Chapter 54: Under Plain Sight

The ban of entering the guild didn't last long and the city didn't ask much.

Not really affected by the blockade that only lasted a couple of hours.

Lars then went to the surface with the girls and they called for their allies.

Astraea and her familia, Demeter, and Ais. They quickly gathered at the Stardust garden.

As the wheat manor had members that didn't know about the xenos.

"What happened?" Astraea asked Lars because the events were easy to tie together.

The guild banning entry to the dungeon. And then, Lars calling them for a meeting immediately after.

"It's about a familia that is kidnapping the xenos." Lars informed them and the ones in the dark gasped.

"Really? Who are they?" Demeter was shocked at the news.

"Ikelos familia." Lars scowled and they went quiet for a second.

"I've heard that they went missing for quite some time now." Alise raised her hand.

"Fels also told me that. So I'd like to ask everyone to keep an eye open in the dungeon for suspicious things.

I think the Ikelos familia is inside of the dungeon." Lars hypothesized.

"Evilus did hide in the dungeon as well. Do you think they're in cahoots?" Kaguya was having a bad feeling.

"Yeah, those cockroaches are definitely hiding somewhere. And they can't be on the surface, so it's likely that they're in the dungeon." Lyra rubbed her chin.

"Then shouldn't we release a task force or a bounty to try and get as much information about them?" Ryuu offered a good plan.

"That's a nice idea Ryuu, we're not exactly hurting for funds. So I'll be giving a fat bounty for information." Lars thought of using a 100 million valis as a bounty.

Everyone would be scrambling to get a clue. "I don't think that's a good idea." Demeter chimed in.

"Hmm, why though?" Tiona agreed with Ryuu and it was a pretty good plan in her eyes.

"They'll just hide harder." Airmid pieced the puzzle.

"Correct, if they could smuggle xenos out of Orario without alerting anyone. Then they can surely get info about the bounty on their heads." Demeter explained and Lars nodded.

"Thanks, you guys are life savers. I guess I need to hire a professional for this." Lars thought of someone.

They looked at him in curiosity. "Hermes, he's a jolly guy right?" Lars smirked.

'Ooh... How devious, befriending Hermes and hiding in plain sight. Three birds with one stone.' Demeter was impressed.

He came up with a quick plan. And it was a sound one too.

"Okay, just have a look out for something suspicious then everyone. If they can hide and probably sell xenos... Then there's another exit or entrance to the dungeon." Lars squinted his eyes.

They nodded at his insight and that made sense. How else would they be able to make use of the xenos besides selling them?

__Traveler's Inn__

Arriving at Hermes' familia home, Lars was accompanied by the whole gang.

Tione; the lightning empress. Tiona; the crimson lord. And Airmid, the silver paladin.

The new nicknames that Demeter earned for them in the Denatus.

"The farmer? What's your business here?" A member of the familia addressed Lars' nickname.

He thought it wasn't as cool as the others, but what can he do? He couldn't really show his magic or skills.

"We have something to talk about with your god, is he here?" Tione stepped up immediately as people don't really know that he was their leader.

"L-lightning empress? Yes, Hermes-sama is here. Please, enter and make yourselves at home." The young lady was nervous as hell.

After all, they were the youngest level 5's in Orario. Along with Ais. Though the record for the youngest level 5 is Alfia who got there at 15.

They were then met with a tired looking girl with blue hair.

(Pic)

"Asfi Al Andromeda, it is nice to meet you. Your fame precedes you." She eyed Tiona, Tione, and Airmid carefully.

They were powerhouses after all. "Nice meeting you as well." They returned her greeting.

"Now, what do you need from Hermes-sama?" Asfi asked them.

"We are going to commission your familia about something." Lars stepped up and the Hermes familia raised a brow.

For all intents and purposes, he's just a level 2. With a pretty mundane nickname too.

Not really knowing that he was called the farmer because he harvests monsters like they were wheat in the dungeon.

"About what?" Asfi thought it was going to be quite a simple one. Like maybe catch some thieves who export their goods illegally.

"We'll talk in private, with Hermes." Lars walked to Asfi's side and he put his arm on something.

Asfi was alarmed immediately as Lars grinned at them.

Them, including the invisible person that he hooked his arm on.

'Impossible... My helmet of Hades was found out just like that?' Asfi was shocked as hell.

"Hmmm, you're as amazing as the rumors." Hermes suddenly appeared and the girls were surprised.

"He was there the whole time!? Cool! Airmid! Make an invisibility helmet like that too!" Tiona shouted in excitement.

Airmid deadpanned at her as she focused on potions, not magic tools.

"Shut up, Tiona. Airmid doesn't make tools like that." Tione chided her sister.

"Let us go to a private room, shall we?" Hermes gestured for them to follow him.

They were then served some tea by a purple haired Pallum.

"Oh my gods, you're totally adorable." Tione carried her like a stuffed toy.

"Please don't treat me like this, I have rights." The Pallum deadpanned at Tione.

"Please let down Meryl..." Asfi stared at Tione and Lars sighed.

"We're not here for pleasantries Tione, later." Lars had to admit, she looked like a little gnome that was wearing a wizard hat. She was cute as fuck.

"Ohh, sorry..." Tione looked at Meryl and she thought of a little girl with golden eyes running around, calling her mama.

She was developing a terrible disease, baby fever.

"Ahem, so what we want." Lars coughed and everyone focused up again.

"Yes, what is it that you want to commission? We don't just accept everything." Hermes hid his eyes with his hat.

"Hmm, ever heard of the term xenos?" Lars went down to business immediately.

He was gambling a bit, but Asfi gasped and Lars smirked, he won the gambit.

"How do you know that?" Hermes immediately looked at them and the girls were too calm.

They also know about the xenos. "Wouldn't you like to know? But that's for you to find out." Lars chortled at his expression.

"Now, for what we came here for. The Ikelos familia has most likely sold off xenos outside of Orario." Lars said seriously.

The atmosphere changed immediately. "What? The Ikelos familia? But they have been off grid for a long time." Asfi was shocked.

"Yeah, you already know that entry to the dungeon got banned. It's because of that, we found xenos being transported." Lars informed them.

"That's really troublesome..." Hermes frowned.

"So, what I want you to do is track them down outside of Orario. Name your price." Lars didn't give a damn how much.

"Are you sure about that? This is gonna cost extra, especially because we don't know where they are." Hermes wanted to accept, but he needs to know if he's committed to it.

Ouranos has been planning with him and Ganesha for years in order to introduce the xenos to the surface.

Ganesha even had a festival added to Orario's yearly events in order to make people used to monsters more.

"What do you need? 100 million? 200?" Lars started naming prices and Hermes was shocked.

"I knew that the Demeter familia is rich, but not that rich." Hermes shook his head in exasperation.

"We have a deal?" Lars gave out his hand and Hermes didn't have a reason to reject their quest.

The god shook hands with him and Asfi was done contemplating.

"Ahh! You're going to make me take care of the familia again!" Asfi knew that Hermes will definitely be leaving them behind to go outside of Orario.

"Asfi-chan~ I'm going to have to leave the familia to you. You're my adorable captain after all." Hermes ruffled her hair and ran away.

"Wait! Damn it..." Asfi looked like she was about to cry.

"Uhh, need some help?" Lars offered with a wry smile and she looked at him with bright eyes.

Her tired expression was definitely due to Hermes dumping his work onto her.

"Really? Then please, take care of me!" Asfi didn't even had the shame anymore to reject his offer or think about it.

Airmid sighed as she felt that he was going to be rizzing up another woman from another familia again, like Ais.

She used her magic on her and Airmid felt alive once more.

"I guess I'll drop by from time to time to help you. I'm the expedition group's captain anyways." Lars offered his hand to Asfi.

"Yes, I believe we will be having a nice partnership." Asfi smiled.

"Oi, why are you helping her? You just came back recently and you're gonna be busy again?" Tiona pouted at him.

'That's right! I knew I could count on you, Tiona!' Tione was cheering her on.

"Well, this is really important. And I believe that we should treat our contractors well, isn't that right, Asfi?" Lars smiled at her and she nodded.

"That is correct, thank you very much for this. Hermes-sama always dumps his work on me after all." Asfi was relieved that she'll receive some help.

And Hermes will take a lot of time, even with his connections. They have no idea where the probable xenos are.

If they've been even smuggled outside at all. What Lars was betting on, is that they look used to it.

Even having metal cages for the xenos that they captured. Meaning, they have done it before.

"And when you see Hermes, could you guys also investigate the Ikelos familia? I want to know where are they." Lars stood up.

The deal was done and he had to relax a bit. He was having a headache due to the idiots that are kidnapping xenos.

"I'll let him know. You didn't have to ask, we'll find them." Asfi nodded at him.

"Ohh, how reliable. Thanks Asfi, see you later." Lars waved and they exited the premises.

"Captain, those three behind him were scary. Why are they following him exactly?" Meryl could feel the tension coming from the girls.

They were like coiled springs ready to move. "I don't know, but he seems reliable. Maybe it's that? Stop dilly dallying, Meryl. Hermes-sama bailed on us, we have a lot of work." Asfi sighed.

__Monstro__

Lars decided to check up on the harpies and lamias that got captured.

They were still a bit jumpy, but overall, fine. It was to be expected that they would be like that.

"Thank you for saving them, Lars." Laura slithered towards him and she had a sincere expression.

"It is no matter, every xenos in the dungeon is a prospective citizen of Monstro." Lars smiled at her.

"Even so... You moved so quickly, with conviction and no hesitation." Laura looked at him with awe.

"We've been preparing for things like this for years no? After all, we can never know if adventurers would find Monstro one day." Lars chuckled.

"Don't be too humble, Lars. It's annoying if you downsize your quick thinking and actions that saved these children." Ranye nudged him on the shoulder.

"Yeppers! Lars saved the day, he didn't even need Alfia's help!" Marie chimed in as she rolled herself in a wheel chair.

Something she requested for from Airmid vehemently. Though she did need a spritz bottle at all times to make sure she didn't dry out.

"Fine, fine, you're welcome." Lars chuckled and they smiled.

He looked at them interacting with the leaders. Ray was teaching them softly, like how a mother would.

Lyd was firm, but gentle, like a father. Gros was telling them to fight back against the disgusting humans.

Fear was playing with the harpies and everybody was preparing for a feast.

"Look at the sight in front of me, doesn't it warm your heart?" Lars asked them and they nodded.

"We never did imagine that we'll have a place like this to call home." Ranye smiled softly as she looked at their home.

And throughout the years, she even had arachne sisters now.

"Indeed, let us enjoy this scene. For I believe that dark powers are at play." Laura sighed.

"You reading a lot of poetry?" Lars asked as he blinked.

"Did you notice?" Laura was delighted and they enjoyed the impromptu festival for now.

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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.