72 Chapter 72: Mortal's Complexity; Goddess' Anger

"Nobu."

"Good morning… or rather, good afternoon."

The first person I came across was Ein. Unlike her usual liveliness, she is unusually quiet.

"I kept your breakfast inside that box."

Facing some inconvenience, I created a meal box that retains the food's freshness and heat. It is something we commonly use in this house.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine… Filvis is the one with problems."

Perhaps due to her straightforwardness, she easily accepted the truth of Dionysus being a member of 'Evilus'. She likes nice people and hates detestable people.

Ein took the initiative to explain.

"L—that bastard previously held a high prestige for us. Having a caring god as his facade is a jackpot for us."

"I see."

In this city filled with fun-seeking gods, many of them couldn't treat their children 'properly'. Usually, they treat them in their 'own ways'. Oftentimes, it is something seen as bad.

Dionysus being caring as his facade could easily capture many mortals. It is the reason why he got such a huge prestige to begin with.

"Is she still in her room?" I asked.

"No. She's on top of the roof."

"Alright."

"Thanks. I was about to ask you about this."

"It's not a problem. I had to help her somehow."

"That's just like you."

On the way outside, I came across Haruhime-san. We talked for a while before proceeding to clean the familia home. This time, I acquiesced to it. It should help lessen the burden she might be feeling.

I reached the courtyard. I easily flew to the roof with flight magic. I felt the humidity being cold, in sharp contrast to the hellhole every summer. That was the reason why I mastered a simple yet complex [Cleanse] spell.

The first thing I saw was Filvis staring in the direction of her former familia home.

'I see…'

*****

Mortals are a complex group.

One time, they would make sound decisions. The next moment, they couldn't bring themselves to accept the dangling fact in front of their eyes.

"Winter is something to thank for."

"...Nobu."

Despite the sun being up and high, it wasn't as hot as summer. They are gentler than the death rays they were during that time.

It already snowed a few days ago. To Nobu who came during winter's end, it became an extension.

His body enhanced with falna allowed him to be perfectly normal without winter clothes. He wore his sleepwear—a pair of black shirt and shorts—under the winter's breeze.

The same went for Filvis. Although her dress comes thinner compared to coats and the like, she is a creature.

"I won't ask what you're doing here. I understood it from Ein."

"...Is it correct to send Lord Dionysus back..?"

"You already know the answer."

"..."

His words are correct. Filvis knew they had to send such a dangerous man back to Tenkai—back to the place where he couldn't affect Gekai. Evilus was an organization who messed up Orario despite the threat of the One-eyed Black Dragon looming.

It is an act deserving of death sentence.

However…

"I don't know…" She blankly muttered. "I don't know what to do. It's best to leave everything to you."

"... It's best not to keep running from the problem, Filvis. You know it in your heart."

Swooosh-!

A cold breeze swept through the two. The chilling sensation didn't affect them physically.

Filvis' heart fell into a lull.

"Why do you keep holding on? Was it the hope of Dionysus had a good reason for doing those things? That he could have a split personality and that the Dionysus you know was different from the Dionysus who helped Evilus?"

"That…"

"I advise you to cease them. Given the chance, he could have noticed his wrongdoings long ago. He could have convicted himself to prevent further harm—but he didn't. He kept on doing evil things up until now. Of course, that is a hypothetical answer, a 'what if' scenario."

True to Nobu's guesses, Filvis had indeed formulated several 'reasons' that sounded reasonable—that Dionysus could be a victim. However, that single answer shot all of them down. A bucket of cold water was thrown to her face.

It awakened Filvis from her delusions.

Ein's words soon followed.

"What if Nobu hadn't helped us? We know too well how it could have ended!"

Filvis, who didn't have anyone by her side, would let herself be willingly used for affirmation. She will become Dionysus' tool to carry out his nefarious plans—something he personally said during his confessions.

Without Nobu's intervention that day, they would've ended in a pitiable state.

Nobu knew about their endings. In the brief state he activated the six magic circles on Knossos, he had a 'full view' of everything.

He saw how Levis got ended by Aiz; how Bell Cranell arrived with a certain charging magic; and most importantly, what happened to Filvis and Ein in the end.

Filvis died with regrets during her fight with the Loki Familia.

Ein also died when Filvis did, but she managed to come closer to Dionysus before she fell.

Those instances cemented Nobu's belief that everything is better in this new outcome. He managed to save Filvis and Ein. They didn't have to live that life anymore.

Just as he was about to speak, Filvis went first.

"...I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"...Indeed. But, it's just how we are. We struggle to reach something."

The magicians of his world struggled foolishly for a good ending. The Magician Society was a gathering of idealistic magicians who never backed down on their eventual end.

Although the scales are different, Filvis struggled to keep her worldview. She couldn't bear to see it shatter—she is reluctant to let go of her solid belief for years.

She fell silent as she recalled the memories of her past. The time Dionysus came and invited her to his familia. Those times she shared with her comrades who had the same beliefs as Dionysus.

Everything became a cage when she learned everything. It kept her from moving on peacefully. She became the chained girl akin to a certain song.

Fortunately—

Shatter-!

—she managed to break free from it.

Her eyes regained their clarity. She no longer hesitated. Filvis moved forward.

Fate had been changed once more.

*****

"Sirius?!"

"What is he doing here?"

"I don't know… Sirius went with Lord Hermes for that operation last night, didn't he?"

Under the watchful gazes of Hermes Familia, I went inside their home. As I passed by many rooms, I felt a great sense of familiarity.

This time, I didn't come concealed. It is my first official visit to their home compared to before.

"Sirius?"

"Greetings, Falgar-san." I greeted the weretiger vice-captain of Hermes Familia. "I'm here to meet Asfi-san. Is she free?"

"Yes. She's in the office."

I didn't talk much with him. He is a very concise person. Since he knew about my connection with Lord Hermes, he didn't have many questions.

Soon, I reached the room.

It is completely different from the meeting room with all those connected leads. It is something more similar with Finn-san's office.

I saw Asfi-san going through all the ledgers and documents gained after the operation on Knossos.

Unfortunately, she was designated as its organizer.

"Look who's here, you liar." She said sarcastically. "No more work, you say? Can you see what I'm doing?"

Asfi-san wore a helpless look. Lord Hermes is not by her side at this moment. It is safe to assume that he either checked on something important or went somewhere to slack off.

Everything falls to Asfi-san.

"Well, I came here to help you out with that."

I placed the cup of coffee and the sandwich on the desk.

"...You would make me work more after this, won't you?"

"Not really. Just a tad bit." I replied. "Let's talk later after we sort this out."

"...Alright."

Much to her surprise, I took out a black box from my bracelet storage.

"I'm wondering how you created that."

Asfi-san's curiosity to the storage I made became apprarent as soon as she saw it a day ago.

"You have the [Mysteries] skill, no? You could create this without much trouble."

"That's easy for you to say."

Perhaps due to her stress, she retorts harder compared to before—like a tsukkomi in a manzai.

(A/N: Manzai is a stand-up performance in Japan. The straight man (tsukkomi) 'retorts' to the jokes of the foolish guy (bokke).)

Wordlessly, I opened the black box. It possessed the most important belongings I have as of now.

"That is—?"

"My beloved partner."

Much to her surprise, the sleek black screen "shone". It showed the home screen of my phone—a picture of my "best" guitar.

After unlocking it through fingerprints, I opened the scanner app. Unlike its counterparts, its function is to literally scan something.

I proceeded to take out a silver orb. The moment Asfi-san saw it, I knew she compared it to the orb from the tenth floor.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"It is exactly a replica of Daedalus' security orb. It could hold memories and show them within virtual screens."

I was surprised to see how easy it was to create interactive holograms in this world. I went through ten years of study to manage back then. Of course, this is my foundation showing their advantages.

Wordlessly, I pointed the camera to the papers on Asfi-san's desk. A blue line scanned all of them from top to bottom. It took a minute to complete it.

"Hm… Sort it into categories… Yes, that's it."

Miku responded silently from the phone. She heard my voice command and sorted the documents per category. From the previous mess, it turned into a readable stack of documents. Even, a quick search could let someone find a specific document with ease.

The phone's back touched the silver orb. The near-field communication allowed them to 'connect', just like the suit and the communication orb.

With that, a vast chunk of memory has been transferred to the silver orb.

"..."

Asfi-san couldn't hide her interest in the orb.

Tap.

A single touch was all it took for the screens to appear. They are the previously opened document categories from earlier.

It took her several seconds to realize its function. Her experience as an item maker worked wonders with modern-inspired technology. Gekai wouldn't connect it to a fully-grown civilization since there are gods in this world.

For a while, Asfi-san played with the orb's functions.

"It's called 'File Manager'."

"File Manager… What an apt name."

Asfi-san wore an interested throughout this time. She must've noticed the convenience of this thing. After all, she doesn't have her tired expression from before.

"Give a price. I am willing to empty our familia's coffers for it."

"Lord Hermes might cry in despair."

"Serves him right. With how much he spent on the red light district and his travels, it is right to buy something that would help the familia better."

She spat those words like a machine gun. Asfi-san ended it by fixing her glasses.

"Red district… Lord Hermes goes to that place?"

"Just like any other gods. What a literal waste of money."

"Perfect."

The next agenda for now has something to do with Ishtar Familia.

Now, I am aware of the trouble I would cause. It is unlike Evilus' matter. Ishtar Familia's destruction would create a void in Orario's power vacuum. The next few months would be troublesome for Ganesha Familia and the rest.

"...You want to deal with Ishtar Familia?"

"That's right." I replied. "File Manager would be one of the advance payment."

Suddenly, Asfi-san responded with a serious tone.

"I will say this in advance. You don't need to pay us for that. Dont forget, you're the reason why Evilus was completely eradicated. We will help free of charge."

"...Alright."

I expected this outcome, but not so much.

Evilus might be my selfish agenda at first, though it benefitted Orario in the end. If I think of it deeply, I might have worked hard enough.

"How much would it cost?"

"Hm… To be honest, I'll put up a discount… but it's still enough to prevent Lord Hermes from visiting the red light district for weeks."

"Good."

It seems like Lord Hermes will be suffering in the next few weeks.

*****

Kindness.

Justice.

Artemis acted based on those two things. She would help someone unilaterally as soon as she comes across someone who needs it. It is her virtue—authority—that made up her existence as a goddess.

Virtue.

Goodwill.

She upheld these two things at all times. She chose to maintain her familia's rule rather than be the one to break it. Although it was bound to be broken soon—everyone knew it.

Slowly, the goddess experienced changes.

Artemis felt emotions she never had before; the feeling of holding someone dear to her.

When she first found out about the things he'd seen in the future, she felt something intense—something she rarely felt even back in Tenkai.

Wrath.

"Artemis? Artemis!"

Currently, Dionysus is being detained in Ganesha Familia's home. They have the largest prison due to the nature of their work.

It was built on the surface. The prison took up more than a quarter of their lands.

Strict access would be ensured at all times.

When the custody of Dionysus was discussed, Artemis never backed down on the executioner's role. She didn't mind the others keeping him imprisoned. Since then, Ganesha gave her access to it.

Today, she visited the awake Dionysus.

"You're Hestia's friend, right?! Believe me, I did nothing wrong! Everything is a misunderstanding!"

He couldn't hide the feeling of uneasiness. Being deprived of a free-to-play sandbox known as Gekai is too much for him. His way of gripping bars made it more obvious.

"...No matter what you do…"

"What..?"

"...I will never forgive you."

A chilling voice resounded on the isolated prison.

"...Ah?"

The response to Dionysus' dumbfounded face was Artemis' chilling words.

"I will make sure you couldn't return to Gekai. I promise."

Be it righteous indignation or bloody revenge, Artemis wanted one thing out of him.

His disappearance.

*****

A/N: Kek. These days, I was caught up finishing my college stuff that I could barely upload a chapter. Turns out, pulling an all-nighter and being awake for more than 30 hours is a bad idea...