Chapter 30: The Day Before Departure (Part-1)

Going through the dark tunneled cave once again, I reach the magical door at its end. Passing to the other side, I find myself inside my house in Asione again— facing a really anxious-looking Lucy, fully clothed now.

“What happened!? Did Hephaestus agree to help!? You didn’t anger him, did you!? Wait, and why are your clothes soaked!?” She asks the instant I appear.

“Wait, let me breathe for a second, please. That bastard was working in some underground forge, hot at hell,” I say, breathing deeply and feeling the cool air against my skin in relief.

“Damn, and I need to change my clothes as well.”

Walking to the closet, I take out a new set of clothes to wear and start changing.

“So?” Lucy asks impatiently, unable to keep still.

“Well, yeah, he agreed to help. We will get a magical chariot and a few horses to pull it by tomorrow. I also convinced him to give us some weapons— you know, for Arya and Sienna,” I tell her.

“Just like that? He didn’t get mad at you for asking all these things?” she asks with a frown.

“Oh, no, not at all. Actually, we met like old buddies— he offered me Lemon tea and some cupcakes baked in his furnace. In fact, if only that place wasn’t toasting me alive, I would have stayed to chat with him,” I tell her cheerfully.

“Lucas,” Lucy says in a deeper tone.

“Hahaha… Okay, he was just a bit angry but I handled it just fine. You won’t be able to find even a scratch on my body— new ones, mind,” I tell her.

“He was just a bit angry? You sure?” she asks suspiciously.

“Well… Kind of. The main thing is that I am fine and our work’s done! Now, let’s go out and eat something, I am fucking starving!” I say, grabbing Lucy’s hand before she could say anything else and pulling her out of the room.

As expected, my other sisters are also up and doing their morning activities. Sienna and Arya are sitting at the dining table, delicious-looking food placed in front of them. Though I cannot see Iris or Ivy, I am sure they must be tending to mother.

“Oh, brother, sister Lucy!” Arya exclaims the moment she sees up, waving energetically.

Sienna also notices us but unlike Arya, her cheeks turn red and her gaze drops down at her food almost immediately.

“Good morning!” I greet, pulling Lucy to the dining table and sitting down.

As both of our stomachs are completely empty, the first thing we do is grab the food in front of us and start eating. Lucy is still a bit graceful, starting with a piece of buttered bread and taking a bit, while on the other hand, I just grab as much food as I can and start stuffing it down my throat. I am getting a mixed taste of eggs, bacon, bread, and some orange juice as well— and honestly, it tastes quite good.

“Wow, brother, you sure are hungry. I wanted to wake up you and sister Lucy for dinner yesterday, but sister Sienna forbade me,” Arya tells me, looking at my stuffed face in surprise.

“B-But you told us not to disturb!” Sienna reminds me, quickly looking up.

“I-I just didn’t want to find both of you in… in any e-embarrassing state.”

Oh?

I swallow all the food inside my mouth before speaking.

“Well, to tell you the trust, we slept through the entire day yesterday like a log— didn’t have sex at all. Though if we talk about today… I am pretty sure you must have heard it a while ago— Lucy was pretty wild as usual,” I say with a smirk.

“Lucas!”

Lucy sharply jabs me in the ribs using her elbow.

“Okay, okay…” I say, laughing.

Sister Sienna looks even redder than before, though, in addition to being embarrassed, she’s looking angry as well… and a bit jealous?

Directed towards Lucy, of course…

“Ahem… Anyway, on a more important note, I have arranged transportation for our journey from the best source possible. And as it will be available by tomorrow morning, I would like everyone to prepare everything until then— you know, pack all the essentials, especially food, as much as you can” I tell them with a nod.

…

“Wait… You are kidding, right? Because there is no way you could have done that while being inside the room the whole time,” Sienna says with a frown.

Oh, shit! Should I tell her about Hephaestus?

Maybe not now…

Without saying anything, I hastily begin stuffing food inside my mouth again and forcing it down my throat using orange juice.

“Lucas? What are you doing?” Sienna asks, confused.

Finally, after eating like a hungry animal for a couple of minutes straight, I reply to her.

“Eh… I am not kidding, believe me. And as to how I arranged the transportation— well, the details are not necessary right now, I will tell you later… maybe. Just know that we will leave tomorrow, so prepare everything accordingly,” I say, standing up from my seat while wiping my mouth with a napkin.

“Wait, but how can you even—”

“Oh, and I have got to leave for the guild, need to talk with guild leader Reeve,” I say, cutting in-between Sienna.

“But listen to me—”

“Arya, if you are done with the breakfast, will you take me to the guild?” I ask.

“Sure, brother!” Arya agrees immediately.

“Great, then we are leaving now. I will help you guys with the preparations once I am back, okay? Bye then!” I say, taking Arya’s hand this time, and almost running out of the house before Sienna could ask anything.

Phew…

As expected, the town square is bustling with creatures— humans, satyrs, centaurs, etcetera— going on to their daily work. Looking at their carefree faces, it doesn’t seem that just a few days ago, the whole town was going to be destroyed along with countless lives among them lost.

Unfortunately, there were some deaths but only among the adventures who fought the Earthborns alongside me. And according to what Arya told me— their burial happened the next day after the battle itself.

Hmm, I will surely visit their graves later and pay my respect and thanks.

“Brother, this way!” Arya says, turning right from the town square.

“There, can you see it?” she asks, pointing straight forward.

“Yes, I can…” I answer.

At the far end of the street, a rather tall and slightly worn-down, three-story building is standing proudly. A large sign is attached directly above the entrance door reading: “Town Guild: Asione”.

As we walk close to the building, I recognize a large, bulky man standing in front of the public signboard next to the guild, nailing a sheet of paper.

“Hey, Reeve! Look who has come with me!” Arya calls out to him, waving her hand excitedly.

Reeve turns around and a smile forms on his heavily scarred face.

“So, you have fully recovered, Lucas? That’s great! Your injuries looked really so severe— Nymph healing magic sure is something, “ He says, looking genuinely happy.

“Yeah, the procedure of their healing is even more amazing. Anyway, how’s the guild doing after the battle?” I ask.

“Honestly? Not that great. Though you and your sister were amazing, the best, lessened the damage the town might have taken by a lot. But still, the death toll was much higher than we expected. We are looking for new recruits even now,” he says, pointing the notice he just nailed.

“Care to apply? Our guild can certainly use someone like you.”

“Ah, sorry, but I am not interested right now,” I decline politely.

“What a shame! Well, don’t shy away from contacting me if you change your mind later, okay?” He tells me with a grin.

“Shying away? That’s one thing I don’t do. Anyway, you gave me and my sister too much credit. Arya told me, the real heroes were that mysterious group of five adventures that appeared later and ended the fight in an instant,” I say.

“Ah… Them. Yeah, they did alright,” Reeve says bitterly, his face turning ugly for some reason.

“What, they failed to impress you? If so, then you sure are hard to please, Reeve. Especially considering that their leader was the son of Hades,” I say, raising my eyebrows at him.

“Daughter… Daughter of Hades. And yes, of course, I am not pleased with them. And who would? They belong to that infamous school of Athena after all,” Reeve says.

…

School of Athena!?

Ohoho… This conversation has just become way more interesting than I expected.