016 A bad day, the heavy rain and Freya.

Midnight in Orario---

Shiiiiish! Shiiiiish! Shiiiiish!

It's raining heavily..

The dark clouds that's been gathering above the city since morning have finally showed it's fangs. Strong winds carrying huge droplets of water are hitting the clay roofs and walls of the houses and shops heavily.

The rain has been pouring since late afternoon and continued up-to now without stopping or getting weaker at all. This kind of intense heavy rainfall was more than capable of flooding the streets normally but..... that doesn't apply to Orario.

The city that's known as the center of the world.

Perhaps even if this rain will last for months or even a year more, it will not be able to make this city get flooded. All thanks to the huge sewage systems that lies below. It's believe to be as big as the city of Orario itself when it comes to size and is similar to Daedalus Street in complexity.

After ascending the spiral stone staircase, Bell finally stepped out of the dungeon. He's in messed, like a soldier whom had just escaped from an all out war.

Not only was his clothes dirty, they are also torn up really well and drenched with his own blood. He's covered with several cuts that are quite deep.

However, Bell whom the owner of this extremely beaten up body doesn't seem to care at all. Wearing a nonchalant expression on his youthful face, he headed towards the shower area while whistling.

If it was in his past life, wounds like this should have made him to scream his lungs out cursing the monsters that caused this. Perhaps he even had long become unconscious due to the pain alone. It hurts, all of his wounds are painful. But it's surprising still bearable for him.

Since it's already past midnight, this place is now almost completely empty. Aside from a few guild employees and guards that are still around, Bell didn't see anyone else, not a single adventure like him. This works in his favor though as at least, not a lot of people will witness his embarrassingly sorry state right now.

Shower area.

It's a huge room provided by the guild for adventurers to wash themselves after coming out of the dungeon. So they won't have to walk in the streets bloody or covered with dirt. It's divided into two parts, for male and female adventurers and is completely free of charge.

" Aaahhh..... That's unexpectedly a great bath.... Eh? It's raining? "

Finished washing himself and applying potions, the Bell now look as good as new. He also had taken out a new pair of casual clothes like that of any ordinary residents.

But he now has a new problem, it's...... raining heavily outside. This kind of thing shouldn't be a problem for him during normal times but now...it definitely is a problem. A huge one at that!

He had just finished taking a bath so if possible, Bell didn't want to get drenched with water again. That's very troublesome.

But he didn't bring any raincoat or umbrella with him so... he's now in pinch.

Do I really have no other choice? Just how bad was my luck today can be? He complained inside.

Bell's talking about how he got surrounded by monsters a lot of times today and was almost killed a few times in the process. How he had encountered monster party more than five times today like as if the dungeon itself was trying it's best to kill him.

The grave wounds that he got earlier was the proof of how extreme that adventure was. It's only because of his skills and a bit of luck that let Bell to successfully return back alive.

" HHAAAH. Whatever, I'll just take another bath later. " His goddess is still waiting for him to come back for sure so he has no time to waste here.

And with that, Bell made his first step out of the tower. Cold winds and heavy droplets of water quickly kissed his skin but....., Bell ignored it and continue walking forward unhurriedly.

Similar to the Tower's first floor, the Central Park is also empty, not a single soul was around( at least he can't see one.) With this heavy rain around, this place being devoid with people is very normal.

"???"

Bell's footsteps stopped abruptly.

" That feeling again? "

He felt like someone is watching his back with an intense glare.

At the topmost room of the Babel Tower.

" Ottar. The boy has gotten stronger. "

" Isn't that what you desire, ma'am? "

" Mine, yes.. "

In the dark room, with only the weak light of a single scented candle as the source of light.

The corners of Freya's lips curled upward in the flickering light from a candle sitting on a table.

There were few furnishings in the room. While that might not have seemed suitable for the highest-class suite in the tower, each individual piece of furniture here was beyond lavish.

Likewise, every item was placed perfectly within the space to complement everything else. The décor included a massive bookcase, a bed so big that a normal mind could never have thought of it, and a stylish, dark red carpet. Framing the interior were large murals of the sun and moon.

There, the silver-haired goddess Freya held a wineglass in her hand as she enjoyed a conversation with one of her followers.

" I seemed to have misjudged him. " she whispered. " His soul keeps of getting brighter and brighter everyday like a polished gem..... and that's when I haven't even made a move yet.. "

She held her wineglass up completely ignoring the heavy rain outside.

The young white wine was crystal clear with no depth. And no flavor either, of course. But Freya smiled with her silver eyes as she brought the glass to her lips, almost as though she considered that pale color itself to be prized above all else.

She wanted him, very much. He's very attractive to her.

She wanted him to always be close enough to reach out and touch.

Once her thoughts came to his point, Freya asked Ottar another question.

" Ottar. "

" What is it, ma'am? "

" Do you not feel anything? I am becoming entranced with that boy, ignoring all of you in my Familia for awhile now. "

Ottar's face remained unchanged as Freya continued.

" What would you do if that boy becomes stronger than you? I might treasure him more than you. That place you are standing now might become his. "

" As your heart desires, Mistress Freya. "

" Hmm...? You wouldn't be jealous? "

Ottar responded with utmost sincerity and trust, without betraying any emotion as he spoke.

" Your love is fair to all. While some may be special, no one is above the rest. Even if you were to dismiss me from this post, I wholeheartedly believe that your love for me will not disappear. "

Silver eyes locked with rusty ones.

In the uncomfortable silence that followed, Ottar bent his gargantuan body forward and silently lowered his head.

" I have said too much. "

" I don't mind. In fact, quite the opposite. You have become dearer to me. "

" Your words bring me great joy. "

They casually traded words as though they were so many blows. Freya let out a conniving laugh as she spun her beautiful voice into her response.

"....."

Freya suddenly stood up and walked towards the huge glass wall. Looking down, her silver eyes seemed to have seen something interesting for her as a beautiful smile suddenly blooms on her lips.

" He's here.. " she said in a gentle voice.

A crystal clear soul that she had never seen before. So beautiful, so clear, so pure and the only one that she can not see through!

It's the white-haired Bell, that had just came out of the tower. As she tried to look at him closer with her silver eyes, Freya saw him stopped and turned around.

Hmm? Did he... noticed me?

As if to answer her question, the boy did raised his head and looked up. His sight directly focused on her. To her direction to be precise.

And not only that, Freya also saw him.... smiling at her.

" How come... " Freya was genuinely surprised and also intrigued at the same time as she watched the boy below smiling and waiving his hands to her. To her direction to be precise. She was speechless.

Those rubillite eyes are clearly looking directly at her eyes, like as if he can see her.

Only when Bell turned around once again and finally left did she recovered her composure.

With an extremely enchanting smile, her seductive lips parted leaving a few words. " You are very interesting indeed, my dear Odr... It seems like I'll be having a great dream tonight. " 0.-.0

Like a kid who had successfully pulled out one of his pranks, Bell has a smile pasted on his face as he continue making his way back home.

" Ha-ha. " he chuckled. Laughing at himself for being childish pulling something like that. " Well, that should at least have surprised that whimsical goddess, isnt she? "

When he finally got home.....

" BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! "

" Urg... I'm drenched wet by the rain, Goddess. Let go of me first..? "

" NO! "

He had just opened the door of the basement when a small white figure launched herself onto him hugging him really tight.

" Why did you only came back now? I'm very worried you know... I thought... I thought.... you... "

" I'm fine. There there... " Bell can only carry the little creature with him inside the room.

She can get really clingy when she's worried... Well, that's one of the things that made her adorable..

He already got used to this side of his goddess especially when she's worried about his whereabouts..

0.-.0