Clop!

Clop!

Clop!

Riding up north, Cirrus and the Artemis Familia go to The Empire, a country similar to the country of Rakia with several conquered territories.

"We should reach the town of Puebla within another day or so," said Artemis. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, lady Artemis," said Rethusa.

"I’m good," said Cale.

"Same!" Phi.

All the other members were fine, but Artemis looked at Cirrus as he looked out into the distance.

"Cirrus? Are you good?" Artemis asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I’m good. I’m just surprised this place isn’t more… colder, you know?"

From where Cirrus was, he would have figured the north would be more cold and cloudy, not filled with lush forests, clear skies, and a warm climate. Some buildings had more Roman and Adobe looks to them.

"Don’t worry, this is just one of their territories," said Artemis.

"Uh… how much territory?" Cirrus asked.

"A lot," said Cale. "The Empire is kind of like Rakia, except you know better."

"She means they aren’t led by a stupid god-like Are," said Artemis. "Honestly, without those magic swords, his nation would have remained small."

 

They would stay in one of the territory town’s inns for three days. At that time, they would ask around for information and move on toward the capital of The Empire, Tenolán.

"Remember to meet back here at dusk alright! You know the rules, girls!"

"Yes, Lady Artemis!" They said, going in pairs.

"Zephyr, Nox, well… can you come with me to meet another goddess?"

"Another goddess? Do you know her?"

"Well… she was someone I had to keep an eye on along with a few other gods in Heaven due to how much trouble they cause and well Astraea needed a reliable tracker so... yup, I just wanted to check up on her!"

"Um... okay, I guess, so what’s her name?"

"It’s Ate."

He was walking through the streets with Artemis when he could see some people eyeing her and him to see if they held anything valuable.

'A lot of thieves here; have we walked into a town of thieves?'

'I don't know, but there are a lot of drinkers.’

Cirrus looked around as well when he accidentally met eyes with a drunk man walking in his direction.

"Oi! Oi! You think you can keep your goddess safe, little brat!" said a lumbering man, drinking with his pals.

"Piss off."

"Oi, didn't your goddess teach you any manners, brat!" He yelled as he approached him and Artemis.

"Did your mother teach you anything? Oh wait, the fact that you're pissed drunk at noon shows that your mother didn't really care about you, or maybe it was daddy?"

"Why you! Boys!! Kick the boys' ass!! And tie up his goddess!! We can—!!"

As he was shouting, more got up to join. Cirrus had already slammed the guy’s head into the nearby wall, pulling his strength.

"Did I forget to mention I’m level 2?"

"!!!!!"

Almost immediately, they regretted getting him to help them. Cirrus begins to crush everyone who was giving him, and Artemis looks to teach them a lesson and to make sure they don’t try this again.

"So, what do you have to say?" Artemis said as Cirrus had gotten all the people and put them before Artemis.

"W-we are sorry…" they said solemnly, with bruises everywhere.

"Now who is your god? I’m sure they wouldn’t want you all to be this unruly!"

"U-um…" The lumbering man was hesitant.

"Better talk or else I’ll make you talk," Cirrus said. "My familiar is getting rather hungry; she likes to eat the eyes fresh from the socket."

Nox licks her beak, and the man sweats heavily.

"O-our goddess is—!"

"Ate."

Cirrus and Artemis turned to see a goddess behind them, with red-tied-up hair, a veil, and an outfit that reminded Cirrus of the Amazons he had seen walking to and from the Dungeon.

"So, what do I have the pleasure of meeting you again? Artemis."

Ah, Ate! You need to teach your children some manners. " She said with a fake smile. "They tried to threaten us and tie me up." She then looked at Ate with a cold glare. "If this happens again, I’ll be sure to send you back." She also had her hand near her quiver and bow, ready to take it off and fire a quick arrow at Ate.

"My apologies!" she said with a playful face, but Cirrus and Artemis could easily tell the snake behind that face. "Come! As an apology, I’ll treat you! "

"…"

 

She went to her Familia’s home, which was basically a cleaner and larger home in the area. At the home, there were several of the younger Familia members' children playing around.

‘You wanna join in?’ said Nox.

‘I’m on the job, plus I don’t want to ruin their fun. ’

 They enter the home and sit down.

"So why did you come to pay me a visit?" Ate said.

"I simply came to check on you to see how you are doing."

"Well, I’m doing fine, but how are you? Is this your only child?" She said, looking at Cirrus behind Artemis as both she and Ate were sitting before each other on couches. "And a boy, no less! Are you taking Aphrodite’s advice—"

"My other children are looking for a certain Familia, but since I’m here, can I ask you if you heard or possibly seen them?"

"… Whatever. So who are you hunting, Artemis?" She said with a genuine smile on her face. "Is it Hermes? Zeus! One of those gods who keep trying to look at you when you're bathing!"

"It’s a goddess by the name of Loviatar. She’s part of Evilus."

"Heh~ is that so… Loviatar… can’t say that I have, I’m familiar with many gods in the area but none with that name, but I can ask around for a favor."

"What do you need a favor for?" Artemis asked with careful eyes.

"Oh, nothing much. I was simply thinking of having your child help with something."

"So you are up to mischief again," Artemis said in a disappointed tone.

"Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?"

"Haa… no thanks, we will find her on our own." Artemis gets up. "It was nice to see you again, Ate. I hope you don’t go too far, Zephyr."

"Hm."

Cirrus follows Artemis, and as they leave, Ate shouts out.

"What about you, boy? That goddess won’t give you the affection you want when you finally become of age! But I will! What do you say!"

Cirrus turns to her and bows.

"… Thank you for the invitation, but I must decline. "

"Fufu." Artemis laughs a bit to herself as they both leave.

"Tch... Did she make that child take a vow of chastity? "

 

Walking out of the Ate Familia’s home, they saw the bunch of kids fighting, now having a winner.

"Hahaha! Better luck next time!!" said a child with brown hair kept in a ponytail with a short top, a scarf, and shorts.

‘She’s good with her fists.’

Walking away, Nox turned to look at the kid, and the kid looked at her.

‘She has guts, that’s for sure.’

Cirrus and Artemis then left to go back to the inn.

 

Traveling through the southeast of the continent were some of the strongest of the Alecto Familia.

"This world truly is beautiful…" Alecto said. "I should have explored it more before coming to Orario."

"We could always take the long way back to Lady Alecto," said Turn, the Familia’s captain, a level 6 adventurer.

"Why? We were in the dam mountain range! "

Around them were dangerously high mountain ranges, with creatures flying through the air.

"Any path is the long—"

"WHOOOOOOOOOA!!!"

They heard an echo of a young girl's voice from afar.

"A voice?" said Turn.

"Seems we were heading in the right direction," Alecto said. "Don’t drop me."