Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 3: A goddess beside me~

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"Although I may be a little far from you, I'm afraid the truth will disappoint you—I heard everything."

At that moment, a cold, clear female voice rang out from the other side of the lake. The voice, though pleasant to the ears, carried a tone of seriousness and an unmistakable air of authority.

Emerging from the mist at the lake's edge, a goddess with aqua-blue hair approached the group. Draped in a white bathrobe, she interrupted their chatter with her mere presence.

Her flawless figure was accentuated by the simplicity of her robe, and her emerald-green eyes, sharp and radiant like gemstones, exuded calmness and dignity.

A goddess with an uncompromising demeanor.

One glance was enough to recognize her divine nature. There was an innate distinction between gods and mortals. Even stripped of any indicators of divinity—no adornments, no aura—her presence alone announced, "This is a god!" Awe and reverence were instinctive responses.

The brown-haired girl who had weakly complained earlier froze as the goddess's voice resonated. Her face fell immediately, paling like a child caught red-handed by a strict parent.

With a nervous smile, she raised her hands to frame her cheeks in a mockingly cute gesture, as though trying to plead innocence.

"I'm sorry, Lady Artemis... I was wrong~"

"It's too late! Chloe, come to my tent before you sleep tonight."

Artemis's expression remained stern, her lips parting just enough to deliver her decree in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes… I understand."

Chloe's reply was soft and laden with resignation. Her fate was sealed, and she mentally prepared for the long night ahead.

The goddess's lectures were legendary within the Familia, not because of their intensity, but because of their sheer persistence.

Even if Chloe managed to lie down in her tent later, she'd still hear Artemis's voice ringing in her ears, driving every lesson home. It was not merely a possibility—it was a well-established fact among her companions.

Once Chloe's punishment was declared, Artemis's stern gaze swept over the rest of the girls. Her sharp, watchful eyes were a silent warning, cataloging every potential offender.

Her stare was akin to that of a teacher marking her students for future mischief. The girls shifted uncomfortably, feeling as though her eyes pierced through them, and soon none of them dared even to breathe too loudly.

Who knew who might be next to face judgment? It was far better to tread carefully and remain unnoticed.

After a tense moment, Artemis finally withdrew her gaze.

Rethusa, standing nearby, seemed hesitant, as though she wanted to say something but thought better of it. With a soft sigh, she quietly stepped away.

Once the goddess had left, the girls exchanged furtive glances, checking the surroundings like thieves assessing their safety.

Their eyes lingered on the path Artemis had taken, ensuring no signs of her imminent return. Only when they were absolutely certain she was gone did their whispered chatter resume.

Though subdued for a while, the bubbling enthusiasm of youth was not something that could be stifled for long.

---

After finishing her bath and donning fresh clothes, Artemis strolled back to the camp, still clad in her bathrobe. She rubbed her temples wearily with her free hand.

"Just let time pass…" she murmured softly to herself.

As the goddess and leader of the Familia, she was acutely aware of the thoughts and feelings of her charges.

Did they truly believe that by pretending to behave, they could hide their intentions from her?

What a joke! More than half of the girls in this Familia grew up under her care—how could Artemis not know what they were thinking?

She simply chose not to say it.

Of course, part of the reason was that she wouldn't know how to put it into words even if she tried.

After all, Artemis was a virgin goddess who had never even been in a romantic relationship herself.

At times like this, Artemis would chalk the girls' behavior up to the restlessness of adolescence. Her approach was always to suppress it gently and wait patiently for this phase to pass.

Initially, Artemis had intended to ask Rethusa to check on the boy they rescued earlier.

But now, seeing how doting Rethusa was with the girls in the Familia, Artemis realized that sending her might lead to more trouble. Rethusa rarely refused their requests, no matter how minor—something as simple as "Can I come too?" would likely result in the entire group tagging along.

Would it be better for me to go alone?

The thought flickered across Artemis's mind.

Surprisingly, she felt no resistance to this idea. In fact, she didn't even notice her own acceptance of it.

---

The makeshift tent camp wasn't far from the lake, so it didn't take Artemis long to return.

After dropping off her bathrobe in her own tent, she approached a small tent at the camp's edge. With a mix of curiosity and complicated thoughts, she lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

There wasn't much to describe about the interior—plain and utilitarian, as expected of a temporary shelter meant only for nighttime use. Everything would be dismantled and packed up come morning.

The blond boy they had rescued earlier was still lying on the beige cotton sheet, a small piece of white gauze covering his forehead. He was tucked under a simple quilt and showed no signs of waking.

"…Hmm?"

Artemis moved closer, quietly squatting beside him. Her emerald-green eyes studied his face, a faint frown forming as an odd feeling resurfaced.

There was something about him that didn't sit right, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

This strange sensation had first stirred when she saw him during the battle. But with her attention focused on the fight, she had dismissed it as unimportant.

Now, in the quiet stillness of the tent, the feeling grew stronger.

Very strange…

Lost in thought, Artemis's mind drifted as she mulled over her vague unease.

---

Meanwhile, Izzy teetered on the edge of consciousness, caught in that lazy, half-dreaming state where one hovers between waking and sleeping.

But the pull of wakefulness grew stronger, and soon his senses began to sharpen.

The darkness behind his eyelids receded, replaced by dim light, and his mind slowly cleared. He blinked two or three times, his vision adjusting to the surroundings.

A cloth ceiling… Am I in a tent?

Izzy assessed his situation, the pieces falling into place.

Was I rescued?

Though his memory was hazy, he recalled vague shapes and voices before he lost consciousness. Someone had been near him.

Wait—not just then. Someone's near me now.

A flash of blue caught the edge of his vision, compelling Izzy to turn his head. From his position lying on his back, a slight tilt was enough to bring the figure into view.

What he saw left him momentarily breathless.

An ethereal beauty sat beside him, lost in her thoughts. Her aqua-blue hair framed a face that seemed otherworldly, exuding both elegance and authority.

She didn't seem to notice him yet, her focus distant.

"…Hiss."

Izzy inhaled sharply, his body tensing instinctively. He leaned back slightly, as if trying to create space between them—or perhaps as a reflexive retreat from the sheer weight of her presence.

…Leaning back? That didn't feel quite right.

Could someone please explain why, upon waking from unconscious, he was greeted by the sight of a goddess sitting at his side?