Chapter 88

Startled by the sudden sound while they were engrossed in their private moment, Michalis and Celty scrambled to their feet only to find themselves face-to-face with Lyra, Kaguya, and Neze. Celty felt her face flush red with embarrassment.

As a level 4 adventurer, she should have been more aware of her surroundings and noticed their approach. It was undoubtedly evident that they had overheard her conversation with Michalis.

Feeling uncomfortable in this awkward situation, Michalis decided to make a quick exit, leaving Celty alone to face her familia members. "Tsk, quick brat, going after our little genius," Lyra said, teasing Celty.

At a loss for words, Celty had no choice but to endure the playful teasing from her familia members. The arrival of the other Astraea familia members further fuelled the gossip about Michalis and Celty, making it the topic of entertainment throughout their time bathing by the stream.

.......

Meanwhile, in Hephaestus' office, she and Bahamut sat on the sofa, with Hephaestus lying down on Bahamut's lap, visibly exhausted. Hephaestus couldn't contain her excitement about her planned date with Draco.

It would be her first time going on a date with a mortal, so she had immersed herself in forging to pass the time. However, she had gone overboard and burned herself out, leading to her current state of exhaustion.

"You know, most girls would go shopping for clothing on such occasions, but you threw yourself into work," Bahamut teasingly remarked, knowing Hephaestus lacked the strength to retort. Hephaestus could only reply with a frustrated plea for Bahamut to stop.

"Just take it easy, the month will pass by in no time," Bahamut comforted Hephaestus, gently stroking her hair. Hephaestus responded with a noncommittal grunt and soon drifted off to sleep, finding solace in Bahamut's presence.

As Hephaestus slept, Bahamut muttered to herself, "Things would be so much more interesting if Hestia were here," before picking up a book and immersing herself in its pages.

......….

Elsewhere, in the Loki familia manor, Loki stood by the window lost in deep thought, contemplating how to handle the situation with Ais.

Ais had thrown herself into the dungeon in the aftermath of the Bahamut incident, obsessively hunting monsters and overworking herself.

It was a cause for concern since Ais seemed to have lost her sense of balance. The fact that Ais refused to speak about her experiences only added to the mystery.

"Ugh, what an annoying situation," Loki muttered to herself, frustration evident in her voice. Just as she was lost in her thoughts, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Loki responded, and Finn entered the room. Sensing her contemplative mood, Loki asked him, "So, any luck finding that cloaked person?"

"No, it seems all traces of him have vanished," Finn replied with disappointment. Loki's face contorted with a contemplative expression as she absorbed the information.

Realizing that she needed more answers, Loki decided, "Ugh, it seems I'll have to go see that lizard goddess. She probably knows something. I don't know what she did to Hermes to make him refuse to talk as well."

"That would be best, Loki-sama," Finn acknowledged, agreeing with her decision. Before leaving the room, Finn answered Loki's last question, "Ais is still the same, but Riveria can handle it."

With Finn's departure, Loki returned to her post by the window, continuing to gaze outside, her mind filled with thoughts of Ais and the mysterious cloaked figure.

........

I woke up in the middle of the night, enticed by the tantalizing aroma of curry and the sounds of cheerful conversation. "Is that curry?" I muttered as I emerged from my tent.

"Oh, Draco, you're awake," Lyra chimed, motioning for me to sit beside her.

"Huh, when did you two get so close? Something smells fishy," Celty remarked. Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation, but I returned a smile in response.

Taking a seat, I was promptly served a generous serving of scrumptious food and began devouring it eagerly while listening to the lively chatter around me.

Amidst the conversations, I managed to catch a few words that piqued my curiosity.

"Did something happen between Celty and Michalis?" I asked Lyra, who sat beside me.

"Hmm," Lyra replied, her mouth still full of food. After swallowing, she proceeded to update me on the situation.

As I listened, a sense of disappointment washed over me, realizing that I had failed to notice and address the issue as the captain. I had believed my previous conversation with Michalis had resolved the matter, but evidently, it continued to trouble him.

"Celty, thank you," I expressed sincerely. I felt truly grateful that someone else had noticed and helped him through it.

"What are you talking about?" Celty responded, seemingly puzzled.

"Nothing," I quickly deflected, recognizing that she might think I was teasing her as well.

"So, how is everyone's training going?" I turned the conversation towards my familia members.

"Ugh, I don't think I want to hold a shield for a while," Vasileios groaned. His training involved refining his reflexes, positioning, endurance, aggro pull, and other abilities.

He had to endure melee attacks from anyone available in our camp, successfully tanking them and countering when possible. As a result, he became the primary recipient of our healing potions.

"Hang in there a little longer, you still have nine more days down here," I encouraged him.

"I feel like I'm close to creating a new potion," Eleni interjected, diverting everyone's attention to her.

"Is it a combat or healing potion?" I inquired.

"Combat," she replied, leaving me curious for more details.

"Share the details," I urged her.

"That will remain a secret until it's complete, even from you, Draco nii," Eleni responded mischievously. I had given her a book of various potion ideas that I had in mind.

It was a better use of her time, as I would be occupied in the dungeon, and I never intended to let Nikolaos and Eleni fall behind in stats compared to the other more battle-oriented members. Both craftsmanship and strength were essential.

"Fair enough, I'll be looking forward to your surprise," I acknowledged.

"What about you, Lili?" I turned to her and asked.

"Spear training," Lili sleepily replied, clearly exhausted from the day's activities. The night continued with us sharing our experiences before everyone eventually retreated to their tents to rest.

After finishing my eighth serving of curry and rice, I set my utensils aside. It was time for a bath, and since I had already slept, I was also assigned to night watch duty.

Splash!

I splashed around in the stream, cleansing my body. The cold water posed a challenge, but I managed. After getting clean and dressed in fresh clothes, I made my way back to the fire, only to find Kaguya already there.