DANMACHI: The Silence's Heir (OC x Freya)

Chapter 6

~~Five years later~~

RYUU LION

Five years had passed since the patron goddess of Astraea familia had left the lower world, as her familia suffered a crippling blow from their fight against Evilus. The circumstances of her ascension remained a mystery to this day, and the only person who had the answer to that question was by the Denatus.

Of the four members of the familia that had survived the great fight against Evilus, only she remained devoted to the cause of justice and truth. The rest of her familia members had left Orario as well, unable to cope with the pain and the constant threats brought upon by their stay in the city.

Ryuu was offered by many familia to join them, including some of the top familia of the city and yet she refused them all, as she went on the offensive against the remnants of Evilus, trying to exact revenge for her dead comrades. Her antics soon alienated all those offers, and soon enough, she found herself alone with the city wiped clean of one and all remnants of Evilus she could find.

And yet, in the half a decade, she had not been able to find a single clue about the truth of their Goddess's ascension. Well, no clue except one that she had been wrong—they had been wrong. That while Inumaki the Silent was involved in the whole affair, the boy was not near their goddess when she had ascended to Tenkai.

And so, Ryuu Lion counted the days until the return of that boy, as she still bore her Goddess's crest on her back as a memento to her fallen comrades and friends, having promised herself that she would not move on until she had the truth of the whole affair.

And now that day was here.

"You are on break today," her friend and co-worker Syr Flova asked as she cleaned the floor at her job, for she now worked as a waitress at a bar named Hostess of Fertility, to hide her identity both from Evilus and conniving Gods and Goddesses trying to make her join their familia.

"But Ryuu-san never takes a leave," Syr, the grey-haired haired human girl that had saved her life, added excitedly as Ryuu raised a brow.

"I am afraid. Sometimes I do," she replied softly, not wishing to burden her with her secrets.

"Are you going to the festival, the Monsterphilia?" Syr asked with stars in her eyes as she clasped together her hands.

"Perhaps, with a special someone. A hidden tyrs..." and before her friend could ramble on, Ryuu struck her head with the tail end of her broom, making her stop and wince in pain.

"Ouch," Syr winced as she rubbed her head, giving her a pitiful look as she shook her head.

"I am not. I just have an errand to run," she added softly as she thought about the Goddess and how, five years ago, on this fateful day, they had lost her with no culprit named until today.

She had visited the grave they had made for her familia, renewing her promise to her fallen comrades of finding out the truth behind that day.

And her sombreness must have shown as Syr backed off, her face getting tinged with sadness as she suddenly added.

"Oh..." and then a second later, she continued.

"Then perhaps you could join me in the festivities later, and we can enjoy the festival together," and the offer was made in earnest. She knew that it was not easy being friends with her and was thankful that Syr had stuck with her for all this time, but she needed answers. She had waited for five years and could wait no more.

"Perhaps later," she rebuffed the offer and saw her friend's face wilt. Much like her, Syr had asked for a day off as well and had been granted it by Mama, a retired level 6 adventurer who ran Hostess of Fertility.

"Ok," Syr replied, her face shifted at her answer, and as much as it hurt her to see her friend like this, she could not accept her invite offer today.

"Is Mister Bell going to join you today?" she asked, suddenly knowing that his name would cheer her up, and it did.

"No," Syr replied, her face turning rosy.

"He said he had a few errands to run," and seeing her friend pine over the white-haired adventure was something. Bell Cranel, the white-haired adventure from Hestia Familia had caught her friend's eye and for good reason.

He was weak, but Ryuu had noticed a great power from the boy, whose looks constantly reminded her of him, and yet they could not be more dissimilar. While Bell Cranel was an idealistic boy looking to be a hero, she knew firsthand that Inumaki the Silent was anything but.

"He says he has an errand to run today, but maybe I will ask him again if he comes to visit," Syr mentioned as Mama entered the inn, stifling a yawn.

"Yo. You girls done with the cleaning?" she asked, and Ryuu gulped as she looked at the work she still had left to do.

"We are getting to it, Mama!" Syr added quickly, not wishing to incur the older woman's wrath.

.

.

.

"She left her wallet?" Ryuu added as she looked at Syr's wallet, rolling her eyes at her friend's carelessness.

"Yes, nyaa," Chloe Rollo added as she intercepted her just as she was about to leave the inn.

"Perhaps you could give it to her, nyaa," the catgirl asked, and Ryuu shook her head.

"I am heading in a different direction," she added. She was going to the gates, more specifically the Eastern gate where her and her familia had fought him all those years ago. The city had many gates, and yet a part of her nudged her towards that very gate, telling her that if he came today he would return from that very gate.

"You are not going to the festival, nyaa?" the girl questioned, perplexed, and she shook her head.

"I am not," and just then a very familia voice interrupted them both.

"Good morning, Ryuu-san, Chloe-san," and they both perked up at that as they saw that familia white-haired boy greet them and even now, having known him for days. She saw his shadow as she stared at those red eyes, getting reminded of how she had seen similar eyes all those years ago.

"Bell-san, good morning," Chloe greeted the Level 1 adventurer, and she did the same, noticing how he was not dressed in his armor and did not seem to be heading to the dungeon. The boy had been practically obsessed with the dungeon ever since his little interaction with Loki familia, having been hurt by the scathing words of one of their members.

The boy had been recklessly going to the dungeon, a feat she did not encourage, yet even in the few days, the difference in strength was palpable.

"Are you not going to the dungeon today, Bell-san?" Chloe asked, and the boy shook his head.

"No, I was hoping to enjoy the festival today and visit some stalls," he replied.

"That is good," she said, praising the importance of taking care not to become mentally exhausted as an adventurer.

"Ohh, you are going to the festival, nyaa?" Chloe suddenly asked, and she got an idea as the boy nodded.

"Yes," she said, picking up Syr's purse from Chloe's hand and passing it to him.

"Syr left for the festival earlier but left her wallet. Perhaps you could bring it to her?" she asked, and the boy's eyes beamed as he nodded.

"Of course, Ryuu-san," and with that, the boy raced along. She gave Chloe a nod as she began her own journey, and as she made her way to the city gate, she thought about how the city had changed over the years. The stench of Evilus and hopelessness that had once enveloped the city was now long gone, and the people had settled down.

And now, on the day the great tragedy had occurred, they now celebrated the festival of Monsterphilia, a festival organized by Ganesha familia that was a ruse to soften the image of Monsters. The reason behind this still eluded her, though.

As for her familia, after they had lost to him in that fight, she and Alize had gotten into a heated argument, one that had left their relationship strained. She walked towards the city gate, and watched as throngs of people rushed into the city, most of them here to attend the festival and enjoy the luxuries of the greatest city of the world.

And she settled down as she leaned against the wall, her eyes scanning the throngs of people entering the city for that familiar shade of grey. She stayed there, still and waiting for hours and yet there was no sign of grey that was until a cloaked figure appeared beside her, his whole body covered by the cloak, and yet even then she was able to recognise him.

"Are you here to attack me once again, Ryuu Lion?" came the question as she gulped and shook her head, calming her tumultuous heart.

"No," she answered, the years had simmered down her anger, and now she was more curious than angry about the events of that day, and what had happened to her Goddess.

"I am here for answers," she began as she glanced at him.

"I want you to tell me. What truly happened that day?" she asked and felt him still for a second.

"Why? Have you forgotten the rumors from all those years ago," he asked as he turned towards her.

"Rumors that a single adventurer slew not one, but two Gods," he asked, and she bit her lip as her eyes narrowed.

"But is that really the truth of that day?" she pushed, knowing that he was hiding something. That the events of that day were not really that simple.

"Can you handle the truth, Ryuu Le..."

BOOOOM!

Suddenly, several explosions rocked the city, and she saw people begin to panic all around.

"What was that?" she asked as she saw several other explosions all over the city, and just as she was caught by surprise she watched as the figure beside her blurred forward, jumping from one roof to another as she screamed from behind.

"Wait!" and yet he did not stop, and she could do little but chase after him.

.

.

.

As the white-haired boy raced across the streets of Orario, trying to find Syr, Orario's two strongest goddesses sat in a booth nearby, discussing their own affairs.

"So, another boy has caught your eye, huh, Freya?" the flat-chested, red-haired Goddess of Mischief, Loki, asked as she confronted her only equal in Orario, Freya.

The Goddess of beauty did not react, yet she did not deny those words as well.

"Have you not forgotten the whole debacle you caused the last time someone caught your eye?" Loki asked, and this time, the grey-haired goddess's eyes glinted.

"I don't know what you are talking about," she denied it shamelessly as Loki clicked her tongue.

"So, what is the name of the boy? Don't tell me he is from another familia?" Loki gasped, trying to prevent a situation like from all those years ago, and yet Freya did not answer as her gaze traveled to the street outside.

"He is a weak little boy, not that strong," a much contrast from last time, and yet in her eyes, his soul was anything but normal. It was so clear and bright that it was exhilarating. As she stared out the window, she gasped nearly as she saw it racing across the street, and her heart immediately began to race.

".." her lips parted, and only through sheer effort did she hold her tongue from taking his name as she adjusted the cloak and rose from her seat.

"I am afraid we will have to cut this short. I need to go," and as Loki sat there, surprised, she rose up and began to move out of the establishment as she heard Loki complain about her not having picked up the cheque.

And as she stepped outside she continued moving forward towards the location of the festival as a shadowy figure began to follow her.

"Ottar, where are they keeping the monsters for the Festival?" she asked, and her famila's ace did not hesitate to answer.

"A street right from here," he answered dutifully, and she smiled as she turned right and came upon the warehouse where the Ganesha familia was keeping the monsters for their festival locked up. Two guards stood outside the warehouse, and as she made her way toward the gate, they perked up.

"Hey. This gate is off lim..." And yet, before they could continue, she looked them both in the eye, and their bodies relaxed as a haze fell over their eyes. She passed by them without any issue and found herself inside the warehouse where dozens of monsters lay caged. Then her eyes landed on an arctic monkey, and she smiled.

"You will do nicely...."

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