Chapter 60 - Secrets in the Ice

Taking a seat on one of Freya's sofas, it didn't take long for the four women to worm their way on or next to me. Freya and Ishtar were leaning back into my arms while Loki and Aqua were making themselves comfortable on my lap. In reality, I probably looked like one of those arrogant Gods that had women all over him but I had to admit it did feel good.

"I assume you have something you want to ask me.", I chuckled knowing this treatment wouldn't come without a price.

"Hehe, you caught on immediately.", Freya laughed with appreciation, "We do have a request for you. We were hoping you'd aid our top Adventurer Parties in reaching lower levels of the Dungeon. Your ability to teleport people, and stow large amounts of supplies in a different space is invaluable for Adventurers."

"Instead of taking days to reach Floor 40, they can simply start out there.", Ishtar said.

"It pays well.", Loki stated with a mischievous smile.

Unable to keep it together, I just laughed at that comment and ran my hands down Aqua and Loki's thighs. Assuring them that I didn't need money from them, I said they could return the favor another way.

"So it that a yes?", Freya asked as I picked them all up.

"Consider the next few hours as prepayment.", I chuckled, "Since this is going to be a bothersome job...I think special treatment is in order."

"Watcha meanin?", Loki laughed nervously, "Ya wouldn't go crazy...would ya?"

Giving her a devilish smile, I said she'd find out soon enough. I intended to ensure that having to spend a week or so in the Dungeon was well worth my time.

---Five Hours Later---

Laying on Freya's bed on the verge of unconsciousness, the four women were dead to the world right now. Having a lot of pent up frustration that needed vented, I may have gone a bit overboard with them. Getting them situated on the bed, I made sure they had some cool refreshments ready when they regained consciousness again. Kissing the four of them, I promised to be back tonight to stay with them.

Taking a quick shower, I headed back to Stardust Garden to see Bella and Lily. Knocking on the Front Door, Ryuu answered it again wearing an exhausted look.

"Everything okay?", I inquired.

"Shera...she is very energetic.", Ryuu laughed dryly, "She checked out every store in the Market District..."

"Oh...", I said realizing that was several miles of stores they explored.

Apologizing to her, I promised to make it up to her. Asking if Bella and Lily were free, she said they were and to come inside. Finding Shera playing cards with several of the women, I noticed a Amazonian woman was with them I hadn't seen before. She wasn't from the party I saw the other day, but based on her appearance she had to be a part of Aphrodite's Familia.

'So that's how that bitch wants to get to me...', I thought containing my anger.

"Mael!", Bella said running out of the dorm area in her pajamas, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to take Lily and you out to dinner, but it looks like you are already ready for bed.", I stated with a smile, "The pink pajamas really suit you, and Lily I like the blue pajamas too. Blue happens to be my favorite color."

"Hehe, thank you.", Bella replied with a beaming smile, "Could you make dinner here? I like your food better than any restaurant."

"Yeah...", Lily added as steam poured from her head.

With an honest compliments like that, I couldn't say no. Pulling several steaks out, since I knew the other women here would ask for food too, I started seasoning the meat. While the meat seasoned, I started making side dishes like salad, deviled eggs, and cinnamon rolls.

"Where did you learn to make all of this!?", Shera said doing her best not to drool on anything, "It looks so good!!"

"I have been to many worlds, and learned many things from the people there.", I stated with grin, "Cooking is something of a hobby for me. After all, who doesn't enjoy great food."

"Can I be...the taste tester..?", Shion asked staring at the cinnamon rolls in the oven, "They smell so good..."

Glancing over my shoulder I saw that even Tatsumaki and Kushina were drawn in by the smell. As for Yasaka, she was calmly sitting at the table eating soybeans with some green tea. Even though she was acting proper, I couldn't help but notice her staring at the steaks on the counter.

Starting to cook the steaks while the women ate the side dishes, except for the cinnamon rolls that were cooling, I plated the steaks once I was done cooking and took a seat with them. Cutting their steaks like it was made of butter, the women let out moans as they took their first bites. It was clear my cooking was a big hit with them, and I wasn't the least bit surprised when Shion and Shera pushed their plates towards me for seconds moments later.

"Did you even chew?", Ryuu asked in disbelief.

"Of course I did!", Shera pouted, "You haven't even finished half of your steak yet?!"

"I want to savor it.", Ryuu replied.

"Why savor it when you can for seconds?", Shera pointed out.

"Do you see any more steaks?", Kaguya reminded her with a smirk.

Looking around the table, the two women froze in horror. Setting their plates on the table, one would have thought we told them there was no food left. They looked like they were on the verge of crying which almost made me laugh.

"You can have some of mine.", Bella offered them.

I wanted to tell her that she didn't need to offer, but then again she was old enough to make her own decisions. Thankfully Shera and Shion had enough sense to politely turn down the offer as it was Bella's meal. As a reward for their rejection, I gave them two jumbo sized cinnamon rolls from the bakery near my home in Magnolia.

"WOW!!!", Shera gasped as her eyes sparkled, "It's bigger than my head!!"

Shion was left struggling to figure out how to start eating it. The rolls were massive so there wasn't any real good place to start, but I could attest that the cinnamon rolls were the best. A little old lady that works at the bakery makes them from scratch everyday, and I made a point to buy four of them every time I am nearby.

"So Bella and Lily, would you both like to go Dungeon Exploring with me soon?", I asked, "I was thinking of going in about a week or so."

"YES!!", they shouted jumping up from their seats, "Yes please!"

Seeing how happy that made them, I felt a pang of pain for not seeing them that often. Patting their heads, the two of them looked embarrassed though they didn't pull away. Finishing dinner with them, I helped clean the dishes before ducking out for the night. Thanking me for the meal, the women settled in to relax with some tea to let their food digest.

---Next Day---

Waking up to Loki punching me in the face, she was mumbling about something to do with alcohol or Hestia. I wasn't one hundred percent sure which it was, but she was putting up a good fight. After a few punches, I smacked her on the butt snapping her out of her dream.

"Ouch!", she yelped rubbing her naked butt, "What was that for?"

"How about we not punch each other whether we are asleep or awake.", I teased her.

Apologizing, she said she was hitting Hestia in her sleep. Apparently Hestia called her an ironing board in her dream, and it pissed her off. Giving her a passionate kiss good morning, she laughed and said I should wake her up like that more often.

"You off to another world again today?", she inquired.

"Yep, I should be back in a few days. I will take your teams down in two weeks.", I promised, "By the way...I want to ask you four a favor, I know you are awake."

"Spoil sport.", Freya snickered, "What do you need?"

"Aphrodite is trying to get to me through Bella and Lily, think you can handle it discretely? If she keeps pushing, I will have to put her and her Familia down.", I stated.

"Of course, apparently our warning fell on deaf ears.", Ishtar said with an angry look.

Thanking them for their assistance, I made them some breakfast before heading back over to the Avatar World.

---North Pole---

Making my return from the Spirit Wilds, I went over to watch Yue and Katara's Waterbending Lessons. Master Pakku was introducing them to the Octopus Stance, the very same one that Katara taught Aang in the show. Listening to his explanation, I heard Azula let out a sigh.

"Can we go practice Firebending or something?", she asked me.

"I was thinking of going Cave Exploring.", I stated.

"Anything, but sitting here on the ice is fine by me.", Azula laughed, "Coming Ty Lee?"

"You know it!", she replied.

Taking the two of them beneath the city, I was curious if there any artifacts underground. I knew there were tunnels that went from the ocean all the way to the Spirit Pool, but that was pretty much all I knew. There was a chance old Waterbending scrolls, materials, and historical documents might be in the tunnels which was pretty cool to think about.

'I just hope we don't have an Indiana Jones moment down here.', I thought with a smile, 'Don't need any boulders showing up, or poisonous traps.'

"So what exactly are we looking for?", Azula inquired, "You had something in mind, right?"

"Well a long time before the war started, the North Pole did a lot of trading with the other nations. We may find lost treasure, scrolls, or historical relics down here.", I stated, "Or we might end up finding a monster frozen in the ice as well."

"Sounds like fun.", she laughed with amusement.

Spending the early afternoon searching beneath the city, we were about to call it quits when Ty Lee slipped on the icy path and when down a narrow tunnel. Using magic to cut through the ice, I followed after her only to head straight into a very old library. Finding ancient scrolls dating back to Avatar Kuruk's time, we seemed to have located his hidden stash of scrolls and literature. Remembering that he had been effected by an illness of a spiritual nature, I made sure to use Ark to remove any lingering residue when the two women weren't looking.

"Why are all these things here?", Azula asked me, "There are scrolls from all four nations here along with lots of older scrolls in languages I don't recognize."

"This is probably Avatar Kuruk's library, early on in his career he was afflicted by a disease from an Evil Spirit. Throughout most of his life, the disease slowly sapped away his life and willpower till he died in his thirties.", I stated, "What most likely happened was he used these scrolls to locate on methods for curing his disease."

Based on the subject of a lot of these scrolls, it looked like he was trying to find Energybending. In all honest, it would have likely cured his disease but the only people during his time that would have known about it were the Lion Turtles. Since Aang was probably the first human to use it in thousands of years, Kuruk would have never been able to find it in documentation. He would have needed to seek out a Lion Turtle for help, though he'd never know he needed too.

'Poor guy...not many people realized how much he actually did. He lost is lover, suffered in silence as his disease consumed him, and after he died was swept under the rug by the North Pole. Dude really got the short end of the stick in life.', I thought, 'If I end up going to the Spirit World, I will get his lover back for him. After that...I will One Punch Man the centipede freak into oblivion.'

Throwing everything we could in bags, I used Ice Magic to lift us out of the room and back to the surface.