Chapter 16
Well stepping into the smithy, or what could be considered just the top room of where Wilhelm lives, there's nothing particularly out of the ordinary at first notice, considering what's seems first for the most part is the parts of the smithy's themselves, the anvils, smelters and such, along with respective piles of assorted materials.
On a wall opposite to that however there's a somewhat astounding assortment of weapons with intricate designs, some spears, various different swords, axes even a few daggers in halberds. Though it became very obvious that the blunt type and bladed type weapons were just separated, there were less blunt focus weapons though and most of them seemed to be larger or made heavier then the bladed ones.
"They're separated to remind me I've got a project I'm trying to work on for the blunt weapons, engraving them with a sort of rune equation that forces all energy or backlash that would go to the one handling the weapon to the area that's going to most likely make contact with first in attacks where it will disperse during said attacks. So the two handed blunt weapons could potentially perform as shields to should it work out he way I'm planning." Wilhelm mentions while already starting to move on and for the most part ignoring any inquiries Loki or Riveria have.
"I'll answer questions at the end of the 'tour' as for right now, we're going to my makeshift kitchen because I'm hungry and feel like eating a burger or something, been craving some food from home and took me over a month to figure out the plant based meat substitutes because I didn't know of any farms or places in the city for that matter I could get raw meat." As they descend a flight of stairs from a door in the workshop's floor.
Loki just frowns more as it was apparent her questions about the runes on the inside walls of the workshop and the runic language he plans to use on the weapons were just ignored and lets out a sigh before speaking, "Stop ignoring my questions so much, ya hurtin my feelings." Loki whines at Wilhelm while she leans on Riveria in an attempt to get consolation from the elf.
Riveria just remains quiet for the most part, opting to observe however much she can before speaking and questioning.
"I'm not answering your questions because I've got another lethargic episode and because I'm solving some theoretical problems I've got mentally." Wilhelm finishes and snaps fingers a few times as he steps into a room followed by Riveria and Loki.
Barely a moment later the room lights up and Wilhelm continues, "This for example, it's supposed to light up with the first snap but doesn't seem sensitive enough to the range of sound I want." While Riveria and Loki are both somewhat surprised considering he's just used something akin to a chant-less spell but complained about his requirements. Even if the 'spell' didn't serve much purpose or wasn't that good.
Turning back to them he sees there faces and states, "Stop looking at me like that, considering I haven't been sold yet or someone hasn't attempted to sell me you two should already be aware generally how much I'm worth considering the effort put in to keeping me within the familia- I at least I think you should be assuming there have been kidnapping attempts already by groups like evilus, Freya or Ishtar." Though finishing the second half of his words in a softer tone as if speaking to himself while turning away and beginning to food prep in the kitchen.
Which causes confusion in both the touring companions who have been following him and Loki speaks out "Why would the Bimbos be interested that much in you?" While Riveria just squints her eyes rather interrogatively.
"Because silver haired bimbo has the ability to see the colors of souls and their appearance to an extent, because you're a goddess I assume I don't need to explain how that probably works, and there's no way a soul who's body died once and came back with all it's memories and experiences, including it's death, doesn't have a unique soul at the very least…"
To which Loki questions while cutting him off, "woah woah woah kiddo, 1st, who's reincarnation are you? 2nd, how do you know about 'Freya's ability'? 3rd, why tell about this now?"
"Let's go with, I'm a really obscure person who isn't remembered at all in history for doing anything or I was disgraced and forgotten. I'm not telling anyone as to why I know. Doing all of this is easier then trying to think of an excuse, because being honest will give me the best excuse and possibly just make you two think I'm crazy, which would be more reasonable if you consider the amount of potential pain I go through without ever a complaint, groan or anything else that would likely symbolize I recognize the pain." Wilhelm finishes his miniature monologue.
With a short break he drops a few patties that he molded together with artificial meat on a makeshift grill he made and powers the fire with his own mana, ensuring to control it's temperature while he continues to speak before they can ask more questions.
"Moving on, assuming Freya has already mentally started her pursuit after finding out about me likely while using her alter-ego identity, she's likely watching with her magic mirror of voyeurism, before she eventually takes an opportunity to set up tests for me to grow, to kidnap me so she can spend time with me out of the public eye- etc. These tests would likely draw the attention of Ishtar who's always seen herself as a competitor of Freya, and trying to prove herself better. Both women are hot as fuck but I'm not becoming a measure for Ishtar to compete over and something to fawn over for Freya as she sits on the sidlines. If it plays out like I think it would, my favorite place in Orario would also fall out for quite some time until under new management and possibly worse management."
Loki seems to get distracted from the conversation, "mmm, that smells good, can I have some-"
Though Riveria interrupts her in favor of continuing the conversation for more information, "You kept this all to yourself? What did you plan to do?"
Wilhelm nods his head and flips the patties before seasoning them a bit and places a few strips of bacon on the other side of the grill, shifting the heat about to ensure the thin slices of meat don't get ruined or overcooked but are still a little crispy and begins to speak, "sure, I'll share, Riveria should be able to eat to because the meats are substituted with plant replacements, same with the cheese because I couldn't get any animals yet for something like a farm. Also I don't plan to do anything with it because politics are annoying and it's not my place to associate myself amongst the gods yet- I have Loki for that instead." He starts to hum a soft tune while continuing to watch the meat cook and believing the conversation finished, thinking he didn't say anything wrong after all.
Loki would question him were it not for her salivating.
So Riveria sighs and decides to do it in her stead, "What do you mean yet? And we're a familia, Wilhelm, we all live in Orario, if there's conflict between major families that you know about you should tell us so we can prevent it." She finishes with a somewhat aggravated in her tone of voice.
Wilhelm sighs before speaking, "I have the means, it'll be easy for me because I'm already almost there anyway, I plan to become a god. Arcanum and all- though I'll be making a deal with the big guy who's name I struggle to pronounce so my Arcanum doesn't get sealed and I'll make sure to do something so it feels like it's sealed and all that. As for the conflict, there's not much for me to do as I am now except something really easy that'll prevent the war Ishtar wants for another few decades at least."
Though Loki would've finally exited her stupor and joined the conversation after reining back in her urges, Wilhelm stuffed a burger in her mouth before she could begin speaking, the patties, red onion, tomato, cheese crispy bacon and the juicy medium rare patty. She almost moaned at the taste.
"Eat both of your, I get to avoid the conversation continuing and you both get good meals. To discourage your worries I'll give my word that what I intend to do and my plans regardless of how their nature may seem, I will help the familia and have no intention to hurt it, this applies for the time beyond when I leave the familia."
Riveria looks to one of the burgers and begins to speak, "are you sure they're…"
"Yes, they're plant based, if you want I can show you later how to make plant meats but for now eat before it gets cold." Wilhelm happily interrupts her speaking.
While Riveria obliges and begins eating, before giving a hum of approval regarding the food.
"Well this concludes the tour, you've seen the workshop, a good amount of progress with runes and magic, also the kitchen and my food, other areas aren't finished yet, and I have no reason to show you the farm or my personal research lab, the lab is something I definitely won't show anyone unless that person helps me get into Athena's lab so I could take a few ideas from the goddess's research potentially and to get a better understanding of the difference between well, gods and mortals." Wilhelm begins eating his won burger while pulling both Loki along with some wind magic, not even trying on Riveria due to her capability regarding magic. Just hoping the woman would agree with him and follow along- or ask more questions.
He sighs while his goddess protests that she's getting manhandled as they walk back up the stairs into the 'inconspicuous smithy' once more where Wilhelm closes the door leading into the ground behind them and an illusion overlaps the door making it's appearance blend into the stone flooring.
He releases Loki from his wind/air magic and stares her dead in the eyes, "Don't try to sell me to either of those succubi or tell them a thing about me, Freya already like knows way to much but I will not be associating with either of them under any potential circumstances unless it's on a date or I consented to meeting them in bed when not under the influence of drugs or magical charm abilities."
"What's a succubi boyo?" Loki questions with a raised eyebrow.
Wilhelm sighs in heavy exasperation and prays that there were demons in this reality and on this world at one point before responding, "A race of demons that typically feed off sex to live and leech their partners to death quite often, there are some cases where they don't need to have sex to feed themselves but they all REALLY love sex and it tends to kill the partners they use. Most of the magic they have as well is illusion based or charm magic or even hex magic."
He sighs once more before finishing, "Opponents with mental manipulation are the most annoying."
He does have computerized mind which would allow him to shut off his emotions even should he want but it's not like he can't pick up malware which would essentially be the charms or mental manipulation he mentioned.
"Mmm, I suppose that's why you offered such a seemingly good deal in my office… well you shouldn't worry kiddo because I don't want to loose my familia to some bimbos either so ya stuck with me." Loki responds with an absurdly large grin which was somewhat worrying to Wilhelm, he knew regardless of how playful his goddess was and her addictions, she is extremely intelligent.
"Now tell me more about this alter-ego identity stuff you mentioned regarding Freya, yeah?" Loki grabs the back of Wilhelm's shirt as he had begun to walk away and pulled him back a bit, with Riveria's help of course.
With a sigh and obtaining the puppy dog eyes look Loki tries to garner sympathy from Loki for the sake of letting him go but she doesn't and just seems to visually cringe.
"Stop that." Loki demands with a somewhat aggravated tone.
"But this has been so much work that I just don't have the energy for…" Wilhelm complains.
"Yet you claimed you could stop an upcoming war for at least a couple decades in Orario with a simple action, that I really doubt is so simple." Riveria responds somewhat inquisitively regarding the matter.
"And I stand by that." Wilhelm claims proudly.
To which Loki scoffs, "I claim bullshit on that kiddo, you're the laziest presence to ever grace this familia except when it comes to making shit it would appear, maybe I should really sell ya off to Hephaestus, you'd certainly make good eye candy and I'd finally be able to push the girl into loosening up a bit by pressuring her into bed with you,"
Wilhelm sighs in response, lamenting that he's become an asset to be sold by Loki when she inevitably gets tired of him. "Freya's alter ego is Syr, the silver haired girl who works at the hostess of fertility, she has the alter ego and uses it because she feels chained by being who she is, so she spends time being someone else, with people she's come to care for and all mushy mush stuff. As for stopping the war, there's going to be a bandit group transporting slaves, they have a Demi-human fox, im not really sure of the race's exact name, but the girl's name is Harumine, Ishtar buys her and eventually plans on using her in a ritual to gain the power of distributing levels or the like amongst her familia members and in doing so bring as many of them up a level as she can with the magic before fighting Freya."
She quickly steps back and out of their grips which had loosened halfway through granting them those two revelations and just stands there for a few moments, if not minutes.
"Are you a fucking seer???" Loki questions outright.
"If that makes it easier to believe, sure, lets go with that." Wilhelm's response just causes veins to bulge in Loki's face, as it would seem the goddess's blood pressure rose with her agitation.
While Riveria just shakes her head silently- and remains quiet Loki turns to her, "Riveria, my dear, beat the shit out of him for your precious goddess please."
To which Riveria just looks at her with a dull gaze, almost apparent disappointment in both of them.
"I don't plan to take her from the bandits, I plan to take the girl from Ishtar's familia about- half a year before when the event would occur, this way the girl still gets the grimroire a friend stole from the familia and so Ishtar's resources for war are more drained as her main project just vanishes." Wilhelm elaborates rather calmly.
Loki just takes a deep breath in attempt to start calming herself, "For someone who was previously complaining about to much work, you really like to plan things out, plans that are really big but don't notify your familia…"
Wilhelm gives a perfect 90 degree bow and shamelessly responds, "My apologies, Riveria." Before standing back up fully and continues "If it makes you feel any better, Freya shouldn't have been able to observe or hear anything within this building or what was said underground because I was most worried and paranoid about security when enscribing the runes on the walls of my workshop, goddess, you should praise my diligence."
Loki seems to pale visibly for what was probably multiple reasons, and didn't respond after what he said.
While Wilhelm just leaves them behind and dashes out and sprints off the familia grounds while Riveria makes not effort to stop him in favor of consulting Loki on what actions they should take.
(A/N: still trying to get better with update frequency, I've decided to devote my attention to the fanfics I specifically know the direction I want to take them in and it's making things at least a bit easier for me, the support I've gotten from readers has been so great mentally to keep me writing, because if I didn't have that support, no matter how little, I don't think I would've continued posting. I hope I can avoid disappointing you guys to much.)