Yep, I'm the dumb daughter of Athena

Really? You're actually interested in hearing My story? Well, that's... odd. Oh! No, wait! It's not like that. What I meant is... it's aah... rare! Yeah, that's the word!

Sigh. Fine, I'll admit it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying You're odd, but having someone willing to hear my story is quite odd if you think of it. No one takes me seriously when it comes to storytelling, and with you willing to listen is... well, both thoughtful and odd.

How odd? Like the fact that my so-called mom is the goddess of wisdom.

Surely everyone would believe in the saying like mother-like daughter stuff but that thing doesn't exactly apply to us, not even once.

I mean it. Literally.

To put it word to word, I suck at academics. Like, if you want, I could show you my collection of F grades I stacked in my secret stash. Believe me, you're gonna drown from the oceans of them. Oh! How about my collection of arts and crafts? Or should I say craps? I had tons of those that even my previous teacher graded it G for garbage, instead of Failure.

But hey, I'm not implying that I'm proud of those grades. It's just annoying no matter how hard I try to do something like studying, the result ends up the same. And I guess I've gotten used to that endless cycle that it didn't really matter anymore.

My name's Medeana Asperse. My life has been quite messed up, then once upon a frickin' time, that messy life of mine, just got even worse.

In the room where litters of junk foods pile up on the floor and the only light that emits was from a running computer. There I was, blasting game sound effects and epic soundtracks through my headphone, and beating every gamer in the world. 

Well, almost every gamer in the world.

"Urgh! Who the heck is this 'chrome' guy anyway!?" Yep, the only player I couldn't beat. He ranked top on almost all the games online, leaving me in the second spot. Massive role-playing, Real-time Strategy, First-Person Archery, you name it. Moreover, he was roasting my avatar, I almost smashed the keyboard to bits.

"Ack!" A flash of light bombarded the room, and before I knew it, I lost the game. "Seriously!? Do you have to barge in the middle of a tournament!? I was this close to beating him! This close!"

"Breakfast is already served, Ancient granny" he said, wearing a dissatisfaction in his face, and hand placed over the light switch. 

Prim and neat, as always. His blue and white school uniform holds no wrinkles nor folds, I doubt he'd let it slide if I threw the bags of chips into it. Which I almost did in surprise. Who could blame me?

"I said don't call me that. I'm not that old yet!" I protested, shoving the bag of chips aside. "And besides, you're basically the same age as I am. We're both Fourteen Years Old!!!"

"If you have complaints, go complain to your mother. It's not like it's my fault you're my ancient ances-" His gaze almost took a hundred eighty degrees, then slightly shook his head as his hand placed on his forehead. "-tor... Never mind, just get going already, or else I might get scolded as well. Again!"

"Fine! I'll go..." I groaned. The chair rotated as I leaned, facing myself once more at the monitor. "Oh, another event came up. Maybe a quick game before-"

"... Suite yourself. But don't blame for whatever happens!" The door shut with a loud bang then the relative of mine was gone.

"Hey, mind your manners! I was just messing around" Jeez, that kid really can't take a joke. 

That guy's name is Eric. A rather deeply rooted relative of mine but since he's a descendant of my mom's last child, he always calls me granny every time we encounter. Not the typical relative to relative relation but who am I to complain when I'm the one freeloading under their roof?

And it's not like I'll be late to attend breakfast again after all that had happened. Be late even for a minute, and you'd be feasting only water for the rest of the day. Not joking, alright. This family treats food like a sacred item that mustn't be kept waited and that's how strict it is here. One time I was left outside the mansion, not allowed to enter within twenty-four hours, and almost died, you hear me!?

That's the exaggerated punishment for just skipping a meal! And hey, as if it was my fault. The online tournament was live and I can't just bail the game halfway through!

Wait a minute. Are you thinking it's my fault? Fine! Partially, okay? Half of it is my fault. Happy!?

That said, it ain't really fun living with a relative like that. But as if I've got a choice, do I? I just woke up one day and learned that my mother tossed me into this residence.

Yep, in a blink of an eye.

Anyway, it's better than living on my own. And it's no big deal… Sigh. I wish I could say it with a bit more confidence though.

"Typical..." I muttered. 

Shoving the window frames of my chamber, the fresh garden breeze downstairs crashes into my room with scents of flowers. The sky was still dark but as daybreak approaches, the image of an astonishing mansion slowly appears on the backyard's pool, and in the small balcony on its second floor, the most unkempt girl glares back at me. "What are you looking at, freeloader?"

The girl blurs into ripples as the fallen leaves were skimmed by these horned gardeners. "These goats sure love their job on this crappy Monday morning... Oh, crap! It's Monday!?"

My feet sprang out from where it's standing and hastes outside my room, but to my demise, I didn't saw the last step of the stairs which left me fumbling on the floor and skipping into the dining area.

"Are you alright, Ms. Asperse?" the butler asked.

"I'm fine…" I groaned. "Can you help me to my seat?"

Aunt had already taken seat at the far end side of the table, observing her golden and obviously a pretty expensive wristwatch while Eric silently eats near her mother. She's already on her office uniform as well, ready for her work at the Mind Academy.

Yes, she's the principal, as well as the president of the academy itself.

Pretty neat, huh? But once you've met her, you'd probably want to hide and pray to the gods not to encounter her ever again. She'd judge every little detail about you! Pierce earrings for males? Not good. Unkempt clothes? You'd probably want to fix it before her counting ends. 

"Hmm... two seconds late." She sighed out of disappointment. "I don't think you're taking this seriously..."

"Aw, come on, Auntie. Can't you let this pass just this once? Please!?" I tried making cute faces, persuading her but apparently, it wasn't very effective.

"No exceptions. The goddess had left you in our care, and as long as you're living in this mansion, you have no choice but to obey the rules of this household." She reasoned, taking a sip on a herbal tea the maid poured. "And how about the weekly homework I gave you? Have you even finished it?"

I couldn't bring myself to see eye to eye with her and the guilt of abandoning the homework resurface. But what can I do? Those papers, those worksheets, makes me wanna throw up.

"Hand it over when I get back next week like usual"

"Yes, Auntie..." I muttered although I don't think I could. I just took my seat in silence while the nymphs prepare my plate and pour chocolate on my glass.

At first glance, you'd never expect they're water spirits until you see their eyes up close. Pupils of clear river water instead of human pupils, and the ambiance within them felt like nature.

But back to the main topic. Which was me, sitting on my chair, and thinking that it was probably one of the most silent and awkward breakfast I've ever had ever since settling in this place. Just think of it this way. If I didn't raise a word, none would even speak. Yeah, that serious. 

It just only gotten lonelier with the two had gone off to the academy, and it will be another week before I get to see them again. The maids weren't even replying to me unless it was an order to do something like getting a glass of milk from the fridge and I felt like I'm just was talking to myself. 

The feeling of being ignored and treated like a ghost, only noticed if I showed my presence, made my food very stale. Even if it was the most delicious steak, fluffiest pancake, or sweetest chocolate drink, none tasted like a delicacy worth smiling for. All I had in mind was to go back to my room without comment, leaving my breakfast unfinished. And as if I'd be able to finish it with my appetite all ruined by the gloomy atmosphere.

As always, the whole bedroom was still untouched just as Aunt had instructed. She said cleaning my own space was her way for me to become more... responsible.

Sigh. If that's the case, my mom should be cleaning a whole stadium for leaving me in Aunt's place. She didn't even try getting in touch for those years she was absent. Not a single letter nor a greeting card on new year's eve. The only keepsake I had of her was this round pendant of gold.

Even with a lot of people in this household, I still felt... Alone. I was only able to somehow cope with this tiring isolation by stuffing myself with bags of chips and bombarding the rest of my days in cyberspace. I guess messing with Eric also brought me a bit of happiness too but it was only ephemeral.

Lost in thought, the running computer popped an alert and a message came into my account. The sender was unknown and the only text sent was an H, B, and D. All capitalized and separated by a dot.

A mysterious code that had puzzled me beyond my comprehension.

"Probably a spam mail..." I wondered as I was unable to decipher the text, deciding then to just discarded that unnecessary notification aside.

But as I was scrolling through the social media timeline full of nonsense about the rumored existence of other worlds, the world itself being round, edited photos of sky rifts, and famous actors bragging their social status, another mail came in. This time, it bugged me the most.

[Unknown: Escape, D.A.]

It didn't take a lot of thinking to understand that I was the one the unknown sender was referring to. There was no way I couldn't understand it, especially being called by that from time to time.

But to whether who sent this, there were only two possibilities. If it stands for Dea Asperse, it's probably gonna be Mom, in a very, very angry tone. And if not, it's the others who know I'm the Daughter of Athena.

Still, escaping? My head pondered thoughts on why it was being said to me, especially from unknown contact.

[Me: What are you talking about? Who are you!?]

Just when I had sent my reply, the silence on the mansion broke with a strong sound of bursting concrete, and the scowls of the maids reverberated. I quickly took heed of the warning, grabbed my backpack, and filled it with all the things I could manage until an epithet of my mom landed with the window.

"Hoo-hoot!" the owl hooted, then quickly flew away as the door slammed opened, revealing three men gripping swords at hand.

"Oh... Hello?" Yep, that's exactly the word that came off of my mouth.

Hey, it's not like I get a lot of visitors crashing into our place. Especially like these people with killing intent. I mean, just look at those blades stained with crimson stains. I know that's not ketchup and the setup didn't look like a prank. Their horns in their head even looked real yet they don't even have hooves unlike satyrs do.

Without even a warning, the three men advanced and all I could do was evade getting chopped while watching all of my things get demolished in my stead. Their strength was even massive that it turned my desktop into blitz!

"Hey, that's my computer!" I complained but these psychos had no intention of stopping. They weren't robbers for if they were, they would not have dared to pulverize a high-tech computer with a water cooling system. Or that goddess of the moon lamp. And that expensive cupboard of mine...

"Hey! Seriously!? Are you all nuts!?" well, that questions took an obvious answer as their faces showed malicious psychopathic expressions. "Ahaha... I mean, it's okay. You can have those..."

The swords waved back and forth, subconsciously making me evade every assault, resulting in me accidentally tripping my way out through my bedroom's open window.

At first, I thought I was lucky to escape a lethal blow. Until I realize I was falling three stories down. Sure, there's a pool catching me but the real catch is, I had a laptop and a cellular phone in my backpack. My speed isn't slowing down and also, my gadgets weren't waterproof! 

I know you too understand the anxiety of having your gadgets in danger, and me on that day and that moment had been overwhelmed with a lot.

I was falling with my back, about to get smashed into the pool water with the bag held tight within my chest. But as the tips of my skin touch the surface of my skin, my body stopped from falling and there was a pressure of my backpack being pulled upwards

"Ah, thank goodness..."

"Ops! I slipped." Laughter from a child sounded then splash, I was underwater. All soaked and the gadgets I had were eventually busted. By the time I had resurfaced, a kid was floating in mid-air, wearing sandals with flapping wings. "Come on. Chop-chop or those guys will chop you up!"

"You could have at least saved my things as well!" I scowled. But all I had received as a response was an annoying smirk.

More problems came along for those three upstairs weren't the only ones with malicious intent towards me. Just inside the kitchen, three more of those freaks spotted my descent from the transparent glass door and were making their way towards me.

I quickly swam out of the pool, following the kid (which is basically a total stranger in my perspective) into the garden maze, the favorite place my aunts spends the rest of her weekend evenings and which she also forbids anyone to enter.

And oh look, I'm toast if she found out about this.

Following the kid was no easy task. He's fast and on top of that, every time I was catching up, he'd hovers into the mid-air, ditching me before I even catch take a break and these annoying golden strings kept tripping me down.

Walls of hedges, tight spaces, and the back of the kid were all I could remember as I tried to keep myself alive, and with a lot of twists and turns, we finally got out of that maze and also got rid of the pursuers. 

Or so I thought for a moment.

"Finally!" I sighed, all worn out and gasping hard from a very long marathon. The discomfort on my strained feet was even far worse than it used to.

To where we got stranded after climbing over the mansion walls, was I'd say a lot of pinks. Most of the buildings were painted pink, and I could see a lot of couples, it was starting to be an eyesore. It was quite bothering I couldn't help but mutter "... Helene's Avenue..."

"You looked pretty rugged out there, kid" the kid himself laughed.

"Who are you calling a kid here!? Aren't you younger than I am!?" I blurted. "And besides, I'm pretty rugged out cause I ran with my two feet unlike someone here with ease of having flying sandals!"

The whole situation was unexpected and it all happened too fast. I was running without shoes nor slippers and the socks I was wearing had made a lot of ventilation.

"Argh! What now!? Where are you going this time!?" he just ignored me then flew towards a sweet shop and started pointing at every dessert on from the counter. "At least tell me it's safe now or something!"

He just sighed as he put his hand on his forehead, muttering "Oh, that temper. As expected from the daughter of Athena"

"Hold on... You know who I am? Just who are you?"

"Hermes is the name." he bragged then with a sleazy face, he added "But you can call me your Uncle if you want"

"THE messenger god?" My eyeballs almost popped out when he became an adult in an instant. From a little shrimp wearing shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and a blue cap, he turned into a tall lean dude wearing a suit and tie, plus a leather messenger bag.

Everyone in the shop was totally surprised as the god appeared before them, attempting to vow down but he just winked at them and gestured a hush. He began compressing all taken in that tiny bag which was surprisingly able to intake those boxes of sweets. "I got you a message regarding Athena"

"Mom left me a message? Where is it!? Give me, quick!" I extended my hands with my feet prancing.

Rummaging through his bag, he handed over a piece of a picture that I thought I had lost for eternity. The photo of me and my mom in some kind of mansion, yet I couldn't remember where it was.

Just seeing her face again made me teary inside but upon looking closely, vague markings began showing from the picture. Something was written at the back of the picture, and the very important message my mother left me, left me in tears.

"Mom! I can't read this...!" I grumbled in disappointment, then the ink suddenly turned bright gold, turning the texts bright as every letter started hovering unto my head. And finally, the most awaited message left by mothers truly became clear, I didn't waste any time and began repeating after the words that popped into my head. "Find 'Psychology 101, Engineering and Utility by Hephaestus, Douglass's sea adventure, and ATHENA…'"

The golden texts poof, leaving me in an array and my blood almost felt like steaming. I couldn't even read a chapter of a book without puking and now she wants me to read an entire set of it? How aFFectionate. I thought she would an address or something to where she was yet the picture was all the clue I got from her. I bet she knew I'm in trouble but there she was, still playing mind games.

She really loved it when I get a headache from solving her puzzles.

"Also, she had asked me to teach you a couple of things"

"Oh really? What now, algebra?" I know I was a bit sarcastic but can you blame me for talking to a god like that? My gadgets busted, I almost got killed, and the goddess of wisdom sent me a precious photo consisting of junk mail which could also count as a useless piece of information. Yep, truly a blessing worth praising the gods for.

"Not quite" he disagreed then pointed to a car resting peacefully in a parking lot outside and minding its own business. "let's start with that"