[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]Third Person POVOrario.

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  "... You know, our reputation isly great iy right now... so be prepared to have the whole town looking at us like we're potential enemies." Lucius ented as they made their way toward the floors he dungeo.

  Everyone nodded silently as they followed, moving closer to the city with each step. After a quiet walk with little versation, the group finally emerged from the dungeo, the cool night air ing around them.

  "Do you wao use my spells to take us straight home?" Lucius asked as he looked ahead at the exit before them.

  "No... I think Lucius faced the ey alone. We should also bear some of that pressure." Bell said, the others nodding in agreement as they stepped out with their heads held high.

  "..." Lucius nodded, saying nothing, as they proceeded toward the gate at the entrance hall.

  "Hello, Edd." Lucius greeted the guard, his friend, who looked at him with surprise.

  "Lucius and..." Edd's gaze shifted to the family behind Lucius—the group that had beealk of the city for the past few days. "You were in there for more than two days... I'm gd you're alright," he added, his eyes lingering on Lucius.

  "Thank you. Goodbye for now. We might not see each other for some time—I don't pn oering the dungeon again before leaving the city." Lucius replied before tinuing through the hall, passing uards and adventurers either entering or leaving the dungeon.

  Of course, their appeara off murmurs throughout the hall. People poi them, whispering to one another, but Lucius and his family ighe chatter, finally stepping out of the hall and into the city.

  There was no moon in the sky, but the city was illumihough not as brightly as usual. Many pces remained closed, likely because people were hesitant to open their bars and shops after the chaos of ret days.

  Lucius tio lead the group, followed by Riekling, Bell, Lily, Welf, Haruhime, Aisha, Cassandra, Daphne, and Ryuu. They bore some bandages from the intetles they'd fought, their injuries not yet fully healed, and they moved toward home, trying not to draw too much attention.

  Still, it was impossible to pass unnoticed through the city. This was the group everyone had been talking about for days. A few people still wahe streets, and upon notig the group, they whispered even more than they had in the hall.

  "It's them..." murmured a man, narrowing his eyes as if trying to firm their identities.

  "After everything that happened over the past few days? They still have the o walk through Orario as if nothing happened?" a woman whispered nearby, her eyes fixed on Lucius, the ohey said was the leader, striding ahead.

  "Lucius was right... they're watg us like criminals now," Lily remarked quietly within the group, feeling the same disdainful stares from adventurers she had ondured before joining the Hestia Familia.

  Lucius heard the ents and shrugged. "Let them look," he replied calmly. "We have nothing to hide. Besides, no one has decred us criminals."

  Welf snorted. "As if that'll stop the rumors. Orario loves making up stories."

  Aisha chuckled softly beside Ryuu, though her tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "Well, after everything we've dohe whole city probably sees us as a tig time bomb. Holy, it's kind of funny." She seemed as unbothered as Lucius.

  "Not to me," Bell muttered, his gaze lowered as he g the others from the er of his eye, clearly unfortable with the attention. "They're not just suspicious... They're scared."

  "It's natural," Ryuu replied. "People will see us this way for a long time. But I believe everyone here uood the sequences when we decided to go after Evilus." Her tone was measured, calm.

  "e on, we might be the ones whht chaos aru, but we're also the ones who defeated the terrorist group that pgued Orario for so long. And no i lives were lost. So, hold your heads high." Lucius grinned, his voice louder than before as the people around wideheir eyes at his words.

  He tinued leading the group forward without hesitation, passing through the streets with no trace ret. The crowd parted as they walked, making way for them while casting wary gheir way.

  "Hee!" Riekling made a ent.

  "I fot you're still in that form," Lucius said before casting a spell directly on him, transf him into his evolved form, a house elf.

  "Thank you, Master Lucius... Riekling is very happy," Riekling said softly.

  Many still judged them with their eyes, but no one raised their voice against them. Even those who felt anger knew of Lucius Drakenar's reputation for single-handedly destroyiire familias.

  As they finally he base of the Hestia Familia, Lucius stopped. "It seems we're finally here. Let's go, everyone," he said as Riekling opehe gate with a snap of his fingers.

  At that moment, a slender figure in white clothing approached them. Looking relieved, Hestia had e to greet them.

  "You're back!" she excimed, running toward them. "I was so worried after everything that happened! Lucius really brought you all back. I'm so happy!" she said, brushing past Lucius and jumping into Bell and the others, who had been ihe dungeon.

  "Goddess-sama." Lucius returned her embrace with words of emotion.

  "I'm so gd to see you all again after all the chaos..." she said, tears welling in her eyes.

  "In any case..." Lucius raised his voice at the front. "Let's talk inside." He then g Riekling.

  "Prepare dinner for us," he instructed.

  "Of course, Master Lucius," Riekling said before vanishing.

  Everyone moved inside immediately after, settling in. Lucius noticed Ryuu looking back before entering.

  "If you want to leave, at least stay until dinner," he said, and she looked at him, hesitating for a moment before nodding and accepting.

  "I know everyone's a bit tired, but let's talk for a while. I'm curious about what's been happening iy these past few days," Lucius said directly to Hestia, who nodded. She pressed her lips together tightly before responding.

  "The citizens weren't happy with the judgment decision. They've beeioning the Guild and the gods, but an official statement was issued saying none of the pints would be accepted," she expined.

  "Does the whole city hate us now?" Lucius asked with an amused tone.

  Hestia shook her head. "No, many people are defending us. Despite the chaos caused in the slums, we're still seen as the familia that defeated Evilus, thanks to the Guild's statement." She paused. "It also helped that they annouhe Guild will be sending moo everyone who lost their homes because you, Lucius, bought the entire slum, acc to Ouranos."

  Everyoared at Lucius, still stunned by this revetion, even though they had already heard it from him in the dungeon.

  "That guy... he knows the kind of debt I'm in now..." Lucius murmured with sret, not yet knowing the full amount, though it certainly wouldn't be cheap.

  'This is plicated. I won't be able to use crystals to buy spells. Even so, I e the money without jeopardizing the stru of the magic tower. I must secure the materials before leaving Orario,' Lucius thought calmly.

  "Goddess-sama... did you have visitors?" Bell asked, notig some cutlery oable in the room.

  "Yes... I didn't even up. Hephaestus, Miach, Takemikazuchi, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Artemis were here today," she replied.

  "Wait... Artemis?" Lucius could uand the others being ed about their children and friends, but the goddess of the bow's visit was strange. Despite her defense of him during the trial, Lucius didn't know what to think about it.

  "Yes... she wao talk to you. What happened between you two?" Hestia asked, narrowing her eyes with a suspicious look at Lucius.

  "She already told you—stopping her from being absorbed by a monster," Lucius said with a shrug.

  Silence fell over the room as everyone exged gnces, seemingly unsure of what to say about everything happening... until the smith decided to break the tension.

  "Anyway... it's good to be back," Welf said, stretg his arms. "But I need a bath and a bed. Right now, I don't want to think about anything else."

  "Let's eat first... Riekling is already preparing dinner," Lucius said, and Welf nodded.

  "That's true. Maybe it's better to set our problems aside for now," Haruhime murmured from a er.

  "She's right. We think about this tomorrow," Lucius ented. "Let's just eat something before heading to rest."

  At that moment, Riekling appeared through a teleportation spell. "Master Lucius, Riekling has already prepared the entire dinner. You may eat," he said.

  "You heard him, let's have dinner," Lucius said, as everyone made their way to the dining room. They settled into their chairs, finding the table filled with all sorts of food: cereals, fruits, carbohydrates, and plenty of meat that Riekling had quickly prepared with his magic.

  No ohought about anything else as they sat together, eating quietly, falling into a silent atmosphere once again.

  "You know, I never expected those damned gods to meet their end by a monster created by the dungeon," Lucius suddenly broke the sile the table. Everyone looked at him, listening as he cursed the gods of Evilus. "But now I think it was a fittingly ironid for them. Either way, it's one less problem iy, and..." He paused before tinuing.

  Raising his gss, he said, "I want to make a toast to everyone because, no matter what happens from now on, we'll face it together," Lucius remarked, as everyone nodded, looking at him with more fident expressions.

  Quickly, Hestia began speaking, expressing her happiness at having everyone back, and the atmosphere gradually rexed. versations and pyful banter soon filled the room, and it didn't take long fhter to echhout, lifting the spirits of the familia.

  By the end of the meal, everyone was satisfied as Riekling began clearing the table. Lucius walked Ryuu to the door since she was leaving.

  "I'm heading out," she said in a dry tone before looking at him. "And... thank you for everything," she added at st, her tone more timid.

  "o thank me. We worked together and overcame a lot. Besides, Evilus had already kidnapped Bell, nearly killed him, and was a blight oy," he responded, looking at her as she nodded.

  "About those you mentioned who trol Evilus from the shadows... what will you do about them? Aren't they still dangerous?" she murmured.

  "They are a problem I also io deal with. If you want to help, that's fine, but you'd o grow stronger," Lucius replied, as Ryuu hesitated.

  "I don't know if I get stronger," she murmured. Her falna was tied to her foddess, Astraea, as only Astraea could update it.

  "You could join our familia... A Level 4 would be very wele, especially someorust," he suggested.

  "I... I don't know... Actually, I 't do that. I'm sorry," she murmured, sidering the idea but still bound by her loyalty to her foddess.

  "That's fine. We'll talk again when I return," Lucius said, smiling. He had pns outside of Orario, including a meeting with Astraea.

  Ryuu nodded and disappeared moments ter, running out and leaping over the gate. Lucius sighed aurned inside, heading to his room. Like everyone else, he po take a bath, finally rexing after the chaos of the past few days and enjoying a mueeded moment of rest.

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