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

Chapter 8

INUMAKI-The Silent

His return to Orario had gone as he had expected, the monsterphilia and the attack that had followed, it was a reminder to his own dream from years ago, though now with the years he had spent outside the city gave him the power to see beyond the shroud of memories he had been born with.

The city of Orario was far more complex and the clutches of evil that ruled over the city were far more sinister and deep rooted than he had imagined, and it had taken him about five years to understand that. The incident from five years ago, that had resulted in the decimation of Rudra familia and the events that had followed, including his exile were not as he had imagined.

For while Rudra familia was part of the Evilus indeed, the truth was that a major part of that organization still existed, hiding in the darkness, plotting and planning the destruction of Orario.

"So, you work here as a waitress then?" he asked as he settled down on one of the stools in the inn, Ryuu had led him to. The Hostess of Fertility, it was not quite as busy given that it was still the morning, but there were many adventurers sitting, eating and gossiping all around.

"Yes," Ryuu Leon answered, as she took the seat beside him, still dressed in her uniform as the throng of adventurers eyes him suspiciously, most of them eyeing him suspiciously.

"You still bear Astrea-sama's blessing," he asked, and she nodded, understanding the hidden question.

"Yes, I do," she replied as her eyes narrowed on the glass of water infront of her.

"There were many offers, of course," she began, and there should be. Ryuu Leon was a Level 4 adventurer, a highly skilled one at that. She was a high-class adventurer.

"But I couldn't get myself to accept them until I had the truth of that day. Of what happened to Astraea-sama?" she finished coarsely as she turned towards him, and he nodded.

And that was something he had expected. Ryuu Leon could be rather obsessive, and she did have a fixation on Astraea, her patron goddess. Though he did not think that was a bad choice, Astrea was a very good patron goddess, one who had sacrificed herself for her children.

"So, Inumaki-kun tell me," she said as she looked at him sharply.

"What truly happened that day?" she asked, and it was something that had taken him some time to figure out.

"Initially, Astraea-sama did indeed come to meet me that day," he replied and saw her nod. He believed she must have known that by now.

"But I did not attack her, nor did anyone else, including the Gods," and at that, her eyes widened, and yet she did not intervene.

"Then that means..."

"Yes, Astraea-sama left Genkai of her own volition. Why and under what circumstances? Well, that is something I can only speculate about," he said, making her frown.

"Why? You seem to have an idea at least," she asked, and indeed he did.

"To protect us," he answered truthfully, and she frowned.

"To protect you, me, and the rest of her children. After that incident, you and your whole familia was easily picking for the evil that lies deep in the city...."

"Impossible, we had Alise, Kagu..."

"Both of whom were injured," he cut in sharply as she reeled back.

"And so was your other friend, the prum. On that day, only you made it out without any lasting injury Ryuu, Kaguya had lost her arm, Alise's leg was affected and the prum had lost her eye." He finished, and she finally understood the point.

"But there was you as well," she said through gritted teeth, and he sighed. For indeed, that had been his own thinking. But it seems he had been wrong.

"Well, I am afraid had she not made that deal, I would have been executed that day for many reasons and would not have been able to help you or your friends as Evilus would have hunted you all down," he told her and saw her shake her head.

"No, I do not believe it. I hunted them down! All of them! This does not make sense!" she raged, and all the people in the inn turned towards her as she rose from her seat, the glass crushed in her hands, injuring her skin as blood dripped down her hand.

"I am afraid the roots of Evilus run far deeper than you imagine," he answered, and it had taken him years to understand that.

"As far as the Goddess with whom she struck this deal with. Well, I believe you are smart enough to figure it all out on your own," he finished. He took a sip of his own ale, and another waitress rushed towards the elf.

"Ryuu-san," she gasped as she saw the blood dripping down the blonde elf's hands and tried to get the blonde's attention.

"Your hand. You need to let go," she said softly, her grey hair glistening in the lights as she.

The elf finally looked down at her hand, at the blood, and with gritted and sighed as he turned towards the other waitress.

"I am fine, Syr. The box is in the back, right?" she asked. The other waitress nodded as the elf gave him a final nod.

"I need time to think," and he nodded as she left him there, walking towards the back as the grey-haired waitress made to join her, but was sent back by the elf.

Something was off about her. He had an inkling about what it was, but he did not open his mouth as she came and sat beside him.

"So, you are the infamous God Killer," she asked, and he raised a brow.

"You were able to recognize me," he asked, his suspicion growing by the second as his senses perceived the ever-so-familiar power emanating from her.

This was not a regular human being. No, this power. It was arcanum.

"No, but I did hear a few of our guests saying that name, and I have heard the stories," she added as she smiled at him while wiping away the remains of the broken glass.

"Well, half of them are true. I did indeed kill a god," he said as he drowned his ale, and just as he was about to activate his powers to see beyond the godly powers, a rather familiar voice erupted from the front.

"Clean the shelf and come to help in the kitchen, Syr!" and he looked up and found the towering figure of the inn's owner infront of him.

"Yes!" the mysterious girl beside him replied in a high-pitched tone as she finished the cleaning and turned away from him.

"Thank you for realizing the truth, Silent; it is good to have you back in Orario," with that, she ran away as he turned to face the burly woman eyeing him conspicuously.

She was Mama Mia, the owner of this inn. However, he knew her from a past role.

"So, you finally opened your inn," he asked with a smile, and she nodded.

"And you have finally come back, you brat," she asked, and he shrugged.

"It's been five years today. My punishment is over," he answered, for that was decided at the Denatus.

"Tch, well, whatever. All your peers have gotten quite ahead of you. Half the city doesn't even remember your name anymore," she said as her eyes glinted.

"They may have gotten ahead for the time being, but I hope you haven't forgotten about my other moniker, have you," he asked, and she chuckled.

"Which one? You had quite a few, didn't you, brat," and indeed he did.

"You still gonna cause a ruckus?" she asked, and suddenly he heard someone rushing down the stairs, and just as he was about to answer, he heard his name being called out.

"Hey, Inumaki!" and his head snapped to the side, and there stood a black-haired goddess with two bells tied around her twin tails, pointing at him with gleaming eyes.

She was Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth.

"Join my familia!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Hey! What are you doing? You busty brain-dead cheap stake! " He looked to the side and found a red-haired Goddess staring, pointing at Hestia.

"I had my eyes on him first!"

And in all this, the owner of the Hostess of Fertility smacked her face as she muttered under her breath.

"I shouldn't even have asked!"

0000

GODDESS HESTIA

Back in Tenkai, before she had descended to the lower world, another Goddess had come to meet her. An interesting Goddess who had somehow learned of her intentions to descend down the world.

The said Goddess had descended down to Genkai and had come back years later. Usually, Gods and Goddesses that came back from Genkai would keep to themselves, yet she had approached her only to have her grant a single favor.

To help out a child in the lower world.

"You stay away from her, you flat-chested ginger," she raged at Loki, who looked shrewdly into her eyes as they both fought over that very child.

"You get away, you bust brain-dead woman! Do you even know who he is!" Loki charged, and of course, she did. She doubted more than half of Orario did, while the others would learn it themselves by the night.

"Of course I do," she answered, and Loki smirked.

"Then what will you do if he goes on a rampage and tries to come after you, huh? Do you have anyone in your familia who can stop him if he does," that was the tainted reputation of the God Slayer, who was falsely accused of slaying his own patron, Goddess.

Though she knew that it was a false claim.

"I don't care. I believe in him. After all. He did save me earlier, didn't he," she said proudly as she pushed forward her chest, making Loki scrunch up her nose.

"He saved my little Leyfia-chan as well. So, you are not that special," and that hit her as she frowned, and Loki smirked.

"Plus, haven't you heard he was rather close to my Ais-tan in his youth? Some even said they were rivals," Loki acclaimed, and she did not know that and frowned. She did not know just how powerful he was.

"With him in my familia, I will be able to claim the title of the strongest familia in Orario, leaving behind that damned Freya in the dust," and with that, Loki laughed, and she knew only she had the audacity to insult Freya like this.

Any other God or Goddess doing so would be decimated.

"He is a high-ranking adventurer. He would never join your familia," Loki challenged as she gritted her teeth.

"I am afraid you are rather wrong, Loki-sama," another voice cut in from the side, and she saw the adventurer in question standing by their side.

"You," Loki began, her smile gone as the Goddess of jests became serious for the first time in their conversation.

"I do not like owing someone a debt, so I am offering you a chance to join my familia," and with that, her face twisted, revealing her shrewd side.

"And I will even help you get your revenge on the charming beauty that had you exiled," she offered, and that had her frown.

Inumaki, the Silent. He was the son of Orario's strongest adventurer, Alfia the Silence, and was once a member of the powerful Hera familia. After the defeat of Zeus and Hera familia, the boy had been the only member of the Hera familia in the city, who had continued to remain loyal to the Goddess despite various offers and was shunned for it for years.

And then had come the great tragedy from seven years ago. The dawn of the evil of Erebus, and in that attack, Evilus would have the support of his mother and Zald, the two now famous as Orario's greatest traitors.

His mother's involvement in the attack would ruin his reputation further and make it so that no God or Goddess would give him their blessing for several reasons. Until her friend, the Goddess of Justice, would do so, striking a deal with the boy in her time of desperation.

And then the boy would go on to kill a whole familia, one associated with Evilus. Then Astraea would ascend as well, an act in which the boy was implicated as well, though the Goddess herself had denied it, saying that she had decided to ascend out of her own volition.

"Flattered as I am by your offer, I am afraid there is not much I can offer you, your familia for that matter," the boy said, and she smirked as the red-haired bitch clicked her tongue.

"You sure about this, kid. My familia is touted as one of the strongest in Orario, join me and you would enjoy the prestige and the protection of Orario's strongest. Afterall, you have been gone for five years, while your enemies have spent all that time getting stronger," Loki offered.

The boy smiled, his grey hair falling down and covering one of his eyes, and suddenly, she felt the air in the room shift as she reeled back.

Her—a Goddess. And the boy's eyes shifted, turning from pitch black to scarlet red.

"I believe you are mistaken," he said as he walked forward, and the whole inn became still as his words emanated throughout the place.

"I have run enough, and now that I am back. It is time for my enemies to run because I am coming for them. All of them!" and it was the first time she had seen Loki go quiet as the Goddess face became serious.

"Then so be it," Loki said as she turned away.

"Do whatever you want, and since I owe you one for saving one of my children, I will keep her off your back for some time," Loki offered and the boy nodded.

"I doubt if that will be necessary, but that is good enough, I guess." Loki walked away, and the boy finally turned towards him. He was taller than Bell-kun, and with those red eyes, he looked somewhat similar to him, except for his hair.

And yet his smile was just as raw.

"Though I may have rejected Loki-sama's offer. You are not bound to your word. If you do not wish to offer me your blessing, I would...," and she cut in as those words began to make sense.

"I do," she cut in as she stepped forward and put forth her hand.

"Join my familia, Silent!" she said, and the boy smiled.

"I will be happy to, Hestia-sama!"

0000

Back in Loki familia headquarters, a pissed-off Loki entered the Hall as several of her children lay in her wait, including the elf Leyfia, the Amazon sisters, and the infamous 'Kenki-Aiz Wallenstein.'

"Huh, what are you all doing here?" Loki asked, her mood slightly improving upon seeing her favorite Ais-tan, as another voice came from the side.

"I heard you went to meet the Silent," and she looked to the side and found her familia's elite, Riveria standing there.

"So, you heard," the Goddess clicked her tongue, as the Elf royalty nodded.

"I did. I also heard you offered him to join the familia," and Aiz Wallenstein's eyes widened at that, a massive feat given her stoic nature. It was also a surprise to the others, given that the Loki familia was rather exclusive, and to get an offer from Goddess Loki herself was an impossibility nowadays.

"Don't worry. The brat had the audacity to reject me," the Goddess said, and everyone in the room gasped.

"He rejected the offer to join the Loki familia?" Leyfia asked, surprised that anyone would do such a thing.

"He did. That idiot. Well, in the end, it's his loss," the Goddess said as she slipped her hands behind her head and continued to walk forward.

"It seems I will just get to keep my precious Ais-tan all to myself," and the mood did not lighten with those words.

"Just who is he?" Leyfia asked as the Goddess vanished through the stairs, and both the Amazon sisters and herself looked towards Riveria and Ais-san given that they seemed rather aware of the whole situation.

"His name is Inumaki, and he is a high-ranking adventure that was once part of Hera familia," and they all gasped at that. After all, who in Orario did not know of the legendary familia?

"Several incidences led to him being thought a part of the Evilus, and for a time, no God or Goddess would offer him a blessing until one did," Riveria-san continued.

"He went on to destroy a whole familia thought to be associated with Evilus, and slaying a God. Though soon afterward, it was rumored that he even killed his own Goddess for reasons that are not known to anyone," and they all gasped at that. Destroying a whole familia, slaying a god. Supposedly killing your own patron deity.

"He is perhaps the only one in the city apart from Gareth who can fight the warlord Ottar on even footing" and Leyfia gasped at that.

"But how?"

"Because of one of his skills," this time it was Ais-san that answered.

"The very skill that makes ranks useless when it comes to him, and earned him one of his rather countless epithets...."

"...The Silence's Shadow."

0000

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