CHAPTER 182(Moving Parts)

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)

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pat.treon:/Keanu_Eugene

CHAPTER START---

"Not as loud as I thought," Freya says as she looks around.

The goddess was sitting at a round table. Relaxing at the far end of the festival in Babel Plaza with Yang at her side.

She looks around to see all the adventurers and civilians dancing, eating, talking, singing, all celebrating the death of Kulve Taroth.

Beside her, Yang takes a sip of his drink and props up his head on his hand, leaning forward onto the table. "Speak for yourself, level 7 here, it's already a pain in the ass to ignore most sounds much less an entire party," he groans.

"Gasp," she says mockingly, dramatically leaning onto his shoulder. "My poor baby has leveled up too quickly to give his senses time to adjust, whatever shall he do?"

"Alright alright, I get it, suffering from success and all that crap. That doesn't mean it isn't still annoying," he says.

"Most people would kill to have your problems, actually, lots of people do kill just to have your problems," she points out before taking a sip of her drink.

"True. But look, at least they're enjoying it," Yang points to his teammates. A few dozen feet away Welf and Hephaestus were dancing to the bard's tune, not that far away from them Mikoto and Thalie were excitedly chatting with Take over their food.

"Do you think they'll just quit playing around and 'do it' tonight?" Freya asks, gesturing to Welf and Hephaestus.

"Mmm, nah. Welf would rather fight dragons than have that kind of talk with Hephaestus."

"And she keeps neglecting my advice. None of you people make sense, honestly," she sighs.

"What advice?"

"Lay naked on his bed waiting for him to come home."

Yang gives her an amused look, "that always works on me, but Welf...dunno. What else did you say?"

"Have you tie him up so she could strip him and have her way with him for a weekend?"

"No, just, no. Why are you so extreme?"

"Extreme works," she shrugs.

"Relationships are about a slow buildup to a solid foundation," Yang points out.

"Is that why we had such an explosive first date then a few months later I moved in with you?" she asks with an unamused look.

"Well... I'm usually the exception to the rule. We aren't the standard couple and you know it."

"True, we're better."

As they have light conversation for a few more minutes a familiar voice calls out as it approaches.

"Look Lady Riveria I found us some seats," Lefiya says as she carries two plates over to Yang and Freya. Both the occupants at the table look at her in slight confusion before turning to their sides. Both the tables beside them were completely deserted yet the girl put one plate beside Yang and sat on the next seat, leaving her teacher to sit beside him.

About a dozen feet behind her Riveria was frozen at the audacity of her protege. Coming closer with both their drinks in her hands she speaks to the girl, "Lefiya we shouldn't bother them. The other tables are empty," she says more forcefully than normal, almost begging the girl not to do this.

Ignoring her teacher Lefiya turns to the couple, "do either of you speak Elvish?"

"Uh, no," Yang says.

"Yes I'm fluent in all dialects," Freya says with a raised brow.

"Oh ok," Lefiya turns back to look at Riveria then speaks in Elvish, "either take the seat or I'll tell him about those debaucherous dreams you've had about---"

"Alright!" Riveria snarls back in Elvish with a light blush on her face.

As Riveria takes her seat, Lefiya looks over to see Freya giving her a thankful nod. The student who only wanted to see her mentor happy had been a great help to the goddess tonight. Now the only one who wasn't aware of exactly what was going on at this table, was Yang Shen.

"Your student is right Great Mage," Freya says. "There isn't an issue with you being here, in fact, it's a welcomed change," she says with a warm smile.

"Well, I didn't want to impose," Riveria says. "You two look quite happy here and the last thing I want is to ruin anything. I'd hate it if I was having a good night and someone just came along and ruined it after all."

"We were just talking about some stuff, killing time until we can leave," Yang says, completely oblivious to what this conversation was really about.

"Exactly," Freya says. "And besides this table has a seat for you so why not come sit with us. You and I get along well and Yang thinks quite highly of you, more so than most of your familia at least. Just because we're already at the table doesn't mean we won't welcome another, especially if it's you. You'll always have a place at our table---" Quickly she switches to Elvish, "and in our bed," she says with a small nod.

Riveria's face goes bright red and she looks down at her plate, "thank you for the compliment Lady Freya," she says to keep Yang blissfully unaware.

"Of course, I'm just glad your little student seems to be a dream chaser, right?" the goddess asks Lefiya.

"Uh, yes, of course," the girl nods excitedly.

"And has Riveria been doing the same thing lately?" Freya asks.

"Uh, well," Lefiya looks at her mentor. Riveria's face was a stone wall of emotion, she'd closed herself off the girl's advice, but maybe there was someone Riveria would listen to. "Hey Yang, can I ask you something?"

Snapping out of his slightly confused state Yang nods a 'yes' to her.

"If you were sacrificing everything, even the one thing that might make you happy just for your people, even if they'd turn their back on you for the way you look. What do you think that'd make you, selfless? A good leader?" Lefiya asks.

Immediately catching onto her meaning Yang looks right at Riveria and holds her gaze, "it would make you a hero," he says. Both Elves are taken by surprise before he continues, "but that would make you a dumbass, just like most heroes. Living your life for someone else. Dying and suffering for strangers you don't even know instead of having your own dreams, own life, making your own family. All for people who don't deserve you, a dumbass of the highest order. If that's the case then fuck what they think, chase your dreams and whatever makes you happy," he says to her.

Looking at him Riveria feels her heart pounding in her chest, she hears it like a hundred drums in her ears. She looks over to Freya and the woman hammers the message home.

"It's never too late princess, you can still start going after what makes you happy," the goddess says. "And you can certainly find people to share it with."

"Exactly," Lefiya holds Riveria's hand, "and I'll support you one hundred percent."

"Ah, I... I'll have to think about it," Riveria says to Freya. She abruptly gets up and drags Lefiya away, completely abandoning their food and the party entirely.

Seeing the Elves leave Yang takes a sip of his drink, "what do you think her dream will be, maybe become the greatest mage ever?"

Looking over at him Freya giggles and shakes her head. Even in all that he's never considered not only the possibility of having multiple women, not that he'd want that from what she knew. But the impossibility of Freya, the most selfish and petty goddess in Orario, actually willingly sharing her Odr with another woman.

As the party continues and the couple is about to retire for the evening, Shakti takes a seat at the table and drops a folder in front of Yang.

Giving her a bored look he releases a deep sigh and raises a brow.

"It's for you," she says.

"I know, but I don't want it."

"It's important, a case I've been putting together," Shakti says. Freya doesn't hesitate to open the documents.

"Sounds like guild business, A-K-A, not my problem," Yang points out.

"It was guild business, or at least would have been, should have been. But the guild and Lord Ganesha killed this investigation the moment my prime suspect got named. He'd punish me just for giving you this," she says.

"Babe," Freya looks up from the documents toward Yang, "you need to read this..."

"If it's this big a deal just give hero boy Finn the case," Yang says.

"We can't. The guild buried it, this case doesn't exist. But since it's dealing with your team you can deal with it internally. Even if the guild didn't kill this investigation it's not like any army can walk up to you three and slap cuffs on you anyway," Shakti says as she gets up and walks away.

As she leaves Yang immediately stores the documents in his inventory and rises from his seat. Without stopping to speak to anyone he and Freya head back up to floor fifty-one.

Later that night Freya steps out of their bathroom and into the bedroom while drying her hair with a towel, leaving her naked body open to give Yang his favorite show.

As she looks to the bed he isn't even looking at her, eyes locked onto the file as he carefully reads every line.

With a frown on her lips she wants to say she's surprised, but she knows what's written on those papers so she understands his concern. "How are you gonna handle this, investigation of your own?" she asks.

"No, I'm just gonna ask. If she did any of this she'll hopefully be honest," Yang says.

"She killed over two hundred people for seemingly no connected reasoning, you think this is supposed to make sense?"

"Of course."

Walking over to the bed and dropping the towel to the floor Freya takes the file out of his hand and straddles his lap, cupping his chin so he has to look at her, "what if it's just the Domain of War?"

"What do you mean?"

"I...I have, urges, in certain situations too," she says.

"I'm very aware of that babe."

"No, not sexual urges, violent urges. The kind of thing that makes me glad I'm not capable of having a Falna or Arcanum down here or I'd leave corpses in the street," she says.

Yang's face becomes more uncomfortable as he places his hands on her hips, "I'm gonna need an explanation for that."

"It's the Domain of War. It makes you feel more, liberated, to do violent things. When I start, even without anything more than this fragile mortal body, it's hard to stop. It feels intoxicating and sets my body aflame with a sweet feeling, what if she's become addicted to that and is killing people just to feel it?"

"Hmmm, so. Firstly, I didn't need to know I sleep with someone who has violent psychopathic urges. Secondly, Thalie has way too much control and discipline for that, there has to be a logical reason for this, I don't think she'd just be a death junkie," he says.

"Hmm, I hope you're right," Freya says.

"That just leaves the other problem, you being more of a psycho than I thought," he says.

"That's easy," Freya sweeps him into a passionate, hungry kiss. "You'll just have to tire me out till I can't lift a finger, you're quite good at that."

"Well, I always max Endurance," he jokes before rolling her onto her back...

---Riveria's room...

"What were you thinking!?" Riveria shrieks at Lefiya.

The girl winces and stares down at the floor.

"I'm sorry but I had to. You don't listen to anyone else," she argues.

"You embarrassed me!"

"Lady Riveria please he didn't know what was going on."

"It's still embarrassing," the woman growls out.

"But now you know you have a chance," Lefiya points out.

"Lefiya, you know if I do that then the crown can never be mine, what about our people?"

Hearing this Lefiya can't take it anymore and explodes, "FUCK OUR PEOPLE!"

Riveria takes a step back in shock at the sudden outburst, "Lefiya!"

"No, they suck. You did everything for them then most Elves turn their back on you because of some scars, Yang was right, they don't deserve you!"

"They're still our people Lefiya, I have a duty to them," the woman argues.

"Then why can't you have both? Just, have him and the crown."

"Impossible, the moment my father knows that I'm with a man I forfeit the crown, you know the rules."

"Then just don't tell anyone," Lefiya points out.

"You think I didn't think of that!" Riveria finally reaches her limit. "I stay up all night all the time thinking of ways to make it work but I just can't alright, there isn't a way Lefiya," she admits, dropping down to sit on her bed.

A long tense silence fills the room before Lefiya speaks, "because you always try to do everything yourself, just...ask him for help, I'm sure he'd think of something..."

"We're assuming he'd even want this, what's the point if I work up the nerve only to be rejected again?" Riveria asks bitterly.

"He won't reject you---"

"Again, reject me again," Riveria corrects.

"Right, that won't happen. This time you'll have Lady Freya supporting you, and that's all it'll take, you'll see..."

"I'll consider it, but I'm not making any promises alright."

"That's all I wanted, for you to start thinking about it at least..."

---Folkvangr(Freya Familia Mansion)

Under the pale moonlight Ottar steps out into the courtyard with his Supreme Black Sword on his back in his standard armor.

As he makes his way across the silent courtyard to leave the mansion a silver spear cracks the ground in front of his feet.

"Mmm, go back inside," he says. Looking to his side he sees Allen sauntering up to him with a manic grin.

"It's not like you to disobey our goddess, assuming you're about to do what I think you're doing, and you know the punishment for going against a direct order..."

"And if I am?" Ottar asks, raising a hand to the hilt of his greatsword.

"We can't allow that," Hedin's voice calls out as he appears behind Ottar. "It's our duty to follow and enforce Lady Freya's orders, as her executives..." as he speaks the three remaining Guilliver brothers, as well as Hogni, descend onto the courtyard with weapons drawn.

"I understand," Ottar says. "But Freya Familia must always remain at the top, that is when Lady Freya's pride in us, in me, is at its peak. I have not felt that in some time, I must become the king again." Ottar draws his greatsword and points it at Allen, "and I won't let anyone stop me..."

END CHAPTER---

"It's intoxicating!"- Thalie when Yang asked how her new magic(War God's Blessing) feels :)

For those who missed it we're at chapter 182/224 (No I won't have a counter at the end of every chapter)