, try some. It's apricot. I-I, uh, I made it myself," I stuttered and handed him the cup. I tried to smile, but the nerves were getting to me.
It might not be good. My familia might have lied to me this whole time. What if it was terrible and I had just thought it was good this whole time?
Luckily, my fears were unfounded as he took a sip before downing the whole cup. I sat stunned as I watched him chug everything all at once before letting out a sigh and holding it out to me.
"Ah, it's very good. Can I have some more, please?" He asked, a small smile on his face.
"Of course! I'm glad you liked it. I tried adding some herbs to this batch, and I think it turned out really well. Though I haven't had anyone else try that one yet, so I didn't know if it was actually good, or if I just didn't want to admit it was bad. Please have some more," I perked up and gave him another cup before pouring some for myself.
I plated everything up before we started talking. At first, I didn't know what to talk about, but then the conversation turned to how I made the food.
"I make everything. Jams, butter, bread, cheese, pretty much anything you see on the table I made myself," I said excitedly before going to explain the process for each item.
I got a little lost in it, but Leon followed along perfectly. He would try the food along with me as I explained it and would give little comments about how good it was.
I know he was probably just being polite, but it was nice talking to someone about everything. My familia said they liked it, and would smile when I explained what I was doing, but Leon made me feel like I was being heard, not just listened to.
He would respond with understanding, ask questions, and encourage me to keep talking. I liked talking to him. I liked talking to him a lot.
"So why did you take up making all this stuff?" He eventually asked, which made me hesitate for a moment. How do I explain this?
"Ah, well…I-I have a lot of free time, so doing this stuff gives me something to do. I like sharing it with people, too, so thank you for listening to me. I know I can ramble," I said, exempting the part about wanting to help my familia. Still, I meant what I said about sharing with people.
If I hadn't met him, then I would have just sat in the church and felt sad while eating. Instead, I got to take my mind off things, if only for a moment.
"I'm glad I could keep you company then. I liked listening to you talk, it was…fun," He smiled at me. It made my heart flutter a bit.
Uh oh, please don't let me have an attack in front of him. We just met, I can't let him know about it. I can't ruin the mood. I need to distract him. That way, I can calm down and deal with this before it gets bad.
"Oh…I'm glad you liked it. Um, can I ask you something?" I fidgeted in my seat, absently mindlessly picking at a piece of bread.
"Of course. I'll answer it if I can," He said lightly.
"You said you just came back from the dungeon, right? That's where you got all those injuries?" I hesitantly asked, wincing a bit as I once again saw how badly he was injured. He didn't act injured. Maybe he was telling the truth that it just looked worse than it was?
He nodded but didn't say anything else. Waiting for me to go on. I took a breath, gathered my courage, and pressed on.
"Then, could you tell me about how it happened? Please?" I asked, prepared for a dismissal or anger.
When members of my familia got hurt, however rare it was, they didn't like talking about it. They never got angry at me for asking, but they always avoided the topic.
Yet, my curiosity got the best of me. It was just so rare to see someone get hurt that badly. I want to know how it happened. Just in case.
"Sure. You shared your food with me, I have to pay you back somehow," He smiled at me, which made me heave a sigh of relief.
"Let's see… the dungeon started tame, it was only when I got to the deeper floors that things started to go off the rails. At first, it was just some goblins…" He started. His voice had a magnetic property that instantly drew me in; my attention was instantly captured.
I slowly picked at the food as I listened. Involuntary gasps and oohs came out whenever he described a monster.
I had to give him the full names of the monsters since it seemed like he didn't know. Which just raised the question of what the hell his familia was doing, sending him down there with no knowledge.
I tried to keep my reactions under control, but that control broke when I heard him describe 'the big lizard'.
"It was a huge lizard, orange with a long tail. It got a good hit on me when I–" "That's an infant dragon! You fought an infant dragon?!" I interrupted him with a scream.
"That thing was a baby dragon? No wonder it was a pain in the butt to kill. Lucky it hadn't gotten its wings yet," He said, completely nonchalantly.
"What? No, it's not actually a baby dragon; people just call it that. As far as I know, it is fully grown. It's considered the floor boss for the upper floors. You need to be level two to even think of hurting," I explained.
How did he not know that!? What was going on?!
"Oh, I see…yeah, that would explain it being so tough. Bastard got a good shot at my ribs, but I was able to take it down after a few good punches," He said.
He made it sound so easy. I thought he was a level one, but he has to be a level two if he could face an infant dragon alone.
"So you got all your injuries from the infant dragon?" I asked in a trembling voice. That would make sense; they are supposed to be hard to kill. It must have been a great fight.
Still, it sounds like he went in alone. How did he make it back up if he got this hurt from the infant dragon?
"Oh no, I got all the injuries on my way back up. The dra–infant dragon got a few lucky hits on me, but my injuries mainly came from the horde of monsters I had to fight my way back through," He explained, shattering any thoughts I had as worry flooded me.
"H-horde of monsters?! What do you mean, horde of monsters?" My voice went higher as I leaned in to see if he was just messing with me. I looked for any sign of a lie but didn't find anything.
"I mean that literally, a horde of monsters. Half of it was my fault, as I had let a bunch of monsters from the lower floors chase me. However, a lot of times, when I reached the next floor, the dungeon had a wall of monsters blocking my way. It really felt like it was trying to keep me down there," He said and casually popped a piece of cheese in his mouth.
I stared at him for a moment, trying to wrap my head around how the hell he was still alive. Though somewhere in the back of my mind, I realized why my familia members never told me about their trips to the dungeon.
They just didn't want to worry me. Like usual, they were more concerned about me than themselves.
"I-I had heard that the dungeon seemed to be sentient at times from my familia. It purposefully lures you in before springing a trap on you. I didn't realize it could get that bad, though," I said, feeling a complicated mix of emotions in my chest as I had that realization.
I knew they hid things from me. I knew the dungeon was dangerous. I knew all that, yet the way he described it made it seem so much scarier.
"Still, I didn't know you were a level two Leon. That's incredible. How long have you been one? If you don't mind me asking," I decided to brave asking another question.
It could be a touchy topic, especially if he had been stuck at level two for a while, but I wanted to know. I mean, he went and killed an infant dragon, so surely he–
"I broke through a few days ago," He said after a moment. Which made me lose my composure, again.
"What! You broke through a few days ago, and you went to fight an Infant dragon!?" I shouted in disbelief
Why would he do that? He just leveled up, and he decided to go and kill a floor boss. Why would he do something so reckless?
"Um…yeah? Is something wrong with that?" He asked. His voice was unsure, and his tone took the wind out of my sails.
"Well, it's not that you did something wrong. It's just incredible. Most people wait till they raise their stats more before trying to face something like that," I explained, trying to smooth things over.
I didn't want him to think I was annoying. It was just so weird that he would go do that. I'm worried for him, and I just met him!
"I guess I just didn't want to wait that long. You'll never improve if you don't push yourself. Besides, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, so it's not that impressive," He said, which made me pause.
He didn't know what he was getting himself into. Did he not know that infant dragons spawn on the tenth floor? Did he just see a boss monster and decide to fight it with no preparation?
"Huh? Wait, do you not know what monsters spawn on those floors?" I asked, hoping that I was wrong. That I had just misunderstood him.
"Yep. I was just winging it," He said, confirming my worst fears.
He didn't know. He just decided to go and fight a boss monster on a whim. I think I'm going to faint.
"W-what–How-... Why would you just wing it? Why not go visit the library, or ask the guild advisor, or anyone else in your familia?" I stuttered. I didn't understand. I couldn't understand.
How could anyone be this…this…I can't even think of the word without being rude!
"Well, there is no one in my familia. I didn't get an advisor, and I didn't know that there was a library. Where is it?" He explained and used his fingers to list off the different reasons.
I just stared at him, my mouth gaping. I couldn't blame him for not having anyone in his familia to talk to, not every familia was as big as the Hera or Zeus familia. But why would he not ask for an advisor then?
Why wouldn't he at least read up about the tenth floor before he went down there? I don't know how long he's been dungeon diving, but that seems reckless no matter what.
Like, I get that he's a level two, I get that I don't know what it's like since I've never been down there, but I feel like anyone would read up on things before going down deeper.
I just stared at him, trying to comprehend his thought process. He must have taken it to mean something different, though, as he lifted a piece of cheese and tried to feed it to me.
"Here you go, say 'Ahhh', " He said, bringing up a piece of cheese and pushing it toward my mouth, only to stop short. He stared at his hand for a moment before a flash of realization crossed his face.
He had just tried to feed me despite being covered in blood. Because my mouth was open? Is that it? He thought I was hungry.
I stared at him and reviewed everything that I knew.
He broke through to level two and immediately dove down deeper than he normally went, ran into an infant dragon, fought it on a whim, before rushing back up.
And he didn't bring any potions with him or a supporter or even basic knowledge of what he would fight once he got down that low.
Is…is he an idiot?
I felt so mean thinking it, but that's the only thing I could think of. That's the only way it makes sense. Oh, but it's so rude. I'm sorry, Leon!
"I-I…I am glad you're okay, Leon," I said after a solid minute of silence. I looked him up and down for a moment before continuing, "Well…alive, I guess."
"Hey, I'm glad I'm alive too. I couldn't have met you if I were dead. So, that's certainly a plus, right?" He smiled and popped a piece of smoked sausage in his mouth. I felt my heart speed up again.
"R-right! Definitely a plus," I said, and I could feel the blush form on my face.
Well, if he is an…i-idiot, then he's a nice one.
"So, where was this library you mentioned?" He asked and broke me from my thoughts again.
"Oh, right! Sorry, I got distracted for a second. It's in the guild. Just go inside and ask to see the library, and they'll guide you back there. There are a lot of good books on monsters, so it's vital that you read them before you go down again," I said before looking him in the eyes.
"Please read about the monsters before you go down into the dungeon again. Okay? I-uh…I want you to be safe," My voice went quiet at the end, as embarrassment crept up in me.
What was I doing?! I just met him; there's no way he would listen to me. I couldn't even help my familia, how could I help him…
"Hmm, got it. I'll make sure I do that before I go back down. Thank you, Meteria," He smiled and thanked me.
No, 'no need to worry about me'. No, 'I got it handled'. No, 'don't worry about it'. Just pure gratitude for my efforts. I had done it. I was able to help him; I told him something he didn't know, and he appreciated it.
I smiled back at him as warmth appeared in my chest. I could do it. I could be helpful. If not to my familia, they were so amazing as it was, then at least to him. He needed it too.
I would hate for him to die in the dungeon because I couldn't do anything. I needed to do my best to make sure that didn't happen. Even if it was just telling him about the dungeon and giving him food.
With that resolve in mind, I went back to eating, though I was quite full.
The food slowly disappeared from the table. He ate a lot. I had packed enough for four people, and he ate at least three people's worth. I guess he was hungry, though I wonder how long it's been since he ate.
After he finished, I slowly began to pack everything up. He tried to help, but I had to remind him that he was still covered in blood.
"Do you know where I can take a bath? Like seriously, I'll take anything at this point," he asked with an awkward smile. Luckily, I knew just the thing.
"There's a bathhouse near the guild. Once you get to the guild, keep going past it toward the wall, and you should run into it. It's right next to the temple bath, so I'm surprised your god didn't tell you about it," I explained as I tried to probe for information. I couldn't fathom what his god was doing.
"Ah, well, I guess they just forgot to tell me about it. It's not like I've been here that long, so they just haven't had a chance to tell me about it," He explained, which made me frown, but I didn't pry.
I kept packing everything up before Leon spoke again.
"Why did you pack so much food in the first place? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad I could eat it, but it looks like too much for just you. Unless, don't tell me I ate your share too," He said, with worry in his voice.
I bit back a giggle at the thought. Me eating everything? Please, I was stuffed. Any more and I would hurl.
"Oh, I was supposed to eat with some of my familia, but they suddenly had something to do this morning. I still wanted to go out and had already packed, so I came. I just forgot to take out some of the food before I left," I said. The familiar pain of disappointment flashed in my chest, but there wasn't anything for it. They were doing something important.
"Does… that happen often?" Leon asked hesitantly. I thought about it, about all the failed meetings and emotions I've been feeling lately.
"Lately, I guess. Everyone had just been so busy. Usually, we all eat dinner together, but that hasn't happened in a while either." I said eventually, letting out some of the frustration I was feeling in my words. It felt good to tell someone about it. Even if it was only a little bit.
I finished packing up before turning to face him again. I hesitated saying these next words, but I might as well go for it.
" I…I am glad I met you this morning, Leon. It was nice to have someone to keep me company after so long," I said, embarrassed. It felt weird admitting it, but it was true.
"Me too. It was fun talking to someone. Thanks for the food again. It was really good," He said, which made me smile.
Still, I didn't want this to be our last meeting. I didn't want to lose his company, and I didn't want to just leave him alone. I was worried that he would go and do something stupid if I didn't help him.
So, with that thought in mind, and remembering my previous resolve to help him, I gathered my courage and opened my mouth.
"Um…C-can we do this again? You know, sit down and have breakfast together? I…I haven't had the chance to talk to someone in a while," I felt my face flush as I said those words before looking down.
What if he refused? What if he found my concern annoying or unneeded? What if he just didn't like me?
"I would love to. Though be warned, I'm not that good of a cook. The food I bring isn't going to be as good as yours," His voice broke me out of my depressing thoughts and wiped away my fears.
"Ah, no-no, that's fine! I would love to try your cooking sometime. I'm sure it's delicious. And even if it's not, then that's okay too. I-uh, I just want to talk to you more," I said before leaping forward.
I needed him to know I was serious. So, I looked up at him and noticed two things. One, he was taller than I thought, and two, his eyes reminded me of a forest.
"Oh, uh…yeah, me too," He responded after a moment, his breath brushing across my face. Which made me realize just how close I had gotten.
My face flushed with heat as I jumped back and tried to calm down. What was that? Why did I do that?
I peeked at Leon and saw that he didn't seem to mind, which was good. I didn't want him to think I was weird or anything. I saw him meet my eye, and I tore my gaze upwards.
"Do you want to meet here? I come by and take care of this place every once in a while to keep it clean and have a picnic, so it would be perfect if you joined me," I said, not wanting to look him in the eye. I was mostly just making sure that the rafters didn't need to get dusted again.
Yep, all clean. Nice, better keep checking though. Just in case.
"Oh, you do? I guess that answers why it's so clean. Why clean it, though? Or, why come here at all?" He asked, and I saw him turn his head around from the corner of my eye.
"It's special to me. My sister and I used to live here for a bit before we joined our familia. I don't need it anymore, but I like taking care of it. I have a lot of memories here, so I don't want it to just…collapse," I said, looking around as a flood of memories came back to me.
Those were different times. We were just trying to survive after our parents had passed, but it was so hard. Days where we went without food, wearing the same clothes for weeks on end.
All the while, both of our illnesses, our curses, acted and slowed us down. Yet somehow, Alfia was always more composed. Always ready to protect me, always ready to give me some bread or new clothes, despite not having anything herself.
In a way, nothing has changed. We have food, clothes, shelter, and more family, but everyone still gives me everything, and I remain unable to give them something in return. Well, something that I feel is worth something.
"I see…" Leon trailed off for a moment before continuing, "Then, do you mind if I stay here? Just for a bit. I need to find a place to stay still, but once I do, then I'll head on out."
He didn't have a place to stay? Why? Why not stay with his god? Was his god homeless? What god was homeless?
Seriously, what familia was he part of? How could there be a familia that's this…this horrible to its members?
"Of course! I don't own it, so I can't stop you, but I would love for someone to live here and take care of it, too," I said before looking at him and smiling, "It will be lonely without anyone else."
This way I could keep an eye on him, have company whenever I wanted, and further investigate his familia. Yeah, that's a good plan.
"Then, I'll make sure I'm here whenever you pop by. I wouldn't want to miss your food after all. Or your company." He grinned, and I smiled back before nodding. I gathered the basket and made for the door.
"Great! Then, I'll see you later!" I said before turning around and rushing away.
I thought I heard him say something behind me, but I was too busy thinking about everything. I had found someone that I could help, someone that needed my help.
If I just left him alone, who knows what would happen. I needed to do my own investigation and get to the bottom of this. It wasn't as grand or important as whatever the gods were doing, but it was important to me. It was something that I could do.
And that was the best feeling I could have possibly felt.
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Yay! Part one is done. I wanted to do everything in one chapter, but it would be way to big, so I decided to divide it up. Part two is to follow in the next chapter before we go back to Leon.
As for Meteria, hopefully I didn't make her too ansty or edgy. She does have a good relationship with her familia, it's just in this part, all that frustration that she usually holds back is leaking out. Next chapter, I'll write her interacting with them more normally.
Anyways, pretty much the main reason why I decided to break up the chapter was because I wanted to let her interact with them normally and feed you all some more information about what the gods are up to.
Let me know what you thought of Meteria ,too. I like the direction for her character, but I would like to hear feedback if I overdid it this chapter. She's not in a great mental state right now, so she's repeating herself and going in circles a lot, but that could come across as annoying, so do let me know.
Also, take a guess as to what level Calypso and Elena are at. For fun.
Anyway, until next time, friends!