Chapter 56
With everyone seated in the cozy living room, Draco began their first familia meeting.
The young captain’s expression was calm and composed, betraying none of the excitement he felt at this momentous occasion.
"First of all, congratulations to everyone for receiving the blessing of Falna," he began, his voice steady and authoritative.
"I know how eager you all are to test your new abilities in the dungeon, and I share your enthusiasm. However, we won't be entering the dungeon today." he said.
Draco paused, his gaze sweeping across the faces of his familia members.
"There are several important procedures we need to follow. First, we must report our familia to the Guild, but I've decided we'll hold off on that for today, after the... incident this morning." he explained.
At this, Bahamut sitting at his side, leaned forward, her eyes alight with curiosity.
"What happened in the guild, Draco?" she asked.
Draco gave a small sigh, running a hand through his silver hair.
"While I was looking for you at the guild, there was an.…. Argument of sorts with one of the adventurers. Apparently, they took issue with me skipping the line to briefly return a book." He shook his head, a slight frown creasing his brow.
"I'd rather not go back there today, not after the attention we have drawn. I believe that several adventurers have taken an interest in us and by extension the familia’s behind them.” Draco explained.
The others nodded in understanding, the weight of Draco's words sinking in.
Creating a successful familia was no easy feat, and they could hardly afford to make missteps, especially this early on.
"So, what _will_ we be doing today, then?" Vasiliki asked.
"We'll be going shopping," Draco announced, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"We need to outfit ourselves with new weapons, armor, and other essential supplies to aid us in the dungeon." he said.
Vasiliki's eyes widened, and she practically bounced in her seat.
"Finally, I can get a magic staff!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with joy.
Draco nodded, his expression turning slightly wistful.
"Yes, you were due for one a long time ago." he replied, his gaze shifting to Eleni.
He was aware that even if Vasiliki mimicked his magic control method, she would eventually hit a wall.
Vasiliki simply lacked the necessary organ to advance beyond a certain point, unlike him, who was a dragon kin.
‘But with magic tools, she could perhaps make the skill her own and create a version of it that would fit her,’ Draco thought.
"I am assuming that this shopping trip will include the promised candies," Eleni interjected.
"Of course, we'll be sure to pick up the promised candies for Cleo." Draco specified.
Eleni's brow furrowed, and she leaned forward, her lips pressed into a thin line and ears twitching as she spoke.
"Promised candies for Cleo? What about me?" she demanded, her voice rising slightly.
Draco chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oho, Is this an inner confession I hear from our dear Eleni. If I recall correctly, the idea for the getting candies for Cleo was _your_ suggestion in the first place." he countered.
Eleni's face flushed a deep crimson, and she opened her mouth, no doubt ready to launch into a heated rebuttal.
But before she could, Draco raised a hand, cutting her off.
"Now, now, Eleni, let's not get too carried away. I'm the one in charge of the finances, and as such, I'll be the one to decide if we get the candies or not." His tone was firm, yet there was a playful edge to it.
Eleni's expression darkened, and she crossed her arms over her chest, her lips set in a stubborn pout.
"I challenge you to a duel, then," she declared, her eyes narrowed.
"The loser has to fulfill one request from the winner right." she added.
Draco chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
"Ah, I see you're pulling out the old standby. Very well, Eleni, I accept your challenge." he replied.
When someone was challenged to a duel, the loser had to fulfill one request of the winner.
It was a little fun game they played once in a while when they lived in the forest.
So far, Draco hadn't lost once; he was the one who came up with the game.
It was a way he made to get them used to each other's fighting styles and come up with clever counters.
It also served as one of the few ways they used to stave off boredom, since training was quite monotonous.
Michalis leaned in, whispering to Nikolaos, "She's about to throw a tantrum. Why do all our sisters act like kids around Draco-nii?" he said.
Nikolaos shrugged, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"It's just the way it is, I suppose. Draco-nii has a way of bringing out the child in all of us." he replied.
“Aren’t we still kids” Vasileios asked.
“……..” Nikolaos didn’t reply.
"She actually went and did it. Just how much does she want those sweets?" Dimitra muttered, curiously watching how this would all unfold.
Draco raised a hand, silencing the others. "While I would love to duel you the normal way, Eleni, we have a lot to accomplish today. How about we settle this with a game of rock-paper-scissors instead?" he suggested.
Vasiliki nudged Clair, a mischievous grin on her face.
"Pff, Draco-nii's got her. She will not refuse this deal." she said.
Clair nodded, a knowing smile spreading across her features.
"Yeah, she tends to get impatient when she wants something. If she thought it through, she'd realize she only needs to wait a few days until we start earning our own money." she replied.
Eleni's expression wavered, the fire in her eyes dimming ever so slightly.
She knew Draco had trapped her, but the lure of those tantalizing candies was too strong to resist.
Reluctantly, she nodded, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Draco smiled, his gaze warm and affectionate.
"Excellent. Now, let's get started. The sooner we take care of this, the sooner we can start shopping." he said.
“You all get along quite well. It an interesting experience to witness. I am very happy right now, and will be even more thrilled if you all remain like this in the days to come” Bahamut commented, a bright smile on her lips.
“I believe we will” Draco replied.
As the Rock, Paper, Scissors match commenced, Eleni's hand formed into a fist, her will to win shining in her eyes.
Draco's fingers spread out, forming the shape of paper.
A moment of silence hung in the air before Eleni's shoulders slumped in defeat.
"I lost!!" she exclaimed, pouting.
"Alright, fine. You win this round, Draco nii. But I'm not giving up on the sweets!" she said, quickly bouncing back.
Draco chuckled and ruffled Eleni's hair affectionately.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you.” Draco replied.
Soon after their little game everyone began freely talking with Bahamut.
She was easy to talk to and quite easy going, a bit different from what most of them were expecting from a goddess.
They began talking about their likes and dislikes, along with some other interesting topics and Draco didn’t want to interrupt this.
Looking at the sky, it was still early into the day, so Draco decided to postpone their shopping plans for a bit.
He could see that everyone was bonding well with their goddess Bahamut, and Bahamut seemed to be having a lot of fun interacting with them too.
…………………………………………
A few hours later………
When it was around 2pm in the afternoon, Draco determined that it was time for them to depart.
Amidst their banter, It was also decided that Bahamut would introduce them to the owner of the house next door the following day.
Bahamut couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment as she watched her newfound familia leave without her.
She desperately wanted to join them on their shopping excursion, shopping being a joyful hobby she had picked up since arriving in the lower world.
However, fate had other plans for the divine being.
"Don't worry, we will be back soon. We agreed to have lunch here before returning to our inn," Draco reassured her, sensing the subtle sadness in her expression.
Bahamut nodded, her lips curving into a small smile, though her heart yearned to be with them.
As the group departed, Bahamut found herself alone in her humble abode, the silence almost palpable.
She had grown accustomed to the chatter and laughter that accompanied her new familia, and now, the absence of their presence left her feeling somewhat adrift.
Bahamut was expecting a guest, something that used to be an uncommon occurrence in her life as a god.
In the upper world, she had a few true friends and many acquaintances, who only left their temples to visit her every few years, or even centuries.
This was something she was used to.
The concept of time was vastly different for the gods, whose existences spanned eons, in contrast to the fleeting lives of mortals.
This familia, this newfound connection, was a unique experience for Bahamut.
She had never before been surrounded by so many individuals that she genuinely wanted to care for, mortals though they may be.
It was a revelation, a glimpse into a world she had never truly known.
As she waited patiently for her guest, Bahamut's mind wandered to the conversations she had shared with her friend, Hephaestus.
"When you gain your first familia member, things would be very different," Hephaestus had said.
At the time, Bahamut had not fully grasped the depth of her words, but now, she could feel a strange, unfamiliar sensation blossoming within her chest.
'Is this what Hephaestus had referred to? This sense of warmth, of belonging, that I had rarely experienced in the upper world? Is it, perhaps because they are children’ Bahamut pondered, her brow furrowed in contemplation.