Chapter 39.1: Side Stories. Artemis. Medea. Hestia

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"Haa… haa… haa… haa…"

Panting. Excessive panting that tore away at the lungs.

Fear. A fear so raw it would leave a body still in its magnitude.

"Haa… haa… haa… haa…"

Such were the emotions going through the minds of Orario's criminals in recent times.

They were relieved when Gray Ghost left the dungeon city. The vigilante had pushed the city's underworlds far back into the slums. Many criminals feared that they would soon lose places to hide away their illegal activity if the Gray Ghost's crusade were to not stop.

But to their relief, the vigilante soon disappeared altogether. Most rejoiced at the news, and others began to curse and mock the vigilante, assuming he had died.

For a few months, the underworld relished in the absence of their greatest foe since the Astraea familia. The guild and Ganesha familia could do little but make sure they didn't expand their influence beyond the immense progress Gray Ghost had made.

But such things were acceptable. So long as they could reap profits and indulge in illegal pleasures without fearing the shadows, it would be fine… but soon… they arrived.

"Haa… haa… haa… haa… damn it… DAMN IT!-"

A thug, who had been caught trading illegal narcotics, said as he made a mad dash through the tight and filthy alleyways of Orario's slums. Acutely aware of the most efficient escape routes to use if he was ever caught.

"Damn it… DAMN THOSE ARTEMIS FAMILIA BITCHES!-"

The criminal cursed the name of the huntresses who were now chasing him down relentlessly.

The Artemis familia. A group of huntresses led by the goddess of the moon and hunt, Artemis.

The familia received some notoriety within Orario prior to their arrival as a well-known hunting familia that grew their respectable strength solely on surface monsters. A method of growing that was inefficient compared to the dungeon.

Many gods and adventurers in Orario didn't think much of themselves beyond their achievements and appeal as a group of only women. Their familia only hunted on the surface, so they didn't believe they would involve themselves with Orario… but that soon changed.

?????????...

The sound of a whistle rang throughout the night air. A sound that criminals grew to dread in recent times. Akin to the chains of the Gray Ghost.

The sound was eerie to their ears… it meant one thing and one thing alone…

It meant the huntresses were soon closing in on their prey.

"FUCK-"

?????????…

The Artemis familia soon arrived at the gates of Orario. The news spread like wildfire among the masses of the dungeon city. The group of huntresses that had only hunted on the surface would now begin training within the caverns of the dungeon…

The group that had grown so much through weaker and inefficient surface monsters… would begin their immense training with the much more bountiful dungeon.

?????… ?????… ?????… ?????...

The criminal began to further hasten his mad dash. His footsteps resounded loudly, filled with desperation to escape.

"HAA… HAA… HAA… HAA…"

But the criminal thought he would soon be safe. There would soon be a secret tunnel through Orario's sewers that he would use to evade capture. Making a sudden turn to enter the entrance… the criminal fell into confusion.

"... where is it?..."

The entrance was located in a clearing among the numerous buildings. A small abandoned garden covered by the walls of the slum's dilapidated buildings on all sides.

The criminal was supposed to see his escape route here… but all he saw was grass and the moon's gentle light.

"Man, you really are desperate. For a guy with no falna, you sure do run fast… not as fast as us though~"

The criminal turned vigilant as a soothing female voice spoke out to him. Turning his gaze upwards, he soon fell into despair. The Artemis familia had reached him. Standing tall on the rooftops. Their figures block out the moon in the sky.

"Nice to meet you! Vice-captain of the Artemis familia! Lante! But you can call me… Ranger Lante!"

The blue-haired half-elf spoke as she assumed a pose. Something would look quite childish if it weren't for the beaten-up man hanging by her grip. Someone who was the criminal's associate in their illegal dealings.

"Lante… please stop that embarrassing pose… please"

A blonde-haired cat-girl whose bangs faded into green spoke out to the half-elf. Covering her face in embarrassment at her friend's antics. Atalante wasn't much of a fan of their familia's current labeling.

"Huh? Stop lying to me Atalante~ You know you love our familia's title as the 『Moon Rangers』as much as I do~ You melted into the puddle with the starry eyes those children gave when they saw you~"

Lante spoke teasingly to the Atalante who was trying her best to be the voice of reason in their familia… but the cat-girl couldn't deny the joy she felt seeing so many children admiring her… even posing for them in secret.

"STILL!-"

Atalante was about to enter into a scuffle with Lante, but the fight was broken off by Rethusa who intervened before they could start.

"Enough shouting you two. Let's get this over with so we can head back to the familia home for dinner… our chefs said they were able to replicate Gray's rabbit stew…"

Though Rethusa was trying to appear calm and collected, her image was broken with a stray trail of drool escaping her mouth. The huntress captain missed the food of their companion greatly ever since he had left… she had supported their familia's chefs' efforts to recreate his masterpieces, and they recently had success. Much to her joy.

"-!!"

Lante and Atalante turned their heads quickly at their captain's revelation. The two missed Gray Ghost's food just as much as she. Atalante more so than all of them. But before the two could announce their response to Rethusa, a soothing voice rang out in the cold night air.

"We will have quite the feast tonight… so it would be best to end this hunt on a high note, right?"

An aura of divinity began to pass through the familia. The huntresses all made way and bowed in reverence to this figure.

"As you say, Lady Artemis!"

Artemis emerged and met the gaze of the criminal who now felt complete despair.

The eyes of the divine huntress that continued the crusade Gray Ghost had left.

The goddess of a familia whose adventurers leveled up quickly once they had entered the dungeon. Their force consisted of two level-fours, a majority of level-threes, and level-twos who were mostly relegated to supporting roles. A prominent force even by Orario's standards.

The goddess of a familia who even partook in the fighting herself. Her strength equated to a high level-two adventurer.

"Hello, dear mister criminal… today is quite the momentous occasion for me and my familia…"

Artemis began speaking to the criminal. Jumping off of the high roof and landing deftly on the ground. The act did little to affect her.

"My dear children have been able to recreate my favorite food in recent times… a meal I'm currently just starving at the thought of consuming ravenously"

Artemis spoke with a sultry voice that didn't fit her image as a goddess of chastity.

"And my beloved Orion… my preciously dear Orion has been making waves around the world recently… slaying a Leviathan and saving the nation of Altena… such things should be expected of the man I chose to love"

But though Artemis spoke happily… her eyes were speaking a different tone entirely.

"But… though I permitted him to love women aside from myself… he just had to choose another goddess… a goddess who I'm not particularly fond of…"

Artemis said as her gaze began to freeze over. Her fist balling tightly.

"HIII-"

The criminal began to shake with fear. The goddess in front of him was barely containing an unrelenting rage.

"Orion… oh Orion… just why did it have to be Athena?... I could happily accept a mortal… I could grow to understand another goddess… but for it to be Athena… ha… haha… hahaha~"

Artemis began to reminisce on her memories of the goddess of knowledge. Though the two shared the role of virgin goddesses in Tenkai, the two would more often fight with each other than the perverted gods and goddesses who wished to covet their chastity.

Artemis would argue with Athena's lack of physical activity and general recluse nature while Athena would insult Artemis by calling her a muscle-brained idiot.

The two goddesses would have fought for days on end if it weren't for the intervention of the third virgin goddess whom they both trusted as a mediator.

"I am quite miffed about sharing my beloved Orion with Athena… but I am willing to accept it if it's for him… but as understanding as I am. I still need to vent my emotions every once in a while, lest I require my beloved's therapy once more…"

"So I decided to vent it upon you criminals who are deserving of punishment! I've already taken down your ten friends… so with this… you will be the eleventh"

Artemis said with a frightening smile. The criminal's face paled at the realization that his small-time criminal gang was single-handedly taken down by the goddess in front of him.

"I vented quite a lot on those poor fellows… I just need one more punch before I can enjoy my children's recreation of my Orion's food without any anger…"

Artemis entered a stance to engage the criminal in front of her. The basic stance of Pankration was instilled into her body as a goddess of Olympus.

"But I would greatly appreciate it if you could last more than one punch"

The goddess leaped off the ground with extreme force, closing in on the terrified criminal in an instant. Before the goddess' fist reached his face, the criminal screamed out into the night of the immense pain that was soon to come.

"????????????????????????????????????????-"

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"They're quite extreme for a familia hailed as our replacements…"

Far away from where the Artemis familia were currently situated, a figure of blonde hair hidden beneath a green hood commented on the huntresses' activities.

The blacklisted vigilante adventurer that single-handedly tore a bloody warpath through Evilus and closed Orario's dark age… the wanted vigilante 『Gale』and former member of the now disbanded Astraea familia… Ryuu Lion.

"Their goddess is more vocal than Lady Astraea… I remember her saying she had a similar situation with Lady Artemis, but chose not to partake in the fighting herself… she called it quite the strategic risk if I remember correctly…"

Ryuu reminisced on her memories with her goddess from long ago… remembering those happy times and seeing the similar banter among the Artemis familia that she shared with the Astraea familia… it brought a small smile to Ryuu. A smile she hadn't worn in a long time…

"I pray that you all fare better than us Artemis familia… I sincerely pray so…"

Though Ryuu initially felt bitter emotions toward the Artemis familia for being labeled as her familia's "replacements", the elf soon learned to toss aside such petty sentiments. Instead choosing for their group to not end as tragically as hers.

"????… I don't like dwelling so much in the past like this… I'll just distract myself with another patrol…"

Though the Artemis familia took the spotlight for taking up the mantle of the Gray Ghost of policing Orario's underworld. Another force began to clean up the dungeon city's entrails.

A figure who received no recognition… for dead men tell no tales.

"I've caught a potential trail of Evilus… to think those bastards managed to continue even after what I did… I can only thank Gray Ghost for exposing the underworld enough for me to catch this. This would've taken months for me to track had he not…"

Ryuu said as she held a journal she was using to track a potential associate of the organization she despised to her core.

"Evilus… your days are numbered…"

Ryuu's eyes began to glow a faint green as her magic stirred. Her grip on her kodachi tightened. But the elf soon recomposed herself. Her lead wasn't definite. She would need more time to solidify her suspicions despite her fully believing them.

"I never really cared much for him during his time here… but I would really like to meet you, Gray Ghost"

A meeting of one vigilante to another… a vigilante who managed to become hailed as a hero where she was feared as a walking calamity.

"I really wonder how you did it… perhaps I could ask for some tips"

The elf joked to herself. A rare thing for Ryuu to do.

Leaping off of the roof she stood upon, Ryuu once more began her hunt for Evilus. Unaware she had already come across the vigilante she spoke of… and even became infatuated with them.

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The abandoned world.

The sight of the once largest nation to inhabit the continent of Gekai.

A nation that rivaled Orario for the title of the center of the world. A superpower that held dominance over the southeastern region… but a nation that was destroyed in a single night.

Engulfed in an immense light that fell from the heavens before it was decimated beyond repair.

The collapse of the now-lost nation brought immense detriments to the rest of the world. Economic recessions with the loss of a major trader and producer. Rampant refugee issues with the survivors of the disaster… and the formation of a new monster breeding ground on the surface.

The abandoned world as it was dubbed, became home to immense ruins and destroyed civilizations.

There was once a movement to try and scavenge for treasure from the ruins, but the immense population of monsters proved to make the endeavor too costly to undertake.

With no plans for reconstruction and no interest among the major powers in the land. The abandoned world remained a nest of monsters… until a goddess and high-elf decided to travel through it.

"Fuu… I really needed this!"

A woman with a long head of dark violet hair said. Her plump body shimmered under the moonlight as she bathed her curves in the water of the lake she was washing herself in.

"That Medea is such a slave-driver… I'm interested in the abandoned world too, but can't she hold some sympathy for her goddess?! I wasn't exactly the fittest one in all of Olympus…"

A small divine aura leaked from her body as she wallowed in the indifference her child gave her. The goddess Hecate fell into melancholy.

"... guys don't really like chubby women like me, right?... so would Hermes not like a goddess like me as a wife?..."

Heacate contemplated the preferences of the god she deeply admired ever since their time together up in Tenkai.

Grabbing hold of her protruding tummy, Hecate began to fall into a cycle of self-pity that had led to her not confessing her feelings for Hermes despite all the time they shared together.

"Hahaha… Hermes did mostly peek into the goddess bathhouse for people like Artemis, Athena, and Freya… all of them had slender bodies… so it would be natural… ???… for Hermes to not want… ???… SOMEONE AS FAT AS ME!- UWAAAAA!!!-"

The goddess' depression reached a peak as she began to cry while bathing in the lake. The immense cry she shouted and her increase of divine aura alerted the nearby monsters to her location. A group of goblins soon began approaching her.

"Krii…."

The goblins set their sights on the lone goddess who eventually locked eyes with the monsters. The green menaces began to rush at her with their weapons. Hecate screamed out in fear at the monsters who were about to attack her.

"M-ME-MEDEAAA!!!-"

As Hecate screamed out into the night, a low voice responded to the goddess as it spoke in the language lost to time… the language of the high-elves… runes.

『ᚨᚹᚨᚴᛖᚾ...ᛗᚤ ᚨᚾᚲᛁᛖᚾᛏ ᛒᛚᛟᛟᛞ...ᛗᚤ ᛒᛁᚱᛏᚺᚱᛁᚷᚺᛏ』

A chant began to be formed… but what once was a chant that encompassed numerous stanzas and sections… under the expertise of the source where the voice came from, such length was shortened and manipulated to whatever she desired.

『ᚷᛖᛏ ᛚᛟᛋᛏ ᚨᚾᛞ ᛒᛖ ᛒᛚᛟᚹᚾ ᛏᛟ ᛈᛁᛖᚲᛖᛋ』

Numerous arcane circles manifested above the heads of the goblins, and beyond the sight of Hecate, manifesting above the heads of all the monsters nearby her location.

『Rain of Light: Machia Hecatic Graea』

????… ????… ????… ????… ????… ????… ????...

A small burst of magic shot forth from the numerous magic circles. Not holding enough magic power to wreck the area, but enough to pierce through the skull of any monster it had targeted.

????… ????… ????… ????… ????… ????… ????…

A massacre… done swiftly and nonchalantly like it was flicking away an ant from a table.

"Honestly Lady Hecate… I get that you have a complex about your weight, but Lord Hermes slept with you once did he not? He must find you attractive then…"

Splashing the lake's water with her movement as she made her way to her goddess… nude and bathing in moonlight same as the crying goddess in front of her, Medea tried to reason with Hecate.

Her body grew immensely from her time with Bell in the village. Rounding out her figure with curves, but still possessing the innocent expression that had captured his and her home village's hearts. Medea has grown from the child she once was to a woman of alluring temptation.

Seeing her child come to her rescue, Hecate immediately began to hug the high-elf that was her familia's sole child. Crying into her arms.

"Thank you for saving me, Medea!!! But… Hermes did sleep with me… but… ???… HE DID IT DRUNK… ???… AND HE DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHEN HE WOKE UP!!-"

Hecate began to cry incessantly. Even though her wailing had nearly caused her to become assaulted by goblins, the goddess continued crying nonetheless.

'This goddess… she is a great magic teacher… but she's horrible in every other area…'

Medea thought to herself as she became the de facto caretaker of the goddess.

When Bell had left for Orario, under the advice of her mother, Medea had set off to Altena to enter under the tutelage of Hecate.

Finding the goddess was basically free-loading in Athena's academy, Medea had trouble convincing the goddess to get her to teach her… but after mentioning she was the child of Idyia, the goddess was more than willing to teach the high-elf.

'To think the favor Lady Hecate owed my mother… was a photograph of a naked Hermes…'

Medea thought as she reminisced on the past. Idyia had secretly developed a magic spell that allowed her to capture naked pictures of her husband back when she was still stalking him.

Lending the magic to the goddess, Hecate became forever grateful to Idyia. The favor became the sole reason Medea was able to grow as fast as she did. Under the tutelage of the goddess of magic.

'Honestly… what a pathetic reason to be grateful…'

But though Medea thought of this, she had made full use of this magic herself. The spell became the first she had learned besides the illusion that concealed her ears… something she used on Bell quite a lot.

"Lady Hecate. What do you even see in Lord Hermes? With every story you tell me of him, I just grow more suspicious every time"

Medea spoke with scary accuracy about the god's true nature despite never once meeting him. Hearing this, Hecate was quick to move in defense of her crush.

"It's not like that! Hermes may be clumsy… forgetful… perverted… lazy… irresponsible…"

"And many more things like that! But he has his good points!"

Hecate spoke loudly, which made Medea even more suspicious of the bastard god.

"And… what might those good points be, Lady Hecate?..."

Medea spoke slowly as she failed to process her goddess' infatuation.

"He… has a nice face"

Hecate spoke softly under the scrutinizing gaze of her child.

"A nice… voice…"

The goddess felt her resolve grow weaker as Medea narrowed her eyes even more.

"His…d*** felt nice…"

"..."

Medea felt embarrassed that her teacher was such a pushover when it came to her love.

"Lady Hecate… you could just go to a brothel and have the time of your life… I wouldn't mind giving you some money for it, you know?"

Medea tried sympathizing with her goddess, but Hecate reacted violently to her pity.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! I JUST HAVE TROUBLE SPEAKING ABOUT STUFF THAT ISN'T MAGIC, MEDEA!"

Hecate protested. Something Medea agreed. When the goddess taught her, she was one of the most articulate people she ever saw speak. But for everything else, she became a bumbling mess.

"????… you gods of Olympus have major mental issues, Lady Hecate… I read there's a profession known as a therapist. Perhaps you should look for one when we enter a nearby city after our research here…"

The goddess and high-elf continued to bicker as they both washed in the water of the lake. Their shouts alerted no monsters as numerous corpses faded to dust all around them.

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"Medeaa~ Do we really have to continue searching tonight? I want to sleep~"

Hecate complained as she and Medea trekked through the ruins of the abandoned world. Though they both washed their bodies earlier, it was more akin to a short break than preparation for a longer rest.

"The faster we finish our business in the abandoned world, the better. I may be strong, but we're not entirely safe in this region… we only stopped because you wouldn't stop complaining, Lady Hecate…"

Medea spoke coldly to her goddess. She had long gotten used to the recluse goddess' complaints at any physical activity. Her endless walking seemed to not diminish her plump physique a single bit.

"And if you want to comfort yourself to Lord Hermes. The faster we get our research done, the faster you can secure your privacy to do so"

"-?!"

Hecate shook at her child's bluntness regarding her personal activities. The goddess grew fed-up and rebutted back with her child's personal habits.

"Hey! I also know you do the same with that dildo you made based on your crush, Medea!"

In response to the goddess' accusations, Medea simply turned her head to Hecate and spoke with a smile.

"Yes, I miss being able to do that. That's one reason why I wish to get this over with quickly…"

"Also, Lady Hecate, he's not my crush… he's my dear brother whom I love very… very… ???? much~"

Hecate was taken aback by the bluntness of her child to admit her perversion for a person she viewed as her brother.

'Bell Cranel… I heard that the man isn't related to Medea, but they share a bond similar to siblings… I pray for you once Medea returns to your side…'

Hecate quietly prayed to the boy she had never met. The goddess knew of Medea's intentions of growing stronger to stay by her brother's side.

'Picking up offensive, defensive, healing, detoxification, and anti-curse spells derived from ancient elvish magic… progressing to level two with my falna… developing her original spells based on the ancient elvish magic system… along with some minor dabbling with item creation…. just how much does Medea love her brother?'

Hecate couldn't wrap her head around her family's insane infatuation despite being a pining maiden for an extremely long amount of time.

"And how exactly is the abandoned world going to help you reunite with your brother, Medea?... I know there was once a major ley line that was undiscovered here for a while… but after that damn black dragon drained it dry after fighting Zeus and Hera's children, it's essentially useless…"

Hecate revealed the truth regarding their journey into the abandoned world. The reason why it was razed into the ground by the great monster was unbeknownst to a majority of the people of Gekai, and even most gods.

The true treasure of the lost nation went undiscovered until it was consumed completely by the black dragon.

The ley line.

"..."

Medea was quiet for a moment at the posing of her goddess' question.

She had undertaken research that she didn't share with Hecate. Something Medea considered vital before she even considered reuniting with Bell.

"Lady Hecate… there was a time that I dreaded the most…"

Medea spoke softly. The goddess listened carefully as it was rare for her child to act so somberly around her.

"When Bell and I were once children… before I fell in love with him… before he became my reliable brother… there was a time when he closed himself off from everyone… trapping himself in his home's library. Staring longingly and fearfully at the outside world as he endlessly read the books in the room…"

Medea's gaze darkened as she began to reminisce on a time long past.

"I was too young to understand his pain… too young to help him… by the time I grew older, I regretted my inability to comfort my brother in his darkest time… I just thought the kid next door was shy like myself and left it at that. Unaware of how much he was hurting…"

Medea turned her sights to the sky. Its endless nature and endless possibilities… she despised it.

"My brother eventually learned to accept his place in this world. He became happy and full of life… but this world. So long as it stays the way it is… my brother will be at risk of falling into that dark time once more…"

Medea knew just how much danger loomed over the world at present. Her long-lived mother unraveled the truth of their false peace. The false peace her brother made his duty to sustain and usher in true long-lasting peace.

"My brother is destined to become a great person… but greatness and glory doesn't come without sacrifice… one day, he will lose something dear to him. Then those losses pile up more and more… until he becomes as hollow as he was all those years ago…"

Medea was different from before. She now loved Bell immensely. She was not capable of reaching out to him. Medea… would make sure such sadness would never befall the person who brought so much light into her life.

"My brother will venture quite far in pursuit of his dream. But every adventurer must have a stable home they can return to at any time… and that's what I plan to accomplish Lady Hecate. By analyzing the remnants of the ley line, I will be able to construct a home Bell can return to…"

Medea turned to her goddess. Her eyes glowed in arcane light. Ancient runes hovering around her body in response to her immense will.

Medea will dedicate everything she has to this singular goal.

To selfishly sacrifice anything and everything for the happiness of a single person.

"I'll make a home just for the two of us, Lady Hecate… even if the world were to turn its back on him… even if the gods declared a holy war against his existence… I will keep him safe from it all"

Hecate felt a cold shiver run down her back. Medea's face smiled, but her voice gave indifference to all people that wasn't the boy she loved so dearly.

'Her obsession… it rivals a god's…'

Hecate was speechless at her child's convictions, but her stupor was broken when Medea handed her a journal she was using for her research.

"..."

The goddess took it into her hands and read the title on the cover.

『Territory Creation』

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??????:

Olympus, a region of Tenkai situated high in the mountains. The interstellar mountainous city.

The pantheon of this region of Tenkai held major sway over the affairs of heaven and of Gekai. Its members rank among the strongest in the dimension of the divine.

But in recent times, its strength and influence have waned with the defeat of Zeus and Hera. Ouranos alongside the virgin goddesses become the sole pillars of support for Olympus' position as a divine powerhouse.

Being the sole pantheon with goddesses that could resist the effects of divine charm, and being led by Ouranos who is one of the oldest gods to manifest into reality. Possessing immense wisdom and knowledge.

Despite its current shaky position in the politics of the gods, Olympus remains a shining city on the mount envied by various other pantheons and the sole group who could speak to Valhalla, led by Odin, on equal terms.

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"Ugh…"

Deep inside the territory of the resplendent city of Olympus. Situated along the divine gardens that bear numerous divine fruits. Inside a large and solitary temple… a single goddess moans out in utter boredom at her duty.

"UGHHHHHH…"

The goddess begins to roll around on the floor. Not a speck of dust or filth touched her body despite rolling on the floor. A result of her washing every part of the temple for millions of years.

"..."

Ending her rolling due to the monotony of having done it for the umpteenth time. The goddess raised herself from the floor and stared into the centerpiece of the temple she resided in.

???????… ???????… ???????...

A gentle and rhythmic cracking of fire filled her ears. A melody she had known ever since she was born.

Situated inside a golden saucer atop an altar of divine marble, the primordial flame of heaven burned as brightly as it did since the dawn of the planet's inception. The brilliance of the fire reflected resplendently in the eyes of the goddess who tended to it for a long… long time.

"..."

The sight would interest any god who would pass by the temple. The flame would enchant any mortal who had set their eyes upon it… but for this goddess… after all the time she spent tending for it… it was nothing more than an overrated fireplace.

"I'M SO BORED!-"

Hestia cried out in sadness at her complete boredom. Her lamentation was met with only the crackling flame of the fire. Her voice resounded throughout the halls of the temple she lived in… Hesita was all alone.

"EVERY DAY IS THE SAME. WAKE UP. EAT SOME APPLES. SEE IF THE FLAME IS STILL BURNING"

"EAT A FEW GRAPES IF I'M FEELING ADVENTUROUS. OTHERWISE, EAT ANOTHER APPLE, THEN SEE IF THE FLAME IS STILL BURNING"

"Over… and over… and over… and over again… non-stop… for all of time…"

Hestia fell into silence as she outlined her daily routine… the remembering of her pathetic life until now erupted her anger immensely.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!-"

Hestia had enough of staring at the primordial flame of heaven and eating the same fruits for the last millions of years in Tenkai.

"I could handle it before when my friends were here… when Athena and Artemis were still here, I could spend my day breaking the two of them up…"

Hestia spoke as she reminisced on the endless disputes her fellow virgin goddesses had on a daily basis. Though it was tiring to play negotiator, she was happy being able to mend Athena and Artemis' relationship each time.

"I could handle it when I had Hephi to talk to in my meal breaks… she would brighten up my day with those automatons she would mess around with…"

Hestia reflected on her numerous talks with her best friend. Though she possessed many people she would call friends, the goddess Hephaestus would be the sole goddess Hestia would rank above all others.

"I could even handle it when Prometheus was still here… making small talk as we both tended to the flame…"

Hestia remembered the goddess who shared her duties as a watcher of the divine flame. Both grew close over the years as they lived together.

"With all of them… I could handle my monotonous lifestyle… BUT THEY ALL JUST HAD TO DESCEND INTO GEKAI!!!-"

Hestia shouted in rage at the sole action all of her friends had taken. Leaving her all alone in her temple.

"Artemis said something about helping mortals fight monsters… Athena wanted to find knowledge she didn't yet know… Hephi wanted to find some blacksmith that can impress her… and Prometheus… she didn't say much except she was meeting an old friend…"

Hestia outlined the reasons her friends had left… something she now saw as her closest friends abandoning her to the boredom of the heavens.

"I can't see much of what is going on in Gekai… the mirror that allows the gods to observe the lower world barely opens up recently… but the few things I saw…"

Artemis led her children through the various lands of the mortals.

Athena founded her own nation and lived among the people she ruled over.

Hephaestus established her own familia and became a prominent figure adored by many.

Prometheus wandered the world in pursuit of her desire.

"... I WANT THAT TOO!!!-"

The feeling of an adventure. The feeling of change in her unchanging life. Hestia desperately wanted it. She wanted it badly… but…

"But I can't… someone has to watch the flame… and Prometheus doesn't seem to be coming back anytime soon…"

Hestia's duty as the caretaker of the divine flame and her status as the last virgin goddess remaining in Tenkai made it quite difficult for her to request to descend.

"All that paperwork… WHY DO I NEED SO MANY PERMISSIONS TO JUST DESCEND? THOSE BASTARDS FROM A THOUSAND YEARS AGO JUST DID IT WHEN THEY WANTED TO. WHY CAN'T I?!-"

Hestia, unable to process all the paperwork that would take to grant her clearance to descend, lamented her status as being intelligently-challenged.

"I want it… I want it so bad… my… my own family…"

Hestia softly spoke as she lay on the cold marble floor of the temple. Extending her hands to the ceiling. As if to represent her endless longing for a dream she can't obtain for herself.

"All those people… they looked so happy…"

The goddess reflected on her memories as she was worshipped by mortals over the course of history.

Hestia was the goddess of the hearth. The centerpiece of a home that knew of warmth and stability… the centerpiece of human connection since the inception of fire… the centerpiece of a loving and happy family…

"..."

Hestia was worshipped in her authority of the flame of the hearth.

A pure flame that represented the foundation through which most people were raised. Family. Home. Love. Hestia felt the endless and overflowing prayers of families over time course through her body.

The endless wishes of a parent for their children's safety.

The incessant prayers of a child for their parent's happiness.

"..."

Hestia let the sensations replay in her head once more. The goddess played these feelings on repeat. Feeling closer to her dream as she let the emotions course through her body. A false and cold comfort that warmed her nonetheless.

"Those emotions…"

The emotions of a person as they surrounded themselves with those they loved.

The innocence of the child.

The gentleness of the mother.

The sturdiness of the father.

The fire that connected them all into something so tender and comforting.

Hestia felt it all. The blessing known as family… a blessing the gods knew little of… a blessing most of them desired greatly…

"There are many gods that desire a family of their own… but I feel it more intensely than all of them… so isn't this too cruel? All of them enjoying their time with their familias, while I remain by myself in this stupid temple…"

Hestia felt tears begin to form at the edge of her eyes. Her arm covered her sight as she didn't wish to see the dull ceiling she came to despise. Feeling so trapped. Feeling so cold… in a temple of fire…

"Heh… feeling cold despite being so close to the source of all fire…"

Hestia resigned herself to her fate. She would simply be the fire's caretaker. Longing for a family from on high. The only respite she could afford herself was that her authority kept so many other families happy.

"... there was one interesting thing that happened a while ago… some guy shot an explosive arrow near Tenkai… some of the gods thought it was Artemis, but it was apparently some other person…"

Hestia tried her best to remember the rumors that involved her friend. The goddess saw the burst of light from her temple when it had happened… it shined a color that drew her in.

"What were they called again… adventurers… an adventurer shot that arrow… mortals have come a long way, huh?"

Hestia remembered when some of the gods scrambled to make sure mortals didn't go extinct, while others watched in delight as they struggled against their demise.

"To shoot an arrow that almost pierced heaven… I wonder who that person was?... how were they raised?... did they have a loving family?..."

The goddess wondered what kind of upbringing such a mortal had to have brought them so far… but she soon tossed the line of questions aside.

"After all… it's not like I'll get to know them personally…"

Hestia picked herself up from the floor and was about to enter her room to sleep once again… but she was stopped after she detected the arrival of someone near the premises of her temple.

"This signature… one of Hehphi's automatons?"

Hestia moved quickly to meet the creation that Hephaestus had made. The goddess would welcome any change to her endless days of monotony with open arms.

"Haa… haa… haa… there you are…"

Hestia said as she gathered breath. The goddess wasn't that physically active, so the short jog it took to arrive at the automaton's position winded her quite a bit.

"Hm? Lady Hestia. You did not require to approach me. I was already planning to walk to your temple. Such effort was unnecessary given your general physical ability"

A cold mechanical voice spoke out to the tired goddess. The sound felt unfeeling, but Hestia knew that what lay beneath was a genuine concern born from genuine sentiments.

"Haa… haa… haa… it's alright, Hephaestion… I was just excited to meet someone for the first time in a while…"

Hestia turned her eyes to meet the automaton. The artificially made existence was forged and created by the goddess Hephaestus.

The first of a long line of mechanical maidens to be created by her, and the head of the automatons who tended to the goddess' home in her absence.

An olive-skinned beauty with luscious and flowing black hair. Created with heterochromatic eyes to share some similarities with the eyes of her creator. Such was the automaton known as Hephaestion.

"I am relieved that I may be able to relieve your desire for contact, Lady Hestia… but I believe you will soon not be inundated with such problems in the near future"

Hepheastion spoke with a cold voice, but her face exuded a kind smile for the goddess in front of her. A rare emotion reserved for the kindest god the automaton had the pleasure of knowing, aside from her creator.

"Hm? What does that mean?..."

Hestia managed to calm her breath but was faced with the perplexing statement of Hephaestion. The goddess tried her best to decipher the meaning of her words. Her frustrated look was admired by Hephaestion, but the automaton soon revealed it to her, much to the dismay of her desire to see the adorable goddess act more.

"It is simple Lady Hestia… Lady Hephaestus has taken it upon herself to complete the paperwork that had eluded you for so long… May I have the honor of congratulating you, Lady Hestia. You now have permission from the council of Olympus to descend to Gekai"

Hephaestion said as she bowed and put forth the letter of approval for Hestia's descent to the goddess in question.

"..."

Hestia was silent with the revelation told to her… the goddess was stunned beyond belief.

"Hephi did it? That literal mountain of paperwork? She did all of that?..."

"Yes, Lady Hestia. Lady Hephaestus was quite busy, so it took her a few months to accomplish all the requirements. Added to that is the generally slow nature of bureaucracy in Tenkai. But she had succeeded in obtaining permission for your descent"

Hephaestion smiled in reply to the goddess' question.

"..."

Hephaestion turned to look at the goddess who was remaining quiet. The automaton expected to hear Hestia break out into jubilant joy based on her accrued data on the goddess… but she soon learned why.

"???… ???… ???… ???…"

Hestia had begun crying incessantly. The sight immediately sparked worry in the automaton.

"Lady Hestia! Are you alright? Do you require something of me?"

The automaton wasn't programmed with many responses to console a crying goddess. Only being able to ask if there was a source of sadness she could remove to remedy the situation, but Hestia wasn't crying in pain… the goddess cried in immense joy… joy that her dream was now within reach.

"???… ???… heh… ???… no, Hephaestion… ???… I'm not sad… I'm… ???… happy… so… so… happy…"

Hestia took the automaton into an embrace. Hephaestion decided to remain quiet to let Hestia vent out her emotions.

"I'm going to have my own family, Hephaestion!... ???… my own family!… ???… I've always wanted one of my own… ???… all those years ago… when I was born… that scene of a family gathered by heart… ???… I can finally have it!"

Hestia hugged the automaton tightly. The tightest embrace the goddess had ever made. The emotions of pure joy reached the cold mechanical heart of Hephaestion who smiled at the goddess' long-desired wish coming true.

"My congratulations once again, Lady Hestia. I am sure you will have a wonderful familia when you descend"

Having cried enough, Hestia broke out into the charming exuberant joy that enamored her with many gods and goddesses in Tenkai.

"I know right?! My own familia! The Hestia familia! Doesn't that sound so cool?! My own family… he… hehe… hehehe~"

Hestia wore a grin she couldn't seem to wipe away from her face. Not that the goddess wanted to. She wanted to fully enjoy the sheer happiness of being able to form her own family.

"I'm the goddess of the hearth and home, so my familia would naturally be the best, right?! Even better than that flat board Loki's! It's going to be filled with so many wonderful children, and I will make sure they feel loved every day! I've been watching how parents raise their children for who knows how long, so I'm practically an expert!"

Hestia shouted as she began to jump around Hephaestion in joy. Her childlike wonder took over her mind as she began to imagine her future family.

"Wait! It's not like I only want talented children! I'll also love the ordinary ones as well! As long as I feel like they're good people, I will love them completely!... WAIT! THAT DOESN'T MEAN I HATE BAD CHILDREN, HEPHAESTION!-"

Hestia desperately tried explaining herself to the automaton.

The goddess knew from her observations of mortals that parents who were picky with their children were rather frowned upon, so the goddess didn't want to become a bad familia head before she had even started.

"..."

Hephaestion simply continued smiling at the innocent joy of Hestia. Taking a moment to enjoy the goddess panicking to explain herself before reassuring her.

"It's alright, Lady Hestia. I don't believe you to be a bad parent. I believe you will become an excellent familia head. Any mortal will be lucky to be put under your care"

Hestia's smile simply grew wider at the reassurance of the automaton.

"Of course, they would! I've been training my whole life for this moment you know! All those years of mimicking parents… all those times taking notes from the parenting books they read… I will make sure my first child is the happiest mortal in all of Gekai!"

The goddess would do her best to make sure her first family would be a happy one. Hestia had witnessed just as many broken families as she did happy ones. Her heart ached at the breaking of such an important bond for mortals… so the goddess would make sure no such heartbreak would be inflicted by her actions.

The goddess and the automaton began walking together through the fields surrounding the primordial flame's temple. The celestial night sky showered them with cosmic splendor. Hephaestion smiled silently as Hestia began to indulge in fantasies of her soon-to-come future.

"Hehehe~ I wonder who you are?... the first child of my familia…"

Hestia reached her hand out to the endless sky that looked down upon her kindly.

Never had the goddess felt so much wonder. Change would come for her soon, and Hestia would make sure she enjoys every moment of it.

"To my future child… we will have so much fun in our adventures together!"

Thus the first pages began to turn as the words began to form the tale.

A comedy filled with endless laughter.

A tragedy filled with harrowing perils.

A song filled with the highs and lows of life.

A story in dedication to the bonds that connected the sky and earth.

My ode to you, o goddess… my gift to you, mine child.

Familia Myth.

…

..

.

Editor:

AN:

I was originally planning on including this in the previous chapter...but I exceeded the character limit. So here it is HAHAHA.

Hope you enjoyed it!