Chapter 98: Bathhouse

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Sol headed to the bathhouse—a space reserved for gods. He'd come early and found the place empty, as though it had been set aside just for him. Initially, he planned to visit Astraea, but a concern lingered: he worried the goddess of justice might catch the lingering scent of Freya on him. Goddesses, like mortals, often had an uncanny sense for such things, and caution seemed prudent.

"Better to freshen up first," he mused.

As he hurried to enter, Sol collided unexpectedly with a soft, yielding form. He stumbled back, momentarily thrown off balance.

"Well, if it isn't Sol! You came here for a bath too?" a playful voice said.

"Demeter?" Sol blinked, taking in the goddess before him. She radiated elegance, her wavy honey colored hair and warm orange eyes glowing with a motherly kindness that was somehow... captivating. As the goddess of harvest and fertility, Demeter's presence exuded an unmatched sense of abundance and nurturing. There was something particularly alluring about her aura.

And Sol couldn't help but recall that it had been some time since he'd "exchanged experiences" with Demeter. His gaze shifted, a certain eagerness sparking in his eyes. This urge, usually kept in check, had been heightened by recent events.

Perhaps it was his dragon nature—or perhaps he could just blame Aurelion.

"Hmm, someone looks… restless." Demeter's eyes gleamed with mischief, noticing the change in Sol's demeanor. Her gaze turned playful, as though eyeing a particularly interesting prize. She'd always fit his tastes perfectly. In fact, they'd been close friends in the heavens once, and occasionally, something more.

Without further words, Demeter's lips curled into a knowing smile. She looped her arms around Sol, guiding him into an embrace, his arm sinking into the softness of her hold.

——

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When Sol finally emerged from the bathhouse, it was already the following noon. Demeter didn't appear until the second night, and even then, she walked out with unsteady legs. It was rumored that the Demeter Familia had nearly turned Orario upside down searching for their missing goddess. Had Demeter stayed any longer, they may well have "called the authorities."

Returning to his Familia's residence, Sol wasn't surprised to find his children unperturbed by his absence. They were used to his escapades by now. Yet, he couldn't help but notice Astraea standing resolutely in his hall, waiting.

The relationship between Sol and Astraea was an open secret among their respective Familia members, so no one tried to stop her. Still, it surprised him that she'd waited through the night.

"You idiot! What have you been up to?" Astraea exclaimed, her face set with irritation. The scent clinging to Sol hinted at something she might not have initially suspected, but the chaos caused by the Demeter Familia was impossible to ignore.

Orario relied heavily on the Demeter Familia; their vast farms outside the city produced much of the city's food, and they often experimented with cultivating dungeon plants brought back by adventurers. Losing Demeter's presence even temporarily could have serious consequences for Orario.

And here was Sol, smelling unmistakably of Demeter. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what had transpired.

"I was coming to see you, actually," Sol offered with a sheepish smile, "but then I happened to run into Demeter at the bathhouse…"

"So, you ended up staying all night? Do you realize the Demeter Familia nearly turned Orario upside down looking for her?"

"Ahahaha… It wasn't my intention to stay so long," he replied with a half-hearted grin. "It had just been a while since we'd last seen each other…"

"That's not the point! It's ridiculous!" Astraea cut him off, not willing to let him brush it off so easily. Though Sol's escapades weren't exactly new to her, this one stung more than she cared to admit.

"Let's get back to the reason I came here. Have you heard the latest news from the Loki Familia? Why are you so calm about this?" she asked, attempting to steer the conversation to more pressing matters.

"The Loki Familia? Has their expedition returned?" Sol looked genuinely puzzled.

"Of course it has! They arrived last night while you were off gallivanting with Demeter!" she replied with exasperation.

Again, she brought up Demeter. Sol suppressed a sigh, hoping she would let it go. Fortunately, she seemed more annoyed than anything, venting her frustration rather than truly pressing the matter.

"A new type of monster has appeared on the dungeon's 50th floor, and the Guild is organizing an investigation," she continued.

"The 50th floor? That's precisely where my expedition team is headed…"

"Exactly! Your children are down there right now, and you finally see the gravity of this?" she exclaimed, frustration in her voice.

Sol, however, remained composed. "If anything happens, they'll likely return with the Loki Familia," he said, reassuring her.

Astraea knew he had a point; his Familia was strong, with several powerful heroes led by Haruhime and Riveria. In a dire situation, Riveria could turn into an unstoppable LV8 magic cannon. If push came to shove, their combined strength is enough to make them retreat safely.

"Your confidence in them is admirable," she said, finally relenting. Still, Astraea knew that if her own Familia were involved, she'd likely feel more worried. Sol's trust in his Familia was unshakeable, and she couldn't help but envy that certainty.

"Of course," he replied easily. "If I can't trust my children, who else could I rely on?"

His straightforward tone stirred both admiration and mild irritation in Astraea. She wondered if she'd been too anxious, overthinking things.

Finally, after relaying all the relevant information, she said her goodbyes and left, a faint shadow of frustration still lingering in her heart.