Diving
Going out alone in the middle of night isn't a new thing that Freya learned. She already did it several times in the past and always enjoy the every moment of it. The goddess of beauty sometimes can be very childish and naïve, but this moment can be an important experience for her to observing any potential adventurer that can be her 'child'.
It has been a while since he accept any new members.
Observing and find any potential adventurer from field is one of thing that is must for her. Many would find it useless since the existence of gods must be protected and secured no matter what. Why? It's obvious, they are the key factor of forming a familia and important figure of this whole world they living in.
It is true that gods must be protected and secured, but there's no case about a god that being threaten or harmed by any adventurers. Since the law of this forbid to do such thing, because if they find out to harm or threaten gods, moreover kill them; their soul when goes to afterlife wouldn't be straightly go to heaven. They would be tortured because breaking the absolute law.
But there's a few people who still worried and assign bodyguards or something like that to make sure their gods safe and unharmed by any chance. Although gods is powerful being, they aren't omnipotent, they can be killed or not born to be perfect in all aspect; even if Freya herself only has perfect golden ratio. Only that part of her that can be considered perfect.
Only being covered by a robe, her beautiful face already being hidden and most people can't easily discover that. It would be bad if someone who potentially harmed her showed up and recognize her face completely, she won't that kind of thing troubling her life.
Entering a decent café that only had few customer, Freya settled herself to have a little break. She couldn't sense any energy nor power that similar to the one she wanted to found. That's a little disappointment, but she can let it go for now and enjoy her time alone.
After ordering and it's finished, she then take a sip of the drink. It's alcohol, but not that high to be able make someone drunk enough and also the fact her body could immune to it, the small 'poison' inside it would be neutralized and she won't go drunk that easily.
Despite that, she still choose to drink the low concetration alcohol.
She letting out a deep and long sigh. Hinted that Freya felt disappointed when she do that.
"There's no luck about it… should I continue it tomorrow? Maybe the person who possess it already sleep or don't have any intention to out at night…"
Yep. She have a bad luck and has to give up for this moment. There's no use to forcing herself and do anything that would made her regret it. Going smoothly and at decent pace is something she must do after all.
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Heaven, Hestia's Room
This a room of someone who being called and known as Goddess of Hearth. From what rumour said, just basis on that, Goddess of Hearth or commonly known by the name of Hestia is a goddess who truly kind and very caring to people around her; especially her childs. She kind enough to any strangers or people who in the need, like beggar or whatsoever.
But of course that's just a rumour. The truth seems hurt those so-called Hestia's believer and pray to her, if they ever find out about it and even if they do, denial is one thing that they would do. The room we look right now is just full of childish thing, even you can get the aura and theme of childish from the single glance. There's no such thing that represent the title of her, Goddess of Hearth, or many rumours based on her. All of that is bunch of lies that made up by many people; especially her own believer.
Inside this room we can see the Goddess of Hearth herself asleep peacefully and snoring without caring about anything around her. She has a childish face and body yet her… breasts seems really developed and doesn't fit her character at all. As if there's no balance on it.
When most of her 'friends', which is gods, already descend to lower world and start their own familia; she still in here and does nothing but eat, lazing around, bath, and sleep. That's the kind of activity she spent in Heaven as she being called 'Lazy Goddess' by most of her friends and acquitances.
As the firstborn girl and daughter of Kronos and Rhea, she living in luxury and doesn't care about anything because all of she needs already being fulfilled. That's why she have lazy, spoiled, and childish personality that always annoys most of the gods around her.
Although partialy of the rumour about Hestia is kind is true though… but not too everyone.
If she ever find someone she considered important or worst case, fall in love, her childish personality always being seen by people. They would be visible as she always pushy and… kind of creepy to any potential love rivals. But she not going so far like kill or murders them, she's not yandere though... definitely not. Hestia is just a energetic goddess that would serious if the situation demand her to be like that.
Awaken at night is uncommon for her, such as like this time.
With half-sleep eyes that heavy because of the gravity it seems gathered around her eyes, she wake up from her peaceful and nice sleep. She still wore the white and see-through nightwear with flowers as the theme engraved onto it.
A slip of drool also can being seen from her mouth while she looking around and yawned.
"This is happened again… enghh…! Why would I suddenly awake at this time…? Is this some kind of habits that I'll have? No! That would be bad… my body would be in bad condition if this always happen. I must find a way to solve that problem."
She nods quickly with determination of her eyes. But that quickly changed as she sigh heavily and her eyes became clear as her mind right now. She looking around again and rose from her bed, casually walked to the mirror and see herself.
Hestia sighing again.
"Most of the gods already descend to lower world and find any child for their own familia… yet here I am, still lazing around and doing nothing. Soon I will have to, but… since Zeus nowhere to be found after his familia weakened and experience a great loss when being defeated by One Eyed Black Dragon… I have no reason to descend."
Indeed. Lazy and spoiled may be, but Hestia is caring big sister to her siblings, such as Zeus; even if Zeus himself is a pervert who always peeked on the goddesses at Divine Bathhouse, she still care about her brother.
She still unsure about descend to lower world.
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Hephaestus' Study
After finishing the familia induction familia and accepting the new members of her familia, Hephaestus has gone into deep thinking. Her face shows that the thing she saw earlier is unbelievable and that's not a light matter that can be ignore by some gods. She know that's wrong to doubt her own child, but that still bother her a lot.
'Her talent in smithing isn't too great and too bad, slightly above average and it's enough to pass. Moreover, she interested at the subject. Usually I would not care about such thing, but her case is special. There's something written but can't be read by me, also the fact that she has SSS-rank abilities is outstanding. Let's not forget about her own race, which is demon.'
It's not like Hephaestus is racist, but she just worried that it might cause any trouble for Alicia in the future and may be herself. She don't want that happen in her familia, after all it's under her protection and it's her responsibility to begin with.
All of her child safety fell to her as her responsibility.
Sure because of the rule, Arcanum, which forbid any gods who already descend to lower world to use their power, Hephaestus can't use her own power to ensure the safety of her childs. But under certain condition, they allowed to use it, such as using it to broadcasting War Games. Or maybe if the rule being changed like gods can use it when they are threaten, they can which is likely impossible since most of adventurers under the care of the gods would immediately protect them.
Like a princess of the castle, they needed to be protected by their familia members. Small familia would be put in disadvantage when that kind of thing happened, since they mostly lack in numbers and quality of their abilities. Not to mention the lack of weapon and equipment, that would be disastrous for them.
To fill the lack of that, they must train so hard to catch up with others. Not that uncommon, but it's rare to see a small familia that have a good quality of adventurers in it.
She just wondering.
'Is it right to accept her…? I just hope there's no major problem that occurred.'
She would be lying if hoping for no trouble, so it's best to hope for nothing major would get them. It will lessen her work rather than have many small ones, after all.
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A new day is up. Today task for Alicia would be obviously register as an adventurer officialy to guild and preparing her weapon also equipment. In short, buying it for her when she descend to dungeon. Although the familia type of Hephaestus is Smith, they're not forbid the members to be adventurer and exploring the dungeon. After all, how one able to level up and receive alias for themselves if they aren't doing the fast way to make it true?
Exploring dungeon would be the best choice and to add extra cash for their life. Someone also find the excitement that only be found when in dungeon, not to mention about finding any ingredients for smithing. It's valuable and important rather than just sit and waiting it.
To make sure Alicia know about everything and make no mistake, Tsubaki was sent to be her guide. Why it should be her? Doesn't Hephaestus familia has many members other than her? The easiest answer is obviously that Alicia herself already familiar with Tsubaki, albeit not knowing her for a long time and can trust her a bit, also the fact that Tsubaki is very kind towards her familia colleagues.
'Hephaestus made the right decision. I only knew this world from the anime, manga, or light novel; only a few place that already mentioned and it's not I know the whole thing about DanMachi world itself. It's dumb to implying that I remembers any of that. Even if Ais is my favorite waifu.'
Alicia thought of that while rubs her chin and nodding her head.
What the demon queen think is true. The whole thing about DanMachi can be found very complicated and confusing. This franchise itself can't be taken lightly due it's stupid title, it's far more than that and fascinating; the concept of falna, dungeon, vast unseen locations. All of that isn't yet revealed or may not be revealed in the end.
The world itself surrounds by mystery. Not at the level of One Piece, but nevertheless still good. It will need a little touch to the world building and development to make it more fascinasting. Because it always around Orario, the city who start and end the journey of Bell Cranel; full of conflict.
But Alicia also need to know about any other members than Tsubaki and Welf—which is she only knew him from the fiction—to make sure she get used and comfortable living in Hephaestus Manor. She also have to remember her purpose coming to this world, which is to have fun and ignore everything that involving Bell Cranel, the protagonist of DanMachi.
First and foremost, her first objective as adventurer of Hephaestus familia isn't smithing, instead exploring dungeon and win Ais heart. Simply put, make Ais her girlfriend or wife and made her happy. Although she's can be considered Multiverse Wanderer, Alicia herself doesn't have any plans to visit another world than this one she currently living in.
After finishing anything she has to, Alicia then headed out to the dungeon. How about the details like registering as adventurer and bought weapon or equipment for her? All of that is story for later that can be presented as flashback session.
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Dungeon in Orario has three floor section. It's commonly known by many adventurer within Orario and anyone who works related to it. The deep the adventurer go in, the harder struggle they will face and the monsters would be more dangerous than previous floors. All of it common knowledge that being shared within dungeon, newbie adventurer also receive that kind of knowledge from their advisors. It is necessary to ensure they're not die when diving inside it.
Newbie adventurer level 1 usually spend time on floor 1 – 4 since they have weak status and must get excelia to make their body become stronger; let's not forget to train their own skills and abilities. The bigger the level is, the deep the floors they must go.
And here it is, a single newbie adventurer who is level 1, just recently joined a Smith-type familia—walk around in the 1st floor to get used to the feeling and environment of dungeon. This is her first time to be in here, yet she already well enough in fighting or killing.
With a standard bow that can be bought from any store in Orario, a steel armor that covered her chest and steel boots in her legs. Although it's unnecessary for long-ranged type adventurer use any armor, she said that her style rather unique; since she can switch from long-ranged to melee.
"If only they had dual handgun… ah, shoot. I have to be careful to be not like Nagumo Hajime. He modernization anything in Ortus."
She shook her head to make sure do not distracted and follow the lead of an individual named Nagumo Hajime she knew from a certain franchise. As soon as she did that, a screeching sounds can be heard from behind her. Which made her turn around and spotted a few goblins. One, two… they're three goblin.
Inhaling and exhaling, she nod and trying to gain distance. Fortunately, the goblins still can be said far from her, but that would be mean a good chance to strike it down. There's no way she have to waste this chance.
Pulling the bowstring and carefully lock the target she would aim, Alicia then shoot it with decent strength. Bullseye! Her arrow successfully stuck in the goblin head, one down and two foes remaining. Goblin are stupid and simpleminded, so it's not that hard to fight them. Although it would be bad if they attack in group.
Again. A screeching sounds from them. Noticing that their comrade fallen, both of them charging towards Alicia, which she dodge when one of them trying to smash the new adventurer with its club, which ended up a failure as Alicia trying to shoot it again; trying to get a headshot.
WHOOSH
Cry of pain coming from their mouth as Alicia keep trying to shoot them down. She still trying to gain distance and shoot, her arrows haven't struck in their head, instead in their body. Right shoulder, stomach, left leg, and right arm. Blood soiled their bodies, as the goblins panting heavily.
Alicia keep shooting until her enemies down after a few minutes. Her fight ended up faster than she'd thought. She doesn't sweats that much and still has the energy to continue exploring, that's why she trying her best to accumulate excelia and continue to exploring further.
Maybe she trying to 4th floor. Really, seems there's no any hardship when she can use [Creation].
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Dungeon, 4th floor
A few hours has been passed since then. Alicia already spent most of her stamina and feel tired today. Her progress is fascinating and maybe make any adventurer stare in jealously to her. And in that hours she already accumulating a lot of excelia she needs to raise her stats.
She also already slain many goblins and kobolds along the way when she exploring it. The drops also being stored in [Dimensional Storage]. Not only drop items, Alicia also not forgetting about magic stones, she can trade it for valis at the guild. It's useful for many things.
Huffing, Alicia then swipe her forehead and sniffing her own body that reek of sweats.
"Seems I have to come back and it's already… a few hours? Maybe I sold the magic stones later to the guild and make something useful from the drop items that the goblins and kobold had."
Saying that, she then snaps her finger to use her [World Gate] abilities and transport her to the 1st floor as she don't want to make people suspicious or suspect something from her. Of course she already looking around to check if there's no one besides her when bring up the [World Gate].
Alicia relieved about that. She doesn't want to bring any trouble to Hephaestus after all and of course herself.
She still sniffing herself, although she has that disgusted face.
"I'm really reek of sweats… guess a hot bath is necessary."
Alicia said it while flashing a smile and humming happily. Bath after hardwork is the best feeling anyone should have, she hope her fatigue can be restored through that, although the demon queen herself can easily wiped off that with her abilities, but she prefer not to do that.
'It is cheating, alright. Although I'm not the one who should say that… since I do that too to join the familia. Guilty pleasure and hypocrite is who I am.'
She chuckle in irony when think about that.