Chapter 21: Who ARE You?

[Miko's POV]

After a whole day of doing our own thing, the whole familia returned to the base and report on the things they have done today.

Yamato-san said she trained by her abilities and occasionally, Takemikazuchi-sama gives her pointers and advices on sword techniques and he even spar with her for hours.

As for Kashima-san, he found various weapon and armor shop sold by blacksmiths of the Hephaestus Familia on the 4th to 8th floor of the tower of Babel. There are also a lot of shops scattered throughout Orario as well, but adventurers recommended him to buy one on the tower instead.

As for Hitachi-san and Asuka-san, they found an item shop that sold potions, magic potions, and elixirs. However, the elixirs were very pricey. I asked what was the price and they said it costs at least 500,000 valis per bottle. The price of the elixirs made my jaw drop and decided to not prioritize that over anything else.

They also said that the store also sold Grimoire that acts like my scroll of seals. However, the grimoires give the reader magic when they read it while my sealing scroll give the user skills when they draw seal on themselves. Should I write sealing scrolls and sell them in the market? Hmm, that would be a great market sale. But I should ask Takemikazuchi-sama's permission if I will do so.

As for the remaining two, Shima and Nishioka went to a local restaurant and eat there. I asked the two that why they went there instead of the guild like they planned to do. They said that a grey-haired maid invited them to eat in a resturant called Hostess of Fertility.

'That girl, does she know that I am going to the guild and decided to send these two in her place?'

Anyway, I told them what I learned from the guild and that I have Eina-san as my advisor. I told about the two types of exelia, the specific actions to increase the basic abilities, and the monsters in the upper floor. I told each and every detail I learned and they all nodded in understanding after I said all of the information I received.

Then I ended the first day-off meeting and I dismissed them. We then all go to our rooms and went to sleep, ending the day.

On the next day and it is group dungeon exploration time. We prepared our weapons and equipment, and entered the dungeon as such.

We applied the information I told them and proceed to do various actions to gain exelia points for the future update. As for me, I didn't do anything. I stand still while clanging the Kagura Suzu and swinging Gohei. Why didn't I do the same as them, you ask? Fufufu, spoilers~ I won't tell~

Just kidding, I was planning to do it during the solo dungeon exploration in my free time. So, I just let my teammates take all of the glory in the group dungeon exploration.

We also encountered the enemies Eina-san told me. There were kobolds, which are monsters with the head that looks like a dog, and dungeon lizards, which are brown quadrupedal reptiles that climbs at the ceiling of the dungeon.

For some reason, I felt grossed out when one of them dropped above me and I was forced to use my Musou no Hitotachi to slice it in half but then lizard blood rained down to my head, making my face and clothes sticky and pungent.

Nishioka laughs at my bloody appearance and he recieved a firm punch to the top of his head that he was buried to the ground. The rest of the familia trembled in fear and reminded themselves that they shouldn't make me angry for foolish reasons.

I wiped the blood in my person and we continued to venture down until to the 4th floor. I told them that this is how as far as we can venture for now and decided to retreat for today. We also exchanged the magic stones we collected in the dungeon to the guild and received a larger amount of valis which is at the 30,000 values,

We planned to walk home to the base, but Shima and Nishioka insisted we should go to the Hostess of Fertility. I could only sigh to their enthusiasm to go and accepted their invitation. I swear that grey-haired girl might be behind this somehow. Once I get there, I will have a serious discussion with her.

Once we got the place, it was night time.

We entered the resturant and I wasn't expecting to see someone familiar.

"Ara? Would you look at that. I didn't expect to see you here, Rivera-san." I called out to the green elf woman. I also told my familia to go ahead and find us a seat while I am at it.

"Hmm? Ah, Miko-san. Good to see you here" Rivera-san greeted me when she saw my appearance.

"Is this your familia? and oh? why is it the grumpy werewolf, hello there" I greeted Bete who is not happy to see me in the resturant.

"Shut it, you pink-haired fox b*tch" he says as looks away from me. I could only laugh at his provocation, which made him angrier.

"Oiya? Is this the nine-tailed renard you were talking about, mommy Rivara" A new voice

A red-haired girl with black and blue sleeved exposed attire and shorts then appears at the seat on the far end of the table.

"I told you not to call me mama, Loki-sama, and yes, this is the person I was talking about" Rivera-san rebuked the red-haired girl.

"Ah yes, nice to you, my name is Yae Miko of the Takemikazuchi Familia" I courteously introduced myself.

"I see. Nice to meet you. My name is Loki, the goddess of the Loki Familia" the red-haired introduced herself and revealed to be a goddess.

"Ara, a goddess you say. Then pardon my previous actions, Loki-sama" I apologized at her about how I didn't put that much respect from my introduction because I didn't know she was a goddess.

'It's okay. You're very welcome to eat in this wonderful resturant"

"Thank you very much, Loki-sama"

"Neh neh, you had quite a very unique outfit you got, where did you come from?" A brown-skinned girl with a flat chest inquires.

"Ah, I came from the Far East. Thank you for asking"

"Far East, huh? That was quite a long and tiring journey, wasn't it, Miko-san?" another voice also inquires

"Ah yes, it was a very troubleso-" I cut mid-sentence when I turned to the source of the voice.

I saw blond-haired pallum with a proper attire sitting casually on the chair. Then suddenly I saw flashes of Amogu showed up when I saw the blond pallum's face and I clutched my head to stop the images from appearing.

"What's wrong, Miko-san"

"Ah, it's nothing. I just a bad memory"

"I see. I'm sorry for asking then"

"No no, it's not that. It is something else"

'Calm down, Miko. He is nothing like that pallum you saw. Not all of pallums are notorious deceiver and perverse maniacs, okay?'

I sighed to calm myself down and return to my normal state.

"If it is difficult to say, just let us know, Miko-san and ah, my name is Finn Deimne by the way" The pallum introduced himself to me.

"Nice to meet you Finn-san. As for your question a while ago, the journey to Orario was a bit tiring but it went smoothly" Finn-san nodded.

The other Loki familia members also introduced themselves and I greeted them all.

Lastly, the blond woman named Ais was staring at me the entire time.

"Ara, what's wrong, Ais-san?"

"Your fluffy tail... can I pet them?"

"Eh?"

I was surprised by her sudden blunt request.

"Well, I suppose it won't hurt if I accept, but please do it gently" Ais-san nodded and slowly reaches out to my tail. I made a quiet whimper but I covered my mouth to avoid making strange noises.

"Neh neh, let me try" Loki-sama suddenly grabbed one of my tails quite forcibly and a strong stimulus runs through my body.

"MIKO~oumph!" I quickly covered my mouth after letting out a strong moan. The adventurers laughed and wooed in wonders as they were envious to see Loki-sama grabbed a renard's tail.

I blushed heavily and promptly walks towards the exit of the resturant.

'Miko-san, where are you going?" Yamato-san yells who is calling out to me on the table they were sitting on.

"I am not hungry. You guys go ahead without me" I then exited the resturant, leaving them behind.

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[Third POV]

"Ouch ouch ocuh, stop it Mama Rivera, she said it is okay to touch her tails, didn't she?" Loki is currently being wrestled by Rivera who looks quite pissed.

" Yes, she did and she also said to do it GENTLY!" Rivera increased the power of the supplex position she is on and the other familia member and bystanders laughs at the scene.

While this is happening, a certain grey-haired woman was watching the entire time and decided to go out when she saw Miko exited the resturant in a fluster.

She exits from the back door and tried to search the whole area outside of the resturant. She searches and searches for Miko but she couldn't nowhere to be found.

But then, a hand suddenly firmly grabs the girl's shoulder, making her flinched.

"Ara~ Are you looking for me, Syr-san~?"

"Eeek!" Syr then looks back to see Miko who suddenly appeared from behind.

"Miko-san? How long were you being there?" she asked in a panicked

"Just for a little while~" Miko then sit on a nearby bench at the restaurant's courtyard.

Syr also sit beside her, making Miko to distance a little.

"So, what brings you here, Syr-san?" Miko inquires for Syr's intention

"I saw you walked out the resturant looking embarrassed and didn't ate anything. So, I decided to bring you something to eat" Syr says as she hands over a whole sandwich.

"I am certainly not embarrassed, okay! and also, thank you for the sandwich" Miko recieved the food from Syr.

However, Miko stops for a bit and analyzed the content of the sandwich just in case. Seeing this, Syr looks a bit confused.

"Is there something wrong with the sandwich?"

"No, it's nothing, thank you for asking" she then bites the sandwich making slightly amazed and promptly finished the eating it.

"So, do you want to tell what happened back there?"

"Hmm? Which one?"

"When Finn-san asked you a question and you look at him, you suddenly clutch your head in pain. Is something happened?" Syr inquired about the incident.

"Ah, it was nothing"

"It certainly not, tell me, please" Syr pleads to Miko to tell the truth.

"*sigh* It was because I saw a visage of a bad memory in the past when I saw Finn-san" Miko explains to Syr

"A bad memory? What happened back then?"

"A pallum... he framed me for doing an act that I didn't do, then he decieved my father in giving me to the pallum. Then he planned to rape me and my friend in the carriage but I was glad it didn't happen" Miko solemnly told Syr her dark past.

"That is quite sad memory you had, Miko-san. Did you and father make up with each other?"

"I do, but not quite. I still hold a grudge over what happened but i still love him as my father because I made an oath to honor my deceased mother by respecting and loving my father" Miko, specifically says to clarify her statement.

"I see, I'm sorry for your loss" Syr apologize when she heard about Miko's dead mother.

"It is fine, the past is in the past. I do not wish to dwell at it any further"

Miko says, ending the discussion. Then Miko stands up and was heading to the exit of the courtyard.

"Miko-san? where are you going?" Syr asked when she suddenly saw Miko leaving

"I am going home"

"But your familia?"

"They can come by themselves just fine"

"Ah, I see. Very well then, let's chat again next time"

"Umu"

Miko slowly walks to the exit, but halted her steps. She looks back to Syr

"Before I leave, I want to ask you something"

"What is it?" Syr said while tilting her head

"Who are you?"

"Eh? My name is Syr, remember. That was my-"

"No, that wasn't the question. I said, who ARE you?" Miko repeats her question while looking Syr deep to her eyes.

Syr then furrow her eyes. "Do you really want to know?" She says in a cold tone while staring back at Miko's gaze.

The two stared for a while. Miko analyzed Syr's gaze and piecing something together in her mind.

Then something clicked within her and averted her gaze.

"Nevermind, forget that I did ask"

"Is that so, very well then" Miko nodded and continues walking away from the courtyard, leaving to her lonesome.

Syr stares at the clear starry night while thinking of something.

'Ara~ I guess she finally blow my cover then' she thought to herself.

She then stands up from the bench and walks towards the back door of the restaurant.

'This is getting interesting. Let's see how far you can suspect me, little fox'

That was her last thoughts before entering the door.