The group moved through the grand manor, their footsteps echoing off the stone floors as they made their way to the library. The library was tucked away at the back of the house, far from the grand entrance. Its thick wooden doors creaked open, revealing a room filled with books amassed from the hidden troves of Zald and Alfia’s former familias.

  At a large oak desk, Erebus was lost in concentration over a hefty tome. His brow was furrowed as he read through the book. The sound of approaching footsteps made him lift his head, setting the book down with a soft thud. His sharp gaze fell upon Alfia, Bell, and their two new companions.

  “So, what brings you all here?” Erebus’s voice was measured, his eyes scanning the group with a mix of curiosity and interest.

  Alfia stepped forward and gestured towards Amid; “This girl should join our familia.”

  Bell added, “I found Lili in trouble and want to offer her my help.” He nudged Lili forward, her steps hesitant as she moved closer.

  Erebus studied Lili with a critical eye before addressing Amid. “If you have Alfia’s approval, then I see no reason to object. Amid, it is my pleasure to welcome you into our familia. I am Erebus. Now, Bell, what are your plans for this girl?”

  Bell cleared his throat before replying. “I want her to stay with us for protection and join my party as a supporter. However, she will need to pay a fee to leave her current familia. I want to start by arranging that.”

  Erebus nodded, acknowledging the practicality of Bell’s plan. “Very well. That seems reasonable. Amid, do you have any questions for me about my familia?” His gaze turned to Amid, reflecting genuine interest.

  Amid took a deep breath. “I aspire to be a healer and help those beyond our familia. I want to make a positive impact on the citizens of Orario, not just adventurers. Is that an acceptable goal?”

  Erebus’s expression softened slightly. “That is perfectly fine. I have no objections, and I’m sure Bell agrees.” He glanced at Bell, who nodded in agreement.

  “Excellent,” Amid said, bowing her head respectfully. “Then I would like to receive your blessing.”

  Erebus gestured towards a nearby alcove, signaling the start of the formalities. “Very well. We will officially welcome you into our familia this evening before dinner. Now, Lili, what do you wish to do?”

  Lili’s voice was steady, though her nerves were palpable. “I would like to join Bell's Dungeon party and earn enough Valis to leave my current familia.”

  Erebus’s gaze grew more intense. “I see. And which familia are you currently a part of, Lili?”

  “The Soma familia,” Lili replied, her eyes meeting his with a mix of apprehension and resolve.

  “I understand. We will speak with Soma once you have earned the necessary funds,” Erebus confirmed, his tone signaling the conclusion of their discussion.

  Just then, a knock on the door interrupted their conversation, Zald announced that Goddess Astraea and some her familia where at the front door asking for permission to enter the residence saying that they had business.

  “Go let them, Zald. I can guess why they are here.” Erebus instructed.

  Zald departed and soon the door to the library creaked open, and the group inside turned as Zald entered, accompanied by Alise, Ryuu, and Astraea. Zald settled into one of the couches.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Good evening, Astraea. I was wondering when you would arrive. I assume this is about Lili?” Erebus inquired

  Astraea nodded, her gaze shifting to the girl who had instinctively hid behind Bell. “Yes, Erebus. I wanted to speak with Lili as soon as possible.”

  Astraea’s expression softened as she stepped closer to the trembling girl. “Hello, Lili. I’m Astraea. My daughters, Maryuu and Rayana, informed me of your situation. I’d like to hear your side of the story. Can you tell me what happened?”

  Lili took a deep breath, her voice quivering as she began to recount the troubles she had faced. Each member of the group responded to her tale in their own way—Alise’s eyes grew heavy with sorrow, Astraea’s face became somber as she looked down, Zald’s features twisted into a grimace of disgust, Alfia’s lip curled with contempt, and Bell’s fists clenched in anger, while Ryuu’s jaw tightened. As Lili finished her story the room became filled the silence punctuated only by occasional sniffle ordeep sigh.

  “We should…” Ryuu started, but Alfia cut her off.

  “You should do nothing,” Alfia said calmly, her gaze fixed on Ryuu. “Without evidence that the God condoned these actions, any punishment will likely be minimal. Zanis will deny everything and blame a few unruly members. They might face a minor penalty, but that will be the extent of it.”

  Ryuu’s face darkened with anger. “No way…”

  “Please don’t,” Lili interjected, her voice trembling. “If you speak up, they’ll force you to hand me over. And then…”

  Lili’s body quivered with fear. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, her hands began to shake uncontrollably, and her heart began to thump in her chest. Astraea, noticing Lili’s distress, moved to comfort her. She wrapped her arms around the frightened girl and gently began brushing her hands through Lili’s hair in a soothing rhythm.

  “Shh, it’s alright,” Astraea murmured softly, her voice a calming Lili’s fears. She continued to stroke Lili’s hair until the girl’s trembling began to subside.

  Lili exhaled a shaky breath and whispered a quiet “thank you,” her voice barely audible. Astraea responded with a warm smile and a gentle pat on Lili’s head before releasing her from the embrace. Closing her eyes momentarily, Astraea pondered their next steps before speaking.

  “We can’t ignore this,” Astraea said “We’ll start investigating the Soma familia without involving you directly, Lili. With a clearer understanding of their actions, we can focus on stopping them. It may take some time, given the current state of the city. But what do you want to do in the meantime? We can’t have you wandering the streets alone.”

  Lili looked up, her voice steadying. “I’d like to stay with Mr. Bell.”

  “That works for me,” Bell said, offering a reassuring smile. “I’d be happy to have you as a supporter, Lili.”

  Astraea nodded in agreement. “Good. That way, Lili will be safe while we work. It may take some time, but I promise we will put an end to this cruelty.”

  “Thank you, Goddess Astraea,” Lili replied,

  The meeting concluded with the decision that Lili would stay in Bell’s care while the Astraea familia conducted their investigation into the Soma familia.

  Hermes’ Delivery:

  Several days had passed since Goddess Astraea’s meeting with Erebus, as Hermes approached the grand entrance, he was met by Erebus, who stood with a practiced air of formality.

  “Good morning, Hermes,” Erebus greeted, giving a slight nod.

  “Morning, Erebus. I have something for Alfia and Zald,” Hermes replied, holding up two carefully wrapped packages.

  “I see she and the others are out back. They should be going through their training now,” Erebus advised, leading Hermes towards the rear of the manor.

  The sound of anguished cries grew louder as they neared their destination. Even from a distance, it was clear that the training was severe. The two deities broke into a nervous sweat as they approached, the sounds of their footsteps almost lost amid the noise. As the emerged through the back door of the mansion they were greeted with a responding:

  THUD.

  Followed by blood-curdling scream split the air followed by the sharp crack of a body hitting the ground.

  CRUNCH. CRACK.

  Another crash resonated through the manor, accompanied by the sound of shattering masonry. The intensity of the training became even more apparent as Hermes and Erebus continued towards training yard.

  The deities looked out over the training ground, their brows furrowed in concern. Amid, the new Familia healer, was casting her magic tirelessly to mend the injuries of the people scattered across the field. A pulsing white magic circle glowed above Amid. The ground was a mess of debris and shattered walls, once solid barriers now reduced to rubble. The pristine lawn was marred by deep gouges and broken remnants, evidence of the sheer force exerted during training.

  Zald stood overlooking the chaos, his face a mask of exasperation. He hung his head, covering it with his hands, overwhelmed by the destruction around him.

  Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the clamor. “HIYA!” Ais charged forward, flanked by Bell, with Alise and Ryuu closed behind. Bell made an attempt to strike at Alfia, who dodged effortlessly and sent him crashing into Alise. Ais, momentarily caught off guard, was sent flying by Alfia’s roundhouse kick into a still charging Ryuu, collapsing into a heap together.

  “Well, I thought you all would last longer than that,” Alfia sneered, her gaze shifting to Hermes, who flinched under her intense scrutiny.

  “Hello, Alfia,” Hermes stammered, holding up a set of two small boxes in his hand. “I have something for you and Zald.”

  “If that’s all, you can leave it on the table. I’m busy and this little noise is likely to complain” Alfia snorted dismissively as she turned to glare down at Ryu, who had begun to glare back.

  Hermes, feeling the weight of her glare, quickly replied, “Welp. In that case, I’ll be on my way. Wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome. Good luck, everyone.” He hurriedly made his exit.

  “Now, back to your training,” Alfia called out, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. “You’re all far too weak. With a healer like Amid now, I’m going to whip you into shape much faster.”

  Her grin took on a menacing edge, sending a shiver down the spines of those around her. The intensity of the scene was palpable as the everyone braced themselves for the grueling hours ahead.