CH. 56: Nox Meets Hestia

(A/N: I had some three hour exams this week. Enjoy!)

[[ Timeskip — A Few Hours after Mammon's Death ]]

Akira's group and the other scouting Familias returned to the guild via Akira's teleportation. Raymond was happy to see that his device was unused, it was of high value.

Akira gave a report of what happened inside the dungeon during their little visit. The seismic activities were caused by their rampage and not some kind of monster outbreak.

But this was not the most surprising part, the fact that they've reached the 60th level of the dungeon made people of the guild faint and loose consciousness of shock. Though it was all proved after Akira showed them Mammon's sword.

Akira and his Familia are now presented on the stage, as the heros that cleared the 60th level and beat one of the devil generals. Everyone, from citizens, adventurers etc were cheering and shooting for these people that gave hope to everyone, the nobles also congratulated them, but in a more disciplined way, through letters and parchments.

Akira was just waving his hand and saluting everyone like an idiot as he stood on the stage. Ultima was intimated by all these eyes, she tried hiding herself a maximum. Unlike Milim, she just laughed it off and took these cheers for praise.

Testarossa is keeping a relaxed composure while Carrera is at the stands beside the stage which have drinks. She's currently drinking a heavy cup of beer, Saeko is sitting beside her and having just a small glass of juice. She smiles after seeing their new status that meant so much for other people.

Of course, Ultima's level of 849 was kept confidential. For the time being, she was known as a level 8, which is already breath-taking considering this world's weak standards.

This was the day where was announced, the rise of the Nox Familia.

(...)

While the Familia was back at their apartments in Babel, Akira remained in the guild. He was just floating in the air while observing a bloc-note filled with the hardest and most difficult quests.

The adventurers that saw Akira floating ten meters above ground while resting on thin air and reading sheets just walked without saying anything, though their sweating made them look intimidated by this god that no person wouldn't recognize.

"All these quests are ranked six stars... But they're aren't that difficult..." Akira says. He floats to the reception then asks Eina, who got surprised by his sudden arrival.

"O-Oh! Nox-sama!" Eina exclaimed. "Just Akira, since we'll be seeing each other a lot" He says while flipping the quests in his hand.

"Do you have anything harder than this?" Akira asks while waving the sheets. Eina takes the papers then checks their difficulty, "B-But these are already—" Akira interrupts her, knowing what she's going to say, "Nevermind, just give me your hardest quest" He says.

"We do have an extremely difficult quest but it was left untouched for centuries now, not even the two former strongest Familias combined could complete it." Eina runs to the archives then brings a dusty paper sheet. She blows the dust off then presents him the quest informations.

"Great Quest: Slay the One Eyed Black Dragon.

Reward: Undetermined." These were the only words written on the parchment, no further instructions.

Akira takes the paper from Eina and puts it in his imaginary space. He'll work the details later, as long as it was the hardest quest on earth.

Akira descends on the ground then decides leaving. But before doing so, he notices a young loli girl sticking prospectuses on the guild walls. The girl had neutral face but from the way she just monotonously glued the announcements gave a depressing feeling.

Though she wouldn't let these feelings surface, as long as her name was Hestia and she was a goddess then there's nothing to be worried of.

Akira stealthily approached the goddess then read what was written on her prospectus. It said: "Recruiting adventurers for the Hestia familia. No requirements needed, would appreciate you giving it a try"

While Akira was trying to think it out Hestia turned and suddenly saw Akira just behind her, he was much taller than her, and much more remarkable, from down there, his crimson eyes were glowing in red sparkles.

The two suddenly make eye contact. Akira glanced at Hestia and looks at her appearance. A petite Goddess with a youthful appearance, blue eyes and mid-thigh length black hair tied into twin-tails which reach down to her thighs. She has a small frame, which further emphasizes her breasts, it was rare to see a loli with big boobs.

As for Hestia, she immediately recognizes this mysterious person, "Hey you!" She points her fingers at Akira, "Me?" Akira asks dumbly.

"Yeah! You! You're the one everybody's talking about!" She says, her mood had flipped 180 degrees. From a sad aura to a more dynamic one. She pouts and looks away, "Even though I don't approve of you as a god, I guess I can't do anything about it" She says while taking a few glances at him.

"You said your name was Nox, right?" She asks, "Akira." The boy replies, "Whatever, how does it feel to have a successful Familia? Cuz you're stealing all the attention and no one seems to wanna join me!" She cries in jealousy.

"Wait, your Familia empty? Like no members at all?" Akira asks, Hestia nods in agreement. "Tch~..." He lets out a small chuckle, "Wouldn't want to be you~" He teases her.

Hestia's eyes glow with furry, she didn't like this guy, like at all, he was taking all the attention from her ! "HOW DARE YOU!!" She shouts, Hestia then proceeds to throw a few gentle punches at Akira while insulting him, "Meanie! Meanie! Meanie!" She says repeatedly.

Akira just sighs, "Perhaps, i can cheer you up" He said. Hestia froze after hearing what he just said, she stops hitting him and asks, "And how!".

Akira nods, "Sure, I can probably do something to cheer you up, just lead me to your place" He says.

Hestia is embarrassed to reveal the truth, "Really? You're really going to help me?" She asks, he nods in agreement. Then she mumbles a few silent words, "Even though i was planning on tying you up and looking you in my basement?" She mumbled. Akira finds it amusing.

"While I'm talking house, my place is a complete disaster so don't mock me, okay?" She asks. "Fine by me. We'll figure it out" He replies.

The two then set off, onto the streets of Orario during afternoon until reaching an abandoned church in terrible shape. 'Can't believe this place used to have people praying in it...' Akira thinks.

Noticing the boy's silence, Hestia speaks, "I know you're thinking of something insulting Akira" She says, without even looking at him.

"You must be used to these kinds of remarks~" He says. Hestia just shrugs off his words, it was useless to light up the fire even more. They enter the building then sit around a table, which was the only thing in one piece in this whole place.

"Sooo! Tell me now!" Hestia says with a smug face showing her impatience. Before that, Akira pulls out a bottle of wine from his imaginary space. It was one the best and finest beverages he had, a juice even gods would thirst for.

"W-Was that spacial magic? We aren't supposed to use our godly powers in this word!" Hestia says. "It is not divine power." Akira fills up the first glass with the scarlet colored wine, "Just basic abilities" He says.

Nevertheless, Hestia is still questioning the authenticity of what he's saying, and before she could add anything, Akira put a glass of his precious wine next to her, on the table.

Hestia looks at it with an analyzing look before taking the glass in her hands. She smells it, it seems normal, though it had a concentrated and pure scent that smelled like fruits.

"Cheers" He makes slight contact of glasses then drinks a sip. The beautiful color and smell of this unique beverage she had never the luxury of tasting was very tempting. "I guess some juice won't hurt, right" She says.

Hestia takes a small sip, "!!!" She was seduced by the taste. It was way more delicious and elegant than the normal beers those pesky adventurers had post-dungeon dive.

Hestia drinks all the wine then slams the glass on the table, "Can I get more pretty pleeease" She demands with puppy eyes.

Akira had an infinite stock of it, why wouldn't he give her second fill? Or even a hundredth? "Sure, serve yourself" Akira pulls out a second bottle then passes her to Hestia.

"I hope you realize i will keep it~" she grins. Akira shrugs his shoulders. In affirmation, Hestia opens the bottle then fills the entire glass with heavenly wine which she drinks in one go, 'She'll go drunk at that rate... It's a very alcoholic beer with aphrodisiac effects, even for gods...' Akira thinks.

Even so, he just lets her have as much as she wanted. The poor girl occasionally drinks just during festivals and banquets, in limited doses, but this time, it made her feel like a real high-tier goddess. Was she losing out ?

This thought crossed the drunk's Hestia mind, she freezes for a second then bursts out crying, "Well shit" Akira says. He gets up and gets closer to Hestia, she pats her and comforts her, which ends up with her stopping from tearing up rivers.

'Is she already drunk? Talk about godly endurance...' Akira thinks. "Why all the tears, little goddess?" Akira asks her with concern.

Hestia drinks the whole glass she just filled then replies with a defeated voice, "Wh-Why no one wants to join my Familia?? *sniff* Am-Am i a failure goddess...?" She cries while sobbing painfully.

Akira puts his arm around her then gives her a few compliments to make her feel better, "Don't say that, i don't think you're a failure." He tells her, "For the simple fact that you've been looking for someone all this time is impressive"

Hestia wipes the tears off her eyes, "B-But i still want to have a purpose, i can't deceive mother Geia like this..." She says.

Akira gulps after hearing the word 'Geia'. Was that primordial goddess really loved by everyone? He plants a facepalm on his poker-faced expression.

"Can you help me out with it?" Hestia looks at Akira with an extremely defeated expression. Her puppy eyes making eye contact with him, like one of those situations where you had to make an irreversible choice.

"Of course I'll help you." Akira replies, "But how?" She asks while sniffing and clearing her throat, "Perhaps, i could grant you the attention you need?" Akira caresses Hestia's silky hair with gentle touches.

"I can guarantee, that you'll be as famous as the best Familias here..." Akira tells her. While he's gently touching her hair, Hestia's attention is focused on the words he spoke.

Her cheeks were blushing, the drunken effects started loosing in her mind, "R-Really?" She asks.

"Yes, dear. You can trust me, with everything you have" Akira gets closer to her, enough to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Even in her drunken state, her head became red hit after feeling Akira's slender lips touching her face.

――――――

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