December in Orario.

"Fuuu…" Cirrus lets out a white breath. "So much fucking snow. How is it possible for a city to have this? We aren’t even anywhere north?"

"It’s a mystery, Heavenly Crown." Said Rethusa, helping clear the snow.

"Why are you using my new title?"

"Because it’s something I, as your Familia member, am very proud of!"

"Whatever you say, Alpheias."

"Hm… so are you going today?" she asked.

"We are. I already went and built the home and got most of the furniture for the home already set. You sure you don’t wanna come?"

"Naw, someone has to keep this place warm till you get back. Besides, we have the other Familia's to rely on in case anything bad happens."

"That’s good… seriously, this is taking too long (Sing)."

His magic circle appeared as quickly as his white lightning, melting all the snow and evaporating the water.

"So what are you gonna name my nephew or niece?" Rethusa said, leaning on the shovel.

"Hmm... that’s a surprise, so you just have to wait and see. How fortunate that Ouranos allowed Artemis to use her Arcanum to hide... you know."

"Yeah. Never seen her so stiff before. How lucky Lady Artemis is the Goddess of the Hunt. It made it easier to hide and blend in."

"Anyway, I need to go say my farewells."

"Alright, see ya."

 

Cirrus's first stop was Eupheme’s workshop, which is the closest.

"Oy!! Euph!" Cirrus said, entering.

"Cirrus," she said, working on other orders. "Why are you here? The only time you are here is for..." she looked at him. "Are you leaving again?"

"I am. I told you before, Euph."

"Hmm…. probably in one ear and out the other. How long?"

"Uhh… don’t know. I have gotten updates from Kushida, but who knows how much stuff I have to do? I am always a call away." He said, putting an Occulus on her table.

"I know… Just tell me, alright? I wanna come and see the kids."

"I’ll be sure to tell you. See ya Euph."

 

Cirrus' next stop was the Hearth Manor.

"Hmm…" Cirrus opened the gates and entered the Familia premises.

He could see the improvements to the home that his Familia paid for.

Knock! Knock!

The door opens to reveal Bell.

"Oh, Cirrus!"

"Bell, I came here to—"

"Cirrus, come in!!" said Malion.

During their stay in Olympia, after learning that Bell was Meteria's son, she wished to help and train Bell and the rest of his Familia. That is, of course, part of the reason. The real reason was to stay in Orario and try to get closer to Cirrus.

"Ah, no, really, I—"

She grabbed his coat and dragged him in while wrapping her arms around him.

"Come in, it's freezing!" she said, smiling.

Seeing how kind Hestia was also a large bonus, along with converting over to Hestia, the Hera Familia was now fully disbanded. Not that Hera cared anymore. But seeing Hestia interact, she found that despite how lazy she was at times, she was still lovable. Thus, she took note of several things about her, one of which was her hospitality.

"O… Kay."

They arrived in their living room, where everyone was lounging around.

"Ah! Sora!!" Lili came up to him.

"Hey there, Lili." He patted her head.

"Lord Hakukumo." Said Mikoto and Haruhime.

"Do you want some green tea?" asked Haruhime.

"Um, no, I just came here to say my farewells."

"Oh? Where are you going?" asked Malion.

"Yeah, where?" asked Hestia.

"Yamato, some business came up, so I’m heading back to settle it."

"Are you really going to leave your pregnant wife to—"

"Quiet, you bum goddess." Said Vesta, appearing. "He is obviously taking them with him. He is a busy person."

"Why you!!" Hestia got up and walked to Vesta’s chibi form. "You’re lucky I can’t touch you!!"

Vesta could temporarily gain physical form, but it would require some usage of Cirrus’ magic.

"Thankfully. I would be worried if you could infect me with your laziness," she said in a snarky tone of voice.

"Guh!! You little minx!!"

"You know we are the same, yes?"

"Then why do you insult us!?"

"Because, you lazy bum, I have the brainpower to recognize the subtle differences that differentiate us. You do not."

"Why you!!"

They started to insult one another.

"So, how long will you be away?" asked Welf.

"Umm… I don’t know, probably at most a few months."

"Then the next time we see you, you will be a father, right?" Lili said.

"That’s right." He looked at her with a warm smile. "Well, I must bid you all farewell." He removed his hands from Malion’s grip. "Vesta, stop arguing with yourself."

She simply turned and left Hestia back at Cirrus's side.

"That’s right to leave! Like the traitor that you are!!" Hestia shouted at Vesta.

"I am returning back to White Night, Cirrus. Talking with my old self drains a lot out of me." Vesta turned and smirked at Hestia when she burst into cinders, disappearing.

"You!!! Ugh!!! Cirrus, bring out—Hmmf!!"

Bell covered Hestia’s mouth.

"Goodbye, Cirrus!" said Bell. "I hope everything goes well!"

"Hm, I can say the same."

 

His next stop is the Hostess of Fertility.

"Cirrus," said Ryuu, coming out from the back.

"Ryuu."

"Are you here to say your farewells?"

"I am. I’ve been going around saying my goodbyes."

"I see, but tell me how long..." She fidgeted a bit. "Do you think you will be away?"

"Hmm… to tell you the truth." Cirrus then threw some Sound Eaters around. "I will be away till the baby is born; I’m also not going to Yamato."

"Then where?"

"Up north, in a village, I found it on my travels. Bell actually knows where it is."

"Is that so? Then I will come when the baby is born."

"You still have the Occulus, right? I’ll be sure to tell you."

"Thank you and..." She comes up to him and hugs him. "I wish everything goes well."

"…" Cirrus was a bit surprised by her hug. "Thank you, Ryuu." Cirrus hugged her back before he left.

As soon as Cirrus was out of sight, she returned inside, where Syr was looking at her.

"Ryuu," Syr said, looking at Ryuu’s lost and disheartened expression.

"I… I should have confessed back then. In the Knossos." She curled up into her fists.

"You still can Ryuu. You just—"

"I have decided, Syr." She slowly bottles up her feelings and puts on a calm face. "I... I will confess when we reclaim the bodies of the Astera Familia." She walks past Syr to return to work. "No matter how long it takes."

Watching her leave, Freya couldn’t help but feel bad for her.

"... That won’t do. I’ll need to break that bottle."

She followed Ryuu back inside.

‘Hm… I wonder how Galatea is faring?’

 

Cirrus then went to Lenoa’s shop.

"Lenoa! Circe! I’m here!" Cirrus said, entering the shop.

"No need to shout." Said Lenoa. "I know you're leaving. Circe!"

"Yeah!" she shouted, coming out from the back.

Coming out from the back was Circe, with a more adult appearance with short hair like twilight and a comfortable attire with a brown shawl, long black skirt with slippers, and a plain white shirt.

"Circe! How’s the bigger body?"

"Annoying, I spent lifetimes in my cute, small body, and now I get this body. Honestly, the amount of stares I get is disturbing."

"Yeah… I made this since I figured your new body would draw unwanted attention."

From his shadow, a red witch's hat popped out with silver trim.

"Ooh!" she said, grabbing it. "What does it do?" she asks as she puts it on.

"It diverts the eyes, so say I’m looking at you. My eyes would fall onto something else without me knowing."

"Thanks! Oh, right, you are leaving today, yes?"

"I am. That is why I am here."

"Well, here." She comes up to him and hugs him. "Make sure you take care, okay?" She stepped back and handed him a large book. "This is a book on pregnancy and parenting. I had Anansi make it along with this you asked for a while back."

She hands him a green-covered book with the words "Monsters of the Old World." on the cover.

"Ah, I knew I forgot something, thank you." He nods his head. "I will be sure to summon you when it is time to deliver."

"You better! I’ve been learning medicine from Miach!"

 

Cirrus returns home. He enters his room to find Ai and Artemis waiting.

"Are you ready?" Ai said.

"I am. You didn’t miss anything?"

"Nope." Said Artemis. "We checked everything and paid the taxes in advance."

"Then shall we get going before night comes?"

They walk up to the rooftop in winter clothes.

"Fafnir."

Fafnir emerged from his shadow, a dragon with scales as black as the night, blue lines along the scales' edges, and wings that shine with the night sky. Her eyes changed as well, with a more psychedelic look to them and a cascading kaleidoscope of colors; with now only a singular pair, the pupils had a cross-shaped appearance to adjust for the optimal perception of depth. Her body had also significantly changed, becoming sleeker.

"Lady Ai, Lady Artemis." She said, lowering her head.

Cirrus helps them get on; he gets on behind them.

"(Theïká Panoplía: Aethon) a brown feathered mantle covers Cirrus, which he covers Ai and Artemis with, protecting them from the cold wind. "Let’s go."

With a single flap of her wings, Fafnir was already high in the air, and with another, she was already out of the city limits and heading north.

The speed at which she flies is terrifying like a streak of darkness devouring the light in its path and pushing the clouds away as if they were waves in the sea.

 

After about 30 minutes of flight, Fafnir lands. They get off to find themselves near a wagon with two horses and a handsome bald man with red eyes wearing a black suit.

"Sir, the wagon and horses are ready," Hecton said.

Hecton also had a change. This was just the first time he chose to use his human form.

"Thank you. You can return if you wish."

"Very well." He walks over to Cirrus. "Lady Ai, Lady Artemis." He bows before returning to his shadow.

"I shall go as well," said Fafnir, melting back into the shadow.

"So are we gonna ride into town?" said Ai.

"Of course, it would be odd if we suddenly appeared. I mean, talking with the village head and buying the land was one thing, but I rather not just show up with two pretty ladies out of nowhere."

"He is right," Artemis said, getting in the back and grabbing some blankets. "You are riding, though."

"I thought that was a given? There should be stuff to keep you warm."

"Well!" Ai said from the driver's seat. "Let’s get going!"

Artemis, seeing what Ai did, also got up to the driver's seat, leaving only a spot in the middle open.

"Well, you heard Ai get up here and keep us warm with your armor!" Artemis said, wrapped in two layers of blankets.

"Where is that huntress I fell in love with all those years ago?" Cirrus gets up on the wagon and sits between them, wrapping them with his armor. "She used to shrug off the cold and wear fur right off the animal."

"That huntress is right here," Artemis said, snuggling in close.

"Artemis got more deadly the more spoiled she became," Ai said, also snuggling in close.

"I agree. She is terrifyingly cute."

 

After 10 minutes, they were already in the village. They could see villagers plowing the snow away and them waving back.

"It’s always interesting to see people act differently when they know you’re not a god." Said Artemis, hiding her divinity.

"This is a pretty nice and quiet place." Said Ai, looking around. "Where did you find it?"

"This is Bell’s home village, just so you know."

"Ah, when you left Orario out of nowhere. I’m very proud, Cirrus! You left no trail leading here!" Artemis said while resting her head on his shoulder.

"I can’t wait to see this place when the snow is gone," Ai said, also doing the same.

The villagers watched as they flirted along the long road.