Public Reveals

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edgar azcuaga

Кирилл Дюдин

You are bloody legends!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

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"We talked about the hand problem Ais. Come on, can't you give me a break?" Steve protested.

"No." Ais responded simply as she squished his hand between her breasts. "Mine."

"Dammit Ais. Do you ever just listen?" Steve asked as he rolled his eyes. "I get how you're feeling but I need that hand to eat.. oooofff!" Steve exclaimed as someone collided with his back and caramel coloured arms wrapped around his neck. Judging by the small chest he could feel on his back, he could guess who it was.

"You just can't stay away from us, can you Steve?" Tiona asked cheerfully. "We love eating here too."

"What do you mean by 'too'? This is just my first meal here Tiona." Steve replied.

"Oh well, you'll love it soon enough." Tiona said as she pressed her face into his back, admiring the firm muscles that were pronounced on it, especially the Christmas tree he had going on. "I love your new clothes by the way."

"Yeah, my patron made them for me." Steve said. "Cool aren't they?"

"They totally are. They show everything off just perfectly, same way as me. I think you should stick to wearing clothes like these more often."

"I'll think about it." Steve said as he returned to the previous exchange.

Ais and Syr were still staring each other down intensely as Ais clutched his hand. Steve could swear that he was seeing sparks of electricity between their eyes.

"Okay, calm down you two." Steve said as he pulled his hand from Ais' grip. "You seem to have had a misunderstanding Ais. Syr here was serving our food to us and struck up conversation while we were eating. There's nothing going on."

"...Are you sure?" Ais asked.

"Yes."

"Okay." Ais said straight away.

...

""That's it?"" The patrons in the bar all said.

"If Steve says it was just that, then it was just that." Ais said. "I trust him."

"...Well goddamn." Steve said as he and Tiona shared a look. "I guess I'm supposed to call myself a lucky guy in this case."

"Even I didn't expect it to be that simple." Tiona said before whispering in his ears. "You know how deep it runs then?"

"I already made it clear I'm focused on you Tiona. How much clearer could my intentions be?"

"I don't mind you know."

"What?"

"We Amazons don't really care much for how many people our mates take. Just as long as we get strong children. I don't mind Ais being a part of it."

"WE haven't even gotten together you little...we'll talk about this later." Steve said as he gave her a serious look.

"Anyway, as it was going." Tiona said aloud as she stared at Syr with a pointed look. "You can look the other way waitress. I like you but I'm afraid this man is already taken."

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't-" Syr stuttered.

"No you weren't doing anything." Tione said sharply, to the surprise of all as she pointed at Steve. "That man defeated me in combat and has proven himself worthy of my sister. So just walk along whatever-your-name-is. And don't get any bright ideas."

Everyone in the pub just stared at her dumbfounded, making her lower her finger.

"And here I thought your sister hated me." Steve whispered to Tiona.

"She was just being protective. She's my big sis after all." Tiona smiled as she hugged him from behind even closer.

"You're lucky."

...

At this point, one of the patrons in the bar had had enough and just broke the suspense by addressing the elephant in the room.

"Miss Wallenstein! Miss Ais!" They called to the girl and Ais looked at them. "Who is this guy? What is he to you?"

"Steve?" Ais gestured at him questioningly to which the adventurer nodded. "He's my hero."

"...Your hero?" The adventurer asked, puzzled at the answer.

"My answer. My everything." Ais said. "That's what a hero is, right?"

One of the girls in the pub swooned.

...

"That is just so romantic! The Sword Princess has finally found her man."

"I'm not so sure. Look at the way the Crusher is clinging on to him."

"Oh you're so insensitive! You boys...always downplaying a girl's feelings when she puts her heart out in the open!"

"I'm just saying, something about this doesn't add up."

"You're just saying that because you're angry you didn't win her heart yourself!"

"Of course I am. Who the hell is this nobody she's suddenly so into?"

"...Wait a second you bloody morons. Remember the talks going on around earlier about the Loki Familia coming out of the dungeon with some guy in shining armour? I bet a hundred that this is the guy."

"You think? But wasn't he part of their Familia then?"

"Obviously not, otherwise he would have come in with them."

"People can still arrive earlier than usual dumbass, something you can't understand."

"I need my beauty sleep. You guys might like to stay up and get dirty all the time but we like having a good amount of sleep time to keep our skin and our minds fresh."

...

"People really do have the most random conversations in this city." Steve muttered.

He was pulled out of his thoughts however by a series of stomping heels as the red-head from earlier thundered over to him and pointed an accusatory finger.

"YOU!" Loki shouted, an angry vein popping out of her head.

"Me?" Steve pointed to himself.

"You're the wolf that's been trying to steal Ais and my best friend away!" Loki said sharply before putting her hands on her hips and leaning forwards. "Try and deny it!"

"I'll admit I'm actively trying steal your 'best friend' away from you." Steve said as he turned in his stool with a smirk and put his arm around Tiona's waist, making sure to focus on the hips of hers he so cherished. He then looked at Ais. "As for your pride and prodigy..." Ais moved in and put her hands on his shoulder and leaned on to him as she stared at Loki, like a rebellious child emotionally blackmailing their parent by giving affection to another person. "...well it looks like there are still some things to iron out but she's quite attached."

"Manwhore!" Loki shouted. "Philanderer! Scumbag! Enemy of Women! You think you can sit there all smug while you hold two of my girls and I'm going to just stay silent?"

"Actually, you are." Ptah said as he finally chose to speak. Because of the angle in which Loki was standing, Steve's large frame completely blocked Ptah from her view and so she hadn't seen him. So she did a double take when his face just appeared over Steve's shoulder looking unimpressed and displeased to see her. "After all, from what I hear, there's not much you can do about it."

"P-P-Ptah?!" Loki said.

"Huh?" Ptah said as he pulled his lips into a sneer. "Is that the proper way we discussed of you addressing me, Lopt? After I taught you an unforgettable and valuable lesson, you still choose to show me attitude?"

"Don't you think it's about time I stopped having to call you 'Lord Ptah'?" Loki put a hand on her chest. "I've suffered enough, wouldn't you say?"

"Want me to make your ass flat this time?" Ptah said as his eyes glowed red. "I can do it."

Loki shrieked in fright and wrapped her arms around herself in fright as she bounded a couple of steps back.

"Hold up." Steve said as he turned back to Ptah. "Wait a minute."

"What is it now?" Ptah rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean 'this time'? What did you do before?"

"Oh." Ptah said nonchalantly. "After she wrecked my crib in heaven, I put an everlasting curse on her so powerful, even her Arcanum couldn't reverse it...and that was to never develop one of the key things that are attractive in women." Ptah pointed right at Loki's chest. "As you can see, it's held up until today."

"You were the one that made her flat?" Steve whistled. "Damn, you're evil."

"Thank you." Ptah smiled before he looked at Loki. "Of course I don't wish to do anything more to you Lopt, against my better judgement. From what I understand, our kids have formed some sort of alliance between our Familia. I wouldn't want to be the one fostering hostilities now."

"Y-Yeah, I h-heard that too." Loki nodded before her attitude suddenly went back to normal. "Hang on a second. Speaking of that, there's been something they told me that's just been bugging me lately."

"Oh yeah, and what might that be?"

"They told me he's a level 9. Is that true?" Loki asked, making everybody in the pub gasp again. Even the waitresses poked their heads out of the kitchen to double-check what they'd heard.

"Yep. Totally." Ptah said as he pushed Steve around on his stool to expose the gamer's back. With a small stab from his knife, Ptah rubbed blood onto Steve's back and allowed for the Falna to appear while smirking at Loki. "See for yourself."

It was unnecessary though. Because even though it seemed that the Loki and the Ptah Familia were stuck in their own bubble, the outside world was still privy to this exchange. And even they could read the big bold writing at the top of the insignia.

Level 9

...

"WHAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!!!!" Came the second shout, about 3 times louder this time and a poor old lady trying to sleep in a house across the road saw her window crack a little.

...

"But that's impossible!" Loki yelled. "There hasn't been a level 9 since Hera's time. Where have you been hiding him?" She pointed an accusatory finger at Ptah."

" I haven't been harbouring him anywhere." Ptah replied cheekily. "He just came to my grotto and walked right into my family. Imagine that Lopt...you pride yourself on quality and talent and yet you didn't get the most powerful adventurer in the world."

Loki spluttered with confusion and indignation. Because really...it truly was such a missed opportunity. A genuine level 9 just entering your Familia like that was super lucky, like one in impossible, non-existent chances sort of luck.

"You!" Loki said as she turned her finger from Ptah to Steve. 

"I have a name you know..."

"You're a smith right? You made magic weapons for my Familia! Why didn't you join Hephaestus? It just doesn't make sense joining a god who has nothing to his name."

This was a new bombshell to the ears of the public. Even Mama Mia who was awestruck and dumbfounded by the new revelation did a double-take...because that was just how special magic weapons were. Even Syr, who was still being eyed like a hawk by Ais, was greatly surprised by this.

"I just wanted to be the figurehead of something new. I didn't want to piggyback off of the reputations and connections of larger and more powerful Familia. I wanted to create a whole new establishment from the ground up...both metaphorically and physically." Steve said as he again put an arm around Tiona's waist. Seeing this, Ais moved closer to him...and after a moment's hesitation he put an arm around hers too, just so she wouldn't ask him aloud. And testament to his claims, both girls noticed he rubbed their hips as he did so. He really was a hip lover. "Of course, I also thought it would be more attractive to potential future partners and romantic interests. Is that so wrong?" He asked.

He directed a smile at Loki, who was becoming as red as her hair out of fury in seeing him holding her girls as he did. She grit her teeth and leapt towards Ais's legs and began crying streams of tears as she hugged the back of the girl's thighs.

"COME ON AIS!" Loki sobbed. "After all we've been through together, why do you pick him over me?!"

"Because he's my hero." Ais replied.

"But I took you in, and I raised you. And I gave you a Falna so you could fulfil your dreams. After all that, why do you pick this stranger over me?" Loki's hands began snaking up the back of Ais's thighs. "Why do you just run away every time I try to bring us closer?"

Ais responded by kicking out at Loki as casually as if she were kicking a pebble out of the way. The goddess had the wind knocked out of her and she went sliding along the floor on her back and hit her head on a table leg.

"Because you try to touch things you're not allowed to touch." Ais responded calmly, like she hadn't just almost given her patron goddess a concussion.

"Oh, and I suppose he can!" Loki got up and pointed a sharp finger at Steve who was just innocently whistling, not wanting to get involved with the fact that Loki openly tried to molest the girl.

Ais looked taken aback for a moment as to everyone's surprise, her face became a little flushed as she looked up at the ceiling, like she were mulling it over with her mouth slightly open. She lifted her hand a little, hesitating for a moment before she grabbed at the Steve's hand which was on her hip and moved it behind her and a little downwards. EVERYONE'S jaw dropped at such a bold act from the ice queen.

"Yes." Ais said.

Loki's eyes actually opened and bulged out such an unusual behaviour from the girl. For a few seconds, nothing but incoherent noises floated out of her throat as her mouth resembled that of a pufferfish.

Tiona closed her mouth before giggling a little as she whispered in Steve's ear, though with how pin-drop silent it had become in the pub, people still heard her.

"Well, Ais has her rebellious moments." The Amazon said to the gobsmacked gamer. "But this is a whole new level. You can't deny her now after such a bold demonstration of her intentions."

Steve himself was on a different level of shocked. Because not only was he a direct witness of the Sword Princess's bold behaviour, but he was the one feeling a direct result of it. And the worst part was that his right hand seemed to be moving all on its own, involuntarily like some lame harem protagonist that couldn't control his urges yet didn't take the girl. And why he did not like the fact that he was very much enjoying what he was feeling...and was being further excited with how Ais's breathing became heavier and he could her heartbeats become faster. 

"I don't mind you know." Tiona whispered even quieter into his ear, this time however making sure that he was the only one that could hear her. "Ais is like a little sister to me and someone I trust. I'd love to see her happy too...as long as I get what every Amazon wants..."

"...and what would that be?" Steve ripped his attention from trying to get his right hand to stop to answering her question in hopes that his hand would stop all on its own.

"...I think you know..." Tiona gave him a pointed look. "I don't understand why you're so against it. You said you're from the dessert. Isn't it common for men there to have several wives?"

"It's not that I'm against the idea, it's-" Steve said quickly before he shook his head and had a sudden burst of willpower and stood from his seat, forcibly (and regretfully) pulling his hand away from Ais's backside and Tiona as he did so and he took a few breaths to calm down. "We'll talk later at length about this. Alright?" He stated firmly to both girls. They nodded in reply.

"And what about you Tiona?" Loki moaned, trying to grasp at something to keep her afloat. "Why did you leave me? I thought we were allies!"

"Oh?... I thought it was simple." Tiona blinked. 

"What?"

"Yeah." Tiona moved closer to his side again. "It's not just because I found someone who actually likes every part of me and doesn't just judge me because of certain things I don't have." She put a hand on his left pec, right about where his heart would be as she pressed her cheek to his arm. "It's mainly because I found a man."

This seemed to be the last straw for Loki as she went completely white and it looked like her soul left her body as her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on her back, fainting at last from her 'heartbreak'.

"Well...I guess we'll have peace now." Riveria said as she paid no mind to her goddess and waved at Mia. "Can we order now?"

"Yeah sure...Oi! I didn't say you lot could stop working!" The dwarf woman bellowed at the waitresses. "And you lot! Stop gawking or your food will go cold. If you're done, then pay your tab and get out!" Mia shouted at the customers who were still holding their jaws in their laps. At once they snapped out of their trances and began eating, drinking and talking once again as all the noise returned.

Steve sat down again, feeling really stressed out before he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Ais staring at him intently.

"You really are my hero." She said in a tone that was indecipherable to him.

"(sigh)...I know Ais. I know." He said forlornly as he felt sudden guilt wrack his heart out of nowhere.

...What was he going to do?

"I know." Tiona suggested. "How about we both give you a tour of the city tomorrow?" Tiona rested her hand on his other shoulder. "We could talk about this then?"

"...Yeah. Why not?" He said, not even looking at her.

Both girls shared a look with one another as they sensed the turmoil inside him. From staring at each other's eyes, they too realised that they would have to have a talk of their own later, before that outing happened. For now, they would have to find a way to uplift his mood, in one way or another.

---

While all of this was going on, Ptah had in the meantime finished his dessert and had stared right at Syr. He beckoned with one of his fingers and knowing she could not disobey him since she knew she had been found out, she followed him to a part of the pub where they would have some privacy, away from even the eyes of the other waitresses who were moving around.

Ptah sighed and turned around while crossing his arms and stared up at the girl.

"Before you start spouting whatever bullshit you are, I can see right through that pathetic mirage, so let's not beat around the bush." He said to her bluntly, which turned her expression grim. "What do you want?"

"...I doubt anybody who knows me, less of all a Primordial from any Pantheon, wouldn't be able to figure out the answer to that question."

"I just said, don't beat around the bush." Ptah grunted. "Listen. I appreciate what you did for me back then...but don't forget what 'I' alone am capable of even when sealed. I'll say this once, do not interfere with my child."

"I notice you don't say, 'Don't take him.'" Syr said. 

"You're welcome to try. I've tried several times already to force him to obey me with my Tongue." Ptah shook his head. "Not to make him slave for me but to get him to shut up whenever he mocks my height. But he doesn't even notice me doing it, let alone doing what I say. If he's immune to power like that, your charm won't do shit to him."

"...What if I simply want good relations with him?" Syr asked. "After all, he's a genuine level 9, correct?"

"I doubt that fact alone will ward you off. It will make you cautious, but not enough to abandon him." Ptah said cautiously. "You've been cultivating your Familia strength for centuries now. You probably would have had a level 9 yourself had that moron Zeus and that witch Hera not continuously stolen from you."

"Which brings up one of my curiosities." Syr smiled, but Ptah noticed that her eyes were strained and her hands had gripped the tray tighter. Far off Domains of his enabled him to sense the seething rage, hurt and anguish boiling behind that smiling face. "Would he happen to be from any of those two Familia...before he joined yours?"

"No. I can honestly say he is not." Ptah said firmly. "But who he was affiliated with before then...well, let's just say that new worlds that even WE did not know existed will open up thanks to him. It's only a matter of time."

"Okay." Syr said. "But about our relations?"

"I'm open to good relations too." Ptah said as he shrugged his shoulders. "But I warn you now, move against him and your Familia WILL suffer consequences like that which has never been seen. As far as I know, your favourite pet has not managed to defeat Balor by himself, whereas Steve destroyed the bastard in one spell alone."

"Is that true?" Syr asked, looking very concerned all of a sudden. 

"The Loki Familia are witness. You'll read about it tomorrow anyway. Because Royman will make it all public. Knowing you, you will get the first copy." 

"Hm. Well if that's true...then I suppose I am less comfortable with testing him as I am known to test other adventurers." Syr said.

"Listen, you want to find out, then I will not accept anything outside of a war game. But what I've seen from him? You will definitely lose even if you sent your whole posse after him." Ptah said. "For your own good, don't do anything stupid."

"You are surprisingly lax about this. I would have thought you be more protective of him." Syr's mouth then tightened. "But then we know what your friendships and your relations are worth, right Ptah? Where are you when people need you? Oh that's right...SLEEPING while your friends suffer."

...

"...I'm sorry, my little Gefn." Ptah's eyes softened. "For you, I would have done so much more than what I did to your realms at the time. I should have been there, I know, but-"

"But you weren't there!" Syr's mask started to crack. "...and now look what has happened to me. Do you have any idea what I have lost? What I have become?"

"...I sincerely hope you find your Odr." Ptah said. "Only he will heal your wounds now. You will find him...I know you will..."

Syr looked like she wanted to say something else, but upon noticing she was breaking character, she straightened herself and adopted her usual cute charm.

"I accept your challenge Lord Ptah. May the best of us win." She said cheerily before skipping off back to work.

Ptah watched her go, sad at seeing how seamlessly she switched between personas. The truth was, he'd never had any problems with the goddess. In fact it had been quite the opposite. Seeing her as she was now, brought him back to days so long ago, a number of lifetimes so great that mortals could not conceive it.

Of days where he had been amongst the first of gods, among the elderly and respected as he watched other gods being 'born' and he had wandered the mostly unclaimed parts of Tenkai, one day stumbling upon a sleeping little girl with silver hair in a bed of flowers, with blue birds singing around her. The equivalent of a mortal toddler that brimmed and glowed with light, beauty and Arcanum. How he had been the first other being her eyes saw when she woke up.

Only now, in hindsight, did he recognise the malicious and lustful gazes towards her. Only now did he see exactly how much she had been admired and how much he had neglected her. The sacrifices she had made to protect herself from those who'd have wished her harm if she had not done otherwise.

And how he had slept through it all, revelling in his unique might so much in the hubris that he could not be touched, he did not take any consideration for those who found comfort under that power and were vulnerable when he withdrew from them.

...Perhaps he should have stepped on Odin's neck the day the one eyed charlatan had prostrated to him in a beg for forgiveness. If only to prevent what would have come thereafter.

Now that little girl was a woman...a woman in desperate need for that which most women desired. That which he had failed to give as someone she'd looked up to and depended upon. He prayed sincerely that that chosen person came to her soon...so that not only would everyone else be safe from her...but that her suffering would come to an end soon.

He shook his head in sadness before looking back at Steve sitting on a stool, looking equally as guilty and conflicted over something.

It may be weird to the eyes of mortals, but even in the short amount of time they had known each other and despite how often they both fought...Ptah cared for his first child. They say that the firstborn is always the special one...or perhaps that was just for actual parents? Mortals only looked for the gains when they took Falna...gods sought something else.

He'd already failed several other people in his life thanks to his laziness, his arrogance and his hubris...it was the main reason he'd descended in the first place. To rid himself of that which made him so feared in the first place, so that he would be humble, and so that he would discover what truly mattered.

He'd be damned if he let down another person he was responsible for.

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