After discussing the people they fought, the women left to go talk somewhere else while Cirrus stayed with Susanoo.

"You know when I heard your name was when you helped Ai get back home. She came bursting through the door telling everyone she made a friend."

"I can imagine it: a little Ai running around with a wide face as she slams open doors and gets scolded."

"Ha-ha… yes… Tell me, did Ai ever tell you why we came here?"

"It was something about you causing a mess with Amaterasu, right?"

"Yea… I got angry that she was throwing my Familia away and giving our position to those 7 so-called 'Lucky Gods', a bunch of snarky, condescending bastards. Then one day I had too much to drink, and, well…"

"Yeah, you, uh, destroyed some stuff."

"Yes, and some of that was her loom, which was maintained by one of her children, and... she was blamed for it and was shortly killed."

"That... that seems unfair."

"That was how it was under Bishamonten’s strict laws... I confessed to what I had done, but seeing as it would undermine Bishamonten way of law, I was given a light sentence of exile. Tsukiyomi really was lenient on me. As I was leaving, Amaterasu sent me a letter from her most trusted children, telling me I could come back."

"But??"

"But I would need to do one thing."

"And that is…"

"I need to gift her an irreplaceable item that is worth a country."

"… What?"

"I know I had the same look on my face as well. So to find or get her this item, we came here to Orario, but when I asked the other gods, they said there is no such thing that is worth that much besides a child."

"So, you plan on giving her one of your children?"

"Yes."

"… Was that child going to be Ai?"

The air grew tenser.

"No, to be honest, I assumed it would be one of my children down the line, but Ai grew exponentially, and now I know why. So I’m not going to gift her to Amaterasu; if I did, I’m sure you would come and burn the country down to its foundations to get her back."

"You know me so well," Cirrus said, smiling. "But... so what now?"

"Nothing. I will not give away any of my children. I can simply wait and grow my Familia over time and work something out."

"… Maybe I can help?"

"I doubt the city would part ways with you, Cirrus."

"No, I mean, I’m a blacksmith. I can simply make you a weapon worth a country."

"I doubt it."

Cirrus takes out Brilliant Nightmare and hands it to him.

"I made this when my blacksmithing rank was still I, but now it’s G."

Susanoo holds the blade, and he can feel its weight, sharpness, and craftsmanship. No other weapon was like this. He had seen Cirrus use it, and it was truly a weapon in its own class. Ai may have a weapon that has its inspiration, but it lacks many of the features of the inspiration.

"You’re not doing this out of the charity of your heart, are you?"

He put the weapon gently on the ground.

"Of course not. I would think a weapon worth a country is at least as valuable as... one of your children?"

A smirk grew on Susanoo’s face.

"I’ll be expecting a lot from that weapon, Cirrus. I’ll be checking it to see if it’s even worth her hand."

"Of course. But you know I am doing this so she can return home."

"A very kind gesture that I gladly accept."

They both shake each other’s hands and nod.

"Just so you know, me handing her over is a metaphor, right? I won’t actually "give" her to you like a king offering their daughter for a political marriage."

"I understand Lord Susanoo, it's more figurative."

"Good. Say, how long do you think it’ll take?"

"Who knows, but I can get started on it as soon as I can."

"Hm..so would you like a drink to celebrate this occasion?"

"Lead the way, Lord Susanoo!"

Leaving the room, he followed Susanoo when Kushida came up to him and whispered into his ear.

"I see... very well."

Kushida quickly went back.

"So, what was that about?"

"Nothing much, just something, come, it’s up ahead."

Cirrus could hear a bit of commotion, but he followed Susanoo to a private room with jars filled with sake.

"Damn, you have your own homemade sake?"

"Yup, Kushida’s family runs a sake distillery, so she knows her way around it."

He gets a small jar and opens it; Cirrus gets sake cups, and Susanoo pours it.

"Cheers!’" they both said.

They both drank sake together, and surprisingly, they both have a high tolerance for drinking, which made Cirrus think.

‘How much did he drink to cause all that damage??’

 

As Cirrus and Susanoo were returning to the main room, they saw Ai fighting with Kaguya in unarmed combat. The Artemis Familia had already taken their leave, and Astraea was watching from the side.

"Oh, Cirrus, Susanoo." She noticed their appearance. "Seems everything went well?"

"Yup, everything is settled, but he owes me something."

"Is that so... Cirrus, will you have to go somewhere far?"

"No, I can get it in the city, but I will be busy for a while."

"I see… Then shall I update your status while we're here? You haven’t updated your status since you reached level 7."

"Hm, I will need it for what I’m going to do."

"Susanoo, may we borrow a room?"

"Sure thing."

They entered an empty room, and Cirrus kneeled. He takes off his shirt, and Astraea looks at his back for a bit.

"My, how you’ve grown…" She gently touches his back and feels the muscles he has made from adventures, training, and fighting monsters and people.

"It has been a while. The first time we met, I was what? 8 years old?"

"Hm… I still remember when you didn’t show me your face... I still find it hard to believe that you were his child. Cirrus, could you draw your weapon?" He draws it, and she pricks her finger on the tip and drops it on his back. "You know, he was the first god to give a Falna out to the people of Gekai."

"He told me that, as well as everything he knew, he’s actually quite a chatterbox once you know him long enough. Just don’t tell him that he hates having gods stay longer than they need to."

"I’ll keep that in mind!"

Astraea starts to update his status.

"Did it grow substantially?"

"Hmm, a fair bit. You mind taking out some paper?"

Cirrus reaches into his shadow and pulls out a sheet of paper. He hands her the paper, and after a second; she puts down the new update and hands it to him.

---

Cirrus Zephyr

Lv. 7

Strength: I0→ G244   Endurance: I0→ G220

Dexterity: I0→ E481   Agility: I0→ C670

Magic: I0→ C676         Mage: C

Immunity: B                  Martial Arts: E

Crush: G                         Blacksmith: G

Chain Attack: I

---

"So killing the Balor on my own wasn’t enough?"

"No, for your strength, you would need to do an even greater feat."

"That’s fine by me."

He puts his shirt back on, and they leave the room to find Ai breathing heavily, having won against Kaguya.

"Did she tell you she beat Udaeus on her own?"

"No, but… I can see how."

 

Sometime later after leaving the Susanoo Familia home.

Cirrus arrived at Eupheme’s workshop in the evening. She was, of course, hard at work.

"Oi! Eupheme!"

"Hm? Cirrus? What’s going on?"

"I need your help."

"Help? With what?"

"Getting a forge."

"W-what!? Are you truly going to be a blacksmith!! I’ll be out of business!"

"No, no, I simply need to make a sword."

"A sword? I can just make one for—"

"No, I have to be the one to make it."

Eupheme looked into Cirrus’s eyes, and she could see the determination in his eyes.

"… Fine, we’ll go talk to Lady Hephaestus tomorrow and see if there’s an available forge for you to use until then. Come and help me out."

"Fine. Oh, before that, I should tell you that Ai killed the Udaeus by herself."

"She did! Then she has—"

"Yup, I have it stored. You ready to make a new fucking sword!"

A big smirk grew on Eupheme’s face.

"Seems things never get boring with you around, huh?"

"Oh, I should mention that the Udaeus drop won't be the main material used."