Chapter 6

I sat on the stool of the bar, watching as the waiters went about their duties. My eyes followed one particular waiter, an elf if the ears were anything to go by. I watched how she walked, how no sound was made, how her arms always seemed to be tense for some reason.

It was like there was some invisible enemy that she was looking out for.

A glance, the waiter that my eyes had been following had glanced at me, her eyes curious. I averted my eyes in response, embarrassed at being caught staring.

My attention was soon drawn to the door as my ears perked up, Atalanta was back. My eyes immediately opened from the lazy stance they held, my legs reaching to the ground as they walked towards the door.

There was no creak of the door, nor squeak of the wood as she stepped into the tavern but still I knew she was there.

It was some sort of instinctual sort of awareness, as if no matter where she was I would be able to call upon her.

A throbbing caught my attention from Atalanta, the tattoo that I had not taken notice of glowing a faint green light.

As Atalanta grew closer to me I noticed that the counterpart to my tattoo that sat upon Atalanta's hand glowed a faint green too.

Sitting up from the stool my feet made their way over to Atalanta, a cheap imitation of that elves' techniques being tried.

"Huh" before I could even think to approach any closer than I had already gone, I was scooped into Atalanta's arms as she walked towards the owner. A bag of valis that was hung from her waist was brought into the hand not currently manhandling me and given to the owner.

"Enough for a month" she gruffly said, looking straight into Atalanta's eyes.

A nod of Atalanta's head was all that I saw before I was carried outside, I wasn't even able to protest my treatment.

…

A bow was manifested and given to me, I held it in the same stance that I had seen Atalanta use, an arrow already knocked.

"No" a soft voice said behind me, admonishing my stance.

My brows furrowed as I looked behind me, Atalanta was crouching down onto her knees, her hands reaching to correct my form.

"Like this" with that she quickly pushed my shoulder and knees to her liking and had me release the arrow.

swish~

The arrow flew and unlike the inaccuracy that had occurred when I had fought that green creature this arrow flew true, hitting right in the bullseye.

"Good job" a warm smile was directed at me, a hand reaching to ruffle my hair.

I didn't resist, my head even leaning into it as I felt the warmth of Atalanta's hand.

twitch twitch

My ears twitched as Atalanta's hand played with them, spots I didn't know were sensitive being played with as they were tickled and rubbed.

"Again" breaking me from my thoughts was Atalanta's voice, another arrow manifesting in her palms as it was given to me.

"Focus on the process, eyes on the target, be aware of everything" with those vague words she stepped back, leaving me to figure out what she had meant.

I took a deep breath, feeling the bow on my fingers, the way that the wood felt as I held it tight, how the string rubbed against my fingers, every sensation that could be felt I took note of.

A deep breath, sucking in air was taken and released, the arrow flying true just as the last gust of air left my mouth.

I opened my eyes, the bullseye was hit, perfectly in the center. I couldn't help the smile that bloomed on my face. I was improving. It wasn't just that my accuracy was improving but that my consistency was, two shits in a row where both had hit the bullseye.

That was what I would call progress. I turned around, only to see Atalanta already kneeling down. A small smile on her face as she looked into my eyes with a warm expression.

"That's enough for today, it's getting late little one"

I pouted, again she had not used my name, instead opting to call me little one. I would have protested but I knew it was a losing fight. Instead I just gave her back the bow and walked with her, following behind her as we made our way back to the hostess of fertility.

…

Again a plate of food was placed before me, some meal that was both the same and different from what was served on earth. The food was good, compared to the bland meals that I had eaten the whole of my life it was great however I wasn't too enraptured by the taste to not notice the subtle differences, how the spices reacted just that bit differently, how the meat had a different texture, and how the garnishing looked a little too bright.

I had sort of noticed it the first time that the food had been served to me yesterday but was too overwhelmed by the change in surroundings to take notice of something so inconsequential.

Though now that I had a good night's sleep with a dash of reality, the little things, the differences were adding up.

It was while I was picking at my food, my hands reaching out to clean the food as quickly and cleanly as I could that a disruption was heard. Some large party had entered several figures entering into the hostess of fertility and taking the center tables.

A hand reached to my waist grabbing at my body as it pulled me into her own.

Next to me Atalanta's eyes had narrowed, her stare looking onto the large party that had started to drink.

I could feel the tension in her muscles as I was snuggled into her side.

An impassive girl with blonde hair and armor that seemed to cover nothing, wearing a dress, a small child with red hair and revealing clothing, a pair of tan twins surrounding some blonde child, some dog looking man with silver hair, a green haired elf, my eyes wandered between all of them, judging them with my own senses. My own hand tensed, reaching into Atalanta's own and holding it tight as I felt the various aura's that they had.

"That's the Loki familia, big customers" a voice said, appearing on the side with menus in hand.

…

I watched as the Loki Familia drank and ate, their power was great at the very least demi-servant level, maybe even higher.

Though that Loki, I narrowed my eyes, I could smell the scent of the gods on her. It was faintly permeating the others but on her, on Loki it was the strongest. It was almost like I was around the avatar of a god.

"Come" I turned to Inari, commanding him to follow, my hand reaching into his as I got up.

"Bu-" Inari tried to protest, his drink still left unfinished. However I glanced back down at him, my eyes warning him and with a saddened look at his drink he followed, his hand holding my own tightly.

From the corner of my eye I saw the narrowed eye of Loki curiously look at us, a hidden smirk on her face.

"Aiz, let's tell everyone that story! You know!" The silver haired man yelled, his body leaning over to the golden haired girl.

"That in our way back, some Minotaurs got away, and you tracked the last of them and killed it in the 5th floor." He explained, his cheeks flushing red, drunk.

"Then there was that tomato kid! That impossibly lousy brat got chased by the Minotaur that escaped. He got covered in the puttied blood of that cow when you cut it up." He laughed out, my own teeth gritting at the way he casually talked about the situation. From what I could tell these obviously strong adventurers let a Minotaur, such a strong monster, escape up to the upper floors and almost killed a child. Now they were mocking them.

"Go sit back down Inari" Gesturing back to the seat that we had left, I let go of his hand and walked over.

From the corner of my eyes I could see a white haired child, one that looked terminally embarrassed, on the verge of tears.

It didn't take a genius to know that the kid they were talking about was him.

It only enraged me even further. He must have been no older than 14 and while that may have been an adult to anyone else, he was still a child in my own terms.

"Huh who are you!" He yelled out, drunken anger overtaking him.

I ignored his remarks in favor of walking towards him. A swipe was sent at me and dodged just as quickly as a sneer overtook my face.

Reaching out a hand I grabbed at his neck and with a swipe of my own, knocked the air out of his lungs while pushing him down to the table. The rest of the adventurers watched by, the golden haired girl he was talking to looking at me in curiosity.

"Do not mock the child" I chastised, my voice chilly as I looked towards the… 'where did he go?'

"Hah, anyways it was a mere child you mocked, I will not take that lying down."

The green haired elf looked up to me, a serious expression on her face as she addressed me.

"Ms?"

"Archer"

"Ms. Archer, I apologize for Bete's behavior, it was unbecoming of the Loki familia to behave in such a way." Looking straight into my eyes, she apologizes, "Though that being said, I would be thankful if you could release Bete from your grip, I promise we will properly discipline him"

I narrowed my own eyes, looking straight into hers for any sign of deception but found none.

"Make sure that is the truth, I do not want a repeat incident." With that I left, heading upstairs once I had grabbed Inari.

…

"Riveria!" Bete yelled, "Wh-"

I cut him off, my eyes glaring at him "Did you not see her power, feel how strong she was. Even if you weren't drunk I would hesitate to pit you against her." I chastised, my voice icy cold.

"Mah~ Mah~" Loki interrupted, waving her hand in the air. "Let him be, he was just a bit drunk, Mama"

"Though it is weird that we didn't know of someone this powerful, this Archer must have been at least level 6 to achieve that level of power." I looked on as Loki stroked her chin in thought.

"The name too, it wasn't fake, how odd, Archer"

I sighed as Loki schemed, calling the waiter to settle the bill and hopefully leave before anyone else embarrassed the Loki familia further.